didn’t look a bit pleased about it and grunted in irritation. “Some thugs carrying around a bunch of swords stopped us just before we dropped Ms. Megumi off at her place and tried attacking her and Ms. Kaoru. They tried to grab Ms. Megumi’s medical supplies without a scratch on em like they were desperate! I give em one good punch and they run off like a bunch of pansies after saying something about a bloody rain! One of them said they were looking for you though and they seemed pretty bloodthirsty. I wouldn’t be surprised if they popped up again.” Sanosuke explained gruffly, clearly expressing his irritation at the previous event. This new bit of news set Kenshin on edge and he noticed almost instantly Kaoru looked exhausted. “I see. Did they happen to touch Ms. Kaoru or Ms. Megumi?” he asked in deep concern for the two woman. “No.” it was Kaoru who answered. “Sano got them in time, but they were all terrifying and I don’t see why they ran at the sight of Sanosuke. It was all really confusing. We’re fine though Kenshin. Ms. Megumi gave us both some of her special drug in case either of us came down with the illness the other villagers seem to have caught. I’m just glad to be home.” she said. Kenshin was relieved, but at the same time, this wasn’t like Kaoru. The confrontation with these mysterious thugs must’ve really worn them out quite a bit. Who are they, and how do they know me? He wondered as he let a smile play on his face. “Well I'm glad you three are safe. That I am...I have dinner almost ready so I'll fetch Yahiko and explain things to him. I’ll let Yuushin sleep a while longer and she can join us when she’s ready.” Kenshin smiled and went to fetch Kaoru’s student. ______________________________________________________ At dinner everyone ate quietly after thanking Kenshin for the food and a few minutes passed in silence. “So did anyone else get sick?” Yahiko asked. “I think the worst of it passed Yahiko.” Kaoru said. “Anyway.” Sanosuke said. “How is Yuushin doing? Did she tell you anything about how she got here?” Sanosuke asked after taking a mouthful of soup. “Well she said she remembered a man that gave her, her weapon. She said he told her to find something that had a connection to it, but I have no clue what that could be. Hey Kenshin! Why does she look so much like you?! Are you sure there’s no way she could be related to you?” Yahiko asked a little to loudly. “She couldn’t be. There’s no way for that to be possible.” Kenshin replied evenly. “Well the way i see it Kenshin, there is one possibility…” Sanosuke then leaned over to whisper in Kenshin’s ear, casting a cautious glance as a curious Kaoru. After Sanosuke leaned back Kenshin shook his head and sighed. “No. There was a woman with whom i was fairly close with a long time ago but...she passed away a little before the revolutionary war ended… ...Yuushin couldn’t possibly be my daughter.” Kenshin answered. To his friends his last sentence seemed far to dark, almost as if changing his demeanor. No one seemed like themselves. Kaoru was way to quiet as well as Megumi, Sanosuke seemed suspicious at nearly everything that seemed off to him, Yahiko couldn’t hold back his harsh outbursts to Yuushin and with every passing second Kenshin’s skin seemed to crawl more and more. “Ken-...shin… ...I’m so sorry.”. Kaoru’s sincere words captured the attention of everyone in the room, making Sanosuke and Yahiko look up while Kenshin stared at his bowl, frozen in shock. Everyone was silent for several long moments as Kaoru stared back at her food. Oh man. What did I just do? Sanosuke thought. ...I shouldn't've answered Sano’s question the way that I did...knowing it would hurt Ms. Kaoru as deeply as this. Kenshin thought. “Nice going Sanosuke! Why’d you have to go and ask Kenshin what ever you just did?!” Yahiko yelled. “Hey! It’s not like I meant to start anything!” Sanosuke defended himself. “Yeah well you could have just-!”. Kenshin noticed something. “That’s enough.” he ordered sharply. A moment of silence passed before he sighed. “Ms. Kaoru you don’t have to apologize for it...I’m the one who should be apologizing to you.” Kenshin said humbly and sincerely. He then gestured to the entrance of the room with a nod of his head. “And to Yuushin as well...I’m very sorry to the both of you. Truly, that I am.” He said and dipped his head in deep apology. Yuushin was peering behind the entrance to the dining room. Her mouth was open and her small hand was held close to her chest. She looked about ready to cry. The others in the room were all thinking the same thing: She must have heard all of that. “Oh Yuushin.” Kaoru said gently as she and Kenshin stood up and walked over. Yuushin backed up looking terrified. “Yuushin I-.” Kenshin was interrupted by the stance that Yuushin assumed the instant he said her name. Her legs spread equally apart with her left foot forward, her hips bent forward slightly and her right hand hovering just above the handle
of her retractable sword. Everyone in the room was stunned. The stance that Yuushin has assumed so quickly and with such a shocking amount of what seemed as expertise was the stance of the Hiten Mitsurugi Style! “Ms. Kaoru! Get back.” Kenshin warned as he stepped in front of Kaoru who was equally shocked and instantly assumed the same stance. Sanosuke pulled Kaoru back by her shoulder as he and Yahiko swiftly stood up. Yahiko readied his wooden sword and also stood in front of Kaoru. “Hey kid! What is it that-!” Sanosuke was interrupted by Kenshin, whose voice was as serious as ever. “Sano. Take Ms. Kaoru and Yahiko and wait at the other side of the dojo.” he said, not taking one eye off of the girl in front of him. “What!” Yahiko protested. “Just please do as i ask.”. “But Kenshin what’s the-”. “Sanosuke.” the look Kenshin gave him told him he understood. “Grrr...Fine. Come on Yahiko, Missy.” Sanosuke said and scooped them up before running out of the room, ignoring Kaoru’s worried protest. ______________________________________________________ “Yuushin.” Kenshin said. “Didn’t I warn you to only unsheathe your blade if you wanted to hurt someone?” Yuushin was trembling slightly. Her expression was determined and alert but in her eyes Kenshin recognized complete fear and uncertainty. “I-I. I-...”. Her trembling increased. “I didn’t unsheathe it!” she protested. “Yes but I can clearly see you are about to. I’d very greatly appreciate it if you can tell me why.” Kenshin said gently yet not moving from the stance they both held. “I-I-I-”. Just then an uproar of thunder made Yuushin scream and jump back to the wall. Kenshin broke his stance. When the thunder subsided Yuushin seemed to gain a little control over herself. “I can’t remember how I know swordsmanship or the person’s name who gave me this sword but I thought the thing I was supposed to find was you! I don’t know how but I felt it when our swords clashed and I figured you might have been my father!” Yuushin blurted out then gasped as if she hadn’t meant to reveal any of that to the man standing before her. After a moment Kenshin seemed to understand her situation better. “I see.” he said. A faint low crack of thunder in the far distance made Yuushin freeze again. She’s afraid of thunderstorms. He would distract her. “Yuushin. In order for us to understand each other properly I see the best way to do that is through speaking to each other with our blades.” Kenshin explained. “Remember, mine is a sakabato, and so I have no intentions of flipping the blade mid-battle. I can tell from the first time I disarmed you that you do have some skill about you. I simply want to see how much so that I can properly predict where you got your skill from so I can help you. I give you my word that I will not reverse my blade, that I will not. So what do you say to a simple spar with only just a few moves. I’ll allow you to make the first move with each turn, that I will. Do you accept this offer?” Kenshin asked, returning to his stance. Yuushin thought for a moment and said with a small voice “Well that wouldn’t be fair.” Kenshin smiled simply in understanding. “I am confident I have full capability of defending myself. Not to doubt any knowledge and skill you may have but I can say I have at least a decade or to of experience on you. You don’t have to worry about injuring me to badly.” Kenshin explained. “No I mean...if your sword is reversed then-” Yuushin stopped. “...I’m not going to attack you. Okay?” she said as she unsheathed her sword, again almost expertly. Kenshin studied her as she grabbed the flat side of the bottom end of the blade and stared at it for a long moment. “I don’t have much experience using it...but it is only fair right?” Yuushin said. The girl with the blood-red hair and violet eyes flipped the blade of her sword backwards. ______________________________________________________ A retractable sakabato. So Yuushin wasn’t disobeying Kenshin after all. “Okay.” Kenshin smiled and assumed his stance again. “Would you like to begin?” He asked. “Oh!” Yuushin said suddenly and retracted her sword, sheathing it. “I just remembered this helps!” she said as she pulled a hair tie from her kimono sleeve and tied her hair in a high ponytail before getting into the same stance as Kenshin. There was an excited light in her eyes as she declared determinedly “Alright. I’m as ready as i can get!”. Kenshin saw from her excitement she probably hadn’t entered many life threatening battles. He had to be careful to not scare her. “Okay. You get the first move whenever you are ready.” Kenshin reminded her. Yuushin took a deep breath then stopped. “Oh. Can I tell you something?” she asked. Kenshin disregarded her question intentionally. “I’m sure I'll figure out what ever you have to tell me through this spar, Yuushin. Come at me with full confidence in your actions, it’ll be okay.” he smiled warmly. “...O-Okay.” Yuushin said, clearly uncertain of something
