Subject: [KFFDisc] Mirai Rurouni Kenshin episode 3 Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 01:16:26 -0600 From: "Mana-chan" Reply-To: kenshinfanfics@egroups.com To: All right, here's the part 3 I could've sworn I posted before..but I guess not (the one I made a mess of my room to find-only to discover it on a disk in a neat little stack at the edge of my desk). I won't be able to respond any time soon if you make comments as I am leaving for New York City at 4 am (3 more hours), but C&C is always welcome! -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 3: Destined Meeting: 3rd Part- Challenge Kaoru stared at the ugly, mud brown warehouse before her and turned to Yahiko increduously, "This is where you guys live?" "Yes! It's great here. Actually, the warehouse isn't where we really live. It's where all the important stuff happens, like if we get a business deal or something. We live underground with roommates. You'll probably room with Megumi since she's the only girl without anyone else in her room. C'mon! I want you to meet everyone!" Yahiko tugged excitedly at Kaoru's shirt and pulled her into the large, ugly building. Once inside the dimly-lit warehouse, Yahiko released Kaoru's shirt and put both hands to his mouth, yelling, "Everyone! Himura! Megumi! Tenka!! Shinto! Shinji! Tsubame! Everyone else! Come see our new partner!" A group of kids and young adults ranging from the ages of 7 to 27 came half-sauntering, half-running into the warehouse. Kaoru gasped at the sight- all around her were wondering eyes- some curious, some suspicious, some welcoming, some hating, but all-knowing, like they could look right into her soul and extract what bits and pieces they desired. Kaoru took an involuntary step backwards. All of them were clad in dark colors, too, helping them blend in with the already-dark warehouse. A young woman with long black hair and cold, dark eyes stepped forward, "So what have you brought in this time, Kago? We're not taking pity on innocents, you know. We don't want any..fresh meat here." Kago smiled slightly. "I don't think this one is an innocent, Megumi. She might be a little....fresh, but I assure you, she will learn our ways quickly." Kaoru studied the girl closely. She was dressed in a small black tanktop and wide-legged jeans, and her face was void of makeup except for some incredibly red lipstick which could bring anyone's attention immediately to her small, delicate mouth. So this is Megumi..the girl I'm supposed to room with. I hope she isn't always like this....I wonder what she does here? Megumi looked Kaoru up and down and shrugged, saying quietly, "So..I guess she'll be my roommate from now on?" Kago nodded, "Hai...but she won't work with you in the..uh... Medical Division. I think I'll put her in the...." Yahiko's eyes brightened, "Put her in my division, Kago!" Kago shook his head, "No....she's too visible and you're division is for inconspicuous people small in stature..I'll put her in the Bakumatsu Division....the newest one." Yahiko frowned. "You mean the one with Goheh...?" Kago nodded and smiled. "Yes...you are skilled in fighting, aren't you, Kaoru-dono?" "Hai..I guess so, but what does that have to do with anything?" Kago ignored her question. "From what school do you study?" "The Kasshin school...but why...why are you asking me this?" A small smile flashed quickly across Kago's face. "Why? because those in the Bakumatsu Division must be skilled fighters... we were challenged to a fight today by a street fighter known as Zanza. The Bakumatsu Division takes care of the people who dare to challenge us...with your sword and fighting skills from the Kasshin School, we can better protect ourselves from invaders." Kaoru's eyes widened. Zanza..the streetfighter..said to be the strongest streetfighter in Japan. How can I compete with him?! "Gomen ne....Kago..demo..how can I fight Zanza? He is known all over Japan- a champion streetfighter- the best." Kago smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, Kaoru-dono.. You will have backup....don't worry. Now follow Megumi. She will lead you to your room and...Tsubame-chan will bring you some bedsheets and other necessities." Kaoru nodded uncertainly and turned to follow the retreating Megumi. The other inhabitants of the room stared at Kaoru in awe, whispering among themselves about her sword and her status. After all, being appointed as part of the Bakumatsu Division was a great honor. The two walked in silence for a ways before Megumi stopped abruptly and whirled to face Kaoru, anger dancing in her eyes. "Don't think that just because you got appointed to the Bakumatsu Division that you're automatically some big hot shot here, all right. You're still fresh ok? Your status here is artificial right now. Once they all see how innocent and stupid you are, your status will drop like dead weight..." Kaoru blinked twice. "What are you TALKING about Megumi.. I don't even WANT status here. I just need a source for money and a place to live. That's all I ask." Megumi narrowed her eyes and flicked her streaming, black hair over her right shoulder, saying nothing. After several minutes, she turned back around and once again began walking down the hallway toward their room. She stopped at a lone door at the end of the corridor and pushed it open. A little girl with short, brown hair stood next to one of two beds in the room, struggling with a large bedsheet. Kaoru immediately stepped forward and took the sheet from the girl. "Arigatou.. It's very nice of you to help me, but I can do it myself. Thank you so much for bringing the sheets here...Tsubame-chan, right?" Tsubame looked up at Kaoru with large, surprised eyes. "Hai....Tsubame des....but Kago told me to help..I can do it for you.." Kaoru smiled sweetly at the little girl. "No..really, it's all right. Go on and do whatever else you need to do. I can handle a few bed sheets." A smile broke across Tsubame's face. "Arigatou, Kaoru-san. I'll see you later." Tsubame bowed to Kaoru, and hurried softly out of the room. Megumi smirked. "You shouldn't have done that, you know.. Kids won't learn anything if you don't give them any responsibility in life." The smile immediately disappeared from Kaoru's face. "Megumi, kids won't be kids if they never have any time for themselves to play." Megumi's expression darkened. "Sure. You can say that. You've been sheltered your whole life. You're not like us...You have no idea what real pain and suffering is. In a world like ours, nobody has any time for themselves to do anything..." Kaoru looked at Megumi expectantly, waiting for an explanation, but Megumi turned to walk out the door. "Kaoru...this place is different than what you're used to. I gotta go work now, but...be careful..okay?" Megumi paused for a moment, "..Oh..and get yourself ready to fight. You know...dressed and stuff. Bring that sword of yours up to the warehouse, too. Zanza's coming to visit in fifteen minutes." Kaoru stood gaping at Megumi's retreating back. Fifteen minutes?! I can't be prepared for a fight like that in half and hour!!! Sighing, Kaoru unzipped her bag and began to unpack. She felt tears begin to rise up in her eyes as she lifted out her lavender kimono and the yellowed photograph of her biological parents. No...you can't cry, Kaoru.. No more stupid tears. Tears are for the weak...I'm strong. My parents were strong enough to raise me until they died of cancer.. If they can be strong enough to love me and bring me up even during the worst of times..I can be strong enough to fight off some stupid streetfighter only famous for his name.....I can be strong enough to live here, even if it is away from everything I know and love.. Kaoru straightened up, a new sense of strength rushing through her body. She looked down at her watch. ten minutes left... Quickly, Kaoru reached into her bag and brought out the Kasshin School training hakama (is that word right? or should it be kimono) and put it on. Then she picked up her sword from the ground onto which she had deposited it before and strapped it to her side. After a few practice strokes and kicks, she said a quick prayer and hurried out the door and up the stairs to the warehouse. Kago stood waiting for her, a calculating smile on his face. "Ah.. Kaoru-dono. I see you are ready... Zanza waits for you..outside." Kaoru shook her head. This is too sudden....something's not right..I feel like I'm being forced to fight a friend, and yet, I've never even met this Zanza character.. "Kago-san..are you..are you sure about this? I feel kind of...strange about it all." Kago looked at Kaoru curiously. "Kaoru-dono..what is the matter? Goheh-kun will be there as back-up if you need help. If you don't defend our cause, everyone will be killed. Zanza is quite vicious, I hear." An image of Tsubame-chan flashed through Kaoru's mind, soon followed by an image of Yahiko. "I'll fight....I'm ready." Kaoru set her jaw firmly and walked confidently outside. I won't let some crazed streetfighter hurt those kids...They have dreams to conquer...lives to live..I can't let him ruin that. Kago watched silently and chuckled icily under his breath. "Yes...My Kaoru...walk to your death... You will pay for the trouble you caused our hitokiri battousai. If it hadn't been for you, we would have had that little girl....." ************ "What is this bullshit! I challenge them to a fight and they give me a girl! What the fuck is this?!" Kaoru growled at the handsome, muscular man standing before her. He wore a large white robe and had a red headband tied around his forehead. His dark brown hair stuck straight up and somewhat reminded her of a rooster. Beside him, lay a large object wrapped in white cloth. "You shouldn't underestimate you're opponent, Zanza. You're like all those other sexist pigs out there, aren't you? The type that thinks women are only good for cooking and cleaning, but they can't fight." Zanza smirked slightly. "No...I'm not like all those other sexist pigs out there.. I know girls can fight, but can you fight me?" Kaoru smiled sweetly. Two can play this game. "Try me." "I don't fight girls." "Shutup. Pretend I'm a guy then." Laughter danced in Zanza's eyes. "No guy looks as good as you in a hakama, babe." Kaoru's eyes flashed violently and she flew at Zanza, fists flying. If she hated anything in the world, it was to be called "babe". Zanza quickly lifted his hands in defense, blocking off Kaoru's hits one by one, his eyes widening at the increasing force of each blow. Finally, he'd had enough. Reaching out, he grabbed both her hands in mid-punch and spun around slightly before throwing her backwards. Kaoru twisted her body in midair and landed on her feet, using the momentum of the toss to flip her body back forwards, so that she was facing Zanza. The man whistled admiringly. "You're good..better than I expected. I guess I did underestimate you..." "You damn well did. Don't ever call me babe, got that?" Zanza nodded thoughtfully. "So that was why you got so mad..I was wondering...." Zanza smiled, abruptly then. "All right. I'll be serious now. I came to challenge that jackass, Kago, and he sends out a girl in his place....but if that's what he wants, then fine..I'll fight you instead, but realize, I won't hold back my strength like I did when I threw you a few minutes ago...." Kaoru stared at Zanza blankly for a moment. He was holding back? I already had trouble with that toss....how strong is he exactly...? Kaoru..focus...if you can't beat him in strength..you can beat him with wits. "All right. I'm ready.." Kaoru crouched low into a battle stance and prepared herself for the storm ahead... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Internet FileZone: Always FREE! Instantly store & access your valuable PC files on the net, from any Web browser. SIGN UP NOW - http://offers.egroups.com/click/235/0 eGroup home: http://www.eGroups.com/list/kenshinfanfics Free Web-based e-mail groups by www.eGroups.com