Summary: In a place where everyone has an animal soul, being without one places you lower than everyone else. He is the only one without one. Will he ever find his? KxK SxM AxM maybe YxT

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. You should be glad I don't. Very, very glad.

Key: "speech", 'thoughts'

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Claw & Fang

Chapter One

Kenshin POV

I slipped quietly into the classroom, trying not to attract any attention to myself. I had arrived early for this reason. I spoke a few words to the teacher, and made my way to the back of the room.

It has been three months since my master, Hiko Seijuro, adopted me. Since then he has been training me in a sword style known as the Hiten Mitsurugi. It has been difficult, to say the least.

I brought my thoughts back to school, and keeping out of sight. I knew what they would say about me if they knew.

I stopped when I reached a desk in the very back, in an area without as much light. I had always loved the dark, even as a child. It kept me hidden, and was peaceful, giving me time to myself.

I lowered myself into the seat, dropping my backpack down by the wall. It was an ugly thing, made out of a sickly green color that I was sure Hiko had chosen for that very reason. He loved to torment me, though he never breached sensitive subjects with his sharp tongue.

I pulled open the zipper, taking out my books and folders, arranging them on my desk. Out of the inner pocket of my navy blue trench, I also pulled out a stained and torn book. Its pages were slightly yellowed with age and you could barely tell what the original color of the cover had been. It was light blue, by the way. It was my journal.

I clicked my pen and began to write the last few days' events. It was then that I noticed a pair of sapphire blue eyes, watching me from the front of the room.

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Kaoru POV

I had just gotten to the classroom with Sano. I was amazed. This was about the earliest we had ever been here, having a reputation as the two students with the most tardy records in the school. My alarm never ceased to fail me. Partly because I had broken it several times by throwing it across the room, partly because I kept it set to radio, which almost never managed to wake me up.

I looked around, trying to see if any of my other friends had the same first hour class as I did, but no one was there. Or so I thought. I did a double-take as my eyes scanned the back of the room, nearly missing the person that was sitting in the corner. He was wearing a black outfit underneath a dark blue trench coat that complimented his blood red hair. He had it pulled into a high pony-tail, showing a deep, cross-shaped scar on the left side of his face. I vaguely wondered how he had gotten it, but instead contented myself with watching his fluid movements as he pulled a tattered book out of the inner pocket of his trench coat.

He had just begun to write when he suddenly looked up, locking his gaze with mine. To say I was startled by the color of his eyes would be an understatement. They were a deep, swirling mix of violet and gold that seemed to hold me in place. But then he blinked, breaking the fragile connection our eyes had made.

Sano chose that moment to notice that I was staring.

"Hey, Jou-chan! You gonna stare at him all day, or are ya gonna go ask him out already?"

My head whipped over to fix Sano with a withering glare. Of all the impudence…

I turned back and, upon switching my features to a bright smile, went to go talk to him.

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Kenshin POV

I didn't want her to come to talk to me. I wanted to keep my profile low, remember? It only took me a second to realize that my journal was in plain sight, and if she chose, she could read it from where she was currently standing, if she could read upside-down. I quickly snapped it shut and put it back into my pocket.

I hurriedly put on a false smile, hoping that she would leave me alone after a minute or two.

"Hi," she said, in a cheerful voice that was almost, but not quite, fake. "Isn't it kind of lonely back here? Why don't you come and sit by me and Sano?"

I considered pointing out her mistake in grammar, but since that particular mistake was common, used even by myself, I let it slide. But my false smile slipped a bit when I realized what she had said. It didn't take a lot of common sense to tell that I had a reason for being where I was. But the invitation was tempting. I hadn't really had any friends in a long time. Before I could stop myself, I found that my mouth had already answered her.

"I guess so."

She smiled, and this time it looked genuine.

After I had gathered my things, she led me over to the right side of the room, where her friend, Sano, was already seated.

By now some of the other students were coming into the classroom and claiming seats by their friends.

"I haven't introduced myself! My name's Kamiya Kaoru! His name," I noticed she said this with some disdain, as if he had splashed mud on her shoes, "is Sagara Sanosuke."

I wasn't the only one who noticed how she had said 'his'.

"Oh, come on, Jou-chan! What did I do?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're tactless and brainless."

I could see that this was about to become a fully blown argument, so I stepped in. "My name is Himura Kenshin."

She looked back at me and a flush appeared on her cheeks, as if she had forgotten I was there and was embarrassed about it. She quickly tried to start a conversation, diverting my attention away from her reddened face.

"Umm… what's your Other Half?" she asked, using the term we use to describe our 'second souls'. "Is it a fox? I've never seen anyone with hair quite like yours before."

"No…"

"Oh, I'm sorry! That was a stupid question. My friend, Megumi, is a fox, and her hair is black."

I was saved from answering by the sound of the bell ringing. Ah, 'saved by the bell', I never thought I would ever have a reason to use that particular quote. But Kaoru quieted and directed her attention to the teacher, Hatoyama-sensei, who was now passing out disclosure statements to everyone.

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The rest of the day passed by fairly quickly, for all we had to do was listen to the teachers lecture us on their rules. I had met Kaoru and Sano's other friends, one being the afore-mentioned Megumi, the rest, Misao, Chou, the Seta twins (Okita and Sojiro), and Aoshi.

I also found out that Hiko was the P.E. teacher at my school.

I stopped at my locker, throwing the books I had collected from various classes into it, only keeping my reading books and folder, which had my accumulated disclosure statements in it and ready for signing. I didn't get why Hiko had to give me one.

I was about to close my locker when I caught sight of my notebook. I found myself blushing slightly for a moment. Kaoru had given me her phone number during lunch, writing it in my notebook, and I had returned the favor. I was still somewhat confused, though. Did that mean that she liked me….?

I blocked out the thought, but I still grabbed the notebook to take it with me.

I was about to head outside the building to walk home (Hiko wouldn't let me take the bus, said it was a part of my training to get in shape), when I heard someone call out.

"Hey! Look! Isn't that the kid that was in the paper a couple months ago? The one without a soul?"

I didn't have to turn around to know that he was pointing at me. I felt the blood drain from my face and I started to run in the direction of Hiko's home. The rumors would be flying tomorrow, and I would be their target. 'This is exactly why I didn't want to draw attention to myself!'

Kaoru POV

I stepped out into the bright sunshine, shrugging my backpack to a more comfortable position on my shoulders. I would be walking. I lived too close to the school for any of the buses to pick me up, and my parents worked day hours.

My ears picked up a shout, and I looked to see the source. I hadn't quite caught what the kid had said, but when I directed my gaze to follow his pointing finger, my eyes found the target of the shout running away from the scene, only a red and blue blur flying over the sidewalk.

Wait, red and blue? As soon as my mind processed the information, I found myself charging after him. 'Him' being Kenshin, the nice but shy guy I had first met during first hour. In the back of my mind I vaguely remembered us exchanging phone numbers, and that it would be more sensible to call than to run down the street like a lunatic, but that thought was soon replaced with worry for my newfound friend, and I continued chasing after the blur that was getting further and further in the distance.

Kenshin POV

Sweat poured down my face as I ran, my pace never slowing. For once, I was glad that Hiko had drilled speed –and was still doing so- into me so thoroughly.

Finally, I slowed to a walk, and then stopped altogether. I stood there for a minute, catching my breath when I heard a loud panting sound behind me. When I turned around, I was surprised to see that it was Kaoru, of all people. Had she heard…?

When she halted in front of me, she doubled over for a moment, her breathing harsh and ragged to my ears.

"Why… you… running?"

She had run this entire way to ask me that? I looked at her incredulously. "I gave you my phone number, you know. You could have just called."

"Of all the… ungrateful…" she panted.

"Just saying, no offense meant."

She took a deep breath and stood upright to look at me. "Kenshin, what was that all about? At school? I didn't hear what he said, but I saw you take off…"

"Oh… well… I…"

"That's OK, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Now that was just confusing. First she runs after me to ask, and then she doesn't expect an answer. "Umm, I can tell you… you did run all this way…"

She smiled at me and pointed to a bench off to the side. "Why don't we sit down first?"

I gave a small nod in agreement and went to the bench.

"It's nothing that important, really. It's just kind of embarrassing," I started. 'Oh, great,' I thought. 'Now she's going to think I got depantsed or something.'

"You know I'm fifteen, right?"

"Yeah…" she said, not at all sure where this was going.

"Umm, and you remember how you asked me what my 'Other Half' was?" 'Just get to the point already!'

"Yes…"

"Well, I don't have one yet."

"But," she sounded confused, and her smile slipped a bit, "I thought thirteen was the latest anyone could get it…"

I stood, ready to take my leave. She followed. "I should be going," I said, rather lamely.

To my surprise, she regained her beautiful smile, and, changing tact, said: "I heard Sano was going to have a back-to-school party this Friday. Want to come? I won't tell anyone, I promise."

I blinked. "I'll think about it. But, as for not telling anyone, it's kinda late for that. The rumor will be all over the place tomorrow." It was true, and it made me wish that I had a less distinctive hair color and no scar. I was way too easy to recognize.

"Oh," she looked down at her wristwatch and gave a startled cry. "I have to get home! My brother will be wondering where I am!" With that said and done, she turned and ran to the left, leaving me alone, but grateful for her friendship.

I gave her a faint smile, and turned to leave for my foster home.

Well, there's chapter one. I hope you liked it. Please R&R!