"FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS!!!" Ayame and Suzume chanted as they skipped down
the road towards the docks. Two weeks had gone by since the fight, and now it was
festival time. Yahiko was on his feet again, although not well enough to start practicing
again, he was well enough to argue with Sanosuke and gnaw on his head a few times. He
was quite proud of his "battle scar", and tried to show it to everyone. When shown to Tae
however, she fainted dead away.
The "Kenshin-Gumi" found a place on the bridge crossing the river, which was lit by floating
lanterns, and waited for the fireworks to start. Everyone chatted to the other, conversations
blending and becoming muddled. A fishbone once again locked between his teeth, Sanosuke
stuck his hands in the pockets of his gi, only half-listening to the noise around him. How he
wanted to be in front of a big jug of sake right now....
Sensing that the "Kenshin-Gumi" was missing one, even on the crowded bridge, Sanosuke looked
over his shoulder to see Kioku making her way back down the river. Frowning, yet curious, he
pushed his way off the bridge, and jogged to catch up to her.
"Oy, chicken-head.." Yahiko called, following Sano. Kenshin put a hand on his shoulder and shook
his head, smiling. Yahiko looked at him in confusion, then shrugged, turning so that he was facing
the direction the fireworks would be shot off from.
Kioku walked back to the log she had sat on what seemed like a lifetime ago. She had been Kage
then, a cold, unfeeling person. She was different now, everything she had worked ten years to block
was back, overwhelming her at times, but now, it didn't hurt as much to remember them. Sitting down
she winced as her obi pressed into the stab wound on her side. She looked out over the river,
watching the memorial lanterns float by and the fireflies dance around them.
"Peaceful here, ain't it?" Sanosuke said, walking towards her with his usual lank. She smiled at him.
"Hai....hijo.." she murmured. She turned back to watch the lanterns as Sanosuke came up and stood
beside her. She stood up. "Do you think Oto-Sama should have a lantern?" she asked. Sanosuke grunted.
"Pr'bly not. He thought the whole memorial thing was a bunch of shit. 'Just a waste of pretty paper' he'd
say." He replied, spitting out the fishbone. Kioku frowned thoughtfully.
"Yeah...he did say that didn't he..." she sighed and turned to face Sanosuke. They stared at each other a
moment, Sanosuke opening his mouth to say something, when the first boom of a firework interrupted him.
Both turned towards the bridge as another firework lit up the sky. Looking back up at the entranced
Sanosuke, Kioku stood on her tiptoes, placing one hand on Sanosuke's shoulder, and gave him a kiss on the
cheek. Surprised and startled, Sanosuke turned his head, their faces centimeters apart. Blushing, she pulled
herself away. He smiled at her warmly, then they both turned back to the fireworks. As another lit the sky,
Sanosuke place an arm over her shoulders. And they stood, surrounded by fireflies, as the fireworks lit the sky.
The End
the road towards the docks. Two weeks had gone by since the fight, and now it was
festival time. Yahiko was on his feet again, although not well enough to start practicing
again, he was well enough to argue with Sanosuke and gnaw on his head a few times. He
was quite proud of his "battle scar", and tried to show it to everyone. When shown to Tae
however, she fainted dead away.
The "Kenshin-Gumi" found a place on the bridge crossing the river, which was lit by floating
lanterns, and waited for the fireworks to start. Everyone chatted to the other, conversations
blending and becoming muddled. A fishbone once again locked between his teeth, Sanosuke
stuck his hands in the pockets of his gi, only half-listening to the noise around him. How he
wanted to be in front of a big jug of sake right now....
Sensing that the "Kenshin-Gumi" was missing one, even on the crowded bridge, Sanosuke looked
over his shoulder to see Kioku making her way back down the river. Frowning, yet curious, he
pushed his way off the bridge, and jogged to catch up to her.
"Oy, chicken-head.." Yahiko called, following Sano. Kenshin put a hand on his shoulder and shook
his head, smiling. Yahiko looked at him in confusion, then shrugged, turning so that he was facing
the direction the fireworks would be shot off from.
Kioku walked back to the log she had sat on what seemed like a lifetime ago. She had been Kage
then, a cold, unfeeling person. She was different now, everything she had worked ten years to block
was back, overwhelming her at times, but now, it didn't hurt as much to remember them. Sitting down
she winced as her obi pressed into the stab wound on her side. She looked out over the river,
watching the memorial lanterns float by and the fireflies dance around them.
"Peaceful here, ain't it?" Sanosuke said, walking towards her with his usual lank. She smiled at him.
"Hai....hijo.." she murmured. She turned back to watch the lanterns as Sanosuke came up and stood
beside her. She stood up. "Do you think Oto-Sama should have a lantern?" she asked. Sanosuke grunted.
"Pr'bly not. He thought the whole memorial thing was a bunch of shit. 'Just a waste of pretty paper' he'd
say." He replied, spitting out the fishbone. Kioku frowned thoughtfully.
"Yeah...he did say that didn't he..." she sighed and turned to face Sanosuke. They stared at each other a
moment, Sanosuke opening his mouth to say something, when the first boom of a firework interrupted him.
Both turned towards the bridge as another firework lit up the sky. Looking back up at the entranced
Sanosuke, Kioku stood on her tiptoes, placing one hand on Sanosuke's shoulder, and gave him a kiss on the
cheek. Surprised and startled, Sanosuke turned his head, their faces centimeters apart. Blushing, she pulled
herself away. He smiled at her warmly, then they both turned back to the fireworks. As another lit the sky,
Sanosuke place an arm over her shoulders. And they stood, surrounded by fireflies, as the fireworks lit the sky.
The End