From: "Harumi Kurumi" A very short fic I wrote just now. My first K&K! Contains some spoiler to the Tsuioku hen, as well as the last manga ep. You have been warned! Ja Haru Disclaimer: Don't own characters, don't sue me. Not making money. ********* Forgiving Scars By Harumi ********* “Kenshin! Have you seen Kenji around?” A woman’s voice came dancing into the daylight to touch a man’s ears on a Sunday morning. “He’s here Kaoru.” The tender spirit answered the beseeching nymph as he picked up a small figure from the ground. The child smiled in delight for having had his mirror picture carry him up in the sky. Hands outstretched, he reached into the mysterious air that was his day. Kenshin saw delight in such image as if a bird were crying for freedom. “Here, here. Kenji.” He called for his son’s attention, trying to capture some of this already fleeting time. The child obliged giving his father a grin of pure pleasure. “Otou! Can you not raise me higher?” There was a pause; he had never considered his height could bring difficulty in pleasing this child... how unorthodox. “Haha… sorry Kenji, but this is all you get. When you learn to climb trees properly, I’ll be there to catch you.” The child laughed at the silly answer; he knew perfectly well how to climb trees. Maybe some difficulty remained in getting down, but he never really had to; others were always there to assist. Kenshin laughed too, these days it was perchance all he did. There was nothing but joy waiting after the blood bath that had taken hold of him years earlier. Blood bath… perhaps the time to climb the hill had finally come to his much-awaited soul. But in the mean time he still lived the evidence of his struggle. Everyone might forget, he might even forget… but the scars remained. What was borne of them were sometimes good, sometimes evil, however all that was there was himself, and his past. Kaoru had forgiven him; his friends had forgiven him. And that lovely woman… smiled at the end of the end. Why could he not believe it? Even as that child chuckled with glee at his presence, there was still a drop of doubt. A doubt that reflected into his eyes every time he looked at the samurai in the mirror. Slash upon slash of pain and guilt, a mark of doom and suffering. Imprints of a long lost time of an era and beliefs. There, right there. “Otou!” Another signal from newer seasons called out for him. The child had seen his father fade for a second, and demanded him back. “Yes, Kenji?” “Why can’t you see me?” Why couldn’t he see him? He could, but always past him, always beyond him. His eyes had trained themselves to look into the past and into the future, but never had they seen the truth of present. The present in which he could only live, a present that were his feelings as they just passed through his brains and mouth. *Kaoru…* The entity that had brought him back, her and his friends. Enveloped him in love, and kept shaping his ever lasting present. If only he could know… if only he could see that his past was in peace too. His body would finally rest, and see happiness as it is. Neither good nor bad, but just a result of commitment to one’s being. *You are what you are made of, and all that everyone believes.* Can’t it be the truth? *All that you did, all that you’ve accomplished are a continuous line of your life.* Had he forgotten? … Never. Never had he lost that part of himself to know the extent of his abilities. He could bring the bliss to others, and believing that, he too brought life to the world. *Kenji…* Time would pass, and so would he… and the past would always remain the same. One, thing left… one thing to be lifted from him forever… would the gods grant him the wish? Would he, would she be an angel, and embrace him again? Let him be the other’s forever? “Kenshin! There you are Kenji.” A voice came calling again from the other side of the garden. She looked at him and at the object of her search, satisfied. Kaoru, with mature lines on her face, came closer to touch the two beloved. A smile escaped from her lips before surprise invaded her pupils. “Kenshin?” Realization, stupor… and happiness. “Your face!” He brought his hands to touch his alabaster skin, as well as his long close companion, there on his left cheek. What he found there, to his surprise, was an eternal smoothness that blessed his soul. The scar had finally forgiven its bearer, and evaporated to the sky, back and back to the hands of what had once been two lost lovers. Owari Author’s note: “Otou” = “Otousan” I hope it wasn’t too confusing, but I’m basing this on Megumi’s explanation about scars on vol. 18. Anybody remember it? Well, as I learned about the last ep on the manga, I realized Watsuki sensei had forgotten to take care of that particular issue, so I decided to write something about it. Perhaps I might write something longer another time, depending on the response to this one. Therefore, C&C is greatly appreciated! ^_~ --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Register now and you could win a Volkswagen New Beetle at LiQ.com! Click below, 'cause it's going fast! While you're at it, check out our great entertainment products at fantastic prices! Click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------