-Ten-Faced Paladin
Rurouni Kenshin: Runaway Swordsman By Ten-Faced Paladin Chapter 2: Swordsman on the Schoolgrounds
Some time had passed since the fake Battosai incident. Everyone quickly learned that Kaoru's dojo was not the base of the murderer. Her good name was restored, but she wasn't quite satisfied just yet.
She was currently staring at the wall where the names of her students would hang. It had been bare except for hers. All the rest were gone and not one had come back. To say that she was irked was somewhat of an understatement.
"Why haven't any students come back!" Kaoru shouted as she slashed her sword around.
Kenshin was quietly sipping tea at a tablewhich he had brought into the dojo. Tsubame and Megumi had been coming over everyday since they met him. He didn't mind the company, but for some reason they seemed to be almost glued to him. Today was no exception and both of them were seated on either side of him.
"How much coffee does she drink?" Megumi sighed as she sipped her tea.
"None, Megumi-dono," Kenshin sighed. "Then again, this one does not make the morning brew so we cannot be certain."
"I think decaff would help," Tsubame smiled.
Kaoru finally finished her sword swinging and she turned to face her friends, "Kenshin! Why aren't any students coming back? Is it simply because I'm so beautiful and they're intimidated by me?"
"I wouldn't hold my breath in that case," Megumi teased.
Kaoru glared at Megumi with an evil eye. Kenshin shuffled away from the two women while Tsubame did the same.
"Oro," Kenshin sighed.
"S-scary," Tsubame shuddered.
Kaoru's rage was momentarily forgotten when she spotted Kenshin. Much to his amazement, her disposition did a complete turnaround as she went from angry to pleasant again.
"Oh, I almost forgot," she spoke. "Kenshin, I told my parents about you and they would like you to stay here as well."
"It seems your parents are as generous as you are Kaoru-dono," Kenshin smiled.
Kaoru smiled uncomfortably, "Well, they still ask for one thing in return. Since you are under our roof, they want to to at least go to school as well."
"Oro?" Kenshin sweatdropped.
"Ooh!" Megumi smiled. "I think that's a wonderful idea! He can go to the same school as us."
"Yes!" Tsubame nodded. "A swordsman should be educated as well as skilled."
Kenshin slumped in his seat. There was no way that he was going to win this conversation. He had learned long ago that any argument with a woman would most likely result in a defeat for him. Besides, school really wasn't unreasonable.
"If your parent's insist Kaoru-dono then I shall oblige to their wishes," Kenshin spoke through a forced smile.
"That's great Kenshin!" Kaoru smiled. "They sent you your uniform today. You'd better check to see if it fits."
She then gestured Kenshin to the door and began pushing him along the way. Kenshin gave a silent protest, but she didn't, or wouldn't see it. As they both went out the door, Megumi and Tsubame stood up.
"Do you think Kenshin will be alright in school?" Tsubame asked the older girl.
"I think he'll be a real lady killer," Megumi smiled mischeviously. "Well, so long as that rooster-head doesn't pollute him."
Tsubame nodded as she and Megumi started walking for the door. They both wanted to see what Kenshin would look like in their school's uniform. Megumi was personally hoping that they could catch him when he wa halfway between changing. Tsubame was just wondering if Kenshin would look half as cool as Yahiko-kun did.
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A lone figure was sitting down at a table and was reading the newspapaer. The person was constantly looking for any kind of clue. Any kind of sign. They were looking for someone. They had been searching for a long time and there had been little, if any, results.
As this person looked through the paper, their gaze fell on a certain article with the word 'Battosai' in it. Their eyes grew wide as they read through the article. as they read, hope began to fill through the person. At long last, after so long, a real clue to where Kenshin Himura was hiding out.
The person immediately put down the paper and grabber a cellphone that was resting on the table. They dialed a number and held it to their ear.
"I think I may have found him," the person spoke into the phone. "I need a ride to Tokyo."
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The morning had come again and both residents of the Kamiya dojo were getting themselves ready for the day. Kenshin was busy making lunches while Kaoru was struggling to get her uniform on and finish brushing her teeth.
"Why do I keep waking up so late?" she shrieked as she ran into the kitchen and began gulping down her breakfast.
"Oro," Kenshin sighed. "You have had a couple of rough nights Kaoru-dono,"
"That's not the point!" Kaoru snapped as she stood up. "I'm a kendo artist! I should be always waking up on time! Now let's get going or else we're going to be late! Mother and Father already got you registered to the school so we can't afford to be late."
"Right," Kenshin nodded. "Are Megumi-dono and Tsubame-dono going to be there?"
"Yep," Kaoru nodded. "They go to the same school as we do. They said they'd meet us there."
Kenshin and Kaoru moved to the doorway and Kenshin slipped his backpack over his shoulder. Only now, instead of living supplies, it held school supplies. He also slipped his sakabato over his shoulder. It was wrapped in cloth again. Kaoru looked at it before looking back at Kenshin.
"Why are you bringing your sword?" she asked.
"This one always has the sakabato on hand," Kenshin replied. "Should there be anyone in need of protection, this one shall be ready."
Kaoru smiled as a red tinge came to her face, 'He sounds a little like my great-great grandfather,"
Kenshin's face then broke into a smile, "Shall we be off Kaoru-dono?"
Kaoru nodded and the two of them quickly exited the dojo and began the trek to their high school.
When they arrived, they could see Megumi and Tsubame waiting at the gates for them. Tsubame was the first to see them as she broke out in a huge smile and started waving.
"Kaoru! Kenshin!" she waved. "Over here!"
Kenshin and Kaour met their friends quickly and both Megumi and Tsubame were quick to pull Kenshin onto the grounds.
"You made it Ken-san," Megumi smiled. "We must hurry. We have to show you around before first period starts."
"Oro," Kenshin sighed. "If you insist."
With that, Megumi and Tsubame began pulling Kenshin along while Kaoru brought up the rear. For some reason unknown to her, she felt a little jealous that her friends were so close to him.
The tour began with the large gym that was right next to the entrance. There were several people working out there with various pieces of equpment.
"This is obviously our gym Ken-san," Megumi explained. "Most of out sports teams work out here so it gets pretty crowded. Usually the track team and the basketball team get first dibs."
"Why is that Megumi-dono?" asked Kenshin curiously.
"I'll tell you why," someone replied. "It's because of yours truly right here."
Kenshin and the girls turned around to see a taller boy standing behind them. He was wearing a pair of the school unform pants and a white button-up shirt which he kept unbuttoned and the sleeves rolled up.He had a black t-shirt underneath which had the kanji aku on it. His hair was spiked and black while he had a toothpick sticking out of his mouth. He also had a red bandanna
"Hey fox, Jou-chan, Tsubame," the guy greeted. He then looked at Kenshin with a look of curiosity. "I don't think we've met. New guy?"
"Yes," Kenshin nodded. "This one is starting today. Who might you be?"
"Sanosuke Sagara," the guy smirked. "I'm the head jock around here. Nice to meet ya."
"Kenshin Himura," Kenshin smiled. "The pleasure is mine."
"Sano," Kaoru sighed. "You are so full of yourself. Are you forgetting about Aoshi? He's more popular than you."
Sanosuke growled, "Hey, at least I'm friendlier than that stone wall. He's got no emotions whatsoever. I don't know how he got so pouluar"
"That just makes him mysterious," Megumi sighed. "In turn, that just makes some girls get drawn to him."
"Like Misato," Tsubame remarked.
"Ahh, I'd rather avoid fans like the weasel," Sano smirked. "She's obsessed with the guy, I swear."
"I think we'd better get going," Kaoru remarked, "We need to show Kenshin around the school."
"Sure," Sano remarked. "I'll see ya around Kenshin."
Kenshin didn't even get a chance to reply before the girs dragged him out fo the gym
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"This is the cafeteria," Kaoru explained.
The room was actually pretty large. There were several tables set up and people were already sitting there, waaitng for the morning bell. One person in particular caught Tsubame's attention.
"Yahiko-kun!" Tsubame smiled happily.
A boy sitting alone at a table looked up at the group of friends. He was a freshman like Tsubame. He was donned in the school uniform and had scruffy black hair.
"Oh, hey Tsubame," he greeted neutraly.
Tsubame seemed to pout at Yahiko's remark. Kaoru growled and began stomping towards Yahiko who started to become afraid of her.
"Tsubame has a crush on Yahiko," Megumi whispered in Kenshin's ear. "She's been trying to get closer to him all year. She just can't seem to break through."
All three of them watched as Kaoru started getting into a brawl with the younger boy. She kept shouting things like 'pointy-eyed midget' and 'insensitive freak'. Yahiko countered with a simple 'ugly' and 'tanuki'. The insults just seemed to make the two combatants try to pummel each other harder. Tsubame only watched the fight in slight worry. Finally the fight ended with Kaoru obviously coming out better. She had only a few scuffmarks while Yahiko was slumped over on the table with several lumps on his head.
"There," Kaoru sighed, brushing her hands together. "Let's go."
The four friends quickly left, not before Tsubame took a last glance of longing at Yahiko before leaving with them. After they left, the first bell rang, waking Yahiko from his stupor and leaving him with a headache and grumbling about 'ugly tanuki's.'
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The day had progressed rather calmly for everyone at the school. Kenshin had intoduced himself to his class and almost everyone seemed to like him. The girls of the classroom seemed more interested in him than the boys did.
Kenshin also proved to be an intelligent person. He quickly took in what the teachers talked about and was able to answer their questions. It was somewhat of a surprise to Kaoru for a wanderer to know so much about such things.
'He must not have been wandering for very long,' she reasoned to herself.
After the final bell rang, Kenshin and the girls met again outside the front doors of the school.
"How was your first day Ken-san?" asked Megumi.
"It was fine Megumi-dono," Kenshin smiled."Rather uneventful."
"That's good to hear Kenshin," Tsubame smiled. "At least you didn't run into the-"
Tsubame's remark was cut off by a cry from the side of the school. It sounded familiar to the friends.
"Wasn't that Sanosuke?" Kaoru asked, slightly concerned.
A second cry of pain cut through the air. This one was younger and seemed to be in more pain.
"Yahiko-kun?" Tsubame gasped in fear.
Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he gripped his sword and raced to the source of the noise. He was much faster than the three women and had left them far behind.
He raced to the side of the building and found the source of the noise. The girls were right. It was Sanosuke and Yahiko. They were surrounded by about a dozen other boys who all had hall monitor badges on them. They all held wooden swords. A few more were unconcious on the ground with black eyes or bloody noses. Sano's fists had no doubt done that. One or two of thee one's that were still standing were clutching their sides from no doubt Yahiko's handiwrok. Unfotunately, both of the boys seemed worse for wear. Yahiko had several bruises on his face while Sanosuke had some blood running down his face.
"Hmm," the leader of the boys smirked. "An infraction against the school uniform rule and attacking fellow students for the both of you. I think the both of you will be expelled after we put you down."
"Go to hell Ujiki!" Sanosuke growled. "What makes you think you can get away with this?"
"Heh," Ujiki smirked. "We're the righteous hall monitors while you two are well known punks. Who'll the principal be more willing to believe?"
"What if this one backed up their story?" Kenshin asked, catching their attention.
The hall monitors all turned around to see Kenshin gripping his unwrapped blade. Ujiki smirked when he saw the weapon.
"Well," Ujiki smiled. "It seems we have a student bringing a weapon to school."
He pointed his weapon at Kenshin while the other hall monitors spread out the area to give their boss and each other some space.
"Draw your weapon new guy," Ujiki smirked.
"Just who are you?" Kenshin asked while his eyes narrowed again.
"Just a hall monitor," Ujiki smiled. "Punishing those who break the rules to the fullest extent. By catching crimes in their smallest forms and removing them from this school, we ensure that the halls are safe."
"Sure," Yahiko spat. "You frame people up for expulsion for having their uniforms on wrong."
"True," Ujiki smirked. "But what is one infraction will lead to more and greater rule breaking. Ending it early is the ony way to stop it. Now draw your weapon."
Kenshin made no movement to draw his sword. Ujiki began to frown until something caught his attention.
"Kenshin!" everyone heard Kaoru call out.
Everyone's attention was turned to see the three woman running towards the scene.
"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin shouted.
"Fox! Get back!" Sanosuke cried.
"Tsubame! Stay away!" Yahiko shouted, worry in his eyes.
The girls stopped running, but their exit was blocked by two hall monitors and their swords. Tsubame stepped back in fear while Megumi tried to shield her. Kaoru grimaced, regretting not bringing a bokken.
"What's this?" Ujiki smiled. "Friends of yours?"
Kenshin's gaze narrowed further while Sanosuke growled.
"Don't you dare touch Tsubame," Yahiko threatened.
Ujiki smirked, "Those who consort with deliquents usually become deliquents themselves. Punish them."
The hall monitors began moving in on the three women. Tsubame almost screamed in fear.
Their march was halted when the sound of steel sliding against steel was heard. That and the sound of a bone crunching punch and wood colliding with flesh.
Everyone looked to see that Kenshin had drawn his sakabato. Sanosuke had knocked back the hall monitor guarding him while Yahiko snatched a bokken from one of the fallen monitors and used it to knock back the one guarding him.
"You will not touch any of those girls with your dirty blades," Kenshin spoke darkly.
The narrowed eyes of Sanosuke and Yahiko repeated that threat.
"Hmm," Ujiki smiled. "Self-defence is established. Punish them."
The other hall monitors unleashed a collective roar and charged the three boys. Kaoru and Megumi watched in slight fear while Tsubame tried not to cry out in terror for Yahiko.
Kenshin was the first to move as he slipped past several monitors and used his sword to put them down. Sanosuke took a few blows, but with so few enemies against him, he could take it and retaliate, breaking a few noses in the process. Yahiko was no slouch with the bokken either. Even if he didn't use a style, he was able to block several blows and take down the hall monitors who were after him. After about a minute of fighting, all the hall monitors were down except for Ujiki who was growling as he watched his minions put down.
"Now," Kenshin spoke, leaning his sword on his arm. "If you swear now to stop exploiting your position and let this one's friends go, this one shall take the entire punishment."
"Shut up!" Ujiki growled. "I will never swear to that! I'll take care of you here and now!"
He gripped the hilt and base of his balde and charged at Kenshin with a violent battle cry. Kenshin narrowed his eyes again and gripped his sword.
"Jigen-Ryu!" Kaoru gasped. "Kenshin watch out!"
Ujiki slashed at Kenshin, but had missed entirely. Kenshin had spun around the attack and brought his sword to bear.
"Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu!" Kenshin called as he moved. "Ryukansen!"
The dragon spiral strike collided with the back of Ujiki's neck and sent him across the ground and skidding into the dirt. Kenshin sighed as he sheathed his sword and began wrapping it in cloth again. Kaoru, Megumi, and Tsubame ran over to their friendsto see if they were okay.
"This one is unharmed," Kenshin smiled. "Sano and Yahiko most probably are though."
Sano sighed as Megumi began checking his head wounds.
"I'm okay Fox," Sano spoke. "Nothing serious."
"I'll be the judge of that Rooster-head," Megumi frowned. "I do know more about medicine than you."
Tsubame was fussing over Yahiko and the bruises on his face.
"Don't worry Tsubame," Yahiko smirked. "These are nothing."
"But Yahiko-kun," Tsubame whispered.
"As long as you're okay then I don't mind a few bruises."
Tsubame promptly blushed crimson.
The touching moments between the three 'couples' was broken when cheers suddenly broke out. The friends looked to see the entire school student population was there cheering at their victory. People were whistling and clapping for them.
"Oro?" Kenshin remarked."Where did they come from?"
To Be Continued.
A/N: There we have it. The gang is back together again. Now to wonder about new adventures and even more old friends coming back to see them. As you can see this is a Kaoru/Kenshin Sano/Megumi and Yahiko/Tsubame fic. I just thought I'd say it now before anyone asks about pairings.