Choices: Past And Present, a rurouni kenshin fanfic

Disclaimer - I don't own Kenshin, and don't have the time for an amusing disclaimer (promise you one later)

Anyways, yet another story that I won't update frequently. In the summary, I mentioned it was both canon and AU, but you'll find out how that can be possible later, alright?

Each chapter will be told from a different POV, which I will write out in the chapter title, so just look at that to see who's POV it is, alright?

Happy reading!

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CHOICES - PAST AND PRESENT

Chapter One - Kaoru - Discoveries

The day started out so innocently, as it always does before your life takes a complete turn. The skies were clear, crisp, and a beautiful periwinkle blue. It wasn't excruciating hot either, for despite the shining sun, there was a pleasant breeze blowing. The sweet smells of fragrant flowers and freshly cut and trimmed grass filled the air. That day had passed by extraordinarily well. I had completed all my homework the night before, so I was perfectly free. I had, for once, cooked some edible pancakes, and they had tasted divine! I was wearing my favorite outfit, a deep sapphire sundress with bright white butterflies floating across the surface, and I was finally going to meet my boyfriend's uncle. Only one event had marred my happiness and the beauty of the day.

My boyfriend, who has the messiest handwriting in the world, had wrote such illegible directions that I had taken a wrong turn or two and had ended up nowhere near his uncle's house. Instead, I had ended up in front of a dead end sign.

"Kenshin, when I find you tomorrow, I'm going to kill you!" I yelled as I looked up at the sky before shredding the sheet of directions and throwing the pieces up into the air in exasperation.

I stared at the dead end sign dejectedly before accepting defeat and realizing that I probably should head back home so that I could call Kenshin's uncle and apologize for not being able to meet him today. Perhaps I could arrange for his uncle to drive me to his house.

And perhaps, in the process, I would find an opportunity to pound Kenshin into a living pulp.

Of course, I figured I should probably wait until I had met Kenshin's uncle. At least that way, I wouldn't lose my only source of directions.

I sighed and stared at the shreds of paper that lay littered around the ground. With a groan, I bent down to gather the shreds of paper, but just as I fell to my hands and knees to gather all the shreds, my eyes caught sight of a white wall in the thicket behind the sign. Curiosity overcame me, and I brushed past the sign and plodded through the thicket, pushing back branches and almost tripping over numerous roots before finally reaching the white wall. My eyes widened in shock and surprise.

Apparently, the white wall was attached to a swordsmanship dojo. Albeit the dojo was dilapidated, was in dire need of a paint job, and looked like it had been uninhabited for centuries, it still intrigued me. Actually, swordsmanship in general interested me, mainly because I was currently learning swordsmanship from my father. Not only is my father passionate about swordsmanship, but I love taking lessons from him!

So of course, I naturally slid open the delicate paper doors of the dojo, gently fingering the paper so as to not rip straight through the thin paper and damage the antique dojo. I carefully stepped inside, my shoes leaving a trail of footsteps in the thick layer of gray-white dust that coated every surface of the dojo (my dress was going to become seriously dirty). My eyes scanned every detail of the dojo in interest, and the internal rooms of the dojo did not escape my watchful eyes. Of course, I made a beeline for each room, opening and shutting each shoji door and peering into the room, searching for interesting belongings. However, the dojo truly seemed abandoned, for there was absolutely nothing in each room.

Darn it…and I was desperately hoping for some antique object…that would've been so interesting…

Slightly deflated, I entered the last room and explored each corner thoroughly, but was sadly disappointed to find nothing in the room. I turned on her foot and promptly slipped in the dust coating the floors. So much for grace. My hands shot out to shield myself from the fall, and as they made contact with the floors, I suddenly heard a hollow sound from beneath one of my palms.

Hollow? Wait a minute, there had to be something underneath my palms!

Elated, my fingers explored the area I had fallen in nimbly, and I was rewarded to find a loose plank in the wooden flooring of the room. My eyes widening in excitement, I pried it away from the floor to reveal a small hidden compartment. My hand plunged into the depths, unconcerned about what insects or critters may have lurked in that dark area. I withdrew my hand from the hole, my fingers clutching a rather worn diary.

Of course, I was thrilled to have found a diary. That was so amazing! But I could have sworn that my fingers had brushed some other object, something much more harder and sharper than this diary. So I reached back in once again and withdrew a pair of swords, smaller than the typical sword, peaking my curiosity immensely. I glanced from the swords to the diary, and with a shrug, replaced the wooden plank before gathering my new finds in my arms, trying to sneak away with these items without looking suspicious. I hadn't exactly meant to trespass, but these ancient treasures were just too good to pass up!

As for Kenshin…well, I didn't meet him, but maybe something good came out of his awful directions. Not only did I find a pair of intriguing swords and a dilapidated dojo, but I also found a very tempting diary.

Of course, despite the owner's wish for privacy, I was going to read it.

Suddenly, I felt a chill in the air and shivered, regretting my choice to wear a sleeveless blue dress. I turned around…

And almost screamed as a pair of sad blue eyes stared at me from across the room. Blue eyes aren't the scariest thing (in fact, I have sapphire blue eyes). But when they aren't on a face, and are just staring at you from a wall, well…you decide!

And actually, I didn't almost scream. I did scream, loud, piercing, and clear.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

I clutched to the objects in my hands for dear life as I tore out of the dojo, shrieking at the top of my lungs. I stopped shrieking after a minute out of consideration for the residents, but I never stopped running until I reached home, confused and scared, and completely out of breath, alarming my father greatly as he tried to determine what was wrong with me.

Yes, I guess that was the day my life changed completely.

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Yes, I know, that isn't the best of starts (leaving you completely hanging), but it'll get better, I swear!

Please review! PLEASE!