From: "Erin Ellis" Okay. These two are really short, so I figured I'd get them out of the way. C&C still appreciated; especially characterization. ^_^ Okay, I go to bed now. -erin ** Let's Get Serious a Rurouni Kenshin story by Erin Ellis Part Three: Hi! My Name Is... Kaoru stormed into the kitchen, boiling hotter than the water in the teapot, slamming cabinets and drawers open in her quest to make tea. "Oi, calm down before you break something." Kaoru whirled around, swinging out her bokken. "Look, I thought I told you--" "Hey, hey, calm down!" Sanosuke said, one hand up in submission, the other pushing the wooden sword from his neck. "Sano... sorry." She brought back the weapon, clutching it in both her hands like a broom. "You're up awfully early." "Late, actually." He yawned widely. "I was on my way back home when I saw your house and figured there'd be food. But I didn't expect *you* to be cooking. Where's Kenshin?" Kaoru couldn't decide what she should be more mad at, Sano's assessment of her cooking skills, or Kenshin and that harlot... grr... "What's up with her?" Sano asked. "Oh, she just caught Kenshin sucking face with some woman this morning," Yahiko explained. "It was a pretty good show until sono busu broke it up." "Izzat so," Sano said, scratching his head. "So Kenshin's got himself a little dish he wants to keep secret. I wonder why?" "Probably because this hag has the sensuality of a frog," Yahiko sneered, poised for the inevitable chase from Kaoru. Instead, she was still. "Kaoru?" "Jou-chan?" Sanosuke waved a hand before her eyes. They were glazed and unmoving, her face in a permanent scowl, and she began shaking, clutching her bokutou like Kenshin's neck. Eyes bugging, the two backed off. "Kowaii..." "Yahiko, maybe you should tell the others to get ready..." The boy nodded, jetting from the room. "Now Kaoru. Calm down. Breathe." The girl reluctantly complied, slowly unwrapping her hands from the wooden sword; instead, slapping them to her cheeks. "I've gotta get ahold of myself. There's gotta be a good explanation for this!" "For what?" Sano yawned in confusion. "Shut up and carry this," she snapped, shoving a tray of food into his hands. Grabbing the tea, she stalked out of the kitchen, vowing to find the truth, so there would be some justification to her previous lack of violence. In the dining room, the other three were already seated around the table, Moemi next to an uncomfortable Kenshin, while Yahiko sat across from the pair. They were engaged in light conversation primarily about Yahiko's fighting ability, while Kenshin deferred commenting and Moemi eagerly hung on his every word. "Okay, food's ready!" Kaoru interrupted, plopping her tray on the table. Sano followed, albeit markedly less fiercely, and sat next to Kenshin. Barely masking a scowl, she kicked the white clad man over and sat next to him. Moemi looked from her to the empty side of the table. "What's wrong?" Feeling her face redden, Kaoru struggled for an excuse. "That's... that's for..." Pattering feet. "Ken-niichan! Where are you?" It was Ayame and Suzume, Dr. Genzai's charges. Never before had Kaoru been so happy to see those little brats... "Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan. Please, sit down." She indicated the empty space. "How is Genzai-sensei?" "He's out on housecall. Said we could visit." "Who's Ken-niichan's friend?" "Who indeed?" Kaoru muttered. Giving a polite, half-lidded smile, Moemi introduced herself again. 'That wasn't quite the answer to the question, was it,' Kaoru thought, passing round tea. "So, Himemiya-san. What brings you here?" Sano asked, idly piling rice into a bowl. "Well, I'm from Hokkaido. While out on travels some years ago, I met with a brilliant man, handsome, intelligent, skilled. Himura-sama." She turned to Kenshin, who looked back blankly. "Sano? The rice?" Yahiko asked. "Oh," he said, noticing his bowl was filled to overflowing. "Long night." "Tea?" Suzume begged. Only slightly daunted by the lack of interest in her story, Moemi continued. "So... that time, you made me a promise, and now I'm here to collect." She turned, gazing at Kenshin earnestly. "I'm here to become your wife." Silence fell like a dead body. Kaoru felt the world turning white. "Excuse me," a voice broke the silence. It was Kenshin! "I'm sorry, I have no recollection of this. When *was* this?" "It was fourteen years ago today." "Oro?" They facefaulted, Yahiko spraying food from his mouth. "Yahiko-niichan, you've gottten Ken-niichan all wet," Ayame pointed out. tbc. [Next] Kenshin figures out what's going on. Moemi and Kaoru make their moves. And... Sano-*chan*?! In Part Four: A Roosterhead is a Terrible Thing to Waste. Rurouni Kenshin © Nobuhiro Watsuki / Shueisha • Fuji-TV • Sony Pictures (Japan). •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Red Snapper... KING OF FISH~! Guinea Fowl... QUEEN OF POULTRY~! How can you not love Iron Chef? * www.unc.edu/~ellis • members.tripod.com/~tina97 • come.to/coup •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- ONElist: your connection to people who share your interests. ------------------------------------------------------------------------