Reliving the Teens

Ch 8

Hey everyone! throws confetti in the air then stares at all the blank looks Kay, never mind. Well I know I said that this would take a while... and it did... sry about that. But I typed it in two stages... and it took awhile.

Anyways enough blabbing! Have fun reading and please REVIEW!

Sano, who had reappeared from wherever he had ventured off to at Kaoru's call of 'breakfast,' looked up as a red blur raced into the room and past him, then dissolved into Kenshin as the redhead sat down next to him.

A few seconds later, a grumpy Hiko entered and frowned at his deshi as he sat down across from the boy. Sano looked back and forth at Hiko and Kenshin, who snickered, then asked, "What's up with you two?"

Hiko glared at the redhead then glanced over at Sano. "The baka there insulted my cooking, not as if mine is worse then someone else I know."

Sano raised his eyebrows, "if you mean Kenshin, his food's awesome. Much, much better then Jou-chan's." The red head smiled innocently at his shishou, causing the man to scowl darkly at him.

Before Hiko could respond Kaoru entered the room carrying a pot of something that gave off a very burnt smell. She set it down in the center of the circle and smiled at Kenshin. "Here's what's left of it, enjoy!"

Hiko looked like he was trying not to laugh or snort and Sano was evidently biting his tongue. The redhead quickly shook his head at them and spooned some of the food on his plate, then took a bite of it.

"Well?" Kaoru asked eagerly, leaning towards Kenshin who nodded, a hand over his mouth. "Yay!" She squealed happily and began spooning some onto Sano and Hiko's plate.

"Where's Yahiko?" The rooster asked with his mouth full of some unknown food. Kaoru hit him over the head with the platter, "don't talk with your mouth full rooster!"

Sano scowled at her, rubbing the back of his head, "Jou-chan! That hurt!" Hiko raised an eyebrow at his deshi who nodded and managed to swallow another mouthful of the food. "It was supposed to baka!"

When they had been able to choke down the food Kaoru had made, and survived, Hiko cleared his throat loudly which made Kaoru jump, Sano stare and Kenshin look alarmed then vigorously shake his head.

"Cone on boy, you said you would." Hiko reminded him, which made Kenshin's eyes turn very cold blue and the mask return.

"I said maybe!"

Hiko snorted, "In most cases 'maybe' means 'yes.'" He declared which made the redhead make a very odd muffled snort or cry, and after a fewspluttering noises he shouted,

"Well this isn't one of those times!"

Sano's eyebrows rose when Kenshin, who only raised his voice when he went Battousai, shouted for the second time in less then five minutes. Kaoru looked worriedly at the redhead and questioned, "Kenshin, are you feeling alright?"

Kenshin forcibly smiled at her, "Yes Kaoru, I'm fine." He said, trying his best not to snap at the poor girl. But he quickly reminded himself that it wasn't for him that she cared for and the smile dissolved into the mask.

"Tell them baka." Hiko ordered sternly, scowling at the redhead who looked calmly back. They had a staring contest for several minutes, during which Sano and Kaoru exchanged confused glances, and the end result being Kenshin abruptly standing up and storming off into the dojo.

Hiko sighed annoyed and shook his head. "What a stubborn baka." He stood up and began to go after Kenshin when Kaoru spoke. "Hiko-san, what was it Kenshin was going to tell us about?"

"That's for him to tell you." He answered shortly and then continued on.

He went inside the dojo and then paused uncertainly in the doorway, for some reason he couldn't find the boy's ki. After waiting for a few minutes there was a sudden flare in a ki Hiko recognized as Kenshin's from the roof. Wondering what was with the boy and heights, the man walked through the dojo and exited at the back, then turned to face the roof.

"I know you're up there Kenshin, come over here and face me." Hiko called at the roof, making sure his voice carried. There was a muffled noise and a few seconds later the redhead was sitting near the edge of the rood with no noise to accompany his arrival. Silently the shishou congratulated the boy on his skills.

"I told you not to call me that shishou, I don't deserve that name." The redhead snarled, glaring with cold blue eyes.

"Kenshin? Hiko-san?" Kaoru's voice called from inside the dojo, sounding worried. After he glanced at the structure below him Kenshin asked, "how did you know I was up here shishou?"

"You can mask your ki, but not that well." Hiko scolded, rolling his eyes. "Hiko-san?" Kaoru walked over to stand near him. "Who are you talking to?"

Hiko pointed up at the roof. "The baka trying to hide up there."

"I'm not hiding!" Kenshin protested, but Kaoru turned and eyed him worriedly. "Are you feeling all right Kenshin?" The redhead gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't worry Kaoru, I'm fine."

Hiko snorted but checked his tongue, hoping to give his deshi a chance to see that Kaoru really did care.

"Are you sure?" She walked closer to him, peering anxiously at him. "You do look a little pale," Kaoru continued.

"I'm fine, Kaoru." Kenshin said shortly, trying not to snap at the girl. When he heard Kaoru gasp, obviously her Kenshin never snapped, he realized how he had sounded and bent his head, kneading his forehead. "I'm sorry Kaoru, I didn't mean to snap at you."

The girl smiled hopefully at him, "It's alright Kenshin, I wasn't thinking. I," She stopped talking, instead nervously wringing her hands.

The redhead shook his head, "It was very kind of you Kaoru, I'm grateful." Hiko frowned at his deshi and commented quietly, "You don't deserve her baka deshi, she's too good for you." Kaoru turned, fists clenched, to give the man a piece of her mind and Kenshin looked surprised, then ashamed and settled on glaring at Hiko who smirked knowingly back.

"What was the heck do you mean by that!" Kaoru exclaimed angrily, growling. The redhead turned surprised, almost no one except him talked back to his master. "So what if Kenshin was a hitokiri during the war; now he's not and he's helping people. The war was an entirely different thing, Kenshin was an entirely different person back then and he's changed now. None of that matters anymore."

Hiko arched an eyebrow at his deshi. "Now will you tell her baka?" When Kenshin didn't look at him or answer, he continued, "Did you hear her Kenshin, or are you deaf too?"

The redhead glanced at the man with hard eyes and Hiko inwardly winced at the expression, or lack of, on the boys face. But just as quickly Kenshin looked away again.

"I told you not to call me that." He hissed quietly, tilting his head down so the long bangs hid his face. Kaoru bit her lip and walked closer to the edge of the roof. "Kenshin, why, why don't you like that name anymore? I, I think it suits you."

The redhead sighed, "I don't deserve it, I'm not a swordsman anymore…I'm a murderer. That name belongs to someone who uses his sword for good, not for killing people like me."

Hiko, who had heard a part of this argument before, raised his eyebrows surprised at how convinced the baka was of his worthlessness. Kaoru meanwhile gasped softly and whispered, "Kenshin." Did he really feel that conflicted about his name, so much that when he was a hitokiri he felt like he didn't live up to it?

"You are hopeless sometimes baka." Hiko muttered softly, but if his deshi heard it went ignored.

"Kenshin, what was it you wanted to tell me? Before, when Hiko-san," Kaoru began, feeling a strong urge to go up and hold the teen, but Hiko put a hand on her shoulder, "this might not be the best time for that."

"No, no." The redhead whispered soundlessly, not turning to them. They both looked up startled, but Kenshin didn't react.

Finally, after a long pause he spoke again, "Shishou, please leave us for a moment."

Hiko smirked, "this must be the first time you've asked me to do something so politely." Kenshin sighed, "please Shishou." The man nodded and walked back into the dojo, leaving the pair alone.

"Kenshin, if you're going to talk with me would you please come down from there?" Kaoru asked in an annoyed tone, but the redhead nodded, stood up and jumped off the room to land lightly beside the girl.

When Kenshin didn't speak again, she walked up to him and asked softly, "Kenshin?" The teen flinched, but looked up from the ground.

"Miss Kaoru, what have I told you about myself in this era?" The redhead asked quietly and emotionlessly, telling himself to maintain his self-control.

Kaoru stared at him confused, "what do you mean Kenshin?" Behind the door Hiko smacked his forehead, and they thought his deshi was dense!

Kenshin still wouldn't look at her, "I mean what do you know about me, my past, my childhood…" His voice drifted off and he inwardly scoffed, as if he had actually had one. But he had promised his master that he would tell, no matter how hard it was.

"Well," the girl bit her lip, "Hiko took you in and you trained together for a few years, then something happened and you joined the war as a hitokiri. But during one of the last battles you disappeared, leaving your katana stuck in the dirt, and ten years later I met you as a rurouni."

The teen silently went over this information in his head, 'so I leave the war before its finished, but it seems like it turns out the way Katsura-san wanted.' He thought hopefully, meanwhile maintaining his mask. "There's more to it then that, and it's a little more complicated."

Kaoru looked up startled, eyebrows furrowing. She noticed that he seemed detached even though he was talking about himself.

"The reason that Shishou adopted me, if you can call it that, is," he paused, pulling his emotions together, "when I was five my parents died of cholera. A week or so later a group of slavers arrived in our village and captured the remaining children. I was with them for a little more then a year when we were attacked by bandits. The adults were killed immediately and then the children were rounded up. Three girls from my village who had been looking after me managed to unlock our chains and we ran. But one bandit came after us and waved his gun around, threatening to kill me; the girls stood in front of me, protecting me, but one by one the bandit killed them. They fell by my feet, pleading with me with their last breath to save myself and to be strong and brave." His voice caught and Kaoru saw the pain and sadness visible for the first time in his eyes.

"I would have died along with them if Shishou hadn't appeared right as one of the bandits swung clumsily at me with his sword; Shishou blocked it and proceeded to kill the rest of the bandits. When they were all dead, Shishou came back to where I was still sitting and told me to go to the next town, that they would give me food and a place to stay." Kenshin smiled slightly, "then he left, just like that. I decided that before I went to the town I should bury all the bodies."

Kaoru gasped. "You buried all those people by yourself?"

Kenshin nodded, "it took a week, but I got all of them buried. Just as I was finishing the last of the graves for those three girls, Shishou returned. I told him what I had done and he poured sake onto the girls' graves, then he asked me my name and I replied, but he said it was too soft for a swordsman and renamed me. Then to my surprise he said that I would come and live with him and he would teach me his sword style." The redhead chuckled softly, "that was how I met Hiko Seijuro."

Opposite him Kaoru gasped and dabbed at her eyes. "Kenshin, I never knew." She choked, "I'm so sorry." The girl walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his thin body, then rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

sniff Didja like it? If anyone's wondering thats my take on his past... sorry if its not totally correct. But isn't that cute them hugging each other? chorus of 'awwwwwww's'

Anyways... thanks to my beta-reader Yanikei: I LUV YA GIRL! And my reviewers of course:

Chosha Kurenai, Faina, book-manga-freak, sweeteen19, bluekitsune251, TrisakAminawn(2), starfruit-22, TeZukAb0ch0u, Sesshoumaru Minion and Kristy-chan

YamiYugi342 thanks I'm glad you liked it! Really? Hmm, thats odd. ;p Woo hoo! Thnx!

AuburnMoonlight: were you really that lazy? Jk. Mm hmmm, well thanks very much!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed for the first time! Arigato!

Wow, the font changed... freaky!

Anyways... omake theater:

Kenshin walks into the kitchen where Hiko, Sano, Yahiko and Kaoru sit around telling stories...

Hiko: ... did Kenshin tell you about the time when he was ten and... stops to see why everyone staring at some one behind him, turns around Ah, I wondered when you were going to show up baka deshi.

Kenshin: with amber eyes SHishou why would you tell them about that! Do you want to embarass me behind any recovery!

Hiko: smirking of course!

Kenshin: rushes Hiko holding out his katana in front of him Doryu- in middle of the attack Hiko grabs him by the back of his gi and holds him up at eye level

Hiko: with Kenshin glaring amber-eyed at him Is that the best you can do baka? I could do better then that when I was half your age! Kenshin continues glaring Why are you so embarassed by those stories, if she's the one your going to marry she should know everything about you.

Kenshin and Kaoru: chokes with bug eyes

Hiko: still holding Kenshin up and points finger at screen And thats why I go around telling amusing stories about my baka deshi.. to make sure he'll stay with me forever and never marry any stupid girl.

Everyone: stares

Kenshin: shishou, do you really want me to stay with you?

Hiko: nervously Um...

Kenshin: runs up and glomps Hiko Shishou I didn't know you cared so much! I feel the same way! in a rush of words I can't believe it!

Sano: I can't believe he just said that...

Kaoru: nods

Hiko: lookign around confused What, what did I say? notices Kenshin hugging him Um, Kenshin... Kenshin looks up a little too close for comfort there... Kenshin backs away grinning Now, what did I say?

Everyone: sweatdrops

Kenshin: SHISHOU! runs and glomps again

Hiko: Ororo..

And thats the END! Hope you liked it... took me like five minutes to write it... heh heh heh...

Ja ne!

miji-chan