Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Flight of the Wounded Dove ❯ Flight ( Chapter 2 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Shaeya Sedjet Namir 
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.18.2007 | Updated On: 06.21.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 562 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Hentai / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 06.18.2007 | Updated On: 06.21.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 562 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I am in no way claiming to own any sort of right to Rurouni Kenshin! I just like to pretend that I am god and bend the characters to my will. Mwahahaha!!! Ahem. Kenshin and his friends actually belong to Noburhiro Watsuki.
A Note From Sedjet: Wow! Before I screwed up and deleted the first chapter of “Flight,” I had 15 reviews! 15 reviews in two days!!! Thank you so, so much to those of you who reviewed. I am sorry that I cannot answer each of your reviews, because I am a total moron. However, the first reviewer left such a sweet and wonderful review. I was pleased to have it as my first review. On the whole, they were very positive and supportive. Thank you all so much! So without further ado…
Flight of the Wounded Dove:
Chapter Two:
Going Away
It was the morning after Kaoru’s breakdown, and Kenshin was fishing for the evening meal. He had yet to catch anything when he heard soft footsteps approaching and caught the familiar scent of Jasmine on the breeze. He pasted on his Rurouni smile and forced himself to turn around slowly, for he did not want to seem like a neglected puppy waiting for a kind word or gesture from its master. But inside, he was thrilled to see her up and about.
“Kaoru-dono! Is there anything I can do for you this morning?” He noted that her eyes had not yet lost their haunted look. She seemed to be collecting herself—preparing herself for something, but she finally spoke, “I have a favor to ask of you, Kenshin,” she murmured, not meeting his eyes.
Kenshin noted the hollow quality of her voice, and his heart sank into his stomach. “You may ask anything of me, Kaoru-dono.” She took a deep breath, “I would have you take over Yahiko’s training for me.”
“Nani?!”
She was startled at his exclamation looked up into his eyes, “I am going away for a while and someone needs to teach him. If you are unwilling, I will ask Sanosuke.” She turned around to make her way up to the dojo.
“No! I will take over his training!”
She turned around, nodding to acknowledge his answer, “Thank you.” And she turned back around to head up the slight incline.
“If Sessha may ask, Kaoru-dono, why are you leaving?” Then, quietly, “Is it because of yesterday?”
Kaoru stopped with her back to him. She sighed audibly and her shoulders slumped a little, “It is yesterday…and every day before that.”
“Kaoru, Sessha did not realize—“
“I know you didn’t, Kenshin.” She turned her head toward him, slightly. “I need to do a little self-exploration. I need to re-evaluate some things.”
He asked the question he was dreading, “How long will you be gone?”
“I am not sure.”
“Where will you go?”
“I am not sure of that, either.”
She was making her way up the hill, and Kenshin felt the need to keep her as long as possible, “Kaoru-dono!” She stopped and turned slightly to him. “Let Sessha know when you get to where you are going…”
“Hai.” She continued her trek back up the gently rolling hill.
“Kaoru!” Kenshin ran after her.
She turned toward him again, a bit impatiently, “Nani?”
“Sessha will not be there to protect you, he murmured, stroking her cheek. “Please be careful.” He clutched her to him in a tight embrace.
“I think I can take care of myself, Kenshin. I was doing fine before you came along. Why would I not be fine now?” But she was not sure. Since yesterday, Kenshin had been extremely careful, kind and attentive. And when she said that, he seemed crestfallen.
“I was just reminding you.” He let her go.
She turned to go and stopped, “Kenshin?”
“Nani?”
She turned her head to the side, “Arigatou.” With that, she took off at a run up the hill.
Kenshin watched her go, his heart sinking. Nothing was going to be the same without her.
~*~
“Where are we going, Tae?” Kaoru asked when they were seated on the train.
“I am taking you to Yokohama. I am going to help you pick out some new kimonos and teach you how to wear make up…” As an afterthought, she added, “And I will teach you how to carry yourself as a lady and not a Bokudo warrior.”
“I think I am going to regret this,” Kaoru muttered wryly.
“You will thank me for it, Kaoru” The older woman paused a moment. “I will teach you how to cook as well.” Tae knew that learning to cook would mean a great deal to Kaoru.
“Arigatou, Tae-chan.” Kaoru sniffled.
“Do not go getting emotional on me, Kaoru. You have had a rough couple of days. This is time for you to relax and let your worries drift away. Besides, friends do these kinds of things for each other, ne?” She winked at the young woman and Kaoru smiled back at her.
It was the first real smile Kaoru had had in days. It seemed that lately, everything with Kenshin was a façade. She knew he knew how she felt about him. She also knew that he had feelings for her. The way he acted when she told him she was going away was proof of it. But he thought that hiding his feelings would somehow protect her. He would hide his feelings from her forever if it meant he could protect her.
But that wasn’t the kind of protection she needed. She needed to know that she could go to him when her nightmares kept her awake in the dark. She needed to know he would be there to comfort her when she was having a bad day.
How could two people who love each other so much be so unhappy around each other? Love wasn’t supposed to be like this! It wasn’t supposed to be painful. The masks and the pleasantries were killing her. And they were doing nothing for her self-esteem.
Tae watched the play of emotions across Kaoru’s delicate face before the girl went into some kind of brooding trance. :I could just beat the both of them silly. I think I will start with Kenshin. Anyone can see that he is mad about the girl, but he insists on denying his feelings. Two grown adults acting like three year-olds! This is doing both of them absolutely no good…:
“A penny for your thoughts, dear?” Tae murmured to the spacey girl.
“My thoughts aren’t worth that, Tae-chan.” The girl sighed heavily. “Just the musings of a silly little girl.”
Tae turned to her in her seat, taking Kaoru’s face in her hands, “Not so silly, and not so little, Kaoru.” She kissed the young woman’s cheek. “You just need a mother figure to show you the way of things.” She brushed a stray lock of hair away from Kaoru’s face, “Being raised the only child, and a daughter at that, of a widowed martial artist could not have been easy, my dear.” She considered Kaoru with a slight smile. “But you have turned out to be a very beautiful and compassionate young woman.”
Kaoru raised her large sapphire eyes to Tae, and asked petulantly, “But what use is it if you cannot successfully complete a task as simply as cooking rice?!”
“Cooking is not the only worth while virtue in a woman. You are a strong, brave young woman. Most young women your age could not have survived on their own as you have. That in itself is a virtue any man should desire in a woman.” She tucked the girl under her arm, hugging her close, “You will see. He will come around. He has to. Even our Kenshin cannot deny true love when it bites him in the rear.” When Kaoru turned startled, jewel-like eyes on her, Tae chuckled. “Do you think I cannot tell what you are thinking?! There is only one thing that gives a girl such a wistful look.” She winked at the young girl. “Hope is not lost, my dear.”
“Arigatou,” Kaoru whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“Now, that’s enough of that! There will be no more of that on this vacation! However, there will be lots of delicious deserts! And new kimonos! And pretty ribbons!”
Kaoru smiled brightly at the woman who had stepped in as her surrogate mother. Tae was a kind woman. Kaoru could think of no one else who would leave her restaurant in the hands of her apprentice while she took time off to play mommy to a depressed orphan.
To be continued…
See! I told you. It’s not so dark anymore. Kaoru is rebuilding her self-esteem. Kenshin is getting a clue, and he is learning a valuable lesson…that he should not take love for granted.
A Note From Sedjet: Wow! Before I screwed up and deleted the first chapter of “Flight,” I had 15 reviews! 15 reviews in two days!!! Thank you so, so much to those of you who reviewed. I am sorry that I cannot answer each of your reviews, because I am a total moron. However, the first reviewer left such a sweet and wonderful review. I was pleased to have it as my first review. On the whole, they were very positive and supportive. Thank you all so much! So without further ado…
Flight of the Wounded Dove:
Chapter Two:
Going Away
It was the morning after Kaoru’s breakdown, and Kenshin was fishing for the evening meal. He had yet to catch anything when he heard soft footsteps approaching and caught the familiar scent of Jasmine on the breeze. He pasted on his Rurouni smile and forced himself to turn around slowly, for he did not want to seem like a neglected puppy waiting for a kind word or gesture from its master. But inside, he was thrilled to see her up and about.
“Kaoru-dono! Is there anything I can do for you this morning?” He noted that her eyes had not yet lost their haunted look. She seemed to be collecting herself—preparing herself for something, but she finally spoke, “I have a favor to ask of you, Kenshin,” she murmured, not meeting his eyes.
Kenshin noted the hollow quality of her voice, and his heart sank into his stomach. “You may ask anything of me, Kaoru-dono.” She took a deep breath, “I would have you take over Yahiko’s training for me.”
“Nani?!”
She was startled at his exclamation looked up into his eyes, “I am going away for a while and someone needs to teach him. If you are unwilling, I will ask Sanosuke.” She turned around to make her way up to the dojo.
“No! I will take over his training!”
She turned around, nodding to acknowledge his answer, “Thank you.” And she turned back around to head up the slight incline.
“If Sessha may ask, Kaoru-dono, why are you leaving?” Then, quietly, “Is it because of yesterday?”
Kaoru stopped with her back to him. She sighed audibly and her shoulders slumped a little, “It is yesterday…and every day before that.”
“Kaoru, Sessha did not realize—“
“I know you didn’t, Kenshin.” She turned her head toward him, slightly. “I need to do a little self-exploration. I need to re-evaluate some things.”
He asked the question he was dreading, “How long will you be gone?”
“I am not sure.”
“Where will you go?”
“I am not sure of that, either.”
She was making her way up the hill, and Kenshin felt the need to keep her as long as possible, “Kaoru-dono!” She stopped and turned slightly to him. “Let Sessha know when you get to where you are going…”
“Hai.” She continued her trek back up the gently rolling hill.
“Kaoru!” Kenshin ran after her.
She turned toward him again, a bit impatiently, “Nani?”
“Sessha will not be there to protect you, he murmured, stroking her cheek. “Please be careful.” He clutched her to him in a tight embrace.
“I think I can take care of myself, Kenshin. I was doing fine before you came along. Why would I not be fine now?” But she was not sure. Since yesterday, Kenshin had been extremely careful, kind and attentive. And when she said that, he seemed crestfallen.
“I was just reminding you.” He let her go.
She turned to go and stopped, “Kenshin?”
“Nani?”
She turned her head to the side, “Arigatou.” With that, she took off at a run up the hill.
Kenshin watched her go, his heart sinking. Nothing was going to be the same without her.
~*~
“Where are we going, Tae?” Kaoru asked when they were seated on the train.
“I am taking you to Yokohama. I am going to help you pick out some new kimonos and teach you how to wear make up…” As an afterthought, she added, “And I will teach you how to carry yourself as a lady and not a Bokudo warrior.”
“I think I am going to regret this,” Kaoru muttered wryly.
“You will thank me for it, Kaoru” The older woman paused a moment. “I will teach you how to cook as well.” Tae knew that learning to cook would mean a great deal to Kaoru.
“Arigatou, Tae-chan.” Kaoru sniffled.
“Do not go getting emotional on me, Kaoru. You have had a rough couple of days. This is time for you to relax and let your worries drift away. Besides, friends do these kinds of things for each other, ne?” She winked at the young woman and Kaoru smiled back at her.
It was the first real smile Kaoru had had in days. It seemed that lately, everything with Kenshin was a façade. She knew he knew how she felt about him. She also knew that he had feelings for her. The way he acted when she told him she was going away was proof of it. But he thought that hiding his feelings would somehow protect her. He would hide his feelings from her forever if it meant he could protect her.
But that wasn’t the kind of protection she needed. She needed to know that she could go to him when her nightmares kept her awake in the dark. She needed to know he would be there to comfort her when she was having a bad day.
How could two people who love each other so much be so unhappy around each other? Love wasn’t supposed to be like this! It wasn’t supposed to be painful. The masks and the pleasantries were killing her. And they were doing nothing for her self-esteem.
Tae watched the play of emotions across Kaoru’s delicate face before the girl went into some kind of brooding trance. :I could just beat the both of them silly. I think I will start with Kenshin. Anyone can see that he is mad about the girl, but he insists on denying his feelings. Two grown adults acting like three year-olds! This is doing both of them absolutely no good…:
“A penny for your thoughts, dear?” Tae murmured to the spacey girl.
“My thoughts aren’t worth that, Tae-chan.” The girl sighed heavily. “Just the musings of a silly little girl.”
Tae turned to her in her seat, taking Kaoru’s face in her hands, “Not so silly, and not so little, Kaoru.” She kissed the young woman’s cheek. “You just need a mother figure to show you the way of things.” She brushed a stray lock of hair away from Kaoru’s face, “Being raised the only child, and a daughter at that, of a widowed martial artist could not have been easy, my dear.” She considered Kaoru with a slight smile. “But you have turned out to be a very beautiful and compassionate young woman.”
Kaoru raised her large sapphire eyes to Tae, and asked petulantly, “But what use is it if you cannot successfully complete a task as simply as cooking rice?!”
“Cooking is not the only worth while virtue in a woman. You are a strong, brave young woman. Most young women your age could not have survived on their own as you have. That in itself is a virtue any man should desire in a woman.” She tucked the girl under her arm, hugging her close, “You will see. He will come around. He has to. Even our Kenshin cannot deny true love when it bites him in the rear.” When Kaoru turned startled, jewel-like eyes on her, Tae chuckled. “Do you think I cannot tell what you are thinking?! There is only one thing that gives a girl such a wistful look.” She winked at the young girl. “Hope is not lost, my dear.”
“Arigatou,” Kaoru whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“Now, that’s enough of that! There will be no more of that on this vacation! However, there will be lots of delicious deserts! And new kimonos! And pretty ribbons!”
Kaoru smiled brightly at the woman who had stepped in as her surrogate mother. Tae was a kind woman. Kaoru could think of no one else who would leave her restaurant in the hands of her apprentice while she took time off to play mommy to a depressed orphan.
To be continued…
See! I told you. It’s not so dark anymore. Kaoru is rebuilding her self-esteem. Kenshin is getting a clue, and he is learning a valuable lesson…that he should not take love for granted.