Mama Himura

Chapter 4

Author's Note: I know that Kenshin's been out of character lately but I was trying to study for tests when I wrote the past couple of chapters but I'm going to try harder, I promise. Any ways, I was aiming for this chapter to be more funny than anything else but humor's not really my thing so I hope it didn't turn out to badly but if it did sorry, I gave it my best shot, that I did . Any how, sorry about the delay and mess-ups, hope you like this chappy, read on folks!

The next morning Tokisha awoke and let out a long stretch before getting up to change. After she slipped into her kimono she reached up for her obi on the top shelf where she'd put it, but her fingers knocked off one of the little trinkets and startled herself, "Ah! Oh my… I hope I didn't break it… nope good as new."

She picked up the knick-knack and set it back on the shelf then her door suddenly flew open and in came a frantic looking Kenshin, "Mother what happened! Are you… al… right…"

He paused and turned blood red when he saw she was getting dressed, abruptly covering his eyes and turning around, "I'm so sorry! I… I didn't know you were getting dressed! I… I heard you scream and I thought you were in trouble…"

Tokisha laughed, "I'm fine, Shinta, that I am, I just knocked one of the figurines off of the shelf is all."

"I see… well I… need to finish breakfast now, that I do… um… I'll see you in a minute, bye!"

Kenshin hastily left the room and shut the door, heading into the eating area where the others were, "Why is your face red, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked as he sat down.

"I just walked in on my mother getting dressed, that I did."
Tokisha came in a few moments later and giggled when Kenshin started apologizing again. Eventually she got him calmed down and they all ate breakfast before heading outside for some air. Once everyone was on the porch Sanosuke poked Kenshin in the arm to get his attention, "Hey Kenshin, how about I get a sword and you and I spar for awhile?"

"Um… Sano… you know that I don't know how to use a sword very well."

Everyone stared at him in shock for a moment but before they could ask what was going on there was a knock on the gate and Tokisha went to answer it, missing the relieved sigh that came from Kenshin as she left, "What was that about, Kenshin?" Sanosuke asked, completely dumbfounded

"I don't want my mother to know who I am, Sano…" Kenshin peaked around the corner and saw his mother coming back and whispered to the taller man, "please just play along."

"Oh… ok, got ya," Sanosuke patted him on the shoulder and grinned, "I can teach ya."

"I don't feel like it right, now, that I don't, I'll let you kick my butt later, that I will."

"Why wait until later to get your butt kicked by an amateur when you can get it kicked right now by a professional?"

They all turned around and were surprised to see a grinning Hiko standing against the wall, "Master? What're you doing here?"

"I'm in town this week to see an old friend and I decided to drop by and see my stupid apprentice, is that a problem?"

"Yes, I hate it when you visit."

"Why is that?" Hiko asked in a playfully hurt tone

"Because you always seem to come up with embarrassing stories from my childhood to tell my friends, that's why."

"Well then what else am I supposed to do while I'm here?"

Kenshin smiled evilly, "I can think of a few things."

Before Hiko could retaliate Tokisha came around the corner and bumped into him, "Oh, I'm sorry, that I am."

"It's alright, and who are you?"

"I'm Tokisha Himura, that I am, and who are you, stranger?"

"Seijiro Hiko, so you're a Himura, huh?"

"Ay, that I am."

"You wouldn't happen to be related to that idiot over there, would you?"

Kenshin groaned softly before a wicked smile came across his face, "What idiot? Are you looking in a mirror, Master?"

Hiko didn't say a word instead he promptly drew his sword and knocked Kenshin over the head with it, easily knocking down the former hitokiri. Sanosuke and Yahiko laughed as Kaoru helped him up but Tokisha swiftly slapped Hiko on the head, "There was no reason for that, that there wasn't!"

"What's wrong with you? I hit him all the time."

"Well ya won't be hittin' my son as long as I'm around, that ya won't!"

"Your son! Kenshin… do you care to explain?"

Kenshin got up and dusted himself off before putting on his usual rurouni smile, "Master, this is my mother… mother, this is my master."

Tokisha smiled and turned to Hiko, "Oh… so you're the one who changed my son's name, are ya?"

"Yes, his real name was too gentle for a swordsman so I changed it to Kenshin, why?"

"Ya had no right to do that, that ya didn't; there was nothin' wrong with his real name, that there wasn't."

Hiko grinned, "Except that it was suitable for a child… then again… maybe I should've left it, he still acts like an eight year old kid."

Kenshin groaned and shook his head, unable to hold back his smile, undaunted by his master's comments. But Tokisha didn't take it lightly, "Now see here, you'll stop insultin' my boy or else!"

Hiko laughed, "Or else what? I've been insulting him for almost twenty years and I don't intend to stop anytime soon, especially because a short little old woman told me to."

Tokisha narrowed her eyes and moved to stand directly in front of him, making their height difference painfully obvious. She barely came up to his chest but that didn't stop her from poking him in the shoulder, "Look here ya jerk, I may be short and I may be old but I'll be a leprechaun's mother if that will stop me from kickin' your backside!"

Hiko smiled and leaned down close to her, "What're you going to do, bite my ankles?"

"MASTER!" Kenshin yelled in shock

Tokisha flushed with anger and raised her hand to slap him but he easily caught her wrist and held it in his strong grasp, "Just as I thought… old and slow."

"I may be slow Hiko, but not too slow…"

Without warning she raised her knee sharply and hit him where it hurts and his eyes went wide as he let go of her wrist and slumped forward. Tokisha smiled and patted him on the head, "Now maybe you'll think twice before messin' with me."
She turned and went off down the hall, missing the icy glare Hiko shot at her back as she left. Kenshin went up to him and set a hand on his shoulder, "Are you alright, Master?"

"Fine… she didn't hit me that hard and besides… I let her do that."

Kenshin opened his mouth to say something but Sanosuke intervened, "Before we have another fight I want to ask you something, Kenshin."

"What's that, Sano?"

"I heard Tokisha say something about a… leprechaun… what's a leprechaun?"

"A leprechaun is a little man with magical powers that grants you a wish if you find his gold, but the wish usually comes true at a price."

"Such as?"

"Well… if you wish for money then someone you love will die so you can get it, stuff like that."

"Oh, so it's a little mean man, huh?"

"Basically."

Sanosuke laughed, "Sounds like your mom, Kenshin, she's an over sized leprechaun."

"Um… Sano…"

Sanosuke turned around to where Kenshin was pointing and let out a yelp of surprise when he saw Tokisha standing behind him, "Oh… hi… Mrs. Leprechaun… how are you?"

Tokisha sighed but smiled, "If you're goin' ta call me anything ya might as well just call me Mama Himura, that's what everyone back home calls me and that's what I'd like for you to call me as well, ok?"

"Got ya."

"Good, hey Kaoru, would you be a dear and come help me?"

"Sure."

Kaoru followed her down the hall and once they were out of earshot Hiko nudged Kenshin and whispered into his ear, "I think I'll just call her Mrs. Leprechaun."

Later that night Kenshin somehow managed to slip away from the excitement and jumped into the bath to relax for awhile. It had been a rough day, Hiko and Tokisha had been arguing like a couple of kids off and on all day long and they kept putting him into the middle of it. He loved his mother and he loved his master but it was days like today that he wished he didn't know either of them, although he'd never pass up the opportunity to spend time with them. After an hour or so the water got cold and he got out and dried himself off but as he reached for his hakama the bathhouse door opened and in walked a casual looking Tokisha.

Kenshin screamed and quickly covered himself with a towel, his eyes flashing gold for a brief moment as he yelled "Mother! Can't you knock!"

Tokisha smiled at him, "Oh come now, Shinta, I've seen ya naked before, that I have, you forget I used to change your diapers, that I did."

Kenshin turned red at that comment as his eyes returned to violet, "I didn't need to know that, that I didn't."

All of the sudden Hiko and Kaoru came charging into the bathhouse looking frantic, "We heard a scream, are you… al… right… Ken… shin…"

Kaoru paused in mid-sentence and covered her eyes upon seeing Kenshin's half-clothed attire, "I'm sorry, Kenshin… I didn't know that you were… indecent…"

Hiko laughed, "He's always indecent, and besides haven't you already seen that part of his anatomy?"

"MASTER!"

Kaoru turned bright red and left without saying a word, getting Hiko to laugh, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Kenshin? You've gone and given your girlfriend a complex."

Kenshin flushed brighter and Tokisha smiled mischievously as she looked from Hiko to Kenshin, "Well I'm proud of ya, Shinta, that I am."

"Why?"

"Because you're just a student but you've already surpassed your master in the manly department, that ya have."

Kenshin, if it were possible, turned even redder and Hiko gave her a dirty look, "How do you know?"

"Because I kicked ya there earlier if ya don't remember. But I'm a wee bit surprised that I was actually able ta hit a target that small, that I am."

"Look here you annoying little wench…"

They headed out of the bathhouse and continued their argument as they went through the courtyard. Kenshin waited until they were around the corner before he let out a heavy sigh, "This is going to be a very long week, that it is…"