"Honestly? Can you say that? The 'Kenshin-gumi' as the brat puts it, hasn't it replaced us in your heart? Ginta can feel it. Miyu can feel it. And so will the rest of the us."

Kaoru looked away. "You remember how this all started?"

"Yes, I do, Kaoru. Kayo Andrews. You have to kill him. Why do you ask?"

"Tell Miyu and Ginta not to worry. As soon as everyone gets here, I have to leave anyway."

Tokio gave a tired sigh and left Kaoru to her thoughts.

Changing

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Watsuki-dono. Not me.

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"Kaoru!! Please!!"

Kenshin heard a voice rung out in the dojo. He and the rest of them, except for Tokio, Ginta, Miyu and Kaoru had left. Talking about what to do with the conversation. They were all desperate for answers they couldn't have and were confused out of their minds. Saitou went for the hell of it.

"Please what!?" Kaoru's voice rang out clearly in the dojo.

When all of the heard her voice, they tried to find her only to be blocked by Miyu and Tokio.

Tokio shook her head. "Please respect their wishes for a private conversation."

"What private conversation? All of Tokyo can hear them!" Yahiko shouted and pushed through.

They arrived in time to see Kaoru's eyes, filling with tears shout at another man.

"You know what!? I hate you!! I hate the way you let her cut off our relationship! Just like that!" she snapped her fingers, as if to prove her point. "And what? I am nothing!! I hate you, Ginta!!! How could you do that! You promised to come back for me! You didn't have to love me but you promised!!" She slapped him, hard and turned around to leave but the man, named Ginta, grabbed her arm and pulled her to his chest.

"Kaoru... onegai..." he whispered.

"How could you!!" Yahiko screamed. "How could you do that to Kenshin with another man?? And us!! Don't we even count anymore?"

"Yahiko?" she whispered out of shock, quickly pushing herself out of the man's embrace, to look at her friends... no... family.

"It's not... Wait! Dammit, Yahiko!" Kaoru yelled and tears, refusing to stay on just the surface of the eye, streamed down her cheeks like there was no tomorrow.

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"Just begin... it will be much easier as the story goes on." Tokio urged gently. Kaoru smiled weakly at her.

Yahiko still refused to meet her gaze and Kenshin didn't bother to hide the hurt in his eyes.

The tension was filling the room. And it didn't help that Ginta, was actually a man, dressed as a girl and Miyu was a girl dressed as a boy either.

"Yes... but you're going to have to help me. I don't remember certain things." Kaoru said and began.

"My mom... Odoru Minokina. She was very pretty-"

"Gorgeous," Miyu interrupted.

"Heavenly," Tokio added.

Kaoru glared at the both of them. "Pretty does not describe your mother." Tokio stuck her tongue out.

"Well, she was beautiful, I admit. She lived in this little town of Osaka. She had many suitors and such but didn't want to get married. But, because of her parents' wishes, she had to get married. My mom... kinda like me... was a very stubborn person. She never wished to get married and ran away."

Kaoru gulped down some air desperately, "She, well, was raped by some men. After the... defiled her body, they left her to die."

Kaoru choked back a sob and went on, "She thankfully, did not get pregnant. After that, though, she began to hate men. She picked up the sword and tracked down those men. I don't really know how she knew who they were. All I know is that she did and she did with a sword. She began to make her own swordstyle. Neko Odoru Ryu. She taught it to herself and certain people."

"I am one of them. Miyu and Ginta's mother are two more. And... Shinomori is another... Even though he was a man..." Tokio whispered quietly.

"Shinomori-san was an exception. He was found wounded by my mother," Miyu said, "was cared for under the treatment of Ginta's mom."

"When he was healthy enough to run around again, Odoru taught him a bit of the Neko Odoru Ryu. Shinomori Ikebana was rather a fragile man." Tokio giggled.

"He, actually, was a philosopher, mathematician, writer, you name it. So, together with my mom, they created the deadliest moves together. And then came Aoshi."

Tokio laughed. "They were worse then rabbits, I tell you!"

Kaoru blushed red and poked Tokio in the ribs.

"Do you remember anything?" she asked Aoshi shyly. He shook his head slowly.

Kaoru let out a sigh and went on, "Aoshi was rather unexpected to everyone as my mom vowed her hatred to men. She didn't particularly show affection to my dad either. But nonetheless, the loved the little boy. He was a fast learner, but stubborn. Instead of using the katana, he picked up a kodachi."

Ginta's deep voice cut into the conversation, "Even though these women were sworn off men, they couldn't help but be attracted to certain males and fell in love. I was born only a year after Shinomori Aoshi. When I was 9 years old, Kaoru was born. By then, the Bakamatsu started and everyone was constantly out killing. Miyu was born when Kaoru was 2."

"Which would make her the same age as I," Misao muttered.

"Aoshi and I never became very good friend but we became allies. We were always more then needed to each other when Kaoru and Miyu began to gang up on us and ran around everywhere." Ginta let out a chuckle.

Kaoru blushed.

"After that, Kaoru quickly became engaged to Ginta." Miyu added.

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a/n: that's all I'm putting up for now... but plz! Review! And I'll c ya peeps in a while!!