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Flight of the Wounded Dove	By : ShaeyaSedjet Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 3102 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
- 3
Disclaimer:
Hmm…I still don’t own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its
characters.

A
Note From Sedjet: Wow! Before I screwed up and
deleted the first chapter of “Flight,” I had 15 reviews!
15 reviews in two days!!! Thank you so, so much
to those of you who reviewed. I am sorry that I cannot answer
each of your reviews, because I am a total moron. However, the
first reviewer left such a sweet and wonderful review. I
was pleased to have it as my first review. On the whole, they
were very positive and supportive. Thank you all so much!
So without further ado…

Flight
of the Wounded Dove:

Chapter
Two:

Going
Away

It
was the morning after Kaoru’s breakdown, and Kenshin was
fishing for the evening meal. He had yet to catch anything when
he heard soft footsteps approaching and caught the familiar scent of
Jasmine on the breeze. He pasted on his Rurouni smile and
forced himself to turn around slowly, for he did not want to seem
like a neglected puppy waiting for a kind word or gesture from its
master. But inside, he was thrilled to see her up and about.

“Kaoru-dono!
Is there anything I can do for you this morning?” He
noted that her eyes had not yet lost their haunted look.

She
seemed to be collecting herself—preparing herself for
something, but she finally spoke, “I have a favor to ask of
you, Kenshin,” she murmured, not meeting his eyes.

Kenshin
noted the hollow quality of her voice, and his heart sank into his
stomach. “You may ask anything of me, Kaoru-dono.”

She
took a deep breath, “I would have you take over Yahiko’s
training for me.”

“Nani?!”

She
was startled at his exclamation looked up into his eyes, “I am
going away for a while and someone needs to teach him. If you
are unwilling, I will ask Sanosuke.” She turned around to
make her way up to the dojo.

“No!
I will take over his training!”

She
turned around, nodding to acknowledge his answer, “Thank you.”
And she turned back around to head up the slight incline.

“If
Sessha may ask, Kaoru-dono, why are you leaving?” Then,
quietly, “Is it because of yesterday?”

Kaoru
stopped with her back to him. She sighed audibly and her
shoulders slumped a little, “It is yesterday…and every
day before that.”

“Kaoru,
Sessha did not realize—“

“I
know you didn’t, Kenshin.” She turned her head
toward him, slightly. “I need to do a little
self-exploration. I need to re-evaluate some things.”

He
asked the question he was dreading, “How long will you be
gone?”

“I
am not sure.”

“Where
will you go?”

“I
am not sure of that, either.”

She
was making her way up the hill, and Kenshin felt the need to keep her
as long as possible, “Kaoru-dono!” She stopped and
turned slightly to him. “Let Sessha know when you get to
where you are going…”

“Hai.”
She continued her trek back up the gently rolling hill.

“Kaoru!”
Kenshin ran after her.

She
turned toward him again, a bit impatiently, “Nani?”

“Sessha
will not be there to protect you, he murmured, stroking her cheek.
“Please be careful.” He clutched her to him in a
tight embrace.

“I
think I can take care of myself, Kenshin. I was doing fine
before you came along. Why would I not be fine now?”
But she was not sure. Since yesterday, Kenshin had been
extremely careful, kind and attentive. And when she said that,
he seemed crestfallen.

“I
was just reminding you.” He let her go.

She
turned to go and stopped, “Kenshin?”

“Nani?”

She
turned her head to the side, “Arigatou.” With that,
she took off at a run up the hill.

Kenshin
watched her go, his heart sinking. Nothing was going to be the
same without her.

-------------------------

“Where
are we going, Tae?” Kaoru asked when they were seated on
the train.

“I
am taking you to Yokohama. I am going to help you pick out some
new kimonos and teach you how to wear make up…” As
an afterthought, she added, “And I will teach you how to carry
yourself as a lady and not a Bokudo warrior.”

“I
think I am going to regret this,” Kaoru muttered wryly.

“You
will thank me for it, Kaoru” The older woman paused a
moment. “I will teach you how to cook as well.”
Tae knew that learning to cook would mean a great deal to
Kaoru.

“Arigatou,
Tae-chan.” Kaoru sniffled.

“Do
not go getting emotional on me, Kaoru. You have had a rough
couple of days. This is time for you to relax and let your
worries drift away. Besides, friends do these kinds of things
for each other, ne?” She winked at the young woman and
Kaoru smiled back at her.

It
was the first real smile Kaoru had had in days. It seemed that
lately, everything with Kenshin was a façade. She knew
he knew how she felt about him. She also knew that he had
feelings for her. The way he acted when she told him she was
going away was proof of it. But he thought that hiding his
feelings would somehow protect her. He would hide his feelings
from her forever if it meant he could protect her.

But
that wasn’t the kind of protection she needed. She needed
to know that she could go to him when her nightmares kept her awake
in the dark. She needed to know he would be there to comfort
her when she was having a bad day.

How
could two people who love each other so much be so unhappy around
each other? Love wasn’t supposed to be like this!
It wasn’t supposed to be painful. The masks and the
pleasantries were killing her. And they were doing nothing for
her self-esteem.

Tae
watched the play of emotions across Kaoru’s delicate face
before the girl went into some kind of brooding trance. :I
could just beat the both of them silly. I think I will start
with Kenshin. Anyone can see that he is mad about the girl, but
he insists on denying his feelings. Two grown adults acting
like three year-olds! This is doing both of them absolutely no
good…:

“A
penny for your thoughts, dear?” Tae murmured to the spacey
girl.

“My
thoughts aren’t worth that, Tae-chan.” The girl sighed
heavily. “Just the musings of a silly little girl.”

Tae
turned to her in her seat, taking Kaoru’s face in her hands,
“Not so silly, and not so little, Kaoru.” She
kissed the young woman’s cheek. “You just need a
mother figure to show you the way of things.” She brushed
a stray lock of hair away from Kaoru’s face, “Being
raised the only child, and a daughter at that, of a widowed martial
artist could not have been easy, my dear.” She considered
Kaoru with a slight smile. “But you have turned out to be
a very beautiful and compassionate young woman.”

Kaoru
raised her large sapphire eyes to Tae, and asked petulantly, “But
what use is it if you cannot successfully complete a task as simply
as cooking rice?!”

“Cooking
is not the only worth while virtue in a woman. You are a
strong, brave young woman. Most young women your age could not
have survived on their own as you have. That in itself is a
virtue any man should desire in a woman.” She tucked the
girl under her arm, hugging her close, “You will see. He
will come around. He has to. Even our Kenshin cannot deny
true love when it bites him in the rear.” When Kaoru
turned startled, jewel-like eyes on her, Tae chuckled. “Do
you think I cannot tell what you are thinking?! There is only
one thing that gives a girl such a wistful look.” She
winked at the young girl. “Hope is not lost, my dear.”

“Arigatou,”
Kaoru whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“Now,
that’s enough of that! There will be no more of that on
this vacation! However, there will be lots of delicious
deserts! And new kimonos! And pretty ribbons!”

Kaoru
smiled brightly at the woman who had stepped in as her surrogate
mother. Tae was a kind woman. Kaoru could think of no one
else who would leave her restaurant in the hands of her apprentice
while she took time off to play mommy to a depressed orphan.

To
be continued…

See!
I told you. It’s not so dark anymore. Kaoru is
rebuilding her self-esteem. Kenshin is getting a clue, and he
is learning a valuable lesson…that he should not take love for
granted.
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Flight of the Wounded Dove