Disclaimer: I no own Rurouni Kenshin…
Hidden in Study – Chapter 8 – By Cherry Chibi
Laughter roared through the corridors and groups had quickly crowded around the posts of the building. Kaoru and Misao heard Megumi's calling card – her flirtatious tone and her laugh. They searched the odd scenario and couldn't make out any one of their close friends in the chaotic area.
"What do you think is happening?" Misao had to raise her voice so that Kaoru could hear over the roaring laughter and comments. Her face was blank for a while until her blue eyes lighted up in the usual way when she had gotten ideas or even worked out something. "Do you think Megumi plotted something against Rooster-head?"
"Sano?" Kaoru looked thoughtful for a moment, "I think so." The two brushed passed the mob and through the setting cement of people towards one of the posts. When their eyes had set upon what from faraway looked like an innocent piece of paper, up close was actually a very guilty picture of Sanosuke. "Oh no."
A picture of Sanosuke of when he was only a toddler showed him wearing a pink kimono. Megumi rushed over to them laughing. "How that huh? Isn't it the perfect way to stop the rumours for a while?" Misao and Kaoru stared at the image and both didn't find it a bit funny at all. Well, maybe a bit amusing. However, it was clear that when Sanosuke finds out, he was going to…
"WHAT THE HELL?!" The crowd cleared and the tall teenaged boy stood staring wide eyed at the image. He dropped a wrapped box onto the ground and stormed over to Megumi with the sense of betrayal in his eyes. "Where did you get that?!" His tone was deathly cold.
Megumi laughed a bit, "Oh my. Looks like you're a bit tense." She soon felt the funny vibes being emitted from Kaoru and Misao and then pulled herself down to seriousness and stared at Sanosuke in the eyes. The crowd had cleared and only the four; Kaoru, Misao, Megumi and Sanosuke, remained.
"You're a deceitful person, Megumi." Sanosuke said harshly. He didn't give any time for Megumi to reply at all before he walked away cold.
"I…" The doctor child didn't know what to say or do at that moment. She turned around to Kaoru and Misao who looked at her with pity.
"I think you went a bit too far this time Megumi." Kaoru said quietly. Misao picked up the wrapped box that Sanosuke had dropped earlier. She rushed over to Kaoru and showed her a piece of parchment connected to it. A frown formed on everyone's lips. "By the looks of this, you really did hurt him Megumi."
"I didn't know," Megumi said as she rushed towards the post and ripped off the copied image of Sanosuke. "I didn't really mean it to go that way," She paused for a moment, "I'll have to make it up to him!"
"Chee, you really are sorry are you?" Misao said sarcastically. It didn't even look like Megumi actually took the matter to heart. Kaoru elbowed Misao in the side causing her to jump a little. "What?"
"Megumi is serious about it. She's just a straightforward kind of girl at these matters." Kaoru said in a low hiss. She looked up at Megumi, "So what are you going to do?" Megumi was silent for awhile. Her chocolate eyes looked distant for a bit and they didn't sparkle with mischief as they normally did.
"I'll think of something."
* * * *
Kaoru held her sword over her shoulder and walked along with Kenshin to training. Kenshin was unusually silent. He had been for a long while. Maybe there was something wrong about the sudden unusual training session that had been relocated to the gardens. "Is there something wrong Kenshin?" Kaoru asked carefully.
Kenshin turned to Kaoru with a broad smile. "No. Nothing." Even though his smile was broad, it wasn't as sincere as it used to be. She felt a small smear of anger in her heart. In the corner of her eye she saw his troubled look and knew that he was in one of his personal disputes.
A flash of amber traveled across his lavender pools, after blinking a couple of times, the amber flickered past again and grew stronger, brighter. 'This is no longer a joke, the last time I saw amber, I had thought it was a trick of the light but now, now it's getting scary.' Kaoru thought and suddenly Kenshin's feet pushed against the gravel ground to a halt. "What's wrong?" A metallic ring filled followed by a leap. The moonlight glowed on the tip of Kenshin's blade. Kaoru's eyes widened and she quickly reacted by unsheathing her sword Battou-jutsu style and blocked Kenshin's attack. "What's wrong with you?!"
His eyes were full on amber. His strength multiplied, forcing Kaoru to push harder or else her head would be split into two. Fear struck her sapphire depths and her heart throbbed in confusion's agony.
"Tell me who you really are." Kenshin's voice deepened to a low tone, completely opposite to his normal cheerful voice. His blade pushed Kaoru's down and inch away from her head.
"Kenshin! Have you gone crazy?" Kaoru questioned. He was so strong. Much stronger than before and look of his expression held the essence of murder. He didn't respond to his name nor did he respond to Kaoru's white complexion.
'Stop it! What are you doing?!' A voice in Kenshin's head shouted. 'You're going to kill Akai if you keep going like that!' A lavender hue circled his iris. 'I don't want Akai to be hurt!'
"Shut up." The amber eyed teenage boy said. 'You have been so dense that it sickens me to think that you would become the successor of Hiten Mitsuruugi Ryuu, a technique that is so powerful.' Kaoru pushed his attack away finally with a high ring, he leapt and landed before charging again for another attack.
When swords clashed, their faces were inches apart. 'You can see in Akai's eyes that 'he' doesn't belong here. In fact, I should say 'she'.'
Another voice in his head was in disbelief. 'You're making futile claims! Who are you anyway?! You've been in my head like a monster all these years!'
'I am Battousai and I am no monster, rather, I am the smarter and better side of you.'
"Kenshin! Stop it!" Kaoru fought off another attack and held her guard up. "Whatever is going through your head, it must really be bothering you, so why don't you just spit it out! You're taking out your frustration on me!" Anger grew as well as worry. By the looks of him, he was taking it seriously and it was almost as if he was trying to kill her. After all, they are fighting with real swords.
"Fine." His deep mature voice said, he sheathed his sword. Battousai had pulled his other half and locked Kenshin into the darkness of his mind. 'Kenshin won't know anything.' He approached Kaoru with a sneer. "Stop calling me 'Kenshin'. It's Battousai."
"Battousai?" Kaoru picked up her sheath and covered her sword. Battousai nodded. 'The change of colour in his eyes must be a signal showing his personality change… but that is so scary. Battousai must be the much more aggressive half. Oh, I wish Kenshin wasn't like that! I had suspicions before about this but it was true!' Kaoru wasn't sure what to say next. "We're going to be late to our training session." She said finally.
"There is no training session." Battousai said, "I wanted to get you out here alone. Let me say this, I know that you aren't the person you claim to be Akai and you've been like that for so many years. However, my other stupid half doesn't know."
"Um… so… why did you want to get me out here alone?" Kaoru asked.
"Because I just wanted to talk to 'Kaoru' here." Battousai said while taking sitting on the lush green grass. Kaoru followed and sat opposite of Battousai.
"How did you know my name?" Kaoru asked slowly.
"Remember your little parcel?" Battousai said. "I still remember. Unlike Kenshin." It was getting dark but his amber orbs glowed through the dark which made Kaoru's blood run faster. "I apologize for being so abrupt before, it was to get the other's attention."
Kaoru didn't really understand but she nodded anyway.
"Kaoru, would you make a promise to me?" Battousai questioned.
"To you as in 'Battousai' you or to 'Kenshin' and you?" Kaoru asked, it was beginning to get amusing as well as confusing. She felt light headed from trying to figure out the situation.
"To 'Battousai' me." Battousai said. Kaoru nodded with reassurance. "Will you promise me that you will not go against me? I mean no ill will to anyone." He said with a glimpse of softness. "The others who know about me are treating me as if I was a dangerous being. I hate that."
A minute of silence passed before Kaoru got the point and smiled warmly. "Of course. I promise. I wouldn't go against you anyway. Since you are part of Kenshin."
* * * *
AN: Tada! Battousai has fully appeared! (and I have finally updated) Thanks for your support! No reviewer's corner today… (Cherry too tired…)
Well, I'll try to update again soon, until next time (and good night…),
Cherry Chibi.