Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Kotori ❯ Routine ( Chapter 1 )

Kotori

By Subaru Shôjo

In cursive are thoughts and flashback quotes

Words in bold are rynnosuke's quoted words.

Part 1: Routine

A clear autumn day was hovering in the Kamiya Dojo. Same routine; same brawls, same visitors, same people, same everything. Kaoru opened her eyes as the rays of light passed through the rice paper walls. She tugged the blanket aside as she stretched her body accompanied with a smooth yawn. She sat over her futon as she rubbed her eyes still yawning a bit.

She looked around to her room. The same old room as always. Then she passed her hands neatly over the blankets of her futon, the same old blankets since the day her father left her. She up drawn her knees as she encircled them with her slim arms; her chin placed between them. She sighed, letting some strands of hair fall graciously down to her cheeks and eyes. She blew them off as she leaped to stand up. She took her braid and tug it slightly to her back.

She opened the shogi, and she sighed again…

5…4…3…2…1…

"Already up busu? Thank god Kenshin wakes up first, otherwise, I would die with your cooking!" He stuck out his tongue as Kaoru rolled her eyes, and passed past him. Even if she didn't like to be called like that, she had adapted to hear it every morning.

Now she was waiting for her second activity.

"Ohayo Kaoru-dono, breakfast is almost ready" He saluted her as she walked into the dining room. She sighed deeply.

Here goes again the famous `rurouni smile'

She thought as Kenshin smiled as predicted. Then she sat down in her place, as she counted again.

"Ohayo mina-san!" Sano waved from the back door. Kaoru let her chin rest on the palm of her hand. It was so boring, same old routine. Now, it would be…

"Ayame! Susume! Don't run inside the house!" Dr. Genzai tried to catch up with the girls that were now running around. Now they were grabbing Kenshin's hakama tightly.

"Go and play with us! Play with us!" the two little girls pleaded. Kenshin smiled in return, both girls yelled in bewilderment.

"Sorry girls, but shessha has other plans this afternoon, maybe next time…" Kenshin patted both of her heads. The little girls pursed her lips as her brows met in a frown. Now it was time for Kaoru to jolt from her seat.

He refused to play the girls?! Has other plans?! Now that breaks the routine!

"It's everything alright Jo-chan?" Sano asked full-mouthed. Kaoru looked at him shaking her head vehemently.

"So why did you jumped like that?" Sano asked still pushing food in to his mouth. Kaoru waved her hand signaling that it wasn't anything important. Sano only shrugged as he continued his job eating all the food.

"What did you mean with other plans Kenshin?" Yahiko asked as he sipped some tea. Kenshin looked at him as he smiled.

"Tae-dono asked me if you could help her in the Akkebeko" Kenshin said eating silently his own food. Yahiko glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"I dunno, I think training would be more interesting than washing dishes" he said drinking more of his tea.

"Well, Tsubame-chan said that it would be kind of you to help her in her duties" Kenshin said with a slight smirk. Yahiko spit out his tea in Sano's face. Sano glared at him grabbing by the collar of his gi.

"Whatcha doin'?! Yahiko-CHAN!" he said empathizing the word CHAN. Yahiko flinched as he grabbed Sanosuke's hair with his teeth.

"Who are you calling CHAN! You rooster head!" he said in a muffled voice. Kaoru sighed looking that the routine was back to normal. Kenshin looked at them with little sweat drops over his head. Kaoru cleared her throat to catch Kenshin's attention.

"Which are your plans, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked curiously. Kenshin returned his gaze to her. As he smiled slightly.

"I'm going fishing" he said shortly. Kaoru arched a brow.

"So why don't you get the girls with you?" Kaoru asked again, Kenshin half smiled.

"Because…I'm meeting someone…" He said bluntly. Everyone stopped breathing at Kenshin's statement. Kaoru felt as if lightening striking right on her head. Sano and Yahiko only blinked at him, they were in the same position, Yahiko biting Sano's head while he was grabbing him by the collar of his gi. But now they were just staring blankly at the red headed rurouni. The girls also stopped running and Dr. Genzai choked with the tea he was drinking.

"Someone?" Kaoru asked hoarsely but no sign of tears on her face. Kenshin nodded as he picked up his dishes walking to the kitchen.

"Who's she?" Sano asked seriously. Kenshin looked over his shoulder and let another rurouni smile. Sano glared at him for no answer.

"Good, what do I get? A goddamn rurouni smile!" Sano smashed his fist over the table, pulverizing it.

"Hey! Don't use the Futae no Kiwami so blindly, you moron!" Yahiko beat him up in the head. Sano threw Yahiko right to the koi.

"Don't call me moron! Ah…it feels much better throwing someone from the house…" he said with a relaxed smile.

"You're utterly insane…it's a shame you were born with it and there's no cure for it" a sexy voice hallowed from the backdoor.

"Oi Fox! You're late, breakfast is already over!" Sano mocked. Megumi shrugged, then she walked to Kenshin moving her hips smoothly. Kenshin sighed in relief when the other left the subject.

"I don't care as long as I'm with Ken-san" she snuggled closer to him, for Kaoru's dismay, even it was a part of the routine….. she hated THAT PART of the routine, Megumi's flirt. Kenshin only smiled sheepishly. Sano chuckled.

"Gomen fox, but our innocent rurouni is already taken" he said with a big grin. Kaoru reflected about how could a grin like that fit in a face.

"Nani?!!" Megumi shrieked, leaving an almost deaf Kenshin. Kenshin rolled his eyes cursing his bad luck.

"Yep, Kenshin is meeting someone on the riverbank" Sano said triumphantly as he looked at a gloomy Megumi.

"How romantic Ken-san! Meeting someone at the riverbank! That sounds great!" She waved ironically.

"It's not what you think...de gozaru…" Kenshin muttered slightly. Megumi went into SD form whelming lots of tears.

"Why are you abandoning me! What have I done to make you leave me! Who is she! WHO!!!!" she began, exaggerating a little bit, faking a dramatic scene. Kaoru stared at Megumi with skeptical eyes, and then she hung her head.

Slowly, se rose to her feet, and began walking to her room, her head still down.

"Where are you going busu?" Yahiko asked, while Megumi was a perfect dramaturge stalking Kenshin.

"I'm going to take a bath, then I'm going to take a walk" she said emotionless. Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano looked a little bit shocked at her reaction. Dr. Genzai only sighed in disbelief.

"Megumi-san, I need you to help in the clinic, there has been to much patients lately" Dr. Genzai announced. Megumi nodded showing some of composure. Sano only brawled with Yahiko, while the girls were playing hide and seek.

"Girls, let's go. Megumi-san, are you coming?" Dr. Genzai stood up while the girls took one of their grandfather's hands. Megumi stood up too.

"It's a shame that I can't spend more time with you Ken-san, I'll see you later" Megumi blinked seductively at him. Kenhsin only smiled nervously. While Sanosuke flinched as a little vein popped out of his head.

Why is she making that?!! Jo-chan isn't even here! I thought her flirting was only to tease Jo-chan!

Sano cursed down his breath as he said something like `escort…baka…fox… Dr. Genzai…girls…clinic' Megumi grinned as two foxy ears appeared.

It did work…

Then she smiled triumphantly all down through the hall while Sano was back his head down and both hands in his pockets. Kenshin went outside to check out if Kaoru's bath was ok.

"Kaoru-dono, is the water warm enough?" Kenshin asked loudly. He could hear her move because of the water splashes and movement.

"Uh- huh" she said gutturally, Kenshin's smiled, she was relaxed.

"Then I'll go Kaoru-dono, the sooner the better…If anything happens, shessha will be at the riverbank, ok?" Kenshin shouted leaving the bathroom. Kenshin took off completely as he heard an uneasy `ok'.

Kaoru let herself down the tub, making some bubbles in the surface.

Who is she?

Why is he meeting her?

Is there something important between them?

Do they…

No, no, no, Kaoru…stop thinking of that, you've to be positive…

You won't lose Kenshin.

You won't let him go away again…

After reflecting many possibilities of Kenshin's meeting, she surfaced from the tub, looking rather secure and defiant. She had to find out who was she. She wasn't going to let that `someone' take her routine away…

She dressed up, feeling the fabric brush her soft skin. It was her purple kimono with little flowers of white contour, some pinkish branches, and a pale pink ribbon to highlight with her outfit, she smiled as she whirled around. She remembered when she saw Kenshin stare at her all day when she wore it.

She smiled completely; she would make Kenshin forget about that `someone'. Then she slide the door open, as she stepped out her room. She exhaled deeply, and then she walked in the hall. Yahiko was leaning on one of the walls. He jerked as his eyes went wide.

"Busu! Where are you going…like…like…that…" he pointed out trying not to babble. Kaoru's head lit up as a wide smirk decorated her face.

Even Yahiko noticed it! I made a great job!

"Geez busu! I didn't know you were going to the circus…I should have known…maybe I could se Mariko and the clowns!" Yahiko started to burst in laughter.

THUD!
BOOOM!

CRASH!

Kaoru got out of the dojo stomping her feet in every step she made. Yahiko was half conscious, crashed in the wall near the koi, his eyes whirled as he babbled some words. `busu…tanuki…girl…ouch…'

She knew she was well dressed; Yahiko was just teasing her…as always…she slowed down. She breathed to get some fresh air. The smooth breeze caressing her face, calming her, and again a new smile was drawn on her lips.

She looked down at the riverbank; she was hiding behind a tree. She peeked from her hiding place as she spot the redhead over the river, his fishing pole grasped in his thin hands. Beside him was another person, but the tree covered any hints of being a he or a she.

Kaoru hummed as a little vein appeared in her forehead. She clenched her fists. She tried to climb up the tree, but it was quite difficult to do so with a kimono interfering. Kaoru loosened up her obi as she lifted up her kimono a bit, thenshe grabbed the branches as she roughly climbed up the tree. The young woman rested in one branch breathing heavily. Then she lifted up her eyes searching again for the couple beyond. Here eyes widened as a big kanji covered all her view. Kaoru backed off almost falling from the tree, then she felt a firm hand grasp her hand.

"Hey! Whatcha doin' Jo-chan! Trying to keep me away from MY tree?" Sano snorted, Kaoru growled, glaring at him dangerously.

"I came up here first Jo-chan, sit down and wait your turn" he said not looking at her. Kaoru grabbed his shoulders as she tried to look over him.

"What do you see? Is it a she or a he?" She didn't mind Sano's rudeness she only wanted to now who was that mysterious `someone'.

"I'm afraid that your dearest swordsman isn't straight…"Sano babbled with a sick expression. Kaoru jolted pressing more her chest on his back.

"Nani?!!!!" Kaoru almost positioned all her weight on Sanosuke's back. Sano pointed Kenshin closing to much with a person that had those cultivators, round big hats. From the distance they were looking, they couldn't find out if it was a she or a he.

"Chikosou…But…they are so close…it can't be!" Sano's eyes widened looking how Kenshin approached more and more to the person. Kaoru had her weight over Sano's back, but she was pushing more.

"Iie!!!!" Kaoru shrieked, then both of them felt something was missing. Sanosuke wailed his hands trying to gain balance.

"Jo-chan! Jo-chan!! We're gonna…!!" Sano yelled loosing any balance and falling down the tree.

THUD!

Sano was unconscious while Kaoru was lying neatly on Sano's back, although her bottom ached. Kenshin was approaching to them, and his `someone' was approaching to. Finally Kenshin was like 2 feet away from them. His partner was a little bit farther.

"What are you doing here? Where you peeking?" Kenshin asked innocently, the last words a little bit serious. Kaoru lifted up her head looking at him with 60 shades of red on her cheeks. Sano was still babbling nonsense while his eyes whirled around.

"Oh, so this is Kaoru-dono?" a grave voice sounded behind him. Kaoru leaped from her place to stand up properly. She stared at the man behind kenshin, it was an old man beyond his 60's. short white beard and white hair, a little bit thin but well formed. Kenshin nodded at the old man's question.

Was he talking about me?

Kaoru asked herself startled. The old man smiled tenderly at her, then he looked at Kenshin and a slight blushed crossed his cheeks.

"He has been telling me about you…nice meeting you, Kaoru-dono" the old man said making a bow. Kaoru bowed too as she flushed greatly.

"Please, just Kaoru" she said sweetly, Kenshin shifted a bit at the statement. The old man nodded.

"Well, thanks Himura for coming, I leave you too alone…at least for this afternoon. I'll take this gangster with me…hurry up before the sunset, it's a greatly a beautiful day to let it go so easily. Sayonara!" The old man said grabbing Sanosuke and dragging him all along the grass.

Kaoru giggled slightly as she felt her cheeks burn again, this kimono had something, Kenshin was staring at her already, just like the other day. She smiled nervously as she placed her hands across her lap.

"What did you talk with the old man…uh? Gomen! I shouldn't have…"Kaoru just trailed off. Kenshin shook his head as he sat in the bottom of the tree.

"Don't worry, Kaoru-dono. It's nothing to worry about. As a matter of fact, he told me another legend…"Kenshin looked at her making room beside him.

"Another?" She said sitting beside him, her legs barely touching his. Kenshin nodded.

"Yes, the first time I met him he told me a legend, and it make me think…" he said sweetly. Kaoru blushed as she blurted out.

"what?" she said nervously.

"About things…about my life, about my past, about my present…I came here today because he told me that this would be our last chat. That I won't see him anymore…so he told me one last legend…" he said looking at the branches of the tree.

"Would you mind telling me?" she said timidly hiding her blush with some strands of hair. Kenshin only turned his head to her staring at her for a long time.

It was a long time ago when my beloved was sitting beside me, below the shelter of the tree's leaves. She was covering her shyness by leaving some strands of her hair to fall down to her cheeks…the silence was uncomfortable, and it was a clear autumn day.

Then we both looked at each other, not leaving each other stare away. But then, at the same time, we both turned at a hilarious chirping. It was a small bird perching in one little branch, the bird was singing merrily as he snatched his wings with his little beak. Then he fluffed as little breeze passed, then I heard her giggle, her tone was alike as the birds chirping. Then I remembered what my father used to tell me. Of course about a legend of a lonely and little bird.

Kenshin cleared his throat, as he tried to say some words, but his nervousness wouldn't let him. Kaoru looked at his actions. He was playing awkwardly with his hands, and seemed rather anxious.

She looked at them briefly, looking all the little scars he had on them. His calloused hands that once dared to encircle her. She felt chills through all her spine, and she hugged herself. For Kami-sama's sake! It was autumn! There weren't cold winds or breezes in autumn. Still she stirred; maybe because she was so near to him, well they were barely touching. His left leg was extended in the grass while the other one was up drawn so his right arm could lean on it. Her right leg was brushing tenderly his extended one. And her hands were demurely place on her lap.

"It's cold…"She murmured silently embracing herself, Kenshin turned his head to her his brow arched.

"But it's…" He trailed off as she sighed knowing that her intents to get close to him where far away by now. Kenshin heaved a sigh too. Kenshin frowned to himself, gaining a little bit of courage. He tried to fix things up.

"Maybe…if…you…sit on shessha's lap you won't…be…any cold anymore…" Kenshin gulped as he flushed lightly. Kaoru was struck at his words, and then she nodded as she approached more to him. Kenshin slowly spread out his legs making some room for Kaoru. She gulped a bit, then she felt some slim but strong hands grab her waist and legs. He was carrying her into the space he made for her. He sat her down as his hands trailed down to his legs. Kaoru sat straight, not wanting to lean on his chest. She was panting as a scarlet blush crept to her cheeks.

"You may lean on…Kaoru-dono" Kenshin croaked a bit. Kaoru looked over her shoulder, looking Kenshin smiling back at her.

"No, thanks, I'm fine…"she blurted out. Scolding herself for what she said she pursed her lips cursing mentally. Then she felt Kenshin shifting a bit, he was sitting straight too, but still there was a great distance between her back and his chest.

"The old man Rynnosuke, told me about the legend of a little bird…" Kenshin started to tell. Kaoru looked at the branches as some butterflies posed over the leaves. Kaoru nodded him to continue.

"There was a time, where the Emperor's fashion was to have many birds. Everyone liked to have a bird in their houses, so they could cheer the family up. There were different types of birds, singing ones, lonely ones, loving ones, deathful ones…"

"Deathful ones? Loving ones?" Kaoru turned a bit to look at him rather skeptical.

"Aa. There were different types of birds, I mean; family used singing birds for happiness. Loving ones were for ones who searched love in their homes, and deathful ones there for two purposes, one was to shoo death away or to bring death to someone the family hated…" Kenshin explained. Kaoru's eyes widened.

"Weird…" she said openly. Kenshin chuckled at this, then he continued his story.

"Of course there were different species of birds. Small ones, large ones, with long tail, short tail, etc. Everyday the Emperor asked for a new bird, a special bird. And everyday he sent the `yesterday bird' to the kitchen…"

"Poor little thing…" Kaoru said with a saddened expression, Kenshin's smile grew more.

"The Emperor's servants were desperate to find a new specie, a new bird that the emperor haven't seen or even heard of it. Finally a young cultivator, found one in the middle of the rice crops. Everyone was exited because no one has seen a bird like that. It was very little with vivid colors and a red shiny tail. The bird perched on the cultivator's finger as the servants and counselors examined the animal closely. They carried the animal right to the Emperor's presence. He was magnified with the bird's beauty.

The little bird crouched to his new master's finger, a wide grin formed into the emperor's face as he observed the little bird sing. Then he looked at his servants with determination. "What type of bird is this?" He asked nonchalantly. All the servants look at each other with a worried expression. The young cultivator passed through them as he bent in front of him. "Excuse me my lord, but we don't now the origin of this magnificent creature. Maybe as the time goes on you can find which kind of bird it is" the cultivator said gently.

The emperor looked at the creature on his finger, it was beautiful indeed. Maybe if he kept it more than a day he could know what kind of bird it was. He chuckled as he nodded at the cultivator's suggestion. The Emperor kept the little bird more than a week, and nothing happened. The Emperor started to get bored about the same song and the same little thing. The next day he asked his servants to get the little bird to the kitchen, because it was an ordinary bird. Then the emperor frowned "Why aren't all my servants over here?" he asked.

One of the servants approached, his head down. "They died your Highness" he murmured. The Emperor's eyes widened in terror. "Did you give me a deathful bird? Kill him! Quick!" the Emperor commanded. But one of them stopped them. "No your Highness! The cholera killed them! It isn't the birds fault!" The emperor looked at him dangerously. "It WAS the birds fault! Otherwise the cholera wouldn't reach my empire! Kill it now!" The emperor roared, as the servant took the bird in his hands. As he got it to the kitchen, ready to kill him, he wasn't able to. It was so precious he couldn't kill it. The servant took the bird by his own protection, taking care of him and feeding him daily. Day by day he was more attached to the bird, so was his wife. They loved the animal, as it was their own child. As months passed the Emperor's health began to get worse.

The servant had to attend his emperor forgetting completely about the bird. But his wife took care of him caressing everyday its feathery skin. "Are you male?" the servant's wife asked, the bird sang a deep note. "Aa. You're a male, but you're more like a female" she giggled as the little bird shook vehemently maybe in disapproval. Since that day the little bird sang different tones to his new master. More months passed and his masters were getting ill too, until they both die of cholera…the bird sang like a requiem to them as he saw them lying on the floor.

Many weeks passed as some intruders get to the servant's place. They find the little bird perched on a chair singing a saddened song. The intruders took the animal with them and locked him in a cage. He was now outside to be sold to any person that needed food. He was very little so no one liked a poor bird to eat. "It seems nobody likes you, poor little thing, so why don't we eat him?" one of the merchants suggested his partner. The other one grinned with satisfaction. The little bird was terrified, so he tried to struggle from the merchants grasp. The other merchant was trying to `play' with a young girl that was a slave.

Then an agonic shout was heard, hurriedly the merchant grasping the bird turned to see a tall man murdering his partner. He yelled too as the tall man killed him too. The little bird flew high as blood was spilled in his colored feathers. The tall man took care of the little bird, the tall man showed him many things to do as he fed him, and gave him shelter. The bird noticed that the tall man wasn't as coldhearted as he thought, he was gentle and arrogant at the same time, but deep inside he was a nice person.

But one day the little bird, wanting to know more about the world surrounding him, flew away. He flew from place to place, and because of his luck he brought many deaths. The little bird was beginning to believe that he was, indeed, a deathful bird. There were so many wars, so many fights, that the little bird always got stained with blood. He saw things he could never imagine, but he had hoped… that if he had the courage, later on, there would be a time of peace and redemption. Still thinking he was a deathful bird he blamed himself for so many sins, so many deaths. So the little bird…began to fly from place to place…like a lonely wanderer." Kenshin paused as he saw Kaoru stiffen a little more. She turned around slowly, as she tried to say something, but then she turned away.

End of part 1

Did you like it? Just review and give me some blames and stuff about it… I know the picture of Kaoru sitting on Kenshin's lap it's been the last fashion over here. So I wanted to do my own interpretation or story about that kawai picture. Just 2 parts! I promise! Hope you read it till then! Well Ja ne! Subaru-chan. ^ ^Uuu Thank you Kali-dono!!!! Rynnosuke is the old fisherman Kenshin found after the Kyoto Arc. In the episode of the wishing fireflies (Gomen I don't remember the whole name)