Chapter 2- Nostalgic Memories

Chapter 2- Nostalgic Memories

Disclaimers: Standard disclaimers apply.

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Dear Diary,

Ohayo! Now that's a new start. I can't believe that Kaoru and I are back in Japan. It feels strange but I'm glad there were few changes since we left. Our grandmother Jiya is still as flirtatious as ever, Recca was horribly embarrassed when Jiya started coming on to him. It was great seeing Fuuko again but I can't shake the horrible feeling that something is about to change... drastically.

Meredith Misao Kirisawa

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"Cute uniform eh Kaoru-neechan?" asked Misao as she turned around. The short skirt and blouse with matching jacket was quite charming and Kaoru smiled at her.

"Well, you're a senior now eh, Misao? I think you'll be sharing classes with Yanagi-chan," remarked Kaoru as she carefully packed their lunches. Their penthouse was pretty cool, with Jiya acting as the caretaker whenever the mood strikes. Their penthouse was on the top floor of a commercial building. They could stop by for a fancy dinner or go to gym or have a fast food take-out.

Nice location. The security was pretty heavy too. But still Kaoru was getting some pretty bad vibes. It was like... somebody walking over your grave.

She shuddered at the thought. She felt suddenly chilled and more than anything she wanted to bring her shinai to school but she couldn't.

She looked up and fixed her ponytail. She was a freshman at the local university. She's feeling a little apprehensive but Fuko assured her that one of her friends, Tokiya Mikagami, also a college student would show her around. She smiled at Misao and said, "Oi, Misao! You'll be late again!" she remarked as Misao choked on her piece of toast and fled the penthouse.

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Misao was sitting on the rails at the school's rooftop. She let the gentle breeze play with her hair as she lost herself in thought.

"I'm alone again. Its funny how glaringly obvious that fact is whenever I go back to Japan" she thought as sakura blossoms blown by the errant wind gently caressed her face.

~ Somewhere in Japan ~

In a high rise building, a young man, clad in university clothes swept through the closed doors of the CEO room. He was about 6 feet, an unusual height for a Japanese man. He had a calm, authoritative aura and the secretary gazed at him longingly as he entered his father's chamber.

The secretary then remembered her duty as he buzzed her boss a little too late, "Mr. Shirofuji, your son Aoshi is here now," she said.

A tall, dignified looking older man sat behind a huge desk. He looked up as Aoshi entered. A tired smile graced his handsome features but the familiar arrogance so ingrained in his son crept back. Hiko looked at him and shoved his paperwork aside.

"Aoshi, I'm glad you came as soon as I asked for you. Your mother's brother died and he left their family "business" in your hands," said Hiko tiredly. He didn't specify what "business" it was, he didn't have to because Aoshi's face grew grim.

He sat in a plush leather backed chair and looked at his father. His father looked resigned to the news but Aoshi was incensed! "Why couldn't Saitou just take over Uncle Shiro's "business"? I don't want anything to do with it!" he asked his teeth gritted as he slammed his fist on the chair's arm.

"It's because you're the master of Kaiten Kenbu Ruroken. Your uncle wanted someone who mastered that Oniwabanshuu technique to carry on the family secret. You have to face the fact that you are now the okashira of the Oniwabanshuu!" said Hiko as he gazed at his son.

He knew Aoshi would be displeased about this. His son hated shadowy dealings and the Oniwabanshuu had enough doubtful transactions to even give Hiko pause.

The Oniwabanshuu was half working for the government, the other half for kami-sama knows who! It was a tactical intelligence and special action group; one Japan occasionally uses to disperse unwanted people. To disperse usually meant to "annihilate", at least that was how the Oniwabanshuu worked. It did the job that Japan couldn't unless it wanted the present government to be overthrown.

Quietly, Hiko gazed at his son and said as his son finally regained his composure. "Aoshi, I know you don't like it but you have no other choice. You have to be the Oniwabanshuu's next Okashira."

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It was late in the afternoon and Kaoru waited for her unofficial "chaperone" Tokiya Mikagami whom Fuuko insisted should take her home. She kicked a pebble as she moodily waited for the tall, handsome young man whom her cousin described with so much enthusiasm.

'He should be tall, with a long ponytail and kind of thin. Best of all, he looks like a girl!' thought Kaoru as she discreetly looked around for that face. Students were already leaving as groups and some guys gave her a perusal made her shiver in distaste. She walked a few miles away from the entrance, stretching a bit as she walked.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a huge man walking towards her with a malicious expression.

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"Chikusho!" muttered Tokiya under his breath as he looked at his watch. His companion immediately turned and with a concerned expression on his face, his companion asked, "Nani Mikigami Senpai de gozaru?"

Tokiya shook his head at his companion. "I have to accompany Fuuko's cousin home today and she's already waiting for me at the college entrance. But I'm not done with my research yet. It's due tomorrow!" he said irately.

His companion scratched his head as he watched Tokiya with alert violet eyes. "Fuuko-dono? Isn't she one of your Hokage teammates? The one you said with purple hair and dark blue eyes? The one you always mentioned as having a lot of guts for a girl? The---"

Tokiya growled; a strange sound surely but he gave his companion a dirty look and his companion only shrugged and smiled good-naturedly. "Kuso, I know what you're heading at Hikoshichiro! Curse your meddling red hair!"

The companion only smiled, "Iie, it isn't my red hair that's meddling! Maa, maa, well Mikagami-senpai I could take her home for you," he said as he fetched his sakabatou sword, wrapped like a kendo sword. Tokiya considered his companion's offer. Actually, his companion was his apprentice too, Hikoshichiro has just started training in Dark Water after mastering the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, a nearly obsolete but very effective sword technique that utilizes god-like speed.

Tokiya decided and nodded gratefully at his companion. "Arigatou gozaimasu Kenshin. Her name is Kaoru Kirisawa and she's waiting at the entrance right now," said Tokiya before going back to his paper once again.

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Kaoru couldn't move, she can barely even breathe as the huge man pinned her against the tree. His hands were tightly gripping her throat as he held her in his mercy, her feet not touching the ground.

His face looked vaguely familiar and Kaoru fought to suppress the darkness that hovered at the edge of her control. He is going to kill her she knew but from the look in his eyes she knew it wasn't only murder he had in mind but something far worse...

"Konbawa Kirisawa-dono. I certainly hope you remember me sweetheart," he said as he tightened his grip, making Kaoru choke and try to claw his hands away from her throat. "Let me introduce myself then, I am Gohei, your father's subordinate before he died."

Tears filled Kaoru's eyes, she still couldn't breathe, much less talk but she wanted so much to scream at Gohei and hurl all the invectives she'd learned in her years of traveling. She brought her fist up to punch him but he easily held on to her throat with one huge hand and caught the striking fist.

"Tsk, tsk. Such a violent behavior for a woman. Aa, I remember that your otouchan enrolled you in Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu," growled Gohei as he pressed Kaoru's closed fist open and with a subtle flick of his hand, he broke her wrist.

Kaoru cried out. Immediately she started choking, strangling as Gohei pressed his hand closer against her throat. She tried to kick Gohei but he maneuvered his legs in such a way that Kaoru's legs were trapped between his massive limbs. She was still pressed high up against the tree, almost eye to eye with Gohei.

Gohei's bloodthirsty look was quickly replaced by a look of lust and with feral eyes he tore open the front of Kaoru's school uniform. He gazed at Kaoru's lacy pink underwear with a gleam in his eyes.

Tears of rage and futility began leaking from her closed eyes. Somehow it felt as if she was reliving another nightmare, that it all happened to her before and until now, she was helpless to change the events.

Help me please, whispered Kaoru and from that point on, her soul bind was reestablished.

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Kaoru's voice whispered across Misao's mind. Kaoru's voice was so filled with anguish and rage, Misao nearly fainted. There was a prickling danger and a pain so wrenching even Misao could feel it.

Hold on Kaoru, I'm coming

"Misao-chan, what's wrong?" asked Fuuko sensing her cousin's distress. Misao hopped off the school rail and began running towards the rooftop's exit. Misao never answered Fuuko's question, too alarmed by the knowledge that her sister was in danger.

Fuuko cursed and hopped off the rail as she ran after her cousin. She didn't know what was going on but she knew that she didn't like it one bit.

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The moment Kaoru felt Gohei's hand on her breast, she blacked out. She was still conscious but she was too caught up in nightmares from her own past life. She could feel the carefully erected barriers in her mind breaking and with a last mental cry... please... help me...

Gohei chuckled as tore off Kaoru's bra, revealing her pale flesh.

"Let her go" said a quiet, deadly voice from behind Gohei.

Gohei cursed and released his grip around Kaoru's neck making the younger girl fall onto her knees, shivering in fear and rage. He turned around to face his adversary and he laughed aloud, underestimating his enemy.

He was obviously a college student and he held a wrapped kendo sword. His violet eyes were narrowed menacingly and as Gohei looked at the red hair tied in a ponytail (jo-chan: Mikagami style not the ruruoni style ok?), slight build and insignificant height, he laughed out loud. "Get out of here kid, this is none of your business," said Gohei feeling extremely good natured after laughing.

If Gohei was smart, he would've run away but fortunately he was stupid. The intruder looked at Kaoru when she moaned aloud and Gohei could have sworn the unthreatening violet eyes turn amber. In one quick blur, he pulled off the sword's cover, revealing a sakabatou before he sheathed it and launched into an aggressive stance.

Gohei laughed once more but he suddenly felt a frission of fear. There was something about this guy but he couldn't tell what was it about him that made Gohei's hackles rise in both fear and rage. He drew out his own sword and attacked the red-haired guy. The guy seemed to take all of his attacks calmly even when Gohei was already giving his best attacks.

The red-haired guy suddenly disappeared when Gohei charged against him like an enraged bull. Gohei looked around but the redhead was gone. "Kisama!" swore Gohei not knowing where to look for his adversary.

"Up here!" called the red-haired guy. He was airborne, his sakabatou drawn as he yelled before his strike, "Ryutsuisen!" connecting against Gohei's skull solidly. Gohei's eyes mirrored shock and even before he lost consciousness one thought passed in his mind, "Battousai..."

A sound from Kaoru made the redhead look in her direction, the aftermath of the battle quickly draining from his face. He then hurried over to her and as Kaoru struggled to maintain her consciousness, she asked him, hating the fact that her voice sounded terribly weak. From her dimming vision, she could discern her rescuer had a long hair and features almost to perfect for a man's.

The man gripped her hand as Kaoru looked into his eyes. Those hauntingly familiar violet eyes that she has always seen in her dreams. "Are you Tokiya Mikagami?" she asked although in her heart she already knew he wasn't.

The redhead shook his head and caught her before she completely collapsed. He still answered her question even though she was held against him, her battered face asleep. "Sessha wa.... sessha wa ruruoni."

Kenshin Hikoshichiro didn't know why he said that but at that moment, it seemed as if it was another beginning to a former life.

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Author's Notes:

Wai, wai!!!! I finally finished the second chapter. Okay so as you've seen, I changed the last names of most characters. Umm, Kenshin is Tokiya's apprentice because Kenshin is also one of those special agent guys. Later on it will be revealed how tightly woven Kenshin is with Kaoru's present life. On my next chapter, Aoshi meets Misao. Ja! Please r&r, you can even email me if you want to see some characters appear in the story.

Jaded_cutie@edsamail.com.ph.