Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and the characters thereof are the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki, Shueisha, Shonen Jump, Sony Studios, Media Blasters, ADV and Fuji TV. I derive no profit from this fanfiction.

Betad by sueb262 and skenshingumi. Arigatou gozaimasu to both of you! ^_^x

October, 1859

Hiko's mountain

KLANG! WOOSH! SPLASH!

Those were the three sounds heard most often at Hiko and Kenshin's waterfall, followed by the sputtering and coughing of the young boy as he emerged from the river, water dripping off his crimson hair and clothes, making him look more like a bedraggled puppy than a swordsman in training.

Large, expressive eyes dancing with annoyance and indignation, Kenshin gripped his katana and glared at the source of his ire, his oversized master, Hiko Seijuro XIII.

"Alright, baka deshi! Attack me again with all your speed!" Hiko called to the boy, holding his nihontou at the ready.

'You don't have to tell me twice,' thought Kenshin as he held his katana in front of him, looking for any open point he could attack.

Of course there was none. With an inward sigh, Kenshin charged forward with all the speed and power his delicate frame could muster.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

KLANG! Their blades made contact and slid together just for a second. WOOSH! Hiko's huge, powerful body easily repelled Kenshin's flimsy attack and sent him flying through the air like a ragdoll. SPLASH! Again, Kenshin's body made communication with the river.

Hiko bent down and picked up the sake jug from the rock just behind him and took a swig, waiting for the boy to emerge from the water. Ah, there he was.


After thoroughly debasing the boy and wearing him out, Hiko declared a break in training. Since it was a warm Indian Summer day in October, they would eat their midday dinner near the base of the waterfall. Kenshin retrieved the dishes and chopsticks while Hiko boiled some rice. Soon, the two were eating in companionable silence.

Kenshin didn't look at his master as he ate. He was frustrated that no matter how strongly he attacked, Hiko just batted him away like a mosquito. Was his master that powerful, or was he just that weak? He knew he was only a beginner, but still, shouldn't he have landed a blow by now?

With a sigh, Kenshin turned to look at where they trained. He spent more time in the water than on land. His eyes traveled up the waterfall, up, up, up all the way to the top. The precipice seemed to ascend into infinity. What was it like up there?

"What are you thinking about?" came Hiko's deep voice behind him.

"The waterfall is pretty," said Kenshin dreamily.

"It supplies water for drinking and bathing. I wouldn't have built my cabin here if this waterfall hadn't been here," was his shishou's remark.

"Have you ever been to the top?" asked Kenshin.

"Of the waterfall?" asked Hiko.

The boy nodded.

"Of course not. What need would I have to climb all the way up there? I have everything I need right here," Hiko answered.

"Just to see what it looks like," answered Kenshin in a dreamy tone of voice. "I bet you can see forever up there."

"Get your head out of the clouds and back to earth, baka deshi," reprimanded Hiko, seeing that the boy was getting day-dreamy again. "I don't want you going anywhere near that mountain. As feather-brained as you are, you'd be liable to fall over the cliff if you went up there."

"Shishou! I wouldn't!" protested Kenshin, snapping his gaze sharply back to his master from looking at the waterfall.

"The hell you wouldn't," sneered Hiko. "When I think the time is right and that you can be trusted to keep your mind on your surroundings, I'll take you up there myself. Until then, you stay away from that mountain."

Each word in the last sentence was said with force behind it to pound it into his baka deshi's thick skull. Kenshin lowered his gaze to his zori clad feet and sighed in defeat.

"Yes, Shishou," he said softly.

"Alright," said Hiko, getting back to his feet and sliding his nihontou into his belt. "Let's get back to the water and continue your beatdow... training."

"Oro?" went Kenshin. 'Did he say 'beatdown?''

"Don't just stand there gaping, baka deshi. We're burning daylight," said Hiko, already heading to the base of the waterfall.

With yet another sigh, Kenshin stood up, slid his katana into his belt and followed his master for the rest of his beatdown... workout.


July, 1861

Aki, Hiko's mountain

WOOSH! WOOSH! WOOSH! A silver blade glinted in the sunlight, flashing downward with a velocity more wicked than was the custom with it. Eyes glaring with banked annoyance and a normally sweet featured face set in a stony scowl, 12-year-old Kenshin was a decidedly unhappy young man this morning.

His eyes kept looking away from the sword he held before him and up at the high precipice from which the waterfall near Hiko's and his cabin fell. Kenshin had always found the waterfall beautiful and practically since he had come to live here, had wanted to climb the mountain and see the top of it.

So naturally, his shishou had expressly forbidden him to do so the first time he had seen the boy's eyes intently staring up that tall cliff. Hiko had said that when he thought his baka deshi could be trusted not to tumble over the edge, he would take Kenshin up there himself one day. Well, that had been almost two years ago! Kenshin was certain that at age 12, he was mature enough to handle being at the top of that cliff without risk. When he had voiced his thoughts this morning, Hiko had thought otherwise and let his baka deshi know this in no uncertain terms.

Kenshin had made the mistake of arguing that if he was old enough to wield a deadly katana, he was old enough to go to the top of the cliff. This had earned him extra kata to work off for his insolence.

Kenshin perceived Hiko's prohibition as a huge injustice. He would be 13 on the next new year after all, two years from his genpuku! Would his master make him wait that long to be able to climb the mountain?

"Oi, Kenshin!"

"Oro?"

Kenshin had been so caught up in resenting his master's prohibition that he hadn't noticed the large man approaching.

"Keh! You were daydreaming! If I had been an enemy, you would be dead. You want to know why I don't let you go up that mountain? It's shit like this that makes me doubt you," chided Hiko.

Kenshin glared, the scowl on his face deepening.

"Your face will freeze if you keep it that way too long," teased Hiko, causing the boy to face fault. "Anyway, I'm heading into the village for a few hours. You stay here and work on your kata."

"Yes, Shishou," said Kenshin, now sulking at his glare not being taken seriously.

"And don't even think of climbing that mountain while I'm gone," commanded Hiko, jabbing his finger at Kenshin and leveling such a glare at the boy that Kenshin winced.

Kenshin now wanted to argue that if he was old enough to be left at home alone for the majority of the day, he was definitely old enough to climb the mountain, but didn't dare after that intimidating glare.

"Alright, Shishou. Have a good time," he said quietly, averting his gaze.

"Uh-huh. Just remember what I said," said Hiko.

"Yes, Shishou," Kenshin said softly, bowing to show his submission.

Hiko snorted, then whirled around and stalked off, white cape with red trim billowing out magnificently behind him.

Kenshin continued to work his Mitsurugi kata for a good quarter of an hour after Hiko left. He performed all the attacks he had learned, dancing his deadly, graceful ballet in the air. He knew by instinct and feel that all his movements had been perfectly executed. Despite his master's misgivings, Kenshin knew he was competent and mature.

When his kata ended, Kenshin sheathed his katana in his belt. He was about to go inside when an idea seized him. Stopping in his tracks, he turned around and looked up at that forbidden precipice. Again, the thought occurred to him; if he could be trusted to wield a sharp sword and stay home by himself, surely he could be trusted to go where he pleased without silly restrictions.

'That old hypocrite treats me like an adult when it's convenient for him and like a child when it's not,' he thought petulantly, eyes flashing with annoyance.

With a firm nod, Kenshin headed toward the path that led up the precipice. For the first time since he had become Hiko's apprentice, Kenshin set out to deliberately disobey a rule set down by his master.