Author's Note: Okay, I have some great ideas for this story, so keep reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! This chapter is a bit different, so sorry if you don't like it as much. It's a bit disconnected, but it turned out fairly well. Enjoy!
And if you go to a university or college, you know what Sano is talking about when he says "dubious".
Review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin, Kaoru, or any of the other characters. I also do not own JL Conrad, or her poem August I do own the idea to this story though, and I do hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've liked writing it.
Chapter 3: Bands of Light
Line your eyes
with bands of light.
:- - -:
"Hello?"
"Have you made the preparations for tomorrow?"
"Yes, sir. He will be there. He's on the Kendo team at school, he's looking forward to seeing the college level, and Himura's skill."
"That's great. Keep an eye on our people. Make sure they don't make an earlier move than expected."
"Yes, Sir, I will remind them of that."
"Until tomorrow than. Please have a good day."
"Good-bye Sir."
:---:
"Kenshin?" Kaoru whispered, coming up to the setoff couches they usually ate at in the cafeteria. 'He's asleep, in a deep sleep too.' Kaoru thought. "Kenshin, Koshii, wake up." She said, sitting next to him.
"Too early, little longer Hiko." Kenshin mumbled.
"I am not Hiko!!" Kaoru said in her normal voice, instead of whispering.
"Kaoru, what's wrong?" Sano asked, coming to join them.
"He's asleep. I don't know if I've ever seen him sleep this deeply. He's always been such a light sleeper." Kaoru answered Sano. "Come on Kenshin, you need to get some lunch, you need to wake up."
"What is it Kaoru?" Kenshin asked, finally waking up a bit. His voice was groggy, and he still felt drained.
"You were sleeping in the cafeteria. I couldn't wake you up for awhile, it's so unlike you to first of all, sleep in the cafeteria, secondly, sleep as deeply as you were." Kaoru said.
"I guess I was just tired." He said, pulling her towards him and kissing her cheek.
"When did you get home from practice last night?" Kaoru asked.
"Around 9:30 probably by the time we all cleaned up the dojo, changed and I straightened things up in the Coach's room and locked up the building. I worked until 3 o'clock though on homework for today. Then I had to get up at 8 for my 9 o'clock class." Kenshin said.
"Lets go get some food then, it'll help you feel less tired." Kaoru said, pulling Kenshin off the couch.
"I don't know about that. Food seems a bit…dubious." Sano said.
"If it wasn't 'dubious' I wouldn't think it was Fujita Cafeteria." Kenshin responded as he and Kaoru walked towards the food lines.
They waved to Megumi and Misao as they passed going to their seats, Aoshi following soon after, headed in the same direction. When they got back to their seats everyone was there, including Yahiko and Tsubame.
"Are you nervous Ken-San?" Megumi asked after a few minutes.
"I'm not sure. I've studied each of the members of Kyoto's team. I'm confident that I know their attacks and how to counter them. I guess I'm nervous that I won't do well, or be what is expected of me and my skill. Hiko showed me something last night, a newspaper article, about me of all things!" Kenshin said.
"I saw that on the table this morning, figured it was from him since it was from his part of town." Aoshi said.
"It was a nice article, I read it while I ate this morning." Sano said.
"I guess, I got more nervous after reading it myself." Kenshin said. "I have a feeling they are expecting too much from me."
"You'll do great Himura! I know you will!" Misao said.
"Thank you Misao."
"Well, I gotta head out, I have a class at one, with a test in it, man I hate those Friday quizzes." Sano said.
"You get a quiz every Friday?" Misao asked.
"Yeah. Wants to know if we learned anything I guess.
"I have to go too. I'll go with you Rooster head." Megumi said.
"Hm, this might work to my favor." Sano said, grabbing Megumi's hand and running out of the cafeteria with her.
"A good luck kiss before the test most likely." Kaoru asked.
"Probably." Kenshin said leaning back next to Kaoru.
"Are you going to have an extra practice again tonight?" Yahiko asked Kenshin.
"No, Coach wants us rested for tomorrow. We have orders to be in bed early and not to go out tonight. " Kenshin said.
"Well, Megumi, Kaoru and I will be over to cook dinner around 5 or so, but after that we'll go home." Misao said.
"You don't have to go straight home. Coach just doesn't want us out to early morning hours and not getting the rest we need." Aoshi said.
"We're going shopping this afternoon for the festival and supplies for the meal tonight, so we'll pick up a movie to watch. Is that okay with you guys?" Kaoru said, looking at Kenshin then looking at Aoshi.
"Sounds perfect. Well, I'll see you guys later than, I'm gonna head out to the library." Aoshi said, kissing Misao on the top of her head, and leaving.
"We have some time before Megumi gets out of her class, want to head back to the room?" Misao asked.
"Yeah, you gonna be joining us Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
"Hm? No, I'm gonna head back to the apartment. I have some work to get done." He answered, getting up.
"Okay. Well, I'll see you for dinner then." Kaoru said, leaning up and kissing him. "I love you. Don't work to hard though, okay?"
"I promise." Kenshin replied.
:---:
"What movie should we get?" Misao asked Megumi and Kaoru as they looked over the new releases.
"Something we'd all enjoy I'd say." Megumi said picking up a movie. "How about this one guys?" She said, holding up Chronicles of Narnia.
"Sounds good to me!" Kaoru said.
"Perfect! Aoshi and I have been wanting to see it!"
"That's settled, lets get over to the apartment to get dinner start then." Megumi said, going to the counter.
"I'm exhausted guys, why'd you have to shop so much?" Misao asked once they were on the subway.
"We had lots to do. And it wasn't that bad." Kaoru said.
"You went to two different shops, and were in there an hour each looking at Kimonos only!" Misao said.
"So, you where looking too." Megumi said.
"I looked at them for 15 minutes! I found one too!" Misao said thinking of the Kimono she had bought for the Cherry Blossom Festival that was held in a few weeks.
"So, we couldn't find one we liked. No big deal, we have a couple more shops to check out." Megumi said.
"Your's is beautiful though Misao. It'll look perfect on you!" Kaoru said.
"It is pretty. I'm glad I found it." Misao said thinking of the blue green color of the fabric of the Kimono.
"The blue-green will look beautiful on you also Misao." Megumi said.
"And the sunset red will look great with the blue green, but also your skin." Kaoru said.
"I bought it because I liked it. And…" Misao blushed. "Aoshi likes me in green. I don't know why." Thinking of the way the blue green faded to the colors of the sea. The obi she chose was a deep red color, to contrast the light greens and blues of the kimono, looking like the deep red sunset against the ocean.
"He still makes you blush after two years of dating Misao?"
"Hm? Yeah, sometimes." Misao answered as she got out of the car at the boy's apartment.
"That's so cute!" Kaoru exclaimed.
"I wish Sanosuke would."
"You were blushing plenty last Friday." Kaoru told her. "You said some things that made him blush. It was quite amusing."
"It was adorable." Misao said, pushing the intercom button for the boy's apartment.
"Hello?" Aoshi's voice came over the line.
"Hello Aoshi! We're here!" Misao said in a cheerful voice.
"Okay, come on in." Aoshi said, the girls hearing the buzzing of the door coming unlocked.
"What are you gonna make?" Sano said, opening the door for the girls.
"Not even a hello Rooster?" Megumi asked, coming into the apartment.
"Sure, if you answer my question Fox."
"Tempura." Megumi answered, walking into the kitchen.
"Where's Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
"Working in his room." Aoshi said, helping Misao with the groceries.
"Thanks, I'll be out in a few minutes to help." Kaoru said, turning to go down the hall.
"Okay." Misao answered.
Kaoru knocked quietly on Kenshin's door, "Kenshin?"
'Hm, that's weird, Aoshi said that he was back here, maybe he didn't hear me.' Kaoru thought as she knocked again on his door, then slowly opening it to poke her head in.
'No wonder he didn't answer me.' Kaoru said, looking at a sleeping Kenshin. He had stretched out on his bed, a text book in front of him, which he now used as a pillow. 'You'll get the ink all over your face laying like that Kenshin Himura.' She thought as she walked over to where he was sleeping. She slowly removed the book from under his face, then sat down next too him, starting to stroke his hair away from his face.
Images ran through her head, memories of herself doing this, but not during this life.
Kenshin asleep, his back against the post of the front porch, she placing a blanket over his body, brushing his bangs out of his face.
Another one of Kenshin laying on a futon, bandages on his cheek, neck, arms, and chest.
A third one of Kenshin sleeping on a futon, holding a small red headed child between them.
Of sitting in the middle of the road after catching Kenshin as he fell, as he laid their dying in her arms.
'What where those? Memories. That's what they were. Kaoru and Kenshin.' Kaoru thought.
"Kaoru?" Kenshin mumbled, rolling over, his head in her lap.
"Hm?"
"I thought you where a dream. An angel sent to me in a dream."
"Nope. Just came back to see how your work was going."
"Must have fallen asleep during my readings." He said, sitting up next to her and pulling her into his lap, holding her closely to him.
"I love you." Kaoru whispered.
"Where did that come from?"
"I can't just say 'I love You'?" Kaoru asked, looking up at Kenshin.
"No, I enjoy hearing it. It's just that it came suddenly, is something wrong?"
"While you where sleeping, I was brushing your hair out of your face, and I had visions, more like memories of Kaoru doing the same from Kenshin. One of you asleep on a front porch, one with you injured and bandaged up on a futon, another one holding a red headed boy between us, both of you asleep, and one of me catching you as you fell in the middle of the road, dying in my arms." Kaoru said, burying her head in Kenshin's shoulder as tears started to cry.
"Shh, it's okay Koshii, everything will be fine." Kenshin said, repeating the action that she had just done, stroking her hair, brushing her bangs out of her face, out of the tears. "I love you. I will never leave you." Kenshin said.
"Kaoru! Kaoru!" Megumi yelled from the kitchen. "Will you come out here! We need your help!" She yelled back the hall.
"I'll be right out!" Kaoru said back, getting out of Kenshin's lap and going down the hall.
'Kaoru. I can't stand seeing you this broken up anymore. What can I do to help these memories leave, for them not to cause you any more trouble, to only be happy memories?' Kenshin thought as he got up himself and walked out into the kitchen.
:---:
"Ohiyo." Kaoru said as she found Kenshin standing in the lobby.
"Good Morning." Kenshin said, kissing Kaoru. "Mmm, minty."
"Very funny, come on! You're gonna be late!" Kaoru said, pulling Kenshin out of the door and down the street towards the dojo hall where the match would be held.
"Lets go out tonight, just the two of us. We haven't gone out for ages." Kenshin said after they had been walking for a few minutes.
"Of course." Kaoru said. "Kenshin?"
"Yes? What is it Kaoru?"
"Have you had weird feelings, like someone has been following you?" Kaoru asked.
"Following me?" Kenshin asked. "No, have you been?"
"Sometimes. It's just this feeling that someone around me has been watching me, following me. It's not a constant feeling, just every once in a while." Kaoru said as they reached the Dojo Hall.
"Do you think we can talk about it tonight, or do we need to talk about it now?" Kenshin asked, as he held the door open for her.
"We can talk about it tonight. No hurry, I doubt someone is actually following me." Kaoru said.
"Hello." Aoshi said as the two walked down the hallway.
"Good morning Aoshi! How are you feeling this morning?" Kaoru asked.
"Excellent. Misao is at the bleachers if you wanted to know Kaoru." Aoshi said.
"Thank you!"
"I'll see you in a few minutes, I'm gonna go get changed." Kenshin said as they came to the locker room door.
"Okay, see you in a few." Kaoru said, walking the rest of the way to the hall where the match would be held.
The hall of mostly empty, there where a few team members out on the mats warming up and stretching that she waved too, or smiled to as she walked to where Misao was sitting in the second row of bleachers, behind the Tokyo team benches.
"Good Morning Misao!" Kaoru said as she sat down.
"How are you Kaoru?"
"Not to bad. Kenshin was so calm this morning. I have no clue how he does it. My nervous are jumping all over the place. This game means so much since Kyoto has been Tokyo's rivals for so long, there is so much pressure, I don't know how any of the guys do it." Kaoru said.
"I know what you mean. Aoshi was as calm as usual, and I, well, I was as jumpy and energetic with nervous, as usual." Misao said. "Oh look! There's Kenshin walking in with Megumi and Sano."
"Yeah, Megumi was just letting Sano in when I left. I'm surprised they're here so early."
"Megumi was saying something about coming early to get seats with us so we wouldn't have to save them."
"That's good." Kaoru said as she watched Megumi and Sano wish Kenshin good luck.
"Hey there Jou-chan, Weasel Girl." Sano said as they approached the bleachers.
"Good Morning Rooster, Megumi." Misao and Kaoru said.
"The team looks ready. Their getting pumped." Sano said.
"I think their pretty ready. Misao and I were just talking about that. None of them seem particularly nervous." Kaoru said.
"Not at all." Megumi said.
The four friends watched for another half hour as the team went through stretches, warm up swings and a meeting with Captain Nakai.
"Are you ready?" Kaoru asked Aoshi and Kenshin as they came to join them for a few minutes.
"It seems we are." Aoshi said.
"Good luck." Kaoru said, kissing Kenshin's cheek, and hugging Aoshi.
"Good luck, I hear the Makoto Shishio guy is tough." Sano said.
"He's the top player, both of us have a chance that we will fight him. There are also several other strong members, Seta and a fellow by the name of Anji. Anji is huge, and Seta is hard to beat because of his will, or lack of will." Kenshin said.
"Good luck!" The four other friends said.
"Hey Good luck guys!" Yahiko said as he and Tsubame came running up. "Sorry we didn't get here earlier, kinda over slept."
"Thanks for coming anyways." Kenshin said.
"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" Yahiko said.
"Good luck to both of you and the rest of the team as well!" Tsubame said as she sat down next to Misao.
"Thank you Tsubame." Both guys said as they left to sit with the rest of team on the bench.
:---:
The match was going into the final battles, and it was mid-afternoon. The teams had taken a short break after the semi-finals for lunch, and were now starting to look ahead to the fights that would determine who won today's match. So far Tokyo was winning 7-5, with two battles left in the finals. Kenshin and Seta Sojiro the winner of that fight against Shishio.
Kenshin and Seta where a few minutes into their match, both were pretty evenly matched up. Seta had the same speed, the same battojutsu, the winner of the match would bet the faster of the two at drawing and blocking the attacks. They were at either end of the mat, sizing up the other opponent, their breaths coming shallowly as they tried to catch it. They put their Kendo sticks in front of them, ready to start attacks once again, both moving at the same time. Kenshin was able to block each of the Seta's attacks, eventually tripping him up enough to get the final blow in that sent Seta Sojiro to the mats, causing him the match. Kenshin would play Shishio Makoto in the final match.
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
"Oh, hello Kaoru." Kenshin said, lifting his head from where he held it, his elbows on his knees. Kaoru sat down next to him, and started to rub his back. She picked up his extra towel and wiped the sweat off from his neck and back.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Tired. After all these matches today, I'm worn out, I just hope Makoto is just as worn out." Kenshin said, showing Kaoru a weak smile.
"You'll do fine, this small break will help also. Do you want something to drink?"
"You don't mind?" Kenshin asked.
"No, think of me as the team water boy, well girl." Kaoru said.
"Thank you."
"No problem." Kaoru said as she got up to go to the cooler that was sitting at the end of the bench for the team to drink between matches.
"Hello Kaoru!"
"Hey! Great match there!" Kaoru said as she passed a few of the team members. In the one month that she and Kenshin had been dating they had gotten used to her very quickly; showing up for practices sometimes, coming to every single match. Aoshi was standing at the cooler getting a drink when Kaoru arrived.
"Hello Aoshi."
"Kaoru."
"You did really well in all of your matches." Kaoru said.
"I could have done better, that last move by Shishio I should have seen coming. I have to talk to Himura, I'll see you in a bit." Aoshi said, moving away and going to where Kenshin was sitting.
As Kaoru was standing there she had the feeling someone was watching her. 'Here? Why here?' As she stopped pouring the drink and turned to look around the bleachers. There were many parents and students of both teams crowding the bleachers, and she didn't see anyone really suspicious in the crowd. There were several groups of men in suits, but that wasn't too uncommon. They would be the recruits from other schools, or the teams that were higher than the college level, looking for players.
'Hm, no one really that suspicious, can't really tell if any one is directly looking at me or not. Oh well, I'll see what Kenshin says tonight. Maybe he saw something from the bench.' Kaoru thought as she turned once again and started for where Kenshin was sitting.
:---:
A few minutes later Kaoru was back sitting in the bleachers with the others. She gripped the edge of the bench until her knuckles were white. No matter how many times she saw Kenshin fight, she would always be nervous. There was always the chance that he would be injured, she knew that with his skill and speed there wasn't much of a chance, and that they use the wooden sword, but she still worried of him getting hurt. Especially when he reached the higher levels of the matches, tournaments and such.
She watched as Shishio and Kenshin started to fight. Shishio moved first, attacking Kenshin with speed and accuracy. Kenshin was able to block the majority of Shishio's hit, but the power caused him to stumble back a bit. Kenshin watched as Shishio moved around, then attacked himself, getting a hit in on Shishio's side. Shishio stumbled, regained his balance, and lunged after Kenshin, hitting his thigh.
The match was heading towards the time limit of a half hour when Kenshin was able to bring in a series of attacks, gaining points over Shishio and winning the match. The Tokyo players jumped up from their seats and ran to where Kenshin was kneeling, trying to catch his breath. Kaoru, Megumi, Sano, Misao, Yahiko and Tsubame where right behind them, Kaoru falling to her knees in front of Kenshin when she got to him through the now huge crowd of Tokyo University supporters in the center of the hall.
"You did it! I knew you could!" She laughed over the sound of the crowd. Kenshin looked up at her, smiled and collapsed.
:---:
"Where am I?" Kenshin asked.
"Kenshin! You're up, that's great!" Kaoru exclaimed when she was heard his voice, turning from the window and sitting down on the edge of the bed next to him
"Kaoru, what happened?"
"In the nurse's office. You collapsed after your match with Shishio. The Nurse says it was from over exertion, you've been asleep for about two hours now." Kaoru explained.
"Tired huh? Yeah, definitely tired."
"You don't have any major injuries, just bruises from where you got hit with the wooden sword."
"That's good. I'll change and we can go back to the apartment." Kenshin said.
"Okay, I'll be out in the hall. Every one is already at the apartment waiting for us. We were all really nervous when you collapsed like that. You didn't have any injuries we could see, but he hit you pretty hard that one time in the chest, and well, we were afraid of internal bleeding." Kaoru said, explaining more as she left the room. "But you're fine. Congratulations on your win Kenshin."
"Thank you Kaoru." He said as she closed the door. He looked at the door for a few minutes before getting off of the bed to change into his normal clothes. She hadn't said anything, but he knew that he had worried her, and that was something he never wanted to do. He didn't want to add to the number of worries she already had.
"Are you ready?" Kenshin asked, holding out his hand after he closed the door behind him.
"Yeah." Kaoru said, taking his hand.
"I'm sorry Kaoru."
"What about?" Kaoru said, looking up at him confused.
"For worrying you so much today. I really am okay."
"I know that, and I wasn't too worried. It was just watching you go down like that in front of me when you seemed perfectly fine. Worn out, but fine." Kaoru said, smiling up at him.
"Do you still want to go out?" Kenshin asked as they left the building.
"Yes. I told everyone that we would have dinner with them though. Congratulatory dinner for you." Kaoru said.
"That's fine, we can go out afterwards. That actually fits in perfectly for what I had planned." Kenshin said, pulling Kaoru across the street.
:---:
"He did exceptionally well in today's matches." The one man said as the two men, and the high school student ate dinner at a restaurant a few minutes from the campus.
"He isn't as strong as I thought he would be." The teenager said.
"Kendo is not his true strength though, Hiten Mitsurugi is. He uses many of those strengths with the kendo though, he mixes them very well, adapts to his opponent very well."
"As can I."
"You might not be able to, but if you look deep enough, into who you were, you'll be able to find the strength for what you want to accomplish. With the Hiten Mitsurugi technique, his speed and the ability to read you will be heightened. Especially since he won't be using anything of his Kendo skills most likely." The second man explained, trying to knock some common sense into the high school student. The boy was impatient and wanted to act foolishly and recklessly.
"You will continue to observe both of them. You will not act as you wish, you will consider our plans and keep those in mind as well. You are just a stepping stone for us remember that." The first man said getting up and leaving the second man to pick up the check, and the high school student at the table to think of what had been said.
:---:
"Hey! We're home!" Kenshin said as they walked through the door. Everyone was in the kitchen, helping prepare the meal.
"Great timing! We're just finishing up!" Megumi said.
"Yeah, even got some Sake from Hiko to celebrate!" Sano said. "Oh and by the way, to be warned, he's joining us. Should be here any minute."
"Grrreeaat." Kenshin said as he and Kaoru joined everyone in the Kitchen.
"Don't sound too excited. He was really worried about you at the match, we all were when we saw you go down. He left when we did, thinking that you'd rather have Kaoru there when you woke up."
"Sure is prettier to wake up to." Kenshin said
"I heard that Baka Deshi!" Hiko said, coming into the apartment.
"What that Kaoru's prettier?" Kenshin said, innocent look on his face.
"Uh-huh. I might agree to that as well." Hiko said. "If the women didn't swarm after me."
"You're still a lady's man, Hiko. You won't get a complaint from me." Kaoru said, laughing.
"But you are so much prettier then Hiko is Koshii." Kenshin said.
"Kaoru prettier than someone? Hardly." Yahiko said.
"Are you calling me ugly, Yahiko?" Kaoru asked.
"Yup." He said, running away as soon as he could.
"Come back here you little twerp!" Kaoru said, running after him down the hall.
"Uh-hmm." Hiko said clearing his throat. "Kenshin. Congratulations, you did an excellent job against Makoto."
"Thank you Hiko." Kenshin said as he helped Misao with the rice.
:---:
"You ready to go?" Kenshin asked Kaoru as they finished cleaning up the table and kitchen with the rest of the group.
"You guys goin' somewhere?" Megumi asked.
"Yeah, I have something in mind." Kenshin said. "We haven't had much time together this week, I thought I'd best make it up to Kaoru."
"You don't have to make anything up to me. I know you were busy with the preparations of today."
"I still want to spend time with you." Kenshin said as they got ready to leave.
"Well, so do I, but you shouldn't feel that you have to make it up to me." Kaoru said.
"Then lets just say we're having our own private celebration." Kenshin said smiling at Kaoru.
"You guys make me sick!" Misao said. "You two are worst than Aoshi and me and Megumi and Sano, and all of us have been going out longer than you by far!"
"We're leaving!" Kenshin said. "And Misao, what that an insult or compliment to you four?"
"I have no clue. Neither I guess, we just all have different relationships."
"Misao that was very mature, more so than you usually are." Kenshin and Kaoru heard Megumi say as they left the apartment.
"Oh shut up!"
:---:
"Kenshin, where are we going?" Kaoru asked as she looked around the street they were walking on. It was leading to the area of park that they often went to, but they weren't turning into the park.
"It's just up ahead."
"Are we going to the park?"
"Just a bit past the park actually. I've just remembered this spot. I found it when I was in high school." Kenshin said.
They walked quietly for a few more minutes, Kenshin holding on to Kaoru's gloved hand as he led her down a hill that led to the river. To their right she could see a bridge that spanned the river. The area was an open area that had soft grass and spring wild flowers that were opening up here and there.
"This is where you wanted to bring me?" Kaoru said.
"Mm Hm. It's a great place to watch the stars and look out at Tokyo." Kenshin said sitting down on the bank of the river. He pulled Kaoru back so that she was leaning against him, and wrapped her arms around her.
"This place," Kaoru whispered. "This place seems to familiar. Do you feel it too Kenshin?"
"It's strange. I do, I've never felt that before. Whenever I came here it was to think, to figure something out or to practice on my own during high school, even last year." Kenshin said.
Kaoru closed her eyes, thinking, feeling the soft breeze that was whispering around them, the world growing dark around them. The images from her dream the week before started to come back to her.
Kenshin sitting on the river bank.
Kaoru giving Kenshin her favorite blue hair ribbon.
Her getting taken away by Jin-e.
Kenshin fighting
Battousai awakening.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru said, turning to look at him. "I know why this place seems familiar! This is the spot where Kaoru was taken by Jin-e. Kenshin was sitting where we are sitting, and Kaoru stood in front of him. She gave him her favorite blue hair ribbon so that he would promise to come back to them."
"Come back to them?" Kenshin asked.
"I don't know what was happening, or if Kenshin was leaving, or thinking of leaving, but Kaoru made him promise to come back. She was standing there when Jin-e grabbed her from the riverside."
"That's why I've felt sadness here, why I was drawn here that first time." Kenshin said.
"Drawn here?" Kaoru said, turning back around to her original position.
"Yes, I was going through a bit of a problem at that time. I was a bit depressed, and happened across this spot."
"Hm. I think you have more ability like mine than you originally thought. It sounds like you where drawn here maybe by the part of Kenshin in you, the part that you get your sword technique from." Kaoru said as they fell into silence.
"Look. Lets make a wish" Kenshin said a few minutes later, pointing to a falling star.
"Okay." Kaoru said as she closed her eyes, making her wish, while Kenshin did the same.
Will we be able to figure this out? Why do we have these abilities, why us and no one else. I pray that we do.
Please, I pray, let us figure out why we are so connected and have these abilities.
"What did you wish for Kenshin?" Kaoru asked quietly a moment later.
"If you say it aloud, it won't come true." Kenshin said, resting his chin on Kaoru's shoulder.
"Kenshin?"
"Hm?"
"Do you notice anything different from a moment ago?" Kaoru said, turning her head one way, then another as Kenshin did the same.
"The lights of Tokyo are gone." Kenshin said.
"Wait a second, it's there, it just that it isn't as bright. Look." Kaoru said, pointing to where the city stood.
"It's smaller too." Kenshin said.
"Kenshin, what did you wish for?" Kaoru asked.
"To figure everything out, our abilities, our connection, everything." Kenshin answered her.
"I wished the same thing. But that couldn't of…"
"Couldn't of what? What are you suggesting?"
"Freaky Friday syndrome in the movies. What do they do? Two people both made a wish at the same time, whether its on a falling star or fortune cookie, and switch bodies. What if this is something similar? But instead of switching bodies, we travel through time."
"Kaoru are you feeling all right? Do you have a fever all of a sudden?" Kenshin asked.
"No. I'm perfectly fine. Look at the city. It's not modern day Tokyo, its similar to the older parts of Tokyo. Just look at it, it's not electric light, but lantern light."
"It is like that. Here, it's night, so if this is the case, it'll be a good time for us to walk around without too much notice." Kenshin said getting up and helping Kaoru get up.
"Let's go." Kaoru said.
:---:
"Kaoru look." Kenshin said, pointing to a gate that held a dojo sign on it.
"It's a dojo, but during the Meiji there were no swords allowed. Why would there be a dojo here?" Kaoru said, thinking of the date that they had read on the newspaper once they had reached the outskirts of town.
"Let's see what it says." Kenshin said, walking up to the gate and reading the sign. "Kaoru, I think you really need to…"
"Kenshin, look!" Kaoru said, pulling him into the shadow of a tree.
"What Kaoru?"
"Who do you see?" Kaoru said, pointing to a spot down the road a bit. Standing there were two people, not much difference in their height, looking out over the field.
"Us."
"Kenshin and Kaoru, " Kaoru started to say something else, but Kenshin had broken the hug that they had been embraced in, and started walking away, towards the area of town that the two university students had come from. "Kaoru's crying." She finished, forgetting what she had originally wanted to say.
"What's going on?" Kenshin asked, that's when he felt it. The pull. He looked at Kaoru, who's eyes where large blue saucers. They both had felt it, the pull that they hadn't felt the first time, when they dropped to their knees, they were kneeling on a bridge.
"We're back." Kenshin said.
"Our bridge." Kaoru said, grabbing Kenshin's hand to and getting up.
"Why would it send us back here? Not to where we were?"
"I don't know. Maybe we should start that paper early on the Battousai though. We already know that Kenshin Himura was the Battousai. That will be a good place to start." Kaoru said.
"Yeah, we'll go the library tomorrow.