Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Shinkan ❯ Home again ( Chapter 2 )

 

 

Summary: Kaoru returns to the dojo after hunting down the last of her `clan'. Kaoru has been able to keep her secret for most of her life. Doctor Gensai is the only one who knows the truth of exactly who and what Kaoru is. But that's all about to change, as Battousai wants to come out and play unconsciously recognizing the kindred spirit she is trying to repress.

 

Kaoru Kamiya sauntered up to her family dojo two things in hand. One box like article and the other appeared to be a bokken wrapped in cloth. Her patent happy but certainly not go lucky smile was plastered on her face. Dressed in a white haori and blue hamaka with her hair tied in a high ponytail. Anyone who saw Kaoru would not suspect something dangerous lurked just beneath the surface.

 

But as Doctor Gensai stood in the courtyard watching her approach with a smile he contemplated the truth. At the time when Katashi and Michikin Kamiya had come to Tokyo the happy although tired couple had settled down at the Kamiya family dojo that Katashi had inherited from his deceased father. Katashi was a compassionate young man with an honorable heart and sharp mind almost a complete opposite of his mysterious wife. Michikin was a quiet and recluse woman with a beauty that was so seemingly untouchable the good doctor had wondered how Katashi could have captured the cool hearted Michikin.

 

One night Gensai had been attacked by a band of yakuza trying to take over local properties. His clinic had been specifically targeted for their so-called territory.

 

(Flashback)

 

Five men surrounded Doctor Gensai in a semicircle in front of his medical clinic. The kind-hearted old man was frightened beyond belief but he stood his ground with patient eyes and unmoving demur. Each man was dressed in different states of sloppily done hamakas and haoris. They each wielded shape looking objects and grinned with smug maliciousness at the old doctor.

 

“Now Gensai sensei Himo-sama has sent us here to extend his divine protection to you and yours” said a wirily looking fellow.

 

Gensai looked upon them sternly ignoring the condensing way they regarded him.

 

“Thank you but I do not need any `protection' please leave now”

 

That only produced smirks from the men before him as they brought their weapons into ready positions. They stalked closer and closer to the old doctor giving him no means of escape. But Gensai remained staring stonily at them determined not to back down. But their advance was halted when someone emerged from the clinic. That someone just happened to be Michikin.

 

“What is the meaning of this”?

 

Michikin's voice filled the night sounding like a deep flowing river filled with soft but deadly tones. She moved with a deliberate slowness, her white kimono not making a sound as she moved. That was another peculiar thing about Michikin. White was the traditional color of mourning in Japan yet the wife of Katashi wore the color regularly. Her thigh length hair was tied as it always was in a low ponytail beginning at her lower back. In that way Michikin appeared to be more like a miko rather than a wife of an ex-samurai.

 

She walked boldly up to the offenders and planted herself between the ruffians and doctor Gensai. They gazed at her with obvious lust with their weapons still drown.

 

“He refuses the lord Himo-sama and now has to face the consequences,” the leader said arrogantly

 

“That is unless you would come with us”

 

The rest of the men sniggered and smiled at her lecherously. Gensai was livid, how dare they disrespect a woman in such a manner. He was about to reprimand them and tell Michikin to run when she turned her gaze to him. She glared at him frostily demanding his silence before turning her attention back to the men before them. She slipped out of her sandals and pushed them back out of her way.

 

“Leave now if you wish to live but if you don't I promise to make your end swift”

 

They laughed. Gensai looked at the woman before him in shock. Her threat was not an idle one from what Gensai could tell. Her voice was too cold and her expression too calm to really doubt her word. Even as the fools jeered disgusting taunts at the woman Michikin squatted down smoothing the fabric out at her knees with her right hand while she cradled a black metal staff on her left arm horizontally.

 

“Come, if you dare”

 

And so they did completely unaware that this woman could and would kill them in less than a heart beat with her strange sword.

 

(End Flashback)

 

Gensai shuddered involuntarily. What came afterward was something he strived to forever blank out of his mind. But the doctor couldn't help it because every time Kaoru returned from one of her `trips' he was reminded of Michikin. That woman had slaughtered countless lives and felt no regret. The old doctor had hopped at her parent's death that Kaoru would not take up her mother's sword. But his wish was to be denied and Kaoru would not be swayed.

 

(Flashback)

 

“They have to pay Gensai-sensei”

 

“It won't bring them back Kaoru-chan”

 

“I know”

 

“You'll be just as guilty as they”

 

“I know”

 

“What would your parents think”?

 

“Doesn't matter now that they're dead”

 

“I won't let you,” he yelled finally frustrated

 

Snort, “You can't stop me”

 

(End Flashback)

 

That night Gensai had learned the hard way that eight year old or not Kaoru, no Shinkan was her mother's daughter. But as he contemplated the past another watched Kaoru's approach. Kenshin Himura a.k.a Battousai stood alone at the house porch. He wore his usual pink gi and white hamaka. His hair was in its usual low ponytail making his flame like locks sway with the wind. All in all the Rurouni made a surreal picture on his own. But right now to the former manslayer there was only the beauty of Kaoru to contemplate.

 

The former assassin had admitted that he loved the tomboyish kendo instructor. But he dared not speak of his feelings aloud. His past was too haunted for someone so sweet as Kaoru. Not even she would be able to forgive him for the things that he did. The Battousai part of his persona however would beg to differ.

 

`She is mine'

 

(Kaoru-dono is too good for this unworthy one)

 

`Fool, she was mine since I laid eyes on her)

 

(We will only hurt her)

 

`Like denying the truth will save her'

 

Kenshin grimaced, the incident with Jine' and Gohea had made it perfectly clear that no matter how hard he tried Kaoru would always be in danger.

 

(We will stay that is all!)

 

`She craves us can't you see that, Even Sano has seen it'

 

(It doesn't matter she deservers better than us)

 

`Bakadeshi, that is for her to decide'

 

(ORO?!!), now his inner manslayer was mimicking Hiko.

 

You see people usually see the Battousai as a madness or berserker giving Kenshin the advantage in battle. In truth though the Battousai was merely a difference in Kenshin's opinion. While the Rurouni could see the good in all people and tended to be mild mannered Battousai was Kenshin's passion. To the Battousai the world in general was black and white. There was no in between. Either he gave everything or he gave nothing. And in this instance both aspects of his personality were in agreement.

 

One: He loved Kaoru

 

Two: He would protect her as much as he was able

 

And Three: It was good to see her coming home

 

 

The End