Hey everyone! I'm really sorry this took so long, but along with summer school and the fact that my computer doesn't work half the time... okay, now I'm just making excuses. But I hope this makes up for my lack in updates.

There was a new reviewer this time round, and the only one. Where did everyone go? I really hope people haven't forgotten about me. But I don't care, I've got a story to write! And its time to respond to the reviewer.

Sailor Goldensun: I am yet to read your RK fic, but that's 'cause time has been short. I promise I'll read it sometime this week. I am so happy that you love it so much! Keep reading! *Smiles*

Time to get on with the story!

American Orphan: Who is Koji Really?

Ch. 6: Danger Rises

~~~~~

After everyone left, Koji and Kenshin sat inside the dojo, staring at each other. Neither of them said anything for a long time. Koji lost track of the time, but she didn't worry. She was hopping that today she could find out why she's been having those nightmares, and maybe even learn a bit about her past. She didn't care if the truth behind her dreams was a dark and maybe even a violent meaning. What she cared about was that she would know why she was having these dreams. Kenshin, however, wasn't as eager about this as Koji was. He was worried about what the truth would do to her. But there wasn't any way he could keep it from her. Her very life could be in danger. 

"Koji," he said at last. He saw her become more alert, ready for what he had to say. "Koji..." he said slowly. She needed to know, both her dreams were important, be it better or for worse.

"Koji," he repeated, "This won't be easy to tell you. I myself don't know where to start, that I do not."

"You know," Koji said, "you don't have to do this if it's a problem. I mean, if you don't want to, I can probably suck it out of Takuro."

Kenshin shook his head. "You don't understand. I don't want to tell you this, but it is very important. You can tell Takuro about it, but he wouldn't have the faintest idea of how severe this truly is. The only problem is that I don't know where to start." He said nothing more, but merely pondered. After a few tense moments, his eyes opened up.

"Tell me," he said, "this new dream you've had recently. Tell me with all details. Are you sure it was me you saw?" Koji nodded. "I'm sure of it," she said quickly. "But," she added, "you were different some how."

"How is that?" Kenshin asked. It was something she didn't reveal to him the night before.

"Koji closed her eyes and tried to remember exactly what Kenshin looked like in her dream. "You were younger," she said slowly, "and your hair wasn't as bushy. You carried two swords instead of your one reverse-blade sword, and you had that scar on your cheek. The only major difference was your eyes. They were-"

"Gold," said Kenshin. He couldn't stop himself. Koji looked at him with a shocked look on her face and nodded. "How did you know?" she asked in a quavering voice.

"Because," Kenshin said, "it was me. You saw me as I was over 16 years ago. I think this is a good time to tell me the rest of your dream." He waited as Koji gathered her thoughts.

"Well," she began, "the dream starts out with me in a dark cell. There's a window, but it was at night so I couldn't see much. But there were people, ten at the most. As I looked closer, I could see that there were cuts, burns, and bruises all over their bodies. I almost got sick at the sight." Kenshin realized that she had a vision of the Bettos during the Revolution! Kenshin knew at that moment that Koji only told him half of her dream.

"Continue, Koji," he said.

"I see a little boy in the middle of the people, and he looked as though he suffered the worst of whatever they went through. When I saw the condition he was in, I rushed to him and tried to help. But when I reached him, I went right through him! I tried yelling for help, but I don't think anyone heard me."

Kenshin felt his heart skip a few beats. She saw the little boy that he had tried to help. That was why he went to the boy at that moment! Koji's cry was heard! Kenshin thought it was one of the Bettos calling for help. But was he the only one that heard it?

He waited for Koji to continue, but he saw that she was crying hard. The dream had obviously caused some emotional distress for her. He got up and walked to her. He sat down beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. "It's alright, Koji," he said in a tender voice. "I can help you, but you must tell me the rest of your dream." Koji nodded and rubbed the tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand. Kenshin waited a few moments while Koji calmed down. "Then, she continued finally with her dream.

After I yell out, you come bursting though the door a few minutes later. Everyone in the room pointed to the boy. Some were crying out, 'Help him!'" You were at his side instantly. You tried all sorts of things to help save him, but... but..." Koji broke down in tears once more. Kenshin didn't need to hear the rest.

~~~

It took a longer amount of time for Koji to stop crying. In his heart, Kenshin knew that Koji didn't receive this dream of the simple subconscious of her mind. Someone must have triggered it. But it didn't explain how he heard Koji's voice that night. It was a mystery to be solved later.

"Koji," Kenshin said, "it's time I told you the meaning of your dream." Then he preceded to tell Koji about his past, his part that he played in the Revolution, and his relationship with the Bettos.

"So that's what you saw in your dream. It was a piece of my past, and now you know what my past is exactly."

"But how does that have anything to do with me?" Koji asked, a little frightened at what Kenshin just told her.

"I have reason to believe," Kenshin said, "that you posses the same powers the Bettos did."

Koji was shocked beyond belief. "What makes you think that?" she gasped.

"We knew," said Kenshin, "That you were not from Japan from what Takuro told us. But you were suddenly able to speak in perfect Japanese. A talent of the Bettos was the ability to speak any language after only hearing a few words of it. I know that its not enough to support my theory, but there is something that can."

"And what would that be?" Koji asked cautiously.

Kenshin sighed. "It was your dream, Koji, that gave it away. The one you had of me and that young boy told me that you have a extraordinary gift." Koji said nothing, but Kenshin continued. "But I fear that this gift of yours will be your curse." Still, Koji said nothing.

Almost immediately, Kenshin lost his serious personality and returned to the clumsy Kenshin that Koji knew. "I'm sorry that I had to tell you that, that I am. Perhaps we should have some lunch." He stood to leave and expected Koji to do the same. But she still sat on the floor staring at the wall, as if she was trying to see through to the other side. "Koji," Kenshin began, "are you alright?"

"That little boy in my dream," Koji said softly, "was he a Betto too?" Kenshin nodded sadly. "Yes." A small tear ran down Koji's cheek. "What was his name?" she asked.

"I don't know," came the reply. "If he had one, I didn't know."

Koji didn't ask anything else, so Kenshin went out to cook lunch.

~~~

Just as Kenshin finished cooking, he heard footsteps coming towards the dojo. He looked up to see Kaoru coming down the way. Alone.

A few minutes later Kaoru informed Kenshin that Kenji was at Megumi's house with Yahiko. Both of them were due for a check-up, and so Kaoru took the opportunity to cheek up on Kenshin and Koji. Kenshin wasn't sure if he should tell Kaoru about Koji.

Before Kenshin could make up his mind, Kaoru went inside the dojo to say hi to Koji. Just as he was about to bring lunch in, Kaoru screamed, "Koji! Kenshin, get inside quick!"

Kenshin didn't hesitate. He ran inside with his hand on the hilt of his sword. When he got inside the dojo, he saw Koji on her hands and knees. Her breathing was irregular and loud. Kaoru had her hands on Koji's shoulders saying, "Just breathe, Koji! Relax and breathe!"

The moment Kenshin was beside them, Koji collapsed and fainted on the floor.

As Kenshin and Kaoru worked franticly to get Koji to come to, two shadows slipped silently away from the dojo unnoticed.

~~~~~~~

After Kenshin checked to see if Koji had a fever, (which she didn't) he saw a dart stuck in her arm.

*Someone must have poisoned her!* Kenshin thought. It didn't look like it did any major damage. *It was meant to knock her out, nothing more.* He pulled the dart out with a steady hand and showed it to Kaoru. "Look at this," he said.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Someone is after Koji."

~~~~

Okay, I'm sorry if this doesn't seem like the best edited or the story with the best spelling, but I wanted to get this out now! So if you don't like it, well, nyah! Anyway, please review, tell me what you think, yada yada! And maybe the next installment will be out soon! (I hope!)