Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unfinished Business ❯ Dreaming of you... or me? ( Chapter 4 )

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha and company, nor do I own Rurouni Kenshin and pals. The story idea is mine, as far as I know.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I should probably just run for cover, but I have never taken the coward's way out (although I have given it serious thought). So first off, let me apologize for the long time between updates. I have been working on an original story, and quite honestly, had lost my train of thought on this one. I mentioned it before, but I don't work with outlines or anything (if I was a tightrope walker, I wouldn't use a net either) and my inspiration dried up. I was getting ready to take this down, and then last night, out of nowhere, the idea fairy smacked me with her sparkly little wand (it left a bruise and a few sparkles that won't wash off) and I was back to the drawing board... or rather the keyboard. Hopefully you will like it, and you won't be too angry at me. I really am sorry, and it shouldn't happen again. So, as always, read and enjoy. ^_^ (and I will get to work on the next installment)

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Chapter 5-- Dreaming of you...or me?

Kaoru stood, leaning against one of the support poles of the porch, her sapphrine gaze vacant, although she gave the impression of watching the fluffy white clouds sail along on their silent journey across the sky. She was vaguely aware of the rurouni, bent over the washtub to her right, and the occasional peeks he was taking at her from beneath his long bangs, but mostly her mind was occupied with thoughts of the young man they had met earlier that day and the strange events of the past few weeks. Strange events which included two new boarders who seemed as if they had always been a part of her life, disturbing dreams, Kenshin's changing eye color and now another stranger that seemed so familiar that it left her heart wanting something that she couldn't name.

Things are so strange she thought with a rueful shake of her head. She tried to put a name to the cloud in her field of view, but came up blank. It looked like a cross between a rooster and a fox.

"If you think things are strange now, just wait!" Kaoru spun around with a gasp, wondering who could have snuck up behind her so silently. A second later she was waving a dismissive hand at Kenshin, who had leapt to his feet with his hand on his sword at her sudden action, and blushing furiously as she flashed him a sheepish grin. She wasn't surprised to see him watching her with golden eyes, a worried frown on his face. He is here! It wasn't just another dream! Kaoru almost turned again but just barely managed to stop herself. Kenshin really would think she was crazy.

"Miss Kaoru?"

"Everything is fine Kenshin. I'm just a little tired, that's all." ...and jumping at the sound of my own thoughts she finished silently. As soon as she had completed her turn, she had realized that the words had never been spoken aloud. It had been her own voice, although it had seemed different somehow... She shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked for Kenshin, only to find him at her side and staring at her in concern.

"You should lie down, that you should. I will wake you for dinner, that I will." She saw that his eyes had returned to soft violet. Without thinking about what she was doing, Kaoru reached up and gently stroked the scar that ran down his left cheek. Her smile was warm as she dropped her hand.

"I think I will, Kenshin. Thank you for worrying about me." She turned and entered the dojo. Kenshin remained rooted to the spot, his own hand reaching up to touch his cheek where he could still feel the warmth of her small hand. Just that simple, gentle touch had sent a shockwave through his very soul, while the smile had erased his tension and the sound of his name on her lips had warmed his heart. Oi, you are such a sap Inuyasha growled in the back of his mind, although Kenshin could almost feel the smirk that accompanied the harsh words.

"That I am." Kenshin mumbled with a goofy smile before returning to the laundry that was waiting for him.

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Kaoru unrolled her futon and lay down, thinking about deep violet eyes that swirled into amber and then back again. She never noticed when she fell asleep, only knowing when she opened her eyes she found herself staring up into the lush green foliage of the largest tree she had ever seen. Golden sunlight filtered down through the branches, causing shadows to dance around her. She was surrounded by an untamed forest that gave off a sense of peace that she had never before experienced. The natural sounds of the forest were underscored by a soft humming from somewhere nearby. Very nearby, actually, right on the other side of the massive trunk.

"I'm dreaming again." she said softly as she walked around the base of the tree and stepped over the exposed roots, on a quest to find the person that the melodious voice belonged to. Kaoru never thought to be wary of the stranger, the dream was just too tranquil. When she reached the opposite side of the giant trunk, what she found was not what she had expected, and she hadn't had many expectations to begin with.

A girl with loose, raven hair that reached her lower back sat on one of the huge roots, her feet swinging slowly. Due to her staring at the ground, the girl's thick curtain of hair hid her face from Kaoru, but her outfit could be seen clearly, and it made Kaoru blush lightly. Her long legs were exposed to mid thigh by an obscenely short green kimono. The top part of the kimono was separate and although that was strange, it did cover her properly. It was made of a thick white material with a square collar of green and a little red tie. Even this girl's shoes were odd. They seemed to be made of leather and encased her entire foot. A short bow and a quiver of arrows lay on the ground at her feet.

"Um... hello..." Kaoru said hesitantly. The girl looked up and Kaoru gasped in shock. If not for the color of the girl's eyes, Kaoru could have been looking at herself a few years ago. The girl smiled at her, and the kendo instructor couldn't help but return it.

"Hi!" Her voice was bright and cheerful, and quite recognizable as Kaoru's own. "This is where we first met you know. I think that I loved him from the moment I touched those ears and looked into his golden eyes." Brown eyes traveled up the trunk of the tree to a scar in the bark, and then her gaze became sad. "I loved him even when she was..."

"We? Who is we? Who is he?" Kaoru interrupted, exasperation apparent in her voice. This girl spoke as if Kaoru knew exactly what she was talking about. "For that matter, who are you and why are you dressed like a..." Kaoru cut herself off with shocked gasp at what she had been about to say. The girl didn't seem offended, in fact, she giggled a little.

"Well, I always did have a bit of a temper." She shrugged and hopped down off the root to stand in front of the older girl. "My name is Kagome, I remember that much anyway." There seemed to be alarm bells going off in her head. Where had she heard that name before? It had been just recently.

"Its nice to meet you. I'm Kaoru." She wasn't sure if this girl was insane or if she was just extremely flighty. "Can I help you in some way?"

"Now that's a loaded question." Kagome stuck out her lip to blow her bangs out of her face. "I don't remember much, but I do remember some things, so I can tell you them. You also need to know what I don't remember, but since I can't tell you what that is, I suppose that I won't."

"You aren't making much sense, but I guess I should have expected that, since this is a dream."

"A dream. Yes, I can only talk to you through those right now, but even dreams give you some valuable information if you watch and listen closely. Although that dream I used to have about getting chased by my schoolbooks really didn't..."

"Are you trying to confuse me?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, sorry." Kagome giggled nervously. "Its just that I haven't quite woken up yet. But that is neither her nor there. I remember him. Nothing else in my memories is as clear as he is, but that is how it was then, too." Her eyes rose to the scar on the trunk once again, and a single tear rolled down her cheek, unnoticed. "I know that my Inuyasha is in your... um... what's the cute redhead's name?"

"You mean Kenshin?" Kaoru's eyes widened suddenly. That was where she had heard the name! Kenshin had called it out in the night.

"Kenshin, hmmm... nice name. Yeah, that is who I mean." The sunlight started to dim and both women looked up at the sky. "Uh oh, looks like my time is almost up. This is what I remember, and what you need to remember now, too. There will be others who will find you, just as Inuyasha did. This is our chance to get it right. We failed the first time, but we have to fix it. We can't leave it as unfinished business. It HAS to end this time."

"You mean like when we met Yahiko and that young man today?"

"I'm not sure. I can only see things dimly through your eyes, and even that's all jumbled up. You'll know when you find them. You'll feel it." The light was now fading rapidly, and so was Kagome. "Oh yeah, if he calls you Kagome, he is speaking to you or rather, to us. You see, I am you in a way. Just be glad that I am not dead and out stealing souls while trying to take him to hell. That's a real pain, let me tell you." Kagome was almost gone and the shadows were thick but the last of the girl's words reached her on a breath of wind. "One last thing, you might want to practice with a bow and arrow or you'll never hear the end of it. And you might need this..." Kaoru found herself reaching out to the younger girl, even though she couldn't see her any longer. She felt something pressed into her outstretched hand, and she closed it automatically, not looking to see what she had been given.

"Kagome..." Kaoru opened her eyes to find herself staring into surprised violet ones. At the sound of that name, violet was replaced with gold in a heartbeat.

"Kagome?"

"Kenshin?"

"Miss Kaoru?" Kenshin looked at her strangely, and she could see the amethyst swirling in the amber depths of his eyes. She couldn't stop the smile that touched her lips. He smirked at her in return. His voice sounded a little rougher, and it was strange to hear her name in that tone, but it was still Kenshin.

"Where is Kagome?"

"In my dream." Kaoru said, as if it was obvious. "You must be Inuyasha. She loved you quite a bit. Still does it seems..."

"Does she remember?"

"She remembers you, and not much else besides her name." Kaoru briefly wondered why it didn't seem strange to be having a conversation about what a person in her dreams did with one of the two personalities that resided within this man. "Could you help me up?" He reached down to assist her, when his eyes dropped to the object she wasn't even aware that she held in her hand. He peered at it closely for a moment and then recoiled as if he had been stung, all the color rushing out of his face. A deep growl rumbled in his chest.

"Oh hell no, wench, that I DO remember." He turned and vanished through her open door as if all the hounds of hell were on his heels. Kaoru sat on the futon, her hand outstretched once again, while blinking at the door in confusion. What just happened? He had looked scared and angry, quite a strange mixture of emotion. She brought her hand to her face and looked at what was in her palm. After a few moments of scrutiny, she shrugged and got to her feet. True, it had come out of a dream, but other than that, it looked like a normal set of prayer beads to her.