Disclaimer: Not mine . . . not mine . . . :(
a/n: hey this is my first fic so pls read and review, but be nice . . . thanks. :)
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1 "Lost Wanderer"
Kenshin was lost. It wasn't really that surprising. He was in a completely different city (that city being Tokyo). Well, he was always in a different city. Or town, or road. . . But then, how could a wanderer possibly get lost? If you had no direction to go in, then you always knew where you were going, right?
Wrong. This place had him completely turned around.
"I am completely lost, that I am," He murmured to himself absently.
"What's that?" He heard a feminine voice question from somewhere off to his right. It was only then that he realized he'd halted in the middle of the street. He looked to see a young woman with long black hair tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing a training outfit and she held a bokken loosely at her side.
"Oro?" He questioned.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked in a grumpy tone.
"Oro?" He said again.
"Never mind," she said in cheerful irritation. "Are you lost?"
Kenshin looked up and down the street and at the dojo that stood behind the girl. She stood in front of the gate to it as if she were waiting for someone to come by.
Kenshin rubbed the back of his head. "That I am, Miss."
The young woman grinned, and crinkled lines appeared under her blue eyes. She thrust forth her free hand and said, "Kamiya Kaoru, Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin style martial arts school."
Kenshin blinked widely and took her hand. He was surprised to find its warmth covered with calluses. After a moment he released it.
"I couldn't help but notice you carry a sword," Kaoru said. "Err, what are you called?"
Kenshin blinked again and smiled brightly. "I am called 'Shinta'," he found himself saying. He blinked at himself in surprise. Why had he said that? No one knew him by 'Kenshin' after all. There had been no need to prevaricate.
"Shinta. . ." Kaoru seemed to savor the word in her mouth then she grinned. "You wouldn't happen to be willing to learn a new style would you?"
"Oro?' Kenshin asked in confusion.
"Well, you see," Kaoru explained gesturing to the dojo which stood behind her, "My school has lost some students, of late, and I'm desperate for some income."
Kenshin began to rub the back of his head again. He smiled sheepishly, "I'm afraid I don't have any money to take lessons, that I don't."
He was beginning to become uncomfortable. If he didn't get out of here quick he'd get entangled in this, he was sure of it. And a wanted man just couldn't afford to become entangled.
"That's too bad," Kaoru said, her voice low and her face crestfallen.
"Perhaps I could do something to help," Kenshin found himself saying.
/Oh, no!/ He questioned himself, /What am I thinking?/
/Please say no. . .please say no. . ./ he begged her silently all the while smiling politely on the outside.
"Well, I," Kaoru hesitated, looking both hopeful and doubting at the same time. "I'd be glad to accept your help, but I don't see what you could do."
Again, Kenshin found himself speaking as if against his own will, "Perhaps I could get another job to help you."
/What am I saying!/ He demanded of himself. /I don't even know her and already I'm making myself responsible for her well-being./
He decided it was the fault of a guilty conscience seeking redemption.
Kaoru blinked in surprise, "I couldn't ask you to do that for me, Shinta," she said in embarrassment.
Kenshin smiled again. "I don't mind, that I don't."
/Yes you do!/ He yelled at himself. /You'll be found, and it will all be because of a self-sentencing act of misplaced righteousness. . ./
Kaoru burst into a smile and her midnight blue eyes lit up and began to waver with happy tears.
"I can't believe you would be so kind. . .oh, thank you!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around him.
Kenshin toppled over onto the ground. "Oro!"
Kaoru blushed and scrambled off of him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. How silly of me." She laughed nervously.
"That's alright, that it is," Kenshin said regaining his composure and his footing. He beamed at her and Kaoru smiled back. And again he asked himself, /What am I doing?/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey this is only the first chp. But I promise there's more . . . sorry so short, Misao-incarnate.
a/n: hey this is my first fic so pls read and review, but be nice . . . thanks. :)
~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 1 "Lost Wanderer"
Kenshin was lost. It wasn't really that surprising. He was in a completely different city (that city being Tokyo). Well, he was always in a different city. Or town, or road. . . But then, how could a wanderer possibly get lost? If you had no direction to go in, then you always knew where you were going, right?
Wrong. This place had him completely turned around.
"I am completely lost, that I am," He murmured to himself absently.
"What's that?" He heard a feminine voice question from somewhere off to his right. It was only then that he realized he'd halted in the middle of the street. He looked to see a young woman with long black hair tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing a training outfit and she held a bokken loosely at her side.
"Oro?" He questioned.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked in a grumpy tone.
"Oro?" He said again.
"Never mind," she said in cheerful irritation. "Are you lost?"
Kenshin looked up and down the street and at the dojo that stood behind the girl. She stood in front of the gate to it as if she were waiting for someone to come by.
Kenshin rubbed the back of his head. "That I am, Miss."
The young woman grinned, and crinkled lines appeared under her blue eyes. She thrust forth her free hand and said, "Kamiya Kaoru, Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin style martial arts school."
Kenshin blinked widely and took her hand. He was surprised to find its warmth covered with calluses. After a moment he released it.
"I couldn't help but notice you carry a sword," Kaoru said. "Err, what are you called?"
Kenshin blinked again and smiled brightly. "I am called 'Shinta'," he found himself saying. He blinked at himself in surprise. Why had he said that? No one knew him by 'Kenshin' after all. There had been no need to prevaricate.
"Shinta. . ." Kaoru seemed to savor the word in her mouth then she grinned. "You wouldn't happen to be willing to learn a new style would you?"
"Oro?' Kenshin asked in confusion.
"Well, you see," Kaoru explained gesturing to the dojo which stood behind her, "My school has lost some students, of late, and I'm desperate for some income."
Kenshin began to rub the back of his head again. He smiled sheepishly, "I'm afraid I don't have any money to take lessons, that I don't."
He was beginning to become uncomfortable. If he didn't get out of here quick he'd get entangled in this, he was sure of it. And a wanted man just couldn't afford to become entangled.
"That's too bad," Kaoru said, her voice low and her face crestfallen.
"Perhaps I could do something to help," Kenshin found himself saying.
/Oh, no!/ He questioned himself, /What am I thinking?/
/Please say no. . .please say no. . ./ he begged her silently all the while smiling politely on the outside.
"Well, I," Kaoru hesitated, looking both hopeful and doubting at the same time. "I'd be glad to accept your help, but I don't see what you could do."
Again, Kenshin found himself speaking as if against his own will, "Perhaps I could get another job to help you."
/What am I saying!/ He demanded of himself. /I don't even know her and already I'm making myself responsible for her well-being./
He decided it was the fault of a guilty conscience seeking redemption.
Kaoru blinked in surprise, "I couldn't ask you to do that for me, Shinta," she said in embarrassment.
Kenshin smiled again. "I don't mind, that I don't."
/Yes you do!/ He yelled at himself. /You'll be found, and it will all be because of a self-sentencing act of misplaced righteousness. . ./
Kaoru burst into a smile and her midnight blue eyes lit up and began to waver with happy tears.
"I can't believe you would be so kind. . .oh, thank you!" She exclaimed and threw her arms around him.
Kenshin toppled over onto the ground. "Oro!"
Kaoru blushed and scrambled off of him.
"Oh, I'm sorry. How silly of me." She laughed nervously.
"That's alright, that it is," Kenshin said regaining his composure and his footing. He beamed at her and Kaoru smiled back. And again he asked himself, /What am I doing?/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey this is only the first chp. But I promise there's more . . . sorry so short, Misao-incarnate.