Rating: PG to T for violence and suggestive statements.

Warnings:

- Some parts are manga-ish, but the characters are mostly based on the live action movies. More mature.

- Some violence scenes although not graphic.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Notes:

- Thank you so much for the reviews, alerts, and faves.

- Good news: This story is a wrap in writing and of course, it will take a while until you can read the ending *wink*

- Here's the awaited chapter.

Beta: Thank you, orchid14, for pointing some important parts.


Chapter 8

Fujiya Dojo was bursting around after the meeting at lunch. Yosuke collected all the students, Kaoru stood slightly behind the master with Hideo next to her. Kaoru got the impression that Yosuke trusted Hideo and he would be the shihondai. She mentally agreed with that. Hideo seemed to be a smart man and his opinions were sharp. Her brief conversations with him showed that Hideo was wise and from the meeting, Kaoru could see he was also a tactical person. Dr. Naruse kneeled quietly in the corner. He would stay with Sakura and Inoe, and that meant it was her duty to protect them, those who couldn't fight.

Some students were swinging their bokken in the training hall, Hideo was there too. Kaoru took her own bokken and walked to the garden. Having chosen a good spot for practice, she took several deep breaths before starting to move with her katas. Her motions were elegant and strong, several students stopped on the corridor to look over the beautiful girl swinging her bokken, wearing gi and hakama. Hideo soon caught a glimpse of Kaoru too and followed the other students to watch the young girl.

Hideo never watched Kaoru performing her dojo style. She mostly only taught his sensei's children the basic of Kendo. And this time, the girl's graceful moves made his heart skip a beat. Hideo couldn't hide the fact he attracted to Kaoru. But, he also not stupid to know the girl's heart already belonged to someone else. And from their talk the previous night, it seemed the man didn't feel the same way, or too foolish to understand his own feelings.

Kaoru continued to move until she finished all the katas. She lowered her bokken and took several deep breaths before sat down to do her post-practice meditation. By the time she opened her eyes, the sound of clapping was heard. Kaoru turned her head to see Sakura and Inoe watching her gleefully. Kaoru smiled a little and promised to herself she would protect the girls, by all means.

x

The daylight slowly turned to afternoon and the sky turned to an orange color before slowly turned dark. Kaoru was in a ready stance with her bokken in a room with Dr. Naruse and Yosuke's children. The Dojo was in such a pregnant silence.

Kaoru could feel the heavy air.

In the front, Yosuke stood with Hideo next to him. The students were scattered around the dojo, some of them were on his farm. He silently prayed Kaoru could keep his children unharmed.

After several moments, the front gate suddenly opened and a dozen men with their swords stepped into the dojo. One man was wearing a Western suit, he didn't carry a weapon, a man around 40 years of age, his eyes glinted in the dark. Next to him was Toshi and his eyes were wandering around the dojo. Hideo narrowed his eyes and gripped his shinai. He had a feeling Toshi was looking for Kaoru.

"Good evening, Fujiya-san. You're still in good condition, it seems," the man, Kobayashi, grinned.

Yosuke snorted. "Your courtesy means nothing, Kobayashi. I've told you several times this is my land. You have no right to take it away from my family."

"Ah," Kobayashi said knowingly and wiggled his index finger. "You are wrong, Fujiya. This land is mine once you are dead."

Yosuke gritted his teeth. "Is that so? There are so many properties in this town. Why would you insist on having mine?"

Kobayashi paced back and forth in slow motion before answering, "Because yours has the best prospect. I will build a medicine factory here and sell it to foreign traders."

"Just like that? You have wounded the students for a mere factory?" This time it was Hideo who spoke.

Kobayashi tilted his head and stared at the young man. "Toshi told me he saw you with a girl at the marketplace. Where is she? Is she your woman?"

Hideo growled and held his stance.

Toshi looked around. "I haven't seen her. Either she already left or she was around in this dojo." He sniffed the air. "I can smell her."

Hideo looked at Toshi in disgust.

"Last chance, Fujiya. Leave or die."

Yosuke laughed lightly and held his stance. The master showed his bokken. "I choose the latter."

Kobayashi grinned again and flicked his fingers.

The men behind him charged forward and the students suddenly appeared from the dojo. Toshi made a move forward to find Hideo stand in front of him.

Toshi smirked. "Well, we do have some unfinished business."

Toshi unsheathed his sword and attacked Hideo, but Hideo was fast. The men were having their duel while Yosuke was dealing with Kobayashi's men. Kobayashi watched the scene in front of him uninterested before walking to the front gate and gave a signal with his hand.

Another dozen of men came and in between the fight, it shocked Yosuke, Hideo, and the students. Toshi saw the gap between Hideo's attack and hit him, sliced his left arm, making Hideo fall to the ground.

Toshi scoffed and charged inside, but another student blocked his way. Even he had to admit Fujiya Dojo had a lot of talented students.

"Hideo, give the sign. Now!" Yosuke shouted from between his fight.

Hideo hissed and tried to stand up leaning on his shinai. He walked to the pillar and hit it several times with his wooden sword.

Kaoru's head snapped when she heard the sound.

"When you heard the sound of pillar being hit, you must run away with Sakura, Inoe and Naruse-sensei."

That was what Hideo had told her before they separated. Kaoru quickly rose from her position. Sakura and Inoe sensed her changed demeanor and gripped Kaoru's hakama.

"Kamiya-san, what happened?" Inoe asked the shihondai.

Kaoru looked down and smiled before staring at Dr. Naruse. "We have to leave right away."

The doctor nodded nervously.

"Sakura, Inoe, stay with me, ne? I'll take you to your aunt's place."

"Now?"

Kaoru tried her best to soothe the girls with her best smile. "Yes. Now, let's go."

With quick steps, they began to walk. The sound of battle could be heard and Inoe already sniffed.

"Stay with me, Inoe. Be strong," Kaoru chided.

"Hai," the little girl said and wiped her wet cheek.

They walked again and one of Kobayashi's men charged them, but Kaoru knocked him down easily. In silence, they walked again, closer to the back gate before another man attack and Kaoru rended him unconscious. When they reached the back gate, a shadow appeared and Kaoru gripped her bokken.

The shadow walked into the light and Kaoru froze.

"Hey there, pretty. I told you we would meet again."

Meanwhile, the battle in the front gate was not going well for Yosuke's side either. Yosuke and his students were already tired, but their opponents seemed increasing in numbers. In an open defense, Yosuke got kick on his stomach and he was thrown at the pillar.

"Sensei!" Hideo shouted.

Yosuke coughed and tried to stand before he saw a gun pointed into his nose.

"Say goodbye…sensei…" Kobayashi pulled the trigger.

"No!"

It was like a slow motion when Yosuke closed his eyes and Kobayashi ready to shot him between the eyes when something hit Kobayashi's hand in a flash. The gun blew, but the bullet hit the ground instead.

"Nani?" Kobayashi said, clutching his injured hand.

When he looked up, he saw a red-haired man in dark gi and dark hakama with a strange-looking sword in his hand. Yosuke opened his eyes fully in astonishment and stunned to see the swordsman as well.

The swordsman didn't say anything, only pointed his sword to Kobayashi's nose. And now, the role was reversed.

Kobayashi was shaking and then, with one swift move, the sword hit him hard on his head. Kobayashi lay on the ground, unconscious.

Yosuke's eyes widened.

Who is this man? I saw him hit Kobayashi, but no blood. What kind of sword is that?

The redhead man turned to look at Yosuke. "Kaoru-dono…where is she?"

Yosuke blinked. Did the man said Kaoru's name?

"Where is she?" He asked again, his voice firm.

Yosuke grunted and again as he tried to stand up. The swordsman helped him and the master leaned heavily on the pillar.

"She was…over there." Yosuke pointed to the dark corridor. "I told her to escape through the back gate. My children are with her."

The mysterious swordsman nodded and as quick as he appeared, he was gone.

Meanwhile at the back gate, Toshi unsheathed his sword and Kaoru held her stance.

"Are you sure we should have our fight here, pretty? There are children here."

"Naruse-sensei, take Sakura and Inoe," Kaoru said without looking at them.

The doctor didn't say anything, only watching both Toshi and Kaoru, then he quickly led the children away. Kaoru didn't have time to see the horror on their faces.

Toshi chuckled. "Good choice."

In one swift move, Toshi charged forward and Kaoru blocked the attack. He attacked again and the girl tried her best to block all of them. In his mind, Toshi admired the girl's skills, and his curiosity peaked. Not many girls could hold a shinai, and this girl held a bokken.

He smirked.

Perhaps, after defeating her, he would take her to his place and ask who she really was. And later, they would have fun. A lot of fun…

The thought triggered Toshi's move to become faster and Kaoru slowly being cornered. After two more strikes, the hilt of Toshi's sword hit Kaoru's stomach and the girl fell to the ground.

Toshi laughed in low voice and approached Kaoru. The girl tried to take her bokken, but Toshi kicked it away. In one quick move, he grabbed Kaoru's face and looked into the girl's eyes.

"I'm giving you another choice, pretty. Either come with me or I will make you regret."

Kaoru steeled her gaze and kicked Toshi on his stomach. As the man crouched low in a growl, Kaoru took the chance to release herself from his grasp. When she tried to grab her bokken, Toshi pulled her foot and Kaoru was knocked down again on the ground.

Toshi turned Kaoru's body to face him with his foot while he stood above her with the tip of his sword on her neck.

Kaoru's eyes widened. Her heart pounded heavily.

"Too bad. We could have been great partners." Toshi raised his sword and Kaoru closed her eyes.

Kenshin…

The sound of sword blades clashed against each other made Kaoru open her eyes. Toshi was still crouching above her, but he stared in disbelief to another direction. Kaoru turned her head and almost gasped when she saw the man next to Toshi.

She would recognize that red hair anywhere.

"Kenshin…" Kaoru murmured. She never thought she would relieve seeing him right now.

Toshi grinned even though Kenshin's sword was in front of his face.

"Move away," Kenshin said in deadly tone.

Toshi chuckled and slowly stepped away from Kaoru. Kenshin's eyes followed his move, never releasing his fighting stance as he was standing as a barrier between Kaoru and the vile man.

Toshi tilted his head. "Are you one of Kobayashi's men? I've never seen you before." He glanced at Kaoru who was still half- laying on the ground. "If you want her, we can share."

Kenshin's eyes flared as he growled, "I don't share what is mine."

Kaoru's eyes turned wide while Toshi did the same and he laughed uncontrollably. He raised his hands as in defeat.

"Okay, okay, I understand."

"On your way out, take your leader with you too." Kenshin said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Toshi grinned and sheathed his sword. He slowly walked away and turned to look again at Kaoru, but the redhead swordsman blocked his view. His eyes gleamed, somewhat dangerously.

"I'll see you again, Red."

Kenshin didn't care to say anything in response, only sheathed his sword when he was sure Toshi was completely gone.

"Kamiya-san…Kamiya-san…"

Sakura and Inoe suddenly appeared from the back gate and hugged Kaoru with all their might. Kaoru laughed breathlessly before returning their hug and Kenshin smiled over the sight.

Sakura was the first to acknowledge Kenshin's presence. "Kamiya-san, is he your friend? His hair looks funny."

"Oro," was all that Kenshin could reply.