(Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters.)
Little Kamiya Kaoru wandered through the streets fearlessly. In her little money pouch, she had just enough to buy a gift for her father's birthday. I will get him a doll, she thought, so if I'm ever away, he won't be lonely! She smiled at her own thoughtfulness, and her happiness put a skip in her step. The streets were unusually crowded today, and everyone seemed to tower over her. She used this to her advantage and slipped past dozens of legs, not held up in the traffic everyone else was in.
She finally arrived at toy vender's stall, and she gazed at all the dolls, her eyes sparkling. He'll love this one, she mused as she picked up a little doll that looked so much like her mother. She paused to remember her mother's smiling face. She was dead now, but Kaoru wasn't all that sad. Her father provided lots of company, and roaming the streets everyday had brought her to befriend half the store owners in town.
"Can I have this one?" she asked waving the doll over the counter, seeing as her head couldn't be seen over the top of it. Mister Yoshi smiled.
"Of course, little Kaoru. And for you, I'll give a special discount. Only one silver coin."
Kaoru reached for the money pouch, but suddenly it was gone! She screamed and looked around frantically. A teenage boy, probably about sixteen or so, was running off with it, the money still jingling.
"He stole my money! He stole my money!" she yelled. Her cries were lost in the loud clamor of the Tokyo streets. When Kaoru realized no one would help her, she began to cry. A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, and she came face to face with a young, red headed boy. He was a whole lot older than her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"A boy took my purse," she whimpered, clutching his hand and pointing off in the direction that the thief had escaped.
"Did he, now?" the boy echoed, and he scanned the crowd with sharp, violet eyes that filled Kaoru with wonder. Nevertheless, she knew she needed that purse back. It was all of the savings she'd ever received.
"Please help me get it back!" she pleaded, tugging on his shirt.
Without another word, the boy had disappeared into the crowd. Where'd he go? Kaoru thought to herself. Did he leave me? A few minutes later, half the crowd had circled around two figures. One of them was the kind, red headed boy. He had his fists guarding his face, and a little stream of blood dribbled from his mouth. Kaoru gasped as she watched the fist fight between the thief and her hero.
"Finders keepers, creep!" the thief bellowed, aiming a punch at the red headed boy's abdomen. The blow was easily dodged, however, and before the boy knew it, he was on his back, pleading for mercy.
"Simply give the young lady her coin purse back," the mysterious hero said, "And I'll let you go."
"Fine," the boy rasped, flinging the purse at Kaoru's feet, "Take it. You're almost broke, anyway." He leapt up and disappeared into the crowd. Kaoru once again tugged at the boy's sleeve.
"'Scuse me," she whispered. The boy looked down at her. "Thank you very much, sir." She hugged his leg, for everywhere else was too tall for her to see. He bent down and patted her head. For the first time, she could fully see his face. It was gentle and loving, but at the same time, fierce and lethal. She wasn't scared. In fact, she gave him a little peck on the cheek as thanks. He smiled back, then continued down the road, as if to go on with his shopping.
Kaoru stood for a while, staring at his long red hair, when she suddenly called out, "Wait!"
He turned around patiently.
"What's your name?" she asked, blushing slightly.
"Shinta." He replied. A horse walked between them, and after it had passed, Shinta was lost in the large expanse of people.
****
Many years later, Kenshin was washing the laundry. Kaoru stood in a doorway behind him, thinking. He looked so much like that boy who had saved her when she was little. It bothered her that this was so. Maybe he was the same boy?
"Shinta?" she said quietly.
Kenshin turned around quickly. "Yes?"
(A/N: I'm not too sure when Kenshin stopped being called Shinta. I think it was when Hiko took him in, but I'm not sure. Well, I'm not making his age clear in the story, because I don't want to screw up things too much. Sorry 'bout that. I'm also sorry about the oh-so-corny ending. Well, I guess I'll accept flamers. But please bear with me: I'm at school and I have nothing to do.)
Little Kamiya Kaoru wandered through the streets fearlessly. In her little money pouch, she had just enough to buy a gift for her father's birthday. I will get him a doll, she thought, so if I'm ever away, he won't be lonely! She smiled at her own thoughtfulness, and her happiness put a skip in her step. The streets were unusually crowded today, and everyone seemed to tower over her. She used this to her advantage and slipped past dozens of legs, not held up in the traffic everyone else was in.
She finally arrived at toy vender's stall, and she gazed at all the dolls, her eyes sparkling. He'll love this one, she mused as she picked up a little doll that looked so much like her mother. She paused to remember her mother's smiling face. She was dead now, but Kaoru wasn't all that sad. Her father provided lots of company, and roaming the streets everyday had brought her to befriend half the store owners in town.
"Can I have this one?" she asked waving the doll over the counter, seeing as her head couldn't be seen over the top of it. Mister Yoshi smiled.
"Of course, little Kaoru. And for you, I'll give a special discount. Only one silver coin."
Kaoru reached for the money pouch, but suddenly it was gone! She screamed and looked around frantically. A teenage boy, probably about sixteen or so, was running off with it, the money still jingling.
"He stole my money! He stole my money!" she yelled. Her cries were lost in the loud clamor of the Tokyo streets. When Kaoru realized no one would help her, she began to cry. A gentle hand rested on her shoulder, and she came face to face with a young, red headed boy. He was a whole lot older than her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"A boy took my purse," she whimpered, clutching his hand and pointing off in the direction that the thief had escaped.
"Did he, now?" the boy echoed, and he scanned the crowd with sharp, violet eyes that filled Kaoru with wonder. Nevertheless, she knew she needed that purse back. It was all of the savings she'd ever received.
"Please help me get it back!" she pleaded, tugging on his shirt.
Without another word, the boy had disappeared into the crowd. Where'd he go? Kaoru thought to herself. Did he leave me? A few minutes later, half the crowd had circled around two figures. One of them was the kind, red headed boy. He had his fists guarding his face, and a little stream of blood dribbled from his mouth. Kaoru gasped as she watched the fist fight between the thief and her hero.
"Finders keepers, creep!" the thief bellowed, aiming a punch at the red headed boy's abdomen. The blow was easily dodged, however, and before the boy knew it, he was on his back, pleading for mercy.
"Simply give the young lady her coin purse back," the mysterious hero said, "And I'll let you go."
"Fine," the boy rasped, flinging the purse at Kaoru's feet, "Take it. You're almost broke, anyway." He leapt up and disappeared into the crowd. Kaoru once again tugged at the boy's sleeve.
"'Scuse me," she whispered. The boy looked down at her. "Thank you very much, sir." She hugged his leg, for everywhere else was too tall for her to see. He bent down and patted her head. For the first time, she could fully see his face. It was gentle and loving, but at the same time, fierce and lethal. She wasn't scared. In fact, she gave him a little peck on the cheek as thanks. He smiled back, then continued down the road, as if to go on with his shopping.
Kaoru stood for a while, staring at his long red hair, when she suddenly called out, "Wait!"
He turned around patiently.
"What's your name?" she asked, blushing slightly.
"Shinta." He replied. A horse walked between them, and after it had passed, Shinta was lost in the large expanse of people.
****
Many years later, Kenshin was washing the laundry. Kaoru stood in a doorway behind him, thinking. He looked so much like that boy who had saved her when she was little. It bothered her that this was so. Maybe he was the same boy?
"Shinta?" she said quietly.
Kenshin turned around quickly. "Yes?"
(A/N: I'm not too sure when Kenshin stopped being called Shinta. I think it was when Hiko took him in, but I'm not sure. Well, I'm not making his age clear in the story, because I don't want to screw up things too much. Sorry 'bout that. I'm also sorry about the oh-so-corny ending. Well, I guess I'll accept flamers. But please bear with me: I'm at school and I have nothing to do.)