A/N Hi everyone. Yes I updated kinda fast...hehe but that is good for you eh? A few have been asking if this will follow Phantom of the Opera. Yes it will.. both the movie and the book. There will be lots of changes though, to fit the setting, but the idea will be the same. And mine will have a happy ending.
Note: A reviewer pointed out that I had a strange spelling of Saitou (spelling it Satou) I had seen it spelled a few different ways and I went to a Kenshin web site ( which I should have done in the first place) and found the correct spelling. Hehe So now it's all fixed. I hope. .
Again I thank my reviews, I wouldn't be doing this without you.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin or the other characters.
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Chapter 5
All students on the stage and in the garden froze and turned to the sensei. Saitou stood next to his sparing partner and in his hand was half a wooden sword. A quick look told Kaoru that his partner had a normal wooden sword as well.
"This is my favorite white ash Bokuto!" roared Saitou, refusing to believe that he had wielded his sword improperly and thus breaking it. Kaoru couldn't believe it was possible for the sparing partner to break the strong Bokuto sword, yet there it was…cleaved right in half.
"Accidents happen Mr. Hajime." Aoshi said as he stepped up to the pair. Saitou looked murderous.
"'Accidents happen'? Are you trying to say that I was incompetent enough to break my own Bokuto? 'Accidents happen', Pish" Saitou threw down the ruined half of the white ash sword and stalked away. "I won't tolerate being insulted!"
"You better go after him Aoshi-san" Megumi's soft voice caused the young dojo owner to turn and face the slightly older woman.
"Oh? Why is that Miss…?"
"Megumi Takani, trainer of the female students." She bowed to him. " Because he is the most important Sensei in the dojo, if he goes… so does half the students. The dojo would suffer."
Kaoru watched as the new owner thought this over. In fact everyone was watching to see what he would do. Even Saitou had paused to see if Aoshi would ask him back.
"What is it you want Mr. Hajime?" Aoshi finally said. Everyone let go of a collective breath. Saitou smirked and turned back around to face the new owner.
"I want a new White ash Bokuto." He demanded.
Kaoru and her sparing partner exchanged looks. Such swords cost almost as much as a well made katana. Saitou could afford such a sword himself he had many. It was obvious that he was testing out Aoshi.
The new owner lifted an eyebrow at the demand. "It was your own fault the sword broke, you replace it Mr. Hajime." Saitou looked ready to spit rage as he turned and stalked away. A few of the older sensei converged on Aoshi, begging him to make Saitou return. But the owner waved them away.
"But Aoshi-san we have a display in two days and there is no one to take center with Komoro." Said one aged sensei, pointed to the still stunned sparing partner that Saitou left behind. Aoshi paused in thought and all around him held their breath hopefully.
Megumi spoke up, "Aoshi-san, if I may make a suggestion?" She waited for the young man to turn to her before grabbing a startled Kaoru by the arm and bringing her forward. "Kaoru Kamiya could take over for Saitou for the show till he swallows his pride and returns." Kaorus' mouth dropped open but she quickly snapped it shut as Aoshi stepped up and looked her over.
"A woman hold the center spot!" cried the same old man. A glare from Megumi caused the man to swallow the rest of whatever he had to say.
"She's been well trained," Megumi went on. "She has a wonderful teacher and she learns fast. I'm sure she can be ready in two days."
"Miss Megumi?" whispered Kaoru.
"Hush" the lady hissed from the side of her lips. She held the teen out in front of her for Aoshi to scrutinize. Kaoru looked up at the hard yet knowing eyes of her new owner but quickly dropped her gaze, embarrassed at what Megumi had shoved her into.
"Hmm, well lets see what you can do Miss Kamiya." Aoshi walked back to the center of the stage and Komoro took his place. Megumi took the bokken from Kaoru and placed a plan wooden bokuto in her hands.
"You'll need this. Your bamboo bokken is no match for a bokuto." She gave Kaoru a surprisingly comforting pat on the shoulder before stepping away.
Kaoru smiled softly to calm herself as she took her stance and Komoro did the same. No Distractions… scan for weaknesses. She went though her Sword Masters' checklist. She was new to her spar partner. But so was she, so it was a weakness for both of them. But she was a girl and she knew that Komoro had an almost stubborn weakness when fighting girls, he went easy on them. Kaoru could slip through and catch him surprised.
"Battle" Aoshi cried.
Komoro and Kaoru both leapt at each other. Komoro went low and took a swing for the legs. Kaoru happened to go high and went for his head. With one ducking and the other jumping, they both missed each other. Komoro skidded to a stop and Kaoru landed behind him, one hand on the ground to help balance her. They both turned to face each other again. Kaoru was hardly aware of the hoots and shouts from those around them. They jumped at each other again, this time they both jumped high. Kaoru hit Komoro in the shoulder with her sword and at the same time he caught her in the stomach with his.
The pair landed, Kaoru fell to one knee, having the air knocked from her. Komoro kept on his feet but staggered, his sword arm numbed from the blow to his shoulder. His sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the dojo floor.
The group around them burst into cheers and applause. Kaoru just faced off one of the more powerful young sensei and immobilized him in one blow. Kaoru just had the wind knocked out of her. Komoro with his numbed sword arm was almost helpless. Yet had this been a fight with steel. Kaoru knew that she would have had the more serious wound. It was a draw.
"She's center line!" Aoshi declared.
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Kaoru was exhausted but the natural high kept her wide awake and giddy. Outside she could still hear the crowd cheering for her and all her fellow students. She and Misao ran to her own personal room. Now that Saitou left, the room had been cleared and she moved in as replacement. Misao slid the screen door shut and collapsed on the floor next to Kaoru and the two girls burst into giggles.
"Oh Misao, you did wonderful for your first night." Kaoru looked at her sweaty, devilish looking friend, knowing she looked just as bad.
"Forget about me! What about you! You just did your first center display! It was amazing, you and Komoro were perfect. Everything was perfect. I bet Saitou is having a fit!" Misao shouted, unable to contain herself now that the show was over and her first time nerves were gone. "You two were a blur!"
Kaoru's face started hurting from all the smiles. "Komoro and I practiced so much these past 2 days I think I could have done the moves in my sleep." The two giggled again.
"Kaoru, you have to tell me who is teaching you?" Misao inched closer to her friend.
Kaoru smiled softly and set a hand on the younger girls' shoulder. "I've told you, I don't know who he is. I've never seen him." It was strange, Kaoru knew. When the scroll came telling her she had a teacher wanting to be her personal tutor, she didn't care that he was always out of sight, she was just so happy to have a teacher. She was only 13 at that time and was only determined to be the best.
"Sounds mysterious." Misao commented softly to herself. "Man or woman?... young or old?"
"I can't tell" Kaoru shrugged her small shoulders. "The voice is nether that of a man or woman, and age is impossible to tell. But I have a feeling it is a man."
"How?"
"I don't know, I just can. The voice has this arrogant, dominating tone… only a man would sound like that." Kaoru picked up a wash cloth and began rubbing away the white "stage" make-up from her face. Misao followed suit and did the same.
"I don't know... my mother sounds like that sometimes." Misao mumbled as she worked to get the mess off her face. Kaoru burst into laughter. Somehow she didn't think that her tutor was Miss Megumi.
"Kaoru Kamiya?" Came a voice from behind the screen door. "May I come in?"
"That's a man's voice." Misao teased in a whisper as she stood up, taking her wash cloth with her to finish washing. "I'll leave the two of you alone." She winked at Kaoru before heading off to let the person at the door in. Kaoru fought the heat of a blush that threatened to show itself. Who could that be? Misao slid open the door and was pleasantly surprised to find the tall young man Sanosuke standing there. He gave Misao a smile and she bowed her him, mumbling his name in greeting before slipping past and vanishing down the noisy hall of the dojo.
"Sano!" Kaoru said in surprise, gracefully bowing to him in greeting. Sanosuke dropped to his knees and matched her bow.
"You were wonderful tonight Missy" He drawled in that all too familiar lazy voice.
Kaoru stuck out her tongue in a very un-lady like gesture. "You still call me that?"
"You still call me Sano." He teased back. His eyes grew serious and his voice dropped. "It's been a long time Kaoru; I almost didn't recognize you up there tonight. I'm sorry… about your father. I didn't know what happened till they had already sent you away."
Kaoru winced inwardly, pain and sorrow pooled in the pit of her stomach. "Thank you Sano." She said simply, for both the congratulations and condolences. "It's has been a long time." She looked up at the man that was before her, remembering the boy he once was. "Remember when we would run out into the rice fields?"
"Rescuing bugs from the koi ponds." Sanosuke added with a smile and he leaned forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Our childhood was wonderful. I regret that it had to be cut so short for you." He dropped his hand and leaned back, a smile returned to his face. "Hey, let me to take you to dinner tomorrow Missy. It would be an honor."
Kaoru lowered her gaze and smiled softly and a pretty blush touched her cheeks. She was about to answer when she felt an aura tug on hers. A strong ki was near. Suddenly she remembered that her tutor wanted to visit her after her display. "Sanosuke, I'll be glad to go." She said in a rush, climbing to her feet. Startled, Sanosuke scrambled to his feet as well and was suddenly ushered to the door by Kaoru.
"You in a hurry to get rid of me Missy?" The young man turned and looked down at the lady fighter. He slowly lifted a hand and set it on her cheek. "I'll hold you to your promise for dinner tomorrow." He whispered.
Kaoru felt the energy around her flair stronger and she nodded and all but shoved a grinning Sano out the door. She slammed the screen closed; knowing her tutor would lock it somehow when he arrived. He always locked the door. Kaoru didn't know how one locked a screen door but it was impossible to open it once he was in, and other than force yourself through the thin wood and paper, there was no way out. Not that Kaoru was that afraid of they mysterious teacher. She hardly had enough time to sigh in relief when a soft yet strong voice reached her ears.
"That boy is an idiot, dear girl. You did right to get him away from you."
Kaoru snapped open her eyes and scanned the room. But she already knew that she wouldn't see anyone. Her tutors' voice seemed to radiate from all around her. Never in one direction. "H-he is a childhood friend of mine." Her defending of Sano was weak and she down cast her eyes. The voice was always able to disarm her. It made her feel like the child she was when she first started her training with her tutor. The voice flowed around Kaoru like warm water. It was always comforting and demanding at the same time.
"Now, you are just a young child anyways my dear trainee. I don't hold you responsible for his insolence." Came the soft replay. It caressed Kaoru in such a way that she felt eh blush on her cheek burn anew. The last thing she felt she was, was a child. But the voice had called her that from day one. And who knew? Perhaps her tutor was old enough that she could be a child to him. "You were wonderful tonight, as you are every night Kaoru child." The voice purred.
Kaoru shivered visibly and stepped away from the door and to the center of the room. "I only have you to thank for my skill Sword Master." She bowed low to the empty room.
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His hands almost itched to reach out and lift her from that bow. Kenshin clenched in fingers into a fist and turned away to lean back against the stone wall. Kaoru was more than wonderful. She was perfection with a sword. He was perfectly content teaching his little prodigy his skills. He often preened under to glow of her successes. He lived through her. She did everything he had wanted to do at her age but could not.
After catching that new assistant manager… Sagara, in the new room he himself had helped Kaoru earn. Well… that was a slap to the face. His eyes glowed bight amber. He felt almost a bit betrayed, yet he knew not why he would feel such an emotion. Kenshin sighed softly and lowered his head. What he really anted to do was snap that boys' neck. Only the soft voice of the lovely child brought him back to reality.
"Sensei?" She called out when he made no reply to her thanks.
"Forgive me Child." He cleared his throat. "Yes you were wonderful, but you can always do better." How easy he slipped back into his teaching tone. "I'm glad they placed you in center row after that pig Saitou thought himself better than this dojo." In fact he had been thrilled to watch the arrogant fool walk out of the dojo with his nose in the air and his body servants following after.
He heard Kaoru clear her throat softly. "Um, sensei. May I ask you a question?"
"Always Child." She asked many question, and he always allowed her to. He may not answer them all, but he did let her ask. He leaned his head against the wall. Too overcome with his unfamiliar emotions to really care about what she asked.
"Will I ever be able to see you?" She whispered softly.
The question was loud to his ears. It hadn't been the first time she had asked to see him. It didn't seem fair that he laid eyes on her as often as he pleased but she was left in the dark. He had always waved her question away, but tonight, he could not. Tonight, after seeing the beauty of her swordsmanship. The passion in her work. She was so happy. And he had the biggest hand in her happiness. He knew what this emotion was, and he feared it… he feared it with all his being.
He loved her.
He then opened his mouth and gave her the answer he never thought he would hear himself say. His voice was rough and hard, he almost had to grunt the word, but it came out clears as day.
"Hai."
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A/n What a place to leave off huh? reviews welcomed. I know Kenshin is a bit OOC but hes' more phantom/battousai than Kenshin right now. But it will slowly change.