Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively.
Hachi
The lanterns lining the street seemed to give a festive air that bested even that of last year's celebration, even of past ones this year. The small fire in the heart of each paper creation pooled together, burning the night with their collective light. Had their makers realize the brilliance they would bring even as they formed their mundane craft?
Most people would fail to notice little details like lamps. There were other things to see, after all. The decorations, the peddlers and their wares, the wave after wave of people flowing into a loose throng. There, a little girl, after stumbling on her too-big-geta, ambled on after an indulgent squeeze from her mother--the skinned knee she forgot quickly, distracted by the sweets held out by the father. The mat weaver's son from the next street could be sighted a little farther; Kyou blushed to equal the flushed face of Meimi, the potter's daughter, demurring each profuse thank-you for some bauble received. The steady boom of distant drums, the elusive strain of music drowned out by the clapping and chattering…. None of them was lost to the young girl that stood before the open door ways of the Akabeko. She took in everything, absorbing all details to store away among the precious memories of youth.
On a pair of tabi-less feet, a cute set of toes wiggled experimentally. Tsubame giggled; Like a child, she indulged in another round of play with her--well, toes. Her embarrassment having been replaced by amusement, she allowed her eyes to settle back on the richly arrayed and peopled street. Somehow, she felt that the scene between Kyou-san and Meimi-chan was too private for her to see. She had evaded her eyes after a brief glance, and they were gone now. She could see their backs, their heads bobbing with the rest as they moved to the place of gathering.
Those people were latecomers, Tsubame mused, noting the snappy movements of most that spoke of haste. In fact, she realized that Yahiko-chan himself was late. Surely she remembered the details pertaining to their rendezvous clearly: at seven tonight, under the tree. Well, there was only one tree. It's where they inevitably meet when they do. Tae-san usually meets with Kaoru-san there for a day-out. Megumi-san meets them there too for a dinner date in any of her visits. Whatever other tree could he have meant?Tsubame shook her head to dispel such worries. She shouldn't get so anxious, as her mother gently stressed upon her often. The young girl sighed, curling a stray strand of hair on a finger as she thought. For all she knew, Yahiko could be stopping by the Akabeko now, taking leave of his mistress and her husband, who were probably there with Genzai-sensei, Ayame, and Suzume. He could be having trouble leaving for fear of being impolite. It was possible, Yahiko or not.
The strand was in her mouth now, she realized. Tsubame stopped chewing on her hair and pulled it out in slight irritation. Tae-san was kind enough to toil over her hair; she shouldn't be nibbling and splitting its ends just because she was irrationally being haunted by stupid thoughts.
Tsubame adored Kaoru, that's for sure, but she wouldn't be surprised at all if the shihondai were the ultimate cause of Yahiko's hold up. Kaoru-san was pretty demanding, but she could be reasonable, too, even towards her undeclared favorite student. She was sweet and generous, too. In fact, it was her and Kenshin's gift, the pale yellow and lilac flower-print yukata, Tsubame was wearing now. Surely Kaoru-san had a reason to hold Yahiko-kun back. Surely Yahiko-kun had reason to be late.
Yes. Patience was all she needed.
Patience.
~~~~
Patience…
"Yahiko!"
Patience, Yahiko told himself again firmly as he turned around to heed the call. Automatically, he caught the object that came hurtling towards him. For a moment, he stood there, stupidly staring at the lantern he was clutching. He laughed nervously, called out a hearty, heartfelt thank-you to Kenshin, and sprinted out of there.
Yahiko didn't even think as he pelted on the leaf-carpeted forest floor. Too vexed with himself for being tardy, he concentrated on getting himself out of the dim place as fast as he could.
What would Tsubame think! It was already seven when he stumbled out of the dojo. Good thing Kenshin was sensible enough to toss him some lights--otherwise he'd be enjoying trips and falls courtesy of occasional protruding roots. Now if only, Kenshin had been as helpful on the fashion side.
Actually, Kenshin's been a brick. He was patient all through out their bonding session (so to speak). He answered Yahiko's questions the best he could, guided him through the normally-simple-but-now-puzzling rituals for good hygiene. For a yukata, Yahiko had thrown on a forest green affair of abstract shapes, Kaoru's gift for him on his 12th birthday--a size too big at the time. He knew it would look great with the yellow one Kaoru gave to Tsubame, something she might just wear tonight. Kenshin had said he looked fine. Kaoru hadn't been there for comments, and Yahiko hadn't had (and didn't have) time to wait for her derisive chuckles.
The problem had started before all that. The sun had been already low in horizon when Yahiko woke up from the nap he took coming from Shirodachi's house. It had been Kaoru who solicitously roused him, and it had also been her who protested raucously when he considered skipping a hot bath. She had evaporated out of sight as soon as Kenshin opened the doors to a steaming bath and had left the two men (ahem) to their own devices.
"So what to do we do in the dance?" Yahiko had asked.
"Haven't you been on one?" Kenshin had answered from outside.
"I mean--really?"
"Just be respectful and attentive to your companion."
"You trying to tell me to go 'dono' and 'de gozaru'?" Yahiko yelped. "But I don't go for that polite shit!"
"I said 'respectful,' Yahiko-kun."
"Oh."
After a while, Yahiko said, "This is a date, isn't it, Kenshin?"
"That's really for you to know," Kenshin had said; Yahiko knew he had been smiling just by the tone of his voice.
"I think so," Yahiko had muttered, all red.
"In that case, I think so, too."
"Aren't you and Kaoru going out on one too?"
"Yahiko, at the rate you're going, you're going to get late."
And that was that.
So now, Yahiko was trying to pace himself as he briskly walked through the shortcut. It would be stupid to run; he'd be wasting that long soak in the tub. He knew he was going too slow, but he kept his pace.
Soon, he noted dim lamplight coming from in front of him--Shirodachi's hut. He couldn't see it yet, so he knew he was barely halfway, and he harrumphed inwardly for failing to prepare much earlier. Within a few more feet, Shirodachi's house became visible.
Shirodachi. He had forgotten about her. Since she appeared to be home, she obviously had no one to go to the festival with. Weird, thought Yahiko. I thought she was visiting for a relative.
But of course. She never mentioned whether the family was living or not. And he never stopped to ask.
How stupid of him! People--especially those as young as her--usually have family members accompanying them when visiting their dead. Unless they're allin the ground.
Yahiko shuddered. No wonder Shirodachi seemed so lonely, seemed so happy to have someone to talk to. So she was all alone in the world… and he never knew.
He had been alone in the world once. But then, Kaoru and Kenshin came. Kaoru had been alone, too, before Kenshin came. So had been Sanosuke. And Megumi… And Tsubame…
Amazing thing it was, that they managed to drift together somehow. For a short while, they had been a family. Children tend to grow up, though, and leave the nest. Off flew Sanosuke and Megumi to different directions. Kenshin and Kaoru started down a new road hand in hand. Things would never be the same again, but there would always remain an attachment, a bond among them.
Shirodachi had no such thing.
Yahiko was late with his tryst with Tsubame, but she'd be there when he arrives breathless and apologetic. They would enjoy a night out, while Shirodachi was alone in her home, starkly silent against the music and laughter resounding from within and without the town's thoroughfare.
He went straight for the door ajar. He'd be even more tardy now that he was on his way to pick up the third member of their party. Tsubame would understand, of course. Tsubame was kind-hearted and generous.
She'd understand.
~~~
Where there is light, there is shadow.
Shishio Makoto always said that all things in existent are, because they have managed to survive as the fittest, that this world is based on competition, that a life of one must be exchanged for another. Same's true for light. For an object to be touched by radiance, another behind it might be deprived.
So it was, in that night of dance and cheer. Swathed by shadows, a man walked about. By the way sweat rolled down his wrinkled brows, he seemed nervous. His apparel, as well as visage, was neither gay nor light, though he came from the direction of the Akabeko and other such establishments. Furthermore, his wiry body seemed tense, seemed too close to springing into action. A waiting man.
Or a hunted one.
Nonsense, a sternly rational thought cut through his dark musings. She had never acknowledged your presence, never even showed herself to you willingly.
She wasn't after him, that was for sure. But she was after her. He knew who she was after. He had seen her in the woods. He had seen both of them in the woods.
He tried to call to her, tried to plead with her to speak to him--to no avail. As her strength gathered, the danger involved rose as well. And he could feel it, he could feel the teeming power in the very atmosphere.
There was only one way to stop her.
The fire that called her to sentience was lit seven days ago. But it was too late now to solve her mystery. She must be banished before she reaches her height of power. Obon must be the key. Obon must be the pinnacle of her might. And now that the fire had been lit, it must all end. Her spirit had been set off already. She was gone.
She would return thereafter. Then, again. And again.
He was eager to be out of there.
But first must make sure! He must verify. He must...
Without warning, he stumbled. The offending object went down with him, and as he tried to erect himself, he groped for it. What he pulled up was a person. He looked to apologize, saw a pair of brown eyes reflecting the lights of scattered lamps, and his heart leapt to his throat.
He almost fainted with relief when he realized his own fear was mirrored in those eyes. He saw now that it was a child he had bumped into; their simultaneous sighs of relief would have been hilarious--if only his own terror hadn't been so unspeakable.
"I-I'm sorry, sir," she said meekly, ducking from the waist. "I didn't mean--"
"It was dark, child," his gruff voice answered. "Neither of us could have possibly foreseen that. Unless of course you are some sort of kami, perhaps?"
"Um... no, I'm not." She bit her lips.
She was pretty on that yellow yukata, he noticed. She'd be even more adorable with flowers decking her bobbed brown hair.
He reached out to giver her a single white lily, an excess from the bunch he used for the night's ceremony.
"Take it," he said. "Put it on your hair, and your kareshi might give you an extra bauble in addition to that trinket he must be rushing to buy at this very moment."
Her blush told him he hit the spot. "Thank you, sir," she said, now in a stronger voice.
"Get out of the shadows, child," he said as he walked off.
Yes. Be patient. Stay in the light.
~~~
An excerpt from Takani Megumi's letter to Himura Kenshin:
.... So even if I won't be able to visit this summer, we'll see what happens after the epidemic dies down. I can't really promise anything; you know how it is.
Now what's this I'm getting from Kaoru-san's letters? Honestly. You two are miles away, and you still manage to trigger my migraine everytime.
I understand why you're very protective of her (I do, really). It's your natural paternal instincts--compounded by your life experiences. I suppose you can't really help it. But you know better than I that the tanuki's a free spirit.
Okay, fine. The word's "stubborn".
You know she doesn't like being cooped up. You know she feels smothered right now. And you know she needs the extra attention--and I agree with you. The approach simply has to be modified.
Right now, her body is providing for two people. Her resources are all focused on the new life growing inside her. It wears her out, and the frequent stress brought about by extreme emotions drain even more of her strength. Now that child, barely fully formed, is very vulnerable right now, and the only protection it has is her body. If she weakens, if her body (or spirit, or mind) breaks down, your baby would be naked to all the dangers of the environment.
Explain to her all this, Ken-san. You're not just merely coddling her. You're caring for your unborn child by caring for her. It simply takes extra for two. It shouldn't be some burden the mother must struggle with alone. (Well, technically...)
Now, I know you might not think I'm qualified to give marital counseling (ahem). But I've birthed scores of mothers, seen families go through this process. Trust me on this. She'll understand that explanation. She's a mother; it's her who feels the miracle of continued life most palpably.
You already know this things, I know. It's just that... Don't be afraid to pull a little of your psychology on her! If you can do it on your enemies, you certainly can with your wife, whom you know like the back of your hand. Don't look at it as some betrayal of sorts. It's for her own good anyway. So with all that aside...
About that vegetable you've been asking about. I found it on a local herbal shop. I don't advice feeding Kaoru-san some. It contains certain toxins I'd rather not expose her to right now. Plus, it induces bloating. I mean--really! Spare her the added trouble.
Kenshin knew Megumi's advice was meant in kind. Sometimes, though, he couldn't help but think that the doctor had too little regard for Kaoru's maturity. On the other hand, Megumi was a professional; objective, concise, and logical. She was simply sharing knowledge based on experience and observation. It was not a matter of maturity.
He certainly had plans of heeding her advice, but Kaoru still worried him. Something... something just didn't feel right. It was inexplicable, gut-based--virtually baseless. She was still quiet today, speaking to him no more than necessary. Though she sought him out to give her father's yukata for Yahiko to wear, he knew she'd been avoiding him all day. Maybe it was because their fight yesterday was yet to be resolved. Now would be a good time to apologize, agree on a settlement, and try out Megumi's suggestions.
He found her sitting on the porch, naturally, as tranquil as the deepening evening, far from the boisterous celebration downtown. Her silence was peculiar in such a way that it seemed to cloak her in some jealous privacy. That reticence descended upon her after Yahiko arrived from his walk.
A taciturn Kaoru could be two things: one, she could be feeling genuinely ill; two, she could be sulking about something. Neither appealed to Kenshin at all. It would be simpler if he asked her, confronted her directly rather than kept on guessing. If it were sickness, she'd suffer longer without medical attention. If it were hurt of the heart, unvoiced grievances would exacerbate misunderstandings into worse conflicts.
Balancing the tea tray on one hand, he approached her carefully.
"May I join you?" he asked quietly. He set the tray down when she nodded.
"Gorgeous evening, isn't it?" he opened after a while.
Kaoru grunted a non-commital response. Kenshin picked up the paper fan beside her and started fanning them both.
"It's a little too warm though. Too bad about your wasted bath."
She waved away the fanning-offer but merely shrugged at his comment.
"I wonder if Yahiko made it in time... You didn't see him, huh? Well, we found out your father's yukata is still a little too big for him. He wore the green one instead, the one we gave him last year."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Speaking of yukata, yours--the one that was in the wash--is now ready. Do you want me to get it for you?"
"I'm cold."
"You are? Hmmm... I iced your tea, actually, because I thought you were feeling warm a while ago."
"I'm cold now."
"Never mind. I have a hot pot simmering in the kitchen."
"I'm not thirsty."
Silence.
Finally, Kenshin resolved to ask. "Kaoru, please don't take my question in a bad light, but are you okay? You're cold and quiet and... Is there something wrong?"
"No, Kenshin," she answered, facing him abruptly. "Nothing's wrong. But am I okay? No, I'm not okay. Am I cold? I'm not, period." Her stoic face broke into a glare. "All I want is to sit here in the porch now and watch the evening settle in. Is that a bad thing?"
"No, it isn't." Kenshin exhaled audibly. Look, I seem to be bothering you. Do you want me to leave?"
"Leave?" Kaoru was incredulous. "Bothering you? Hey, I'm not the one who has any problem with anybody--"
"Kaoru--"
"If you want to leave, fine. I'm sorry you didn't go to the dance because I didn't feel like it. I'm certainly not stopping you! You should have gone with Yahiko in the first place."
Kenshin sighed. "I see. I am bothering you. I'll be in the dojo if you need me."
She turned back to the backyard in a huff.
"And no. Whatever you're thinking, I'm not hinting anything. I was simply trying to get a conversation going. You don't want one, I respect that. Help, attention; I'm afraid, you'll have to endure them. I'm going to continue helping you and our baby. And, oh, you're also going to have to drink something."
"Oh, so you're monitoring that, too, huh?" she snapped, but he was already on his way indoors.
"Here." He came back after a while. "I brought you a warm cup of tea. You have to replace the fluids you lost today."
"I am not thirsty!" she answered peevishly. "Drink it yourself."
"Kaoru, will you please..." Kenshin was for once exasperated.
"And now you're deciding what I'm feeling?" she demanded, glaring in indignation. "When I'm hungry? When I'm thirsty? You have a lot of nerve!"
His face was expressionless. "Drink your tea," he said quietly.
She ignored him pointedly. For a while, she sat and he stood, both in silence. Finally, Kenshin approached her, cup in hand.
"Please? It's not as if it's going to hurt you."
"Drink it?" she intoned. Her voice had changed, dulled. "You cannot do that to your own child--unborn or not! It isn't just blood that would flow out of you. Life!"
Kenshin blinked, polaxed. "What? Kaoru... What are you talking about?"
"Is this the life I have to live as well?" Her voice was a mere whisper now, and her eyes were lowered, hidden from view by the fall of her hair.
"What do you mean?" He was mildly alarmed by now; he touched her shoulder to feel her more than anything else. "Kaoru, really, I didn't say anything like--"
"Say anything like what?"
Blue eyes were peering up at him expectantly; mild surprise was apparent in their diamond depths. Apparently, his touch roused her.
From where? Roused her from what?
"But--"
She frowned at him. "You're acting weird today," she said and took the cup from him.
"Me? I--"
"I'm sorry, this is yours," she suddenly said, craddling the warm tea back in his slack, outstretched hand.
"Mine?"
"I know, Kenshin," she said patiently. "I'm sorry I grabbed it from you." Her forehead furrowed. Isn't it a little too hot for that?"
"It is," he answered in a slightly injured tone.
Kaoru merely rolled her eyes and shook her head. He watched her in bemusement as she drank her iced tea in one long draft.
"Ahh...." she sighed appreciatively, leaning the empty glass against her cheek. "That was very nice of you. Thank you, Ken-chan."
"Sessha wa weird de gozaru," he murmured plaintively.
"Yup, yup," she agreed blithely. "Now what are you doing there, standing like a post? My back hurts a little, and, if you don't mind, you seem to be the most accessible pillow presently."
He sighed in resignation--"Yes, beloved"-- and cuddled her as was peremptorily hinted.
Finished draft: Sept 10, 2003 10:55
Edited: February 28, 2004 (12:15am)
Uploaded:
~~~
ANs
To britney: thanks for the number translations in Japanese. ^_^ I sorta got too lazy to look them up somewhere along the way. ^^;;
To watermelon: thanks for reading "The Emperor's..." ^^;; I really was kidding. LOL. No, Kenshin isn't going to Kyoto. Things are confusing, huh? This really would work out better if I write/upload faster. Hehe.
To midnightcrow: that shamelessness was just a joke, dear. ^^;;
To tocole and everybody: Thanks for reading! Been busy for a while, so... I wasn't able to edit this chapter. -_-; I continue writing this fic though. Even if I'm not updating. ^_^ Next chapter might be available after my spring break. *sigh* Till then.
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EDIT: Thanks to Misha for informing me about the missing quotation marks. Fixed it. 030304
