Chapter 1: "Prologue"
A calm and peaceful day at the Kamiya dojo, or for now at least. Kenshin was already up early and was preparing breakfast.
Kaoru came out of the dojo when she smelled the breakfast Kenshin was cooking. She had their child, Kenji in her arms.
"Good morning Kenshin." She said to the red-haired swordsman.
"Good morning, Kaoru-dono." He said, then rubbing trough little Kenji's hair.
Kenshin smiled and looked at his wife, "He's grown quite fast for only a 3 year old." he said. Kenji was still sleeping in the arms of his mother.
The three had a very nice breakfast. And after they had finished their meal, Kenshin went into the city to buy some groceries. Kaoru stayed in the dojo to await Yahiko's return from Kyoto, where he and Tsubame where staying for a week, on holiday.
Kenshin walked in the middle of a street, trough a busy crowd of people.
"I could think of better locations to spend a holiday. Kyoto of all places... But Yahiko will be glad to see our friends at the Akabeko." Kenshin said to himself.
He was finally living his peaceful days he has searched for, for so long. Not only had everything become more peaceful and calm, but Kaoru also granted him with a child. Things have been quiet the past years, since the fight with Enishi.
Sanosuke went to wander Japan and later went to China. So he did not see many of his friends. Only Megumi and Doctor Genzai he saw often.
In the Kamiya dojo, Kaoru was playing with her son Kenji. She was anxiously awaiting Yahiko and Tsubame's return from Kyoto.
She heard the bell rang at the front door. Thinking it was Yahiko she immediately rushed towards the front door. As she opened it she could see it was Yahiko alright. But the young swordsman was bleeding heavily, with many cuts all over his body.
"Yahiko!" She yelled in shock.
He was barely able to stand on his own, being supported by Kenshin's Sakabatou which he had given with Yahiko as a good luck item for a safe journey.
"..Ka…Kaoru.." he muttered, then collapsing into Kaoru's arms.
"Yahiko! Yahiko! Where is Tsubame!" She desperately tried to find out. But Yahiko had already lost consciousness.
A few hours later, Yahiko woke up in a room where he was surrounded by his friends. Megumi, Kenshin, Kaoru and Kenji.
"He was lucky to still be so young, else the wounds would not heal at all. They're quite deep cuts." Megumi said to Kenshin and Kaoru.
Kenshin saw Yahiko open his eyes. The presence of Kenhin in the room made Yahiko at ease, but he still knew something they didn't. Something that made him worry.
"Kenshin.." Yahiko said. His voice still very weak.
"Yahiko, what has happened to you?" Kenshin asked.
Kaoru was glad to see Yahiko speak again, after hours of worrying.
"And where is Tsubame-chan?" Kaoru asked, worryingly.
"Tsubame..-chan? She's still in Kyoto." Yahiko said, disappointed.
"What do you mean? How did you get these wounds?" Kaoru asked him again.
They wanted to ask Yahiko hundreds of questions, but he was still very weak and needed to recuperate.
"Yahiko, listen to me. Tell us what happened in Kyoto, and who did this to you." Kenshin said, calmly.
"Kibagami.. Genjuro." He muttered.
Kenshin knew this name far too well, "Kibagami Genjuro did this to you? But how did you come in contact with such a maniac?" he asked.
"He was targeting me, on our last day in Kyoto he approached me and wanted to fight with me. He knew of you, Kenshin. And that the Sakabatou was yours as well." Yahiko explained, still with a weak voice.
"You fought him? I'm surprised he didn't finish you off. Genjuro is a ruthless man." Kenshin replied.
"He let me go, and said to go get you in Tokyo. He also kept Tsubame hostage until I brought you to Kyoto. He wants to meet up with you, I don't know anything else.." he said, then crying out a scream from the pain.
"Easy.. Try to sleep a little. In the morning you'll be able to stand on your two feet again. Then you can talk about these matters." Megumi commanded.
Kenshin and Kaoru where sitting outside, Kenji was already asleep and Megumi had just left the dojo.
"It seems that Yahiko is finally getting some sleep, that he is." Kenshin said.
Kaoru looked up worriedly at him, "Kenshin.. Who is this Kibagami Genjuro?" she asked him.
"I never thought he would still be alive. I met him in Kyoto once, when I was still Hitokiri Battousai. We had a battle, but we both had to flee since the Shinsen Gumi was coming towards our location. Genjuro was a samurai that never cared for anyone's sake. He just slaughtered innocent people he thought where not worthy to live. I heard that he died in a war, 15 years ago." He explained.
Kenshin had already said to Yahiko that he was surprised Genjuro didn't kill him. He didn't really know any motives for Genjuro attacking him. Also a red-haired swordsman, Genjuro did not have any clear reason to even want to fight Kenshin. As he looked at Kaoru and Kenji, he thought ("No matter what happens, I will try to protect you from any danger you will be in.")
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Note from the Author:
"Did you like the first chapter? It's only a prologue as the title says, but I have a lot of story to write down. The next chapter will be longer and better.
Just shortly want to sort just one thing out. Genjuro Kibagami is not a character from the Rurouni Kenshin series. But from the videogame series, Samurai Showdown (or Samurai Spirits, in Japan). If you want to know what he looks like just look up his name on Google or any other search engine. I think the mix between characters from Samurai Showdown series and the ones from RK is good to build a story on."