Disclaimer: I no own Rurouni Kenshin…
Hidden in Study - Chapter 5 – By Cherry Chibi
Six years later… December
Kaoru – aged 13
Misao – aged 13
Aya (new character) – aged 13
Megumi – aged 13
Tsubame – 13
Kenshin – aged 14
Sanosuke – aged 14
Aoshi – aged 14
Saitoh – aged 14
Soujiro – aged 13
Yahiko – aged 14
* * * *
Misao dodged her partner's attack with slight difficulty. 'He's fast!' It was very late evening and Misao, Aoshi and the new student of the year were training in kempo. Her partner had deep blue eyes and was always wearing a strange material hat over his head. There was something about her partner that made Misao feel a bit relaxed. She dodged a punch and took her turn.
"You're pretty good…" Misao heard her partner mutter. It was the first time she had ever heard the new student speak in the whole year. Suddenly, it struck her. That voice did not belong to a person who was a boy. More like a girl's voice.
Quickly spin kicking and tripping her sparring partner over, she made eye contact with a questioning look in her eyes. Her opponent scurried to an upright position. "Alright, what's your real name?" Misao asked in a low voice so that no one else could hear.
Her partner looked taken aback and fell silent.
"I know that you're not a guy." Misao continued.
"Aya." The girl finally replied in a stifled whisper. "Aya Hajime." Misao almost tripped over. Saitoh had a little sister?! The girl continued, "Please don't tell anyone…"
"I won't." Misao replied, "My name is Misao." Aya looked up surprised. "You're not the only one Aya." Misao continued quietly. She pulled Aya's arm and lifted the girl to her feet.
* * * *
Kaoru tried to write the character on the piece of parchment again. She delicately dipped the point of her brush into the inkwell and then onto the surface of the paper. "Stroke one…" Kaoru started a line down. "Stroke two…" A line across from the top. "Stroke three…four… five… six… I CAN'T DO IT!!!" She threw the brush and Kenshin quickly caught it.
"You are surely are frustrated Akai…" Kenshin said calmly. He placed the brush on the table. He smiled, "It's way past midnight." During the past years, a lot has changed about him. His personality mostly. Kaoru sometimes feared him, especially when he got angry. He would seem calm but he would really boil inside and the worst thing about it is that he doesn't release it. Kenshin's swordsmanship skills have surpassed any normal high standard and he's been making disappearing acts to someplace no one knew, not even Aoshi. That's why Kaoru was afraid of him.
But their bonds have grown stronger and brotherly. She could read him like a book most of the time and he could do the same to her. Only, Kaoru thought that he was far too dense to realize even at this age, the time when a body begins to 'develop', that she was a girl and not a guy.
"We should get to rest, tomorrow Seijuro-sensei is taking us into the village to buy ingredients again. We have to rest up." Kenshin said. "These holidays have been filled with hard work…"
"At least it gets us stronger." Kaoru showed her biceps. She flexed them before hiding them again with the brown sleeve of her top.
Suddenly they both heard a bell ring. Sanosuke stormed into the room. "Guys, bandits have attacked the school again! Seijuro-sensei and Okina-sensei want us to protect the juniors."
"Right."
* * * *
Misao and Saitoh led the girls to the assigned hiding area. So far, she has calculated that there have been another twenty bandits attacking. She couldn't understand why those people would attack the school, it was the fifth attack that week and at this rate, it seemed that it was only going to get worse.
"Taka, the hiding area is this way," Saitoh muttered.
The group turned. Fires had been lit around the gates. The blazing flames glowed like demons in the dark. "Saitoh, where is Megumi?" Misao asked, beads of sweat gathered on her forehead. "She hasn't been seen."
"That's the reason why these damn bandits are here!"
"What?!" Misao looked shocked.
Tsubame and Aya were running closely behind them. "Didn't you hear? Megumi's father had been making refined opium lately and has been selling it to those bandits." Tsubame said as she ran, "They've been forcing him into making the stuff but he finally had the courage to say no and told everyone else."
"And the bandits are pissed." Aya added.
* * * *
Kenshin and Kaoru barricaded the door of the dojo. The junior students were huddled together. There were altogether 10 junior students. Bandits from the outside banged onto the door. They both pushed hard against the door to help stop the men outside entering. It was dark in the dojo and flares of ember lit the edges from the gaps of windows and doors.
"This isn't good Kenshin! We have to get the kids to another place! The bandits could burn this dojo and trap us all in here!" Kaoru shouted over the commotion.
Kenshin shook his head. "They wouldn't. They're looking for Megumi and Dr. Takani, they're not sure where the two are." Wood smashed and blood spurted. A blade had punctured through the wooden door and through Kaoru's side.
"Argh!" She backed away from the door. Her left hand gripped the wound on her right.
"Akai!" Kenshin growled as he backed away from the door and drew out his sword. "Hurry! Get the juniors out of here through the back!"
"Alright!" Kaoru nodded. She made firm eye contact with the young kids. A couple of them had tied bandages around her waist to cover the injury. "Follow me!" She glanced back at Kenshin, "Good luck!"
"Go." Kenshin said coldly. Kaoru felt the shivers. Something wasn't right. His ki didn't feel warm and friendly as it usually did to her but now fierce and cold. She shook her head.
'No time to think about this now,' she thought. She led the kids through the back. A few moments later, she was greeted by four tall bulky men wearing tattered clothing. Each of them grinning.
"Little brat, where are the Takani family?" One of them asked with a brutal force.
"I wouldn't tell you!" Kaoru said as she drew out her sword. The blade shimmered in amber. "I warn you to leave this school!" In an instant the men broke out into laughter. They stopped when they realized the seriousness in Kaoru's eyes and ki. "I will repeat myself," Kaoru said slowly, "I warn you to leave this school or there will be consequences." The junior students crowded behind Kaoru to hide from sight.
"Brat!" One of the bandits drew out his sword and swiped it at Kaoru. She backed up and easily dodged. "You think you're a samurai?!" He charged forward and attacked. Kaoru countered it with a block with her blade.
"Kids! Move away!" Kaoru shouted. She gritted her teeth and let out a battle cry. "I warned you!" She leapt into the air, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu! Ryu-Sou-Sen!" With clean moves and wounded the man but held back so that he didn't get the full impact. He flinched and cowardly backed away with anger burning in his eyes.
It wasn't usual that Kaoru would use this technique since she wasn't entirely used to it but over the passed few months Kenshin had asked her to become his sparring partner and it order for her to become a proper one, he had to teach her the moves. In other words, she was learning off Kenshin without Hiko knowing.
"Brat! We'll teach you not to mess with us!" All four men attacked and the children behind Kaoru were beginning to back away further.
"Ryu-Kan-Sen!" Kaoru countered their meaningless efforts and knocked them down onto the ground. She landed neatly and turned back to them. "I've told you that there would be consequences." She looked at the kids, "Come on! Let's hurry!" The group ran as fast as possible towards the next building. On the way, Kaoru spotted Hiko and Okina fighting and defeating the bandits group by group and villagers where putting out the fires.
* * * *
Misao and Saitoh shut the door behind them and the group hid in silence. Beads of sweat dripped from Misao's chin. "Damn, how long is this going to last?"
"Hopefully not very long." Saitoh said. "With Hiko-sensei and Okina-sensei as well as the other teachers, these bandits won't last until sunrise." He sat beside Aya, "I told you that it was pointless coming here."
Aya puffed up. "I want to learn stuff so just back off Saitoh." She crossed her arms and turned her head away from Saitoh. Tsubame looked worriedly at the two. Outside the loud banging of the alarm bell sounded. Commotion of yells and cries. Soon after, there was sudden silence.
* * * *
The wooden floors where stained by a crimson fluid and blistered by holes. Kenshin stood at the centre. He had knocked out several bandits and had held back from killing. He had no intention to. 'Akai should have taking the juniors to the next building where the dormitories are.' He thought as he sprinted at remarkable speed. 'This time, the bandits must have gotten impatient and attacked with full force… they're idiots. Now they'll all see the true colours of the Taiyou no Kokoro school…'
He entered the building and found the everyone safe but he immediately frowned when he found Akai struggling. "Akai, let me see that wound." Kaoru backed away from him quickly. "It's alright Akai, I'll only check the wounds and then bandage them properly."
'I'll be exposed!' Kaoru thought, she couldn't let anyone know her true identity yet. Besides, she didn't want to remove her shirt since the room was filled with young boys and Kenshin. "I-I'll get Dr. Takani to check it later…"
"You have to get your wounds treated as soon as possible." Kenshin said.
"No, no. I'm fine."
"You could get an infection if it isn't cleansed."
"I can do it myself."
"Akai, you're being a fool here." Kenshin's eyes flashed amber dangerously. He hated it when people disagreed with him about situations like these when it could endanger their own well being. He hated it when people are being foolish and stubborn.
"Fine!" Kaoru nervously removed her shirt and Kenshin cocked an eyebrow.
"Why do you have bandages wrapped all around your torso?" Kenshin asked, it was strange because usually, he would only wrap bandages around his stomach area for protection and that's about it.
"Er… Dr. Takani said that I needed to wrap bandages there… because… ah… I… ah… injured myself there." Kaoru said. She felt her face blush to high heat and she was grateful that she wasn't a sixteen year old.
"Oh." Kenshin undid the bottom bandages and checked her cut near the waist. "You're going to need to wash this wound…" He called one of the junior students to bring him a basin of water and a cloth.
The fight ended a few moments later and peace was restored to the school. A few of the teachers came around and checked on them making sure that everyone was safe from harm.
* * * *
Early next morning, while Kaoru was resting in her room feeling heavily drowsy from the medication that Dr. Takani have given her. Everyone else had gone out to help with the fixing of the school while injured students took a break. She shifted in bed and then she heard loud shouts.
"50 more!"
"No way!"
"Listen boy!"
"I'm not a boy! I'm Yahiko Myoujin of a long line of samurai!"
Kaoru blocked her ears and tried to get some rest. She had a feeling that she was going to meet that boy soon and it wasn't going to be pleasant.
The shouji door slid open and Misao entered the room. "Kao, are you feeling alright?"
"Just tired." Kaoru said with a yawn. "And sore."
"Well, I thought I'd come to visit while I'm on my break." Misao said. "I hope that you'll feel better soon."
"Yeah…"
"Why is it that you always get injured?" Misao questioned, "A while ago you injured your ankle, before that was your arm and before that was your shoulder…"
"I get the point." Kaoru said. "I don't know. Maybe its because of the training I do. Anyway, that's normal to happen." She pulled her blanket to cover her shoulders. "Misao, how much longer do you think we can hide the truth?"
Misao understood the question immediately. "I don't know. But they will realize soon. Especially since we're changing. It's getting harder to imitate a boys' voice nowadays since the guys' voice are deepening." She sat cross legged beside Kaoru's futon.
Kaoru sighed. "Misao, I wonder what the others would think about us after they find out though…" Misao shrugged.
"I wonder what Aoshi is gonna think…"
"You have a crush on him don't you?"
"No I don't!"
"Yes you do!"
"No I don't!"
"You've been talking about him almost everyday." Kaoru said teasingly. Misao blushed and crossed her arms in defense. She wasn't. Aoshi was her friend. A close one. Then she continued to think about it, trying to find all the right words to say out loud against Kaoru's statement. "I'm just kidding Misao!"
Misao sighed with relief.
* * * *
AN: *cough, cough* There we go! *cough* Another nice chapter! (And I've finally updated) As you can see, Battousai is forming along quite nicely. *cough* There would be more appearances of Battousai in each chapter until the full 'transformation'. Thanks for all of your reviews guys! *cough, cough, sniffle* I'm sick.
PoPlAr: Well, you're going to have to read to find out what happens to Kenshin for Battousai to develop completely. And yeah, you better update soon and if not, then you might not see my reviews for a while since I wouldn't be able to use the internet. .x Besides all of that, thanks for reading and reviewing!
Ixchen: ^o^x Thanks!!!
Flyinangel777: Yep. I'm going to do time jumps like how I jumped 6 years. I want to keep this interesting for everyone so when a certain age gets boring then I move on. ^-^x Oh, and in this fic, I'm not going to form Battousai on Kenshin through all of that violence and stuff, I want to make this different so its gonna be Battousai forming through Kenshin's emotions. (sorry for babbling) Thanks for reading and reviewing!
DemonMiko: I tried to update asap. Thanks for reading and giving feedback!
Kitsune KeNsHiN: Yep, the forming of Battousai has begun and that's going to be one of the main focuses from now on. Thanks for reading! ^-^x
SilverKnight7: Tried to update asap. Hope you liked it! ^o^x
Nee-chan: So how did you think of Aya? Hm? Hope you liked this chapter! Before I forget, LMAO means Laugh My Ass Off. (I'm pretty sure it was you who asked…)
Willow: Really? You've never read a fic where the Kenshin-gumi are little kids? Hm… now I think about it, I haven't either… ^.^x Thanks for giving me those wonderful comments and yes, romance will come but later. ^-^x Thanks for reading and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter!
Lynnie6: *coughs and wheezes* Thanks! Hope that you liked this chapter! ^o^x
Thanks everyone for reviewing and reading this fic! I'm really feeling guilty that I haven't updated lately but there are many, many, many reasons to why I couldn't and right now, my main reason is 'cos I'm sick and I'm going to be visiting the doctor. *coughs, sniffles*
Until next time!
~ Cherry Chibi