"Your test will be to fight my men, one by one with bokkens only." Kamiya-sama explained. Kenshin put down his katana on a cushion near the training weapons and picked up a bokken. "Your first fight will be with my knight, Isurugi Raijuta." The big bulky man rose and glared at Kenshin. He grunted and stood in position with his bokken. Kenshin stayed in the mugyo pose as he always did. Raijuta lashed forward quickly but Kenshin dodged easily and did a Ryu Tsui Sen on him.
"Urgh!" Raijuta groaned as he made a big hole on the dojo floor from his fall. Kenshin glared and remained in his mugyo position.
"Excellent, Kenshin!" the king congratulated. The other knights looked with awe at Kenshin's great swordsmanship. Except for some of the top knights. "Next!" he called. Another buff man named Senkaku stepped up with two wooden knuckle blades.
"Grearrr!" he roared as he ran towards Kenshin, giving multiple blows along the way. Kenshin shielded himself and blocked all the attacks with his bokken. When he saw an opening, which was very shortly after the match started, he attacked with a Ryu Sho Sen.
"Augh!" he yelled as he fell, making the hole deeper. The king watched in awe as Kenshin, one by one, defeated most of his knights.
"You are…very skilled at the sword. But now, it is time for you to fight my top knights!" he exclaimed.
A man in a big white coat with ice cold eyes stepped up with two bokkens. Each of them shorter than a katana but longer than a wakizashi. It was a kodachi. His name was Aoshi and he, Kenshin could tell, was very skilled. They looked to be about the same age, except for the height difference. Kenshin got ready for an attack in the battojutsu stance. Aoshi also had speed however, he was slower than Kenshin. Kenshin quickly drew, shouting along, "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki!" Aoshi flew in mid-air with a big gash on his chest. It didn't bleed but it did look very painful.
"I'll beat you!" a voice shouted. Kenshin turned to see a boy not much younger than him stand up. He was wearing a white street jacket with the kanji character, evil, on his back. He had a red bandana around his head and Kenshin could tell that he fought with his fists and by the calluses on his hands, a spear as well. But this boy didn't pick up a spear. He got into a usual fighting stance.
"My names Sanosuke!" he shouted. Kenshin decided to end it quickly and when Sano moved a little to start attacking, Kenshin used his godspeed to reach him before he took a step and took him down with a normal slash of the sword. It wasn't any technique, just a standard slash that everyone or anyone could do. Sano fell and grunted but got up again.
"That's the best you could do?" he asked as he wiped his sweat away from his face. He ran towards Kenshin with a punch, aiming towards his face. Kenshin dodged and slashed him again. Sano fell again but also got up again. His eyes looked contorted with fury as he ran towards Kenshin again with another punch.
"Futae no Kiwami!" he shouted. Kenshin's expression changed from nonchalant-ness to a surprised smile. He used another Ryu Tsui Sen on him but again, Sano got back up.
"All right. Now I'm getting serious." Kenshin said just loud enough for Sano and the king to hear. His eyes went from its normal color, a soft shade of lavender, to a burning amber gaze. Kenshin released his godspeed and attacked with a Kuzu Ryu Sen. Sano lay on the dojo floor, unconscious. The king looked at Kenshin and sent the leader of his top knights.
His name was Hajime Saitou. Kenshin glanced at his opponent, Saitou and saw an image of a wolf baring its fangs. He readied himself for a tough match. Saitou had a smile and was squinting, probably to hide his real tough side. Kenshin decided to start the match this time so he used his godspeed and did a Kuzu Ryu Sen. Saitou used his speed to dodge but still got cut a little. He clenched his teeth and ran towards Kenshin, with his style called the Gatotsu.
"Gatotsu! Zero Stance!" Saitou yelled. Kenshin was taken by surprise but he blocked it easily.
Kenshin countered easily and then, sheathed his sword. Saitou charged at him again but Kenshin was ready. "Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ama Kakeru Ryu no Hirameki!" he shouted as he unsheathed his sword with godspeed and a big gash appeared on Saitou's chest just like Aoshi.
"Argh!" Saitou groaned as he fell to the ground.
Kenshin fell on one knee as he panted. Sweat was dripping down his face and he was very tired.
"What's wrong?" the king asked out of curiosity.
"The ougi is not supposed to be used more than once. It puts too much strain on the body. However, the way I have trained has allowed me to use it more than once, as long as I do not overdo it. All these battles have worn me down, and I used the ougi for more than half the battles I've fought today. Plus, I used the other Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu attacks which wear me down also. I train everyday to raise my stamina, strength, and things like that. But I am still human. I have limits like everyone else does." Kenshin explained.
"All right then. You are now my top knight leader and general of everything that runs in my castle. I expect you to do a good job. You will also be my daughter's personal bodyguard." Kamiya-sama said. Kenshin bowed and left the room to his room. On his way, he bumped into Kaoru.
"I'm sorry, my princess." He apologized. She looked at him.
"Who're you?" she asked curiously. Kenshin looked at her and smiled.
"I am the new top knight leader and general to everything else that runs in this castle. I am also your personal bodyguard." He remarked. "What can I call you? It seems that it irritates you when I call you Princess or Princess Kamiya." He said. Kaoru looked at him.
"How'd you know I get so irritated when they don't call me by my name?" she questioned.
Kenshin grinned. "I have my ways." He replied. She smiled back and said, "Hi, I'm Kaoru!"
"I'm…well, you need not know of my name right now. And your father will not tell you either. Just call me Battosai." He said. She looked at him with a weird look on her face.
"Why can't I know your name? I need to know it if you're gonna be my personal bodyguard." She said.
"Call me Himura then." He said. She glared at him and he muttered something.
"What?"
"Kenshin" he said.
"Okay, Kenshin!" she said happily. "Bye and see you later at lunch!" she waved.
"Bye…um…"
"Call me Kaoru!"
"But you're the princess…" he protested.
"CALL ME KAORU! THAT IS AN ORDER!" she screamed.
Kenshin looked taken aback and said timidly, "Bye, Kaoru…" She smiled as she ran down the hallway and out.
'Scary princess.' he thought as he walked into his room.
"Hi Misao!" Kaoru called to her best friend.
"Hey, Kaoru!" she said. Misao was looking at the roses in the rosebush. She was the other bodyguard of Kaoru and her best friend. Misao had used to be a ninja but her grandfather was brought down and he'd sent her here. She knew Aoshi and his 4 loyal underdogs. They were the ones who also had contact with her grandfather and were also ninjas.
"Oh my gosh! You'll never guess who I just met!" Kaoru shrieked. Misao looked at her in confusion.
"Who? Who's got you so very excited?" she asked.
"Well, I was walking to come here because I knew you were here, right?" Misao nodded. "Then, on the way, I bumped into this redhead!"
"Uh…you're falling in love with a redhead…?" she asked.
"No, his hair was like…red or a dark shade of orange. Anyway, he had these soft lavender eyes and he was so nice and polite! He's going to be my personal bodyguard!" she squealed excitedly.
Misao was speechless. "Err…show me him. I'll see if he's all right for you." She said. Kaoru nodded and led the way to her room.
"Wait…this is the way to your room! What are you doing?" she asked as she saw the familiar hallway.
"He's in the room right next to mine!" she exclaimed.
"WHAT!" Misao yelled. "But that room's connected to yours!" she shouted.
"SHH!" Kaoru tried to make Misao quiet.
"Oh…sorry." She said apologetically.
"Daddy put him there and I have no problem. I was always so lonely all by myself. Now I'll just sneak into his room and talk to him!" she said excitedly.
"Does this 'him' refer to me?" a voice said behind her, scaring Kaoru and Misao out of their pants…err…dresses. There, behind them, stood the boy Kaoru had mentioned and described to Misao.
"Greetings, Princess." He said smugly. She glared at him for calling her 'princess' and Misao softly chuckled.
"Hey Kaoru, he really is cute and hot!" she whispered. Kenshin caught the phrase and grinned.
"Someone checking me out, I see." He said. Misao blushed which made Kaoru even angrier.
"First of all, you will not insult either of us and you will not call me princess. You will call me Kaoru and her, Misao. No talking back with smug replies to us!" she ordered. Kenshin grinned and bowed.
"Yes ma'am." He replied.
Kenshin walked away from the two young girls and into his room. "See you later," was his last remark.
Kaoru led Misao into her room and they talked excitedly about this new bodyguard's attitude and looks. They gossiped and squealed as Kenshin sat in a dark corner of her room. They didn't notice him until they heard a swish. It was Kenshin using his godspeed. Kaoru saw blur of red pass through her room and then, heard the door open and close. Misao took a kunai out of her secret pocket in her ninja outfit and stay in position.
"You still need to be trained more, ninja lady." A voice said behind her back, holding her hand from throwing any kunai and from turning by holding her waist.
"Y-you…RED HEAD!" Misao screamed out of anger from him touching her. Kenshin quickly spun out of the way before Misao could kick his family jewels. He grinned and stood there. Misao stood in a fighting stance. Kenshin's glare hardened.
"With that stance…do you mean to challenge me?" he asked as his long bangs covered his eyes. Misao smugly grinned.
"What, you scared now? Let's fight! I'll show you to respect me!" she yelled. Kenshin glared at her with his amber eyes. Misao gasped as she saw his eyes. It was as if she was paralyzed and couldn't move a muscle. Kaoru gasped in fear of her friend's death when she stared at those eyes.
"Do NOT tempt me into killing you, for I am short-tempered and I will not hesitate to kill you." He said. Misao looked very scared and she cowered in fear. Kenshin's eyes turned back to their soft lavender as he sighed.
"I'm sorry. I…lose my temper very easily. So please, don't tempt me. Once I get angry or tempted, I lose it and get this freaky urge to kill and taste blood on my blade." Kenshin explained.
"Why?" Kaoru asked softly.
"I…ever since I learned this sword style…I…changed. I…don't know why…" Kenshin said.
"Then you're a freak!" Misao shouted. "You shouldn't be Kaoru's bodyguard! You'll end up killing her!"
"I did not ask for the position of personal bodyguard. So do not blame me. It is Kamiya-sama who has given me that and other jobs as well."
"I think you'll do well as my bodyguard." Kaoru said. She smiled at Kenshin who looked surprised.
"You…don't think I'm crazy?" Kenshin asked.
"No."
"Kaoru! What if he ends up killing you?" Misao argued.
"I trust him. I'm sure he won't kill me." Kaoru answered.
Kenshin bowed. "Thank you, Kaoru." He stood back upright and apologized to Misao for his actions. "I'm sorry for the troubled caused. I'm sure I'll be able to keep myself back from getting that killing urge. It must've been because I was an assassin before, for the war."
"You were an assassin in a war!" Misao freaked out.
"Well, yes. It was a big mistake in my life. My shishou told me not to go but I did because I wanted to help those innocent people in their villages and me and my shishou had the power. But my shishou disagreed so I left him for a while and fought. Then I came back and learned the ougi and was able to control myself better. But, I'm still missing something…shishou said that I needed someone I loved, cherished, for then, I will have the will to live. I don't care if I die soon because my hands are stained with blood and no woman would ever love an assassin." Kenshin looked sad with this last remark. "I don't have the will to live and that is the key to ultimate strength which I did not reach yet. It is because there is nothing to live for in my life." Kenshin looked out the window and saw the familiar mountain of where his shishou lived. "Well, I'll be going now. I'm sorry I intruded on your privacy earlier." He bowed and walked toward the door.
Misao sat down on a chair and thought about Kenshin's past. Kaoru didn't want Kenshin to leave. She…liked him. She understood everything about his past and didn't want him to ever die. He needed the will to live and she'll give him that.
"I'll be back later, Misao. You can go and talk to Aoshi or something." Kaoru told her friend. Misao looked up from where she was sitting.
"Stop teasing me about that!" she pouted. Kaoru laughed and went outside. Misao followed and said she was gonna get a bite to eat. Kaoru went back into her room and opened the door that connected her room with Kenshin's. She went through and saw Kenshin sitting on his bed, probably thinking. His long bangs were over his eyes and he looked depressed.
"K-Kenshin?" Kaoru called to make her presence known to him. He looked up and was surprised at who he saw. He usually knew if someone was in the room but she…knew how to block her ki? He shook his head from that thought and rose.
"Hello Kaoru…dono. What brings you here?" he asked.
"Just call me Kaoru! And I just wanted to talk to you!" she said brightly. Kenshin chuckled. He'd never seen someone like this always so eager to talk to him. He'd always been the one ignored or left out alone.
"All right. What would you like to talk about?" he questioned. Kaoru didn't know. So she just asked simply, "How old are you?"
Kenshin chuckled at that question and said that he was 15.
"You fought in the war when you were only 15!" she exclaimed.
"Well, that time, I was younger and that was all the strength I needed to kill the soldiers of the Shinsengumi. They were very weak ones except for the unit captains." Kenshin explained.
"D-do you like someone already?" she asked.
This question took Kenshin by surprise. "Well, I haven't thought about any girls right now because I know they won't be interested in me."
"That's not true!" Kaoru exclaimed angrily out of the blue. It took Kenshin aback and he blinked quite a few times. Kaoru blushed and walked out of his room.
'Why would she be mad because I said that? Does it mean that…' Kenshin's eyes widened. '…she likes me!'
Kenshin walked out of his room to look for Kaoru. She was long gone but he knew he'd catch her if he used his godspeed. So he ran in the castle halls, desperately trying to find Kaoru. But she wasn't anywhere. So he walked into her room quietly but she wasn't there either. He went outside and finally, found her in the gardens.
He walked behind her and used his speed to sneak up on her easily. She looked as if she'd been…crying?
"Kaoru…what's wrong?" he asked. She was surprised that he was there and jumped a mile.
"K-Kenshin!" she ran away again only to be caught by Kenshin and tugged into a deep embrace.
"About that last question you asked me…I lied. I do have one young lady in mind." He said into her hair. She relaxed in his embrace and turned to face him.
"Who?" she asked curiously.
"A special someone." He remarked as he disappeared.
"KENSHIN!" Kaoru yelled. Kenshin laughed from behind a rosebush that had a thorn poking his face. Kaoru bopped him on the head.
"You meanie!" she pouted. Kenshin stood up rubbing his aching head. He chuckled and looked at her.
"How old are you anyway?" he asked curiously. Seeing her, she looked not too much younger than him.
"I'm 15. Only one year younger than you!"
"Well…this year June, I'll be 17."
"Really…this year June, I'll be 16."
They looked at each other curiously. They both thought at the same time, 'His/her birthday's in June?'
"Well, I've gotta go." Kenshin said. Kaoru had a sad look upon her face but it brightened quickly.
"Where are you going? I'll go with you!" she exclaimed. Kenshin looked at her.
"I'm not sure you want to come with me and I'm also not sure if you should accompany me." Kenshin said.
"Oh c'mon! I wanna go! I wanna see!" Kaoru whined. Kenshin winced at the high pitched voice she was using purposely to annoy him.
"Fine. All right then. Follow me…Waiiit. Are you allowed out of the palace walls?" he asked.
"Yes. When I'm with my bodyguard. And that's you!" she giggled as she pushed him out of the palace door.
"Ah, I forgot about that. Well, let's be on our way then." The guards guarding the door let them through after checking who Kenshin was. Kenshin showed them his badge that proved that he was the general of all things run in the castle and another badge showing that she was Kaoru's personal bodyguard. He even showed the badge that told of his leadership of the top knights. They looked surprised and let him through. Kenshin led Kaoru into the forest where he always trained. The big rocks were still there next to the waterfall. More kept coming whenever he came back.
"You should sit somewhere. I have to do this alone. There is no way that you can do it too." He said as he brought up a rock for her to sit on after covering it with his gi. Kaoru blushed red as Kenshin took off his gi. He was well toned with many muscles and looked to be a strong fighter. Kenshin brought many big rocks up with brute strength. He unsheathed his sword slowly and put his sheath on the side next to Kaoru.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu…Ryu Tsui Sen!" he yelled as he jumped up for a dragon hammer strike. The attack hit dead center and just as Kenshin touched the ground, he used another attack; Ryu Sho Sen. Kaoru looked amazed as Kenshin trained even more with even his martial arts in the complicated style of fighting. When Kenshin finished, his body was covered in sweat and he was breathing hard.
"I'm already getting rusty only training on rocks. With my master, he is more than a boulder. He really is a dragon teaching me roughly, using a real sword to fight me. If I get a cut, I am expected to treat it myself." Kenshin remarked. "Well, we should go. I think you are bored already."
"That was amazing, Kenshin!" she squealed. "You're a great fighter!" Kenshin thanked her and Kaoru stood up to go. He took his gi and put it over his left shoulder with his sword over his right. Kaoru was truly amazed at how Kenshin was so great at fighting. His appearance on the outside made him look puny and girly but he really was one not to be messed with. When they reached the hallway that led to their rooms, Kenshin walked towards his room as Kaoru walked towards where Misao's room was. They went their separate ways there.
"Oh My God Misao! He is so strong and cool!" Kaoru squealed when she reached Misao's room. She looked dumbfounded and stopped sharpening her kunais.
"Okay, first, who are you talking about, and second, how the heck did you get your beautiful kimono so dirty?" she asked.
"Well, when I told you I was going somewhere, it was Kenshin's room, to talk to him and get to know him. But something happened and I ran to the gardens and he came too and then, he said he had to go. But I didn't want him to so I followed him and it happened that he was going to train near the waterfall. He used all his attacks on these big boulders and even carried them so easily. He's sooo strong! Plus, he didn't have his gi on because it was covering the rock I was sitting on and he is so good at fighting!" she blabbered on and on about how cool Kenshin was as Misao listened to every word she said.
"Yep. You're in love with him." Misao confirmed in the middle of Kaoru's prepared speech.
"W-what are you talking about, Misao? Hehe…" she stuttered. Misao giggled and said it again.
"YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH HIM. HIM BEING HIMURA KENSHIN, YOUR NEW PERSONAL BODYGUARD." Misao said loudly in her ear. She blushed and sat down on a chair.
"Yeah…I think I am in love with him. He's so cool, calm, collected and has so many more good traits! He's better than any prince that I've ever been suited with." She sighed. "I want to marry him." She said sturdily.
"W-WHAT!"
"You heard me, Misao."
"But he's a lowly knight! You're a princess! The law says that you have to be married to a PRINCE, emphasize on PRINCE, by your 16th birthday!" she exclaimed.
"Silly, I'll be able to keep dad off of that matter. He's scared of me, remember? And I'm his darling daughter so of course he won't want to lose me. If he forces me to marry, I will run away and I am not scared of the outside life. Especially if it's with Kenshin." Kaoru said.
"You are crazy, Kaoru!"
"I know. But I can't help it. Kenshin is just…right for me, I know it." She claimed.
"Oh boy…" Misao groaned.
'Hmm… maybe it is time for you to settle down with a girl. That Kaoru is all right.' Kenshin thought. He shook his head of that thought. Only a prince could ever marry a princess and he was only a knight. And she probably didn't even like him anyway. Although he liked her a lot. She was much better than those snotty brats always coming after him. But he was a knight and she was a princess and that was reality. He put his dirty gi in a laundry basket and decided to take a bath. When he finished, he wore a black gi with a gray hakama and black tabi. He walked out to make his own lunch but Kaoru stopped him to talk to him.
"Where are you going now?" she asked.
"To make my own lunch." He replied.
"Why don't you eat lunch with us?" she asked.
"Well, I don't feel comfortable. I'm not part of the family and I am certainly not royal." He replied.
"Well, now you are considered to be part of the family!" she exclaimed as she grabbed one arm and started dragging him towards the dining room.
"Err…I really do not want to go in there…" he said slowly.
"PLEASE? FOR ME?" she asked loudly. Many turned to watch them. Kenshin blushed a bright red.
"Err…fine…fine then. I'll eat with you and your father. But only for today." He said.
"NO! EVERYDAY!" she screamed. It made guards glare at him and maids giggle. Kenshin blushed a dark shade of red.
"F-fine then! Just please, stop yelling!" he pleaded.
"Okay! You have to promise to eat everyday with my family, breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Okay?"
"Fine. It's a promise." Kenshin replied. Kaoru ordered him to do a pinkie promise with her. He did and they finally left for the dining room. When they got there, Kaoru's father was chatting with another royal. Kaoru sat down and Kenshin looked away. He quickly went into the darkest corner and just like when he was an assassin, he blended with the shadows. Kaoru looked around for him when he wasn't there so she could tell him where to sit. She looked angry as she felt that a promise meant nothing to Kenshin. She took a piece of bread and nibbled on it. The royal one looked worried as he discussed matters with Kamiya-sama. Then, all of a sudden, there was an attack on the royal. Kenshin, of course, had sensed this to happen and was there to block the attack.