Disclaimer- I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
The last of the sun slowly shrank away from the quite riverside. The sky was painted a beautiful pink, blue and purple. The few clouds that were scattered across the sky left a painting of a picture perfect scene. The soft sweet wind blew through the air, ruffling the red, yellow and green leaves from their roust. Some fell to the ground, following the example of others, while the rest held on tight to their lifeline.
One leaf fell, carried by the gentle fall wind. It twirled around a few times before it found it’s resting place on top of a rotting log next to the calm river. The log had obliviously been there for quite some time, however it was not alone in its waiting for rest. A man sat on the edge of the log. His back was bent over and his shoulders sagging. His head was down cast so his hair covered his face. If one were to look close enough you could see tear streaks running down his cheeks. The tears streaking across the wrinkled skin, slowly making progress along the ruff, aged skin, till finally falling down to his cold, spotted, shaking hands.
His hands and thin hunched shoulders quivered with sobs as he tried his best to hold them back. A rattling could be heard from a parchment that he held in his gnarled fingers. It was an old piece of paper, but the writing on it was new. Soft and gentle in small, shaky lines there was a small message written upon it. It was a short message in letterform. Only a few paragraphs long, yet it held so much more.
The man moved the parchment to his other hand so he could look at the other object held within his weak grasp. This one, unlike the small and soft letter, was bright and sparkled in the last of the fading sun’s rays. Unlike the letter, it was not old but young and new. Just taken from its stalk and ready to show the world its beauty and shine. Unlike the letter, it was not filled with loneliness and death, but shimmered with life and held a certain air that radiated a sinless quality. The man held this object like it was his own lifeline, just like the last fall leaves clinging to theirs. Marveling at this small beautiful yet sharp object, his tears increased till he could not hold back the small sob that escaped his chest. This object meant so much, just like the letter.
Slowly collecting himself enough to stand, he took a few hobbling steps to the waters edge. The small river flowed gently and quietly, lapping at the slight incline of grass the man stood on. Flowing down stream, the water went over rocks and under bridges for what seemed like eternity to a human being, but just a moment to something as ageless as the water, until it hit the wild, reckless and mysterious ocean.
Holding his hands out in front of him, he took both the small, sharp object and his letter and held them together in one hand while tying them together. With all the strength one could muster at his state, he brought his mouth together for a small however gentle and warm smile. Then, with one last tear, he dropped his precious cargo. It fell into the water with a gentle plop; sending water ripples across the river. The man watched as the river carried his gift down stream, until it was out of sight, knowing that it would meet the ocean in due time.
In a hushed whisper that only the most exquisite hearing could decipher, he said his last parting words, before he left the riverside for good, “You wanted to see the world my love, I’m just sorry that I couldn’t go with you.” Turning the man slowly walked up the slight incline to the log, grabbed his cane and continued on his way. Leaving his only true treasure to her awaiting journey, one he hoped to join soon, once his own time came. A smile still playing at his lips and his red, streaked with gray, hair blew gently in the breeze.
People passing by, could see the water logged letter, barley staying a float, tied together with a tiny string to a beautiful, lush, white rose.
