Disclaimer: Agarwen doesn't own anything here except the plot.

Editor's Note: Hey, this is Suuki-Aldrea, Agarwen's friend and editor. She asked me to type this up for her after I had edited it because she is very busy. I guess all you readers will just have to put up with me this time! Don't worry. Agarwen will be typing her own chapters after this. Anyway, please review for Agarwen! Enjoy!


Kenshin One Half by Agarwen


Prologue

The peaceful aura surrounding a slightly worn dojo betrayed nothing of the chaos that visited most every day. Within the outer walls of the dojo, in the courtyard, there was a figure washing various articles of clothing. The sun shone down on the figure's red hair, which was tied back to keep it out of its face, causing it to look as if it was on fire. The figure was wearing a pink kimono top and bottom, and had a sword tied around its waist.

Two little girls, a brown haired 3 year old and black haired 5 year old, were running around the figure, shouting and laughing. The little girl with her brown hair done up in two pony tails stopped and tugged on the figure's kimono bottoms. "Uncle Ken, come play!"

The figure turned and smiled at the little girl. His eyes were a striking violet and he had a cross shaped scar on his left cheek. "This one must finish washing the clothes before he can play, that he does."

Both of the children pouted, the man gave in, and they all began to chase a ball around.

Sitting on the dojo's patio and watching the others play, were two doctors. One was an old yet energetic man, and the other was a young lady with long black hair. The two were discussing modern medical techniques and medicines. The old man was wearing a blue bandanna around his head, a white kimono top, and brown kimono bottoms. His name was Dr. Gensai and he was the grandparent of the two girls playing with the man, whose name was Himura Kenshin. The woman sitting next to Dr. Gensai was wearing a purple kimono and she was a doctor as well. Her name was Megumi.

Inside the dojo training hall there were sounds of someone practicing diligently. This was Myojin Yahiko. He was short, had short and spiky black hair, he was wearing a tan with green boxes kimono top and dark sea green bottoms to match the boxes. Yahiko was practicing his swordsmanship with a bamboo sword. The style he was practicing was the Kamiya Kashin style.

At the front of the dojo, outside on the porch, was a tall man who was stretched out on his side and chewing the remains of some kind of fish. He wore a red ribbon tied around his forehead as a symbol of 'Aku' on the back and his pants were also white with black trim. His chest and wrists were wrapped in bandages. This was Sagura Sanosuke, or just Sano to his friends. He was the dojo's freeloader, never pulling his weight or helping out.

As the cool breeze drifted through the semi peaceful dojo, touching the inhabitants as if trying to assure that this moment would last forever. But it was not to be. A shriek pierced the afternoon silence, rushing from the entrance to the dojo property. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sano all dropped what they were doing and rushed towards the sound. Once they reached the site, they beheld the owner of the dojo, Kamiya Karou, standing with her back to them. Her dark purple hair was tied back into a high pony tail by a white ribbon; she wore her training outfit which consisted of a white gi with brown kimono bottoms.

Yahiko, followed by Sano and then Kenshin, skids to a stop. "What's wrong?"

Karou slowly turned around, a letter clutched tightly in her hand. "We…"

"Spit it out woman!" Sano shouted impatiently.

Karou's face split into a wide grin. "We just won an all expense paid trip to China!"

Sano, Kenshin, and Yahiko all face faulted as Megumi, Dr. Gensai, and the two children came around the corner of the dojo.

Megumi gasped and rushed over to the fallen Kenshin. "Sir Kenshin! Are you alright?"

Kenshin nodded and picked himself up, but it was Yahiko who spoke to Karou first. "Why'd you scream like that? We thought you were in trouble, ugly!"

Karou stopped her joyous dance to glare heatedly at Yahiko. "Don't call me ugly!"

Sano was the last one on his feet and he began to brush himself off. "Yahiko has a point there little missy."

Kenshin nodded while rubbing the side of his face, trying to get some feeling back into it. "You had this one worried, that you did."

"Gomen nasai," Karou apologized sheepishly while bowing. "Demo, I won a contest!"

Dr. Gensai and the two children approached the group just as Megumi asked Karou what she had won.

Karou smiled and held up several thin pieces of paper that had come with the letter. "I won tickets for myself and four others to ride second class on a big boat to China!"

Kenshin smiled broadly. "That is great news Karou-dono, that it is!"

Karou giggled. "I know! Now start packing. We leave first thing in the morning!"

Kenshin's eyes bulged out quite comically as he stared at Karou. "Oro?"

Karou sweat dropped as everyone began running around like maniacs. "I know it is short notice, but do you have to make such a big deal out of it?"

Everyone froze, nodded their heads vigorously, and resumed their frantic packing. Karou shook her head and sighed, then left to do her own packing.


Soon, or rather much later, all was arranged for the dojo's residents' departure. They had decided that Dr. Gensai would watch the dojo while the others were away, so he and the children had left to get ready.

Before the residents retired to their beds, they all sat down for some tea, sake in Sano and Megumi's case, and discussed the various things they had heard about China.

"I heard that Hong Kong is huge," exclaimed Karou. "It's even bigger than Kyoto!"

Yahiko's eyes grew twice their size. "No way!"

Megumi chuckled, and then took a sip of her sake before speaking. "I've heard that their herbal remedies are the greatest in the world."

Kenshin nodded in agreement, and then noticed that Sanosuke looked very somber. "What about you, Sano? How do you feel about going to China?"

Sano looked up from his sake with a dark look on his face. He was clearly drunk, and this came across even more so as he spoke and his words slurred. "I've heard that somewhere in China there's this training ground that is filled with cursed springs. If you fall into one, you turn into a monster!"

Everyone stared at Sano, and then burst out laughing.

"It's true, I swear!" Sano yelled over and over again.

The laughter soon died down and Karou sighed. "Well, it's time for bed. We've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow!"

Then everyone finally went to bed and no one had a sleepless night, except for Kenshin, who felt as if something bad would happen soon.


E/N: I hoped you liked this chapter. Agarwen-chan would love to get some reviews from you all. Thank you! Ja ne!