Title: Dance of Fireflies
Author: Third_ReInCaRnAtIoN
Disclaimer:I am disclaiming, I am disclaiming, look at me sing the disclaiming song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! br> Summary: Sometimes we sacrifice ourselves for the ones we love, even if they don't remember us afterwards. Battousai/Kaoru

Chapter 2:

The reverse side also has a reverse side.The same can be said of swords,

- Japanese Proverb

Kaoru panted and she swung the bokken for the 600th time. It was hard work trying to keep in shape, but she knew that she had other reasons that made her practice. Last night in that bar she'd been as defenceless as a blind puppy. If Battousai hadn't shown up then she would've been in a lot of trouble.

Growling to herself she stepped forward to strike with her wooden sword. "You know Miss Himura, you have alot of skill, but you waste your energy. Do not think so much about where the sword must strike and how hard it must hit. Loosen your grip and know that the sword will protect you. Believe in the sword and yourself and it will protect you."

Kaoru turned and gave her father a small smile. "You tell me this, yet your own grip on life is like the way I hold my sword, tight. If there is no room for it to move, there is no chance that it will stray from the intended path and strike some other goal instead." Kisatsu gave her a calculated glance. "You presume to know me so well? I take that as arrogance" He pulled himself into a fighting stance. "And arrogance has no home in my dojo."

Laughing, Kaoru sheathed her own bokken. "I have no wish to fight you, you brought me in from the streets as I was ill and I have no will to hurt you or your family. The secrets I know about you will be kept as such, secrets that would only be let free by a vile tongue." Turning from him she began once more to practice.

Kisatsu watched her form and found himself surprised. Her movements resembled his, but they shifted in feminine ways. Her form twisted where his would not. Her strikes were calculated, intended for imobilising, not maiming. She too practiced the Kamiya Kasshin. But how he could not say. The style that she exibited was his, but he'd only taught one student. Maybe the form he had created was linked to some older style of fighting. Had he unintentionally copied an ancient art?

He watched her weakness and frowned. The weakness was like his own, but on her it could be fixed. If she was attacked again, she'd be able to fight well, it could save her life. "Stop swinging to your left. It's too difficult for your body to manuver the weight of the sword. Try swinging it above your goal. It's harder to aim with a bokken than with a katana, but at least a bokken wll not kill. Adjust your grip. It's still too tight. Try and loosen it slightly, it gives your wrist more movement and when you swing your arm it doesn't feel as heavy."

Kaoru felt the sweat pooling in the back of her yukata and sliding down her legs and arms. Somewhere between grimacing and smiling, she remembered what lessons with her father meant. It meant pain and annoyance. Anger and control. He'd test all her limits and she knew that once he'd decided to teach her there would be agony and protesting muscles. It seemed as if she'd be revisiting her child hood pains if the determined look on his face was anything to go by.

He was going to teach her. There was something in her face that reminded him of his daughter. She could have been his elder daughter if it came down to it. She shared the same delicate features as his wife, yet her eyes were the same colour as his. His stubbon nature. He almost wished that she was his daughter. He could envision a life with her here. A role model for little Kaoru, someone respectable and kind. Not so gracious that they were weak and submissive, not like some of the market women.

The market women would cry and whimper about their hardships. Not grin and bear them with a cheery exposition and a sword. Not like this Miss Himura did. Keeping his face impassive he watched her powerful lunges and counter attacks as she fought her shadow opponent. There was grace there that his other student Haruko did not possess.

"How long do you plan to stay Miss Himura?" Kaoru's face turned solem. "I'm not sure, I plan to find my friend then perhaps head off with his people. I do not know how long that may be though, I will resume my search for my friend later today. It was stupid of me to head out last night. I caught a sight of my friend, but I lost him before we could talk."

Kisatsu nodded. "You are welcome to stay here and become my student. You have alot of potential and I believe that you could soon be a Master of my Kamiya Kasshin style.

Kaoru's face took on an excited gleam. "Really?! I'd love to become a Master of this style. It's movements entrance me and I know that this style could save my life if I used it in the right way." Grunting Kisatsu nodded.

"One should never underestimate the power of protection." Kaoru nodded. "It is when we are willing to protect that our power is the strongest, because we are not fighting for ourselves but for someone else."

"Uun... Anyway, the reason that I have interupted your practice is because breakfast is ready, do you wish to dine with us this morning?" Kaoru paused and contemplated for a moment. She really didn't have time to spend with her family. The sooner she saved Tomoe, the sooner she'd be back at the dojo. 'Yeah Kaoru, back to a dojo where Yahiko detests your guts, Sano's too busy bludging and Kenshin's clueless as ever.'

'Why did I want to go back again? I could do just fine here. I'd have my family and myself.' Sighing she remembered that it wouldn't be fair on her younger self if she just moved into the family and she'd miss Yahiko,Sano and Kenshin anyway. She was being wishful and selfish when she thought of staying in the past. She'd wished to come to the past so she could help Kenshin and that's what she'd do.

"I would like to join you," she blurted out. "But, I'm afraid that I will only be able to stay for a short while, I must start searching for my friend soon lest he move and I lose him again." She smiled, satisfied with her answer. She had to get herself out of temptation's way or she'd be in trouble and she hadn't been lying when she'd said that she had to get a move on finding Ken.....er.....Battousai. If he left on an 'assignment' in another town, she'd never be able to find him and that in turn meant she'd never get back to her own time.

Kisatsu bowed slightly. "Follow me Miss Himura, I'll show you to the dining room." Kaoru shifted the bokken and placed it in her belt. "I hope you don't mind if I borrow this bokken when I go into town do you?" Kisatsu gave her a sharp look. "I would be angry if you forgot to take it Miss. My wife and daughter seem to idolise you and if you were harmed I'm sure I'd be in trouble with them. Now please, this way."

******

Kaoru watched in awe as Rukea managed to pour green tea without spilling it halfway down her robes. 'It's amazing, she has the worst co-ordination in the world, yet she manages to pour tea when I can't.' Kisatsu picked up his cup and fumbled it, he caught it of course, but the contents had ended up in Kaoru's lap. Yelping, Kaoru lept to her feet. "Itai! That's hot!!!" Little Kaoru giggled and passed her some towels. "Chichiue does that all the time! He's horrible with domestic stuff like cooking! His cooking is yuck!" Giggling again miniture Kaoru nibbled on her breakfast.

Kaoru looked at her younger self. 'Well, your cooking becomes horrible in the future too!' Rukea glanced at Kaoru's kimono. "It's do use Miss Kaoru. I'm sorry, but that kimono is ruined." Kaoru threw the towels down in frustration. "I have nothing else to wear and my money isn't here." Sitting back down at the table, she played around with her food. Rukea slid a glance to Kisatsu and jerked her head in Kaoru's direction.

Kisatsu looked at her quizically, then nodded. Clearing his throat her started to speak. "This is my fault Miss Himura, please feel free to buy yourself a new kimono or use one of Rukea's. We do not mind and if you are to become a student you shall be boarding here anyway." Kaoru turned to Rukea in confirmation. She nodded and Kaoru sighed happily. "Is it okay if I go change now? The tea is still quite hot." Rukea nodded and waved her hand in an excusing gesture. Kaoru leapt from the table and headed for the main bedroom.

******

Kaoru rummaged through her mother's wardrobe. 'She's so fragile and delicate. All her clothes scream it. There's nothing here that would suit me! I'm neither fragile and certainly not delicate!' Finally she found a wrinkled kimono tucked far away at the back of the cuboard. It was beautiful, yet it was also strong and feminine. It was a dark wine red colour with golden silk emboidered into the shape of tiny, fierce dragons.

She quickly changed and looked at her self in the mirror. She looked amusing with her beautiful kimono and a bokken slipped into the obi. She'd taken the tie from her hair and wrapped it round the handle of her wooden sword. It was very dirty, with stains and she didn't wish to have it anywhere near her hair. But with her hair unbound flowing down around her elbows, she resembled a female warrior. Perhaps even the embodiment of the dragons on her clothes.

A shriek echoed from the kitchen and Kaoru started. Her eyes went wide and she started running out of the room and down the corridor towards where the scream had come from.

******

Kaoru however, was not prepared for the sight that met her. The breakfast table was upturned with miso soup and green tea flooding the floor. China was broken and thrown halfway across the room. Kaoru tiptoed over it carefully. Someone had attacked them while she'd been gone. A scenerio began to form in her head. Rukea had screamed when their attacker or attackers had come. Kisatsu had ordered her to take little Kaoru out of harms way and run.

From there he'd fought whomever had attacked. A fierce cry broke the silence and Kaoru turned once more to the direction of the yell. She ran to the shouji door and opened it quietly. She needed to sneak up on her opponent/s if she was to be of any help.

She stalked down the garden path, her hand hovering over her bokken. Another cry split the air and she broke into a run and headed towards to dojo.

******

Never in her life had she seen so much blood. It dribbled down the dojo's porch and pooled on the petals of the flowers in the garden. Kaoru wasn't sure but she thought she could see a dismembered arm amoungst the foliage. Shuddering she walked with silent footsteps up the stairs.

Slipping through the door she snuck down the hallway until she reached the main part of the dojo. Blood was splattered up the walls and the disgust she felt mingled with the nausea in her stomach. She heard a vicious snarl and she shivered. Fear wrapped it's fingers around her neck and she shook.

Opening the door she stepped in confidently...well trying to seem it and pulled out her bokken. Her eyes widened as she took in the image presented to her. There were bodies strewn about the place. Some were decapitated, their heads rolling around, the blood still flowing freely. Other bodies had just been slashed carelessly. Lines of blood down their foreheads that spurted out in a spray of crimson.

Kaoru gagged but held her sword up. Whomever had done this was very skilled and they were after her father. Heaving a shuddering breath she brought her eyes to the center of the room. Amber eyes glared at her, shadowed by flaming red hair.

Her posture changed and she brought the sword before her. "Why are you here Battousai?" She glanced behind him and saw her father standing protectively infront of a whimpering Rukea and her younger self. She saw anger and determination in her younger self's eyes and the twinkle that appeared when their eyes locked.

"I knew you'd help us!" she yelled out and grabbed her mother's dress when Battousai gave her a firey glance. Kaoru groaned and started walking towards them when Battousai's sword flew out pointed at her throat. "Why do you presume you can save them?" he asked coldly. "They are part of my assignment and if you stand in my way, I will kill you."

Kaoru managed to send him a deadly sneer, looking the part of an avenging war goddess. "They have taken care of me, and if you wish to harm them, you will fight me first." Kaoru's mind went into a frantic panic. 'What the hell are you doing challenging the Battousai to a fight?'. Battousai saw the trace of fear and scowled. "Stand down, you're not worth my time." He turned away to face Kisatsu.

Kaoru saw red. She moved forwards and brought her bokken down in a stike. Battousai only managed to block it in time. His eyes narrowed. He didn't think that she'd have it in her. But her will to protect was strong. "I said," she started angrily. "That you WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST!" she finished in a yell. Battousai fell into an attacking stance and Kaoru drew her bokken back into a defensive possition. Kaoru's eyes widened however when Kisatsu started to attack him from behind.

Kaoru watched the quick flurry of movements and barely could comprehend them. In her mind's eye she could see them fighting clearly but the way they moved, it was nothing short of terrifying. She saw her father's moves of protecting. Willing the sword to save his family. But the will of the Battousai was scary, his sword so intent of death that not even the will to protect could stop it.

Kaoru watched as Battousai prepared to deal out the death strike. Picking up a sword from a dead warriors body she threw it at him. She knew her aim sucked. She didn't need proof or to be told. But she watched in horror as the sword flew right at him. Horror gripped at her. If she'd killed him, then he'd never have the chance to change, never become someone she'd met and loved. Without a second throught she yelled out a warning. "Kenshin!"

Battousai turned and dodged the sword then swung around so that his sword was now at Kisatsu's throat. He turned and gave Kaoru a disbelieveing look. Kaoru fidgited. Battousai's stare grew more intense and Kisatsu looked at her surprised. "You called his real name?" He asked her softly. She avoided her father's gaze and looked at her feet. She hadn't meant to yell his real name, it was reflex after seeing Kenshin in so many fights. Battousai's hand itched to slice her but something held him back. "Look at me" he commanded.

Kaoru blinked, confused. But she didn't refuse his request. She brought her gaze upwards and let it rest on his unreadable gold eyes. After a few minutes she began to fidget again.

She had no idea what to make of this. He was just standing there staring at her. She wasn't scared, but she felt....exposed. He was gazing down into her and she couldn't stop him from doing it. Finally she regained the use of her voice. "If you touch him Battousai, you'll be so sorry." He snorted and pulled out his other sword and pointed it at her. "And who are you to think you could stop me?" Baby Kaoru came out from behind her mother. "She's Miss Himura! And if you don't leave my Papa alone she's gonna hurt you!!!!!!" The Battousai's eyes widened and the sword clattered to the ground.

Kaoru stepped backwards and looked at him wide eyed. "You're lying" Battousai said, gripping the sword at Kisatsu's throat with both hands. Kaoru growled. "You're right, my name is Kaoru Kamiya and I'm the 2nd Master of the Kamiya Kasshin, will you stand down or fight?" Rukea gasped and Kisatsu eyed her strangely. It made sense to him oddly, though it could never be true. But this women did resemble his daughter.

Battousai's mouth curled into a sneer. "I have no wish to fight you or kill any of this family. My mission is to bring the Master of the Kasshin style to meet my Lord. So if there are 2 Masters you have a choice, which will come with me?"

Kaoru snorted. "You expect us to believe that? What of all these slaughtered men lying on the dojo floor. Why were they killed?" Battousai's cold eyes bored into her again. "They are dead because they are assassins. The Kasshin's Master would be valuable to our cause. We have come to collect him. That is my assignment, no one must harm him until he has met my Lord."

Kaoru watched as her mother trembled and baby Kaoru wept. They knew what this meant. If Battousai's Lord wanted Kisatsu to fight for them, there was no choice. "You have come for a Master of the Kasshin" Kaoru spat. "I am also a Master. You will leave him here and I shall take his place." Silence filled the dojo. Kisatsu looked at her, his face set in a stern line. "No" he said shortly. "Battousai has come for me. I shall go."

Kaoru felt anger burn within her and it overflowed. "Don't be an idiot Papa! I'm going look after Mama and me okay!" she gave little Kaoru a wink and suddenly mini Kaoru understood. That was her up there telling the Battousai off. That was the lady she'd become. She felt pride well within her at how she'd grow up. "You go with him Miss Himura!..I mean Me! I'll make sure Mama and Papa are safe for you always!"

Kaoru smiled at her little self. "I trust you." Then she fixed a stotic stare on the Battousai. "Are we going or not?" Battousai removed the sword from Kisatsu's throat. "It will be a camp full of men looking for a women to have for pleasure. Will you trade youself in this man's place knowing the consquences?"

Kaoru snorted. "Don't be a baka all your life Kenshi....Battousai, I know the consquences and I'm a big girl. If they want to mess with me, they're in for an unpleasant surprise." Battousai sheathed his sword. "So be it." Then he grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the dojo, leaving a dumbstruck family in his wake.

******

Kaoru glared at the Battousai. "Y'know my arm needs to be in it's socket if I'm gonna be wielding a sword." His face remained impassive and his silence seemed to cut through the daylight, making everything become darker. "Geez," she muttered. "Kenshin never told me he used to be so grumpy all the time." Though she knew he had reason to be. She'd feel pretty grumpy too if her life mission was to kill everyone all the time.

"Where are we going again?" she asked confused to where he was leading her. Wasn't his Master supposed to have a big castle and roam around going 'Look at me, I have the best assassin in Japan'? Battousai gave her a fleeting look. As if reading her thoughts he pointed to the "Whore House" she'd wondered into last night. "WHAT!" she exclaimed loudly, clutching his arm in a death grip. Half the people on the street stopped and gave walked around them so that there was no one near them for a 3 metre radius.

It was understandable of course why people avoided them. The girl was obviously insane. With a horrified look plastered on her face and with her fingers imbedded into the man's skin. Then the man with his looming black aura and dangerously twitching eye. Yes, it was better to give these people a wide brith.

Battousai tried to ignore the girl's insane muttering about 'Stupid Lords' and 'Infactuation with geisha girls'. But on the overall he wasn't doing much good. She was pretty. He admitted that and he liked her temper all though that feature also pissed him off. Which was funny because he hardly ever got mad at someone.

Grunting he shifted his arm, that was being clawed to death by this strange women. He hadn't questioned her yet about how she knew his name and how she called to him with such familiarity, nor how she'd used his last name as her own. But the time would come. And he'd either ask permission to kill her or leave her be. He was curious, but he was also cautious. If his name was out on the streets it could but his statis as 'Shadow Assassin' at stake. He needed to know what she knew and if she didn't tell him.....well, there were darker aspects of his job that didn't include killing. Sometimes he gathered information and sometimes people didn't want to speak....

Ignoring her protests he dragged her through the door. As the door shut behind them Kaoru felt a horrible feeling of forboding. 'That's it, I'm never going to wish for anything again!!!' Then as she shifted her feet and walked slowly behind the Battousai she felt uneasy. A sickening crack echoed and Kaoru felt pain sear across her back. She turned and came face to face with one of the men from last night. "You should never have come back here." he snarled. His face contorted and he resmebled a rabid dog.

Kaoru whipped her bokken from her obi and smacked him across the head. "I've no patience at the moment." The bar went silent and she followed the Battousai into a back room.




'Carnation's Comments

Hey guys, I'm sorry that I've been so sick and lugged down with homework. This chapter isn't as long as I promised I know and I appologise. I was going to get my brother Theo to type this up for me but his English is horrible and I couldn't stand what he might say to my reviewers. (He's my twin brother and he has so much blackmail crap on me it's not funny) I wanna thank you all for the reviews!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!! But if I wanna post this today I can't write back to you all. At the end of this fic, I'm gonna have a review chapter in which I say something to all my reviewers.

PLEASE KEEP THE REVIEWS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, here's the Teaser:

Chapter 3:

The hallway was dark and it stuck a nerve in her heart. She felt fear rise within her. Was it really worth it? To kill someone just so she could save Kenshin in the future? She'd made a wish to save his true love. Not to kill someone for him. She dropped the sword and turned away. "I won't kill, not for you. Not to save my life. I'm sorry" He watched her with flickering eyes. "So be it"

Quotacular:

Let the sleeper sleep until a dream brings her back to the world.
- 'Carnation's Saying