Author's Note: Wow! Three chapters this summer, that's amazing to my standards. Hope you enjoy the chapter and certainly Don't forget to 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 8: Rigid
the way they found me
rigid. And trembling
:---:
"Katsura-san, may I ask one last question?" Kaoru said, turning as they left the room.
"Ask away Miss. Kamiya."
"Who is Enishi looking for?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity, I guess you could say." Kaoru answered, shrugging slightly.
"He hasn't told me a name, but he is looking for the killer of his sister, Tomoe."
"NNNNNOOOOOO!" Kenshin screamed as blood spurted over his face.
"Tomoe."
"Tomoe."
"I love you."
"Don't leave."
"His sister?"
"Yes. Older, after their parents died she was all he had, she raised him pretty much."
"Thank you very much Katsura-san." Kaoru said, turning back to the door and leaving, taking and squeezing Kenshin's hand as she past him.
:---:
"How'd it go?" Sano asked when they reached the apartment. Aoshi and he had followed Iizuka's car back to the apartment, never having to help Kenshin and Kaoru. They were both speculating on how the meeting went.
"Too easy. He truly does want us to work with him. I'd be working as a body guard, person guard." Kenshin asked. He was worrying about Kaoru though, and turned to ask her what had happened, he knew she had seen something when Enishi walked into the room. "Kaoru? What did you see?"
"What do you mean Kenshin?" Kaoru asked from the kitchen.
"When the white-haired kid walked into the room, what did you see? I know you had one of your visions. What was it?"
"Do you remember a Tomoe in your past life?"
"I'm ready Kenshin." She said coming out of the tiny cottage they shared in the mountains.
"Okay. Let's go than. I'd like to get back before dark."
"Tomoe. The name sounds familiar." Kenshin, sitting. "I just had a brief memory. We lived together in the mountains. She came out of the cottage saying she was ready to leave. Apparently to go to town, Battousai said he wanted to get back before dark. She called him Kenshin though."
"Did they look alike?" Aoshi asked.
"Not particularly. Tomoe had elegance to her. She was like an iris while Kaoru was like a Jasmine flower."
"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
"Hmm?
"Where did you get that analogy?"
Kenshin looked at her, and then noticed what he had said. "I don't know."
"There was a Jasmine flower on the front of Kenshin's diary! You got it from your memories!" Kaoru said running back to Kenshin's desk to grab the diaries.
"Poetic Himura." Aoshi said.
"Almost like something you would say Aoshi-sama." Misao said as they came into the apartment.
"What are you two doing here?"
"When we hadn't heard anything we came over here to see what was happening, or even if you were back yet." Megumi answered.
"We just got back about five minutes ago." Kaoru said coming back into the room with the pair of diaries. "Look Kenshin, on Kaoru's is the Jasmine flower. I had always thought it was such a pretty thing, and something that wouldn't have been done at that point. Look they were etched in after buying them probably. And on Kenshin's, there's an Iris here and a Jasmine here." Kaoru said, pointing to the bottom right corner.
"You remembered something without Kaoru seeing it?" Megumi asked, sitting down next to Sano.
"She was asking me about a Tomoe, from my past life. I remembered a short conversation, a memory and the likeness to an Iris for Tomoe and Jasmine for Kaoru that Kenshin had used in his thoughts." Kenshin said, explaining to Megumi and Misao.
"You never answered Kenshin's question about her brother Enishi though." Sano asked.
"Tomoe was Enishi's sister. She raised him most of his life, their parents died while they young. I got that information from Katsura. The Enishi we met is looking for the killer of his sister in this life, but I fear in his past life as well." Kaoru said.
"You saw him as he was during Kenshin and Kaoru's time?" Kenshin guessed.
"Yes. But there is worse news. Battousai killed Tomoe. I haven't seen enough of the circumstances to know if it was deliberate or by accident though." Kaoru explained. "Kenshin, you don't remember a Tomoe from this life do you?"
"No. I certainly haven't killed anyone though." Kenshin said.
"Maybe not actually killed in this life, but maybe during a Kendo tournament or something like that?"
"No, girls always competed separately in Kendo tournaments in High School, and I haven't fought any Tomoe's here either.
"How about that car accident you guys had during high school?" Sano asked.
"I don't know. I can't remember the girls name now. It could be I suppose, but that wasn't my fault, wasn't anyone's fault." Kenshin said.
"Hm. Well keep thinking about it, I'll read your thoughts tomorrow. I'm too tired now to do that." Kaoru said.
"You guys staying here tonight?" Aoshi asked.
"Might as well. We have a big day planned tomorrow anyways, ne?" Misao asked.
"I forgot about that with tonight's meeting looming over us this week." Kaoru said.
"I think a day at the park is what we need, a rest and a day to work out the tension." Kenshin said.
A few minutes later, Kenshin heard the girls starting to get ready and the door to the apartment open, Yahiko and Tsubume entered.
"Konnichiwa Kenshin!" Tsubame said cheerfully
"Ohiyo Yahiko and Tsubame. How are you this morning?"
"Good Kenshin, how about you?" Yahiko asked, coming into the kitchen, Tsubame not far behind him.
"I'm doing very well, thank you. Sano and Aoshi are at the market, and I believe I heard one of the girls getting into the shower, but I think all of them are up by now."
"Do you want me to set the table Kenshin?" Tsubame asked.
"Sure Tsubame, you don't mind getting the dishes down do you?" Kenshin said as he stood at the stove watching the eggs.
"No problem."
"I'll help with breakfast Kenshin, what needs to be done?"
"You can chop up these vegetables here, Yahiko." Kenshin answered him, handing him some carrots, onion and green, yellow and red pepper.
:---:
"Hey Kenshin, what do we need from the market?" Sano asked as he and Aoshi were getting ready to leave, it was their turn to go to the market. The girls were still asleep and Kenshin was going to start breakfast in a few minutes.
"What do you have on the list?" Kenshin asked.
"We have fruits, veggies, soba noodles, ramen, and chicken." Aoshi answered him, reading the list.
"We'll need eggs, wasabi sauce, and horseradish." Kenshin said his head in the fridge. "Oh! And get Dikon radishes too."
"Okay, we'll be back in a few minutes!" Sano said as they walked out of the door.
:---:
"Something smells absolutely delicious!" Kaoru said, coming into the small kitchen area.
"You were the first up?" Kenshin asked, kissing her cheek, a bit surprised.
"No, just the quickest. You know how Megumi primps and Misao had to braid her hair. That would take forever just in itself." Kaoru answered, taking the pitcher of orange juice and pouring herself a glass of orange juice.
"Ohiyo everyone!" Misao said, bouncing into the living area. "Where is everyone else?"
"Well, Sano and Aoshi are…"
"We're back!" Sano said, coming into the apartment, interrupting Kenshin unknowingly.
"You are incredibly rude, Rooster head." Megumi said, coming into the room just then as well. "What if we had still been asleep? You would have woken the entire house!" Megumi said as she walked over to him.
"But you love me anyways. I'm such a lucky duck."
"Lucky rooster, not duck." Megumi corrected him as she kissed him on the cheek, taking the bag that he had been holding with the groceries in it.
"Aoshi."
"Misao-chan." Aoshi said as he passed her, putting the groceries on the counter and started to make the tea. Once the tea was started, he went and sat with Misao on the floor to meditate.
"Talk about strange." Sano said as he passed them, earning an icy glare from Aoshi.
:---:
Breakfast was served a few moments later. As usual, the early Saturday meal was loud, but full of laughter and happiness. There were screams of laughter and of, 'Would you please pass the eggs?' or 'Pass the tea please!' and so forth.
"Do we want to go to the park directly after breakfast?" Sano asked.
"Sounds good to me." Aoshi said, Misao her mouth full of food, nodded vigorously.
"It's about time. I've been feeling lazy for way to long." Kenshin said.
"What do you mean? You've still done daily workouts since the tournament." Kaoru asked.
"Yes, but I haven't worked with the Sakabatou since the tournament." Kenshin answered her.
"Well, it seems like its okay with everyone, so once we clean up, we'll go to the park. It is a beautiful day to work by the river." Megumi said, standing up with her dishes. They each finished up their meal and cleared the table, Misao, Megumi and Kaoru cleaning the dishes and cleaning up the Kitchenette.
Twenty minutes later, eight teens filed out of the apartment heading for the park and the peaceful area where they would practice their martial arts and enjoy the early summer weather.
:---:
Kenshin,
I almost feel sorry for Enishi, yet I do not because I know what he feels is not deserved. He is revengeful towards you because of Tomoe's death. He was so young and did not understand her death or your feelings for her and about her death. He has grown to hate you more every day since then because you took the one person away from him that he loved. And he has taken you from me, separated us to make me feel that, and possibly you, if you love me. He feels that if I am taken away from you, you will have a reason to fight, to come after him and fight him as he wants you to, a fight where only one of you will walk away.
Kenshin, I do not know if you are coming, half of my heart hopes that you will, to show you care for me, the other half hopes you don't, so you won't have to fight Enishi, to be the one that, possibly, will not walk away.
With all My Heart,
Kaoru
:---:
Enishi told me of Tomoe today, saner, than the other times he told me of her, I should say. She died trying to save you, Kenshin. It was in a middle of a fight, she pulled her dagger as the man and yourself went at each other with swords, getting between you, and putting her dagger deep into the other man's chest. You didn't see her in time though, and couldn't pull your sword away, slicing through her body. Enishi had seen it all. Remember how I had told you how the hatred grew and grew from then to now, forcing him to get stronger. To make his sister's death right again in his mind.
:- - -:
Kaoru was standing with Yahiko working on the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. He had made vast improvements since he had been learning the technique since she had met him six months ago.
"Kamiya-sensei?" Yahiko said, coming up to her after practice.
"Yes Yahiko?"
"May I ask you something? You don't have to say yes, but I wanted to ask."
"Of course, what is it?" Kaoru answered. The boy had gotten onto the team with his martial arts skill and was picking up the others around him little by little. She had been watching him, seeing his adaptability with the different techniques and had marveled at his skill.
"I was wondering if you would take me on as a student of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu." Yahiko asked.
"Really? You wouldn't prefer Aoshi's techniques? Or Kenshin's?"
"I would love to learn both, but I need to start with a more…" Yahiko paused to pick the right word out. "Protective, technique. Kamiya Kasshin is a great technique. It would take me from the Judo and basic martial arts that I have been taught to the more combative techniques." Yahiko finished explaining.
"I see." Kaoru said thinking. "I would be happy to teach you Yahiko. Why don't we meet after kendo practice for an hour or two each day, and then Saturday's in the park?"
"Great! Thanks Kamiya-sensei!"
:---:
Yes, he has improved his skill tremendously. Kamiya Kasshin was easy for him to pick up because of his Judo training, but his Judo has improved along with the technique, Kaoru thought as she stood next to Tsubume and watched Yahiko go through the motions.
"Hey Shrimp! Want to give me a try?" Sano said, watching Yahiko.
"Sano! No, you are not going to challenge Yahiko! He isn't ready to fight using the Kamiya Kasshin." Kaoru scolded him, hitting her Bokken into her hand menacingly.
"Oh come on Jou-chan! Give him a challenge, see what he can do! It's a great way to learn!" Sano said. "And it's better me than Kenshin!"
"Fine, go ahead. Just don't hurt him. I'll never forgive you." Kaoru said, Tsubame shaking her head vehemently adding, "I'd have to be the one to patch him up and I hate that!"
"Why you when I'm the doctor?" Megumi asked from the other side of Tsubame.
"Because you'd be patching up Sano, firstly. And secondly, only do more damage to Yahiko."
Megumi answered with a thoughtful look, her lips pursed and shook her head in agreement. "I see your point. Sano, don't hurt Yahiko, and Yahiko, same goes to you."
"Yes ma'am." Sano said sarcastically as he and Yahiko stood off in the middle of the clearing. As the fight started the others studied each of the two's attacks, both of them were fast. Yahiko was a bit shorter than Sano, but they were both agile and flexible for their taller than average stature. They both wielded their weapons with precision, not taking risks, and without measuring the strike up first.
Kaoru was having a moment of déjà vu. Not of Yahiko fighting with Sano, but of the challenge that was ahead of him, a bigger challenge that he would overcome, that he had overcome. Fights that, in the past he had won because of his ability to adapt to new techniques and measure his opponent up in a matter of seconds, and the action that they would take.
:---:
'What is that idiot doing now?' Kaoru thought as Yahiko stood waiting for the next attack to come from the air.
His opponent had the ability to fly. He had adapted his body so that the wings he wore would lift him into the air. Yahiko was smarter though, Kaoru was beginning to see.
He was now flying through the air on a door that had been blown off the Okiya. He was now doing a variation of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu that he had seen Kenshin do countless times to finish off an attack on an opponent. He had beaten him. The guy was close to dead, if not already dead in the middle of the Kyoto street.
:---:
He would die trying if he had too. Yahiko thought as he stared at the large machine puppet. That's all it was a large round puppet machine. He had to get to the controls. He had to keep Kaoru and the dojo safe. With all my heart and soul I will keep them safe. I will come back to them. I have a future to live.
The man in the balloon was laughing at their plights.
'You know you will not come out of this alive! I am too strong! Stronger than all of you! You will not survive!' The man with white hair yelled down from where he was in the hot air balloon.
'I will not stop until I have!'
Kaoru trembled, thinking of the rage and the derangement of the man floating above them. She trembled with fear for her friends, her family, their futures, but mostly for their pasts. 'It will all be better. We will beat him. If it takes us years, we will prevail.' She thought, now trembling with joy and pride over her friends who were so strong.