A/N: Thanks so much for all the very kind, even if threatening. reviews. I really didn't mean to make last chapter a cliff hanger, I just wanted to wrap it all together yet leave people knowing that more was to come. Sorry for that. ^_^ I would love to hear ideas for how to continue this story; I have ideas of course, but I always love new thoughts. If you have a way that you demand this story go write me and I MIGHT take it into consideration. Well here is the third installment of Fate's Hand; Read and Review and above all else ENJOY!!!!
~Kenshin's Introduction~
*I remember father had a bokken and an old gi!*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karou ran up the stairs and rounded the corner to her parents room. It was exactly as it was the day of the accident; the bed was still turned down and their clothes hung still in the closet. Karou came to a grinding stop at the doorway; she hadn't been in that room in over a year.
*I know they died many years ago but the pain feels as fresh as if it had all happened yesterday. Maybe this was a stupid idea.* Karou turned to leave but then the voice of the old fortune teller reminded her of her destiny; she needed to know if he has some sound basis for his predictions.
*I need to know. Sorry Dad, but I'm borrowing your bokken.* she went over to the bed, reached down and pulled out a long, wooden, dust covered box. Karou's fingers traced the ingraved 'Kamiya' on the lid. She let the memories of her dad flood her mind.
*I miss you daddy.* allowing a tear to streak her fair skine she then shook herself out of her abyss of pain and lost family, she let her determination return. She opened the box and pulled out the bokken, it was cold yet fit her hand perfectly. Karou preceded to pull out her father's gi; his smell still saturated the garment.
Karou put on the gi and picked up the bokken, she turned to look in the mirror. The image seemed familiar and strangely perfect. It was then she noticed something still in the box.
*What is this? 'The Essence of Kamiya Kasshin'* fascinated by the paper, Karou walked out of her parents room and into the front living room.
"These are instructions for my family's fighting style. I didn't my father developed a sword fighting style!" she continued to read but was thrown out of her concentration when the same sensation that had struck her at Okina's hit her again.
"Battuosai?"
"Achoo! I wonder who could be thinking of me? I didn't tell anyone I was coming, certainly not Hiko. ARRG!" Kenshin in all of his infinite wisdom (sarcasm) decided to runaway from his adopted father and master to experience all that the world had to offer a kind hearted soul, like him. At least that was before he became acclimated to the hardships and cruel truths, kill or be killed.
"Master was wrong, philosophy can't save you, only a sword can. A person starving can't be feed with words! You hear me!? BAKA!"
Night was quickly approaching the rurouni (homeless is more accurate ^_^) and the need for shelter was inescapable.
"Where can I find shelter in this town?" looking around he saw a huge house with multiple lights on and an open door.
"This must be a hotel, no sign but that doesn't matter." as he walked in he found the place empty with one lone soul sitting down reading something. Not wanting to disturb her Kenshin slipped past her not making a sound, making his way to the kitchen.
"Oh, this must be one of those cook your own diner hotels." without hesitation he began preparations for diner.
"What's that smell?" the oblivious Karou didn't know she had left the door open and no idea someone was in the house with her. She walked into the kitchen and saw a man standing over the stove boiling rice.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Excuse me? Is this how you treat everyone you meet?" Kenshin's apparent innocence caught Karou off guard.
"What is that suppose to mean?! What kind of thief are you anyways?!"
"Well dressed as you are, what kind of female are you? Do you often parade around in men's clothes?" Kenshin's incessant rebuttals bowled Karou over.
*The audacity of this guy! ARRG!*
"Ok, can I ask you what you doing in my kitchen?" in a calmer tone Karou hoped to get a straight answer this time.
"The same thing every man does in your house."
"And what exactly would that be?"
*He doesn't appear to be dangerous, although there is something about him that is dark.*
"Huh? Isn't this a hotel?"
*Have I met this woman before? Oh God?! Did I get really drunk one night and...? No, she looks to innocent to have been some drunk man's easy lay.* Kenshin's sudden smile soften Karou as she began to feel more at ease.
"I believe you are mistaken sir, this isn't a hotel; I just absent mindedly left the door open. I live here by myself and I have a nasty habit of leaving the lights on." Karou's unanticipated gentleness caused Kenshin smile to expand a little more. The mysterious man could see a small blush forming on the young woman's face.
*Why is she blushing? She is so beautiful when she blushes, so innocent. She is the symbolic representation of the Japan I want to embrace and protect.*
"Well Miss.. uhhhh.."
"Karou, Karou Kamiya."
"Karou-dono, its quite obvious that the mistake is mine; I will leave your house immediately."
"Where are you going to go? Its dark now and the streets around here get very dangerous; it would behoove you to....."
"I can handle myself Karou-dono. Do you know where I may find a real hotel?" Kenshin's abruptness shocked Karou
*He really is a man of two personalities; each the antithesis of the other. He was a lover and fighter, a brute and a gentleman; such an enigma! Oh what is a woman to do?*
"Before you go, will you at least tell me your name? It not often I have a man wonder into my house and start cooking." her smile softened Kenshin's normally hardened voice.
"Himura Kenshin."
"Well if you do me a favor I will graciously allow you stay here for the night."
"Karou-dono I don't think that is wise, you don't even know who I am, I should get go...."
"For free!"
"Free?! Wait! What kind of favor are you wanting?"
"First tell me if you accept my proposition."
*She may appear to be innocent but one never knows, she may a seductress trying to rob me. HA! She wont find much, I guess this a safe barter.*
"Yes, I will do you a favor in return for shelter." suddenly Kenshin was hit with a sensation of dejà vu. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it but he could feel his heart awaken as if from hibernation.
*What is this? Is this sensation from this girl? I do feel an unusual connection. The attraction is obvious but its more than mere lust.* he decided to pay no attention to it remembering that the heart is a warrior's most formidable foe.
"Yea! Will you teach me the basics of swordsmanship?! My father has left me these instructions in the Kamiya Kasshin style, but I don't even know how to hold a sword. If you could get me started I'm sure I could do the rest."
"Alright Karou-dono, I will teach how to hold a sword; every person, especially women, should know the basics of self defense. There are many bad men out there that would love to take advantage of a beautiful girl like you."
"Huh?" Kenshin loved to make Karou blush and he certainly turned her a lovely shade of red with his last comment.
* I guess he isn't the Battuosai, he is too charming to be a cold blooded killer. But still I feel this strange connection with him. I can feel his sadness that permeates every smile.*
"Karou-dono are you ready for me?"
*More than you know Kenshin Himura.* a devilish smile spreading over her innocent face.
*Oro. Where did that come from?*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misao decided that going home was no fun; after hearing about Karou's mysterious man, she had to find hers
"Aoshi is my what?! Damn that Karou for having to drag me away so quickly!" just then her eyes caught the sight of the epitome of a man. He was tall, dark, handsome, and very mysterious. His icy stare which seemed to keep others a bay only drew Misao closer.
*Aoshi or not, this a man I must meet!*
Misao gallopped over to the sexy man, she was so wrapped up in her dreams that she failed to see the man had gotten up and was walking towards her. Misao realized too late and collided right into his chisled chest.
*wow! Its like I hit bricks, a brick of man! Oh yea!*
"Are you ok Miss.....?"
"Huh?" finally realizing what was going on, Misao jumped back not wanting to embrass herself anymore.
"Oh Misao. Is your name..."
"My name is unimportant." his monotone voice placed a great distance between the two.
"Have we met?" Misao's memory was suddenly filled with visions of a childhood friendship with a man who was her only family. Together they could conquer anything; then one day he left. His parents had moved, his family was in the army and moved often. Misao never forgot the boy that had captured her heart.
"I'm not sure. I've lived a lot of places in my life and have met a lot of people. We may have met before, its possible I suppose." again no emotion.
"Oh I see you're a bandit who can't give out his name for fear that the cops will get ya, right?
"No. I guess it really doesn't matter. My name is Aoshi."
Shook over took Misao *that is the name of the boy from my childhood!*
"No last name?"
"None that you need to know. My first should be sufficent for now Misao."
"Oh well, I remember a boy who lived in Kyoto; he reminds me of you. His name was Aoshi. Silly I know, any number of people can be named Aoshi,; but worth a shot I guess."
An entourage of visions flood Aoshi's mind as he remembers a scrawny little girl who clung to him as if he were her older brother and one protector. If he had any regrets about leaving her he didn't show it.
*Could she be the same girl?*
"Like I said, I've lived many places in my life. Well at least allow me to walk you home; these streets can get rather dangerous at night, especially if you're a young female."
"Oh thank you Aoshi! I would love that! On the way you can tell me all about all the places you've lived." seeing that he looked more like the strong silent type than the open book she decided to leave the talking up to herself.
*Could this be the Aoshi Okina was speaking of? This Aoshi is so cold.*
~Kenshin's Introduction~
*I remember father had a bokken and an old gi!*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karou ran up the stairs and rounded the corner to her parents room. It was exactly as it was the day of the accident; the bed was still turned down and their clothes hung still in the closet. Karou came to a grinding stop at the doorway; she hadn't been in that room in over a year.
*I know they died many years ago but the pain feels as fresh as if it had all happened yesterday. Maybe this was a stupid idea.* Karou turned to leave but then the voice of the old fortune teller reminded her of her destiny; she needed to know if he has some sound basis for his predictions.
*I need to know. Sorry Dad, but I'm borrowing your bokken.* she went over to the bed, reached down and pulled out a long, wooden, dust covered box. Karou's fingers traced the ingraved 'Kamiya' on the lid. She let the memories of her dad flood her mind.
*I miss you daddy.* allowing a tear to streak her fair skine she then shook herself out of her abyss of pain and lost family, she let her determination return. She opened the box and pulled out the bokken, it was cold yet fit her hand perfectly. Karou preceded to pull out her father's gi; his smell still saturated the garment.
Karou put on the gi and picked up the bokken, she turned to look in the mirror. The image seemed familiar and strangely perfect. It was then she noticed something still in the box.
*What is this? 'The Essence of Kamiya Kasshin'* fascinated by the paper, Karou walked out of her parents room and into the front living room.
"These are instructions for my family's fighting style. I didn't my father developed a sword fighting style!" she continued to read but was thrown out of her concentration when the same sensation that had struck her at Okina's hit her again.
"Battuosai?"
"Achoo! I wonder who could be thinking of me? I didn't tell anyone I was coming, certainly not Hiko. ARRG!" Kenshin in all of his infinite wisdom (sarcasm) decided to runaway from his adopted father and master to experience all that the world had to offer a kind hearted soul, like him. At least that was before he became acclimated to the hardships and cruel truths, kill or be killed.
"Master was wrong, philosophy can't save you, only a sword can. A person starving can't be feed with words! You hear me!? BAKA!"
Night was quickly approaching the rurouni (homeless is more accurate ^_^) and the need for shelter was inescapable.
"Where can I find shelter in this town?" looking around he saw a huge house with multiple lights on and an open door.
"This must be a hotel, no sign but that doesn't matter." as he walked in he found the place empty with one lone soul sitting down reading something. Not wanting to disturb her Kenshin slipped past her not making a sound, making his way to the kitchen.
"Oh, this must be one of those cook your own diner hotels." without hesitation he began preparations for diner.
"What's that smell?" the oblivious Karou didn't know she had left the door open and no idea someone was in the house with her. She walked into the kitchen and saw a man standing over the stove boiling rice.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Excuse me? Is this how you treat everyone you meet?" Kenshin's apparent innocence caught Karou off guard.
"What is that suppose to mean?! What kind of thief are you anyways?!"
"Well dressed as you are, what kind of female are you? Do you often parade around in men's clothes?" Kenshin's incessant rebuttals bowled Karou over.
*The audacity of this guy! ARRG!*
"Ok, can I ask you what you doing in my kitchen?" in a calmer tone Karou hoped to get a straight answer this time.
"The same thing every man does in your house."
"And what exactly would that be?"
*He doesn't appear to be dangerous, although there is something about him that is dark.*
"Huh? Isn't this a hotel?"
*Have I met this woman before? Oh God?! Did I get really drunk one night and...? No, she looks to innocent to have been some drunk man's easy lay.* Kenshin's sudden smile soften Karou as she began to feel more at ease.
"I believe you are mistaken sir, this isn't a hotel; I just absent mindedly left the door open. I live here by myself and I have a nasty habit of leaving the lights on." Karou's unanticipated gentleness caused Kenshin smile to expand a little more. The mysterious man could see a small blush forming on the young woman's face.
*Why is she blushing? She is so beautiful when she blushes, so innocent. She is the symbolic representation of the Japan I want to embrace and protect.*
"Well Miss.. uhhhh.."
"Karou, Karou Kamiya."
"Karou-dono, its quite obvious that the mistake is mine; I will leave your house immediately."
"Where are you going to go? Its dark now and the streets around here get very dangerous; it would behoove you to....."
"I can handle myself Karou-dono. Do you know where I may find a real hotel?" Kenshin's abruptness shocked Karou
*He really is a man of two personalities; each the antithesis of the other. He was a lover and fighter, a brute and a gentleman; such an enigma! Oh what is a woman to do?*
"Before you go, will you at least tell me your name? It not often I have a man wonder into my house and start cooking." her smile softened Kenshin's normally hardened voice.
"Himura Kenshin."
"Well if you do me a favor I will graciously allow you stay here for the night."
"Karou-dono I don't think that is wise, you don't even know who I am, I should get go...."
"For free!"
"Free?! Wait! What kind of favor are you wanting?"
"First tell me if you accept my proposition."
*She may appear to be innocent but one never knows, she may a seductress trying to rob me. HA! She wont find much, I guess this a safe barter.*
"Yes, I will do you a favor in return for shelter." suddenly Kenshin was hit with a sensation of dejà vu. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it but he could feel his heart awaken as if from hibernation.
*What is this? Is this sensation from this girl? I do feel an unusual connection. The attraction is obvious but its more than mere lust.* he decided to pay no attention to it remembering that the heart is a warrior's most formidable foe.
"Yea! Will you teach me the basics of swordsmanship?! My father has left me these instructions in the Kamiya Kasshin style, but I don't even know how to hold a sword. If you could get me started I'm sure I could do the rest."
"Alright Karou-dono, I will teach how to hold a sword; every person, especially women, should know the basics of self defense. There are many bad men out there that would love to take advantage of a beautiful girl like you."
"Huh?" Kenshin loved to make Karou blush and he certainly turned her a lovely shade of red with his last comment.
* I guess he isn't the Battuosai, he is too charming to be a cold blooded killer. But still I feel this strange connection with him. I can feel his sadness that permeates every smile.*
"Karou-dono are you ready for me?"
*More than you know Kenshin Himura.* a devilish smile spreading over her innocent face.
*Oro. Where did that come from?*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Misao decided that going home was no fun; after hearing about Karou's mysterious man, she had to find hers
"Aoshi is my what?! Damn that Karou for having to drag me away so quickly!" just then her eyes caught the sight of the epitome of a man. He was tall, dark, handsome, and very mysterious. His icy stare which seemed to keep others a bay only drew Misao closer.
*Aoshi or not, this a man I must meet!*
Misao gallopped over to the sexy man, she was so wrapped up in her dreams that she failed to see the man had gotten up and was walking towards her. Misao realized too late and collided right into his chisled chest.
*wow! Its like I hit bricks, a brick of man! Oh yea!*
"Are you ok Miss.....?"
"Huh?" finally realizing what was going on, Misao jumped back not wanting to embrass herself anymore.
"Oh Misao. Is your name..."
"My name is unimportant." his monotone voice placed a great distance between the two.
"Have we met?" Misao's memory was suddenly filled with visions of a childhood friendship with a man who was her only family. Together they could conquer anything; then one day he left. His parents had moved, his family was in the army and moved often. Misao never forgot the boy that had captured her heart.
"I'm not sure. I've lived a lot of places in my life and have met a lot of people. We may have met before, its possible I suppose." again no emotion.
"Oh I see you're a bandit who can't give out his name for fear that the cops will get ya, right?
"No. I guess it really doesn't matter. My name is Aoshi."
Shook over took Misao *that is the name of the boy from my childhood!*
"No last name?"
"None that you need to know. My first should be sufficent for now Misao."
"Oh well, I remember a boy who lived in Kyoto; he reminds me of you. His name was Aoshi. Silly I know, any number of people can be named Aoshi,; but worth a shot I guess."
An entourage of visions flood Aoshi's mind as he remembers a scrawny little girl who clung to him as if he were her older brother and one protector. If he had any regrets about leaving her he didn't show it.
*Could she be the same girl?*
"Like I said, I've lived many places in my life. Well at least allow me to walk you home; these streets can get rather dangerous at night, especially if you're a young female."
"Oh thank you Aoshi! I would love that! On the way you can tell me all about all the places you've lived." seeing that he looked more like the strong silent type than the open book she decided to leave the talking up to herself.
*Could this be the Aoshi Okina was speaking of? This Aoshi is so cold.*