DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or ANY of the characters therein. Those characters are copyrights of Watsuki Nobuhiro and/or Sony, etc… In short, They aren't mine.
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No cares for your past


"HA, HA, HA, YAH, HA!" Suzume laughed uncontrollably as Kenshin carried her around on his shoulders. Soujiro was tossing a ball with Ayame. Doctor Genzai tended to Kaoru's injuries, listening to his Grandchildren.

"Do you think he's different from other samurai?" Kaoru asked softly to him.

"Of course, This one's a great babysitter, heh, heh, heh….aaaachoo." Ha said, blowing medicine powder all over her face. He grinned sheepishly as she blinked her eyes. "It's only a superficial wound, it should heal in a few days." He said, wrapping it back up. Kenshin turned to them, still carrying Suzume on his shoulders.

"Khawoo bomoo, ish ee dere gwanfavuw?" (Kaoru Dono, is he their grandfather?)

"Hai." Kaoru said.

"Doctor Genzai has been very close to our family ever since Kamiya San died." Soujiro added.

"I was their family doctor, so Kaoru and Soujiro are also like children to me. But there getting older now, and don't need me as much as they used to." Genzai said, picking up his things.

"Ayame Chan and Suzume Chan stay here more than with Genzai San." Soujiro said, quietly to Kenshin. "We don't mind because Genzai San does so much for us, and they're a handful for him." He finished, smiling.

"You're welcome to stay here if you like." Kaoru said pulling her gi back up over her shoulder, and straightening the collar.

"Eh?" Kenshin said, looking toward her.

"You saved my life, and you don't look like you can afford a place to stay, Besides, we have our budo in common." She said, smiling at him. "You probably have your reasons for being Rurouni, even if I knew them, it wouldn't matter." She said, shrugging her shoulders. Kenshin looked at her softly.

"Suzume Chan, I'm sure Rurouni San is getting tired." Soujiro said, lifting his arms to take her off his shoulders.

"Awww…" She said, letting him pull her off.


"Kaoru Dono, you're already a master of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu?" Kenshin asked looking at the names on the wall of the dojo.

"Yes, Kamiya Kasshin Ryu was founded by my father with the ideals of using swords and kenjutsu to protect people, without killing or unnecessary injuries. Soujiro actually finished first, but he doesn't like to teach as much, so he only taught one or two people at a time."

"It's strange that he's older, but he seems more like a family servant than your brother." Kenshin said.

"He's not my real brother, I have no real siblings, But my father was rather close to him, so when my father died, Soujiro took the Kamiya name, but I was calling him brother before that." She said.

"I see." Kenshin answered.

"He and I have been out each night searching for Battousai. Since the murders started, most of our students have left. I can't believe the Battousai would want to dirty our Dojo's name."

"Kaoru Chan, your students are here." Genzai said, stepping into the room.

"But with you're help we'll be sure to get him tonight." Kaoru said, making a fist and winking at Kenshin. With that, she trotted out the door to greet her students.

"You can't keep the vigils up, your life isn't worth this dojo's honor." Kenshin said softly as she left.

Where this road takes us


"Rurouni, we've been walking for two days." Soujiro said, his feet hurting from the walk. Kenshin looked back at him, and smiled.

"I know, I'm sorry, would you like to take another break?" He asked.

"I don't think it will help." Soujiro said, lifting a bloody foot. "This road is hard, I thought my feet were, but…" He started, noticing Kenshin had knelt down.

"Hop on." He said; Soujiro slowly obeyed. "We're almost there, you can see the town over this next hill." Kenshin said, remembering all the trips he'd taken, and how magnificent Tokyo always look upon his return. Kenshin carried him the last few yards up the hill. "Soujiro, there it is." He turned so the boy could get a good look. "Soujiro?" he asked. He turned his head as far left as he could.

"He's asleep…" He thought, resuming his walking. "He's been through a lot in the past few days." Kenshin and his sleeping companion made their way into town. "I never realized how much Tokyo had changed in my lifetime." He thought, looking around. The streets were still dirt, and there were no gas streetlights, and on the whole it was much smaller. "I remember the way, I could walk it blindfolded." He thought, following the street across the bridge. "Just a little further Soujiro, Then you'll be home."


"Father, Someone's knocking on the door." Kaoru said, out of breath from running into the dojo.

"I'll get it, Kasshin Kun." A younger Genzai said, uprooting himself from his usual seat in the dojo. The knocks continued. "I'm coming." He said, not realizing Kamiya was watching him. It wasn't a very safe time, Kaoru wasn't allowed outside the walls of the school. She was very bored most of the time. In the small breaks they were given some of the students would play with her, but it was never for very long. Genzai opened the door, a small red-haired man stood there with a child on his back. Kamiya stood in shock. Kenshin looked up and grinned at the sight of this young man, he had known to be old. "He's just now going grey." He thought.

"Good morning, is Kamiya Kasshin Dono in?" He said smiling widely.

"What does he want Genzai San?" Kamiya asked walking slowly up to the door.

"I was just about to ask." He replied.

"I'm sorry to impose, but this boy is hurt, his feet have many blisters from walking." Kenshin said turning and showing them the sleeping boy. Genzai immediately stepped forward, and lifted the child from Kenshin's back. Soujiro woke up, as he was pulled from the Rurouni.

"What's going on, Rurouni?" He asked as he was toted inside. Kenshin started to step inside, but Kamiya stepped in his way.

"You aren't welcome here, murderer." The words hit him hard, he'd forgotten himself in this time, only three weeks earlier, he'd been Hitokiri Battousai. For a split second he thought he felt a burning along his cheeks where his scars would be.

"I understand, I must ask a favor of you, Kasshin Dono," Kenshin started, he kept his head and eyes down, and his body hunched. He felt like he looked, a little man, It had been so long since he'd been Battousai, he'd forgotten what it felt like to be treated this way.

"Whatever favor you ask is too much." He said, pushing the door closed. Kenshin pushed his hand slowly against the door, to stop it. He looked up at Kamiya.

Kaoru, has his eyes." "The boy, All I ask is that you give him a home. I know he'll be treated well here, that's why I brought him here." Kenshin said.

"The doctor will treat his wounds then you can take him back. I don't have enough room for another child." Kenshin noticed Kaoru peeking around the dojo doorway. Kamiya pushed the door once again, Kenshin let it close.

Kaoru, alone


"Good morning everyone, Thank you for coming. We'll show that Battou…"Kaoru started.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry, I have to quit Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."

"My mother is telling me to quit."

"Everyone is saying how Kamiya Kasshin Ryu breeds killers."

"All our friends are afraid of us."

"People keep talking…"

"I know we are your last students, but…"

"Sorry" "Sorry" "Sorry"

Kaoru stood with a saddened look on her face. Soujiro slowly walked up to her, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Kaoru, you'll get more students." He said. Kenshin watched from the doorway of the dojo. "I caused this" he thought.


Soujiro walked down the familiar path toward the market. He had to go to the other side of town for Tofu, Kaoru had insisted. "I can't believe her last three students quit. And the Rurouni in here. ***"His mind is still in turmoil…"***

"You're right, Rurouni, I shouldn't say anything about what happened between you and me to your past self."
He thought as he walked. "That's it!" He yelled out loud, a couple nearby stared at him as if her were crazy. He looked over at them and grinned sheepishly. "He's good with a sword, he can help us rebuild Kamiya Kasshin Ryu." He thought, smiling.

The sun had set by the time he'd gotten the tofu. "Mah, I knew it, it's too late to cook this, it's gonna go bad. Dammit, oh?" He thought, as he saw a few men going into a run down dojo. "They look like they just woke up." He thought, deciding to take a closer look. He crept up to the doorway, and listened.

"Alright everyone, Tonight's the night. Taichou is getting his revenge on Kamiya dojo. "It's them, they're working with Battousai!" He said out loud. "I've got to tell Kaoru and The Rurouni." He thought turning to leave, and running face first into a six foot seven inch wall of muscle. "Battousai!" He thought looking up at the huge man.

"Oi, you're that servant boy that lives at Kamiya dojo, ne?" Battousai said. Soujiro knew full well that he couldn't beat this man with no weapon. "Why didn't I take my Bokken?" He thought.

"I'm not a servant or a boy." He said, bolting to his right, only to be lifted off the ground by the huge man. By that time all his men were outside.

"What the hell can you do now, boy?" Battousai said with an arrogant sneer.

"This." He replied kicking both feet into Battousai's chest, knocking him backward, and doing a summersault off his chest. The Battousai stumbled back, but didn't fall. "Get him!" He yelled. All the Battousai's men lunged for Soujiro. Twelve men piled on top of him, and came out holding him down.

"Twelve armed men against one unarmed man, That's pretty fair, I can see how you managed to kill so many acting so cowardly." Soujiro said, angrily. "It doesn't matter, when you get to Kamiya dojo, my sister and the Rurouni will take you."

"HA, HA, HA, what a joke, I'll let you live long enough to watch them die. Beat the shit out of him, but don't kill him." Battousai said.

"Oi Taichou…I mean Battousai sensei, That kid cracked your armor." One of the Battousai's men said.

"hmm? Oh, He's got a powerful kick I guess, but not for long. Well wait another two hours then we'll go. Nishiwaki, after you're done here, call everyone together in the back, I wanna make a demonstration."

"Sure thing Battousai sensei." The ugly grunt said, turning his attention back to Soujiro. "What the hell have you got to smile about?!" he yelled kicking him in the head.

Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Dojo


Soujiro opened his eyes to the sight of a young girl. She was standing over him, looking at him in wonder. She stepped back a few steps when he opened his eyes fully.

"Where am I?" he asked her, sitting up.

"Father said you shouldn't try to do to much because you're feet are covered in sores from walking." The girl said, hiding partly behind the doorway. Soujiro stood up despite the bandages on his feet.

"Where is the Rurouni?" he asked, smiling at her.

"You shouldn't get up Baka!" She said stepping out from behind the doorway to keep him in bed. "Father told me to keep you here." She said, putting such a serious look on her face that her nose wrinkled up."

"I just wanted to thank the Rurouni." He replied, still smiling.

"You're weird, Why are you smiling like that? Don't your feet hurt?" She asked him. He looked down at his feet for a moment or two, then back up at her, still smiling.

"It's a long story. Where is the Rurouni?" he asked again, looking over her shoulder.

"Sit down, you're coming out of your bandages." She said, kneeling down. Without thinking about it, he obeyed her. "If you mean the man who brought you here, my father didn't let him stay. I don't know why, but he called him a murderer." Soujiro's eyes widened with shock. "He was Hitokiri…This man knew." Kaoru rewrapped his feet, making sure to tuck the end of the bandage tightly away, so it wouldn't unravel. She looked up at him, looking into his eyes. "Did he kill your family by mistake, and bring you here to make up for it?" She finally asked.

"No…"Soujiro said, looking at her seriously. He looked at her for a minute or so, then he looked away absently, smiling. "He let them live, and brought me here." He finally said.

"Let them live? I don't get it." She said looking at him in confusion. He looked back then smiled.

"It's part of the long story." He said. "I have to talk to your father."

"I saved Soujiro, but now I have to convince Kaoru's father to take him in." Kenshin thought as he leaned against the outer wall of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu dojo. "I could appeal to him using his Kenjutsu school, but he still may not let him stay. There has to be a way…" Kenshin though, his face was hard from his thoughts, two youngsters walked by, staring at him. Noticing their presence, he looked up. It was a girl and an older boy, the boy looked a little younger than Yahiko had been when they'd first found him. And the girl was at least two years his junior. Kenshin smiled, The girl smiled back, and started toward the strange smiling man, but the boy stopped her.

"C'mon Yoko, don't bother the swordsman." He said, pulling his sister down the street away from Kenshin. "I've forgotten that the Bakumatsu came only a year ago in this time. There is still a lot of fear." He thought looking down the street toward the children. The sound of a mass of men talking casually could be heard from that direction. Six young men rounded the corner, their conversation lulled the closer they got to Kenshin until they stopped talking altogether. They walked past and knocked at the door. Genzai opened the door. "His voice didn't change much." Kenshin thought, listening to him greet the six young men. The door closed and Kenshin could hear their talking resume.

"Who's that guy?"

"I don't know?

"Is he a friend of Kamiya sensei?"

"Maybe he's an enemy."

"He was dressed like a bum, but he carried a sword."

"Maybe he's just there to sell his sword."

"It's probably some hunk of metal, posing as a sword."

"Did you ever see a real western sword?"

"My father fought a man who carried one, it broke pretty easily."

"I hope that guy isn't an enemy of Kamiya sensei."

"Don't worry Tenchi, if he is Kamiya sensei will beat him."
"Yeah, ha, ha, ha."

Their conversation died away as they walked into the dojo. Kenshin leaned against the wall and looked up at the last few stars in the morning sky. "I wonder how Kaoru will react when she wakes up and finds I've passed away." He thought, smiling.

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