Tanuki To Ryuu

Hello Again!   This chapter was supposed to be a letter from Sanosuke,
but I just couldn't get it flowing right, so instead, its Yutaro's
reappearance!

Chapter 4: The Second Disciple

        Tsukayama Yutaro leaned on the guard rail of the boat he was
riding on.   It was a difficult set of months, but after the treatments
and the expensive doctors, his right arm had some semblence of
normality, although he doubted he would ever get the full dexterity
back.   But Yutaro wasn't focusing those long months in Germany on just
treating his right arm.   Yutaro trained his left arm to be his primary
arm with a high rate of personal success.   He was almost certain he
could defeat Yahiko in their promised duel.

        'But', Yutaro thought as he turned around and leaned his back on

the rail, 'he would have gotten better as well.   Perhaps I should study

under Kamiya-sensei again'   Yutaro felt nervous about his arrival back
in Japan.   His father stayed in Germany and sent a percentage of the
family fortune with Yutaro to ensure his son would live comfortably back

in Japan.

        Yutaro turned around and saw Japan ahead and knew he was home.

***

        Kenshin woke up outside of Kaoru's door as usual early in the
morning.   Late at night he was able to effectively sneak out of the
equipment shed and planned on locking himself back in and appear as if
he never left.   Kenshin took only two steps away from Kaoru's door
before it slid open and revealed a slightly annoyed Kaoru dressed in her

kenjutsu uniform.

        "Kenshin," Kaoru began in a serious tone, "I can guess why you
didn't sleep in the shed and I have been thinking about it.   Its good
you're worried and I have decided not to punish you for caring about
me."   She then smiled.   "Now come with me to the dojo.   There's
something I need you to do for me."   Kaoru grabbed his hand and dragged

him over to the dojo like an excited child eager to show something to a
friend.

        Kenshin smiled and laughed at Kaoru's enthusiastic nature.   She

led him inside and placed a cushion on the floor for him to sit on.
Kenshin was slightly puzzled, but he sat on it, then watched Kaoru walk
in front of him and kneel on the ground.   "Kenshin, please help me pass

the final tests of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu,"   Kenshin started to laugh
slightly and was about to object when Kaoru continued.  "Ok, it DOES
sound strange, but let me explain..."

***

        The day before, Kaoru was looking through her father's journal
and text on the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu's final tests.   Even though she had

all the forms down, there were three tests left before total mastery.
The first was learning how to sense ken-ki and the test was to
successfully block a kenjutsu master's strike when blindfolded.   The
second was to successfully give off a controlled aura of ken-ki.  The
third one baffled her the most.   The third test's completion would be
marked when she would save an opponent's life.

***

        "So, you see, that's why I asked" Kaoru explained.   She bowed
her head again and for some reason felt extremely embarassed.   She knew

Kenshin was many times more powerful than she was, but she never asked
him to take part in her instruction.   That wasn't the worst part.   She

KNEW he was smiling at this situation.

        "You want me to teach you how to sense ken-ki, right?" Kenshin
asked, just to be sure.   Kaoru still had her forehead against the
ground and felt the blush on her cheeks spread.

        "Yes," she replied curtly and thought, 'if he says no, I WILL
get mad'.   There was a brief pause and Kaoru began to feel her eyes
were getting moist.   'Please say yes?' she thought, 'please?'

        "Kaoru," Kenshin began saying with a serious tone of voice, "I
never had to teach before so I'm not sure if I'll do it right."   Kaoru
felt tears almost ready to fall from her eyes when Kenshin continued.
"But, for you, I'll try to do it right."   Kaoru looked up with an
astonished look on her face and the tears still fell, and she tried to
smile.   "Its alright Kaoru," Kenshin said as he wiped away the tears.
"Did you think I was going to say no?"

***

        Yahiko walked into the gates and heard a yelling contest in
progress.   He ran around the side of the dojo and pressed his ear
against the wall.   "Its like seeing without seeing, Kaoru.   Now close
your eyes again." Kenshin's voice explained.

        "I still don't get it!  OWW!   Do you have to throw the pebbles
that hard?!" Kaoru yelled.

        "I told you, that's how Hiko trained me!   Just picture me.
Close your eyes and try to see me, the position of my arm, how I'm
holding the pebble.   Reach for me." Kenshin's voice explained again.
"Do you see it?"

        "I think so, yeah, I think I see it!  Go!" Kaoru's voice
shouted.   Her voice was followed by a sharp thwack.   "I did it,
Kenshin!" Kaoru cried happily.

        "Keep the blindfold on!" Kenshin shouted.   Yahiko felt
something was wrong.  Kenshin NEVER yelled at Kaoru.   He ran quickly to

the door and slid it open.   The sight before him was something he would

have never expected.   Kenshin was standing in one of the corners of the

dojo with a hand full of pebbles and Kaoru was standing blindfolded in
the center of the dojo, shinai held at ready stance.   Kenshin looked at

Yahiko and smiled.   "Kaoru, we have a guest" Kenshin said as he made a
gesture for Yahiko to keep silent.   "Its someone you are familiar with.

Try to sense who it is."

        Kaoru concentrated for a moment and said, "Its someone... young?

Yahiko?"   Kenshin smiled.   Yahiko wasn't amused.

        "Lucky guess, buso," Yahiko muttered as he walked in the dojo,
kicking the pebbles out of his way.

        "Kaoru, take off the blindfold.   You made a lot of progress
today.   I'd say within the end of the week, you can pass the first
test." Kenshin said.   Kaoru took off her blindfold and rubbed a few
spots on her shoulders and back where a few of Kenshin's stray pebbles
hit her.   "I didn't throw them too hard, did I?"

        "No, nothing like that.   I don't want you to take it easy on
me.   Yahiko, can you go get some water?" Kaoru asked her student.
Yahiko muttered as he closed the dojo's door and went to the well.
Kaoru rotated her left arm and rubbed her shoulder.   "Ahh, it's a bit
sore."

        "Kaoru, can I take a look?   I do have some basic medical
knowledge for combat-based wounds." Kenshin suggested.   Kaoru shrugged
and slipped her arms out of the sleeves of her shirt and laid face down,

relying on her bindings to preserve her modesty..

        "Alright, but not too long." Kaoru answered.   Kenshin looked at

Kaoru's back and rubbed around the slight bruise on her shoulder.   As
he examined her back, he saw several slight scars that were obviously
made from a sword.   Kenshin surmised that there were probably 8 or 10
scars total, and they all looked like they were made in the same general

timeframe, possibly the same battle.   Kaoru felt embarassed.   She had
no doubt Kenshin saw the scars on her back, possbily a few she had on
her arms as well.   They mostly faded, but were still there.

        Kenshin, though, tried to remain tactful, "There.   I see no
signs of swelling so I'm guessing the bruise will fade in a day or so,"
Kaoru sat back up and slipped her shirt back on.

        "Aren't you going to ask?" Kaoru said, to the point.   Kenshin
tried to have a blank, clueless look on his face, but all that did was
make Kaoru sigh.   "Alright, I'll tell you.   It was sometime when I
first took over the dojo when my father left.   I didn't get much
respect then.   A dojo destroyer by the name of Akiro challenged me.
He was very good.   He made a show of it, taking small swings and every
time he made a slight cut, he taunted me.   He got overconfident and I
used that against him.   In short, I defeated him but he left scars on
my body"

        The room felt colder and Kenshin sat with his head down, his
hair hiding his eyes.   "Where is this Akiro now?"

        "He ran out of Tokyo with his tail between his legs, ashamed of
being defeated by a 'mere woman'," Kaoru explained.   "You going to run
all over Japan just to beat him up?" she joked.

        Kenshin lifted his head up and looked straight at Kaoru.   "I'll

never leave this place without you," he explained.   "Besides, no one
will ever attack you from behind again.   You are a lot better than you
were, Kaoru,"

***

        Yahiko got a bucket filled with water and was about to walk to
the dojo with it when a familiar voice shouted from the gate.  "Hello?
The gate was open.   Kamiya-Sensei?"   Yahiko set the bucket down and
ran to the gate.   What he saw was a surprise.   Tsukayama Yutaro stood
at the gate holding a small bundle slung over his shoulder, dressed in
japanese clothing and holding a cane in his right hand.   "YOU!" he
shouted as he set down his bundle and switched his cane into his left
hand.   Yutaro lept into action and swung his cane down at Yahiko.
Yahiko took his shinai off his back and blocked the strike.

        "Heh, living in Germany has made you soft!" Yahiko taunted as he

made a swing at Yutaro.   Yutaro barely blocked the strike and pushed
back.

        "Shut up!   I'm going easy on you, that's all!" Yutaro retorted
as he swung back.   "Besides, I'm here to resume my lessons with Kamiya-

sensei.   Obviously you still got your lessons while doctors poked and
prodded at me!"   Yutaro lowered his cane.

        "Heh, alright, but after a few weeks of Kaoru training you, we
WILL have our rematch!" Yahiko returned as he lowered his shinai.

        The racket the two boys made did not go unnoticed.   Kaoru and
Kenshin walked out of the dojo and saw Yahiko with Yutaro.  "Yutaro!"
Kaoru exclaimed, "You're back in Japan so soon?"

        Yutaro smiled and moved his right arm stiffly.  "Yes, Kamiya-
sensei!   I've come to resume my lessons.   The doctors said my arm is
as good as it will ever be, so I might as well resume my lessons now.
Besides," Yutaro said as he looked snidely at Yahiko, "I only need my
left arm to defeat HIM."

        "Yutaro-dono, where will you stay?" Kenshin pondered.
"Besides, Kaoru would need some time to come up with modified lesson
plans for your unique condition." Kenshin pointed out.   Yutaro shrugged

slightly.

        "I guess I'll look around.   I don't want to impose and I better

look for a permanent place right now," Yutaro answered.

***

        After five hours of looking, Yutaro found a small rowhouse in
the more seedy part of Tokyo that was available to him.   Yutaro set his

pack down and looked at the samll room.   For now, it would be 'home'.
Yutaro slid the door open and was greeted by the surprising image of
Yahiko, his rival, as he slid open the door of the rowhouse that was
right next to his.   Yahiko turned his head slightly and saw Yutaro
standing inside the rowhouse next to his.

        "YOU!" both boys shouted.   "Out of all the luck in the world,"
Yutaro mumbled.   "Why did I have to live next to you?"

        "You?  What about me?" Yahiko mumbled back.   "I just started
living on my own a month ago and YOU become my neighbor!"   The two boys

spent the rest of their afternoon tossing insults back and forth.

***

        Tae stepped inside the Kamiya Dojo's gates and saw Kenshin
standing with Kaoru ontop of the dojo's roof.   Tae snuck closer to the
dojo and listened in on their conversation.   "Now I don't want to
bruise you anymore for today, so we might as well get you ready for the
second test.   You remember when I busted the tiles on the roof, right?"

Tae heard Kenshin instruct.

        "Kenshin," Kaoru replied in an uncertain tone, "I can't do THAT!

I probably don't have that much ki inside my body!"

        "Its alright, Kaoru, I just brought you up here so you can see
the tile.   Go ahead, pick one up.   Feel how heavy it is?   Remember I
busted a bunch of tile when I did that flare during the dojo attack.
You have to remember this.   An extreme emotion is usually related with
ken-ki.   Your mastery of your sword will control how focused you
release it.   If you have any other doubts," Kenshin mused, "remember,
you broke Jinei's Shin no Ippu, so you obviously have stronger ken-ki
than him,"

        Kaoru didn't respond for a few seconds, so Tae assumed she was
thinking about what Kenshin said.   Then Kaoru replied, "But what do you

think the test implies?"

        Kenshin leapt off the roof and Kaoru followed behind him.
"Most likely bursting a leaf in half.   That is the most common sign of
controlled ken-ki," Kenshin then turned around at Tae's direction and
smiled.   "Hello, Tae-dono!"

        Tae stepped back, startled.  "Hello Ken-san! Kaoru-chan!" Tae
replied.   "Ken-san, would you excuse Kaoru for a second?   There's some

girl things we have to discuss," Tae said as she grabbed Kaoru's arm and

dragged her inside the dojo and shut the door behind them.

        Kenshin looked at the shut door and said the only thing he could

in that situation.   "Oro?"

***

        "Tae, what is it?" Kaoru asked, concerned.   Tae looked straight

at Kaoru with a serious look on her face.

        "Kaoru, Akiro the Destroyer is back in Tokyo,"

        "What?   Are you sure?"

        "I saw him on the outskirts of town when I visited Katsu.   I'm
certain its him!"   Kaoru looked at Tae with a disbelieving eye.

        "Wait a minute," Kaoru said, "You and Katsu?"

        Tae blushed at the suggestion, "No, its not what you think.   I
was asking him to make some paintings of my family.   But seriously,
Kaoru, what are you going to do?"

        Kaoru looked at the shrine in the dojo.   "I'll protect my ryuu
and my dojo.   If he wants to come again, then he will come again."
Kaoru then turned back towards Tae.   "Don't worry about me, Tae.
Besides, I doubt Akiro would get a chance to touch me, RIGHT KENSHIN?"
Kaoru shouted.

        A loud "ORO!" was heard from the other side of the door and
Kenshin slid it open and replied "Right you are, Kaoru!"

        Tae saw the way Kaoru was looking at Kenshin and excused
herself.  "Well, I must be going.  Good to see you Kaoru-chan, Ken-san,"

        "Kenshin," Tae heard Kaoru say as she was leaving the dojo,
"What exactly did you think when you hear the words 'GIRLTALK'?"

        "I'm sorry, Kaoru!"  *TWAP* "ORO!"

***
That's Chapter 4!   Where will this story go, you all ask?   You'll see!

Do you think I rushed Yutaro's reappearance?



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