Ahhh, I've been such a slacker lately…sorry for the delay, I have no real excuse either (video games…blame it on the video games…they call my name, insist I buy them, then force me to spend at least 12 hours a day playing them)…LOL! Thank you to Jason and Crystal Okamino (try to stay out of trouble! Hee hee) for the reviews on the Kenji pic, LOL! Sher, thanks for hosting the Kamatari pic too, I'm glad you got such a kick out of it, * giggles *! I put it up at http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=14482 but Sher's site is much cooler! Thank you! Marwolv, I agree with you on the six year olds being romantic, why, just the other day I caught my son being hostile towards a Barbie commercial….girls are definitely not on his mind…LMAO…friendship is a good thing though, and could pave the way for future fics * giggle *…And as for your idea, I actually laughed out loud as a plot formed in my head, some other people had mentioned it as well, soooooo…. * insert evil wicked laugh here *…That will be a different fic though, I could have WAY too much fun with that one! Miyu Sakura…I know, I know…I'm trying to think of a way to work in some Kaoru and Kenji time, sorry for leaving her out so much. I'm trying to focus more on Kenshin and Kenji's relationship, but I'll do my best to work in some mommy and son time as well (think shopping trip with Tokio)….Morgane, LMAO…too much! Never…( BIG sweatdrop ) I'll do my best….hee hee! Wow, there are so many wonderful people here, thank you to everyone for reading, you're the best! On with the show!!!!!

Standard Disclaimers Apply

Chapter 12

Kenshin marched up the mountain his thoughts crackling in his head like a raging fire. His son was no longer the laughing, bubbly child who toddled across the dojo, creating innocent mischief everywhere he went. Kenji was becoming far too intelligent and wise for one so young, capable of making rational and irrational thoughts. His reasoning was erratic and untrained, screaming for guidance, but Kenshin knew far to well what rigorous training could do to his son, and his blood ran cold thinking about it. Kenshin envisioned the boy's precious youth slipping away like the ticking of a second hand. It wasn't fair, Kenji was still just a boy, barely out of babyhood, and it would be over Kenshin's decaying corpse that the boy would have his childhood stolen from him as he had his.

When Kenji was first born, Kenshin felt as if the gods had finally smiled upon him and forgiven him for all his sins. The boy was a shining light in his soul, completing him in some sort of magical way, allowing his life to begin anew. He envisioned his son growing up in peace and happiness, totally ignorant of all pain, blood, and torment. His child would play freely in the field by the bridge, chase snakes and other critters of nature as all boys do, and eventually develop into a fine young man of the new era, without the worries of bloodshed or swords.

In his perfected fantasy, his son would never know what it was like to cut a man down, see their blood pool beneath their bodies, or smell the acidy, metallic smell of death and carnage. The rage of a killer, and the power to kill effectively, would never be allowed to even brush past his Kenji's mind, kept at bay by his own hand and fierce protectiveness. His son was an innocent, an angel sent to him by Kami-sama himself, the most precious gift he'd ever received. He could not allow, nor stand by and watch, as his little Kenji was forced into a life of painful choices and possible despair.

There had to be another way to teach his son to control his strengths and balance his weaknesses without the use of Hiten Mitsurugi. Though the teachings of the school were honorable and upheld the ideals of protecting the weak from the tyranny of time, it also formed it's student's into one of the most formidable swordsmen, fast, explosive, and deadly accurate with the blade. It was power in it's truest form, with that power came more responsibilities, and the line between right and wrong thinned even more.

Kenshin frowned harder, and glanced up to see the every slowly spiraling smoke from his master's kiln coming into view. Would his son be capable of understanding the Hiten teachings? He, himself, hadn't figured it out until it was almost too late and his soul was sent on a one way course to personal damnation. Kenji was a reactive boy and far more thick headed that he'd ever been as a child, and in his head, far more capable of making the same mistakes.

Kenshin made is way quietly up the trail, his face set into a pensive twist, and stopped several feet shy of Hiko's kiln. The man sat silently, his back to him, the long white cape draped elegantly down his back and cascading across the ground. Kenshin pursed his lips, wondering if his master ever took the damn thing off. He tried to picture Hiko sleeping in the heavy, white fabric, but could only come up with a scenario of the man waking up with the cape twisted around his neck. Kenshin smirked in satisfaction.

"Where's the boy?"

Kenshin jumped at his master's words, his heart thumping in his chest. "Why does he do that to me every time?" Kenshin shook his head at his own surprise and silently scolded himself for being startled, once again, by his master's amazing perception.

His fright was quickly replaced by a mild disdain as his master's rude greeting started to sink in. "It's nice to see you too, shishou," Kenshin muttered, climbing over the log and easing himself down at the farthest end.

"I don't think I invited you to have a seat, baka deshi," Hiko replied, not bothering to look at his student, the twitch of his lips hidden my the heavy mantle, "This is my mountain after all."

Kenshin glared at his master, violet eyes narrowing somewhat as he bit back a sharp retort. It wasn't Hiko's mountain by any means, but then again, the man had lived here for so many years, it might as well be. Kenshin tore his eyes from his Hiko and scanned the yard, noting that nothing had changed from the last time he was here, three years ago. The make shift bath house still sat at the edge of the forest and the log in front of the kiln, worn away from countless hours of sitting, all remained unchanged. It wasn't surprising, really, Hiko wasn't a man who took kindly to changes, preferring life to remain as steady and straight as a well-drawn arrow.

"So?" Hiko asked sharply, causing Kenshin to jump once again. He raised a brow at his student's tenseness, and turned to look into the blank and confused face. He heaved an exasperated sigh and fought the urge to roll his eyes at his student's stupidity. "Where is he?" he barked.

Kenshin blinked a couple of times, gazing back into the obsidian glare. "You mean Kenji?"

"NO! The emperor!" Hiko yelled, "Of course I mean Kenji, you idiot!"

"How did you know he was in Kyoto with me?" Kenshin asked, cocking his head slightly in question. He hadn't visited his master in three years, corresponding occasionally by letter to keep him updated on the goings on in Tokyo, there was no way he could know that the entire family was in town this time.

Hiko rolled his eyes, "You never learn, do you?" Hiko frowned and turned back to look at the kiln, "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, Kenshin. You make your yearly journey to Kyoto in the early spring every year, right after the snowmelts. Here it is, midsummer, and your trouncing up my mountain, imposing on my life…again. It goes against your obsessive and anal nature to be late or put things off, let alone, leave that family of yours behind on more than one trip."

Kenshin looked down at his hands folded in his lap, "Am I that transparent, master?"

"You're hardly a challenge," Hiko muttered, wondering how on earth his student had survived as long has he did being so utterly clueless.

Kenshin ignored the insult and continued to fiddle with his fingers in his lap. "He's at the Aoiya, sitting in a corner," Kenshin muttered.

Hiko gave Kenshin a funny look and shifted slightly to see his student a bit better. It really wasn't any surprise to hear of the little lion being punished for some reason or another, Hiko knew first hand what a troublesome little boy his student's son could be. The child was a spitfire, full of mischief and attitude, not to mention a quick thinker and remarkably intellengent. Hiko liked the boy, and found him highly amusing.

It was the tone in Kenshin's voice that caught his attention and the definite darkness hanging over his spirit. "What has he done now?" Hiko asked, partially out of concern and partially due to the fact he would never pass up a story that dealt with the antics of his pseudo-grandson. His student's wife had sent several letters, depicting various tales of the child getting into some sort of serious trouble. It was retribution in its finest form, for all the times Kenshin had caused his heart to race or temper to flare.

Kenshin sighed and gazed out at the kiln listening to the crackling of the fire inside. "I didn't put him there, he did it himself. Self inflicted punishment, master. He's been there for hours, just staring into the corner, ignoring everyone." Kenshin frowned, thinking of his son's stiff form, sitting alone in Aoshi's study.

Hiko arched a brow, "Self inflicted punishment?" Silently, he counted on his fingers how old the child was, and pondered how on earth a boy so young could possibly come up with the idea to punish himself. Children of that age were never wrong, in fact, the never seemed to grow out of being wrong, when it came to arguments with their parents. He looked hard at Kenshin, "Why would he do something like that? I was certain he was smarter than you ever were!"

Kenshin sighed and began to weave the tale that brought the family to Kyoto, starting with the incident with Yahiko and ending the story with Kenji's resolution to save his father from certain death by throwing himself from the massive tree in the Aoiya. When he was finished he stared at his hands in a sullen silence, trying to hide the pain and fear he felt from his master's piercing, black stare.

Hiko leaned forward, resting an elbow on his knee and watched his student carefully. It was obvious Kenshin had serious issues regarding this turn of events, and though the younger man had not bothered to outrightly say he came looking for advice, Hiko knew what his student wanted. "Humph," he snorted, "It sounds like Kenji is lacking in his training, Kenshin. I told you, a boy like that will need intense guidance and training to keep himself in line."

Kenshin dropped his head slightly, "Master, long ago, I told you and the others that I did not wish to pass on the school of Hiten Mitsurugi. I meant what I said, and I have my reasons, but now I am torn."

Hiko narrowed his eyes, glaring hard at his student, "Your selfishness proceeds you, Kenshin. I had hoped you'd grow out of that, but apparently not." It was obvious his student was fighting time, not wanting his boy to grow up into a man and withholding valuable lessons the child needed to learn to become and effective and functional human being. "Kenji isn't going to remain small, Kenshin, he will grow, form his own ideas and dreams, and eventually move on as all young men do. You cannot force him to be what you want him to be, you can only guide him and show him the paths that open to him, " Hiko stated.

"But what if he chooses the wrong path, master? I know he needs training, he's a born swordsman, and a potentially powerful one at that. How can I send him off on his own, with the knowledge to kill effectively and then only pray he makes the right choices?" Kenshin tilted his head back, his eyes closed, thinking back to the day he left this very place. He had thought he was in the right, wanting to save the innocent people from the terror of the Shogun. Using his sword in war and for the idea of a new era of peace had seemed the right thing to do, but in the end, it only created misery.

"He'll make mistakes, Kenshin. All children do and there's nothing we can do as parents to stop them," Hiko replied, thinking back to the day Kenshin and he argued by the cabin. Angry words flowed between them and ended in his student leaving the mountain to a certain life of despair and bloodshed. Hiko knew what was going to happen, he had tried to stop the young boy and failed. In the end, he could only watch from afar as his student slowly became a demon of death, torn in half by his power to kill and original, gentle nature.

Suddenly, he looked hard at Kenshin, "You're being unfair Kenshin," he stated.

Kenshin looked at his master, his face puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Hiko almost growled in contempt, suddenly angry with his student. "You're comparing that boy to you and your past, aren't you? In doing so, you put your worries, your pain, and your wrongs on his shoulders. That's not fair. He's not you, Kenshin. He's Himura Kenji, a totally separate person whose life is just beginning. If you continue to deny him what he needs most, proper training and guidance, your only tightening the noose around his neck and opening the doors for your worst fears to come true. Stop your selfishness and let the boy live his own life!"

Kenshin's eyes opened wide, his mouth hanging slightly slack as he took in Hiko's words. Remorse washed over him as he began to understand the truth in his master's words. He was behaving selfishly, tainting his son with his own bloody past, even though his intentions were honorable. He tried so hard to keep his history away from his family, yet here he was, throwing his guilt, his pain, his wrong doings, onto his young son's shoulders in attempt to thwart him from making the same mistakes. It was effecting Kenji, confusing him, and inadvertently, pushing the boy away.

Kenshin put his hands at his temples, pressing them against his skull, his eyes squeezed shut as he grew fiercely angry with himself. "I…I…never even thought about…" he stammered.

"Well, that's not surprising," Hiko muttered, "You're so blinded by your own feelings half the time, you fail to see the other's around you. For Kami's sake, it took you knocking up the Kamiya girl to finally get the guts to marry her!"

Kenshin's eyes snapped open and he stared into Hiko's smirking face. "Wha….How…" he stammered. It was not a well-known fact that Kenji was conceived before Kaoru and Kenshin were married. Only the closest members of the Kenshin-gumi knew about it, and the secret was tightly tucked away in their own personal social circle.

Hiko flashed a grin, his black eyes glinting, "Well, I had my suspicions and wasn't totally certain…until now. I'm actually pretty impressed Kenshin, what a fantastic way to land yourself a wife!"

Kenshin's face turned bright red and he began to fume at being tricked again. "Master," he snapped, "I didn't knock up Kaoru just to marry her!" His mouth snapped shut quickly and his face reddened several more shades. He could hardly believe he'd allowed himself to baited into a conversation such as this. "It just happened," he muttered.

Hiko roared in laughter. "You never were very smart when it came to women, baka deshi! Weren't you paying attention when I explained it all to you?"

Kenshin glared through a red haze, grinding his teeth together. "Hai. Your lesson is what kept me out of the tea houses during the revolution," he spat.

Hiko only laughed harder and wiped an eye with the back of his hand, "You always were a squeamish child! Let me know if you need someone to explain such things to the little lion when the time comes."

"I think not, master," Kenshin stated.

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

"Okay, your turn!"

Kenji stared at Yu, a rock poised in his hand and his face set into an intense frown. It was a game of perception and the rules were simple. A wobbly target was etched into the dirt with several circles inside, who ever came the closest to landing their rock into the center circle won. The game could go on for hours, since no points were kept, each round starting off as a new game, but somehow, Kenji knew he was being bested and overall, losing the match.

Yu was amazingly perceptive and extremely accurate when it came to stone tossing. If Kenji didn't know any better, he'd have thought she cheated somehow, but there was no way to rig this game. They both collected the stones and assisted each other in drawing the target, everything was equal, except the fact Kenji hadn't won a match yet.

"You can move up some if you'd like," Yu taunted.

Kenji uttered a slight growl and turned to face the target, eyeing the distance carefully, and taking note of where Yu's stone lie. He swung his arm several times, and when satisfied, let the rock fly in a sharp arc into the air. It landed with a soft thud several inches behind Yu's.

Kenji growled again, trying to tune out the girls excited cheers. He couldn't believe she was besting him. He didn't care that she was a girl, that didn't matter, he'd seen his mother send Yahiko and his father sailing several times, so it wasn't good to underestimate the power of a female, but he was not accustomed to losing when it came to games. "I don't want to play anymore," he snapped, stomping off to the porch.

Yu frowned and pointed a finger at him, "Spoil sport!"

Kenji narrowed his eyes and sat down with a thunk. "No, I'm not! I just don't want to play anymore!"

Yu followed him and sat down on the other side of the steps, pouting slightly. "I still think you're a sore loser," she stated, "You don't like being beaten by a girl, do you?"

Kenji's eyes snapped open and he glared at Yu, "It was just a stupid game. Even a baby could do it," he growled.

"So your saying a baby could beat you, then?" Yu smirked as she watched Kenji's eyes turn into piercing slits. This was far too much fun and she decided to push a little further, "You were really bad at it, you know."

Kenji practically snarled in rage at her, leaping up from his seat on the porch, unable to bear the girls consistent taunts and teases. She was worse than Yahiko. No, she was worse than her older brother, Hideki! He balled up a fist and glared at her, his pale eyes burning with an angry violet haze.

Yu arched a small brow and stared up at Kenji's ominous form, totally undaunted by his apparent anger. Living in a house with three older brothers who were obviously older, stronger and larger had warped her girlish upbringing, forcing her to leave behind any trace of poise, refinement and grace. She had to fight diligently to maintain her respect with in the pecking order of their home, and did so with a keen intellect and swift wit.

"You're not going to hit me, are you?" she asked, eyeing Kenji's balled up fist.

Kenji grit his teeth, already knowing she knew the answer. He couldn't hit a girl, no matter how annoying and insulting she was. His father would certainly be upset about that, and his mother would have his head for such an atrocity. He tore his gaze away and glanced around the porch, looking for something to kick. Suddenly, his frown faded and pale eyes twinkled, a small grin inched up the corners of his mouth.

Yu gave him a puzzled look, sensing a definite change in his demeanor. She watched as he moved away from her, down the steps of the porch and bent over to pick something up next to the laundry tub. Mildly interested, she stood up to get a better look at what he was doing.

Kenji giggled and straightened up, turning to face Yu. "Father says it's not nice to hit girls," he stated, grinning at her slightly, his eyes dancing.

Yu gave a slight nod of her head, "That's right! A nice boy would never hit a girl, no matter how mad she made him. And a nice boy would play with a girl, not pout on the…"

He words were abruptly cut off as a wad of mud caught her clean in the chest, soiling her kimono and splattering across her neck and face. Stunned, she stood on the porch, mouth hanging open and eyes wide.

"He never said anything about that, though," Kenji laughed, clasping his hands to his knees.

Yu's shock disintegrated and she squealed in rage at Kenji, diving off the porch and knocking him flat on his back into the muddy dirt around the washbasin. Momentarily startled, he lay there as she leapt on top of him, pinning him to the ground. With one small hand, Yu scooped up a handful of oozing mud and shoved it into Kenji's face, smearing it around with a smirk of satisfaction.

Kenji howled and began fighting to get the girl off him. Almost evenly matched in size and weight, the two children began a wrestling match in the mud, turning over and over again until they were both completely covered in the thick, smelly substance. Their angry shouts slowly subsided and turned into joyous laughter. A war of mud slinging had begun and the two laughed at each other as bombs of goop exploded against their clothing, faces, and heads.

***********

Tokio sighed and smiled at her new friend. "It's been so nice talking with you Kaoru san! I had such a good time today, I hope we can do this more often!"

Kaoru nodded and returned the woman's friendly smile. "I agree Tokio san! You are welcome at my home any time you wish, don't forget that!"

"I'd say the same to you Kaoru san, but unfortunately my husband would have issues if I brought visitors to our home," Tokio dropped her gaze and let her smile fall away, afraid she had offended her new friend.

Kaoru put a hand over Tokio's and smiled gently, "Don't worry about it! I understand. Let's go find the children, it's been awhile since we've seen them." She stood slowly, and ushered Tokio down the hall to Aoshi's study.

Kaoru slid the door open and paused, "They're not here," she uttered, her voice stunned. So little Yu had somehow managed to convince her son to come out of self-loathing. Kaoru smiled and pointed to the door at the end of the hall, "They must be outside."

********

Kenji screamed a battle cry and leapt off the porch, into the mud puddle where Yu sat trying to catch her breath. His impact sent mud exploding across the yard and into the air, peppering the two as the sat in the mess, laughing so hard their stomachs ached.

"HIMURA KENJI!"

"FUJITA YU!"

The sounds of their mother's voices caused them to leap and abruptly ended all the joyous laughter. They gulped and looked at each other with wide eyes, afraid to turn around and face their respective mothers.

Kaoru and Tokio stood on the porch eyeing their children. Their clothing was ruined to say the least, and it would take half the night to work the tangles from the matted mess of hair, but the sight was horribly funny. Kaoru stifled a giggled and Tokio put her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to smile as the two youngsters turned to stare at them with wide and fearful eyes.

"It would seem Kenji chan is feeling better," Tokio whispered into Kaoru's ear.

Kaoru nodded, looking her son up and down, "That he is…for now…wait until he hears that he has to take a bath though."

Tokio gave Kaoru a strange look and watched at the woman moved off the porch to claim her filthy boy.

"Himura Kenji, what have you done to your clothes," Kaoru asked, trying hard not to laugh at her son. "And what have you done to little Yu!"

Kenji fiddled with his hands and scuffed a foot. "We were just playing, mother. Honest," he whispered. He glanced at Yu, who was being checked over by her mother and gave her a sheepish smile.

"Well, Kenji, you realize that getting this dirty requires a bath tonight, don't you. I don't want any trouble from you either! Got it?" Kaoru placed a hand on her hip and flicked her son's matted hair playfully, watching the boy gulp and nod hesitantly.

Tokio cast Kaoru a smile and ushered her daughter through the door of the yard, heading home to attend to their own clean up. Yu looked up at her mother, tugged at her kimono with a dirty hand, "Kenji is soooo much fun mama! Can I come play again?"

A little note about Kenji being conceived out of wedlock…I'm using my first story, "A New Light," as reference, so if anyone was confused or offended, that's where I'm pulling this from…hey stuff happens, right…LOL