Well, it seems I have acquired a few followers, to whom I extend my total appreciation and humble gratitude for reading my fic and giving me good advice and lots and lots of much needed encouragement. THANKS GUYS! YOU ARE THE BEST. You know who you are… FBH, Zanshi, Kasadora. Because of you, I have decided to post chapter three. It is about Yahiko mostly. I have kept him in character, but I have also made him a little 'more' than his usual self.
Important clarification for future reference---
Kenshin's eyes glow amber when he is angry or very emotional. I decided it would be cool to extend that unique trait to a few other special people. But only a few, and only those with very powerful ki's that support such a change. I have used the change in eye color as an indication of that particular persons level of spirit-energy power, and each person has their own unique color signifying their own unique gift. Pay attention carefully because this is a very integral part of the fabric of the story. A lot of things will not make sense if you don't, because all of it becomes more than important when things get stickier in later chapters.
Also be prepared for subtle shifts in some relationship dynamics. I took some deliberate liberties with the relations between many of the characters, and I warn you in advance, but they are also an important part of the weave that makes the magic of this concept work. I hope it will all become clearer later. Just try to be open minded.
Standard Disclaimers apply. I do not own Ruroni Kenshin, it is owned and copy written by Jump comics, Inc. I just enjoy playing hooky with the characters. So please do not sue me. It is just harmless fun, and it keeps this one old lady out of trouble.
Chapter Three
Yahiko's Argument
Several bags were packed and setting by the dojo door when Yahiko walked into the courtyard. He looked at them with deep curiosity. "Where is sensei going?" He wondered. "This is not a good time for her to leave. We just started the new class with all of those new students, and it would be totally stupid of her to take off right now." He scratched his head and looked around for his teacher. "I will just have to ask her what the hell she thinks she is doing. Sometimes I think I am more the teacher and she is the student. Sometimes she does the weirdest stuff and does not even think about it."
He started wandering around the yard and looking into some of the more common places Kaoru could be. As he sauntered out of the kitchen, he collided with a huge solid and nearly immovable wall, except it was in the middle of the patio where there were not supposed to be any walls. Yahiko fell backwards landing hard on his backside. "Hey! Aaauggghh…. Uummmpphh!"
"Well, if you would watch where you were going you stupid brat, you might be able to avoid such situations in the future." The deep voice was heavily laced with sarcasm and irritation.
Yahiko was about to offer a heated retort when a very large hand grabbed a handful of the front of his light green gi and hauled him abruptly to his feet. "Hey, watch it!" He protested indignantly. "I was not expecting anyone to be right there because there is not supposed to be anyone else here except sensei. Ok, you big jerk! So get your big hairy fists off me… NOW!" The hand released him so quickly he stumbled and nearly fell down again. "Dammit!" He swore as he fought for his balance. Angry light brown eyes snapped with fury, and deepened in color to a reddish tinge. "Just who the hell do you think you are you big ape??!" His head whipped up and he met the irritated but amused dark green eyes of Kenshin's Master. "S-ss-seijurou Hiko?!" The name tumbled from his lips in astonishment and shock. "How did you get here?" The moment the question left his mouth he knew it was a foolish thing to say, but it was the first thing that had come to his stunned mind.
"If you must know, I walked." The deep voice turned bland and bored at the same time mirroring the look on the large man's face.
"Oh." Yahiko suddenly felt very stupid.
"If you are looking for Kamiya-dono, she is still in her room. If you are trying to become part of the engowa, you are doing a fine job. If you want to ask me any more questions, GET ON WITH IT! I am hungry, and I have a lot of other things to do besides stand here and watch you let your mouth become a haven for every fly in Tokyo." He was scowling now and looking Yahiko directing in the eye by the time he finished, his face expectant. "Well…?"
"Ummmm… uhhh…" Yahiko stammered for a moment then with great effort forced himself to meet the great man's gaze fiercely. He had never really liked Hiko in the first place; because of the way he had always treated Kenshin. "Look you, I do not know what you are doing here, but you are in MY home now, and I am in charge here. So I am gonna ask the questions not you, get it?"
Hiko's right eyebrow raised with amused disdain as the boy continued his self-righteous tirade of self appointed Master of the dojo. "I want to know what the hell you are doing here, and why you are here, and I want to know now because if you are here to cause problems for Kenshin or Kaoru…" He let the unspoken threat hang in the air while his young face reflected the promise of quick and swift retribution for any wrongdoing.
"Or what? You will do something about it?" The voice was filled with laughter, as Hiko looked the dark haired boy up and down. He knew the boy could fight since the battle at the Aoiya a year ago, but to make a threat like this was just too amusing. This boy was far too arrogant for his age and size, and it was going to land him into certain trouble. It was just like Kenshin not to have taken steps to have educated this brat on respecting his personal limitations as well as his superiors. He watched with continuing sardonic pleasure as the boy pulled himself up to his full height and then gracefully assumed a basic attack pose with one arm raised so he could pull his shinai free from its sheath on his back.
"Yes, I would." The reply was cold, sure, and spoken with the voice of concentrated determination. "I will not let you hurt my family. Whatever I have to do, I will not let anyone hurt my family again, and you have done enough to Kenshin already. One day I will make you leave him alone."
This response caused Hiko to pause and take another hard look at the dark haired boy. He caught a look of furious determination in those reddish tinted eyes as well as a glint of untamed wildness that reached out to him and pulled fiercely at his soul. It was very possible that this young boy could be a dangerous adversary if put into a life or death situation. He showed no fear, no backing down or giving in. Hiko could sense a relentlessness about him, and he slowly began to realize what was really standing in front of him.
This was not just a boy of twelve. Neither was this just a boy who Kenshin and Kaoru had rescued from the streets given a home, and then trained in Kenjutsu in an effort to give him a sense of honor and belief in himself. No, what was standing in front of him was much, much more and far more dangerous than anyone realized.
Hiko remembered Kenshin telling him Yahiko's father had been a Samurai who had fallen on hard times and died in disgrace as a thief. Also that his mother had ended up a prostitute in order to provide for her very small son and herself until she had died as well. Hiko had understood that Yahiko had been only four or five years old when his mother died, and that he had survived on the streets by whatever means he could until Kenshin and Kaoru found him. They had found him working as a pickpocket for a ring of thieves two years ago, and took him away from that too give him a chance at a real life.
The boy had lived most of his life surviving by his wits, and he knew only that whatever was given him could easily be taken away unless he fought to keep it. There had been no one in his life to care for him, feed him, clothe him, keep him safe, or even hold him while he struggled with the daily battles of living. So he had grown up depending on no one but himself for whatever he needed. He was the only person he had to count on and he had never trusted anyone. The whole world had been his enemy, and he had grown into a wild animal living on the primitive instinct of survival.
Kenshin had been the one to see the pride and promise of strength and honor within the boy's wild heart, and he had been the first one to get past the walls of protection Yahiko had built around himself. Kaoru had been the next one. Despite their constant arguing and disagreements, there was a very tight bond between Yahiko and his female sensei.
Kenshin and Kaoru and this dojo really had become his ikka, and to him it was worth fighting for. Perhaps, even more than that.
The wild animal that had grown up on the streets of Tokyo eating garbage, rats, and whatever else he could find; fighting for a place to sleep, a place to live, even the right to live had at last found a world to belong in, people who loved and wanted him, and a place he could always call his home. There was no real way to judge how he would react if that precious new found security were threatened in anyway. True, he was domesticated, but when faced with a potential loss of that magnitude, there was no telling what the wildling would do to protect it. Hiko began to understand Yahiko a little bit more.
It was not arrogance that drove him. It was a deep bond of love and trust for the two people in his life that mattered the most to him. This was a child vowing to protect his parents even with his own life if necessary. Hiko felt a sense of respect developing for this fierce boy and his single-minded loyalties to those who had given him a chance at life.
"All right, all right I believe you." Hiko replied in a quiet and respectful tone. "But I had no intention of hurting you or your family, boy. That is not what I came here for." A deep sigh escaped his chest and his broad shoulders appeared to sag in weariness.
Yahiko gave Hiko a long measuring look then asked carefully, "All right, then what did you come here for? Kenshin is not here."
"Yes, I know that. It is part of the reason I am here. I came to find out where he is. To see if Kamiya-dono knew anything of his whereabouts, because I do not know where he is either."
Yahiko's young face creased with deep concern. "Why would YOU want to know? I mean you don't even like Kenshin? What is going on anyway? Why do you want to know where he is anyway?"
"I need to find Kenshin quickly. It is very important that I do."
"You already said that once. I want to know why? Are you gonna tell me or not?" The red tinged brown eyes widened in alarm as something else occurred to Yahiko. "Has something happened to him? He is alright, isn't he?" The young voice rose with increased anxiety and he took an involuntary step toward the big man. "Has he been hurt or something? You do not think he is… you do not think he is d-dead do you??" The boys voice cracked with emotion and his eyes searched Hiko's frantically.
"Calm down, boy. Calm down before you convince yourself of something we have no idea about." Hiko put a steadying hand on the young boys shoulder. "I do not know what is going on yet, but I do know I need to find Kenshin as soon as I can. It is very important, but I don't think there is nothing to worry about at the moment." He knew he was trying to placate the boy to keep him from becoming too upset before he and Kamiya-dono had a chance to concoct some sort of a believable story to tell him about where they were going. There was no need to alarm him over this. That would only make matters worse.
"Bullshit!! You are lying. I can tell you are." Yahiko threw Hiko's hand off his shoulder roughly. "I am not a stupid kid, you know. You do not have to feed me baby stories. If Kenshin is in trouble I want to know about it." Turning his back on Hiko, he snorted angrily and cursed under his breath. "I suppose Kaoru is going with you, isn't she. That is why there are so many bags setting by the dojo door. Looks like you're planning to be gone for quite awhile too."
Sighing heavily with extreme exasperation, Hiko tried a different tactic. "Ok, so you are not a stupid kid. So what? That doesn't mean anything. Sometimes there are things you are better off not knowing about, and you should respect those who are in the position to know which decisions are best for you in such circumstance. Then you ought to try and be grateful for their assistance and that they even took the time to be concerned for your welfare at all."
"I should respect those who know what is best for me… those in the position to make my decisions…" Yahiko's voice was deceptively soft as he turned away from the big Samurai. "Ok, and tell me, who is going to make those decisions for me?" Growling like a feral wolf, he suddenly whipped around glaring venomously at Hiko. "YOU? How in the hell do you know what is best for ME?" Trembling hands clenched themselves into tightly balled fists, and a muscle began to twitch violently along an otherwise smooth cheek. Light brown eyes fringed with long silky black lashes started to glow a deep cherry red that caught the morning sunlight and reflected outward like twin rubies, and the sound of his anger fed labored breathing filled the cool crisp air.
'Dear God, I am looking at a wild animal.' Hiko thought warily to himself as his natural defensive instincts began to function in response as they sensed the growing presence of a dangerous and powerful ki starting to sizzle around him. 'I wonder,' He queried in his mind as he watched the escalating black rage storm through the boy. 'How much control does he have? Can he control it at all?' Hiko was not really afraid of Yahiko, but he could not ignore the feelings of apprehension the wild untamed ki provoked within him. 'Tremendous power, tremendous energy… Kami…" He whispered to himself in awe and wonderment.
"Listen to me, boy…" Hiko tried to make his voice as gentle and calming as he could as he reached out for Yahiko's rational side, but he was forced back by the screaming rage and fury of the boys spirit-ki as it slammed into his chest like a great stone hammer. The big man visibly pulled back stunned by the powerful nonphysical attack.
"I. AM. NOT. YOUR. BOY." Yahiko could feel the hold he had on his ki breaking as his anger flared, and he struggled to pull it back as much as he could. "My name is Myojin Yahiko, and you are not MY Master. Neither do you make decisions for me." He advanced threateningly on Hiko and the tall man felt compelled to take an involuntary step back. "Kamiya Kaoru is MY sensei, but…" His whole body shook with the force of the emotions rushing through him, and he clenched his hands into tight white fists in an effort to regain some control. "The only person who makes decisions for me in my life as important as this," He stopped and stood directly in front of Hiko and locked eyes with him. "Is Hiumra Kenshin! So, if Kenshin is in trouble, I want to know about it, and it is not your decision whether or not I should or should not know. Understand?" His voice ripped and rose on a high and powerful note sounding like the roar of a young lion, and then, as he forced the energy path away from Hiko, the wild thundering ki ripped and tore through the branches of the near by trees as if they were being shaken by some vicious malevolent hand bent upon their complete destruction.
Hiko drew a deep breath of anticipation as he felt the energy surge around, past, and through him, but found himself unharmed. "Incredible," He breathed softly to himself in awe. "Pure, absolute power. Pure untapped energy, but he has such little control." A hooded respectful gaze rested on the young mans' head. "Oh but if he had true control… what a warrior he could be. What a magnificent swordsman."
Yahiko closed his eyes and took several slow deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. He had let his emotions gain control over him again. He had to learn to be their Master like Kenshin had been teaching him. Well, at least he had not gone after Hiko-san with his shinai.
After taking several more breaths, his breathing returned to a more normal pace and he was able to unclench his fists. "I am in control." He said firmly to himself. Then he locked gazes with Hiko again. The rage remained reflected in his eyes, but it was now more subdued and he were in a more rational state of mind. "Now, tell me what is happening to Kenshin? It is my right to know, and I will not let you keep it from me."
Hiko had to admit he was impressed with the young man. Not only did he have an incredibly powerful ki that could serve him impressively in the future, but also it appeared Kenshin had been teaching him how to control the more negative aspects of it. At least to the point of not letting it explode like a bomb in his face. Hiko also regretted to admit that his respect for the wildling was continuing to grow.
"All right, but you keep a grip on that temper of yours' or you and I are going to have a big problem. Got it?" Narrow emerald eyes pierced Yahiko's meaningfully. "You owe me the respect due me as Kenshin's Master whether you like me personally or not. That is the Code of Honor of the Samurai since the beginning."
Cherry red eyes narrowed slightly, then Yahiko pulled himself into a straight stance and bowed in deep respect to the Mitsurugi Master. "Forgive me, Hiko-san. You are right. Kenshin would be really angry if he knew I had been disrespectful to his Master." It was a stiff but reasonably sincere apology.
Hiko nodded in acceptance. "Very well. Come with me." He said, and walked into the kitchen. "I am still hungry and you interrupted my venture for food. We will talk while I eat."
Kaoru had seen many things in the last two years that had surprised her, but few equaled seeing Seijurou Hiko and Myojin Yahiko setting together at the small table talking together like men. She blinked and rubbed her eyes several times just to make sure that she was really seeing what she thought she was seeing, but each time she opened them, the two were still there leaning towards each other in deep conversation.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise." She quipped in her most cheerful voice. "Good morning, Hiko-san. Yahiko, what brings you to the dojo this bright morning? We do not have classes today. Are you hungry?" She asked as she went into the kitchen humming lightly.
"Boy, she is really putting on a good show." Yahiko muttered under his breath.
"Of course," Hiko replied. "We were not going to tell you anything other than we had to go to Kyoto. We just had not come up with the reason for the trip yet." He shrugged off handedly.
"Oh, I see. Keep the kid in the dark while you two go off to look for Kenshin by yourselves. Why does everybody think I am so dumb? Sheesh."
"I don't know? Why?" Hiko chuckled at his own joke while Yahiko glared daggers at him.
"I was not really expecting an answer you big jerk."
Kaoru reappeared out of the kitchen with a plate of leftovers and joined the two of them at the table. "So, what have the two of you found to talk about this morning? Anything interesting?" She smiled and bit into some cold fruit her eyes wide innocent pools of dark blue.
"You can stop the act, Kamiya-dono. I told the kid everything."
"You WHAT??" She screeched spewing half chewed food out of her mouth. "What do you mean you told him everything? Just exactly WHAT did you tell him? Her hands were frantically wiping her mouth and kimono.
"Just what I said, Kamiya-dono. I told the kid everything. He insisted, so I told him."
"Just like that? You told him just like that? I thought we had decided that he would be better off not knowing? Isn't that what you said? He would be better off not knowing that anything was wrong?" Her anxious glance raked her stern angular face with mystified accusation.
"Yes. I did say that, but Myojin-san has informed me quite vehemently that neither you nor I are permitted to make those sort of decisions for him."
"Wha-a-aa… what did you say?" Her outraged blue gaze turned it burning sapphire glare onto Yahiko who met it without flinching.
"Yes quite. It appears the only person he will listen to under such circumstances as these," He paused and looked at Yahiko, then locked gazes with Kaoru. "The only person he will acknowledge is Kenshin."
Silence descended around the table, and hung like a heavy blanket over the three people setting there. Only Yahiko seemed to be completely unaffected by the impact of Hiko's statement to Kaoru. She on the other hand sat in a state of complete speechless shock; stunned beyond words. All she could do was sit and look at her pale trembling hands.
Several minutes passed before Kaoru could do anything. First, she cleared her throat and swallowed loudly. Then she took several deep shaky breaths. At last she was ready to look at her two companions. "Well," She began in a tremulous voice. "I guess that is that. Where does that leave us now? Yahiko? Since you will not acknowledge the authority of anyone here, what are you planning to do?" There was a sound of resigned defeat in her voice that made the young man look at her in uncertainty.
"Kaoru?" He sounded confused and concerned. "What is the matter?"
"Yahiko," A small sad smile curved her lovely mouth. "You have just declared yourself to be beyond my control and authority which means I cannot tell you what to do anymore. I cannot even really be involved in the decisions you make. You have declared your independence from me and shut me out of your life."
Bowing his head low, Yahiko considered the gravity of what she had just said in reference to the words he had actually spoken to Hiko earlier, and the impact they were having on their relationship. His eyes widened in alarm as he realized exactly what he had said and exactly what it meant. 'Oh no…' He cried out in his mind. 'What did I do?'
"Umm…. Kaoru," His voice sounded very young and it was filled with a note of dread as he instinctively leaned towards her, but she cut him off by raising her hand.
"Perhaps it is time I stopped treating you like a child. You are twelve now and becoming more and more a man everyday. Maybe it is the day for you to start making your own choices. It is just so hard for me to let go my Yahiko-chan." She heaved a great shuddering sigh, then looked up at him and forced a smile. "Kenshin has trusted you with so many things; so many grown up man-type responsibilities in the past. If he thinks you are capable, I suppose it is time that I must start believing in you as well."
Yahiko bowed his head to the dark haired woman kneeling beside him unable to say a word. There was a huge lump in his throat that seemed to be preventing him from speaking or even making the smallest of sounds.
"So, tell me, my young Man," Her hands gently brushed his hair away from his temple. "What is your decision? What are you going to do about all of this now that you know what we know? Now that you know something has happened to Kenshin, and that he is in some sort of trouble, even though we do not know what. All we do know is Saitoh sent him to investigate something in the Taki Mountains. It was something that upset him a great deal, but we do not even know what that was, but none of that changes the fact that we have to find him. Somehow, we have to find him." Her hand was gentle on his head. Loving as she was sometimes when he allowed her to be. "So, tell me. What is your decision?"
As the scene unfolded before him, Hiko watched the interaction between the young woman and the boy carefully. He had been wondering what would happen when Kamiya-dono discovered the boy was aware of Kenshin's dilemma, but this particular twist in events was nothing close to what he had been expecting. It seemed this day and these people were just full of surprises for him. He hid a slight smile of pleasure behind his teacup.
When Yahiko finally found his voice, it was a low and gruff sound in his throat, but it was clear, and firm with the depth of his determination. "I am going with you." He replied and raised his eyes to meet the glittering sapphire points of the woman he respected most in the world. "I am going to go and help you find him, and no one can stop me from doing that. He means as much to me as he does to you." Kaoru lock eyes with him and listened. "Kenshin is the only Father-like person I have, and I am not going to set here and do nothing if he is out there in trouble somewhere."
"All right, Yahiko but do you understand that this journey may be more dangerous than anything we have every faced before? It could very well be more dangerous than anything we saw fighting Shishio or Enishii. We do not know what kind of trouble Kenshin is in. Only that it is very bad, and he needs our help. We do not even know what we will be facing, and there is a possibility some of us could die. Do you understand that? You could die if you go."
"It does not matter, Kaoru. If it were you are me, do you think Kenshin would be thinking about how dangerous it was or whether or not he was going to die?"
"Probably not." She looked down at her cold clenched hands and closed her eyes against that terrifying thought.
"Well, it does not matter to me either. It is all about Kenshin this time. He has never once given in or given up on any of us, and I will be damned if I am going to give up on him. I will die before I every give up. Do you hear me, Kaoru? I will die first before I ever give up on Kenshin!" The audible click of his teeth could be heard as he clenched his jaw in an effort to control his raging emotions. Then he drew in a deep ragged breath. "You and him are all I have, and I am not gonna lose either one of you. So, I am not letting you leave without me today. Got it?" A single hot tear slid down his stony face leaving a wet pathway to his jaw. "Kenshin told me it was my responsibility to take care of you for him while he was away, and if you leave, the only way I can do that is to go with you. So, do not waste your breath trying to make me stay behind because it won't do you any good." Yahiko had to clear his throat before he could continue. "But I want you to know something else. I want you to know that I am also going so I can protect you for myself. I am not going to let anything happen to you either, Kaoru. If I have to, I will protect you with my life even if it means losing it. I will die before I let anything happen to you just the same as I would for Kenshin."
Having said everything he needed to say, Yahiko stood up from the small table and walked away, but then he stopped and turned part way around. "I will be back as fast as I can. I only need to pack a few things." Then he left quietly through the front gate and ran down the street heading for his room near the Akabeko where he had been living ever since Sanoske had left a year ago. The big man had left Japan to avoid capture by the Police after an incident that occurred during the fight with Enishii, and no one had heard from him for many months.
For several long silent moments, Kaoru remained kneeling at the table. Her face was a mask of pain as she tried to control the uprising wave of deep emotions rushing through her. A delicate hand rose to press against quavering lips as she struggled to fight back the sobs that threatened to burst from her chest, but the tears she could not hold back. They ran in twin streams down her cool pale cheeks and would not be stopped. "Yahiko…" She whispered his name once, and lost the fragile control she had. As the great heart wrenching sobs rose to consume her small frame, Hiko gently put an arm around her shoulders and held her to his shoulder and let her cry.
"Listen to me, jou-chan. He is a fierce and courageous boy. He has the survival instinct he developed growing up on the streets living by his own wits, and he is not a foolish boy. The extreme hardships of his past life have made him stronger than any other boy his age. Hell, he may be stronger than any of us. My point is, he will endure. He is highly intelligent and I do not believe he will be careless." Hiko looked down at Kaoru's face and found her resting quietly against him listening to his explanation. "He grew up a wildling in the streets, and those primitive instincts are better developed than his domestic human side. I can see in his heart that you were right when you said he sees Kenshin as his father whether he has really admitted it to himself or not. The primitive bond between offspring and parent is one of the strongest in the Universe, so if Yahiko has decided to go in search of his Father, neither you nor I will be able to stand in his way. He will walk right over the top of us." He patted her shoulder in an attempt to be reassuring and comforting though it was very awkward for him. "One can never tell, we may need his unique strength and gifts on our journey before it is finished, and you must keep your faith and resolve, jou-chan." A large brown hand softly tilted her chin up so he could look into her face. "We will all need your steadfastness and strength of will to keep us focused on our goal, and Kenshin will need your strength to give him strength. Do not lose your path to despair, Kamiya-dono." Gently he wiped her tears away, and nodded to her. "Come, we must finish our preparation. We need to leave as soon as Myojin-san returns." Kaoru nodded in agreement and stood to clear the dishes and uneaten food from the table.
She sniffled while she busied herself with the mundane chore. "It will only take me a few moments, and I will be finished. I just need to pack provisions and some water. I will be done soon." She was rambling and she knew it, but it really could not be helped. After all it had been a very emotional morning.
As she carried her burdens into the wash area to be cleaned, something interesting but very strange dawned on her. Hiko had referred to Yahiko as Myojin-san. In fact, the more she thought about it, he had called him that twice.
"Hmmmm. I wonder what happened between the two of them this morning before I showed up? It must have been pretty serious if Hiko-san is using that honorific on Yahiko. I guess this means I cannot call him Yahiko-chan or ishii anymore." A stray tear slid down her face, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand shaking her head in dejection. "He has grown up way too fast. Was he ever really a chibi-chan in his whole life?" Sad sapphire eyes looked absently out the window. "I guess it is too late for him to be one now. He has chosen the pathway of a man today so he can go to Kyoto with Hiko-san and I. He is determined to help us find Kenshin no matter what it takes." Another tear slid off the tip of her nose and fell unheard to the floor.
"Kenshin… where are you my love? What is happening to you? Do you know how much I worry about you, and how much I love you?" Kaoru sniffled again and wiped her nose. "No. Of course you don't know. I have never told you how I feel about you. I have never told anyone. It has been my little secret to keep hidden away in the privacy of my heart where no one will ever see it." Quiet sobs began to shake her narrow shoulders, and her hands rose to cover her face. "Oh Kenshin, I promise if we ever find you, koishii, I will tell you. I do not care what else happens. I don't even care if you do not love me back in the same way, and I don't care if all we do is stay the friends we are. All I do care about is I have to tell you the truth." She wiped her face on the sleeve of her blue kimono and sniffled again. "I cannot let another moment go by without you knowing that I love you more than anything else in this world. I will not take another chance of something happening to you again. Something that could take you away from me forever without you ever knowing how I felt about you. I will not let that happen again. I cannot."
Desperately she tried to regain control over her emotions and stop the sobs and the tears. "I have enough things to do." She admonished herself. "I don't have time for this." Clenching both hands into tight balls, she slammed her emotions down beneath an iron fist of intense concentration, and left the kitchen to finish packing and cleaning up loose ends. There were too many things that required her full attention if she were going to be of any use to Kenshin at all. "I must maintain my control… for Kenshin's sake I must not let him down, not now that he needs me. It is my turn to be strong for him, and I have to remember that" Her chin rose in determination and her eyes glinted with the fire of her spirit. "It is my turn."
************
By the time the sun was high in the sky, the part of three were well on their way back to Kyoto. Kaoru had insisted on buying tickets for the next available ship arguing that it was plain stupidity to walk when they had the means to get to their destination so much quicker. Yahiko had strongly advised Hiko to just agree with her after he and Kaoru exchanged heated words for more than an hour.
"She won't change her mind, Hiko-san. She is more stubborn than your Spinster Aunt. I wouldn't put it past her to stand right here on the dock all day and refuse to leave until you agree to do what she wants. So you might as well save yourself a whole lot of grief and just give in now and do it."
Hiko had not liked that idea at all, but after wasting so much time trying to convince Kaoru that it was more frugal to save money for later needs, he could finally see the wisdom of Yahiko's words. At last he agreed and they set sail early that afternoon.
"You see, Hiko-san." Kaoru smiled smugly. "Now we will be in Kyoto in four days instead of ten or eleven. A much better idea." An elegantly curved black eyebrow arched expectantly at him. "Don't you agree?"
He chuckled in defeat. "Of course. If I must admit defeat in battle, even a battle of words and wills, then let it be to a beautiful woman and not a toothless old man or a babe in swaddling."
"Hmmmm, I'm not sure if that is a compliment or not, but I am going to take it as one." She smiled into his mocking face and walked over to the railings to watch the waves as they rolled and raced away behind the ship. "It's so beautiful… the water." Looking over a slender shoulder, Kaoru shared a rare introspective look with Hiko. "It looks like liquid glass to me. The sea and the waves have always fascinated me. I have loved to watch them ever since I was a child. When I was a little girl and I would travel with my parents, I would stand on the deck and watch them for hours and hours wondering where they came from, what faraway places and wonders each of them had seen, what hidden treasures and secrets they knew." Soft melodious laughter reached Hiko's ears as he moved to stand beside her. "Sounds pretty silly doesn't it."
"No, not really. The Ocean is the lifeblood of the Earth. She is the Mother of all life that walks, swims, and flies as well." Kaoru turned and looked at him in stunned surprise as he continued to speak. "The Ocean is as old as Time itself, and harbors all the knowledge and intelligence of the spirits that have lived and died in the Universe and within Her depths. Each grain of sand is said to be the residue left from each solitary thought that has ever passed through the Ethereal Plane of each minds soul." Leaning his head back, Hiko filled his lungs with a deep breath of the cool salty breeze, and then let it out in a slow cleansing stream as he relaxed. "She is purity, and filth; truth and lies; dignity and humility; She is all things, and She is nothing." Turning to his side, he looked down into Kaoru's deep blue eyes thoughtfully, and touched a roughened finger gently to her soft pale cheek. "When you compared Her to liquid glass, it was a beautiful and excellent observation, for She is forever changing yet She stays the same. All things can be reflected upon Her surface like a perfect mirror, yet lost forever underneath Her ever shifting body of waves."
Hiko's emerald eyes searched the sky until he pointed out the faraway silhouette of a bird winging its way over the rolling waves in an age old dance of grace and eloquence as it searched for food above the unpredictable rise and fall of the dark waters. "She feeds thousands the world over both above and below Her surface, provides passage for our great ships, and links valuable trade route together providing us with a better quality of life." He dropped his gaze back down to Kaoru's face. "You asked what secrets and treasures these waves hold, what wonders they have seen? Look at them, Kamiya-dono." He waved his large hand in a wide sweeping arch across the expanse of endless water before them. "Listen to them speak… and they will answer your question." Hiko paused and closed his dark eyes in deep concentration for several moments. Kaoru stood unmoving next to him as she found herself completely captivated by a side of him she had never seen. She could not tear her eyes away from his face.
"They have seen the whole world, Kamiya-dono." He whispered and locked eyes with her. "And they know all things, but they are selfish and stingy with their wisdom. Knowledge must be earned, and the Ocean is a cruel teacher. She takes everything, and offers nothing in return except what you can see." Leaning over slightly, he smiled into the rapt face of the young woman beside him. "And as you have observed for yourself, there is little to nothing to be learned from liquid glass when you cannot see through it or into it."
Kaoru's whole face what shining with delight and wonder. Her eyes were sparking like huge blue diamonds as they caught the reflection of the afternoon Sun bouncing off the surface of the water. "That was amazing!" She exclaimed with excitement. "I have never heard the Ocean described in that way. You make it sound so mysterious and alive almost as if it were an Entity with a living soul of it's own." Blue eyes filled with awe cast their gaze out across the vast expanse of rolling waves, and a smile of pure joy crossed her lovely features. "Maybe She does have Her own soul. Everything you said makes perfect sense to me." The smile she wore held just a hint of mocking humor as he threw a sidelong look up at her tall companion. "I didn't realize you were a philosopher, Hiko-san, and not just the Hiten Misturugi Ryu Master."
"Well, I do know a few other things beside just the Hiten Mitsurugi." They smiled together at her playful jab at his intelligence quotient, and stood for a while longer watching the waves as they splashed and crashed against the hull of the ship.
"Are we going to be in time, Hiko-san?" Kaoru's voice was low and thoughtfully honest.
"To help Kenshin?"
"Yes."
"I hope so, Kamiya-dono. I sincerely hope so." His statement was followed by a poignant pause.
"Hiko-san?"
"Yes?"
"May I ask you a question?" She carefully looked at his profile to judge his reaction to her request. "It is something I would really like to know, but if you don't answer, I will understand."
Raven black eyebrows raised questioningly at her as he glanced sideways and down into her intent face. "Yes, you can ask whatever you wish, but, as you said, if I do not wish to answer the question, I will not."
Kaoru nodded her understanding and acceptance of his agreement to her terms, and then drew a steadying breath to gather her courage. Asking this particular question was going to be difficult, but the wanting to know was really starting to drive her insane. She had to know the answer, so turning to look directly at the large man standing next to her; Kaoru opened her mouth and asked the question.
"Why is it so important to you that you find Kenshin?"
"What?" Hiko was completely caught off guard and the incredulity in his dark eyes and deep voice showed it. "What do you mean, why is it so important to me? What are you getting at, Kamiya?" His eyes narrowed and took on an eerie yellowish-green cast. "Just exactly what are you asking me?"
"It is a simple question, Hiko-san." She turned and faced him fully, and leaning her elbow on the steel railing, met his fiercely confused gaze calmly. "Why do you feel such a strong need to find him, so much so that you would come all the way to Tokyo to me?" Brushing an unseen spot of dirt off her blue kimono, Kaoru gave Hiko a moment to gather himself. "It confuses me because you have always held him in such a state of low esteem and disdain, that I cannot understand why your are expending so much effort to find him… even if he is in obvious dire need of your help."
Hiko suddenly felt like a mouse trapped in a corner by a very large hungry cat, and he could not see an escape from his impending doom anywhere in the near vicinity. She was looking at him with those huge midnight blue pools, and he knew he had lost this confrontation as well.
"I really don't know what you're talking about." He was trying desperately to evade her, and looked back out over the water hoping she would take the hint. "He is my deshi. I raised him. Of course there are some leftover feelings of responsibility to help him in times such as these, and that is all I am doing. Helping him." A sidelong glance checked to see if she was accepting his hollow explanation, but her features were closed and unreadable. "I am still Kenshin's Master. Thus it remains my duty to try and protect him if he makes some stupid mistake that could get him killed. Surely you understand that. I cannot just stand by and do nothing."
"Uh-huh… it never seemed to be an issue for you in the past. You were more than willing to let him jump in and out of trouble whatever the consequences without so much as lifting a finger." Her soft feminine voice mocked him sourly.
"What is that you're saying?" Yellow-green eyes blazed down on Kaoru's bland face, but she did not even appear to notice.
"I am really trying to believe you, Hiko-san. I truly am, but there are so many holes in your explanation that this ship could practically sail right through them." She heaved a heavy disgusted sigh, and met his angry look with stony blue eyes. "Tell me, how long do you intend to lie to me? Further more, how long do you intend to lie to yourself?"
Backing away from her in astonished surprise, Hiko felt his anger melting away only to be replaced by his own shame.
What did she think she knew? No one knew anything. No one had ever known anything. Hiko suddenly had the uncanny feeling that he was standing in front of Kaoru totally naked, and it was a very uncomfortable and vulnerable feeling. Something the Hiten Mitsurugi Master was not used to and did not care for at all. He could feel his anger beginning to return.
A muscle started to twitch violently in his jaw as he clenched his teeth together, and his eyes narrowed into furious slits. "Are you certain you know what you are talking about…. Jou-chan? Few have ever dared call me a liar, and even fewer of those are still breathing air in this world. Be very careful." His furiously tense frame swung away from her to face the Ocean while both hands gripped the railing viciously, turning his knuckles white.
"Impressive," Her voice was flat and emotionless in the wake of his anger. "I suppose that little tirade was supposed to frighten me back into submission and silence. Well, I hate to tell you this, Hiko-san, but I am not afraid of you."
Kaoru watched his shoulders stiffen in response to her matter-of-fact words, but he did not speak. "Is it really so difficult to admit that the reason you are so determined to find Kenshin is because you love him?" Because you are worried sick something terrible has happened to him, and he might be hurt? Because deep inside that stone you call your heart, he is as much your sotsu as you are his otan in his? Does not admitting it make it any less true?" She watched watch closely, but could see no further response from the big man. In desperation of reaching him, Kaoru laid her hand on Hiko's arm and pushed farther.
"Are you that ashamed of him? Or are you ashamed of yourself and the fact that you do love him? Or is it BOTH?" Blue eyes intently searched his hard stern profile. "Are you afraid loving him will make you look weak or foolish in the eyes of others, or in your own? Does loving him mean you lose the battle? Does it mean you gave in first, and you cannot allow that to happen? Why in the name of Kami-sama can't you let yourself love him? Why is that such a terrible thing in your eyes? Hiko-san??"
Still he remained unmoving, unresponsive. He no longer even showed any signs that he was listening to her other than the furious twitching of the muscle in his jaw and the white knuckled grip on the steel rail.
"Fine," She said at last, and released his arm. "Ignore me, ignore the world, ignore your son, but mark my words, Seijurou Hiko, the day will come to you that you will no longer be able to deny what you have buried in your heart. What will you do then, Great Samurai of the Old World? Will you still be able to hide behind a wall of arrogance and pride? Will the insurmountable mountain of your stubbornness save you from the inevitable, or will you become one of the long-suffering souls who lives plagued with guilt the rest of your life? Will you be one of those who kneels on the ground next to the grave of your son as you cry empty tears of sorrow and regret because you never took the chance in life to tell him you loved him, and now you never can." Her voice cracked on a sob of emotion as her feelings got the better of her. "You never can and never will because it is too late, he is already dead and lost to you, and not once did you hold him in your arms and whisper what was in your heart all his life." Kaoru drew a ragged breath and wiped her nose. "Have you ever considered that this is something that could happen? That you could lose him…forever?" 'I am not reaching him," She thought sadly to herself and turned to walk away, but then stopped after only a few steps.
"You should think about that, Hiko-san. Is that worth your Pride and Arrogance? Knowing that Kenshin could die and leave this world before you, and you never took the chance to hold him to your heart even once. Just how high of a price is that to pay for your Pride?"
She left him then, standing alone leaning on the steel railing and staring out across the endless rolling water with unseeing eyes. When Kaoru did not see, what the hint of glistening moisture he frantically tried to blink away from his burning eyes.
"Ken-shin…" The broken whisper of the man's name was lost inside the whirling moistness of the salty breeze that had risen from the rolling water to wash away all of the unspoken secrets hanging in the air, and leaving behind only the memories of a breaking heart.
Important clarification for future reference---
Kenshin's eyes glow amber when he is angry or very emotional. I decided it would be cool to extend that unique trait to a few other special people. But only a few, and only those with very powerful ki's that support such a change. I have used the change in eye color as an indication of that particular persons level of spirit-energy power, and each person has their own unique color signifying their own unique gift. Pay attention carefully because this is a very integral part of the fabric of the story. A lot of things will not make sense if you don't, because all of it becomes more than important when things get stickier in later chapters.
Also be prepared for subtle shifts in some relationship dynamics. I took some deliberate liberties with the relations between many of the characters, and I warn you in advance, but they are also an important part of the weave that makes the magic of this concept work. I hope it will all become clearer later. Just try to be open minded.
Standard Disclaimers apply. I do not own Ruroni Kenshin, it is owned and copy written by Jump comics, Inc. I just enjoy playing hooky with the characters. So please do not sue me. It is just harmless fun, and it keeps this one old lady out of trouble.
Chapter Three
Yahiko's Argument
Several bags were packed and setting by the dojo door when Yahiko walked into the courtyard. He looked at them with deep curiosity. "Where is sensei going?" He wondered. "This is not a good time for her to leave. We just started the new class with all of those new students, and it would be totally stupid of her to take off right now." He scratched his head and looked around for his teacher. "I will just have to ask her what the hell she thinks she is doing. Sometimes I think I am more the teacher and she is the student. Sometimes she does the weirdest stuff and does not even think about it."
He started wandering around the yard and looking into some of the more common places Kaoru could be. As he sauntered out of the kitchen, he collided with a huge solid and nearly immovable wall, except it was in the middle of the patio where there were not supposed to be any walls. Yahiko fell backwards landing hard on his backside. "Hey! Aaauggghh…. Uummmpphh!"
"Well, if you would watch where you were going you stupid brat, you might be able to avoid such situations in the future." The deep voice was heavily laced with sarcasm and irritation.
Yahiko was about to offer a heated retort when a very large hand grabbed a handful of the front of his light green gi and hauled him abruptly to his feet. "Hey, watch it!" He protested indignantly. "I was not expecting anyone to be right there because there is not supposed to be anyone else here except sensei. Ok, you big jerk! So get your big hairy fists off me… NOW!" The hand released him so quickly he stumbled and nearly fell down again. "Dammit!" He swore as he fought for his balance. Angry light brown eyes snapped with fury, and deepened in color to a reddish tinge. "Just who the hell do you think you are you big ape??!" His head whipped up and he met the irritated but amused dark green eyes of Kenshin's Master. "S-ss-seijurou Hiko?!" The name tumbled from his lips in astonishment and shock. "How did you get here?" The moment the question left his mouth he knew it was a foolish thing to say, but it was the first thing that had come to his stunned mind.
"If you must know, I walked." The deep voice turned bland and bored at the same time mirroring the look on the large man's face.
"Oh." Yahiko suddenly felt very stupid.
"If you are looking for Kamiya-dono, she is still in her room. If you are trying to become part of the engowa, you are doing a fine job. If you want to ask me any more questions, GET ON WITH IT! I am hungry, and I have a lot of other things to do besides stand here and watch you let your mouth become a haven for every fly in Tokyo." He was scowling now and looking Yahiko directing in the eye by the time he finished, his face expectant. "Well…?"
"Ummmm… uhhh…" Yahiko stammered for a moment then with great effort forced himself to meet the great man's gaze fiercely. He had never really liked Hiko in the first place; because of the way he had always treated Kenshin. "Look you, I do not know what you are doing here, but you are in MY home now, and I am in charge here. So I am gonna ask the questions not you, get it?"
Hiko's right eyebrow raised with amused disdain as the boy continued his self-righteous tirade of self appointed Master of the dojo. "I want to know what the hell you are doing here, and why you are here, and I want to know now because if you are here to cause problems for Kenshin or Kaoru…" He let the unspoken threat hang in the air while his young face reflected the promise of quick and swift retribution for any wrongdoing.
"Or what? You will do something about it?" The voice was filled with laughter, as Hiko looked the dark haired boy up and down. He knew the boy could fight since the battle at the Aoiya a year ago, but to make a threat like this was just too amusing. This boy was far too arrogant for his age and size, and it was going to land him into certain trouble. It was just like Kenshin not to have taken steps to have educated this brat on respecting his personal limitations as well as his superiors. He watched with continuing sardonic pleasure as the boy pulled himself up to his full height and then gracefully assumed a basic attack pose with one arm raised so he could pull his shinai free from its sheath on his back.
"Yes, I would." The reply was cold, sure, and spoken with the voice of concentrated determination. "I will not let you hurt my family. Whatever I have to do, I will not let anyone hurt my family again, and you have done enough to Kenshin already. One day I will make you leave him alone."
This response caused Hiko to pause and take another hard look at the dark haired boy. He caught a look of furious determination in those reddish tinted eyes as well as a glint of untamed wildness that reached out to him and pulled fiercely at his soul. It was very possible that this young boy could be a dangerous adversary if put into a life or death situation. He showed no fear, no backing down or giving in. Hiko could sense a relentlessness about him, and he slowly began to realize what was really standing in front of him.
This was not just a boy of twelve. Neither was this just a boy who Kenshin and Kaoru had rescued from the streets given a home, and then trained in Kenjutsu in an effort to give him a sense of honor and belief in himself. No, what was standing in front of him was much, much more and far more dangerous than anyone realized.
Hiko remembered Kenshin telling him Yahiko's father had been a Samurai who had fallen on hard times and died in disgrace as a thief. Also that his mother had ended up a prostitute in order to provide for her very small son and herself until she had died as well. Hiko had understood that Yahiko had been only four or five years old when his mother died, and that he had survived on the streets by whatever means he could until Kenshin and Kaoru found him. They had found him working as a pickpocket for a ring of thieves two years ago, and took him away from that too give him a chance at a real life.
The boy had lived most of his life surviving by his wits, and he knew only that whatever was given him could easily be taken away unless he fought to keep it. There had been no one in his life to care for him, feed him, clothe him, keep him safe, or even hold him while he struggled with the daily battles of living. So he had grown up depending on no one but himself for whatever he needed. He was the only person he had to count on and he had never trusted anyone. The whole world had been his enemy, and he had grown into a wild animal living on the primitive instinct of survival.
Kenshin had been the one to see the pride and promise of strength and honor within the boy's wild heart, and he had been the first one to get past the walls of protection Yahiko had built around himself. Kaoru had been the next one. Despite their constant arguing and disagreements, there was a very tight bond between Yahiko and his female sensei.
Kenshin and Kaoru and this dojo really had become his ikka, and to him it was worth fighting for. Perhaps, even more than that.
The wild animal that had grown up on the streets of Tokyo eating garbage, rats, and whatever else he could find; fighting for a place to sleep, a place to live, even the right to live had at last found a world to belong in, people who loved and wanted him, and a place he could always call his home. There was no real way to judge how he would react if that precious new found security were threatened in anyway. True, he was domesticated, but when faced with a potential loss of that magnitude, there was no telling what the wildling would do to protect it. Hiko began to understand Yahiko a little bit more.
It was not arrogance that drove him. It was a deep bond of love and trust for the two people in his life that mattered the most to him. This was a child vowing to protect his parents even with his own life if necessary. Hiko felt a sense of respect developing for this fierce boy and his single-minded loyalties to those who had given him a chance at life.
"All right, all right I believe you." Hiko replied in a quiet and respectful tone. "But I had no intention of hurting you or your family, boy. That is not what I came here for." A deep sigh escaped his chest and his broad shoulders appeared to sag in weariness.
Yahiko gave Hiko a long measuring look then asked carefully, "All right, then what did you come here for? Kenshin is not here."
"Yes, I know that. It is part of the reason I am here. I came to find out where he is. To see if Kamiya-dono knew anything of his whereabouts, because I do not know where he is either."
Yahiko's young face creased with deep concern. "Why would YOU want to know? I mean you don't even like Kenshin? What is going on anyway? Why do you want to know where he is anyway?"
"I need to find Kenshin quickly. It is very important that I do."
"You already said that once. I want to know why? Are you gonna tell me or not?" The red tinged brown eyes widened in alarm as something else occurred to Yahiko. "Has something happened to him? He is alright, isn't he?" The young voice rose with increased anxiety and he took an involuntary step toward the big man. "Has he been hurt or something? You do not think he is… you do not think he is d-dead do you??" The boys voice cracked with emotion and his eyes searched Hiko's frantically.
"Calm down, boy. Calm down before you convince yourself of something we have no idea about." Hiko put a steadying hand on the young boys shoulder. "I do not know what is going on yet, but I do know I need to find Kenshin as soon as I can. It is very important, but I don't think there is nothing to worry about at the moment." He knew he was trying to placate the boy to keep him from becoming too upset before he and Kamiya-dono had a chance to concoct some sort of a believable story to tell him about where they were going. There was no need to alarm him over this. That would only make matters worse.
"Bullshit!! You are lying. I can tell you are." Yahiko threw Hiko's hand off his shoulder roughly. "I am not a stupid kid, you know. You do not have to feed me baby stories. If Kenshin is in trouble I want to know about it." Turning his back on Hiko, he snorted angrily and cursed under his breath. "I suppose Kaoru is going with you, isn't she. That is why there are so many bags setting by the dojo door. Looks like you're planning to be gone for quite awhile too."
Sighing heavily with extreme exasperation, Hiko tried a different tactic. "Ok, so you are not a stupid kid. So what? That doesn't mean anything. Sometimes there are things you are better off not knowing about, and you should respect those who are in the position to know which decisions are best for you in such circumstance. Then you ought to try and be grateful for their assistance and that they even took the time to be concerned for your welfare at all."
"I should respect those who know what is best for me… those in the position to make my decisions…" Yahiko's voice was deceptively soft as he turned away from the big Samurai. "Ok, and tell me, who is going to make those decisions for me?" Growling like a feral wolf, he suddenly whipped around glaring venomously at Hiko. "YOU? How in the hell do you know what is best for ME?" Trembling hands clenched themselves into tightly balled fists, and a muscle began to twitch violently along an otherwise smooth cheek. Light brown eyes fringed with long silky black lashes started to glow a deep cherry red that caught the morning sunlight and reflected outward like twin rubies, and the sound of his anger fed labored breathing filled the cool crisp air.
'Dear God, I am looking at a wild animal.' Hiko thought warily to himself as his natural defensive instincts began to function in response as they sensed the growing presence of a dangerous and powerful ki starting to sizzle around him. 'I wonder,' He queried in his mind as he watched the escalating black rage storm through the boy. 'How much control does he have? Can he control it at all?' Hiko was not really afraid of Yahiko, but he could not ignore the feelings of apprehension the wild untamed ki provoked within him. 'Tremendous power, tremendous energy… Kami…" He whispered to himself in awe and wonderment.
"Listen to me, boy…" Hiko tried to make his voice as gentle and calming as he could as he reached out for Yahiko's rational side, but he was forced back by the screaming rage and fury of the boys spirit-ki as it slammed into his chest like a great stone hammer. The big man visibly pulled back stunned by the powerful nonphysical attack.
"I. AM. NOT. YOUR. BOY." Yahiko could feel the hold he had on his ki breaking as his anger flared, and he struggled to pull it back as much as he could. "My name is Myojin Yahiko, and you are not MY Master. Neither do you make decisions for me." He advanced threateningly on Hiko and the tall man felt compelled to take an involuntary step back. "Kamiya Kaoru is MY sensei, but…" His whole body shook with the force of the emotions rushing through him, and he clenched his hands into tight white fists in an effort to regain some control. "The only person who makes decisions for me in my life as important as this," He stopped and stood directly in front of Hiko and locked eyes with him. "Is Hiumra Kenshin! So, if Kenshin is in trouble, I want to know about it, and it is not your decision whether or not I should or should not know. Understand?" His voice ripped and rose on a high and powerful note sounding like the roar of a young lion, and then, as he forced the energy path away from Hiko, the wild thundering ki ripped and tore through the branches of the near by trees as if they were being shaken by some vicious malevolent hand bent upon their complete destruction.
Hiko drew a deep breath of anticipation as he felt the energy surge around, past, and through him, but found himself unharmed. "Incredible," He breathed softly to himself in awe. "Pure, absolute power. Pure untapped energy, but he has such little control." A hooded respectful gaze rested on the young mans' head. "Oh but if he had true control… what a warrior he could be. What a magnificent swordsman."
Yahiko closed his eyes and took several slow deep breaths in an effort to calm himself. He had let his emotions gain control over him again. He had to learn to be their Master like Kenshin had been teaching him. Well, at least he had not gone after Hiko-san with his shinai.
After taking several more breaths, his breathing returned to a more normal pace and he was able to unclench his fists. "I am in control." He said firmly to himself. Then he locked gazes with Hiko again. The rage remained reflected in his eyes, but it was now more subdued and he were in a more rational state of mind. "Now, tell me what is happening to Kenshin? It is my right to know, and I will not let you keep it from me."
Hiko had to admit he was impressed with the young man. Not only did he have an incredibly powerful ki that could serve him impressively in the future, but also it appeared Kenshin had been teaching him how to control the more negative aspects of it. At least to the point of not letting it explode like a bomb in his face. Hiko also regretted to admit that his respect for the wildling was continuing to grow.
"All right, but you keep a grip on that temper of yours' or you and I are going to have a big problem. Got it?" Narrow emerald eyes pierced Yahiko's meaningfully. "You owe me the respect due me as Kenshin's Master whether you like me personally or not. That is the Code of Honor of the Samurai since the beginning."
Cherry red eyes narrowed slightly, then Yahiko pulled himself into a straight stance and bowed in deep respect to the Mitsurugi Master. "Forgive me, Hiko-san. You are right. Kenshin would be really angry if he knew I had been disrespectful to his Master." It was a stiff but reasonably sincere apology.
Hiko nodded in acceptance. "Very well. Come with me." He said, and walked into the kitchen. "I am still hungry and you interrupted my venture for food. We will talk while I eat."
Kaoru had seen many things in the last two years that had surprised her, but few equaled seeing Seijurou Hiko and Myojin Yahiko setting together at the small table talking together like men. She blinked and rubbed her eyes several times just to make sure that she was really seeing what she thought she was seeing, but each time she opened them, the two were still there leaning towards each other in deep conversation.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise." She quipped in her most cheerful voice. "Good morning, Hiko-san. Yahiko, what brings you to the dojo this bright morning? We do not have classes today. Are you hungry?" She asked as she went into the kitchen humming lightly.
"Boy, she is really putting on a good show." Yahiko muttered under his breath.
"Of course," Hiko replied. "We were not going to tell you anything other than we had to go to Kyoto. We just had not come up with the reason for the trip yet." He shrugged off handedly.
"Oh, I see. Keep the kid in the dark while you two go off to look for Kenshin by yourselves. Why does everybody think I am so dumb? Sheesh."
"I don't know? Why?" Hiko chuckled at his own joke while Yahiko glared daggers at him.
"I was not really expecting an answer you big jerk."
Kaoru reappeared out of the kitchen with a plate of leftovers and joined the two of them at the table. "So, what have the two of you found to talk about this morning? Anything interesting?" She smiled and bit into some cold fruit her eyes wide innocent pools of dark blue.
"You can stop the act, Kamiya-dono. I told the kid everything."
"You WHAT??" She screeched spewing half chewed food out of her mouth. "What do you mean you told him everything? Just exactly WHAT did you tell him? Her hands were frantically wiping her mouth and kimono.
"Just what I said, Kamiya-dono. I told the kid everything. He insisted, so I told him."
"Just like that? You told him just like that? I thought we had decided that he would be better off not knowing? Isn't that what you said? He would be better off not knowing that anything was wrong?" Her anxious glance raked her stern angular face with mystified accusation.
"Yes. I did say that, but Myojin-san has informed me quite vehemently that neither you nor I are permitted to make those sort of decisions for him."
"Wha-a-aa… what did you say?" Her outraged blue gaze turned it burning sapphire glare onto Yahiko who met it without flinching.
"Yes quite. It appears the only person he will listen to under such circumstances as these," He paused and looked at Yahiko, then locked gazes with Kaoru. "The only person he will acknowledge is Kenshin."
Silence descended around the table, and hung like a heavy blanket over the three people setting there. Only Yahiko seemed to be completely unaffected by the impact of Hiko's statement to Kaoru. She on the other hand sat in a state of complete speechless shock; stunned beyond words. All she could do was sit and look at her pale trembling hands.
Several minutes passed before Kaoru could do anything. First, she cleared her throat and swallowed loudly. Then she took several deep shaky breaths. At last she was ready to look at her two companions. "Well," She began in a tremulous voice. "I guess that is that. Where does that leave us now? Yahiko? Since you will not acknowledge the authority of anyone here, what are you planning to do?" There was a sound of resigned defeat in her voice that made the young man look at her in uncertainty.
"Kaoru?" He sounded confused and concerned. "What is the matter?"
"Yahiko," A small sad smile curved her lovely mouth. "You have just declared yourself to be beyond my control and authority which means I cannot tell you what to do anymore. I cannot even really be involved in the decisions you make. You have declared your independence from me and shut me out of your life."
Bowing his head low, Yahiko considered the gravity of what she had just said in reference to the words he had actually spoken to Hiko earlier, and the impact they were having on their relationship. His eyes widened in alarm as he realized exactly what he had said and exactly what it meant. 'Oh no…' He cried out in his mind. 'What did I do?'
"Umm…. Kaoru," His voice sounded very young and it was filled with a note of dread as he instinctively leaned towards her, but she cut him off by raising her hand.
"Perhaps it is time I stopped treating you like a child. You are twelve now and becoming more and more a man everyday. Maybe it is the day for you to start making your own choices. It is just so hard for me to let go my Yahiko-chan." She heaved a great shuddering sigh, then looked up at him and forced a smile. "Kenshin has trusted you with so many things; so many grown up man-type responsibilities in the past. If he thinks you are capable, I suppose it is time that I must start believing in you as well."
Yahiko bowed his head to the dark haired woman kneeling beside him unable to say a word. There was a huge lump in his throat that seemed to be preventing him from speaking or even making the smallest of sounds.
"So, tell me, my young Man," Her hands gently brushed his hair away from his temple. "What is your decision? What are you going to do about all of this now that you know what we know? Now that you know something has happened to Kenshin, and that he is in some sort of trouble, even though we do not know what. All we do know is Saitoh sent him to investigate something in the Taki Mountains. It was something that upset him a great deal, but we do not even know what that was, but none of that changes the fact that we have to find him. Somehow, we have to find him." Her hand was gentle on his head. Loving as she was sometimes when he allowed her to be. "So, tell me. What is your decision?"
As the scene unfolded before him, Hiko watched the interaction between the young woman and the boy carefully. He had been wondering what would happen when Kamiya-dono discovered the boy was aware of Kenshin's dilemma, but this particular twist in events was nothing close to what he had been expecting. It seemed this day and these people were just full of surprises for him. He hid a slight smile of pleasure behind his teacup.
When Yahiko finally found his voice, it was a low and gruff sound in his throat, but it was clear, and firm with the depth of his determination. "I am going with you." He replied and raised his eyes to meet the glittering sapphire points of the woman he respected most in the world. "I am going to go and help you find him, and no one can stop me from doing that. He means as much to me as he does to you." Kaoru lock eyes with him and listened. "Kenshin is the only Father-like person I have, and I am not going to set here and do nothing if he is out there in trouble somewhere."
"All right, Yahiko but do you understand that this journey may be more dangerous than anything we have every faced before? It could very well be more dangerous than anything we saw fighting Shishio or Enishii. We do not know what kind of trouble Kenshin is in. Only that it is very bad, and he needs our help. We do not even know what we will be facing, and there is a possibility some of us could die. Do you understand that? You could die if you go."
"It does not matter, Kaoru. If it were you are me, do you think Kenshin would be thinking about how dangerous it was or whether or not he was going to die?"
"Probably not." She looked down at her cold clenched hands and closed her eyes against that terrifying thought.
"Well, it does not matter to me either. It is all about Kenshin this time. He has never once given in or given up on any of us, and I will be damned if I am going to give up on him. I will die before I every give up. Do you hear me, Kaoru? I will die first before I ever give up on Kenshin!" The audible click of his teeth could be heard as he clenched his jaw in an effort to control his raging emotions. Then he drew in a deep ragged breath. "You and him are all I have, and I am not gonna lose either one of you. So, I am not letting you leave without me today. Got it?" A single hot tear slid down his stony face leaving a wet pathway to his jaw. "Kenshin told me it was my responsibility to take care of you for him while he was away, and if you leave, the only way I can do that is to go with you. So, do not waste your breath trying to make me stay behind because it won't do you any good." Yahiko had to clear his throat before he could continue. "But I want you to know something else. I want you to know that I am also going so I can protect you for myself. I am not going to let anything happen to you either, Kaoru. If I have to, I will protect you with my life even if it means losing it. I will die before I let anything happen to you just the same as I would for Kenshin."
Having said everything he needed to say, Yahiko stood up from the small table and walked away, but then he stopped and turned part way around. "I will be back as fast as I can. I only need to pack a few things." Then he left quietly through the front gate and ran down the street heading for his room near the Akabeko where he had been living ever since Sanoske had left a year ago. The big man had left Japan to avoid capture by the Police after an incident that occurred during the fight with Enishii, and no one had heard from him for many months.
For several long silent moments, Kaoru remained kneeling at the table. Her face was a mask of pain as she tried to control the uprising wave of deep emotions rushing through her. A delicate hand rose to press against quavering lips as she struggled to fight back the sobs that threatened to burst from her chest, but the tears she could not hold back. They ran in twin streams down her cool pale cheeks and would not be stopped. "Yahiko…" She whispered his name once, and lost the fragile control she had. As the great heart wrenching sobs rose to consume her small frame, Hiko gently put an arm around her shoulders and held her to his shoulder and let her cry.
"Listen to me, jou-chan. He is a fierce and courageous boy. He has the survival instinct he developed growing up on the streets living by his own wits, and he is not a foolish boy. The extreme hardships of his past life have made him stronger than any other boy his age. Hell, he may be stronger than any of us. My point is, he will endure. He is highly intelligent and I do not believe he will be careless." Hiko looked down at Kaoru's face and found her resting quietly against him listening to his explanation. "He grew up a wildling in the streets, and those primitive instincts are better developed than his domestic human side. I can see in his heart that you were right when you said he sees Kenshin as his father whether he has really admitted it to himself or not. The primitive bond between offspring and parent is one of the strongest in the Universe, so if Yahiko has decided to go in search of his Father, neither you nor I will be able to stand in his way. He will walk right over the top of us." He patted her shoulder in an attempt to be reassuring and comforting though it was very awkward for him. "One can never tell, we may need his unique strength and gifts on our journey before it is finished, and you must keep your faith and resolve, jou-chan." A large brown hand softly tilted her chin up so he could look into her face. "We will all need your steadfastness and strength of will to keep us focused on our goal, and Kenshin will need your strength to give him strength. Do not lose your path to despair, Kamiya-dono." Gently he wiped her tears away, and nodded to her. "Come, we must finish our preparation. We need to leave as soon as Myojin-san returns." Kaoru nodded in agreement and stood to clear the dishes and uneaten food from the table.
She sniffled while she busied herself with the mundane chore. "It will only take me a few moments, and I will be finished. I just need to pack provisions and some water. I will be done soon." She was rambling and she knew it, but it really could not be helped. After all it had been a very emotional morning.
As she carried her burdens into the wash area to be cleaned, something interesting but very strange dawned on her. Hiko had referred to Yahiko as Myojin-san. In fact, the more she thought about it, he had called him that twice.
"Hmmmm. I wonder what happened between the two of them this morning before I showed up? It must have been pretty serious if Hiko-san is using that honorific on Yahiko. I guess this means I cannot call him Yahiko-chan or ishii anymore." A stray tear slid down her face, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand shaking her head in dejection. "He has grown up way too fast. Was he ever really a chibi-chan in his whole life?" Sad sapphire eyes looked absently out the window. "I guess it is too late for him to be one now. He has chosen the pathway of a man today so he can go to Kyoto with Hiko-san and I. He is determined to help us find Kenshin no matter what it takes." Another tear slid off the tip of her nose and fell unheard to the floor.
"Kenshin… where are you my love? What is happening to you? Do you know how much I worry about you, and how much I love you?" Kaoru sniffled again and wiped her nose. "No. Of course you don't know. I have never told you how I feel about you. I have never told anyone. It has been my little secret to keep hidden away in the privacy of my heart where no one will ever see it." Quiet sobs began to shake her narrow shoulders, and her hands rose to cover her face. "Oh Kenshin, I promise if we ever find you, koishii, I will tell you. I do not care what else happens. I don't even care if you do not love me back in the same way, and I don't care if all we do is stay the friends we are. All I do care about is I have to tell you the truth." She wiped her face on the sleeve of her blue kimono and sniffled again. "I cannot let another moment go by without you knowing that I love you more than anything else in this world. I will not take another chance of something happening to you again. Something that could take you away from me forever without you ever knowing how I felt about you. I will not let that happen again. I cannot."
Desperately she tried to regain control over her emotions and stop the sobs and the tears. "I have enough things to do." She admonished herself. "I don't have time for this." Clenching both hands into tight balls, she slammed her emotions down beneath an iron fist of intense concentration, and left the kitchen to finish packing and cleaning up loose ends. There were too many things that required her full attention if she were going to be of any use to Kenshin at all. "I must maintain my control… for Kenshin's sake I must not let him down, not now that he needs me. It is my turn to be strong for him, and I have to remember that" Her chin rose in determination and her eyes glinted with the fire of her spirit. "It is my turn."
************
By the time the sun was high in the sky, the part of three were well on their way back to Kyoto. Kaoru had insisted on buying tickets for the next available ship arguing that it was plain stupidity to walk when they had the means to get to their destination so much quicker. Yahiko had strongly advised Hiko to just agree with her after he and Kaoru exchanged heated words for more than an hour.
"She won't change her mind, Hiko-san. She is more stubborn than your Spinster Aunt. I wouldn't put it past her to stand right here on the dock all day and refuse to leave until you agree to do what she wants. So you might as well save yourself a whole lot of grief and just give in now and do it."
Hiko had not liked that idea at all, but after wasting so much time trying to convince Kaoru that it was more frugal to save money for later needs, he could finally see the wisdom of Yahiko's words. At last he agreed and they set sail early that afternoon.
"You see, Hiko-san." Kaoru smiled smugly. "Now we will be in Kyoto in four days instead of ten or eleven. A much better idea." An elegantly curved black eyebrow arched expectantly at him. "Don't you agree?"
He chuckled in defeat. "Of course. If I must admit defeat in battle, even a battle of words and wills, then let it be to a beautiful woman and not a toothless old man or a babe in swaddling."
"Hmmmm, I'm not sure if that is a compliment or not, but I am going to take it as one." She smiled into his mocking face and walked over to the railings to watch the waves as they rolled and raced away behind the ship. "It's so beautiful… the water." Looking over a slender shoulder, Kaoru shared a rare introspective look with Hiko. "It looks like liquid glass to me. The sea and the waves have always fascinated me. I have loved to watch them ever since I was a child. When I was a little girl and I would travel with my parents, I would stand on the deck and watch them for hours and hours wondering where they came from, what faraway places and wonders each of them had seen, what hidden treasures and secrets they knew." Soft melodious laughter reached Hiko's ears as he moved to stand beside her. "Sounds pretty silly doesn't it."
"No, not really. The Ocean is the lifeblood of the Earth. She is the Mother of all life that walks, swims, and flies as well." Kaoru turned and looked at him in stunned surprise as he continued to speak. "The Ocean is as old as Time itself, and harbors all the knowledge and intelligence of the spirits that have lived and died in the Universe and within Her depths. Each grain of sand is said to be the residue left from each solitary thought that has ever passed through the Ethereal Plane of each minds soul." Leaning his head back, Hiko filled his lungs with a deep breath of the cool salty breeze, and then let it out in a slow cleansing stream as he relaxed. "She is purity, and filth; truth and lies; dignity and humility; She is all things, and She is nothing." Turning to his side, he looked down into Kaoru's deep blue eyes thoughtfully, and touched a roughened finger gently to her soft pale cheek. "When you compared Her to liquid glass, it was a beautiful and excellent observation, for She is forever changing yet She stays the same. All things can be reflected upon Her surface like a perfect mirror, yet lost forever underneath Her ever shifting body of waves."
Hiko's emerald eyes searched the sky until he pointed out the faraway silhouette of a bird winging its way over the rolling waves in an age old dance of grace and eloquence as it searched for food above the unpredictable rise and fall of the dark waters. "She feeds thousands the world over both above and below Her surface, provides passage for our great ships, and links valuable trade route together providing us with a better quality of life." He dropped his gaze back down to Kaoru's face. "You asked what secrets and treasures these waves hold, what wonders they have seen? Look at them, Kamiya-dono." He waved his large hand in a wide sweeping arch across the expanse of endless water before them. "Listen to them speak… and they will answer your question." Hiko paused and closed his dark eyes in deep concentration for several moments. Kaoru stood unmoving next to him as she found herself completely captivated by a side of him she had never seen. She could not tear her eyes away from his face.
"They have seen the whole world, Kamiya-dono." He whispered and locked eyes with her. "And they know all things, but they are selfish and stingy with their wisdom. Knowledge must be earned, and the Ocean is a cruel teacher. She takes everything, and offers nothing in return except what you can see." Leaning over slightly, he smiled into the rapt face of the young woman beside him. "And as you have observed for yourself, there is little to nothing to be learned from liquid glass when you cannot see through it or into it."
Kaoru's whole face what shining with delight and wonder. Her eyes were sparking like huge blue diamonds as they caught the reflection of the afternoon Sun bouncing off the surface of the water. "That was amazing!" She exclaimed with excitement. "I have never heard the Ocean described in that way. You make it sound so mysterious and alive almost as if it were an Entity with a living soul of it's own." Blue eyes filled with awe cast their gaze out across the vast expanse of rolling waves, and a smile of pure joy crossed her lovely features. "Maybe She does have Her own soul. Everything you said makes perfect sense to me." The smile she wore held just a hint of mocking humor as he threw a sidelong look up at her tall companion. "I didn't realize you were a philosopher, Hiko-san, and not just the Hiten Misturugi Ryu Master."
"Well, I do know a few other things beside just the Hiten Mitsurugi." They smiled together at her playful jab at his intelligence quotient, and stood for a while longer watching the waves as they splashed and crashed against the hull of the ship.
"Are we going to be in time, Hiko-san?" Kaoru's voice was low and thoughtfully honest.
"To help Kenshin?"
"Yes."
"I hope so, Kamiya-dono. I sincerely hope so." His statement was followed by a poignant pause.
"Hiko-san?"
"Yes?"
"May I ask you a question?" She carefully looked at his profile to judge his reaction to her request. "It is something I would really like to know, but if you don't answer, I will understand."
Raven black eyebrows raised questioningly at her as he glanced sideways and down into her intent face. "Yes, you can ask whatever you wish, but, as you said, if I do not wish to answer the question, I will not."
Kaoru nodded her understanding and acceptance of his agreement to her terms, and then drew a steadying breath to gather her courage. Asking this particular question was going to be difficult, but the wanting to know was really starting to drive her insane. She had to know the answer, so turning to look directly at the large man standing next to her; Kaoru opened her mouth and asked the question.
"Why is it so important to you that you find Kenshin?"
"What?" Hiko was completely caught off guard and the incredulity in his dark eyes and deep voice showed it. "What do you mean, why is it so important to me? What are you getting at, Kamiya?" His eyes narrowed and took on an eerie yellowish-green cast. "Just exactly what are you asking me?"
"It is a simple question, Hiko-san." She turned and faced him fully, and leaning her elbow on the steel railing, met his fiercely confused gaze calmly. "Why do you feel such a strong need to find him, so much so that you would come all the way to Tokyo to me?" Brushing an unseen spot of dirt off her blue kimono, Kaoru gave Hiko a moment to gather himself. "It confuses me because you have always held him in such a state of low esteem and disdain, that I cannot understand why your are expending so much effort to find him… even if he is in obvious dire need of your help."
Hiko suddenly felt like a mouse trapped in a corner by a very large hungry cat, and he could not see an escape from his impending doom anywhere in the near vicinity. She was looking at him with those huge midnight blue pools, and he knew he had lost this confrontation as well.
"I really don't know what you're talking about." He was trying desperately to evade her, and looked back out over the water hoping she would take the hint. "He is my deshi. I raised him. Of course there are some leftover feelings of responsibility to help him in times such as these, and that is all I am doing. Helping him." A sidelong glance checked to see if she was accepting his hollow explanation, but her features were closed and unreadable. "I am still Kenshin's Master. Thus it remains my duty to try and protect him if he makes some stupid mistake that could get him killed. Surely you understand that. I cannot just stand by and do nothing."
"Uh-huh… it never seemed to be an issue for you in the past. You were more than willing to let him jump in and out of trouble whatever the consequences without so much as lifting a finger." Her soft feminine voice mocked him sourly.
"What is that you're saying?" Yellow-green eyes blazed down on Kaoru's bland face, but she did not even appear to notice.
"I am really trying to believe you, Hiko-san. I truly am, but there are so many holes in your explanation that this ship could practically sail right through them." She heaved a heavy disgusted sigh, and met his angry look with stony blue eyes. "Tell me, how long do you intend to lie to me? Further more, how long do you intend to lie to yourself?"
Backing away from her in astonished surprise, Hiko felt his anger melting away only to be replaced by his own shame.
What did she think she knew? No one knew anything. No one had ever known anything. Hiko suddenly had the uncanny feeling that he was standing in front of Kaoru totally naked, and it was a very uncomfortable and vulnerable feeling. Something the Hiten Mitsurugi Master was not used to and did not care for at all. He could feel his anger beginning to return.
A muscle started to twitch violently in his jaw as he clenched his teeth together, and his eyes narrowed into furious slits. "Are you certain you know what you are talking about…. Jou-chan? Few have ever dared call me a liar, and even fewer of those are still breathing air in this world. Be very careful." His furiously tense frame swung away from her to face the Ocean while both hands gripped the railing viciously, turning his knuckles white.
"Impressive," Her voice was flat and emotionless in the wake of his anger. "I suppose that little tirade was supposed to frighten me back into submission and silence. Well, I hate to tell you this, Hiko-san, but I am not afraid of you."
Kaoru watched his shoulders stiffen in response to her matter-of-fact words, but he did not speak. "Is it really so difficult to admit that the reason you are so determined to find Kenshin is because you love him?" Because you are worried sick something terrible has happened to him, and he might be hurt? Because deep inside that stone you call your heart, he is as much your sotsu as you are his otan in his? Does not admitting it make it any less true?" She watched watch closely, but could see no further response from the big man. In desperation of reaching him, Kaoru laid her hand on Hiko's arm and pushed farther.
"Are you that ashamed of him? Or are you ashamed of yourself and the fact that you do love him? Or is it BOTH?" Blue eyes intently searched his hard stern profile. "Are you afraid loving him will make you look weak or foolish in the eyes of others, or in your own? Does loving him mean you lose the battle? Does it mean you gave in first, and you cannot allow that to happen? Why in the name of Kami-sama can't you let yourself love him? Why is that such a terrible thing in your eyes? Hiko-san??"
Still he remained unmoving, unresponsive. He no longer even showed any signs that he was listening to her other than the furious twitching of the muscle in his jaw and the white knuckled grip on the steel rail.
"Fine," She said at last, and released his arm. "Ignore me, ignore the world, ignore your son, but mark my words, Seijurou Hiko, the day will come to you that you will no longer be able to deny what you have buried in your heart. What will you do then, Great Samurai of the Old World? Will you still be able to hide behind a wall of arrogance and pride? Will the insurmountable mountain of your stubbornness save you from the inevitable, or will you become one of the long-suffering souls who lives plagued with guilt the rest of your life? Will you be one of those who kneels on the ground next to the grave of your son as you cry empty tears of sorrow and regret because you never took the chance in life to tell him you loved him, and now you never can." Her voice cracked on a sob of emotion as her feelings got the better of her. "You never can and never will because it is too late, he is already dead and lost to you, and not once did you hold him in your arms and whisper what was in your heart all his life." Kaoru drew a ragged breath and wiped her nose. "Have you ever considered that this is something that could happen? That you could lose him…forever?" 'I am not reaching him," She thought sadly to herself and turned to walk away, but then stopped after only a few steps.
"You should think about that, Hiko-san. Is that worth your Pride and Arrogance? Knowing that Kenshin could die and leave this world before you, and you never took the chance to hold him to your heart even once. Just how high of a price is that to pay for your Pride?"
She left him then, standing alone leaning on the steel railing and staring out across the endless rolling water with unseeing eyes. When Kaoru did not see, what the hint of glistening moisture he frantically tried to blink away from his burning eyes.
"Ken-shin…" The broken whisper of the man's name was lost inside the whirling moistness of the salty breeze that had risen from the rolling water to wash away all of the unspoken secrets hanging in the air, and leaving behind only the memories of a breaking heart.