A/N: First off thanks for the reviews. Don't worry, Kaoru won't have an annoying attitude the entire story. She just doesn't like people moving in on Kenshin just like she doesn't tolerate it with Megumi. I hate stories that do that to her. Plus I like her and Kenshin way too much as well. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own it…darn.

Chapter 2: Know your friends

Mika was determined to learn everything she could about Kenshin. She decided to talk to his close friends to get more information. She would start by talking to Yahiko and Sano. She was going to wait to talk to Kaoru until later. She didn't want Kaoru to feel that she was trying to do anything suspicious. There were many puzzling things about Kenshin Mika didn't quite understand. Why did he carry a reverse blade? Why did he always stare into space? How did he come across this dojo in the first place? Where did that scar come from? Mika knew if she waited all of her questions would be answered.

Kenshin had done his usual task of getting up early and starting breakfast. One by one the members of the Kamiya dojo strode into the kitchen. Kaoru was the last to come in. After breakfast, Yahiko left to the Akebeko, Kaoru went down to the market to buy some new kimonos, and Kenshin started the laundry. Mika thought this would be the perfect opportunity to talk to Sano about Kenshin. She didn't want to seem too obvious though.

"Sano, can I talk to you for a second?" she asked.

"Sure, what's up?"

"I was just wondering, how did you first come to this dojo?"

"Well, I used to be a fighter for higher. This guy hired me to come fight Kenshin, being that he was the Battousai and everything…"

"Wait, you mean the Battousai?" she asked cautiously. Her father had told her so many stories about this amazing assassin who had carved the path for the Meiji era through hundreds of men.

"Yeah, that's the one," Sano replied. "So then we fought and I lost but I eventually became Kenshin and Kaoru's friend. Plus I'm really broke and need free food."

"Oh, okay." Mika got up and went back to the kitchen. She had to piece together the information. Kenshin was the best assassin of the revolution. She couldn't believe it. No wonder he was able to defeat the gang in the woods single handedly. But if he was such a great killer, why does he carry a reverse blade now? Mika's train of thought was broken when Kaoru walked into the kitchen.

"Do you need anything Mika?" Kaoru asked.

"No, I'm okay but thank you," Mika replied.

"If you need anything let me know. Maybe I will show you the market tomorrow okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds like fun."

"Oh, and if Yahiko bothers you at all let me know." Kaoru left the kitchen and went to her room.

Mika stepped outside. She watched Kenshin hang the laundry for a couple of minutes. She smiled as he stepped back to view his work. Mika heard two loud yells of "Ken-ni!" right next to her. Two little girls ran as fast as they could and latched themselves on to Kenshin's legs. An older man and a young woman had now taken a place next to her on the porch.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Gensai. Those are my two granddaughters, Ayame and Suzume. Nice to meet you!"

"Oh, hello! My name is Mika Yoshida and I'm going to be staying at the dojo for a little bit."

The young woman stepped forward. "I'm Megumi Takani and I am a doctor as well. Why would you want to stay here?"

"Oh, well Kenshin saved me from a gang in the forest and I had no other place to go to at the time."

"That's Kenshin for you, always doing his best to help," said Megumi.

"Is he always helping people?" Mika asked.

"That's what Kenshin does best. He is always trying to protect the weak and do right. Everyone knows him for it."

"Oh..."

"Do you know where Kaoru is?" asked Megumi.

"She's in her room."

"Thanks."

Megumi went into the dojo and Mika proceeded to watch Kenshin play with the girls. She found Kaoru by a chest folding her kimonos. Kaoru looked up from what she was doing.

"Oh, do you want something Megumi?"

"Actually, I was just wondering how you could take another person into your dojo when it's usually full of people already."

"Well, Mika really had no place to go and Kenshin thought it would be a good idea too. She's only staying for a little while."

"So it was Kenshin's idea to let her stay?"

"Well, yes but I don't have a problem with it." Kaoru was never going to let Megumi know her initial thoughts about Mika. Mika had turned out to be pretty nice.

"Whatever you say Kaoru, just don't come crying to me if she steals Kenshin away, Ohohohohohohoho!"

"What makes you say that?" Kaoru asked angrily.

"She just kept staring at him the entire time I talked to her."

"I assure you Megumi, everything is fine."

"Okay, I'll leave the little raccoon girl alone now. See you later."

Back outside, Mika had decided to join Kenshin in playing with the girls. She was amazed to see how wonderful Kenshin was with children. She still couldn't believe he had been a mass murderer in the revolution. Maybe she'd talk about it with him later. Right now she wanted to talk to Kaoru again. Mika was still set on fully knowing Kenshin as a person.

Kaoru had walked outside and was now talking to Dr. Gensai. Mika went over and tapped her on the shoulder. "Kaoru, can we talk?"

"Um…sure Mika what do you need?"

"You seem to have a pretty full dojo here. I can leave if you want me to."

"Oh! You don't have to leave unless you are feeling crowded. You are welcome to stay."

"Really? I was just under the impression that you didn't want more people in your house."

"Oh…I was just a little tired when we first met. I apologize. No really, you can stay. It would be inconsiderate of me to make you leave."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Mika looked down at the ground. "How did you get such nice friends?"

"Well, I'm not too sure. They just kind of showed up. Kenshin came first, then Yahiko, then we met Sano, and then Megumi."

"So you guys have been through a lot together."

"Yeah, we've been with each other through good times and bad. Especially when it comes to supporting Kenshin."

Mika's head shot up. "Why would Kenshin need support?"

"Well by now you have probably heard that he fought in the revolution. Ghosts from the past have come back asking for a fight. That's when we support him." Kaoru wasn't going to tell Mika anything about the people Kenshin has had to fight just yet. Especially Shishio. She wanted to be sure that she could trust her. "He tries to tell the people he fights that he no longer kills. He has been trying to live his life peacefully now that the revolution is over. He's taken an oath never to kill again which is why he carries that reverse blade sword."

"That's really interesting Kaoru. How did you first meet Kenshin?"

"Well, that's kind of a long story but lets just say that he saved me the same way he saved you. I was really lonely here at the dojo all by myself so I asked him if he needed a place to stay as a thank you. He accepted and now here we are!"

Mika was feeling really excited. Unknowingly, all the people she talked to gave her most of the information she wanted. Now she was going to have to talk to Kenshin. That was the whole point of getting information on him right?

It was late afternoon and the sun was going to set. Yahiko had come back from the Akebeko. He and Kaoru were finishing up lessons in the dojo. Sano had come for lunch but was out with Katsu for the night, probably gambling. Mika found Kenshin sitting against the wall of his room, staring out the window. He was watching the sun set slowly behind the clouds. She peeked in through the shoji just a little.

"Would you like something Miss Mika?" said Kenshin but his eyes never left the window. Mika was slightly startled but regained composure.

"Oh, I didn't mean to disturb you but I was wondering if I could cook dinner again today. It is actually kind of fun. Cooking clears my mind."

"I think that would be nice, that I do."

Mika turned to leave but then she remembered the real reason she had come. "Um Kenshin…do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, come sit down." Mika went over and sat next to Kenshin against the wall. They didn't talk for a few minutes. They just sat and listened to the sounds of nature. Mika glanced over at Kenshin but he still had his eyes in the same spot, those gorgeous amethyst eyes.

"Kenshin, what was it like…"

"In the revolution? Well, it is kind of hard to explain, that it is."

"How did you know that was what I was going to ask you?"

"I overheard your conversations with Miss Megumi and Miss Kaoru. I had a feeling you would talk to me soon."

Mika was feeling embarrassed. She never even considered once that he could have heightened senses from being a former assassin.

"Actually Miss Mika, everything in the revolution was sad and horrible. I have nightmares about it all the time, that I do. After it was over I wandered for ten years to atone for my sins. Even so, I still don't fell cleansed of all the bloodshed I caused."

"So is that why Kaoru took you in? Because she felt sorry for you?"

"Actually, I wasn't expecting her to take me in at all. She was the first person I had met in a long time that didn't care about who I used to be. She didn't base our friendship on the fact that I was a murderer. She only cared about who I had become and that meant a lot to me."

Keshin smiled after that comment. Mika could tell he was thinking about Kaoru by the faraway look in his eyes.

"Well, it was nice talking to you Kenshin."

"Yes it was. I haven't really talked to anyone about the course of my life. It was somewhat uplifting to think back on all I've gone through."

Mika started to get up but Kenshin grabbed her wrist. "Really Mika, thank you. It's nice to talk to somebody new every once and a while."

"Sure, anytime Kenshin." Mika left to go make dinner. She felt after that one short conversation she and Kenshin were getting closer already.

A/N: I really really really hope that wasn't too rushed. I had a small case of writers block but that changed in a matter of minutes. I hope everyone's personalities were okay. Sorry there wasn't much KenKao action but that will change next chapter, promise. Should I continue? Please no flames, I will have to use them to burn my homework…no just kidding. REVIEW!