Disclaimer: I do not own RK. How many times I have to say this to make you people believe?

Author: Whoa. I don't think I have ever received a welcome like I did with this sequel. I got more reviews than ever for a one single chapter. Thank you people! Sorry for the delay.

Susan: I know that a year is kind of short time, but the fact is that, she finally understood that she couldn't do it all alone. And she really wanted to return to her friends.

And thank you for your review!









Chapter 2. Rainbow of emotions







Kenshin opened the gate to the dojo with his free hand. With his other he tried to keep Yuriko from falling. The small girl had fallen asleep already at Sanosuke's place. He had insisted on Kenshin staying a while after Megumi had checked the health of Yuriko, Taisuke and Kenji. Kenshin had tried to refuse, but had eventually given in. He had stayed there a little longer than necessary. When Yuriko had fallen asleep, he had firmly said that it was time they left even though Sano had protested.

He walked inside the dojo's gate and kept the door open for Kenji and Taisuke.

Kenji, the oldest walked calmly inside holding his little brother's hand in his other hand and lantern in the other. Taisuke yawned. He was not used having to stay awake very long. His short black hair hung covering most of his clear blue eyes. He was almost complete opposite of Kenji. Kenji reminded Kenshin most, while Taisuke was coloured after his mother.

The youngest, Yuriko, was sleeping happily in her fathers arms. Her hair was a curious mix-up of both of her parents, mostly black but shone red when sun hit her correctly. She was already an object of much admiration and was bound to become a real beauty when older.

Kenshin walked after Kenji and Taisuke. They were only a little away from the entrance when the door opened and Kaoru stepped outside. She smiled gently and took Taisuke into her arms. "I saw the light." She said to explain her presence and Kenshin nodded.

They walked inside after Kenji who blew the light out from the lantern. He then disappeared while Kenshin and Kaoru took shoes of Yuriko and Taisuke. They took the children to their rooms and tugged them to bed. Kenshin kept eyeing at the guestroom with a slightly confused look, but Kaoru didn't care to explain the situation just yet.

They walked to their room, which was right beside Taisuke's and Yuriko's. Kenji had wanted a room of his own and it had been given to him. Slowly the dojo became fuller.

When in the privacy of their room Kaoru embraced Kenshin who did the same in return.

"Welcome home, anata." She whispered quietly.

Kenshin tightened his hold a little. "I am sorry for being late. It took longer than I expected."

"Sanosuke didn't allow you to leave, did he?" Kaoru said with a smile and Kenshin nodded.

"Well, while you were away we got ourselves a visitor. Or rather a visitor came for Yahiko and she is now staying here with Yahiko." She explained quietly, having seen her husband eyeing the room with confusion and a little worry.

"Her name is Takahashi Mei and she is a friend of Yahiko from Kyoto." Kaoru continued and saw Kenshin's raised eyebrow. She nodded. "It seems that she is the person who changed Yahiko so much during his visit in Kyoto."

"What do you think of her?" Kenshin asked and drew back to unfold their futon.

"I don't know." Kaoru said with a sigh. "She was a little arrogant yet strong enough to be. I don't think she is a bad person. She knew things she should not have known. She is blind and yet it seemed as if she would be able to see. It was strange to be around her..." She started unfolding her obi.

"If she is strong enough, she might have been able to sense ki. That would explain her seeing without eyes." Kenshin said and walked to Kaoru.

She laughed a little. "She sure was strong fighter. She sparred with Yahiko and I could clearly see that she was just as good as he was though her style did give her the advantage. Honestly, she was like a snake! Her body moved and twisted with the greatest of ease. It was unbelievable to watch. I wouldn't be able move myself like she did."

Kenshin took her kimono and Kaoru shivered as the colder air hit her skin. She still had her under kimono, but it was not very warm. She quickly changed it into an yukata. She walked to the futon and buried herself into its warmth while watching Kenshin undress himself and change into his sleeping yukata. He then came to her and laid himself next to her. Kaoru smiled at him and snuggled closer.

"Do you think we should ask Okina about her? He must have asked around while she was there with all that was going on." Kenshin said and smiled as Kaoru slipped her right hand under his yukata.

"Mmm... Sure. Though I think we should trust her since Yahiko does so..." She said and pressed herself against her husband.











The morning came and Kenshin woke up. They had forgotten the window open and now the light of the sun entered the room freely. It had awoken him and would soon wake up Kaoru if he would not close the screen. He stood up and dressed himself after making sure that the light wouldn't bother Kaoru.

He stepped from their room and headed for the kitchen. He had to walk by the guestroom and noticed that their quest was not there. He couldn't feel any ki in the room. He stopped for a second before continuing forward.

He stepped outside to shorten the way and then he saw her. She was standing in the yard wearing short black trousers and white shirt. It was a strange outfit, a western type. Her face was lifted to face the sky and her black hair flowed down glimmering in the sunlight. It looked wet. Her arms were extended at her side her palms facing the sky. She seemed to be devouring the sun and its warmth.

Kenshin could clearly sense her ki, but nothing more. She just was, not feeling anything specific. Content. People very rarely felt so content that it was reflected in their ki, but she did. Kenshin could not see her scars Kaoru had mentioned briefly for being too far away.

He walked closer to her and to the kitchen when he noticed a towel and cane on the ground and stopped for a moment. He was about to continue forward when she lowered her arms and turned to Kenshin's direction. She picked her towel and threw it over her shoulder, the cane she kept in her hand. She slowly approached Kenshin who didn't move waiting for her to come to him. He saw her using the cane to make sure the path was clear and as she came closer, he could see her face clearly.

He remembered how sad Kaoru had sounded when she had told about Mei. He could now see for himself what had disturbed his wife. Her eye area was covered with multiple scars and there was no telling if she had ever even had eyes.

"You are Himura Kenshin-san? Kaoru-san's husband?" She stated with calm voice that still indicated that it had been a question.

"That's correct. And you are Takahashi Mei?" He said and she nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Yahiko talked about you with respect." She said and walked by him towards the kitchen. Kenshin followed.

"Yahiko showed me around yesterday, but I am still a bit unfamiliar with the dojo. Could you help me to make something to eat? I am used to eating early." She spoke politely and Kenshin nodded. "Sure."

The rest of they way they walked in silence, both deep in their own thoughts.

"Is there a place where I can place my towel to dry?" Mei asked suddenly and her voice surprised Kenshin. For a split second he thought he knew it and then the feeling was gone. But it disturbed him. *Maybe sending a message to Okina that she is here would not be such a bad thing. There is no negative air around her, but...*

"Yes, at the other side of the house. Give the towel to me and I'll take it." Kenshin said and smiled even though he knew that she could not see it.

"If it is okay, would you show me? I would like to learn to know this place better." She smiled gently and Kenshin saw her scars move a little. But the middle where her eyes should have been, no part of her skin moved.

"Alright." Kenshin said. "Follow me."

He started to lead her to the place where he did laundry and Mei followed him with quiet steps. Kenshin noticed that she had no shoes, just a piece of fabric was wrapped around them. Her steps made no sound he could hear.

Yahiko hadn't told them much about her, but that she had taught him many things and was an excellent fighter. What she had taught seemed to be more than just fighting. He had seemed a little bit sad always when talking about her and so they had allowed the subject to drop.

Now she was here before them. Kenshin looked at her and noticed the same thing as already before. She didn't seem that strong or dangerous, harmless was the word one might use. Yet she had a certain air of power around her he could only barely feel. But that did not mean that she would be a strong fighter, such feeling could come merely from great willpower and inner strength.

She walked a little behind him her cane feeling the ground before her, her feet hitting the almost exact place he had stepped on. He could understand it. In order to do so, she had to have very good hearing and she used that to her advantage. By walking before her, he had already made a clear path for her.

He helped her to hung up her towel and told her that he did the laundry here and that she should bring her dirty clothes to him. She laughed a little at this and shook her head, but remained silent.

They were walking back to the kitchen when she stopped.

"It is... comforting to be in your company." Mei said and Kenshin turned his head to her. She was turned away from him and he couldn't see her face. "So long... I have been merely pitied. By Yahiko before he realized my strength, by Kaoru-san even after I told her not to... Countless people with no faces filled with pity staring at me."

She turned to him. "I feel none from you."

Kenshin stayed silent since she obviously didn't expect him to say anything. He could feel it. She just stood there.

"As I said, it is comforting." She stated with a bit of laughter in her voice before she headed for the dojo and Kenshin followed, wondering her words.

They talked a bit while Kenshin prepared the breakfast. Kenshin noticed that Mei seemed to be rather cheerful person and slowly his suspicions disappeared.

Kaoru was the first to appear yawning widely. Mei greeted her with a smile. Kenshin noticed Kaoru wince a little at the sight of her face and the smile on Mei's wavered but only for a split second. If he had not been watching her, he would have missed it. He could feel the fleeting feeling of pity emitting from his wife just as Mei had. He sighed and when Kaoru looked at him, he just shook his head.

"Tell me, does Yahiko still sleep till midday?" Mei asked to break the uncomfortable silence.

Kaoru laughed a little and nodded. "Yes. He has always been like that, but when needed, he is ready in an instance."

"I know..." Mei whispered and then stood up. "I'll go and wake him up." She disappeared from the room leaving Kenshin and Kaoru pondering her words.

Mei walked down the hallway, her cane making little hitting sounds. She had had to leave. Kaoru had stared at her with pity and she hated it. Kaoru had never pitied her before, never, and it felt so wrong. She had wanted to twist her cane in half and yell at her to stop looking at her with such pity in her ki. She was not weak, not helpless. So why? Why did all pity her when she herself did not do such thing. At least not anymore. She had in the beginning...

Her hand gripped the cane a little tighter and blood drained from her knuckles. She opened the shouji to her room and walked inside. She dropped the cane from her hand as she knelt beside her bag. Her hands shook a little as she searched for her eyecover. She found it and her hands gripped it tightly. She had learned to almost hate it, but sometimes it was the only possible hiding-place for her.

Her hands rose and she placed the cover over her face. Then, before she had time to tie up the ends, she lowered her hands with disgust. *Still... So weak.*

After all these years of pity she had thought people's pity would no longer affect her, but here... When Kaoru looked at her with such feeling in her, it felt worse than ever. Kaoru, who had been her best friend in the past, looked at her pitying. She did not pity herself, not anymore, so there should be no reason for anyone else to do so.

Yet they did. Being around Kenshin had been a relief. He hadn't emitted even slightest of feelings of pity. It had given her a moment of peace since even Yahiko sometimes looked at her sadly.

She sighed and then smiled a little. After folding the cover she placed it back into her bag. It would take time, but Kaoru would get used to her scars and maybe then her feelings of pity would diminish. She refused to go back into hiding now that she had gained so much, even though she still had much to gain. Her journey was not finished yet. If ever.

Her smile was a little bit sad when she stood up and picked her cane. It would take time and strength to finish it. But now she would not worry about the future, her present task was almost as hard. Yahiko was a hard person to wake up.

Misao left her room and walked to his. She knocked the door once, twice, three times... And went in even though Yahiko had stayed quiet.

She could feel his relaxed ki as she entered. "Yahiko-chan! Up!" She yelled and hit his sleeping form with her cane.

"Ouch!" Yahiko yelped and sat up rubbing his side. "What did you do that for?!"

He was sitting with a sleepy look in his eyes. His black hair was pointing at every direction, which wasn't really change from their normal way.

"It's already time for the breakfast." Mei said and sat down against the wall.

Yahiko had slept in his sleeping yukata and now hesitated to change before Mei.

She suddenly started laughing feeling his hesitation. "Do you really think that I can see something?"

Yahiko blushed and quickly changed to his normal dojo-clothes. "I am ready." He said.

Mei nodded and stood up. "Then let us go and eat."

She walked out of the room and Yahiko followed yawning widely and rubbing his neck. He followed Mei and absent-mindedly noticed how familiar she was with the place. She had visited here before, but she had never stayed for that long and the dojo was quite big.

Suddenly Mei stopped and turned around.

"What?" Yahiko asked and tried to figure out what had stopped her, but all he saw was an empty hallway.

"Someone is coming..." Mei said and Yahiko could almost see her ears twitch. *Of course. She can hear--*

He didn't get further before a door opened and Kenji stepped into the hallway and only a moment after Taisuke appeared from his room. Both boys stopped as they saw Mei. Yahiko understood immediately why Mei had been alarmed. She had sensed them, but since she had never met them, she could not know who they were.

"Ohayoo Kenji-chan, Taisuke-chan. Is Yuriko-chan still asleep?" Yahiko said, intentionally voicing their names so that it would be easier for Mei to learn them.

Taisuke nodded uncertainly while Kenji stared at Mei with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"This is Takahashi Mei. She will stay here for a while." Yahiko said and took Mei's hand pulling her closer. She come along willingly and kneeled before the boys. She bowed. "I am Takahashi Mei. And you are?"

She held out her hand and Yahiko took Kenji's hand and put in hers. "This is Kenji-chan."

Mei nodded and smiled. "Nice to meet you." Kenji pulled his hand back immediately and as Yahiko reached for Taisuke, Kenji stepped fort and pulled Taisuke behind his back in a protective manner. Yahiko was about to yell at him when Mei placed her hand on his shoulder and shook her head. Yahiko blinked and drew back his hand.

"Nice to meet you Taisuke-chan." She said and then turned to the door on her left. "You can come out, Yuriko-chan." She smiled gently and now Yahiko could see a small shadow leaning against the shouji. He smiled also. Yuriko had been awakened by the noises that they had made and now she was trying to open the shouji, with no success. When Mei moved to open the door, Kenji moved to block her way.

"Kenji-chan!" Yahiko exclaimed. "She is a friend."

Mei shook her head. "Leave it Yahiko-chan. He is only protecting his sister from that which scares him." She said with no feelings in her voice before turning and walking away. Even though Mei had said not to bother, Yahiko still felt like he should do something.

"You just hurt her Kenji-chan." He complained. "Has the ugly taught you no manners?" Yahiko hardly ever insulted Kaoru with words anymore, but he did so this time.

"Don't mock my mother!" Kenji yelled and stared at Yahiko with anger burning in his eyes. This kind of behaviour was very unlike Kenji who usually was satisfied staying at the background.

Yahiko grasped Kenji's shirt and lifted him into the air. Kenji fought back furiously, but still ended up hanging in the air pretty helplessly. Taisuke gasped and run into his room almost knocking Yuriko down as she attempted to stand up. They rarely saw Yahiko this angry and he scared them.

"Now you listen to me little brat." Yahiko whispered. "You just insulted one of my very best friends with your actions. Why?"

Kenji just stared at Yahiko with angry eyes, but Yahiko was scarier. "She didn't have eyes." Kenji finally whimpered.

"That was not her decision. Her eyes were brutally cut out! She was blinded for no reason at all!" Yahiko yelled and then continued with a gentler voice. "That does not make her a bad person. She is kind, wise woman with more strength in her than many give her credit for. I am pretty sure... No, I AM sure that she would give her life protecting you, Taisuke-chan and Yuriko-chan so never again act in such a way before her."

Yahiko let go of Kenji and he dropped to the ground looking at Yahiko's retreating back. No matter what he said Kenji still could not believe in her. There was something scary about her, not merely her face, but the air around her. Kenji had never felt any feeling like when she had been near. He had automatically stepped to protect his sister and Taisuke.

He stood up from the ground and soon Taisuke stood beside him. "Are you all right?" He asked silently. Kenji nodded and scooped Yuriko up into his arms. No matter what Yahiko said, he would remain cautious.







Misao breathed in and out deeply trying to gather her calm. Kenji's reaction had been really hurtful, but that was the way many older children reacted around her. Little ones were always asking what had happened to her eyes or why she didn't have them, but older reacted very differently. That was one of the things she had yet to get used to. In Suzu everyone had known her for a long time and so not even children were afraid of her, but lately during her travels she had learned to cover her eyes in front of children to appear less scary.

"Mei."

She turned to Yahiko who sat beside her. She smiled a little to him and turned back to her former position. "Can you feel it? The sun?" She said and held her hands before her. "It is warm." As she turned to Yahiko her radiant smile could challenge the light of the sun. "Close your eyes and feel it."

Yahiko blinked and did as she said. He held out his hand and allowed himself relax. Slowly he began to feel the warmth where the sun hit and cold in part hid in shadow. It was calming to bath in the warmth, allow it to spread even to the colder parts. When Misao laid a hand on his shoulder he didn't even start. He felt much better than before as if all anger, frustration and confusion had been washed away.

He stared at Misao with wonder in his eyes.

"There are many things people who fail to see and understand with all of their senses for being to busy absorbing all they see with their eyes. The feel of fresh morning grass that gives a slight chill when you step on it, the touch of the sun on the skin, the smell of the fresh air, the sounds of life waking up." She smiled at Yahiko gently. "When you concentrate on this and forget all your worries, you regain strength, calm and peace. It can be felt in the very ki of a person."

Yahiko stared at Misao for the longest time before he finally spoke. "You are like you were at Kyoto. Calm, strong and so much like the Mei I learned to know. Very unlike..." He didn't finish the sentence, both knowing what he was about to say anyway.

Misao sat silently and then spoke. "Not all can be changed. I have grown, painfully and irrevocably. I have learned more of life than ever before this happened. But don't worry." She said and stood up smiling.

"Some of my old spunk is still there!" She laughed and it was then that Yahiko noticed the full bucket she had in her hands. While he had been concentrating on the feeling of the sun, she had went and taken one of Kenshin's water buckets she had been shown earlier near the laundry place after she had hit it with her cane. Before Yahiko could react, she threw the water at him and run away giggling.

"Why you--!" Yahiko gripped his shinai and run after her with water dripping from his clothes. His face was deadly serious, but a smile lingered in his eyes.







End of chapter 2.





Author:

Once again, it will take time before the next chapter is uploaded. Be patient. I promise to finish this fic.

As for Misao never meeting Kenji, she left soon after the fight with Enishi and Kenji had not been born yet.

This chapter was supposed to cover the whole day, but instead it became a morning-scene. *sheepish gryn*

I am beyond help...

Answers to reviews for chapter 1:

Thank you for reviewing Pia-san, Firuze Khanume (hopefully I won't disappoint you), gwen, Crystal Snowflakes, Trixie Tang, JadeGoddess, erin, Sai, Kitapop, Susan Ann, dynast, Gemin16, rin, me me me and only me, Kmye, Mariana-chan, Vesca, Scoundrel Mynx, icediamond, Midori Natari Himura and (blank).

SilverNimbus: Aoshi will be coming but I am not sure when. Somewhere around ch6 I would think...

Blue eyes: Hmmm. He might have or atleast get one during the story. As for Sanosuke and Megumi, it is ch4 I think. Kenshin was already in ch2.

Emerald: Weddings? =)

Who knows what my muse tells me to do, but happy ending is a sure thing.

Tiian