Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Reincarnated ❯ Chapter 2

Disclaimer: ::sigh:: Try as I might, RK still doesn't belong to me.

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REINCARNATED

2004, Tokyo, Japan

"Where are you going now, kÅjo?" The general didn't even look up as she passed the living room on nearly silent feet. Kaoru sighed mentally and turned around, sliding her arm fully into the strap of her backpack.

"Out, Daddy. God, I'm not a little kid anymore; I'm 19! Gimmie a break." Now he looked up, focusing on her a gaze that brought his equals to their knees in fear. Of course, the others hadn't spent the first ten years they knew him using Saito as a horsy, and being otherwise spoiled rotten by him. Now, she just put her hands on her hips and frowned slightly.

"Where are you going?"

"OUT, Daddy," she said it louder as if he hadn't heard her. Aoshi, 23, suddenly appeared at his younger sister's side.

"Well, are you coming or not? Father, she'll be with me."

"She'd better be." The threat was clear. Aoshi rolled his eyes, back to his parent so he didn't see it.

"Kaoru will be just fine, Father. Come on, imÅto."

When they got to the car, Aoshi gave his sister a side long glance and sighed. "Why must you argue with him every time? You know it makes him suspicious."

Kaoru laughed. "Right, and the last thing you want to do is make the Wolf suspicious."

"It's not funny. You know how it's been with him since Mom died."

"Yeah, I know." She looked down at her hands. "Oh, hey, there's a rumor around the base that Daddy'll be going four star on us pretty soon."

"Hurmp! Great; just what we need; the Wolf with more power at his fingertips."

She laughed again. "Don't worry, Aoshi, he'll eventually let you move out. And if we get caught, it's all my fault."

Aoshi, against his better judgment, had been helping Kaoru meet her boyfriend Enishi secretly for months. Tonight, they were on their way to a dance club to see some new DJ whose name Aoshi couldn't remember. Enishi would meet them there. Kaoru had always liked the bad boy and Enishi was no exception. He was handsome; silver hair, intense grey eyes made him hard to ignore. And Kaoru had made absolutely zero effort to put him off.

*I'm going to see him,* she thought, wiggling in her seat. *Oh, Enishi, I do love you, no matter what Aoshi thinks.*

*~*

2004, New York City

"Okay, Tomoe, I'll meet you at the airport. Bye." The red haired man hung up the cell phone and sighed.

*I'm supposed to love this woman,* he thought, hailing a cab. *I'm marring her, aren't I? I'm going all the way to Tokyo to meet her folks, right? Then why do I only feel dread when I think about her? It's not right to feel this way about someone you're about to marry, that it is not.*

He arrived at JFK and checked his bag, and after spending forever getting through security, the man made his way to the chairs, flashing his boarding pass for at least three people in route. As he got ready to sit, a tall, elegant woman in a Verchie pant suit raced up to him, and threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Kenshin, you made it!"

"Hello, Tomoe." Kenshin kissed her and she laughed.

"Come here, you must see this." She pulled his arm and he followed.

*Nothing. I kiss her and I feel . . . nothing. Oh, Tomoe, how do I say this---I like you but I don't think I love you.*

"Oro?" He wasn't paying attention and she pinched him.

"I asked if you think my mother would like this." She held up a porcelain dish.

"Well . . . Tomoe . . . she is your mother. Surely you know her well, I don't know her at all yet. Ask me when we get back."

"Oh, Kenshin!" She giggled then looked up as their flight was announced. "Oh, that's us."

Soon, they were ensconced in first class, waiting for take off and the drink cart. Tomoe squeezed Kenshin's arm.

"Oh, Kenshin, I'm so nervous!"

Kenshin patted her arm, slightly distracted. "Me, too." *But not for nearly the same reason.*

They finally took off and the flight attendant came by to take their orders for drink.

"Do you have any sake?" Kenshin asked and Tomoe giggled.

"Yes, sake would be good."

The flight attendant nodded and Tomoe asked as she moved away:

"Speaking of sake, how is Master Hiko?"

"My father is in good health as always. I know he misses Mom, but I wish he'd go out more."

"Well, maybe he'll date a bit after we're married."

"Perhaps." *Well, that's it, Dad; your love life is officially, unequivocally dead.*

The flight attendant returned with their drinks, Tomoe pulled out a book from her purse and began reading. Kenshin watched the in flight movie, looked out the window and napped until they landed.

*~*

The music blaring gout of the club nearly popped Aoshi's eardrums. He winced and followed Kaoru inside, nodding to some people he recognized from school. Kaoru had seen Enishi as soon as they got inside. He was sitting near the bar with Misao, Kaoru's best friend since they arrived on the base, 9 years earlier.

Seeing Misao sitting and talking with Enishi froze Aoshi's blood. He grabbed Kaoru, pulling her up short.

"No, come on, they're right there!"

"You forgot to tell me something, imÅto."

"HU?"

"Why is Misao here?" *Why is she talking to HIM?!*

Kaoru pulled her arm free and patted Aoshi's cheek.

"It's okay, niisan, Misao only has eyes for you."

The so called `Ice-Man' turned bright flaming red from his neck to his hairline. Kaoru laughed and moved away.

"That's not why I asked, imÅto!"

"Sure it's not!" She threw over her shoulder as she raced to the table. "Misao! Enishi! I'm glad you're here."

"You're late, baby." He pulled her down into his lap. "I was starting to think you weren't coming."

*Or you were hoping.* Aoshi had recovered and ordered a beer.

For Misao, when Aoshi came in, the world shrunk to only him and now she had, for once stopped talking and was gazing at Aoshi as if her very existence depended on her memorizing his face. Aoshi didn't really mind, but he leaned over suddenly and asked:

"Ms. Makimachi, do I have something on my face?" He rarely called her by her given name anymore, at least not since she reached puberty. Both Kaoru and Misao found it annoying, but he was only doing to keep her at arms length.

"No . . . it's perfect," she sighed then gasped in horror at herself and slapped her hand over her mouth. Aoshi turned red again and looked away. Kaoru and Enishi were oblivious. Kaoru had pulled off his shades so she could run her fingers through his hair without getting her fingers caught. Aoshi stood it as long as he could, then reached over and gave her ponytail a yank.

"ImÅto, not here." They pulled away and she glared at her brother.

"Oh, Aoshi, you're a real party pooper."

Enishi whispered in her ear: "We can finish this outside later."

Kaoru giggled and snuggled down in his lap.

Aoshi wanted to gag. He helped them meet against their father's wish that she date at all because he knew Saito would keep her locked away from the world forever, no-one being good enough for his chibi-kÅjo---little princess. Aoshi wished she'd get sick of Enishi though; he really didn't like or trust the boy, but she was the one who had to put up with him.

*Geez, I'm beginning to sound like Father.* he shuttered. *Maybe I should start smoking.*

"Yukishiro, I want to see your hands," Aoshi frowned at the boy. "I don't want them creeping up her blouse. Good boy."

Misao tore her gaze away from Aoshi long enough to notice that there was a tall, lanky young man in baggy clothes, his odd, spiky brown hair tied back with a red headband bearing the Chinese kanji for `bad' on the stage.

"What's his trip?" Enishi started laughing. "Gods alive, he's got to be at least 30."

Kaoru started to slap him on the chest when they both---for very different reasons; were distracted by the sudden appearance of the young lady that came to sit on the floor beside him. She had thick, glossy black hair and bright purple coloured eyes. The short blue dress would have been slutty on someone else, but she looked elegant, almost out of place. Misao glanced at Aoshi to see if he noticed her, but he was looking at his drink.

*Wow,* Kaoru thought. *She's lovely. I wish I could look like that.*

Suddenly, she felt frumpy and stood. "Aoshi, I need the facility." She went and Enishi rose as well.

"A lizard drain doesn't sound so bad."

"Youkishiro, you're being crude."

"Whatever," he also went, leaving Aoshi and Misao alone---well, sort of. Misao began to fidget, not sure what to do with her hands, where to look.

"Do I make you nervous, Ms. Makimachi?"

"Yes---NO! no, I'm fine."

"Then for God's sake, stop doing that!" He put his hand over hers to still her fingers and started at the jolt that passed between them. They both looked down at their hands, his one nearly swallowing her smaller ones. Aoshi started to pull away.

"Please . . ." one word and he froze. The rest of the room faded away.

"Ms. Maki---"

"My name is Misao."

"Misao---Ms. Makimachi," he pulled his hand away and immediately regretted the loss as the room rushed back into focus. "You are my sister's friend. I'm also at the very least 7---"

"Five." She corrected gently. "You are five years older than me."

*God, she's legal, but only just. Forget it, Saito.*

"Aoshi, do . . . please be honest; do you . . .hate . . . me?"

*HATE YOU!? HELL YEAH! I spend so much time thinking about you , I'm afraid everyone will know it!*

She searched his face, then taking his silence for an answer, lowered her eyes, blinking rapidly.

"I knew it."

"Knew what? I---" he never finished. Kaoru ran through the club just then, blouse torn, eyes wide with terror. Aoshi was after her in a second, Misao on his heels.

*~*