Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Forgotten Past ❯ An Accident?? ( Chapter 3 )

Forgotten Past

Hands of the Past

Chapter 3

Kaoru calmly stared at the trees as the slow wind coursed through the leaves, making them ripple and sway in a hypnotic motion. Dressed in her favorite yellow kimono with small pink flowers sprinkled across the bottom, and her raven black hair tied up with the blue ribbon Kenshin gave her she sighed silently to herself. Not even wearing her favorite clothes or the ribbon Kenshin gave her had made her feel any better.

Her nightmares had never bothered her before, sure they were scary but they were just bad dreams after all. But then again, she'd never had a nightmare where she had murdered an entire family. The figure in the dream killed without remorse, and justified it with a simple whim. A figure that called herself: Kamiya Kaoru. A killer.

Kaoru glanced back down at her hands, which she had been doing since the day began. Hands that had tenderly helped bandaged Kenshin and Yahiko's battle wounds. Her hands that softly bathed Suzume-chan and Ayame-chan, especially when they stayed over for the night, or when they got messy from playing.

But what else have her hands done? This persistent thought gave her mind the most trouble.

In her nightmare, she didn't participate in the killing, but she had ordered that family killed, which still made her a murderer. But was her nightmare real? Was she really a cold-blooded killer? Was she really--?

"Oi, Kaoru," called Yahiko. "Wake-up!"

She blinked. "Nani? Yahiko?" Confused because he had suddenly materialized out of nowhere.

"It's time for my training," he stated simply.

Kaoru glanced down and finally noticed that in his small brown hands he clutched his shinai and her bokkotou. "Training?" She asked again confused.

"Yeah, training," he repeated as if he was talking to someone severely slow. "That's where you…" he said pointing to her. "…teach me Kamiya Kasshin Ryu" pointing back himself, and smiling triumphantly.

"Baka! I know what training is! It's just that I'm not--" Kaoru trailed off glancing down at Yahiko's dejected face and watched as his smile slowly melted away. I do not feel like training today she thought to herself, but she couldn't let Yahiko down either. She knew he was worried about her, along with the rest of the dojo's male residents, and he was just trying to make her feel better--the only way he knew how.

Kaoru gave another mental sigh. She knew she couldn't talk with them just yet, not until she had time to analyze the nightmare, but she could put them somewhat at ease if she did her regular routine. Moreover, that included training Yahiko.

"As I was saying," Kaoru began renewed as Yahiko turned to walk away and make good on his promise to Kenshin not to badger Kaoru into training him today. "…I'm not properly dressed for training. Just give me a few minutes to change clothes."

Yahiko inwardly smiled. Adults were so easily conned. All you have to do is give them the sad eyes bit, the dejected head and shoulders, and they were goners. They'd start feeling guilty for no reason, and if played right you could get almost anything you wanted. Ahh, the advantages of being a smart kid surrounded by stupid, gullible adults, he thought to himself. "You'd better hurry up," he called to her as she reached the top of the porch leading to where the bedrooms were located. "One minute more and you'll start loosing what skills you have left. It'd be a shame since you've already lost your beauty." Then Yahiko snickered, "You'll end up an ugly old hag with no skills, and no way to get a husband. Not unless he's blind."

Kaoru snapped her head around her blue eyes glowing hotly. Almost demonically. Yahiko backed up a step although he knew he was well out of her reach. That's weird he thought, and let a shudder pass through his small frame.

"Just for calling me ugly, I'm going to train you hard. Starting with one hundred downward swings. And I want you to count them aloud, and when you bring your shinai down, I want to hear the air crack! HAJIME!!"

Not sure if he should push any further, well, at least until she'd calmed down; he decided not to argue over the amount. Yahiko proceeded to take up his stance, and begin his breathing technique to center his ki. Then he began.

Walking toward her room Kaoru grinned as she listened to the sound of Yahiko counting out his swings. "….yon, go, roku, saichi, hachi, nana…" Yes, she thought to herself, I'm going to train him really hard today, as a demonic laugh spilled out of her. Where the heck did that come from?

Kaoru lost in deep thought she slid open the thin rice paper door that led to her room. She was happy at first that Yahiko had come to her for the training lesson. It would have taken her mind off her hands, and away from her nightmare. Now she wasn't so sure. Maybe she needed more time to think on that nightmare. No! She stated to her mind firmly, she had to get her life back to normal--no matter what. And normal meant training Yahiko.

Strengthened with that resolve Kaoru undid her obi, leaving her kimono hanging open as she went toward her armoire that held her training clothes. Pulling out a set she slipped off her yellow kimono and put on her hakama and gi. Tying up the last part of her clothes Kaoru glanced in the mirror to remove the ribbon. I wonder what technique I'll teach Yahiko to…

Trailing off Kaoru got a closer look in the mirror where she caught a glance of three figures standing silently behind her. Their faces and form hidden in a dark shadow that cloaked them from further scrutiny. Stifling a scream Kaoru quickly spun on her heels to confront the shadowed intruders.

Nobody. Nothing.

Maybe it was her mind playing tricks thought Kaoru as she turned back towards the mirror, but kept her head angled toward the floor. It was just a lingering illusion left over from her nightmare, nothing to be worried about, she repeated in her mind. Taking a deep breath, she slowly lifted her head up to the mirror again. A new figure had joined the group of shadows, but this one Kaoru was able to distinguish. It was her Kamiya Kaoru, well, the other her.

She was dressed with more detail. Kaoru could clearly see that the figure in the mirror had on a dark blue ninja dress, which had a yellow dragon insignia on the left shoulder. The dress also seemed to have slits up both sides for flexibility and agility. From the knees downward her legs were wrapped in cloth, while her feet had the customary tabi socks on them encased in sandals, and her hair done up in a bun style with a ribbon that matched the dress encircled it. Around the waist of the dress was a black belt. It didn't appear to be an ordinary black belt, as it seemed to have something sticking out of the back of it.

As if reading her mind the Kaoru in the mirror turned around to face the motionless silhouettes that had first taken over the mirror. Feeling compelled to look Kaoru walked closer to the mirror, to see what was sticking out of the belt. Leaning towards the mirror she let out a gasp and quickly stumbled backwards. Hanging from the back of the dress was a miniature sword--a wakizashi. It is one of the two swords in a samurai's daisho smaller than the katana, but still effective in killing. But the sword wasn't just any wakizashi; it was the one missing from of the small weaponry left to her from her father's death. Although most of the mirror was cloaked in darkness Kaoru could still make out her family insignia on the handle: a sleeping dragon lying upon a bed of small swords. That small sword had disappeared nearly five years ago--years she could hardly remember. But you didn't even know it was missing until Dr. Gensai told you it was missing.

Sensing movement in the mirror Kaoru glanced back and was startled to find herself being regarded closely by her own electric blue eyes. Eyes that seemed to be trying to invaded her mind.

"Yes, Invade," Kaoru heard, whispered in her mind. Visions of decapitated bodies and walls dripping with blood suddenly took root in her mind. The coppery taste of blood instantly found its place upon her tongue. Her nostrils filled with the scent of rotting bodies, while her ears tuned into the sound of screams of pain, and wails of crying. Through all this, she saw her treasured family heirloom slash and hack its way through person after person. Blood was staining its once gleaming blade.

Kaoru fumbled back as raced toward her door to escape the hell her room had become. Missing the wide smile that spread across the face of her dream tormentor. In a wisp of smoke, the shadows withdrew back into the darkness.

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Kenshin stood back and stared up at the last piece of laundry he'd finish hanging. He watched as the shirt flapped in the wind in the background, he could hear the rhythmic counting of Yahiko as he performed his warm-up for his later kendo lesson. From every outward appearance, this was a normal everyday occurrence at the Kamiya Dojo. "Normal" except for the slight uncertainty that hung over the compound like dark clouds ready to unleash a storm. A storm that these residents didn't know to prepare or when it was coming.

"Konnichiwa, Ken-san," called a feminine voice as she ducked inside the main dojo's door.

Kenshin looked away from the flapping hakama to see Megumi standing only a few inches away from him dressed as always in her lavender kimono with her blue doctor's vest over the dress for covering.

Kenshin bowed to Megumi. "Konnichiwa Megumi-dono. Arigatou de gozaru yo, for coming today."

She smiled and bowed back to him. She needed this Megumi thought, she was entirely too pleased to hear Kenshin add the familiar 'dono' to her name. She was spending too much time with her patients and not enough with her adopted family. "No need to thank me Ken-san. I was happy to come by and chat with Kaoru-san. By the way where is--"

"Oi, Kenshin," called another voice from the door, but not feminine this time a more brash voice called to him. "Tadima!"

"Okari." Kenshin automatically returned to Sanosuke who claimed his attention now. "Thank you for asking Megumi-dono to come by and--"

"Ask?!" Megumi interrupted as she whirled around from to Sanosuke to Kenshin. "That idiot did not come and ask me. He told me--in very rude language I might add--to bring myself here."

Kenshin hung his head and sighed. "Orooo."

Sanosuke rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't know why he was so embarrassed by Kenshin's quiet 'oro'. He hadn't felt the need to please since he was part of the Seikihou Tai serving under Captain Sagara. "Sheesh, Kenshin. I would have asked her nicely, but the Fox Lady didn't give me a chance. She wouldn't even talk directly to me." Without warning, he shifted gears to Megumi. "YOU! I asked politely to come see me in private for a minute, but instead of coming out you sent your errand boy." His words were full of disgust, and anger at having to speak with her through a second party.

"You still shouldn't have said those nasty things in front of everybody."

"Nani yo! You're the one who told your errand boy to tell me in front of everybody that you didn't have any money or food to give me, and I should stop freeloading off my friends and get a real job."

Megumi swung her black hair over her shoulder nearly smacking Yahiko in the face as he walked up to listen to the ensuing argument. "Humph, how was I supposed to know that you didn't come to beg? That's all you ever come by for anyway."

"Usotsuki!" Exclaimed Sano building up toward rage. "I came by some weeks ago to take the kids to that fair, and which I remind you that I'd ask for you to come, where I also paid for everything."

Two pair of eyes looked up after hearing this. Megumi and Sano going to a fair? Together? What was more shocking was that he actually asked her and paid for it. Kenshin and Yahiko quickly looked up to see if the apocalypse was starting.

"Well, I didn't--"

"Don't you dare say you didn't enjoy yourself. You had as much fun as the kids-especially when I won you that painted wooden umbrella you were sighing so much over."

Megumi colored lightly thinking not of the umbrella that he won for her but the show of brute strength that he exerted when he won it in the competition. For a split second, she found herself attracted to Sagara Sanosuke. "Humph, I don't want to argue anymore. I came here to speak with Kaoru-san not to argue with a rooster-head. Turning to the house, she called behind her "I'm going to make some lunch and tea."

"Che, who's she calling rooster-head." But Sano smiled triumphantly.

Cleaning out his ear with his pinkie finger Yahiko answered the rhetorical question. "Since you're the only one who looks like a rooster, I think Megumi's talking about you."

"What was that brat?"

Yahiko just smiled.

"Maa. Maa," said Kenshin breaking up this fight before it got out of hand. "Yahiko aren't you supposed to be doing some warm-ups?"

Yahiko brushed the question aside. "I finished already. Kaoru's just taking too damn long to change clothes."

Kenshin glanced toward the walkway leading to Kaoru's room and decided against checking on her. She had already told him that she needed time to herself.

"Anyway, Kenshin I came over to ask if you could help with a few of my moves."

Kenshin blinked. "Oro. Sessha? He backed up a step, holding out his hands to keep back an advancing Yahiko. Sumano, Yahiko I don't know anything about Kamiya Kasshin Ryu."

"I don't want you to teach me it, Kenshin. I just want you to tell me where I'm messing up, and leaving myself unprotected." The he muttered, "I'm tired of being beaten by Kaoru. Jeez, I know she's my shihondai and everything, but once I would like the upper hand."

Understanding finally dawned in Kenshin's eyes. He knew the feeling of having a master beat you down repeatedly in the name of 'teaching.' "Aa. I'll see if I can help."

"Yatta!" Yahiko cried in glee.

"I'll come too," said Sano reminding Yahiko that he still standing there.

"Why? What do you know about Budo? You're just a street fighter"

"And you're just a damn loud-mouthed kid. But in my old days when I used to hire myself out as a fighter, I usually had to fight against sword people. He shrugged. And I learned a few things."

Yahiko scoffed in disbelief. "You? You can--"

"Yahiko sometimes it's wiser to have two watching instead of one." Kenshin interrupted. "Sano may also see some weakness I may miss."

Yahiko subsided still not believing Sano would be of any help. However, if Kenshin thought he might help, he wasn't going to argue. "Fine."

The three men headed toward the dojo.

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Kaoru leaned against the wall of the house clutching a hand to her breast as she tried to still her quickly beating heart. "I've killed," she whispered to herself. "I've broken the rules of Kamiya Kasshin Ryu. I've taken others lives and enjoyed it." But you can't be sure it was you whispered another part of her brain. How can you be sure this isn't some hallucination? Then I losing my mind she thought back to herself. But I can't be. I recognized that sword and I instinctively knew that the sword had been missing for almost five years. Five years that you hardly remember, because anything past the last three years she had trouble placing. She knew it had to do with her accident, and one day waking up in the clinic all bandaged. Those years before I've always depended on Dr. Gensai to tell me stories of my past.

Dr. Gensai? I've always depended on…? He has to be the key. I'll just speak to him when he gets back from vacation tomorrow.

Having settled a little Kaoru glanced around the courtyard puzzled. Where is everybody? Has Yahiko finished his reps already? How long was I gone? Finding no answers Kaoru headed toward the kitchen, where she saw a steady stream of smoke coming from the chimney, but heard a shout coming from the dojo. Yahiko must be in there practicing without me. Redirecting her steps, she headed toward the dojo.

Inside the dojo sweat poured out Yahiko pores from both the heat and his exertion. Gripping the shinai tightly in his brown hands, he charged halfway down the dojo before leaping into the air to perform a half turn and bringing his shinai down across his imaginary opponent's back. Dropping down he landed on feet, and turned around to his audience. "How was that one?"

Kenshin replayed the move in his mind to see if anything was left unprotected. Since he wasn't familiar with Kamiya Kasshin, he hesitated to adjust Yahiko's stance overmuch, so he did the only thing he could think of at the time. "Sano, do you see anything that needs adjusting in that technique?"

Sano turned his head and lifted a brow at Kenshin. So, Kenshin thinks he's slick passing the responsibility to me. Oh, I will get you back for this one Kenshin. "I think you're…"

"You're lifting your sword up too soon Yahiko," called Kaoru from the doorway saving Sano from displaying his lack of knowledge. Walking toward the wall, she lifted a shinai. "Your charge is excellent, but when you get to the air you lift your shinai before you finish your turn in the air, and that leaves your stomach unprotected. Your opponent can easily turn around and lift his sword up and impale you." Crossing opposite him, she took up a stance. "Here I'll show you. Come at me."

Kenshin and Sano looked on as Kaoru assumed the air and confidence of an instructor who knew what she was looking for and what she wanted. Both heartened that she seemed normal and acted like she didn't wake up screaming or spent the better part of the morning staring down at her hands.

Yahiko charged toward Kaoru only stopping in enough time to execute his jump over her head and quick turn in mid-air. Lifting up his sword as he turned he found her shinai shoving him in the stomach. He fell to the ground. Sitting up he rubbed his stomach and looked up at her. "Did ya have to hit so damn hard. I get the point I gotta wait to bring my shinai around in order to protect my stomach."

Kaoru looked down at his sitting body. "You're the one who wanted me to train you today. And because of your earlier remark about my beauty, I told you I was going to train you hard."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you would set out to maim me," he retorted.

"I can't believe you're crying over that little hit," she shot back. "Especially after taking on that guy from the Jupon Gatana, and that guy from Enishi's goon squad."

"That was in the heat of the battle. This is training. Can't you tell the difference"

"Just get up and charge at me again. Or don't you want to learn the new technique I was planning on teaching you."

Standing up and brushing off the seat of his pants. "What new technique?"

Kaoru grinned. "This technique." She charged at him without giving him a chance to defend himself. She flipped over his head keeping her middle protected until she finished her turn she brought her sword down. Thinking she was about to hit him across the back Yahiko turned trying to use her earlier move to block her downward hit with his shinai. Using the tip of her sandal Kaoru pushed off the edge of Yahiko's sword and did a forward somersault back over his head laying her sword across Yahiko's back while she landed on her feet went low and swept his feet from under him. Kaoru planted her sword in his chest.

Yahiko lay on his back once more in pain, but also amazed at what he just witnessed. How did she do that? How did she get so fast?

Kenshin and Sano were also amazed at what they saw. Kaoru had moved quickly and efficiently and executed the move as if it wasn't a shinai in her hand but a sword. They both knew because Kaoru was considered a shihondai her sword skills were above par. But even so, she wasn't as exacting as she had been moments before. Something was different.

"So are you going to lie there lazing away, Yahiko," teased Kaoru standing over his body. "Or are you going to get up and learn this new technique." Wiping the perspiration from her forehead, she moved the shinai out of the way and bent down to lend Yahiko a hand up.

Sitting up Yahiko smacked Kaoru's hand away. "I don't need your help." His back and butt stung from the hits he just received and from his earlier meeting with the floor.

"Don't be mad at me because you need to learn how to protect yourself. How do you expect to advance in Kasshin Ryu if you can't get basic principles down."

"Yeah, well I didn't expect you to try and beat me to a pulp," he reiterated.

Kaoru looked shocked. "What do you mean? All I was doing was showing you a new technique, like I always do."

Yahiko tentatively got to his feet. "Yeah, but you also give me chance to get the last move down before you start on something else."

"I was just showing you a more advanced move of the other technique. So, quit whining, Yahiko. I swear when Suzume-chan cut her finger she cried less than what you're doing now."

From the sidelines, Sanosuke let out a chortle, and Kenshin disguised a chuckle with a cough.

Yahiko turned red. How dare Kaoru say he was 'whining,' he was merely debating with her on her teaching techniques! And to say that in front of Kenshin, and have Kenshin laugh at him. That was unforgivable. Yahiko looked up to see Kaoru smiling over at him. He did the only thing left for him to do. He insulted her. Not just any insult one that he knew would cut her deeply.

The smile slowly slid off Kaoru's face. She couldn't believe he said that to her. She'd always thought that no matter what Yahiko would not cross the line between acceptable insults--if there was such a thing--and unacceptable insults. But it seems he did not, and now it up to her to teach him to obey that line. Kaoru chuckled.

"Kaoru-dono?" questioned Kenshin. A chuckle. This was not the reaction he expected. But then again, he couldn't believe Yahiko would say such a thing to Kaoru. He turned to Yahiko, "Apologize Yahiko, that was a very rude thing to say about Kaoru-dono."

Both Kaoru and Yahiko ignored Kenshin and focused on each other. "So that's what you think of me, Yahiko. Or do you want a chance to say you're sorry? Hmm, Yahiko?"

The sound of Kenshin's and Sanosuke's laughter resonated between Yahiko's ears. He hadn't really meant to say that, but she'd embarrassed him in front of the others, and then stood there and smiled at him. "I won't take it back."

Kaoru smiled an eerily dangerous smile. "I thought you'd say that. Now it's time for me to tell you Myojin Yahiko, that you crossed a very delicate line. And now you must be punished."

"Huh?" said Yahiko feeling as if he was talking to an entirely different person. "Look, Kaoru, I'm tired and don't feel like training anymore. I'm going to take a bath. Maybe later I'll say I'm sorry."

"I don't think so Myojin Yahiko. I won't let you leave until you fight me, and beat me."

"What?"

"Well if you want to leave this dojo, you have to beat me in a sword fight." Then she smiled that frightful smile again. "And that's the only way you'll be leaving this dojo. How hard can it be? All you have to do is knock my sword from my hand." Taking her shinai, Kaoru pointed it directly at Yahiko. "Myojin Yahiko I challenge you to a fight!"

Yahiko turned his back to Kaoru. "I don't want to fight you Kaoru." He raised his hand up as he walked away. "Ja ne."

Kaoru lowered her shinai behind her back as if she was sliding it into a sheath, then charged. "Obviously you didn't hear what I said." Coming up behind Yahiko she pulled the shinai from the imaginary sheath and whacked him against his back, where she jumped over his falling body to block the dojo entrance. "You can't leave the dojo." She attacked him again. "So, defend yourself!"

Sanosuke gasped as he saw the blow that Kaoru dealt Yahiko. He'd never seen her be so cruel and vicious toward Yahiko. Heck, he'd never seen her move so fast. How did she get so fast? Granted what he said was very rude, and deserved her anger, but he never saw Kaoru move like she was doing now.

Kenshin too had noticed her increased speed and brutal attack on Yahiko. Something was not right with Kaoru. She was acting strange. He called to her again, but to no avail. For some reason, she'd tuned him out.

Yahiko staggered to his feet, and looked at the waiting Kaoru. Man, she looked pissed and that hit she gave him was ten times harder than the ones he received earlier from her. Yahiko tightened his hold on his shinai. He had to take Kaoru down. He did it with Shishio and Enishi's men he could do it with Kaoru.

Kaoru motioned him to her with one hand. She was going to teach him good. No one messed with the Kiiroi No Ryu and got away with it. No one. She charged again.

Yahiko began defending himself, but it was harder than he thought. Not only did she have years of sword experience on him it seemed her anger had given her extra strength and speed. Her attacks came from everywhere it seemed. Her attacks were impossible to predict, and with every hit it was getting harder to block her attacks.

Kenshin and Sano watched the fight between Yahiko and Kaoru in stunned silence. They couldn't believe it she was attacking from everywhere possible in the dojo and with almost god-like speed. And the fierce concentration on her face told them that she didn't intend to lose this fight. They were torn. They didn't know if they should stop the fight or shouldn't they.

As they watch Yahiko was knocked down again, but he wasn't as quick to get up as he'd been doing since the fight began. His breathing was labored and his entire body was soaked with perspiration. Yahiko knew he had to get up, but he didn't think he had it in him. She was stronger than he thought. Shit, thought Yahiko I have to do something. Looking up he saw a feral grin come over Kaoru's face, and murderous glint came to her blue eyes. At that moment Yahiko swore he saw the face of death, and he didn't have the strength left to get to his feet. "Shit! Kenshin she's going to kill me. Help!"

Kenshin and Sanosuke were up and running not paying attention to Megumi whom had just walked in with a tray of tea, and rice cakes. They too had seen the expression they had came over Kaoru's face right before she started to charge the fallen Yahiko.

"Kaoru-dono!" Kenshin screamed. "Stop!"

"Jou-chan," cried Sanosuke. "Stop!"

Heedless of the voices calling to her Kaoru snapped off the tip of the shinai, while she charged in mid-air. "Sayonara, Myojin Yahiko," screamed Kaoru as she went to plunge the broken shinai down into his unprotected chest.

Moving as fast as he could Kenshin unsheathed his Sakabatou and cut off more of the shinai, giving Sanosuke the split second that he needed to grab Kaoru from behind, before she could adjust her thrust for a shorter sword.

Encased in Sanosuke's arms she thrashed around trying to get loose, only to have his arms tightened around her. "Jou-chan! What the fuck do you think you're doing? Why in the hell did you try to kill Yahiko?" Sano loosened one arm and shook the broken shinai free from her hand. "Have you gone fuckin' nuts?"

Kenshin knelt over Yahiko and looked at the blood coming from the boy's mouth and the tell-tell signs of bruises to come. "Daijobu de gozaru ka, Yahiko?"

Yahiko unclenched his swollen right hand and let the shinai that he'd been clutching in it roll away before answering. "Hai," trying to pull himself up to a sitting position, but Kenshin's hand kept him from moving.

Megumi quickly set the tray down and hurried across the dojo floor not believing what she'd just witnessed. Scraping by Sanosuke who still held the immobile Kaoru, she leaned over Yahiko to get a good look at his injuries. "Yahiko-kun you're badly bruised and some welts are cut open. Ken-san I'll need my supplies from my room, I don't want to move Yahiko until I've had a chance to treat him."

Kenshin stood up to fetch the supplies needed to bandage Yahiko, but before he could do that, he had to talk with Kaoru. Walking slowly up to Sanosuke, he asked one simple question "why."

Kaoru head was hung low and her black hair, which came loose during the fight, cascaded over Sanosuke's arm effectively blocking Kenshin's probing violet stare. "Fuck you, Battousai!" She whispered through the air.

Battousai…thought Kenshin, she'd never called him that, and in fact she hated it when other's referred to him by that name and he answered out of habit. This was not the Kaoru he had come to know. Kenshin slowly lifted the hair from Kaoru's face, and found himself staring at eyes he did not recognize. They looked like Kaoru's beautiful eyes, but these were a little darker, that spoke of a harsher life lived. In the silence of the dojo Kenshin asked, "Who are you?"

The blues shone brightly, as the figure whispered her answer, as if she didn't want anyone else to overhear what she was saying, although it did no good in the deafening silence of the dojo. "I'm the real Kamiya Kaoru."

"What?" Asked a shocked Sanosuke and Kenshin.

But she continued to smile and then lowered her head and bit Sano on the arm drawing blood. Sano screamed in pain, throwing Kaoru to the floor.

Kaoru lay still on the floor, where she let out a moan of pain. Her head felt thick and clouded as if she overindulged the night before, God she hated it when she got drunk. I hope I didn't do anything to stupid.

Kenshin half drew his sword when Kaoru moaned from the floor. Sanosuke and Megumi took up stance over Yahiko in case she tried to attack him again--if she got past Kenshin.

Kaoru sat up and rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand. No, I didn't get drunk I was in the middle of training Yahiko. I guess I must have blackened out. Kaoru looked up to see Kenshin and the rest of the people all looking at her warily. Why is Megumi in here? What's wrong with them she thought? What's this taste in my mouth?

Getting a good look at Kaoru's eyes Kenshin noticed that they were back to normal if a little confused. "Kaoru-dono," he cautioned out.

"Nani, Kenshin?" She turned her head up and looked at him. "Did I black out? You didn't have to call Megumi-san here. I'm fine."

"What the fuck?" Sanosuke interjected. "We didn't call Megumi here because you blacked out."

Kaoru was even more mystified.

Seeing the confusion over Kaoru's face Kenshin decided see if she remembered anything that recently happened. "Megumi-dono is here because Yahiko was attacked."

Kaoru sat up straighter. "Attacked! Is he okay? Who did this? Was I knocked cold? Is that why my head feels heavy?" She questioned as she got to her feet to go to Yahiko. But found her way blocked by an enraged Sanosuke and Megumi.

"Kaoru-san you attacked him," answered Megumi. "Just a few minutes ago you tried to kill Yahiko."

"I wouldn't do something like that," denied Kaoru as she shook her head.

Megumi slightly pushed Sanosuke out of the way and showed her the body of Yahiko lying in the corner all bruised and battered. "If that doesn't convince you, look at the blood on your hands, and training shinai. You tried to bite through Sanosuke's arm. That's why you ended up on the floor. He had to throw you down."

Kaoru looked down at her shinai and saw a few blood spots that stained the bamboo wood. Glancing down at her hands, she saw blood that covered them. Blood. The strange metallic taste came from blood. In an instant, the nightmare and the events that happened in her room came flooding back. I tried to kill Yahiko. Gazing dazedly at her hands, she saw in them a wakizashi that dripped with blood. Looking up her friends had turned into disemboweled bodies littering the floor with eyes open looking straight at her. Yahiko lay huddled in the corner looking at her with fear in his eyes, mimicking the little boy from her nightmare. Kaoru shifted her eyes and frantically tried to find something else to focus on, but everywhere she saw blood.

Kenshin who'd stayed silent looked at Kaoru as she flicked her eyes around the dojo, not staying on anything to focus long enough. He watched as she flicked her hands liked she threw away something unwanted. Something was definitely wrong with Kaoru. Kenshin walked toward her to comfort her, but she backed away from him shaking. "No! Don't come any closer," she cried out to him.

"Stop! Please stop." She whimpered as the Kenshin figure approached her. Kenshin! She couldn't believe it. He was dressed in his usual bright pink hakama and white gi, but this time they were soaked entirely with blood. His beautiful eyes that she admired constantly were gouged out; his stomach slashed open from which his lower intestines hung loose. His chest now bore a deep hole where once his heart beat, but now he carried it to her in his outstretched hands. His head was in a misshapen shape as if it had been repeatedly bludgeoned with a blunt instrument. Blood dripped from varying places on his body as he made a steady walk toward her. "Onegai," she sobbed. "Don't come any closer Kenshin."

Kenshin stopped and got a good look at the crazed look in her eyes, as she ran to the far end dojo wall. He turned to look at the people behind him, and saw his own look of shock echoed on their faces. Kaoru was loosing her mind in front of them. "Kaoru-dono," he tried again.

Kaoru breathed a little easier when the dead Kenshin stopped advancing on her, she needed to get out of here. You killed them a voiced whispered in her head. Look at what you did. No! She screamed back I didn't. Kaoru slinked toward the doorway when the dead Kenshin called out to her. But his voice gurgled on the blood that spewed out of his mouth and neck where it had been slashed. "Look what you did to us. To me."

Kaoru screamed, "I didn't kill you!" and fled the dojo leaving behind her a stunned silence with many questions. Reaching her bedroom she barricaded herself in, but could not block out the voice that taunted her in a singsong voice.

"You killed them. Kamiya Kaoru is a murderer. A murderer…"

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End Ch.3. Created: [09/17/00] Shishou M. Ended: [12/29/00]. The longest chapter I've written so far. So, now you know why it took so long to upload. Oh, well, coming next: Arrested Development. As always when reading a fanfic produced by me you are encouraged to send any complaints or compliments to me at: pmchivas@hotmail.com Please don't forget to sign the guest book if you want to, thanks. -- All standard disclaimers apply. --

Japanese Words:

Oi!:Hey.

Nani, Nani yo: What? Or What was that?

Baka!: Idiot.

Hajime: Start or Begin.

Ki or Chi: Warrior's spirit, or energy.

Yon, Go, Roku, Saichi, Hachi, Nana: 4,5,6,7,8,9.

Obi: The belt that goes around a kimono.

Hakama: The shirt that Kenshin wears.

Gi: The pants that Kenshin wears.

Wakizashi: Small sword that's part of a samurai's daisho.

Daisho: The pair of swords that a samurai carries.

Katana: The larger sword carried in the daisho.

Kendo: Japanese fencing with bamboo swords.

Konichiwa: Hello.

Arigatou de gozaru yo: Kenshin's polite way of saying 'Thank You.'

Tadima: I'm home.

Okari: Answer to 'I'm home.' Means, "Welcome back!"

Usotsuki: Liar.

Che: All-purpose curse word can mean 'shit' or 'damn.'

Maa Maa: Calm down. Take it easy.

Yatta: Yes! or All right!

Budo: Means the way of the samurai.

Ja ne: See ya.

Daijobu de gozaru ka?: Are you okay? Ala Kenshin.

Hai: Yes.

Kiiroi No Ryu: Yellow Dragon.

Sessha: Kenshin's way of referring to himself.