Maa, it had already been two days since the new boy kicked Sano in the head, and he was still ranting about it. I let his voice drone on and on, receding into the distance. What a strange boy Makimachi-kun was! "Such fierce eyes," I murmured softly.

"-Kicking me in the head, and calling me that name! How dare - Uh, did you say something Kenshin?"

I turned and waved my hands in denial. "Not at all, just thinking to myself, that's all."

"Hmph! That girly faced boy - kicking me in the head! Hasn't he heard of the almighty Zanza? I just might beat him up after school one day."

I spluttered, then regained control of myself, remembering the lightning quick match between Aoshi and Makimachi-kun. "Sano...if you're going to beat him up, just do it. But you might have more trouble then you think."

"Jeez, Kenshin, I wasn't really thinking of beating that runt - eh? Just do it...What happened to the usual 'Maa maa, calm down' treatment?"

I smiled sunnily at him. "I think Makimachi-kun can defend himself. Especially when he has Aoshi to back him up."

Sano deflated immediately. "Yeah...that brat actually got accepted in Shinomori's prestigious omnitsu group. Who would have figured?"

"Ah...Is this senior English class?" A light voice asked from the doorway.

Sano's head jerked up, and mine followed suit more slowly. "YOU!" Sano bellowed, shoving his chain over as he leapt to his feet.

Makimachi-kun blinked. "Oh...morning rooster head."

"ROOSTER HEAD? YOU BRAT I'LL-"

"Sano!" I jumped to my feet, and ran in front of him, firmly grabbing his fists. "No. Bad Sano." Sometimes talking simply to him worked, although it pissed him off later.

"Kenshin," he growled. "Get out of my way." He began to slowly push my hands down; in brute strength Sano was my superior, and I didn't particularly want to pull a low blow to my best friend right now. Before he could pull free though, a math textbook flattened him.

"I don't see why you're so indignant over that name, rooster head. It really suits you. Ohohoho!"

"Megumi..." Sano croaked, lying on the floor, stars in his eyes. Then he was on his feet again. "Damn fox, stay out of this! It's none of your business anyway!"

"Maa maa, Sano..."

It was going to be a long year.

Meiji Heights
By Aishiteru
Part 2: The Swordsman of Legend

I stopped off by the kendo club again. I know it's a stupid thing for me to do really, because my uncle will never let me join. Besides...I'm too strong, in all honesty. It wouldn't be fair to the other students.

I know all of this...So why was I there again, peering forlornly through the gym windows?

The captain, Kamiya Kaoru was drilling everyone. "A hundred more swings! Then pair up, and spar!"

"A hundred!?"

"Do it!"

"Oi! Busu!" A young boy with a shock of black spiky hair called from the back. He was lying quite comfortably on a stack of mats. "Give them a break! Not even dad makes his students drill as much as you do!"

"Ya-hi-ko," she says in a deceptively mild sing song voice. "GO HOME!"

"I want to, busu! But it's Friday, and dad sent me over to your dumb school on the fringes of civilization to make sure you came home!"

I smiled. I have seen that exchange thousands of times. The boy is Kamiya-san's younger brother, Yahiko. Their father is the master of a fairly well known dojo. I've even come up against some of his students in the various tournaments Shishou is always entering me into. I sighed then. I wish I could be in there, helping other people learn. The boy to my far right keeps gripping his shinai wrong. If he parries a hard stroke, it will go flying out of his hand. Other then that, he has the potential to be very good. Nicely balanced. I sighed again in mute frustration.

My mobile phone rang suddenly. I fumbled it open.

"Baka deshi! Where are you?"

"Ah...school still. I had a research assignment for history, remember?"

"Pick up some milk on the way home. And some sake too! And don't forget we're sparring tonight! The tournament is closer then you think!"

"Alright, alright. I'm coming home now." I snapped close the phone, and took one more look through the glass. I guess teaching is not destined for me.

The tournament...Why am I still competing in it? There's no reason for me to anymore - Perhaps I should just retire as reigning champion. But something within rebels at that. There's a paradox in me - I don't really want to fight, even though I love doing it. I don't want to keep on going, but my pride won't let me just vanish from the arena. If only someone would defeat me! But then, I would probably want to beat them. I'm a very strange person, sometimes. When it comes to fighting, on every issue, it's like I have two opinions about it. One half of me wishes to keep on fighting forever and ever. The other half just wants to be normal.

But the fighting has been something I've done since I was a child. I've been practicing Hiten Mitsurugi under my uncle - well really he's my godfather, but I just call him uncle- since I was five years old.

But at school, I can be reasonably normal. The only person who knows is the captain of the Kenpo club - Shinomori Aoshi. And how does he know?

Aoshi first met me in the arena.

Because the tournament...ah, it may not be as you think. The tournament is not a competition where you have a referee calling the shots. No, not at all. The tournament is a remnant of older, bloodier times. All it is, is your opponent, his weapon, and you and your weapon. The arena is about a hundred by a hundred metres. First person to fall unconscious, or get knocked out of the ring, is defeated. There have been a very few deaths in the tournament. No one speaks of them, no one reports them, because everyone who knows about the tournament knows it isn't legal anyway. It's so secret there isn't even a name for it. But there hasn't been a death in many years. All of them were before even Shishou's time.

I defeated Aoshi twice. Each time was just by a second. If I had done something else, or he had...the last time, someone had slipped him drugs. He had been half berserk, and I had had to actually cut him down to stop him. We both received our different scars from that horrific match. The drugs had given him strength yes, but his mind was clouded. Without his calm, I could read every move he made. And so, I defeated him, and remained champion.

We haven't spoken of that time since. We were both out of school for a few weeks while we healed. When we came back, we just went back to our everyday roles, with no mention of the darker sides of our lives. It's strange...but somehow as our normal selves, we're friends.

I don't know if he'll enter again this year.

Sometimes I think I could tell Sano, but the tournament is something he'd love to enter. And therefore I don't tell him. He could get hurt. I've faced off with people who have almost tried to kill me, and nearly came close. I don't want Sano involved in it. His skills are pretty good, but he is still naive. He thinks there is such a thing as a fair fight. And maybe in this world there is. But in that world...

So I don't tell him, even though I know he suspects something. We don't talk about it though, or about my mysterious bruises and cuts.

On the way home I pick up a bottle of milk, and sake. I hide the sake bottle before going in the house though. Shishou finds it and gives me a dirty look. When we spar, he has his revenge.

On Monday morning I woke up, bruised and aching. And late. My clock reads 8:05. I rushed out of the house stuffing books in my bag, and still buttoning up my shirt. Shishou was still blissfully asleep, a large lump underneath a rumpled pile of black and red bed clothing. I entertained thoughts of throwing water on him, but decided against it. I was already late enough.

I managed to arrive at the front gates just as the bell rang. I was pounding down the corridor, when-

WHAM!

"I'm so sorry Kamiya-san!"

I bowed deeply, then helped her up. Her, and my textbooks are scattered everywhere; and she looked as out of breath as I do. She was also late?

"No, I should be apologizing, Himura-kun. Sorry, I was just in such a rush..." We sorted out our books. My shirt was still half open, and she gasped when she saw the livid bruises Shishou kindly decided to decorate me with.

"Himura-kun! What happened? Is someone picking on you? If someone is..." Her deep blue eyes narrowed, and she fisted her hands. I choked, at the thought of her going up against Shishou.

I think Shishou would lose. I began to almost laugh, then stopped myself, producing a series of odd noises.

"Are you alright, Himura-kun!?" She sounded positively frantic.

I waved my hands, and attempted to control myself. "I'm fine, Kamiya-san. And these are nothing." I quickly buttoned my shirt up the rest of the way. The second bell rang, and made both of us jump. Homeroom was about to begin.

"Yah!" she yelped. "Ah, this'll be the third time I'm late this week! Bye Himura-kun!"

She rushed off, and I smiled. Is someone picking on you? Kamiya-san is such a kind person.

It's no wonder she asked me that, I thought as I looked at my reflection while washing my hands in the bathroom. They were sticky with glue and ink - we had been editing the school newspaper, cornily named 'Tales from the Meiji Era'. Don't blame me, the teachers thought it up. Editing the paper is part of the responsibilities of being on the Student Council. It's all fairly tedious and responsible. Aoshi was washing his hands next to me.

I'd been thinking about Kamiya-san's words all through school. I guess I do look like a bully magnet. Sano spoke of Makimachi-kun's girly face - well, I have a fairly girly looking face as well. And Shishou insisting I wear my hair long if I want to be a proper kenkaku doesn't help either. Still, no offense meant to Makimachi-kun, but he may be even prettier looking then me, which is a rarity.

Still, do I look so weak, that people would be picking on me? Well, I guess we do have our fair share of bullies in the school. I sighed. I've had to fight a fair few, but not since first year. They learnt to leave me alone after that.

"Sparring again?"

"Just a bit of sparring with Shishou. He was paying me back for hiding his sake."

"A~a."

We exited together, and headed for the gym. "Himura," he said suddenly. "Are you entering the tournament this year?"

"...I think so." I replied quietly. "And you?"

"I don't know." He was quieter then usual after that. I wondered if I should have asked.

Inside the gym are his Oniwabanshuu, already changed and ready to begin. I have known Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijou, and Hannya for as long as I've known Aoshi. They have also competed in the tournament, and against me at one time or the other. However, Shiro and Kuro are purely school members. And the new recruit, Makimachi...

He was almost dancing from foot to foot in anticipation. Aoshi was amused - I saw the corners of his mouth lift almost imperceptibly in the slightest of smiles. I looked at Masaru-kun again. He really does look like a girl just looking at him. Big wide eyes, the long lashes...I shook my head. Many people have said the same about me.

"Sempai!" he yelled. "You're late!"

I don't think Aoshi should enter the tournament anymore. Not because of his skills - but because now he seems so much more at peace just being the captain of Meiji High's kenpo club. He is a very patient teacher - and I think Makimachi-kun is already beginning to improve already, just from a couple of days under his tutelage. That says a lot about teacher and student, doesn't it?

"Excuse me."

I turned around, and plastered a friendly smile on my face. "Yes....?" The soft voice belonged to a girl I had never seen before, even though she was wearing the school uniform, and she looked so familiar to me... Her long black hair was neatly bound back in a smooth coil, but long strands swung forward to frame her luminous face. Pale skin...and deep...black..eyes...

"Do you know how to get to the Meiji Junior High campus? My brother attends it...and I would like to see him."

"Ah...of course. It's probably..uh..easier if I just show you the way, rather then tell you."

"That's very kind, but I don't want to inconvenience you..."

"Ah! It's no bother at all. I'm Himura Kenshin. It's nice to meet you." I bowed clumsily.

"It's nice to meet you too, Himura-san. My name is Yukishiro Tomoe."

Review replies:

Jason M. Lee: Hai hai, I'm calm, I'm calm, GOMEN NASAI, SHINPAI SHINAI!!!!! Ehehehe. Right. Must cut down on watching Fruits Basket. No I haven't forgotten 'Forgotten' (hahah, a pun - yeah I know I'm lame) but it's really hard writing it! I'm soooooooo stuck it isn't funny. Maybe it's because even though I've researched a bit on the net, I still don't know that much about Japanese history? Oh well, I'm about half way through writing the next chapter, but it's not going anywhere. Maybe I'll go back to the last chapter and tamper with that so it flows a bit better. This one is a LOT easier to write then Forgotten and Furimasu; both of them are all angsty.

DiaBlo: I'm afraid I haven't seen Hanazakari no Kimitachi e before! But I like reading this type of manga - well, actually I like reading most types of manga. *grins*. Yup, Misao-chan will have a hard time; I'm going to be horrible to her. MWAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

lebleuphenix : Aw shucks. What can I say when someone compliments me? I clam up and go red....uh...I may have disappointed you this chapter, I thought Kenshin's ...'voice'? Narrative? Was a little OOC, but I didn't know how to make it sound more like him, or indeed, more like an actual guy. He was a bit...hmmm.

Crystal: The idea of Misao posing as a guy while around her Aoshi-sama amused me. Hee hee. And I've kept on going!

Person who did not leave a name: GOOOOMEN NASAI!!!!!! I have fixed it now! As well as a few other annoying errors. Despite proof reading and spell checking some little things do escape me. My problem is I tend to read it as I thought I put it down, rather then how I actually typed it. The second time I read this chapter I realized that half way through I had switched to present tense. Argh! I had to go through and fix everything! Would anyone like to be a beta reader for me? I'd be willing to beta read for them.

K-chan: Thank you!!!!!!!!!

len: Sorry len, I know it's confusing, but I didn't know how to write it in any other way. That's just sort of the way it turned out. So it got clearer? Anything you're still confused over, please tell me, and I'll try to fix it.

Kyme-chan: Voila! I have written more. Heheheh...When Aoshi finds out she's a girl...I have a few different versions for that, and I'm still trying to settle on which one will win. Wait and see...it should be fun.

Tiian: I'm sprung! I too read W-Juliet. I think it would be harder for a boy to pose a girl, then a girl a boy. W-Juliet's not my only source - there are a few others where people dress up as the opposite sex and all sorts of running around and confusion results. I really like W-Juliet too though, and one called Power!. Yeah, the beginning is really confusing. Sorry about that. I'm not too sure how to fix it though. Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Megami no Ushi: Thank you! I have to admit, I have actually not read a Tamora Pierce book, though one of my friends is rather fond of her. Ah! I got complimented, I got complimented on my style!!! *grins like a maniac, while reviewers slowly back away* Come back! Where are you going!? And I'm glad I don't sound like a thesaurus, I don't really like using one. They can help sometimes, but most of the time the words don't mean exactly the same thing, which is why they are different words.

Author's Note: Un, this story should update fairly quickly, as it's actually rather easy and fun to write. It may be subject to my odd mood changes so...you are warned. And since it is my fun story, I probably won't be doing any particular research into it. And I know almost nothing about martial arts, so please don't kill me if I do something wrong with it! I don't know how popular kenpo is, or even if it's still practiced anymore. So...yeah. Anyone who would be willing to be my beta reader will receive my undying gratitude, and willingness to return the favour. Thanks for all the reviews, they make me feel special. Heehee.