A/N: This is a crossover between RuKen and YYH. It is also a bit of AU with Original Characters. So yes, certain characters will be out of character. So no flames please.
Disclaimer: I don't own them. They are the lovely creation of their creators and I'm jealous. I do own the complete dvd collection of both series, if that helps. I do own the lovely Kaiya, her brother Sano and Uncle Kanyuu.
' Thought '
" Speaking "
/ Telepathic thoughts /
Cherry Blossoms
Chapter 1: Meeting an Old Classmate
Kaiya Humura leans her hot forehead against the cool bark of the ancient cherry tree in the garden of her family's dojo. The red-haired violet-eyed girl of 18 shouldn't have to have these worries. She should be thinking of marriage or college instead of trying figure out how she and her brother Sano were going to keep the family dojo.
Their parents had been killed in a car accident six months ago. She's been dealing with the aftermath ever since. The insurance money covered the cost of the funerals, and most of the bills but it was running out. Then there were the break ins, she couldn't figure out why. They were a moderately small dojo in the historical part of town. The only income before her parents died was what the dojo brought in.
Now the money is running out. They were barely making ends meet. Sano tries but he is only 15 and still in school. He needed to stay in school. She didn't need to go to college, the running of the dojo was her life. It had been passed down through the centuries and was now consider a historical landmark. Maybe she should take Uncle Kanyuu up on his offer. No, that wouldn't be right. The dojo had faced much worse and survived but kami, she wished she knew how her ancestors had done it.
Kaiya whispered, "What am I going to do? If my ancestors or worse my father ever saw how much I'm failing, they would disown me." She rested her troubled forehead on the cool bark as silent tears start to run down her cheeks. "It doesn't make sense. There isn't anything left of value to be taken." The only sounds in the starry night was the sounds of crickets and fire flies.
She sighed as she stepped away from the tree to look up at the pink blossoms. It was a family legend that the legendary Kenshin Himura and his wife Kaoru had died under this tree. True or not, she really could use some of their spirit. "Ancestor, grant me some guidance."
How long she stood there looking up, she really couldn't say. A cool spring breeze ran up her spine, recalling her to the present. It was getting late. She had a lunch appointment the next day and her brother to get off to school. Wiping away the tears, she started to go to her rooms when a hand rested on her shoulder causing her to jump and spin around.
"Oro?"
o0o0o0o0o
The next morning, Kaiya awoke in her own bedroom which was the old storage shed ages ago but now converted to a small suite with bedroom, bathroom and sitting area. Rubbing her eyes as the noise from her alarm clock blared, 'What a nightmare,' she thought as she hit the off button, tossing back the covers. 'I dreamt that Grandfather came to me. It had to be a dream. More like a nightmare.'
After a shower, she made her way to the kitchen, knocking on Sano's door as she went by. "Sano! School. Don't be late!" she called, hearing the boy's alarm and a low grumbling behind the closed door.
Breakfast was a quiet affair as both tried to wake up to the day ahead. Kaiya saw her brother off to school with the usual admonishments of behaving, no fighting and to come straight home as there was chores to be done. Sano, who was a slender, well built young man with spiked sable hair and deep blue eyes, made his usual back handed wave as he left.
Kaiya went into the dojo. Taking out the wooden bokken, she started her daily warm up exercise before the first day's classes. The dojo hosts to many forms of martial arts from fist fighting to sword. On the far wall were the many awards and trophies that the dojo had won down the ages, but they were just made of metal, paper or silk. They can't help with her current problems.
She had worked her way up to assistant master just like her oh so famous ancestor -- Kaoru Himura. So she was able to keep the lessons going, now that she had graduated high school. She knew various sword styles and had a black belt in several of the arts. She had been helping her late father teach and train since she was 15. Running through her daily mediation and warm ups, she allowed last night to slip away as she prepared for the day ahead.
At nine, her first students started to appear. Or rather, the regulars. They ranged in ages from mid 50s to 60s, men and women mostly retired from the work force but wanted to keep in shape in their 'golden years.' The group made up about 10, mostly going through Tai Chi.
She closed the dojo around 11, giving her just enough time to shower and changed for her luncheon date.
Thankfully, the diner was easy to get to. It wasn't easy for her to call him and set up this date, if one could call it that. 'The guy practically runs from such requests,' Kaiya sighs as she ordered tea. Thankfully for her, she has never come on to him during high school. She mused quietly over the last years of going to school with one of the hottest guys in town.
Shuichi Minamino was surrounded by girls and boys all through school. She always wondered if that was what drove him to be bi or at least gay. She wasn't sure but she did know that he needed a friend. Someone to laugh with, to fool around with or just hung out with and she really did hate the fan-girl clubs. In fact, she made it her mission during school to tease or prank them whenever she could, especially when Shuichi was around to get a good laugh. She didn't think he would ever catch on that it was she that did it.
'So he didn't always hung out with me. But then, we were on two different educational tracks. But at least, he never found out I had the biggest crush on him.'
Blessed with her ancestor's 'god-speed', Kaiya would use sleigh of hand to cause certain accidents to happen. She was the reason why certain articles of clothing would become missing in gym class only to be found elsewhere or the "We love you Shuichi" signs to have added comments at the bottom like "especially naked" or "with whipped cream and chocolate sauce" or her favorite one that almost got her caught was "better then our boyfriends." The girls were livid at the vandalisms. Shuichi was embarrassed but Kaiya figured if she wrote the truth on the signs maybe they would stop. The teachers weren't amused, but there was nothing they could do. They never caught her. Suspected, maybe but never caught.
Through all of it, she mused, if she could hear him chuckle, she had done her duty and they had became friends, of sorts. Now she really hate to call on that friendship but she really didn't have a choice. She needed this favor.
o0o0o0o0o
Shuichi Minamino entered the diner looking around for Kaiya, wondering what she wanted. She didn't ask for favors. She was the one that helped people out of their problems. The red haired green-eyed young smiled slightly as his gaze rested on her. 'She hasn't changed a bit since high school,' he thought.
/She seems sadder, Red. / came the voice inside him.
Slipping into the seat across from his old classmate, Shuichi noticed not for the first time that the two of them could've been siblings or at least cousins but no, they weren't even related. Whereas the girls flocked to him, the guys didn't to her.
/Well hell, Red. Most guys don't like a girl that could beat them senseless with just a flick of the wrist. / Ignoring the voice, he was used to it, for it belonged to a 800plus year old silver kitsune that shared his body.
"Hello, Kaiya."
Blinking, she smiles slightly, "Hi Shuichi thanks for coming."
"I must say, your call came out of the blue. Surprising me actually."
The waitress came over before Kaiya could say anything. "Shuichi Minamino? Is that you?" squealed the waitress. Ignoring Kaiya, the girl with 'Sondra' on her name tag, continued, "I haven't seen you since high school. Remember me? Sondra? We had a few classes together."
Shuichi pasted one of his famous fake smiles and shrugged, "You know me. Always the over achiever." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaiya's eyes narrow in mischief.
/Oh this'll be good. Kaiya always hated the fan-girls. Wonder what she'll pull this time/ Yoko had always liked Kaiya. She was good for a pick-me-up chuckle, even at Shuichi's expense. They had both knew Kaiya's love for pranks. The most impressive thing was she was never caught and they had made sure of it.
Taking their order, the waitress never noticed that the back of her dress had come undone as she walked away. Shuichi rolled his eyes, "Did you have to, Kaiya?"
/I swear she is part kitsune for the pranks she pulls. Remember the time when she took that fan-girl's gym bag, what's her name's/ He remembered that one. He also covered for her to keep her from getting caught.
She shrugged back, slipping into the family's habit way of speaking that dated back to her ancestor. "I have to keep my hand in, that I do. Besides she didn't even recognized me and I had her in several classes too." Licking her lips, she looked a bit uneasy. "Shuichi, this one need a favor. I really hate to ask, that I do."
Groaning inwardly, he steeled himself for this. What kind of favor? He had heard about her parents and that the dojo was in trouble. It had to be money worries.
"I need you ask your step father where I can find a cheap lawyer. I need legal help and I just don't know where to turn. I know that he owns his own company, maybe. . ."
He started to ask what's wrong when a shriek was heard behind the counter, causing everyone in the diner to turn to a very embarrassed Sondra rushing to the restroom. Shuichi just shook his head, rolling his eyes, but returning to her request, "Why?"
"The books are a mess. Someone is vandalizing the dojo. The money is going out faster then coming in. I'm still trying to sort through my father's stuff. It's getting. . ." she paused, trying not to cry.
"Overwhelming?"
o0o0o0o0o
After lunch, he walked her back to the dojo. She chuckled as he was recalling one of the events from their senior year of high school. They had reached the front of the dojo when her attention was caught.
"Ohh no! Not again!" She rushed to the front porch to see the sliding door had been ripped through. She stopped to see a crumpled figure lying just inside on the floor. The figure wore a mask and was out cold.
"I'll call the police, you look to see what's damaged." Shuichi stopped her from going inside.
"Here, use my cell." He thrusted it into her hand as he moved silently past the assailant. "I wonder. . ."
'Feel that Yoko?'
/Yes Red. Spirit energy and recent too. /
o0o0o0o0o
A/N: A good place to stop. Comments are good things. Flames are not. Please no flames.