Author's Note: Hey everybody. First of all, thank you all for the terrific reviews!!! Keep reviewing, and I'll keep posting. Ok, so here's chapter five! Enjoy. Again, sorry for the delay in posting but ff.net wasn't letting me upload anything for some reason… And heads up, this a more serious chapter -a bit less comedy -but only for this chapter! I promise. I was just not feeling very funny when I wrote it… (That sounds wrong… but you get the idea, I hope.)

Warning: Use of colorful Language

Chapter five: Mind of a Manslayer, Heart of a Rurouni

(Narrator's POV)

"Oh, what's this? The little rurouni I told to never come near me again? How very unfortunate for you. You are the reason those other men got away, so you have the honor of taking their punishment in their place. Aren't you just so lucky?" Kaoru hissed in her anger.

"Look, lady. I don't know what drug you're on, but you have to be high as heaven to even consider threatening me. Just walk away now, and I won't have to hurt you." Kenshin replied calmly. No matter how bad-ass he was, he didn't want to hurt an innocent woman. Ok, maybe not entirely innocent… eh, fuck it. She was a little devil and he knew it. But still, he didn't want her injured.

"Hurt me? You have a lot of nerve, carrot-top, to not only talk back to me but to even think that you'd stand a chance against me. Draw your sword. Some things can only be spoken through the motions of a blade." Kaoru replied in a harsh voice, allowing her shell to envelop her in its cold darkness and wash away all former emotions.

Even though her words were meant to insult him, they struck a chord somewhere deep inside Kenshin. He knew exactly what she was talking about. There were many things between warriors ~ thoughts, emotions, desires, which could only be explained through battle. He most of all understood the feeling of connecting with an opponent and expressing yourself in ways that could not be communicated through any form of spoken language. It was an empowering experience. He, as requested, drew his sword.

She observed him quizzically, noting his reverse-blade sword. "You cannot hope to beat with that." She spoke.

"I thought you wanted to fight. I am ready and willing. You are not the only one who speaks through movement. You make the first attack." He replied in the same calm tone that he had been using throughout their entire encounter.

"If you have willed it this way, then so be it. I am no longer responsible for your death. You now take your life into your hands." She replied, her shell fully erected, and her voice without any trace of emotion except possibly boredom.

She lunged at him and he easily dodged. She took a moment to gauge her opponent before making yet another lung, aiming for left, but at the last moment striking at the right. He just barely missed her blade. Then he took a swing at her right leg, which she too, easily dodged. Their swords clashed and the ringing of metal against metal sang out through the bar. They kept at this battling for another half-hour. Neither wanted to admit it, but they were stalemated.

(Kenshin's POV)

We battled on and on and on. I can't say I didn't like it though. She was an excellent sword fighter. Not quite on my level, but not far behind. We were dead even with me using a reverse-blade. It had been a long while since I had engaged in a true battle, with a worthy fighter and nothing at stake but our prides. She was a challenge -a challenge that just happened to have a ridiculously beautiful face and perfect body with curves dangerous enough to match her personality. Yes, she was a little hellcat, this one.

But I couldn't help but feel a little depressed that she was not taking the light-hearted approach to this battle as I was. In fact, she was dead serious and bent on defeating me. Too bad she couldn't. She was an excellent fighter, and it must be shameful for one so proud as her to be evenly matched with someone who looked like nothing more than a drifter, and had a bit of a handi-cap in the fact that he was only using a reverse-blade sword. Of course if I was using my real sword, this would be no battle and I could easily defeat her. But the disadvantage made it an interesting fight indeed. What made it even more interesting were the powerful emotions she was communicating to me through every clash of our swords. She had a strong character -very determined, headstrong, and motivated by her motives -whatever those may be.

Yet something about her saddened me. Perhaps it was the anguish and frustration I could feel rolling off her in waves. Maybe it was that when I looked at her, I saw a cold fighting machine -not a warm loving girl that I knew she had once been. But I think what bothered me most was that I felt no heartbeat. Within every sword lies the heartbeat of its wielder. You just have to be trained to hear it. And I heard none.

That could only mean one thing; someone either in her past or present had crushed her spirit and oppressed her so totally, that the only thing she could feel and breathe was destruction. I'd heard of it before -brainwashing someone into a state of emotionless fighting perfection. The person did not feel -they did not think -they just fought until their goal had been achieved. It was almost as if they locked themselves away to the inner most recesses of their mind and formed some type of barrier around themselves.

She showed all the symptoms of this type of control, but I could not bring myself to believe it. No, this girl had far too much spirit and will to be merely brain washed and controlled. Yes, she showed all the outward signs of it - so I looked to the one place that could reflect what was truly inside -her eyes. I saw volumes in those blue depths. A girl who was in mental turmoil, who wanted something so badly and would do anything to get it, and most importantly, I saw rather than felt that heart beat that I had failed to discover in her sword. Yes, the true woman was somewhere deep inside that gorgeous body, and her soul was not shattered… fragile, but not completely broken.

I regretted to see so fine a specimen in such emotional distress… but what could I do? I am but a manslayer and in her eyes not even that. I may kill for a living, but I have a heart and code of honor. I realize I'm human and along with that comes feelings and emotions. But it seemed that this girl was not aware that she, too, was human and that she also had emotions. What a pity. What a crying shame… What am I saying? Here we have been battling for nearly half and hour and all I've done was muse on her. I've never thought about a single woman so much... but something about her touches me.

It's almost as if I have a connection to her or something. This is so strange. So unfamiliar… but I like it. Yes, these are definitely good feelings I'm having… I think … I think I truly respect this woman. That's amazing. I haven't felt respect for anyone since… ever.

Suddenly, her eyes turned cold and I felt the swoosh of a blade near my cheek… far too close to my cheek. This woman wasn't messing around and had just nearly taken off my ear. I had let my guard slip. This was not good. I couldn't continue this battle without changing into full manslayer-mode. The results would be catastrophic. I can't control myself when I'm like that. I like this woman too much to really harm her or do anything else to her. This fight ends now.

I looked around us and noticed that the bar was now deserted, save the pick-pocketing brat cowering under the table. I could easily escape. I sheathed my sword abruptly and stood still. She halted just before her blade was about to make contact with my chest.

I bowed my head slightly and quickly said, "Well, it's been a slice fighting with you, but all battles must come to an end. I really have to go now, you know -important business. So. um.. Ta ta for now, and tell the brat under the table that he still owes me and should stop picking his nose." Just as I had hoped, the woman turned around to catch the runt in the act of digging in his nose. I took this opportunity and was gone before she turned back around. That was close. I almost lost myself in battle. She is truly an exceptional fighter.

(Kaoru's POV)

We were locked dead in heat of battle. Our movements too fast to be seen by the untrained eye, and the singing of our blades becoming the most beautiful sounds I've heard. I had seriously underestimated this rurouni. Not only was he skilled with a sword, but he was nearly beating me! How was this possible? I hate to admit it, but we were dead tied and he was using a reverse-blade sword. It's shameful of me to say, but had he been using a normal Japanese blade, he probably could have easily beaten me. His power came from a lifetime of practice, I could tell.

I couldn't help but feel a bit worried. If I couldn't beat a simple rurouni, how could I ever hope to defeat the Battousai? No… the pieces didn't fit. There was something about this man… there had to be more to him than the simple rurouni everyone takes him for. I feel this creepy connection to him -almost identical to the connection I feel to the Battousai.

And our battle in it's self felt so …right. It was the type of battle that was meant to be enjoyable. Even though I was holding back, I could tell that he was too. He appeared to be holding back even more than I was, in fact. We didn't use any particularly special attacks considering we were fighting in a rather small bar. Actually, I suppose the better term for our 'battle' would be intense sparring.

I could tell he was having fun although he seemed a bit disappointed about something… perhaps he was sad that I was actually trying to kill him. Hah. Stupid little man. If wanted to kill him, we wouldn't be sparring -we would be dueling. I didn't know which was more surprising -that this man could understand the emotions I was transmitting through our swords or that he could recognize and hear the heartbeat of swords. I could tell he was listening for the heartbeat within my sword, and from his expression, he was clearly frustrated that couldn't hear it in mine. My sensei had taught me very early on in my training to hide the heartbeat of my sword. If someone could hear the rhythm of your sword's heartbeat, it would be easier to detect your pattern of movements and anticipate your next move.

But then -then the rurouni did something completely unexpected -he looked straight into my eyes. For a split second, I froze and the room seemed to spin around us. He stared deeper and deeper - It was as though he were slowly piercing through my every insecurity and unraveling my resolve. He had a dreamy look in his eyes… he wasn't even trying! He was just playing with me! But the way he was staring at me… looking into my very soul… could he see past the shell? I felt more vulnerable under his gaze than I had ever in my life. Yes, there was much more to this man than meets the eye. I unconsciously shivered and was quickly brought back to reality. How dare he look at me like that? He has no right to make me feel so… so.. helpless. Well, a helpless little damsel I was not!

His day dreaming was making him careless -I almost swiped off his ear. Good. That made him snap out of whatever trance he was in. He sheathed his sword abruptly -just before I was about to skewer him through and through and made some lame excuse about having business to attend to. Then he threw in the comment about the brat digging up his nose, and of course I had to witness that… I could blackmail that runt for life! I did indeed catch him in the act but when I turned back around, the drifter was gone. Damn is cowardly rurouni hide! He just disappeared!! Hmm... maybe I'll finish my business with him after I take care of the Battousai. Then Yahiko Spoke up,

"Wow! That was most awesome battle I ever seen! You so gotta teach me how to fight like that!"

"Look kid, how many times do I have to tell you? I'm not teaching you my technique! And the battle would have been much better if you'd hadn't been digging for gold over here and distracted me. The baka rurouni got away because of you!"

"Because of me? You're the one that looked! I don't know what kind of freak you are, that you like to watch kids picking their noses!"

"Oh, forget it! I'm leaving! And if you want to remain in one piece, I suggest you don't follow me!"

"Sheesh!"

I walked out of the bar and through the dark alleyways that led back to my apartment. My head was filled with thoughts concerning that damn drifter. Just who was he, exactly? Where did a simpleton like him learn to handle a sword so well? Why did I feel a connection to him identical to the one I felt for the Battousai? Why did the Rurouni's technique resemble the Battousai's so damn much? What was going on in his mind? What was going on in my mind?

This whole day has been so freaking crazy. First I'm nice to a brat who tried to steal my money and then I end up nearly getting beaten in a battle against a baka drifter in a pink shirt, no less. I never even got my drink… what a bitch. I'm going home and sleeping for a long time. And screw the day I'm ever nice to kids, drifters, or small woodland creatures again!

Kaoru was so consumed in her thoughts, she didn't even hear a certain Rurouni following her…

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A/N: Fun Fact: I was originally going to name this story "Dark Arisings" but my BBF read the title for the first time and thought it said "Dark Arousals" it happened two more times after that with different people, so I decided to scrap that name. Lol, just thought it was kinda funny. (Yeah, I'm fully aware of my uber-lameness.)

Ian: Thank you for the concern in your review, but I am fully aware of the RK story line/ plot. The whole point of fanfiction is that the story is new and different from that of the original plot line. That means that the timeline and events of the original series do not have to be strictly followed. Therefore, I say anything goes in my Fanfiction as long as it is related to Rurouni Kenshin. Thank you for your time.

Anywho, I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, that reviewed, of course. I hit 50 reviews this weekend! *Pops champagne bottles open and pours everyone who reviewed a glass*. Cheers, to many more!

Again, the Mailing list is highly recommended! Next Chapter: A few sparks fly between our favorite star-crossed raccoon girl and crossed-scar rurouni! It's probably the longest chapter I've written for this fic so far. And it's all mostly fluff… you've been warned.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me at dragongrlz@cs.com or qtpievtg@cs.com . And I don't know if I've been stressing this enough, but REVIEW!!! Oh, look at the clock! It's just about time you reviewed! Ho ho ho ho. (Yeah, yeah, it's like gag me with a stick l-a-m-e-o. I blame my parents) ^_^x. And since Kenshin the sex God seems to be so popular, he demands that Cynical Corpse gets a butt-load of reviews or… else!