What we do in the beginning

[katananokokoro]

Date: February 7th, 2060
Time: Early morning-mid afternoon
Place: Kenshin's safehouse, New Meiji Lower Districts
Characters: Kenshin, Megumi, Saitoh



The road went on. Snow crunched under his feet, chilling them. Icy fingers slid along his arms, trickled down the back of his neck. He couldn't stop walking. Weary. Bent. His sword leaving red trails on the snow, red petals in the air.

You did this

Aa

He tripped and nearly fell. The snow jabbed at his hand like needles. A mouthful clutched in his palm, pressed in his mouth to hide his breath, but it was hot. It was all hot and cold at the same time and he was looking...Searching... No... Following. Just ahead. There she was. The woman with the long black hair. He wanted to reach for her. Wanted to step away. His hands... they weren't meant to touch. They were only meant to kill. She turned slightly as if she had heard his step, paused and he could see a cell phone pressed to her ear.

"You can't stay out here," he told her. "It's dangerous."

"I have to. Hello? Hello?!" Her voice rose in desperation. "Is he hurt?" And then she pinned him with wide dark eyes. "I'm looking for Sa-chan."

No. No! The darkness snapped around them. Just the two of them. The snow.

"Sa-chan. I'm looking for Sa-chan!"

"No, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Sa-chan!"

Comments

[katananokokoro]

Why was Shishou's hair always in his face. It had to be on purpose. Kenshin could think of no other reason. Even on opposite sides of the bed (not that the bed was ever very big), he ended up being tickled awake. (Which was better than being dumped out of bed awake or cold foot in the shin awake...and his master had to be aiming for that one, too because he'd always had smaller legs. (and smaller everything(it wasn't fair)

Except...it wasn't Shishou. Kenshin started to remember this as he swam to consciousness from the deep soft pool of dark. It was...a woman. Who...? Light pressed red against his eye lids and he opened them to strands of black hair, a nest of blankets, a rice cooker, boxes. His heart kicked. Was it--

No... No it was Megumi. Megumi. Kenshin carefully straightened, rubbing his neck and looking at her, peacefully asleep. Still a little thin but looking better. (He remembered the skin pulling back from her bones) Except for the hole in her shirt, he wouldn't have any clue she'd been shot. (Shattered. Her blood a crimson river on the wall) But she was alright now, she was. Though what she was was an entirely different matter all together. He checked her pulse lightly to make sure and found it going strong and steady.

He stood to get some movement back into his legs and tucked the blanket around her shoulders. What to do now was the bigger question. She couldn't come with him. It was too dangerous. Even if she couldn't die... (and obviously you can't protect her) there were worse things than death.

Well she would be safe enough here until she got her money or whatever it was she intended to do. He couldn't sense anyone around and it was unlikely the police would even look for him here. Or want to go to this neighborhood either. (Unless they were METAL crazed)

Still, it would be bad to leave while she was still asleep and she looked hungry, she did, so Kenshin set about making some dinner. Onigiri was simple enough but he had plenty of rice and at least it was filling.