This story takes place when Kenshin Himura was only 7 years of age, still in the care of his master, and is fairly well skilled in the Hiten Mitsurugi style but still has much to learn from Hiko. I am a big fan of Rurouni Kenshin like many of you and I have enjoyed reading many of your stories so, please take the time to read this story that I have been dreaming up for quite a while now and now that it's up I would like you to enjoy this story. This is my first FanFic but it is however not my first story, I have been writing fantasy stories that I am already five chapters into! So I hope you like it and I hope you leave good reviews! x Thanks for coming to read!

Midnight Cherry Tree's

Chapter 1: The Never Ending Trail

A boy walks alone, he has a serious look in his eyes but it seems as if he has a happy feeling inside. His long red hair glistens in the wet spring sun, which is kept in a high pony tail. His eyes a mellow blue which matches his fair white skin. He bears no scars or cuts except on his palms where many blisters may be found. He walks slowly with one hand in a fist and his other grasping a short katana that seems to be perfect for his size. His height was short for his young age but the way he looked made him seem as if he could take anyone, any size. His gi, the color of his eyes but a little darker shade. His hakama's, a clean white but they seem fairly worn out fore many parts of them are found to be frayed. Someone suddenly came running up the muddy trail screaming his name and his name was Kenshin.

"Kenshin! Kenshin!"

The person came running grabbing him by the shoulders the small boy then swiftly turned around.

"Kenshin! Where were you! I turned around and you were gone!"

"Master!"

"What?"

"Master please do not yell! I left because I couldn't stand watching you just yack and yack to the women back there, that I couldn't! I mean they are just women, that they are!"

Hiko blushed.

"I am sorry Kenshin, just please do not run off like that again."

Kenshin looked at him and nodded. But he was very surprised by his Master. He had never cared before about him running off. He wondered about his Master and then he put his wonder aside and they continued to walk with out a word or a thought. After many hours of walking they noticed something they were walking in circles. Kenshin rolled his eyes at his Master and looked at him and said in an annoyed voice,

"I thought you knew where you were going Master that I did!"

"Well uhh.. I did but then..."

Kenshin stopped him from saying his last few words.

"Don't worry Master, lets just turn up this part of the trail and see where it takes us, that we should."

Hiko looked down at him in surprise and lifted his eyebrow.

"Since when does my seven year old apprentice make up the rules?"

"Since the one who thinks he knows where he's going gets the seven year old apprentice and himself lost, that he does."

"I was going to tell you…"

Kenshin again cut him off and told him,

"Why don't you treat yourself to some sake Master, while I find a place for us to stay for the night?"

Hiko then watched him run off with great agility and he sat down on a rock and poured himself some sake surprised at himself for listening to his apprentice but he had been wanting to do this for quite sometime so he didn't say anything and soon he was sleeping soundly on the rock.

------

Remiyu had just awoken from her slumber staring over at her book which was clamped shut. Scowling she pulled herself from the dirty ground and propped her back up against the cherry tree. She brushed off a few pink petals that had fallen on to her shoulders and did not notice that many other pink petals were in her hair that clashed against her long black strands.

"Not again!"

She mumbled to herself picking up the book mark that had fallen out of her book.

"It's going to take me forever to find my place again!"

Picking up her book and book mark she dropped them again startled by her mothers cry.

"Remiyu!"

The call sounded angry and worried. Remiyu shuddered at the sound she slowly got up and made her way towards the house when she reached the porch steps to her home she looked at the sliding door and swallowed her nervous feeling. Before she could even lay her hands on the door her mother burst out grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her with fury.

"Remiyu! Where have you been! You have no idea!"

Her mother then just caught a look at the tears that had stained Remiyu's face.

"Oh Remiyu I'm sorry, i was just so worried."

Her mother then embraced the small child.

"I just hate it when you do this. I wake up and your not there, it terrifies me."

"I-I'm sorry mother, the cherry blossoms just looked so beautiful this dark morning."

Remiyu managed to choke these words tears still staining her cheeks. Her mother then wiped away her tears giving her a warm mother's smile. Remiyu managed to smile back. Remiyu had a gentle heart but it was fragile she cried a lot when she was in trouble she hated it but it was true.

"Are you ok now Hun?"

"I-I think so mother. I'm sorry for going off so early and not telling you."

She bowed her head in shame only to be lifted by her mothers soft hands.

"It's alright Remiyu now why don't you dress yourself into something other than your robe, I laid your favorite kimono and obi belt out."

"Yes mother."

She smiled and made her way to her room. She made a face at what her mother called her 'favorite' kimono, she despised this kimono. She had said it was her favorite only because her mother had given it to her. Putting aside her hate towards the pale pink fabric she pulled it on shifting in discomfort. She picked up the obi belt which she loathed greatly, she hated all obi belts but it was how she was to dress. She then took the obi belt and handed it to her mother and scowled with deep hatred as her mother tied it for her. This took her mother about a half hour everyday and this is why she hated obi belts so much. Rejoicing in her mind when her mother was finished she grabbed her book and ran out to the same cherry tree that she had spent about 2 hours sleeping under.

"Now to get back to where i was in my book!"

She exclaimed with great joy then she noticed her book mark out of her book and she scowled.

"Man i forgot."

Plopping down under the tree she began to fumble through her book searching for her place. Remiyu loved education she was eager to learn new things all of the time.

"I found it!"

She gasped and stuck her nose straight into her book reading every sentence carefully. She ignored the birds chirping and the beautiful cherry blossom petals falling around her.

-------

Kenshin ran along the dirt trail his eyes darting in every direction searching for a good camping spot or hopefully someone who would take them in. He hadn't slept in a bed for ages. He then came to a sudden halt. Staring in awe at what stoodbefore him he dropped his short katana. Noticing what he had dropped he bent down and picked it up once more.

"Cherry blossoms.."

He whispered. He hadn't seen these for the longest time he wanted to cry when he saw them. Walking silently he continued walking down the trail scanning the cherry blossoms and their beauty. He then stopped and knelt down picking up one of the many petals that had fallen.

"Innocent.."

He whispered as he caressed the almost silk surface with his thumb. He then got up and noticed a blue bird which was chirping happily. He smiled at the bird. The bird felt his eyes on him and flew away quickly frightened by Kenshin. Kenshin bowed his head in sadness he was but a boy that didn't know much about nature let alone birds. The only thing that he was taught to focus on was,

"A sword.."

He said aloud with out knowing. He gripped on to the sheath of his great weapon and tried to seize the tears that were now forming like overflowing buckets of water. He wasn't supposed to cry, he was supposed to be strong for what had become of him. He wanted to be the greatest but he missed his parents more than ever and the normal life he could have lived. Pulling himself together he came back to reality and began to walk again. When a small voice was heard.

"Who are you?"

He looked up speechless. A girl that looked like the innocent cherry blossom petal. Dressed in a soft pale pink kimono with an obi belt fastened tightly around her waist and holding a book, her thumb was placed in-between the pages. Her hair looked so natural and loose like she didn't care. He watched her long black strands flow in the wind with cherry blossom petals caught in them.

"Do you know how to speak?"

The little voice asked and he then broke out of his gaze and nodded trying to look somewhat brave.

"My name is Himura Kenshin, I seek to learn the teachings of the style Hiten Mitsurugi which is bound in my masters sword, that i am"

She laughed at his brave introduction. He scowled.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Oh nothing."

She giggled.

"My name is Remiyu Kariduo, I am but a 6 year old girl who loves to play and meet new people!"

She smiled. He smiled back slightly and then took on a more serious look.

"My Master Hiko has sent me to find a place to stay the night. We have been wandering for several days now and wish to rest, that we have."

She smirked.

"I see you are serious about this Kenshin. I will go ask my mother if it's alright under one condition."

"And what could that be?"

"You have to spend 4 hours of your time here playing with me!"

Play? That was a foreign word to him and seemed like a forbidden word to Hiko, but he nodded.

"Alright then Remiyu i will"

"And you have to stop being so serious! I mean what are you 7 or 8! Your too young to be acting like those old farts!"

"Are you referring to people like my Master Kariduo?"

She smiled innocently.

"Oh no...no.. not at all.."

She said sarcastically and smirked as he shot her a death glare.

"So if i promise will you go and ask your mom?"

"Of course i will 'great Kenshin who holds such a scary weapon in his hands'."

She rolled her eyes and got up and began to make her way towards her house for the second time today mumbling to herself.

----------

Hiko awoke his head pounding. He moaned in agony and rubbed his side which the rock had dug into.

"Stupid boy."

He mumbled to himself.

"Thinking that he can order me around like that. That boy should learn his place."

"I thought I had already been taught my place Master that I did"

Startled Hiko jumped and looked over to see his apprentice.

"Well I taught you your place but it seems as though you have lost it."

"I'm sorry Master Hiko I promise I will not fail to learn my place the next time, that I wont."

"I hope so Kenshin. So, found anywhere to stay the night? Somewhere warm?"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure the young girl's mother will say yes."

"They haven't even told you yes and you come running to me already? I'm tired Kenshin and my head hurts like a woman was screaming in my ears thanks to your stupidity."

"You didn't have to Master Hiko it was your choice."

"Do not correct me Kenshin."

"Sorry, but wont you at least come to the place where i found the girl? It's wonderful, cherry blossoms."

"Ah, cherry blossoms what a beautiful sight that must've been for you Kenshin."

Kenshin nodded.

"But won't you come and see it to Master?"

Hiko sighed.

"I suppose I have to since I've been following your orders lately. Lead the way Kenshin."

Kenshin began to run to the cherry blossom field his master following quickly behind him to find the girl and what looked like her mother standing by the nearest cherry blossom tree. Kenshin waved happily at the girl and she waved back smiling.

"Hello again Kenshin!"

Kenshin and Hiko then began walking to the two and stopped and bowed when they had reached them. Remiyu and her mother bowed in return. Hiko introduced himself and Kenshin to the two.

"My name is Seijiro Hiko and this is my apprentice Himura Kenshin. We wish to find rest after a long journey."

"So Remiyu has told me. My name is Namika Kariduo and this is my daughter Remiyu Kariduo."

"And your husband?"

Hiko said.

"Gone. An illness took over his body and there was nothing we could do."

"I'm sorry for your loss"

"It is alright Seijiro-san. But you may stay here for as long as you would like. My daughter and I do not get company often. So it would be fine if you stayed with us."

"Thank you Kariduo-dono we won't be staying long."

"This way."

Namika turned around and led them to their house. Remiyu walked along Kenshin gabbing the whole way Kenshin found her annoying at this time and felt like using some Hiten Mitsurugi on her right then and there but kept his temper bottled up.

"Here we are."

"Finally!"

Kenshin heard himself say. And winced as Hiko smacked him upside the head.

"Learn your manners Kenshin!"

"Sorry Master."

He said, rubbing his head scowling at Remiyu as she giggled wildly. At this particular moment he hated girls, well this one at least he hoped in his mind that all girls weren't like this. He couldn't understand how Hiko almost magnetized to these females! It made no sense to Kenshin but he decided not to worry about it.

And there you have it! I will be updating next sunday or saturday or i may surprise you with it sometime within the week! but it will in fact be up by next Sunday! So REVIEW! x -Rachee-chan