Disclaimer: I do not own the RK characters. Which is really too bad, although very sensible considering my yaoi obsession… heh.

Side Note: There is a possibility that yaoi, yuri, or hentai will be in this fanfic, although I have not decided whether or not to include it as of yet. Another point, this fanfic will include some fantasy-based aspects.

Silverware

Chapter 2

By Vix3.16

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Trying to sleep,
I turn over for the seemingly millionth time;
Guess I can't let out a peep,
For fear of waking the sleepfulness of my kind;

Alrighty then, I think to myself,
Just let me slowly slip away and dream;
Closing my eyes, picturing my mind's bookshelf,
I choose the book for which the subject of my dream will be:

I chose the silvery music...
Silvery light from the stars in the open sky…

.-.-.-.-…---…-.-.-.-.

The hours seemed to hang to Himura Kenshin loosely, reluctant to let him go through night's darkest hours with nary a hint of sleep in his body.

He'd sought his bedroom in a daze; hardly aware of the individual goodnights the others bid him. This was a blessing in disguise, giving the others the atmosphere that he was simply worn out from the full day's festivities. 'Festivities… that they were.' Kenshin thought to himself wearily. Thankfully, his mood roused nothing more than the sigh and resigned shaking of Sanosuke's head, soon trailed by a witty little comment from the well-built man and a glaring Kaoru. Had Kenshin's mind not been focused upon a single trailing thought, he would have felt embarrassed for the tall, spiky-haired brunette.

Kenshin's sandals tapped quietly upon the wooden boards, letting out a quiet shuffling scratch as he moved each foot before it came down to rest with an even, quiet thud. He felt so much older, it was a startling thing. He could feel his body resenting his needing to wander even the short distance through the dojo, to his room.

Coming upon his distant room he quietly slid open his door and stepped into the darkness, smoothing the quiet door closed behind him. He eased his way forward, putting off his body's complaints and undressing in a hushed, hazy manner, letting his clothes slide off him onto the floor. Kenshin gently kneeled down upon the edge of his bed, taking a moment to close his eyes and undo his hair, afore letting his head hang back. Despite himself, he shivered as he felt his hair glance over his back. He shivered more violently again and opened his eyes rapidly as a mental image of cascading silver hair and complimentary irises came to his mind's eye.

'Why does she haunt me so?' Kenshin trembled and slowly fell onto the soft, inviting bed, closing his eyes and pushing away the tormenting thoughts and images. The uncharacteristic weariness claimed him once more, and he half-heartedly moved his hand down and clasped the thin, off-white covers, drawing them slowly over his legs.

Kenshin gasped. The white sheets fell a slight ways short of his waist as his hair stood up on the back of his neck, his eyes squeezing shut as he clutched at his only small pillow, colors complimenting those of the bed's. A memory ran through his body and it shook quietly.

A cold, blood-drawing silver against his back… sliding deep into him… a slight, single fang….

The memory gently faded after several long lapses in time, as he grasped the pillow close against his bare chest. However small a comfort, it was enough to push aside his thoughts of the silver femme. Slowly Kenshin relaxed, closing his eyes wearily. He loosened his hold on the little pillow, letting out a long, slow breath and sighing quietly, heavily. He gently drew himself into a ball, bringing his legs up and appearing to surround the small dim-white pillow with a body more tranquil, bent on protecting the small article of comfort. Kenshin could feel his body complaining futilely, refusing to let himself completely fall into the deeper calm of sleep. With heavy eyes resting, his mind continued to race at speeds which had threatened to throw him to the ground before, they'd unsteadied him so.

'Of all those ghosts of the past, why would Fate cast this one at me? I cannot face her. I cannot fathom what she would bring with her to this place.' Kenshin though to himself tiredly. A fear was etched into his mind, let alone his body. The pale skin bore the markings of the silver fangs of many a shadowed figure, foe… and friend. 'What could she want of me?'

The crimson haired man held himself captivated in his own unease, restlessly shifting about for time unchecked, till the creviced moon had nearly dropped from the heavens. He listlessly reached out and took hold of the covers with a gentle, searching hand. The thin sheets that'd been pushed away in his disquiet, he now draped over himself slowly. Though they once more stretched only to a touch above his waist, he let them lay loosely over his body. Sleep was leisurely collecting him in its grasp at last. His anxieties slid from his mind sympathetically, his body gently easing into the blankets that shifted to surround and meet its silent plea for rest.

"When we meet again… we'll be friends… alright?"

The memory came to Kenshin unbidden, as though Fate had sent the words crashing through his delicate mind state. He shivered in recollection, thrown awake, eyes searching the dark room and resting on nothing suspicious. The resonating notes of the phrase echoed dully in his mind… a resonating form of torture. Within the words… he could hear the slightest lilt in a voice that'd flowed from the lips which refused to smile now, in the darkness of his room, his memories.

Kenshin softly rose up into a sitting position, unsettled at the sensation the covers instigated as they slid down his body. He hung his head, defeated; closed weary, stinging eyes. He felt sick and shamed, thinking about words from a life he longed to cast away: pained memories… twisted figures… apathetic, idiot words….

Kenshin knew, as clearly as he'd known that night, a decade before this, the selfish reasons creeping behind those words.

"I'd instilled her friendship because I was a coward. Just a damned coward." He whispered with a soft aggression, clenching the dun white covers tightly and fighting the immense, abrupt urge to tear them apart.

A shaky sigh escaped his frowning lips. Kenshin gently relaxed his grip and brought a pale hand level with his furrowed eyes, slowly turning it before a steady gaze. 'Has it been only a decade? That such great warmth has not left my hands? I do not believe these stains will ever fade, though my skin appears fair. I will always see claret, the deepest of reds.' He thought, gazing silently at his hand. He closed his eyes and shook his head gently in disbelief. 'What a time to become a poet.' He sighed in soft exasperation and lay back into comfort. Reaching down slowly, he pulled the blankets up to his chin, and felt his body relaxing into the molding the covers made for his weary form.

Although the crimson-haired man lay on the verge of sleep, the night slid on without gathering him into its wings. Sleep had given up on him a long time ago.

.-.-.-.-…---…-.-.-.-.

The days went by with their usual ease. Life had returned to a nearly normal state. It'd been close to a week since the phantasm had visited Kenshin. No one was the wiser as to this meeting and Kenshin could not help but feel it was but a fleeting vision. He'd been too worn and weary following the festival, and this is what he left those thoughts to.

Over time, his anxiety of there being another startling visit faded away slowly. His body and mind eased into the more relaxed state of this life. And the sylvan figure faded away into a memory, a dream only, a fleeting thought, and nothing more.

Weeks had gone by, and upon a clear, cool day Kaoru came into the Kamiya dojo, waving a small manila envelope around eagerly and yelling out the various names of the dojo's inhabitants. She was excited about something.

Kenshin glanced over to where everyone was gathering and quickly unclipped the last of the laundry, folding the shirt neatly and quickly before placing it upon the rest of the white clothes within a small gray basket at his feet. He easily bent and took up the basket, walking over to the others leisurely. Kaoru's excited talking reached his sharp ears while he was still a ways from the little assemblage of his closest friends.

"—and thanks to that, we get to celebrate! Stop whatever you're doing and lets get going to the Akabeko!" She ended, punching the air with a tightly clenched fist and grinning widely. The others all reflected the same excitement, and for once Yahiko hadn't bothered to bug Kaoru about something she seemed excited over.

Kenshin walked up to them, smiling and gently touched Kaoru's shoulder. "What are we celebrating, Miss Kaoru?" he asked warmly. The young woman twirled to face him with a cheerful expression.

"Well, I've gotten paid handsomely for some of your garden's wonderful crops, Kenshin! I made such a profit I decided it would be the perfect excuse for going out to celebrate!" She said, smiling from ear to ear with in her joy. "Why don't you just put the laundry in the hall and we can take care of it when we get back. Okay Kenshin?"

Kenshin smiled and nodded in agreement. "Well that's wonderful Miss Kaoru! I'll do as you say and be ready in a moment." Kenshin quickly moved off into the dojo, placing down his laundry in a place where he would be able to notice it easily and quickly moved outside to his group of impatient friends.

"Hurry up Kenshin!" Yahiko yelled, grinning. "Slow poke!"

"Hey, look who's talking." Sanosuke said with a smug grin. The rest of them had already started walking. Yahiko gasped and stomped his foot, rushing out after them.

"No fair! You guys didn't tell me you were leaving already! Stop laughing Sanosuke!" Yahiko yelled as the tall brunette walked away with his head thrown back, over exaggerating his laughter.

Kenshin chuckled and quickly closed the doors behind him, moving quickly to catch up with his friends.

.-.-.-.-…---…-.-.-.-.

When they arrived at the Akabeko they were greeted pleasantly and seating in their usual area, which was thankfully empty. They had just finished ordering and were sipping tea and sake here and there when one of the waitresses came to the table. Everyone looked up, expecting food but finding none in the young girl's hands.

The brunette cleared her throat and smiled kindly. "Miss Kaoru? Might I speak with you for a moment?" she asked politely. Kaoru gave her a puzzled look but smiled back and went out to speak with the young girl.

"Yes. What's the matter?" she asked, hoping there was nothing wrong with any of her more distant friends like Dr. Gensai or Miss Megumi.

The waitress smiled reassuringly. "Oh, nothing's the matter Ma'am. It's simply that one of my other tables had asked me to politely invite you to sit with them for a moment. This young woman would like to have a word with you."

Kaoru's curiosity was immediately perked. "Oh, well I don't see why not! I'd be happy to." She said, smiling, although her mind was already wandering over questions that had begun to leap into her mind.

"Very good." The waitress said and led Kaoru to a table closer towards the front of the Akabeko. As they walked, Kaoru's eyes settled on one particular figure. It was a very pretty young woman seated quietly reading a novel of some sort and sipping a small portion of tea. The most unusual thing about her… well, the fact was that, everything was unusual. The two things that really stood out were long silver waves of hair, and clear eyes to match. Kaoru almost ran right into the young waitress as they stopped at the silver woman's table. As the waitress smiled quickly and moved away, Kaoru was left without words as the woman turned her gaze upon her.

"You must be Miss Kaoru, of the Kamiya dojo. Please, have a seat." The woman said in a pleasant deep, husky voice. "I'm sorry for taking you away from your meal."

Kaoru immediately interjected. "Oh no! Not at all! It's fine, Miss… uh…?"

"Oh, Xandra. Simply Xandra." The sylvan woman replied, smiling apologetically.

"Miss Xandra. You wished to speak with me?" Kaoru asked, wondering for all she was worth what in the world this woman would want to ask her. But Xandra, such a peculiar name… had just begun to explain that very question.

"I can tell you're wondering what I've asked you to talk with me about." Xandra said, smiling a bit. "But first, might I offer you something to drink? I don't want to keep you here without any sustenance at all, seeing as I've already intruded upon your meal."

Kaoru shook her head. "Oh no, I'm fine. But thank you for the offer." She had begun to think now. 'What's this about? Offering me something to drink? What's she trying to get from me?' Kaoru thought, her mind allowing in the thought that this peculiar stranger was not as sweet as she seemed to be.

Xandra smiled. "Well, as you wish then. Now, to get to the point. It's all a simple matter. You see, I've been a wanderer for… well… several years now. And although I've been trained in swordsmanship, I've no set technique. Mine is the art of the amateur, the unrefined. I have a request to make of you, one quite simple." She paused and took a breath here.

"I would like to take lessons in the Kamiya dojo. And, if you'd be kind enough to provide me room and board, I'll be happy to pay for that as well as the lessons."

Kaoru thought about that for a moment, letting this request soak in. It was not often she would get such offers from people willing to learn the very swordsmanship style that had led her upon so many an adventure. It was a nice feeling to know that someone wanted to learn the ways of her family. She smiled slightly, thinking back to the older times when she would learn diligently as her father taught her everything he knew. She could still hear his chuckling, warm voice encouraging her, guiding her as she moved in the patterns that would someday become a part of her… just as they had her father.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to space out like that." She said, blushing slightly. She'd suddenly realized that she had faded out of the present for a little while now and wrung her hands, laughing apologetically.

Xandra's silver mane swayed gently as she chuckled and motioned with a hand gently. "Oh no, no! No worries here, Kaoru, if I'd be so daring to call you…" She said and looked to Kaoru for approval, who smiled in relief and waved it off. "… If I'd stopped to number the times that has happened with myself, I'd have surely lost count by now." She chuckled again, to herself it seemed.

A moment passed in which Xandra took up her tea and sipped it delicately, patiently awaiting any comment or notion from Kaoru, who was drawing gently to a conclusion. At last Kaoru exhaled slowly and smiled at the silver haired woman.

"I don't see any reason not to take you on, Miss Xandra." She said, and the woman smiled and waved a hand, motioning that Kaoru refrain from being so formal. Kaoru smiled to herself at this and nodded. "In this case, the Kamiya dojo would be glad to take you on when ever you see fit to join us." She concluded, folding her hands gently on her lap as Xandra gently placed down her finished tea.

The woman glanced up at her and smiled appreciatively it seemed. She took a moment to take in this news and then smiled more broadly, bowing her head to Kaoru who felt as though she'd just created a bond between herself and this extravagant woman. 'A new student, a new friendship. Oh, I can hardly wait!' Kaoru thought to herself excitedly, grinning happily.

A moment passed and Xandra looked up to Kaoru and thanked her, a smile still held on her fair face. "I'll come within a week's time, if it pleases you." She said and gently got to her feet, in a single fluid, easy movement. Kaoru noticed this with great admiration. She felt as though she were stumbling to her feet in comparison but the silver femme smiled upon her in a manner so complete she felt the woman had not thought so at all. Kaoru gently stepped off into the hallway, with Xandra moving down next to her. They exchanged a smile and proper farewells. Kaoru watched the curtain of silver hair flow out behind Xandra as she walked away. The woman looked back once and smiled, waving slightly and then disappeared out from Kaoru's view.

.-.-.-.-…---…-.-.-.-.

Kaoru's heart was beating uncharacteristically fast and she stood there for a moment, watching the space where a swift shade of platinum had been momentarily. In the time it took her to calm down enough to return to the others, she had decided upon one thing. No one else would know of this. She was going to keep it a secret and surprise the others with this wonderful news then. She smiled to herself and gently moved to her place.

The others bombarded her with all sorts of questions but she simply ate ravenously and grinned. "Oh nothing! One of the waitresses wanted me to meet someone, that's all. Nothing much." She would say occasionally when they would threaten to take her food away.

Upon the day's end, Kaoru could hardly hold her excitement and anticipation. "Xandra, Xandra." She whispered to herself as she lay in her bed that night. She closed her eyes and smiled all throughout the chill night, warm under her blankets, warm deep down inside.

.-.-.-.-…---…-.-.-.-.

Pale skin shivered in the progressively darkening nights, and a small gasp escaped from a fair countenance. The sylvan figure gently leapt over a small rivulet and continued upon the small journey that lay ahead of her for a couple of days.

The time passed by swiftly, and every night more of the moon faded away. Every night the weather turned colder, and the world began to seem as though the sun was fading from its usual brilliant flames to merely a shadow of this warmth. Autumn was spreading its wings over the land at last.

Upon her third day of travel, the silver figure could be seen to gently leap up into a tall oak and climb her way up and up, as though this lunar femme was seeking to reach the very astral beings it so mirrored. Always towards the sliver of a moon she climbed and finally reached the very top of the great, wizened oak. Gently she balanced upon a thin branch as she gently reaching into a slight knothole within the very center of this, her wise friend. Gently she retrieved several things, placing them carefully in a small sack she'd picked up along her way from another such companion as this gnarly old oak.

In the starlight she smiled to herself and slipped on an ebony belt and matching sheath. The sword handle that protruded from the ornate leather pieces was peculiarly formed, and just as extravagant as anything this sylvan had about her.

There, caught for just a moment, was a flash of crimson-tinted silver. The silver femme smiled to herself with hazy eyes.

'This… my single fang.'

The wind stirred the great oak and it groaned in complaint. Stars were visible where once a smooth silver form had stood. The winds would not die down for many days.

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End

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Author's Comments

Alrighty! I know this took practically forever to update, and I'm uber sorry about that! Once school started, all my free time went spiraling downwards into the dust. I've finally gotten Xandra a proper introduction… for Kaoru at least. But don't worry! She'll be back now, I promise you!

Now… I got no reviews for my last chapter, although I went over the old one and updated my writing. It sounds better now. I'm going to keep on putting up these chapters until the story's finished, even if no one reads 'em. Ah well.

I'm waiting for suggestions and comments. Reviews are QUITE nice. Nod nod So I'd appreciate those as well.

Last Note: HINT, HINT! - REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW - HINT, HINT!