11/12/04---This is for Legolas-Estelstar who somehow got left out of my review responses. I was doing them for two chapters and got a little confused as to who I had don't and who I had not. This is for you sweetheart. My deepest apologies for leaving you out. Not intentional. Never intentional. You are always respectful and worried about me. I would never forget you on purpose. Can you forgive a flaky old lady???
A/N: This is for everyone who was gnashing their teeth over what was going on in the past with the rest of the players. I had this chapter almost complete when I hit a major wall of dead-head. That was why I wrote the other chapter, but I suddenly received a light of inspiration and finished this. I hope you all enjoy. It may be a bit before you see another chapter. So be grateful for this one. KnT
Chapter 24
Strange Days
Sedgmont, New York
Early Spring, 1818
It was crazy. They were walking down a dirt road in the middle of colonial USA. There were men riding horses, hitching posts everywhere, buggies bouncing up and down the street, and people dressed in the old-time clothing they had only seen in pictures and history books. And they were stuck smack-dab in the middle of it, and it was REAL!
"Fine, we're outside, now who do you propose we ask the where-about's of one Edmond Fetlock?" Soujiro was nervous as he wiped clammy hands down the sides of his trousers. "They all look like they'd be suspicious over answering any kind of a question, if you ask me."
"Well, I'm not asking you, now am I." Kaoru gave the dark-haired man next to her a sharp poke in the ribs to amplify her point. "I'm asking one of them, and I'll choose which one, if you don't mind. Sheesh! You're acting more suspicious than they LOOK, Sou. Calm down or you'll have us in the stockades for sure just because you're acting weird."
"Sorry," He mumbled as he shot her an apologetic look from beneath thick brown eyelashes. "I'll try and keep my mouth shut."
"That's the smartest thing you've said since we left the house."
He shot her an irritated glare and kicked a rock with the toe of his boot. He liked Kaoru, but she could sure get bossy when she put her mind to it. He wondered what Kenshin did when she got this way. 'Boy, I can't see big brother putting up with this crap for very long, uh-uh. Maybe he's figured out a way to put her in her place when she gets like this.' Several interesting pictures formed in his mind, and Soujiro let a sneaky smile cross his face.
"I don't even want to know what you're thinking about, Soujiro." Kaoru said eyeing him cautiously. "I've see that look on Kenshin's face before and it never means anything good." She shook her head as a wicked, throaty chuckle bubbled up out of her companion and then gave in to a small giggle herself. "I knew it wasn't anything good."
"Perhaps not, sweet sister, but it was entertaining." Kaoru reached and punched him hard in the shoulder and he laughed as he missed several steps. "What's wrong? Isn't a brother allowed to imagine devious thoughts about his 'pain in the ass' big sister?"
"Pain in the... ewwww!" She snorted in mock irritation. "If we weren't in such a hurry, Sou, I'd show you why Yahiko hates to piss me off."
"I wondered about that, you know." He hugged her and cocked a charming look down into her face. "But I think I'll pass."
"Why, Ethan O'Massy? What on earth are you doing to your sister?" The shrill outraged voice of an approaching woman immediately pulled the two teens apart and they looked sheepishly at the mountain of pale green cloth thundering their way. "You know better than to grab a woman in the broad light of day! How dare you treat your sister as if she were no more than a strumpet on a drunken stroll." When the woman reached them, they were confronted with the severity of a face featuring a stretching black bun, angry green-gray eyes, thin shapeless lips, and a bird beak nose all smashed onto a chubby body that was stuffed into a plain green cotton dress with white pinafore. And to complete the picture, the bonnet tied to her head did nothing but make her face look that much rounder. She looked like a short, mobile landmass.
"Uhhhh... I-I was just trying to help her regain her balance, Mistress," Soujiro frantically wracked his brain for a plausible cause and reason for why he would be acting in such a familiar way with a woman in public even if she was his own sister. "She stumbled on a stone and would have fallen if I hadn't caught her."
"Oh, most definitely." Kaoru chimed in. "You know how Ethan is always looking out for me." She bit the inside of her lip as she played the gamble that the statement was actually true. From what Soujiro had told him about the brother and sisters relationship, she hoped she was right.
"Well, yes." The anger in the woman's eyes faded and she breathed a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to accuse you, Young Master, but it did look unseemly from across the street where my husband, Mister Josephs, and I were standing inside the shoemaker's door."
'Thank-you,' Soujiro breathed a mental sigh of immense gratitude. 'There is a God.' "I understand, Mrs. Josephs. Really I do. I can clearly see how it would look to an observer who did not see Cassandra trip and stumble... I am sure it did look quite, eh, unseemly." Offering the posturing woman one of his most charming smiles, Soujiro placed his hand over his heart and gave her a short bow. "It makes me feel honored to live in such a place as Sedgmont knowing there are good, honorable people like yourself that concern themselves with God's good work."
Mrs. Josephs beamed beneath the overt praise and charm of the young dark-haired man never realizing that she was being carefully manipulated with each and every word he spoke. "Why thank you, Master O'Massy." She chortled, in her most friendly voice offering him a very short curtsy.
"You are most welcome." He crooned into her pudgy, blushing face. Then offering his arm he asked, "May I escort you back to the Shoemaker's store and to your Gentleman Husband?"
"O-oohoohoo, yes, yes of course. Why thank-you." She nearly tripped over her own stumbling feet as she all but bounded to Soujiro's side glomming onto his arm like a starving dog pounces on a bone. "What a dear boy you are."
"Thank-you, Mrs. Josephs, but I'm just doing what my good father taught me." And with another tongue lolling smile, Soujiro walked the tamed and tantalized woman back to her husband who thanked him profusely for returning his Lady Wife to him in such a respectable manner. They exchanged a few words, Sou offered Mr. Josephs the same short bow, said his good-byes, and returned to a gapping Kaoru.
"What?" He looked at her raising both of his eyebrows in question. "What?"
"I don't believe what I just saw." Laughter sparkled in her eyes as she took his proffered arm and they continued their stroll down the street. "That was either the most hysterical or the most amazing thing I ever saw. How did you do that? She was ready to tear you to bits over 'my honor'."
"Simple, my dear sister." He smiled and looked down at her. "No one has ever been able to resist the Seijuro/Himura charm. Once it's turned on... women are putty in our hands." Sou wiggled his eyebrows and winked. "It's deadly." Kaoru burst into laughter.
"I can't argue with that." She giggled as she looked up and met his mischievous smile. "Kenshin definitely swept me off my feet."
"Yeah," He tipped his head to the side and favored her with a long serious look. "Was it really his charm that got to you? For some reason I got the idea that it went way deeper than just 'charm' and 'good manners'."
Kaoru blushed and looked away. "It was, and it is." A wistful look crossed her face and she started to chew on her bottom lip. "It took a while before he ever did try the 'charm-thing' out on me, and by then we were already close. But you are right about one thing, Sou."
"What's that?"
"It is deadly." They shared a little laugh together over that intimate admission, and then Kaoru suddenly grew quiet. "Damn," She cursed under her breath.
"What? What's wrong?" Soujiro stopped walking and looked at her frustrated face.
"We could have asked that woman were Edmond was, and we didn't." A wicked smile crossed the handsome face in front of her and Kaoru gave Sou a sideways look. "What did you do, Sou?"
"I told them someone had come into the store asking about him and had left a message for him that we needed to deliver but I was not sure where he lived. Mrs. Josephs was more than willing to give me directions to the 'School Master's' house."
"Sch-school Master?" Kaoru gave Soujiro an incredulous stare. "Kenshin is stuck in the body of a school master??"
"So it would seem... that is, if he is here with us."
"He is, Sou. I won't believe anything else."
OOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooOOOOOOOooooooooo
A worried Mrs. Connely walked through the School Master's house on her way to answer the front door. The Master was acting so strangely this morning and she was almost at her wits end wondering what to do, and the knocking at the door was a potential avenue of assistance.
"Miss O'Massy!" She exclaimed, when she saw the blue-eyed woman. "Oh my, you and your brother are the answers to me prayers."
"Why?" Kaoru demanded, as anxiety rushed through her system. "What is wrong? Has
something happened to Ed... Master Fetlock?"
"Oh yes." The old woman wrung her apron in distress. "He's suffering from some sort of a brain seizure or something, and he won't let me go fetch Dr. Keysel. I'm so afraid that something terrible has happened to his mind." She pulled a corner of the apron to her face and wiped away the sudden tears that fell from her eyes. "He fainted in the barn tryin' to saddle his horse, and then when he woke up he didn't even know my name and I've worked for him these past four years."
Kaoru and Soujiro exchanged a brief, elated look and then Kaoru reached out and grasped the old woman's arm in a gentle hand. "Where is he now?" She asked, careful to refrain from using the old woman's name since she didn't know it. "Can I see him?"
"He be up in his room, Miss Cassy, and that be the worst of all of it."
"What do you mean, that is the worst of it?"
"He started crying like a little boy, curled himself up into a ball on his bed and now he won't even answer me when I talk to him. I just know he's losin' his mind. My poor, sweet boy. Ohhhh..." Mrs. Connely buried her face in the apron and sobbed as thoughts of her precious red-haired school master being chained to a wall while he moaned and cried in madness formed in her mind. "Whatever will we do?"
"Can I see him?" Kaoru asked again with a little more force in her voice. "I'll take Ethan with me and maybe the two of us can make some sense of this. Alright?"
"Yes, yes. Of course. God himself must have sent ya here, Miss Cassy. He knows how the young Master feels for you."
"He-he does?" Kaoru stuttered and cast an anxious look at the wide-eyed man next to her. "Whatever do you mean by that?"
"Oh now, don't you be trying to fool Mrs. Connely now, girl. I've eyes in my head and a heart in my chest albeit they are both old and seen better days, but I know love when I see it, and I've watched the two of you. I know." A conspirital glint of secrecy glittered in the old eyes as Mrs. Connely turned to lead the two stunned teenagers up the stairs. "I'm thinking Master Edmond might be thinking about asking your father for you, yes I am, and wouldn't it be grand." Her voice trailed off into fanciful mumbling as she searched her pockets for her keys.
"He was acting so strangely," She tried to explain while unlocking the door. "He was talking to himself like he was someone else, and well, I just thought it was perhaps best to keep him locked in his room until I knew what was going to happen."
"I see." Kaoru pursed her lips but said nothing else.
"I couldn't have him runnin' loose screaming and pulling his hair out in front of the whole colony if it came to that, now could I? I t would have been humiliating for him; him bein' such a proud and educated man as he is. I just couldn't let that happen."
"We understand, Mrs. Connely." Soujiro finally intervened when it appeared the old woman might prattle on forever. "Can we see him now, please?"
"Yes, yes. Forgive me." She opened the door and peered inside. "He's still on the bed." She reported backing out of the way. "May God have mercy on his soul." She whispered and crossed herself before walking away. Her pitiful sniffles followed her all the way down the stairs.
"Sou..." Kaoru looked frightened as Soujiro began to push the door open. "What if..."
"Don't go there, Kaoru." Gentle dove gray-blue eyes snapped hard as flint. "He's going through the exact same thing we were only he didn't have anyone to help him figure it out. Plus, we don't know what was going on with him when he got blasted back here. Anything could have happened so just keep your wits and don't go getting all shaky on me. We have to do this together, alright?"
Kaoru nodded and swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat. "Alright, let's go. I have to see him, Sou. I have to see him now."
"I know, me too."
Their first sight of the figure laying on the bed was a terrible one. He looked exactly the way Mrs. Connely had described. He was rolled up into a fetus ball with his back to the door and the shattered sounds of his sobbing breaths echoed through the small room.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru cried in a small, horrified voice as she raced across the room and pounced on the bed behind the trembling figure. "Kenshin, it's me, it's Kaoru." Grabbing him by the shoulder, she tugged hard pulling him over onto his back and then gasped in shock as she looked down into the beloved face. "Kenshin!" Pale cheeks, matted red hair, and a look of such deep sorrow etched into the handsome features sent her into an emotional overload.
Her hands cupped his face and she frantically began to kiss the tears away letting her lips and the tip of her nose erase the salty wetness from his skin. And all the while she cried little bits and pieces of words and phrases over him as she struggled to comfort and reassure.
"Baby... I'm here... I'm here, look at me. Kenshin... I love you... honey... Oh God, please... look at me, Kenshin?"
Thick brown eyelashes fluttered beneath her lips and then the fragmented voice of pain rose between them. "Kao... are-are you r-real?"
Kaoru pulled back and stared down into the tear filled amethyst eyes that stared back with a fear she had never seen in them before. Gently she leaned down and pressed her mouth back into his while her hands tenderly smoothed the matted hair off his forehead. "Yes, baby." Her soft voice filled his mouth as she nuzzled his cheeks. "I'm real, and so are you."
"And-and we're together, Kao? Are we really together?"
"Yes, we are together. See? Can't you feel this?" She grabbed his hand and squeezed it with her own watching as he struggled to understand and comprehend what was happening. "We are all together, Kenshin. All of us, but most important... you and I are still together."
"We are?" A trembling hand reached up to touch and cup her face as his eyes urgently searched her face for the truth he so desperately needed to hear. "I haven't failed you?"
"Noooooo," She turned her face into his hand and kissed the calloused palm and then she looked hard into his confused eyes. "You have never failed me, sweetie. Never, and you never will."
"I'm not dead? I didn't leave you behind?" The choked words tore at her heart and she cast a horrified look over her shoulder at Soujiro.
"No, you aren't dead, and you didn't leave me behind. I'm right here in front of you, baby. I'm right here."
Kenshin groaned and wrapped his arms around Kaoru's neck and shoulders pulling her into a crushing embrace. "I had the worst dream, Kao. I dreamt Daniel killed me. I swear, it was so real. I remember everything."
"What do you mean he killed you?"
"We had a horrible sword fight in the lighthouse and I cut off his hand."
"You cut off his hand?!" Soujiro exclaimed as he pounced on the other side of the bed
"You cut off Dad's hand?"
"I guess so, I remember seeing it laying on the floor all covered with blood."
"Oh my Gosh!" Soujiro gripped his brothers trembling shoulder and pulled him away from the comfort of Kaoru's warmth. "What else do you remember? Kenshin? What else happened?"
"I– I remember tying a tourniquet around his wrist to stop the bleeding, and then..." A frown crossed his face as he struggled with the foggy memories. "There was a wound on his chest, a big wound. I stuffed some table covers in it and tried to stop the bleeding."
"You tried to save him?" Soujiro stared into his brothers pale face and then up into Kaoru's shocked eyes.
"After everything you've been through with him, you tried to save him?"
"Yes, I– I couldn't live with myself if I just walked away and let him bleed to death. It wouldn't be right. But, now that I think about it, maybe I should have."
"What do you mean, Kenshin?" Kaoru brushed the hair out of his troubled eyes and helped him set up. "What happened?"
"I thought he was unconscious but when I started to leave, he moved." A trembling hand reached up and yanked its way through his thick red hair. "So I went back to see what was up. That's when it happened."
"What?" Soujiro rounded the bed and sat beside his brother. "What happened?"
"He pulled a knife out of his boot and threw it at me. It was so fast I didn't even have a chance to think about it."
"A knife?!" Kaoru's voice rose on a near hysterical note. "What knife? Where? Where did it hit you? Oh my God, Kenshin!" Her hands started to race over his body looking for a wound that was not there. "Where is it? Where's the wound?"
"Kao, honey," He captured her hands and pulled them both to his lips. "It's not there, the knife, I mean. It's not there."
"Where is it then?" She was frantic.
"In my gut over here on the right side somewhere. I remember looking down and seeing it there, and then everything went black. I thought I was dead, I really did."
"But you're not, you're not dead. I won't let you be." Tears started to run down her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her nose against his cheek. "You can't be."
"Hey, calm down," he gently rubbed her back and nuzzled her forehead. "You have to explain to me what the fuck is going on because I'm clueless here. As far as I know, I just fell down the rabbit hole in 'Wonderland' and I got no idea in hell how I got here or even where here is." Turning, he looked at Soujiro. "By the way, where the hell am I anyway?"
"Weeellll, that's kind of a long story, Kenshin. Are you sure you're up to it?"
"I'm here, aren't I? I better be up to it."
"Good point. Okay, here goes, but you better hang on to your ass, because I don't know if you're going to believe me or not."
"I don't know if I have much choice, Sou."
"Another good point." From there Soujiro and Kaoru did their level best to explain to a wide-eyed Kenshin what they thought happened at the lighthouse and why they were all in Sedgemont inside of their counterparts bodies.
"Are you telling me that both you AND Aoshi are involved in this mess just as much as Kao and I?"
"Yup, that's what I'm telling you. And as far as I can tell, if we don't figure out what we are supposed to do while we're back here, everything that happened in our time is going to happen all over again and you and Kaoru will never be together. At least, that is what I have figured out this means."
"Shit." Kenshin cursed and stood up to walk into the center of the room while raking both hands through his hair. "That has to be what it's all about. We must have been brought back here to stop something from happening, it's just a matter of discovering what that 'something' is."
"That was pretty much my feelings on the matter." Soujiro nodded and cast a worried look toward Kaoru who was still setting on the edge of the bed. "What do you think?"
"It has to be, but there is just one problem with your idea that I can see."
"What?" The brothers voiced together as they both looked at Kaoru's concerned face.
"Where's Aoshi?"
OooooooooooOoooooooooooOooooooooooooOoooooooooooooooOooooooooooooooooOoooooooo
His head was splitting and the urge to vomit was uncontrollable so when he struggled to his knees, that was the first thing he managed to do. Emptying the contents of his stomach onto the patch of grass beneath him with harsh, lusty spasms that left him feeling weak and lightheaded was almost more than he could handle in his current condition, but he managed to remain conscious and alert throughout the ordeal. Once he was finished, Aoshi moved away from the foul mess he made and spent the next few moments trying to clear his head with several deep breathing sequences meant to center him and focus his ki.
'Where the hell am I?' He thought as he pressed clammy palms against the sides of his head. 'What happened? Where are the others?' It had taken him on a brief moment to realize he was no longer inside the Lighthouse and that his friends were no longer with him. To his utter surprise he found himself in the middle of a grassy field beneath an azure sky. The air around him was slightly chilly but it was fresh with the scents of damp earth and wild flowers.
'How did I get outside, and where is this place?' His icy blue-green eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he looked around him trying to find a familiar landmark, but there was nothing that he recognized. 'There must be a logical explanation for this, I just have to remain calm until I can figure out what it is.' Waiting for a few more moments for the headache and nausea to pass was not going to make any difference one way or the other, so Aoshi made himself comfortable on the grass and gazed up into the cloudless sky and put his mind to work on a solution for his current predicament.
'Let's see... I recall quite clearly being in the lighthouse with Soujiro and we were looking for Himura. Hmmmm, I also recall that the interior had somehow been altered to look fully restored and that our clothing was changed as well.' Looking down at himself, Aoshi took note that his clothing had changed once more and he was wearing a dark overcoat, black breeches, knee high leather boots, and what appeared to be a white shirt with lace cuffs (if he were to believe what he was seeing hanging out of the coats cuffs). 'Alright, this is strange but acceptable considering what I already know, now what else was there?' He pursed his thin, well-shaped lips as his highly analytical mind went back to work on solving the mystery of his surroundings. 'I remember running through the rooms... we heard screaming, that's right. We heard a woman screaming and ran in the direction of that sound. That is when we found Kaoru and Quii. Only it wasn't Kaoru... it was Cassandra in Kaoru's body.' Ignoring the pain that pounded in his temples, Aoshi sat straight up and gapped at his own discovery.
"Cassandra was in Kaoru's body." He said it out loud as if that would make it more real. "Shit, and she called me something, God, what was that she said. What did she say to me?" Growling in frustration he fisted a hand and drove it against his forehead as if that would force the memory out. "What did she say..."
Suddenly his clear, blue-green eyes blew open wide and Aoshi froze, his face turning pale as mother's milk. "I remember," He whispered to himself in a quiet and frightened voice. "She called me 'Elliot', and she knew me. Cassandra knew me. She knew Soujiro too. She called him 'Ethan' and said he was her brother... Oh my God. We're all in this together. All of us. But who am I? Who is 'Elliot' and what does he have to do with Cassandra and Edmond?" And then Aoshi's face contorted with anxiety as another thought occurred to him. "What does he have to do with 'Daniel'?"
Aoshi shot to his feet and looked around him frantically. Just off to his left, grazing quietly as if there were nothing wrong with the world at all, was a horse. Saddle, bridle, everything he needed to ride. 'Of course it has everything you need to ride it, idiot.' He chided himself harshly as he strode over to the animal. 'It's your fucking horse.'
Swinging up into the saddle, Aoshi gently nudged the animal into a loose canter across the grassy field in the direction that seemed the most logical. How and why it seemed the most logical he did not know. It felt that way, so he went with his feelings. They were all he had to go on at the moment so he trusted them. Something told him that he would find some of the answers to his questions in this direction so his kicked the beast into a gallop and lit out over the rolling hills.
"I can't be the only one here," he gritted through his teeth as the cold wind bit into his flesh. "I just know I can't. This whole thing has more to do with than just me so I can't be here alone. Someone else must be here with me, but who?" Somehow he felt he would find out who when he reached the end of his ride.
OooooooooooOooooooooooooooOoooooooooooooOooooooooooooooooOooooooooooooooOooooo
Kenshin, Kaoru, and Soujiro decided it was imperative they find Aoshi but none of them knew where to look. Soujiro was the only one who had the full detailed account from Cassandra about who everyone was so he finally suggested that they go to the church and inquire. After all, Elliot was the Reverends son and surely the old man would have some idea of his whereabouts So, with that thought in mind, Kenshin made an excuse to the frantically worried Mrs. Connely about needing the Reverends advice concerning his memory lapse and unstable emotional state and the three of them departed. It was the only thing he could think of.
"Where are you, Eddy, when I need you?" He muttered in exasperation as he closed the front door behind him. "The old woman is either going to be the death of me or she's going to drive me insane. How in the hell did you ever put up with her?"
"What's that, Kenshin?" Kaoru put a questioning hand on her boyfriends arm as he caught up to her and Soujiro. "Did you say something, baby?"
"Nah, nothing important." He tried to give her a reassuring smile but it was a feeble attempt. "Do either of you know which way we're going? I want to get this over with as soon as possible."
"Get what over with, Kenshin?" Soujiro raised an eyebrow at his brother. "We don't even know what the hell we're doing here let along what we're supposed to do now that we're here so how can we hurry and get it over with?"
"Shut-up, Sou, and let's just find the fucking church, alright?"
"Yeah, whatever. Boy, time travel sure didn't do anything to sweeten your disposition did it?"
"Sou," Kenshin's voice was threatening as his eyes danced an violet-gold message of impatience at his brothers irritating attitude. "You're starting to get on my nerves with your bullshit. Just find the damn church."
"Yeah, yeah, lighten up will ya. It's not the end of the world... yet."
"Sou!" Kenshin growled and reached out to thump the source of his pain.
"Sorry," A good-natured chuckle followed the half-hearted apology as the teen hopped out of the way of his brothers backhanded swipe. "Just trying to add a little humor to the situation. You two are looking so glum you'd think we were all dead again already, sheesh!"
"Well if you aren't a little more careful, pretty-boy, you're the one whose gonna be dead again. Now cut it out. I'm not in the mood for your crap."
"Fine, whatever... but one day you'll be glad I was around to provide comic relief at times like this."
"I'll try to remember that when I'm wringing your neck." Kenshin muttered and Soujiro burst into laughter leaping away from his scowling brother before dancing back to fall into step beside him.
"Ah, you know you'd miss me if I was gone."
"Yeah, for about five minutes."
Kaoru dissolved into laughter at which point Kenshin couldn't help but relax a little and find one of his special smiles just for her. The layer of icy fear and worry that had encased the young redhead was finally cracked and some of what was human inside oozed out and wrapped itself around the two companions he walked with. They were, after all, two of the people he loved the most.
"Alright, you win," a low chuckle accompanied the admission. "A little bit of comic relief isn't such a bad idea at a time like this. Just don't go overboard, Okay? We have to keep a serious frame of mind if we're going to get out of this alive."
"I know, Ken," Soujiro draped an arm around his brother's broad shoulders and hugged him. "But you have to have a clear perspective to do that and you can't if you're all tied up in knots. You of all people should know that."
"Yeah, I know. Thanks for reminding me."
"No prob."
The horse and rider came careening around the corner like the hounds of hell were barking and snapping at their heels and the three teenagers had to lunge backwards to keep from being run down. As it was, the horse was just as startled as they were and he shied away wildly rearing into the air nearly unseating his dark rider.
"Whoa! Whoa!" The dark-haired rider shouted as he pulled on the reins and tried to bring the large animal under control. "Whoa, dammit! I said, Whoa!"
Kenshin could see that the rider was precariously close to being thrown and, throwing caution to the winds, rushed forward and grabbed the horse by the bridle and pulled down.
"Whoa, boy!" Kenshin cried in a loud voice as he pulled on the bit forcing the horses head down toward his own knees. "Whoa!" Between the two men the struggle to calm the beast was made simpler and in no time, the flailing hooves were nothing more than dancing toes in the dust.
"Are you alright, Sir?" Kenshin asked as he stroked the horses velvet nose in an effort to calm him down. "You almost took a bad one there."
"Yes, I very nearly did. Thank-you for your assistance. I am most grateful." The cultured tone of the voice as well as the tenor struck a cord of familiarity within the redhead, and he stepped sharply away from the horses head to stare up into the face of the man setting on the beasts back, and as surprised violet eyes met wide blue-green, the formality of the situation was shattered by the shout of one single word.
"Aoshi!"
TBC
Review Responses
Pixel, the Evil Fairy: Thank God for remembering 'Fern Gully'. I wracked my poor abused brain for days. It was a funny animation–I remember watching it with my boys when they were little. Very heavy on the environmentalists issues, but it was still cute. LOLOL
I'm glad you like my 'Saitou'. Actually, Saitou is one of my favorite characters. He's edgy, he's snide, and he's an ass who has the quality of being there when you need him the most. My kind of guy.
Kik-ting: Mariko, dear–don't worry about not reviewing sooner, I just love getting your reviews whenever I get them. You make me happy. And Yes, I think it would be very strange to wake up and find myself in a strange century with a stranger looking at me...however, if it was a gorgeous man, I could deal with it. wink.
Deliriou599: Glad you like the mystery, but the point of the alternate universe was so I could get them out of Japan and make them somewhat different people. I'm still very flattered that you like the story so much. I hope you continue to do so.
RKfan930: What a glowing/fantastic review!! WoW!!! I blow a lot a people away when they find out that I an old lady with teenagers. LOLOL and then eventually those people start calling me 'mom' and I get an adopted child. I think I'm up to about 8 now or something. But I don't mind, I love teenagers, their a blast. I hope you stick around for the rest of the story. It's getting ready to start winding down.
Lynn Minmay: four days, eh? Wow! Now that perseverance. And I'm flattered and honored that you enjoyed the story that much to stick with it. I hope you come back for the rest. God Bless.
PhoebeOtaku: I have always loved movies and books that time-hop. Glad you like it too.
BelleDayNight: Ah, Belle... the wicked task master. Hehehehehe.... did you like this chapter better than the last? I got everyone back together again and I was thinking about you almost the whole time I did it. Just imagine that? And I was also thinking about 'Saitou's Ranch' because that was before I finished that chapter. LOLOL I just think about you all the time.
Luraia Soul: How on earth am I going to be able to remind you who is in the past and the future when it is going to take all I've got to keep myself oriented to the reality of things? LOLOLOL I think I've got like three sticky notes taped to my computer already that has stuff written on them concerning who is where. Pathetic, ne?
Kean: Kean, dearest, has the cloud of confusion lifted? Are you oriented with me to what's going on or have I left you in a whirl of 'what the...'. It would appear (for the moment knock on wood) that my writers block from hell has disappeared. I have been most prolific the last few days and I have updated almost everything I own (or have it ready to be updated). Thank you for being so supportive, my shin-yuu. I need people like you to keep me honest with myself.
Aine of Knockaine: LOLOLOLOL I"ve been 30 for 11 years now. Hehehehehehe Nice to meet another age stretcher. My sister has be 35 for longer. Thanks for your encouragement, and as for Trigun... never heard of it. Is it on Cartoon network?
Rain angst: I love you, kiddo. I'm just so glad you love the story and keep coming back to read it. Keep the hot chocolate warm, I'll bring marshmellows. wink
De Lazy Lime: So you want me to kill of Daniel/Hiko, eh? Hehehehehe... I just got a review from a young lady who read up to chapter 11 who was 'sickened' by my portrayal of Hiko. I don't think she would agree with you, baby. LOL I hope you liked this chappie. I finally got everybody back together. Whew!
Erica6060: I hoped you liked the new chapter. Thanks for reading.
Lendra-chan: Alendra, my love—it's so goooood to hear from you, sweetie! Glad you liked the chapter. I just read the new one of yours on 'Waterfall' and it was fantastic! I'm so pleased you are still reading and enjoying this story. Warms the old lady's heart, that it does. Say hello to Ditox, and tell her I want to see some new work on her stories. They are GOOD!
Psychotic-catster: OMG! Someone let you out of your cage! LOLOLOL j/k. You know I love you, you crazy little woman. I swear, my reviews would be totally incomplete and hollow if I didn't hear from you. You are the greatest, and you make me laugh. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry it has been so long in the coming.
Kenji25samx: Thank you so much. What a nice person you are. You said such wonderful things about me and my writing. And thank you for your compliments on the story plot as well as the imagery I am trying to establish and maintain. I'm glad that I succeeded in entertaining you. God Bless, Sweet soul.
Immortal Blood: I can't get enough of your name. Everytime I read it I get chills. It is just that great. I know the last chapter was all explanations, but there needed to be one. I was getting a lot of letters from confused souls. :( I hope you enjoyed this chapter better. I finally got everybody back together. Peace Out to you too.
Lere: God Bless you, my Brazilian friend. I was going through pictures on my computer today looking for stuff for my webpage, and I found the two you sent me of yourself. I actually got tears in my eyes because you are so beautiful and so special to me. I missed you, and I wished there was a way I could just hop out my front door and go see you. When I post this chapter, I do it with you on my mind more than anything. Love you, Leticia
JD Fielding: JD, my shin-yuu. I found the C2 community, Foxgloves and I joined. :) I haven't read any of the stories yet, but I plan to. Botan and Kurama forever. I am going to be opening a new gallary on my webpage... just for Kurama/Youko. Do you know any good gallary sites with pics of him/them?
Thanks for saying my last chapter wasn't total crap. It definitely wasn't up to par, but I had to do something. I am glad to say, the writers block seems to have disappeared at the moment. God willing, it will stay gone for a good long while. God Bless you, dear boy. All my love, prayers, and best wishes are with you. Always.
Unknown beedee: Thanks for the compliments, baby... but where are the updates for your new story? The first chapter was really goood. Are you going to write anymore?
Xia xue: Sooooooooo sorry you are confused, dear one. Did this chapter help clear up the fog?
Ixchen: Your skin is crawling, eh? You know they have medication for that... wink. Take care. Hope to see you next time. I hope you liked this chapter.
Catti-dono: The sledgehammers again... I laughed my ass off all over again. God, that's funny. I love you, you strange, funny woman. Promise me you won't ever change. Did you like the chapter? I got them all together again (mostly) hahahahaha. Course, I still left ya'll hanging. Oops
Pyramidgirl189: I adore K/K–I hope you liked the new chapter.
Blueliath: Everyone screams over my cliffies. They don't call me the Queen of Cliffhangers for nothing. :) Hope you liked the new chapter.
The Lone Lemon: I'm glad you approve, my friend. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.
Nguardian: Oh Sweetie! There are so many things I want to say... Thank-you is the first. Thank you for taking the time to beta this story. You know how much this fic means to me. It's like one of my babies, I swear, and I wouldn't let just anyone touch it. You do a great job and I want you to know that. Next, God Bless. You are becoming such a good friend. I love you so much and enjoy all of our talks. Take care always, dear one.
Polaris Fire Star: Glad to see you back! Well, I got them all back together again. Hope you enjoyed it. Take care.
Miguela: Glad you liked the story. I update just as quickly as my brain allows. wink
Steph: Hiya girly! WoW! Horses? I love horses! I used to have one a long time ago. A pretty chestnut arabian with a white face and stockings. His name was 'Brewbaker'. I understand the 'hot blooded horse' in a stall for too long problem. I'm glad you had time to stop and read though. Hope you liked the new chapter. Take care, and don't let that hot blooded animal get the best of you.
Kaoru890: How's the computer ban going, kiddo? Hope you got a chance to stop and read the new chapter. Take care, honey.
Female Hitokiri Battousai: Stacie-chan! I need to get over and read your new fic. You've been going nuts on it and I haven't had the chance to read any of it. I need to. I also need to write you a new letter. I have worked the last 2 Friday nights and have not been able to talk to you. Poopy! I love you, hope you are doing well. God bless, baby.
KodoraFairy: It's nice to know you came back. I hope you continue to enjoy this story. It takes a lot out of me because so much of me goes into it. Take care, and I hope to see you again.
MZ.AMbER EYES: I put you on my AOL buddie list, but either I misspelled something or you haven't been on when I have because I haven't seen you at all. Anyway, I hope you liked the new chapter. It's always great reading your reviews.
Midi Tenshi: My little Angel-girl! Aren't 13 year olds just a gas? LOLOL He just turned 14 and thinks he's God's Gift. Oh my... anyway, I am hoping you liked the new chapter, Midi-girl. I love hearing from you. Take care, sweetheart. See you soon.
Sephiress: Dana, My Love–I haven't seen nor heard from you in ages. Are you alright? Are you well? Is school Okay? I miss you something awful, girl. I just haven't seen you for so long, I'm going through withdrawls.
I hope the story is still holding your attention. I'm looking forward to anything you write on 'Don't Let Go'. It is getting so good. Take care, girly, write me a letter or something. God Bless.