Kendo Club

Ch 5

Hey everyone, welcome back! I hope you enjoy this, sry its so short but its important to the plot...really. Next chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading... don't forget to read and reveiw!

The next few days at school went by fairly normally, except for Kenshin being moodier then usual and Hiko working the members of his club harder then he usually did. Kenshin did go to practice, only because Hiko had told him to, although he didn't practice with the club.

That Friday after school Kenshin had to meet with Shishio again, much to his dislike (he was especially moody that day) and Kaoru had to work late at her job, as a waitress.

After school, before Kenshin met with Shishio and Soujiro, Hiko stopped him as he left the back door and pulled Kenshin aside.

"What do you want Shishou?" He asked, getting him a rap on the head from Hiko. "Ow!"

"Don't be smart with me baka. I just wanted to tell you to stay safe, don't lose your temper and keep this with you at all times. But don't use it unless you need to." Hiko told Kenshin, handing him a sheathed sword. Kenshin took it, slipped the sheath though a loop on his jeans and covered the hilt with his sweatshirt.

"Thanks Shishou," he nodded to the taller man, then ran down into the depths of the alley.

"Come home safe Kenshin." Hiko whispered as he watched his apprentice disappear around the corner.

Kaoru hung up her apron on the hook inside the kitchen and called goodbye to her manager. "See you later Tae!"

An older woman appeared in the opposite doorway, hair pulled back into a bun, carrying a dishcloth. She waved to Kaoru, smiling happily. "Alright Kaoru, I'll see you next time." Tae called, in her Texan drawl.

Kaoru waved back, readjusted her purse and walked out of the door, leaving it swinging behind her.

A few minutes after she left the restaurant, her cell phone rang. Kaoru dug it out of her purse and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Hey Kao-chan." Returned a familiar voice, sounding more mischievous then usual.

"Hi Sano." Kaoru said, sighing tiredly.

"Hey, what's the matter Kao-chan?" San asked worriedly.

Kaoru rubbed her eyes. "It's nothing, just tired. I just got off work."

"Wow, now? It's like midnight." Sano exclaimed.

"I know that Sano. Actually I'm on my way home to bed." Kaoru said as she turned another corner.

"Oh. Well I was going to see if you could do anything with me n' the gang. But it'd probably be better for you to sleep."

Kaoru laughed. "Yeah, sorry Sano. I'll have to take a rain check. But will I see you tomorrow?"

"Bet on it." Sano laughed then abruptly hung up.

Kaoru studied the phone for a while, then replaced it in her purse and continued walking.

All of a sudden a few blocks later she was grabbed roughly by the wrist and dragged into he dark alleyway. Kaoru tried to free her wrist, but it just made the person handle her more roughly.

"Lookie' what Ah found Chi." The man holding Kaoru said, then let go of her and pushed her to the wall. She hit it and slid down to sit against the wall on the filthy ground.

"Aa, she's a pretty one ain't she." Another man said, coming out of the shadows to stand in front of Kaoru, smiling wickedly and fingering a knife.

Kaoru's eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a knife and then desperately looked around the dark alley for any kind of weapon she could defend herself with. When none came in sight, Kaoru settled for the girlish reaction: scream.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Kenshin was halfway home when he heard someone scream nearby. As he paused Kenshin realized with a start that he knew the person. He took off as fast as he had ever run in his life to the place where the scream had originated. Even Hiko would have been proud of him.

After Kaoru had screamed, the man with the knife had pulled her up against the wall and roughly covered her mouth with his hand while gesturing with the knife.

The other man walked up to them and Kaoru found that all she could do was stare at him, terrified and helpless. "Ah wouldn't scream girlie. It won't 'elp yah none."

"Let her go," came a cold voice from within the shadows. The man with the knife paused with his threats and making light cuts on Kaoru's exposed legs and arms. The other shook his head. "It wasn't nothing." He then continued stroking Kaoru's cheeks and fingering her hair.

"Get your hands off of her," said the voice again, causing the man to cover her mouth. "Mph!" Kaoru shouted. "You betta shaddu up if ya know what's good for you." The guy with the knife threatened, flashing the weapon.

"I said, let go of her." The voice commanded, and a figure stepped out of the shadows with long, red hair.

"Mmm-mmph!" Kaoru shouted, but her words were muffled by the man's hand.

"What d'ya want runt?" The man asked, taking a step away from Kaoru while leering at Kenshin.

"For you to let her go." Kenshin answered simply, raising his right arm slightly so it hovered above the hilt of his hidden sword.

"Fat chance buddy. Now get of with ya and no on' 'll get hurt." The man with the knife dismissed Kenshin, turning back to Kaoru.

"I won't leave her." Kenshin stated, pulling his sweatshirt up so they could see his sword.

"Ah, lookee 'ere Chi, the runts got a sword," he laughed. "So you think y' can beat us?" The man asked, releasing Kaoru temporarily to point a finger at himself and his partner.

"Certainly." Kenshin replied, watching the man's movements carefully.

Kaoru took the opportunity to duck under the man's arm and run towards Kenshin. Noticing her escape, the other man hit her on the head with the hilt of his knife. She dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"Kaoru!" Kenshin exclaimed, but stayed where he was.

"Ah, the runt's gots the hots for our girl." The man leered, fingering his knife again.

"She's not your girl, and," he put a hand on the hilt of his sword and dropped into a sword stance, "you will pay for hurting her."

"A'right then, come show us whatcha got." The man said, smiling wickedly.

Kenshin smirked and rushed the man, drawing his sword as he did so. Before they could react he had knocked one unconscious with a hard blow to the head.

He paused to smirk at the other man. "What the-?" He had the time to say before Kenshin threw him at the wall with a hard blow to the ribs. The mans head hit the wall with a loud thud and then his unconscious body slid down the wall, leaving behind a trail of blood.

The sound of clapping caught Kenshin's attention and he spun around to see a third man step out of the shadows, smiling.

"Wonderful! That was absolutely wonderful." The man exclaimed, and took a dagger out of his jacket. "Now, try me," he said, rushing Kenshin who easily dodged, took the dagger out of his hand and threw it into a wooden post behind them.

The other paused, shocked, to look at his now empty hands, then up at Kenshin who was smirking slightly.

"How did you-?" But the redhead had disappeared into the air and dealt the stranger a head blow on the way down, knocking him unconscious as well.

When he was sure that the three men wouldn't bother anyone for a while, Kenshin sheathed his sword and ran over to Kaoru.

He knelt by her side, inspecting the wounds on her head, arms and legs, making temporary bandages from pieces torn from his shirt. After he was done, Kenshin lowered Kaoru's head to the ground and lightly brushed her hair away from her pale face. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you Kaoru." Kenshin whispered, then carefully picked her up and ran off into the night, carrying her in his arms.

Well, thats it for now. All thanks go to Yanikei for beta-ing this. Next chapter will be out soon. Please review... I luv you guys (and gals)!

To my reviewers:

ruruken: Really? Well yes I was tempted too. I was also going to put Shishio saying 'what say you to that?' I LUV PIRATES! But decided not to... must... resist... It probably is a word and yea, it sorta does. I promise.

Du: Really? That makes me soooooooooo happy! Thnx!

wanda: I will, more often anyways. Thanks for ur imput.

Kristy-chan: Thanks, for ur compliment and imput. I promise.

ELLIE: Thanks, and youll have to wait an eensy weensy bit longer. Sry, but thanks for sticking with me.

Yanikei: Yes, that would be interesting wouldn't it? Thanks again for beta-ing. As for a plot point... sorta, but sorta not. (That made no sense did it?) Thanks for ur input.

Mikay: Thats okay... yes it is. SO MANY COMPLIMENTS blushes Yeah, Hiko does care for Kenshin, although its in his own, weird way. Keep looking!

As for people who are looking for my other RK fanfic I mentioned. It is now posted under 'Reliving the Teens' please check it out! And next chapter will be a turning point in the plot... sorta... so please keep readng!

Until next time...

miji-chan

dont forget to review! ;) ;p