Disclaimer: Watsuki-san owns all rights to RK no matter how much money I try to offer him that is the sad truth.
A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed, I do appreciate it, I don't think I say it enough so here it is again: Thank you! D
Well I guess this part of the story is dedicated to Kenshin's life as he starts to train as Hiko's pupil... (it's a big chunk of his life so expect it to be more than one chapter) Of course this being a section of the story with Hiko it is going to be a bit lighter than my last chapter. It's Hiko, Kenshin is bound to have a few embarrassing moments that will come back to haunt him.
AND SO IT BEGINS
"Aren't you going to take me for the bounty?" The boy asked wondering what this man had planned.
"No, come on boy, you are my pupil from this point on."
And from that point on Himura Shinta was no more, and at that moment Himura Kenshin was born.
- - -
Shinta... no, Kenshin was now the apprentice of Seijuuro Hiko the 13th master of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu. Kenshin had no idea that out of all he has been through in his short nine years of life, what was to come next would be some of the hardest trials of his life thus far.
"Wake up baka-deshi, you have a lot to do." Hiko nudged at the boy with his foot trying to wake him up.
Kenshin mumbled incoherently before he cracked open an eye and looked at the very tall man towering over him.
"Now that you are awake I want you to go catch some fish." Hiko said handing the semi-awake boy a bucket.
"Eh? Where's the fishing pole?" Kenshin asked looking at his lone bucket.
"Fishing pole? " Hiko quirked an eyebrow, "You, baka-deshi, you are going to catch the fish with your hands and put them into the bucket."
"What!" Kenshin said not believing his ears. "B-but that will take forever!" Normally the boy wouldn't disobey someone's request, but this did seem highly absurd.
"One of the main principles of Hiten Mitusurugi is speed, you need to be quick to defeat your opponents, and you need to be quick to catch the fish. Now hurry up or we won't be having breakfast!"
Kenshin didn't need telling again, he ran out to the river and waded out into the middle waiting for the fish to swim by, he must have stood there for fifteen minuets before a fish even dared to venture close to him, his first attempt was nothing more than a big splash and an empty hand.
"Baka-deshi, stop playing with the water, you are going to scare the fish away." Hiko laughed sitting on a stump watching the boy's failed attempt.
'Baka-deshi?' Kenshin thought as he waited for another fish, 'I really wish he wouldn't call me his idiot pupil...'
After a few more guffaws by Hiko, Kenshin finally caught his first fish. "Wow that one must have been stupid..." Hiko laughed, "It seemed to swim right into your hand; but you are going to need more than one if you wish to feed the both of us."
Kenshin growled inwardly, 'What kind of man is he?' Never before had he met such a stubborn man such as this Seijuuro Hiko.
"Don't give me that look boy, just do as I say or you are going to go hungry." Hiko turned away and walked back towards the small hut the man called home.
Never before had Kenshin felt so frustrated with anyone, even his former slaver wasn't as pig headed, as self centered, as over bearing as Hiko was. Kenshin was finally able to catch enough fish to make a breakfast, but the problem was it was now time for lunch when he arrived in front of Hiko.
Hiko looked at the boy for a moment and then tossed him a wakizashi, "You are a small thing, this will have to suite you until you are big enough to hold a katana." The man said off handedly before his face broke into a wicked grin. "Now 1000 strokes!"
Kenshin blinked before he began to swing his sword haphazardly. He swung the sword three times before it was yanked from his grasp.
"Baka-deshi!" Hiko said in exasperation, he handed the boy the wakizashi, "You hold it like this," he demonstrated and Kenshin followed his lead, "now swing like this, let your mind become attuned with your sword, this is an extension of your body, treat it as such." Hiko showed Kenshin how to perform a few easy katas before he demanded the boy did 1500 practice strokes.
'That man has one big evil streak' Kenshin thought as he executed the exhausting exercise. Finally he reached 1500 and collapsed on the ground in a sweaty heap. 'Please just let me die here.' The boy prayed, but Hiko would never allow the boy such a luxury.
"Get up baka-deshi the fish is ready."
Something in the back of the boys head registered. 'Food' his mouth watered and he ran faster than he thought he could to Hiko.
The food seemed to be heaven sent, that was at least until he took a bite of it. 'Oh my god this is disgusting, I think I am gonna puke!' But the boy has learned quickly not to utter aloud his distaste for the food.
After eating the vile meal Hiko had Kenshin run around the base of the mountain twice, threatening another 1500 katas if he wasn't quick in his running. Kenshin was a fast learner and knew that his master wouldn't go back on his words.
Kenshin ran around the mountain but Hiko seemed dissatisfied by his time and made him do his exercises anyway.
Every muscle in his body screamed as he lay on the ground pretending to have passed out so his new master wouldn't make him do anymore exercises. 'Even my hair hurts.' He thought as he took a deep breath and turned over.
"Baka-deshi you better get up now! Or else I will make you do 2000 strokes and you will have to make dinner as well."
Like some kind of miracle medicine, Kenshin was on his feet and in front of Hiko, ready for what ever he would throw at him.
"So my baka-deshi has risen from the dead!" The man seemed a little amused by the child's quick revival. "Now that you are awake go chop the wood over there." Hiko pointed to a large pile on the side of the hut. Kenshin's eyes widened the pile was larger than he was!
Kenshin looked around, "Uh master where is the axe?" The boy looked around before he asked, just in case he got his ears boxed for not doing so.
"Axe?" Hiko looked down at the child skeptically. "Why would you use an axe, you have that wakizashi don't you?"
Kenshin blinked, this man was obviously insane, but Kenshin indulged him none the less.
Kenshin was only a quarter of the way done chopping the wood when night fell and Hiko called him over for dinner.
"Eat, and then you will go to bed. The wood can wait until tomorrow." Hiko handed the boy some rice that looked burnt. Kenshin was afraid, he thought lunch was going to be his scariest meal, he wasn't even prepared for dinner.
Kenshin tested the rice and ate with caution, 'Is rice supposed to be crunchy?' He grimaced and then looked towards Hiko and asked, "What will I be doing tomorrow?"
"The same thing you did today, and I expect you to do it faster otherwise you will be adding more Katas onto your regimen, and you won't go to bed until I say so." Hiko said plainly.
Kenshin blinked 'At this rate I might be dead by the end of the week.'
THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER
The boy had never been more grateful to sleep in his life than on that first night. It seemed to come so easily, how he would miss that in later years. For now he slept, feeling the warm comfort of his dreams filling his being, that was, until he felt someone tap him on the side.
"Baka-deshi" the voice was deceiving of its seemingly sweet nature. "Wake up baka-deshi."
Kenshin Ignored the man, 'Go away' he thought, 'I want to sleep longer.' To bad his sleeping only provoked his master. As Kenshin thought he was drifting back into slumber land he felt something freezing cold wash over his body, it was in that moment he realized he was wet.
"AIIIEEE!!!" He screamed as he jumped out of his futon breathing heavily, and shivering.
Hiko paid no mind to the boys glare as he instructed the boy to go get the fish once again.
The boy wasted no time, he ran down to the water and caught three fish as quickly as he could. Amazed he was actually doing better than the first day he ran back to Hiko who looked equally surprised.
"2000 strokes, just like yesterday."
"2000?" Kenshin questioned didn't he only have to do 1000 yesterday?
Hiko seemed to see the question in the boy's eyes. "Yesterday was just getting you used to what you are to be doing. And once you are used to doing this more shall be added. Then when I think you are ready, then we shall move to the intense training." Lessons needed to be learned, and today they would be taught.
Kenshin stood there looking at Hiko not sure what to do at that moment.
"What are you doing? What you do now is preparing your body for what lies ahead of you. You are green when it comes to swordsmanship, and you need to learn self discipline and efficiency and until you do, this will be your training."
Kenshin groaned inwardly, but did his work none the less. And just as Hiko promised that day was harder than the day before.
Kenshin's days progressed like this for a while, until winter. By then he felt the strength that he had built within himself, as much as he hated to admit it Hiko was right, the things he did each day had made an impact. The little things did matter.
THE REAL FUN STARTS
Kenshin had learned quickly to wake up before Hiko had the chance to wake him. After the first week of training, Hiko threatened to beat him to a pulp if he didn't wake up early enough.
The snow had started to fall, and Hiko waited for the boy to exit from the hut. The freezing temperature didn't seem to effect the Sword Master as he stood as still as a brick.
Kenshin on the other hand was shivering freezing from head to toe. 'How can he just stand there like it doesn't affect him?'
"Today you are going to start some real training." Hiko flashed an evil grin, one that Kenshin knew all to well.
'Where can I hide?' he wondered, but he knew it was of no use, Hiko would have him out of hiding faster than he could say oro.
"Baka-deshi!" Hiko's voice was firm and commanding. It made Kenshin turn in attention facing the tall man. "Follow me." Hiko said as he walked off towards the cliff at the base of the river. Kenshin was perplexed as to why Hiko wanted to go there, but he followed him without question.
It didn't take them long, they where at the base of the cliff in mere moments. The snow had started to fall with a vengeance now, and the fact that they were standing under a water fall didn't help matters much.
"Do you know why we are here?" Hiko asked, Kenshin shook his head in response. It wasn't like the boy could read his mind. "I Thought as much. You are here to learn resistance."
"Resistance?" Kenshin blinked, "You mean like against junk-food?" The boy asked stupidly. It was obviously too early and too cold for the boy to think properly and there was only one way to fix that, Hiko cuffed the boy in the back of the head.
"Baka-deshi!" Hiko fumed "Resistance against pain, against temptation, against any distraction; that is why you are here!" Hiko closed his eyes and breathed, he was only a child, he had to remember this. Kenshin may act like an adult sometimes he had to remember that this was just a ten year old boy.
"What do I have to do?" Kenshin asked still wondering why exactly they where here of all places, in the snow no less.
"You are going to spend the day meditating-" Hiko smiled as the boy looked still confused. "-on that rock." Hiko pointed to a large flat rock under the waterfall.
"B-but it's snowing, and it's under a waterfall." Kenshin protested.
"Don't be weak!" Hiko's voice rang with authority. "You are going to meditate on that rock and there is nothing you can say against it!"
Hiko grabbed the poor boy by the scruff of his neck and hurled him towards the rock. "I'll be back for you by nightfall." Hiko said as he walked off leaving the boy by himself to meditate the day through.
To be continued...
A/N: I'm so mean to poor little Kenshin, well... actually Hiko is mean to him, but that's not the point... I know this chapter doesn't follow along the theme of this story but don't worry the next chapter will, not to mention Hiko's love of sake.
Please review (it's what keeps this story going!)