Chapter Five: Icicle vs. Girl

So, maybe the Icicle thinks he's hot stuff, but I do believe he's even hotter than I am this moment. Trench coats do that to a.. oh my holy gods and goddesses does he have a body! Guess he got a little too hot. Now he's unsuccessfully trying to look like he's not looking at me while looking at me and maybe even my hot little body. Wait... sudden cold chills are emanting from a tiny, tiny figure in the background. Can Oniwabanshuu read thoughts? Is it really legal for me to be thinking about my opponent this way? Is he? Yes, he's now blatantly staring at me, he's even attempting his patented eyebrown of death maneuver."

"Are you going to get out of my way or do you want to lose this fight before it's begun?"

I am a total and complete idiot, but at least now I know I too can be a fool for a pretty, perfectly sculpted face... even if it was carved from the same stone the temple pillars are.

Lady Fujita stepped into the ring after side stepping around me and made a sound much like a bark to quiet everyone down. She introduced us as politely as her buggy legged bangs would allow her, which is to say not really at all. She introduced us by two short names, Aoshi and Kenshin. No details, no pumped up, ego fulfilling acclamations of muscle and speed, not even a bit of slander to rile me up. And there's the flag.

Now, early on in life I learned that when a flag was up in the air and then fell down it meant something was going to happen. Whether it be a whole lot of little kids scrambling for candy or a duel to the almost death, flags are a symbol of beginnings and endings, pinatas are too. This particular flag meant closer to the latter idea since I couldn't see a bit of candy on the field, maybe I was getting hungry, maybe I was beginning to PMS, which could be seen as both a good thing and a bad thing at this point. We'll decide this later together after a thorough... ooh that kodachi almost hit my shoulder. That could have stripped my sleeve clear off and then where would I be? Sleeveless, that's where.

Well, two can play the clothes game. I personally don't mind slowly humiliating men who think they're god's gift to women by cutting their clothes off bit by bit, but well, it didn't seem to bother this one. First his sleeve, then his pants below the knee. He's taken a wrist ribbon of mine and I've left his ribbons onto hold up what's left of his outfit. I should ask Misao later if she appreciated the show or not.

He stills and I spin to face him. Oooooh... twin kodachi now. He's getting serious. Too bad I'm still having fun.

He's wearing his seven sashes proudly as he spins his little knives in the air and lunges toward me. I smile and exito my blade from its sheath really really quickly right into his solar plexus. A couple quick slashes and I know I really should've been a chef. Yeah, that was all I wrote, all I needed to wrote, all I have ever wrote. Done.

"The winner is Himura Kenshin!" The cries rang around me, screaming, threatening, promising bodily harm, but there was at least two cries of joy. Wow.. someone actually bet on me to win. I smile and wave then look to my fallen opponent. He's on his knees in disbelief and probably some little pain. I drop to the ground right along with him and smile.

"Thus I score a point for tiny women everywhere," I tell him as he looks at me. My eyes travel to where a grinning yet worried looking weasel is perched on the fence of indecision. Does she crow in delight, does she hang me with her braid, does she just sit there and wait for something. I look up as a shadow falls on me.

"Himura Kenshin, as the winner of this final match you are officially recognized as a temple guard of this holy edifice."

The windbag standing in my sunlight goes on and on as I attempt to catch only the pertinent info, how much pay, when I get paid, and what I will be paid in. My first job is an escort and as a special disposition for a truly worthy fight, they've allowed my chilly opponent to join also. Great.

"It is customary that you be standing when you receive your sword of office." He harrumphs and rumphs and hars some more as I take my time getting up from the nice cool shadow. I hold out a hand to Aoshi, but he's already standing as if his pants weren't now considered to be daisy dukes.

"We present this holy sword of service to one Himura Kenshin, a fighter of outstanding ability. In return we ask that she use all of her goddess given abilities to secure the protection of our holiest of priestesses. Her first assignment as a warrior will be to bring unto our sacred halls the Priestess Kamiya of the Blue Water temple. She shall leave two days hence with Shinomori Aoshi as her companion in arms. May all the gods and goddesses smile with favor as you tread their holy pathways."

I take the sword and the ceremony has ended. Lady Fujita directs me out of the ring with a nod of her head in the 'OUT' direction. Now I have a sword I will never use, a traveling companion I just defeated in combat, and no idea of when I get to eat next. Yeah, job security's great.

To Be Continued: The Five Heavenly Hells of Traveling Companions

Author's note: Wow.. thought I would never ever ever update this.. hmm.. must've been off my feed. So give me some, feedback that is.. yeah.. feedback.