Dark Tales of the Meiji

Dark Tales Of The Meiji

Chapter 3 - Pranks

Just for the record, I’m not completely sure how a Ouija board works, I’ve never tried one myself, however, I spoke to a couple of friends of mine who had and they helped me out with this one. Sorry if it doesn’t sound completely right, I don’t know if they told me truth or not, but read on any ways.

After dinner everyone headed into the den and Sanosuke put in a movie, getting a groan from Misao when she saw it was a horror movie. Throughout the course of the evening they watched several different movies including ‘Nightmare On Elm Street,’ ‘Friday The 13th,’ and ‘Event Horizon.’ By that time the girls (and Yahiko) were scared stiff and they made Sanosuke put on ‘Scary Movie 3\' to calm their nerves, enjoying the combination of horror and comedy as the characters got themselves in and out of troublesome situations. After about four hours they all got tired and decided to head off to bed, saying goodnight to each other before heading off to their rooms for the evening.

Kenshin smiled to himself as he sat against the wall, thinking back on the night’s events. It had been quite enjoyable to actually have others to hang around with, he hadn’t had so much fun since he was a young child and he found that he really enjoyed the companionship of Kaoru and the others. They were a little strange but their energy and laughter was a welcome change from his normally lonely world that he had come to know and trust the past several years, he didn’t even mind having to console the frightened young girls during the movies. Kenshin had always liked scary movies so it didn’t bother him at all when Freddy and Jason started hacking people up, in fact, he hardly paid any attention to the blood and gore as it flew across the screen.

He did, however, find it particularly enjoyable when Kaoru got scared and decided to seek ‘protection’ from him by burying her face into his shoulder and wrapping her arms tightly around him. He smiled, she really was a sweet girl and he was really beginning to like her, but he had kept his thoughts to himself, knowing full well that he shouldn’t make any moves on her this soon, he’d just met her after all and it wouldn’t be right. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of desire course through his veins for her as she cuddled up to him during the movies. He could still feel her warm, wet breath against the nape of his neck as she hid her face from the horrors on the screen, her body pressing firmly against his and shaking slightly from fear. Her small, unconscious tremors sent shockwaves, like small jolts of lightening, throughout his entire body from his pink cheeks to his stomach and into his manhood, making him more than aware of the young beauty curled up in his arms. Her actions had been innocent in nature but they had sent his senses reeling, causing him to completely ignore the movie for awhile and let his mind wander briefly to the other possibilities of what could be going on between them besides paying attention to a silly movie.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a tap on his door, he answered it and smiled at his visitor, “Oh, Sano, what can I do for you?”

“Let me in, I need to talk to you.”

Kenshin stepped aside and let him enter the room before shutting the door and eyeing him with a bit of concern, “Is anything wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong, I want you to help me pull a prank.”

“A prank? I’m afraid I’m not very good at pranks, that I’m not.”

“Oh come on, I can teach you.”

“I don’t know, Sano, why ask me? Why not ask Yahiko to help you?”

“Because I want to get him too, it’ll be a blast, come on, man, you gotta help me out!”

Kenshin smiled, “You’re going to hurt me if I don’t, aren’t you?”

“You got it, buddy, so what do you say... help or a lump?”

Kenshin chuckled as Sanosuke playfully cracked his knuckles, finally giving in to his request, “Ok, what do you want to do?”

“Ok here’s the plan, we can put on some disguises and get a couple of swords and scare the pants off of the girls and Yahiko.”

“What kind of disguises?”

“We can dress up like some of the guys from the movie, you can be... Freddy and I’ll be Jason.”

“Why do I have to be Freddy, Sano?”

“I don’t know... you look kind of sadistic like Freddy.”

Kenshin laughed, “I’m not sure about that, that I’m not. Besides, I don’t believe we have the necessary materials here to make a convincing disguise for either villain, that I don’t.”

“Good point, well... what do you think we should do, then?”

“I don’t know, I’ve only pulled a couple of pranks in my life, I’m not very good at it, that I’m not. We could... dress up like ninjas or something, I suppose.”

“Hey! You can put on an old gi and a hakama and get a sword and pretend to be Battousai!”

Kenshin arched an eyebrow at that comment, “Sano... Battousai has been dead for about a hundred years, I think Miss Kaoru and the others will know it’s me, that I do. Besides, I don’t think I could pull off the evil manslayer part, that I don’t.”

“You’re no fun, how about this then, we hide in their closets and make noises to get their attention and wait for them to check it out.”

Kenshin smiled and shook his head, Sanosuke was about as bad at pranks as he was. He scratched his chin thoughtfully for a moment then an idea suddenly came to him, “I have an idea, that I do, come on, Sano.”

Sanosuke followed him down the hall and they pressed their ears against Kaoru’s door to hear her and Misao still awake and chatting, “Do you really think this will work, Kaoru?”

“It should, let’s go get the candles and get started.”

Kenshin and Sanosuke quickly moved around the corner and watched as the girls headed off down the hall before hurrying into the room. They looked to the floor and saw a Ouija board, then Kenshin pointed to the closet, “You had a good start on the closet idea, that you did, let’s hide in there until they start the seance and then...”

“Oh I get it,” Sanosuke interrupted, “we wait until they start their hocus pocus and then start talking to them!”

“Right, oh, here they come, hurry Sano.”

Kenshin waited for Sanosuke to enter the closet before he shut the door and started to leave the room, but before he could get very far Sanosuke grabbed him and pulled him into the closet with him, “No you don’t, you’re doing this with me, Red Riding Hood!”

“Oro? But... I really don’t want to be a part of this, Sano, that I don’t.”

“Oh shut up, you’re in too deep to back out now, so just be quiet and go along with it.”

Kenshin sighed, “How did I get myself into this?”

The girls came back into the room and began to set up the candles, not noticing the two sets of eyes watching them from a crack in the closet door as they did so. They lit the candles and sat down opposite of each other near the board before Misao giggled, “I can’t believe we’re actually going to do this.”

“I know but I’ve heard it’s really fun so let’s just give it a shot.”

They took a deep breath to calm their excitement before placing their fingers on the glass, Misao being the first one to break the silence, “Is there a spirit here?”

Sanosuke and Kenshin watched as the girls read the answer, ‘yes’ then Kaoru asked, “Are you a good spirit?”

This time the board said ‘no’ and the girls looked wide eyed at each other before they continued, “Do you want to hurt us?” Misao asked quietly

The board read ‘yes’ and Kaoru decided to ask, “What is your name?”

The glass started to spell out a word and the girls read out loud as it moved across the board, “B... A... T... T... O... U... S... A... I...”

Kaoru looked to Misao, her voice shaking slightly as she asked, “Did we read that right?”

“Yeah, it said ‘Battousai!’ Do you think it’s for real?!”

“I don’t know, ask it something else.”

Misao thought for a minute and smiled when an idea popped into her mind, “I know a question that only Battousai would know the answer to.”

“What’s that?”

“Watch this... who was the traitor of the Choshu Clan?”

The glass started to move again and they read the letters out loud, “I... I... S... U... K... A...”

They moved their hands off of the glass and Kaoru glared at Misao, “Iisuka? Did you do that, Misao?!”

“No, it did it itself! I didn’t even know the answer, I thought Iisuka was the field chief that committed suicide!”

“That’s what I thought but... I guess we were wrong... should we stop now?”

“No, let’s keep going, you ask him something this time.”

“Ok.”

They carefully put their hands back onto the glass before Kaoru took a breath to calm herself, “Are you evil?”

The board said ‘no’ and Kaoru smiled before she asked, “Are you really going to hurt us?”

Again the board read ‘no’ and Kaoru sighed, “Why did you say that you wanted to hurt us?”

The board started to spell something and they read aloud to each other, “I... W... A... S... M... E... S... S... I... N... G... W... I... T... H... Y... O... U...”

“He was messing with us?! That’s wrong! Let me ask something.”

“Go ahead, Misao.”

Misao let out a breath and asked, “Are you a vampire?”

Kaoru raised an eyebrow but watched with wide eyes as the board read, ‘yes.’

Misao looked to Kaoru and smiled evilly, “Do you know Kaoru?”

The board said ‘yes’ and Misao smiled, chuckling softly to herself. Kaoru rolled her eyes and asked, “Why are you here, Battousai?”

They read out loud as the board started to spell again, their eyes going wide with fear as they started to understand the message, “T... O... M... A... K... E... Y... O... U... O... N... E... O... F... U... S...”

The girls looked at each other with fear and Sanosuke tapped Kenshin in the shoulder, “Now, watch this.”

Sanosuke slapped the door suddenly and the girls screamed, looking around with fright as they tried to find the source of the sound, “Let’s put this thing away, Kaoru!”

“Yeah, I think that’s enough for tonight!”

Kaoru quickly put the board away and sighed, still looking around the room with cautious eyes, “That was scary...”

“I know, do you really think a vampire’s after you?”

“I... don’t know! I think that you were just messing with me, Misao!”

“I wasn’t doing it! I don’t even know how to spell ‘Battousai’ on a normal basis.”

Kaoru considered that fact for a moment, Misao wasn’t the best speller in the world and it would be nearly impossible for her to spell ‘Battousai’ without some help and she certainly hadn’t been moving the glass. Meanwhile in the closet, Sanosuke chuckled and tapped Kenshin again, “Say something.”

“What?”

“I don’t know... call out to Missy.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes!”

Kenshin sighed, “I really don’t want to, Sano, that I don’t, you do it!”

“Oh fine, you wuss!” Sanosuke lightly hit Kenshin in the head and softly cleared his throat before whispering, “Kaoru...”

The girls looked around and Misao jumped up, putting up her hands as if she were about to fight, “Did you say that?”

“No, I thought you did...”

Kenshin smiled and Sanosuke chuckled before he repeated, “Kaoru...”

The girls screamed and grabbed onto each other, trying to find the source of the calling, “Do you think... it’s one of the guys...”

“I don’t think so, Misao... I don’t think Kenshin or Sanosuke would do this...”

Sanosuke took a quick glance at Kenshin to see him smiling then he put his hands around his mouth to amplify what he was saying, changing his voice to sound like Dracula from an old movie he’d seen, “Kaoru... I’ve come for you, Kaoru... join us...”

Kenshin started giggling and Sanosuke pushed his shoulder to hush him up as they watched the girls begin to panic, “I think we should go get Himura!”

“Why, what can Kenshin do?”

“Battousai’s his ancestor, maybe he can do something about him!”

“I don’t think Kenshin would believe us, Misao, and... I don’t want him to think that I’m crazy.”

“You’re willing to let the ghost of a dead manslayer slash vampire come and turn you into the princess of darkness just because you don’t want his descendant to think you’re nuts?!”

“Basically... yes...”

“KAORU!”

The guys chuckled, almost unable to contain themselves as Misao hit Kaoru in the arm, “What do we do then, Kaoru?”

“I... I don’t know...”

Kenshin chuckled at the look on Kaoru’s face, she was cute even when she was scared then all of the sudden he felt a tickling in his nose and tried to keep himself from sneezing. Sanosuke noticed this and nudged him, “Don’t sneeze, Kenshin.”

“I’m trying... not to... that I... that I... am... ACHUUU!!!”

Kenshin accidentally let out the sneeze, immediately drawing the girls’ attention towards the closet, “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah I did, let’s see what it was.”

“Wait Kaoru, it might be Battousai!”

“Oh come on, Misao, we’re scared because of those stupid movies and we’re probable just hearing things and I’m going to prove it.”

They started walking to the closet and the guys began to panic, “What do we do, Sano?!”

“I don’t know...” Sanosuke suddenly looked up, seeing a couple of old Halloween masks on the top shelf just above them, “Hey Kenshin, put this on.”

Kenshin grinned and slipped the mask on, trying to hold back his laughter as the girls continued to come toward the closet, “Duck down, Sano, wait for them to come in.”

“Got ya.”

They ducked down on either side of the door, hiding behind some clothes there just as Kaoru and Misao poked their heads inside, “I know I heard something in here, Kaoru.”

“Well there’s nothing in here except my clothes. See Misao, you were worried for nothing.” Kaoru stepped inside and made Misao go with her to prove her point, “See there? There’s nothing to worry about.”

Misao’s eyes suddenly went wide and Kaoru cocked her head to the side, raising an eyebrow at her hysterical friend, “What’s wrong?”

“B... B... B.. Behind... you...”

Before Kaoru could do anything she felt a strong hand grab her shoulder as someone growled, “Kaoru!”

Both girls screamed and Misao literally jumped out of the closet when someone grabbed her shoulder as well. Kaoru’s training decided to kick in and she instinctively elbowed her attacker in the ribs before flipping him over her shoulder and onto the ground, holding his wrist at an angle to hold him still as she got ready to attack. She brought her fist up to hit the intruder but he held up his free hand and laughed, “Wait! It’s me, Miss Kaoru, that it is!”

“K... Kenshin?”

She reached down and pulled off the mask, revealing a smiling, slightly flushed Kenshin as he waved up at her, “Hello Miss Kaoru, you look nice this evening, that you do.”

“Where’s the other guy?” Misao asked

Sanosuke came out of the closet and pointed at the injured Kenshin, laughing loudly at his fallen comrade, “You... got your butt kicked by a girl, man... you’re so pitiful!”

“Well, I’m not really a fighter, Sano, that I’m not.”

Kaoru frowned and helped Kenshin up before hitting him in the chest with her fist, “Kenshin, you jerk! It was you two, wasn’t it?!”

“Yeah it was... you should’ve seen... the look on your face, Missy...” Sanosuke sputtered out between laughs.

Misao growled at them, “How long were you in there?!”

“The whole time, we figured we could spook ya and it worked out perfectly! It was hilarious!”

“Maybe for you, Sano, but I’m in a lot of pain now, that I am.”

“It serves you right, Himura! How could you?!” Misao fumed angrily.

“I’m sorry ladies, that I am, I was going to leave but Sano forced me to stay with him, that he did.”

“You two are total creeps! But don’t worry we’ll get you back!”

“Misao’s right, we’ll get you eventually, it was kind of funny though now that I think about it.” Kaoru giggled

Kenshin smiled and held out his hand to her, “Do you forgive us?”

Kaoru smiled and shook his hand playfully, “Yeah, I guess so, this is your first offense so I’ll let you off easy, Kenshin. And as for you, Sanosuke, I owe you big time and you’re both going to pay later on, but right now I have a small punishment in mind, you ready Misao?”

“Ready.”

The girls picked up their pillows and started hitting Kenshin and Sanosuke with them as they ran out of the room and down the hall, saying goodnight as they rounded different corners to hide in their own rooms. Just as Kenshin reached his door he felt a hard hit to the head and he couldn’t help but laugh as he was being assaulting by the angry girl, “I’m sorry, Miss Kaoru, that I am.”

“You will be, you jerk! That was mean!”

“I’m sorry, that I am! I didn’t mean to scare you that badly, I’ll make it up to you somehow, though, that I will.”

“Promise?”

Kenshin smiled and made an invisible cross on his chest, “Cross my heart and hope to die but come to think of it... I already have a cross on my face... so I guess I can’t really back out of it, that I can’t.”

Kaoru giggled when he pointed to his scar and she pushed him into his room, “Go to bed, you jerk, goodnight.”

“Goodnight Miss Kaoru.”

Kaoru shut the door and left to help Misao, not noticing the smile Kenshin had on his face as he rested against the wall, “That was fun, that it was.”

He suddenly felt a strong presence outside his door and he quickly got up and grabbed his dagger before poking his head outside to look around. He scanned the courtyard for several moments until he was certain he that had only been imagining things, but just as he was about to go back inside something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. If he didn’t know any better, he’d swear that he just saw someone jump over the ten foot tall gate and out of the dojo into the pitch black of the night.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning Kenshin woke up and stretched, looking at his alarm clock with a smile, “I guess I should start breakfast, that I should.”

He quickly brushed his hair and put it up into its usual ponytail on top of his head before stepping outside, but just as he opened the door a bucket of ice cold water dumped on top of his head, causing him to cry out and jump back from shock, “COLD!!! VERY COLD!!!”

He heard giggling and looked up to see a laughing Misao and Kaoru standing a few feet away from him, “Got ya, Himura!”

“Yeah, that’ll teach you to pull pranks on us.”

The girls left down the hall and Kenshin heard someone come up beside of him, looking over and smiling at a slightly angry, equally wet Sanouske, “They got you too, huh, Sano?”

“Yep, I guess that’s what we get for pulling a prank.”

“I agree, that I do, but who knows, maybe next time we can get them even better, that we can.”

Sanosuke arched an eyebrow at the red head, “Next time?”

“Yes, I had fun last night, that I did, but next time, no hiding in the closet, deal?”

Sanosuke smiled and patted Kenshin on the shoulder, “Deal, we’ll just have to come up with some new pranks, won’t we, my friend?”