Rurouni Kenshin is the properties of Nobuhiro Watsuki-dono not mine.
So please don't sue.
Author's notes: I have some kind of bad news; this may be my last entry for a while. I'm just about to start a new year and University and I'm thinking it's going to take a lot of my time. I hope to up date at least after Christmas...but don't quote me on that. But other more happy news Mini-Oro-Kenji-Himura asked about the Aoshi and Misao, and I think to keep with everything that I'm changing that I will change them, but that will come in time...please don't fill my head with too many anime ideas I'll never get my work done! I will also be skipping certain chapters and segments of chapters because these things are HUGE and I'm finding it hard to get through everything. So please don't get mad it's just me taking a writers prerogative. Thank you all for your encouraging messages! Keep them coming!
Part III Tokyo Samurai
"Wow...this is so great" cooed Kenshin as he looked upon the group of young men that stood before him. "15 people! We'll have Himura Kasshin-ryu back in no time!"
Kaoru smirked softly and said rather embarrassingly "this isn't good.... Hey everyone! Sessha is not from this dojo, and is not taking any students. If you are here because of yesterday's incident...please go home." And seconds later, the dojo was empty (a testament being a tumbleweed blew past Kenshin and Kaoru). "Good, good. Now time to heat up the bath." Kaoru said happily as she turned to go to her duties.
"IDIOT!!!!" yelled Kenshin chasing after Kaoru with a bokken. "Why did you send them home?!"
"Taking on students is not..." began Kaoru as she gazed at the sky through spinning eyes.
"Why do they have to know that?!" Kenshin yelled continuing to hit and shake Kaoru senseless. "Once I've got them in, I'll make sure they stay!"
"But...but that would be dishonest." Begged Kaoru narrowly avoiding Kenshin's fists.
"You're not still mad at me are you?" questioned Kaoru and she followed Kenshin at a safe distance.
While Kenshin who walked up front, steaming and whistling from his ears. "15 students! 15 STUDENTS!!!"
"But thrill seekers like that never last long. That can't be what you want." Kaoru said encouragingly, "there's no need to rush. Just have patience and optimism!" and Kaoru flashed one of her adorable rurouni smiles.
"But I can't do any training without visiting somebody else's dojo. Because I don't have any students to train with! And you wont spar with me!" growled Kenshin, glaring and Kaoru.
"My skills with a bokken are.... well - let's say lacking..." answered Kaoru embarrassment in her voice. "ORO!" she yelped as young man ran straight in to her, but both companions noticed/felt something was wrong.
Kenshin, as the boy passed grabbed his hair and jumping on him planting his face into the ground. "Kaoru this kid's a pick pocket! This is your wallet!" he pulled the small pouch from the boy's robes and looked to Kaoru for an affirmation.
"LEGGO! Let me go, lady!" yelled the boy. Forcing his head off the ground and turning to glare and yell at the two companions.
"Who are you calling a 'lady', dork?!" yelled Kenshin, grabbing the kid by his yukata.
"YOU, LADY!" was the kid's answer.
Kaoru taking the money away from Kenshin said "wait, wait. If he needs this so badly..." and handed it back to the kid. "Little one, don't get caught next time ok? Now...lets go." And Kaoru turned to leave, Kenshin following in his wake.
"W-wait a minute!" the kid yelled throwing Kaoru's wallet back at her and hitting her square in the head. "I'm not a 'little one'. I'm Myojin Yahiko Tokyo samurai! I haven't fallen far enough to be pitted by strangers!! I was just testing you because you had a sword! Don't get the wrong idea!"
Kaoru stood surprised rubbing her head, while Kenshin glared at the kid meaning to beat the crap out of him.
"Little one." Cooed Kaoru
"I'm NOT a little one??" yelled Yahiko now steaming with anger.
"You look like a child but it's obvious that your soul is mature. Sorry, didn't mean to underestimate you." Kaoru smiled holding the money close.
Yahiko 'humpfed' and ran off.
"Would you say he's proud or ashamed?" asked Kaoru the smile still lingering on her lips.
"I would say he's a brat." Spat Kenshin obviously still miffed at the 'lady' comment.
"Poor boy...if the world were like it was, he would have joined the truly great samurai."
Kenshin walked happily from his practice, a grin on his face, a skip to his step, and a tune on his lips (that means he was whistling). "Mmm that was a good practice. Now to just get home, have some tea, hmmm I wonder if Kaoru has heated the bath? She did go home early, so I guess she must have. Huh?" Kenshin glanced over the small river and saw a shocking sight. "That's!" he gasped as he recognized the small boy hanging from the back of a much taller and broader man.
That evening when Kenshin came home to find Kaoru washing clothes he told her of what he had seen that afternoon. Kaoru let the clothes slip from her wet fingers. "Yahiko..." she whispered. Kaoru knew something had to be done, and she was the woman to do it.
Shouting could be heard throughout the area surrounding the hut where Yahiko was. He voice rang loud and clear through the paper walls. "I WONT FORGIVE ANYONE WHO INSULTS MY PARENTS!!! THEY LIVED AND DIED AS SAMURAI!"
The tall skinny man standing in front of Yahiko answered back while drawing his blade "I'm the one that won't forgive brat! I'M GONNA KILL Y-" but he was cut off as Kaoru quite literally kicked the door down with the skinny man under it.
The room turned to this new comer. They at first thought him a man but as he rose the shape of her body was silhouetted in the fire light. "Wh-who the hell are you?!!"
The fat man at the end whom Kaoru guessed was Tanishi, stuttered "I-it's a-a r-raid! Get the guys!!"
All Yahiko could do was stare dumb faced at Kaoru.
"They won't come." She said calmly. "They weren't going to let me in, so I had then take a nap, but just for a little while, just until my business here is done."
"Who..." stammered Tanishi
"I am Kamiya Kaoru a rurouni. I've come for the little one." Kaoru stared down Tanishi, her scar burned and behind her eyes, golden flecks pierced through her water deep blue.
The skinny man Kaoru had first brought down sprang from the floor his blade ready. "What are you? Another samurai fool, no just a measly woman. No matter! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!!!" he shouted as he ran full speed towards Kaoru, but she was too fast for him. In a split second his head...was in the ceiling.
"We were talking; it's not polite to interrupt. Just stay there and be quite for a while, I'll get to you soon." The hench-men in the room stared dumb founded at their comrade whose head was firmly planted in the ceiling. She then turned her attention back to Tanishi "Now what say you? Please show your generosity and release the little one. It may embarrass you less than the total annihilation of your gang..." Kaoru set her glare heavy upon Tanishi. No longer did the room appear bright but dark as the night outside, the only light were those two glowing golden eyes directed at Tanishi.
"Fine...go ahead and take him."
"Thank you. Please forgive the intrusion." Kaoru said sheathing her blade, her eyes instantly changing back to ocean blue. Turning to Yahiko she said, while reaching out her hand to him "are you alright little one? You were hard to pinpoint, but after visiting one yakuza group after another..."
But Yahiko did not appreciate the offer and slapped her hand away. "Who told you to help me? I could have fought them alone!! I could have fought!!" he yelled, his face red with anger and shame.
"...of course. Sessha has underestimated you once again." And seeing the shock register in Yahiko's face picked him up by the back of his yukata and swept him out of the hut. "Then as an apology, at least allow your wounds to be treated."
As they walked from the room, down the hall where unconscious bodies lay everywhere, Yahiko whispered hoarsely "damn, damn, DAMN, DAMN!"
Sensing Yahiko's feelings, Kaoru said softly "are you that bothered by your lack of power little one?"
"Damn...I want to be strong. So strong I wont need your help...strong enough to defend my father's and mother's pride on my own..."
"Of course..." answered Kaoru to Yahiko's unasked question.
Kenshin stood at the gate to his home waiting impatiently for Kaoru's return. He sighed when the gate finally rattled open the reveal Kaoru and a very shaken up Yahiko. "As I expected. You're wounded badly. I arranged to have a carriage waiting. We're going to the doctor now."
Kaoru smiled softly at Kenshin. She could feel his concern and was pleased by it. Glancing down at Yahiko she said "he is the teacher of Himura Kasshin-ryu, Himura Kenshin-dono."
Yahiko would have face faulted if Kaoru was not holding him up.
"He'll be your sensei from now on." Kaoru finished. She was pleased at the arrangement that she had planed out for the two. Kenshin need someone to practice with and Yahiko need someone to learn from, it was a great deal.
"Wait a second. Are you telling me to learn swords from this...GIRL!" gasped Yahiko.
"Sensei?! You mean to make me take him as my student?!" yelped Kenshin.
"Yep!" giggled Kaoru as her rurouni smile reached her ears, while Kenshin and Yahiko stared glumly at her. "The stage has been set;" she patted Yahiko on the head "the rest is up to you. You can be as strong as you want Yahiko."
"Heh! You don't need to tell me twice!" he turned to Kenshin and said "well lady? What about it?"
"For one thing your gonna stop calling me lady!!" Kenshin yelled grabbing Yahiko's yukata.
"Why should I...LADY!!"
"Ah....shouldn't we be going to the doctors?" stammered Kaoru, as she watched the two fighting a sweat drop forming over her temple, this is gonna be fun.