Hikari

By KCSobe

Disclaimer: Need we remind you?

A/N: Okay! We're back and we'd like to thank everyone who reviewed! We'd also like it if you'd share you ideas and thoughts on how we can make it better, or ideas for future stories. Oh, and beware of a little fluff in this chapter...

As a side note, the next chapter might take a few days longer, for one of us has midterm exams (...damn public schools...) and will be dead on her feet studying. But we've already started writing and planing and hopefully we will be able to get it done over the weekend and have it to you next week on time! Wish us luck!

Heart's Wanderings

"Please place your bets for the next round! Last chance to place your bets!" The gambling hall was full of impatient chatter, as men gathered around the boards, all eagerly anticipating the throw of the dice. Kenshin stared intently, as the dice were tossed up.

"Evens!" he whispered, and Sano quickly pushed his money over to the even side before the dice could land. They hit the felt table, and scattered in opposite directions.

"That's a two and a four! Evens it is!" The thrower called. Several men grudgingly pushed their money into the center. Sanosuke, on the other hand, gleefully collected his earnings.

"Now let's see… that's fifty yen for you and fifty yen for me…" Sano spoke, as he divided the money into two equal piles.

"I thought we agreed that I should get sixty and you would get forty," Kenshin snorted.

"What? We never agreed on that!" Sano glared.

"You should consider yourself lucky! I was the one who won the money!" Kenshin reached out, and slid one of Sano's stacks of coins over to his side.

"Fine. I think I liked Shinta better than you. You're too greedy!" Sano scowled in mock anger.

"Please, gambling's illegal anyways."

"So do you always do what you're supposed to do?" Sano grinned in triumph. Kenshin's eyes glinted oddly.

"No… not always. Anyway, we've got to get these groceries back to Kaoru-dono."

"What? We've still got money to win!" Sano whined.

"I hate to say it, but I think if we win anymore, these guys'll attack us."

"Maybe you're right…" He winced, seeing the angry stares on either side of them. "We have had a twenty-something winning streak!"

"Twenty four in a row, to be exact," Kenshin corrected. The two made their way to the back of the crowd, and left through a side exit. Maneuvering through the people was somewhat difficult, due to the bulky packages they both carried, but a few good shoves by Sano cleared a path.

"Anyway Kenshin, what's up with volunteering to do the groceries all the time? I know you live at the dojo, but you don't actually have to do all the work!"

"To tell you the truth, I'm worried that Shinomori will attack again. I'm trying to make sure that nobody else gets involved, especially not Kaoru-dono."

"Wait, Shinomori is that hitokiri you're hunting down, right?"

"No… That's Shishio. Shinomori is the guy who attacked me in the forest."

"I thought that was Shishio. How many enemies do you have?!" Sano groaned in confusion.

"More than you'll ever have."

"So why does Shinomori want to kill you?"

"He thinks I killed his fellow Oniwabanshu comrades."

"Did you?"

"No. They were betrayed their employer."

"What happened to the employer?"

"He was the one I did kill."

"I don't think my brain can endure much more of this who-killed-who stuff. The important thing is we'll beat the crap out of him if he tries anything!" Sano lashed out a fist towards an imaginary opponent.

Kenshin had to smile at the taller man's confidence. Ever since he had apologized for suspecting him, Sano had been acting as if they were best friends. Not that he minded of course. But it had been a long time since he'd had someone he could call a friend. And if in the bargain he could make some extra cash, so much the better.

"Shinta! What took you so long? Was there a long line for the food? I knew I should have sent you guys out earlier!" Kaoru chirped as she opened the gate for them.

"No, the lines weren't long. Actually, we were…,"

"Visiting Megumi, of course!" Sano interjected hastily. "So what is in this bag, anyway, Jou-chan? Rocks?"

"Don't be stupid. It's just rice," Kaoru replied distractedly. "Why did you go see Megumi, Shinta?"

"This one just wanted to stop by and say hello," Kenshin improvised. Kaoru's face fell ever so slightly. Eager to change the subject, he looked around. "Where is Yahiko, Kaoru-dono?"

"Oh, I sent him to pick up some lighter stuff, so you wouldn't have to get everything. I think he's getting some tofu and a dikon." As Kaoru's mind was diverted to other subjects, the trio moved back into the dojo to unpack their bags.

Aoshi was leaning against a wall, watching an ocean of faces pass by him. His close observations of the Battousai's schedule informed him that the assassin would venture out some time this morning for food.

His hand moved to his kodachis impatiently. If only the element of surprise had not been lost while they had been in the forest. While those circumstances had truly been beyond his control, he should have been more alert to his surroundings, and sensed when the third person had joined them. Had he not been forced to retreat, the Battousai might even now be dead.

As it was, the hitokiri knew of his presence, and had taken steps to ensure that his family remained in the safety of their home. He himself was constantly on guard, which made spying on him twice as difficult and hazardous.

A mop of spiky black hair suddenly caught Aoshi's attention. It bobbed amongst the other shoppers, stopping at a stall here, and then drifting to another across the road. His eyes narrowed.

A young boy, around ten years of age, was striding along, some bags swinging in his hand. A shinai was tucked into his belt, and he swaggered with the loose confidence of youth.

Immediately, Aoshi pictured Himura Battousai when he had first been sighted in Kyoto. He had been with a woman and a kid. There could be no doubt- this was the kid.

A sneer twisted his normally frozen features. Once the boy had turned the corner, he ducked into the mass of surging people and let the current carry him to his prey.

"So once you see that the water is boiling, you carefully add the chopped vegetables. Be sure to avoid splashing water on yourself," Kenshin instructed Kaoru carefully. "It would be a shame to ruin such a beautiful outfit." Kaoru giggled.

"These are my training clothes, Shinta! They're hardly beautiful!"

"Anything looks beautiful with you in it, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin replied without thinking. Suddenly realizing what he had said, he quickly turned and began to stir the pot. Hoping she would not comment on his response, he snuck a glance at her.

Kaoru was staring off into the distance, a curious half-smile on her face. Thank Kami! She must not have heard me, Kenshin thought with a surge of relief.

He called me beautiful! Kaoru's mind sang happily. The two, completely oblivious to the other's thoughts, continued cooking in companionable silence.

Suddenly, Kenshin sucked in his breath softly. His body stiffened. Mental alarms were ringing furiously in his head.

"What is it? Did I chop the vegetables too fine?" Kaoru asked, frantically checking her work.

"Where is Yahiko?" Kaoru blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"Yahiko! Where is he?" Shinta's voice had completely changed. He sounded cold and impatient.

"I told you… he's out shopping," Kaoru stammered, scared by the sudden change in Shinta's demeanor.

"Stay here, no matter what happens," he ordered abruptly. "I… I forgot to tell Yahiko something important." He slipped past her, leaving Kaoru alone in the kitchen. She ran out to see where he was going. Racing down the porch, he said something to Sano, and took off. Scrambling with a sudden haste, Sanosuke quickly followed suit.

Kaoru started to call after them, but was distracted by the smell of something burning.

"My stew!" she moaned, before rushing off to salvage her masterpiece.

Yahiko was humming to himself as he walked home. While he would never purposely neglect his training as a samurai, it was still nice to have a break. As a pickpocket, the streets of Kyoto had been his home. When Kaoru took him as a student, that had changed. He would never go back to his old life, but it still felt great to mix with the crowds and smell the cooking meat of outdoor vendors.

Preoccupied with his cheerful thoughts, Yahiko failed to notice the stranger staring at him from a side street. Therefore, he was taken completely by surprise when a painfully tight grip clamped down on his shoulder.

Before he could even open his mouth, his assailant lifted him, and with almost super-human strength flung him into one of the narrow walls.

As his body slammed into the bricks, Yahiko's legs crumpled beneath him. His entire back was wrenched with shooting agony that temporarily immobilized him. Grunting in pain, Yahiko slowly lifted his head to see his attacker.

A tall man with black hair was standing several yards away. He was looking down at him expressionlessly, frozen blue eyes taking in the damage. Seeing that the boy was still conscious he took a step forward.

Trembling, Yahiko rose to his feet. Swaying unsteadily, he held his shinai in front of him tightly.

"It's gonna take more than that to beat me!" He shouted, fighting the nausea that was sweeping through his body. "So do your worst!"

Aoshi looked at the boy standing before him. His pride, his determination to succeed… It was almost laughable in so young a creature. It reminded him of another child, at another time.

A young girl, no more than eight, dressed in a ninja suit several sizes too big. Her hair was cropped in the front, giving her a tomboyish look. Behind, a long braid swung, emphasizing each toss of her head. Misao…

For a second, his resolution wavered. Such an innocent child did not deserve to meet death so soon. But then he remembered how the Battousai had sneered when confronted. Remorseless. And this kid… his child? It was probable. Maybe now the Battousai would suffer what he had suffered. Learn what agony it is to let those who depend on you die for your mistakes.

"You have a strong spirit. I'm almost sorry to kill you," Aoshi spoke flatly. The boy glared at him, saying nothing. Without warning, Aoshi sprang forward, his blade arcing downwards towards Yahiko's head…

CLANG! A reddish blur sprang forward from the main road, blocking Aoshi's thrust with his sword. He looked up to see the very man he had been looking for twenty minutes previously.

"My patience is wearing thin Shinomori. Leave this town now, or die where you stand," the Hitokiri Battousai snarled as he disengaged his sword. Behind him, another man in a white jacket was helping the boy move out of the way.

Suddenly, Aoshi lunged towards his opponent, whipping the kodachi in his left hand into a horizontal slice. Steel met steel with a violent crash. However with almost impossible quickness, the Battousai jumped into the air, and came down with a devastating blow aimed at Aoshi's chest.

A second sooner and his life would have ended there; in that nameless side street in downtown Kyoto. As it was, his reflexes barely saved him. He twisted his torso to the side, and the blade bit into his arm. He brought his second kodachi up in a clumsy counter-attack, which the hitokiri easily avoided by jumping backwards.

Feeling the wetness of his blood seeping through the trench coat, Aoshi tensed, and then with an awkward run, began to hurl himself at his enemy.

Kenshin tensed, awaiting the next strike with relative confidence. But that strike never came. Within mere feet of his target, Aoshi leaped upwards, landing on the rooftop behind them.

Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin spun around and with a quick stutter-step to gain momentum, promptly did the same.

He landed on the parapet of an old building, and dropped into a defensive crouch. An empty rooftop greeted his eyes. There was no sign that the wounded Okashira had ever been there. Cursing, he dropped back down to where Sano and Yahiko stood.

Kenshin kept his back to the pair for a moment, trying to regain control. Several deep breaths later, the amber slowly was replaced by swirling violet. Cautiously he turned.

Yahiko was staring at him, an unreadable expression in his eyes. Kenshin took a step forward. Yahiko scrambled backwards. The gentle, amiable, and slightly ridiculous man Yahiko thought he knew was gone. This person who looked like Shinta, there was something wrong with him. His eyes were purple, but they were hard and cold, and his katana was stained with blood.

"Who the hell are you?" Yahiko screamed.

"Calm down, Yahiko," the man anwered, his eyes flashing with a peculiar light. Yahiko remembered the first time they had met, when Shinta had almost broken his arm. He had pushed that experience from his memory, but now it came rushing back.

"NO! Stay away from me you… you… monster!"

The man who was not Shinta took a step back, as if struck.

"Easy there, kid," Sano spoke soothingly. "It's okay, you just don't understand…"

"It's not okay! He's a murderer… a…a killer… the sword… see the blood? Don't you see the blood?" Yahiko gasped, his words barely coherent. Somewhere in Kenshin's already unstable mind, something snapped.

The blood… Don't you see the blood? He's a murderer… A killer… So much blood. It never comes off, the blood. Never. No matter how hard I scrub, I can still see it. The blood… Kenshin raised a hand to his face. The images were pouring back now. He could see the faces in the darkness, staring at him. He'd killed them. Killed them all.

Turning, he sheathed his sword and flung himself back into the main street, sprinting blindly away from the battle scene. Away from his past.

Sano kept a close eye on Yahiko as they slowly made their way home. He was trembling at first, but after a while, it subsided. Sano focused on the road in front of them, ignoring the awkward silence. Finally, Yahiko opened his mouth.

"How long did you know? About Shinta, I mean," he asked angrily.

"A couple of days."

"And you didn't tell us? You let that murderer live under the same roof as Kaoru and me?" Yahiko snapped.

"Look, I know you're pretty freaked out right now," Sano had come to a dead stop. He crossed his arms and looked at Yahiko. "But Shinta isn't like that. He's done some pretty awful stuff, but he's not a monster. He's just trying to protect you." Yahiko stared at the ground.

"What you said back there… You couldn't have been more wrong. And I think you should apologize to him. If it weren't for Shinta, you'd be dead right now," Sano finished. Yahiko thought for a minute.

"So, all this time, he was a really good fighter? I mean, I heard him say he couldn't fight with a sword."

"To tell you the truth, I haven't seen him fight that much. But if today is any indication, I would say that he's in a league of his own."

"But he lied to us! How am I supposed to trust him, when I don't even know if he's telling the truth?" Yahiko scowled stubbornly.

"I really can't tell you much, except that he has his reasons. But if you want a reason, how about the way he acted back there? You could tell he was terrified that you'd be hurt! You can trust him with your life. And then after you said… what you did, Shinta was really hurt. I think you hit a nerve."

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to, it was just everything happened so suddenly…" Yahiko trailed off, feeling terrible. Sano started walking again.

"It's not me you should be saying sorry to," he called over his shoulder. "And let's keep what happened today between us, okay? No need to worry Jou-chan."

Kenshin leaned on the railing of a bridge, staring down into the water below. His reflection looked up at him, distorted by the ripples of the river. The sun was beginning to set, and the entire western horizon seemed to be on fire.

He was better now, but thinking about that afternoon was still unsettling. He had to face the truth. This life he was living at the dojo was a lie. The Hitokiri Battousai was a cold-blooded killer, and he, Himura Kenshin, was the Battousai. Shinta… was only a naïve lie. Somebody he had been a very long time ago, and could never go back to being.

But the way Yahiko had drawn back in fear- it still hurt. By now, he'd probably already gone back to the dojo, and told Kaoru all about it. Kaoru. What would she think? What would she say to him?

And even if she didn't know, if Sano had covered up for him, she was still in danger. The only way to protect her would be to not get any closer. That way, neither of them would be hurt when she discovered the truth.

It doesn't matter anyway. We're only friends, and that's all we ever can be, Kenshin thought. He began to walk back towards the dojo. On his way off the bridge, he passed a young couple holding hands and laughing. He sighed. Some things just were not meant to be.

As he turned the last corner, he was surprised to see Yahiko waiting for him on the porch. The boy immediately sprang up, and went to meet him at the gate.

"Umm… Shinta? I'm really sorry about the way I acted. I was just really scared. But I talked to Sano, and he said you weren't like that at all. I hope you can… forgive me," he looked up hopefully.

Kenshin blinked. Forgive? For what? What had Yahiko done except speak the truth?

"I… I guess you can't then. That's okay, I understand," Yahiko replied after a moment's silence. "I know it was wrong of me to assume things about you, and jump to conclusion like that," he started to shuffle back to the dojo.

"No! Wait Yahiko, I was just confused, that's all," Kenshin spoke quickly. "Of course I forgive you!" He felt a strange lightness on his shoulders. Yahiko turned.

"Really? That's great! Does that mean we're friends now?" Kenshin smiled.

"Of course. But first I need to apologize to you. I'm sorry for lying about who I was. I can't really tell you much, but I promise that as long as I'm here, I'll protect everyone at the dojo." Yahiko grinned.

"That's okay! Sano told me that you had your reasons. And I didn't tell Kaoru or anything, so you don't have to worry!" Kenshin let out a sigh of relief. That made things simpler.

"Say, maybe tomorrow or something, I'll take you fishing. I haven't really had a chance to spend much time with you," he suggested.

"Yeah! And maybe, you could spar with me? Like right now before Kaoru gets home? I want to be able to fight like you do!" Kenshin scratched his head.

"I'm not so sure about the sparring. I still have to do the laundry after all. Maybe another time," he refused gently.

Kaoru pushed open the gate. She'd gone briefly to see Megumi, after Shinta hadn't come back. He had looked so upset, she was sure something was wrong. But Megumi had said that she had not seen Shinta all day. So what was Shinta truly up to?

Just then, she heard a deep, whole hearted laugh. She whirled to the left, only to see Shinta and Yahiko talking, as if they had been there for hours.

Is that really Shinta? I don't think I've ever heard him laugh like that. He seems so relaxed…

"Kaoru-dono! I'm so sorry for disappearing like that on you. I've only got a little bit more laundry left to do," he said cheerfully. Kaoru started to smile, then gasped.

He said 'I'! Not 'this one' but 'I'! He really is acting weird…

Life at the dojo had fallen back into a comfortable routine. There was no sign of Aoshi, and Kenshin was beginning to think that he really had left Kyoto.

Meanwhile, Kaoru was finally getting used to 'the new Shinta'. He was just as polite and courteous, but he seemed much happier. On the other hand, he was treating her like a friend, and nothing more.

"Hey Kenshin! What's up?" Sano asked, as he watched Kenshin hang the laundry to dry.

"Not so loud, Sano, Kaoru-dono will hear you!" He implored, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder.

"Just relax. She's too busy attacking Yahiko to notice anything. Say, I wanted to ask you, what's up with that Shinomori guy? I mean, is he gone or what?" Kenshin straightened from his work.

"Obviously he's wounded, so he's waiting for a chance to recover. But also, he knows now that he doesn't stand a chance of beating me. I wouldn't be surprised if he's given up for now," Kenshin answered smirking.

"Shinta!" A voice called out. He looked up to see Megumi letting herself in. "Do you know where Kaoru is? I need to talk to her!"

"She's just finishing off her lesson with Yahiko before he has to go to work at the Akabeko. She'll be in the training room," he responded. Megumi smiled, and hurried over to the porch, where she kicked off her shoes and went in. She seemed unusually excited, almost giddy.

Several minutes later, Megumi reemerged, to inform them that she was treating everybody to dinner at the Akabeko.

"So hurry up with your chores! Kaoru's already getting ready, and then we'll be on our way!" She tapped her foot impatiently.

It took several minutes longer than expected, because Megumi inexplicably insisted on fiddling with Kenshin's hair, and making him change into a fresh gi. Finally, they set off. Kenshin couldn't help but steal glances at Kaoru. In her flowered kimono, she looked stunning. Her hair was pulled back with a silk ribbon, aside from the shorter strands, which escaped to frame her eyes.

Meanwhile, Sano hurried to catch up with Megumi.

"Hey kitsune! What's going on?" he whispered.

"What do you mean? I'm just treating my best friends to dinner," she smiled back sweetly.

"Don't give me that! I know you're up to something!" He retorted suspiciously. Looking back, he could see Kenshin and Kaoru chatting together on the path. Yahiko had run ahead a long time ago to get to the restaurant in time for his job. Sano was still puzzling over Megumi's behavior when they reached the Akabeko.

Tae showed them to their seats, after exchanging greetings with Kaoru. They sat down, and began to talk animatedly.

"Takani-san!" A voice rang out from the entrance of the restaurant. A boy about Yahiko's age came rushing up to them. Kenshin frowned. It was Yutaro, another of Kaoru's students.

"Please, you've got to help us!" He begged, sounding out of breath. "My father was sorting through some of the swords he sells, and he cut himself. It didn't look that bad, but then it started spurting blood everywhere, and now we can't stop the flow!" Megumi put her hand to her mouth.

"He must have severed an artery! Don't worry, I'll help you," she replied, standing up. "Sano? I know this sounds awful, but I don't really feel safe walking back to the clinic this late at night. Do you think you could come with us?" she begged. Sano groaned.

"All right…" he replied unwillingly.

"This one would be more than happy to walk back with you, Megumi-dono," Kenshin began. Suddenly noticing the glares he was getting from Kaoru and Sano, he gulped.

"On the other hand, this one was looking forward to a dinner with Kaoru-dono…" he finished weakly. Megumi smiled.

"So Sano it is, then. Don't worry, you two. I'm sorry to spoil our evening like this, so just enjoy a free meal, okay?"

Sano frowned. What a curious coincidence. Kaoru and Kenshin… Having an intimate dinner… He looked at Yutaro. There was something about that kid he just did not trust.

Meanwhile, Yutaro was hopping from foot to foot anxiously. He looked miserable and scared. Still, you could never tell what was going on in that little twerp's brain.

"Come on Sano! I need your help!" Megumi grabbed his arm, and began to drag him by force out the door. Once they were outside, she continued to tug him to the clinic. Once they reached the front door, she finally relinquished her hold.

"You just can't take a hint, can you?" She smirked. He blinked. Yutaro was still with them, looking rather smug and pleased with himself. Like a cat that's just caught something, Sano thought.

Kenshin watched as the trio made their hasty exit. He looked across the table to where Kaoru was sitting, looking confused.

"Well shall we try to make the best of it, Kaoru-dono?" He asked cheerfully.

"Of course! There's no reason not to enjoy ourselves!" She giggled. Kenshin felt the tension slowly lift.

"You'll never believe what happened today…" he began, leaning closer towards her. She smiled.

"Did you rub a hole through another shirt?" Kaoru joked. Kenshin pretended to look hurt.

"After all this one does for you! Slaving away over a laundry tub!" He paused momentarily, as an old couple walked by. As the man nodded benevolently towards them, they distinctly heard him say:

"Ah! Nothing like young love!" Kaoru felt her face turn beet red, and her heart soar as she saw Kenshin's face flush deep red as well.

As they walked home after dinner, talking and laughing, Kenshin paused. When he first came to the dojo, he'd been acting out the part of Shinta. Was he still pretending? Was this entire conversation just an act? Or, without even realizing it, had he gradually stopped playing the part? It certainly did not feel like an act.

No, there was something about all of them, especially Kaoru, that brought out a better side of him. He wondered why he felt so softhearted around her. Was she just a weakness? Or was she something more?

"So how long did it take you to set all this up?" Sano asked, as he and Megumi watched the pair walking along the road.

"A few days," she answered mischievously. Turning to Yutaro, she said, "Mission successful! Here's your end of the deal," and handed him some money. Beaming, Yutaro gave a quick bow of thanks, and exited through the back door. Sano laughed.

"Sometimes you're too clever for your own good," he said, as he put his arm around her.

"I know."

"There's just one thing about Shinta…" Sano began hesitantly. "He's not really…"

"Who he says he is? Don't worry I already know all about that," Megumi answered, as she leaned her head on his shoulder. They both watched in silence as Kaoru and Kenshin continued walking.

Kenshin turned and said something to her that made her laugh. She turned to smile at him, and their eyes met. For a second they lingered, and then she took his hand and pulled him onwards towards the clinic, unaware of the pair observing them.

They're already practically in love. I didn't have to do much after all. Megumi gave a sigh. I just hope that Kenshin doesn't ruin things…Or that Kaoru doesn't freak out when she learns the truth. They're meant for each other. They just have to figure that out. I only hope that Kenshin won't find out too late.

"Say Megumi?" Sano asked lazily.

"Hmm?" She responded, still lost in her own thoughts.

"You still owe me dinner at the Akabeko. Just you and me." She looked up at him, and laughed.

"We'll see."

A/N: Well, not that we want to give anything away, but we wanted to make the end of this chapter a bit fun and light hearted, kind of like the calm before the storm. Review please! Ciao!

Next Time on Hikari:

We can't give it away!

But lots of reviews might make us want to give a hint at lest!