Part 2
In shadows it hides
There was not a sound from the baby as Kenshin and Kaoru walked along the trail leading away from Tokyo. He would look back from time to time to see if Kaoru was keeping up with him.
He stopped and took the baby into his arms. "So much trouble for such a small baby," he sighed and looked at Kaoru.
"Where will we go?" Kaoru asked.
"I don't know, but somehow Rei doesn't belong in Tokyo."
His eyes were on Rei who was tracing his face with her little fingers. "There, there, your Chichi is right here," he smiled down at her.
Kaoru had to admit it was sweet; she smiled a little thinking about her own father. She saw Kenshin rocking the baby and whispering to her.
**
They were gone, Sanosuke looked around the dojo, he was relieved with the small note Kenshin had left behind. "Good, at least that child will be safer," he looked around again. "Might as well follow."
**
The small inn had been much more comfortable than the ground, Kenshin smiled as he laid Rei down to sleep. He lay next to the bed and touched the child's hand stroking it lightly.
The dreams came much more quickly, he was standing in front of a cherry tree with a six year old girl who was smiling. "Chichi, why are the cherry blossoms pink?" the child looked up at him with large indigo eyes. "Is it because there is someone buried under it?"
His dream self smiled at her and took her hand. "Rei-chan, yes, a long time ago the Emperor did not like the color of the cherry blossoms, so he decreed all the brave Samurai who died were to be buried and have cherry trees planted on their graves."
The child giggled and took hold of his hand, then dashed off in front of him. He saw a shadow come and he was standing alone. "Rei-chan!"
"Why do you want her?" a voice asked him and he turned, all he saw was darkness. "A killer like you wants to have a child so badly. Even if the child is not fully human."
"I don't care, a child is a child, a person is a person. Foundling or not, she is my daughter and I would protect her until my death!" His voice was rather soft compared to the booming sound he heard around him.
The darkness soon faded and Kenshin found himself standing in front of the shrine from the last dream. The strange creature turned and smiled at him. "You can pretend all you wish that she is a human child."
"Where will she be safe?"
The darkness closed in and the voice whispered. "Nowhere."
Waking again breathless, he turned and looked at the baby sleeping soundly. "Rei-chan, why do my dreams end with someone trying to hurt us?"
**
Morning came with a dull gray in the sky. Kenshin was carrying the baby and was looking back at Kaoru. "Kenshin, you look horrible."
"Kaoru-dono, I'm fine," he smiled at her and looked rather nervous. "Just bad dreams."
She watched Kenshin walking around, he was rather happy and was hugging the child to him. She blinked and felt something dark and sinister about the forest they were in. "Kenshin, let's get out of here, I don't like it."
There was a loud crash, the two jumped and looked around them. Standing in front of Kenshin was a black wolf, it growled at him. It jumped at him before he could draw his weapon.
Kaoru screamed and then grabbed a stick hitting the animal trying to get it off her friend. "Kenshin you okay?" She threw it into the bushes and the animal darted after it.
"Yes."
The animal had run off distracted enough to chase the stick. The ex- assassin stood up and quietly cooed Rei who had started to cry. "Hush, it is okay."
They walked down the path toward the next stop to rest. "Kenshin, tell me about the dream," the girl asked blinking at him.
"In them it is me and Rei mostly. The first one I was being chased by monsters who were trying to kill us. Last night, there was the dream that I was with Rei as a little girl. She ran ahead of me to where I could not see her, then suddenly it was very dark. There was someone talking to me about her."
There was a look passed between them. "It said no matter where I went, Rei would not be safe. And always I'm alone."
"Maybe the dreams are trying to tell you something about Rei."
"I don't know."
The two got up and started to walk again, Kenshin had never seen such a beautiful day, he smiled a little and then looked over at Kaoru. She's so different than Tomoe, she isn't as silent as her, but she has her grace, he thought and looked down at little Rei who was snuggled against his chest. Rei-chan, I want to be your father so badly, but what can I do to make sure you are not harmed?
Kaoru was blinking at Kenshin and sighed. Sometimes I think he is hiding from me, like he is trying to keep me from being hurt, she thought and followed him.
A new village was stretched out before them. Kenshin felt relaxed and rather happy. Walking into the village, people were looking at them oddly, mostly at him, he quickly walked up to an inn and knocked on the door. "May we have a room?" he asked the woman who blinked at him.
"Very well, sir," she said shortly and looked at him. "It is rather unwise to travel with a baby so young."
He nodded and was led into a room, there she set up some beds.
**
Sanosuke knew what trail Kenshin would use, after all, having a child with him, he wanted a trail that was worn and with no dangers. He sighed and walked down the path. "Runt, keep up!"
Yahiko ran up and glared at him. "I AM NOT A RUNT!"
"You're small, so you're a runt, come on. Kenshin and Kaoru passed through here not too long ago."
"Why didn't he wait for us?" Yahiko asked.
"I don't think he had a choice in the matter. Rei-chan was in trouble so he thought the best thing was to leave as soon as possible."
**
Kenshin and Kaoru ended up in front of a shrine, Kenshin's eyes widened in horror that it was the shrine from his dreams. "I don't believe it."
He turned and looked about him, Rei had woken up and was sobbing, he looked down at her and was rocking her gently.
Kaoru blinked. "What is wrong?"
"This place was in my dreams."
He turned around feeling a terror creep through him as he saw the clouds covering the sun. "Welcome to my shrine," he turned to see a man dressed in black walking toward him. "It isn't everyday that humans have found my temple."
That voice, Kenshin's eyes widened. "You're from my dreams!"
"Yes, you are the guardian of that child, hand her over!" the man walked over to them, his eyes turning red. "After all, she isn't human, what use would she be to you?"
"She's only a baby!" Kenshin glared at him and brought out his sword, then saw Kaoru take the baby from him. "Take her and hide!"
The man came closer and laughed. "I'm beyond death, Kenshin. If you stabbed me, I would just regenerate and come after you."
"I don't care, you're not going to have Rei!"
"If you insist upon it," the man yelled.
A dark shadow closed in around Kenshin and he felt the same helplessness he felt in the dream. He kept his sword drawn as the man came forward. "You have no idea what you got yourself into defending that child!" the voice was all around him.
"I don't care, you won't kill her!"
**
Kaoru noticed that Kenshin and the strange man had vanished. She held Rei in her arms and rocked her. "Hush, don't worry, Kenshin will be back for you!"
Her eyes were rather wide when she saw Sano and Yahiko running toward her. "Where is Kenshin?" Sano asked.
"He vanished, he was talking to this strange man then he just disappeared."
**
"This is my world Kenshin, my rules," the demon smiled at him. "I am called Tiko and I will claim that child!"
"Like hell you will!" Kenshin ran at the demon who was laughing at him.
"Do you realize that even if you do defeat me, one day your little Rei-chan will be a demon too?"
"No she won't, unlike you she will have respect for human life!"
There was a gust of wind and Kenshin was blown off balance, he did not know where he was or really how he was going to fight a demon. "I have no intention on killing Rei."
"What proof do I have that you will not?" Kenshin yelled.
The demon smiled at him and looked into his eyes. "It isn't everyday that I see a half breed. Hanyou usually are killed at birth!"
"I AM NOT A HANYOU!"
The shadows faded and he was standing back at the shrine face to face with the man. "Are you so sure?" the demon vanished before his eyes.
He stood there and looked over at Kaoru who was running to him. "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?"
"I'll be fine," he whispered he took Rei into his arms. "We need a place to stay the night."
"Kenshin-gumi!" Kenshin's eyes flew to Yahiko and Sanosuke who were standing next to Kaoru. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, I just need some place to rest for awhile."
In shadows it hides
There was not a sound from the baby as Kenshin and Kaoru walked along the trail leading away from Tokyo. He would look back from time to time to see if Kaoru was keeping up with him.
He stopped and took the baby into his arms. "So much trouble for such a small baby," he sighed and looked at Kaoru.
"Where will we go?" Kaoru asked.
"I don't know, but somehow Rei doesn't belong in Tokyo."
His eyes were on Rei who was tracing his face with her little fingers. "There, there, your Chichi is right here," he smiled down at her.
Kaoru had to admit it was sweet; she smiled a little thinking about her own father. She saw Kenshin rocking the baby and whispering to her.
**
They were gone, Sanosuke looked around the dojo, he was relieved with the small note Kenshin had left behind. "Good, at least that child will be safer," he looked around again. "Might as well follow."
**
The small inn had been much more comfortable than the ground, Kenshin smiled as he laid Rei down to sleep. He lay next to the bed and touched the child's hand stroking it lightly.
The dreams came much more quickly, he was standing in front of a cherry tree with a six year old girl who was smiling. "Chichi, why are the cherry blossoms pink?" the child looked up at him with large indigo eyes. "Is it because there is someone buried under it?"
His dream self smiled at her and took her hand. "Rei-chan, yes, a long time ago the Emperor did not like the color of the cherry blossoms, so he decreed all the brave Samurai who died were to be buried and have cherry trees planted on their graves."
The child giggled and took hold of his hand, then dashed off in front of him. He saw a shadow come and he was standing alone. "Rei-chan!"
"Why do you want her?" a voice asked him and he turned, all he saw was darkness. "A killer like you wants to have a child so badly. Even if the child is not fully human."
"I don't care, a child is a child, a person is a person. Foundling or not, she is my daughter and I would protect her until my death!" His voice was rather soft compared to the booming sound he heard around him.
The darkness soon faded and Kenshin found himself standing in front of the shrine from the last dream. The strange creature turned and smiled at him. "You can pretend all you wish that she is a human child."
"Where will she be safe?"
The darkness closed in and the voice whispered. "Nowhere."
Waking again breathless, he turned and looked at the baby sleeping soundly. "Rei-chan, why do my dreams end with someone trying to hurt us?"
**
Morning came with a dull gray in the sky. Kenshin was carrying the baby and was looking back at Kaoru. "Kenshin, you look horrible."
"Kaoru-dono, I'm fine," he smiled at her and looked rather nervous. "Just bad dreams."
She watched Kenshin walking around, he was rather happy and was hugging the child to him. She blinked and felt something dark and sinister about the forest they were in. "Kenshin, let's get out of here, I don't like it."
There was a loud crash, the two jumped and looked around them. Standing in front of Kenshin was a black wolf, it growled at him. It jumped at him before he could draw his weapon.
Kaoru screamed and then grabbed a stick hitting the animal trying to get it off her friend. "Kenshin you okay?" She threw it into the bushes and the animal darted after it.
"Yes."
The animal had run off distracted enough to chase the stick. The ex- assassin stood up and quietly cooed Rei who had started to cry. "Hush, it is okay."
They walked down the path toward the next stop to rest. "Kenshin, tell me about the dream," the girl asked blinking at him.
"In them it is me and Rei mostly. The first one I was being chased by monsters who were trying to kill us. Last night, there was the dream that I was with Rei as a little girl. She ran ahead of me to where I could not see her, then suddenly it was very dark. There was someone talking to me about her."
There was a look passed between them. "It said no matter where I went, Rei would not be safe. And always I'm alone."
"Maybe the dreams are trying to tell you something about Rei."
"I don't know."
The two got up and started to walk again, Kenshin had never seen such a beautiful day, he smiled a little and then looked over at Kaoru. She's so different than Tomoe, she isn't as silent as her, but she has her grace, he thought and looked down at little Rei who was snuggled against his chest. Rei-chan, I want to be your father so badly, but what can I do to make sure you are not harmed?
Kaoru was blinking at Kenshin and sighed. Sometimes I think he is hiding from me, like he is trying to keep me from being hurt, she thought and followed him.
A new village was stretched out before them. Kenshin felt relaxed and rather happy. Walking into the village, people were looking at them oddly, mostly at him, he quickly walked up to an inn and knocked on the door. "May we have a room?" he asked the woman who blinked at him.
"Very well, sir," she said shortly and looked at him. "It is rather unwise to travel with a baby so young."
He nodded and was led into a room, there she set up some beds.
**
Sanosuke knew what trail Kenshin would use, after all, having a child with him, he wanted a trail that was worn and with no dangers. He sighed and walked down the path. "Runt, keep up!"
Yahiko ran up and glared at him. "I AM NOT A RUNT!"
"You're small, so you're a runt, come on. Kenshin and Kaoru passed through here not too long ago."
"Why didn't he wait for us?" Yahiko asked.
"I don't think he had a choice in the matter. Rei-chan was in trouble so he thought the best thing was to leave as soon as possible."
**
Kenshin and Kaoru ended up in front of a shrine, Kenshin's eyes widened in horror that it was the shrine from his dreams. "I don't believe it."
He turned and looked about him, Rei had woken up and was sobbing, he looked down at her and was rocking her gently.
Kaoru blinked. "What is wrong?"
"This place was in my dreams."
He turned around feeling a terror creep through him as he saw the clouds covering the sun. "Welcome to my shrine," he turned to see a man dressed in black walking toward him. "It isn't everyday that humans have found my temple."
That voice, Kenshin's eyes widened. "You're from my dreams!"
"Yes, you are the guardian of that child, hand her over!" the man walked over to them, his eyes turning red. "After all, she isn't human, what use would she be to you?"
"She's only a baby!" Kenshin glared at him and brought out his sword, then saw Kaoru take the baby from him. "Take her and hide!"
The man came closer and laughed. "I'm beyond death, Kenshin. If you stabbed me, I would just regenerate and come after you."
"I don't care, you're not going to have Rei!"
"If you insist upon it," the man yelled.
A dark shadow closed in around Kenshin and he felt the same helplessness he felt in the dream. He kept his sword drawn as the man came forward. "You have no idea what you got yourself into defending that child!" the voice was all around him.
"I don't care, you won't kill her!"
**
Kaoru noticed that Kenshin and the strange man had vanished. She held Rei in her arms and rocked her. "Hush, don't worry, Kenshin will be back for you!"
Her eyes were rather wide when she saw Sano and Yahiko running toward her. "Where is Kenshin?" Sano asked.
"He vanished, he was talking to this strange man then he just disappeared."
**
"This is my world Kenshin, my rules," the demon smiled at him. "I am called Tiko and I will claim that child!"
"Like hell you will!" Kenshin ran at the demon who was laughing at him.
"Do you realize that even if you do defeat me, one day your little Rei-chan will be a demon too?"
"No she won't, unlike you she will have respect for human life!"
There was a gust of wind and Kenshin was blown off balance, he did not know where he was or really how he was going to fight a demon. "I have no intention on killing Rei."
"What proof do I have that you will not?" Kenshin yelled.
The demon smiled at him and looked into his eyes. "It isn't everyday that I see a half breed. Hanyou usually are killed at birth!"
"I AM NOT A HANYOU!"
The shadows faded and he was standing back at the shrine face to face with the man. "Are you so sure?" the demon vanished before his eyes.
He stood there and looked over at Kaoru who was running to him. "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?"
"I'll be fine," he whispered he took Rei into his arms. "We need a place to stay the night."
"Kenshin-gumi!" Kenshin's eyes flew to Yahiko and Sanosuke who were standing next to Kaoru. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, I just need some place to rest for awhile."