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 3

By Vix3.16

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Waves fluttered by,

caressing the long, the high,

the long, the high,

the long, the high

cut folds of platinum silks,

fleeting over—against—over

thighs so pale and battered.

A silent golden-white streak

rippled over the vast,

unbroken canvas of Heaven.

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The days had flown by, carried upon the wings of a wind that would never die, but only lessen occasionally. Down to a gentle whisper and stirring within the trees or along the tall blades of grass that yet appeared green it went, this wind. Life had receded into the usual normalcy.

A loud resounding crack echoed out into the silence, held trembling upon the air for several moments before a loud, rustling thump followed after slowly.

"Ahhhhhhhoooooowwwwwww!" The cry was followed by a sigh and a feminine, chastising voice.

"Yahiko! I told you not to get over confident! How will you ever learn if you're too busy showing off instead of defending yourself? Get up; you'll have worse than just a pained hand if you don't defend this next one!"

With that said, Kaoru of the Kamiya dojo flew at Yahiko who had just leapt to his feet. The short spiky haired boy barely parried the attack and Kaoru laughed triumphantly as she swept past Yahiko, catching him in the back with the wooden training sword.

Yahiko fell a few steps forward before catching himself and turning to glare at her. "Ow! Hey! No fair! Come on Kaoru, you know I wasn't ready!" Kaoru cut off the rest with a fierce look and a motion from her own wooden sword, her voice strict and no-nonsense.

"Yahiko, you know very well that if you hadn't been fooling around you wouldn't have gotten hurt. And you would have parried that last shot a lot quicker. Yahiko, if you want to get any better you've got to stop fooling around and concentrate on this." The dark haired boy was about to protest when a voice cut him off for the second time.

"Miss Kaoru's right, Yahiko. You'll get no where if you do not take your training seriously, that you won't." The polite voice came from the red-haired man that'd just stepped from inside the dojo.

Kaoru sighed in exasperation and looked over at the wanderer. "Thank you Kenshin! You see Yahiko?"

"Yeah, yeah. Stop ruffling your feathers." Yahiko said and this time took his stance quickly and with a new kind of assurance about his body. Kaoru let him have merely that second before coming at him again. This time, as Kenshin shifted his weight to one leg and watched, the skill Yahiko had hinted at during his previous lessons showed. The young spiky-haired boy quickly avoided the attack, laying a quick reflexive move against Kaoru's side. Kenshin noted how Kaoru just barely parried the move before stepping away and turning towards him, pushing his wooden blade away with an echo of the scathing noise real blades would create at such friction.

Kenshin smiled and moved to step forward as both teacher and pupil took a moment to look at each other and share their mutual feelings of accomplishment. Then the wanderer's step faltered and he sharply looked up past Kaoru and Yahiko, who'd both frozen at the sound.

It was a hollow, strong noise, repeated after half a breadth's moment and so on. 'Clapping?' The thoughts were echoed in all three minds as they turned to look to the entrance of the dojo.

The clapping ensued for several more moments, coming clearly from the shadowed figure under the imitated shade thrown by the high gate and wall surrounding the dojo. The breath of all three caught as one motion and sound. Yahiko was stunned into silence, his wooden sword dropping to the ground upon what he saw. Kenshin trembled and a shaky breath escaped him. An old fear had gripped him and he couldn't find the will to move a muscle. Kaoru's face was taken over by a sudden joyous expression and she threw her sword down and ran forward to embrace a female decked in deep crimson, a wing of platinum hair flowing over her left shoulder.

The blood shaded woman received the embrace with surprise yet returned the move within a moment, smiling as Kaoru let out a joyful laugh. The mutually warm hug made the crimson wanderer faint as he stood watching, his head shaking slightly as though trying to cast off this.

'No… no… it cannot be… she can't be here… why—why is she… hugging Miss Kaoru? How'd she get in? Why has she come back? Heavens… hold me steady, please.' The wild thoughts flew through Kenshin's mind and he struggled to mask his emotions, succeeding as the two women parted from their embrace and turned their eyes upon them.

Kaoru yelled out Sanosuke's name eagerly and happily, and momentarily the fighter wandered out next to Kenshin. "What's all the hubbub out here, missy? You know a guy like me needs his beauty sl—", he cut himself off, stumbling and letting fly a long whistle upon catching sight of the blood toned woman. Not a moment passed afore a half smile spread across his face. Surprisingly, the platinum-haired woman matched the expression, giving a mock bow to the tall fighter. Sanosuke raised an eyebrow at this but his smile widened and he gave a short laugh.

"And who might you be?" Sanosuke asked, curiosity teeming throughout his voice. He eyed Yahiko in amusement and ruffled up the boy's hair as he walked past, towards Kaoru and the alternately silver and red female. The tall fighter's steps faltered for the second time since he'd walked out of the dojo. The sylvan had glanced up at the spiky-haired fighter, and their eyes had met. A chill ran through Sanosuke and his self-assured mood seemed to quaver before he regained himself.

Kaoru's voice broke the unease. "Oh! I'm sorry! Everyone, this is the newest student of the Kamiya style." Kaoru said, smiling up at all of them and looking to Kenshin. The wanderer plastered a smile onto his face and nodded slightly. He steadily walked closer after struggling with his unwilling muscles, forcing himself to take those uncertain steps towards his friends… and the feminine phantasm.

The silver-mane glistened as the woman straightened and looked over the three of them. Kaoru then took to introducing everyone. "So, this is of course, Sanosuke." Sano took a step back, shifting his weight to one leg and crossing his arms, his characteristic smile never leaving his face. "And back here's Yahiko. He's another student here, but also a real pain at times." Kaoru continued, sending a mild glare at the boy. Yahiko scowled but moved forward finally, and although he still seemed in mild shock it was fast fading and he grinned at the new presence. "And this is Kenshin, a wanderer who boards here." Kaoru looked to the woman at her side, the smile still upon her face. Her student inclined her head slightly, a very real smile upon the fair countenance.

Kenshin felt beset by an underlying unease, and did his best to shake this off. He knew that if he let his emotions show now, this happiness would be shattered. He kept quiet and tried his best to act as joyous as he always did.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." The silver-haired woman said politely, although her smile had become a grin, and she turned to look around herself. Suddenly a quiet, airy laugh escaped her lips and she shook her head slightly. She glanced up at them and in her eyes there seemed an underlying layer of joy and comfort. "This… this is going to be so much fun." She voiced, looking around herself some more before suddenly something passed over her face. "Ah, sorry! I'd forgotten…" She shook her head slightly and smiled at them once more. "You can call me Xandra."

The ex-fighter-for-hire smirked and held out his hand to her. "And you can call me Sano, but more importantly, I'm not sure about missy here's swordsmanship, but I do know her cooking. Don't expect to be too well fed around here." He said, his voice betraying his characteristically smug and joking tone.

Xandra was startled out of herself when the woman being referred to suddenly swung out and cracked the wooden training sword against Sanosuke's side. Xandra furthermore flinched as Kaoru began raging and brandishing the wooden sword wildly. "HEY! SANO THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BRING THIS UP! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE SURE ABOUT MY COOKING? LEAVE MY COOKING OUT OF THIS AND LET XANDRA DECIDE FOR HERSELF!"

Xandra winced as the fiery woman uttered her name and glared for all she was worth into the fighter's eyes. The silver-haired woman felt embarrassed for the fighter, and noted that Yahiko had probably long ago retreated from Kaoru and was snickering a good ways away from them. Kenshin had moved closer, concerned apparently with the way Kaoru was acting. Xandra observed how he laughed uncertainly and tried to calm her down, placing his hands on her shoulders and nervously telling her that it didn't matter because shouldn't she be more concerned with getting her new student settled instead of yelling pointlessly at Sanosuke?

Kaoru blinked a couple of times, and held her finger in the air, her mood seeming to completely shift. "Oh, that's right!" And she turned to Xandra, smiling and completely ignoring Sano's muttering. "Let me take you to your room." Xandra felt bad for the fighter as he rubbed his arm, that part of his body having taken the most damage, while Kaoru eagerly grabbed the silver-haired woman's hand and led her briskly away from everyone. As an afterthought Kaoru looked over her shoulder and yelled. "Yahiko! Practice your stance for now. We'll get back to this later!" Xandra didn't bother to turn around because she knew she'd be swept away by the excited young woman too quickly to see anything. Behind her she heard the boy's loud groan and his complaints eagerly being exchanged with the fighter.

Yet so effortlessly and swiftly, a silence, almost a presence from all the thought within it, fell.

Perhaps the platinum-red being would have become used to it by now, yet the three of their gazes seemed etched into her back, and into the back of her mind. Most clearly she felt the movement of one pair, gazing as though in a daze at her mane, at her shoulders and neck. She wondered what her former equal was thinking.

'There'll be another time for that.' She thought to herself assuredly and followed Kaoru to her room. It was a nice sized, plain boarder's room and Xandra felt herself melding into the ease this building and its inhabitants brought. Gently the sylvan threw her deep, earthen leather bag upon the bed that'd been placed considerately there. Her pale eyes wandered over the room, noting a small bureau and other little furnishings.

Kaoru seemed to wish to linger even after being assured that the room was fine for her, and Xandra said that she'd soon be out with them, she would just want to get settled and then she could be taken on a trip throughout the dojo's premises. Xandra sighed to herself after Kaoru finally left her to herself, and let her cloak and inner coat fall from her, catching it up in her left hand with an ease and swiftness that reflected a long use to the movement. Deftly she twisted the position of the warm outer layer of her overall dark outfit in her hand and flicked it onto a small hook she found upon the wall near the door.

"This'll be… interesting." Xandra smiled to the blood-toned cloak and looked to her pack slightly. She moved slowly to it, undoing her sheath and belt as she went before dropping both lightly, gently upon the bedding next to the leather bag. "This'll be fun." She smiled to herself, a glint of some underlying emotion flickering across her eyes.

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Kenshin sat deep in thought, leaning against the side wall of the covered entrance of the dojo, his eyes upon the sky and trees that surrounded the Kamiya dojo. Sanosuke sat not too unlike the crimson-haired wanderer, leaning back against the opposite wall, a long leg bent and an arm resting lightly upon this, while his other leg lay on its side, bent and pointing to his other foot, his hand resting lightly under his chin. Yahiko had gone around back to practice and left the two men in a thoughtful silence, facing each other.

"So, Kenshin, what are your thoughts on this new 'student' of Kaoru's?" Before Kenshin could even look to the fighter, he'd spoken again, knowing the wanderer wouldn't have answered such an involving question when he was obviously deep in thought about the very subject. "Come on, Kenshin. I noticed the way you acted when she first showed up. I just wanna know why you held back when the rest of us were all too eager to welcome her." Kenshin's eyes hardened and he looked to Sanosuke seriously. He knew that Sano would never let the subject drop and that if anything the fighter would figure it out soon enough. Sanosuke may joke around a lot and seem lazy at times, but Kenshin knew buried under all that lay a very acute and aware mind.

He sighed and shook his head slightly, trying to arrange his thoughts. His mind had yet to really accept that she was here, right here. Yet, it was so fearfully easy to realize just how close she had gotten so suddenly, and how real she'd become so easily. It was a mystery lined with unease and old fears as to what she was doing here, and more so why she had come. Kenshin, for all he was worth, could think of no better a reason than the one for which every one in his past seemed to come to him. He shuddered under his skin. Sanosuke picked up on the motion and lowly uttered Kenshin's name, concern there.

"I—I… I just don't know why she's here." Kenshin said quietly, suddenly looking up into Sanosuke's eyes and betraying his confusion to the fighter. Sanosuke studied his friend quietly and soon was about to ask the question that'd been harbored in the back of his mind for a while now. The door suddenly slid open and both men were startled, quickly masking their inner emotions and glancing to each other. They would say nothing to anyone until they could discuss this further.

It was Kaoru, and Sanosuke immediately smirked at her smugly. Kenshin merely smiled happily up at her as she walked out, closing the door behind her and sitting down on the portico with a heavy sigh. "Well, I've given up on dinner, Kenshin. I'm hoping you can cook something up for us tonight." The young woman said and looked to the redhead hopefully.

Kenshin laughed. "Not to worry Miss Kaoru, I'll take care of it if you want me to." Kaoru exhaled and looked to him gratefully before looking from one of them to the other. "Hey, what are you two doing out here anyway?" She asked them curiously.

"Debating on how sick we're going to get from your dinner tonight." Sanosuke quickly answered, and slid away as Kaoru looked like she was ready to lash out at him. "Hey, hey, come on now missy. It's not like it matters if Kenshin's cooking, now does it?" He grinned, and Kaoru glared at him. Kenshin looked as though he really wanted to hide behind something, but they were all cast out of their moods as the door once more slid open.

It was probably the first time they'd all seen her without the deep red cloak that had appeared black at night. By now it was dusk and the last of the day was soon to be erased from the sky. In the light of the new crescent moon, however faint, she seemed an old nightmarish figure come into her own, come into a frightening and beautiful maturity. Her skin nearly mirrored the moon and her wing of platinum hair seemed to shimmer constantly, as water does. Her eyes, which were cast down upon them, looked to them with a flicker of a smile from a fair countenance.

The sylvan form was clothed in complex, yet comfortable attire, shaded in deep blood and black. She was clothed in a form fitting crimson shirt with merely two, inch-thick straps over her right shoulder. The shirt diagonally slanted at the bottom so that it dipped to the right and was longer on that side. Over this was a sleeveless black vest with a silver-white fur edging along the right shoulder line and spiking out a few inches in long curves over her bare shoulder.

It was surprising to see the feminine form in large, loose black pants. They were tight around the waist and hips, yet loosened considerably below the upper part of her thighs. Around her waist were two loose, deep red belts of leather adorned, upon both sides, with long silver and crimson tassels that fell to nearly her knees. Looking over her pants, one could see several of many sowed-in rents in the cloth where the inner folds were dyed the same deep cherry of her shirt.

Overall the outfit she wore seemed an old one, the leather belts and vest dulled over time, the tassels torn or fraying near the ends. The shirt itself looked to have had only one large strap over the right shoulder originally before it split into two smaller ones. The pants were frayed and tearing at the bottom, where large, deep red boots of the same material as the two belts were made of could just be seen peeking out. Yet clothed in such dark clothes, however old and outlandish, the moon bathed figure was stunning.

Sanosuke's eyes roamed freely over her form as Xandra moved to take a seat against the wall a bit to Kenshin's side, closest to Kaoru. Kaoru just seemed completely taken with the form under the cloak she'd only ever seen Xandra in.

Kenshin was stunned, his mind overcome with her appearance. In his mind he could see a small girl with remarkable silver hair and eyes, clothed in a beautifully simple, pale blue kimono. Her hair was tied back in a bun from which long strands continued to escape, and she was gazing up at the top of the hill she was standing at the bottom of. He could see the same girl fallen to one knee and her small hand the only thing from keeping her from pitching forward. The kimono was stained crimson and ravaged, half of it sliding off her right shoulder and the long kimono ripped into nothing more than a tunic of sorts. She was panting rapidly, one eye closed, and trying her best to keep herself upright. Her beautiful hair had strangled out of whatever tie held it back and most of the right side of her silver mane had been slashed off. Her legs, arms, shoulder were gently covered with rivulets of blood and there was a fire in her eye as it looked forward determinedly. Then all he saw was the form at his side, and he was overwhelmed with a deep feeling of loss and shame.

'There was a time when all I wore was white…. There was a time when all I wore was blue….' The little girl's voice echoed in Kenshin's mind as, in the present, the others sat there and talked over simpler, quieter things.

The crimson-haired wanderer wondered almost half-heartedly when the wind had died down.

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End

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Author's Comments

Whoo! Still no comments and/or reviews! I feel sooo… ah forget it.

NEXT CHAPTER! Xandra's not a secret to people anymore, life is falling into a mild state of comfort. People begin to voice their opinions about the silver woman. Oh my! But what's this? THERE'S A SPY AMONGST THEIR MIDST! Enjoy!

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