Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Another Morning ❯ Chapter 4

Author Notes: I just wanted to thank everyone that review and thank you for your patience towards my grammar, spelling, or other mistakes I have. About the Battousai thing thanks for telling me about it, I've already corrected it. As usual comments (good or bad) are welcome. I don't own RK, etc. Thanks for reading.

Misanagi

Chapter IV

Misao was busy trying to help Sae with the food and pretending not to be in the great deal of pain she was, when she saw a tall figure in the doorway. She didn't even have time to say hello when Okon and Omasu were all over him.

"Welcome Hiko-san, what brings you here?" said Omasu looking at the tall man with dreamy eyes.

"Hello Hiko-san, having you here is always a pleasure," said Okon giving the sword master her best smile.

"Is there anything I can get you?" interrupted Omasu.

"Perhaps some sake would be nice," Hiko finally said and he walked with his confident air to the restaurant.

"Come on in, have a seat," replied Omasu as he lead Hiko into the restaurant.

"Yes Hiko-san, seat next to me while Omasu goes and bring you some sake."

"Hey, why do I have to get the sake?" Asked Omasu feeling really bad about the whole situation, she didn't want to leave Okon alone with Hiko.

"Because," answered the other girl.

Meanwhile Hiko decided that if he waited for them to finish arguing, it would be longer than teaching his baka deshi the Do Ryu Sen and he wasn't going to wait that long. So he walked slowly to Sae and asked her for some sake.

"So you do care for Himura," said Misao while following Hiko around the Shirobeko. "You came to see how he was doing."

"Little girl, I just came here because I ran out of sake and you seem to be willing to give it away."

Misao frowned and tried to throw her kunais at Hiko but she was bending over in pain before she could even reach them. Her ribs were really bugging her, she was unable to do the simplest things and breathing had taken a hole new meaning in her life.

"You should rest before trying to do that again, and you should also think it over since you are facing the thirteen master of the Hitten Mitserugi Ryu."

Misao thought about kicking him in the head but reconsidered, he did was the thirteen master of the Hitten Mitserugi Ryu. "So I guess you'll be on your way since you already have your sake," she said trying to change back the subject.

"Are you throwing me out?" Hiko asked as he lifted his chin in a superior manner.

"No, I just thought that you may want to know that Himura's room is the second on the left just up the stairs."She said and after that, she left without waiting for his response.

"That impertinent little girl, she could use some modesty! ...Well, since I am already here, I guess I could see how my baka deshi is doing."

Misao smiled when she saw Hiko going up the stairs. She was thinking of going to see Himura herself but she thought it wouldbe better if she went later, Hiko may want some privacy.

Hiko slid open the door of Kenshin's room. His baka deshi was lying on a futon and that girl that had come from Tokyofor him was seated beside him. She looked up and smiled softly when she saw him. "Hello Hiko-san, I'm glad you are here."

"Well I was in the neighborhood,"he stated simply.

Kaoru nodded but she knew the truth. Hiko could say whatever he wanted about Kenshin but she knew that he cared for him even though he would never accept it. "Could you do me a favor, Hiko-san? I need to go see Yahiko but I can't leave Kenshin alone. Would you mind staying with him, only for a few minutes?"

He only nodded and Kaoru left the room silently. Hiko started talking to Kenshin when he was sure that no one else was around to hear him. "How you managed to get yourself a woman like that I'll never know. That brat she is talking about is in the roof resting, she doesn't need to see him, and she knows he is perfectly fine. She saw right through me, baka deshi. So how long are you planning to stay like that? You know you've got people waiting for you. If you don't get up soon I'll have to keep your memory alive by telling them old stories of your childhood."Kenshin's lips moved a little and his expression changed a bit. "We will have a lot of fun, you know how I like to tell stories when I'm drinking sake, and sometimes I let slip some embarrassing memories that maybe I shouldn't tell. But I am sure that the little girl that was watching over you, will enjoy hearing about the first time you wet your bed, or the time you got lost in the woods chasing a rabbit or when..."

Hiko stopped abruptly when he saw that Kenshin had tightened his fists. "He is moving! It isn't much but he moved, he had a reaction to my words!"

"So the doctor was right, you can hear what I say. Well I wasn't bluffing so if you don't get up soon I am going to help your friends feel better by talking to them." Hiko kept looking at Kenshin to see if there was another reaction but he didn't move again. Very slowly his hands relaxed and he was exactly as Hiko found him.

Meanwhile Kaoru was walking trough the Shirobeko looking for Yahiko. She had been neglecting him, since Kenshin got back almost all her attention was centered on the rurouni so Yahiko wasn't getting as much attention. She wasn't training him for obvious reasons; both of them were still hurt from the battle and needed to rest. Yahiko had plenty of rest so he was healing nicely, but Kaoru had spent all of her time watching over Kenshin. Her wounds were untreated and, although they hurt a lot, she didn't care, Kenshin was first and she wasn't that badly injured. At least that was what she kept saying to herself.

"What are you doing here?" asked an angry voice behind her. "I told you Ken-san needs to be accompanied at all times!"

"Relax Megumi he is not alone, he is with his shishou."

"With his what?"

"Ahh, I forgot you haven't met Hiko-san yet. He is Kenshin's shishou, the one who trained him in Hitten Mitserugi Ryu."

"Ken-san's shishou?"

"Yes, you'll meet him later, now I have to go look for Yahiko. Have you seen him?"

"Yes, but I am not telling you where he is until you let me examine you," said the older woman with that superior doctor voice she did so well.

"Oh Megumi, is really not necessary, I have things to do and Kenshin needs me, and I am fine, really."

Megumi was getting tired of hearing Kaoru talking like that. "Tanuki girl, you don't understand that you are no use to me or Ken-san if you get sick! You need to be well to look after Ken-san and you need medical attention to be well, so would you please stop being so stubborn and let me examine you?"

Kaoru tried to reply that she was fine but her body betrayed her. She was so exhausted that suddenly she lost focus and felt like everything was spinning around her. She finally collapsed on the floor and felt how two strong arms carried her.

"I'm alright Shiro I can walk, thank you, I just ran out of air that's all."

"I am not letting you down unless you agree to let Megumi-san take a look at you."

"Ok Shiro, you win, please let me down."

Shiro put her down gently and she sat on a chair, waiting for Megumi to examine her.

"Kaoru-chan you have to promise me that you'll never do something this foolish again!"said Megumi after she finished her examination. "You did sustained serious injuries, even if you don't think so, and you also left them untreated. You were lucky I came here, some of your wounds are starting to infect and that is very dangerous. Don't worry I already took care of them but you have to start taking care of yourself. Have you been eating well? No! Off course you haven't! Seriously Tanuki girl, you have to be more responsible, Ken-san needs you to be well for him. Are you going to let him down?"

Kaoru felt that she was going to cry but she contained herself. Megumi was right, she was being irresponsible. "Don't worry Megumi, from now on I'll take care of myself, thank for treating me but now I have to go look for Yahiko. Where is he?"

"I think you should go and rest, you collapsed just a second ago."

"I'm alright Megumi and I am not just saying it."

"Why don't you go upstairs and I'll look for Yahiko and tell him to go see you. Ken-san is waiting for you and I am sure Ken's shishou won't wait forever for you to return."

"See you baka deshi," said Hiko when he felt Kaoru approaching the room.

When Kaoru opened the door she found Hiko already standing and ready to leave.

"Thanks for watching Kenshin Hiko-san."

"I only did it because you asked me, so I'll be on my way." With that said, Hiko left the Shirobeko carrying enough sake to last him a couple of days. "I'll be back later for more."

Kaoru started at Kenshin silently. He was in pain, she could feel it but even in that state he looked relaxed as if he didn't want anyone to worry about him. "Kenshin...please wake up, please be fine, I want to see those beautiful violet eyes again, I want to see your rurouni smile and I want to hear your voice. Kenshin..."

"Hey Kaoru are you there?"

Yahiko walked into the room and seated in front of Kaoru at the other side of Kenshin. His expressions sadden a little when he saw Kenshin. His role model, everything he ever hoped to be, was lying very injured and there was nothing he could do to help. "How is he?"

Kaoru noticed the worried tone in Yahiko's voice so she put up a warm smile and assured him that Kenshin would be fine. "We just need to wait, this would take some time."

Yahiko nodded and kept watching Kenshin.

"Yahiko I am sorry that I haven't been paying you much attention lately," said Kaoru after a while. "I know I've been neglecting you and I am sorry."

Yahiko started at Kaoru for a moment. With everything that was happening she still found time to worry about him, she was even felling bad for not helping him more. Yahiko had been watching Kaoru for the last few days and he knew that she had been taking care of Kenshin at all times, she had forgotten even about herself. She put everyone if front of her. He decided to give Kaoru a break, he was always teasing her and calling her names but he would cut it out, at least while she was busy with Kenshin. "At least I still have the weasel girl to upset.""Don't worry about me, I am a descendent of samurais, I'll be fine. I am going to look for Misao now; I suddenly got the urge to see her."

Kaoru smiled and watched Yahiko leave. "He is a nice kid."

* * *

Megumi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "He is just another patient."

She knocked softly on the door before stepping in. Aoshi was sitting in the floor facing the window. He wasn't dress in the uniform she remembered him wearing. He had a white gi and black hakama pants. He didn't move but she was sure he heard her enter. His kodachis lied next to him; close enough for him to grab them quickly if he needed them. For a moment she was she was transported to Kanryu's mansion. She was in that lab again, working for so many hours producing that venom. She had thought about escaping since the very first day she arrived at Kanryu's mansion, but he was there. Aoshi Shinomori, the leader of the Oniwabanshu. He didn't talk much but he didn't have to, with only one glance he could strike fear into anyone's soul. She saw him the first day, he looked at her with those blue eyes and she knew she'll have to stay there forever. But then she found the formula for that new kind of opium and decided that she couldn't produce that. She couldn't do so much damage to so many people. At that time nothing else mattered, not Kanryu, not Aoshi, not even her life. She risked everything and escaped but she wasn't free for long, Aoshi send for her and she was persecuted but she just couldn't go back. And then a ray of hope crossed her way, a man with a sword in the Meiji Era, he would be able to protect her. Aoshi Shinomori, the last time she saw him he threatened to kill her. She knew he wasn't bluffing and that if Saitou hadn't arrived she would be dead. So now she was staring at that man. He only brought her sad memories but now she was going to treat him, she was going to help him. Aoshi Shinomori. That girl she had met knew a different Aoshi and Megumi didn't know if the person before her was Misao's Aoshi or the one she remembered.

She had been staring at him silently and he hadn't turned back. She tried to speak but the words died in her mouth. "Get a hold of yourself Megumi, you are not like this." She was trying to order her thoughts and find something to say to him when a neutral voice interrupted her. "What are you doing here?"

She froze at his question; she didn't expect him to be the first to talk. "I've come to see Ken-san."

"But what are you doing here?" Aoshi asked without even turning back.

"I am a doctor and I am supposed to treat everybody, sick or injured, and that includes you." She was back to her old self again.

"I see." was the only response of Aoshi.

Megumi walked towards him and started to examine him. When she saw his eyes she noticed that there was something different about him but she just kept working. He didn't say or do anything. Megumi was amazed that Aoshi was up, his wounds were very deep and she was sure he was in a lot of pain but he didn't show any emotion.

Meanwhile Aoshi's mind was spinning out of control again. "Megumi is here and she is helping me. She is a reminder of my former self of what I did. Nothing good came from my society with Kanryu but I did hurt a lot of people and she was one of them. Does this means that she forgives me? How could she? I bet she is only here because Misao forced her.""You are not forced to help me."

Megumi didn't even look up and ignored his question.

"She forced herself to help me; she thinks that she wouldn't be a good doctor if she doesn't."

"You'll be fine, just be sure to change your bandages every day and keep still for a while, and try not to move a lot. Here is something for the pain, it'll help you."

Aoshi hesitated for a moment but finally took the medicine. Megumi turned to leave and when she was almost at the door she heard his voice.

"Thank you Megumi... and I'm sorry."

It took Megumi a moment to answer, "You are welcome and it's all in the past." She left and closed the door behind her. The man in that room was Misao's Aoshi, no doubt about it.

* * *