Here's A Big Thank-you to my good friend Valese for being my sounding board for the last chapter! This Chapter is dedicated to you! big smiles

Author's Note: I hope you guys are enjoying this! Let me know what you think of it….I promise I Do Not bite….! As is my standard, Personal Review Replies are at the end of the chapter…Thanks to all who reviewed!

This is a side story to Breaking That 'Sessha' Habit of His, From Chapter 5. I hope you guys enjoy! This is also a REMAKE of the two episodes with Kaoru acting more like herself as I would see her doing….however, I have changed and added things here…so don't be surprised if there are a few of similarities between the episodes and this fic.! You Have Been Warned!!!!

The episodes used are titled: The Strongest Opponent from the Past: Merciless Fangs Strike! And The Devil of Vengeance: Makoto Shishio's Plot

Disclaimer: As always, I only own Rurouni Kenshin in my wildest dreams, and not in real life! Reality is ever so very CrUeL!!

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By LadySword04

August 11-12, 2004

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Previously on WEWNMWAAT:

"Well then, it appears that we will have to duel to prove whose ideals are correct and just. I have every intention of killing you and removing you from your life of lies. If you won't fight me, the Tanuki will taste my sword!"

With that final sentence….Kaoru backed a few steps away as the fight began……

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Chapter Two: When Swords Collide

"I know that you cannot avoid this battle, but please, be careful Kenshin." Kaoru entreated.

With a quick rurouni grin, he silently promised Kaoru that he would do just that. She merely nodded in response while at a distance, he and Saito circled one another in an attempt to size up the other.

'Enough waiting around already…I have to get this battle started and NOW before the Police Commissioner and Yamagata-san arrive to disturb us. I have waited patiently, and if I do not make a move, chances are the Battousai and I will simply circle each other for the next hour. I am going to speed this along. If I go for his chest, this fight should be over in a matter of seconds.' Saito thought.

"I hope you're ready!" Saito snarled as he lunged at Kenshin, his sword on a collision course for Kenshin's sternum.

Seeing through the emotions playing on Saito's features, Kenshin gauged that his best chance of escape would be to leap high enough to touch the ceiling. 'I can use the beams to push myself off of and straight down at Saito…If my sword connects accurately enough, I will be able to end this fight without doing serious damage.' He thought.

"This is great! I bet Kenshin is going to use his Ryu-sui-sen on Saito!" 'I have been watching him for some time now, and that's what it looks like…I wonder if I am right about this! Kenshin Weak? Come on, like that was ever a possibility! He's easily the best swordsman in all of Japan, if not the world!' Yahiko thought with a smirk.

"You did exactly as I had planned Battousai! I know that look in your eyes…you think that you have won simply because you avoided the first of my attacks, and I am supposedly vulnerable to your attack from above now. But, that's where you are mistaken! I have not left myself open for your attack at all; it only appears that way you fool."

With that said, Saito swiftly and fluently changed his lateral attack into a vertical one. The change was so rapid that Kenshin had no real time to block, only being able to bring his sword in front of his body at a diagonal in an attempt to fend Saito off. He could only look on in horror as the sword stabbed him between the fifth and sixth ribs. An enormous amount of blood spilled out from the injury as the sword ran him clear through like a skewer, into the lower lobe of his right lung and out the right side of his back.

After hitting his target, Saito simply smirked in his victory. 'I have pierced his lung! K'uso. I meant for that attack to pierce his heart. No matter. As of now, it will be hard for him to breathe and get up to full speed with an injury as bad as this one is! Maybe I should toy with him, much like a cat plays with an injured mouse for the fun of it, before the vermin's life is swiftly ended with the snap of its neck. That would be a fitting end for the pest that Battousai has always been.'

Kenshin didn't even hear as Kaoru and Yahiko gasped in shock.

"I guess this just proves once again Battousai, that your wandering has made you weak. The Real Battousai I fought ten years ago would have been able to avoid that blow effortlessly. Either that, or my skills have simply improved since we last fought." Saito scoffed with a smug and self-pleased "Hmmm." Saito was still pinning Kenshin up against the dojo wall with his sword as he spoke.

The only reply was a gasp that sounded like the wind had been knocked out of Kenshin, and a cough that splattered Saito's face with blood, courtesy of Kenshin.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru screamed. "That was a cheap shot Saito!"

"All is fair in war, Tanuki. You know what they say." He replied before once again going on the offensive.

"This isn't a time of WAR Saito you Baka!" Kaoru roared, though the remark was most likely not heard. 'I could hit him with my bokken or throw it at his head, though I fear doing so would only injure Kenshin further if Saito moves that sword in him at all.' Finishing that thought, she simply growled loudly.

Turning his attention back to Kenshin, Saito ground out, "So you pathetic excuse of a swordsman, I see you avoided being stabbed the first time, but I have a surprise in store for you!" With that statement, the blade in Kenshin's side was rotated ninety degrees to the right while rapidly moving in the same direction to throw Kenshin in an arc high into the air.

Saito's sword was pulled out from Kenshin's side as Saito pivoted around with such speed that Kenshin was still in the air over his opponent's head when Saito completed his rotation and delivered the brunt of his roundhouse kick into Kenshin's injured side.

Reeling from the pain the kick delivered into his injury, Kenshin was unable to recover quickly enough in order to land standing. Instead, he hit the floor and slid back ten feet in a kneeling position, all the while panting heavily, and holding his side.

"While you're down goofing around on the floor I suppose I should explain one aspect of my superior fighting abilities. As you just saw and felt, even if my first attack misses my target, I can easily change the path of the attack to a lateral one without so much as a moment's hesitation. The assistant leader of the Shinsengumi created the Hirozuki attack that has no weaknesses. My improvement, which I like to call the Gatotsu, is virtually impossible to avoid. I assure you, I only miss once, if at all. The second attack is usually not even thought of as a possibility by my opponent, so their guard comes down, and they give me the perfect opportunity to strike. Just like you did only moments ago. Come now Battousai, you have had enough time to catch your breath. Let's begin again." Saito finished in a more than satisfied tone.

"He's getting into that stance again! Kenshin, look out! It's another Gatotsu!" Kaoru screamed.

'I wish I could do something to stop them! I know they are better fighters with swords than I am….but I have to do something before both of them end up dead. If Kenshin were to kill Saito, he would break his oath and return to wandering. The Kenshin we know would be dead in a poetic sense. And, if Saito kills him…I can't even bear to think about it. Think Kaoru, THINK!' Kaoru screamed at herself.

Almost as soon as her shout to Kenshin for him to 'look out' had been completed, Saito and Kenshin attacked each other once more. Both their swords ground together as sparks flew. Clearly lacking the strength of his opponent, Kenshin relied on his wits and speed to save him.

He simply ducked and moved to the side as Saito's free hand balled up into a fist that moved swiftly behind Saito's shoulder, ready to strike like a coiled snake. However, Saito did that as a diversion; he really intended to swing his sword first. Thrown off slightly by the ruse, Kenshin moved to block the sword, only to get punched in the site of his most recent injury. The force of the swing from both the punch and the sword combined slammed Kenshin back into the wall clutching his side protectively. After the impact, our hero slumps to the floor in obvious agony.

Things are not looking up for Kenshin and company….

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To Be Continued

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Personal Replies:

Nakashima-Michiyo: Thanks for being my first reviewer on this story! I am glad someone likes this story, and also how Kaoru's character has changed from the anime series. Hope this update was fast enough! I look forward to seeing you next chapter! Thank again! hugs reviewer

Valese: Thanks so much for all of your help last night! I really appreciate it! I hope this second chapter is as good as the first one was! Hugs and Smiles

WhiteRabbit5: I am glad to know that you do not consider my fic. a 'cheap one.' Your point is well taken about Kaoru not being OOC….I just happen to see her as an extremely strong person that does not cry in the face of adversity, but would instead leap into action, especially when her friends are in danger. This is what I am trying to convey. I do understand your point though that she is only 18, and understands what will happen if Kenshin reverts back to his former self. I simply see her acting a bit differently in this situation, and thought it would be fun to write…which it is! About being more 'dense' I am really not sure what you mean. (According to the definition in the dictionary,) I do not believe I made her more dull or slow-witted, but instead made her more stubborn, intense, and extreme, and even more quick witted and exciting. So if that is what you meant…I think I should take it as a compliment? looks unsure I also agree with you when you said that Kenshin would never agree to a fight based on morals alone….I did go back and fix it if you want to take a look. Thanks for the help smiles A few counterpoints to that though would be that I figured Kenshin would be more focused on what Saito was planning to do or could do to his friends rather than paying too much attention to what he was actually saying….that and he had yet to fight Sou-chan, ne? However, I am ecstatic that you liked the first chapter, and I hope you liked this one! As you can tell, I am not good with titles though! LOL. See you next chapter! Thanks again for the awesome and thought-provoking review! Smiles and waves

Leah Durose: Yepper, yet another story that I started before finishing any others. Shame on me I know! looks sheepish I hope you get to see these two episodes soon! They are awesome! As soon as I get this story done, it is back to work on the others I promise…though I may not update as often because of college and work! Thanks for the review! I look forward to seeing you next chapter!

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See? I promised that I do not bite, and no one was bitten! I love any form of reviews…good or bad! Come on, I dare you to review me! It would really make my day!

See you all Next Chapter! Ja-ne!