Pieces of the Past

Chapter two- the Kendo Tournament

By Misao's Angel

Just in time. I step slowly inside my homeroom classroom, hopping to avoid the all-seeing eyes of my sensei. I slowly slither to my seat, using the pandemonium of the morning classroom as my cover. But I know. I know that no matter how hard I try, I can't escape the inevitable.

"Himura?" Said a familiar voice. Too familiar. Sigh, I know what that means...

"H-Hai, Hiko-sensei..." I fearfully reply as I turn to face the large, muscular, raven-haired man. The only male other than me at this school with hair hanging at his waist.

"I'm surprised you weren't two hours early this morning like usual. Any Excuses?"

"Um... Sessha... Sessha just slept late degozaru yo..."

"Slept late did you say? Yeah that sounds nice. I wish I could too, but unlike YOU, I CARE about my commitment to this school."

"Oh, cut him some slack, will ya?" Said the strong yet gentle voice of my best friend, Sagara Sanosuke. "You usually make fun of him for being so early, but now that he's on time you call him late? That's funny 'cause, admit it, you are late more often than he is!"

"Uh. Well... So what! I'm perfect, so it's excused. Perfect people NEED their beauty sleep!"

"And the reason you're yelling at Kenshin is...?"

"Oro..."

Sanosuke was always like that. He always stood up for me when teachers, student council, or anyone would pick on me. He had NO sense of authority...

But teachers here have a natural disliking for me. If I were to guess why, I think it is because of my unnatural colored hair. They wont believe that it is, in fact, my real hair. I was born with this fiery red main... well that's not necessarily true... I don't think I HAD any hair when I was born... but when I first grew hair it was this color... I think... not that I remember... Oh well, the teachers here don't like me for that.

"Kenshin, what do ya think you're doing? It's P.E. class now! Hurry and change..."

"Sorry Sano..."

"It's okay! You don't have to say sorry all the time. We'll be late if we don't go right now!"

So, Sano and I walk to the locker rooms together. And on the way, whom should we meet but Aoshi-san, the typical strong and silent type. He didn't talk much, but most of the time I know what he's thinking. I guess you gain that skill when you know people for a long time...

So, all three of us change and ready ourselves for P.E., and for the sensei Sano fights with the most.

We all stand in a line, with many other of my classmates, such as Misao-dono, the girl with a large crush on Aoshi-san, (I don't think he knows it though... or at least he acts like he doesn't) Kaoru-dono, and strong willed girl who lost her parents in a car crash, but while her father was alive he owned a famous dojo that taught a style called "Kamiya Kasshin Ryu" (this dojo was known for teaching a style to protect rather than injure, so thus she is always standing up for the weaker people in our class), Megumi-dono, a girl who has hundreds of boys waiting in a line to date her, and Kirika-san, a somber, silent girl who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She also had many guys after her, but she would except none other then her current boyfriend, Tsukoika Tsunan.

We have five more minutes before class begins, so Sano and I decide to talk for while to pass the time.

Sano smiles at me cheerfully, and then asks, "So Kenshin, I meant to ask ya earlier but, how did you get that cut on your cheek?"

"Oro... If Sessha told you, I don't think you would believe me..."

"Try me."

So I tell him. I tell him about the dream, the garden, the blood, and even the lady. He is listening quietly, seeming very interested in my story. When I finish, he just stares at me silently, and after a short while says,

"Oh... You know, you should probably ask Kirika about this... she knows a lot about that kinda stuff..."

"Sagara! Class has started. I suggest you stop chitchatting immediately. Unless you want to fail the only subject you're mildly okay at."

Oh... Looks like Saito-sensei is happy about something today. That was a lot less harsh then usual...

"If people fail classes for talking, how do they ever answer questions?" Sanosuke mutters under his breath. I guess he wasn't in the mood to argue out loud today.

Usually, Saito-sensei and Sanosuke would fight nonstop for the bulk of the class period. There was no stopping them. But for some reason, no matter how hard he tried; Sano would always lose in the end. It might be the repetitive muttering of "ahou" under Saito-sensei's breath that got to him, or it might just be the fear of losing his only good grade. Whatever it was, Sanosuke would always give up in the end. But today was strange indeed. For today he didn't even TRY.

Saito-sensei was a lanky, scornful, and Machiavellian thirty-five-year-old man, filled with some kind of EXTREME hate for Sano and I. He would always pick on us, and find some kind of absurd reason to lower our grades. But if you didn't say anything to him, things usually go okay.

But for some reason, he was unusually happy today. It is probably because of the Kendo tournament taking place... Kendo is his favorite sport. This is the first time the school allowed him to have a kendo tournament though; he had to beg them for years in order to gain this privilege. Makes the most sense, if you ask me.

Well anyway, he decides that the best way to pick the order our matches is for us to play the style of "King of the Court." In this, two people fight, and the winner fights the next person.

For the first match, he, of course, calls me in, to fight the kendo team captain, Makoto Shishio.

So, I put on my kendo gear, and grab the hilt of the School shinai.

To be continued.

Sorry if that chapter was kinda weird... It is a little more cheerful than the last chapter. Please everyone; tell me if you like it! I REFUSE to put up the next chapter until I get 10 reviews! So REVIEW PLEASE! Thank you! I don't mind constructive criticism...