(Kenshin)
In the dark, this one moves silently. Watching for whom I seek, the task this one was given…
Behind me Kenji-kun snuffes. “I was just playing! And Makoto-chan would be so -mad- at me if I lost her pet!”
“Shhh… we’ll find it, that we will,” I assure him.
This turtle… is this Saitou’s curse upon this house? One hears that turtles are slow creatures, content to stay in one place, yet this one moves like a shinobi and escapes his cage just as well. He likes to get out at night, causing a lack of sleep…
Another tug at my sleeve. “He’s not happy in the cage! I just had to let him out,” my son insists.
The turtle has also soiled our home, leaving messes on the tatami mats, and chewed up my best (only) zori. Isn’t it puppies that do these things, not turtles? “Ah, son, he’s safer in his cage, and we can keep things tidy…”
It’s then a piece of ragged, wilted lettuce is to be found on the floor.
“Oh ho that’s from his dinner!” Kenji-kun calls out, excited, as he runs past me into the dojo practice room.
A sound – in an instinct I scan for ki and then almost laugh at myself. It’s Saitou’s daughter’s turtle, not the man who still claims to have scores to settle with this one… but the yellow eyes are -unnerving-, that they are.
Kenji-kun runs to the other side, calling it by name… as I move across the floor, towards the equipment racks. Quiet as the wind, I will find –
“ORO!” Sharp and sudden, on my toe! I kick my leg and in the darkness, I see a small shape – and then the sound of feet on the wooden floor, and my son shouts, “hey! You could have hurt him! See he’s so scared he’s hiding in his shell!”
I lean down to rub my toe – I didn’t know turtles could bite but this is Saitou’s – well, his daughter’s – creature. I peer over into the shell, and see two eyes, blinking back at me from inside the shell.
Is it the lack of light or has the animal frazzled this one so that I think it’s… smirking?
I stand. “Come on, Kenji-kun, let’s get him back in his cage and keep him there, yes?”
He gives me a disapproving look, “well, I won’t tell hahaue that you scared him so much.”
This one holds in a sigh. My son -will- tell my Kaoru-dono everything that happened.
(OOC – Hold unless Kaoru has something to add, haha)
OOC: yes will post
Yahiko:
“Thanks for helping me out there Kaoru.” I say. It’s been a busy night at the Akabeko and Tsubame has come down with the flu and I insisted she stay home.
“Ooh…” She grins at me, “That’s not like you. Being so nice to a pretty lady.”
“What are you…?” My eyes go wide, “NO -HAG-! I was just in a pinch is all!”
“Yahiko Yahiko. Still trying to be that immature little boy.” She smiles and I was just about to put her down when she’s distracted by the light at the dojo.
“This late at night?” She hurries on up the dojo door.
“Yeah.” It’s been a while since anyone issued a challenge to the Kamiya dojo, much less threaten to do it at night time!”
We run and throw the dojo doors wide open!
“Stop right there! This is the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu school of the life giving sword!” We both say at the same time and she raise her shinai and I raise my bokken to our “guest”
“Oh…” We both say at the same time, lowering our practice sticks. We both let out a long sigh. I’m not sure though if it’s a sigh of relief or of disappointment.
“Kaoru what are you doing?” I turn to her and say, “You knew better than to just go barging in like that!”
She meets my glare and stands toe to toe against me. “Looks who’s talking pulling out his bokken as if!”
“You pulled yours out first!”
“No you did!”
“No YOU did! OLD HAG!”
“Why you!!!”
And she tries to grab at my ear like of old and I dodge it and stick out my tongue! “OLD HAG!”
(Kenshin)
I hear them squabbling…. I laugh a little, before coming closer to the light. “Ah, it is not an intruder or any trouble, that it is not,” I say, rubbing the back of my head. “Our houseguest got out again -”
Kenji-kun comes running up. “Hahaue! Hahaue! He scared the turtle! See, he’s hiding in his shell and -shivering- he’s so scared,” my son says, going close to my Kaoru-dono but still frowning at me.
“It’s late now, maybe we should put it back in its cage and see if we can get some sleep?” It is a good thing this one is not hurt too much or limping. That Saitou’s turtle -attacked- me… one of them would be certain to tell him, should he actually return.
Hahaue! Hahaue! He scared the turtle! See, he’s hiding in his shell and -shivering- he’s so scared
“Mou Kenshin.” I too look at him and take the turtle. “He’s just a little turtle. And if anything happens to kame-chan, Makoto-chan might not speak to Kenji again.”
I pass the turtle to Yahiko and pick up my little boy. “Oh I’m so glad you were looking after kame-chan Kenji. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if you weren’t keeping your father in line.” I give my husband a disapproving look. Our problem wouldn’t just be limited to Makoto-chan but Yagi-san and..
“I’d never hear the end of it from Saitou!” Yahiko reads my mind! And I nod at that!
“If something happened to this turtle, he’ll -never- be allowed back into the Yagi house!” He adds.
“So he’ll have to keep living in the row houses with you Yahiko?” I laugh as we leave the dojo to go back to the main house.
“He’s a complete mess! And I -always- end up taking care of him!”
“Wow! I didn’t know you were such a nice neighbor. Why can’t you be more thoughtful with us?”
“How can I be?! I already have too much to worry about! The akabeko! Tsubame and that -stupid- Yutaro who keeps dropping by… and of course -this- dojo. And now him and Yagi-san! If you ask me they should just get back together! It would be one less thing to worry about! And they can take -this- back!”
Suddenly I hear a snap and the next thing I know Yahiko yelps! “Owww! What is it with this thing? Does it bite at everything?”
“NO! It’s never bitten me!” Well of course it wouldn’t bite my son! He’s such a good boy!
(Kenshin)
If something happened to this turtle, he’ll -never- be allowed back into the Yagi house!”
I laugh a bit. “It is probably this one who will receive his wrath,” I say. I always thought that it would be the past – the Bakumatsu, his -wife-, maybe, that would drive our final battle. But this turtle? Ah, life as a rurouni…
Kenji-kun and I walk with my wife and Yahiko-kun back to the main house, after I lock up the dojo. I still… how -did- the turtle make it so far? It was in its cage after dinner… I look at my son, with his bright eyes and pink cheeks.
Yahiko-kun goes on a bit complaining about his burdens, but aside from being Saitou’s occasional… caretaker it’s nothing that he would willingly give up. He doesn’t -need- to work at the Akabeko but that’s where Tsubame-chan is… I look over at my wife. This one understands!
If you ask me they should just get back together!
It sounds unlikely, but perhaps Saitou will be able to pull himself together and not overdrink? At least Yagi-san will have a friend in my Kaoru-dono. It’s funny that she insists on it, but my wife has a good heart.
Owww! What is it with this thing? Does it bite at everything?
I take back the turtle, who has retreated in his shell. “It’s an ordinary turtle, that it is, there’s one in the West that’s called a ‘snapping’ turtle… but I suppose animals all have personalities!” Again, I swear the eyes of this one… “I guess it’s a wolf turtle,” I joke.
“No, no, he’s a very -nice- turtle!” Kenji-kun insists.
“Well I think like a certain boy, he needs to go and get some rest,” I tell him. Tomorrow, I’ll find some money somewhere and go to the blacksmith and get a -lock- for that cage…
Yahiko-kun yawns and Kenji-kun giggles. “I’m not the sleepy boy here!”
Yahiko:
“It is probably this one who will receive his wrath,”
“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that Kenshin.” I say thoughtfully, “That cop isn’t like what he used to be before. I doubt he can beat you if you two fought today.”
“really Yahiko?”
I turn to Kaoru, “Well yes. I don’t even think he can go head to head with any of the Oniwaban.” I grin a little, “But he -maybe- able to beat Sanosuke still.”
“Mou…” Kaoru walks on, “I’m glad he isn’t likely going to be a problem for Kenshin anymore…”
“So why aren’t you like over the moon Kaoru?”
“Well… I guess I shouldn’t worry anymore. It’s not like him and Yagi-san are still together and I never really thought of Saitou as a good family man… I mean Tokio-san back then.”
I shrug, “Well once this threat is over Kaoru, maybe the Yagi family can be at peace.”
“I hope so.” She replies as I pass the turtle to Kenshin who talks about some snapping turtle and that one in our temporary care is a wolf turtle to which Kenji disagrees. I laugh a little, “Well as it is, maybe the turtle has more spunk left in him.” I say in between a yawn.
“Well guys. I’ll be off.” And I reach out and pat Kenji’s head, “Be nice to daddy, okay?” I grin and head for the gates.
(OOC: You may close)
(Kenshin)
That cop isn’t like what he used to be before. I doubt he can beat you if you two fought today
Is that true? However this one would prefer it to be where he -could- beat me – it brings me no joy to see this man in such a state. Not that he would want the pity of this one. But as fellow warriors… as one of the few left, this one’s former self would hare preferred the wolf being a wolf.
I manage a laugh at Yahiko-kun mentioning Sano re-matching with Saitou. “Remember he told us he’s been learning ‘ancient Chinese secrets’ while he was there,” I say, with a smile. It’s too bad he got on some sort of escort mission – more of Saitou’s messy business.
“Well… I guess I shouldn’t worry anymore. It’s not like him and Yagi-san are still together and I never really thought of Saitou as a good family man… I mean Tokio-san back then
At the time of the Wilderness, this one did not care about Saitou’s family, just my own -agenda- with his wife. I narrow my eyes slightly, thinking of those days. Joyous days when my Kaoru-dono agreed to be my wife, but what was I concerned with? I shake my head, relaxing my face lest the others notice. Thankfully that past has stayed in the past for them.
The turtle keeps its head -in-. “Yes be a good turtle now,” I tell it, as we wish Yahiko-kun farewell. I smile at my wife, knowing how tired she is. “While you get our boy to bed, I’ll warm the bath, that I will.” And -secure- the ‘guest” for the night. And maybe she’ll let me share her bath? Sometimes, a Rurouni can be lucky…
(OOC – end)