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Ikeda Yui, Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu master?
The man stood totally still, not even swallowing or blinking. A bead of sweat ran from his chin down his neck, and emptied onto the blade. Yui pressed the knife a bit harder to his throat; a small trickle of blood ran down from the blade.
"Yui San…calm down." Tae said, fearing her Akabeko would become the scene of a murder.
"I am calm." Yui replied, almost emotionless. "You need to leave, sir." She said to the man, easing the knife away from his throat. He swallowed an angry comment. Yui turned and headed back to the kitchen. Tae bowed and started to apologize for her zealous cook. The sound of a kodachi being drawn caught Yui by surprise. She turned, pulling the knife to throw it, but she stopped. Yui saw another man draw a sword and counter him, Kenshin.
Kenshin knew the man wasn't through making an ass of himself. He knew the man would try to attack once more. And this time, Kenshin was close enough to counter. He stepped forward, drawing his Sakabatou half way out of the scabbard, and hit the man in the chin with the end of the hilt. The man flew upward, arcing, and landing five feet away. Kenshin slid his Sakabatou back into its scabbard, closing his eyes as he did. This action was very familiar to Yui, who stood holding her knife ready to throw. She watched as Kaoru, Ayame, and Suzume ran over to him. "Could he be… the one…" She thought, taking a step closer to him.
"You…" She said, pointing at Kenshin. "How many have you killed with that blade?" Kenshin and his present company stared wide-eyed at her. She stepped one step closer, cautiously placing a hand on her knife. "With kenjutsu as good as that, you must've killed many with that sword." She said, gripping her knife.
"No." Kenshin replied, drawing a look of disbelief from Yui. "This sword could never kill anyone." He said pulling it, scabbard and all, from his side. He pointed it hilt first at her. With one hand still on her knife, she drew his Sakabatou.
"It's… backward…" She said with shock, looking the Sakabatou over. "You're the one I've heard of, the Rurouni with the reversed sword." She said, partly disappointed, partly relieved.
"You've heard of Kenshin?" Kaoru said in a confused voice.
"I've heard stories, of a man with a reversed sword who protects people. But the last I had heard he was fatally wounded in Kyoto, but if you are he, I suppose that was only a rumor." She said, sliding his Sakabatou back into its scabbard.
"Kenshin was wounded in Kyoto, but he lived, and came back home to Tokyo." Kaoru said, holding his arm.
"I'm sorry I took such a threatening posture. You can never be too careful, I say." She said, smiling. "My name is Ikeda Yui."
"Kamiya, Kamiya Kenshin." Kenshin replied. "This is my wife, Kaoru." He added.
"Nice to meet you Yui San." Kaoru said, bowing.
"I believe you met Sanosuke." Kenshin said, looking over at Sano.
"Oh, Yes, I remember you, the tough guy." She said smiling at him.
"Eh, that still doesn't look like self defense." Sano said grinning widely. She smiled back.
"And who are you?" She asked, looking at Yahiko.
"Myojin Yahiko, Tokyo Samurai." Yahiko said, with pride.
"Samurai, I didn't think there were any left." She said.
"Yui San," Tae said, touching her on the arm.
"Oh, yes," She said turning her head and looking back at her employer. Then she turned back to Kenshin gumi. "I'm sorry, I must get back to work." She said, bowing. Kenshin saw the scar on her forehead. She turned and headed back to the Kitchen.
"Yui San!" Kaoru said stepping forward. Yui stopped and looked back at her.
"You're welcome at the Kamiya home anytime." Kaoru said smiling. Yui smiled back.
Kenshin sat on the stoop leading into the Kamiya home, wondering how there could be yet another who knew Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Kaoru joined him, in the fading daylight.
"Kenshin, the spring sky is always so beautiful… but it reminds me of…" She started, but choked. Kenshin emerged from his thoughts and looked up at her. Tears welling in her eyes told him that the days events had brought back uneasy feelings in her. The same feelings she had when he went back to Kyoto. These feelings to her were rather painful, like a tender bruise.
"Kaoru Dono, the sky is much more beautiful now." He said, hoping to remind her of better times.
"Yes, it is." She said, smiling at him. She walked over and sat down beside him. "Kenshin, you seem preoccupied since Yui San came into Tokyo." Kenshin was still wary of telling her about what he knew.
"She is a good cook." He replied.
"Kenshin! You know what I mean!" She said, pushing him lightly on the arm.
"Her skill is extraordinary, but her control doesn't match it." He said, being more elusive with his true thoughts. Kaoru leaned her head on his shoulder, and looked out over the skyline at the setting sun. In these moments, Kaoru felt like time could be going by twice as fast or not at all and she and Kenshin would never notice. A knock at the dojo gate broke her from her dream world. She climbed to her feet, and made her way to the gate. She opened the door, and no one was there.
"Hello, who's there?" She asked looking up and down the street. Yui turned around, and headed back toward the gate.
"I'm sorry, I thought no one was home." She said. She looked very different, dressed in her kimono, and her hair pulled back in a ribbon instead of just a tie. At the Akabeko she looked almost masculine, but now she looked very ladylike.
"I don't mean to Impose." She said, trying not to be a bother.
"Don't worry about it," Kaoru said, holding her hand out, inviting her into the Kamiya household. "I said you were welcome anytime. What kind of host would I be if I didn't honor that promise?" She said. Yui walked through the gate, looking about the grounds. Kaoru closed the gate, and followed. Kenshin stood up, and greeted her.
"Yui Dono, welcome."
"Dono? Please, I need no formal title, just Ikeda or Yui will do." She said.
"Kenshin is very humble, you get used to it." Kaoru said, knowing Kenshin would not stop calling her Dono.
"I should've let you know I was coming." She said, apologetically.
"Don't worry about it." Kaoru said. "We so rarely have visitors, Sano and Megumi San come by often, but they're like family." Kaoru said, inviting Yui to come inside and have a seat.
"I've traveled over Japan for the last six years. I just wanted to help people." Yui said, sipping her tea.
"So you did like Kenshin, He traveled before he met Kaoru." Yahiko said. Yui looked to Kenshin.
"So I've heard. For ten years, or so. What did you do before?" She asked.
"I was Hitokiri, but I only fought in one major battle, after that I vowed never to kill again. I took this sword and I haven't killed anyone since." He said.
"You were in the war? Were you at Kyoto?" She asked.
"Kyoto…yes, I was. That night many men lost their lives for what they believed in." Kenshin replied.
"Mm" She said, looking down in thought.
"Kenshin, Would you like more tea? Kaoru asked, as Kenshin stood.
"I'll get it Kaoru Dono, would you like more Yui Dono?" he asked.
"Yes." She replied, a bit shocked that he was getting the tea. Kenshin walked back to the kitchen to get more tea.
"He is very humble." Yui said to Kaoru, after Kenshin was safely out of earshot.
"Yes, he doesn't think highly of himself, although I'm sure he knows that he is my world." Kaoru said. Her thoughts wandered back to Kyoto for a moment. She laughed off a tear. "I think he uses it against me sometimes." She said jokingly.
Kenshin stood in the kitchen making tea. There was only enough left in the pot for one, so he decided to make more. It also got him out of having to talk about his past with Yui. By now he was almost certain she was a student of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. "But where had she learned it?" He thought, pouring the hot water into the last cup. "That attack in the Akabeko, the look in her eyes, her well focused Ki, and then there were the scars. One on the forehead running into the hairline, and one on either side of her neck. I can only assume, there are similar scars on her chest, shoulders and legs, an earmark of one who has tried and failed to learn the Ougi. But Kuzu Ryu Sen is fatal, unless, unless the master couldn't bring himself to kill his student. It must've been Amakusa, Shishou would never..."
"oro?" Kenshin said noticing a burning sensation in his hand. He looked down to see boiling hot water pouring into a cup, and out onto his hand.
"Yaahh!" He said, yanking his hand away quickly. He poured out some of the excess water from the cup, and placed it with the others on a tray. Picking up the tray he headed back to Kaoru and Yui.
"Here you are, Yui Dono." He said handing her a cup. She noticed his hand right away.
"Did you burn yourself?" She asked taking her cup.
"Yes, but it isn't bad." He replied, smiling at her.
"It looks bad, it's starting to blister." She said. Kaoru instantly took notice of his hand.
"Kenshin! Maybe we should get Megumi San to look at it?" Kaoru suggested.
"Kaoru Dono, I don't think it's very serious, I'd hate to bother Megumi Dono now."
"I'm sure she wouldn't be bothered." Kaoru said.
"Perhaps not, but I would feel like I was being a bother, It can wait till tomorrow." He said handing Kaoru her cup.
"Kenshin is a real man, he can take it." Yahiko said laughing as if he'd made a joke.
"Yahiko, don't you still have to clean the dojo floors?" Kaoru said, biting her lip to keep from screaming at him for making such a dumb statement in front of a guest.
"Eh? But I thought you'd let me stay and talk?" he said, shocked. "What a evil woman, making me do chores when we have a visitor here."
"That is the time you have to work twice as hard, so Kamiya Kasshin Ryu does not get a bad reputation." She answered. "Now, get to work."
"You don't have to force him, I should be getting home anyway." Yui said, placing her cup in the floor in front of her, and bowing.
"Oh no, don't rush off." Kaoru said. "He'd have to do his chores anyway."
"Yes, but I really must go." Yui said trying not to sound rude. Kaoru smiled at her.
"I understand, but can you come back some other time? We could have a meal prepared." She said warmly.
"I would like that, Kaoru San." Yui replied, rising to her feet. She turned and headed for the door.
"Oh, Kamiya San, you really should get that hand looked at, burns can be worse than they first seem." She said to Kenshin.
"Yes, I will." He said, smiling. They walked with her to the dojo gate, and saw her off as she walked off into the evening.
The next day, Kaoru awoke to find, as usual Kenshin had gotten up before her. She crawled up out of her bed, straightened up the blankets a bit, and headed to the kitchen. Oddly, she didn't find her husband anywhere.
"Kenshin?……… Kenshin?" She called as she walked the house looking for him. "That's right, his hand, I guess he went to see Megumi San." Yahiko was already awake, and was busy practicing. Practicing his kenjutsu was the only thing Kaoru didn't have to make him do; in fact, she often had to make him stop to finish his chores. But she was happy to have a student as dedicated as he was.
"Yahiko, don't forget, you have to clean the rugs today." She said, walking past him.
"Yeah, I know." He woefully replied. Kaoru wrestled the bucket up out of the well, and emptied its contents into another bucket. She lugged it back to the kitchen, and poured some water into a small kettle. She hated having to make breakfast, but when Kenshin had errands to run, he always left early. Fortunately for Kaoru, whenever he left early, he always made a fire in the kitchen stove, and left plenty of wood to feed it through breakfast. Kaoru opened the stove and tossed in another piece. Wiping a few beads of sweat from her forehead, she straightened up.
"It's gonna be hot today." She said, with a sigh.
Kenshin sat on the stool, while Megumi looked through the drawers in the newly opened clinic, searching for her new burn medication.
"Megumi Dono, I'm sure your old medicine will work fine." Kenshin said, hoping she'd forget the somewhat hopeless search.
"Don't be silly Ken-San, I've been wanting to try out this new medicine for a while now, and a move is not going to stop me from trying it." She said finally pulling out a drawer and emptying it onto the counter. Doctor Genzai had recently opened a larger clinic close to the old one, They'd moved everything to the new larger one. But the move had mixed everything up, and she was having a hard time finding things. Kenshin stepped off the stool, and let his sleeve down.
"I'll come back at a better time, Megumi Dono." He started
"KEN-SAN!! Sit back down!!!" She screamed at him.
"Hai!" Kenshin said, sitting obediently, and pushing his sleeve back up. She turned over another drawer, and rummaged through the pile of small medicines, and little useless tools.
"Ah! Here it is!" She said, holding the small jar up, triumphantly. She dipped two fingers into the cream and smeared it onto Kenshin's hand.
"I suppose it really isn't much different than the older one, the main ingredient is still aloe, but this has a few more things to help it sink into the skin." Megumi said, taking great care, as always.
"It feels like it's working a little better than the older one." Kenshin said. It wasn't true, it didn't work any better, but why should he tell her. It was working just as good, so there was not need to tell her she could've used the old one.
"There," Megumi said turning his sleeve down. "Have Kaoru put this back on your hand tomorrow." She said handing him the jar. "You need to keep it on there for it to heal quickly."
"Yes, I will." He said taking the medicine.
Kenshin walked down the street away from the clinic, holding the medicine in his hand. "All I have to get now is some vegetables for dinner, I wonder if Kaoru Dono will want fish, or chicken?" He thought. "I'd rather have fish, but there are so many fish Kaoru doesn't like.
"Eh Katsu?" Sano said, looking with shock at his old friend. "What do you mean they were after her for a bounty?"
"Why act so amazed, you said yourself she could've killed those guys if she had wanted to." Katsu replied, handing Sano a cup of tea. "Apparently, she hasn't been such a good girl, " He continued, looking at Sano seriously." A woman by the name of Hiko Yui has a bounty on her head, for at least seven murders. The exact amount for the bounty I do not know, but I do know that she is very wanted." Katsu finished sipping his own tea. Sano looked down into his teacup.
"So, they were after her for some bounty." He paused, staring into his cup. "Do you know who she's supposed to've murdered?" He asked looking up at Katsu.
"I only have the names of two, Obata Yuji, and Akao Tomu, both were ex-Hitokiri. Obata was suspected of being Hitokiri Battousai, but of course we know that isn't true." Katsu replied.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sano asked.
"Well," Katsu started, setting down his tea. "If Obata was impersonating Battousai, and she killed him, and she's been traveling all over Japan,"
"Quit stalling! What do you think?" Sano yelled.
"I think she's after Hitokiri Battousai." Sano sat processing this information. "I think she wants the title of the one who killed Hitokiri Battousai."
"What!?" Sano said angrily. "No way! The look in her eyes is not the look of someone who kills for a title." He said, standing up.
"That's just my opinion, Sano. She's wanted for seven murders, even if she didn't commit them, someone else did, and somehow she got the blame. Either way, she's a very dangerous person to fall for." Katsu said. "Here," he handed Sano three Sakuratsu bombs. "these always saved your ass in the past."
Sano smiled. "Thank you Katsu." He said turning and walking out the door. Sano walked down the street with Katsu's words echoing in his head.
"I knew she would be trouble…Kenshin, be careful."
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