Okay, in a fit of madness, I drew a picture of Kenji. I'm horrible at drawing other people's characters, but thought I'd give it a whirl… so if you'd like to see it, here's the link… http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=14383 only one rule…NO LAUGHING…* giggles * I've decided that I'm just along for the ride with this fic…it's taking me places I never expected to go…I didn't plan on putting too much of Saito's family into the story, but they keep appearing and I'm becoming fonder of them as time goes on…* shrugs *…as for Kenji's smarts, from what I read, Watsuki sama planned the boy to be a genius ( or borderline) so I've tried to stick to that, but since I don't know any six year old geniuses (dodging thrown objects from my own son…"It's okay honey, you're smart too…"), it's tough to write him being incredibly smart but young at the same time….oh well, I'm doing my best….

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter 11

"Oh! Well, hello Tokio san, Yu chan! What a surprise!" Kaoru stared wide eyed at the unexpected visitors, trying hard not too seem rude in her shock. Tokio was not due to stop by the Aoiya for another couple of days, but here she was, her small daughter in tow, just inside the main entrance of the restaurant. Kaoru continued to stare at the woman, still unable to get over the fact that she was indeed Saito's wife.

"Have we come at a bad time?" Tokio asked quietly, uneasy at Kaoru's awed silence and blank stare.

Kaoru's face flushed, embarrassed by her behavior. "Oh! No, not at all! Please, come in!" she stuttered, mentally kicking herself for looking so foolish in front of such a refined and proper woman. She ushered the two in, and escorted them to a quiet room in the back. "Let me get some tea, Tokio san! I'll be right back!"

"Thank you Kaoru san." Tokio replied, casting Kaoru an elegant smile.

Kaoru bowed and moved swiftly to the kitchen, where Misao was preparing lunch for Aoshi. The ninja girl stirred the soup, smiling to herself and humming a gentle tune.

"MISAO!" Kaoru shouted, causing the smaller woman to yelp in surprise and almost spill the boiling liquid.

"Criminy, Kaoru! You scared the heck out of me!" Misao glared at her friend, a ladle poised in midair and a hand resting on one hip.

Kaoru grabbed Misao by her shoulders, "You will never guess who is here!" She gave the gawking ninja girl a sharp shake, "Tokio! Saito's wife!"

"Huh?"

As swiftly as she had grabbed the other woman, Kaoru pushed her away and began rummaging through the kitchen, almost frantically, in her excitement. "Where the tea Misao! I need some tea!" She smiled suddenly, spying the kettle that sat steaming next to the soup Misao was cooking for Aoshi. "Ah!" she uttered, grabbing the kettle and a nearby tray with two cups.

Misao watched in confusion as Kaoru bustled around the kitchen with an amazing, but destructive speed. She had only caught the words "Tokio" and "tea", but everything else the woman had said ran together in a jumble of nonsense.

"Thank you, Misao chan!" Kaoru shouted as she darted out of the kitchen, barely balancing the tea tray she held.

"Uh, sure," Misao stammered, "Hey! Wait a minute! That was Aoshi sama's tea!"

Kaoru stopped before sliding the door open. She checked the tray, making sure everything was perfect. She shook her head slightly, praying her hair wasn't a disaster or that her kimono wasn't as wrinkly as it usually was. Silently, she wished she had the patience to make herself more lady like, but having grown up without the guidance of a mother or any other female mentor, she had settled for what most would call, "just good enough." Being in front of women such as Tokio made her feel somewhat inferior, and she couldn't help but to worry about her appearance.

Sighing, she slid the door open and moved as gracefully as she could across the floor, smiling at her two guests. "Sorry it took so long! I wasn't expecting company!" she replied happily.

Tokio returned the smile, "I'm sorry for dropping in like this Kaoru san! Yu and I were in the area and thought it would be nice to say hello." She folded her hands into her lap and watched the young woman as she poured them some tea. "I hope you don't mind."

Kaoru shook her head, handing Tokio a cup. "Not at all Tokio san! I must apologize for the state of things though. I'm sort of out of my element here, since this is not my own home." Kaoru made a wide gesture to the room they were in. It was slightly dusty, and the corners were cluttered with boxes and stacks of books, but was not too overly messy.

Tokio nodded and sipped her tea. "So Hajime tells me. He said you all live in Tokyo." She watched Kaoru carefully, with big dark eyes.

"Yes, we do. This is the second time we've all been back in Kyoto as a family. Kenshin comes here every year on his own though. This use to be his…home." Kaoru stared into her cup for a moment, knowing the words didn't seem quite right. Kyoto was never really a home to Kenshin, but she wasn't sure what word she could associate with the place. His place of work? His worst nightmare? Hell? None of that was an appropriate topic of discussion with a complete stranger. Best to keep things simple.

One of Tokio's finely arched brows rose as she watched Kaoru fight with her words. "Hmmm, I understand. I've been to Tokyo many times. It's so very nice there! I've tried to get Hajime to move there, but he refuses. I think things would be much peaceful there, than they are here."

Kaoru stared at Tokio, swearing that the woman had sounded almost wistful when she spoke of moving to Tokyo. There was a distinct sadness in her eyes as well, like a longing for something she could never have. "Um, yes it is nice there. I run a dojo there, while Kenshin does odd jobs in town every now and then," Kaoru replied, trying not to make her husband sound like he was lazy or freeloading. He worked hard around the home, but that was hardly what was expected of a man in these times.

Tokio smiled at Kaoru, her eye's twinkling slightly. "It must be very nice to have your husband home with you. Your son must love the attention as well!"

Kaoru blinked at the other woman, her cup poised at her lips. She could sense that Tokio knew more about them than she let on, and it was obvious the beautiful woman was curious about them. Kaoru could feel her suspicions rising and she took a drink of her tea, nodding slightly in response. She could not allow herself to be lulled in to a false sense of security by the gentle and polite manner of this woman. Tokio was the Wolf's wife, that was now very obvious.

Yu fidgeted next to her mother, fisting her hands into the fabric of her royal blue and gold kimono. Her large, gold eyes darted back and forth between her mother and the other woman, and her tiny lips opened as if to say something, but shut quickly as shyness stole over her.

Tokio turned to her daughter and covered the small hands with her own. "What is it, Yu chan?" she asked gently.

Yu dropped her gaze and squirmed slightly. "Um…where…where's that boy?" she asked timidly, casting a quick glance in Kaoru's direction. She remembered the funny red-haired boy from the train station and knew that the woman opposite her mother was his.

Kaoru set her cup down and thought about Kenji, wondering if he'd come out of Aoshi's room yet. Probably not. He'd been there all morning, unmoving and bent on teaching himself a lesson. She glanced at Yu, who was looking at her hopefully and sighed. "Kenji's down the hall, Yu chan, but he's not in the best of moods today."

Yu's face lit up and she smiled shyly, "That's okay. Can he come out and play?" Hope danced in her eyes as she looked up at Kaoru. All this adult talk was getting boring and it was a beautiful day outside, far to nice to be expected to stay inside.

"Well, if you can convince him to come out Yu chan, he most certainly can go play." Kaoru stood up and smoothed out her kimono, noticing the questioning look on Tokio's face. "Follow me, please."

Kaoru slid the door open to Aoshi's study, shaking her head slightly as her eyes fell onto Kenji's small form. He was still sitting in his corner, little legs crossed, hands folded into his lap, but now his eyes were shut, as if sleeping. Kaoru knew better and shook her head. Her son was beyond stubborn and his will was most definitely made of steel. She wondered how long he intended to actually sit there, then glanced at little Yu, thinking that maybe the girl would be the key to making her son forget about his mistakes and rejoin the living world.

"What's he doing?" Tokio asked, her brown eyes wide with shock. "Is he being punished?"

"Only by himself, Tokio san," Kaoru muttered as they walked closer.

Tokio let out a gasp as the shadows faded from Kenji's form. His body was covered with scratches and bruises, while one small hand was tightly bandaged and obviously swollen. The boy looked like he was beaten within an inch of his life. She glanced at Kaoru, eyes widening further. "Oh my," she whispered.

Kaoru cast the woman a sidelong glance, trying not to imagine what Tokio was thinking right now. "Oh, you should see Aoshi san. This is nothing compared to his injuries," Kaoru stated, turning back to her son. She would explain the incident later, she did not want the woman to think her child was abused or mistreated.

"Kenji chan? You have a visitor," Kaoru said quietly.

One of Kenji's arms twitched at the sound of his mother's voice, but there was no movement or acknowledgment after that. He remained sitting, ignoring everything and everyone around him.

Kaoru pursed her lips in frustration, unable to believe how ill mannered her child was. She had raised him better than that! "Kenji!" she barked, causing the boy to jump and his eyes to snap open, "I said you have a guest! Stop this nonsense and go outside!" She put both hands on her hips and stared at him threateningly.

Kenji turned his head slowly, glowering at his mother for interrupting his repentance. His eyes slitted as his gaze fell upon Yu and Tokio, and he looked instinctively past them for the familiar form of his mortal enemy. Confused when he did not find Hideki anywhere in the vicinity, he glared again at his mother before returning to stare at his corner.

Embarrassed, Kaoru held back the urge to thump her son on the back of the head for his insolence. "I swear Himura Kenji! You are the most boar headed child I know!" she snapped.

Suddenly a thought came to her head and she narrowed her gaze at her son's back, "You know, Kenji, it's not really punishment if you actually WANT to do it. The only way you can be truly punished is if someone tells you to do something that you DON'T want to do." She smirked as she saw the small boy's shoulders jerk. Her words were working, but she knew he'd sit there and think about it awhile before deciding she was right. It wasn't like Kenji to admit he was bested when it came to a battle of wits and wills.

Kaoru looked at Yu, who was frowning at Kenji, "You can stay in here with him Yu chan, but I wouldn't count on him going out to play today. He seems to be more intent on this silly game."

Yu shrugged, it couldn't be any worse than listening to her mother and Kaoru san talk to each other. Besides, she found this little flame haired boy intriguing and incredibly silly, so the afternoon wouldn't be an entire waste, even if spent indoors. "That's okay. I'll stay here," she replied.

Kenji cringed.

Kaoru smiled at the little girl, admiring the child's quiet courage. She turned to Tokio and showed the woman back to sitting room, leaving the two children alone.

***********

Back in the sitting room, Kaoru retold the story of Kenji's sacrificial leap from the tree several days before, leaving Tokio astonished and dumbfounded. The older woman shook her head slightly, closing her eyes as she listened carefully to the tale. It was simply amazing that a child that young know of sacrifice, death, and atonement, but it was also a pity.

When Kaoru finished, Tokio let out a long sigh. "That's quite a story, Kaoru san! Your son is, if I may say so, extremely intelligent for his age, but also very ignorant. He's far to young too understand the implications his actions have on others, and unfortunately, with his intellect, he'll have to learn them sooner than most children."

Kaoru only nodded sadly. She always knew her son was overly smart for his age, and with that kind of genius came responsibilities. His childhood would be shorter than most children's, as he learned to balance his smarts, skills, and everyday life. The incident with the tree was only the beginning of many harsh learning experiences to come.

Tokio noted the other woman's concern, and touched her hand gently. "Don't fret, Kaoru san. It is a difficult road to follow, but things get easier. Believe me, I know," she offered gently.

Kaoru's brows knitted together, "What do you mean?"

Tokio sighed and then laughed slightly, "I have three boys, Kaoru san. Three. And each of them is surpassingly intellengent, much like your little Kenji. I cannot begin to tell you of all the nightmarish stories Hajime and I have had to go through with them. Of course, each child is different, but things will work out for the best, you'll see." Tokio smiled at Kaoru, her dark eyes dancing with memories that she could now laugh about. "Why, Hideki is still going through the phases. He has no control over that quick tongue of his and sometimes I think he'll never learn, no matter how many beatings his brother's give him." She laughed a gentle, melodious laugh, thinking of her youngest son.

Kaoru didn't doubt the woman's words. Son's of the Wolf were bound to be geniuses, it was just a given. Their mother wasn't particularly lacking on smarts either. She was obviously cunning, intuitive, and witty. Beyond all that, Tokio was also compassionate, polite, polished, and friendly, all characteristics her husband lacked. Undoubtedly, a perfect balance for a man such as Saito. This woman was his pillar, in much the same way Kaoru was Kenshin's, making up for what the men lacked and completing them. How odd it was that Tokio and she were so different, but so the same.

Suddenly Kaoru began to laugh. She couldn't help it, but the entire scene of herself having tea with Saito's wife struck her funny. How many times had Saito and Kenshin tried to kill each other? This woman's husband nearly killed Kenshin inside the dojo, and had sworn to end a battle that began during the Revolution by taking her husband's life. How extremely ludicrous it was to be chatting and sipping tea with the wife of her husband's oldest enemy. She covered her mouth with one hand, appalled at her rudeness, but unable to still her giggles.

Tokio stared at her for a moment, her head tilted slightly and her face set in a calm seriousness. "We come from the same world, Kaoru san, you and I." She watched as Kaoru's laughing fit ceased and as the blue eyed woman stared at her with a definite startlement. "I know your husband was the hitokiri battousai, mortal enemy of my husband during the revolution. I came here today to see what you were like, how the wife of the most famous hitokiri lives her life. I was curious, for there are not many other women out there who bear the same strains as we do."

Kaoru opened her mouth, but was to astounded to say anything. She suspected that the Tokio knew a little bit more about her family that she appeared to, but never expected her to be so forth coming about it. She hadn't really thought about comparing herself to the woman that sat in front of her, nor had she thought about how similar their lifestyles might be. Though, now that she thought about it, Tokio and her children probably lived on the edge of caution and fear, hunted by enemies, wary of strangers, living under the protection of Saito's sword.

Kaoru could understand what the woman was feeling and even pitied her somewhat. Though Kenshin protected them, he made no qualms about hiding his identity, unlike Saito, who now went by the name of Fugita. Somehow, Kaoru could sense that Tokio had very few friends of her own, and probably none that could relate to her plight.

Tokio smiled slightly then bowed her head in apology, "In a way, it's comforting to know that I am not the only one who suffers the hardships of being married to famous man of the revolution. I hope you will accept my apology, I did not mean to be deceiving in any way, nor do I mean any harm. Somehow, seeing your family makes mine feel a bit more normal."

Kaoru stared at the woman for a few moments, then giggled again. "Normal?" she asked, "I hardly would think of my life as normal, Tokio san." If anything, her life was about as abnormal as a woman's could get.

Suddenly, Tokio snickered in a most unladylike fashion. "Oh, I bet I could tell you some shocking stories about my home life," the woman laughed, a wicked gleam in her eye, "You couldn't even begin to imagine!"

Kaoru smiled and leaned forward slightly. "Do tell," she whispered evilly.

************

Kenji glanced out of the corner of his eye, trying to wish the girl named Yu out of the room and out of his life. He grit his teeth against her constant chatter, never in his life had imagined anyone being able to talk so much. She blabbered away at him, talking of the sunshine, her new kimono, and worst of all, her brothers. The sound of her voice was beginning to grate on his nerves, his patience wearing thin.

"So, why are you sitting there like that," Yu asked, kneeling down next to Kenji's small frame and staring at him curiously. "Did you do something bad?"

Kenji cringed and squished his eyes shut, reminding himself that his father told him he must always be nice to girls.

Yu inspected him closer, undaunted by his hostile silence. "Did your father beat you?" she asked, peering closely at his cuts and bruises, a small frown creasing her brow.

Kenji's eyes snapped open and he jerked away from the girl, his eyes filled with horror. "NO!" he gasped, absolutely shocked she'd say such a thing. His father had never laid a hand on him in his entire lifetime, and the idea of it was positively sickening.

Yu looked relieved and sat back on her haunches, "So, how did you get all those scratches?" She reached out and touched a dark red welt on his forearm, giggling when he yanked it away and glared at her.

"I jumped from the tree," he muttered.

Yu's eyes shot open and she puckered her lips slightly, "That was stupid. Why'd you something like that?"

Kenji made a noise that fell somewhere between a growl and a sigh. He was beginning to think this was his mother's form of punishment, being torment by the nosy girl until he went mad. "None of your business," he snapped, standing up and stretching his legs. It felt good to move, his legs and back sore from sitting in the same position for so long.

Yu giggled and clapped her hands together as Kenji finally stirred. "Do you want to go outside?" she asked excitedly, ignoring Kenji's blatant rudeness.

"No," he stated, eyeing the girl suspiciously, thinking there had to be something wrong with her. He was doing his best to make it clear that he did not want to be bothered, but she was obviously not getting the hint.

"Why not? Don't you like to play?" Yu pouted.

Kenji turned to face Yu fully, staring down at the girl who still remained crouched on the floor. "I don't play with girl things," he stated. He crossed his arms in front of him and set his jaw in a hard line.

Yu glared at him now, gold eyes flashing angrily, "Oh ya? You'd rather jump out of trees and stare at corners than play with me? You're a baka."

Kenji's pale eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "What?" he sputtered, barely able to believe his ears.

"You heard me," she snapped at him, "You're very rude, Himura Kenji." She narrowed her eyes as she stood up swiftly, casting him an evil glare before storming out of the room.

Kenji watched the girl stalk out the door, his mouth hanging open at her abruptness. Yu certainly didn't pull any punches, but for some reason, Kenji didn't blame her. Surprisingly, he wasn't relieved to see her go, his conscious eating away at him and making him feel bad for behaving so rudely. He heaved a mighty sigh and trudged out of the room to search for the girl and apologize.

********

Kaoru and Tokio were in immersed in a fit of laughter, tears streaming from both their eyes, and barely able to speak. It was the beginning of what most would believe a forbidden and strange friendship. Two women, married to two sworn enemies, discovered that they both had more in common with each other than they realized. The sipped tea and shared stories of their children, husbands, and adventures, laughing until they were in hysterics.

Kaoru quickly discovered that Tokio was not exactly the prim and proper woman she first let on to be. At first glance, one would think that Tokio was the perfect example of a traditional, proper, Japanese wife. Her movements were graceful, he speech educated, manner's impeccable, and dress, fabulously elegant. But once her guard was down and she was comfortable with her company, the woman refined woman disappeared and was replaced with a giggling, wickedly witty, and sharp-tongued woman.

Kaoru listened in awe of the tales Tokio wove, trying to imagine some of the scenes the other woman talked about in her head. The Saito family was not much different that her own, and it was quickly obvious that Tokio did not put up with her husband's insufferable attitude in the comfort of their own home. As it turned out, Saito was a decent cook and not above helping out with house hold chores when time allowed it, though Kaoru found it extremely difficult to picture the Wolf chopping vegetables in the kitchen.

"With three boys and one young girl, a woman learns her limits rather quickly, Kaoru san," Tokio laughed and smiled fondly, "Hajime may be an arrogant pain in the neck, he is a wonderful father and good husband. Though it did take a bit of training to get him the way I want him." She cast Kaoru a sly smile, then sipped her tea.

Kaoru arched a brow, trying to envision Tokio "training" Saito to be a good husband. It was an impossible image, but she laughed none the less. "Kenshin didn't need much training when it came to helping with the chores, " she replied, "For the longest time I thought he loved the laundry more than me." Both women burst out laughing again, thinking of their respective husbands.

Tokio caught her breath and sighed, "Actually, Kaoru san, I'm surprised you and Himura san only have one child. Kenji is how old? Six?"

Kaoru took a long sip of her tea. Bluntness was another trait of Tokio's. If the woman had something to say, she said it, not holding back in the least. Kaoru figured it was this particular characteristic that allowed her to be married to Saito, but it didn't bother her. The woman was honest and Kaoru liked her straightforwardness. "Hai, he's six and half to be exact," she stated plainly.

Tokio stared at Kaoru curiously. "And other children?" she asked, watching the younger woman carefully.

Kaoru smiled at Tokio and took another sip of her tea, "Tell me about your daughter, Yu. She's such a beautiful little girl! And so well mannered!"

Tokio leaned back slightly and cast Kaoru a knowing smile, a fine brow twitching slightly in amusement. "Ah, Yu? Looks can be deceiving Kaoru san! Out of all our children, she by far the most intelligent, and the most like her father."

********

Kenji found Yu sitting outside, her legs dangling over the edge of the porch as she gazed up at the blue sky, watching the birds fly past. He wandered up next to her and sat down with a solid thunk, staring at his hands as he fisted them in his lap. He was horrible at apologizing, and normally wouldn't, but for some reason his mind wouldn't let him forget his manners, and he felt bad for hurting the girl's feelings.

They sat in silence for many moments, Yu watching the sky, ignoring Kenji's presence, and Kenji staring dumbly at his lap as he tried to talk himself into uttering a simple apology. He opened and shut his mouth a few times, in fish like fashion, and finally managed to utter a guttural, if not slightly harsh, "I'm sorry."

Yu continued to kick her feet against the porch and staring up at the clouds, a barely visible smile on her lips.

"I said I'm sorry," Kenji snapped, not liking the fact he was being deliberately ignored.

Yu finally shrugged indifferently. "Is that the tree you jumped out of?" she asked suddenly, her eyes training up the massive tree until her head was craned all the way back. "It's really big."

Kenji hissed under his breath. He was trying hard to forget about that tree and his leap of faith, but this girl wasn't going to allow him to do so.

"You really are a baka, if you jumped from up there," she stated.

"Hey!" Kenji snapped, gritting his teeth, wishing Yu wasn't a girl so he could knock her block off. Now he was wishing he hadn't apologized for his earlier rudeness.

Yu squished her face up in thought and turned to Kenji. "Why'd you do it?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye. She could not imagine for the life of her why any sane person would want to leap out of a tree that big. Only an idiot would do something like that.

Kenji sighed and decided it was best to explain himself. He did not want the girl to think him stupid, and the look on her face told him she already was toying with the idea. He pointed to the kite that was still tangled between some of the gnarled branches near the top. "I wanted to get that down, but got stuck. Father tried to climb up to get me, but he would have fell if he came up to where I was. I jumped, so he wouldn't fall." That was the gist of it, and he felt no need to go into detail.

Yu regarded him quietly for several moments. "You're still a baka," she stated, "Your mama and father would be sad if you got hurt really bad." She looked at him sternly now, her eyes dancing with disapproval.

Kenji glared back at her, but didn't bother to reply.

Yu giggled at Kenji and poked him in the chest. "You have funny eyes," she laughed, peering closely at the almost diamond like orbs. Never had she seen anyone with such strange eyes, they were almost eerily frightening, like the stories her brother's told her about demons and witches.

"So do you," Kenji quipped back, feeling a bit of satisfaction at the insult. It was the truth, the girl really did have strange eyes. They were a bright yellow, the edges outlined in a deep brown, making a dramatic contrast between the two colors.

Yu only smiled proudly, "I know. I have my father's eyes! I'm the only one too! Not even my brother's look like these!" She pressed a finger to her eyelid to make her point.

At the mention of her brothers Kenji stiffened and growled, "Hideki." He had almost forgot that this girl was the sister of that horrible boy, the one that insulted his father and got him in trouble on the train. He could feel his hackles start to rise, picturing the dark haired, dark eyed older boy.

"Yes. Hideki is my brother. Do you have any brothers?" Yu asked, oblivious to Kenji's obvious dislike of her older sibling.

Kenji shook his head slightly and thrummed his feet against the porch. "Nah, my mom's a bad cook," he stated, not noticing the confused look Yu gave him.

A chapter of complete randomness…I had this planned to be a Hiko and Kenshin chapter, but it didn't turn out that way (Hiko in the next chapter)…Think of it as a transition chapter…uh, ya, that's right…Marwolv, thanks for pointing that out to me…you know, I remember sitting here staring at that word and wondering which one was the right one…LOL…there are several words I have trouble with, so I normally just take a stab at it or, my favorite, make up my own! LMAO…I'm working on getting back to the humor aspect of Kenji's life, so bear with me…I know this fic has gone a bit dark and dreary, but I don't intend it to stay that way! There's just too much fun with Kenji, Hideki, Hiko, and now little Yu all thrown into the mix! Thanks so much for sticking this out with me and encouraging my madness… * giggles *