Life of a Rurouni

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rurouni kenshin characters…we all very well know who
does…soo….Happy Reading!!!
Now… on with the story…

The Meeting

'It has been a week since we have last heard from them. I wonder what they are up to.'
Soujirou thought as he raised his katana to do another kata.

During their wait for their opponent's next move, Soujirou and Kaede have been practicing
together every night. Soujirou was happy to notice that his wound was getting better. It was
surprising that the wound even closed up. At the rate he was straining his right arm, he
thought it would never have time to heal.

Kaede improved a lot in other areas. Now she was finally done learning the basics. Soon
Soujirou would have to try and teach her the move she has wanted to learn since she had
seen him practice alone in the woods that night. That technique was his shukuchi.

~*~*~*~

"It's impossible to use this technique with your speed now. You may even get yourself
killed if you want to go against them using this technique. It could back fire on you."
Soujirou said as he sat by the foot of the tree to take a rest.

"I have to at least try it once right? Besides, if I do it and manage to do it correctly
in a battle, I will have more chance at winning it." Kaede argued with Soujirou until it
was finally time to go back.

Kaede finally managed to 'persuade' Soujirou into teaching her his technique by saying
that if he didn't, she wouldn't pay his inn's bills for him.

~*~*~*~

'How do I ever get myself in situations like this?' The young boy signed as he begins to
correct Kaede's posture. 'Besides, I don't remember Shishio-san having such a hard time
teaching me. Well, I did make up this technique along the way so…"

"Seta-kun? Seta-kun?" Kaede was waving her hands in front of his face.

"Aa… Kaede-chan. Gomen. Gomen. I was thinking a little that's all." Soujirou replied.

"Maa. I think we should go back earlier tonight. You seem a little tired too." Kaede said.

"If you are tired from practice all you need is to say it." Soujirou answer flatly as he
stood up to begin packing their belongings.

"I'm not. I'll prove it to you. Last one to the end of the forest is the loser." She ran
ahead before Soujirou could figure out what she had meant.

'Yare yare.' Soujirou thought as he tapped his light foot lightly on the ground before
his figure blurred and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.


It wasn't long before he caught up with Kaede. In fact, he had to wait five minutes at
the edge of the forest before he managed to spot her by some bushes.

"How did you get here so fast?" She said as she leaned against him for some support.

"Have you forgotten who I am so fast?" Soujirou asked.

"How could I forget?" Kaede said, almost shouting.

"Shhh...Keep your voice down unless you want to get caught." The boy said as he pointed
towards the guards.

"It wouldn't matter even if they found us right? I mean you could take them down in the
blink of an eye." Kaede answered in a lower voice.

"That is not the point. Anyway, let's get back to the inn.


"Aa, it's good to be back." Soujirou said as he opened the window of his room. He waited
for Kaede to enter before he climbed in.

"I have been waiting for you."

"Dare da!(1)" Soujirou said as he drew his sword. Nothing could prepare him for the shock he
was experiencing.

Before him stood Yuka, the girl they were trying to save all this time. He would have
walked up to her and asked if she was fine. But there was something about her that was
different. Even Kaede noticed it. Both sisters' swords were drawn and both were ready for
battle.

'This is not good.' Soujirou thought.

"Matte!" He called to both sisters, jumping in between them at the same time.

"Both of you should not be fighting. Yuka-chan, what happened to you? Why do you want to
fight us?" The boy asked as his urge for a fight grew inside. He was still used to fighting
anyone who challenged him in any way.

"Nothing happened. I just realized that my sister and I can live a better life there.
They have everything to offer. We won't have to work everyday. The only time we work is
during the daily training." Yuka said as she withdrew her katana and slid it back into its
saya.

"But…" Kaede was about to protest but Soujirou had stopped her.

"Do you have any idea what they will make you do once they notice that you have mastered
your skill? Yuka-chan. Come back with us. Help us defeat them." The boy said as he stretched
out his hand only to have her hit it away.

"I don't have to listen to you or her. I only came to give you a message." Yuka stared
past Soujirou shoulder at Kaede. She then pointed to the note which she left on the table.
She slowly backed away into the darker side of the room, then she disappeared.

"Seta-kun. This is all a trick right? Right? It's just a dream, ne?" With that, Kaede
collapsed. Just as she was about to hit the floor, Soujirou caught her and slowly placed
her on his futon.

'Kisama! What did you do to her? What in the world did you do to her?!" Soujirou was angry
at the whole group for taking his friend away. But he was mostly angry at himself for not
being there at the beginning when they had come looking for Kaede.

For the first time since he had left the Juppon Gatana, Soujirou felt the tenken side again.
Even though he knew it was wrong to feel that way, he couldn't help himself. Just when he
found people who could accept him as a friend for who he was, Kage had to take them away.

'I'll never forgive you Kage. Not for what you have done.' Soujirou said one last time as
he fell into a deep sleep, forgetting all about the message on the table.

~*~*~

'Why did he call me Yuka? Is that my name? It can't be, can it?' Yuka thought as she
squatted by a river outside of town.

'My name is Momiji. It always was and always will be.' She said as she stood up and made
her way slowly back to their hideout.

~*@*~

Arigatou minna-san for reading. Pls r&r and let me know what you think of the story so far.
Arigatou!!!