Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin

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With the days that passed, Ayeka grew stronger and her health returned quickly. Kenshin found reasons never to be in the dojo anymore. But Kaoru would nevertheless find his chores done every morning when she awoke.

The following morning after his friends had learned of Ayeka, she awoke to find her master gone and had left only a note. She also became friends around the people who had helped her in her time of need. But whenever she was asked what happened to her, she would only shake her head and say the images were fuzzy at best.

A little more than a week had passed and the sun had not yet risen. Kenshin finished the last of his duties, looked up and the dark sky, the moon beginning to fade away. Since Ayeka had awakened, Kenshin had a new routine, he woke up early, so early that one could still see the stars and the moon shone brightly, he would finish all his chores set to him by Kaoru and then would leave to wander throughout the city all day. He would return to the dojo late at night, gaining a few hours of precious sleep.

But this morning would be no different, Kenshin put everything as he had found it, adjusted his sakabatou, and with no noise coming from the ground which he walked upon, began to leave when a voice jumped out at him from the shadows. "So this is what your doing every morning, and where your sneaking off to. Your friends have been worried especially Kaoru."

"You always had a knack for taking after Shishou, that you did Ayeka-dono."

Kenshin gave a small grin as he looked to his right and Ayeka stepped out of the shadows, "Well, the opportunity was there to learn."

"That it was." Kenshin attempted to leave once again before Ayeka stepped in his path.

"Don't leave on my account Kenshin. You're friends are worry about you, and I can see why. Kaoru was afraid for a while that you had gone wandering again, but the others finally talked her out of it, although she does need constant reassurance."

"Well, you can tell Kaoru-dono not to worry, I'm not going anywhere."

"But you are," she said pointing a finger at him, "you go wander around the city everyday or sometimes farther. Why don't you just tell her yourself?" Kenshin looked away and gave her no answer. "There you go again."

"Oro?"

"You're avoiding the subject."

"I am not Ayeka-dono."

"Yes, you are, just like I predicted you would."

Kenshin eyes her angrily, "I am not avoiding you Ayeka-dono."

Ayeka put her hands on her hips and nodded with a smirk, "Well, now we're getting somewhere."

Kenshin rolled his eyes, still begging to leave, "What are you talking about now Ayeka-dono?"

"You said you weren't avoiding me, so that's a step forward. You're denying something. And if you're denying something, it means you're confronting it and you're not avoiding it."

"I, uh-"Kenshin tried to reason but he knew Ayeka had won out. He had accidentally given her the opportunity and had only himself over the years. "I see you haven't lost that sense of logic Ayeka-dono." She continued to beam, "All right, what's your point?"

She shrugged, "I have no point, I'm just telling you to stick around this morning and show your friends your fine and in one piece. Or at least wait until someone waked up and actually sees you leave or something."

Kenshin looked around hopelessly, "I don't get it. Why am I listening to you?"

"Because I always have you good advice."

He rolled his eyes, "Some people never change."

"Well," Ayeka brushed off a lock of hair, "that's only because I'm always right."

The former hitokiri gave a soft laugh, "In all this time, no one's bothered to deflate your ego?"

"Attempted," she said, "and failed."

"Figures."

"And I suppose you think you're right and I'm wrong, right Kenshin?"

"That I do Ayeka-dono." Kenshin responded with a smirk.

"Prove it and fight me."

Kenshin sighed and shook his head, "Up to childish pranks and fights again are we? Well, thank you anyway Ayeka-dono, but I think I'll pass. That I will."

The red-haired swordsman began to continue his walk into the city of Tokyo until Ayeka gained his attention with one last remark, "Yeah, you're probably right. I'd take you down to quick."

He turned around to see her smug expression and laughed, his arm resting on his sakabatou, "Sorry Ayeka-dono, it doesn't work on my anymore. I grew out of that a long time ago."

"Yeah, I'm sure you finally figure out you could never beat me. Pretty smart, although I wonder how it took ten years of wandering to figure it out."

"If I remember correctly Ayeka-dono, I beat you several times while we were under Shishou's tutorage."

"Hm," Ayeka seemed to ponder, "I really can't recall."

"Well then Ayeka-dono, allow me to remind you." Kenshin said with a grimace as he pulled out his sakabatou, "But not a drop of blood, understand?"

Ayeka pulled out her sword, "I wouldn't have it any other way." She finished by flipping her sword's blade to the dull side.

"Wouldn't want to give you another scar on your hand, now would I Ayeka-dono?"

"That would be bad for your reputation now wouldn't it Kenshin?"

"I'm not worried about my reputation Ayeka-dono, just deflating your ego a bit."

As the sun rose over Tokyo, it was reflected by two crossing swords moving faster than the eye could see, the clash of swords soon came to resemble thunder cracks, shortly woke up the residents of the Kamiya dojo. Yahiko was the first to wake, looking for his sensei to complain about early training, he spotted a flash of light and a glimpse of red. He stood there, awestruck, his mouth wide open.

Kaoru came out second, "What are you complaining about now Yahiko? I'm not even fully awake yet." She found her apprentice in a daze. "Yahiko, what are you staring at?" Yahiko didn't respond, he only pointed a little ways from where they stood. "I don't see anything."

"Just wait." Yahiko answered, still watching for any sign of the fight.

"What-"Kaoru started before she saw a flash of light and heard a clash of swords. "Kenshin?"

But he hadn't heard her. Deep in concentration and focused on the fight, no ordinary, and let a lone few extraordinary eyes could follow the fight between the Hiten-Mitsurugi masters.

Sano followed the two rubbing his eyes, "Hey you two, don't you think it's kind of early to be practicing. I mean, even missy doesn't wake up this early." The former fighter for higher than spotted them, "What the hell?" He quickly heard a clash of swords and then saw Kenshin and Ayeka's swords crossed. Both of their eyes narrowed and their teeth clenched.

"Giving up Himura."

Kenshin gave a small grimace between his clenched teeth, "Don't count on it Ayeka-dono. Somebody's going to have to teach you you're not always right."

"No," Ayeka responded, her eyes still on Kenshin's, "I'm not always right, just when it comes to things that involve you."

The red-haired swordsman gave a frustrated smile until he turned to his left to realize the sun had risen and his three friends had been watching him. "Uh, good morning Kaoru-dono." Kenshin tried while still attempting to keep Ayeka at bay. "Gomen, but I have my hands full at the moment." With a final push against his sword, he threw Ayeka off balance and turned for the final blow when Ayeka suddenly gained what little balance back and both swords were drawn less than a fingernail from each other's throats.

"A draw," Sano started, "I can't believe it. It was a draw."

Yahiko added, "Look's that way doesn't it."

Kenshin gasped for breath as did Ayeka and sheathed his sakabatou, he wiped his forehead with his sleeve and stepped up to Kaoru bowing his head, "Gomen na sai Kaoru-dono. I'm sorry I've worried you, that I am."

Kaoru studied him for a moment before hitting him on the head, "You jerk!"

As the stars circled his head, Kenshin seemed to mutter, "Oro? Déjà vu?"

Ayeka stepped up and looked at her old friend, "Well, from what I know, Kenshin deserved that one. Too bad I couldn't beat him though."

"Are you kidding?!" Sano suddenly burst out, "That was amazing! I've never seen anything like it. Unless you count the whole Shishio thing but Kenshin was already half out of it when he started so..."

"You were the one who dealt with Shishio Kenshin?"

Kenshin rubbed his head and nodded, "Hai, that I am Ayeka-dono."

"I had heard rumors at best but I never guessed them to be true."

"Another piece of the past this one would like to forget. Again Kaoru-dono, I ask for your forgiveness and for you not to hit me."

Kaoru gave a nod and headed for her room, "Yahiko, go start warming up for training."

"Aw," Yahiko complained before running to his room to change.

Sano's stomach grumbled loudly and laughed out loud, "Jeez, I'm starving. I don't suppose you couldn't cook anything, could you Kenshin?"

Kenshin shook his head, "Sorry Sano, I haven't cooked anything in awhile. I'm curious though, how did you get food all week."

Sano pointed to Ayeka, "She cooked for us, I gotta say Kenshin, she uses the same recipes you do, only she cooks them just a tad better. Look, I'm headed to the Akabeko to see if I can get some free food off Tae."

So Kenshin and Ayeka were left alone again, Sano out looking for a free meal, Kaoru and Yahiko occupied with training in the dojo. "Kenshin, do you want to take a walk?"

The once legendary hitokiri nodded his head and the pair headed out into Tokyo. It was some time before Ayeka sliced the awkward silence wide open with her words. "I don't remember much about what happened. I think I wasn't far from Tokyo, but it was some time ago and I encountered a boy. He was traveling with Shishio's thugs and he seemed like he was there by a complete accident. I tried to tell him what he had gotten himself into. But it turned out, he knew exactly what he was doing. He engaged me in a fight and I held back, trying not to injure him.

"That was my downfall. The boy was much more than he seemed. He took the advantage of the opportunity I had given him and severally injured me. I don't remember how I got into the city, and especially the Kamiya dojo, but I just remember bits and pieces, and the next thing I knew I woke up and you were there."

Kenshin stopped by the edge of the river and breathed out sharply, "Soujirou."

"What are you talking about?" Ayeka asked with a concerned faced.

"You're attacker, Soujirou Seta. He devoted himself fully to Shishio as his lord and master. I had to revert to using the Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki."

"And to think he was just a boy." Ayeka said, pondering on it for a moment, "What happened to him, did he survive?"

"Hai, he survived, he went off wandering."

"Smart choice, although, you did for more than ten years."

"Hai," Kenshin responded again, he watched the water ripple and saw Ayeka's reflection by his, he turned to face her with a gentle looking face. "Ayeka-dono, looking at you, without even trying, you resurface memories in me that I had long buried."

"Like what Kenshin?"

"I'm not sure yet." Without realizing it, Kenshin drew his hands to Ayeka's face and brought her in close. And just as he was about to kiss his first love, a clap of thunder followed by a flash of lightening woke the two to reality.

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I know, Doc Anderson's probably blowing a fit. - Well, just review and wait for the next chapter!!!!!