Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. FF is non-profit, meant for entertainment only.
FF can be archived anywhere, just let me know where. Please send no flames, I'm sensitive. For all other comments 0_o you may contact me at kaoru_koishii@yahoo.com
Chapter Two
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Yahiko sat stiffly across from the stranger. He no longer looked at him rather the man kept his eyes on Kaoru. While she moved around in the kitchen until she sat down next to him again. The man with deep red hair and eerie blue/violet eyes sat there motionless. A stranger because that's what he was now.
"Here Yahiko, take a drink." She said serving the steaming liquid into his cup. Yahiko blew on it before he drank it in one shot. He coughed at the end. It was sake.
"It's to calm your nerves a little," she said. Yahiko's eyes turned to hers. Waiting for the explanation she was trying to give him. He noticed her eyes watered and she struggled to keep the tears from falling. "Yahiko," she said hoarsely. "Ken . . . shin. He can't remember anything before the age of fifteen." She finished.
Yahiko stared at her in confusion. That would mean . . . wasn't he a . . . then. "Hitokiri Battoussai." Was all that came out of his mouth. He felt his stomach give a lurch forward. How was this even possible? How?
Kenshin's eyes narrowed at the boy. Did everyone now know who he was? He didn't like that fact that the information was so widely known. He would have to limit as to who knew what. The Shinsegumi. They would follow him.
"I don't think he should stay here Kaoru." Yahiko said.
While Kaoru gasped in response to the statement.
"He's dangerous. He doesn't know who you are. He might harm you." Yahiko said as he watched Kaoru shake her head in denial. "He wouldn't even know what he's done until it was too late." He finished.
"No!" She cried "No matter what happens I am not letting him leave." She said to Yahiko.
Turning to Kenshin. "You can't leave. You promised. You promised," she whimpered. Yahiko stood and embraced her. Muffling her cries of the injustice of it all. He'd promised that as long as she wanted he'd stay. He couldn't break his promise. He just couldn't.
The battoussai watched the scene with interest. The boys' outburst and the girls' cries. He made no move to comfort her. Even as she pleaded with him that he'd promised. He felt a small twinge some where in his heart at her words. Which confirmed his thoughts that there was a lot she hadn't said.
Yahiko pulled away from Kaoru. Her teared stained face, it made him want to fix things. In time she had become like a sister to him. And though he'd never said anything. He loved her and wanted to see her happy. Which is why this situation was very hard. He didn't want the battoussai anywhere near her. It only brought her pain to see him. Plus without his memory he might actually kill her and feel nothing of it until he was the rurouni again. In which case it would be worse then when he was in the Rakuninmura.
"Kenshin, You don't need to leave." She said to him. She watched his face for any sort of understanding, for affirmation, for comfort but his face remained a mask.
He nodded in understanding but it was all he did.
"Then you will remain here with me? She asked with pleading eyes.
Kenshin turned his face to the side and she choked back a sob. Yahiko felt his anger bubble to the surface. The battoussai was out of place and he might stay for a while but only for a while.
The battoussai felt the boy's ki go up. He didn't remember making any sort of promises. But he felt she told the truth. And so despite his better judgment he would stay.
"Kenshin?" She asked afraid of his answer.
He turned his face to her. "I will not leave." He said.
Her lip trembled and she nodded getting up. Yahiko helped her up and they walked to the kitchen.
"Will you please go to the Akabeko and get some lunch for us. Also warn Sano. Or he'll get the same greeting you did this morning," she said as she began to wash the dishes.
"I don't think I should leave you alone with him." Yahiko said a little worried.
She turned to face him with a weak smile. "It'll be alright Yahiko. Don't worry."
Yahiko nodded and left the kitchen. He walked back out to were they had been eating and Kenshin was gone. He wouldn't break his promise the same day he'd made it so he was sure that the Battoussai would be back.
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The battoussai walked back from town. People had greeted him with smiling faces, confused by his appearance no doubt but still smiling faces. So it was true he lived in this town.
The bakumatsu was over.
The Meijii had begun. It was what he'd hoped for but he didn't like the fact that he didn't remember any of it. He felt uneasy. Disgruntle even. What the hell had happened? A blow to the head he could understand but you just don't wake up an not remember. Shit like that didn't happen. He paused near the river, looking at his reflection. He'd fixed his hair already. He felt . . . angry. But why? Why was there anger?
He turned around quickly when he felt someone behind him. His eyes narrowed when they didn't see anyone. He felt them though. The anger and the hate had been directed at him. He focused but he couldn't sense far enough. He fisted his hand and continued his trek to the Kamiya dojo.
Too many people knew about him. His job had been to remain in the shadows and now . . .
He shook his head. He must have told them it would have been the only way they would have know because he hadn't left anyone alive to point him out. The atmosphere here was troubling. Despite his promise he felt . . . oppressed.
He walked into the dojo, noting the lack of security. 'Anyone could just come here and kill her,' he thought as he made his way inside. Not really thinking why he said it only noting it's importance.
Near the kitchen sitting at the table was the boy, who he recognized but not the others. His eyes narrowed as he came in. He stood by the door feeling out of place as they stared at him.
Kaoru popped her head out when they had all become quiet. "What's wrong?" She asked coming into the room. "Ken . . . shin?" She broke off . . . starring at his new cobalt gi. Her eyes were drawn to the high ponytail. She blinked back the emotions threatening to spill out of their confines. "I was worried." She said. Noticing he didn't come the rest of the way into the room she walked over to him. Stood in front of him a moment unsure what to do. Still she grabbed his hand and walked him to his spot at the table.
He sat down and ignored the rest much like he did with his other peers.
"So you don't remember anything at all?"
The battoussai turned his eyes to the older man. He didn't feel like sharing and so he remained with out answering. His eyes moved away from the old man to the next one. A man with a disgruntle look and wild looking hair. Next was the boy from earlier. His attention turned to the sound of chattering women who emerged out of the kitchen a moment later.
He gave a quick glance to the older women with red lips. But his eyes were still drawn to the smaller of the two. Kaoru Kamiya, her eyes were still puffy. He watched as she brought out their food and then took a seat. The older women served rice while Kaoru served . . . . meat . . . from the smell of it.
"So have you been able to remember anything else Ken-san?" The women with red lips had spoken to him. His frowned at the way she addressed him. His eyes turned to Kaoru to see how she reacted at the way the women spoke to him.
"Do you think he would just sit there if he remembered anything else?" Kaoru snapped at Megumi.
Megumi was taken aback but for only a moment. "A tanuki like you wouldn't be able to tell if he was sick or just pretending."
Kaoru fisted her hands together ready to strike the other women. "Kenshin would never do that." Kaoru grounded out her jaw set. "Kenshin would never," she cried out.
He took note of the rise in her ki and gave an inward smile. He tapped her hand and she turned her attention to him. "Do you want me make them leave?" He asked her and their eyes widened.
She shook her head no. He gave them an unappreciative glance and began to eat. Everyone followed suit after that.
Soon after they finished eating and were having tea. He finally addressed the question he'd been trying to make all day. "Who are you?" He asked.
Her eyes had snapped opened and her face turned up to him in a really big hurry. With her mouth slightly open she didn't know how to answer him. What she assumed she was and what she might actually be were two different things. The others were outside watching the girls play around. While she and Kenshin remained inside. "Kamiya Kaoru." she mumbled slowly.
"No." He responded having grown impatient. He watched her cup tremble a bit and so she set it down. "Who are you to me?"
Her mouth moved without words. "I'm . . . I'm . . .your . . ." She was at a loss for words and her eyes teared up. "I'm your friend Ken . . .shin." She said in a strangled voice.
"I don't believe you." He said getting up.
"Kenshin wait." She said running in front of him to block the door. "Please." She begged. "What do you want me to say? What ever it is tell me. I'll say it just don't go." She cried, not hiding her tears from him anymore.
He was confused by it all. Why did she cry for him? A friend wouldn't act the way she did. At least he didn't think so. He couldn't be sure having never had a female friend before. Still there was the fact that she was twenty and not married. She had to be a lying. He pushed her aside and she fell to the floor. Her cries grew louder. He steeled his nerves and continued his walk outside.
"What the . . .?" Sano took a look behind Kenshin and tried to block him off. "The hell do you think you're doing? What the hell did you do to Jouchan?" He growled.
Kenshin ignored him.
Sano's hand fisted before he tried to punch him. Kenshin hit him across the face with the side of his sword knocking him back some. Everyone else froze.
Yahiko ran to the front of the gate, shinai in hand. "I can't let you leave Kenshin. You promised her long ago you wouldn't leave and you promised her today again. I can't let you leave."
The battoussai punched him in the middle of the stomach. Drawing out all breath, Yahiko slumped to the floor. The battoussai knocked him out knowing Kaoru would be upset if he killed him.
Sano got up slowly. "Fucking Coward." He called out.
At that the battoussai paused. He turned around slowly. No one had explained what this man or the rest of these people were to him. All he knew was they knew who he was. He held the hilt of his sword waiting for the man to attack. He didn't have to wait long.
"Sano don't be an idiot." The women with red lips called out.
Sano swung out but his fist never connected with his target. The battoussai drew his blade into the most basic battou jutsu. He watched as Sano flew back.
His breathing was ragged an he was sure he had some broken ribs. Still he couldn't just let Kenshin leave. Jouchan would be too distraught. "Asshole." He called out. Getting to his feet was becoming more of a struggle. "Not gonna fucking let you leave." Sano growled out. He used the Tou Ate (the Distant Hit). Unlike Anji he didn't need to use a small sword or dagger. His fist alone hit the ground and sent the Futai no Kiwami to send the shock through the ground at Kenshin.
The battoussai saw everything in slow motion. The effect of such an attack could be fatal having never seen it before but the other man. This Sano. He was injured already and his lack of strength was obvious in the attack as it lacked the swiftness of the kill.
He drew his sword for the final time as Sano's fist hit the ground. The battoussai took a high leap. "Ryu Tsui Sen." He called out, knocking Sano to the ground creating a small crater where Sano had stood.
Sano laid on the ground. His breathing was erratic. The blackness was trying crush him. "Fucker" He gasped.
"You . . .
. . . .can't just leave . . ." It was too hard to breath. "leave your woman." It was impossible to stay awake.
The battoussai stood there, sword still drawn. Your woman. That's what he'd said. Your woman.
"My women." He whispered out loud.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter I've watched the Ova's all over again to get in touch with his character again. I chose for him to go back to the age of fifteen (exactly) because he hadn't met Tomoe yet. I've messed with Kaoru in my other fics so now I thought I'd mess with Kenshin.
Small Note: His lack of remembrance is already an issue. He doesn't like being left in the dark. He has lingering or more like surfacing feelings for Kaoru he doesn't quite understand. Confused and angered he lashed out.
The battoussai used the Ryu Tsui Sen (Dragon Hammer Flash) - This is where the swordsman jumps really high and then slams down the opponent. This is probably Kenshin's favorite move since he uses most of the time.
Thanks for reading. Please review