Everything Purple
violetjewelz

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Rurouni Kenshin or any of the characters associated with the great manga/anime. Wish I did, though ... that would be quite nice, really!

Chapter 4: Koi Pond News

The next week had gone considerably rapidly. Kaoru went to the florist for work and came back to perform during the night. Every performance was loved by the audience and Hajami's tavern became the most popular place to go to in the night.

With nothing suspicious going on and no murder attempts, Kaoru figured that Hajami wasn't really a target of one of the Battousai's assassinations. Thinking of this, Kaoru was reminded of the stranger she had bumped into. Over the week she couldn't help, no matter how much she scolded herself, of that very stranger. The Battousai. He definitely looked the part of an assassin, but he was so handsome with his beautiful eyes. Kaoru recalled their meeting, and, running through the images in her head, she remembered his eyes the most. At first they were purple, but after she had provoked him to act so inhumanly towards her, they turned a molten amber, anger clearly burning in them.

Kaoru heaved a sigh, almost dreamily thinking about the aggressive man. 'I wonder if he's aggressive in making lov--' Kaoru slapped herself before she finished her thought. How could she possibly be thinking of him in that way? Suddenly, a vivid image of the Battousai in certain clothing, or rather, in lack of clothing, popped into her mind.

"Fuck no! I can't think of that! Sheesh!! I need my 'Hot Guy Book!'"

Kaoru quickly jumped off her bed and sat down beside her duffel bag. She opened it and took out a purple sparkly notebook. She flipped through the pictures and went to the section with Chad Michael Murray pictures. She sucked in, looking at the picture she had printed off of Google. A picture of Chad with no clothes on ... at all.

"Good. Now that that image is replaced, I'm great," Kaoru postulated.

The door to her room opened and Kaoru heard footsteps. She turned her head and saw Hajami standing behind her.

"Hey, Kaoru," Hajami greeted her. Then, looking at her notebook which Kaoru had carelessly not closed, he spoke again, "Hmm.. I never knew that you were into that kind of stuff..."

Confused, Kaoru followed his gaze and saw her notebook open on her lap, with it open to Chad's picture. Blushing, she slammed it shut and stuffed it back into her bag. "Oh no.. I'm not, it's just that I had a really bad image in my head."

"Let me guess: you accidently pictured someone else naked whom you didn't want to image such a picture of. Am I right?' Hajami knowingly asked.

"Yes.." Kaoru was very surprised that he had known exactly the reason.

"Anyways, I was wondering if you would like to go out back to the koi pond."

Kaoru looked up at Hajami, clearly worried. From knowing Hajami from over a week, she had noticed that whenever she saw Hajami at the koi pond, something bad happened. The 'something' was usually not very bad. Once it had been because he had some money stolen from him, though it was less than what she made everyday at the florist. Another time, it was only because one of his birds had died. Whatever the reason, Kaoru had grown to equate the pond with bad news.

"Sure. What's wrong, Hajami?" she inquired.

"I'll tell you when we get there," Hajami said, "Come with me."

'Tomorrow night your life will be over. Enjoy your last hours alive.'

- Hitokiri Battousai

Kaoru trembled as she read the Japanese characters written neatly onto a simple piece of paper. A simple piece of paper that threatened to take her friend's life away the very next day.

"H-haj--" Kaoru began, very much frantic.

"Ssshhh," Hajami calmed her down, "Don't worry. I told you that I would be ready when he strikes. I've been practicing for the past month, before you even came here."

"B-but he's so strong!" Kaoru protested. "He had my life in his hands! He could've killed me so easily! I was just a scrawny twig in his hands!"

"What do you mean?! Did you meet him?" Hajami shouted, concerned for his employee and friend.

Kaoru would have rather not told him the details, but since he already knew, she didn't see the harm in trying. Maybe if he found out how strong this assassin was, he wouldn't so willingly face him and therefore he wouldn't die. Or at least that was how Kaoru's mind worked it out. The truth was, Hajami was even more determined to face the manslayer, revenge for what he did to Kaoru being a new motive for him.

"No! Hajami, please! Don't fight him! You can't fight him and make it out alive," she tried to persuade him.

"Look, Kaoru. He'll find a way to get to me no matter what I do. I might as well try to hold my own at least when he finds me."

"Haj--" Kaoru objected.

"I'm going to fight him and that's final. There's nothing you can do to stop me from doing so. You hear me, Kaoru?"

"FINE! But if you die I won't ever forgive you!" Kaoru cried out rather childishly, tears falling from her face.

"Don't worry, I won't let that happen," Hajami soothed her, " Now come on, let's go inside now."

Kaoru let Hajami take her arm and she followed him inside, not uttering a single word or protest.

Kaoru strolled through the hallways in the upper part of the tavern until she was in front of Hajami's room. She knocked three times in succession and stepped back, waiting for the door to open.

A few seconds later, Hajami opened the door to see Kaoru standing there, still looking depressed. She glanced up at him and noticed he was wearing the same kind of outfit that the Battousai had been wearing. The only difference was that Hajami's gi was red and his hakama was black. He also had a white headband across his forehead, keeping his bangs from falling into his eyes.

Hajami spoke as he noticed that Kaoru was looking at his outfit. "I'm practicing my swordsmanship. You know, for when I meet the legendary manslayer."

"You do know that I'd rather you not--"

"Relax, Kaoru! You're too uptight."

"Uptight?" Kaoru scoffed, "For heavens sake, Hajami! You might DIE!! How am I not supposed to be uptight?"

"Easy: have faith in me. I have just as much a chance to defeat Battousai than he does to defeat me."

"Hajami! He's been an assassin for five years! Just because you're his senior by like three years doesn't mean you've had more experience than him!"

Hajami looked oddly at Kaoru. "How do you know all of this?"

"In between my ... umm ... beatings ... we had a short conversation. I asked him his age and how long he had been an assassin and he answered me."

Hajami's eyes hardened as Kaoru said the word 'beatings'. "Well I don't care if he's been an assassin for millions of years. I'll beat him. I'm sure of that!"

"Hajami!" Kaoru wept, "Please! You DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS!!"

"I already told you, Kaoru," Hajami told her again, "I've already decided that I'm going to fight him. So please leave so that I can train and be ready when the time to do just that comes."

And, after he spoke, Kaoru left Hajami, crying as she went.

For tonight's ensemble, Kaoru had chosen lavender lingerie for underneath her clothes. For her top, she picked out a matching, almost transparent, thin shirt. Choosing a miniskirt the same color as everything else, she slipped into it. Finding a pair of lavender earrings that dangled, she put those on as well. Sitting on a chair, she took out a bottle of lavender nail polish, applying her long and perfectly french-manicured fingernails and toenail with a few coats. After spreading lavender eyeshadow across her eyelids and shiny lip gloss onto her lips, she slid her feet into white high-heeled sandals. She was ready for yet another performance.

It was nine o'clock and Kaoru was halfway through her performance of the night. Scrolling down her playlist on her computer, she highlighted Beyonce's 'Naughty Girl.' She clicked it and started to make her way off the stage, moving to some random guy.

I'm feelin sexy
I wanna hear you say my name boy
If you can reach me
You can feel my burning flame

Kaoru sat on the man's lap, facing his chest. As she sang, she fingered the man's shirt teasingly, placing her mouth against his skin where his neck and chest met.

I'm feelin kind of n-a-s-t-y
I might just take you home with me
Baby the minute I feel your energy
Your vibe's just taken over me

Start feelin so crazy babe
I feel the funk coming over me
I don't know what's gotten into me
The rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe

Kaoru then tried to take off the man's shirt, to see more of his tanned chest when a deep voice caused her to stop in mid-action. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Tonight I'll be your naughty girl
I'm callin all my girls
We're gonna turn this party out
I know you want my body

Tonight I'll be your naughty girl
I'm callin all my girls
I see you look me up and down
And I came to party

Kaoru became rigid, but continued to sing, her voice never faltering, as she heard the voice. She knew that voice. Hell, she'd recognize it anywhere for sure. Her gaze lifted until she saw those beautiful amber-shaded eyes of the Battousai.

You're so sexy, tonight I am all yours boy
The way your body moves across the floor
You got me feelin n-a-s-t-y
I might just take you home with me

"Come on!" Someone in the audience shouted, "Get with the music!"

Kaoru averted her gaze towards the voice for a second until she daringly took off her shirt, leaving only her lacy and lavender bra on. In a break during the song, where only music played, she turned towards the Battousai. "What are you doing here?" She whispered.

Baby the minute I feel your energy
The vibe's just taken over me
Start feelin so crazy babe
I feel the funk coming over me
I don't know what's gotten into me
The rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe

Kaoru held Battousai's chin in her hand, tracing his jaw line with her finger.

The audience, not satisfied enough, yelled out more words.

"Girl! Don't you know what you're singing about?"

"Yeah! You should be at most in your innerwear!"

"And, you should be all over that guy!"

"Then when you're finished with him, come over to me!"

Kaoru listened to the audience's comments and shyly took off her miniskirt, leaving her only in her lacy and lavender bra and panties. She felt completely naked to the world. However, she still continued to sing.

Tonight I'll be your naughty girl
I'm callin all my girls
We're gonna turn this party out
I know you want my body

Tonight I'll be your naughty girl
I'm callin all my girls
I see you look me up and down
And I came to party

"Why I'm here should be not be an area of your concern," Battousai coldly answered. "I'm here to kill someone."

I love to love you baby
I love to love you baby
I love to love you baby

"Well that 'someone' is important to me. Too important for me to just let you kill him," Kaoru gritted through her teeth, annoyed at the Battousai's cold tone.

Tonight I'll be your naughty girl
I'm callin all my girls
We're gonna turn this party out
I know you want my body

Tonight I'll be your naughty girl
I'm callin all my girls
I see you look me up and down
And I came to party

When Kaoru finally finished, she turned away from the Battousai and ran up onto the stage. "I'm sorry guys," she announced to her crowd, "But I have to finish early tonight. I ... I'm not exactly looking forward for the rest of this night."

Ignoring the groans and complaints from everyone in the audience, she fled up to Hajami's room and started to pound furiously on his door.

Hajami opened the door, his expression clearly showing that he wasn't expecting her and also not expecting her to be in such revealing lingerie.

"Kaoru? Is there something you need?"

In between pants, she gave him her answer. "No," she panted. "Saw," she panted again. "Battousai." Her breath labored, and she waited for Hajami to react.

Hajami dashed back into his room, returning at her side with a sword, battle expression already plastered onto his face. "Take me to him."

Of course Kaoru at first objected to this command, but when seeing that she wouldn't be able to dissuade him from fighting Battousai, she walked down the stairs, with Hajami close behind her, his hand on his sword's hilt.

When the two finally made it downstairs, the whole tavern was empty, save for one figure. One figure with long, flame-red hair. One figure staring directly at Hajami, eyes set in a battle expression far harsher than that of Hajami's.

Kaoru trembled, knowing the battle between the manslayer and her friend was about to begin. And as realization hit her, realization of the fact that one of these men wasn't going to live another day, she turned towards Hajami. Through tears, she hugged him tightly, not wanting to let him go, and definitely not wanting him to die. She had grown to love him as a big brother since he had started to love her as a little sister.

Kaoru's mind was reeling with questions. What had she done that would cause life to harbor so much vindictiveness towards her? What had provoked life to become so rancorous? And above all: why did she even deserve this? Kaoru collapsed onto the floor, bawling. Why did this have to happen? Why? Why? WHY?!!

Author's Note: I'm finished! Sorry that I took so long to update. I'm running for a position in StuCo (Student Council) and I've spent almost all of my free time making posters and persuading people to vote for me. And when I wasn't doing that, I was working on my English project (which I still haven't finished). So, I do apologize for being late in my update.

Actually, I'm sorry, but I have bad news for you guys. It was amazing how much free time I had to write and post the first three chapters and until the summer (June 4th), I won't have that much free time at all. I would say probably two updates every week. If not that, then at least one. Thanks for your patience, everyone.

Can you guys tell me if you think that I'm making Kaoru sound like a baby with all of her crying and everything. I know I'd be crying. I tried to portray Hajami as almost like a big brother. I'm sure that all of you peeps out there with brothers would probably cry if you knew that your brother might die, so I'm trying my best to make this as realistic as I can!

Review Responses-

Kaoru Gal: Glad you like it! I'll be sure to update!

Sagitarious Devil: Thank you! I was worried about the length of the chapters, but now I know that I'm okay!

SukiYumi: That's 'kay! I usually am also on sugar high. Especially after I eat cake and ice cream and cookies and candy and any other sweet thing 'cuz they're filled with sugar! Though can become hyper even without my sugar. In fact, I can become hyper when I'm extremely tired. Maybe it's a bodily response to try and keep me awake? Well, it definitely works!! LOL! XP Oh, and I hope I updated soon enough because I really don't want any evil furbies after me!! -runs away screaming-

I DO NOT OWN DBZ: Nobody's ever told me I was an awesome author! Thank you! That makes me feel really good! You want a Cuddleable Battousai Plushie? -hands you a CBP-

Uenki: Yay! You can be assured that I will continue to update. Oh, and since you seem to love Battousai-sama so much, would you like one of my patented Cuddleable Battousai Plushie? -gives you a CBP-

Me, Myself, and I: I'm elated that you like my story! I hope that you continue to like and so therefore you continue to review!

ariel: I love Beyonce and I just heard 'Naughty Girl' on the radio, so I decided to use your suggestion. Kaoru, as of this chapter, is a 'Naughty Girl'. Or ... well ... for as long as she sings that song!! Oh, and no need to worry, there will be no Tomoe in this fic. Battousai/Kenshin and Kaoru are the only characters from the RK manga/anime that are in this. Over time, B&K will get along much better. They of course have to realize that they are in love before they do that, though!

Crazed T.V. Girl18: Alas, Battousai was mean to our poor Kaoru! It will take a lot of energy, work and time before Kaoru will be able to change him, but it will happen! I guarantee that!!

BLONDE GOTH: No offense taken. Jessica is stupid and if nobody knows that then they are even more of an idiot than her. Unless they're defending her because they like her, in that case they aren't stupid, only trying to defend her. Sheesh! Why am I rambling on? I'm trying not to offend anyone or hurt their feelings in calling Jessica stupid, so sorry if I have done so. I do like her songs, though. I even have her CD! I'm also glad I made his personality like you thought it would be. That was my goal when I ... should I say ... formed his personality?

tenishi: Okie dokie! I updated, so please go ahead and read. Wait, bye the time you're at this, you already DID read this. So, well I hope that you liked it!

kenshin's-angel: Yay! Another happy reader! I'm not from Japan and I've never been there, so I'm not great with their currency. I do know that one US dollar is around 110 yen. I read it in the business section of the Las Vegas Journal or whatever it was called when I was there (Vegas) for Spring Break. I'm probably so totally off, but really the money isn't a main part of the story, so it doesn't matter. Does it? LOL! It could to someone, I suppose.

Brittanie Love: I'll keep going as long as you keep reviewing! Thanks for loving the chapter! Did you love this one?

hald-breed-demon-fox: Good! I'm glad it was good in your opinion! I hope that this chapter was good also!

fhb: Thank you! No one has ever called my story a smash before!! I have to give you one of my Cuddleable Battousai Plushies as well!! -places a CBP in your hands-

Bloody Akiko Nagi the Insane: You do? Awesome! I was worried that everyone would be upset with how they met. I thought that they would think he was too violent with her!

-violetjewelz