Disclaimer: I do not own Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple.
Recap:The morning following Shigure's discovery, tension reigns at the Ryōzanpaku dojo, and everyone is having there own thoughts and worries about Kenichi. But one thing scares them more than Kenichi's situation...how are they going to tell Shigure?
AN: Readers, Writers, and friends alike, If you like my stuff, watch my Bio from now on, I'm going to be using it as some-what of a Progress/Alert board, Keeping informations about stories, and what's coming up next.
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Chapter 5 Part 1.
"I cant...he is a disciple...it wont be...permitted.." Shigure said to herself, sitting on Kenichi's bed, having woken up at dawn, and was still unwilling to get up, finding perfect comfort in staying in Kenichi's bed, hugging his pillow to her and staring at the Journal on the floor in front of her.
She had tried to put the pillow down multiple times, but found it hard to do, something about the smell. Must be the soap, she reasoned to herself, hugging the pillow to herself all the same, taking a deep inhale before loosing herself in the deep recesses of her mind.
"You missed the morning meal, do you plan to stay in bed all day?" The Elder asked, breaking her train of thought and earning a light "Eep!" from Shigure. The Elder smiled, half because of how touching the picture before him was, of Shigure, curled up on Kenichi's bed her arms wrapped around his pillow, and half because he managed to sneak up on Shigure. Taking note of how deep in thought she must have been for him to be able to do such a thing.
Shigure quickly shook off her surprise, pulling Kenichi's pillow up the lower half of her face, only to see what she was doing and throw the pillow down beside her on the bed.
Pulling herself together, she sat up, looking at the Elder, and unspoken question clear in her eyes. how did you find me, her eyes read plainly, curiosity on her face.
The Elder smiled at this, seeing the unspoken question in her eyes and chuckling lightly, closing his eyes in a big smile.
"Yes, I did know where you were, and have all night" The Elder answered smiling still before continuing, "I saw you leaving the main building last night and followed you".
"Ooh" Shigure responded, eyes ever so slightly downcast, hoping he would know why she came here in the first place, seeing as she didn't quite know herself.
"Shigure.."The Elder started, almost at loss for words as she looked up, eyes focusing on his, awaiting his words, he took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't know how to, or want to beat around the bush in telling you this" The elder paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, opening his eyes and taking not of Shigure's intent stare before continuing, "Its about Kenichi, he-"
"Don't worry.." Shigure interrupted, thinking she knew what this talk was about, "I know..there can be nothing...between Kenichi..and me" She paused, noticing that the pounding in her chest had returned, and was pounding painfully away, she tried to brush it off, and continued, " I know that...there cant be...master and Disciple..interaction..of that sort...and I have..no feelings for..him in that...manner" She finished, closing her eyes in anticipation for his response.
When there was none, she opened her eyes to see The Elder looking at her with a look of Shock, and curiosity on his face.
Realization dawned upon The Elder, he smiled as he thought it over, looking at Shigure as a father would a daughter, amused enough to forgive that he had been interrupted a second time that day.
"Good, now that thats taken care of, I'm going to begin my morning jog" The Elder drawled, appearing as to leave, stopping as he watched Shigure's reaction to his words.
Pain.
Pain, hurt, and to top it off the throbbing in her chest had increased to painfully levels to where it simple hurt, the young weapons master wiped her hand across her face in attempt to regain composure, almost able to, but still failing all the same. See? It can never be, she told herself, closing her eyes again, thing to herself once more, then why do I hurt so much? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening her eyes to find the elder sitting down in front of her on the floor.
"I'm sorry Shigure" The Elder began once again being cut off by Shigure.
"No..I'm..-Shigure began.
"I Lied" The Elder interjected simply, scratching his beard lightly.
Shigure said nothing, she couldn't, she didn't know what he was referring to.
Taking note of the dumbfounded look on Shigure's face, and continued, "It would be perfectly for you to have a relationship with Kenichi" he smiled, watching her expression change. Happy, then confused, then denial.
Shigure was once again, shocked, for some reason her immediate reaction to his words were happiness, for reasons unknown to herself, the beating in her heart seemed to turn happy. Then the confusion set in, why am I..happy..about this? she questioned herself, before shutting the issue from her mind, she didn't have any feelings for Kenichi remember?
"I..cant...I don't have...any feelings..for..Kenichi-" She stated simply, pain returning to her chest.
"But-' The Elder continued, interrupting her mid sentence, and gaining her attention, pausing before he went on, thinking over the situation quickly in him mind, frowning at what he saw, which was Shigure in denial, and, having never had this type of thing happen to her before, considered his options heavily before going on.
Coming to a conclusion, he decided the best course of action, donning a solemn face, with stern, sad eyes, he continued, " You don't have any emotion for Kenichi what-so-ever? Good, that makes this much easier" The Elder went on, sad eyes looking at Shigure.
"Makes what...easier..?" Shigure questioned, looking at The Elder questioningly, noticing the sudden gloom about him, and making her immediately concerned, preparing herself for his next words, whatever they might be.
She could have never prepared herself for what The Elder said next.
"Kenichi's dead" The Elder stated quickly, pain evident on his face, and sorrow clearly written in his eyes. The Elder, now closely observing her , observed her reaction.
Shigure gasped, the sudden intake of air making her feel lightheaded, the pain in her chest exploded to excruciation levels, retching her with pain.
While her instincts told her to clear her mind, and keep a straight face, he heart said otherwise, crying out in pain and agony, from places she didn't even know she possessed. Tear's began flowing freely from her wide, dilated, pain riddled eyes, as a scream forced its way from her throat.
The Elder watched this for several minutes, watching through sad eyes as Shigure grabbed Kenichi's pillow, curling up around it, falling over onto her side on the bed, weeping.
When he could take no more, The Elder sad beside the heartbroken weapons master on the bed, patting her shoulder as he childed her, "there, there now" he went, "I thought you didn't have any emotion for Kenichi?" he questioned lightly, soft eyes looking down at her sadly.
Shigure tried to respond, finding it hard through her tears, and had to try several times to answer The Elders question, she hiccuped, then replied, "I-I..kept trying...to tell...m-myself" She burst out, trying for a deep breath before continuing, though her voice was still broken, " th-that..he didn't have any..feelings...for me" She hiccuped, the continued, "but I didn't..want to...think about...my own feelings..." she managed to gasp out, tears still rolling down her cheeks.
"Shigure' The Elder began, looking at Shigure sadly, "If you want to know what I see, I see a beautifully young woman with a heart full of love. I know you don't have much experience in that area, so I would expect it to be hard for you to realize this" He Paused, smiling at Shigure before smiling lightly at her, and continuing, "Love is not something easy to find, and even harder to find someone to return, and I'll be the first to tell you, Love is not a weakness, If anything, it is strength, and nothing to be ashamed of of to hide".
Shigure thought this over for a few seconds, nothing..to be ashamed of...nothing..to hide..she thought to herself quietly, then looked up at The Elder, eyes cloudy from tears, "Then..I think I..Lied", she cried softly, half to herself.
"What was that?" The Elder asked
"I Think..I Lied" Shigure repeated softly.
The Elder held a hand to his ear, looking down at her questioningly, "Can't hear you" he mumbled.
"I..do love Kenichi!...I Lied" She almost screamed, tears springing anew to her already wet cheeks, as realization hit her, and she faced her true feelings. I Love Kenichi...she thought to herself softly, almost lost in a daze, being brought out of it on hearing The Elder speak once again, having missed it she shook her head asking him to repeat himself.
"I Know You Lied Shigure...thats why I did to." The Elder repeated simply, a smiley appearing on his face as he reached down and wiped the tears from her face, his eyes glowing with his smile.
"Huh?" Shigure looked up at him, dumbfounded, the beating in her, which she now knew was her heart, beginning to rise once more, a warm, fleeting, feeling.
Not wanting to get the wrong impression, or her hopes up for that matter, she asked him to explain, he full focus on the old man who had come to be like a second father to her.
"I lied" The Elder stated simply, "Kenichi is alive".
Chapter 5 Part 2.
Shigure was frozen, disbelief written clearly on her face. Her eyes grew large as she realized fully what me meant. Kenichi was alive. He wasn't dead. Kenichi, the one that she Loved, was alive.
Her heart felt like it was exploding, the warm feeling growing to such a peak that she thought It might envelope her completely..and she wouldn't have minded one bit. That warm, fluttery feeling in her chest, she know knew was love, and she also now knew that it was..ok..that she didn't have to fight it. She didn't have to pick up a weapon against it, because according to The Elder, it was strength, and she trusted the old super human. A tear made its way down her face, only this time, It was not pain, or hurt, that caused it. No, this tear was of, happiness.
She hugged Kenichi's pillow to tight, taking in its sent, that she now knew without a doubt, was his. And upon looking up, did something that she rarely have ever been seen to do, she smiled.
She Loved Kenichi.
"Yes, he is not in great shape" The Elder continued non-challantly, "But he will recover after a good month or so of good care and warm environment."
He was alive, and he wasn't going to die. That was all that kept flashing through her mind. Then on sudden realization, she gazed over at the source of her previous turmoil.
After this realization, she shot an accusing glare at the still smiling Elder, "Why..did you do that...to me?" She questioned, a harsh glare being sent at him.
The Elders smile got bigger, as he stroked his beard with one hand, and scratched the back of his neck with the other, eyes closed in his nervous smile.
Regaining composure, The Elder looked at Shigure, seriousness now on his face as he looked into her eyes and spoke, "You never know what you have, until you lose it" he told her solemnly, his piercing gaze looking deep into her eyes, searching for understanding, "And if I didn't do that, do you honestly think you would have ever admitted your true feelings about Kenichi?" The Elder finished, his gaze remaining.
Shigure opened her mouth to protest, then closed it, looking down, realization of his words sinking in. Seeing the truth in his words and shaking her head while before replying, "No..you are...right.." She concluded.
"See?" The Elder began, smile once again rising to his face, "No harm done!"
A tick mark suddenly appearing on Shigure's head was the only signal he got that it was time for him to make his exit, as Shigure;s lightening fingers darted for a shuriken, throwing a handful after the running elder, "Still!" She said in an ominous voice, light creeping from her eyes, "That was..not acceptable" she continued, emphasizing her point by pulling more shuriken from her kimono, "Tell no-one...of this.." she finished, attempting to hit the Elder, who was currently dancing around the room to avoid the deadly projectiles, making his exit as she finished.
Streaking down the hallway he dove for the hole in the floor.
Darting into the hallway, and balancing a Shuriken between her fingers, Shigure took aim, and threw. upon being rewarded by a resounding "OUCH!" she sniffed her approval and marched back into Kenichi's room, slamming the door shut behind her as she went.
Almost back to the bed, she turned around taking note of the leather-bound journal still lying on the floor, she turned walked over to it, a faint smile gracing her lips, and picked it up, walking back to the bed she sat down, placing the journal on the head board, along with the picture of her, she grabbed the pillow and placed it at the head of the bed, laying back down, and thinking about all that just had happened.
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Hope you liked it, R&R guys.
My Regards,
-Shaw, SR-