Disclaimer: I don' own Rurouni Kenshin and never will. (But oh how I wish!)

I know the name of this chapter sounds kind of weird, but you'll understand it easily at the end of the chapter!

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Unsheathing the Sheathed

Chapter 1, War's Festival

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"How the heck did you talk me into this?" Kenshin growled as Kaoru pulled a brush through his waist long red locks, his bluish-purplish eyes annoyed. Anyone would've hesitated at Kenshin's angry words, but Kaoru just giggled as she glanced at the back of the twenty year old ex-assassin's head. "This won't work. They'll see the scar!"

Kaoru twisted his hair around before pinning part of it to the back of his head. She curled it around the pinned down part and once she had finished, Kaoru pinned it down again. "I might not be the perfect lady, but I know from years of torture from Madame Agati how to clean up anyone" Kaoru held up a powdering puff and Kenshin looked at it as if it was an instrument of torture.

"Exactly why are we doing this again?" Kenshin groaned, still glaring at the puff. The sixteen year old pushed away the longer bangs away from his scared cheek and dabbed at his scar; Kenshin closing one eye as the other glanced over at the puff.

"I want to go to the festival for the end of the war! But I'm not allowed to go because I'm the princess. I want to go, but I don't want to go alone!" Kaoru explained for the third time. Putting on the last puff of powder, Kaoru smiled at her work. "Stand up."

Kenshin stood up and Kaoru stepped back to look at him. Kaoru had successfully stuffed Kenshin into one of her bigger kimonos, a kimono of dark blue with yellow and tan fans all about it. A tan obi was wrapped around his slim stomach. Kaoru had been able to force some make up on him, darkening his lips to a dark rich red and a light blue on his eyelids.

"And dressing me up like a woman is going to help that?!" Kenshin sneered. He looked down at himself in distaste. "I look like a prostitute . . ."

"Are you insulting my clothes and the way I do make up?!"

He muttered something under his breath, nostril twitching in disgust.

Kaoru hid her giggles behind her hand. Kaoru herself had been able to fit herself into a white kimono with grayish-blackish umbrellas scattered over it with black lines crossed over each other. Her obi was made up of horizontal black and orangish-red lines. With every red line was a thin black line in the middle of it. She hadn't put on any pair of socks and had settled with black getas with red straps. She had tied up her ebony hair in a high ponytail by an indigo ribbon.

"You're too recognizable as a man. You know, you're lucky you're unusually small and skinny or else this wouldn't have worked. The hair, well, not many have red hair . . .," Kaoru mused, tapping a finger against her chin mischievously. Kenshin stepped away from her uncomfortably.

"You are not touching my hair again! I already feel weird enough! Do you know how embarrassing this is? Anyways, I don't have breasts so how are they gonna believe I'm a woman?" Kenshin asked, trying to make up some excuse not to do this, patting his chest.

Kaoru looked around and picked up the gi and hakama he had been wearing. Stepping forward, she pulled the collar of his kimono back and shoved the gi and hakama into it, tightening up the collar again afterwards. Kenshin glared at her.

"This is just wrong. Plainly and simply wrong," Kenshin said monotonously. He looked down and his eyes widened at where she had placed his clothes. Kenshin looked up at her, eyes wide as saucers.

"Gosh, by breasts are bigger then yours and mine aren't even real!" Kenshin muttered. He let out a yelp when Kaoru slammed her bokken down on his head, eyebrow twitching. "Why couldn't you have just had Miss Megumi and Yahiko go with you?"

"They're already coming, but I'd feel safer with you there. Megumi is just a doctor and Yahiko is a samurai wannabe. You're the real thing," Kaoru reminded him.

"Wait, those two are gonna see me in this . . . contraption?" Kenshin asked her, painted lips agape.

"We'll stop by a lake and you can change if that'll make you happier," Kaoru allowed.

"You are my savior!" Kenshin whispered and Kaoru smiled. She handed him a bag and he placed it over his shoulder.

"Let's go!"

--

Megumi stared at him, her eyes wide. Yahiko had long since burst into laughter at the sight of Kenshin who was sending him looks that could kill.

"Sir Ken?" Megumi whispered. Kenshin rolled his eyes and turned around to leave, but Kaoru grabbed his arm and pulled him lazily back. "Oh my."

"Let's just go so I can get out of this . . . thing," Kenshin muttered.

They walked towards the ending gate to get out of the palace grounds when they were stopped by the guards. "Names, stations and the place you are heading to."

Megumi smiled. "Megumi Takani, doctor, Yahiko Myojin, stable boy, Kira Tugagi, and Leena Kuwatso, both maids. Were headed to the End of the War Festival," Megumi explained.

The main guard nodded and motioned for them to open the gate. As they walked past the guards one winked suggestively at Kenshin and he shifted uncomfortably. Kenshin stopped abruptly at a single graze against his bottom. Swiveling around, he had to stop himself from making a fist and simply threw his hand across the guard's cheek, harder then any woman could. Yahiko burst into a pile of laughter and Kaoru grabbed Kenshin's arm and pulled the fuming short man away from the fallen lecherous guard. Once they were far enough away, Yahiko, Megumi, and Kaoru burst into giggles while Kenshin glared at them.

"I can't believe he did that!" Kaoru cried and Kenshin crossed his arms over his fake chest.

"I can't believe you find my misfortune so amusing," Kenshin muttered. "Can we just find a lake so I can get out of this?!" Kaoru smiled and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards a pond she saw in the distance.

"I think I've tortured you enough, even though I wish I had one of those new American's cam-er-as so I could keep this picture," Kaoru teased and Kenshin just marched towards the pond.

Approaching it he looked at his reflection and shuddered. Reaching behind himself, he fumbled with the obi before finally pulling it loose. Looking over his shoulder he saw Kaoru blushing as she watched and Megumi having this weird interested look on her face.

"Please turn around," he called back at them. Kaoru quickly did as he said, but Megumi just winked at him before turning her back to him.

Shuddering again, Kenshin pulled the kimono off his shoulders, his skin to the mercy of the hot sun. He quickly unrolled his clothes and pulled them on, his hakama white. Folding the kimono and obi neatly he stuck them in the large bag he'd been given. Kenshin dunked his face into the water and scrubbed off the entire feminine make up, trying his face with his blood red gi's sleeve. Kenshin reached behind himself and searched the back of his head for the pin in no avail.

Yahiko had burst into another fit of laughter and the two girls turned around to see what was so funny. Yahiko brushed the tears from his eyes. "Hey hag, why don't'cha help em' with his hair?!" he advised and Kaoru just sent him a glare, but she did as he said and headed towards the unsuspecting male.

Approaching him, Kaoru touched the pin on his head and he stiffened, the muscles in his hands and arms tensing obviously. Kaoru pulled the pin out carefully so it wouldn't pull on his roots and held it up before taking out the other pin and letting his hair go. It cascaded down his back, like a brilliant waterfall of blood. Kenshin turned to look at her just as a soft summer zephyr blew towards them. Kenshin's crimson tresses were ruffled handsomely in the wind and Kaoru couldn't help, but stare.

"Hey hag! You can stare at him some other time! C'mon! I don't wanna miss out on the food!" Yahiko shouted and Kaoru clenched her fists by her side.

"You should be happy I don't have my bokken with me, you brat!" Kaoru shouted and Kenshin just smiled before pulling his hair into a loose ponytail about two inches above the nape of his neck. Kenshin stuffed the bag under a bush so they could get it when they returned and gently took Kaoru's arm, pulling her towards the others.

Kaoru stumbled forward, but quickly caught up with him. Once she did, Kenshin let go of her arm and when he walked past Yahiko he gave him a good knock on the head, earning himself a glare from the ten year old.

"What was that for?" Yahiko shouted with a scowl, rubbing his head. Kenshin just smiled.

"You should respect your elders more," Kenshin advised and Yahiko let out a haughty laugh.

"Kaoru, my elder? Why should I respect her?"

Kenshin lifted an eyebrow. "She is six years older then you," Kenshin said.

"Why should I respect her for that?" Yahiko shot back and Kenshin watched him confused. Respect had never been something so lowly thought of when he was a boy. Kaoru had started teaching Yahiko Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu and Kenshin didn't understand why he didn't respect her.

"If I had acted the way you are now my instructor would've forced me to stay under the waterfalls longer . . . naked. It was in the mountains so the water was always colder then the water here," Kenshin explained. "Just be happy Miss Kaoru is forgiving enough only to hit you on the head."

Yahiko's eyes widened with horror of the prospect of being put under a cold waterfall naked. "Did your instructor hate cha' or somethin'?" he gasped out. Kenshin laughed.

"He isn't exactly the easiest person to understand just know that," Kenshin proclaimed and ruffled Yahiko's hair. Megumi stepped forward, eyes confused.

"But Sir Ken, didn't you get horribly sick from that?" Megumi asked, being the doctor she was.

Kenshin just smiled again. "Most of the time yes, but I just took some kind of medicine, slept by the fire for a night and all I'd do was sneeze so it wasn't much at all."

"Your instructor must've been a cruel man. You could've caught pneumonia!" Kaoru exclaimed. Kenshin just shook his head, still grinning, imagining what his teacher would say if he heard their words.

"He saved my life. That must count for something" Kenshin muttered and began walking towards the festival's loud sounds of cheering and giggling. "I thought you all wanted to go to the festival, not talk about my teacher! If you made me dress up like that just for fun I'm giving up my vow!"

Kaoru laughed and skipped ahead of him, twirling around in the breeze happily. "FREEDOM!" she cried and smiled at them.

"The tomboy is crazy," Megumi muttered under her breath. Kenshin just nodded pleasantly.

"Let her be happy," Kenshin responded calmly, walking forward towards the festival's happy commotion. Kaoru smiled back at him and grabbed his arm, pulling him into the entrance of the festival.

The festival was enormous, filled with booths for any items you could think of. Colorful banners were held up proudly. Games were situated everywhere, people shouting out to one another and laughing wildly. Beautiful lamps were held over different areas.

"Where to go, where to go?!" Kaoru gazed, clapping her hands together as she looked around in wonder. Kenshin laughed. Yahiko had lingered off to some game while Megumi had begun a conversation with a doctor she had found with different assortments of medicines from all around the world.

Kaoru pulled him towards a stand with a happy looking old woman sitting behind it. Kenshin looked around them at all the cheerful people, laughing and smiling with their loved ones. They were finally free. No longer did they have to ration their food so soldiers could have some. No longer did they fork over loads of money, rubber toys, and metal to make new weapons. No longer did they have to worry . . .

Kenshin looked back to Kaoru in surprise as she stuffed a mask onto his face. Kenshin blinked through the mask at the giddy Kaoru. Kenshin reached up and pulled it away. Turning it over his eyes widened at what it was. Kenshin gave Kaoru a questioning look.

"A cat?" Kenshin asked incredulously. Kaoru nodded.

"Yep! You have claws that come out when you're angry, but when you're happy you're as sweet and soft as a kitten!" Kaoru explained, smiling wickedly. Kenshin just shook his head and looked down at the masks. Smiling, he placed a mask on her face. Kaoru turned it over and glared at Kenshin.

"A raccoon?" Kaoru asked dryly. Kenshin smiled widely.

"You're just plain sneaky. And I've heard Miss Megumi call you a raccoon quite a lot of times, that I have!" Kenshin explained, nodding his head towards her. Kaoru growled and bonked him upside the head in her anger. Kenshin just grinned, making her even madder at the fact that her hit had absolutely on effect on him. Kaoru quickly forgot her anger at the sight of a stall full of items from far off places. Kenshin shook his head at how quickly her attitude changed and followed her to the stand.

Kaoru picked up a square like item with a circular part in the middle, like a telescope by the way you could twist it up and down. Kaoru held it awkwardly and glanced to the man in a European suit who was standing as if afraid that it would break in her hands.

"What is this sir?" Kaoru asked and the man reached forward and slipped the object from her hands. The man set it down and glanced up at the curious young woman with a narrow-eyed man behind her.

"It's a camera Miss," he responded, his voice American, but he spoke Japanese fluidly. Kaoru looked confused for a moment, before her face dawned with recognition.

"Oh a cam-er-ra," she pronounced, as if she was afraid she might say the English word wrong. The man nodded.

"Are you interested in having your picture taken?" he asked, straightening his jacket despite the warm weather. Kaoru stiffened as she heard a young masculine voice answer.

"I wouldn't do it Missy. When people have their pictures taken, their souls are stolen from their very body!" Kaoru turned towards the owner of the voice.

A tall young man was by her right. He had dark brown hair that spiked up unusually had at least three stray strands that fell over his forehead, something he kept away with a red bandana. He wore unusual clothes; a pair of white pants and a jacket lined with black over a bare upper torso, the symbol for "bad" in kanji on the back. His waist, fists, and ankles were held tightly by bandages and black shoes adorned his bandaged feet.

"Steal your soul?" Kaoru whispered and looked over at Kenshin, who had begun to chuckle softly.

"It does not. It tis just a rumor that has been circulating the kingdom," Kenshin said reassuringly and glanced at the tall man. "You shouldn't put such notions into her head." But the man looked like he truly believed the rumor by the way he shook his head.

"Who are you?" Kaoru asked, ignoring the businessman who looked on in interest.

"Name's Sanosuke Sagara, but some call me Zanza" he replied easily, smirking proudly. "Who might you be Missy?"

"What do you want with them Sano? Leave them alone, they aren't going to give you money for gambling you know!" Megumi stated walking over towards them. Kaoru turned to the female doctor in surprise.

"Miss Megumi, you know this man?" Kenshin asked. Megumi just held her head high.

"He comes to the clinic a lot because he's always getting hurt in fights" Megumi explained before glaring at the tall man again. "Sano doesn't like the new technology around here either"

Kenshin nodded in understanding. "Hey! Stop talking about me as if I'm not even here!" Sanosuke shouted angrily. Kaoru flinched and pursed her lips. Megumi snorted.

"Not like it'd make any difference if you were here since you can't say a few words together and have them make since you imbecile!" Megumi taunted. The tall man narrowed his eyes.

"Whoa whoa Fox! Don't go talkin' Spanish on me! Im-be-ile or somethin'!"

"It's French you idiot" Megumi teased with a roll of her eyes. Kaoru just watched the exchange with a smile.

"You two seem awfully friendly," Kaoru mocked, smiling widely. Both Megumi and Sanosuke froze, turning to glare at Kaoru.

"DO NOT!" they chorused. Kenshin smiled softly why Kaoru grinned from ear to ear manically.

"Isn't that cute, Kenshin?" Kaoru said loudly so the two could hear her. Megumi looked like she was ready to strangle Kaoru while Sano just snorted. Kenshin just glanced around at them uncomfortably, trying to tell where this conversation was supposed to go. The photographer just watched with wide eyes. Shaking her head, Kaoru turned around and grabbed Kenshin's arm, looking up at him pleadingly. Kenshin lifted an eyebrow, knowing she was about to ask for something.

"What is it that you want Miss Kaoru?" he asked.

"How'd you know I wanted something?" Kaoru asked, placing hand on her hip. Kenshin smiled lightly.

"I've known you since you were ten. This is the same look you got when you wanted to play with my sword." Kaoru blushed at the memory.

"I was a child, stupid and naïve!" Kaoru defended and Kenshin chuckled lightly.

"Still, what is it you want?" Kenshin asked again and Kaoru blanched before smiling widely.

"I wanna have our pictures taken!" Kaoru squealed and it was Kenshin's turn to blanch.

"Our . . . ?" Kaoru nodded repeatedly.

"Please?" she pleaded looking up at him with round eyes. Kenshin sighed, defeated.

"Sure." he replied and Kaoru gave a squeal of happiness before turning towards the photographer. The photographer smiled at Kaoru and looked over at Kenshin with the same smile.

"Are you two wanting a picture taken?" Kaoru nodded, still smiling enormously. "Just go over there and I'll situate you two in a good position." Kaoru started to go, but when she noticed Kenshin wasn't following her, her hand shot out and grabbed his arm. Kenshin murmured something under his breath inaudible in his slight confusion.

"C'mon! I said I wanted you in it too!"

Kenshin followed her into the shrouded area with a lazy brook gurgling behind them. The photographer stood in front of the confused duo, hand at a sideways L as he placed it on his chin, propping up his other elbow with his other hand. He walked towards them, looking at the two in different directions. Smiling, he pulled out a western chair and placed it in front of Kaoru.

"Now, Miss, if you will please sit down," he asked. Kaoru nodded and sat down uneasily, looking over the chair with interest. She had sat at one before at an ambassador's meeting, but that was a year back. "Now, Sir, if you'd put your left hand on her shoulder and stand slightly behind her, thank you."

Kenshin placed a weary hand over Kaoru's shoulder and she smiled pleasantly up at him. He in turn nodded respectively towards her, much to her dislike.

"Alright now, smile!" the American man called, ducking his head under the cloth over the camera and Kaoru smiled widely. He stayed there for a second before coming out from under the shroud frowning.

"Please sir, if you'd smile more then it would make the picture better." Kenshin felt his eyebrow start to twitch, but he calmed himself and smiled as widely as he could without making himself sick. Kaoru reached up towards him, touching his fingers lightly. Meeting her begging eyes, his smile changed to a gentle one, instead one that was slightly manical with disgust. Returning the smile, she turned back to the camera, as did Kenshin.

"Great! Alright! Say 'cheese'!" the man called. Kaoru practically shouted 'cheese' while Kenshin remained silent from where he stood at Kaoru's side. There was a loud 'poof' and the man withdrew from under the camera smiling. "That was wonderful! I'll need an hour for the pictures to develop so if you'd please give me your name so I know which picture to give you that would be greatly appreciated!"

Kenshin nodded and Kaoru stood up, still smiling. "Put it under Kenshin Himura," he ordered and the man smiled pleasantly, nodding.

"You guys are so stupid! You'll never be able to get your souls back from the devil now!" Sanosuke shouted, hands clenched in fists at his sides before he looked back at Megumi. "You have really stupid friends you know that?!" Kaoru narrowed her eyes angrily.

"You're one to talk! You probably couldn't spell your name backwards if it was written that way in front of you!" Kaoru shouted angrily. Sano snorted.

"Be quiet Little Missy, you probably couldn't either!" he shouted back. Kenshin winced.

"Please, will you two stop? This is the stupidest thing to argue about!" Kenshin asked loudly so he could be heard over their quarreling. Sano glared down at him.

"Oh really girly-man?!" Kenshin closed his eyes and clenched his fists by his side.

"He is not girly!" Kaoru shouted back at Sano.

"Oh really? What's with the long red hair? The only way you can actually tell he's a man is by that scar on his face . . .," Sanosuke suddenly trailed off and his eyes widened. "Oh my . . ." He raised a finger and pointed it at Kenshin. "You're . . . you're . . ."

"It's rude to point" Kenshin stated monotonously, slowly becoming annoyed by the taller man's antics. Sanosuke looked to Megumi, to Kaoru, then back at Kenshin.

"You're the Battousai!" he gasped. Kenshin just raised his eyebrows.

"So what if he is?" Kaoru cried back angrily. Kaoru grabbed Kenshin's arm again and stalked off towards the other direction, Kenshin giving a hurried bow before allowing her to drag him off.

Kaoru grumbled for a good few minutes when she saw something that caught her interest, as did Kenshin. "Kenshin, is it all right if I go over there?! Oh I want to go! PLEASE!"

He nodded. "Just as long as you're in my sight." Kaoru smiled.

"Since when have I not been?!" she huffed.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Kaoru just shook her head, skipping off towards her destination.

Kenshin waited till she was where she wanted to be and turned to an old Japanese man's vender, many swords laid across it. Kenshin wandered aimlessly about it before he spotted a drawn sword placed next to its sheath.

Picking it up, he gazed at it slightly puzzled, the sword lying on his palms. A slow smile spread across his face and he slipped the sword into its sheath smoothly. Turning towards the vender who had been watching him carefully, he nodded towards the sheathed sword.

"How much for this?" Kenshin asked inquisitively. The vender picked it up and weighed it in his hands. Taking the head of the sword, he pulled it out slightly so he could see the blade. Slipping it back in, he placed it on his table.

"That one's practically worthless. I'd say around 400 yen." the vender replied in a gruff voice. Kenshin placed that amount of coins on the vender's table. The vender hurriedly and expertly wrapped it with worn hands before giving it to Kenshin.

Kenshin nodded his thanks and rested it on his shoulder, walking towards where Kaoru stood inspecting a vase from a pace called the Incas. He lightly touched her shoulder and she jumped before smiling at him. Noticing his burden, curiosity overcame her.

"What is that?"

"You'll see." Kaoru pursed her lips, but nodded. She couldn't help, but wonder secretly about what the long packaged 'thing' was.


I decided to go ahead and put up this chapter, seeing how I haven't finished the second one so that'll kind of shift me awkwardly off my pattern. I hope you enjoy this chapter. The last ones have been a little dark, so I decided to put one up with a little bit of humor to it. I even drew a picture of Kenshin dressed up! Sadly, I don't have a scanner, so no one shall see it, unless they know me personally, which I know none of you do. 400 yen is equivalent toaround three dollars and something cents so as you can tell the sword is pretty cheap.

I'm afraid I don't know when I'll be putting up the next chapter, so you're going to have to be patient. I'd like to thank all of you who have stuck with me for this chapter. In the next chapter I'll put down the names of those who returned to read my little story here.

Now, I would greatly appreciate it if you reviewed. Thank you!!