Chapter Forty-Two

The air inside the small host lab was charged with energy as everyone busied themselves with preparations for the upcoming operation. Due to the complexity of the seal being removed, Megumi had planned a two-stage procedure. The first stage would be a collaboration between the five-tailed and nine-tailed foxes to remove the seal suppressing Kaoru's vocal cords. Kenshin had already been warned that it would be a long tiring process, as it would require surgical precision and a delicate touch to remove the layers without damaging her body. Hence why they would need Kaoru to be under sedation.

The trickiest aspect appeared to be related to how the seal on her vocal cords was also connected to the soul seal in her brain. Megumi had mentioned that this connection was likely what was causing Kaoru's amnesia. With its removal, the expectation was that Kaoru would regain her memories. Even those memories from three hundred years ago.

Which brought them to the second stage of the operation. Kenshin wasn't very clear on this part, but he did understand that it had something to do with the additional equipment that had been moved into the lab the day before. The equipment appeared to be more advanced than the systems Megumi's lab normally employed, and some eavesdropping had confirmed they were on loan from Genzai's government lab. It was something Genzai had developed, but had not fully proven. The fact that it was still in an experimental stage concerned Kenshin, but since it was for external use only, he had been assured that it would not cause Kaoru any physical harm.

What it could do was the astonishing part. By combining his tenko powers with technology, Genzai had developed a way to project another's memories into real-time video footage. The possibilities for such technology were endless, not only in medicine, but also in law enforcement, therapy, and even espionage. Unfortunately, it did have a major flaw. Memories were not always reliable, and there was a greater chance that older memories were either deteriorated or artificially enhanced. The equipment also relied heavily on the focus of the individual and the importance placed on their memories. If a memory was important, it would stand out more, since it would have greater meaning to the person it belonged to. Unimportant memories were dimmer and harder for the equipment to visualize.

Another problem was that memories were not just sight and sound alone. Memories were smells, taste, touch, and strong emotions. As a result, it left what was visualized open for a lot of interpretation.

To be honest, Kenshin did not like this part of the operation. Spying on Kaoru's memories, even ones from three hundred years ago, felt like a betrayal. A part of him had even started to wonder if they should leave her memories lost. Not only were they memories from what was essentially a different life, but they would include what Sōjirō had done to her and the torture she had endured under his care. If possible, he never wanted her to have those memories. He wanted her to continue to be as she currently was, and not have to suffer under the oppression those types of memories could produce.

The other part of him recognized that she was already aware of those memories. She knew what had been done to her, even if she could not remember it in detail. He also, reluctantly, agreed with Megumi. There was a reason Sōjirō had chosen to revive Kaoru, and that reason was important. Their best chance of discovering that reason was to find out what had happened to her three hundred years ago. Why was she reported missing instead of deceased? What had happened to her body? What had actually ended her life?

The soft pattering of bare feet pulled Kenshin's eyes away from the main room of the lab and towards the short hallway off the rec room. Kaoru appeared not a second later in a loose gown-like shirt that reached her knees. Her hair was unbound and she was grinning happily. A half-skip stopped her in front of him, and both of her hands reached to grasp the hem of his shirt. Laughing, he tucked a small section of hair tickling her nose back over her ear where it belonged.

"Good-morning, odd duck."

The smile on her face widened far enough for him to see the insides of her cheeks. A light dusting of red tinted her nose, but there was a worrying darkness below her eyes that suggested lack of sleep. Kenshin frowned slightly in concern.

"Are you nervous, Miss Kaoru?"

Her head tilted, as if unsure what he meant. Then deep red flushed her cheeks as if she were remembering something else entirely, and her head shook desperately. A short intake of air pulled into Kenshin's lungs, and he realized they weren't really on the same page. While he was thinking of the operation, her mind had gone to the night before.

I suppose I didn't really get that much sleep, either.

Feeling a touch playful, violet eyes glanced around to make sure they were somewhat alone. A grin tugged at his mouth, and he leaned forward so that she could hear his whispered tease.

"Should I kiss you again? For luck."

Sapphire eyes widened, and her mouth parted on a gasp. The cute look of shock required laughter, but he bit it back to feign dejection.

"Did you not like kissing me?"

Now her features twisted into earnest denial, and she shook her head again. Purposefully mistaking her actions as further rejection, he let his shoulders sag.

"So you really didn't."

A slight frown tugged her mouth downward, and she shook her head more, then stopped, then nodded, and finally just huffed in confusion. It was getting really hard not to laugh now, but Kenshin was fully invested. He did not expect, however, for her determination to take over and her hands to smack palms flat on either side of his face. Quick, but just a bit forceful, she pressed her lips on his, and he blinked at her when she jerked back.

I… probably shouldn't tease her like that again.

"Hey. None of that crap in my lab. This isn't a love hotel." Megumi waltzed by them without pausing, and Kaoru's face went from red to purple in a second. Embarrassment twisted her features, and she abruptly disappeared to duck into a ball beside the arm of the couch. Unable to hold back his laughter, Kenshin had to turn away and laugh silently into his knuckles.

"Really, Himura-san. What are you doing?" Tomoe's gently chiding voice somehow made the scene funnier, and his shoulders shook with suppressed amusement. "Come on, sweet girl. It's almost time to start."

Kaoru's calloused fingers tugged on his when they passed, and he offered her an affectionate smile as he willingly followed. The leftover hilarity in his eyes was obvious, and she pouted at him with pursed pink lips. A quick elbow jab punished him for tricking her, but there was very little force behind it.

They walked briefly through the corner of the main room to head for the entrance of the smaller observation room, which was just adjacent to the rec room door. The main room was nearly packed full with the additional equipment, and there was very little space left for those of them who were there to observe. Only Kenshin, Enishi, and Sōzō were there with no purpose. Akira would be assisting Genzai with running their program, and was currently working away at a station tucked between the new equipment and the computers already set up along the glass wall. Tomoe also had a space set up to monitor Kaoru's vitals from, and Megumi was directing the entire process. Even though Genzai and Megumi would be with Kaoru for the first half of the operation, no one would be with her during the second half.

It was a precaution Megumi had insisted on. They still were not certain how she might react to regaining her full memories, and there was still the concern over what kind of power she had obtained from Death's Veil. Which was also the reason why Megumi was being overly cautious about how they would monitor her vitals from the other room.

Through the thick wall of glass, the smaller observation room was also crowded with medical machines to ensure Kaoru remained stable throughout the procedure. There was almost no room except for the hospital bed at the center and a small space leading to it. It was through that small space that Tomoe led Kaoru, and Kenshin was forced to stop at the door due to the lack of room. Megumi was already inside rechecking the machines and supplies.

Upon entering that room, something about Kaoru's demeanor changed. Whether it was the reality of what was going on that had finally hit her, or it was the enclosed atmosphere, Kenshin couldn't tell. Perhaps it was the simple removal of his support when their hands parted. Absent the feel of his fingers, her eyes darted back at him, wide and full of anxiety, and a strange sensation that something was wrong lurched in his gut.

Megumi and Tomoe both worked to hook her up to the machines, and double-checked to make sure everything was in place. The trembling of Kaoru's body was getting worse as she lay now prone on the hospital bed, and Kenshin did not like the distress on her face. Tomoe questioned her softly, but a shake of her head denied anything was wrong. She even produced a slight smile in reassurance. Once Tomoe turned away, however, those troubled blue eyes shot to him, and he could tell that she was struggling to contain herself.

Without willing them, his feet took him to her bedside, and he clasped the hand she reached out to him.

"Kaoru."

A tremulous smile curved her lips, but her eyes screamed for help.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her head, but the spasming of her fingers refuted her claim.

"We're ready, Ken-sama. You'll have to leave now."

Briefly, Kaoru's fingers crushed his, and leaving felt like the hardest thing he was expected to do. Offering the vixen a harmless smile, he stalled for time.

"Can you give us a minute?"

Megumi lifted an eyebrow at him, and muttered something about it basically being a glass box, but followed Tomoe out of the room. When they were alone, Kenshin leaned closer.

"Is it the machine Genzai-sensei brought?"

Dark brows arched together, and she chewed her bottom lip fitfully.

"Do you remember what Megumi-san said? It will only be able to manifest strong memories, and only those memories you focus on. You choose what we see, alright? You're in control."

Slowly, her bottom lip was released, and she took a deep breath.

"If nothing else, our promise still stands." Bringing his other hand to his chest, he balled his fingers but kept the littlest one extended. "All I need to see is this, and we'll leave and not come back. Alright?"

His pinky finger wiggled, and an airy giggle-snort escaped her. Smiling warmly, he rubbed her knuckles comfortingly.

"I'll be right outside. Right on the other side of the glass. I won't let anything happen. I promise."

A thick swallow visibly moved her throat, and she nodded quickly as if she would hold him to his word. Despite placating her, it still felt wrong to leave her in that room alone.

"Is she nervous?"

Enishi was standing in the other room staring through the glass as Megumi and Genzai began preparations to remove the seal. Kenshin nodded his head, but didn't elaborate further. Already seated, Sōzō offered his input in a dry, cracked voice.

"Anyone would be nervous in her position. If this goes as planned, she'll have memories from two separate lives."

"What if…?" Tomoe's voice was obviously upset, and she cut herself off before finishing. Next to her at the monitors, the daitengu glanced over, and then looked down at his keyboard.

"No matter what… she's not alone." His soft voice pulled her dark eyes on him, and her smile was grateful.

Once the operation began, time seemed to drag on. Layered symbols of white and silver ringed the interior of the observation room as Megumi and Genzai chanted. Piece by piece, those symbols disintegrated into the air. Diligently, Tomoe monitored Kaoru's vital signs, and made minor adjustments as needed. As time passed, Enishi paced to keep his legs from cramping, and Kenshin tried to distract himself with plans to spoil her when it was all over.

"Himura-san, I've been meaning to ask you something."

Kenshin blinked at Sōzō's serious expression, and a lump of unease dropped into his stomach. Force of habit kept Sōzō's back straight, and with his arms crossed he looked stern.

"I've been assisting Enishi with Iizuka, but there's a wound on his face we haven't been able to identify a source for."

Violet eyes glanced at him.

"Oh?"

"Megumi-sensei thought it might have been caused by the blade of a sword. The shape of the wound is certainly interesting. She tried to verify it by watching the video footage, but the lens was apparently overexposed and nothing about the encounter was filmed after your arrival in the lab."

Kenshin forced himself to smile harmlessly.

"Oh?" He repeated. "Sorry about that. I was quite… angry."

Sōzō laughed. "I'm surprised there was anything left of him, to be honest."

The unease tightened in his gut, and Kenshin looked down at his clasped hands.

"I'm not the same foolish child anymore. I did… learn my lesson, Sagara-san."

Sōzō sighed. "Do you think I still blame you for Sano's death?"

"Whether you blame me or not, it doesn't change the fact that I'm responsible."

"You told us to stay away from you, but that idiot ran straight at you anyway."

Kenshin could still see that moment clearly, and hear Sano's voice yelling at him. Something about stopping the overflow. At the time, Kenshin had been too young and inexperienced to control his own power, and the tear in his core had only destabilized him.

"He did it to himself." The gruff accusation did nothing to lessen Kenshin's guilt, but only twisted the knife deeper. "Forget about him." Despite the force in Sōzō's words, there was anger as well. "When did you start using a sword?"

Kenshin's mouth opened at the abrupt change in subject, but a frown closed it back. For several long seconds, Kenshin contemplated what Sōzō was actually trying to get out of him and what the best way to respond would be. Deciding upon simple denial, Kenshin looked away.

"When have I ever used a sword?"

Sōzō's one good eye of dry dirt stared at him, and his face frowned with uncertain disbelief. Surely Megumi's claims could not be real.

It took three hours to remove the seal. As the final symbols of power dispelled within the observation room, Kenshin stood. Megumi and Genzai both exited the room with haste, and the door was firmly shut behind them. Still sedated and unmoving on the bed, there was nothing physically different about Kaoru for the naked eye to see.

"Vitals?"

Megumi's voice barked, and Tomoe answered immediately.

"Stable."

"Good. Bring up the main monitor."

"Yes, Ma'am." Akira answered, and his fingers flew across the keyboard. The large pieces of equipment stuffed into the main room hummed into life, and Megumi crossed her arms to take a stance before the largest monitor high on the wall.

"Suck it in, Ken-sama. You, crank up the A/C. It's about to get hot in here." Enishi spared her a frown, but did as he was told.

"Do you need some water, Megumi-sensei?" The water bottle was snatched from Tomoe's hands and downed before Sōzō's power could evaporate it. Genzai took a few sips from another bottle, before settling into the station next to Akira.

"How's Kaoru?"

The monitor began to crackle, and Megumi waved a hand at Kenshin.

"The seal came off perfectly. Now be quiet. This isn't a movie. We can't miss anything."

Kenshin sat back into his chair and frowned, but swallowed his concerns. A few feet in front of him, Tomoe turned in her seat and whispered back at him.

"She won't be under sedation much longer."

A nod accepted her explanation.

"Is there sound?" The vixen's voice was growing impatient.

"The system is operating at optimum levels. Once her memories settle and she's able to focus, there should be sound." Genzai's soothing voice fought against the tension in Megumi's.

Flashes of light and color began to form on the screen, but nothing substantial or definite could be identified. One of Megumi's feet began to tap.

"Come on. You can do it. Focus." The word was soft but forceful, and Megumi's clawed hand fisted at her opposite elbow.

Finally, the flickering memories settled on an image. It was motionless and unimpressive, but clear enough to discern a child's playground.

"Sound?"

"Be patient."

Then the image changed, and it was clearer. This time, there was movement, as well, and the screen appeared to bounce and rush into what was clearly a kitchen.

"Ta-da!"

The abrupt sound was shocking, and the laughing voice was feminine. In the kitchen, a woman was cooking, and she turned her face toward the screen to smile. Something about her features echoed Kaoru's.

"Look at you!" Giggling laughter accompanied one of her hands disappearing past the edge of the screen. "So grown up!" The woman's face leaned close, and there was a smacking sound. "Go show your father. I'm sure he'll have a heart-attack."

Laughter followed as the screen bounced some more towards a low dining table. A man sat watching the news, but looked up upon their entrance. His features were more worn, but he smiled up at the screen with clear emotion in his eyes.

"What do you think?" The screen did a twirl, and when they were facing the man again, he was mock frowning.

"I think you should never do that again. You showed everyone your underwear."

"Well don't look!" Kaoru's voice was upset and exasperated.

"We're buying safety shorts."

"Dad!"

Finally, the man laughed, but there was a touch of sadness to it.

"High school already. When did I give my sweet pea permission to grow up?"

The memory faded on the image of the man's face. Briefly, the picture reappeared on the child playground, but was fuzzy and out of focus.

The next image came quickly, and they were much closer to the ground this time. Rows of school desks lined a room, and dozens of small children filled the seats behind each one. An adult at the front of the room was smiling at the screen, and a hand waved to encourage her to stand.

"Can you introduce yourself to the class?"

A jerk, and the screen was a touch higher. All eyes stared at them, and it was slightly intimidating.

"M… my…" Hesitant and shy, the little voice barely broke through the speakers. Chitters and giggles ran the course of the room, and the teacher hushed them patiently. A huff, so reminiscent of the kind Kaoru gave him, was forced into the air, and then the little voice practically shouted.

"My name's Kamiya Kaoru! I love singing and Kamiya Kasshin-ryu!"

Full blown laughter erupted from the other children, and even the teacher smiled.

"Your father runs the Kamiya dojo, right Kaoru-chan?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"Do we have any other students in the class?"

Several hands shot into the air, and a small hand that was much closer appeared before the screen to wave at them happily.

Again, the child playground flashed over the screen, but was battled out by a brief memory of a fun get-together.

"Hey, Kaoru! Wanna go to karaoke today!" A teenage girl came running toward the screen, down what looked like a school hallway. Long braided hair swung about her short stature, and her pixy features look slightly ethereal.

"Sure! I've got the drinks!"

"Deal!"

The child playground took over and was clearer, though the sky was dark. Megumi tapped her fingers on her arm.

"What happened at that playground? She keeps going back to it like she's looking for something."

Multiple memories continued to fade in and out of focus. Periodically, Kaoru would linger on memories of passing that same playground. From the different distances that the screen was from the ground, it was easy to tell that she had passed by that playground often since a young age. After many chances to study it, one piece of equipment seemed to be her main focus: a large slide extending from a frog's mouth.

Darkness abruptly covered the screen, and then muffled yelling could be heard. Soft sniffles, like a child under a blanket, spoke of crying. When the image reappeared, the screen peeked at a cracked door where light flooded in. Upon approaching the door, the man and woman, who were obviously Kaoru's parents, could be seen arguing. They stopped immediately when they noticed her, but continued to look distressed. Her father's face jerked away from her, and her mother wiped her eyes to offer a smile. When the man turned back around, he bent into a squat and extended his arms with a soft expression.

"Hey, sweet pea. Come here."

Soft patters and the screen drew closer until the image was over the man's shoulder.

"What's going on, Daddy?"

A lift and they were further away from the floor.

"Just some grown up stuff." Shifting focused the image directly up at the man's face. Kaoru's mother came closer and leaned in as well.

"Did we wake you, honey?"

"We're sorry, sweet pea. Everything's fine, okay?" Her father's head leaned into her mother's, and a tear dripped down the woman's face. "It's going to be fine." The emotion was cleared from his throat, and he smiled.

"How about some practice in the morning?"

"First thing?" Excitement filled Kaoru's child voice, and her father laughed.

"First thing."

"Question!" The voice broke through the memory, where it clearly didn't belong, and the shift was almost violent this time. Once more she was with the teenage girl, and they were eating ice cream inside of a store. Outside, through the large front window, it was raining buckets.

"Why do you always carry two umbrellas with you?"

"Oh… well… someone else might need one." Kaoru laughed, and the image tilted as if she had shrugged her shoulders. Directly in front of them, the glass cast translucent reflections of them.

"You know, usually someone only develops that kind of habit out of experience. Who did you run across that needed an umbrella badly enough that you carry two on you at all times?"

"It's a secret." The reflection of Kaoru grinned.

"Hey, don't wink at me! Who was it?!"

"Not telling!"

Tomoe glanced back at him, and Kenshin caught her gaze.

"Her eyes."

A nod briefly dipped his chin, and he finished her observation.

"They're brown."

Megumi grinned. "Interesting."

Laughter from the speakers faded to screams and angry shouts.

"Get her!"

The young voice belonged to a boy, and Kenshin frowned as the image they were watching on the screen clearly visualized Kaoru sprinting down a side road. A trip, and the concrete came up fast. Heavy breathing spoke of extended exertion, and a sniffle spoke of pain.

"Don't let her get away!"

A glance back behind her showed four boys, around the ages of ten or eleven, pointing and throwing rocks. One rock struck her while she was attempting to gain her feet, and she stumbled but kept running.

"Come back, stupid Kamiya! Your dad's a murderer! Which means you're a murderer!"

"He is not!" The desperate denial broke into a scream, but she didn't slow down.

"Is so! My dad said he was!"

"Your family scammed mine out of money, too!"

"Yeah! Pay us back, murderer!" Rocks flew past the image, striking the cement and nearby fences.

"That's a lie! Dad trained you!"

"The style of a murderer! Why do you think we quit?!"

Kaoru's wayward sprint weaved them in and out of buildings and down small cramped walking paths. The boys were lagging behind, but it was the rain that eventually saved her. It came down in sheets and puddled quickly on the ground. Up ahead, an opening in the barrier to her left was taken without hesitation, and she ran headfirst into the child's playground.

Kaoru beelined straight for the frog slide, but did not climb the curved walkway up to the top where there was a half roof inside the frog's open mouth. Instead, she dove towards its base. Behind one of its legs was an opening, giving access to the full interior of the frog structure. There were two entrances, but Kaoru crouched just inside and waited to see if her pursuers would follow.

"Where'd she go?!"

"Who cares! I'm getting soaked!"

"Yeah, I'm going home. Mom'll be pissed if I track water in the house."

"Dammit! We'll get you tomorrow, Kamiya!"

For several long seconds, there was only breathing as Kaoru waited to be certain they had left. Then a long rush of air eased from her lungs, and she turned towards the interior. Inside the shadowed darkness, as the rain beat itself upon the outside, two eyes of glowing red peered back at her. Kaoru gasped, but didn't run.

"W-who… are you?"

"Oh dear. This is a pickle, isn't it?" The voice was kind and slightly… goofy.

Kenshin stood so fast his chair flipped over, and everyone shot him a look.

On the screen, a small ball of flame lit up the interior of the structure, and revealed a man with hair as red as fire and eyes of vermillion to match.

"Did you forget your umbrella, too, Miss?"

A lump formed at the base of Kenshin's throat, and his brows slammed together.

"Dad?"

X

A/N: This chapter got to be soooo long! It was starting to get to me, lol. I'm not sure if this was what a lot of you were expecting out of this chapter, but I've had this in mind for a long time. I'm not really certain how relevant some of Kaoru's background for this story is, either, but I couldn't leave it out. Struggle is life, and it defines who we are, whether you like it or not. There's plenty more for the next chapter, as well as something else that was very original to this story. Like when I first dreamed it up forever ago, lol. This is about one of the main aspects that never changed, and I'm both excited and scared. I want to write it well so that it will read well. I did feel a little weird about Kenshin, and everyone else, hearing Kaoru's voice through a monitor for the first time, but everything sounds different when projected by technology. It also feels less personal, so there's that. Anyway, things are finally starting to pick back up, but don't worry, I'm still committed to focusing on the love! Oh, and a couple people asked about Aoshi and Misao… we'll see. *wink*