Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Second Fallen Star ❯ The Decision ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Lightsummons 
Kenshin must decide if he's ready to move on.
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.16.2006 | Updated On: 06.17.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 196 | Status: Work In Progress
Kenshin must decide if he's ready to move on.
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.16.2006 | Updated On: 06.17.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.5K | Visits: 196 | Status: Work In Progress
** One of my very nice reviewers pointed out to me that one of the scenes seemed rushed so I redid it. Hope it's okay now.
I finished this and wanted to get it up so Cor didn't get a chance to beta-read it. I'll re-up it once she has so it can be mistake free. Or close enough for me XD. KaoruKamiya307, thank you VERY much for the review. I'm glad you liked it.
Warnings: Contains character death, yep, already. 'sides that, just violence really. Not in this chappie though.
Disclaimer: Don't own'em. If anybody wants to sell them to me, I'll take them though. Anyone takers?
*******
Vibrant colors shot across the sky, the rays of the setting sun casting a soft glow over everything. However, inside of the dojo Kenshin saw none of this. He had somehow found the will to drag himself out of bed and wash. Even as he heated the water, each movement was robotic, done only out of necessity, months of repetition allowing him to go through the motions with much thought.
Finally, he was ready, his hair tied in it's usual low ponytail and his gi loose. It wasn't unless one looked into his once radiant purple eyes did they see the difference. From the moment he had stepped into the dojo he had masked pain from a past he dared not speak about at the time. The smile which was always been plastered on his face had kept most people from looking any deeper than the surface, convinced many that he was just a care-free wanderer. It wasn't until enemies had come and danger had beckoned that he told of his past and then it was only to those close to him. She had known everything he had never wanted to tell and had loved him anyway. At first he had underestimated her, thinking she too only saw the mask he displayed for the world but overtime he became to realize her true strength. She had seen the killer in him, seen his scars, and loved him despite of it. It was these thoughts that filled his head as he made his way to the Akebako, the stars and the crickets meaningless background noise to him. As he stopped outside the building, delicious smells coming out to him, he did something he hadn't done in a while: put his mask back on. Sano had right. They were all hurting but they were still trying to make him feel better. If nothing else, he would try to ease their burden slightly.
“You just gonna stand there all day?” Sano's gruff voice called out to him, finally making him step into the thresh hold.
Everyone else had already gathered. Megumi sat between Gensai and Sano, a smile coming across her face when she saw Kenshin enter. Since Kaoru's death, she'd stopped the playful flirtation, becoming much more serious around the red-head. However, the tragedy served to bring her and the lanky fighter together as they found themselves leaning on one another for comfort. Suzame and Ayame sat on the doctor's other right, Yahiko by their side. However, upon his entering, the two little girls jumped up and raced over, throwing themselves on his legs.
“Uncle Ken, Uncle ken,” the both cried at the same time, reaching their small arms up toward him. Bending down, he lifted the two children easily before making his way over to the table where a spot between Yahiko and Sano had been saved for him. By the time he let them down, he had been informed off the crickets which had been jumping around their house and the new game one of their friends had taught them to play. Despite himself, he had almost felt as if things were normal.
After said they excited hello's as he took his seat and he answered in kind though is voice was softer. The idle chit chat continued until the food was ordered and Sano was telling Kenshin about his attempt to teach Yahiko fist to fist combat.
“So I told him to try hittin the dummy in the face till I came back,” he continued, Yahiko almost pouting from his seat, “ and when I get back, he's actually doin what I told him too. Cept he's so short, everytime he goes to hit the dumm, he has to jump. So there he is, jumpin and punchin and he looks like a bunch grasshopper,” he finished, barely able to get the last part out due to his laughter. Kenshin was smiling slightly and Ayame and Suzame was laughing more at Sano's laughter than the story but everyone else seemed to be less amused.
“Oh yeah? Well at least I did manage to hit him in the face. You miss half the time,” Yahiko retorted angrily.
“Yeah you can hit em, as long as they stand still or aren't over four foot tall,” Sano retorted. Yahiko's come back was interrupted be the food which the waitress politely put down before leaving again, her footsteps soft.
“What would you know anyway? All you do is throw your fists around,” he finally said, this time hurt mixed in with the anger in his voice. Sano however, read only the anger.
“Just because I don't own a dojo like the Little Missy doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doin. I'm beatin my fair share of enemies.”
Upon the mention of Sano's nickname of Kaoru, Megumi grasped slightly and she and the doctor turned to Kenshin who was know sitting completely still upon hearing the missing member's name. Yahiko and Sano continued their debate, not yet realizing what they had done, but the red head was no longer paying attention. It took only seconds for Sano to notice the unnatural silence as well and once he stopped, Yahiko did as well. When Kenshin finally looked up, he found four different set of eyes focused on him, concern in all, an unspoken apology in Sano's. He'd been trying to bring Kenshin out of his stump and though it had been Megumi's idea to invite him to a dinner, he had had high hopes it would work. Now it seems, he'd done just the opposite.
“You should listen to Sanosuke, Yahiko. He has acquired amazing strength and skill over the past couple of years,” he finally said, snapping everyone out of their daze.
'What?! Kenshin your suppose to be on my side. Why are you taking his?” the little boy yelled and instantly the spell was broken.
“I'm not taking anyone's side. I wasn't even aware you were interested in learning hand to hand combat.”
“I'm not. Sano told me I was gonna have to do something or he was gonna kill me. The wouldn't let me in the gambling houses so fighting was the only left that Sano EVER does,” he replied, receiving an agreeing laugh from Megumi. The rest of the night was filled with much of the same. Megumi and Yahiko ganging up on Sano, leaving Kenshin and Gensai the job as the occasional peacemaker.
Finally, the soft snoring of the youngest members allowed the group reason to part. Yahiko was still unable to go back to the dojo, too many memories for him as well, but they both invited Kenshin over to Sano's place but he politely declined. Megumi watched with a worried expression as he made his way toward his home.
Taking his time, the walk home took quiet a bit of time. The dinner tonight had allowed him to see something. He couldn't go one like he had been. His friends didn't want that and Kaoru wouldn't have wanted it. It wouldn't be as easy as waking up tomorrow pain free, but he would have to start. In the morning, he would get out of bed and have a normal day. Maybe even go over to Sano's. But first, he would go to her grave and tell her something he hadn't been wanting to: good-bye.
The door slid openly silently and the only sound that broke the night was his own soft falls as he made his way to her room. It was exactly had they had left it, months before when the sudden sickness took a turn for the worse, killing her before anyone could really grasp how serious it was. The one opponent he hadn't been able to fight as her small hand went limp in his and her dark blue eyes closed for the last time. Now as he sat in the middle of her room among her things, he cried for the first time. She was gone and he was finally beginning to accept it.
*******
Starting next chapter, the outlook gets a little more sunny. As always, please read and review. Even if it's telling me how I could improve. XD Mucho appreciated.
I finished this and wanted to get it up so Cor didn't get a chance to beta-read it. I'll re-up it once she has so it can be mistake free. Or close enough for me XD. KaoruKamiya307, thank you VERY much for the review. I'm glad you liked it.
Warnings: Contains character death, yep, already. 'sides that, just violence really. Not in this chappie though.
Disclaimer: Don't own'em. If anybody wants to sell them to me, I'll take them though. Anyone takers?
*******
Vibrant colors shot across the sky, the rays of the setting sun casting a soft glow over everything. However, inside of the dojo Kenshin saw none of this. He had somehow found the will to drag himself out of bed and wash. Even as he heated the water, each movement was robotic, done only out of necessity, months of repetition allowing him to go through the motions with much thought.
Finally, he was ready, his hair tied in it's usual low ponytail and his gi loose. It wasn't unless one looked into his once radiant purple eyes did they see the difference. From the moment he had stepped into the dojo he had masked pain from a past he dared not speak about at the time. The smile which was always been plastered on his face had kept most people from looking any deeper than the surface, convinced many that he was just a care-free wanderer. It wasn't until enemies had come and danger had beckoned that he told of his past and then it was only to those close to him. She had known everything he had never wanted to tell and had loved him anyway. At first he had underestimated her, thinking she too only saw the mask he displayed for the world but overtime he became to realize her true strength. She had seen the killer in him, seen his scars, and loved him despite of it. It was these thoughts that filled his head as he made his way to the Akebako, the stars and the crickets meaningless background noise to him. As he stopped outside the building, delicious smells coming out to him, he did something he hadn't done in a while: put his mask back on. Sano had right. They were all hurting but they were still trying to make him feel better. If nothing else, he would try to ease their burden slightly.
“You just gonna stand there all day?” Sano's gruff voice called out to him, finally making him step into the thresh hold.
Everyone else had already gathered. Megumi sat between Gensai and Sano, a smile coming across her face when she saw Kenshin enter. Since Kaoru's death, she'd stopped the playful flirtation, becoming much more serious around the red-head. However, the tragedy served to bring her and the lanky fighter together as they found themselves leaning on one another for comfort. Suzame and Ayame sat on the doctor's other right, Yahiko by their side. However, upon his entering, the two little girls jumped up and raced over, throwing themselves on his legs.
“Uncle Ken, Uncle ken,” the both cried at the same time, reaching their small arms up toward him. Bending down, he lifted the two children easily before making his way over to the table where a spot between Yahiko and Sano had been saved for him. By the time he let them down, he had been informed off the crickets which had been jumping around their house and the new game one of their friends had taught them to play. Despite himself, he had almost felt as if things were normal.
After said they excited hello's as he took his seat and he answered in kind though is voice was softer. The idle chit chat continued until the food was ordered and Sano was telling Kenshin about his attempt to teach Yahiko fist to fist combat.
“So I told him to try hittin the dummy in the face till I came back,” he continued, Yahiko almost pouting from his seat, “ and when I get back, he's actually doin what I told him too. Cept he's so short, everytime he goes to hit the dumm, he has to jump. So there he is, jumpin and punchin and he looks like a bunch grasshopper,” he finished, barely able to get the last part out due to his laughter. Kenshin was smiling slightly and Ayame and Suzame was laughing more at Sano's laughter than the story but everyone else seemed to be less amused.
“Oh yeah? Well at least I did manage to hit him in the face. You miss half the time,” Yahiko retorted angrily.
“Yeah you can hit em, as long as they stand still or aren't over four foot tall,” Sano retorted. Yahiko's come back was interrupted be the food which the waitress politely put down before leaving again, her footsteps soft.
“What would you know anyway? All you do is throw your fists around,” he finally said, this time hurt mixed in with the anger in his voice. Sano however, read only the anger.
“Just because I don't own a dojo like the Little Missy doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doin. I'm beatin my fair share of enemies.”
Upon the mention of Sano's nickname of Kaoru, Megumi grasped slightly and she and the doctor turned to Kenshin who was know sitting completely still upon hearing the missing member's name. Yahiko and Sano continued their debate, not yet realizing what they had done, but the red head was no longer paying attention. It took only seconds for Sano to notice the unnatural silence as well and once he stopped, Yahiko did as well. When Kenshin finally looked up, he found four different set of eyes focused on him, concern in all, an unspoken apology in Sano's. He'd been trying to bring Kenshin out of his stump and though it had been Megumi's idea to invite him to a dinner, he had had high hopes it would work. Now it seems, he'd done just the opposite.
“You should listen to Sanosuke, Yahiko. He has acquired amazing strength and skill over the past couple of years,” he finally said, snapping everyone out of their daze.
'What?! Kenshin your suppose to be on my side. Why are you taking his?” the little boy yelled and instantly the spell was broken.
“I'm not taking anyone's side. I wasn't even aware you were interested in learning hand to hand combat.”
“I'm not. Sano told me I was gonna have to do something or he was gonna kill me. The wouldn't let me in the gambling houses so fighting was the only left that Sano EVER does,” he replied, receiving an agreeing laugh from Megumi. The rest of the night was filled with much of the same. Megumi and Yahiko ganging up on Sano, leaving Kenshin and Gensai the job as the occasional peacemaker.
Finally, the soft snoring of the youngest members allowed the group reason to part. Yahiko was still unable to go back to the dojo, too many memories for him as well, but they both invited Kenshin over to Sano's place but he politely declined. Megumi watched with a worried expression as he made his way toward his home.
Taking his time, the walk home took quiet a bit of time. The dinner tonight had allowed him to see something. He couldn't go one like he had been. His friends didn't want that and Kaoru wouldn't have wanted it. It wouldn't be as easy as waking up tomorrow pain free, but he would have to start. In the morning, he would get out of bed and have a normal day. Maybe even go over to Sano's. But first, he would go to her grave and tell her something he hadn't been wanting to: good-bye.
The door slid openly silently and the only sound that broke the night was his own soft falls as he made his way to her room. It was exactly had they had left it, months before when the sudden sickness took a turn for the worse, killing her before anyone could really grasp how serious it was. The one opponent he hadn't been able to fight as her small hand went limp in his and her dark blue eyes closed for the last time. Now as he sat in the middle of her room among her things, he cried for the first time. She was gone and he was finally beginning to accept it.
*******
Starting next chapter, the outlook gets a little more sunny. As always, please read and review. Even if it's telling me how I could improve. XD Mucho appreciated.