Subject: [KFFDisc] Mirai Rurouni Kenshin episode 2 Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 01:13:38 -0600 From: "Mana-chan" Reply-To: kenshinfanfics@egroups.com To: Well, here is the way revised (at least the end of it) episode 2... -Mana-chan Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic Collection http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/8165/ Sakura no Kiseki Fanfic/ Fanart Contest http://oro.freehosting.net/contest.html (just a judge ^_^) Episode 2: Destined to Meet- 2nd Part: The Coming of Age by Mana-chan Kaoru walked the rest of the way home in a confused, dream-like state. That man, Kenshin, seemed familiar to her somehow, yet she couldn’t pinpoint exactly where she’d seen him before or when she’d ever heard his name. As she walked up the steps to her mother’s small apartment, she quickly shook the thoughts from her mind, less her mother noticed and scolded her for being seventeen years old and still living in a dream world. Suddenly, the door flew open and a tall, slim woman with short black hair and fiery eyes stepped out. "Kaoru! Where have you…Ohmigod! What happened to your clothes? What are you wearing?" Kaoru gasped as she realized she had forgotten her school uniform when she attacked Himura Battousai- not that it mattered much since it was the last day of school anyway, but her mother liked to store away her old school uniforms- a collection of sorts. "I was caught in the rain and went for shelter in the Akabeko…Sekihara Tae.." "You were in that part of town?! If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times! Never take that route home from school! It’s suicide- haven’t you heard the reports of attacks going on there recently… some little boy had to go to the hospital, his wounds were so bad." Kaoru looked down at the floor. "Hai….Misato-san, but.." "No buts. This is the absolute last time I’m taking this kind of nonsense from you! You Are seventeen after all, isn’t that correct? About time for you to move out and get a job so you can pay for college?" "But…that’s like the American way.. I thought you didn’t condone.." "Shut your mouth, girl. I am not finished speaking yet. The American way is a good way in this situation. Here, I’ll give you 5000 yen.. that should be more than adequate for you to get started. Now go pack your things and get out. I don’t want to see your face or hear your voice ever again in this lifetime." Kaoru felt the familiar tears of hurt begin to rise up into her eyes. "Misato-san… Gomen ne. I promise I’ll.." Misato shoved a wad of bills into Kaoru’s hands and glared coldly at her. "DIDN’T YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!!! You don’t know how much trouble you’ve caused me. All I wanted was a little girl who would grow up to be smart and demure, and they give me YOU!!! GET YOUR THINGS AND GET OUT!! You’re driving me crazy!!" The tears fell freely from Kaoru’s eyes now, and she ran quickly into the house to pack up her essential clothes and things into her bag. She grabbed several shirts, pants and shorts, underwear and socks, and stuffed her toiletries on one side, saving the other for memoirs. Tears blurred her vision as she grabbed a picture of her true parents, the only thing she had left to remember them by, and a lavender kimono given to her by a late uncle, and stuffed the two items into her bag. She ran one hand across her eyes to wipe away the tears and grabbed her katana with the other, strapping it tightly to her body. It isn’t fair.. Why does she hate me so much? Why can’t I just be quiet and demure like other girls? Then maybe Misato-san would be satisfied.. Kaoru looked up abruptly as Misato entered the room, an icy and expectant glare on her face, and quickly grabbed her things, rushing past Misato and out the door. Once out of the room, she walked slowly outside and down the stairs, wincing at the sound of Misato slamming the door. After walking several blocks down lonely, wet streets, she fell to her knees and cried out in sorrow. Sobs poured themselves out of her body and she sat and cried. What have I done to deserve this? A flash of headlights startled Kaoru, and she looked up in surprise as a car rushed past her, braked, then reversed and stopped adjacent to her. The driver’s door opened, and Kaoru’s eyes widened at the site of a muscular, blonde man emerging from the car. A wild grin was plastered on his face as he walked out and stood in front of Kaoru. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? What’s a girl like you doing all alone out here on a night like this?" Kaoru glared at the man and turned her face away from him. "None of your business. Leave me alone!" The man smiled even more widely, "Ran away, didn’t you?" Kaoru said nothing. "I’m an American.. from New York. You know where that is?" What does he think I am? Stupid? Kaoru snapped her head back toward the man, her eyes filled with fury. "Of course I know where that is!" "We Americans are rich…. If you want, I could get you a job here in our Japan division..you could make quite a sum of money." Kaoru considered this for a moment then narrowed her eyes. "Why should I accept your proposition. How do I know you don’t want me to work as some prostitute or something? How do I know you’re not trying to trick me into something!!" The man smiled and turned back toward the car. Kaoru thought he was leaving at first, but then he gestured toward someone on the passenger side of the car and yelled out, "Yahiko! Come on out!" The door opened, and a boy of about ten years stepped out. He was scrawny in appearance, and his hair looked like a wild bird’s nest, but his eyes glowed with knowledge, as if he’d been through so much more than the average ten year old of the time. He took one look at Kaoru and smirked. "What are you messing around with this hag for, Kago-san?" Kaoru’s face turned bright red with anger. "Who are you calling a hag, kid?" Now it was Yahiko’s turn to get mad. "I’m not a kid! Don’t call me a kid!" "Yes you are. You’re an unmannerly kid who needs to be taught a lesson!" "Shutup, hag!" Kaoru unsheathed her sword with the intention of scaring the boy. Yahiko’s eyes widened with, not fear, but admiration. "A..a katana…. You’re a swordfighter?" Kaoru looked at Yahiko strangely, "There are no swordfighters in this day and age…" Yahiko grinned, "Unless you consider the Mitsurugi School and the Jubei School of Martial Arts. They still practice with swords." Kaoru shook her head. "They practice with swords, like my school, the Kasshin School, but they are not true swordfighters… the era of the swordfighters is over…It ended a long time ago. Now is the age of technology- fists, guns and knives. It is very rare to see anyone carrying a sword around anymore." "Then why are you carrying a sword?" Kaoru looked at Yahiko, surprised.. "I…um… well, I dont’ usually carry it around with me, but….today Misato-san..she…" "You ran away?" Kaoru looked down. She feared the humiliation that would come if she told Kago-san and Yahiko about being thrown out of the house. "Something like that.." Yahiko smiled, a childlike smile. "Well then you can join us! It’s just me, Kago-san, and…some others… It’s a good deal, considering that we get food, money, and a place to sleep. It’d be cool if you joined us. I mean, you’ll earn status fast because of the sword." Kaoru looked at her sword and turned it over and over in her hand, admiring it’s gleam under the streetlights. I have nowhere else to go…and if a child of ten trusts this man….I suppose it would be all right if I did too…something about that child..like I’ve seen him before, but he seems like a good kid. "All right.. I’ll join you, but I’m not looking for status." Yahiko smiled widely and ignored her last remark. "It’ll be cool cause I’m the first one that met you! I get to introduce you to everyone and everything, right Kago-san?" Kago shrugged and smiled slightly. "Of course, Yahiko, of course…and I’m glad you’ve decided to join us…Miss…" "Kaoru…Kamiya Kaoru." Kago nodded, "Of course," and opened the backseat door for her. "Welcome to our world, Kaoru." ************* "Kaoru-dono... I have to leave now, and this time you can't come after me like you did when I went to Kyoto. This is something I need to fight alone, and not you..nor Yahiko..nor Sanosuke can help me. If I become Battousai again, there will be nothing to keep me from hurting you,.." Kenshin put a hand on Kaoru's shoulder, and she looked at it, feeling tears well up in her eyes and the beginnings of a pain deep within her heart. "...and I don't want to hurt..the ones I love." She looked up at him, sorrow welling up in her eyes, and whispered, "Kenshin...." He drew her close to him, hugging her hard, knowing it would be his last. "Gomen nasai, Kaoru-dono..." Gently, he released her and turned away. "Sayonara, Kaoru..." He clenched his fists and willed himself not to turn back, not to be forced to stay by her beautiful face. He would never forgive himself if he remained, and killed her...killed her, like he had killed so many...... Kenshin sat up, gasping and panting for breath. What was that? The dream again....the 5th time this week... What does it mean?! Why do I keep having it...? Who is...Kaoru? Is the Kenshin in my dream me?!?! Iie..that's impossible. Kenshin shook his head, confused. Suddenly, an image of the girl he'd met earlier that day drifted into his mind and he gasped. Her name was Kaoru...Iie...it couldn't be her... Why would I be dreaming about her?! She's young enough to be one of my students...but then again.. I'm not much older than any of them.. He smiled softly as he remembered her reckless but admirable attempt to rescue a little girl being attacked by someone doning the name of "Himura Battousai". There are so few of her spirit now... In another age.. Kenshin winced as a sudden pain shot through his head-the pain that always occured when he thought too much about the Bakumatsu and early Meiji period- a downpoint in his career as a Japanese history professor. Forget it.. I'll think about it later.. There has to be something behind these dreams... Sighing, Kenshin lay back down and closed his eyes, unconsciously replaying again in his mind the actions of girl called Kamiya Kaoru and her stubborn honor... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Internet FileZone: Always FREE! Instantly store & access your valuable PC files on the net, from any Web browser. 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