Chapter 5

Yahiko's stomach rumbled. "Umm...." He looked up at Kenshin.

Kenshin smiled The Rurouni Smile. "You may go into the Shirobeko and buy yourself a meal. This really isn't about you anyway. Wait for us there." He handed Yahiko two 20 yen coins.

"Umm.. but..-"

"Don't worry about us. You shouldn't be involved in this... go enjoy Kyoto."

Yahiko grinned. "All right!!" He ran off toward the Shirobeko. "Thanks, Kenshin!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kenshin..." Kaoru stopped walking.

"Yes, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin stopped and turned back to face her.

Her eyes cast down to the ground. "I.. I don't want you to go."

"How come, Kaoru-dono?"

"Because.. ahh...." She trailed off.

"Kaoru-dono, if-"

"STOP THAT!" Kaoru slammed her fists on Kenshin's chest. "Stop calling me that! Stop acting as if everything's all right! Stop pretending that you won't get hurt!"

"I- I don't understand, Kaoru-"

"Don't play dumb with me, Kenshin! You haven't fought in years, and you didn't even bring a sword! How do you expect to win against whoever captured Kenji?! Why didn't you bring something? /Anything/?!"

"Shh, Kaoru..." Kenshin took her up in his arms. "Everything will be okay. You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine, everything will be alright.."

Kaoru quietly breathed into Kenshin's chest. "But.. how can you win without a weapon? Why risk your life needlessly?"

Kenshin gently stroked her cheek. "Kaoru, if I defeat these men without even a weapon, they won't bother us again. I don't want to put you or Kenji or Yahiko or anyone I know at risk just because of my past.

"I don't know why they want this, or why they're going to such ends to get me to meet them, but whatever the reason I need to make them stop. I need to be sure that they won't hurt anyone I love because they want to get at me. Okay, Kaoru?"

Kaoru smiled and rubbed her cheek against Kenshin. "mmhmm.."

"Good. Are you okay now, Kaoru?"

Kaoru lifted her eyes up to meet his. "Ya.. let's go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Mm.. so where was this great firewood that Hiko-sensei was talking about? Mmm.. oh not wait I'm heading the wrong way.. over here! Ah ha!" Amaya stooped down and picked up some large sticks. "Hey this is good. Nice, dry.. not rotten or hollow or anything. /maybe Hiko-sensei knows what he's talking about../"

"Ah, there you are... Battousai." A voice off in the distance distracted Amaya from her search for firewood.

"Mmm? Who's that, I wonder?" Amaya followed the sound of the voices.

Kenshin sighed. "And who would you be?"

The man tipped his kasa. "Oh my, I forgot to introduced myself. I'm Tanos. You're probably wondering why you're here."

Amaya finally reached the scene. Hidden behind a bush, she watched the play unfold.

Kenshin nodded.

"Well, I just wanted to defeat you, is all. In front of your child.. and your /wench/ also, it seems."

Kenshin blocked Kaoru from advancing against the man. "Why do you wish to defeat me?"

"Ah, it's a simple revenge case. You probably don't remember this, but in your days as Battousai you destroyed and raided several estates of pro-feudal people, usually Samurais."

Kenshin nodded. "c.. Continue."

"Well I was the son of one of them, of course. These," he indicated toward two men beside him. "Are my brothers." He paused for a minute. "Well, we eventually found you here in Tokyo, and once we saw how much you had deteriorated..

"We were determined to defeat you and shame the dojo that you lived at, like the way you shamed us."

".. I see." Kenshin sighed. "Well, I have not brought a weapon, so I do not need any preperation. You?"

Tanos sneered at him. "How arrogant. Here, catch." He threw a sheathed sword at Kenshin. "You'll use this or we won't fight. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"Do you have anything to say to your wench before we fight?"

Kenshin turned to Kaoru and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry.. I'll be just fine." He wrapped his arms around her for a brief few seconds. "I'll be alright."

Kaoru smiled. "I know you will."

Kenshin turned around. "I'm Ready."