From: "Tochi-san" Hello all! I'm very much a lurker on this list--aside from the occasional songfic--and I've never commented, which makes me feel really bad. V_V So many fics! So little time to read them all! But I just wanted to say you're all great great writers ^_^ I've always wanted to tell you guys that. Okay, now that I have that out of the way, I've started a new fic after staring at Vol. 28 for too long. Took me a while to write because of stupid Chemistry homework getting in the way. >_< I've debated for the longest time whether or not a prologue was necessary, but since an introductory is always good, I kept it. I'll stop talking now. __________________________________ "A Bird With Broken Wings": prolougue by Tochi Disclaimer: *all standard disclaimers apply* Warning: *MAJOR* spoilers for the end of the RK manga. For anyone who does not want to know of certain happenings in the ending, I suggest you be reconsider reading this...just buy the manga, find out, then come back and read it. ^_^ ________________________________ "Without love, we are birds with broken wings..." -Morrie Schwartz Autumn, Meiji 11 Megumi stood with her arms crossed leaning against a wooden pillar as she gazed out into the setting sun. The evening breeze was warm and fragrant, yet the calmness of it all failed to cut through her tense mood. The young doctor took in a deep breath as a wisp of cool air slipped past her face. What now? There was so much to look forward to in Aizu, and yet it seemed like a far off dream. Tokyo was her home now. Aizu was only a distant memory, and not a happy one at that... The sky's gentle hues cast pink shades on the doctor's youthful face as she gazed out into the setting sun, the colors changing ever so elusively from caramel gold to rosy pink. Her eyes trailed from the glorious sunset to the form of Sagara Sanosuke, sitting on the steps below her, chewing his ever-present fishbone. She watched him through casual lids, letting her eyes run over the black symbol adorned on his sturdy back. A hot wave of guilt washed over her as she gazed at the shadowing figure from afar. She hadn't told them yet. A deep sigh escaped her lips. How would they react to her decision? "Sanosuke?" "Hmm? Oh, Megitsune, what's up?" Megumi let out an exasperated sigh as she plopped down next to him on the steps of the temple facing the sun. "How long are you going to keep calling me that?" She asked, giving him a tired look. "It's not like I call you Chickenhead all the time." "Yeah you do," smirked Sano, twisting the fishbone between his teeth. "That or just Baka. Don't have much of a selection do I?" Megumi waved a hand in his direction as if to shoo off the comment. "Forget it," she said. "I don't feel like talking about this now." She glanced over at Sano, who had continued to stare out into the horizon. She bit her lip and looked away. "So what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be sponging dinner off those poor hard working people at the dojo right now?" "You make everything sound so bad," remarked the gangster coolly. "But nah, I just came here to think." Think? What kind of thinking does he do? "I've been wondering about a lot of things lately. You know, like with all this Enishi thing over and all. What about you, what are you doing here?" "M-Me? What am I doing here?" The words were more of a confirmation than a question. Megumi hesitated momentarily. "To think as well," she then answered casually. Her eyes grew dark. The question was nagging her. She had to get it out of the way. "Sano," she began. "Do you think...do you think Ken-san and the others would be disappointed if..." "If what?" "If, like, one of these days one of us were to leave..." There was a pause, and Megumi could hear as Sano drew in a long breath. Leave... "What makes you think that?" He answered in a calm voice. Megumi shrugged. "Just a passing thought," she replied humbly. She smiled a little. "I just want to be sure everything will be all right. If anything were to happen if we were apart...I want to feel like we'll be able to take care of ourselves without each other..." Sano studied Megumi closely as her features grew fainter in the maroon light. What was she trying to say? He wasn't used to serious conversations with the doctor, and the fact that it was actually happening both frightened and delighted him. Not knowing what to expect from a sharp-tongued fox, yet able to bask in a moment which was of respect toward him. How she puzzled him, he wanted to laugh inwardly to himself. "Why are you worrying so much?" He chuckled much to Megumi's surprise. "Hey, if I know Kenshin and Jou-chan, I'm sure we can get through anything. As long as we all have something in common," he exclaimed. "You remember, that whole Kyoto thing?" She remembered. "The five of us were all separated and still we managed to find each other in the end." He watched Megumi loosen and gave her a playful nudge. "So stop frettin'. You're only gonna end up like Kenshin." Megumi smiled in understanding. It wasn't as though she hadn't thought about what Sano had just told her. She just needed to be told the same words to make her feel better. She just couldn't confront Kenshin or Kaoru for the answer... "Sou desu yo," she replied softly, looking down at her feet. The smile twisted into a smirk. "You really do say nice things sometimes." "Che," scoffed Sano. "I never say anything but nice things." "Baka." He was so full of himself. Well at least that was out of the way now. She felt better. Much more comfortable of letting go...And yet, she was curious... "Ano, Sanosuke?" "Hmm?" "What are you planning to do with your future?" The gangster stared at her as if questioning her motives, then stood up slowly, a pensive expression on his face. Leaning casually against a tree, he gazed out into the glowing evening sky, his back turned to Megumi, leaving her to stare at it's impeccable kanji symbol. "You know," he said. "I really don't know." He turned to her again with what Megumi thought was calm resolve. "Whatever life offers me, I'll take. Who knows what might happen." Megumi exhaled deeply. "So like you," she muttered. "No plan at all for your future." Sano tried not to take that as an offense. "Well then what are your plans?" He looked a bit cold and judgmental. "You don't seem to be going anywhere either." "No," Megumi replied quietly, though she wanted to yell, Yes I am! I'm leaving this place! I'm doing something with my future! I'm following my calling in life! And then, I'm going away from you... "But whatever happens, I know we'll all always have each other," said Sano solemnly. "Kenshin and everyone. No matter where we are. We're family now. We'd never abandon each other." She looked up to see intense brown eyes staring back at her. "You believe that don't you?" Takani Megumi hesitated for a moment, a slight look of bewilderment in her eyes. That bewilderment was quickly replaced with one of quiet satisfaction, as she answered with a pleasant smile. "Hai." She tried not to think about what a big liar she was. End of Prologue Okay, yeah that was really short and really uninteresting, but I had to write it. Just one of those prologue thingys you have to do. Alright, then on to part one... ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Unique Valentine gifts, available now at eGroups. Click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------