Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin
"Hold on a minute, one minute you're asking us whether or not we knew who this 'stranger' was and the next you start ranting on about how you had another apprentice besides Kenshin named Ayeka," Yahiko suddenly bursted out after Hiko's anecdote.
Hiko remained calm and sipped his sake, "And to think my apprentice thinks of you highly. I would have thought you would have figured it out by now. The stranger that is now in your care, that is my former apprentice Ayeka." Hiko's simple emotionless response to an innocent question opened most everyone's eyes at to what they were so oblivious to see."
"So that's what Kenshin had me send out that message to you almost right after he had seen Ayeka, I remember that look he had in his eyes when he saw her, it's beginning to make sense."
The Hiten-Mitsurugi master nodded grimly and continued, "Yes, it had been years since we had heard anything of her. She left not long after Kenshin did, although she learned the final technique of Hiten-Mitsurugi before she did. Something that Kenshin neglected to do before he set out into the world."
"And that's why Kenshin had to go back to you before? To learn the final technique before he faced off with Shishio." Sano quickly added, but stopped himself once he saw everyone's reaction. "What? I though I could add to the conversation."
"Sure Sano," Yahiko retorted, "how could we have missed that major detail?"
Sano protested on his behalf, "Hey!"
"Would you two cut it out and shut up?!" Kaoru glared at the pair until they finally received the message before she continued speaking, "Please continue with your story Hiko-san."
He nodded, "Soon after the incident, I made Ayeka my second apprentice. Which in itself for the style of Hiten-Mitsurugi is forbidden, the power to be held by only one person every generation. But with her enormous talent that she possessed, it would have been a waste otherwise. Although Kenshin was further in his training than Ayeka, it did not take her long to reach his level. And as they grew and trained together over time, I saw them forge great bonds of friendship. It was of course to be expected, but they could also be the most trivial of rivals. Sparring whenever given the chance, always trying to prove to the other whose skills with a sword was better. Sometimes, even I couldn't get in their battles they were so fiercely engaged."
"Wow, can you even begin to imagine it?" Yahiko suddenly raised, awestruck.
Kaoru responded but with less understanding, "Imagine what?"
"Kenshin's equal missy, what else? And the two locked in battle for the sole purpose of proving their skills to the other, doesn't exactly sound like the Kenshin we know, does it?"
"No, now that I think about it, it doesn't sound like him at all." Kaoru responded, but her voice sounding distant and far away.
"The Himura Kenshin you have gotten to know is the result of the revolution and the guilt he holds within himself for the things he had done, some worse than others." Hiko let out a deep breath and drank a sip of sake before continuing, "But before Kenshin left for the revolution, when he and Ayeka fought, their battles, it was a sight to see. Their talent, their ambitions, and just watching it alone was overpowering. And you also had to keep in mind that Ayeka and Kenshin had not even peaked in their potential."
Hiko looked down into his cup and motioned to a waitress for more sake." But outside of their training in later years, something happened that I had not anticipated, something I had missed entirely. They grew to be much more than just good friends. Although I did not notice it until a few days after I let them go to the festival in Kyoto."
"And what festival was that Hiko-san?"
"I'm not sure, I don't remember, though I do remember the two badgering me for weeks at a time, maybe even more than that."
-----------
"Take your swords with you into town. It's not safe to be caught without one these days. Do you understand?" A younger vision of Hiko appeared throwing down to katanas to his young apprentices.
And as Kenshin and Ayeka caught them , they both seemed to say at once, "Yes Shishou."
"Good. And avoid trouble whenever you can, I'm sure that the rebels and Shinsengumi are just itching to start a fight tonight. Do you understand?"
"Yes Shishou." Kenshin and Ayeka repeated for the second time. They bowed their heads in respect and began their trek to the city of Kyoto.
-----------
They arrived early into Kyoto the day the festival began, and with the time they had, they secured their room at the local inn and picked up the supplies that their Shishou had written down for them. And as night fell, the pair walked through the city enjoying the environment that so rarely surrounded them. With time, the skyline grew darker, even with the dozens of lamps scattered throughout the city trying to hold it up, eventually losing the battle. "It's getting late, and people are leaving. "Shishou told us to go to the inn around this time. "
"Yes," Ayeka agreed, "we can leave first light tomorrow." Kenshin only nodded his head and continued on, Ayeka walked along side with him only to notice the uncomfortable silence he had put on.
Earlier that evening, it had been an obstacle in itself to walk in a straight line because of the amount of people everywhere. Most everyone came for a reason, to enjoy the festivities, but others were there to plan dark schemes to overthrow the government, and others trying to find those trying to overthrow the Shogunate.
The awkward silence continued through Kyoto on the ay back to the inn, and when the inn was only a few more minutes away, Kenshin suddenly came to a stop, "Kenshin?"
"Ayeka, do you mind if I ask you something?" Kenshin asked earnestly.
She pointed to a bench nearby the edge of the water and took a seat where Kenshin soon followed. Candles along the water's edge gave it an eerie glow as Kenshin began to speak uncomfortably, "We've been friends a long time, haven't we Ayeka?"
Ayeka smiled and nodded, "Ever since the day you and Shishou rescued me. I don't know what would have become of me if you hadn't come along."
Kenshin smiled grimly, "And I can talk to you about anything, right?"
"Of course, something on your mind?"
"Is it possible, for people, who have been friends as long as we have, to um...."
Ayeka laughed seeing her friend at a loss of words, "Kenshin, if you want to say something, just go ahead and say it. As long as I've known you, you've had a habit of avoiding the subject, and as far as I know, that's how you'll always be. So, whenever you want to say something, just come out and say it."
"Yeah, you're probably right Ayeka."
She gave him a skeptical look and leaned back as if to determine something, "Since when does Himura Kenshin say I'm right about anything?"
"Since I realized I fell in love with you Ayeka."
"What?" Ayeka asked, the initial shock refusing to leave her system, "What are you talking about Kenshin?"
"It was an accident really. I don't even remember how it happened. It was just one day, I was talking with you and I realized, hey, Kenshin, I'm in love with Ayeka. You told me to be blunt so here it is, I am helplessly in love with Ayeka and I just had to tell you."
With every word Kenshin hurled at her it threw Ayeka that much more off balance. But as he finished, she smiled softly and shook her head, "As far as I've been concerned, you've always been the same goofy Kenshin I've always known. But I've been a little side-tracked lately myself, I'm surprised you haven't noticed."
"No, I can't say I have. But if you don't mind, I'd like to ask why you've been side-tracked."
"I can't say, but I think I just figured it out a second ago."
Kenshin nodded and continued, "May I try something Ayeka, it may remedy your condition.
Ayeka responded with a smile as Kenshin gently leaned into her for a soft and gentle kiss that made both of their worries disappear in an instant.
-----------
"So, Kenshin had a girl once. Wow, who'd have thought?" Sano added with a sly grin as he jabbed Yahiko with his elbow.
"Yeah, I wonder why Kenshin never told us. Don't you think, Kaoru?" But Kaoru didn't answer Yahiko.
"Most likely because of the promise he didn't keep. And he most likely didn't want you knowing about it, more about his past and the things he left behind from before the revolution." Hiko answered.
Yahiko raised his eyebrow in interest, "What promise?"
"On the way back from the festival the following day, Kenshin and Ayeka ran into an innocent family being attacked by a group of slave traders, of course, with their abilities, they easily fought off the slave traders, although killing none of them. But I believe it was that incident that awoke Kenshin to what was actually happening down in the world below."
"But Ayeka was fine because that was just the situation that you and Kenshin found her in, right Hiko-san?"
"Yes, when Kenshin finally did realize his ignorance, it was when he came to the conclusion that he had to go down and help them. He bothered me for days nonstop. In the end I gave in, as I once said, I had fed my apprentice to the wolves."
-----------
"Kenshin, I don't understand. Couldn't you at least wait until we finish out training here with Shishou before you go? Why not train to the best of your ability now?" Kenshin was ready to leave with few provisions in a small sack slung on his back and he and Ayeka walked along the river they had watched throughout the years.
"But people are dieing now Ayeka!" Kenshin quickly shook off his anger and stopped, taking Ayeka's hands in his. "Don't worry, I'll be fine." He held her cheek against his hand and kissed her softly, and as they broke away he said to her. "When I return from the revolution," he paused and looked into her eyes, studying her every reaction, "marry me?"
Ayeka's eyes widened with shock, "What?"
"I want you to be my wife." Kenshin said earnestly, trying to interpret Ayeka's response.
"Of course Kenshin, I wouldn't want anything else!" Kenshin enclosed her into his arms and into a meaningful kiss that lingered on as a good-bye.
"I promise, the day I come back, we'll be married."
Hiko watched from the house upon the hill his two apprentices by the river below and shook his head sadly.
-----------
"So, not only did Kenshin have a girlfriend, he was engaged to her?" Sano asked, his typical fishbone expression still evident.
"Who could have thought Kenshin? Eh Kaoru?" But for the second time, Yahiko gained no response.
"Missy? Hello?" Sano waved a hand in front of her dazed face, "Hey Kaoru! You in there?!"
"What?" Kaoru suddenly jumped up in realization, "Oh I'm sorry, I guess my mind wandered away."
Yahiko only laughed and pointed to his instructor, "Ha, ha, looks like someone's jealous!"
"I am not jealous! Why would I be jealous?"
"Because!" Sano added, becoming more and more entertained on how the conversation was turning out, "It's obvious to everyone that you're in love with Kenshin! Every time he leaves for somewhere, you have to go and run after him, sometimes by the river, or even Kyoto. You're either trying to help fight or getting kidnapped by a random hitokiri. Although I suppose it does get dull after the sixth or seventh time. "
Kaoru began to wack Sano over the head consistently, "I did not mean to be kidnapped by Jin-E! And I was actually fighting in Kyoto, who knows what you were doing."
"I was fighting! Ask Kenshin yourself missy!"
Yahiko began to look around the restaurant after hearing Sanosuke's response. "Where is Kenshin anyway?"
"He said he'd meet us back at the dojo, didn't he missy?"
Kaoru nodded her head, "Yes, it is getting late, we should head back to the dojo."
-----------------------
Yet again, I have revised it, I hope it's legible now. And if you wondering about the paragraph things, don't bother.