.

Indigo

by: MrFoshizzlePro

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. It is owned proudly by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

Chapter 2

Three Days Earlier...

"Kenshin! Are you coming?"

Kaoru and Yahiko waited patiently by the entrance for the rurouni to make his appearance. The spring morning made promises of a light drizzle but still a warm and beautiful day to come. Kenshin stepped off the porch, smiling.

"Yes, Miss Kaoru," he replied. She smiled in return, dipping her head and murmuring a soft, "Okay."

Yahiko grinned.

"Ooh! Would ya take a look at the lovebirds? Haha!" He threw his spiked head back and hollered with laughter. Kaoru blushed perfusely, whacking the young student upside the head with a bokken. Kenshin merely stood by, dumbfounded.

"Hey! What was that for?" Yahiko exclaimed, glaring at his intructer, irritated. She fumed in reply, "For not keeping your mouth shut, that's what!"

"Now, now-" Kenshin came calmly between the two just as they began to brawl. He wripped Yahiko off of Kaoru's back just as he was preparing to serve his intructer a punch on the head. "HEY! PUT ME DOWN!" Yahiko writhed in Kenshin's arms, but the rurouni showed no signs of releasing the boy anytime soon.

"-you two are Master and Student," Kenshin went on. "Therefore, Yahiko, you shall treat your Master with respect, that you should." He placed the boy back on solid ground and turned to Kaoru. "And you, Miss Kaoru, should do the same." He smiled cheerfully. "With that being said, let us take our leave, shall we?"

Reluctantly, both Kaoru and Yahiko huffed in unison, muttering, "Fine." And so, the three headed off, down the path to the Kamiya dojo's friend dojo.

Students all around sparred with one another, Kaoru in the center of the horde with fire in her blue eyes. Yahiko was sparring with another student, working up a sweat but still going strong. Kenshin sat on the opposite side of the dojo, watching the training with great interest as he always did.

Miss Kaoru is quite a talented instructer, that she is, he thought with a smile.

A young girl blocked his view of the practicing students, holding a tray of tea in her hands. As Kenshin observed the girl, he saw that she had big glittering brown eyes and long dark hair. She beamed at him, kneeling down and setting the tea tray before him with a bow.

"Here is your tea, Mr. Himura," she murmured softly. She sat up once more, not once the smile plastered on her face fading. Kenshin dipped his head respectfully. "Thank you, Miss." He reached out to pour some hot tea from the steaming kettle into one of the cups, but a delicate soft hand touched his immediatly. Confused, Kenshin gazed up into the girl's brown eyes.

She giggled, blushing slightly. "Please," she offered. "Allow me." In a matter of heartbeats, the young girl had poured the tea with much expertise into the cup and presented it to him with a sheepish smile. Kenshin flashed a smile of gratitude in return, thanking her once more before taking the tea and taking a brisk sip.

He sat the cup down on the tray and decided to continue watching the training. However, the girl remained in place, not moving an inch from her spot. This made it difficult for Kenshin to view the students, Yahiko and Kaoru, and it was beginning to make him slightly annoyed.

"Excuse me, Miss. But if you do not mind, I am trying to watch the training and you sitting there is making it rather difficult to watch." The young girl's smile vanished. "Oh." She edged over a little. "How's that?" she inquired.

Kenshin sighed.

"Miss, if you would-"

"My name is Akemi Haruka."

He blinked, then realized that she was introducing herself instead of complying to his wishes. Kenshin forced a friendly smile on even though his irritance still lingered. He shut his eyes and said, "Oh, well it is a pleasure to meet you Miss Akemi." He bowed deeply to her and sat back up.

Akemi bowed in return. "So, Mr. Himura..." And Akemi and Kenshin swerved into confersation.

Kaoru couldn't help but notice the two as she instructed the students to practice their swings. When she did look, Kenshin looked as though he were enjoying himself, for he was laughing at something the girl had probably said. Who is that? she asked herself. She watched on and saw Kenshin's expression change from time-to-time again with a look of... annoyance perhaps?

A jab to the side rose Kaoru from her thoughts. She whipped around, facing Yahiko. She glared and asked irritatedly, "What is it, Yahiko? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Really?" he inquired with a cock of his head. "Because to me, you look more like your daydreaming than concentrating on our training. What's up with you, anyway?"

Kaoru ignored his question and glanced over her shoulder to stare back at Kenshin and the young girl. Kenshin nodded to the girl, climbing up to a standing position and following the girl out of the training hall. Her brows furrowed in question. Where is he going with her...?

"...ey...busu...HEY BUSU! I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

"Huh? Wha-" Kaoru looked back at Yahiko, realizing, much to her embarrassment, that he was still standing there. She shook her head. Kenshin will be fine, she told herself as she listened to her student's complaining. No matter how much she wanted to convince herself, Kaoru could not believe it.

I hope he'll be okay...

"Okay! Thank you very much for having us over!" Kaoru waved enthusiastically to the dojo's owner and began to leave when Yahiko's question stopped her.

"Hey busu, where'd Kenshin go?" The student scanned the area around to try and find the missing red head, but to no avail. Kaoru shrugged. "I don't know..." But I have a pretty good idea of where he's at... She didn't want to mention it aloud to Yahiko, however, so she kept it to herself.

Just as her and Yahiko were preparing to scower the area for Kenshin, the man made his appearance around the dojo's corner with the pretty young girl close by his side. He flashed Kaoru his bright smile as he came to meet them. Kaoru merely stared at him in return, not uttering a word.

"Shall we be going?" Kenshin asked.

Kaoru turned her back to him and left without waiting for Yahiko and Kenshin to follow. She wanted to be left alone with her thoughts for the time being so she could sort out what had gone on between that girl and Kenshin.

I'm probably worrying over nothing, she thought as she heard the shuffling footsteps of the two sounding far behind. However, Kaoru could not help but feel the slightest bit of concern.

"Miss Kaoru?"

Kaoru sideways glanced at Kenshin as he hurried his footing to meet up with her. His eyebrow arched, perplexed. Nevertheless, Kaoru said nothing and paid her attention back to the path all the way to the Kamiya dojo until she quickly stepped up the stairs of the porch and fled to her room.

Kenshin and Yahiko exchanged curious glances with one another. Sanosuke leaned against the doorway, staring off at the two questionably. "Sano..." Kenshin muttered. Sanosuke paid this no mind. "What's up with the missy? She's acting kinda strange since you guys got back." He glanced at Kenshin. "Anything happen between the two of you?" he asked.

He scratched his head, then shook his head. "Not as far as sessha can tell," he replied. Sanosuke shrugged nonchalantly. "Eh, she's probably in one of her foul moods again," he decidedly said. He turned and headed back inside, adding, "Better not mess with her today you two. She'll have your heads if you make one wrong move."

I wonder what is wrong with Miss Kaoru. Taking one last glance at Yahiko, Kenshin followed the two inside as a light drop of precipitation hit the top of his head.

Owari