Battles of the Heart

Chapter 2: The Men

Val-chan: Time for the disclaimer. –looks sad-
Misao: Can I do it?
Val-chan: No, let Kenshin do it.
Misao: Fine. goes off to sulk somewhere
Val-chan: Keeeeeeeeenshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnn!
Kenshin: Coming Valese-dono!
Val-chan: Your turn to do the disclaimer!
Kenshin: Valese-dono does not own Rurouni Kenshin, its characters, or me. Though I wish she did…
-Kaoru bonks him with her bokken-
Kenshin: Oroooooo! Valese-dono owns Akeno.
Val-chan: Yep! So ya can't sue me. Aw! Wishing you could, don't you? Huh? Huh?

The next morning, Kaoru and Megumi set off for the market. Megumi went to check out the Shirobecko while Kaoru looked through the stalls. After entering the not-yet-busy restaurant, Megumi sat down and waited, acting the perfect lady. Soon enough, a young man walked up to her and asked shyly, "Excuse me, but is that seat taken?"

"Iie."

"May I?"

"Of course," she giggled.

"My name is Akeno Takamori. What's yours?"

"Ohayo, Akeno, my name is Megumi Takani."

"You're very beautiful, do you know that?"

"Why, arigatou," she began to laugh her trademark fox laugh, a loud 'Ohohohohohohoho'.

Akeno didn't even flinch, "Allow me to buy you a drink."

"Arigatou, I'd like a cup of green tea, onegai."

"Of course," he smiled, and bought her a cup of green tea. Megumi smiled, she'd found her man.

Kaoru walked around and around the market, but found no one. She stood in front of a ribbon stand. They had some beautiful ribbons there. "You like the ribbons there, Kamiya?" a voice behind asked quietly. She jumped and spun round in surprise.

"S-Saitou-san?"

"How'd you guess?" he asked, smirking.

Saitou Hajime was the leader of the third squad of the Shogunate army corps known as the Wolves of Mibu, or the Shinsengumi. Every member was an elite swordsman with a stark sense of brutal justice. Their motto was 'Aku Sou Zen' or 'Slay Evil Instantly'. He fought against Kenshin in the Revolution and was one of the few who could approach Kenshin in skill. He changed his identity after the Revolution and became Goro Fujita of the governmental police force. He wore a black shirt and straight navy pants. He also wore a matching navy collared blazer-like jacket, which fell halfway down his thighs. He buttoned its gold buttons up so it only revealed a small triangle of his inner black shirt. A black buckled belt encircled his waist and held his police sword in place. Light blue stripes wrapped around the ends of his sleeves and white gloves adorned his hands. Finally, he wore plain black shoes. His short, slicked back black hair left his forehead bare, but for five thin strands curving out over his face down to his chin, creating a sparse curtain. His ebony locks contrasted with his cold amber slit-like eyes.
Suddenly, she had an idea. "Saitou-san, would you be willing to help me?"

"Depends what you want me to do."

"You know how I feel about Kenshin, right?" she asked, eyeing him curiously.

"Kamiya, everyone knows how you feel about the Battousai except the baka himself."

Kaoru let that comment pass. "Megumi-san, Tsubame-chan, Misao-chan, and I have a plan. We're setting ourselves up with other guys in order to get our guys jealous. Would you be my guy? Kenshin won't hurt you, and if he does, well, you could beat him with only one hand, right?" she asked prettily, buttering him up.

"Of course, but why must I do it?"

"Because I don't know anyone Kenshin might be remotely jealous of…and," she sighed dejectedly, "I'll be lucky if he actually likes me enough to be jealous." Her shoulders slumped.

"Baka," Saitou murmured. Kaoru's head snapped up.

"Nani?"

"You two are the only ones who can't see how much the other loves you."

"Whatever," Kaoru shrugged.

"Yes, I'll help you, on two conditions. One, my wife doesn't know. Two, we aren't doing anything intimate."

"The first I can promise," said Kaoru slowly, "but the second. We have to act kinda nice to each other, and I might have to, like, peck you on the cheek once or twice, but nothing more than that. Trust me. I wouldn't do more, even for Kenshin."

"Good."

"I don't do more with wolves like you," Kaoru muttered.

"What's that, Kamiya?" Saitou smirked.

"I said I don't do more with married men like you," she replied quickly. He smirked a bit more.

The girls met over lunch again. "Did you find anyone?" Tsubame asked quietly.

Megumi nodded, "His name's Takamori Akeno. He's such a gentleman. I think I like him!" she giggled like a schoolgirl.

"I got…well, I couldn't find anyone. So, I got…"

"Hai?" Misao asked excitedly.

"Saitou-san."

They all fell anime style. "What the heck? That wolf of a policeman is your guy?" Misao shrieked.

"Who's Saitou-san?" Tsubame innocently inquired.

Megumi answered for her, "Put it this way, he's worse than Aoshi-san'll ever be."

"Hey, you take that back!"

"Why, itachi-chan?"

"Because I said so, kitsune!"

"No way, it's true."

"…Tobikunai!" was all Kenshin heard as he walked into the room to find five kunai closely surrounding Megumi. He heard Misao say angrily, "Next time, I won't miss. Apologize." Her voice was low and dangerous.

He bent down and whispered in Megumi's ear, "Do it and watch what happens." He smiled back at her, then continued out.

"I take back what I said about your Aoshi-san," she apologized. Misao stopped, then grinned. "Ok, so we all got our guys, let's put this plan into action!" Megumi gaped for a moment at her sudden change of mood, but put it behind her as not worth fighting over. "Remember, start slower, and then let it escalate. If they never react, then just stop, ok?" Misao instructed.

"We should tell Yutaro-san, Soujirou-san, Saitou-san, and Akeno-san," warned Tsubame.

"Good idea, Tsubame," Kaoru agreed. They all nodded and left to put their plan into action.

Misao walked up to Soujirou. "Soujirou-san, um could you do me a favor?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Um…I'm trying to see if Aoshi-sama would get jealous if I courted another man. I know Aoshi-sama doesn't like you very much, so I think it would work," she paused, "Onegai?"

"Of course," he smiled, "What must I do?"

Misao grinned in relief, "You just have to go almost everywhere with me, and act really sweetly towards me. Oh, and I might just have to kiss you once or twice." He raised an eyebrow, his smile still in place. She finished hurriedly, "Just lightly on the cheek, that's all." He smiled and nodded, not speaking. "Oh! Thank you so much, Soujirou-san!"

"You're very welcome, Misao. And, uh, call me Soujirou."

"Ok, Soujirou. I've got things to do, but remember, DON'T tell Aoshi-sama, ok?"

"Of course."

She ran off to help Okon and Omasu with the cooking.

Kaoru ran over to Saitou, "Saitou-san, I just wanna remind you, please don't tell Kenshin, would you?"

"I'm not stupid, Kamiya."

She sighed, "I know, gomen. I'm just nervous."

"Of course," he smiled almost kindly at her.

Tsubame walked over to Yutaro, but Yahiko was talking with him. "Yutaro-san, could I, um, have a…talk with you? I have something I want to tell you," she asked, timidly. He nodded and started to follow her when Yahiko began to walk with them, too. "Alone." She emphasized the word 'alone'. Yahiko nodded but glanced back at her, a look of hurt and suspicion on his handsome features. Her eyes fell for a moment, and then soared back up with another bright happy smile in place.

When they reached a secluded tree, Yutaro looked curiously at her, "What did you want to tell me? What could there be to tell me that Yahiko can't hear?" He winked brightly at her. Tsubame blushed.

"Well, um, Kaoru-san, Megumi-san, Misao-san, and I made a plan to make the guys we like jealous by courting other guys for a while. Of course, you know who I want to make jealous, but I chose you to be my guy. Onegai?"

"So…I have to pretend to be like your boyfriend or something?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, hai. You-you don't have to if you don't want to," she whispered timidly, almost fearfully. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't like the way you think I wouldn't do something for you. Tsubame, I'd do anything for you, especially if it includes making Yahiko jealous!" He laughed. She giggled along with him.

"So, that mean you'll do it for me?"

"Hai."

"Arigatou, Yutaro-chan," she thanked him while hugging him.

He raised an eyebrow in a way that would have made Saitou proud. "Might as well get used to it, I suppose." Tsubame giggled girlishly and clapped her hands, pecking Yutaro on the cheek quickly. Luckily, Yahiko didn't see.

Megumi had a slightly harder time of finding Akeno than the others. Finally, she spotted him sitting, yet again, in the Shirobecko. "Hello, Megumi-dono. I was hoping I'd run into you again." Megumi blushed slightly. He's such a gentleman. Unlike a certain tori-atama.

"I was hoping to run into you, too. Did you know? You are very good-looking." It was his turn to blush.

"Why, thank you. I find you very beautiful, too." Megumi blushed even harder. He turned to a waiter and ordered them each a green tea before resuming their conversation. "Speaking of good looks," he continued, "Some people just don't have them. I saw this one guy yesterday. He needs to change his clothes at the least! He was wearing a street fighter's outfit with the symbol for 'bad' on the back, and his hair was brown and all sticking up, like a rooster, and there was this ugly red ribbon that hung down his back. Even a mutt is more handsome than that!" Megumi turned beet red with fury, and Akeno noticed. "Megumi-dono? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she coughed out, "The …tea was too hot. Burned my throat," she lied.

"Sure," he smiled. When they finished their tea, Megumi got up to leave when Akeno's words stopped her. "Why don't you come over to my house for the evening. It's no trouble, and I'd like to get to know you better."

Megumi smiled, "Hai." He got up and took her hand, leading her to his small apartment.