THIS CHAPTER IS NOW COMPLETE! Hoorah. It is finished...this chapter at least...read and enjoy (maybe...).

Chapter 5


Early morning

The sun had just barely risen, casting orange streams of light through the air which contrasted greatly with the shades of dark blue that were dissipating from the sky. Kenshin opened his amethyst eyes, almost as if he'd never been asleep. His face showed no sign of sleepiness despite the early hours, and his speed of getting up and out of bed, dressed and out into the hallway would fool anyone into thinking he was never tired to begin with.

But inside, he was in turmoil. His mind was weak and tired from the worrying he did. Before Kaoru had said anything to him, he worried some because she didn't seem to be as happy as she used to be. Her usual spirit and energy was slowly fading away each day, and this caused him to worry.

After Kaoru had opened up to him and told him her problems, Kenshin had new things to worry about, like her health. And then, underneath all the worrying, was the guilt. The guilt of having lived with her for all this time and done nothing to help support her financially. All he ever did to repay her for her kindness was various chores around the house, one which included cooking, which, in the end, led to her money depreciation.

Kenshin walked down the halls of the house, turning in no particular direction when he came to a junction. He'd passed down some of the same hallways more than once, but it was all in his state of mental unrest. His thoughts were flurrying so quickly that he couldn't just sit still. Eventually, his wanderings within the house led him to the outside porch, where the source of his affection and worry sat, looking dejectedly at the sky.

Kenshin just stood behind her for a few minutes, still thinking about everything and anything. Why was she up so early? Had she eaten yet? Why did she look so sad? What was he going to do to help her? Questions raced through his mind and he never gave particular attention to any one of them. He could only stand there, staring blankly at the woman in front of him who seemed to also be in a world of her own.

Kaoru felt Kenshin's presence behind her, but paid no mind. She was thinking about what Kenshin had said, how he'd promised to help her find away out of this financial mess. She couldn't begin to imagine how he would do this...

"It's going to be a very hot day today, de gozaru," Kenshin said this without really thinking why. Just to make light conversation? To wipe that heart-breaking look off of Kaoru's face? Because he was a stupid man who didn't know how to act around such a kind and beautiful woman? He sighed inwardly and looked down at her.

"Yes..." Kaoru looked up at him and gave a weak smile. The heat in the air so early in the morning could tell anyone, without words, that the day ahead was going to be scorching hot. Kaoru tried to ignore the fact that Kenshin's statement was so blatantly obvious that he sounded like some guy on a first date desperate for words.

"Kaoru-dono, sessha will go and get the food for today, de gozaru yo." Kaoru looked up at him quizzically. "Kaoru-dono has been doing most of the shopping as of late..." Kenshin searched for his next words carefully, trying to recall everything else he had to do today. "And also, sessha needs to go into town to run a few errands, de gozaru." Kaoru raised an eyebrow and looked at him incredulously.

"What kind of 'errands'?" Kenshin cringed at her understandable inquiry, because she herself had needed to run a few "errands" in the past few weeks. He just smiled back down at her.

"Sessha needs to do some things to help Kaoru-dono, de gozaru. It shouldn't take too long, and sessha might as well buy the food while out, de gozaru." Kaoru still looked at him skeptically, but shrugged.

"I'll make you a list of the things I normally buy to save money. Since you're buying for four this time," she looked up at him with eyes that almost pleaded for him to not buy so much, but he just looked back at her with eyes that said 'no way'. "Since you're buying for four, you have to be extra careful about what you get, so that I can still save a bit of money." Kenshin nodded and helped her stand up from her spot on the porch.

"Have you eaten anything yet, Kaoru-dono?" She shook her head and he helped her into the dining room. She protested his helping a bit by trying to pull away, but he knew that she really was weaker than she let on, what with her lack of food and all. Finally giving in, she allowed Kenshin to help her sit down at the table. "Sessha will be right back, de gozaru," and with that he disappeared into the kitchen.

Kaoru stared down at her hands. She still wasn't sure what Kenshin was going to do to help her out of this situation. Was he going to get a job? Kaoru tried not to laugh as she pictured Kenshin in an Akabeko uniform, the bright orange Kimono with the white, frilly apron and his red hair tied back like Tae's. He looked so ridiculous in her mind's eye that she couldn't help but to chuckle a bit out loud.

"What's so funny?" Kenshin walked back into the dining room, a tray of food in his hands.

"N-nothing, Kenshin. It was nothing." She smiled up at him, her face a bit flushed from the absolutely hilarious mental image. Though he could be mistaken for a girl at times, the knowledge that he was in fact a man made the thought all the more ridiculous.

Kenshin smiled at her, and noted that she looked a bit healthier with color in her cheeks. But then his mind sat pondering what in the world could have made her laugh so much that she would look happier in this one instant than she had looked all week. Shrugging it away, he began to serve Kaoru a light breakfast, knowing that she couldn't eat too much in one sitting or she could get sick. It was all because she had starved herself for so long.

Seeing Kenshin serve her food made the image of him in the Akabeko uniform come back. A fit of laughter began to escape, though she tried to hold it back. Kenshin could only look from his hands to her face and wonder what in the world he was doing that was making her laugh so much.

Kaoru managed to eat a bit of breakfast that morning through fits of laughter, while Kenshin sat beside her, oro-ing a bit and making her laugh even more. Though he looked thoroughly confused on the outside (much to Kaoru's amusement), on the inside he was slightly glad that she was in such a good mood, and slightly upset that it was her first good mood in so long...


Early afternoon

Kenshin walked along the streets of Tokyo, the small shopping list Kaoru made him grasped tightly in his right hand. He sighed a bit, remembering all the tips and hints she gave him about finding the cheapest stuff because the money she had left was barely enough for it all.

His thoughts couldn't remain on the day's groceries, though. Kenshin just couldn't figure out how in the world he was going to help Kaoru. He'd already promised he wouldn't tell Sanosuke or Yahiko, or anyone else, but at this point in time, he was thinking there was no other way than to enlist their help.

Kenshin wandered through town a bit, sometimes passing the same stores twice and turning the heads of curious shoppers and owners. All the possibilities of helping Kaoru swirled in his mind, but each one ended on the need of help. With this final realization, Kenshin finally turned his mind onto the task of finding Sanosuke. Since it was around lunchtime, Kenshin figured Sano could be in one of two places. Either the Akabeko, once again eating a meal that he considered to be "free", or at the medical clinic, trying to get a free meal out of Megumi, who would always have him pay for it in some way or other in the end.

Deciding that the most likely place would be the clinic (Tae, had recently been refusing to let Sano eat unless he paid first), Kenshin began to walk in that general direction. As he walked, he tried to think of a way to tell Sano without him getting too upset. He knew Sano could be stupid at times, but he also knew that Sano cared a lot about Kaoru. Kenshin was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost walked right by the clinic...


Mid afternoon

Kaoru felt a little better after the breakfast Kenshin had made for her. She could feel some of her strength returning, and her stomach stopped making those awful noises. Her head no longer felt like it was spinning and the headache that had once plagued all her thoughts was now gone. Changing into her training outfit, Kaoru almost felt like it was a normal day, aside from the small protests of her muscles for moving so much. It felt like an eternity to her since she'd last had a good practice with her bokken, as well as when she'd last bossed Yahiko around. Feeling even more renewed, she made her way outside.

"Yahiko-chan!!!" she yelled as loudly as she could. In an instant Yahiko was in front of her.

"Don't call me CHAN!!!" he yelled, his fiercest glare plastered on his face. Kaoru only smiled at him wickedly.

"There's a new plan for today," she started as if Yahiko hadn't been angry at all. "I'm afraid that my skills aren't being used enough anymore, and I need someone to spar with." Yahiko looked at her suspiciously. She'd never allowed him to spar with her before, saying that he was too small and she didn't want to hurt him. This always made him mad, because his ego was certain he could defeat her with ease. But now that she wanted to spar with him, he couldn't help but feel she was plotting something.

"What's the catch, busu?" Kaoru shot him an evil look before returning to her placid look of thought.

"If you can defeat me before...oh, let's say before Kenshin gets back, then you won't have to do any chores for a week." Yahiko began to smile viciously to himself. He already wallowed in the thought that he could defeat her, and the thought of not having to do any more servants' work at the dojo was an extra bonus.

"You're on, busu!" Yahiko shouted vehemently.

"But if I win..." Yahiko stopped in his stupor of premeditated victory and looked at her. "If I win, you have to stop calling me busu-"

"Ha! Is that all? Let's go. I won't lose!" Kaoru hit him on the head with her bokken. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"I wasn't finished Yahiko-chan." He glared at her but she merely continued on. "You have to stop calling me busu, but I get full rights to call you Yahiko-chan. Also, you have to do chores for a month." Yahiko seemed to ponder this a bit deeper than the first terms of the deal, but in the end his ego won out his logic.

"Whatever busu. I'm in!" He readied himself for the duel to begin. He had to admit, Kaoru looked a bit different today. More energetic, he supposed. For the past few days (or was it weeks? He didn't really have a good sense of time) she had only meekly given him instructions for his training, never really participating herself. In fact, it had been a while since Yahiko had even seen her with her bokken. But it didn't matter right now. Right now was the deciding difference between freedom from a week of chores and a months long servitude. Right now, all he cared about was the duel...


"Megumi-dono?" Kenshin walked into the clinic and looked around for the lady doctor.

"Ah, Ken-san! What brings you here today? Are you bored with that little Tanuki?"

"Oro? I-iie, Megumi-dono. Sessha was just wondering if Sano was here."

"Oh," Megumi sighed, her fun spoiled. "The tori-atama's out back chopping firewood for me."

"Arigatou, Megumi-dono." Kenshin began to walk to the back door.

"Ken-san?" Megumi called out in a singsong voice.

"Hai, Megumi-dono?"

"Remember, if you ever get bored with Tanuki girl, I'll be here to keep you entertained," Megumi laughed and returned to what she was doing. Kenshin – deciding that it just wasn't worth the effort right now to feign innocence – simply shook his head slightly and went outside. Sano was cursing and mumbling to himself as he chopped the firewood, and Kenshin was able to catch a few of his words.

"Stupid kitsune, making me work for my food grumble grumble chopping firewood in this heat grumble wasn't even that good anyway grumble ."

"Sano," Kenshin stated lightly. Sanosuke didn't even turn around, but continued to chop the firewood relentlessly, grumbling about Megumi and her harsh punishments for food. "Sano, we need to talk de gozaru." Sano finally stopped pretending the wood was Megumi and put down the axe he was using.

"What is it, Kenshin? Can't you see I'm trying to kill a stupid kitsune here?"

"Gomen, gomen. Demo, there's something really important that we should discuss."

"Does it involve food?" Sano asked, his eyes almost pleading for it to involve a free meal for himself.

"Well...uh, not really. Sort of...well... sigh It's about Kaoru-dono."

"Jou-chan? Is she ok?"

"Sano...it's a bit complicated..." Kenshin couldn't figure out how to start explaining Kaoru's predicament without Sano going into an outburst of guilt or fury or whatever he was going to feel. But in the end, Kenshin didn't have to...


Megumi had finished up with her last patient shortly after Kenshin had gone outside. Looking out the back door she could see them talking, Sano looking disgruntled – probably because of the chores she made him do, she chuckled – and Kenshin looking like he couldn't put his words together. It made Megumi wonder what they were talking about, but just then –

"Megumi!" Yahiko burst in through the front door out of breath.

"Yahiko-kun? What is it?" Megumi ran over to him. He looked up at her with panic stricken eyes.

"Kaoru-sparring-fell down-wouldn't wake up-didn't know what to do-" Yahiko was near tears. He couldn't get his sentences to come out right.

"Yahiko-kun, listen to me. You have to calm down. Tell me what happened. What about Kaoru?" Yahiko took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He shook with the onslaught of tears that threatened to fall.

"Kaoru fell down while we were sparring. She wouldn't wake up-"Yahiko choked on his words as a sob was released from the deep recesses of his body. But Megumi had already heard enough. She ran to the back door.

"Ken-san!" Kenshin turned around and looked at her, noticing the panic in her eyes. "Kaoru is-"But before she could even finish her sentence both Sanosuke and Kenshin were gone, racing back to the dojo.

"Kenshin! Does this have anything to do with what you were going to tell me?" Sano managed to yell out as he was running.

"I don't know!" Kenshin kept running as fast as he could. He didn't even notice the change in his speech pattern. But Sano did, and Sano knew that something big was up. Using whatever strength he had left in him after chopping so much firewood, Sano tried to keep up with Kenshin, who was going at a much faster pace much more easily. The heat in the air was so hot and thick that it was hard for Sano to breathe. Finally reaching the gate of the dojo, Sano and Kenshin pushed the door open so quickly it almost came off. Rushing onto the grounds, they saw a limp form crumpled on the ground.

"Kaoru," Kenshin said more to himself, almost forgetting Sano was there. Sano looked down at him for a moment, wondering why he kept changing the way he talked. From Sessha to I, and Kaoru-dono to just plain Kaoru. Seeing Kenshin move towards Kaoru, Sano shook his head of the thoughts and proceeded forward as well.

"Jou-chan!" Both men walked over to her quickly and bent down to see what was wrong with her. Upon examining her, it was obvious that she had just passed out and wasn't really injured, but Sano could only ponder as to why. Her face was a deathly pale and her breath came in tattered gasps. Kenshin swiftly picked her up and began to walk with her inside.

"She needs to be out of the sun," was all Kenshin said as Sano could only stare and ponder at what had happened. As he stood up he heard noises at the gate and turned around to find Megumi and Yahiko gasping for breath.

"Where is she?" Megumi asked between gasps.

"Kenshin just took her inside. Do you know what's going on? Why was she so pale?" Sano looked at Megumi and Yahiko. Yahiko could only slightly shrug as he coughed from the excursion of two runs.

"It will be explained later. Right now I have to get to her. You bring me water, Tori-atama. Yahiko-kun, as soon as you feel alright, I need you to go to Akabeko and ask Tae for some food. Tell her it's Kaoru. She'll understand." Yahiko nodded his head, took one more gasp for air and then turned around and ran back out the gate. Megumi began walking into the house when Sano grabbed her arm.

"What do you mean Tae will understand? What aren't you telling me?"

"That's not important right now. What's important is Kaoru's safety, so if you'll excuse me," she wrenched her arm from Sano's grasp. "I'm going to go make sure that she's ok." Megumi once again began her trek into the house, but made a slight pause. "Get me that water, Baka!"

"Right, right, whatever" Sano grumbled. "Always making me do chores..." He wasn't really in the mood to complain, but he needed something to take his mind off of the worry he felt for Kaoru's safety...


(laughs hysterically) It's no where near how this one wished to finish this chapter...but this one is just so darn tired... sigh Well, in any case, chapter 6 should be uploaded soon...uh...next month maybe. That's not that far away. Ok, this one shall set a due date. November 6. How's that? Check back then. If all goes well, it will be the last chapter, and this story shall be complete! ... If all does not go well ... well, we shouldn't think about that, now should we?

Kawaiidustbunny: Well, here's the next chapter. This one hopes you find it suitable...

Gena: This one hopes everything goes well for you! And this one also hopes (though a little less) that everything goes well with this story ... O.o

Mika: Oro? ... ano ... this one is surprised at your enthusiasm. Kenshin will find a solution, de gozaru, and he's going to have Sano help him, whether Sano likes it or not.

Racoon-Baka-Kaoru: This one is glad you like her work. This one tries to think of things that she has not seen written but would still be interesting, though it is difficult. Glad you like this one's work! (Sorry for the late update...school's a killer, ne?)

Pristinediamon: This one tries hard to not be in a dark mood ... depression runs in the family... Glad you like it though!

Youko demon: This one hasn't gone for extreme periods of time without food, but knows what it feels like to be extremely hungry ... long story ... demo, as a writer, I have to find somewhat real solutions to problems, so anything I write may or may not actually work or be correct ... well, this one is glad you like the story anyway...

Foxfire02: This one thinks that Kenshin will, in the end, enlist the help of the other two freeloaders ... after all, they should all share Kaoru-chan's burden, ne? Glad you like it!

Rkfan246: This one's next update is so late ... please forgive this one. Glad you like it though!

Water Knight Umi: This one is glad you like the story. (This one loves food so much...how does Kaoru-chan do it?!)

Hime-chan: let's face it, this one is such a procrastinator that the odds of getting this story finished...you know how I am with comics --;

Bibliomaniac: Kaoru-abuse? Where?! Report the fiend!!! ... oh...in this ones story...right...(this one is eating skittles to stay awake...). Yahiko was working in the Akabeko, but it was to save up for a Sakabatou of his own, wasn't it? ... ah, well, in any case, he isn't the type to share money when he doesn't have to, and if he doesn't know Kaoru-chan has a problem...well, you get the point.

JesusWolf: lol. This one is glad you like it ! The whole obsession with "This one" is weird...you see, this one first referred to the self as "sessha" (the original Japanese), but then, when this one got the translated manga (and since this one's friends were getting confused by the use of "sessha") this one began calling herself "this one" ... lol. This one loves Rurouni Kenshin very much!!! (Battousai is this ones all time ultimate favorite character!!!)

Star-Goddess-Sunaru: This one is going to try (from the very bottom of this one's heart) to finish this story. It's the first story that this one has written that is so close to being done...

Iryl: not the end yet! End is to come in chapter 6 ... this one hopes...

Samuraiduck27: Glad you like this one's story!

Sakura Mori: That's three cookies this one does not get ...(sigh) Gomen, Kaoru-chan is portrayed a bit weaker than usual ... but, that's the way this one needed her to be for this story... Glad you like it though!

Animegurl23: Glad you like the story!

Silver Goddess1: This one is glad you like it!

SpaceVixon: Oro? k/k action...this one didn't really think to elaborate on their relationship (but rather only...slightly mention it?)...not in this fic at least...perhaps a sequel? (Ponders the possibilities)

Hime-chan: how odd indeed...there's Sano in this chapter! Enjoy, lol. (I got skittles anyway, so HA!)