Chapter 13: The Strong and the Weak

The next few days went by without much excitement… Well, if there was any, Kaoru hadn't been paying attention. She was spending her time trying to find a way to get to Tomi and find out what was truly wrong with him. She knew he'd been avoiding the subject, but now it seemed he was avoiding her, and everybody else for that matter.

After yet another day of failing to snag his attention, she went to bathe.

"Kaoru-chan!" Tenka said, his eyes lighting up. He seemed so delighted to see her all the time. It was quite refreshing compared to the jerks she dealt with daily.

"H… Hey," She said, smiling in embarrassment. She figured she'd be excited too if she was a guy getting to see a girl naked every day.

"I've brought some beef and vegetables. Once you're done bathing, I'll be finished cooking this stew."

"Great," She said, removing her clothing and bandages and taking a run into the water.

Tenka laughed cheerfully. "Did you have a good day?"

"Same old, same old," She told him, scrubbing her arm with soap. "I still can't get close enough to Tomi to talk to him. I see him, sure, but it's as if I blink and he's gone."

"Maybe it'd be best if you listen to Megumi-san and Saitou," Tenka said, stirring his stew in his large black pot.

"-but they won't tell me anything," She said, sighing. "Tomi is the only one I think I could get it out of. I don't know what the big secret is… Besides, if he's sick, shouldn't he be at home?"

"People are cruel… they'll get what they want with the right amount of force," He replied solemnly.

"Why would they bring sick people onto the battlefield? That'd be stupid!" Kaoru complained.

"I guess it's to test the strength of every man…" Tenka's voice was even more depressed. "Even a sick man could make a difference between victory and defeat…"

She looked toward the shore at him. "…but…"

"It's a principal that some follow… The strong live to feed off of the weak."

Her eyes widened, and all that could be heard for awhile was the water and the wind in the trees.

"If…" Tenka finally continued. "If… you're weak… they'll make sure… you're gotten rid of… if you're strong… they'll find some way to make you an aide to their mission… unless you're the strongest."

Tenka… was crying…

"Tenka…" She whispered.

"What… What's so wrong with being weak!" He sobbed, running his hand into his dark hair and trembling. "What's the point of being strong if you can't help anybody?"

She stepped onto the shore and pulled her towel around her.

"Tenka…" She dropped down behind him and wrapped her arms around him. "It'll be okay…"

He opened his eyes in surprise, then put his hand against hers.

She blushed in embarrassment, thinking she may have gone overboard.

"I'm sorry," He said, smiling half-heartedly. "I shouldn't get so emotional."

She got up and went behind the rocks to change. "It's a subject to get emotional about. People shouldn't treat other people like animals."

"It's been going on since history began," He replied, pouring two bowls of stew.

She emerged, fully dressed and plopped down next to him.

"I alone can't change that," He finished, handing her bowl to her. "I'll do my best to make it better though."

She slurped the stew slowly, watching him as if he'd disappear if she blinked. They had become friends yes, but she'd never heard anything too deep about him. He'd opened up to her. His smile wasn't so empty, though his eyes quickly retreated to the blank look they usually had.

"I outdid myself," He remarked on the stew.

"How can I… help protect the weak like you… and Kenshin…?"

"Why, Kaoru-chan," He said, turning to her. "You already are."

"Hm?" She questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"You most of all, I'd bet. You care about people," He said. "That alone can help save people. Just love and care."

"I'm not doing much…"

"Well, that is why you followed Himura into battle, isn't it"

She looked up, stunned. "K-Kenshin?"

"None other. He's the one you love. You told me that much, and since you care about him and love him, you followed him into battle, leaving behind your female life, just to keep him alive."

"-but Kenshin-"

"-is weaker than many realize."

"Weaker?"

Tenka smiled at her. "I'll leave the rest up to you to find out. I need to leave you now. I have an appointment."

"O…Okay…" She whispered. Kenshin… is weaker than many realize…What did he mean by that? Kenshin is the strongest person I know!

She finished her meal in a hurry and took off back towards the camp. I…I need to talk to him… I need to hear his voice… I don't know why, but…Kenshin!

Tenka had taken the opposite direction of Kaoru, walking quickly.

"Hey!" A voice called to him from in the tree next to him. He stopped. "Where have you been?"

"Just sharing a dinner with a friend of mine," He responded simply.

"If you keep this kind of talk up, you're going to slip up," The young voice told him.

"I won't slip up. Just because I'm not shinobi, doesn't mean I don't have cunning, dear," He replied. "Going under my penname helps too, don't you think?"

"Just get back into town. We'll continue this conversation over tea. I've gotten some information too."

-

Kaoru was the first one back to camp from her team. Both Aoshi's team and Kenshin's team were still fighting. She couldn't see Kenshin anywhere and immediately headed up towards the temple. She thought that that was where she'd find him, but instead she found something else.

Sliding open the front door a bit, she started to call out his name, but was interrupted.

"You can't do this anymore!" Megumi yelled. "He can't go out and train with them! He needs to go home!"

"He will train like every other man here!" Shoji retorted.

Kaoru spotted Tomi laying on his futon, panting and sweating. She didn't realize just how pale he'd always been until now.

"I can't allow that! For the sake of his health, please-"

"I will not send any man home! Is that clear!"

"What use would he be to you! He's ill! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"Are you questioning my ways, Takani!" He yelled, taking hold of the hilt of his blade.

Kaoru's eyes widened.

"I'll shut you up if you want it that way!"

Kaoru burst through the door and ran in front of Megumi, holding her arms out in defense. "STOP!" She screamed, her face heating in rage.

Shoji seemed frozen from the sudden intrusion. It obviously wasn't expected.

He let go of his weapon. "Why are you back so soon, Kasuhige?"

"Soon? I think I got here just in time, you heartless bastard!"

"You'd better shut up," Megumi whispered in her ear.

Kaoru glanced at Megumi from the corner of her eye, then looked back at Shoji.

"Heartless bastard? What a colorful vocabulary. I suppose that's to be expected from low-class street trash like yourself."

Kaoru took hold of her weapon. "Hey, you! You wanna take this outside! I'm protecting people, what good are you doing!"

"Protecting the weak!"

"It's my job as a human being! The weak need us to protect them so the corrupt people in high places don't eliminate them!"

Shoji raised his eyebrows, half-interested. "Yes, very colorful. I didn't realize you were such a speech giver, Kasuhige… but pretty words mean nothing unless you can back them up."

Kaoru stepped back once and got into stance. From the sound of his voice, he was ready to fight her.

Megumi stepped out from behind her. "I can't let this go on. Both of you stop this."

Shoji looked at her for a moment, and then did something that angered Kaoru even more.

SMACK! He hit Megumi so hard that she fell down and left a red mark on her cheek.

"Son of a…" Kaoru whispered again, hardly able to control herself.

"Stop this… NOW."

They both froze and looked into the wide open doorway. Kenshin stood, his shadowy figure seeming cold and far away from them. His golden eyes threatened their movement, so nobody dared an advance.

"If you don't, I will be required to use force." He slowly walked into the room, looking larger and more dangerous than he usually did.

"Himura Battousai," Shoji greeted sternly, sheathing his weapon. Kaoru hadn't even realized he'd pulled it out. In fact, she was shocked to see that she too had removed her weapon.

"His name is Kenshin," She said defensively.

"I don't need you to stick up for my name," Kenshin said dryly, glaring at both of them.

"Ken-san," Megumi muttered, getting up off of the floor.

"Both of you get out," Kenshin said.

"You're not my master, Himura," Shoji said.

"I said… get out," He said gruffly, using his thumb to draw his sword out of the sheath a bit.

Kaoru didn't move either, mainly because she was frozen from fear. Battousai was here, and he brought that empty, cold aura along with him.

Shoji stepped in front of him, his height difference quite obvious, yet Kenshin looked much scarier.

"Do you have something to say to me?" Kenshin asked, void of all emotion.

I have to do something… I'm quickly losing Kenshin, and I can't… move…

Shoji punched him on the right side of his face, and he fell, coughing blood onto the floor. Kenshin's eyes flared like fire, and he drew his weapon.

"A fight with the Battousai would be fun right now," Shoji said, grinning, "but I've got men to train. I suggest you get in line, boy, or I'll hang you by your neck, not your wrists."

"Go back to hell," Kenshin replied, putting his weapon away.

Shoji walked out without a scratch on him. Kaoru felt like screaming.

Kenshin turned towards her, his golden eyes beaming at her through the damp, half-lit room. They returned to their original color, wide and concerned. "Kahei."

"Don't…" She whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. It was the only word she could get out of her mouth, and the confrontation had already ended.

Kenshin stepped towards her. Megumi rubbed her jaw. "Um… if you could, both of you continue this outside. I have a patient."

Kaoru couldn't say anything. Kenshin signaled her with his head to follow him. She did.

They went around where the people were punished, and she sheathed her weapon, realizing hit hadn't been.

"Sessha… is sorry…" He whispered. "He lost control for a while."

She didn't say anything. Her heart ached. She felt like she'd almost lost him and that it would most certainly happen again.

"Sessha… cannot change who he is… no matter how hard he tries… he will be what he is until death."

"NO!" She yelled, sobbing.

He looked into her eyes. "You aren't Battousai anymore! You're Kenshin! You help people, not hurt them! Everyone can change, and I know that includes you too!"

"-but, sessha cannot forget what he's done-"

"I know you can't forget, but you make up for it! We all make mistakes, but you… y-you were good enough to take responsibility and try to make up for it… instead of blaming it on the weak and having them destroyed… You're not a heartless hitokiri… You're just a man… like all of the people here…"

Kenshin passed her, blood, dripping down his chin. "Sessha… doesn't know if he can believe you or not… but he hopes that one day he can… but… try not to stir up anymore trouble. Sessha couldn't forgive himself if you were injured by that horrible bastard that leads our troops."

Kaoru hung her head. "Well… neither could I… so you'd better not fight with him anymore either, okay?"

He looked back at her and smiled. "Okay."

Kaoru smiled and wiped her tears away. "Heh… I'm such a wuss, eh, Himura? I promised myself I wouldn't do the crying thing."

"No," He laughed. "The strongest of people will cry when the feel sad. That is what makes me weak…"

"Kenshin… is weaker than many realize."

(A/N: w00t! I'm on a roll! I revealed a little more about Tenka and more about Shoji too. Thank you all SO MUCH for the reviews you've given me. I am SO GRATEFUL, I mean it. I love you guys so much for sticking with me. I work really hard, and it's you guys that help keep me going. I'll try and continue writing fics you guys like as long as I possibly can. When I first started writing, I never dreamed ANY of my stories would be popular like this. I was especially wary of "Just Your Average Teenage Samurai" which I know some of you have read. Now, check that story out. It's about to hit the 300 mark in reviews, and I have have you guys to thank. This one's about to hit the 100 mark itself, and I couldn't be more proud. Thank you all so much. Really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. You've supported me and helped me get better. Lots of love, guys! 3)