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Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is owned by the great Watsuki-sensei and the evil multimedia empires (Sony, Shueisha, ADV Media Blasters, Fuji TV and Viz). I am poor and will always be so despite my best writing skills. No suing please.
aka-nii - red brother. murasaki's nickname for kenji
baka - idiot
imotou - little sister
itai - ouch
ki - swordsman's spirit or aura
niisan - older brother
Betad by Hidari.
Eleven-year-old Himura Kenji was sitting at his desk in his room, working on homework before the family sat down to dinner. The door slid open and in walked five-year-old Murasaki. Most of the time, she was a good little sister, but every now and then, she would become an insufferable little pest, especially when Dad and Mom were too busy to spend time with her. Usually Dad or Mom would play with her while the other made dinner. Tonight however, Dad was helping Mom with dinner because she was working on sushi rolls, which she always seemed to have trouble with by herself. This left Murasaki on her own, so she sought out Niisan's attention. Kenji glared at the little girl. He had no time for baby games now.
"Get out Mura-Mura. I'm busy," he growled.
Ignoring Niisan's command, Murasaki approached his desk and grabbed his inkwell.
"Give it back," said Kenji.
"Make me," flashed the violet-eyed girl.
Kenji reached for it and a tug-of-war ensued. Murasaki, who was very strong despite her tender years and small stature, yanked at the inkwell. Kenji, stronger yet, yanked back. But he yanked too hard. The inkwell flew out of both their hands and landed on the desk, splashing ink all over the desk and the two children.
"Now look what you've done, baka imotou," he seethed.
"You're the baka. I was just looking at it," said Murasaki.
"You wrecked my homework," said Kenji.
"Homework's stupid. Play with me instead," said Murasaki.
"Oh, I'll play with you alright," said Kenji, eyes flashing.
He jumped up, grabbed Murasaki around the waist and put her out of the room, sliding the door shut. Murasaki started to slide it open again, but Kenji slammed it shut, nearly crushing the little girl's fingers. Kenji felt Murasaki trying to force the door open. It took all of Kenji's strength to hold it shut. Kenji didn't cry out for Dad or Mom's help because he was a very independent lad and always wanted to handle things on his own. Murasaki, who was similarly minded, didn't cry out either.
Summoning all of her strength, Murasaki pried the door open a bit, which was immediately slammed shut by Kenji. This time, fingers were caught. Murasaki's left index and middle finger were pinched in the slamming door. She let out a howl and fell on her bottom. Kenji opened the door and put his arms around his sister. He was angry with her about his homework, but didn't really want to hurt her. Mom and Dad came running and found the children sitting on the floor, both covered in ink. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there had been a squabble that got out of hand.
Mom took Murasaki to look at her fingers, leaving Kenji alone with Dad, who glared at him sternly.
"I take it you can explain this?" he asked quietly.
"I was doing my homework when Mura-Mura came in the room and grabbed my inkwell. I tried to take it back from her, but it flew out of our hands and spilled on everything, including my homework. I put her outside. She opened the door and tried to come back in, so I slammed it and... well..." Kenji trailed off.
"It pinched her fingers," finished Dad.
"It was an accident," said Kenji simply. "I didn't mean to hurt her."
"But you did. Go out to the furo and wash that ink off before it dries. Your mom and I will sort out what's to be done with you two after dinner," said Kenshin, turning his back on Kenji and walking to the dining area.
"What have Daddy and I told you about going into your niisan's room when he's doing his homework?" scolded Mom as she wrapped Murasaki's hand.
"That I'm not allowed to," said Murasaki softly.
"Why did you disobey?" asked Mom.
"I was bored and I wanted Niisan to play with me," said Murasaki.
"Perhaps if you'd waited patiently like a big girl, he would've been willing to play with you when he finished his homework. Instead you got Niisan mad at you and got yourself hurt. Let's wash this ink off you. Then we'll decide what's to be done with you children after dinner," said Mom.
Kenji and Murasaki, who had both had the ink scoured off them, exchanged dirty glances at each other from across the table. Murasaki was not about to be pushed around by Niisan and Kenji wasn't about to go down without taking his baka imotou with him. Casting a glance over at the parents who were engrossed in their dinner, the kids went to war. Murasaki stuck her tongue out at Kenji. Kenji crossed his eyes and twisted his face to look like a dragon. Murasaki made a gesture at Kenji that she had learned from the Rooster. Kenji launched a sushi roll at his sister's face. Murasaki caught the projectile between her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth, chewing it defiantly.
Murasaki launched a piece of fish at her brother who caught it and popped it into his mouth.
"Don't you two think you're in enough trouble already?" came Dad's quiet voice.
The children stopped what they were doing and looked warily over at Dad, who had never even looked up from his dinner. They gulped and settled down, not wanting to be sent to their rooms without dinner.
After dinner, Dad and Mom sat the feuding siblings down and meted out the punishment. Saturday, the children's favorite day of the week would be spent on punishment detail. Mom decided that Murasaki would spend it dusting around the house, scrubbing the training hall floor after the morning exercises and sweeping the front walk. Dad decided that Kenji would chop wood, clean out the storage shed and heat the bath. After those chores were completed, both children were to go into town together and bring back the ingredients for that night's dinner. As an added incentive, neither child was allowed to complain, or the punishment would be extended to the day after for both of them.
'Baka imotou! This is all her fault. Why'd couldn't she just stay out of my room?' thought Kenji resentfully as he started swinging the axe under Dad's watchful eye.
'Mean old Niisan. I just wanted to play. Why'd he kick me out?' thought the little girl.
When she was finished with her room, Murasaki went to Mom and Dad's room and dusted there while Mom stood in the doorway and watched.
'Who invented little sisters anyway? There oughta be a law,' fumed Kenji.
Kenshin could tell the boy's anger hadn't abated since last evening by the amount of force he put into his swings. He knew Kenji thought it was unfair to punish him since Murasaki had initiated the whole thing, but Kenshin wanted his son to learn that he must control his temper and react to things honorably.
'I remember these,' he thought to himself.
"You haven't seen those toys in a long time. Do they bring back any memories?" asked Kenshin, coming up behind the boy.
"Sort of. I can remember playing with them, but just flashes," said Kenji.
"That's how early memories often are. Fleeting glimpses," said Dad, sitting down next to Kenji.
Kenji pulled out a stuffed rooster that had some ink on its tail feathers.
"I remember this. Didn't I used to sleep with it?" asked Kenji.
Kenshin grinned. "Yes. You slept with it till you were six. Then you tossed it aside, declaring that you were too big to sleep with a 'dumb old rooster'."
"Is this ink?" asked Kenji, feeling the tail feathers.
"Yes it is. You were maybe four. You came into my study while I was writing a letter to a friend. You grabbed the inkwell and spilled ink all over everything, including your rooster," said Dad.
"Were you angry?" asked Kenji.
"Furious. But you were a small child and didn't know any better, so what good would it have done to punish you? I explained to you that what you did was wrong and why it was wrong. Do you remember that at all?" said Kenshin.
Kenji closed his eyes and tried to remember. A very old memory rose before the boy's eyes.
"I remember there was ink everywhere. I remember being upset because the ink got on... Sano's tailfeathers. His name is Sano," said Kenji, holding up the rooster.
"That's right. I tried and tried to wash the ink off, but it was fast. You said that you loved Sano anyway, just as your Mom and I love you even when you don't always do what you should," said Kenshin.
Kenji lowered his head. Dad put his hand on the boy's shoulder and gave him a squeeze.
"Now, it's time for you to get back to work. You still have to go with your sister into town," he said, rising and leaving the shed.
After the chores were over, behold the Himura children heading to town with the most thoughtful expressions one could hope to behold on a youngster. Kenji was still thinking over his chat with Dad.
'I went into Dad's study and upset his inkwell, but he didn't yell at me. He even tried to clean the ink off Sano. Was I being too hard on my baka imotou?' he thought to himself, as he fingered the tailfeathers of the rooster tucked securely in his belt.
Kenji was so deep in thought that he didn't see Murasaki, who was walking behind him, stop to pet a stray cat that walked up to her. Little animals seemed to love Murasaki and were constantly approaching her. She always had a stray cat or puppy following her to the dojo, much to Mom's consternation.
"OK, Mura-Mura, here's the first..." Kenji's words died on his lips when he turned and saw that she was not behind him.
'Where is she?' he thought, flying into a panic.
Forgetting everything, Kenji ran through the crowded street, searching for his baby sister. There were people milling about everywhere, making it impossible to see a small child like Murasaki from the ground. Casting a glance down at Sano, Kenji decided that he needed to get a bird's eye view of things.
Kenji ran into an alley that connected two buildings, summoning all of his strength, he leapt into the air and landed on the roof of the back building. Kenji walked forward and surveyed the crowded, sprawling streets that were Downtown Tokyo at 4 PM. Panning from the left to the right, Kenji searched the streets for a small girl wearing a light purple kimono with a blue obi. She was nowhere in sight.
"Damn," Kenji said under his breath.
'He was just in front of me, but now I can't see him,' she thought.
Despite her tender years, Murasaki wouldn't cry unless she absolutely had to, and that time hadn't yet come. What she needed to do now was search for Niisan. Keeping her eyes peeled for a pine-green gi, white hakama and coppery hair, Murasaki set out in search of her Niisan.
"When searching for someone with ki, you must empty your mind of all thought. Concentrate on feeling for that person's presence in your area. Unless they're a well-trained warrior, they won't be able to hide from you," said Dad.
"How do I do that, Dad?" said Kenji.
"Close your eyes and think of nothing at all," said Dad.
Kenji closed his eyes and concentrated on the blackness before his eyes. Dad sensed the change in his small son's ki.
"Now, let your mind expand beyond your head, covering the whole area around us," said Dad in a soft voice.
It was hard at first, but Kenji concentrated and as he did so, a picture of the forest arose in his mind's eye. He sensed something living. A deer, no two! There were two deer... to the left of them. Then another creature came to his mind's eye. A tanuki! Swallowing the urge to laugh, Kenji visualized the tanuki and the two deer.
"Two deer and a tanuki," he said softly.
"That's right," said Dad. "Very good, son."
Kenji opened his eyes and smiled at Dad, who returned the smile. After a moment, Dad's face was serious again, his eyes looking straight ahead.
"That was the first part of your training. Now comes the second," said Dad, reaching into his gi sleeve and pulling out a strip of cloth. He tied the strip of cloth over Kenji's eyes, blindfolding him. "I want you to search for me with your ki rather than your eyes."
"I'll try, Dad," said Kenji.
A moment later, he felt a soft gust of wind as Dad disappeared using his shinsoku. The little boy cast out his mind, visualizing the landscape as he'd done before. The deer were gone, but the tanuki was still there. It was now more in front of him than to the left. To the right! It was a very powerful ki, but also a friendly and familiar one. Dad! Kenji rose from where he was sitting, keeping his eyes closed. He followed his ki to the tree that Dad was in and tilted his head up.
"Found you," he called up.
A moment later, Kenji heard Dad land beside him. Then he heard the sound of Dad's gentle laughter.
"You can take that off now," said Dad.
Kenji removed the blindfold and looked up into Dad's smiling face and gentle violet eyes.
"Sugoi. I'm proud of you koshishi," said Dad softly, putting his hands on the boy's shoulders.
"Thanks, Dad," said Kenji.
'I've been doing this the stupid way. If I want to find my baka imotou, I have to search for her ki,' thought Kenji.
He cast out his senses, searching for Murasaki's distinctively bright ki. There were so many different kinds to sort through, almost a swirling chaos. Kenji concentrated and sifted through the flotsam until he saw a single tiny point of light, a trembling and frightened light. Murasaki! She was almost three blocks away. No wonder he wasn't able to see her.
Keeping his ki focused on Murasaki's, Kenji started running toward her. Just then, the little girl's ki started moving. Kenji swore and leapt from the roof down to the street so he could pursue her better.
'Baka imotou. Stay where you are!' thought Kenji as he hurried through the street, weaving among the throng of pedestrians with the inimitable grace inherited from Dad.
The ki was heading away from where Kenji was, into the seedy part of town, the part of town that Dad and Mom forbade him to go to without them. Kenji was glad he had his shinai on his shoulder. If they got to the seedy area, they would likely need it.
'What do I do? I want Mommy and Daddy!' thought the five-year-old, silent panic starting to set in.
As he neared his sister's ki, he felt the hostile ki of a group of five youths approaching her.
'Dammit,' he swore mentally.
"Well, well. What have we here? That's a very pretty ribbon, little girl. My baby sister could use it," he said. "Why dontcha just take it off and give it to me?"
Murasaki was frightened, tired and wanted to go home, but hell if she was giving her favorite ribbon to these thugs.
"Take a hike you big bully!" she yelled at the gang leader, he violet eyes darkening with anger.
"Wha? You little bitch," said the leader, lunging for her.
Murasaki was too fast. She dodged between the gang leader's legs, causing him to hit the building with his head. The leader pulled himself to his feet and pointed at the disappearing toddler.
"Don't just stand there! Get her!" he ordered. His four followers started to run after Murasaki.
Murasaki ran as fast as her little legs would carry her. She looked over her shoulders and saw the gang chasing her. She had to find Aka-nii. He would protect her. Even if he was mean and crabby sometimes, he was still her big brother. Just then a hand reached out from behind a building and pulled her into an alley. Murasaki was about to scream when the hand went over her mouth.
"Ssssshhhh, it's OK Mura-Mura. It's Aka-nii," said the familiar voice. He released her mouth when he was sure she wouldn't scream.
Murasaki hugged Kenji, very happy to be in Niisan's arms again. Their happy reunion was short-lived however.
"The little bitch owes me a ribbon," said the gang leader.
Putting himself between Murasaki and the gang, Kenji glared at the leader who looked to be about four years older than himself.
"What did you just call my sister?" he said, his voice frozen with his anger.
"She's a little bitch. What are you gonna do about it, runt?" teased the gang leader.
'Stay calm. Don't let him egg you into a fight,' Kenji thought to himself.
"I don't need to do anything about it. Will you please just let us go?" said Kenji, trying to keep his voice even.
"Lemme see... No," said the leader, snapping his fingers at his followers.
"Beat them to a pulp, but save the girl's hair ribbon. It'll look better on my sister than on her," he said.
The four kids advanced on Kenji and Murasaki. Kenji drew his shinai and took his battle stance.
"Mura-Mura, you get back and hide behind those garbage cans," said Kenji.
"Be careful Niisan," said Murasaki, backing away from them.
The four kids lunged at Kenji all at once. Kenji dodged them and whacked two of them on the head with his shinai. One of the others charged at him, Kenji swung low and took his legs out. The last one standing charged at Kenji, only to receive a shinai to the balls for his effort. He fell in a quivering heap.
"One left," said Kenji, glaring at the leader.
"OK you're better than I thought," said the leader, reaching into his gi sleeve and pulling out a tanto. "But can your bamboo sword handle my steel tanto?"
"Bring it on and let's find out," said Kenji.
"FUCK YOU!" roared the gang leader, and he charged.
Kenji watched the path of the tanto, swung his shinai and was able to not only knock the tanto out of his hand, but snap his wrist as well. The gang leader fell to the ground in a sobbing heap.
"Itai! Itai! It hurts," he sobbed.
"My Dad says bullies are cowards with no honor," said Kenji. Then he turned to Murasaki, who was hiding behind the garbage cans.
"C'mon Mura-Mura, let's get our shopping done and get home," said Kenji.
Murasaki nodded and came out from the garbage cans, taking Kenji's waiting hand. The two walked away without so much as a backward glance at the five fallen gang members.
"I'm sorry I got lost Aka-nii," said Murasaki softly.
"It's OK. I'm just glad you're safe," said Kenji. "I'm sorry about slamming the door on your fingers."
"That's OK. I'm sorry about your homework," said Murasaki. "I was scared."
Kenji stopped and pulled the stuffed rooster out of his belt. He looked at it for a moment, then handed it to Murasaki.
"Here. You need him more than I do," said Niisan. "His name is Sano and he'll protect you at night and keep the monsters away."
"Thank you Aka-nii. I'll take good care of him," said Murasaki, cuddling the rooster.
"Tadaima," the children called out in unison as they entered the house.
"Okerinasai," said the parents back to them.
"Did everything go alright in town?" asked Mom as Dad took the food to start dinner.
"Yes," said the children together. When the parents weren't looking, Kenji and Murasaki exchanged hidden smiles.
Owari
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