Alas...It's done! Gomen for the wait...tons of things came up and then I got stuck. Damn writers' block. But I got some help. so...
Disclaimer: WanderingAimlessly does not own the rights to her beloved Kenshin. She realizes this so do not sue her. She doesn't have any money anwyay...
Chapter 3- Calm Before the Storm
Things returned to normal at the Kamiya Dojo. Karou had resumed giving lessons and Kenshin had taken a customary seat in one of the training hall's corners. She had spread out a futon and some cushions for him and he sat quietly mending and watching the day's exercises unfold.
"Keep it up boys!" Karou shouted. "Watch it Yahiko, Kyosuke's gonna get you, your hip is….."
"Ite!" Yahiko cried crumpling to the floor.
"Wide open," she continued.
"Gomen sensei and Yahiko-kun, I couldn't help it," her other student, Kyosuke, said.
"It's alright Kyo. You saw an opening and you went for it. That's the mark of a good swordsman," she said.
Kyosuke was one of her newer students, a bright boy with energy and potential. He and Yahiko had become fast friends and already they were helping each other out. Karou was just glad Yahiko had someone to spar with other than herself.
Kenshin gave a wary chuckle from his corner.
"Yahiko why don't you show Kenshin what we've been working on," Karou said.
"Hai!"
Yahiko put down the shinai he had been using and walked over to where the sakabatou sat in it's sword rack and picked it up.
He started with the kata for the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu adding the few moves of Kenshin's old sword style, Hiten Mitsurugi, which he knew from watching. He was still getting used to the weight of the sword, and the movements seemed quite awkward to him.
Kenshin's smile deepened. The boy had come along way from who he had been five years ago. He had grown tall with a wild scruff of black hair and strong arms with which he had finally mastered the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu. In ways he was still immature as many fifteen year old boys were, but his boy hood selfishness had given way to a much deeper sense of pride and righteousness. He had made himself a name amongst the fighters of Tokyo but never once wielded a sword souly for himself.
Kenshin knew he couldn't have left his sword in better hands. This is a boy who would grow into a man who would do deeds that would change the world and wouldn't fall into the same trap that he had at the same age. Maybe one of the few things he had done right was to change this boy's life for the better.
He reached his hand up to his left check, and some how, the familiar throbbing that had been there for 18 long years had begun to fade. In the corner of his mind he could see a smile.
"Are you thinking about the scar again?" Karou asked walking over to where he sat.
"Hai," he replied.
"I know you can't forget what you did, but at least it's time for you to settle down," she said smiling and kissing his check.
It was time for him to forgive himself.
He kissed her back.
"Ken-san," Megumi's voice called.
She was carrying a tray with onigirii, and a few cups of tea.
The two boys ran over to her eagerly taking their portions and sitting down on the other side of the dojo. Megumi brought the remaining food over to Karou and Kenshin, setting the tray down before them.
Kenshin starred down at the oddly shaped masses of rice on the tray and looked at Megumi questioningly.
"Your son helped make them," she replied. "I tried to get him to help me around the house but he's decided that he likes helping Yuyami in the kitchen. I think the boys took the better ones."
"His heart's in the right place, that it is," Kenshin replied nibbling on one of the rice balls.
"True. So Ken-san are you going to drink the tea I made for you?" Megumi asked as Kenshin eyed the cup suspiciously. "I promise you, this time it won't make you fall asleep even though I was tempted to put sedatives in it again."
"Megumi-san!" Karou exclaimed getting protective.
"Karou-chan do you think that I would do anything to hurt my Ken-san?"
"Your Ken-san? He's my husband!"
"Well if he's your husband you should take better care of him and not come crying to me every time you hurt him!"
"Oro?"
Karou looked at the puzzled look on Kenshin's face and smiled.
"Don't worry anata I won't let that fox slip you anything again," she said.
Megumi started giggling madly as Kenshin finally took a sip of the tea. Karou looked at her eyebrow raised.
"The fox is plotting something," Karou mumbled to herself.
"What did you say?" Megumi inquired.
"Nothing you should know."
"Maa, maa," Kenshin interjected finishing the cup.
Karou looked at him, silently thanking him for ending what could have ended up as yet another nasty argument between her and the vixen doctor. Kenshin knew the only reason that Megumi came onto him was because it would make anger Karou, and that his wife would never fail to rise to the occasion to taunt back.
When Karou finally calmed down she returned to that afternoon's lesson. She worked Yahiko and Kyosuke into a sweat, causing them to wonder if they should get Megumi to tease her more often.
By mid afternoon she noticed that Kenshin had dozed off in his corner. She had one of the boys carry him back to their bedroom. She crawled up next to him on the futon and feel asleep next to him.
They woke up a few hours later and decided they'd treat the group to dinner at the hot-pot restaurant.
Kenshin walked along side her, arm linked with hers, and leaning on an old broom handle for support. He hadn't been out of the dojo for a while and she could see his eyes darting from place to place, taking in the street life he had missed for so long.
After they ate she convinced him to come with her and watch the sunset along side the river, the place that brought so many memories back, both good and bad.
They glanced at each other, eye to eye. The golden sun rays reflected off of his flame colored hair, seeming to make him glow. He brought his hand up from her hip to her shoulder pulling her closer.
"Karou, This one is so sorry for all I put you through," he said apologetically.
"Kenshin, you don't have to be sorry. We are married koishii, it's my duty to care for you. I do it for love of you."
"Arigatou, this one is so unworthy."
"No you aren't," she replied pulling him into her.
They stared at each other before leaning in to kiss. Everything seemed so perfect.
But the cold hiss of steal being drawn shattered everything.
"So, you gonna kill her too Battousai?" a cruel voice rang out.
Author's note: Ahhhhh yes I'm so cruel arn't I? I had to do it I'm sorry. They can't leave the poor guy alone can they? Anyone who's read my previous fics might have an ounce of what's gonna happen. However if you havn't read them yet don't. You won't miss much.
Well fate has handed me a few cruel cards recently...the biggest one was loosing my job. I got sacked. On top of that I had a nasty case of PMS, my boyfriend being the biggest victim but both he and I have since recovered from that bout of rageing hormones. I also had exams all last week. And in bigger news I'm now co-admin at the wonderful kenshin site The-Oro (link in profile.)
Anyways...
My reviewers:
xZig-zagx- yes I much prefer those fan fics too...which is why I write alot of them. I think that it makes the story much deeper. It also shows that Kenshin is not superman.
enchantedsleeper: yes fight scene next chapter...
chibi-tanuki: Yeah I know...I think I actualy got my spelling from the subtittled version of Kenshin...alas...it's realy too late to change it.
unicornfan: yay for post Jinchuu!
And also the ones that stand by me, Seth-chan (animegoddess117), Katie-kun, and my wonderful bf Johann-sama.
Next chapter: a long awaited Kenshin fight scene co written by my bf. Will Kenshin make it?
