Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Kaoru's Wish ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin and Rurouni Kenshin characters are exclusively owned by Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shueisha, Sony Entertainment, Jump Comics and associated parties. Please note, this is purely fiction and for entertainment purposes only. This story is not meant for sale or profit.

Author's Notes: Kaoru made a wish and it came true. Will she suffer any consequences from her wish? Kaoru's Wish Fanfiction by Gypsy-Chan. Enjoy! (completed and posted 8/27/01; re-edited 6/2003)

One quite evening Kenshin and Kaoru were sitting on the porch admiring the stars. "Isn't the stars beautiful tonight?"

"Hai Kaoru-dono they certainly are beautiful."

Kaoru glanced over and noticed that Kenshin wasn't looking at the stars. He was looking at her instead. She blushed.

"I love looking at the stars with you Kenshin. I wished we could do this forever. Don't you?"

Kenshin just smiled. "That would be nice Kaoru-dono. But one day you'll be watching the stars with a nice young man. Someone more worthy of you than me."

Kaoru began to pout. "But Kenshin, I don't want anyone else. I only want to be with you."

"It is not meant to be Kaoru-dono. You are so young and beautiful. You deserve a nice young man. A man whose hands haven't been stained by the blood of men. Besides, I am too old for you. If I was a younger man things would be different. But…"

Suddenly, a bright light flashed across the sky. Kaoru jumped up.

"Kenshin, what was that?"

"It looked like a shooting star."

"A shooting star? What does it mean Kenshin?"

"It is believed that if one makes a wish upon a shooting star than all their hopes and dreams will come true."

Kaoru thought for a moment. "My dreams will come true if I wish upon a star?" She became excited. "Kenshin, let's make a wish!"

Kenshin smiled. "I don't have to. I already have everything I need. Good friends, a nice family and a home. There isn't anything more that I could wish for. Why don't you make a wish Kaoru-dono?"

"Well I really don't know what to wish for. Hmm, let's see. Oh… Wait… I know..."

"You better hurry Karou-dono and make your wish before you run out of time."

"Okay, here goes. I wish…. I wish…"

Kaoru closed her eyes and made her wish. Kenshin was wondering what she wished for. He looked at her intently. She could feel him looking at her. After making her wish she said, "I know you are wondering what I wished for. But I'm not going to tell you. You will find out soon enough. I better prepare for bed now. I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Oyasumi nasai (good night) Kenshin."

"Oyasumi nasai de gozaru Kaoru-dono."

As Kaoru set off for bed, Kenshin wondered quietly, "What could she have wished for? Whatever it is, I hope it includes me." He stopped and chastised himself. "You idiot, why would Kaoru-dono waste her wishes on you? Now that's wishful thinking." He chuckled to himself and then continued to his room.

The next morning Sano came over for breakfast. It didn't look like anything had been cooked. He heard a noise coming from the training hall. He peeked in and saw Yahiko practicing.

"Hey punk, did you eat all of the breakfast again?"

"No I didn't you big rooster head. Kenshin is still asleep."

"Kenshin sleep? Now that's unusual. Where's Jou-chan?"

"Ugly is still sleep too."

An impish grin appeared on Sano's face. "I better go check this out."

Sano was about to open the door to Kaoru's room when a fist slammed into his face. "Ouch!!"

"Sano! You big pervert! What are you doing peeping in my room?"

"I was just checking to see if you were all right."

"And why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, the little punk said that you and Kenshin were still asleep. You two never sleep this late."

"Oh, so you thought you could catch some action huh? Well sorry to disappoint you. I slept alone, as usual."

"I can see why."

"Ouch! That hurts Jou-chan."

Kaoru ignored him. She began worrying about Kenshin. "Kenshin is still asleep? That is usual."

"Maybe he is sick. I think I should go and check on him," she said out loud. Sano just shrugged his shoulder as he followed Kaoru down the hallway toward Kenshin's room.

Sano and Kaoru were now standing outside of Kenshin's room bickering with one another in a hushed tone.

"What are you waiting for? Open the shoji Sano."

"No you open it," he replied waving his hands in front of her. "I'm not going to let him go Battousai on me for waking him up."

"So I should be the one to go in first?"

"He likes you best."

Kenshin was already up. He heard thier muffled voices outside of his room.

"You may both enter," he simply stated without turning toward the door.

Kaoru looked at Sano. "That voice… it doesn't sound like Kenshin's."

"Ah you're just imagining things Jou-chan. Come on, let's go in."

They both opened the door slowly. Kenshin had his back to them. Kaoru whispered to Sano, "Doesn't Kenshin look different?"

"Nah, he looks the same from the back. Wait, come to think of it… he does look a little different. Kenshin has never worn his pony tail that high before. Maybe he's just trying out a new hairstyle or something."

Kenshin turned around to face them. "What are you two whispering about?"

Sano and Kaoru both gasped when they saw Kenshin. Kaoru fainted. Sano caught her before she hit the floor. Sano stood confused.

"Kenshin? What happened to you?"

Kenshin couldn't understand what all the commotion was about. As he stood and looked into the mirror he was astounded by what he saw. Kenshin looked the same as he did when he was 18 years old.

"Wha…What happened to me? I'm young again."

Sano had finally helped Kaoru regain consciousness. She looked over at Kenshin and kept staring in bewilderment. "He looks like he is my age. Like he is 18 years old." A big smile grew on Kaoru's face. She became excited.

"Sano! Do you know what this means?"

"No."

"My wish came true!"

"What wish? Jou-chan, what are you talking about? What's going on here?"

Kenshin turned to Kaoru. "Is this what you wished for?" Kaoru smiled and nodded. "Aren't you happy Kenshin? Isn't this what you wanted?" Kenshin didn't respond. He just held his head down.

"Kenshin? What's wrong? Answer me."

He finally lifted his head and responded, "I know you meant well Kaoru-dono but it's just that… I don't want to be young again."

"Why not? Last night you said that maybe things would be different between us if you were younger. So I wished for you to be young again."

"You don't understand. I became the Battousai at the age of 15. It took ten long years for me to become the peaceful rurouni you have come to know. At the age of 18, I was still closer to my Battousai self. As I stand here now, the images and thoughts I had of the past are flooding my mind."

Suddenly, Kenshin put his hands on his head. Many horrible images were flashing within his mind. He screamed, "So many victims! So much blood! I don't want to see anymore! Make it stop! Make it stop!" His cross shaped scar began to bleed. Kaoru gasped. Kenshin took his hand and put it on the scar on his cheek. When he withdrew his hand, he saw blood. "What's happening to me?" He fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands.

Kaoru rushed over to him. "Kenshin! Kenshin!" When he removed his hands from his face his eyes were amber in color and his voice became deeper. "Why did you bring me back?" Kaoru became frightened. "You… You're not Kenshin."

"No, I am not the rurouni you seek. I am the Battousai. Why have you brought me back?"

Kaoru sat frozen. She couldn't respond.

The young Battousai stood and turned his back to her. "You should leave now. I wish to be alone."

Kaoru began to cry. "Kenshin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm. Please let me stay with you."

The Battousai turned to look at her and then glared at Sano.

"Take the girl and go. I do not want her here."

Sano helped her up. Kaoru looked back at Kenshin and then ran out of his room crying.

Sano entered Kaoru's room and went over to where she was sitting.

"What have I done to Kenshin? I have brought back all the pain and suffering that he has worked so hard to put behind. I didn't know this would happen. I only wanted him to be happy. But now… now he hates me. I've ruined everything." Kaoru began to cry again.

Sano put his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. "Don't worry Jou-chan. Everything will be okay. But for now you can't go near him." Kaoru stopped crying and moved back from Sano.

"But…I…"

"No, listen to me Jou-chan, part of him is the Kenshin we know and the other part is the young Battousai. We have to figure out a way to get the old Kenshin back without getting the younger Battousai angry. My fighting skills were no match for Kenshin's battle skills at the age of 28. I don't want to think about what he would do to me now as a young 18-year-old Battousai. But, I've never been one to turn down a good fight."

"Sano, you mustn't fight him."

"Don't worry about me Jou-chan. You should start thinking of ways to get the old Kenshin back." Kaoru nodded.

Yahiko ran into the room. "Hey you guys, I just saw a young guy dressed like Kenshin in the kitchen. He sort of looks like Kenshin, but he definitely doesn't act like him. He nearly bit my head off when I asked him who he was. What's going on around here?" Sano concerns over the whole situation began to grow.

"We'll fill you in later Yahiko. But for now, you better keep your distance from him."

Yahiko nodded. "Sano, I know you said you'll explain things to me later but, where's Kenshin?"

"That young guy who almost bit your head off --is Kenshin--." Yahiko was shocked.

Kenshin was sitting in his room. There were two voices speaking in his mind, the voice of the 28-year-old rurouni and the voice of the 18-year-old Battousai.

"How could she do this to me? Why did she want me to be young again?"

"You idiot, don't you remember? She loves you and I know that you love her. If you hadn't given her so many lame excuses she would never have made the wish."

"Hai, you are right. But how could you be so cruel to her?"

"Because I don't love her. I love Tomoe and I'm only going to think about Tomoe."

"No! I can't allow that! Don't bring Tomoe's memories back to me!"

"Why not? Didn't you love her?"

"Hai, I did. I loved her very much. But along with the pleasant memories of Tomoe come the guilt, pain and suffering. I have worked so hard to bury that part of my past. Please, don't do this to me. I don't want to suffer over Tomoe's death any more. I just want to live out the rest of my life in peace."

"You will never escape your past or what you did to Tomoe. No matter how deep you try to bury it. I have no intention of falling in love with your woman. I only have love for Tome and no one else."

"Noooo!"

Kaoru heard Kenshin scream. "That sounds like Kenshin."

Sano tried to stop Kaoru. "Jou-chan wait! Don't go in there!" Kaoru pushed past Sano.

"Kenshin is in trouble and I've got to help him!" She ran into his room.

Kenshin turned around to meet sapphire eyes with amber. "What do you want," he asked in a cold icy tone.

Kaoru became frozen. "Ken-shin."

"Why are you here," he seemed to hiss out to her.

"I thought… I thought I heard Ken-shin."

"He's not here. Now run along little girl. I told you before I don't need you." He turned his back to her.

Kaoru remained standing. Her feet felt as if stone weights were tied to them, forcing her not to move. Sano moved closer to Kaoru and tugged on her arm gently. "Jou-chan let's go."

"But I…"

"You heard the jerk," he said smugly, "he doesn't want to be bothered."

Kenshin turned to Sano with sword in hand. He narrowed his deep amber eyes into him and growled lowly, "I would advise you to guard your tongue if you intend to keep it."

"I'm not afraid of your threats," he replied defensively. "I'll take you on as I am now."

"Sano! No! Let's go! I'm not feeling well. Please take me to my room."

Sano kept his eyes on Kenshin as Kaoru pulled him away.

When they had left the room, voices began to ring out in Kenshin's head again.

"How dare you start a fight with my best friend."

"He's a fool. Doesn't he know that I could have….

"Yes he knows what you could have done."

"Then why did he challenge me?"

"Because his friends mean more to him than his own life. I would have done the same if I were in his place."

"Fool! You're both fools!"

"Listen to me. I can't explain what has happened but I do know that we have been given a second chance at life. Why can't we work together? With your youth and my wisdom we would become a better person. Why make things harder on yourself. You have a home, good friends and a real family who loves you. This is your life now.

"No. I will not accept the life of an old peace loving rurouni. I am young. I am going to relive the life of the Battousai and there is nothing that you can do or say to stop me." He began to pack his things.

Kaoru had pretended to fall asleep in order to get Sano to leave the room. After he left, she quietly left her room and entered Kenshin's room once again. As she entered, she noticed that he had on a blue gi. His old pink one was lying on the floor. Kaoru also noticed that he was packing.

"You…You're leaving?"

He didn't respond.

"Why do you have to leave?"

"There is nothing for me here."

"But this is your home."

"No. This is the home of the rurouni. My home is in Kyoto."

Kaoru grew silent for a moment. "If you are going to Kyoto then take me with you."

"No."

"Kenshin, please don't leave me again. Take me with you to Kyoto."

"I am Hitokiri Battousai now. I am no longer the rurouni you once knew. I cannot take you with me. I must walk this path alone." The Battousai began to walk away.

Kaoru shouted, "Kenshin! Don't go! I love you!

The Battousai turned to her and bluntly stated, "I don't love you. I only have love for Tome and you could never take her place. Goodbye Kamiya Kaoru." He turned around and walked out the dojo.

Kaoru dropped to her knees in tears.

"Ken-shin!"

Sano and Yahiko heard Kaoru calling for Kenshin. They ran into the room. "Are you alright Jou-chan?"

Kaoru sat crying while holding Kenshin's old pink gi.

"I thought I told you to stay away from Kenshin. What happened?"

Kaoru didn't respond. Sano put his hand on her shoulder.

"Jou-chan what happened?"

"He said that he didn't love me and that he only have love for Tome."

"Where is he now?"

"He just left. He said he's going to Kyoto."

Sano and Yahiko looked at each other and said in unison, "Kyoto?" Kaoru nodded.

"Don't give up yet Jou-chan. We'll get him back."

"What's the use? He doesn't love me anymore."

Yahiko grew angry and began to shake her. "Kaoru! Snap out of it!"

Kaoru didn't respond.

"Kaoru listen to me. I know Kenshin loves you."

Kaoru looked up at Yahiko. "You know what he loved about you the most?" Kaoru shook her head. "It's how you never gave up. You always fought hard for the things that you believed in. Do you believe in Kenshin?"

"I… I do."

"Then what are you sitting there for. Let's go and get the old Kenshin back."

Kaoru dried her tears. "Yahiko, you're right. I'm not going to give up. I'm going to get Kenshin back."

"That's the spirit!"

With that, Kaoru immediately went to her room to change her clothes. Sano looked over at Yahiko and tousled his hair.

"You did pretty good for a little kid."

"Who are you calling little you big rooster head."

"What was that you little punk?"

Kaoru came out dressed in her fighting gi and hakama. With the look of determination upon her face she shouted, "Let's go get Kenshin!" They all were on their way to search for Kenshin.

GO TO PART TWO

RETURN TO ROMANCE ZONE