Okay everyone here's the next chapter like you asked. Sorry if I took too long but consider yourselves lucky that I don't take as long as others. Enjoy!

Chapter three: Sakura

Kaoru was getting up from her deep sleep when she heard a rustle in the bushes. 'Nani, who's there?!' The rustling got closer. 'Okay Kaoru stay steady, stay steady.on three I'll pounce him.' *Rustle* 'One.' *Rustle rustle* 'Two.' *Crack* *Thwomp!* "Wha-!!!" Kaoru realized she had pounced on an old man.

"S-sumanai! I thought that you-!"

"Maa maa it's no problem," the man said dusting himself off. "I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that." Kaoru examined him. 'Why does he have so many swords?'

"Who are you sir?" she asked curiously. The man smiled.

"My name is Tokugawa, I make my own custom swords, I'm looking for a pond in hopes to catch some fish, I haven't eaten in awhile." Kaoru reached into her bag.

"I have some food if you want some, here," she said giving him some bento. Tokugawa accepted it gratefully.

"Arigato, oh, here, this sword may be useless when it comes to slaying but it could be used in defense," he said giving her a sword. Unlike Kenshin's sakabato, this sword had no blade at all. Kaoru looked at it but she declined.

"No you don't have to I was just trying to help."

"But I insist, it could come in handy you know, besides I don't need it." Finally Kaoru gave in.

"Arigato, I could put this to good use." Tokugawa just grinned and looked at her belongings. "You heading somewhere uh-what's your name?" Kaoru hung her head.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you my name. Just call me Sakura." Tokugawa looked confused at first but decided not to ponder on this any longer. "So where are you headed?"

"I'm on my way back to Tokyo, that's my home."

"What were you doing here? On vacation?" Kaoru thought this was a good way to hide the truth. 'I ought to thank him for this.'

"Yeah, I came on vacation but now I want to get home." Tokugawa got his things ready. "Well then good luck Sakura, nice talking with you," he said as he left.

"Likewise," Kaoru responded.

~Kenshin~

Slowly Kenshin awoke from his long sleep just as the sun was casting it's bright light on his cold face. As he recovered from his sleep he remembered the past events that he had encountered. He jerked up hoping that all the events that occurred were just dreams, that he was in his room and Kaoru would be there to wake him up. But when he saw the trees of the forest surrounding him his heart sank. 'So.she really is gone.' Kenshin slowly got up to his feet and started his long trudge down the dirt road towards Kyoto.

~The dojo~

*WHAM!!!*

"Itai!!! What the hell was THAT for brat?!" Sanosuke cursed rubbing the growing bump forming on the top of his head. Yahiko was fuming, a bokken clasped in his hand.

"Well you freaking wouldn't get up and help me with the chores and I've already tried to wake you up nicely but nooooo you just went on sleeping so there you go!"

"What's going on in here?" Megumi asked appearing at the door. Sano growled.

"The brat gave me a beating." He said shooting a death glare at Yahiko. Megumi smirked and turned to Yahiko. "Well then, arigato for saving me the hassle of doing it myself!" San's eyes went big as plates and Yahiko smirked.

"Megumi!!! You're taking his side?!" Megumi smiled slyly and walked out. "Ohohohohohohohoho!!!" Veins started popping on Sano's forehead.

"Just wait you little pest!!! I'll get you yet!!!" Sometime later Megumi and Sano were drinking tea on the porch while Yahiko practiced in the yard. Every now and then Sano and Megumi would steal glances at each other until eventually they looked at each other at the same time. Both blushed beet red and looked away. Silence. Just uncomfortable silence. Sano decided to break it and try his luck.

"Um, Megumi I uh, have something I had been wanting to tell you for awhile." Megumi turned to him heart beating who knows how fast and a blush creeping over her face again. "Me too." They just looked at each other for a moment before a bokken connected with Sano's head.

"Hey what the-!!" Yahiko grabbed Sano's collar. "Jeez Sano what's with you, you guys are going way too slow!!!" Sano sweat dropped.

"What are you talking about?!" Yahiko eyed him suspiciously.

"I've been watching you guys for a long time now you've got a romantic thing coming here and it's.uh, oh why don't.why don't you just kiss Megumi already?!?!" Sano and Megumi's eyes both went wider than dinner plates. "NANI?!?!?!?!?!" Megumi started to get annoyed.

"What in this world are you talking about Yahiko-chan?! You'd better get those nasty thoughts out of your head if you know what's good for you!"

"Hey you know it's true, and don't call me -chan dammit!!!"

"If you don't get your mind out of the gutter I'm gonna tell Tsubame!" Megumi said in a sing-song voice.

"You leave Tsubame out of this!!!" Sano sighed and watched the two. 'There went my chance.'

~Kaoru~

"Hmmmm, I guess I could explore this part of Kyoto for a bit," Kaoru said to herself as she walked around. She felt strange carrying a sword on the hilt of her kimono. 'Makes me feel like I'm Kenshin.' an image flashed in her mind. 'Kenshin.' she wondered what he was doing right now. Kaoru was exploring the town of Hakone, a place known for it's hot springs unaware that someone she greatly missed would soon catch sight of her. People around her kept their distance seeing her sword. Kaoru's cape would've covered it if the wind didn't keep blowing it off. 'At least I know I won't run into problems.' All of a sudden she bumped into something, or someone.

"Oro!"

"Itai!" When she looked up to see who she'd hit her sapphire eyes clashed with amethyst. She gasped 'Kenshin.' Kenshin too just stared at her. 'She.she looks so much like her.' Kaoru got up. 'I have to think quickly, I can't let Kenshin know that I'm actually Kaoru yet. Think fast. Pretend like you don't know him.' As much as she missed him she had to refrain from flying into his arms or he'll most definitely suspect something. She held out her hand.

"Gomen ne, um, what's your name?" Kenshin took her hand as she helped him up. 'Her hand.it feels so familiar.like.like!...but why?'

"Um, sir? You can let go of my hand now." Kenshin blushed realizing he was still holding her hand and quickly released it.

"Sumanai, I'm Kenshin. Kenshin Himura. What's yours?" Kaoru was nervous at first but she spoke up.

"Just call me Sakura," she said simply. Kenshin cocked his head to one side. "Okay." They just stood there for a moment or two, looking at each other. 'I didn't think I'd see him this soon.' Kaoru thought. 'She is so much like Kaoru.her eyes.they are the exact same color. Is this person related to Kaoru?' he was interrupted by her voice.

"Where are you headed Kenshin?" Kenshin jerked up. 'That voice.no.it can't be..' Kaoru looked at him nervously. 'Can he tell who I am?'

"What is it?" He blushed and looked at the ground. "It's nothing, I was going to visit the grave of someone greatly close to me. It's just that you look so much like her Sakura-dono." Kaoru felt like running into his arms and telling him who she really was when she heard him say 'someone greatly close to him.' But she refrained. 'I can't. If I tell him now he might be suspicious of me and think I'm a ghost or an imposter and that would freak him out.' It was just too soon. With Kenshin in a state like this and with him in so much pain he would most likely not believe her and it would lead to further pain. "I see. Who is this person?" Kenshin hung his head.

"Her name was Kaoru. She was someone I met when I was still a wanderer. She had welcomed me into her home despite my horrible past and she also gave her everything to me. And then.just ad day or ago I got into some trouble with people carrying guns. I managed to knock them out but one of them shot a stray bullet that I didn't notice.and them.I felt myself being pushed out of the way and then." Kenshin's were brimming with tears. "The bullet got her.in the heart.I feel so useless.she gave me everything even her life.for me.and what did I give her?...nothing.I didn't even get a chance to tell her.how much I loved her." Kaoru's heart skipped a beat. 'Love?' Tears sprung to her eyes almost immediately. Kenshin turned around.

"Sakura-dono?" Kaoru looked up and wiped the tears away. "It's nothing. It's just that.I know this Kaoru you're talking about." Kenshin looked at her.

"You do?" she nodded her head. "I was going to the gravesite myself. You want to go with me?"

"Okay then."

~Cemetery~

Kenshin stared at the girl in front of him as they both stood at the grave. 'She looks so much like her.her eyes.her hair.I feels so calm when I'm with her, like.but that can't be.' Kaoru could feel his eyes on her.

"What is it Kenshin?" Kaoru asked. Kenshin faked a smile and looked back at the grave. 'That's funny, it seems pretty small for someone being buried under it.'

"Shall we get going?" Kaoru slowly nodded her head. As they walked back to town Kaoru noticed that Kenshin kept glancing at her every now and then. 'I don't look that familiar do I?' "Um Kenshin, where are you headed now? I'm headed for Tokyo." Kenshin smiled.

"That's where I'm headed. I live at a dojo there."

"I see, I don't really know why I'm headed there. I just wander here and there but I'm hoping to find a place to stay for a bit in Tokyo." In her head she was hoping Kenshin would ask her to stay at the dojo.

"You're a wanderer?" Kenshin asked. They both stopped walking.

"Hai, why do you ask?"

"No reason, just curious." As they continued walking towards the path leading to Tokyo Kenshin noticed that she carried a sword. Kaoru noticed his gaze and she took her sword out.

"Some old man I ran into gave it to me, said it was useless if I tried to slay anyone with it but I could use it for defense." Kenshin was surprised there was another person who thought just like him.

"You carry a sakabato?" Kaoru laughed. "Sort of, but there's a slight difference," she said pulling it out of its sheath. Kenshin looked at it.

"There's no blade, it's dull on both sides." Kaoru slid it back. "I know, but that's how I want it." Kenshin smiled.

"It seems we have a lot in common that we do." Kaoru smiled back in response. "I guess so." All of a sudden Kenshin stopped.

"I know, when we get to Tokyo do you want to stay at the dojo?" Kaoru simply grinned. 'Perfect.'

"I would like that." As they resumed walking, Kaoru thought of how she could break the news to the others that she was alive without freaking them. 'I don't know how I'm going to do this.' How in the world was she going to tell them she is Kaoru, and how the heck would they react?

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So what do you think? I hoped you liked it! Kaoru's carrying a sword! Weird huh? Makes her look like Kenshin sister or something. But I wanted it to be interesting so there you go then. I hoped you enjoyed it and please review!

~Souryusen~