Disclaimer: Mwahahaha I own this plot and thus it stands
Romance/Action/Drama
Rating: PG-13/R
Reader Discretion is advised
Please forgive an misspellings or grammar errors
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Gun Smoke and Sword Blades
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Chapter Five: Learn the Past, Save Mine for Last
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Kaoru tumbled out of bed, her body hitting the floor softly as she tugged the dark blankets with her. She groaned slightly, wishing it were not morning. She slowly opened her eyes, her left eye greeting darkness, her right greeting daylight. She placed her hand over her left eye and then brushed her dark hair from her face. She snuggled back into the covers and recoiled under her bed.
A soft knock made her eyes snap open once more and she muttered slightly. "Kaoru," Megumi's voice was muffled by the door, "Breakfast is " Kaoru said as she pulled herself from under the bed, her arms still sore. "Let me bathe first."
"All right, but hurry," Megumi rushed her and then went downstairs.
By the time Kaoru got into the bath she could already smell the eggs and bacon making its way through her air vents. She washed her hair carefully and relaxed in the hot water as her muscles relaxed along with the rest of her body.
She walked down stairs, fully dressed in a dark purple tank top and a lavender, pleated skirt. "Smells delicious Megumi."
Kaoru took her seat, seeing that everyone was already halfway through his or her meal. She blushed in embarrassment as a plateful was placed before her.
"Eat up," Megumi said, drying her hands on the rag. "Aren't you going to show Kenshin you're sword style?"
Kaoru nodded with a mouthful of eggs in her mouth. She swallowed, "Of course. I said I would, didn't I? Though my arms are still sore..."
"That's fine Miss Kaoru," Kenshin said, "Whenever you are ready, I'll be ready, that I will."
"Sanosuke left already?" Yahiko entered, still half asleep and in his blue pajamas.
"Mm hmm," Megumi said as she placed the dishes in the dishwasher. "You bet hurry and catch the next bus to the range or you'll be late."
"Damn," Yahiko muttered and slapped his hand over his mouth as Kaoru grabbed him by the ear.
"Wash that mouth out now!" Kaoru demanded. "I will not tolerate such language in this household."
"Aw! You say it all the time, ugly!" Yahiko protested, but he was shoved under the faucet and had soap in his mouth before he knew it.
"Clean that mouth," she scrubbed harder as he choked.
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "I think he learned his lesson."
Kaoru recoiled at his touch, almost in a flinching way and she abruptly let go as Megumi gave Yahiko some mouthwash to rinse with.
Kenshin brought back his hand as soon as he noticed a slight flinch from Kaoru. Why did she flinch at his touch? He would never hurt her or harm her. He cleaned the table of its plates and did the dishes while Megumi protested.
"I'll be upstairs," Kaoru left before any could protest.
"She's been so giddy lately," Megumi sighed. "I don't know why."
"She's been having nightmares a lot lately," Yahiko blurted. "I can hear her screaming and tossing." He took a big gulp of milk as he grabbed some bacon.
"I wonder..." Megumi thought and she shook her head. "It can't be."
"Can't be what, Miss Megumi?" Kenshin looked at her curiously.
"Something might've triggered her past, is all," Megumi waved it away as though it was nothing. "But we've had the same events happening except for the shooting range and army. Those things couldn't have possibly triggered it."
Kenshin shrugged.
"I'm leaving! Bye!" Yahiko yelled and the door slammed.
"That boy," Megumi said. "That boy...he's had a troubled past."
"Yahiko?"
"It seems as though everyone in this household has a bad past..." Megumi stated, then she turned to Kenshin with a smile, "even myself. This house...this house is just filled with sadness from our pasts."
"Everyone has had a troubled past? Including Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin said.
"Of course," Megumi said, "Especially Kaoru."
"May I ask...yours?"
Megumi stopped putting up the dishes. She placed the rag down on the counter and as she cleaned she told, "My family was a family of expert doctors. We knew how to make our own medication. Until my father got into a business that hurt us all. He taught us all how to make opium. Then...one day...a horrible fire came upon my house. I was the only survivor. The only person who knew how to still makes that drug. A man came...a kidnapped me and forced me to make opium...I escaped with the help of Sanosuke, Kaoru and Yahiko. Kaoru's father took me in and asked me to teach Kaoru how to become a lady in return of her rescuing me. I agreed and now I live here."
"I am sorry to hear about your family, that I am," Kenshin said quietly.
"It's fine really. I've learned to discuss my past openly now," Megumi smiled.
Kaoru came back down. "I'm ready to show you, Kenshin." She was in her training uniform. Her white gi and blue haori on.
"Miss Kaoru," Kenshin could not help but think she looked perfect in those types of clothing. He had already thought this before. He nodded slightly, "I am ready to see, that I am."
She had her shinai across one shoulder as she led him to the training dojo. "My students won't be coming until after the war," she stated as she opened the dojo. "It hasn't been cleaned in a few days so the floors might be covered in blown dirt."
"I do not mind cleaning it, that I don't," Kenshin volunteered.
"No need," Kaoru said as she got out a basin and a cloth. She cleaned and area of where she would be practicing. "I'll clean the rest later."
"Okay," Kenshin said and then he stood against the wall, waiting for her to show him.
She looked at him and nodded to the rack of shinais. "Help yourself to one. Do you think I'm going to show you my technique without fighting you?"
He chuckled. "No," he walked over and grabbed on and swung it around. "This one will do nicely, that it will." He got into his stance.
She got into hers, "I'm glad you found one you are comfortable with."
"Miss Kaoru, while we fight can we make a pact?"
"A pact? What kind?"
"That I can ask you five questions and same goes for me and we answer them honestly as possible and if you do not wish to answer the question or if I do not wish to answer a question you can ask another?" Kenshin explained.
She hesitated then nodded. "Very well."
He watched her stance and then noticed that her feet twitched forward. She was going to make the first attack on his right shoulder. Then he blocked the attack. "Question one, when were you born?"
"I was born in June of 1987 on the third day," she replied as she jumped back.
He struck and she successfully blocked it. She could feel he was holding back. Controlling the movements of his shinai and the strength he put into it. She frowned, half thankful he wasn't doing his best, but insulted for him assuming she was weak.
"Question one. What's your birthday?" she asked, as his face was inches from her when she blocked him.
"June 20th 1976," he replied.
"So you're twenty-eight?" she asked.
"Yes, and now you have three more questions."
He had tricked her! She felt enraged, but tried to remain calm. You couldn't attack in rage. Ever. Or it would throw off everything. She closed her eyes as she felt the air move around her and she blocked another attack.
"Question two. How long have you lived in Tokyo?" he asked as he backed up.
"Seven years," she replied, "Since I was ten." She attacked, striking his stomach.
He tried to avoid her attack, but felt the strong whack in his abdomen. He had to admit, she was stronger than he had taken her for.
"Question three. Your past? Tell me about some of your past," he demanded as he attacked and hit her left shoulder.
She felt the blow, soft, but still hard. "My past," she had winced in pain, giving him another chance to attack and he took it. "When I was five I started kindergarten. I remember my first crush. My mother became sick when I was five. My father started teaching when I was six. I had my first pet when I was six. It was a rabbit. She died. I cried. At age seven my father started teaching me. And that was also when my mother died. Ten years ago." She told him with her body she didn't want to go on as she attacked again and he blocked, backing up as their feet danced around each other.
"Question three. How did you get that scar?" her shinai grazed his cheek and she leapt back and landed on one knee. She saw the sudden shock in his eyes and knew she had hit a weak spot.
"Both a man and woman gave it to me," he replied, not wanting to say more. "Question four. How did you get your blind eye?"
"A man," she replied, saying nothing more. "It involved a man."
She struck him on the shoulder and he hit her side with a THWAP.
She didn't cringe but pain could be seen in her eyes. "Question four. Who taught you the way of your sword?"
"My master, Seijirou Hiko," he replied. "Question five. Have you ever been in love?"
"In l-love?" she stopped in her attack. She looked at him, "In love?"
He nodded, "I won't count that one as a question."
"No I haven't," she replied. "It never crossed my mind. Sure I've fancied some people and crushed on a few...but I never confronted any of them."
He wanted to ask more, but he was at his limit. Five questions and he knew what question she would ask.
"You're almost thirty, you've been in love, haven't you?" she asked quietly.
"Yes, I have," he answered, she had run out of questions. She could not delve into his past any more. Nor could he. "I believe we are both through?"
"Yes," she replied as she wiped the sweat off of her face with her sleeve.
"Your style is unique," he said. "You move with such agility."
"I haven't practiced lately," she rubbed her shoulders and rotated them.
"I apologize for overworking you," Kenshin said.
"It's not your fault. I chose to," she replied as she handed him some water. "Drink if you are thirsty."
"But Miss Kaoru, this is your water bottle," he pointed out.
"I don't think you have cooties," she replied. "Just drink it!"
"Yes Miss Kaoru," he answered abruptly and drank some water, handing the bottle back to her and she drank from it as well.
She sighed as she rinsed her face near the well outside. She groped for a towel and she felt Kenshin's fingers as she grabbed it. She dried her face. "Thanks."
"Of course," Kenshin replied. Then he rinsed his face as well and she handed him a different towel.
"Kenshin, when are we going to be...off at war?" she asked.
"In a week, Saitou said," he replied as he dried his face and then he looked around. "You have a nice home and land here, Miss Kaoru. Why do you want to leave it so badly?"
"Memories," she replied. "This place is haunted by them."
He blinked. "I see."
"Kenshin, have you ever tried running from your past? It doesn't work," she said. "I've tried it too many times only to be dragged back here. It never works. It haunts you. The past is apart of you. Something you need to hold to your heart. If you dare forget it, it will haunt you..." Kaoru turned away, "Took me years to learn that."
Kenshin nodded. "I have tried, that I have. I think...I'm still trying..."
She turned and faced him, "What do you mean?"
He shook his head. "Nothing, Miss Kaoru. Nothing to concern yourself with."
She nodded, afraid to ask more. "Let's head back to the house." She looked at her watch. "It's already lunch time."
"We've been here for a long time, that we have," he said as he put up the shinai. He opened the door and looked around for Kaoru. She was staring out onto the meadow. She looked lost in thought.
"Kenshin...I once met a girl...who was afraid of the daylight. She didn't know what the daylight possessed..." her voice was entrancing, "Then one day...this girl was asked to play in the daylight with her friend. A boy. She didn't know what to do or how to react. This boy knew she was scared." She turned, "What would the girl have done? What would the boy have said to her?"
Kenshin did not understand. "Miss Kaoru...I am sorry, but I do not understand your question."
She shook her head. "It's something...that I asked myself since the day you came. I just remembered." But truly it was something that was happening right now. "That girl...she's still afraid...no boy has ever gotten her out in the day time. She has never experience the warmth of the sun, the embrace of the blue sky. The soft kisses of Morning Glories. Or the passion of the colors. That girl...is waiting for a boy...a boy who can coax her out...but so far...none have come..."
Still Kenshin didn't understand. "Perhaps...that girl needs to step out into the light on her own..."
"What if she can't do it alone?"
"Then a boy will come for her," Kenshin replied.
"We should go," she finally said after a long, thoughtful pause.
Kenshin nodded and then stepped out onto the dirt pathway as Kaoru slid the door closed and locked it. That was that. She had learned more about Kenshin and Kenshin about her.
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Crisa Rei: I loved writing this chapter. I loved the story about the little girl and daylight. It symbolizes something, but that's all I'm saying.
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