It had only been a week since Kenshin arrived at Xavier institute for Gifted Children, but already it had been a common sight to see the mutant cleaning some remote part of the mansion, or doing the laundry outside. It was equally as common to see Kaoru ripping through the self-same mansion in search of the poor man. This day was no different from any other.
"Kenshin! Kenshin where are you?!" Kaoru stormed exasperated through the halls.
"Ah…Kaoru? I think he's doing the laundry again." Jaime looked like he would rather be doing anything to avoid risking her wrath.
"Again? Seriously?"
Jaime didn't answer, just nodded and returned to his homework.
Kaoru hurried toward the doors of the mansion and ran into Kenshin as he was entering the house, followed closely by a chattering Ayame and Suzume.
"Kenshin!"
"Hai, Kaoru-dono?"
"Where have you been!? I've been looking for you forever!"
"Gomen Nasai, Kaoru-dono. This one was cleaning. What can this one do for you?"
"We're going shopping. Kitty and I were talking and you need to get some new clothes. You can't go around wearing those things anymore! This is America!" There was an insane twinkle in her eye and Kenshin did what any sane man who didn't know what it would mean to go shopping with two typical teenage girls would do. He agreed to go. Cyclops, who had been sitting in the foyer, shook his head in pity for the man as he ran out of the room in order to escape the trip.
In the end, Kitty, Kaoru and Kenshin were joined by Jean and a reluctant Rogue. When they arrived at the mall, a small battle ensued over whether or not Kenshin would be allowed to take his sword into the store. Finally, kensin won by pointing out that he had been given diplomatic immunity and was allowed to carry his sword at all times. And yes, he did indeed have a copy of the documents with him. So they hurried into the store, trying to ignore the stares of the other mall patrons.
After a moment of deliberation between Kitty and Kaoru, Kenshin was pushed into a store that was filled with older teenagers and people in their twenties. In the time that Kenshin was looking around the store, Kitty and Kaoru had left and returned with a pile of clothing in their hands.
"We don't know what size you wear, and from the look of you clothes, neither do you. So go try these on. In the dressing room."
Kenshin just nodded and allowed the girls to push him toward a small empty room. They closed the door with an order to show them the clothes once he had them on. Sighing unhappily, Kenshin slipped out of his familiar gi and hakama and struggled into a pair of baggy black jeans and a tight black muscle shirt. Flushing with embarrassment, the stepped out into the waiting room and watched as the girls' mouths dropped.
"Kenshin! You look…great!" Kaoru was practically drooling. "Yeah, you're like, super hot!" Kitty giggled at him and ushered him back into the dressing room.
Things continued on in this vain until Kenshin had finally exhausted half of the store's clothing line. As the cashier rang up the purchases, Kenshin's eyes bugged at the price.
"Kaoru-dono, who is paying for this?"
"Don't worry, Kenshin, Professor X is paying!" Kenshin frowned deeply at this, but didn't say anything. Finally the clothes were paid for and Kaoru had them delivered to the mansion with the exception of the baggy black pants and tight red muscles shirt that Kenshin was wearing out.
For the rest of the day, the girls flittered around the all, a swirly-eyed Kenshin being dragged along behind them. Finally, Rouge managed to pull him away from the horde, claiming that she wanted to go to the food court and that Kenshin was coming with her, Kaoru looked at them and decided to come as well. The other two were going to come, until they spotted a sale that dragged their attention away.
The three headed down to the food court, not really saying much, all exhausted from the day spent in the mall. Suddenly though, Kenshin was hit from behind.
"Ororororororororo!" He rolled as he hit the ground and got back up swiftly, checking his hand as it went to his sword. His eyes bugged to see Kaoru pinning a ten year old boy to the ground.
"Hey, here's your wallet Kenshin! Rouge, could you get the police?"
"No, no, that's not nessesary, de gozaru ka."
"Kenshin, this kid tried to steal your wallet!" Kaoru seemed to swell with righteous fury.
"If he's stealing it, perhaps he needs the money. Can't help what's been picked from my pocket." Kenshin smiled and returned the wallet to the hand of the boy. He then proceeded to grab Kaoru's hand and the back of Rouge's shirt and pulled them away from the boy.
"Hey you!" The voice of the boy caused Kenshin to turn around, and get hit in the face with his wallet.
"I don't need your pity! I'm descended from a long line of Japanese Samurai! And I'm not a kid!"
"Of course not, don't ever loose that pride you have." Kenshin gave the boy a kind smile and walked away, shortly followed by Kaoru and Rouge.
"What a brat." Kaoru growled, her hands flexing as though she would like nothing more than to strangle the kid.
"He would have been the perfect Samurai, had he lived several hundred years ago. Do not worry about him, he will find the right path very soon." Kenshin smiled again.
"How do you know that?" Kaoru demanded, scowling up at Kenshin.
"The same spirit flows in many this one has…known in Japan" His eyes gazed into space, focusing on a time and place other than the one he was it.
"Anyway, where are we headed exactly?" He asked, looking around at the multitude to shops around them.
"The food court…right there!" Kaoru pointed ahead of them and tugged Kenshin toward the food.
At the Mansion
"But Chuck, how can you trust him?!" Logan jammed his fist onto the desk in frustration.
"Logan, calm down. We cannot have this discussion if you insist on behaving in this fashion."
Logan growled before slumping into the chair behind him.
"Fine. But I'm tellin' ya, that kid is off. He's killed people before AND he's hiding something from us. I've been watching him, there's more to him then the simple happy-go-lucky face he puts on for the other kiddies."
"Logan, we all have things we don't want to share with others. Take your own past for example."
"I am not like that kid!" He snarled angrily. "He's bad news Chuck, and I hope you can see that before somebody gets killed!" He stood up and slammed the door behind him."
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Note: Hey everyone, sorry about the long wait. Sorry also about the shortness of this chapter. Well, at least I got Yahiko in. Sano will enter in the next chapter…Fights and a Home.
Kean: Yup, Procrastinating is fun. Gotta love it. Hope you liked the chapter!
Yumi Keki: Thanks for the review!
Isis Moon: Thanks for the review!
Lady Ann Kenobi: Thanks for the review!
Goddess-Shalamar: Huggles Plushies Yes! It worked! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review and tell me what you thought!
Inuyuki: Glad you liked that part. I just couldn't get that idea out of my head, so I decided to include it. You'll find out Yahiko's power next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it!
Jita Hitasura: Sorry about the shortness, but glad you liked the spandex. I liked it too….
Tati1: Thanks! I like the cookie part as well. Hope you liked the chapter!
Jupiter Light: Thanks! Hope you liked the chapter!
Dark: Glad you like it. I just thought with all the anime/x-men cross-overs there are, there should also be a Kenshin one! If you see any others, could you tell me?
IMPROVED Uber Rei Model 06: Geez, you're good at guessing. Nobody seems to want me to keep me secrets! Cries -.-; Anyway, hope you liked the chapter!