Kaoru swallowed and raised her bokken.
"Miss Kaoru."
She looked up into Kenshin's face. The sound of their tabi echoed in the empty dojo.
"Miss Kaoru." Kenshin gave her a soft nod, reassuring her.
She wasn't sure what made her nervous, but she couldn't fully shake it off either. She steadied herself and took her stance. In front of her, Kenshin crouched, his hand on his hilt. Even with the bandages around his neck, Kenshin looked intimidating like this. Nevertheless….
She sprang forward, socks skidding on the ground. Kenshin followed suit. The sakabato shot from its sheath. Kaoru countered, blocking the blow and parrying it away. Kenshin jumped back as she aimed a strike for his middle. Kaoru swung again, but Kenshin vanished.
She stumbled into the empty space where he'd been and then turned. The dojo appeared Kenshin-less. She frowned.
"Up here, Miss Kaoru!"
Her gaze rose to the ceiling. She caught sight of Kenshin barreling down towards her. She leaped aside in time for him to collide with the wood floor. The sakabato's blunt blade nicked the floor. Her eye twitched. "Kenshin, you're going to fix that."
He lowered the sword and scratched his head. "Sorry, Miss Kaoru."
She smacked him over the head with the bokken. "You shouldn't let your guard down, Kenshin!"
He gave her a sweet smile. "That's true, Miss Kaoru, that it is."
She wagged a finger at him. "Don't go easy on me either, Kenshin. I'm not a sore loser."
He gave a half-hearted laugh. "Miss Kaoru…"
She pointed the bokken's tip straight for his face. "Go again, Kenshin."
He sighed and drew back into his stance. He lunged, and Kaoru felt a spark of surprise as he sped up. His body began to blur and she let out a soft gasp as both swords collided. Kenshin knocked the wooden sword aside and aimed a blow for Kaoru's head. She ducked, rolled to the side, and bashed her bokken against the sakabato. Kenshin countered, forcing her blade back. She jumped to her feet and swung again. Kenshin's thrusts blurred and she let out a cry as the sakabato nearly landed on her shoulder.
Kenshin fumbled at the sound, but collected himself in time to avoid a blow from the woman. Kaoru hammered down on the sakabato and aimed for the red head's face. The tip swept through the air, brushing his bangs. Kenshin bounced back, vaulting off the dojo's white walls and landing a foot away from her. Her eyes widened and she blocked, taking a step back to steady herself.
Both swords arched back at the same instant.
The dojo door slid open.
Kenshin froze. Kaoru followed the light pouring in and stared at the sight of several officers traipsing inside. "Hey!" she hollered. "What gives you the right to barge in here? At least take off your shoes! Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep this place clean?"
The sakabato slid back into its sheath.
The police ignored the woman and held up a sheet of paper. "We have a warrant for the arrest of a Mr. Kenshin Himura."
Kaoru went numb.
Kenshin ducked his head as two large men grabbed him and dragged him towards the door. Kaoru ran after them.
"I'm all right, Miss Kaoru, that I am," the wanderer called.
"This is a mistake!" she yelled. "You can't take him!"
No one listened. She saw the shackles clap onto his wrists. He looked back as they yanked him out the door and mouthed, "Miss Kaoru, thank you."
Continued in Demon of Kyoto…