Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this story.

Chapter 4

Late the next morning Okina, Misao, Okon and Omasu stood on the porch outside of the Aoiya. All three girls were waving energetically at the trio walking away from them down the street. Kaoru waved to them over her shoulder, while Kenshin and Hiko continued on without a backward glance, much to the disappointment of Omasu and Okon.

Making a quick stop to pick up supplies, the group began their journey to Tokyo. Kenshin and Hiko allowed Kaoru to set the pace. However, Kenshin kept a close eye on her ki and nudged Hiko whenever she got tired, reminding him to suggest they take a break.

They stopped around dusk, setting up camp in a clearing by a stream. Being hampered by her kimono, Kaoru had set a slow pace. Hiko didn't think they had traveled even thirty miles from Kyoto.

After dinner, Kaoru slept near the fire while Kenshin and Hiko, in an unspoken agreement, slept on opposite sides of the clearing, setting up a perimeter. Either Kenshin or Hiko would awaken if anything came too close to their camp.

. . .

Kenshin woke up, sensing hostile ki nearby. He opened his eyes and glanced at Hiko, who was also awake. Their eyes met, and they stood. Quickly, but quietly, Kenshin walked towards his master, casting a quick glance at Kaoru. She was still fast asleep.

"We need to determine whether they present a threat to us, but I don't want to leave Kaoru vulnerable," Kenshin said, quietly. And I'm not going to let you go alone. I can't tell how many people are out there, and you haven't fought in my body before, he added, silently.

Hiko seemed to agree that they should both investigate the ki. "If you don't want her vulnerable, then wake her up and tell her to stay here. She can protect herself with her bokken, if need be," he replied, softly, nodding in Kaoru's direction.

Kenshin shook his head. "It's not that simple. She'll insist on coming with us," he said, keeping his voice low. He glanced back at Kaoru to make sure she was still asleep.

"And I suppose you can't tell her 'no,' can you?" Hiko sighed. "She's a liability. I think that was proven quite thoroughly when those pirates attacked you. Had she not been there, you would have been able to fight freely, and you would not have been taken prisoner."

Kenshin remained silent. He knew Hiko was right and, since he was currently in Hiko's body, he would have to be the one to point this out. He nodded, motioning for Hiko to wake Kaoru.

After she was awake and somewhat coherent, Hiko explained the situation to her. "Kam-- Kaoru-dono, I sensed a group of people with hostile ki not too far from here. Shishou and I are going to investigate, and I want you to stay here," he said, his tone serious.

Kaoru immediately shook her head. "You're not leaving me behind, Kenshin," she said, in a matter of fact tone.

Hiko tried again, thinking of arguments Kenshin would be likely to use. "It might be dangerous. I would rather you stay here, where you won't get hurt."

"I'm not some fragile little girl you need to protect, Kenshin! Don't forget that I'm the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin Dojo. I can help you!" she said.

"Hmph." The noise brought Kaoru's attention to Kenshin. "If this turns out to be something that two Hiten Mitsurugi masters can't handle, I very much doubt there would be anything you could do," he said, trying hard to sound like Hiko. He didn't want to insult her kendo skills, but he'd rather she be out of harm's way.

Kaoru stared at him for a few seconds before lowering her head in defeat. Kenshin was surprised she gave in so easily; apparently, Kaoru was disinclined to argue with Hiko.

That having been decided, Kenshin and Hiko slipped into the forest and disappeared. As soon as Kaoru was out of sight, they switched swords and quickly followed the ki to its source. Kenshin cringed mentally at the amount of noise he made. Although Hiko's body could move very quietly, considering his size; any sound was too much, in Kenshin's opinion. They slowed their approach as voices became audible.

"Those things are dangerous! Well trained? Yeah, right. If your dogs are so well trained, then why did one bite Namboku?" one voice said, making itself heard above the others.

"He wouldn't have bitten him if he hadn't kicked him! It's his own fault," someone replied. Most of his companions disagreed with him.

"Come off it, Ryuichi! None of the yakuza gangs in Kyoto are going to allow us to join if we have dogs that attack their masters!"

"Yeah, and then we'd have walked all the way from Iakayama for nothing. Get rid of the dogs!"

"The gangs in Iakayama were weak. One puny swordsman was able to defeat both of them by himself! If I'd had my dogs with me, they would have torn that guy apart!" Ryuichi said, defensively.

Not really following the conversation, Kenshin noted that there were about ten people in all. Their hostility seemed to be directed at each other; so, if they were careful, they could avoid the larger group all together. Satisfied, Kenshin turned to Hiko, when one of the dogs started barking.

Immediately, everyone's attention was focused on what the canine was barking at. Kenshin cursed his rotten luck. Apparently, the dog had caught their scent. Not seeing a reason to hide any longer, Kenshin and Hiko emerged from the bushes.

Intent on proving his dogs' worth, Ryuichi released them, ordering them to attack.

Hiko tensed, gripping the wooden hilt tightly as he prepared to draw his katana. He started as he felt a strong wave of intimidating ki from Kenshin. What is that idiot doing?! That attack has no effect on dogs-- oh. Hiko stared as the dogs turned tail and ran, yipping, away from them and into the forest. He turned his head slightly to look at Kenshin without taking his eyes off of his opponents.

Ryuichi watched his dogs leave, confused as to what had spooked them so badly. He turned back to face the intruders, and got a good look at them. He had never seen the tall one, but the short one looked pretty familiar. I don't believe it-- it's him! That's the guy who beat us in Iakayama! "Not you, again!" he yelled, following his dogs' example and running as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

Hiko stared after the retreating figure's back. "Friend of yours?"

"Not one that I remember," Kenshin replied, looking a little confused.

"Well, what are you idiots waiting for?! Take them out!" one of the men yelled. In a disorganized mass, the group attacked.

Kenshin and Hiko immediately split up, each taking one half of the group. Hiko, thinking this would be an easy fight, rushed towards the men, drawing his katana. The weapon felt alien to his hand, too long for him and too heavy for his weaker muscles. Mentally trying to compensate for the difference, he made his first mistake when he crossed blades with one opponent and almost lost his sword. My style of fighting is based on strength-- Kenshin's is not. I have to remember that! Hiko thought, berating himself. His only comfort was knowing that Kenshin was facing similar problems.

On his side of the battle, Kenshin found his sakabato considerably easier to wield, although it was obviously too short for the length of Hiko's arms. This was relatively easy to work around, however, and Kenshin did so. His problems were coming from controlling Hiko's strength.

After almost losing his sword, Hiko decided a change in tactics was in order. Although he could match his opponents in strength, he was unable to overpower them. So, instead of plowing through them, as he normally did, he would just have to strike before they could react. Speed was Kenshin's specialty, after all.

Sinking into a battoujutsu stance, Kenshin ran forward, unsheathing his sword and taking down four men. He flinched mentally when he heard the crunch of ribs snapping under the force of his blade. He hadn't meant to break any bones with that attack, so it would be easier for the men to make it back to town.

Rushing forward, Hiko darted in and around them, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he decapitated two men. His katana was awkward to wield, however, his attacks much slower than they should have been. Movement caught his attention, and a thrill of fear ran through Hiko as he realized he wouldn't be able to block the sword in time. However, he hadn't taken into account how swiftly Kenshin's body would respond to his need to avoid the oncoming blade, and he jumped back, the sword slicing through a few trailing strands of hair. That was a close one. I never much cared for a style of fighting based on speed, but it does have its advantages! Hiko thought, cutting diagonally through this attacker's chest.

Seeing a blade from the corner of his eye, Kenshin reflexively brought his sakabato up to counter the blow. Expecting to lock blades, Kenshin was momentarily thrown off-balance as Hiko's superior strength sent the man flying backwards. Kenshin recovered quickly, only to see his assailant's foot flying towards him. He jumped back, but Hiko's body was slightly slower than his, and the foot connected hard with the side of his left knee. Kenshin staggered, feeling as though someone had shoved a red-hot poker through his knee. Biting back a cry of pain, Kenshin brought his sakabato down against his assailant's shoulder hard, the audible crunch of the bones being broken drowned out by the man's scream.

Hiko turned to the last man, when pain shot through his left knee. He gasped at the unexpected agony, going down on his right knee while reflexively clutching the other one.

Seeing an opening, the man ran forward to take advantage of Hiko's vulnerable state.

Blocking the pain from his mind, Hiko pushed himself forward, raising his katana and allowing the man's forward momentum to impale himself on the sword. He pulled his weapon free as the man fell to the side.

Hiko paused, drawing a deep breath, before pushing himself painfully to his feet. Using his katana to support himself, Hiko rubbed his aching knee thoughtfully. No one touched me, yet my knee is causing me pain. Why...?

Kenshin limped over to Hiko, noticeably favoring his left knee. Hiko's eyes narrowed slightly. "Kenshin, you weren't hit on your left knee, were you?" he asked.

Kenshin rolled his eyes. As if it wasn't obvious from how I'm walking, he thought, sarcastically. "Yes, Shishou, I was kicked there," he replied.

Hiko paused, considering something. He was injured, and I was not, yet we both feel it. But that's not possible... Of course, it's not possible to switch bodies, either. Lovely. "Baka deshi," Hiko muttered, still rubbing his knee. "You have my well trained body at your disposal. The least you could do is not get injured."

"There's no permanent damage," Kenshin said, defensively. He noticed Hiko rubbing his knee. "Besides, it appears you were hurt, as well."

"No, I wasn't. Apparently, I'm blessed by being able to feel the pain of your injuries," Hiko explained, glaring.

Kenshin blinked. "Oro?!" He thought back over the past two days. "I suppose that's fair," he said, after a minute.

"What?!"

"It's fair that you get to share my pain. After all, I had to experience your hangover. Not all of those symptoms were from sake withdrawal," Kenshin said, a little dryly.

Ignoring his deshi, Hiko leaned down, wiping the blood off his sword on the gi of his last attacker. He sheathed the weapon, casting his senses out as he searched for any other men in the area. Not finding any, he handed the sword to Kenshin. "We'd better get back, before that Kamiya girl comes looking for you."

Kenshin accepted the weapon, giving up his sakabato in exchange. Turning, they walked back to their camp.

. . .

Having heard screams, Kaoru was worriedly pacing by the fire. She had supreme confidence in Kenshin's abilities and Hiko had to be just as skilled to have taught Kenshin. Still, it had been quiet for a while, and they had yet to return. She stopped pacing and stared into the fire, her mind going through all the horrible things that could have happened. She screamed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Whipping around, bokken ready, she came face to face with-- Kenshin and Hiko.

"Kenshin! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she yelled, embarrassed at having been caught off-guard. Her eyes widened as she noticed all the blood on Kenshin's clothes. "Kenshin! Are you alright?!" she asked, looking for wounds.

"I'm uninjured," Hiko replied. "None of this blood is mine."

"But, how did you get so much on you? Kenshin, you didn't break your vow-- did you?" Kaoru asked, her voice soft.

"No, I did not break my vow. Shishou, on the other hand, has taken no such vow," Hiko replied.

Kaoru's eyes shifted to Hiko. "But, there's not a drop of blood on you."

Kenshin smiled. "It depends on where you stand. My baka deshi just couldn't seem to stay out of the way," he explained. His smile grew a little wider as he felt Hiko's anger spike.

Hiko turned around, facing Kenshin with his back towards Kaoru. "At least I wasn't the one that got hit, Shishou," he retorted.

"Yes, my agility isn't what it used to be. I must be getting slow in my old age."

Hiko glared at Kenshin, his eyes amber. Kenshin smirked, but his face became serious as he noticed the color of Hiko's eyes. I can't believe I forgot to talk to him about that! Kenshin thought, scolding himself. "Well, I've had enough excitement for one night. I'm going back to bed," he said, walking over to the tree he was sleeping against earlier. He was relieved to see Hiko walk to the other side of the clearing before Kaoru noticed the change in eye color.

Grabbing Kenshin's travel bag, Hiko disappeared into the trees briefly before reemerging in a clean gi and hakama. He took his position by a tree and glared at Kenshin, his eyes back to violet.

Removing the katana from his obi, Kenshin leaned back against the trunk, closing his eyes and allowing his body to relax. The fight played itself out in his mind again. That was pitiful. I've limited the amount of strength I use before, that's not a problem. However, Hiko's speed is another matter altogether. I'm not sure I can adjust to not being as fast as before. I suppose I'll have to start retraining this body in the morning. Having come to that conclusion, Kenshin allowed his mind to drift off to sleep.

. . .

Hiko awoke in the pre-dawn gloom, shivering. He noticed his gi and hakama had been cleaned and were drying by the fire, but Kenshin was nowhere to be seen. Kaoru was still asleep.

Hiko shivered again, wondering why he was so cold. He felt Kenshin's ki upstream a little ways, and remembered that he could feel everything Kenshin could. Grumbling to himself, he went in search of his deshi.

After a few minutes of walking, Hiko saw Kenshin. He was standing waist deep in the water, the katana held out in front of him. Most of his clothes were on the shore so they wouldn't get wet, and his harsh breathing indicated that he'd been here for a while. He paused in his training as Hiko approached.

"What are you doing?! Get out of that river this instant! It's freezing out here! Are you trying to kill me?!" Hiko demanded.

Kenshin blinked. "I'm not cold," he said.

Hiko glared at him. "How can you possibly not be cold?!"

"I'm using my ki to warm myself," Kenshin replied, simply. Hiko stared at Kenshin as if he'd grown another head. Muttering to himself, Hiko turned and walked back towards their camp. Kenshin smiled as he felt Hiko experimenting with his ki. I've tried so many times to surprise Hiko. Looks like I've finally managed to do just that, Kenshin thought, continuing his training.

. . .

After breakfast, they continued traveling. They took a break around midmorning, and Hiko made his move. Excusing himself, he walked towards the trees, brushing by Kenshin, and discreetly slipped his hand underneath the mantle.

Kenshin's eyes widened as he realized what Hiko was doing. He tried to stop his master's wandering hand, but it was too late.

Kaoru watched Kenshin's retreating form, oblivious to what had just happened.

Hiko smiled to himself as he disappeared into the trees, sake jug clutched tightly in his hands.

It was several minutes before Hiko returned. He had a relaxed smile on his face, and quickly pushed the sake jug into Kenshin's hands as Kaoru turned to face him. "Are you ready to continue, Kaoru-dono?" he asked, amiably.

Kaoru smiled. "Of course, Kenshin," she replied, rising to her feet.

Kenshin hefted the jug experimentally, frowning. Shishou drank half of the sake! Kenshin thought, dismayed, staring at his master's retreating back. I need to talk to him, and soon.

. . .

To Be Continued