Disclaimer: Same ol' same ol'. Rurouni Kenshin's not mine.
A.N. This chapter is actually be rated R for language, I guess. Also, I can't really remember what Saitou's official position with the police is so he gets to be the chief in my story.
Reckoning
(In a voice that sounds suspiciously like Yahiko's) Our story so far: Kenshin finally gets it in his head he wants to marry Kaoru, but when they're attacked by robbers before he can make his move, it all goes wrong. Despite Kaoru's strong showing, Kenshin refuses to acknowledge her kenjutsu skills. In a moment of utter stupidity, he calls Kaoru weak and ends up alone with cheeks stinging and nine unconscious robbers to take care of.
Chapter Three: Aftermath
Saitou was not a happy man. It seemed the whole damn city was falling apart and everyone expected him to fix it. Well, yes, maybe he was the head of police in Tokyo, but that didn't make him a god. Everyone seemed to expect him to have all the answers, not to mention the ability to single- handedly arrest every petty thief in the city. He had spent the afternoon talking with some rich American girl. Her jewelry had all been stolen the night before, and her father, a very loud businessman, was putting pressure on the government to find them as soon as possible. The government, in turn, put pressure on Saitou and had stuck him with the red-headed daughter and her interpreter. They had spent five hours going over every possible detail, including the description of the jewelry, where they had been kept, when they had been stolen, and when the girl had worn them in the country. Of course, the girl seemed to think it her right to ask him a question for every one of his and had departed knowing enough to write his biography. She had left Saitou totally disconcerted, caught between annoyance at her nosiness and annoyance at his own inability to deny her even the simplest answer. She made him feel off-kilter and he distinctly did not like being off-kilter.
Adding to his displeasure was the fact that he was still at work, despite it being after ten o'clock. He did not like working late, especially when Tokio had promised to prepare his favorite meal tonight. All he wanted was to go home to his wife so she could banish the lingering thoughts of the American girl from his head. He was still thinking about her, and that only added to his foul mood. The only way this night could get any worse would be if another red head were to show up. Of course, why the Battousai would show up in his office at this time of night when he had his pathetic friends to entertain him was beyond Saitou.
Saitou was just wrapping up the last of his paperwork when he heard the door open and a flash of red hair caught his eye.
"Fuck me." he thought.
"What the hell are you doing here, Battousai?" he growled.
"Same thing I always drop by for, a friendly chat," Kenshin answered sarcastically. "Doing your job for you again, as usual, you prick."
Saitou was annoyed, but also a little intrigued. It usually took some baiting for the Battousai to lose his customary pathetic politeness. Added to that, he swore he could see what looked like a handprint on the Battousai's face. This could be interesting. He could almost feel his mood improving.
Saitou took a long draw on his cigarette. "So you found the Driscoll jewels for me, did you? Bravo."
Kenshin just blinked.
"Well, I suppose that was too much to ask for," he continued. "Let me guess, you took it upon yourself to go beat up some worthless yahoos again."
Kenshin simply stared back.
"Cut the crap, Battousai. If you're not gonna tell me what's going on, get the hell outta my office."
"I was accosted on the road by a band of robbers."
"And I suppose they're all out cold now, are they?" Saitou asked.
"Yes."
"And how do I know you didn't just pick a fight with some helpless group of townspeople?" Saitou sneered as he took another long drag.
"Go to hell." was Kenshin's curt reply.
"Are there any witnesses who can back up your story?"
"Kauro-dono was with me."
"Oh really? And where is the lovely raccoon now?"
"I don't know," Kenshin answered. Saitou could tell that hit a nerve.
"You don't know? You don't know? Fierce ol' Battousai's lost his woman, has he?" Saitou blew a cloud of smoke in Kenshin's direction. "That's priceless, Battousai, simply priceless. Did she leave you after finally seeing what a beast you are? I don't suppose she gave you that lovely handprint on your face. It contrasts so nicely with your scar."
Kenshin's eyes narrowed and began to appear gold. He looked ready to pounce. Saitou smirked inwardly.
"Fuck. Off." Kenshin bit off the words slowly. "Are you going to get your sorry ass out of your chair and arrest the robbers or not?"
"I don't see why I should always have to clean up after your vigilante sprees."
"Because if I'm going to go to the trouble of subduing them and make your streets safer, you might as well put them in jail."
"I never asked you to help me out. That's what my police force is for." Saitou shot back, starting to grow angry.
"Well they're doing a shitty job. The robbers are just on the other side of the bridge. Collect them or not, but if I run into them again, I'm going to your superiors."
"Like hell you will," Saitou responded, but Kenshin had already slammed the door shut behind him.
Why him? Why couldn't he have a nice city? Why did he have to have hitokiris running around his city meting out justice as they saw fit. Why couldn't Battousai just kill one of the damn things once in a while so he could put him in jail? Saitou smashed his cigarette on his desk, then pulled out another one as he called for his assistant. It was going to be at least another hour now that he had to find the robbers and process them, and that was only if they were cooperative. Gods, he'd be lucky if he even went home tonight.
"Fuck you, Battousai," he thought as Hayuata scurried into his office, ready to do as his superior commanded.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kaoru fumed as she walked through the forest. The nerve of Kenshin, calling her weak. Her, weak! She wasn't the one who had been knocked down and disarmed. She wasn't the one who needed to be saved. She had more than held her own against the robbers, yet Kenshin still treated her like she was some untrained female who didn't know a bokken from a broom. Kaoru just didn't understand how Kenshin could live with her for three years, watch her train Yahiko, and even fight along side her, yet still deny her skill at kenjutsu, not to mention her devotion to it. While other girls had been learning how to cook and sew from their mothers, she had been learning the proper forms of swings from her father. She wasn't just some silly girl who had made the Kamiya Kashin Ryu a side hobby; it was her life. Her name was on a plaque at the dojo; she taught guest lessons at countless other dojos in Tokyo. Most of the city realized that kenjutsu was her passion and her talent, so why couldn't Kenshin see it?
Kaoru swung her fist at a tree, trying to relieve some of her frustration, and yelped at the pain that shot through her hand. Kaoru sighed. She should have known better than to try something that stupid. Who did she think she was, Sano?
Thoughts of Sano made her remember Yahiko and the dojo as well. It was getting late, and they would worry about her if she stayed out much longer. When Kenshin realized she wasn't home yet, he would probably insist that they all go out and search for her, as if she were Ayame or Suzume and couldn't find her way back through the woods. That was the last thing she needed from them. One more person treating her like a helpless female and she would snap.
She debated whether or not to head home, finally deciding to set a course for the dojo. She still wasn't ready to face Kenshin, or any of her friends for that matter, but if she went home now, they would be more inclined to leave her alone. Besides, if there was one group of robbers, there could be more. Kaoru had faith in her ability, but she wasn't stupid. Another set of nine would most likely overpower her, and that would just convince Kenshin that he was right. Deciding there was more power in wisdom than heedlessness, Kaoru made her way back to the road that led to her house.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kenshin walked slowly back to the dojo. The adrenaline rush he'd gotten from talking with Saitou had worn off, and now he felt emotionally and physically drained. He knew that he probably shouldn't have acted towards Saitou the way he did, but after the events of the evening, just being in Saitou's presence grated beyond tolerance. He had briefly considered returning to the road where the robbers lay in case the police chief carried out his threat to leave them there, but Kenshin was just too tired. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and wake up in the morning to discover that it had all been just a nightmare.
He still couldn't believe he had been so stupid as to tell Kaoru that she was weak. In all honesty, he had been surprised how well she had performed. Yet he just couldn't bring himself to believe that she might be as capable as Sano or Yahiko. She was a woman, a woman with kenjutsu skills, but a woman nonetheless. There was no way she could possess the strength they had, she was too small. And as much as he respected her use of a wooden sword, he did not consider it an effective weapon in most situations. Too many times he watched as Kaoru's bokken was sliced in half. Kaoru could insist all she wanted that she was every bit as good as their companions, but Kenshin still preferred to leave her behind at the dojo. He just didn't trust her in a battle. There were simply too many negative circumstances working against her.
As the lights of the dojo appeared through the trees, Kenshin shook his head, realizing he was going to have to explain to Sano and Yahiko why there wasn't going to be a wedding any time soon. For a moment, he thought of passing it up altogether in favor of sleeping out in the woods somewhere, but he knew that would only cause worry. Besides, if Kaoru should do something stupid and not come home tonight, he was the only one who would know that she was alone and possibly even in danger.
As he neared the gate, Kenshin could hear Sano and Yahiko laughing about something. They went silent as soon as they heard the creak of the hinges. Kenshin opened to gate slowly, to be met by two expectant stares coming from the porch.
"Kenshin, you're finally back!" called Sano. "We were beginning to worry that you and Jou-chan were getting into trouble, if you know what I mean," he said, winking.
"Actually, only Sano thought that. My guess was that you did something stupid, like knocked her into the river or forgot her name," Yahiko teased.
"Feh, Kenshin's smooth, aren't you Kenshin? Kenshin?"
At that moment, Sano and Yahiko finally noticed the forlorn look on Kenshin's face, not to mention the absence of a certain significant woman.
"Eh, Kenshin, where's Jou-chan?" asked Sano hesitantly.
"Yeah, and why do you look so, so pathetic?" Yahiko added, yelping when one of Sano's elbows connected with his ribs.
"Way to go, brat," Sano whispered. "Why don't you see if you can make him feel any worse than he obviously does."
Yahiko looked down, abashed.
Kenshin stood, watching but not saying anything. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he finally started speaking.
"Things didn't go as planned, that they didn't." Kenshin began in a low voice. "Before I even had a chance to say anything to Kaoru-dono, we were attacked by robbers."
"Ohmigod, Kenshin, Kaoru's not hurt or...or dead, is she?" Yahiko broke in, panic evident in his voice.
"No, Kaoru-dono is just fine. In fact, she fought better than I did, that she did." Kenshin tried to ignore the incredulous stares his friends were giving him at the moment. "I...I was so distracted with worry that I allowed my opponent to disarm me and push me down. If Kaoru-dono had not knocked him out, well, it would have been bad, that it would."
"So, um, where's Jou-chan then. It's not like her to save the day and then disappear without telling anyone?" asked Sano, attempting a light tone.
"I'm getting to that, that I am. When the battle was over, Kaoru-dono wanted to know why I had trouble with the robber. I told her it was because I was so worried about her, and she became upset, that she did. She asked me to spar with her so she could prove her skills, and I...I accidentally told her I couldn't because she was weak. She slapped me and ran off, that she did." Kenshin hung his head in shame, hair covering eyes full of pain.
All three remained silent for a couple minutes, Kenshin reliving the scene in the forest, Sano and Yahiko trying to digest Kenshin's story.
Finally, Yahiko spoke up. "I don't understand why she wants to spar with you so bad. She knows there's no possible way she could beat you. What's she trying to prove?" he asked in a puzzled voice.
"Weren't you listening to Kenshin's story?" Sano replied. "Jou-chan wants to give him a first-hand look at her skills, not try to beat him."
"Would you have agreed to spar with her if you were in my place?" Kenshin asked Sano.
"Me spar with Jou-chan? No, I'd have done the same thing you did, well, without calling her weak of course." Yahiko snorted like he didn't believe Sano would have acted any more tactfully in the situation and was rewarded with a murderous gaze. "Jou-chan might know some kenjutsu, but she's still a woman. What kind of man fights with a woman, even if it's just sparring? There's no honor in that."
"Hey rooster head, are you saying I have no honor cause I fight with busu?" Yahiko burst out angrily.
"No, that's different. Jou-chan's your teacher so it's okay. Kenshin and I, on the other hand, are masters of our techniques. Beating Jou-chan would hold no challenge so we'd either be taking advantage of her or we'd have to go so easy on her that there wouldn't be any point to us having agreed to spar in the first place."
"So I made the right decision?" the rurouni asked.
Sano got up and patted him on the shoulder. "Definitely. I'd be worried about your logic if you'd agreed. Don't sweat it too much, Kenshin. In a day or two she'll cool down. I'm sure once Jou-chan really thinks about it, she'll realize the error of her ways. Then she'll be as devoted to you as ever, maybe more for preventing such a terrible mistake, and the way will be clear for you to propose."
Kenshin smiled wanly. Then something finally clicked in Kenshin's mind, and he asked suddenly in a worried tone, "So Kaoru-dono isn't home yet?"
"Nope, haven't seen her since you spirited her off," Sano replied.
"I hope she hasn't gotten hurt, that I don't," Kenshin said, looking more worried.
As if on cue, the gate hinges creaked once again, and a rather perturbed looking Kaoru entered the dojo. She didn't acknowledge any of the figures sitting on her porch but instead made a beeline for her room.
"Hey Jou-chan, good to see you," Sano called out cheerfully.
"Hi Sano," she replied in a tense voice as she strode past.
"Good night, busu!" Yahiko shouted at her retreating figure.
"Shut up, brat!" she yelled back.
"Kaoru-dono, wouldn't you like a bath first?" Kenshin called, hoping to make amends in the smallest of ways. Silence greeted him. Trying again, he simply said, "Good night, Kaoru-dono." The only response was the slamming of her shoji. Kenshin looked struck. Quickly, he bowed his head again, using his hair to hide the tears that were threatening to form. He sighed once, then quietly bade his friends good night and made his way to his room.
Sano and Yahiko sat for a moment in silence. Neither were particularly surprised by Kaoru's reaction. After all, she did have quite the temper. Admittedly, they'd never seen it focused on Kenshin so completely before, but she'd get over it, right?
As Yahiko stood up to go to his room, he turned to Sano. "Hey rooster head? Ya know how I said I wasn't gonna hold you to that remark you made about not gambling anymore if Kaoru turned Kenshin down? Well, I've changed my mind."
"What do you mean you've changed your mind? I think Jou-chan's as willing as ever to marry Kenshin, she just doesn't realize it right now."
"Well, you might be right, but you couldn't see her eyes from where you're sitting like I could. I've never seen her so mad before. And you know, she really does pride herself on being strong and self-sufficient. I don't think Kenshin could have said anything to make her more upset. It'll probably blow over like you say, but just in case..." With that, he turned to go.
"Don't be stupid kid, of course it'll blow over," Sano said to Yahiko's back, but his laugh sounded a little nervous even to him.
AN: Okay, I've done a bit of editing on the previous stories. In the course of some brief research, I've discovered that I mixed up shinais and bokkens. To me, it just seems like a shinai should be sleek looking wooden sword while the bokken sounds more unrefined, but hey, it's not my language so my opinion hardly counts. In case you're wondering what the difference is or had them mixed up like me too, http://www.bl.physik.uni- muenchen.de/~k2/budo_english/iaido/node1.html describes the bokken as a piece of wood that looks like a sword and a shinai as a split bamboo stick with a leather cap, both of which Kaoru and Yahiko use. Anyway, I mean for Kaoru to smack annoying people around with the shinai and beat up the robbers with the bokken. I also learned the difference between kenjutsu and kendo, the former technically uses a real sword or bokken while the latter uses a shinai. I've chosen to refer to Kaoru's technique as kenjutsu just cause, although I suppose either term is appropriate. Also, I apologize if my use of Japanese words is inconsistent. I'm trying to use it as little as possible because I'm not very comfortable with it, but I just don't like the sound of Miss Kaoru and baka and busu are just neat sounding words.
Shiomei: Sorry that's Kaoru's still not happy with Kenshin. She'll forgive him when he deserves it. : )
Firefly: Thanks for the heads up. I'm working on the typos in my best attempt to made it all neat and tidy. I generally try to read everything at least twice and do have an editor, but alas we are not perfect as I still have mistakes in my stories and she tells me in her review that this was the best story she's ever written (yes, that was shameless, if no solicited, promotion). I'm also still working on learning what effects this site has on formatting. The first time I uploaded anything, I found it had congealed into one very large paragraph, to my shock and horror. I'm still trying to figure out how to keep my ellipses from turning into one little dot. If you have any advice for avoiding pitfalls, I'd love to hear it.
A.N. This chapter is actually be rated R for language, I guess. Also, I can't really remember what Saitou's official position with the police is so he gets to be the chief in my story.
Reckoning
(In a voice that sounds suspiciously like Yahiko's) Our story so far: Kenshin finally gets it in his head he wants to marry Kaoru, but when they're attacked by robbers before he can make his move, it all goes wrong. Despite Kaoru's strong showing, Kenshin refuses to acknowledge her kenjutsu skills. In a moment of utter stupidity, he calls Kaoru weak and ends up alone with cheeks stinging and nine unconscious robbers to take care of.
Chapter Three: Aftermath
Saitou was not a happy man. It seemed the whole damn city was falling apart and everyone expected him to fix it. Well, yes, maybe he was the head of police in Tokyo, but that didn't make him a god. Everyone seemed to expect him to have all the answers, not to mention the ability to single- handedly arrest every petty thief in the city. He had spent the afternoon talking with some rich American girl. Her jewelry had all been stolen the night before, and her father, a very loud businessman, was putting pressure on the government to find them as soon as possible. The government, in turn, put pressure on Saitou and had stuck him with the red-headed daughter and her interpreter. They had spent five hours going over every possible detail, including the description of the jewelry, where they had been kept, when they had been stolen, and when the girl had worn them in the country. Of course, the girl seemed to think it her right to ask him a question for every one of his and had departed knowing enough to write his biography. She had left Saitou totally disconcerted, caught between annoyance at her nosiness and annoyance at his own inability to deny her even the simplest answer. She made him feel off-kilter and he distinctly did not like being off-kilter.
Adding to his displeasure was the fact that he was still at work, despite it being after ten o'clock. He did not like working late, especially when Tokio had promised to prepare his favorite meal tonight. All he wanted was to go home to his wife so she could banish the lingering thoughts of the American girl from his head. He was still thinking about her, and that only added to his foul mood. The only way this night could get any worse would be if another red head were to show up. Of course, why the Battousai would show up in his office at this time of night when he had his pathetic friends to entertain him was beyond Saitou.
Saitou was just wrapping up the last of his paperwork when he heard the door open and a flash of red hair caught his eye.
"Fuck me." he thought.
"What the hell are you doing here, Battousai?" he growled.
"Same thing I always drop by for, a friendly chat," Kenshin answered sarcastically. "Doing your job for you again, as usual, you prick."
Saitou was annoyed, but also a little intrigued. It usually took some baiting for the Battousai to lose his customary pathetic politeness. Added to that, he swore he could see what looked like a handprint on the Battousai's face. This could be interesting. He could almost feel his mood improving.
Saitou took a long draw on his cigarette. "So you found the Driscoll jewels for me, did you? Bravo."
Kenshin just blinked.
"Well, I suppose that was too much to ask for," he continued. "Let me guess, you took it upon yourself to go beat up some worthless yahoos again."
Kenshin simply stared back.
"Cut the crap, Battousai. If you're not gonna tell me what's going on, get the hell outta my office."
"I was accosted on the road by a band of robbers."
"And I suppose they're all out cold now, are they?" Saitou asked.
"Yes."
"And how do I know you didn't just pick a fight with some helpless group of townspeople?" Saitou sneered as he took another long drag.
"Go to hell." was Kenshin's curt reply.
"Are there any witnesses who can back up your story?"
"Kauro-dono was with me."
"Oh really? And where is the lovely raccoon now?"
"I don't know," Kenshin answered. Saitou could tell that hit a nerve.
"You don't know? You don't know? Fierce ol' Battousai's lost his woman, has he?" Saitou blew a cloud of smoke in Kenshin's direction. "That's priceless, Battousai, simply priceless. Did she leave you after finally seeing what a beast you are? I don't suppose she gave you that lovely handprint on your face. It contrasts so nicely with your scar."
Kenshin's eyes narrowed and began to appear gold. He looked ready to pounce. Saitou smirked inwardly.
"Fuck. Off." Kenshin bit off the words slowly. "Are you going to get your sorry ass out of your chair and arrest the robbers or not?"
"I don't see why I should always have to clean up after your vigilante sprees."
"Because if I'm going to go to the trouble of subduing them and make your streets safer, you might as well put them in jail."
"I never asked you to help me out. That's what my police force is for." Saitou shot back, starting to grow angry.
"Well they're doing a shitty job. The robbers are just on the other side of the bridge. Collect them or not, but if I run into them again, I'm going to your superiors."
"Like hell you will," Saitou responded, but Kenshin had already slammed the door shut behind him.
Why him? Why couldn't he have a nice city? Why did he have to have hitokiris running around his city meting out justice as they saw fit. Why couldn't Battousai just kill one of the damn things once in a while so he could put him in jail? Saitou smashed his cigarette on his desk, then pulled out another one as he called for his assistant. It was going to be at least another hour now that he had to find the robbers and process them, and that was only if they were cooperative. Gods, he'd be lucky if he even went home tonight.
"Fuck you, Battousai," he thought as Hayuata scurried into his office, ready to do as his superior commanded.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kaoru fumed as she walked through the forest. The nerve of Kenshin, calling her weak. Her, weak! She wasn't the one who had been knocked down and disarmed. She wasn't the one who needed to be saved. She had more than held her own against the robbers, yet Kenshin still treated her like she was some untrained female who didn't know a bokken from a broom. Kaoru just didn't understand how Kenshin could live with her for three years, watch her train Yahiko, and even fight along side her, yet still deny her skill at kenjutsu, not to mention her devotion to it. While other girls had been learning how to cook and sew from their mothers, she had been learning the proper forms of swings from her father. She wasn't just some silly girl who had made the Kamiya Kashin Ryu a side hobby; it was her life. Her name was on a plaque at the dojo; she taught guest lessons at countless other dojos in Tokyo. Most of the city realized that kenjutsu was her passion and her talent, so why couldn't Kenshin see it?
Kaoru swung her fist at a tree, trying to relieve some of her frustration, and yelped at the pain that shot through her hand. Kaoru sighed. She should have known better than to try something that stupid. Who did she think she was, Sano?
Thoughts of Sano made her remember Yahiko and the dojo as well. It was getting late, and they would worry about her if she stayed out much longer. When Kenshin realized she wasn't home yet, he would probably insist that they all go out and search for her, as if she were Ayame or Suzume and couldn't find her way back through the woods. That was the last thing she needed from them. One more person treating her like a helpless female and she would snap.
She debated whether or not to head home, finally deciding to set a course for the dojo. She still wasn't ready to face Kenshin, or any of her friends for that matter, but if she went home now, they would be more inclined to leave her alone. Besides, if there was one group of robbers, there could be more. Kaoru had faith in her ability, but she wasn't stupid. Another set of nine would most likely overpower her, and that would just convince Kenshin that he was right. Deciding there was more power in wisdom than heedlessness, Kaoru made her way back to the road that led to her house.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kenshin walked slowly back to the dojo. The adrenaline rush he'd gotten from talking with Saitou had worn off, and now he felt emotionally and physically drained. He knew that he probably shouldn't have acted towards Saitou the way he did, but after the events of the evening, just being in Saitou's presence grated beyond tolerance. He had briefly considered returning to the road where the robbers lay in case the police chief carried out his threat to leave them there, but Kenshin was just too tired. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and wake up in the morning to discover that it had all been just a nightmare.
He still couldn't believe he had been so stupid as to tell Kaoru that she was weak. In all honesty, he had been surprised how well she had performed. Yet he just couldn't bring himself to believe that she might be as capable as Sano or Yahiko. She was a woman, a woman with kenjutsu skills, but a woman nonetheless. There was no way she could possess the strength they had, she was too small. And as much as he respected her use of a wooden sword, he did not consider it an effective weapon in most situations. Too many times he watched as Kaoru's bokken was sliced in half. Kaoru could insist all she wanted that she was every bit as good as their companions, but Kenshin still preferred to leave her behind at the dojo. He just didn't trust her in a battle. There were simply too many negative circumstances working against her.
As the lights of the dojo appeared through the trees, Kenshin shook his head, realizing he was going to have to explain to Sano and Yahiko why there wasn't going to be a wedding any time soon. For a moment, he thought of passing it up altogether in favor of sleeping out in the woods somewhere, but he knew that would only cause worry. Besides, if Kaoru should do something stupid and not come home tonight, he was the only one who would know that she was alone and possibly even in danger.
As he neared the gate, Kenshin could hear Sano and Yahiko laughing about something. They went silent as soon as they heard the creak of the hinges. Kenshin opened to gate slowly, to be met by two expectant stares coming from the porch.
"Kenshin, you're finally back!" called Sano. "We were beginning to worry that you and Jou-chan were getting into trouble, if you know what I mean," he said, winking.
"Actually, only Sano thought that. My guess was that you did something stupid, like knocked her into the river or forgot her name," Yahiko teased.
"Feh, Kenshin's smooth, aren't you Kenshin? Kenshin?"
At that moment, Sano and Yahiko finally noticed the forlorn look on Kenshin's face, not to mention the absence of a certain significant woman.
"Eh, Kenshin, where's Jou-chan?" asked Sano hesitantly.
"Yeah, and why do you look so, so pathetic?" Yahiko added, yelping when one of Sano's elbows connected with his ribs.
"Way to go, brat," Sano whispered. "Why don't you see if you can make him feel any worse than he obviously does."
Yahiko looked down, abashed.
Kenshin stood, watching but not saying anything. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he finally started speaking.
"Things didn't go as planned, that they didn't." Kenshin began in a low voice. "Before I even had a chance to say anything to Kaoru-dono, we were attacked by robbers."
"Ohmigod, Kenshin, Kaoru's not hurt or...or dead, is she?" Yahiko broke in, panic evident in his voice.
"No, Kaoru-dono is just fine. In fact, she fought better than I did, that she did." Kenshin tried to ignore the incredulous stares his friends were giving him at the moment. "I...I was so distracted with worry that I allowed my opponent to disarm me and push me down. If Kaoru-dono had not knocked him out, well, it would have been bad, that it would."
"So, um, where's Jou-chan then. It's not like her to save the day and then disappear without telling anyone?" asked Sano, attempting a light tone.
"I'm getting to that, that I am. When the battle was over, Kaoru-dono wanted to know why I had trouble with the robber. I told her it was because I was so worried about her, and she became upset, that she did. She asked me to spar with her so she could prove her skills, and I...I accidentally told her I couldn't because she was weak. She slapped me and ran off, that she did." Kenshin hung his head in shame, hair covering eyes full of pain.
All three remained silent for a couple minutes, Kenshin reliving the scene in the forest, Sano and Yahiko trying to digest Kenshin's story.
Finally, Yahiko spoke up. "I don't understand why she wants to spar with you so bad. She knows there's no possible way she could beat you. What's she trying to prove?" he asked in a puzzled voice.
"Weren't you listening to Kenshin's story?" Sano replied. "Jou-chan wants to give him a first-hand look at her skills, not try to beat him."
"Would you have agreed to spar with her if you were in my place?" Kenshin asked Sano.
"Me spar with Jou-chan? No, I'd have done the same thing you did, well, without calling her weak of course." Yahiko snorted like he didn't believe Sano would have acted any more tactfully in the situation and was rewarded with a murderous gaze. "Jou-chan might know some kenjutsu, but she's still a woman. What kind of man fights with a woman, even if it's just sparring? There's no honor in that."
"Hey rooster head, are you saying I have no honor cause I fight with busu?" Yahiko burst out angrily.
"No, that's different. Jou-chan's your teacher so it's okay. Kenshin and I, on the other hand, are masters of our techniques. Beating Jou-chan would hold no challenge so we'd either be taking advantage of her or we'd have to go so easy on her that there wouldn't be any point to us having agreed to spar in the first place."
"So I made the right decision?" the rurouni asked.
Sano got up and patted him on the shoulder. "Definitely. I'd be worried about your logic if you'd agreed. Don't sweat it too much, Kenshin. In a day or two she'll cool down. I'm sure once Jou-chan really thinks about it, she'll realize the error of her ways. Then she'll be as devoted to you as ever, maybe more for preventing such a terrible mistake, and the way will be clear for you to propose."
Kenshin smiled wanly. Then something finally clicked in Kenshin's mind, and he asked suddenly in a worried tone, "So Kaoru-dono isn't home yet?"
"Nope, haven't seen her since you spirited her off," Sano replied.
"I hope she hasn't gotten hurt, that I don't," Kenshin said, looking more worried.
As if on cue, the gate hinges creaked once again, and a rather perturbed looking Kaoru entered the dojo. She didn't acknowledge any of the figures sitting on her porch but instead made a beeline for her room.
"Hey Jou-chan, good to see you," Sano called out cheerfully.
"Hi Sano," she replied in a tense voice as she strode past.
"Good night, busu!" Yahiko shouted at her retreating figure.
"Shut up, brat!" she yelled back.
"Kaoru-dono, wouldn't you like a bath first?" Kenshin called, hoping to make amends in the smallest of ways. Silence greeted him. Trying again, he simply said, "Good night, Kaoru-dono." The only response was the slamming of her shoji. Kenshin looked struck. Quickly, he bowed his head again, using his hair to hide the tears that were threatening to form. He sighed once, then quietly bade his friends good night and made his way to his room.
Sano and Yahiko sat for a moment in silence. Neither were particularly surprised by Kaoru's reaction. After all, she did have quite the temper. Admittedly, they'd never seen it focused on Kenshin so completely before, but she'd get over it, right?
As Yahiko stood up to go to his room, he turned to Sano. "Hey rooster head? Ya know how I said I wasn't gonna hold you to that remark you made about not gambling anymore if Kaoru turned Kenshin down? Well, I've changed my mind."
"What do you mean you've changed your mind? I think Jou-chan's as willing as ever to marry Kenshin, she just doesn't realize it right now."
"Well, you might be right, but you couldn't see her eyes from where you're sitting like I could. I've never seen her so mad before. And you know, she really does pride herself on being strong and self-sufficient. I don't think Kenshin could have said anything to make her more upset. It'll probably blow over like you say, but just in case..." With that, he turned to go.
"Don't be stupid kid, of course it'll blow over," Sano said to Yahiko's back, but his laugh sounded a little nervous even to him.
AN: Okay, I've done a bit of editing on the previous stories. In the course of some brief research, I've discovered that I mixed up shinais and bokkens. To me, it just seems like a shinai should be sleek looking wooden sword while the bokken sounds more unrefined, but hey, it's not my language so my opinion hardly counts. In case you're wondering what the difference is or had them mixed up like me too, http://www.bl.physik.uni- muenchen.de/~k2/budo_english/iaido/node1.html describes the bokken as a piece of wood that looks like a sword and a shinai as a split bamboo stick with a leather cap, both of which Kaoru and Yahiko use. Anyway, I mean for Kaoru to smack annoying people around with the shinai and beat up the robbers with the bokken. I also learned the difference between kenjutsu and kendo, the former technically uses a real sword or bokken while the latter uses a shinai. I've chosen to refer to Kaoru's technique as kenjutsu just cause, although I suppose either term is appropriate. Also, I apologize if my use of Japanese words is inconsistent. I'm trying to use it as little as possible because I'm not very comfortable with it, but I just don't like the sound of Miss Kaoru and baka and busu are just neat sounding words.
Shiomei: Sorry that's Kaoru's still not happy with Kenshin. She'll forgive him when he deserves it. : )
Firefly: Thanks for the heads up. I'm working on the typos in my best attempt to made it all neat and tidy. I generally try to read everything at least twice and do have an editor, but alas we are not perfect as I still have mistakes in my stories and she tells me in her review that this was the best story she's ever written (yes, that was shameless, if no solicited, promotion). I'm also still working on learning what effects this site has on formatting. The first time I uploaded anything, I found it had congealed into one very large paragraph, to my shock and horror. I'm still trying to figure out how to keep my ellipses from turning into one little dot. If you have any advice for avoiding pitfalls, I'd love to hear it.