Hmm, only one review? Well, it's not like I'm complaining or anything, but I would like to know what _everybody_ thinks about this idea...*sighs*
'Thinking'
"Talking"
Note: I am of the opinion Kenshin actually likes Kaoru's food. Scary, no?
_____________________________________________________
It was many hours later when everyone went to bed. Kenshin had sat on the roof and watched them the entire time. He thought it was unusual that even Sanosuke didn't notice him. Kenshin found he was only half right when Sanosuke set a covered box outside.
"Well, here are all the leftovers, in case a certain somebody gets hungry later. G'night!"
So, Sanosuke _had_ noticed his presence, but not confirmed his exact position. So much the better. Kenshin really wanted to be alone right now anyhow. If he was to last even one more day with his eyes like this, Kenshin had to figure things out by himself or he'd lose it.
'Shishou said to never let something minor distract you from your real goal. Hmm…my goal is to protect these people. I _can_ see, but not very well. And Shishou would consider my head being chopped off minor as long as I could still use my sword.'
That little tidbit made him smile. Actually, much of his earliest instruction he remembered quite fondly, back when he had just been training in the way of the sword in general. Hiko Seijuro had been pretty rough around the edges, very strict, but in all not a particularly bad person.
"'If one wants to be the best, then learn it. If one wants to stay the best, then practice the damn thing!' I haven't really practiced in a long time, that I haven't."
Kenshin grinned.
Yahiko woke up early the next morning. After doing his business he was headed back to bed when he saw that one of the dojo's training swords was missing.
"That's weird. Who would take a stupid wooden sword?"
Yahiko knew Sano didn't use swords anymore, and Kaoru slept with hers like a doll of some kind. So who could have taken a wooden practice sword? That's when Yahiko heard the faint 'clicking' noise from above.
"What in the world?"
Yahiko ran outside, shimmied up a corner of the dojo, and peeked over the edge. He saw the last thing he ever would have expected.
'Kenshin? With a wood sword? Oh, I get it! I wonder if he was up there all night? Only one way to find out - but first…'
Running at warp speed, Yahiko grabbed some food, and another wood sword, before shimmying back up and climbing up onto the roof. Kenshin's back was to him. Yahiko tried walking up without making a sound but to his surprise Kenshin spoke without turning to face him.
"Aren't you up a little early today Yahiko?"
Yahiko laughed.
"I could say the same for you, ya know! What, did my morning breath give me away?"
Kenshin turned to face him, laughing as well. He held the wooden sword casually in one hand. Yahiko pretended to pout.
"Well then, I guess you don't want your breakfast, hmm? Kaoru was all tense after you ran off last night and made tons of food! I snagged some for ya, it's not good to miss meals you know."
Yahiko sweat-dropped as Kenshin began gobbling down all the proffered food.
'Huh. And Kaoru says _I_ eat like a pig. You know, I would have expected Kenshin's eyes to be less … well, less _something_ if they were injured. Just goes to show you I suppose.'
"So Kenshin, whatcha doing on the roof anyway?"
"Training."
"Training? You mean, like working on some super-secret technique so nobody can get ya by surprise again?"
"Nope, I just don't - munch - want to get rusty, that I don't."
Yahiko sweat-dropped again as Kenshin spoke with his mouth full. His stomach full, Kenshin sat and savored the taste for a moment before getting back up.
"So, need a sparring partner Kenshin?"
"No thank you Yahiko. I'm just working on the basics, that I am."
Yahiko sat down and watched as Kenshin began swinging the wooden sword around. It was a lot different then the way he and Kaoru practiced, and after watching for a while Yahiko said so.
"Well, that's because - the Kamiya Kasshin and the - Hiten Mitsurugi are very - different styles of sword fighting," Kenshin grunted as he continued swinging his sword.
"Well, I know the Hiten Mitsurugi goes really, _really_ fast," Yahiko said slowly.
"But Kenshin, how does making an x-shaped swing help?"
"It loosens - up the shoulder joints, and makes the arms - work harder. The lines of the swing are curved exactly - enough to force the arms to become more flexible."
As he spoke, Kenshin paused with the sword held straight out in front of him.
"That teaches the arms to move quickly. Do you understand now Yahiko?"
"Nope!"
Kenshin sweat-dropped. Yahiko jumped up and held out his own sword.
"Those kinds of fancy moves may work going high speeds, but what if you can't run? Then you gotta swing with some real power, like this!"
Yahiko swung straight down. It was exactly like Kaoru had taught him, and the wooden tip smacked down loudly against the rooftop.
"Ya see?"
"Hmm, yes that is a powerful swing Yahiko, but if you can't hit the target it wouldn't be much use, now would it?"
"I guess you got a point. Hey Kenshin, maybe you can teach me how to move faster! I mean, running around really fast wouldn't be too hard to learn would it?"
"It depends on your definition of hard, I'm afraid."
Kenshin grinned.
"You see, I learned how to move fast by running with heavy stones tied to my legs!"
Yahiko face-faulted.
'Thinking'
"Talking"
Note: I am of the opinion Kenshin actually likes Kaoru's food. Scary, no?
_____________________________________________________
It was many hours later when everyone went to bed. Kenshin had sat on the roof and watched them the entire time. He thought it was unusual that even Sanosuke didn't notice him. Kenshin found he was only half right when Sanosuke set a covered box outside.
"Well, here are all the leftovers, in case a certain somebody gets hungry later. G'night!"
So, Sanosuke _had_ noticed his presence, but not confirmed his exact position. So much the better. Kenshin really wanted to be alone right now anyhow. If he was to last even one more day with his eyes like this, Kenshin had to figure things out by himself or he'd lose it.
'Shishou said to never let something minor distract you from your real goal. Hmm…my goal is to protect these people. I _can_ see, but not very well. And Shishou would consider my head being chopped off minor as long as I could still use my sword.'
That little tidbit made him smile. Actually, much of his earliest instruction he remembered quite fondly, back when he had just been training in the way of the sword in general. Hiko Seijuro had been pretty rough around the edges, very strict, but in all not a particularly bad person.
"'If one wants to be the best, then learn it. If one wants to stay the best, then practice the damn thing!' I haven't really practiced in a long time, that I haven't."
Kenshin grinned.
Yahiko woke up early the next morning. After doing his business he was headed back to bed when he saw that one of the dojo's training swords was missing.
"That's weird. Who would take a stupid wooden sword?"
Yahiko knew Sano didn't use swords anymore, and Kaoru slept with hers like a doll of some kind. So who could have taken a wooden practice sword? That's when Yahiko heard the faint 'clicking' noise from above.
"What in the world?"
Yahiko ran outside, shimmied up a corner of the dojo, and peeked over the edge. He saw the last thing he ever would have expected.
'Kenshin? With a wood sword? Oh, I get it! I wonder if he was up there all night? Only one way to find out - but first…'
Running at warp speed, Yahiko grabbed some food, and another wood sword, before shimmying back up and climbing up onto the roof. Kenshin's back was to him. Yahiko tried walking up without making a sound but to his surprise Kenshin spoke without turning to face him.
"Aren't you up a little early today Yahiko?"
Yahiko laughed.
"I could say the same for you, ya know! What, did my morning breath give me away?"
Kenshin turned to face him, laughing as well. He held the wooden sword casually in one hand. Yahiko pretended to pout.
"Well then, I guess you don't want your breakfast, hmm? Kaoru was all tense after you ran off last night and made tons of food! I snagged some for ya, it's not good to miss meals you know."
Yahiko sweat-dropped as Kenshin began gobbling down all the proffered food.
'Huh. And Kaoru says _I_ eat like a pig. You know, I would have expected Kenshin's eyes to be less … well, less _something_ if they were injured. Just goes to show you I suppose.'
"So Kenshin, whatcha doing on the roof anyway?"
"Training."
"Training? You mean, like working on some super-secret technique so nobody can get ya by surprise again?"
"Nope, I just don't - munch - want to get rusty, that I don't."
Yahiko sweat-dropped again as Kenshin spoke with his mouth full. His stomach full, Kenshin sat and savored the taste for a moment before getting back up.
"So, need a sparring partner Kenshin?"
"No thank you Yahiko. I'm just working on the basics, that I am."
Yahiko sat down and watched as Kenshin began swinging the wooden sword around. It was a lot different then the way he and Kaoru practiced, and after watching for a while Yahiko said so.
"Well, that's because - the Kamiya Kasshin and the - Hiten Mitsurugi are very - different styles of sword fighting," Kenshin grunted as he continued swinging his sword.
"Well, I know the Hiten Mitsurugi goes really, _really_ fast," Yahiko said slowly.
"But Kenshin, how does making an x-shaped swing help?"
"It loosens - up the shoulder joints, and makes the arms - work harder. The lines of the swing are curved exactly - enough to force the arms to become more flexible."
As he spoke, Kenshin paused with the sword held straight out in front of him.
"That teaches the arms to move quickly. Do you understand now Yahiko?"
"Nope!"
Kenshin sweat-dropped. Yahiko jumped up and held out his own sword.
"Those kinds of fancy moves may work going high speeds, but what if you can't run? Then you gotta swing with some real power, like this!"
Yahiko swung straight down. It was exactly like Kaoru had taught him, and the wooden tip smacked down loudly against the rooftop.
"Ya see?"
"Hmm, yes that is a powerful swing Yahiko, but if you can't hit the target it wouldn't be much use, now would it?"
"I guess you got a point. Hey Kenshin, maybe you can teach me how to move faster! I mean, running around really fast wouldn't be too hard to learn would it?"
"It depends on your definition of hard, I'm afraid."
Kenshin grinned.
"You see, I learned how to move fast by running with heavy stones tied to my legs!"
Yahiko face-faulted.
