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by Serizawa Kamo
SEVERAL NOTES : ^_^
1) This is my first fanfic, so please have mercy with me! ^_^
2) I am a terrible writer in English, so please overlook any mistakes. But please point out any weirdness you happen to come across!3) This fanfic is set soon after the Kyoto arc and before the Revenge arc mayhem.
4) See note number 3 to understand there are some spoilers in this fanfic. People who's got allergy to spoilers, please go no further! ^_^
5) Hope these notes are a sufficient spoiler space... ^_^
6) As usual, comments & criticism are welcome.
7) This fanfic involves some actual history of Japan. Japanese history students, if you find any mistakes, please let me know!
8) And I intend to present here some actual kenjutsu styles. But I know nothing about them, so please don't flame me ! ^_^
9) All due credits to manga genius Watsuki Nobuhiro and Shuueisha. Rurouni Kenshin would not come to life without them.10) You'll surely notice the change in the writing style. I intended to do (I don't know if I was successful or not, though) a somewhat gradual transition from the "translation style" (borrowed from Maigo-chan's style) and the "narrative style" (my poor and puny style... -_-# ).
"In The Blue Sky, Clouds Are Foreboding An Ill Omen"
Early in the morning, the five visitors from Tokyo decide to get going. Sano is still yawning.Kaoru thanks on behalf of everybody, "Really thanks for everything you've done for us."
The Kyoto Oniwabanshuu members are all there, and Okina returns the thanks, "Yes. Take care of yourselves."
Misao can barely hold her tears, "Please come back again to Kyoto. And this time, let's have lots of fun."
Kaoru, "You too, Misao, go visit us in Tokyo."
Yahiko isn't that pleased, "Hey, don't come, you nuisance."
Misao holds tightly the left hand of Kaoru, "Leave it to me! I will surely go!", while the right hand of Kaoru is punching Yahiko for that observation.
Kenshin asks Okina, "I don't see Aoshi. Is he again at the Zen temple?"
Okina answers, "No, lately he doesn't go to the temple, but he's practising in a room. But, as usual, he looks like he wants no one around him."
"I see..."
The lone figure of Aoshi stands still in the middle of the room.
Kenshin: "Aoshi... We're leaving now."
Aoshi remains silent.
Kenshin goes on: "Hope one day we can meet each other for a cup of sake or two."
Aoshi replies shortly: "I'm a non-drinker."
Kenshin is somewhat decepcionated, as are the others.
"I see..."
But Aoshi completes his sentence, with his eyes still closed: "Maybe a cup of tea."
Everybody can't help smiling at this.
Yahiko, while leaving out, couldn't help but point out, "But, even in the very end, he didn't laugh at all."
Kaoru punches him, "Don't say that, for heaven's sake!"
Kenshin pats Misao's head, and smiles, "That's right, but that's Misao's duty, not ours."
Kaoru and Yahiko engage in a comical battle, while Misao assures, "Yeah! Leave it to me!"
Kenshin again shows gratitude for what Misao has done, "We owe you much, Misao. Thank you."
At last, they leave the New Aoiya, where so much has passed since the arrival of Kenshin in Kyoto.
Misao waves her hand, "Everybody, farewell! I will go visit you!!"
Kaoru shouts, already a bit far, "Farewell! We look forward to seeing you, Misao!"
Omasu comments with Okina, "They were nice people, weren't they?"
Okina agrees, "Yes... (seeing them fading away in the distance) Very, very enthusiastic folks, but also very, very gentle folks..."
Okina is led by Omasu and they go back to the New Aoiya, unaware of two pair of eyes vigilant upon them.
In a side alley, Chou asks a man with a cigarette in his gloved hand:
"Is that all right? (glancing at the man) I told them nothing about you because you said there was no need to, but they seem to be a lot concerned about you."
The man answers dryly, "I fought together with Battousai only to exterminate Shishio and his organization. Mission complete, alliance broken. Just that."
"Is that so?"
"Feh. But we are destined to fight. Given an opportunity, we will surely meet again. And if we face each other as enemies, that would be wonderful. Then I could definetly put an end on this fight that lasts since the Bakumatsu."
Chou sweats, grinning, and remarks, "Your survival was really a nasty thing for Battousai, huh?"
Saitou smiles and throws his cigarette away.
"Come on, let's go. The next mission has already begun."
Chou says a bit wearily, "Oh, great! And where to, this time?"
Harsh words come as an answer, "Got to visit a friend of mine."
The voices of the two fade away in the alley, while Chou's voice can still be heard dimly:
"Whoa, a friend of YOURS? With a sympathetic atmosphere such as yours, I wonder what kind of friend he or she would be!"
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[In Osaka]
".... so, if we don't get the help of that man, I won't be lending any help."
"How dare you say that?!"
"Calm down. A split-up group is all we DON'T need right now. We've got to work as a team."
"So, what do you say?"
"I say that it's all right, Mister. But you must convince him."
"Leave that to me."
"Very well, we shall see then. Kokeshi."
"Yes?"
"Help Mister Tsukioka."
"Yes, sir."
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[On a hilltop at the outskirts of Kyoto]
A landscape worthy to be seen gives its last goodbye to the Tokyo visitors.
Kenshin is somewhat happy and tells, "Well, let's enjoy the last of this view."
Suddenly, Yahiko points a smoke, "Hey! Isn't that a fire?"
Sano answers, "Stupid, that must be a smoke from a coal maker, or something like that."
Kenshin suddenly realises, "That direction..."
[Hiko is silently sipping his sake while the smoke goes up]
Kenshin smiles.
(There was a lot of things that happened. But looking back--- looking back--- (remembering some scenes of Kyoto arc))
Sano smiles, "Hey, this view is really nice, but we've got to get going."
Kenshin replies also with a smile, "What's the hurry, Sano? Looks like you've got some business to do..."
Sano nods, "A woman wants to meet me in Osaka, where we're going to take the ship. I've just received her letter."
A general surprise pisses Sano off .
"What's with your faces?! What's the problem with talking to a woman, dammit!?"
"A woman wants to meet Sano? With SANO?", is the answer of a dumbfolded Yahiko. "Why the hell a woman would like to meet that rooster-head?"
"You shut up, brat!"
"Yahiko is right", says an equally surprised Megumi. "The woman must have got such a bad taste... I pity her."
"You fox woman!"
"Or maybe she is blind! What do you think, Megumi?"
"Hey!"
"Impossible, Yahiko. If she were blind, she could feel how idiot the rooster head is."
"HEY!"
"You don't have to be blind to feel that, do you?"
"HEY!!"
"I got it! Maybe she suffers from a mental disease and believes Sano is a nice guy!"
"HEY!!!"
"If that's true, I've got to treat her!"
"No way! Imagine the shock she would get if she saw the man she wanted to talk to!"
"YOU TWO, SHUT UP!!!!"
Kenshin and Kaoru are amused by the discussion, that would lighten the tiring travel up to Osaka.
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[Osaka port, 03:00 pm]
They finally arrive at the Osaka port. Weary from the travel, they board in a hurry in order to get some beds.
"We'll be leaving in half an hour!", warns the captain.
"Good", says Yahiko. But remembering he is sea sick, he grunts, "No, not so good..."
"Where's Sano?", asks a worried Kaoru.
"Meeting THE woman, I suppose", yawns a tired Megumi."He said he'd be back soon."
"Hm, interesting. You were the only one who Sano told when he'd be back, did you know that, Megumi?", grins maliciously Yahiko, making Megumi surprised and blushed. Kenshin and Kaoru smile at the scene.
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[Osaka, 03:15 p.m.]
Knocks on the door. A beautiful woman, with long black hair and dark eyes, clad in traditional Japanese clothing, greets a young guy in his 19's.
"I was waiting for you, Mister Sagara Sanosuke. Please come in." The light brown eyes examine the woman a bit playfully and Sano enters. The door is shut behind him.
"So, who are you and how do you know me?"
"Mister Tsukioka Katsuhiro told me about you."
Sano frowns his eyebrows, clearly surprised,"What?!"
The woman chuckles, "No need for surprises. He's here in Osaka, attending some... business of his."
"What the hell he's doing here in Osaka?"
"Ezoushi (newspaper)", answers the woman. "He has to keep his information network running."
"Hm."
"Anyway, I bring news of him. He wants to meet you."
"Where can I find him?"
"He's coming here at night. Until then..."
She calmly starts undressing herself in a teasing way.
A surprised Sano mutters: "Wh... what are you doing?!"
"Why don't we take this chance to better know one another?", the woman coos in sweet, gentle tones, already leaning on an appalled Sano.
"I... I..."
"Oh, please, come on. I can barely wait for you...."
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[Osaka Port, 03:30 pm]
[in the captain's cabin]
"Okay, here we go!", shouts the captain.
"Wait a moment! We're waiting for a friend!", says Kaoru.
"No good, miss. We've got to go now, or else we'll never get to Tokyo in time."
"Where's that stupid rooster head gone?!", an irritated Megumi
enters the captain's cabin.Kaoru replies, "How can we know?"
But Megumi's answer never got out of her mouth. A loud explosion jolts the whole ship, hurling everybody to a wall.
"Captain! Captain! The ship is sinking!", a desperate sailor bursts into the cabin.
"Everybody, get out from here!", the captain yells amidst the general panic. "Get the hell out of here!"
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[Osaka, 3:35 p.m.]
"What was that noise?", asked a suddenly aware Sano. The woman was already taking off his clothes.
"What noise?", was the woman's response, in a tone that begged for resuming the physical play for two. "Why don't we just forget what's going on outside?"
But Sano ignored completely her request and muttered, "That direction... the Osaka port! Goddammit, I've got to go there ! How could I forget that? "
Without hesitation, the young rogue went running for the door, but a violent thud warned him that the door was closed. A large sweatdrop rolled down the woman's face, as she asked:
"Hm, how about opening the door first, mister?" (Is he an idiot or what?)
"Hey, that's a good idea...."
He went off running as fast as he can towards the port.
(That woman... was that an attempt to prevent me from boarding the ship? And what's Katsu up to? I'll have to get some answers later from that woman... but I forgot to get her name! Goddammit... But first, gotta help the folks in the ship!)
"All right, guys, Sagara Sanosuke is on his way!"
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[Osaka, 3:35 p.m.]
"My congratulations, Mister Tsukioka. I'd never imagine the awesome power of your bombs."
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[Osaka port, 3:35 p.m.]
"Emi! Where are you?"
"Damn, get out of my way!"
"I'm landing first, you asshole!"
"Kenshin!"
"The ship won't hold that long!"
"The smoke! It's gonna kill us!"
"Dad! DAD!"
Next chapter: A split-up group!
On to Chap 3