Disclaimer: Kenshin's not mine. None of the other characters are either.
Also, this is back to being PG-13.
Reckoning
(Yahiko): Well, now Kenshin's really done it. Not only did he miss his chance to propose to Kaoru, but he can't even get a word out of her ever since he accidentally said she was weak. While Sano fully supports Kenshin, his gambling habits are now on the line as well. Will Kenshin ever get Kaoru to forgive him?
Chapter Four: Interpretations of Reality
Kaoru was eager to get out of the dojo. The morning had been tense to say the least. She had wanted to skip breakfast altogether, and so avoid Kenshin in the process, but she needed to have energy for the guest lesson she was teaching. It had been hard for her to know how to respond to Kenshin. On one hand, she didn't want to totally dismiss him. Deep down, Kaoru understood how much her silence hurt Kenshin. On the other hand, she wasn't prepared to totally end his suffering. Frequently, she considered coming out and telling Kenshin what her terms for forgiveness were, but every time she looked at him, she saw him telling her that he could never train with her even once because she was too weak. That remark had cut her to the core, and Kaoru wasn't about to let Kenshin think it was in any way acceptable. In the end, she had settled for being distantly polite. When he asked her questions, she replied in the fewest number of words possible. When he looked at her, she held his gaze for a few seconds before finding something interesting in her bowl to stare at. She tried her best to not be juvenile in her anger while still sending plenty of signals to remind Kenshin she hadn't forgotten his words. The end of breakfast had come as a relief. She had quickly gotten up and returned to her room to gather her bokken. She now stood by the gates, waiting impatiently for Yahiko.
"Come on Yahiko, hurry up! We're gonna be late for my lesson at the Minami dojo if we don't leave soon!" she yelled for the third time.
"Geez, hold your horses, busu. I'm coming!" he shouted back.
"Fine, I'll be patient, but if you're not out here in ten seconds, brat, I'm leaving without you!" she responded.
As she stood counting the seconds, Kenshin came out of the kitchen.
"You're teaching at the Minami dojo today?" he asked.
"Yes," Kaoru answered curtly.
"Will you be back for dinner?"
"Yes," she repeated.
Kenshin stood for a moment in uncomfortable silence. He was desperate to ask her how he could make it up to her, but her mood was rather forbidding right now. Just as he was about to say something, Yahiko came running towards them.
"I'm coming, busu. Now hurry up or you'll make us late!" he shouted as he dashed out the gate.
Relief was written clearly on Kaoru's face as she followed into the street, soundly closing the gate behind her. She sighed as she ran to catch up with her young student. For a moment, she was afraid Kenshin might try to apologize, and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted. She hated to see him in pain, yet she just couldn't forgive him. Not yet. The insult was too fresh in her mind, the pain still too close to the surface.
As they neared the Minami dojo, Kaoru pushed away all her thoughts. She needed to be clear-headed and focused today. Letting her thoughts linger on yesterday would only interfere with her lesson. Besides, in a few minutes she would be practicing kenjutsu, her first love. She wasn't going to let anyone, even Kenshin, ruin the next few hours for her.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The morning and afternoon passed by far too quickly for Kaoru's liking. She had put all her problems aside, immersing herself totally in the Kamiya Kashin Ryu. Her intense focus had had quite the effect on her guest students as well. They had all been impressed by her techniques and had begged for her to demonstrate them over and over as they'd tried to pick up even the smallest nuance of the moves. As the students began filtering out of the dojo, Kaoru was left feeling wholly satisfied. Maybe some of the students would even seek her out so that they could learn more. She watched the children leave, dreaming of her dojo teaming with enthusiastic students instead of her single belligerent one. A polite voice pulled her from her reverie.
"Excuse me, Kamiya-san," an unfamiliar male spoke.
Kaoru blinked and focused upon the figure in front of her. A young man in his early twenties stood politely awaiting her response. He was a few inches taller than she, with dark hair and eyes. She finally recognized him as Minami Atsumori, the son of Minami Kohei and assistant master of the school.
"Uh, yes, Minami-san," she replied wittily.
"I just wanted to tell you that I was quite impressed by the techniques of the Kamiya Kashin Ryu. It is rare to find a school that does not focus upon killing yet still has such effective moves. It seems that most with the same philosophy water their moves down so much that you can barely recognize them as kenjutsu."
"Thank you, Minami-san. You honor me greatly with your praise," Kaoru said, smiling happily.
"I was wondering, Kamiya-san, would you care to spar with me briefly? You had so many eager students that I could only watch during the lesson, but I would love to actually experience the style for myself," Atsumori suggested hopefully.
Kaoru couldn't help but grin. Finally, someone who recognized her talent. Quickly, she answered, "I would love to, Minami-san, but there's no need to be quite so formal. Kaoru-san will do."
"Then I insist that you treat me with the same informality," Atsumori also grinned. "Are you ready?"
Kaoru nodded and the sparring began. It did not last long, only about ten minutes, but it left Kaoru feeling exhilarated. Atsumori was talented as well, and the fighting was spirited. When he had finally called "Hold!" with a look of cheerful defeat on his face, Kaoru knew that he hadn't just let her win.
"You fight was well as I expected, and believe me, I'd had high expectations," he told her a little breathlessly. "My father is very selective about who he allows to teach guest lessons. I will recommend to him that you come back often."
Surprise and delighted, Kaoru answered, "Thank you, Atsumori-san, you do me a great honor."
"It is you who would do me a great honor if you would come and spar with me more often," he replied, looking hopeful.
"Truly? You would like to spar more often? You have no idea how much I would enjoy that, Atsumori-san. It is a nice change of pace to actually have someone of skill to train against. Usually, I have only my student, and while Yahiko is talented, well, he's my student. It's hard to feel challenged against someone who is still in training," Kaoru responded, growing excited.
"You have only your student to train against, Kaoru-san?" Atsumori asked in a surprised tone. "But don't you live with...with the..." he trailed off, embarrassed.
"With the Battousai? Yes, I do, but Kenshin refuses to spar with me. He fears he'll hurt me. Despite all we've been through, I'm still just a woman to him," Kaoru answered honestly, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
"Ah, I see. It is hard for many men. They cannot let go of the past in which it was necessary to protect women because they could not learn kenjutsu. Now, times are changing and more women are becoming like you, capable of defending themselves. I am young and do not remember the old ways so strongly, but for men like Kenshin, it is all they know. I imagine it is something many men still have a hard time accepting," explained Atsumori, trying to lend rationality to Kenshin's overprotective behavior.
"I suppose," Kaoru sighed. "It's just a pity that all the other men I know think the same way, and some of them are no older than you. I guess I shall just have to work harder at making them accept these changing times."
Atsumori simply nodded. "So, when would you like to spar next?" he asked.
"I could come tomorrow at about this time. I'll be done with Yahiko's lessons by then."
"That would be perfect. Until tomorrow, Kaoru-san," Atsumori answered, bowing slightly.
Kaoru returned his bow and left the dojo. She was elated. It was nice to know that not every man was as stupid and sexist as her friends. With an opponent of equal skill, she would finally be able to improve her technique rather than just maintain her current level. Kaoru would prove to Kenshin that she could take of herself.
She walked home happily, not even dismayed by the prospect of dinner with her pack of insensitive male friends. The young woman even gifted Kenshin with a nod when he greeted her from his wash tub. She certainly wasn't ready to forgive him for the previous night yet, but there was no need to be petty. Besides, Kaoru was in too good of a mood to purposely ignore anyone.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
To the outsider, the mood in the dojo appeared to lighten over the next few days. Kaoru, though she still refused to speak in complete sentences to Kenshin, no longer stormed about with a perpetual murderous glare. Her mood, especially after her practices with Atsumori, almost started resembling her normal, vivacious self. Sano frequently informed Yahiko that his worries about the future of his gambling career would soon be over, and Yahiko even teased Kenshin about Kaoru a time or two. Yes, the casual observer may have been fooled, but not anyone who cared to watch closely. A closer analysis of the residents of the Kamiya dojo revealed that a tension lay just below the surface. When one listened closely, it became evident that Sano's mirth was forced and his laughter brittle. Though Kenshin might smile and even let slip an "oro" during Yahiko's teasing, it was always very controlled and usually followed a brief expression of sadness and pain. Even Yahiko's jokes seemed lifeless and not anywhere near as provocative as usual. Only Kaoru's brief lifts of mood after her kenjutsu practices seemed genuine, and perhaps that was truly the cause of the tension in the dojo.
Though none of the men dared mention it, even to each other, each privately worried over Kaoru's new friendship with Atsumori. It did not take long for Yahiko to become jealous over the fact the Kaoru had a new preferred sparring partner. He might publicly proclaim how unfit a teacher she was, but privately he harbored a deep respect for her and her skills. He feared that she might give up on him altogether now that she had someone to practice against, and, in truth, he just didn't like the fact that his place in Kaoru's life had been usurped. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he enjoyed being the focus of her attention.
Sano's displeasure stemmed from the fact that as long as Kaoru and Kenshin remained estranged, the future of his gambling habits remained unclear. He was positive that Kenshin would eventually hit a point beyond even his superhuman tolerance and crack, finally giving in to his desire to propose to Kaoru, regardless of whether she was even speaking to him. In fact, Sano was frightened beyond words that it really would happen and he'd have to give up gambling, or at least do it in some semblance of secrecy. Yahiko had to be daft to think he'd really follow through. Sano would have felt much more assured on the matter if Kaoru weren't missing every afternoon to spar with her new buddy. He believed that as long as she kept seeing this Minami guy, she would be more resistant to Kenshin's attempts to apologize. The man only encouraged her to foolishly think that women could fight on the same level as men. Kaoru needed to be reminded of how the world really worked.
If Yahiko and Sano worried over Kaoru's new habit, Kenshin fully obsessed over it. As each day went by, he became more and more convinced that Kaoru was falling for her new training partner. Kenshin had never seen Atsumori, but he envisioned him as being tall, noticeably muscular, quick with compliments, and oozing charm, basically the epitome of masculinity and everything Kenshin was not. Come to think of it, his mental picture looked and acted a lot like Hiko. Kenshin shuddered at the thought.
Doing laundry had quickly become his least favorite task of the day. What had once been time for meditation had become a new form of torture as Kenshin's relative idleness allowed his mind freedom to imagine Kaoru and Atsumori in every possible situation. He found himself analyzing the moments he saw Kaoru, construing every detail in the worst possible way. She always looked so happy in her exhaustion when she returned home every afternoon. Were they really only training or was something else happening as well. Was her hair tousled from fighting or from his hands? Was she wearing that new gi because her old one had worn out or for him? Kenshin was on the verge of smelling her clothes to see if he could detect any unfamiliar scent. He had already considered several times going through her room to look for love letters or diary entries, but he always chickened out at her door. He wanted to grab Kaoru and shake her in an attempt to bring her back to her senses. He wanted to hunt down this Minami Atsumori and beat him into the next century, then pull him back and beat him some more. He wanted to do everything except what Kaoru wanted him to do, namely, spar with her once.
Of the dojo's residents, only Kaoru's mood was genuine and more or less untroubled. Her bouts with Atsumori had become the highlight of her day. After only a week, she had noticed an improvement in her skills. She was fighting at a level she'd never considered before and getting better still. The more they practiced, the more Kaoru grew comfortable with Atsumori. He never tried to get her to talk about the issues that existed between her and Kenshin though he could see them quite plainly. He simply provided her with an opponent worthy of her skill. Kaoru's time spent at the Minami dojo was almost entirely devoted to fighting. They rarely talked unless it was to exchange a few pleasantries or to comment upon specific techniques.
Kaoru sensed that this new practice concerned her friends, but she refused to regret her actions. She had actually come close to explaining why she trained with Atsumori as often as she did just to ease their minds some, but a sudden epiphany had stopped her. If Kenshin and Sano were unhappy about this, it was their own fault because they wouldn't train with her. Her time with Atsumori made her happy because it allowed her to practice her passion and grow stronger in the process. Kaoru simply refused to remain semi-self sufficient when the opportunity to surpass that lay so easily in reach. As she saw it, Kenshin and Sano's closed-minded ways would only stifle her. They were to blame for any perceived weakness since they refused her the opportunity to grow.
The more Kaoru thought about how her friends directly related to her inability, imagined or otherwise, to adequately protect herself, the angrier she became. If Kenshin was so frightened by her "lack" of fighting skills, why hadn't he taken the opportunity to teach her and make her stronger? At a time when Kaoru had no truly qualified foes to train against, his no-sparring policy had effectively crippled her, preventing her from ever advancing in the Kamiya Kashin Ryu. All the while he could have been working with her, giving her tips to improve, he had instead encouraged her to stay back at the dojo and wait. Kenshin may as well have thrust a cookbook in her hand and told her to behave like a normal girl. His disapproval of her kenjutsu skills was subtle but just as painful as outright condemnation. And Sano, why, he still considered her a child, calling her little missy and mocking her use of a bokken.
Anger burned within her. Kaoru couldn't believe she had nearly called a truce tonight at dinner. Arrogant men! She'd show them. She'd continue practicing with Atsumori even though it made them squirm.
Kauro was so caught up in her thoughts, she walked right into a wall. As close to it as she was, it carried no meaning, but upon stepping away from it, she realized it was the back of the Akabeko. A glance at the surrounding area revealed a very amused looking Tae trying her best not to burst out laughing as she leaned out the door.
"Hello, Kaoru. Inspecting the building for structural flaws?" she giggled.
"Hi Tae," responded a very red Kaoru.
"It's okay, I promise not to tell anyone," she said, smiling gently. "You know, I haven't seen you around lately. You've been spending too much time training with the young Minami to come see your old friend."
"You know about that? My, word does get around quick." Kaoru answered a little dryly.
"Ah, you know how it is in small towns. Everyone's a gossip."
"Tae, Tokyo is not a small town."
"No, but Yahiko is a gossip. I hear him telling Tsubame all about your goings on," Tae explained.
"My goings on? You make it sound so tawdry. I hate to disappoint you, but it's just practice," Kaoru answered, a little annoyed by the assumption there was some ulterior motive to her training at the Minami dojo.
"I suppose you would know best, wouldn't you? What does Ken-san think of it all?" Tae asked innocently.
"What does it matter what Kenshin thinks? It's not like we're engaged. Atsumori-san is incredibly nice and understanding. I can't help it if I prefer to be with him now, especially after what happened with Kenshin. Atsumori-san doesn't think I'm weak at all, unlike some people. Honestly, it's a bit of a relief to be away from the dojo right now. But really, we're just training partners. Despite Kenshin's flaws, I still love him. Of course, being with him is another story. I won't even consider it until he seriously makes an attempt to see me for who I am, kenjutsu skills included. As long as Kenshin thinks I can't take care of myself, I'll always feel trapped with him. I refuse to squander my talent and ignore my passion just for him," Kaoru explained to a speechless Tae.
"Well, if that's how you feel. I just hope Ken-san comes to his senses then." Tae finally answered.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I would hate to see the love that you two have for each other squandered as well. But you are right. If he can't accept all of you, then he can't truly love you either." Tae shook her head. "Sometimes men are really stupid."
"Tell me about it. I live with three, if you count Sano, who's practically a full-time resident. It's like being surrounded by a circus of monkeys. You never know what they'll do next, but you can bet it probably won't be recognized as human," Kaoru sighed. "I'm glad you understand, Tae. Thank you for the talk. You promise you won't tell anyone about the incident with the wall?"
"Your secret's safe with me. See you later, Kaoru." Tae waved at the retreating figure. She walked back inside the restaurant and looked for Yahiko. The boy had just arrived to work while Tae had been standing out back taking a small break.
"Tsubame, have you seen Yahiko?" Tae asked the young girl.
"Uh, yeah. I saw him leave a couple minutes ago. He just ran right out of here and had the strangest look on his face. He didn't even say good bye to me," she answered, obviously puzzled by Yahiko's abnormal behavior.
"Sometimes I just don't understand that boy," Tae remarked. "Well, Tsubame, it looks like its just you and me. Let's get to work."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Yahiko ran back to the dojo as fast he his scrawny legs could carry him. He had to talk to Sano right away. He was still in shock from what he'd just heard at the Akabeko. He'd just arrived to work for Tae, and he saw her standing outside so he went to find out what she needed done. As he neared the door, he'd heard a voice he knew belonged to Kaoru, and she was telling Tae that she was engaged! To Atsumori! He'd left right after she mentioned needing to get away from the dojo. He was too stunned to even process it all. In his head, Yahiko just kept repeating that moment when Kaoru said she was engaged and now nice and wonderful Atsumori was. How could she do this to them? She'd only known that Minami jerk a week!
Yahiko skidded to a stop in front of the dojo and nearly wrenched the gate off its hinges in his rush to get inside.
"Sano! Sano, where are you? Dammit Sano, get out here!" he yelled.
"Geez kid, I'm right here, no need to yell. What's got you worked into such a frenzy?" Sano replied lazily, coming outside the house.
"It'sKaoruandshe'sengagedtoAtsumori- sananddoesn'tlikeusanymoreandshewantstoleave!" he blabbered.
Sano covered his ears in an attempt to make his brain stop hurting. "Whoa, whoa there Yahiko. Why don't you try that again, only slooowwerrrrr."
"Kaoru. She's engaged. To that Minami freak she practices with. She says we get on her nerves, and shewantstogetaway," Yahiko replied, starting to pick up speed again.
"Okay, give me a second here. WHAT!? What do you mean Jou-chan's engaged. How'd you find this out?" Sano asked, more than a little stupefied.
"I was at the Akabeko and Kaoru was talking to Tae. I heard everything. She told Tae that she and the Minami usurper are engaged because he's nice and understanding and doesn't think she's weak. Then she said she doesn't like being here at the dojo anymore. Honest, Sano, I was right on the other side of the wall. I caught all of it."
"Shit. Yahiko, I mean - shit! I thought it was odd she was spending so much time over there, but damn, they're engaged already? Shit, Jou-chan moves fast. Shit!" Sano continued mumbling to himself, repeating what sounded like "shit" over and over.
"Is that all you can say? I mean, what are we going to do? We can't let Kaoru marry that dumb ass Minami," Yahiko asked worriedly.
"I don't know, I need time to think," Sano responded, a look of concentration coming over his face.
"Great, by the time you're done, busu will already be married. Can't you try something else?"
Sano shot Yahiko a dirty look. "Funny, brat, real funny. I'll have you know I did think of something."
"Really?" Yahiko didn't sound impressed.
"Yeah. It's: Whatever you do, don't tell Kenshin." Sano said proudly.
"Is that it? That's you're only idea? Sure you don't even have a backup?" Yahiko hadn't been expecting much, but even this was worse than he'd hoped.
"Umm, so far at least. Why?" Sano seemed confused that he needed to produce more results than that.
"Well, cause you're a little too late with that thought. Kenshin's standing right behind you and I think he might have heard the whole thing..." Yahiko explained, looking chagrinned.
Sure enough, Kenshin had been doing laundry when Yahiko made his dramatic entrance. The wash had made him so depressed he hadn't even been able to work up the energy to see what the commotion was all about - until Yahiko had mentioned Kaoru being engaged, that is. Then he'd been there in a flash, it had just taken his less than observant friends a while to register his presence. Now he stood in the yard, eyes glowing an eerie yellow. His hands clenched into fists as he stared at the pair silently. In a tension strong enough to make even the birds stop chirping, only a desperate "shit" was heard.
AN: I have a couple of things to say.
First off, Firefury: sorry about spelling your name Firefly in my last chapter. My brain sometimes jumps to conclusions, and I often don't catch it until too late.
Second: ChaosBurnFlame: shrug Well I warned that it might be OOC. Kenshin does cuss from time to time. Granted he's the usually Battousai first, but I think he's got it in him. Still, I understand where you're coming from. And I haven't really watched much Ranma so I don't know if Kaoru is behaving like Akane. I'm just using this fic to address one of my grievances with the show, which is that though Kaoru has obviously devoted her life to the Kamiya Kashin Ryu, she often accepts Kenshin's demand that she remain behind. I've always thought she wasn't bothered enough by Kenshin's sometimes casual dismissal of her skills. I could understand it if she understood that she wasn't as strong as Kenshin and Sano and so wisely decided to stay behind if it weren't for the fact that Yahiko goes places and takes on enemies that she isn't allowed to even though he's almost half her age, hasn't hit puberty yet so can't have well-developed muscles, and is her student. She obviously knows more than he does, but he gets picked to fight more often. I think that Kaoru doesn't stand up for herself more often because the comic is meant to be for boys, and they're not really interested in strong female characters. The reason why Kaoru acts the way she does in this is because I'm trying to remedy what I perceive as a flaw.
Third: I honestly don't know what I'm doing with the honorifics (except for the obvious dono). I'm just assuming that it is acceptable to put -san after first and last names and that Atsumori-san is less formal than Minami- san, but still pretty polite. And I think I've heard Tae call Kenshin Ken- san, but I don't remember.
Fourth: I'm going to Pennsylvania for War on Thursday and I won't be back until Friday. No, not the "almost tomorrow Friday", but the "in another week Friday". Sorry to leave you hanging. If I can, I'll try to write more while I'm gone so I just have to type and post when I come home (after sleeping for 24 hours straight first). Yeah for watching men run around beating each other with duct tape-wrapped foam weapons!
Reckoning
(Yahiko): Well, now Kenshin's really done it. Not only did he miss his chance to propose to Kaoru, but he can't even get a word out of her ever since he accidentally said she was weak. While Sano fully supports Kenshin, his gambling habits are now on the line as well. Will Kenshin ever get Kaoru to forgive him?
Chapter Four: Interpretations of Reality
Kaoru was eager to get out of the dojo. The morning had been tense to say the least. She had wanted to skip breakfast altogether, and so avoid Kenshin in the process, but she needed to have energy for the guest lesson she was teaching. It had been hard for her to know how to respond to Kenshin. On one hand, she didn't want to totally dismiss him. Deep down, Kaoru understood how much her silence hurt Kenshin. On the other hand, she wasn't prepared to totally end his suffering. Frequently, she considered coming out and telling Kenshin what her terms for forgiveness were, but every time she looked at him, she saw him telling her that he could never train with her even once because she was too weak. That remark had cut her to the core, and Kaoru wasn't about to let Kenshin think it was in any way acceptable. In the end, she had settled for being distantly polite. When he asked her questions, she replied in the fewest number of words possible. When he looked at her, she held his gaze for a few seconds before finding something interesting in her bowl to stare at. She tried her best to not be juvenile in her anger while still sending plenty of signals to remind Kenshin she hadn't forgotten his words. The end of breakfast had come as a relief. She had quickly gotten up and returned to her room to gather her bokken. She now stood by the gates, waiting impatiently for Yahiko.
"Come on Yahiko, hurry up! We're gonna be late for my lesson at the Minami dojo if we don't leave soon!" she yelled for the third time.
"Geez, hold your horses, busu. I'm coming!" he shouted back.
"Fine, I'll be patient, but if you're not out here in ten seconds, brat, I'm leaving without you!" she responded.
As she stood counting the seconds, Kenshin came out of the kitchen.
"You're teaching at the Minami dojo today?" he asked.
"Yes," Kaoru answered curtly.
"Will you be back for dinner?"
"Yes," she repeated.
Kenshin stood for a moment in uncomfortable silence. He was desperate to ask her how he could make it up to her, but her mood was rather forbidding right now. Just as he was about to say something, Yahiko came running towards them.
"I'm coming, busu. Now hurry up or you'll make us late!" he shouted as he dashed out the gate.
Relief was written clearly on Kaoru's face as she followed into the street, soundly closing the gate behind her. She sighed as she ran to catch up with her young student. For a moment, she was afraid Kenshin might try to apologize, and she wasn't sure how she would have reacted. She hated to see him in pain, yet she just couldn't forgive him. Not yet. The insult was too fresh in her mind, the pain still too close to the surface.
As they neared the Minami dojo, Kaoru pushed away all her thoughts. She needed to be clear-headed and focused today. Letting her thoughts linger on yesterday would only interfere with her lesson. Besides, in a few minutes she would be practicing kenjutsu, her first love. She wasn't going to let anyone, even Kenshin, ruin the next few hours for her.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The morning and afternoon passed by far too quickly for Kaoru's liking. She had put all her problems aside, immersing herself totally in the Kamiya Kashin Ryu. Her intense focus had had quite the effect on her guest students as well. They had all been impressed by her techniques and had begged for her to demonstrate them over and over as they'd tried to pick up even the smallest nuance of the moves. As the students began filtering out of the dojo, Kaoru was left feeling wholly satisfied. Maybe some of the students would even seek her out so that they could learn more. She watched the children leave, dreaming of her dojo teaming with enthusiastic students instead of her single belligerent one. A polite voice pulled her from her reverie.
"Excuse me, Kamiya-san," an unfamiliar male spoke.
Kaoru blinked and focused upon the figure in front of her. A young man in his early twenties stood politely awaiting her response. He was a few inches taller than she, with dark hair and eyes. She finally recognized him as Minami Atsumori, the son of Minami Kohei and assistant master of the school.
"Uh, yes, Minami-san," she replied wittily.
"I just wanted to tell you that I was quite impressed by the techniques of the Kamiya Kashin Ryu. It is rare to find a school that does not focus upon killing yet still has such effective moves. It seems that most with the same philosophy water their moves down so much that you can barely recognize them as kenjutsu."
"Thank you, Minami-san. You honor me greatly with your praise," Kaoru said, smiling happily.
"I was wondering, Kamiya-san, would you care to spar with me briefly? You had so many eager students that I could only watch during the lesson, but I would love to actually experience the style for myself," Atsumori suggested hopefully.
Kaoru couldn't help but grin. Finally, someone who recognized her talent. Quickly, she answered, "I would love to, Minami-san, but there's no need to be quite so formal. Kaoru-san will do."
"Then I insist that you treat me with the same informality," Atsumori also grinned. "Are you ready?"
Kaoru nodded and the sparring began. It did not last long, only about ten minutes, but it left Kaoru feeling exhilarated. Atsumori was talented as well, and the fighting was spirited. When he had finally called "Hold!" with a look of cheerful defeat on his face, Kaoru knew that he hadn't just let her win.
"You fight was well as I expected, and believe me, I'd had high expectations," he told her a little breathlessly. "My father is very selective about who he allows to teach guest lessons. I will recommend to him that you come back often."
Surprise and delighted, Kaoru answered, "Thank you, Atsumori-san, you do me a great honor."
"It is you who would do me a great honor if you would come and spar with me more often," he replied, looking hopeful.
"Truly? You would like to spar more often? You have no idea how much I would enjoy that, Atsumori-san. It is a nice change of pace to actually have someone of skill to train against. Usually, I have only my student, and while Yahiko is talented, well, he's my student. It's hard to feel challenged against someone who is still in training," Kaoru responded, growing excited.
"You have only your student to train against, Kaoru-san?" Atsumori asked in a surprised tone. "But don't you live with...with the..." he trailed off, embarrassed.
"With the Battousai? Yes, I do, but Kenshin refuses to spar with me. He fears he'll hurt me. Despite all we've been through, I'm still just a woman to him," Kaoru answered honestly, trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
"Ah, I see. It is hard for many men. They cannot let go of the past in which it was necessary to protect women because they could not learn kenjutsu. Now, times are changing and more women are becoming like you, capable of defending themselves. I am young and do not remember the old ways so strongly, but for men like Kenshin, it is all they know. I imagine it is something many men still have a hard time accepting," explained Atsumori, trying to lend rationality to Kenshin's overprotective behavior.
"I suppose," Kaoru sighed. "It's just a pity that all the other men I know think the same way, and some of them are no older than you. I guess I shall just have to work harder at making them accept these changing times."
Atsumori simply nodded. "So, when would you like to spar next?" he asked.
"I could come tomorrow at about this time. I'll be done with Yahiko's lessons by then."
"That would be perfect. Until tomorrow, Kaoru-san," Atsumori answered, bowing slightly.
Kaoru returned his bow and left the dojo. She was elated. It was nice to know that not every man was as stupid and sexist as her friends. With an opponent of equal skill, she would finally be able to improve her technique rather than just maintain her current level. Kaoru would prove to Kenshin that she could take of herself.
She walked home happily, not even dismayed by the prospect of dinner with her pack of insensitive male friends. The young woman even gifted Kenshin with a nod when he greeted her from his wash tub. She certainly wasn't ready to forgive him for the previous night yet, but there was no need to be petty. Besides, Kaoru was in too good of a mood to purposely ignore anyone.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
To the outsider, the mood in the dojo appeared to lighten over the next few days. Kaoru, though she still refused to speak in complete sentences to Kenshin, no longer stormed about with a perpetual murderous glare. Her mood, especially after her practices with Atsumori, almost started resembling her normal, vivacious self. Sano frequently informed Yahiko that his worries about the future of his gambling career would soon be over, and Yahiko even teased Kenshin about Kaoru a time or two. Yes, the casual observer may have been fooled, but not anyone who cared to watch closely. A closer analysis of the residents of the Kamiya dojo revealed that a tension lay just below the surface. When one listened closely, it became evident that Sano's mirth was forced and his laughter brittle. Though Kenshin might smile and even let slip an "oro" during Yahiko's teasing, it was always very controlled and usually followed a brief expression of sadness and pain. Even Yahiko's jokes seemed lifeless and not anywhere near as provocative as usual. Only Kaoru's brief lifts of mood after her kenjutsu practices seemed genuine, and perhaps that was truly the cause of the tension in the dojo.
Though none of the men dared mention it, even to each other, each privately worried over Kaoru's new friendship with Atsumori. It did not take long for Yahiko to become jealous over the fact the Kaoru had a new preferred sparring partner. He might publicly proclaim how unfit a teacher she was, but privately he harbored a deep respect for her and her skills. He feared that she might give up on him altogether now that she had someone to practice against, and, in truth, he just didn't like the fact that his place in Kaoru's life had been usurped. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but he enjoyed being the focus of her attention.
Sano's displeasure stemmed from the fact that as long as Kaoru and Kenshin remained estranged, the future of his gambling habits remained unclear. He was positive that Kenshin would eventually hit a point beyond even his superhuman tolerance and crack, finally giving in to his desire to propose to Kaoru, regardless of whether she was even speaking to him. In fact, Sano was frightened beyond words that it really would happen and he'd have to give up gambling, or at least do it in some semblance of secrecy. Yahiko had to be daft to think he'd really follow through. Sano would have felt much more assured on the matter if Kaoru weren't missing every afternoon to spar with her new buddy. He believed that as long as she kept seeing this Minami guy, she would be more resistant to Kenshin's attempts to apologize. The man only encouraged her to foolishly think that women could fight on the same level as men. Kaoru needed to be reminded of how the world really worked.
If Yahiko and Sano worried over Kaoru's new habit, Kenshin fully obsessed over it. As each day went by, he became more and more convinced that Kaoru was falling for her new training partner. Kenshin had never seen Atsumori, but he envisioned him as being tall, noticeably muscular, quick with compliments, and oozing charm, basically the epitome of masculinity and everything Kenshin was not. Come to think of it, his mental picture looked and acted a lot like Hiko. Kenshin shuddered at the thought.
Doing laundry had quickly become his least favorite task of the day. What had once been time for meditation had become a new form of torture as Kenshin's relative idleness allowed his mind freedom to imagine Kaoru and Atsumori in every possible situation. He found himself analyzing the moments he saw Kaoru, construing every detail in the worst possible way. She always looked so happy in her exhaustion when she returned home every afternoon. Were they really only training or was something else happening as well. Was her hair tousled from fighting or from his hands? Was she wearing that new gi because her old one had worn out or for him? Kenshin was on the verge of smelling her clothes to see if he could detect any unfamiliar scent. He had already considered several times going through her room to look for love letters or diary entries, but he always chickened out at her door. He wanted to grab Kaoru and shake her in an attempt to bring her back to her senses. He wanted to hunt down this Minami Atsumori and beat him into the next century, then pull him back and beat him some more. He wanted to do everything except what Kaoru wanted him to do, namely, spar with her once.
Of the dojo's residents, only Kaoru's mood was genuine and more or less untroubled. Her bouts with Atsumori had become the highlight of her day. After only a week, she had noticed an improvement in her skills. She was fighting at a level she'd never considered before and getting better still. The more they practiced, the more Kaoru grew comfortable with Atsumori. He never tried to get her to talk about the issues that existed between her and Kenshin though he could see them quite plainly. He simply provided her with an opponent worthy of her skill. Kaoru's time spent at the Minami dojo was almost entirely devoted to fighting. They rarely talked unless it was to exchange a few pleasantries or to comment upon specific techniques.
Kaoru sensed that this new practice concerned her friends, but she refused to regret her actions. She had actually come close to explaining why she trained with Atsumori as often as she did just to ease their minds some, but a sudden epiphany had stopped her. If Kenshin and Sano were unhappy about this, it was their own fault because they wouldn't train with her. Her time with Atsumori made her happy because it allowed her to practice her passion and grow stronger in the process. Kaoru simply refused to remain semi-self sufficient when the opportunity to surpass that lay so easily in reach. As she saw it, Kenshin and Sano's closed-minded ways would only stifle her. They were to blame for any perceived weakness since they refused her the opportunity to grow.
The more Kaoru thought about how her friends directly related to her inability, imagined or otherwise, to adequately protect herself, the angrier she became. If Kenshin was so frightened by her "lack" of fighting skills, why hadn't he taken the opportunity to teach her and make her stronger? At a time when Kaoru had no truly qualified foes to train against, his no-sparring policy had effectively crippled her, preventing her from ever advancing in the Kamiya Kashin Ryu. All the while he could have been working with her, giving her tips to improve, he had instead encouraged her to stay back at the dojo and wait. Kenshin may as well have thrust a cookbook in her hand and told her to behave like a normal girl. His disapproval of her kenjutsu skills was subtle but just as painful as outright condemnation. And Sano, why, he still considered her a child, calling her little missy and mocking her use of a bokken.
Anger burned within her. Kaoru couldn't believe she had nearly called a truce tonight at dinner. Arrogant men! She'd show them. She'd continue practicing with Atsumori even though it made them squirm.
Kauro was so caught up in her thoughts, she walked right into a wall. As close to it as she was, it carried no meaning, but upon stepping away from it, she realized it was the back of the Akabeko. A glance at the surrounding area revealed a very amused looking Tae trying her best not to burst out laughing as she leaned out the door.
"Hello, Kaoru. Inspecting the building for structural flaws?" she giggled.
"Hi Tae," responded a very red Kaoru.
"It's okay, I promise not to tell anyone," she said, smiling gently. "You know, I haven't seen you around lately. You've been spending too much time training with the young Minami to come see your old friend."
"You know about that? My, word does get around quick." Kaoru answered a little dryly.
"Ah, you know how it is in small towns. Everyone's a gossip."
"Tae, Tokyo is not a small town."
"No, but Yahiko is a gossip. I hear him telling Tsubame all about your goings on," Tae explained.
"My goings on? You make it sound so tawdry. I hate to disappoint you, but it's just practice," Kaoru answered, a little annoyed by the assumption there was some ulterior motive to her training at the Minami dojo.
"I suppose you would know best, wouldn't you? What does Ken-san think of it all?" Tae asked innocently.
"What does it matter what Kenshin thinks? It's not like we're engaged. Atsumori-san is incredibly nice and understanding. I can't help it if I prefer to be with him now, especially after what happened with Kenshin. Atsumori-san doesn't think I'm weak at all, unlike some people. Honestly, it's a bit of a relief to be away from the dojo right now. But really, we're just training partners. Despite Kenshin's flaws, I still love him. Of course, being with him is another story. I won't even consider it until he seriously makes an attempt to see me for who I am, kenjutsu skills included. As long as Kenshin thinks I can't take care of myself, I'll always feel trapped with him. I refuse to squander my talent and ignore my passion just for him," Kaoru explained to a speechless Tae.
"Well, if that's how you feel. I just hope Ken-san comes to his senses then." Tae finally answered.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I would hate to see the love that you two have for each other squandered as well. But you are right. If he can't accept all of you, then he can't truly love you either." Tae shook her head. "Sometimes men are really stupid."
"Tell me about it. I live with three, if you count Sano, who's practically a full-time resident. It's like being surrounded by a circus of monkeys. You never know what they'll do next, but you can bet it probably won't be recognized as human," Kaoru sighed. "I'm glad you understand, Tae. Thank you for the talk. You promise you won't tell anyone about the incident with the wall?"
"Your secret's safe with me. See you later, Kaoru." Tae waved at the retreating figure. She walked back inside the restaurant and looked for Yahiko. The boy had just arrived to work while Tae had been standing out back taking a small break.
"Tsubame, have you seen Yahiko?" Tae asked the young girl.
"Uh, yeah. I saw him leave a couple minutes ago. He just ran right out of here and had the strangest look on his face. He didn't even say good bye to me," she answered, obviously puzzled by Yahiko's abnormal behavior.
"Sometimes I just don't understand that boy," Tae remarked. "Well, Tsubame, it looks like its just you and me. Let's get to work."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Yahiko ran back to the dojo as fast he his scrawny legs could carry him. He had to talk to Sano right away. He was still in shock from what he'd just heard at the Akabeko. He'd just arrived to work for Tae, and he saw her standing outside so he went to find out what she needed done. As he neared the door, he'd heard a voice he knew belonged to Kaoru, and she was telling Tae that she was engaged! To Atsumori! He'd left right after she mentioned needing to get away from the dojo. He was too stunned to even process it all. In his head, Yahiko just kept repeating that moment when Kaoru said she was engaged and now nice and wonderful Atsumori was. How could she do this to them? She'd only known that Minami jerk a week!
Yahiko skidded to a stop in front of the dojo and nearly wrenched the gate off its hinges in his rush to get inside.
"Sano! Sano, where are you? Dammit Sano, get out here!" he yelled.
"Geez kid, I'm right here, no need to yell. What's got you worked into such a frenzy?" Sano replied lazily, coming outside the house.
"It'sKaoruandshe'sengagedtoAtsumori- sananddoesn'tlikeusanymoreandshewantstoleave!" he blabbered.
Sano covered his ears in an attempt to make his brain stop hurting. "Whoa, whoa there Yahiko. Why don't you try that again, only slooowwerrrrr."
"Kaoru. She's engaged. To that Minami freak she practices with. She says we get on her nerves, and shewantstogetaway," Yahiko replied, starting to pick up speed again.
"Okay, give me a second here. WHAT!? What do you mean Jou-chan's engaged. How'd you find this out?" Sano asked, more than a little stupefied.
"I was at the Akabeko and Kaoru was talking to Tae. I heard everything. She told Tae that she and the Minami usurper are engaged because he's nice and understanding and doesn't think she's weak. Then she said she doesn't like being here at the dojo anymore. Honest, Sano, I was right on the other side of the wall. I caught all of it."
"Shit. Yahiko, I mean - shit! I thought it was odd she was spending so much time over there, but damn, they're engaged already? Shit, Jou-chan moves fast. Shit!" Sano continued mumbling to himself, repeating what sounded like "shit" over and over.
"Is that all you can say? I mean, what are we going to do? We can't let Kaoru marry that dumb ass Minami," Yahiko asked worriedly.
"I don't know, I need time to think," Sano responded, a look of concentration coming over his face.
"Great, by the time you're done, busu will already be married. Can't you try something else?"
Sano shot Yahiko a dirty look. "Funny, brat, real funny. I'll have you know I did think of something."
"Really?" Yahiko didn't sound impressed.
"Yeah. It's: Whatever you do, don't tell Kenshin." Sano said proudly.
"Is that it? That's you're only idea? Sure you don't even have a backup?" Yahiko hadn't been expecting much, but even this was worse than he'd hoped.
"Umm, so far at least. Why?" Sano seemed confused that he needed to produce more results than that.
"Well, cause you're a little too late with that thought. Kenshin's standing right behind you and I think he might have heard the whole thing..." Yahiko explained, looking chagrinned.
Sure enough, Kenshin had been doing laundry when Yahiko made his dramatic entrance. The wash had made him so depressed he hadn't even been able to work up the energy to see what the commotion was all about - until Yahiko had mentioned Kaoru being engaged, that is. Then he'd been there in a flash, it had just taken his less than observant friends a while to register his presence. Now he stood in the yard, eyes glowing an eerie yellow. His hands clenched into fists as he stared at the pair silently. In a tension strong enough to make even the birds stop chirping, only a desperate "shit" was heard.
AN: I have a couple of things to say.
First off, Firefury: sorry about spelling your name Firefly in my last chapter. My brain sometimes jumps to conclusions, and I often don't catch it until too late.
Second: ChaosBurnFlame: shrug Well I warned that it might be OOC. Kenshin does cuss from time to time. Granted he's the usually Battousai first, but I think he's got it in him. Still, I understand where you're coming from. And I haven't really watched much Ranma so I don't know if Kaoru is behaving like Akane. I'm just using this fic to address one of my grievances with the show, which is that though Kaoru has obviously devoted her life to the Kamiya Kashin Ryu, she often accepts Kenshin's demand that she remain behind. I've always thought she wasn't bothered enough by Kenshin's sometimes casual dismissal of her skills. I could understand it if she understood that she wasn't as strong as Kenshin and Sano and so wisely decided to stay behind if it weren't for the fact that Yahiko goes places and takes on enemies that she isn't allowed to even though he's almost half her age, hasn't hit puberty yet so can't have well-developed muscles, and is her student. She obviously knows more than he does, but he gets picked to fight more often. I think that Kaoru doesn't stand up for herself more often because the comic is meant to be for boys, and they're not really interested in strong female characters. The reason why Kaoru acts the way she does in this is because I'm trying to remedy what I perceive as a flaw.
Third: I honestly don't know what I'm doing with the honorifics (except for the obvious dono). I'm just assuming that it is acceptable to put -san after first and last names and that Atsumori-san is less formal than Minami- san, but still pretty polite. And I think I've heard Tae call Kenshin Ken- san, but I don't remember.
Fourth: I'm going to Pennsylvania for War on Thursday and I won't be back until Friday. No, not the "almost tomorrow Friday", but the "in another week Friday". Sorry to leave you hanging. If I can, I'll try to write more while I'm gone so I just have to type and post when I come home (after sleeping for 24 hours straight first). Yeah for watching men run around beating each other with duct tape-wrapped foam weapons!
