Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unfinished Business ❯ Not Again! ( Chapter 2 )

******************************************************* ****************

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin and crew or Inu Yasha and company. They are just playing in my imagination for awhile.

**************************************************************** *******

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I am sorry that this took so long to be posted, but I was having a lot of trouble doing so...this was supposed to have been up on Tuesday and now its Sunday. There was also a problem that I had with the story itself, but that got worked out finally. I don't work with outlines and things...just sorta sit down and see what comes out. I have tried plotting things out, but they never come out that way in the end! SIGH. Anyway, I hope that you like it, and it is a long one. Drop me a line if you get a chance... As always, read and enjoy! = P

********************************************************************** *

Chapter 3: Not Again!

What is happening? Kaoru thought in a panic as she took a step away from the man that sat in front of her. How could a person's eye color change like that? After the initial shock wore off, she found herself rushing to Kenshin's side. Those amber eyes called to her very soul, and they had been filled with such sorrow and pain as he looked at her, but there had also been something else that was just out of her reach to name. Hope? Relief? Love? Now he was staring down at his hands which were clenched into fists on his lap. He didn't look at her. She took his face gently in her hands and made him meet her worried gaze once again. She was surprised to find that his eyes were a swirling mixture of violet and amber. Kaoru almost missed his soft whisper that so closely mirrored her own thoughts just moments before.

"What is happening to me?" He sounded so lost and confused that it brought tears to her eyes. She didn't know what to do, so she just reacted without thinking, even as the tears spilled from her eyes.

"Its okay, Kenshin, I'm here now. Everything will be ok, I promise." He looked at her and she saw that once again his eyes were solid amber. With a shaking hand, he reached out and brushed away her tears and caressed her cheek tenderly.

"Don't cry, please, Kagome. You know I hate it when you cry." Her body stiffened at being called by a different woman's name, even as part of her mind advised her to let it go for the moment. How could that possibly be okay? "I told you we would meet again. This time we WILL get it right."

"Kenshin, I don't understand..." Her heart was beating so hard that her voice shook. He had just repeated the whisper from her dream, word for word. And with those very same eyes that had haunted her for a week. This was just too strange. She took his hand that was still cupping her face and gave it a small squeeze. "My name is Kaoru. We only just met this morning, remember?" His eyes glazed over and the amber slowly was replaced by amethyst again. He blinked a few times at her and then smiled. Her heart skipped a beat or three and she returned it shyly.

"Of course I remember, Miss Kaoru. I am sorry about this..." He rubbed his head and a slight blush reddened his cheeks. "I don't actually understand it myself." He had just made a complete fool out of himself in front of her again, and that he did understand. He had lost control of himself, something that he hadn't done in ten years. Something strange was happening here, and it seemed to revolve around this girl. His head was pounding and so was his heart, he would have to think about these things in the morning. His eyelids felt like they had weights attached to them, forcing them to close against his will. Right now he just wanted to sleep. At that thought his eyes popped open again, if he were to sleep, would that nightmare return? Or another that was even worse?

"Kenshin..." She didn't want to break into his reverie but she was so curious about what had just happened. But he looked so tired. Then suddenly his eyes flew open, she could read the panic in their depths. "What is it? What can I do to help?"

"Its just a bad dream, or a memory. A memory that I don't recall living, that I do not." He gave a short laugh. "Is such a thing even possible?" Kaoru thought of the dreams and strange feelings that she had been experiencing for the past week and gave him a warm smile. She gave the hand that she had forgotten she was holding another squeeze before letting it go.

"Yes. I think its possible, Kenshin." He stared at her for a moment, as if trying to decide if she was just humoring him or not. Finally he gave a slight nod and another of those angelic smiles that warmed her heart. She got to her feet slowly and looked down at him.

"Thank you."

"I'll be right across the hall..." She left the room, and as soon as the door was shut behind her she leaned against her own door with a sigh. So it wasn't just her. He was having strange dreams as well. Maybe that was why she felt so connected to him. They had been fated to meet. The fact that he was gorgeous didn't matter to her in the least. Sure Kaoru, that's why your heart goes into overdrive when he smiles at you and why it hurt when he called you Kagome, right?

Kagome. Why did that name seem so familiar to her? She was fairly certain that she didn't know anyone by that name. And yet, she had a connection to it as well as to the man in the next room. What it could be, she wasn't sure, but she was going to find out...or her name wasn't Kaoru Kamiya.

**************************************************************** ****

She struggled out of bed later that morning with a groan. One glance at the shadows on the wall told her that she had slept much later than she intended. Since her students hadn't yet returned to the dojo, it really didn't matter how long she remained in bed. She sighed loudly. When she entered the kitchen she found Kenshin happily finishing up breakfast. He turned and smiled at her when he felt her presence.

"Good morning Miss Kaoru. Breakfast is ready, that it is." She nodded but didn't say anything. Instead she watched him as he moved about the kitchen comfortably, almost as if he had always been there. The events of last nights didn't seem to have any effect on him at all. She frowned slightly, mostly because they had had such a profound effect on her.

Kenshin watched her throughout the morning, noticing that her usual smile had not returned. At this moment she was sitting on the porch, her knees drawn up to her chest with her chin resting on her knees, and her blue eyes were distant. Something must be bothering her. Although he had decided to push the dream out of his mind, he couldn't forget how comforting her presence had been. Now he wanted to do something to make her happy, just so that he could see that smile again. He really hoped that she wasn't thinking about what had happened the night before. That was something that he just did not want to deal with.

"Why haven't they come back?" She murmured, unaware that the thought had escaped her lips. Well, now Kenshin knew what was bothering her, the absence of students. He racked his brain for a way to take her mind off her worries and finally hit on something that might work.

"Uh, Miss Kaoru..."

"Yes Kenshin?"

"Would you like to go out to lunch today? It might help to be away from the dojo for a little while." Her sapphire eyes lit up and the smile he had been waiting for finally graced her lips. He found himself able to do nothing but stare at her as she replied and then ran off into the dojo. He blinked a few times when he realized that he didn't have a clue as to what she had just said. With a shrug, he sat down to wait for her to return.

"I am ready Kenshin." He turned to look at her, and his mind supplied a picture that caused him to blush lightly. He saw her standing there wearing a long sleeved shirt with a square collar and red tie. But what caused the blush was the very short green skirt which bared her long, toned legs to mid thigh. Her hair was unbound and the raven tresses were so black that they shone with a blue tone as they blew around her face in the slight breeze. She was smiling at him brightly and her brown eyes were sparkling with warmth and affection. Brown eyes? What was he thinking of...Kaoru's eyes are blue. He gave his head a hard shake and saw Kaoru's image, her real image snap into place. He took in her yellow kimono, the pink ribbon holding her hair in a high ponytail and the concerned look in her blue eyes. Yes, blue eyes. He smiled at her warmly and nodded.

Kaoru watched Kenshin's reaction as she came out of the dojo. He seemed entranced by her appearance, and even began to blush a bit. She thought that she saw his eyes gleam golden for a split second before he shook his head and then smiled at her. He nodded and she left the porch to join him in the courtyard.

They walked to town in a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Kaoru greeted some people that she knew and Kenshin's eye was caught by a young boy walking down the opposite side of the street. His hair was shaggy mop of dark brown which hung in his eyes as he walked slowly toward Kenshin. The innocent expression immediately left his face as he read the young boy's ki. He watched the boy warily. He was ten or eleven and obviously a skilled pickpocket if ease in which he slipped an elderly man's purse from his sleeve was any indication.

Kenshin felt a nagging sensation in the back of his mind, even as the memory surfaced. How often was this going to happen? This time it was visual and audio, quite literally a dream while he was awake.

He seemed to be in some kind of battlefield, as there were bodies scattered everywhere. To make matters worse, there was some strange kind of statue holding down his hands, even as a small boy with fox feet was rummaging through a huge bag on the ground. The same girl from his dream the night before stood over him, an incredulous look on her face.

"Hey! That's my stuff!"

"Finally, the shards of the Shikon Jewel." He held up a small vial with several pink shards in it. "Thank you and....Farewell!" The little fox boy disappeared in a puff of greenish smoke. A moment later a skull with a tail began to skitter away from them. He brought his fist down on the skull, only to have the fox child appear once again with a pout and a huge lump on his head. "Always picking on the little guy!"

Kenshin's attention snapped back to the boy who had just dropped the stolen purse into the hands of the child with the elderly man. He couldn't help but reach out and pat the boy on the head as he passed.

"What do you think that you are doing?" The boy snarled.

"Nothing. I just thought that you were very kind." Suddenly Kaoru appeared at his side and grabbed his hair. Kenshin's eyes widened in surprise and a mumbled "Huh?" escaped his lips as he was pulled away, Kaoru ranting about how she had turned around and he had disappeared. The boy watched them go with a puzzled frown. Something about those two had seemed familiar and he had the urge to follow along with them. Behind him, two women began gossiping about how the man still carried a sword even now, in the Meiji era, when it was expressly forbidden.

"I guess that you can't extinguish the soul of a warrior." One of the women said sadly. Something inside the young boy snapped and he chased after the couple. He ran into the red-haired man, and stole his purse from his sleeve. He didn't expect to be slammed to the ground by the woman at the man's side.

"You ugly, let me go!" They only take desirable women, so she'll be fine. What was that guy's voice doing in his head? Do you have holes for eyes? I'm sure they are picking her out of their teeth right now! What was that all about? The boy looked up into the girl's face and saw that a vein had begun to throb in her forehead.

"I'll have you know they call me the Rose of Martial Arts around here."

"Yeah right, ugly!" She lifted him up by the front of his shirt and was about to shake him for all that he was worth when the man's voice stopped her. She looked at him and was surprised to see a smile on his face.

"I can't help what has been picked from my pocket, can I?" He took his purse from Kaoru's lax grip and placed it in the boy's hand. "Next time, don't get caught." Kenshin helped Kaoru to her feet and began walking away, ignoring her protests. The boy watched them go, and his anger began to well up from his very toes, or so it seemed. He threw the purse at the redhead, hitting his target, who stumbled forward a few steps.

"Who do you think that you are to treat me that way? My name is Yahiko Myojin and I come from a long line of samurai. I don't need your pity."

"Listen kid..."

"I am not a kid! You think that you are so tough because you wear that sword? My father would have put you in your place you big loser!" With that, he put his nose in the air and stormed off in the opposite direction. Kenshin watched him go with smile. Kaoru tried to control her temper, but couldn't stop the words from coming to her lips.

"What a brat."

"If times were different, that boy would have made a fine samurai, that he would." He turned to his companion with a warm smile. "Now, how about that lunch?" She nodded but looked over her shoulder to where the boy had disappeared into the crowd with a thoughtful frown. They arrived at the Akabeko and sat down to lunch. After awhile, Kaoru's childhood friend, Tae, came over to talk with her. Her family owned the restaurant. Before long the topic of conversation had turned to the young pickpocket.

"I heard that he was adopted by the Shuei syndicate when his mother died. She was in the hospital for a long time, and the medical bills were quite high."

"So now the kid is forced to work off the debt?" Tae nodded sadly. Kaoru was deep in thought before finally jumping to her feet and heading for the door. "Miss Kaoru, where are you going?" Kenshin asked, as he grabbed hold of the only thing that he could reach. Unfortunately that happened to be her ponytail. She glared at him over her shoulder.

"I can't just ignore this. I have to do something." She turned to leave once again, but Kenshin did not let go of her hair. "You better let go of me Kenshin. I never thought that you could be so coldhearted as to let this go on."

"But you see..." Her elbow flew back, catching him in the ribs thus causing him to lose his balance and his grip on her hair. She ran off without another word. Kaoru returned to the dojo long enough to change into her training clothes and grab her wooden sword before heading off to find the Shuei syndicate and Yahiko. She didn't know why she felt it so strongly, but she knew that she had to help the young boy.

When she arrived at the Shuei headquarters, she saw that Yahiko had new bruises on his face and her heart went out to him. She turned to glare at the nearest man and demanded that he let the boy go. Shippo, get over here! accompanied by the twang of bow and the howl of an enraged beast ran through her mind. She had never used a bow in her life, so why was the sound of one so easily placed? Kagome! That name again! She didn't have time to deal with these strange happenings right now. She focused all of her attention on the men that seemed bent on keeping her away from Yahiko. The boy shook himself free and ran over to her, glaring all the while.

"What do you think that you are doing? I never asked for your help! I plan on giving up this dirty work and repaying the money through honest means. I don't need you!"

"I can't just stand by and let them take advantage of you!" She smiled at him softly and Yahiko felt a sense of recognition and comfort that he hadn't felt since his mother had died. This stranger was willing to fight for him? He watched in awe as she beat several of the men, sending them flying out into the courtyard. His amazement turned to horror however, when one of the men pulled a real sword and cut her wooden one in half. When he then hit her in the stomach, the force of the blow sending her through the shoji screen and into the room where the syndicate boss was having lunch, Yahiko cried out as if he felt her pain. He ran to stand in front of her protectively.

"This doesn't involve her." He growled as he stared at the boss. He was thrown to the ground and before long had his face smashed into the floor as two of the goons held him down.

"You have to learn to enjoy the dirty work, and you will have the lifelong benefits of being my servant. How do you plan to make a living, it is difficult for the samurai of this time to do so."

"Let me show him who owns him, Boss." The leader of the mob inclined his head and the man with the sword stepped forward. Kaoru threw herself in front of the child, her eyes filled with tears and her voice wavered as she pleaded for his life. "Say goodbye!" The swordsman said as he readied to end their lives. Just then the door blew inward and there stood Kenshin.

"Guess I just made it?" He said softly. Kaoru sighed in relief and couldn't stop the wide grin, even as she noticed the change in his voice. It was the same voice he had used when he took care of Gohei in the dojo. The tone was like velvet, but hard as steel. His eyes had also lost their softness, shading more towards blue than the violet she was used to...but didn't she also see golden flecks swimming just under the surface?

"Get in here, we have an intruder!" the Boss yelled. There was no answer and a slight smile graced Kenshin's face, although it was cold and didn't reach his eyes at all.

"I am afraid that they were a bit reluctant to let me in, so I gave them something to help them get to sleep."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am nothing more than a wanderer, that I am. I am here to ask that you release Miss Kaoru and the boy."

"What are you, another renegade samurai?" the man with the sword asked as he raised it to Kenshin's throat. "I'll kill all three..." Kenshin's eyes flashed and he effortlessly flicked his sword from its sheath, catching the man under the chin. The force behind the blow was mind-boggling as the man's head went crashing through the ceiling.

"I wasn't finished speaking. You just hang around for awhile." Kenshin turned his attention back to the man who led the syndicate. "So what do you say. Will you show your generosity and hand them over peacefully or will you suffer the embarrassment of having your entire syndicate defeated by one man?" The boss looked into his steely gaze and swallowed loudly.

"Take them. Take anything you want." Kenshin nodded and then looked to where Kaoru and Yahiko stood, watching in wide-eyed silence. He smiled at them warmly and held out his hands in a placating gesture.

"Sorry I was late."

"Kenshin, just where were you, anyway?" Yahiko gasped in pain and clutched his side. The beating he had received was just beginning to make itself known. Kenshin rushed to his side and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you all right kid?"

"Who do you think you are? I never asked for your help!" Kenshin smiled and nodded at him. "That is true, and by way of apology, let me get those wounds treated for you." He lifted the boy up by the shirt and slung him over his shoulder as he left the building.

Kaoru followed after him, watching Kenshin with what could only be described as awe. He really was kind and gentle, and he had saved her life again. I could get used to this she thought, even as a blush crept into her cheeks. Yes, she would do whatever she could to keep Kenshin in her life. Now that he had wandered in, she wouldn't let him wander away again.

"....assistant master Kaoru Kamiya." At the sound of her name, Kaoru snapped out of her thoughts, seeing that they had arrived at the dojo.

"Were you talking about me, Kenshin?"

"That I was. I was telling Yahiko about how he could get stronger here.... using the Kamiya Kasshin style."

"Wait a minute, Kenshin! You don't expect me to take lessons from that ugly girl, do you?"

"Kenshin, are you telling me that I am supposed to train this... child?"

"I am not a child you.... ugly. I'd be better off learning swordsmanship from a tanuki!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Kaoru screamed as she chased the young boy around the room, a vein popping out on her forehead. Kenshin shook his head and laughed lightly, vaguely feeling as if he should be the one chasing the boy. With a shrug, he turned toward the kitchen as their insults echoed off the walls. Well, things wouldn't be quiet any longer, that was for sure.

*********************************************************************** *

A.N. -- Okay, there we go, now we have another character added to the mix. Now its time for the shout outs:

Sailor Cosmos: Thanks! I am glad that you are enjoying it. And yeah, I did know that! It was one of those little coincidences I was talking about! Glad to see my mind isn't the only one that picks up things like that!

Kithkin: Enjoyment is key....its the reason we do this, right? Well, that and the fact that the ideas don't leave me alone until I get them out of my head...and I hate having a perpetual headache!

Larania: There is no doubt that I do need my head examined, but not for that reason! Too many strange things in there! Surprises, yes, some of those are in store *snickers* and it seems that you might have an idea what they are! Guess we will have to wait and see, right?

Lilfrozenfire: Well, hmmm.... I don't quite know what to say to that, but I am glad that you checked this out anyway! Hopefully you won't be too disappointed!

Kay Kylo: Perfect huh? Well, I do try...*blushes* Yeah, I am real modest too! But I am glad that you liked it.

Chieren Decimal: ^_^ Okay, here you go, the next chapter! I won't quit...can't let you think that Kami would let you down!

SSJ-Mirai-Trunks: Favorites, huh? Well, thank you very much. I hope it doesn't disappoint you. As for the attitude between them, right now it is mostly from the anime, but don't worry, it will work itself out!

WingSong: Glad to see you back! And yeah, I say that to Inu Yasha all the time... however he doesn't listen! Rocks in his skull or something! Those cute little ears are just going to waste! As for the WAFF fan club...how do you join, right now I seem to be an unofficial member but I don't get to go to all the fun meetings and stuff! ^_~

To the others who reviewed, sadly I couldn't think of appropriate responses but I didn't want you to think that I didn't appreciate you. Thank you for reading and I hope that you continue to do so.