My disclaimer has not changed. If you must see it, look at the earlier chapters.

Chapter 6: Troubling Dreams and Burning Gis

That night, as Kenshin began nodding off, he thought about what he could have done better. Looking back, this was probably what had caused such strange dreams.

He was standing next to Kaoru's door.

"Are you ready, Kaoru-dono?" He asked, rather nervous.

"Um, just a moment…" The shoji opened, revealing Kaoru in her finest kimono, makeup on her face, her hair done up. She looked at him, confused.

"Aren't you ready yet, Kenshin? Our reservation is soon." He smiled.

"Hai, sessha is ready." Kaoru frowned.

"Mou, Kenshin, don't you have a better outfit?"

"Oro?" He looked down at his tattered gi and patched hakama. Kaoru's face grew thunderous.

"Kenshin! Do I mean so little to you that you won't even change your shirt to go out with me!"

"N- No, sessha just-" He stopped. Kaoru was breathing hard, and something remarkably like steam was coming out her nose. Her face was turning red, and she seemed to be growing taller. A moment later he stared at Kaoru-the-dragon.

"S- Sessha's sorry, Kaoru-dono!" He wailed. The dragon snaked her head toward him.

"What did I tell you about THE DONO!" She reared back and started to breathe out fire at him. He stumbled over backward…

…And woke up. He had fallen over in the night.

Wow, that was really weird. He looked over at his clothes that were sitting across the room from him. They were no less ragged than they had been in his dream.

I doubt Kaoru would turn into a dragon, but she would be mad if I don't get a new gi…

With that thought in mind, he fell into dreamless sleep.

New gi. Was his first thought of the morning. Quickly he put on his shabby outfit and stepped into the kitchen. He slept rather late, so Kaoru was already there, scorching rice.

Darn it, it cooks so fast! It's hardly done before it's burnt. Ah, well, Kenshin will eat it.

Kenshin winced. My poor, poor stomach. He stepped forward, making noise so Kaoru would know he was there. She turned to him.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, Kaoru- do… Nice morning, isn't it?" He recovered. That traitorous dono threatened to slip out again. Well, he wouldn't let it!

Old habits die hard, I guess. I'll let that one pass. "Ohayo, Kenshin. I'm handling the rice…" Not really… Kenshin smiled.

"It's easier if the fire is a little lower, that it is. It doesn't burn so fast." Don't hurt me… he thought.

"Oh, that makes sense… Thanks, Kenshin!" She smiled at him, and he blushed.

"Anytime, Kaoru-d-" He closed his lips fast. He cleared his throat. "Um, do you have any shopping you need done? Sessha feels like going to the market, that I do."

Why does he… Oh, maybe he's buying me a gift for our first date! We need miso, too.

"Yeah, we're running low on miso, if you would, Kenshin." He beamed at her.

"Sessha would love to." Good, now I have an excuse…

"Kenshin? Would you like me to come with you?" He glanced back over at the rice, which was now bursting into flames.

"Uh, Kaoru? Sessha thinks you have better things to worry about…" He pointed to the rice, and she shrieked.

"The rice! I forgot!" As she scurried to put out the fire, he took his leave.

Kenshin walked down the main street, looking for a clothes shop.

Ok, Megumi said there was a good inexpensive clothes shop just past the Akabeko… That must be it.

A plump woman a little younger than him stood outside a colorful shop proudly displaying bright clothing. She examined the crowd.

Well, those are odd sleeves. Is she trying to start a new fashion, I wonder? Yikes! Look at that foreigner! Purple and green? Ick! Her smiling gaze shifted to Kenshin.

Yeesh, who told him that pink and red go together?

It's not pink! It's red!

Really? Look again.

…It WAS red… He stepped up to the young woman.

Oh, great, now what does he want? If he's a bum, I'm not giving him any! Battousai snickered in the back of Kenshin's head.

I told you not to wait so long.

Stuff it, Mr. Know it all.

Hey, he's got a sword! Cool! "Lost, Swordsman-san?"

"No, actually, sessha needs a new outfit, that I do."

"Obviously." Kenshin glared at the giggling girl, and her thoughts invaded his mind.

Goodness, he certainly can't take a joke, can he? He needs to lighten up. Eh, he's a bit young for me anyway.

"I'm teasing, swordsman, teasing! Need it to impress a certain lady friend?" She winked, and blood rushed to Kenshin's face.

"Uh, well…" She giggled again. Why do women giggle so much? Kenshin wondered absently.

"I can tell, you've got that silly infatuated grin on your face. You're what, 18?" Kenshin gulped.

"Well, actually sessha-"

"I thought so." She mercifully cut him off and led him inside.

"Now listen, I'm 25, and I can tell you that when you get to be my age, boyfriends and girlfriends don't matter so much. You find you can live without them." Kenshin blinked. I can't live without Kaoru…

"You, uh, might be surprised, maybe..." She shook her head disgustedly.

"You'll see. Every boy thinks he's the exception, swordsman-san." Kenshin glanced nervously at all the bright fabric around him.

How am I going to find a good outfit, Kaoru's miso and a gift for her and still get back in a decent amount of time? He wondered. The shop girl dug through a pile as Kenshin shifted his weight nervously.

With his complexion and that gorgeous hair, definitely not orange or pink. He'd look like a girl in that. Battousai snickered again.

What?

He he, even she thinks you're a girly man.

You are me, in case you'd forgotten.

I would never wear pink of my own free will.

It's faded red… Oh, shut it.

"Uh, swordsman-san?" Snapping back to reality, he saw the girl was holding out a dark blue gi.

He he, oh, the memories… can we get that one?

Kenshin paled at the thought of wearing Ishin Shishi colors again.

"Not that one!" He exclaimed, forgetting in his haste to be polite. She peered at him.

"Parents killed by patriots?" She asked, suddenly sympathetic. Kenshin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Sometimes being viewed as young had its drawbacks.

"No, cholera." She frowned slightly.

"Abandoned on a mountain with nothing but a blue gi?"

"NO!" She smiled.

"I know! You're the infamous Battousai, and seeing Ishin Shishi colors reminds you of all the terrible things you did for the sake of heaven's justice!" Kenshin choked. The girl dissolved into laughter.

Infamous? Rurouni, am I really infamous?

At the risk of repeating myself, shut it. I SO do not need this right now…

"Goodness, swordsman-san, can't you take a joke? Battousai reigned during the Bakumatsu. You were what, 6? I doubt you could even hold a sword back then, ne?" She batted her eyelashes at him while putting the gi back on the pile. Kenshin hesitated, then "listened" again.

Wow, he sure jumped when I mentioned Battousai, I wonder if there's a connection? With hair like that, maybe Battousai's his father? Kenshin had the satisfaction of Battousai doing the mental equivalent of an anime fall down.

Snicker. Hi daddy.

At the risk of sounding like you, shut it.

…But his wife died, and I never heard anything about her having a child… Maybe he had a mistress, and she found out? Kenshin tried very hard not to smile.

Oh, if she knew… He thought. The girl turned around, this time holding a dark green gi out.

Kaoru likes that color, Kenshin thought. He accepted the proffered gi and held it experimentally against himself. It brought out his hair very nicely. He retreated to the fitting rooms.

Once inside, Kenshin took a quick glance at the price tag, pulled off his threadbare gi, and shrugged into the new one.

Well, if I skip on the beef pots for a while, I can get it.

Good. We're out of shape anyway. Do you want us getting fat?

…I guess not. He checked his sword and opened the door.

Ooh, la la. Very handsome, I'm so jealous of his lady. He's so cute! She beamed at him. You'd never guess I sewed every stitch.

Compliments make the world go round and the prices go down. Battousai quoted an often heard saying.

Kenshin smiled and fingered the sleeve.

"This is really well made; it must have been sewn by a master weaver. Do you know who it was?" The girl blushed.

"Thanks, swordsman-san, but I made it myself. It's not that good." Kenshin took a deep breath and a gamble.

"No, really, sessha'd expect to pay twice this at Miss Hanako's shop." He held his breath, and she took the bait.

"Pah! Hanako sells shoddy fabric for four times its value! Now, you listen here, swordsman, you see this price tag?" She grabbed the bit of paper dangling from the collar.

"Yes?" Kenshin replied hesitantly.

"No, you don't!" She ripped it off. "I'll give it to you for half that, and you come shop again with Mistress Kyori, you hear?"

With the extra money, I can buy Kaoru a nice gift. What to get, though? He nodded dumbly. This was better than he had hoped. She eyed him critically again.

"That really does look good on you, swordsman." Shame it has to go with such a dilapidated hakama, though. Kyori thought.

"Um, Kyori-dono, sessha hates to be a bother, but could I possibly get a hakama as well? Mine's a bit worn to go with so good a gi." Her face lit up.

"Of course, swordsman, I've got what you need right here!" She bustled over to a different part of the store, this one of hakama of every color imaginable. She pulled out one in a rich brown color and held it up for him to see. He looked at it for a moment, and then quickly shook his head. Kyori frowned.

"Why not, swordsman?"

"With all due respect, Kyori-dono, I'd look like a tree on fire, I would." He said, dismayed.

She burst out laughing.

"So you do have a sense of humor, swordsman, I had wondered! Let's see what else I've got. Well, let's see if this suits you better." She pulled out a hakama of much lighter tan. "It will fit your skin tone well, I'd say." He took the garment and retreated to the dressing room once more.

When he came out, Kyori was assisting an old man, but she sent him off to the dressing rooms and came over to him, smiling fit to crack her head in two.

Now he's finished. Kenshin smiled.

"I'll take them."

He strolled through the market, no particular destination in mind, looking at the shops.

What could I get her? He wondered. I don't know what she wants. I can't get her a ring, not since those westerners came in with their new meaning to everything. He shuddered at the memory of his last screw-up with a ring. I couldn't believe it! Marriage, because you give someone a ring? That's kind of silly… hey…

He stopped by a stall with a girl with golden hair and silvery-purple eyes of about fourteen minding it. The stall was covered in black velvet, and the girl beckoned him closer.

"I've got what you want, Himura."

Well! I don't know what happened, but only half of chapter 6 was posted the first time. Pain in the rear, and I just discovered it. Sorry, sorry, here it is. So… He's got the outfit. He's got the present. But the TORTURE'S NOT THROUGH YET! Chapter 7: Serious conversations and Knowing glances. Hope to meet again!