Innocence
By Boomerang-chan
Chapter Three: Sparring
Seized silence.
Series of clashing wood.
A wail of frustration.
A hit!
The tranquility was shattered by roars of approval and reverberating applause. The loudest merriment, of course, went to ten year old Kaoru.
Astounding would have been an understatement for the spectacular kendo match, and her Ken-nii-chan had won! Kenshin's opponent had been a boy a year younger than him named Okita Souji. Okita was a determined boy, with short hair he tied up in a high ponytail. He had sparred ruthlessly until the end, even when he appeared to be rapidly losing breath. If not for the difference in age, Kaoru would have thought he was a long lost relation of her brother, Soujiro.
She glanced at Soujiro sitting next to her. He was clapping as well, lips pulled into a light smirk.
Upon entering high school, Kenshin had joined the kendo club, easily leaping to the top from the long years of training with his Uncle Hiko. A giggle bubbled from Kaoru at how Hiko had always barked at Kenshin how he was "Such a baka."
Trailing her eyes back up to the battle scene, Kaoru waved at Kenshin. Smiling lavender eyes caught the movement.
Kenshin beamed at Kaoru, his dear little "sister". Her ceaseless optimism and joy pouring eyes were always a delight to watch, and he enjoyed every small moment he was the one who brought her that light. He sent her a wave, and a departing wink before his fellow kendo teammates bowled him over with heavy praise.
"Oro!"
Laughter resonated like countless bells in the gym.
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After his victory, most were surprised to find Kenshin well and not dizzy from all the exciting frenzy. With the aid of an exuberant Kaoru, they were able to quickly get out of the school.
Now, Kenshin, Kaoru, and Soujiro trotted together on the sidewalk, Koshijirou Kamiya and his wife, and Hiko trailing behind them, conversing softly.
Kaoru admiringly eyed Kenshin's trophy which he held modestly between restless fingers. She looked up at him.
"You have a question in your eyes, Kaoru. What is it?"
Hesitation flickered across her features. Kenshin gave her an open look, encouraging her to say what she wanted, his eyes blank and ready to take in her words.
"Um....could you teach me how to spar?"
_____________________
A week later, Kenshin had found himself with a resolute Kaoru, holding a wooden practice sword in her hands.
When her request had flitted over to him like an insistent bird, he had been reluctant at first. His uncle's lessons had proved tough, and many evenings he had been worked very hard until he thought his muscles had shriveled with exhaust and his lungs had collapsed from the fatigue of his harsh pants.
But Kaoru's zeal had been all to appealing, and Kenshin submitted, allowing himself to teach her, but not to hurt and force her to burn the candle at both ends. On the first day, Kaoru had taken his instruction with gusto, and she instantly fell in love, hanging on to his every word sincerely.
"Hold it like this."
"...Like this?"
Clad in training kimono a bit big for her, Kaoru looked so cute and Kenshin inwardly grinned. His eyes fell on her hands wrapped around the bokken, the knuckles a ghostly white. Shaking his head Kenshin approached her. Round blue eyes followed his hands that dropped over her own tenderly.
"Relax. Your grip is too tight." Her fingers slackened beneath his own, and he smiled at her before backing up and lifting up his bokken.
"Come." That one word was quiet and calm, but behind it was strong intensity.
His closeness always made her feel warm and even a little fuzzy, but at his command, Kaoru felt like icy water had been poured down her back. Even though she had been practicing devotedly with him for seven days, she still felt skeptical when he asked her to attack him.
Oh, Kaoru knew he could handle her, but it just did not feel entirely right to attack someone dear to you.
"Kaoru...Come, or I will be the one to come to you."
Kaoru glowered at him, bottom lip jutting forward in a pout. When Kenshin was the one to make the first move, she had never had a chance because he was so darn fast! Not that she had ever gotten to him before, but she would try with every opportunity handed to her, and perhaps Lady Luck would decide to smile upon her someday.
Off to the side, Misao who had come to visit and Soujiro watched them.
"Hey Sou! Bet you this candy bar that Kenshin will hit Kaoru-chan in ...four hits!"
"Hm, no, it'll be three."
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaah!" With a rousing cry, Kaoru charged forward, plotting a plan to hit Kenshin......somehow. There had to be some way, though none she had noticed no matter how many times she observed him.
Swinging the bokken upward, Kaoru brought it down vertically. Kenshin deflected with a horizontal swing, catching wood with wood. Grunting, Kaoru slid her sword away from his and bounded back.
One.
She puffed for breath momentarily before leaping to strike again, lowering her arms so that the weapon aligned with her hip, point forward. Kenshin braced himself, and when the front of the sword hurtled to his chest, he pivoted to the side, arm turning with the same curve of his turn to get her open back.
Twirling in the nick of time, Kaoru lifted up her bokken diagonally, stopping him from smacking her straight in the face.
Two.
Her feet slid back a fraction, not prepared to be hit so speedily. Kaoru grit her teeth and leaned forward, forcing her feet to root itself to the spot. Unexpectedly, Kenshin whipped back his bokuto and Kaoru, body slanted towards him, tumbled over with the momentum.
The wooden sword in Kaoru's sweat slicked hands slipped, and as she rolled over, she fumbled to get a proper grip.
Too late. Kenshin's bokken swung down, knocking askew her bokken and tapping her stomach.
Three.
Misao bit her lip, brows knitting together.
"Pay up, Misao-chan," Soujiro smiled at her. A sigh escaped her and Misao plucked the Hershey's bar they had gambled on.
Soujiro lifted his hand to take it, only to have it snatched away from his fingertips. "Hey--"
Misao brought a finger to her eye and pulled the bottom down in an old taunt. "Nyaaaah! I'm not giving it up so easily!"
And giggling, the emerald eyed girl skipped away from a protesting Soujiro.
Kaoru huffed, blowing the raven bangs that plastered to her forehead covered in the translucent pearls of sweat trickling down. Kenshin's head hovered over hers, a teasing smile decorating his visage.
"Mou!" His hand came to her assistance and gratefully taking it, Kaoru stood. She traipsed over to her forgotten bokken and raised it up in an offensive stance.
"Again?" Kenshin gave her a funny look and Kaoru would have laughed if she was not so seriously in tuned. She nodded abruptly, fingers curling confidently around the bokken. The left corner of her lips had curved upward in a taunting smirk.
Brows drawing together, Kenshin wonderingly watched Kaoru through the fall of his uneven fiery bangs. A twinkle of a plan glimmered in her cobalt eyes.
What was she up to? Her stance was prepared to thrust forward, weapon held upright.
A frontal assault. Her plan was to attack him straight on? No. It could not be that simple, especially with her young crafty mind.
"Hyaaaah!" Dashing forward, Kaoru lifted the bokken over her head. His eyes hardened, and he sidestepped. Kaoru's sharp eyes never faltered and she followed into him. A surprised Kenshin brought up his bokken. Kaoru's own crashed into his and they found themselves face to face, wooden poles being the only hindrance.
Kenshin jumped back, pulling into a defensive stance. Kaoru skidded back, wobbling on her ankles. This time Kenshin was the one who came to her.
But this was a moment Kaoru had been hopefully waiting for. Sprinting back, she aimed....
And threw.
"Oro!" The practice sword slammed point first on top of Kenshin's head. He slipped and toppled disoriented to the floor, eyes practically swirling off his face.
Kaoru laughed and skipped over to her victim. Kneeling next to him, she lifted him up, checking to see if her attempt to win this match had left a bump on his head. Fortunately Kenshin had a tougher head than seemed, and he was quite all right.
"I'm not so sure you can do something like that in a real kendo match..." he murmured to her once perceptiveness had returned to him.
Kaoru ignored it with a drowsy yawn, stretching her arms lazily over her head. "Hey Ken-nii-chan?"
"Mm?"
"I'm tired..." she mumbled. Kaoru rubbed at her eyes futilely while shaking her head in hopes of shaking off the sweat that mopped her brow. From her came one final yawn and a sigh before she slumped back, drowsing in Kenshin's lap.
Chuckling lightly as not to disturb her, Kenshin sat up, stroking rogue raven strands thoughtfully. She should be tired, after all the effort she just put into this....little sparring match.
"I'm tired too," he said to himself. He frowned, for after this strenuous bout he wanted a long shower, a good meal, and be able to laze in his bed without a care in the world.
Unfortunately....there was a young girl snoozing in his lap.
He could just imagine Sanosuke walking in right now. "Oro--"
"Oi, Kenshin! Didn't get to see you earlier. Wanted to congratulate you on your victory. That was one heck of a—Woooow! Never mind, you appear busy right now."
Flushing, Kenshin whipped his head around, watching Sano amble slowly away, whispering to himself, "So he is into very young girls!"
Next Chapter: Kenshin gets his driver's license!
Notes: In about 2 chapters, the tragedy will strike!
Response to Reviews:
KuTiExAzNxAnGeL: Arigato! Your name took a little while to type out! ^o^;;
XW: Thanks, but I don't intend this to be funny later on...though I did not think this was that funny!
aglaia102: Thank you!
SilverKnight7: Yeah...some are just very strange.
Waterflash: Kaput! XD What a fun word! Lol. Wasn't exactly ASAP but here it is anyways. I'd like to call him that too.
Icewings: Hi hi Icewings-san! I sent this to you earlier, but you didn't respond so I posted it already. o.o
