All right, first off, I'd like to say congratulations and thank you to Crystal Renee for giving me Tatsumi's name for that quote from Samurai X! (I asked for it last chapter… Geeze that was a while ago, ne?) So she's getting a big cookie shoved through the screen, and a cameo! So look out for her... she's coming up in this scene!

Anyway, arigatou to:

Laurika: I love WAFF too! It makes me so happy!

ZSilver: Awesomeness! You are braver than I to read the book… my mom read it in French though, she says that's why she doesn't remember much! Lol! Enjoy!

Victoria: I think EVERYONE loves the balcony scene! It's classic! I had such a great time writing it, I'm so glad you liked it!

Crystal: thanx so much for the name! You rock! And no… no one has said "super chew moo" yet… You're too original!

Koishii Sweet: Cute name! Thnx for reading! I love the R+J movies, we watched the 90's one in school and last year we watched parts of that, and the 60's one, and then we had time at the end so we watched West Side Story. I've always preferred the Leo one, I don't know why. I'm not overly fond of Claire Danes or Leo Dicaprio… but whatev.

Act 2, Scene 3

Hiko sighed resignedly, looking up from his meditation to see his baka deshi running towards him, stumbling over the steps leading up to his small dojo and falling face-first into the training room. He smiled apologetically as he picked himself up, but Hiko merely glared at him as dismissed the boys who had been meditating peacefully.

Kenshin's smile grew as he danced around his master's dojo, nothing Hiko-sensei said now could bring him down; he was in ecstasy!

"Good morning Hiko-sensei!" he practically sang. Hiko grimaced, feeling the effects of his saké-drinking the night before… dammit, there was a reason he was only meditating with his students today!

"What do you want?" Hiko growled in response, "you seem way to happy then you have been normally… did Tomoe finally decide to stop stringing you along or something?"

Kenshin blinked, confused, "no sensei, I found someone new!" ignoring Hiko's barely audible, "Kami help us…" Kenshin told his uncomfortable master all about Kaoru; the color of her hair, her sparkling eyes, the way she laughed, how right it felt to hold her hand…

"Enough!" Hiko roared at last, unable to take anymore, "What is this girl, a goddess? At least she's more in your league than Tomoe… feh. Anyway, she's Kamiya's niece, your parents would never have approved. What did you say your new girl's name was?"

Kenshin blushed, "Kaoru... Kamiya Kaoru." Hiko choked on his new cup of saké and turned to glare at his baka deshi again.

"Are you a sucker for heartbreak or something?" Hiko demanded, eyeing his short apprentice, "what is it with you and those Kamiya girls? Forget what I said about your parents not approving of Tomoe… they'll never go for you and this Kaoru-girl!" Hiko took one look at Kenshin's dejected purple eyes and regretted his words. "There, there..." Hiko awkwardly patted Kenshin's shoulder, embarrassed out of his mind at what he was doing.

"Don't you have something to do today?" Hiko finally asked, "anything at all?" Instantly Kenshin brightened up, his unhappy mood banished at the remembrance that he was seeing Kaoru again today.

"Yes, actually!" he beamed, "I'm seeing Kaoru again! I can't be late, I have to go! Bye Hiko-sensei! Thank you!" that said, Kenshin raced off to change before seeing his sweet lady again. In fact, he was so oblivious to everything but the memory of her luminescent eyes that he missed the steps completely and crumpled onto the dirt yard.

Hiko groaned, "watch your step baka deshi!" he snapped, "you'll never get to your Kaoru-girl in one piece if you're forever running around!" Grumbling about baka deshis, Hiko retreated to the dark interior of his dojo to get some more saké.

Kenshin grinned, but nonetheless ran back to the manor to change.

Act 2, Scene 4

Kaoru walked awkwardly beside Megumi, waiting for the shore to come into view. She had bamboozled her nurse into accompanying her, simply because she was nervous that she would screw up and make a fool of herself. If there was one person who could shut Kaoru up before she said too much, it was Megumi. They crossed the street silently and came upon the vast ocean that bordered the island they lived on. Kaoru scanned the beach to see if Kenshin was there, as far as she could tell, she was early. Suddenly she caught her breath as she spied a short person with very distinguishing red hair making his way towards them.

"That's him!" Kaoru hissed, digging her elbow into Megumi's side and nudging her head in Kenshin's direction.

"I know what he looks like, tanuki," Megumi snapped, looking over as the young man in question approached them. "Hello," Megumi greeted him, her voice devoid of anything betraying her true feelings.

Kenshin bowed, first to Kaoru, then Megumi, "hello!" he replied brightly, smiling at Kaoru, who blushed and smiled in return.

Megumi groaned, "first things first. What's your name? Kenshin? Well listen to me Ken-san," Megumi began, ignoring Kenshin's surprised blinks at his new nickname, "I'd like to get something straight. Break this silly tanuki's heart, and I'll brake you face, got it?"

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Megumi!" she moaned, embarrassed out of her mind. But her nurse merely pinched Kaoru's cheek and walked off, warning the young couple that she'd be watching them.

Kenshin looked over at his dango, gently taking her hand. "I think it's sweet that she's so protective of you," he told her, then he straightened and said, "now, if you don't mind, I'd like to introduce you to my friends." His words made Kaoru hesitate, these were the Himura's after all, but the look of reassurance on Kenshin's face reminded her that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, and plus Megumi was going to be right there. She nodded and replied,

"I... I'd like that." Kenshin smiled and pulled her towards the edge of the beach.

"They're good people." Kenshin reassured her, stopping in front of a worn building. Kaoru gulped, nervous in spite of herself. She was standing with the son of her father's mortal enemy, by all rights he was her enemy too, and she was going to meet and mingle with more of them? Half her mind, the sensible, well-bred half, insisted she leave at once. This was no place for a decent Kamiya girl to be, and her company left quite a lot to be desired. But that other side of her mind: the romantic, swoony, thirteen-going-on-fourteen side of her wanted nothing more than to be with this boy, this dangerously forbidden boy, and be happy for once in her life.

Needless to say, she listened to the swoony side. Kenshin, seeing her features change from hesitant nervousness to a calm expectancy, opened the door.

He was faced with raucous greetings that grew louder and sketchier once Kaoru came into view. Kenshin glared at the motley crew and spoke above the noise.

"I'm sorry Kaoru, I meant to show you my gentlemen friends, but I seem to be in the wrong place, that I do. These people are just ruffians, and I don't want you to be around them, that I most certainly do not!" he winked at Kaoru and, placing a hand on the small of her back, turned to lead her out the door. All of a sudden a saké cup exploded from the room, bonging Kenshin in the head.

"Oro?" he squeaked, rubbing the back of his head, "Sano, what was that for?"

Kaoru watched incredulously as a tall boy with messy hair laughed and scolded Kenshin for calling him a ruffian. Kenshin smiled in return and pushed Kaoru forward.

"This is Kaoru," he said, "Kamiya Kaoru." With this announcement, all activity in the room stopped.

"Kamiya?" Aoshi asked, his ice blue eyes questioning.

"Yes," Kenshin's smile grew wider, "Kamiya."

Kaoru blushed as the eyes of every man in the room fell upon her, scrutinizing her as though to see the traits of her family in her and the potential to hate every man in the room. Kenshin, sensing her unease, dismissed all the men from the room, save the three he seemed to trust most.

"Dango," he said, taking her hand, "this is my cousin, Aoshi," a boy with sharp blue eyes nodded politely to her, " and my best friend, Sanosuke." The boy with unruly hair who had hit Kenshin with the saké cup raised his hand in a salute and greeted her with a "yo!" and a wide grin. "And Soujiro, my servant." The last boy, older than Kenshin by a year or two, stood and bowed.

"I'm very pleased to meet you Kamiya-san," her told her in a cheerful voice, a small smile adorning his seemingly happy face.

"So, Jou-chan," Sanosuke began, "where'd you meet our Kenshin? Three guesses say that party last night…" the over-the-top boy winked at Aoshi as her lounged into a large chair.

"yes…" Kaoru replied softly, "I… he… we danced together" she said simply, "I was trying to avoid some weirdo my parents want to set me up with and I ran into him."

"Her parents want her to marry Hoji." Kenshin explained. Apparently it was all the explanation needed, for both Aoshi and Sano exchanged glances before they turned their attention to Kaoru again.

"He's trouble." Aoshi told her seriously, his icy eyes holding hers, "don't marry him if you have the choice… he'd dispose of you in a second if you got in the way of his precious Shishio-sama."

Kaoru shivered involuntarily, "thanks for the warning," she told him sarcastically, "but my choice in marriage, any marriage, is non-existent."

The small group settled, talking and laughing together like they were old friends. Kaoru felt at peace with these people, and she saw that Kenshin's family and friends really weren't all that different from hers. This realization made her happy and sad all at once, seeing as her father would never make peace with the Himura's.

After a while someone knocked at the door and Soujiro stood to admit Megumi. Kaoru laughed as Sano took one look at her beautiful nurse and began flirting shamelessly. Megumi paid him no mind and instead insisted that Kaoru be home to dine with her parents. Kenshin pulled her out of the room to kiss her goodbye, and before Megumi came out to drag Kaoru away again, Kaoru summed up the nerve to speak.

"I had a wonderful time Kenshin, when can I see you again?"

"Tomorrow." Kenshin told her, "do you know where the Hiten-Misurugi dojo is?" Kaoru answered in the affirmative, "meet me there. I'll be missing you every minute between now and then." Kaoru blushed, and Megumi came out to drag her back home.

As they were leaving, however, the irrepressible Sano shouted, "so long Jou-chan! Come back and see us sometime... and bring that fox with you!"

Kaoru and Megumi walked home in silence, inexplicably happy with their lives.

From the cover of the gathering darkness ((duhn duhn DUHN!!)) two girls stealthily crept over to the building Kaoru and Megumi had just left. The first girl reached out to pull open the door to the room that her Aoshi-sama occupied, when a third person yanked on her braid.

"And what do you two think you're doing?" Laura asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Immediately, Misao and Crystal shot up from their crouched positions.

"It was her idea!" Misao instantly said, pointing an accusing finger at Crystal.

"Thanks so much…" Crystal replied, rolling her eyes at her new friend.

"Honestly you two!" Laura shook her head, "Misao, I told you, this isn't an Aoshi/Misao fic... he doesn't even have a pairing here!" ignoring the ninja-girl's sulk, Laura turned on Crystal, "and you can't have Battousai! He isn't even Battousai in this fic! And he has Kaoru… so tough cookies!"

Laura turned and walked off, telling the two love-struck girls spitefully, "If Vash gets Wolfwood, you can't have your bishies either!" not looking to see where her friends were, she vanished into the evening.

"Think she's gone?" Misao whispered to Crystal, eyeing the door.

"Yeah!" Crystal replied gleefully, grabbing Misao's hand and burst into the coveted room, crying, "Here I come Fuzzy-sama…"

The room was empty.

"Oh, expletive deleted he's GONE!!" Misao wailed, "I'll never give up on looking for you, beloved Aoshi-sama!! NEVER!!"