Through the Cracks Ch6 bit – Distraction

Kaoru stared, blue eyes round and wild. “Gift?” Demon – my father was part demon and you call it a gift-

“One the best of my father’s people treasure above even the finest sword.” Kneeling across from her, Kenshin made no move to draw closer. “That gift which was the miko’s alone, and no power of gods or demons. The gift of choice.”

Choice, Kaoru thought numbly. Demons are evil. They can’t be anything else. The akuma knew that. No matter what they wanted, they couldn’t change….

“For many centuries, the youkai did not realize it was a gift,” Kenshin went on. “They lived, as we lived, and many of them enjoyed human lovers. But outside of Sashikizu’s own pack, few of them ever claimed us as kin. Even females might cast their half-breed pups away, to live, or not, as human mercy willed. For hanyou are weaker than youkai, and among youkai as samurai, strength can be everything.” He smiled slightly. “But then the Inu-Taisho, the great youkai Lord of the West, took a human hime to wife. And his last act on this earth was to name Izayoi’s child… Inuyasha.”

He named him? But that would mean- Kaoru leaned forward, intent on the story. “The Inu-Taisho claimed him? As a youkai?”

“History recounts it was not well accepted,” Kenshin said wryly. “But he was strong, and brave, and eventually lucky. And his human nature gave him a strength even youkai power could not match; the will to take both humans and youkai into his pack, and with their combined powers destroy an evil neither kind could face alone. So now our peoples acknowledge each other as people.” The swordsman looked up. “And just as samurai are willing to acknowledge the hanyou in their heritage, there are youkai, now, who know they have ningen blood. And they are grateful, Kaoru-dono.”

Grateful, he says. Like they’re just people. Powerful – cruel – magical people. Kaoru shook her head slowly. I- this just- She drew a deep breath. I can’t deal with this. Not now. “Nice story. Great distraction.” She glared at him. “It’s not going to work.”

“Oro?”

“Don’t ‘oro’ me! You left Selenay with Yamagata!”

“Er….”

“And you left the Gensais. And Yahiko!”

“Sessha suspects they can take care of themselves for a few hours, that they can,” Kenshin muttered.

18 thoughts on “Through the Cracks Ch6 bit – Distraction

  1. Naw, THEY can take care of themselves just fine, it’s everyone ELSE that is having the problems. Hopefully the Palace hasn’t been burned down and half a dozen blood feuds sworn. Though I wouldn’t count on it.

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    1. >*G* The Council is short a few members now? That’d make Selenay happy….>
      The repairs/rebuilding the palace will require she’s less happy about.

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  2. We now interrupt your scheduled angst with — fluff! In a cute easy to carry package, no less.

    (…so Kenshin’s not that short, no. Couldn’t resist!)

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  3. And now I’m really wondering whether Kero has sent a messenger south to check on a certain temple where, her teachers’ tales tell her, another demon was taken to see about that gift of choice.

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  4. “Sessha suspects they can take care of themselves for a few hours, that they can,” Kenshin muttered.

    Generally speaking, yes.

    Provided that no one tempts and/or taunts Murphy.

    Of course, Kenshin seems to tempt/taunt Murphy simply by existing so something might have happened anyway.

    And Kaoru, never underestimate the power of choice. Simply being able to use to be or not to be, to act or not to act, etc, is very powerful. Nothing can make you feel quite as hopeless, angry, and powerless than to be allowed no choices, even bad ones, to make – to be forced onto a path not of your choosing because someone else said this is what you are and there is nothing you can do about it.

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      1. (O hai there, Sano….)

        Yes but it sounds like one of the other trouble magnets are there . . . .

        It’s one of the ways those two are perfect for each other.

        Through I think everyone is going be shocked by just how much trouble Kenshin can manage to stumble across or otherwise get involved in.

        Well, everyone but Hiko. His only comments on the topic were “Welcome to my world” and “Now you know what I had to deal with every minute he wasn’t asleep or training.”

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