The Chosen Path
Chapter 2
-Thanx for all the reviews! I hope you like chapter two!
Everyone looked up as Serenity came toward them. Sanosuke tried to look cool. Kenshin stared at her in shock as the fragrance of roses encompassed the table. Her ice blue gaze was pinned on him as she swung her hand to her shoulder.
Kenshin didn't even blink as he caught the dagger she had thrown at his face.
"Kenshin..." she whispered, her eyes softening and becoming glossy. "It's really you!" she cried, tackling him down with a huge bear hug. "I can't believe it!"
Kenshin was completely shocked as he impulsively wrapped his arms around her slim frame.
"Usa-chan...you've changed." He smiled softly.
Sanosuke coughed. "Uh...Kenshin, mind introducing us to your friend here?" he growled warningly. Kaoru snapped out of her shock and stuck her nose in the air.
"Yeah Kenshin, who is she?"
Yahiko smiled. "Don't pay attention to her, she's just jealous because she knows she stands no chance." He smirked. Kaoru smacked him upside the head.
"Shut up you baka!" she shouted.
Kenshin smiled, sitting up and causing Serenity to slide into his lap. Kenshin wrapped his arms around her tiny waste as he set his head on her shoulder.
"Minna-chan, this is my best friend." He introduced.
Serenity smiled at them. "Watashe wa Tsukino Usagi desu." She reached up to wrap her arm around Kenshin's neck. "We have much to discuss." She stated gently.
"Hai, I thought you had become part of the military. What happened?" Kenshin asked curiously.
Usagi shrugged. "I got bored after the war and decided to find out what you were up to. I have to admit, took me quite a while to catch up to you." she grinned. "But we'll get to that later. So who are you all? Any friend of Kenshin's is a friend of mine." She looked at the small group with a kind smile.
Yahiko shot out of his seat, thrusting his hand in the air. "I am Yahiko insert last name! My father was a great samurai!" he stated proudly. Kaoru pushed him back down.
"Watashe wa Kamia Kaoru, I'm the assistant master of the Kamia Kashim style of swordsmanship. Yahiko and Kenshin are staying at my dojo." She smiled.
Usagi grinned. "Cool, and who're you, Love?" she smiled flirtatiously at Sanosuke.
"I'm Sanosuke Sagara, fighter for hire, at your service. Of course, I do a lot more than just fight you know." He winked at her with a sly grin. Kenshin laughed nervously.
"Sano, I wouldn't, uh, say that if I were you...hee, hee..." he glanced at Usagi.
She smiled casually.
"Oh Kenshin, things have changed greatly since we last met. I don't react as aggressively to such insinuations as I used to. Looks like you've changed as well though." She pulled his head down to whisper in his ear. "For instance, you were never so trusting as I recall. Remember what it took for me to gain your trust?" She smirked.
Kenshin blushed slightly. "Hai, I was sore for a week after that." He said softly. Usagi laughed, releasing him and picking up her dagger.
"So Sanosuke, what type of fighting do you specialize in?"
Sanosuke grinned. "I..."
She interrupted him. "Actually, let me guess...you're a hand-to-hand specialist who enjoys the fight as long as it offers a challenge. Am I right?"
Sanosuke stared at her with wide eyes. "How'd you know that?" he demanded.
Kenshin grinned. "Usa-chan was trained under a man named Keisuke during the war. He was an analyst Imperialist spy."
"Huh?" Yahiko and Sanosuke gave him blank looks.
Kaoru frowned. "Analyst spies were men and women who specialized in sneaking into enemy camps and surveying their men. They were so skilled that sometimes they could tell you what a person did and what he was carrying with a single glance." She explained.
Usagi cocked her head to the side. "That's correct. Keisuke taught me how to recognize certain physical attributes that certain types of warriors have. For instance, a swordsman is often lean and muscular. He is likely to be strong armed and swift-footed. Hand-to-hand combat requires more muscular builds and often they have more aggressive personalities while swordsmen are calmer and more likely to settle disputes quickly and efficiently. Fist fighters are very often hot-headed as well."
Sanosuke blinked. He relaxed. "Well, I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended." He smirked.
Kenshin smiled. "Why don't we go back to the dojo? You must tell me what you've been doing. And when did you stop wearing your cloak?" he added.
Usagi frowned slightly. "I gave it up when I left. I heard one of the Imperialist swine saying that La Shadow de Batousai had been rumored dead." She shrugged. "What a dimwit."
Yahiko blinked. "But I thought you were an Imperialist. I mean, you worked with Kenshin, ne?" He asked.
Kenshin exchanged glances with Usagi. She nodded her permission. "Usa-chan was a shadow during the war. She believed that a man was judged not by his nationality or claimed beliefs, but by his heart and soul. She slayed men who were, shall we way, bad and spared those pure of heart." He said slowly.
"Hai, I don't care who's side you happen to be on. A pledge of one's loyalty can be achieved through simple manipulation. It isn't the size of one's sword, but the size of one's heart that determines the bigger man." Usagi smiled.
Kaoru gave her a disapproving look as they all stood up. Kenshin reached to pay, but Usagi swatted his hand away and waved Keiko over.
"Hai?"
"Cancel my order would you?"
"Sure thing Serenity, anything else?"
"Yeah, here." Usagi handed her several solid gold coins. "This should cover my bill and theirs, ne?"
"Hai, more that that!" Keiko breathed, taking the coins.
"Great, keep the change then. Ja ne!" Usagi waved as she dragged a reluctant Kenshin out of the café to meet up with the group.
"Usa-chan, that really wasn't necessary." Kenshin sighed.
Usagi smiled. "Ne, what's your point? Life only lasts so long, you know. Why not give a little back to those that worked so hard to pay their taxes?" she smiled.
Kenshin smirked, noticing that she had somehow grabbed her sword belts while they left.
"You have changed, but not that much." He noted aloud.
She winked at him. "We'll see." She said mysteriously. "I may have abandoned my cloak, but I think you'll find that my skills have perhaps improved since the last time we met."
Kenshin glanced at her suspiciously as they caught up with Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Kaoru.
"Well it took you long enough! What were you doing in there anyway?" Kaoru grumped.
Sanosuke gave them a casual look.
"Yeah, what were you doing?" he said it with supreme boredom.
Yahiko pounced at the opportunity. "I bet they were kissing!!" he shouted triumphantly. Kenshin flushed at the idea.
"N-nani?!" he stuttered.
Usagi smiled evenly. "Ah, so the little spitfire has a mind of his own. What a relief to find that he is not at the beck and call of his master." She giggled at the shocked look Kaoru gave her.
"Are you suggesting," Kaoru began. "That I would, under any circumstances, try to keep Yahiko as a servant or something?" she was honestly shocked. The thought was despicable.
Usagi shook her head, placing a delicate hand at her shoulder. "Iie. Forgive me, for I am just coming out of the war you see. Back then, despite age or gender, a pupil was often expected to keep close to his or her master at all times and follow their every order. I myself was trained by a Tekken master that insisted that I stay at his side at a near constant. It was a rather enlightening experience." She admitted without so much as an awkward glance.
Kenshin smirked. "If I remember correctly," he crossed his arms over his chest. "You were always one to wander. Your third master was the one that came up with the brilliant idea of putting you on a leash, ne?"
Usagi grinned. "Hai!"
Everyone sweat-dropped.
"A...leash?" Sanosuke looked at Usagi blankly.
She nodded. "Hai. He tied me to his wrist so that I couldn't wander from his sight. Unfortunately for him, whenever he became preoccupied with things or glanced the other way I would often escape to the fields that rested just beyond our camp." She smiled brightly.
"I almost always got away with it." she flashed a peace sign.
Kenshin glanced at her with a secretive smile. "Usagi-chan, we must talk. Why don't we stop by the bridge and meet minna-chan at the dojo later?" he suggested.
Kaoru looked at them angrily as Usagi nodded. Yahiko and Sanosuke looked put out.
"I would like that a great deal Kenshin-chan. I have a great deal to tell you. Much has transpired in your absence." She smiled easily.
"Minna-chan, we'll meet you later. We should be back before dawn." Kenshin said casually as he and Usagi stopped at the center of the bridge they were crossing. Everyone gave them whiny looks before leaving.
"Alright," Kaoru grumped. "But hurry; there's still a lot of things to tend to at the dojo." She added.
Yahiko flashed Kenshin a thumbs up sign. "Have fun." He winked suggestively.
Kenshin laughed nervously as a fiery Sanosuke popped up behind him.
"Now listen Kenshin," he growled. "I-" Kaoru grabbed him and dragged him away before he could finish his sentence and Kenshin stared blankly after them.
"...O...k..."
Usagi smiled lightly and took Kenshin's hand, giving him a reassuring look. "Come."
He nodded and followed her to the grassy hill by the stream. You know, next to the bridge? They sat down and Kenshin stared at Usagi transfixed.
"I-"
"I-" they began.
They laughed, breaking the tension.
"You go first." Kenshin smiled.
Usagi chuckled. "I suppose I'll start at the beginning then. Do you remember..."
To be continued...
-Ha! I'm so bad! Now that was a cliffie! Please review!
Chapter 2
-Thanx for all the reviews! I hope you like chapter two!
Everyone looked up as Serenity came toward them. Sanosuke tried to look cool. Kenshin stared at her in shock as the fragrance of roses encompassed the table. Her ice blue gaze was pinned on him as she swung her hand to her shoulder.
Kenshin didn't even blink as he caught the dagger she had thrown at his face.
"Kenshin..." she whispered, her eyes softening and becoming glossy. "It's really you!" she cried, tackling him down with a huge bear hug. "I can't believe it!"
Kenshin was completely shocked as he impulsively wrapped his arms around her slim frame.
"Usa-chan...you've changed." He smiled softly.
Sanosuke coughed. "Uh...Kenshin, mind introducing us to your friend here?" he growled warningly. Kaoru snapped out of her shock and stuck her nose in the air.
"Yeah Kenshin, who is she?"
Yahiko smiled. "Don't pay attention to her, she's just jealous because she knows she stands no chance." He smirked. Kaoru smacked him upside the head.
"Shut up you baka!" she shouted.
Kenshin smiled, sitting up and causing Serenity to slide into his lap. Kenshin wrapped his arms around her tiny waste as he set his head on her shoulder.
"Minna-chan, this is my best friend." He introduced.
Serenity smiled at them. "Watashe wa Tsukino Usagi desu." She reached up to wrap her arm around Kenshin's neck. "We have much to discuss." She stated gently.
"Hai, I thought you had become part of the military. What happened?" Kenshin asked curiously.
Usagi shrugged. "I got bored after the war and decided to find out what you were up to. I have to admit, took me quite a while to catch up to you." she grinned. "But we'll get to that later. So who are you all? Any friend of Kenshin's is a friend of mine." She looked at the small group with a kind smile.
Yahiko shot out of his seat, thrusting his hand in the air. "I am Yahiko insert last name! My father was a great samurai!" he stated proudly. Kaoru pushed him back down.
"Watashe wa Kamia Kaoru, I'm the assistant master of the Kamia Kashim style of swordsmanship. Yahiko and Kenshin are staying at my dojo." She smiled.
Usagi grinned. "Cool, and who're you, Love?" she smiled flirtatiously at Sanosuke.
"I'm Sanosuke Sagara, fighter for hire, at your service. Of course, I do a lot more than just fight you know." He winked at her with a sly grin. Kenshin laughed nervously.
"Sano, I wouldn't, uh, say that if I were you...hee, hee..." he glanced at Usagi.
She smiled casually.
"Oh Kenshin, things have changed greatly since we last met. I don't react as aggressively to such insinuations as I used to. Looks like you've changed as well though." She pulled his head down to whisper in his ear. "For instance, you were never so trusting as I recall. Remember what it took for me to gain your trust?" She smirked.
Kenshin blushed slightly. "Hai, I was sore for a week after that." He said softly. Usagi laughed, releasing him and picking up her dagger.
"So Sanosuke, what type of fighting do you specialize in?"
Sanosuke grinned. "I..."
She interrupted him. "Actually, let me guess...you're a hand-to-hand specialist who enjoys the fight as long as it offers a challenge. Am I right?"
Sanosuke stared at her with wide eyes. "How'd you know that?" he demanded.
Kenshin grinned. "Usa-chan was trained under a man named Keisuke during the war. He was an analyst Imperialist spy."
"Huh?" Yahiko and Sanosuke gave him blank looks.
Kaoru frowned. "Analyst spies were men and women who specialized in sneaking into enemy camps and surveying their men. They were so skilled that sometimes they could tell you what a person did and what he was carrying with a single glance." She explained.
Usagi cocked her head to the side. "That's correct. Keisuke taught me how to recognize certain physical attributes that certain types of warriors have. For instance, a swordsman is often lean and muscular. He is likely to be strong armed and swift-footed. Hand-to-hand combat requires more muscular builds and often they have more aggressive personalities while swordsmen are calmer and more likely to settle disputes quickly and efficiently. Fist fighters are very often hot-headed as well."
Sanosuke blinked. He relaxed. "Well, I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended." He smirked.
Kenshin smiled. "Why don't we go back to the dojo? You must tell me what you've been doing. And when did you stop wearing your cloak?" he added.
Usagi frowned slightly. "I gave it up when I left. I heard one of the Imperialist swine saying that La Shadow de Batousai had been rumored dead." She shrugged. "What a dimwit."
Yahiko blinked. "But I thought you were an Imperialist. I mean, you worked with Kenshin, ne?" He asked.
Kenshin exchanged glances with Usagi. She nodded her permission. "Usa-chan was a shadow during the war. She believed that a man was judged not by his nationality or claimed beliefs, but by his heart and soul. She slayed men who were, shall we way, bad and spared those pure of heart." He said slowly.
"Hai, I don't care who's side you happen to be on. A pledge of one's loyalty can be achieved through simple manipulation. It isn't the size of one's sword, but the size of one's heart that determines the bigger man." Usagi smiled.
Kaoru gave her a disapproving look as they all stood up. Kenshin reached to pay, but Usagi swatted his hand away and waved Keiko over.
"Hai?"
"Cancel my order would you?"
"Sure thing Serenity, anything else?"
"Yeah, here." Usagi handed her several solid gold coins. "This should cover my bill and theirs, ne?"
"Hai, more that that!" Keiko breathed, taking the coins.
"Great, keep the change then. Ja ne!" Usagi waved as she dragged a reluctant Kenshin out of the café to meet up with the group.
"Usa-chan, that really wasn't necessary." Kenshin sighed.
Usagi smiled. "Ne, what's your point? Life only lasts so long, you know. Why not give a little back to those that worked so hard to pay their taxes?" she smiled.
Kenshin smirked, noticing that she had somehow grabbed her sword belts while they left.
"You have changed, but not that much." He noted aloud.
She winked at him. "We'll see." She said mysteriously. "I may have abandoned my cloak, but I think you'll find that my skills have perhaps improved since the last time we met."
Kenshin glanced at her suspiciously as they caught up with Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Kaoru.
"Well it took you long enough! What were you doing in there anyway?" Kaoru grumped.
Sanosuke gave them a casual look.
"Yeah, what were you doing?" he said it with supreme boredom.
Yahiko pounced at the opportunity. "I bet they were kissing!!" he shouted triumphantly. Kenshin flushed at the idea.
"N-nani?!" he stuttered.
Usagi smiled evenly. "Ah, so the little spitfire has a mind of his own. What a relief to find that he is not at the beck and call of his master." She giggled at the shocked look Kaoru gave her.
"Are you suggesting," Kaoru began. "That I would, under any circumstances, try to keep Yahiko as a servant or something?" she was honestly shocked. The thought was despicable.
Usagi shook her head, placing a delicate hand at her shoulder. "Iie. Forgive me, for I am just coming out of the war you see. Back then, despite age or gender, a pupil was often expected to keep close to his or her master at all times and follow their every order. I myself was trained by a Tekken master that insisted that I stay at his side at a near constant. It was a rather enlightening experience." She admitted without so much as an awkward glance.
Kenshin smirked. "If I remember correctly," he crossed his arms over his chest. "You were always one to wander. Your third master was the one that came up with the brilliant idea of putting you on a leash, ne?"
Usagi grinned. "Hai!"
Everyone sweat-dropped.
"A...leash?" Sanosuke looked at Usagi blankly.
She nodded. "Hai. He tied me to his wrist so that I couldn't wander from his sight. Unfortunately for him, whenever he became preoccupied with things or glanced the other way I would often escape to the fields that rested just beyond our camp." She smiled brightly.
"I almost always got away with it." she flashed a peace sign.
Kenshin glanced at her with a secretive smile. "Usagi-chan, we must talk. Why don't we stop by the bridge and meet minna-chan at the dojo later?" he suggested.
Kaoru looked at them angrily as Usagi nodded. Yahiko and Sanosuke looked put out.
"I would like that a great deal Kenshin-chan. I have a great deal to tell you. Much has transpired in your absence." She smiled easily.
"Minna-chan, we'll meet you later. We should be back before dawn." Kenshin said casually as he and Usagi stopped at the center of the bridge they were crossing. Everyone gave them whiny looks before leaving.
"Alright," Kaoru grumped. "But hurry; there's still a lot of things to tend to at the dojo." She added.
Yahiko flashed Kenshin a thumbs up sign. "Have fun." He winked suggestively.
Kenshin laughed nervously as a fiery Sanosuke popped up behind him.
"Now listen Kenshin," he growled. "I-" Kaoru grabbed him and dragged him away before he could finish his sentence and Kenshin stared blankly after them.
"...O...k..."
Usagi smiled lightly and took Kenshin's hand, giving him a reassuring look. "Come."
He nodded and followed her to the grassy hill by the stream. You know, next to the bridge? They sat down and Kenshin stared at Usagi transfixed.
"I-"
"I-" they began.
They laughed, breaking the tension.
"You go first." Kenshin smiled.
Usagi chuckled. "I suppose I'll start at the beginning then. Do you remember..."
To be continued...
-Ha! I'm so bad! Now that was a cliffie! Please review!
