Disclaimer still applies

I know it's been forever, and I appoligize. It's not much of an excuss, but i have a life, and i intend to enjoy it. Hope you enjoy the chapter! I wrote it just for you... -gets corny- lol

Past Person

Chapter Eleven: Roundabout Battle

She felt like she was back at the inn, Kenshin sleeping soundly only a few feet away, but it was a bit different. Where Kenshin had sat in the corner with his sword, he now as a young child sprawled away on his futon with mouth wide open and limbs peeping from his covers.

It was very amusing, and yet very different. He had changed so much in just a few short years, and Kaoru guessed it was threat of death and horror of war that could force an innocent to harden themselves to such pleasures such as sleep.

She dosed a bit, early in the morning, watching the young boy drool into his sleeve, and yet, she couldn't remember such a peaceful moment. Not that she had a lot of memory to work with. She just enjoyed the moment, and hoped that she could be a part of this peace for a long time.

"Up, kiddies, you have work to do." Hiko's voice boomed through the small hut, and had Kaoru jumping up in surprise. She hadn't even sensed he was up yet.

Kaoru sat up and watched as Hiko walked heavily into the small room and sat down with a large jug of sake. Kenshin was up without a word and was starting a small fire to cook with. It was barley dawn!

"Nice wakeup call." She said sarcastically. Hiko glared at her, but said nothing as he gulped more of his alcohol.

"It's a normal occurrence. You'll get used to it after a while. He didn't scare you, did he?" Kenshin had rice going while he slanted a smirk at Kaoru. She huffed, and turned her nose up.

"Startled, but didn't scare me. I was already awake so it wasn't that bad."

"Sure," he snickered until Hiko bopped his head with the jug.

"Cook, don't prattle. Today," he said as he turned to Kaoru. "You will show me what you can do, so I know where you need the most training." He paused to take a chug at his sake and Kaoru grinned at the aspect of training. "That is, you'll probably need training in every form, but it helps to know if you can hold a sword or not." And her grin turned sour. 'What does he know? The pompous jerk! I may not be a master, but I can protect myself well enough!'

Kaoru fumed as Kenshin passed her a bowl of rice, and Hiko seemed oblivious to the lasers of anger shooting from her eyes. "I know enough about swords to live through war." She grumbled. Two heads shot to look at her

'Kaoru, don't give them any specific information. They shouldn't know of their future!' Luna's voice caught Kaoru unawares and she realized what she said and mentally smacked herself.

"You were in a battle? For real! What was it like?" An eager Kenshin was basically on his toes, food forgotten, as he moved closer to her.

"What were you doing in a battle, girl? It isn't even a war, and only samurai in small areas are fighting now." He paused and leveled a heavy gaze on her. "Where exactly did you come from?"

Kaoru froze and stopped breathing for a moment. What would she say? Maybe she could pretend to be stupid? No, they wouldn't buy it, and then they would get suspicious. She should just tell the truth, but leave out the specifics, she supposed.

"I, uh, lost my memory not to long ago. I was in Kyoto, and didn't know what to do. I was found by a revolutionist and he took me to their secret headquarters at an inn in the woods. I stayed there for five months till we were attacked by some ninja's or something, and was separated from my friends. I fought till I was safe, and ended up in this forest. I really don't know what happened; just I was fighting for my life." Non-spacific, and to the point. Please don't press me, she begged mentaly.

Silence, and not a move from the two swordsmen. She began to sweat, wondering what they would say or do. Would they kick her out? Or worse, kill her? She had basically fought against the Shogunate, went against Japan. Would they think wrong of her?

Hiko grunted and drank more of his sake before setting the jug down and looking back to her. Kenshin had an odd face, and looked set in a sort of dream land.

"It's stupid to fight against Japan. You should consider yourself lucky to have lived. It's a waste of time to fight for a cause so hopeless, and to waste lives on it is even stupider."

"It is not stupid! They are fighting for what they believe in, protecting their family and homes." Kenshin glared at Hiko and raised his fist. "It is hopeless now because they have no strong allies to help and protect them. If I was there, I could make a difference."

Kaoru watched the two bicker back and forth. Their views were so different, and it seemed they had talked, argued, over the matter before.

"What does it matter any ways? Even if some of the people fight, more then most will be to afraid to go against the Shogun and slowly, they will be oppressed."

"It's the strength of the people that will enlighten more people to join the cause. If they start to believe they have a chance, their combined strength will over come the oppression."

Kenshin is so optimistic, Kaoru thought. But each had a point. Kenshin believed in the hearts of people, and Hiko thought rather critically. She wished she could tell them that back with Kenshin, in the future, the revolutionists were strong and powerful. The Shogunate was slowly being beaten. By what Kenshin had said, it would only take a few more important battles and a few more dead leaders to end it.

But she couldn't. What she knew of the future could never be told. It was such a bummer to know what would happen and not be able to tell any one.

'It is a power that should be carefully handled. Even I have my moments were the burden weighs heavily on my conscience. You were on of my weaknesses.' Luna's soft voice laced with a bit of sorrow had Kaoru feeling sorry for her. What kind of secrets does she hold, but can never tell?

"I don't care what you say, because a brat like you shouldn't argue with his sensei. You aren't going to do anything till I say you are. Got that?" Hiko's gruff voice had Kaoru returning her attention to the two and Kenshin bowing his head, sulking. She tried not to laugh at him, but seeing the once stone cold and strong man being talked down to was oddly humorous.

"You shouldn't laugh, girl, because you're about to go through hell." She stopped her small laugh and Kenshin glared at her from beneath his lowered red bangs. She didn't think he was too happy with her amusement at his expense. But she couldn't help it, he was just so cute. "Now, if you're done with food, you can start warming up with Kenshin. 1000 strokes for both of you, then you can run to town and get more sake. After that, I've got some chores that you will do every day. If you're still up to it, I might just spar with you and see how well you're skills are." He grinned, and it was not a welcoming or happy one. It was evil, and it had shivers running down Kaoru's spine.

Kenshin didn't seem surprised, so she guessed he did it every day.

With a groan and mental slap, Kaoru stood along with Kenshin and grabbed an extra sword. A real sword, metal blade and every thing. She gulped. She had never used a real one. It was a plus that no one could be hurt. And with that thought, she walked outside with Kenshin and started her warm up, cursing Hiko for his abusive nature.

XxX

Kaoru was whipped out by the end of her strokes, and slowly trudged along after Kenshin down a small pathway through the forest. She was exhausted, yet he looked as if 1000 strokes was a walk in the park.

He hadn't said a word to her after starting practice, and she wondered if he was mad at her. He hadn't even looked at her!

From what Hiko had said, the walk to Kyoto was at least a two hour walk. What kind of bull was that? Inwardly, she fumed. Luna had never told her she would have to train. She just said she needed her to help change a mistake in the future. Kenshin was just there to keep her alive. What did she have to do to correct something in the future? Why her?

'Because you're the only one. That's all you need to know for now.' Kaoru was startled from her thoughts. No matter how long she had been exposed to the random words of Luna, she could never get used to the prospect of some one listening to her every thought. And talking back! It was like a split personality, or something.

She was brought from her brooding as she realized Kenshin was no longer walking with her. She stopped and looked all around for any hint of red. "Kenshin, where are you?" She called a bit frightened. She didn't hear him and still couldn't see him. Slowly, she pulled her sword from her side and held it up before her, still gazing into the dense forest for any hint of movement. "This isn't funny, Kenshin. Get back here and stop hiding."

Still, Kenshin didn't say any thing or come out. Goose bumps rose on her arms and neck as the sound of slight leaves moved from around her. She told herself it was just the wind, but the rustle of leaves shifted from one place to another in all directions around her. Some one was out there, and it frightened her. Could some one have jumped Kenshin and pulled him into the brush? Were they now stalking her?

She started walking again, and then running. Her body shook with nervous fear as the sound of some one followed her. Who ever it was, deliberately wanted her to know they were there.

Kaoru couldn't let the fear consume her, she knew that who ever was out there, had Kenshin, and she couldn't leave him to die. So, stopping, she held her sword in a defensive stance and as bravely as she could, called out to the forest stalker.

"I know you're there! Come out and fight me!" She was shaking to the bones and her knees could barley hold her. If some one did come out, she wouldn't be able to stand a chance. She was virtually lost in these woods and wasn't strong enough to protect herself and Kenshin against an attack. And any one who could take Kenshin could of course, take her easily. "I said to come out and fight me like a man!" She yelled again. She felt none of the confidence she pretended to have. Thoroughly, she was scared shitless.

As she stood her ground, the bush movement stopped and everything was still. It just seemed to scare her more. She took another breath, and was about to yell out again when some one landed behind her and kicked her to the ground face down before she could turn.

She quickly turned over with her sword in front only to be met with hysterical laughter and a red-faced Kenshin. Kaoru laid there dirty and surprised, before she angrily stood and knocked him on the head with the back of her blade. "What the hell was that for? You scared the shit out of me."

Kenshin, even with a lump forming on his head, laughed harder at her face. "That was just too easy! I didn't think you were stupid enough to fall for it." He snickered through his teeth, and then busted out laughing and falling to the ground, rolling from side to side holding his stomach.

Kaoru seethed. To think she had worried over him! There was a big difference from the Kenshin of seventeen and the one of eleven. This one just pissed her off now.

To fool her like he did, how shameful! It was her fault to believe that something could happen to him without a fight. She should have known that. But still, his boyish prank was unforgivable. Slowly, an evil grin formed and a clenched fist rose close to his face. "I'll show you something funny!" She yelled, and pulled her fist back to punch the boy square in the face. He was laughing to hard to see the fist, and found his head creating a small crater where it was forced roughly into the forest floor.

Kaoru was put out as a light purple glow surrounded Kenshin's supposed to be smashed in face. Instead, she was greeted with a stunned, blank-faced look as she pulled her fist away. "What the hell was that?" he asked. Kaoru just stood up and sheathed her sword. Slowly, he got to his feet and examined his face and small crater. The shock had let to leave as her turned large indigo eyes on her. "That should have hurt, horribly." He managed to open and close his mouth a few time, look back to the indention, then back to her. "What was that?" he asked again.

Irritated at the lack of damage, she huffed and began to walk again. he ran up to her and jerked on her sleeve. "Hey, tell me what happened." She pulled her sleeve from him and ignored him. Kaoru was irate that her punch had been blocked by the spell. Inwardly, she curse the time witch, yet again.

'It is the protection spell I placed on you. Other wise, every time I visit, you three would be sporting some very interesting wounds. Such violent individuals.' Luna shimmered into sight a few feet before them. Kenshin had stopped and pointed wide eyed at her before glaring.

"Why did you dump such a violent girl on us? What use do you have for such a weak a violent girl? Woman shouldn't act like this." Kaoru smacked him once more on his head and he pouted as he rubbed his sore lump. "What? Why do you have to hit me so much?"

"Because little boys are rude and should keep their mouths shut if they can't say something intelligent. Idiot." She muttered the last part loud enough for him to hear and he replied with an indignant huff.

'Like I said before, many times in fact, it is for your protection, all of you. It's like every word is met with physical contact.' Luna giggled and tapped Kenshin on the nose. 'Don't get out of hand with the pranks. Ok? Kaoru will depend on your strength and friendship if she is to succeed and survive.'

With a small blush, Kenshin nodded and gave a thumbs up. "Ya, I'll protect her. With me, nothing bad will happen." Luna smiled down at him and winked at Kaoru, who blushed and turned her head to the side. Luna was teasing her, and she knew it. Suddenly, she missed the older Kenshin. Not like the eleven year old kid was bad, its just she could freely love the older one, and not feel wrong.

"Luna, how long am I going to be here? What do I have to get stronger for?" Kaoru fiddled with her fingers as she looked down to her toes. She wanted to be with Kenshin again, to know he was unharmed and to personally examine him to make sure.

'In due time, Kaoru. When you are stronger, heart and body, you will go back to battle for some one's life. It will be a hard battle, and you need to realize a few things before hand. When ever you can, I want you to consider your feelings, beliefs, and how far you will go to save a life of another. Even if it involves your own demise. When the time comes, you will know, and I will be back for you. Until then, just work on your strength, and learn a few things.' Kaoru mauled over the terrifying words and nodded to Luna. Would she give her life for some one? Maybe, if she had to, but wasn't so sure about it.

'Just remember this little advise; even in the past, a soul is relitivily the same. Time can change face, but never completely change a memory.' With another shimmer, Luna had disappeared, leaving a baffled Kaoru and confused boy.

"She is strange. And a bit scary."

"You have no idea." She agreed, and playfully hit Kenshin on the head. "And don't ever scare me like that. I thought something had happened to you."

Kenshin's eyes softened at her worry, and apologized. "Sorry, I hadn't had any one to play with in a long time. I won't scare you like that again."

"Good." Kaoru ruffled his hair and started walking again. Kenshin frowned playful at her and then laughed and put his hands behind his head and caught up with her.

"But you must admit, I got you good." They both laughed, and Kaoru couldn't help but like Kenshin like this. It was nice to see him show his emotions and be so playful towards her. So unlike the cold, death corrupted teenager she first knew him as. And on a thought, she couldn't help but wonder if he still held a bit of his innocence, maybe a small piece of humanity that hadn't been crushed in the face of war.

She hoped, that when she was able to go back to him, that she would be able to see him like this.

But a small part of her didn't think she would get the chance.

XxX

I know, it's been so long. Well, I hope you enjoy this. I had a bit of an idea worm, and I don't know when it'll come back. Sorry for the long wait! But hey, life and all. Should I go on? Lol. I really like young Kenshin. He is just so cute! I intend to enjoy having him put Kaoru through hell. Kinda like a Yahiko, but different. A little boy crush, I guess. Hope to get another out some time soon. If not, then hell, I dont know. Guess i'll have to beg forgiviness. lol

Laters

Ymir-chan