AN: I can gleefully announce that this week I turn Kenshin's age at the beginning of the manga. Gotta find some joy in getting older, right? ;)

Finally updated the summary to this story—I hated it for the longest kind of time but could not figure out something better. Now, I like it much more.

Sortiarius

Chapter 10: Emotional Attachment

XX

Kaoru considered the boy before her. Many things hit her senses at once, all of them belonging to him. Who, what, and why he was came to mind, assaulting her on so many visceral and conscious levels that it left her dazed.

He watched her, then his eyes moved around her, as if watching some insect fly around. "Huh, wow. The world really reacts to you, doesn't it?"

His words rolled across her senses, carrying a sensation of harmony, natural and wild. It brought some of her mind to focus, and she shook her head quickly to ward off the feelings. "Um," She started, taking a steadying breath. "Yes, yes it does."

He was beside her in an instant, crouching on the wall she was leaning against, peering at her curiously. He smelled of rich earth, and she found herself leaning back ever so slightly at his invasion of personal space. Now focusing on controlling her reception of everything, she began to sort through everything she suddenly knew about him, and her brows lifted.

"What does it tell you?" The boy asked suddenly, looking around. The question startled Kaoru, because out of all the Aspects she had met, none seemed to be so attuned to the world as he was. How could a child be so aware of the magic around him? In fact, she had not really seen an Aspect who was a child. Tsubame was the only child she had seen with any magic, and it was nowhere near the level of an Aspect. So how did a boy get...? Her breath caught as she recalled Tomoe's words. "When the mantle is removed forcefully, such as death, it latches onto the closest compatible entity."

Closest... compatible...entity. Her eyes widened. This kid had unwittingly been thrown into a position like this? She could not even begin to imagine all the problems that resulted, or was she prematurely judging him for his age? Was that really something she should do? She thought back to what she knew. Every Season was out of balance. Was Autumn's shortcoming his youth? A thousand questions she wanted to ask, however it was not yet the right moment.

"Well," Kaoru started, turning her gaze back over the countryside. "It tells me that you are a very important person."

"I knew that," Autumn said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She tells me that."

"Who is she?" She tried make it sound casual, but she could not help interest in her voice.

He tilted his head at her, brow furrowing. "I don't know her name. I mean, I know it. But I don't know how to say it. She told me to come here. To come and find the lady who listens."

Her lips parted in surprise This boy... was he saying...? Carefully, she offered, "I'm the lady who listens. My name is Kaoru. What's yours?"

"Yahiko." He paused, considering her words. "So you're really her? You've got so much Spring on you. I wasn't sure."

For whatever reason, Kaoru could feel her face heat up as she sputtered. "I... what?"

He made an annoyed noise. "Spring's magic, stupid. Can't you feel it? It's suffocating."

Now brought to her attention, Kaoru realized just exactly what he was talking about, and it only added to her flustered state and her mortification. Kenshin's magic clung to her, and she was so used to it she had not even realized. It wrapped around her like gauze, a buffer from the world around her. A shield from the world around her. Her jaw dropped. "That idiot's been shielding me this whole time?!" Exasperation and frustration swelled in her. Here she thought it had been getting easier to filter through the world's magic the whole time! Instead, he had been shielding it from her!

Oh, she was going to kill him.

Yahiko, however, was not listening to her tirade. He seemed to be tilting his head upward and to nowhere in particular. After a moment, he looked at her. "She says that's why it took so long for us to find you. He's been hiding you."

Kaoru was several sentences into a mental lecture she was preparing for a certain Dragon when Yahiko's words put her thought process to a screeching halt. She looked over at him, staring hard. "Right now? She said that?"

"Geesh, are you slow? That's what I said!"

Her eyes widened in realization. His Essence. He could hear his Essence. A voice whispered across her senses, gentle, assuring, and confirming what she suspected. My vassal hears me, Listener. He hears me just as you hear us all. He is as the world should be.

She could not help the wide grin that spread across her face, hope blossoming in her chest. Things suddenly did not look so grim.

XX

It was fascinating to see what one could accomplish when driven. Aoshi watched with scrutiny at the young woman before him. In such a short time she had gone from not even aware of the world around her to being able to manipulate it well past the point of a journeyman. Her magical reserves had quadrupled in such a short time, that now they could practice for nearly half an hour before she was exhausted. It took most months, if not years to accomplish such a feat.

He did not doubt talent had some measure to play in her success, but he would be a fool to ignore the passion she had to keep her friend safe.

So caught up in his musings did he miss her disappear in front of him.

She was becoming exceptionally good at veils. Good enough that she was on the level of some of the lower ranking Oniwaban. It was a prerequisite for the organization to be able to successfully mask themselves no matter where they were. Sure, he expected her to pick up on some of it, as his style would certainly influence her, but this was unexpected, and honestly... pleasing.

His lips quirked upward briefly before he twisted as her hand shot out of thin air. He caught her wrist, twisting and pulling her weight over his form. She rolled across him, and already in the middle of his counter was she trying to counter. He felt her magic gather, and he released her as she brought her free hand up. His eyes widened as the water around them on the ground shot up and around him like a lasso. She landed on the ground and twisted, bringing herself up into a crouch, both arms drawn up and hands open. A wide grin was on her face as the water spun around them, waiting for her command.

Forget veils, the girl was exceptional at surprises. He had not taught her this.

"Lord Aoshi!" It was her new nickname for him, a sort of joke from her after hearing Hannya call him that. She had gotten a big kick out of it, and now addressed him as such whenever they were not in the city. Green eyes narrowed in smug satisfaction. "Like my new move?"

Aoshi straightened up from his own stance, glancing around to observe the magic at work. "Can you do anything with it?"

Her response was to thrust a hand toward him, and the water came lashing out at him like a whip. Instead of simply dodging, his hand came up, palm hitting the liquid and sending it exploding into a fine mist that sprayed the courtyard they were in. Misao pouted, drawing up out of her crouch so she could stomp her foot. "I do something cool, and then you gotta show me up..."

He pushed his now-wet bangs out of his face. "That would be the nature of things."

"Bah," Misao said, folding her arms and sticking her chin out stubbornly. "I'll get you yet."

He almost smiled. "I look forward to your efforts."

XX

Kenshin had been sound asleep when he was tossed off of his perch onto the floor. He landed in the most ungraceful heap a trained swordsman and Sortiarius could possibly achieve. He lay there, stunned, staring at the pattern on the rug inches from his face. The last time that had happened... was when his Essence had been very exasperated with him. Which had happened a lot, come to think of it.

He pulled himself upright, tentatively feeling out his surroundings. The nexus of his castle thrummed with power not unlike his own, but there was an edge to it that was something else, too. A hint of exasperation, tempered with tried patience.

Kenshin's expression soured. "It is not like this is all my fault, that it is not..."

The response was a soft shift in the magic spiraling around him, and he grimaced at the sensation, and the insinuation behind it. However, as important and pressing as communicating with his essence was, the sudden realization that Kaoru was not there was more pressing. He scrambled to his feet, looking around and trying to recall her leaving. He remembered her in his arms, and he must have fallen asleep after that. How asleep had he been for her to leave and him not notice?

He blinked, brain derailing again as he realized he had not dreamed the dream. He had no explanation for that, short of it simply was not there. Instead, he had dreamed of a certain young woman who made the world sigh in relief.

And... then he remembered Kaoru was still not there. He whipped his hands up, scattering feelers throughout the castle, searching for her. It took him little time to find her, and he sighed to find she was still near the castle. His magic clung to her like a tether, and he tugged on it to make sure all felt right, and with that knowledge did he relax just a little. Adjusting his clothes, hands smoothing over his haori and fingers testing the knot of his hakama he took off towards the direction of the Listener.

XX

"That castle? I'm not going there! That's Spring's territory!" Yahiko's tone suggested a measurable amount of panic, and Kaoru turned to see him staring at her like she was insane.

She frowned. "He will welcome you just fine. He's not like Summer. Kenshin is very nice and wants to help get things back the way they should be. You can trust him."

The boy stood his ground, giving her a stare that promised he was not moving any time soon. She should have suspected this, she supposed. Their conversation had pretty much confirmed that he had spent the last two hundred years isolated from all other Aspects in his Essence's attempt to keep him safe. Knowing Summer had killed her former Aspect, she had to suspect everyone and all was a threat. It shaped the boy's thoughts on everyone around him, and likely coming to her was the most terrifying thing he had done.

"What does your Essence tell you," She tried, hoping perhaps she could gain some help from the one thing in this kid's life that was a constant. He was quiet, but she could tell he was asking, eyes glazing over into something a little less aware and alert.

"She says to trust you," He said, disgruntled and unsure. She could tell it bothered him on an instinctual level, to walk into another Season's territory, and to trust someone he had met just a few minutes prior. Even with his Essence telling him it would be all right, it still was not quite enough to assure him.

Kaoru extended her hand out, keeping the short distance between them and offering him the chance to accept it without pressure. He stared at the appendage, then glanced back up at her. His shadow shifted, ears laying back against its head. "I don't want to touch you. You're covered in Spring. How do I know he's not influenced you?!"

She internally groaned. Kenshin's overprotecting nature was really starting to wear on her. However, she had to consider the fact she had not stopped it, even when she acknowledged it. Even now, with his magic clinging to her like cellophane, she had not removed it. She knew why, even if she did not want to admit it herself. She liked the sensation; she liked having his magic on her. It did nothing to help the building feelings she had for the Dragon, and she knew it was affecting her judgment, and she feared it was also affecting her performance.

With some measure of reluctance, she pulled herself up straighter, hands coming together—the manner was unimportant, it just gave her additional focus. She could feel the honeyed magic draped over her, a simple lingering sensation that was comfortable and soothing. Bracing herself for what she knew would come afterward, she hissed out the same word Kenshin had used to remove the veil on her friends. His magic slipped off of her like grains of sand, and she felt the world press against her senses a little harder. It pleased her to know he had not been filtering as much as she had assumed.

That aside, there was a strange feeling of emptiness from no longer having it touch her, and she bit her lip—thinking about that would have to come later. All those mixed emotions regarding the Dragon Lord were becoming more and more pressing, and yet everything else was becoming less and less accommodating for those feelings.

Now cleansed of Spring's touch, Kaoru held out her hands, allowing the young Autumn to scrutinize her. He regarded her warily, before taking a tentative step forward. "You really aren't allied with Spring?"

Kaoru smiled in wry amusement. "Not like that. My job is to bring balance. I can't do that siding with one Season, but I promise he is not your enemy." The sad part was, none of them should be.

Satisfied with her answer, the boy fell into stride beside her, allowing her to lead him to the castle.

XX

Kenshin froze in the middle of the hallway, breath catching in his throat. She had removed his magic? It made an ill feeling settle deep in the pit of his stomach, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. It was not someone else's doing, he could tell, but he had no idea why she would remove his shield from her. Tumultuous emotions rumbled through him, flecks of gold coloring his eyes as he stood in the middle of the hallway. He did not know what to think—just that it had happened, and he did not like it.

He could still feel her presence on the grounds, and she was moving closer to the castle. Determined to find out just why she would do such a ridiculous thing—he was trying to protect her—he stalked off in her direction. The castle, sensing the conflict of emotions warring in its Master, did the first thing it could.

It called Tae.

The woman paused in pouring tea for Megumi, tuning out the conversation they had been in the middle of. Megumi stopped and stared at the way her eyes had went out of focus and the pleasant smile slipped off her face. Her eyes cut over to Sanosuke who shrugged, a biscotti hanging out of his mouth. "Magif'stuff," He offered around his food, which caused the other woman to glare at him and his lack of manners.

After a moment, Tae snapped out of whatever daze she was in, and pursed her lips as she gently placed the teapot down. Straightening up, she wiped her hands off on her apron. "I swear, I am this close to strangling Lord Kenshin."

She said it so casually that Megumi had the sneaking suspicion this was not the first time that man had done something to exasperate Tae. "What is it?"

Tae exhaled slowly, using her talents to calm the nexus before she responded. "He is confusing duty with infatuation, and he does not realize it."

Sanosuke and Megumi exchanged a brief glance before the latter inquired, "Infatuation?"

"Yes," Tae said, turning on heel and walking across the room to the exit. "I still have no idea how a creature of emotion cannot even understand his own. The man needs to get laid before he drives the rest of us crazy."

She left the room, and Sanosuke swallowed his mouthful of cookie. "I like her."

Megumi ignored him, stalking off after Tae to find out just what exactly was going on.

XX

"So you'll stop Summer?"

The question held a lot of innocence in it—a lack of understanding for how grave the situation was. Kaoru took it readily, smiling briefly. "I imagine it is going to be a joint effort. He has..." A flash of what she saw on the pavilion made her shudder, and she suddenly felt cold all over. "...grown quite strong."

Yahiko missed the pause in her voice, eyes flickering all over the castle. She could tell being inside it bothered him, for he was a creature of instinct and the wild. Being contained in a place like this probably set him on edge. Never mind that it was Spring's nexus, on top of that.

Gently, she pressed her hand to his shoulder, and he jumped at the contact, but she clamped down. Sure enough, his instincts were battling with logic, and he was struggling to contain his 'fight or flight' desire. Gently, Kaoru tugged from the world around her, wrapping the sensation of safety and sanctuary from the castle—for amidst the magic within that was what it was—and nudged them against the barriers Autumn had up. They gave way easily enough, his defenses meek when she compared them to that of Spring or even Summer, and immediately she felt him relax under her touch.

He remained that way for a good few paces, until the hallway opened up into the library wing Kaoru had seen once before. She thought at first that the books had set the boy on edge, and she had a moment of amusement where she wondered if he knew how to read. The amusement wore off fast when she could feel his magic bristling under her touch, abrasive against her skin. Her eyes lifted up across the library and she saw why the Tiger had stopped in his tracks.

Kenshin stood there, hands fisted at his sides and his stance like that of a man about to enter a confrontation. However, it was not Yahiko that had the Dragon's attention. No, he had not even noticed the other entity in the room.

His eyes were focused on Kaoru, and even across the distance she could see the shining gold in his eyes, promising his magic was not in slumber beneath his skin. Why was he so upset, and at her no less?

Her thoughts were disrupted when Yahiko hissed and moved behind her, drawing his magic up against him in attempt to hide away from Spring. She was starting to realize just how out of balance Autumn was. While he could talk to his Essence on a level that currently outclassed every other Aspect, he knew very little of how to access the magic that was his own, much less manipulate it.

He was also terrified of everyone else.

Gently, Kaoru shifted her weight in an effort to reassure the young Tiger, however the body language only seemed to agitate Kenshin even more. She noted this out of the corner of her eye, but her priority was making sure Yahiko did not do anything that would really put them all in a bad place. For all she knew, he could revert into an instinctual mode and lash out—the thought was very real. And if he did that, who knew what kind of damage he could cause. "Kenshin, stop it. You're scaring him."

Her words jarred the Dragon out of his stare, his jaw working for a moment as he finally took notice of the boy hiding behind her. There was no recognition in Kenshin's gaze, and Kaoru knew it was because he had never seen the new host for Autumn. However, could he not feel him? In fact, she was surprised Aoshi had not investigated. He had mentioned he had magic in place to alert him of anyone with magical talent coming through the shields. A Season coming through the shield should have been a huge deal.

And yet, here she was shielding the boy from Kenshin's imposing aura, with Aoshi nowhere to be found and the Aspect of Spring unaware of just who was standing behind her.

They could not feel him. His power was so subtle, so hidden, that they did not recognize it for what it was. Autumn had done well to teach her Aspect to hide. It was probably the only thing that had kept him alive and out of Shishio's hands.

Kenshin returned his attention to Kaoru, ignoring her words, "Why did you remove my shield?"

She stared at him, before her posture slumped in exasperation. This was what he was upset about? Really? She was the one who should have been angry at him! Lifting her face to the ceiling, Kaoru gave a frustrated groan. "Kenshin? Now is really not the time."

He shook his head, taking a few steps into the library. Around him, the room quivered, knowing the Dragon was ill at ease. An open book on a desk fluttered, pages scrolling by as if stirred by wind. Out of the corners of her eyes, she could see the shadows of the dragon carvings and statues shift in a sinuous movement, reacting to Kenshin. She could feel his magic dripping off of him like a thick oil. It was a miasma threatening to break loose, and she could not believe that one simple act had set him on edge like this. She knew he was a protector, but surely he was not insane about it.

She paused, considering what little she knew about Seasons. Well, maybe he was insane about it.

"Kaoru-dono." Her blood ran cold at the formality and his chastising tone. Now she was the one starting to get mad. "I cannot protect you when you do such foolish things."

Oh, hell no.

Yahiko was backing up, and Kaoru barely noticed, turning to him. "Stay," She ordered, and the force she put in her voice rooted him in place, his eyes wide with fear. She turned her back to him, and the way the world shifted around her, it was like the magical equivalent of rolling one's sleeves up in preparation of a fight.

"Who the hell said I'm yours to protect?" She snapped, face flushing in anger. Kenshin looked as if he had been slapped. "I appreciate the concern, but pretending I'm incapable of looking after myself is insulting and unnecessary. I need your help, not your coddling, Battousai."

The color drained from his face at the name. She felt his presence swell, all sorts of emotions assaulting her. Without his own shield they were heavy against her senses, and she was surprised at the hurt that lingered with the frustration and the need to protect.

She wondered if she was being too harsh, knowing that it was his nature to protect things. Already she was feeling bad, and she took a tentative step forward, a hand reaching out. "Kenshin, I'm sorry, I..."

"If that is how it is, then," He interrupted stiffly, and the sudden loss of his presence almost sent her falling onto her face, now that she was bracing against nothing. His magic wove around him so tightly she worried it might suffocate him as he attempted to close himself off from her. He turned to storm out when a palm cracked across his face.

He took a startled step back, reaching to clutch his cheek. Tae drew her hand back, hissing softly as his magic seared against her meager shield. Rubbing her offended appendage, she stepped further into the room. Behind her, Kaoru noticed not just Sanosuke and Megumi, but Aoshi and Misao were all there. And their expressions suggested they had been there for quite some time. Oops.

"Tae-dono..." Kenshin started, but she whipped her good hand up, and his words died on his throat.

"Lady Listener," Tae said, with a voice that was surprisingly forceful for such a passive Aspect. "Please accept this apology on behalf of my Lord, who is too simple and confused to understand what he does."

Kenshin's mouth fell open. Tae whirled on him, shaking a finger as she walked up to him and invaded his personal space. "Lord Kenshin, I am and will always be loyal to you. However," She took a deep breath, leveled her eyes with his, and said in a very quiet, terse voice, "You are driving everyone crazy."

He blinked, gold fading into violet. "I... what?"

Gently, she took his face in her hands, palms cupping his cheeks. This time his magic did not harm her, now far less volatile. "You are passionate and protective. These are qualities of Spring. However, your lack of reservation in regards to the young Lady is making you act most unbecomingly."

"I don't..." Kenshin started, but she pressed her hands against his cheeks, distorting his face. He went cross-eyed, which only added to how ridiculous he looked.

"Master Kenshin," Tae said slowly, as if speaking to a child. "You need to realize your emotions before you allow them to drive you."

He stared at her. She stared back. Everyone was staring at them. His eyes flickered over Tae's shoulder to Kaoru, who stood there, her hand still somewhat outstretched in his direction. He hated that he had not been able to protect her from Shishio. He hated that she had dropped his magic from her self. He hated that she had called him Battousai. He hated that she did not understand just how much …

...She meant to him.

He swallowed, skin paling at being presented with what he had not realized himself. Tae took a step back, letting go of him, and there was smug satisfaction written across her features. The castle calmed as the rush of emotion within its master abated, leaving behind a simmering swirl of confusion and complicated feelings deep within him. Tae turned to Kaoru, lips parted to tell her to take him somewhere quiet to talk, when her eyes fell on the young man who was backed against a corner behind Kaoru. "And now you're terrifying the guests!" She said with a shrill in her voice, as if it were the most uncouth thing one could manage. And perhaps to Home, it was.

She walked across the library, each step bringing about a hint of a welcoming home—soothing the frayed edges of the young man whose eyes flitted across the room in apprehension. "My humblest of apologies. Welcome to the Home of Spring, young man. May I ask your name?"

He said nothing, crouching down low like an animal not wanting to be seen. Kaoru held out a hand as Tae approached, stopping her in her footsteps. "Let me. I am the only one he is going to trust at the moment, even with your abilities," She said softly, earning her a confused look from the woman in front of her.

Kaoru turned to Yahiko, took in a deep breath and then pushed her hands apart as if pulling open a heavy curtain. The thick magic of Spring parted around the boy, releasing all the foreign sensations and feelings that had been pressing against him. He slumped like a heavy weight was lifted off of his form, and Kaoru stepped in, dropping down in front of him. It took effort to shield him from the Dragon's magic and the castle, which reflected that as well, but she was proud of herself for having done it. Kenshin did not stir behind her, likely still too caught up in his own thoughts to take the action for anything more than what it was. She regarded the boy in front of her, and then was struck with an idea of what she needed to do.

Yahiko stilled when she felt his grasp at his magic, pulling away thin threads wrapped around her fingers. She smiled, admiring her fingers and the way the soft magic danced along her skin in untried innocence. No one had recognized him for his magic did not know how to truly present itself. She could see it only for who she was. These others needed a demonstration, and he needed the reassurance. Twisting her hand around palm up, the magic hovered there like a swirl of fall colors, cooling her fingers with a hint of frost.

She tossed the magic into the air, and without Kenshin's overwhelming presence to smother it, it pushed to all corners of the vacuum she created, and with her help spilled over the rest of the room in a fine mist. Tae, Aoshi and Kenshin all froze, recognizing the old, yet young magic presented before them, and Misao sneezed.

Dispersing Yahiko's magic seemed to have the desired effect. No longer surrounded by something so strange his muscles relaxed, and he no longer looked like an animal getting ready to bolt. He could hear Kaoru's voice just on the edges of his mind, and it sounded somewhat like the voice of his Essence, calming him. "I'm here to help."

Without turning back to look at everyone else, she announced, "This is Yahiko, the Aspect of Autumn."

One more to find.

XX

AN: I adore Tae as a meddler. I love stories where she plays that sort of role, and have looked forward to writing one. Also, Winter will be revealed soon, for those awaiting that.

So... I hate to ask, but I just want to make sure people are still enjoying this story. This one is seemingly the least popular of my on-going works, at least by review count. The style is somewhat verbose and I fear that may have turned people away, along with the slow start. I'd just hate to be funneling effort into something no one is enjoying reading, when there are other pieces I know people are eagerly waiting for.

For those of you who have been following and reviewing, thank you. An extra thanks for those anonymous/unsigned reviews, too, as I cannot directly reply to you and wish to tell you how awesome you guys are.

-Rain