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Kabuki	By : slj812000 Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 6520 -:- 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
- 1-1
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-Chapter 4
- 5-5
- 4
- 5
A/N: Ah, the ability to
update is SOOOO exciting!

Disclaimer: See previous
chapter.

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Chapter 5

The young boy before Kaoru made
it painfully clear that he wasn�t taking her seriously as a competitor.� He swung his sword from side experimentally
as she gathered her own sword and moved into a fighting stance. He shot a quick
look at her before turning his back to her and crossing his arms at Kenshin.

�I really don�t think this is
a fair fight,� the boy told Kenshin.

�I promise that Miss Kaoru
will go easy on you,� Kenshin reassured him.

�Like hell I will,� Kaoru
muttered, her patience wearing thin.

�That�s not what I mean,� the
boy said, shaking his head. �I think I�ll have an unfair advantage over her.�

�Say what?!?� Kaoru roared.

�How so?� Kenshin inquired,
somewhat amused.

�Well, she�s a girl��

Whatever threads of patience that
Kaoru had been grasping to was lost in that comment and she charged the
surprised boy shouting obscenities at the top of her lungs.� Though initially caught off guard, the boy
had the good sense to run away as Kaoru chased after him.� He started taunting her back as she chased
him, though, which only fueled Kaoru�s rage.

�You sneaky, snot-nosed,
thieving little punk!� she screamed, making wide swoops with her sword. �Stand
still and I�ll show you just how to use that sword!�

�Hell no, Buso!�
he called as he circled the small room. �I ain�t that stupid!�

Infuriated and tired of the
run around, Kaoru swung her scabbard out and caught the back of the boy�s
knees, sending him sliding across the floor.�
She was standing over him as he rolled over, freezing in place when he
felt the brush of her sword against his cheek.�
He looked at the sword, then back to her.

�Hey lady, you can have the
sword back, okay?� the boy told her quickly, dropping the short sword and
raising his hands to hover in front of him. �Just don�t kill me.�

�Who
said anything about killing you?� Kaoru asked, her voice overly sweet and
innocent as an evil smile overtook her features. �Do you know what the police
do to little thieves like you?�

�I�m not a thief!� the boy
yelled back. �I gave back the sword!�

�First they strip your
clothes from you and bind your wrists together,� Kaoru began, ignoring him.
�Then they drag you behind a horse as they ride down the streets yelling to
everyone to come look at the lowly thief. After
they�ve dragged you to the police station they take a hot poker and brand the
back of your hand as a thief.� And when
they�re done with that, they let you rot in a cell for a week without food or
water.�

�Shut up!� the boy yelled,
covering his ears.� Kaoru stepped back,
sheathing her sword as Kenshin walked up behind her.

�The police don�t do those
things,� he whispered to her. �They do put you in a cell, but you get fed once
a day.�

�I know that,� she whispered
back. Then an evil grin crossed her face as she nodded to the boy. �He
doesn�t.�

�I�m not going to do any of
that!� the boy continued yelling, climbing to his feet. �I just wanted to be a
samurai, and I can�t without a sword.�

�And just who do you think is
going to teach some thieving little punk like you who doesn�t even hold a sword
right?� Kaoru inquired in a harsh tone.�
The boy had enough sense to realize that it was a rhetorical question
and looked away.

�Well if you�re so good then
why don�t you teach me?� the boy hollered back, then
crossed his arms over his chest. �Or are you all talk too?�

Now that he had questioned
her skill, Kaoru wasn�t about to back down.�
�All talk?!? I am the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin,
second only to my father.� And you doubt
my skill?�

�Kamiya Kasshin?�
the boy repeated. �Never heard of it.�

�Not many have,� Kenshin
interjected before Kaoru had a chance to throttle the boy. �It is the sword
that protects life.� It is a very
honorable fighting style to use.�

�Yeah, how so?� asked the
boy.

�Well, any other
swordsmanship style teaches how to defend oneself in a sword fight, as does the
Kamiya Kasshin,� Kenshin explained. �But where as
other swordsmanship styles only go on to show the offensive moves needed to kill
an opponent, the Kasshin style teaches how to defend
those around you as well as yourself.�
And most importantly, how to win a battle without the loss of life.�

Kaoru stared at him
wide-eyed. �How did you know all that?�

�I had heard stories of the style
while I traveled over the years,� Kenshin revealed. �Your father is a most
famous man.�

�Well if it�s so good, then
why isn�t there a big school where he teaches it?� the boy asked, this time
with no animosity in his tone, only curiosity.

�Because a man who fights for
the weak and oppressed is not something that the government tolerates very
well,� Kaoru hissed. �They took our home and land away from us when I was very
young because he wouldn�t back down in his allegations of corruption in the new
government.�

�So before you stands the
only student left of that dojo,� Kenshin explained. �The others were forced to
abandon the style when the Meiji government decided that Kamiya Koshijiro should be declared an enemy of Japan.�

�So, where is he now?� the
boy inquired.

�We are on our way to see
him,� Kenshin told him. �In Kyoto.�

�I want to go with you,� the
boy demanded.

�Why?� Kaoru shot back. �If
there was nothing for you in the last town, there will be nothing for you in Kyoto.�

�I am going to ask Koshijiro-sama to become his student,� the boy declared.

Both Kaoru and Kenshin stood
there stunned for a moment. Kaoru was the first to get her voice back.

�What is your name, kid?� she
asked.

�I am Myojin
Yahiko,� he informed them. �And don�t call me kid!�

�What makes you think that my
father would even consider teaching you?� Kaoru questioned. �You know nothing
about swordsmanship.� You would be a
waste of his time.�

�Then you teach me,� he
proposed, a slight desperation in his voice. �You said you�re an assistant
master.� You can teach me the basics.�

�Why should I?� Kaoru asked
mockingly, but genuinely curious of the answer.�
But it seemed that she had stumped him.

�I don�t know,� Yahiko
answered quietly after a few moments.

�You don�t know,� she
repeated in disbelief. �All this hype and energy and now you don�t know.�

�I want to be a great
swordsman!� he yelled in frustration. �I want to learn to be the best! If the
Kamiya school is the best, I want to be a student of it.� And if you�re not going to teach me, then I�m
just going to follow you around and copy you until I learn how!�

Kaoru stared at him for a few
moments, deep in contemplation. �You�re going to have to listen to what I say.�

�I know,� he hissed.

�I promise you, this is not
going to be easy,� she told him, looking him dead in the eyes. �If you tell me
once that you quit, or you don�t want to do it, then it�s over.�

�Fine,� Yahiko accepted.
�When do we start?�

�Pick up the sword,� Kaoru instructed.
�You�re going to learn to hold it properly before we do anything else.�

�Come on,� Yahiko griped.
�How hard is it to hold a sword?�

As soon as he stood with
sword in hand, Kaoru swiped at the blade lazily.� The sword in his hand went flying and skidded
across the floor.

�Apparently pretty hard,�
Kaoru answered, nodding for him to retrieve it. �This is going to be a long
night.�

**

Lieutenant Fujita snuffed out
a cigarette as he signed his name to the bottom of the pile of reports he�d
been finishing.� It mostly concerned the
investigation of the robbers that had been pillaging the roads between Edo
and Kyoto.� His reports
detailed the apprehension, conviction, and sentencing of the thieves, but most
importantly, the details of the search of the surrounding area.

The initial interrogation
with the prisoners had gone nowhere since neither wanted to admit that they had
been robbing travelers. It didn�t matter that they didn�t admit to it, the
evidence spoke for itself. But both men had a clear recollection of who had
attacked them: a red-haired samurai.

Fujita knew immediately who
the prisoners spoke of, even if they didn�t.�
The sword style and scar were undeniable.� The Hitokiri Battosai
was back from the dead.� Fujita could
finally finish what had been interrupted almost fifteen years ago.� The thought alone made his blood begin to
rush.

It seemed that finding him
would not be hard either.� The second
interrogation of the prisoners, one that was not included in the report,
resulted in a rather interesting piece of information.� It seemed the Battosai
was not traveling alone.� A young woman,
fitting the description of one of the wanted Kabuki, accompanied him on his
journey.

Fujita found this hard to
believe at first, then began to understand the Battosai�s
train of thought.� If he traveled alone,
he was more conspicuous. But with a woman, no one would give them a second
thought.� The only remaining piece of the
puzzle was where the Battosai was headed.�

The answer to this literally
fell into his lap when he examined the evidence collected at the shacks that
had been searched.� He had been examining
the remnants of what seemed to be a care package when a small piece of paper
fell from remains and landed on his knee.�
A badly drawn map pointed him to Kyoto.

So, Lieutenant Fujita signed
his name to the last piece of paper and set it on the top of the pile.� It would be in the hands of his so-called
boss the next day, and Fujita would be on his way to Kyoto as well, under the pretense of aiding the
investigation into the vigilante, Makoto Shishio.

**

Kaoru rolled her eyes as
Yahiko asked for the third time less than an hour if they were there yet.� She was awed at Kenshin�s patience at the
incessant pestering.� More than once she
had wanted to reach back and throttle the boy.�
Still, she was somewhat amazed that he had the energy to do anything at
this point.

Yahiko had doubted her when
she told him to a thousand Shirahadori, but when she began
counting them off for him, it seemed he got the picture.� Given that it was his first �session,� she
decided to be lenient with him and let him stop at three hundred.� She could tell that his arms were killing
him, and given how late it had become, that he was tired.

It seemed that he wanted to
argue with her though, when she told him to stop.� He seemed to be struggling with himself to
not stop, to prove he could do it.� But
weariness won out in the end and Kaoru seriously doubted that he remembered the
steps between leaning his sword against the wall and his futon.

It had been no easy task
waking the young boy either.� Kaoru
finally resorted to dripping water on his forehead until he woke up.� He�d had a few choice words for her, to which
she responded by handing him his sword and telling him he still had seven
hundred Shirahadori to finish.

Kaoru let out a small giggle
at the memory of Yahiko trying to lift the sword above his head.� He clearly hadn�t imagined he would be that
sore the next day. �Kaoru also noticed in
amusement that despite his complaining, Yahiko had yet to cross his arms in
annoyance.

�What�s so funny, Buso?� he inquired.�

�The thought of you trying to
do a thousand Shirahadori,� Kaoru replied. He gave
her a look of disbelief.

�You said this morning that I
only had to do seven hundred,� he argued, half whining.

�I said you owed me seven
hundred,� she clarified. �Today�s lesson includes another thousand.�

Yahiko�s jaw dropped as he
contemplated a comeback.� Apparently he
had none, as the trip became silent for the first time that day.� A few minutes later, Kaoru felt a rush of air
against her back.� She looked behind her
to see Yahiko painstakingly raise his sword above his head, and then bring it
down as he stepped.

�What?� he asked as he
noticed her staring. �I�m getting a head start.�

Kaoru half smiled at the
boy�s determination then returned her attention to the path that Kenshin was
forging ahead of them.� She constantly
wondered how he knew where he was going, since he seemed to be leading them
into the middle of nowhere.�� Then there
was the heat.

At the start of the morning
it had been warm and muggy mostly, but as the day wore on, the heat had
steadily increased.� Kaoru finally told
Yahiko to stop before he gave himself heatstroke.� Kenshin had promised at the start of the day
that they would reach Kyoto by dinner, but if the heat didn�t let up, Kaoru was
going to insist on a break until the heat began to wane.

Kenshin seemed to be aware of
the growing discomfort of his two charges and not long after declared a
break.� They sat in silence in the shade
munching on fruit that they�d purchased before heading out of town, waiting for
the hottest part of the day to pass.�
More than an hour drifted by before they realized that the heat would
not be letting up this day.

Kenshin coaxed them on their
way again, reminding them that the longer they waited was how much farther off
the end of their journey was.� The
remainder of the journey was filled with silence, aside from the occasional
words of encouragement from Kenshin.�
Yahiko had fallen a ways behind by the time they reached the border of
town, looking down from the hills.

�I told you we�d be here by dinner,�
Kenshin smiled, waiting for the boy to catch up. �Now we just need to find the
Shirobeko.�

�More walking?� Yahiko whined
as he fell into ranks with them.

�Walking is good for you,�
Kaoru told him, though very much weary herself.

�Not this much,� Yahiko
grumbled, dragging his feet along the ground.

�I disagree. It keeps you
breathless and unable to complain quite as much,� Kaoru chuckled. He shot her a
sour look and a impolite gesture, but said nothing
more.� While the two had been conversing,
Kenshin had been getting directions from a local vendor on where to find the
Shirobeko.�

�It is not far down this
road,� he informed them, gesturing for them to continue.�

Kaoru found herself very
distracted as they walked down one of the busiest streets in Kyoto.� Even so late
in the day, it was a flurry with vendors and customers walking back and forth,
all talking loudly over one another.� She
near panicked when she looked behind her and didn�t see Yahiko there, then
again when she turned to find Kenshin, who had also disappeared into the mob of
people.�

Alone in an unfamiliar city,
a sense of d�j� vu overcame her over her experience in Tokyo.� She promised
herself that she would not panic, though, and looked around.� All she could see in regards to people were
the backs of their heads, and due to her shortness, not much else.� She looked up at the buildings for some kind
of sign that may point her in the right direction. She did not find a sign, but
a sight more familiar.

She had always known that Tae
and Sae were cousins, and that their fathers were brothers, each owning their
own restaurants: the Akabeko and the Shirobeko.�
But what she hadn�t known was that the two buildings were exactly alike
in design, which she learned when she saw the building at the end of the
street.

Proud of herself for not
panicking and actually managing to get herself out of the situation without
help, she made her way to the building, not letting herself get distracted this
time.� Much to her pleasure, Kenshin and
Yahiko were waiting at the door for her.

�Where ya been, Buso?� Yahiko asked, shirking away when she aimed to slug
him.

�Let�s go in,� Kenshin
suggested.� They followed him in, one of
the waitresses leading them to their own place to sit.� As they placed their orders for tea, Kaoru
glanced around the restaurant looking for Sae�s
father.� Like all the other relatives of
the group, he was given a simple name off affection.

�Uncle!� Kaoru called out,
half running to the tired-looking, yet equally thrilled man.�

�Kaoru, what a wonderful
surprise,� Uncle replied, hugging the young girl.� �We didn�t expect to see you so soon.�

�Is everything alright?�
Kaoru asked, giving him a once-over. Uncle usually
looked a little stressed, but not quite as much as he appeared at that moment.

�It�s just been very busy
here the last few days,� Uncle told her, walking with her back to their table.
�Not to mention, we�ve been worried about you.�

�As you can see, there was nothing
to worry about,� Kaoru stated, an arrogant air in the statement.

�If I were a betting man, I�d
venture that your two companions here were the ones that got you here safely,�
Uncle suggested, indicating to Kenshin and Yahiko. �Not the other way around.�

�How I got here, Uncle, is
not the important part,� Kaoru interjected, trying to change the subject. �I am
here, but is my Father still here?�

�He is,� Uncle confirmed,
earning surprised look from Kaoru. �I can take you to him.�

�Now?� Kenshin asked, having
just put in his order for dinner.

�I can go by myself,� Kaoru
reassured him. �You and Yahiko can stay here and eat. I�ll be back soon.�

�Alright,� Kenshin agreed,
somewhat reluctantly.� With it settled,
Kaoru followed Uncle to the back of the restaurant, through the kitchens, and
out the back door.� She surmised that her
father obviously was not at the Shirobeko, but not far enough away that it
would take the two a long time to reach him.

Still, Kaoru walked quickly
to keep up with Uncle.� When he had
pulled her aside and told her that her father was still in town, she wasn�t
sure if she was happy or unhappy with that piece of news.� Sure, the trip to Kyoto was for the sole purpose of reuniting with her
father, but it also meant the end of her journey with Kenshin.� And then she�d have to explain the situation
regarding Yahiko.

Uncle stopped in front of a
gate that had tall walls on either side of it, but they were not tall enough to
prevent anyone from seeing the huge building behind it.� Uncle exchanged a few words with the man at
the gate, who then left to return to the house.�
Uncle turned to Kaoru and gave her the once over.

�You are ready to leave,
right?� he inquired.

�Huh?� Kaoru was confused by
this. �What do you mean, leave?�

�Your father is finishing up
in a meeting with Makoto-sama, and immediately after he will be leaving Kyoto,� Uncle revealed.�
�You didn�t look like you had anything to bring with you, so you can go
with your father when he is ready to leave.�

�But, my friends,� Kaoru
began, but was cut off by the gate opening.�
Through it walked her father, and from what she�d heard from others over
the years, someone who must have been Makoto Shishio. Behind them walked what
were probably two body guards, but looked more along the lines of street
thugs.�

�Well, what have we here?�
Shishio asked, looking her over.� Kaoru,
despite that she had been warned of his appearance, was taken aback at the man
whom her father was closely associated.�
Bindings covered almost his entire body that was not covered by his
simple blue kimono.� Patches of
straw-like hair stuck out of the wrappings on his head and he wore black
gloves, but the rest was all bandages.

�This, Makoto, is my daughter
Kaoru,� Koshijiro announced. Kaoru kick-started herself
again and bowed respectfully.� �She
finally made it to Kyoto.�

�It is a shame you didn�t
arrive earlier,� Shishio told her as he took her hand. He seemed oblivious to
her staring and placed a kiss on her hand.�
Kaoru had to do everything in her power not to shudder in disgust at the
touch of his dry lips to her hand.� It
felt like burnt paper brushing against her skin. �I think I would have enjoyed
your company.�

�Perhaps next time,� Koshijiro interjected, sensing Kaoru�s displeasure. �We do
have to leave though.� The police of Kyoto are as dense as ever, but as I told you earlier,
someone has been leaking information to them. It would be best for both of us
if I was on my way as quickly as possible.�

�Of course,� Shishio agreed,
finally letting go of Kaoru�s hand. �Chou, Zanza, please escort Koshijiro back to the Shirobeko and see that his party gets
out of Kyoto without problems.�

�Sure thing boss,� said one
of the body guards.� This one had blond
hair that stood tall above his head, seeming to defy gravity. The one next to
him simply shrugged, his hair also stood up against gravity, but more
sporadically and not quite as long.�
While the first carried a number of swords on his back, the second had
none that could be seen at a glance.

They began the walk slightly
ahead of them, Uncle being pulled along with them as they inquired about a free
dinner once they reached the Shirobeko.�
Makoto and her father said their goodbyes, and Kaoru and her father were
also on their way. After a few minutes of walking in the peaceful dusk light,
her father spoke up.

�How was your trip?� he
asked, placing an arm around her shoulders.

Kaoru thought about all of
the things that had happened to her in the last three days. �Lively.�

�Really,� he was his
reply.� He let a few minutes of silence
slip by before continuing. �Can I ask just what went through your head when you
took off by yourself in Tokyo
with the police hot on your tail?�

�Well,� Kaoru began, lowering
her head in embarrassment. �I was thinking that the police were everywhere, and
that if we all tried to get away together, we would have been caught too
easily. So��

�So you tried to sacrifice
yourself for the other girls,� her father finished for her. He sighed, shaking
his head. �What would you have done if you got caught?�

Kaoru�s face turned bright
red, deciding it better not to mention the fact that she did get caught and had
to be rescued by a stranger.

�I understand that your heart
was in the right place,� Koshijiro continued, �but do
not pull a stunt like that again, understand?�

Kaoru nodded, not wanting to
say anything else stupid. She had to tell him about Yahiko before they got to
the restaurant, but she knew that probably wasn�t going to go over very well
either.� She didn�t realize until that
moment how little hope she�d had of making it to Kyoto in time to see her father.� She took a deep breath and steeled herself
for a conversation that was going to make her seem like a fool again.

�Father, I have to tell you
something,� she started, mentally kicking herself at how she was already
starting out on the wrong foot.

�I can only imagine what,�
her father murmured.

�While I was on my way here,
I met a boy�� Kaoru began, but Koshijiro once again
didn�t let her finish.

�You can stop right there,�
he told her. �I knew you shouldn�t have traveled alone. I should have had Dr.
Gensai keep you in Tokyo, and I would have to if I�d thought that you�d find
some drifter while walking down the road that says all the right things to
you��

�Father!� It was Kaoru�s turn
to interrupt. �Don�t jump to conclusions!�

�Fine,� he relented, crossing
his arms. �You met a boy.�

�Yes, I met a boy who has
aspirations to be a samurai,� she repeated, watching his eye begin to twitch.
�Now don�t get that way.� He has no
fighting experience��

�And you told him I�d teach
him,� Koshijiro interrupted again.

�No, I told him I�d teach
him,� Kaoru revealed, then instantly regretted when she saw the look in his
eyes. �I can teach him the basics. And in time when he develops his skills, I
told him he could ask you to become your student.�

Koshijiro was silent for a long time, and Kaoru wondered if she
was in more trouble than she�d previously determined.� As the Shirobeko came into view, Kaoru
decided to make her last plea.

�He will be my
responsibility, Father,� she promised.

�And you are my
responsibility,� Koshijiro stated. �You are the cause
of all of my gray hair.�

�Father, if you aren�t going
to agree to this, then please, let�s not go in there,� Kaoru begged as they
reached the back door to the building. �He said that he would follow me, and
that will end up with either us or him getting hurt. I don�t want to see that.�

�Alright,� Koshijiro agreed. �You stay here with these two, and I�ll
let everyone know we�re leaving.�

Kaoru sighed, disappointed at
the way things were going.� She walked
over to the door and peeked in, looking for any sign of her traveling
companions.� They were both still sitting
at the table where she�d left them, both having finished their meals and
relaxing.� She felt terrible for ditching
them the way she was, but knew she didn�t really have a choice.

Quietly, her troupe began to
file out of the back entrance of the building, each happy to see Kaoru safely
back with them.� With everyone ready,
they began the trek to the city limits under the cover of darkness.� Kaoru was silent the entire trip through the
city, feeling the guilt build upon her.�

�Their meal is paid for and so
is their lodging for the night,� her father told her, suddenly appearing beside
her. �You needn�t worry about it anymore.�

�I know,� Kaoru murmured. �I
just��

�Why is it that you failed to
mention your second travel companion?� Koshijiro
questioned.

Kaoru knew she was in
trouble�again. �I suppose you won�t believe me if I tell you I just forgot?�

�Not likely,� Koshijiro concurred.

�I didn�t want you to start
to presume things when I told you,� Kaoru accused.

�I just worry about your
safety,� her father defended. �For a young lady to travel with some man she met
on the road��

�It wasn�t like that,� Kaoru
snapped.� �Can we please just drop this?�

�As you wish,� he answered.
�But this isn�t over.�

Kaoru sighed again, sad at
the thought that she suddenly wished she hadn�t made it to Kyoto in time.� But
what then?� What would she have done
then? Sure, her father had arranged for her to stay in Kyoto, but what of Yahiko?�
He was something that no one had counted on, so would he have been
forced away anyway?

And then there was
Kenshin.� He�d never mentioned why he was
traveling to Kyoto all of a sudden, but was an admitted wanderer.� It was possible that he would have left the
next day anyway. So why was she sad about leaving her behind when it was probable
he would have done the same?

Kaoru found herself falling
more and more behind her group.� She
realized that she didn�t want to leave Kyoto at all.� Even
though she knew her father would be furious, and she�d probably never live it
down, she kept falling back from the group until they rounded a corner without
her.� She was terrible with directions
and big cities, but she turned back the way she�d come, rounding a corner on
her way back to the Shirobeko.

Until she ran face first into
someone.� She fell to the ground cursing,
looking up in disdain at her road block.

�And just where are you
going?� one of the body guards asked. This was the one with the brown spiky
hair.

�Back to the Shirobeko,� she told
him, picking herself back up. �I forgot something.�

�You are the worst liar I�ve
ever met,� he mocked, squinting his eyes at her. �You
don�t want to go with them.�

�So?� she retaliated. �How is
it your concern?�

�It�s not, I guess,� he
admitted. �But I could go for some sukiyaki.�

�If I buy you some sukiyaki,
you won�t tell on me?� Kaoru hoped.

�I�ll even lead the way back
to the restaurant, since you obviously don�t know the way,� he teased, pointing
in the opposite direction. �The Shirobeko is that way.�

�So which one are you?� Kaoru
asked, making small talk. �Zanza or Chou?�

The young man made a snorting
sound. �They call me Zanza. It�s an insult to be associated with that idiot
Chou.�

�Sorry,� she meekly
apologized. �Why do they call you Zanza?�
I assume it�s not the name your parents gave you.�

�You sure are nosy, aren�t
you?� he teased and received a sour look. �My name is Sagara
Sanosuke.�

�I am�� Kaoru began, but
Sanosuke interrupted her.

�Kamiya Kaoru,� he finished
for her. �I know.�

�How did you�?� she asked,
trailing off.

�It�s my job to know,� he
explained. �I know the name and fighting skill of everyone that travels with Koshijro. Just in case something happens and I�m required
to deal with someone.�

�So you�re a mercenary,� Kaoru
surmised, flatly.

�Hey, I don�t judge you by
the way you earn your keep, Kabuki girl,� Sanosuke chided, watching as a small
blush crossed her cheeks. �Besides, I prefer �Professional Fighter� to
mercenary.�

�Alright, Zanza,� Kaoru
relented.

�Just call me Sanosuke,� he
corrected her. �It sounds weird when you say it.�

�Do you constantly have to
pick on me?� Kaoru asked, rhetorically.

�You�re such an easy target,�
Sanosuke taunted, earning a scowl.

By this time they had reached
the Shirobeko again. Outside the building stood a tall man in what Kaoru
guessed to be western wear.� For all that
she had seen of the style of clothing, she recognized the most outstanding
feature to be the long, pale yellow coat that hid nearly his entire body. His hair
was so light tat it appeared grayish and was not all that long, but still
managed to fall into his eyes.� Sanosuke
immediately stopped upon seeing the man.

�What are you doing here,
Zanza?� the stranger asked in a low voice.

�Dinner,� Sanosuke stated,
crossing his arms. �Is that a problem?�

�Actually it is,� the
stranger revealed, starting to walk towards them. Instinctively, Kaoru took a
step back. �You are supposed to be with Chou. Why aren�t you?�

�Chou can handle that
himself,� Sanosuke argued.

�Then you should return to
the stronghold,� the stranger instructed. Sanosuke didn�t move immediately, so
the stranger reached one hand inside his long coat. �Or do I need to take you
there myself?�

�I�m going,� Sanosuke
grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets and stalking away.� A chin nod was the only form of goodbye he
gave Kaoru, who was left alone to stand off against the seemingly dangerous man
before her.

�And you are supposed to be
on your way out of the city,� the stranger commented to her, stopping an arm�s
length from her.� �Why are you still
here?�

�What does it matter to you?�
Kaoru squeaked out, too intimidated to move.

�You have met Makoto
Shishio?� the man surmised. Kaoru nodded. �Then you should be honored. He is a very
important man, with many important things to do.� Important things like that don�t need any
loose ends. I am the person who takes care of the loose ends. By any means
necessary.�

�But I�m not all that
important,� Kaoru whimpered, finally finding her legs and moving around him
towards the restaurant again.

�But you are a loose end,�
the man maintained, and Kaoru heard his clothes shift as he moved to give
chase. Ahead of her, the doorway to the restaurant was blocked by a familiar
silhouette.

�Miss Kaoru?� Kenshin
questioned as she approached. �What�s going on?�

�Nothing,� Kaoru lied,
looking behind her to the stranger. He had stopped in the middle of the street
and was just staring. But not at her.�
She followed his gazed to Kenshin, who had taken on a dark look.� His arm came up and curled around her waist,
pulling her back into the restaurant.

�Then you should get out of
the night air,� he stated blandly, looking at the floor once in the
restaurant.� Kaoru could tell that his
demeanor had changed significantly in the few seconds that he had spent outside
in a staring match with the stranger.

�What took you so long, Buso?� Yahiko asked sleepily.

�I saw my father,� Kaoru told
him. �He�he told me to stay in Kyoto.�

�He did, did he?� Uncle
asked, coming up behind her.� She turned
around slowly to face him.

�He also said that I need to
earn my keep around here,� Kaoru continued, not looking him in the eyes.

�I�m sure he did,� Uncle
agreed sarcastically. �And I�m also sure he told you that you start tonight.�

Kaoru blinked, then
nodded.� She was hoping that she would
get dinner when she returned, not chores. But then again, she was getting what
she probably deserved. It wouldn�t take too long for her father to figure out what
she�d done, and when he did, there�d be hell to pay. So she might as well get
used to working now.

�We should help,� Kenshin
suggested, indicating to himself and Yahiko. Unfortunately, the boy had already
fallen asleep and was snoring away at their feet.

�There is no need,� Uncle
disagreed. �Your stay for tonight, as well as your meal, has already been paid
for by Kamiya-sama.�

Kenshin tried to argue, but
Uncle would not have it. He turned to Kaoru and began shoo-ing
her to the kitchen. �Her meal and
stay, however, are not paid for.�

�Yes, Uncle,� Kaoru lamely
agreed.� He steered her to a towering
pile of dishes.

�When you are done, then you
can eat and go to bed,� he instructed her.

�Why can�t I wait tables or
something?� Kaoru whined, staring forlornly at the huge pile.

�I remember the last time I
let you wait tables,� Uncle recalled. �You dumped more food on the customers in
an hour than we normally serve in a day. No waiting tables.� And before you ask, no cooking either. I
remember that little incident as well.�

Kaoru shot him a sour look,
then began tying back the sleeves of her kimono in preparation of the huge
battle ahead.� �Well, I suppose he could
have made do worse things.�

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A/N: Score! It�s a miracle. I
hope to update again soon. As always, feedback is desired.
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Kabuki