Title: The Switch

Chapter: 3

'...' Battousai's thoughts

'...' Kenshin's thoughts

'...' Normal people's thoughts

-

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Kenshin and Battousai ( or not so silently in Battousai's case) agreed with Sano's statement. Megumi's brilliant theory regarding their identity confusion was that it was due to some sort of envy, and, therefore, they had adopted each others' persona.

(Though what Kenshin had to envy his friend - other than a more manly presence - was beyond the doctor.) "Well then, do you have a better suggestion?" Megumi felt a little disconcerted addressing Kenshin's body with the haughty tone she usually reserved for Sano.

The coloring in Sano's cheeks turned a mottled red in his anger. "I'm not the doctor! I shouldn't have to diagnose myself. For all I know it was that knock on the head you gave me that messed me up."

Megumi was about to make a biting comment about the state of his head pre-trauma when Kenshin interrupted their bickering. "Oi Kenshin, looks like jo-chan did a real number on you this time. Your delusional." Kenshin winced when he saw anger flare up in said girl's eyes and silently begged her forgiveness. He hoped if he could convince Megumi that "Sano" was alright then maybe she would allow him and "Kenshin" to leave so he could think of a solution to their problem.

'I think you're the delusional one,' Battousai accused. 'Or perhaps you have gone blind. Can you not see our body sitting over there without us in it?' He tsked. 'Now that I see it from a different view, your tacky shirt clashes with our hair even worse than I thought. And are you trying to hold a record for most tattered clothes or something? I'm surprised they haven't fallen off yet. You should -" Battousai was quite literally jerked out of his thoughts when a fist crashed onto his head.

"If you're going to insult me, the least you could do is pay attention to what I'm saying."

"Oro?" Kenshin's all purpose exclamation slipped past his lips before he could think of the consequences. Battousai sighed, 'Love, have I ever told you how little sense you make when you're upset?'

"It appears the rooster-head isn't as well as he's pretending to be." Megumi fixed Sano's former body with a hard glare.

Kenshin screwed up his face into the tall man's customary smirk. "Don't be so hasty kitsune. Don't you know you pick up the habits of the people you're around?"

The doctor blinked in shock. 'Did he actually say something ... intelligent?' She shrugged the thought off and looked to the side. 'I guess it's not really the first time. Still, it's always a surprise.'

Kenshin scratched the back of his head in a display of Ruruoni innocence. "A little fresh air should help." Kenshin grabbed the collar of his pink gi, the way Sano sometimes did, and tried to ignore how surreal it felt to watch his former body being hauled up by his own hand. Sano swore and took a swing at his friend, much to the onlookers' shock.

"You two shouldn't even leave this room with the behavior you're exhibiting," Megumi scolded them. "For all I know you could have a concussion."

'Got anymore bright ideas?' Battousai taunted his counterpart.

"Then we should rest, correct?" Kenshin addressed the doctor.

"Yes, of course," she agreed.

"Doesn't everybody usually leave when a patient needs rest?"

Cinnamon eyes narrowed at the tall man's question. He sounded too desperate for comfort's sake. "Too bad that whack on the head didn't knock some manners into you."

"Hey! I have manners," Sano objected. "That was your Golden Boy Rurouni you're so fond of that had the rude mouth just now."

Kaoru gaped at her beloved redhead in a combination of shock and guilt. 'He's never acted like this before when I hit him.' She bit her lip and her eyes narrowed in concentration as she thought of another reason. 'Stress maybe? He's been working outside of the home on top of his regular chores.' Her gaze moved over to Sano, who had stopped exhibiting his wierd behavior and now stood in a semi-daze. 'But that doesn't explain him,' Kaoru grumped. 'His only care is planning who he will mooch off of for the day.'

"You should rest," the doctor agreed. "But if you do have a concussion, I would feel more comfortable if someone stayed to keep an eye on you two." She glanced over to the kenjutsu instructor and her young pupil. "Any volunteers?"

Panic flickered in Kaoru's eyes before she nodded resolutely. "Yes, we can care for them. I'm sure, though, that we would all be more comfortable at home."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"I can't believe the crazy things that fox said this time," Sano fumed. "The idea that I would be jealous of you."

Battousai regarded his counterpart's best friend with narrow eyes. 'How you do you think I feel you little punk!' He pondered over his words for a few seconds before his lips formed a grin. 'Heh, that's right. This body might have some merit after all.'

In a moment of aberration -perhaps because he was still smarting over Sano's comment- Kenshin asked Battousai what he meant.

'Isn't it obvious? We can truly look down at people. I may finally be taken seriously.' The amber-eyed man smirked. 'Actually, that's your problem, not mine. People always tremble at the mention of my name. You on the other hand -'

"I get it!" Kenshin finally snapped.

' ... appear to be talking to yourself again,' Battousai finished smugly.

"What did you get?" Sano regarded his friend with an odd expression.

"Um ... the ... er -the ...," The Rurouni struggled to think of an answer. ' ... answer? That's it!' "I thought of an answer as to what happened to us."

"Really?" The fighter's tone was eager. "What is it? It better make more sense than fox's idea!"

"A ... dream." Kenshin's tone didn't sound very convincing.

"A dream?" The ex-street fighter gave the other man a wierd look. "But whose dream is it?"

'Is he serious?' Battousai asked incredulously. 'He actually believed that excuse? What kind of dumb queston is that, anyway?'

"I don't think it really matters," Kenshin frowned in thought. Who was to say it wasn't just a dream? This situation seemed like the kind of thing that would happen in a dream. Kenshin was distracted from his thoughts by a sharp pain to the back of his skull. The man whipped his head around to see his former body standing behind him, sheathed sword in hand.

"What was that for?" The Rurouni didn't know which upset him more; the random abuse or the strange sensation he felt from addressing himself. Or rather his body. Which sounded even worse when he thought of it that way.

"I was just testing your theory. You're not supposed to feel pain in dreams. So did you?"

"What kind of idiotic question is that?" Kenshin lunged to his feet, towering over Sano.

Sano raised his hands, trying to pacify Kenshin. "Okay! Okay! Calm down."

"Oh!" Kaoru's startled exclamation interrupted their fight. "I thought I heard a commotion. It looks like you two are feeling more like yourselves."

Kenshin stared down at his clenched hands in shock, then looked at Sano to see him staring at his upraised hands with the same expression. 'I never lose control like that. And Sano is never so meek in an argument. Are we turning back to ourselves? Or is our body taking over our conciousness?'

'I hate to admit it, but I am ... concerned over this development as well,' Battousai agreed. 'Only because I don't want to become a babbling idiot like him,' he assured the Ruruoni.

"Well, I just came in to see how you were feeling. Both of you said you had a headache when you woke up. Would you like a cool cloth?"

Kenshin's pounding head readily agreed. Yelling hadn't helped Sano's either. "Yes, please." "Sure." They both answered at the same time.

Kaoru stared at them. A please out of Sano? Perhaps he wasn't feeling back to himself yet after all. 'Too bad,' she grumbled as she turned to retrieve the requested cloths. 'A little courtesy wouldn't kill him.'

Once Kaoru returned she first tended to the one she thought was Kenshin. The real Kenshin watched intently as the young woman fawned over his body. To be more specific, she was fawning over his hair, much to Sano's annoyance. When he tried to pull away some of it got caught on Kaoru's fingers.

"Like my hair so much you decided to keep some as a souvenier, eh?" His anger weakened when a flustered Kaoru attempted to stutter out an apology. "Relax," he winked at her, "I was just teasing."

Any sense of mind the young woman had, fled at the sight of "Kenshin" winking at her. 'Kenshin's never teased me before. At least not in this manner.' She sighed longingly. 'It would be nice if this part of his delusion would stay.'

'He's not supposed to be flirting with our woman,' Battousai screamed. 'He's supposed to be drooling over that annoying woman doctor.'

Kenshin too, was more perturbed than he cared to admit even to himself. 'She thinks it is us,' he tried to defend the young woman. 'If we observe her reaction we might learn if what Megumi-san said is true.'

Battousai was intrigued by this proposition. 'I'm impressed. I would have expected you to think that would be an invasion of her privacy. Very well,' he finally agreed,'but if he acts inappropriately I won't hesitate to cut off certain body parts. After I regain control of my body,' he added after a thoughtful pause.

-

I know this chapter is short and kind of choppy. My only excuse is that it's been so long since I've written a chapter for this story, I wasn't quite sure what I was doing. However, I will be able to update this story more often now. This gives me hope of improvement in further chapters. :)

Recommended Fanfic: Protecting What's Mine by Magawa It's a cliche Sano/Meg story. You know the one where a bunch of rough idiots are trying to hurt Meg and Sano saves her at the last minute and they finally break down and admit their feelings for each other. Yet, we all seem to enjoy those stories now and then, right:)

I would like to thank: Kiorru-dono, Jasmine blossom625, SexyBod, Lou, SushiLuver, MadiSano, skenshingumi, sanoluvme, Rurouni-maxi, Triste1, Miko Kagome Archer, Pinay Tiger, WorthlessShadow, M.Kasshoku, EverKitsune, cleo, Kaoru4, GreenEyedFloozy for reviewing!

I would also like to thank: ame yukai, Jasmine blossom625, Kattousai, Koukishin, MadiSano, Rurouni-maxi, and, SexyBod for adding this story to their favorite list. It means a lot to me!