To Be Loved

Part Two

By Maria Cline

Toushin sighed as he glanced at the two. It was not strange to have wanderers come in asking for work especially in these days. He had to deal with all sorts of strangers from lost orphaned girls from the Bakumatsu to men who had police chasing them all over the country. Never had he met anyone like the two who had just come in. One was a woman dressed in a hakama and gi with a bokken propped on her shoulder. The other was a man who he thought was a girl until he saw the opening in his gi. He had long exotic red hair with incredible violet eyes and a disturbing looking scar on his cheek. "So, that's why we need some work." The girl named Kaoru said as she smiled.

"Well, you do seem honest." Toushin said as he studied the two. "But, I don't know."

"We don't need anything fancy, we can do basics like chop wood, do laundry, stuff like that." Kenshin said as he looked down.

"Well… we have been having more visitors than before. Visitors from all over are coming here. You can help by doing the lower level chores around here; chopping wood, serving food, and maybe even helping out with the cooking." Toushin said as he got out a sheet of paper. "You would have to stay for a week. Is that okay?"

"Of course! Thank you so much." Kaoru said as she and Kenshin bowed.

Kaoru took a deep breath as she cleaned the tables. She and Kenshin had different duties. Kenshin will chop the wood, fix the furniture, and do basic cleaning. She get to serve others their meals and sake and look nice. Normally, she would be the one who do the other work but Kenshin can't do things that resembled his former life. The woman shivered as she tried to imagine her friend doing things against his will that no man deserved to be under.

She saw three middle aged men coming in and sitting down. The oldest one saw Kaoru and yelled, "Hey, hot stuff! Three jugs of sake over here!"

Kaoru gritted her teeth as she bowed. "Hai!" She smiled falsely as she went to the bar and got the sake jugs. She hated being called names. Normally, she would bash their heads in but they are customers and she had to treat them good. She came up to them and held out their jugs. "Here you go, sirs."
"Thanks." The oldest one said as he and the others accepted this jug. He looked up at Kaoru and asked, "What is your name?"

"Kaoru… Kamiya Kaoru."

"Kamiya… Are you related to a 'Kamiya Kusho'?" The eldest asked.

Kaoru nodded at the name. "He's my grandfather."

The eldest nodded. "Ah ha! I thought so. I'm Kawanabe, this is Kunichika, and this is Kobayashi. We're painters seeking inspiration and good sake. Your grandfather was an excellent ink artist."

"I know. I have one of his works at my dojo." Kaoru said as she smiled slightly at the mention of her grandfather. She loved her grandfather and had her first lessons with him.

"You're a dojo owner?" Kobayashi asked as he leaned forward. "Oh yeah. You have that swordsman aura around you."

"You're a swordsman?" Kaoru stared at the painter.

"Yup but I fought for the wrong side in the Bakumatsu. That's why I'm a poor artist now." Kobayashi laughed as he held up his sake.

"I see." Kaoru nodded in understanding. "It's hard for any swordsman to get a job. I'm on a training trip to improve my abilities and to spread the word about my style; The Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu."

Kawanabe finished his jug and asked, "Say, isn't that where the Battousai was a student?"

Kaoru's body shook as her fists clenched. Why won't anyone understand that was just a stupid rumor? The Battousai who had murdered using her dojo's name was an imposter. The real Battousai would never do anything like that. "That's not true." She growled.

Kobayashi slapped the artist on the head. "That's right! The real Battousai had a vicious and yet unknown style."

Kaoru smiled slightly. "That's right."

Kunichika smirked as he put down his sake jug. "I've met the real Battousai myself. He's not dangerous at all. He's a kabuki player I met just a few months ago."

Kaoru's eyes bulged. "Kabuki player?!"

"Oh yeah. I even got his autograph." The artist reached into his pouch and opened up a book. He flipped a few pages and showed it.

"Keep on painting, love Battousai the Slasher." Kaoru read out loud as she sweatdropped. "Are you sure this is the real Battousai?"

"Oh yeah." Kunichika nodded.

"Hey, Kaoru-san! I need you to deliver some lunch! Hurry!" Toushin ordered as he came out of the door.

Kaoru paled. "Oops. I have to go. Enjoy yourselves." The woman bowed and ran off.

Kobayashi stared at his friend. "There's no way that the Battousai would become a kabuki player."

"Ha! I'm sure you were thinking differently when you went from swordsman to artist. Let's focus on something more important. Like girls. I went to bed with ten women in the past month." Kawanabe said as he poured more sake.

"Yeah right!" The other two laughed as they drink.

Kaoru balanced the dinner trays as she walked down the hallway. The conversation with the three artists bothered her. She knew about Gohei the fake Battousai but was there another fake Battousai out there using Kenshin's name for some no good scheme? Kunichika said that he was not dangerous and Gohei wasn't the kabuki type. She shook her head. She had to tell Kenshin as soon as possible.

She knocked on the door. "Lunch time!" She sang out. There was no answer. Slowly, she leaned towards the door and heard crumpling of paper and then the faint swipes of a paint brush. Determined, she slowly opened the door and said, "I'm coming in." She said as she put down the trays. Standing there surrounded by wads of paper was a young man her age, dressed in some of the strangest colored western clothes she had ever seen.

The young man waved his hand. "I'm busy, I have to create."

Kaoru looked over his shoulder to see a lovely sketch of a western blond woman dressed in ninja garb. "She's beautiful."

"She's not beautiful." The man lamented as he tossed the sketch away and then looked at Kaoru. His eyes widened at the sight of her. There was something about her that made him feel warm and comfortable. "I'm sorry… I was just frustrated."

"That's okay." Kaoru smiled as she handed him his lunch. "You know, there are some artists outside you can talk to."

"I know them. I traveled with them so they can help me find my inspiration." The artist replied as he gazed at her. "I am finding my own way."

"That's good. Good luck." Kaoru waved as she walked off with her trays.

"Wait!" The artist exclaimed as he ran to the door to see the woman gone. "Who was that mysterious beautiful woman? I must capture her image onto canvas!"

Toushin sighed as he walked towards the back yard. His inn had become lively since he hired the two wanderers. There was something about them that just made things interesting. He came up to see Kenshin peeling potatoes next to a huge pile of wood and next to it was a pile of peeled potatoes and next to it was the vast lines of laundry.

Toushin blinked at the fast work. "Hello, Kenshin, I see you have finished your chores. Good work."

"It was nothing." Kenshin said as he put away the finished potato and bowed low. "What do you wish for me to do next?"

"Uhhh… that's it for now. Why don't you take a rest?" Toushin replied. "You and Kaoru have done plenty of work already."

"Okay, what shall I do?" Kenshin asked as he sat up.

"Go and take a bath or something in one of the hot springs. Relax." Toushin suggested as he waved his hand.

Kenshin turned towards the hot springs nervously. "Will there be other people?"

"Of course, this is an inn." Toushin laughed and then saw Kenshin shivering. "Are you all right?"

The small man nodded.

"Good. Go on."

"Hai, Ma- Toushin-san." Kenshin bowed as he walked off.

Kenshin sat at the spring alone as he washed his body. He never liked being naked even when bathing. When he was naked, people could see his marks and he became vulnerable. Despite Kaoru's help, he still have feelings of fear and sickness when he was around other people, especially men. He tried to hide it for Kaoru's sake but it was there. A figure appeared before him, he was tall with red hair and a cross shaped scar on his face. His hair was done in a top knot and Kenshin knew who he was.

"What are you doing here?" Kenshin asked surprised at the vision.

The Battousai sat down in the water and didn't get wet. "Do you think that I would just stay buried forever just because Kaoru-dono is protecting you now?" He asked.

Kenshin glared at him.

"I was hoping you would." The man turned away.

"Idiot. As long as you are troubled, I will always be there."

"It's your fault that all this happened to me."

"I was protecting you. It was your decision to make it rain blood and to surrender to Enishi.." Battousai frowned as he crossed his arms.

The man bowed his head. The hallucination was right. He had relied on the Battousai's protection for half his life. "Not any more. I am not going to be a hitokiri or a slave any more."

"Is that because you want to or because Kaoru told you that?"

Kenshin froze as he asked that question. Before he could answer, he sensed a couple of people coming into spring. Quickly, he jumped out of the springs, picked up his robe and put it on.

"Ah… a good hot bath will work wonders on these old bones." Kawanabe said in relief as he and Kunichika came in with sake bottles wearing nothing but towels. The older man saw Kenshin trying to sneak away. "Hey, there! Don't be shy!" Kawanabe grinned as he and his friend took off their towels.

Kenshin looked up to see them naked. He paled and screamed, "NO!!!"

Kaoru was busy getting ready for a well deserved break at the women's spring when a frantic scream echoed throughout the springs. She stood up and recognized the voice, "Kenshin!" She grabbed a broom and dashed to the man's spring to see two old men ganging up on her friend. A fiery aura overcame her as she jumped into the springs and yelled out, "LEAVE KENSHIN ALONE!"

The two men gulped and ran off with Kaoru chasing them. Kenshin watched as the three dashed through the hot springs and then out of the door.

Kobayashi came to the men's spring dressed in his robe and carrying his sake. He was busy using the bathroom so his friends left without him. "I hope they aren't drunk yet." The man said.

"WATCH OUT!!!" Kawanabe warned as he and Kunichika dashed past him completely naked followed by a very angry broom wielding Kaoru.

Kobayashi leapted away and he chuckled. "Those two crack me up." He smiled and then peeked into the men's spring to see a red headed man putting on a robe. He paled as he whispered, "Hitokiri Battousai!" Kobayashi took a deep breath as he stepped away and then ran off to his room.

Kaoru sighed in relief as she washed herself. She can hear her friend in the neighboring spring. He was dressed in a robe and sitting to the side. "Kenshin, are you okay?" She called out.

"H-Hai, Kaoru-dono. I'm sorry to make you attack those two. They weren't doing anything perverted… I just got scared."

The woman smiled slightly. "That's okay. Those two aren't hurt. Kenshin… are you still scared to touch others?"

"... No."

The woman wiped her face. He was lying. Despite all that he had done, he still tense up when someone touches him or his hair. "Okay, well, maybe the manger can make it so you can wash in private." Kaoru said as she smiled and then she decided to try to change the subject. "Say, Kenshin, have you ever been a kabuki player?"

"Oro?!" Kenshin fell over. "Of course not!"

"Well, then there's an imposter out there using your old name!" Kaoru exclaimed.

The man gazed down and said, "Well, was he hurting people?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then, there's no reason for me to worry. I don't mind someone else using my old name as long as he don't hurt others."

Kaoru just shook her head. She was still worried but what could she do? All of a sudden, she heard a faint cracking sound. She picked up a bucket and saw a figure hiding out in the trees. Fire filled her eyes as she flung the bucket at the figure and slammed him in the forehead. "PERVERT!!!"

"What happened?!" Kenshin asked as he stood up.

"I don't believe it… it's that young artist. I'll be fine." Kaoru replied as she got out and put on her clothes.

Kaoru glared at the young artist who was kneeling in front of her as well as Kawanabe and Kunichika. "Okay, what is going on?!" She demanded as she swung her bokken around. "Why are you three peeking at us?"

"It was an accident, the springs are open." Kawanabe said as he looked at Kenshin who was looking down. "I didn't mean to scare you, Kenshin-san."

Kenshin smiled slightly. "That's okay."

"All right, but what about you? Why are you watching me?" Kaoru stared down at the artist she caught peeking at her.

"Way to go. You had always been shy." Kawanabe congratulated as he patted the man on the shoulder. "Some day you will be like us. I remember when I first saw a woman naked when I was fifteen years old."

"I was fourteen!" Kunichika boasted.

The young man shook his head. "I'm not a pervert! I'm studying Western art in Tokyo. My name is Higashiyama Ryuzaburo. I had been studying art and I wanted to know what art really is. I traveled with the three artists hoping for answers but they can't provide any. Their methods are so different, I cannot be sure what is right."

Kawanabe nodded. "Yup. True art is different for each person. What works for me won't work for Kunichika here. It's a matter of the heart."

"I wish to find true inspiration for my art. Time passed as I continue on my quest for true art but my confidence and dwindled down to nothing. But then, I found my answer right here. What art is for me would be to paint the most beautiful thing, and I mean a true beauty." Ryuzaburo gushed as fire lit up his eyes and he expressed his ambition fully.

Kenshin and Kaoru blinked in confusion. "Huh?" Kenshin asked as he scratched his head.

"What do you mean?" Kaoru said.

"Well, my vision of beauty was taking a bath and I had to get a sketch in my sketchbook…" Ryuzaburo said as he blushed and holding his book.

Kaoru gasped as she remembered the scene. "You mean…"

Kenshin took the sketchbook and flipped it until he saw Kaoru's sketched picture dressed in nothing but a couple of towels looking sexy. "This is Kaoru-dono."

Ryuzaburo nodded as he came up to Kaoru still on his knees and pleaded, "For my quest, I must paint you! You are true beauty! Please, be my model!"

Kaoru gasped as she stepped back. She was very flattered at the idea of the artist actually seeing her as true beauty. She admitted that she never vain but she liked the idea that she was beautiful to someone and he actually said so. "I don't know much about art." She glanced at Kenshin. "If you don't mind, Kenshin."

Kenshin nodded as he put on a smile. "I do not mind. Besides, it's not every day that someone gets to be inspiration for art."

Kaoru smiled at him. However, she couldn't help but feel like Kenshin was putting on a fake smile.

"Well, she is cute." Kawanabe said as he and his friends sat in their room. They had to get a different room so their student can have some privacy.

"I wonder what style she is going to use." Kunichika wondered as he started eating. Then, he saw Kobayashi looking around nervously. "What's wrong, Kobayashi?"

Kobayashi knelt down and whispered, "I just saw the Hitokiri Battousai."

Kawanabe and Kunichika's jaws dropped. "All right! I wanted to see him again!" Kunichika proclaimed.

Kobayashi gasped as he stepped back. "NO!!! You don't! The Battousai will kill me. We met once during the Bakumatsu in the Toba-Fuma Battle…"

Screams came through the air as a lone swordsman walked through the battlefield. He was tired and hungry and even the Shinsengumi had a hard time. His greatest mistake was joining the Shogunate. As he walked through the corpse filled battlefield, he saw another swordsman dressed in Chousu colors coming toward him. He paled as he saw the red hair and the cross shaped scar. His amber colored eyes lit up in the dying daylight and he saw the Shogunate fighter. Kobayashi stiffened as the Battousai came closer. He grabbed his hilt and in a swift action, the Battousai unsheathed his sword and pointed the end at his neck. "Do you want to die?" The Battousai asked coldly.

"N-no!" Kobayashi stuttered out, "I don't want to die."

The Battousai put away his sword and said, "If you attack me, you will die. If you walk away, I will let you live until the next time I see you."

Kobayashi blinked at the proposal. It would not be unsamurai like to walk away and yet it was his only chance. He put his hands up. The Battousai smiled slightly as he turned around. He walked off into the darkness and after several minutes, Kobayashi collapsed onto the battlefield in shock. "Why did you let me live?" He wondered.

"Oh come on, I met him too remember? He was a kind hearted yet eccentric kabuki artist." Kunichika said as he rolled his eyes.

Before Kobayashi could react, there was a knock at the door. "Dinner." Kenshin said as he came in with a pile of trays in his hands.

Kobayashi jumped and hid in the closet. Thankfully for the artist, Kenshin couldn't see a thing around the much taller trays. Kenshin looked around asked, "Was there someone else here?"

Kunichika snickered. "Oh, just one of my fellow artists. He's jumpy today, not enough sake."

"I will leave these here then." Kenshin said as he put down the trays and bowed.

He left and Kawanabe knocked on the door. "Hey, Koba, he's gone."

Kobayashi fell out of the closet and got up. "That was close. My life was passing before my eyes! I thought the Battousai saw me for sure!"

Kawanabe and Kunichika chuckled and then fell over laughing. "Are you telling me that you're scared of that runt?!" Kunichika asked as he laughed.

"Yes! You would be scared stiff if he had threatened you!"

Kunichika recovered and said. "That small man was not the kabuki player I met."

Kobayashi growled as he tensed up. "I'm telling you, the Battousai nearly killed me and he is out there waiting to kill again right here and right now!!"

"And he's not the Battousai! He's small, shy, and skittish!"

"He's the Battousai!"

"He's not!"

"Yes he is!"

"No he's not!"

"Guys!" Kawanabe stood up in between them and looked at the two. "We're artists remember? Draw out your Battousai."

Kunichika and Kobayashi glared at each other and then got out their pads of paper. In a blur they drew out different pictures. They handed the pictures to each other and looked at the pictures. "You're kidding." Kunichika said as he held up the picture of Kenshin with cat like eyes.

Kawanabe looked at the pictures and said, "Maybe, the kid we saw was a relative of the Battousai who happens to look like him."

"Not with matching scars!" Kobayashi shook his head. "I know him. You can never forget the man who nearly killed you! He's the Battousai!"

"And I'm telling you it's a mistake. He's a very scared fifteen-year-old kid. I bet that he must be a slave in a past life." Kunichika argued.

"Fifteen?! He's thirty and there's no way an assassin who fought on the right side is a slave!"

An evil glint appeared in his eyes. Kunichika grinned, "How about we bet on it? Whoever is wrong gets to pay the entire bill for the stay."

"Deal!"

Kenshin washed the tables as he thought of Kaoru. For some reason, he couldn't focus on the task at hand. Ever since he woke up, all he could think about was Kaoru posing for some crazy artist. True, she could take care of herself and if that artist did anything wrong, she would badly hurt him but he still couldn't stop thinking about what could be going on. He looked around and snuck off to the side. He crouched to the side and jumped onto the roof. With his infamous stealth, he peeked in to see Kaoru lounging on a chair with her hands in her lap. She glance out and he flipped down onto the ground.

"You don't want to be caught." The Battousai warned as he stood beside him.

"I know that." Kenshin whispered harshly to the man and then sweatdropped. "Why do I have to talk to you? You don't even exist."

"I do in your mind." Battousai said as he tapped Kenshin's forehead.

Unseen by the arguing man, the three older artists peeked from behind the tree. Kobayashi grinned as he pointed out. "Ah ha! What kind of normal man can do that? He's crazy too!"

"One point for Kobayashi." Kawanabe said as he wrote on his notebook.

"That proves nothing. He could be a crazy acrobatic." Kunichika muttered.

Kenshin looked to the side and the artists ran off. "Someone is spying on us." Battousai warned.

The young man shook his head and walked off.

Kaoru gazed out of the window. For the briefest second, she could've sworn that she heard Kenshin talking. She couldn't help but think about what was happening. She was actually posing for an artist who told her how beautiful she was. No one had ever told her that sincerely. Whenever people praise her, it was her strength and her heart but not her beauty. She smiled slightly and wondered how Kenshin thought of her then she shook her head. She was Kenshin's bodyguard and friend, he had too many issues with a dead wife and a vicious brother-in-law who may or may not be dead to deal with a young girl like she. She gritted her teeth at the idea of anyone hurting Kenshin. /I swear, when I find Enishi…/

"Kaoru-san." Ryuzaburo said as he sweatdropped. He was still sketching but he couldn't put the sketch in with his muse scowling.

Kaoru gulped and smiled. "Sorry, I was sitting like this right?"

The hours passed and finally Ryuzaburo showed a sketch of Kaoru. Kaoru and the three older artists looked at the sketch. Kawanabe studied the sketch. "I like it. The lines are smooth and it looked just like her."

Kunichika agreed. "I know, it captures her look and she does look nice."

"I like it." Kaoru smiled at the sketch. She couldn't wait until Kenshin sees it but he was busy with work.

Ryuzaboro grabbed a knife and slashed it across the canvas and proclaimed, "It's not her!"

Kaoru gasped as she stepped back in shock. "What do you mean?! I looked good!"

The young artist dramatically collapsed onto the floor. "This might display Kaoru-san on the surface but it doesn't capture her any of her passion!"

"I got the perfect solution!" Kunichika exclaimed, "Many western artists, especially those in the European Renaissance period like to do their subjects naked!"

The woman put her hands over her kimono and blushed at the idea of posing nude.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!" A man screamed from outside of the door.

Kobayashi gulped, ran to the window and jumped out. As he fell into the river below, Kenshin opened the door sheepishly. "Gomen nasai, I accidentally overhead."

Kaoru just smiled at him. "That's okay." She looked at the other two older artists puzzled and asked, "Why did he just jump out of the window?"

Kunichika shrugged helplessly. "He's just a strange guy."

Ryuzaboro gazed up at Kaoru and said, "I will not ask you to pose naked for me but I know why I cannot capture your true beauty. I… I have fallen in love with you!"

The woman stared at the artist. "What?"

"Please! Let me court you and be my girlfriend! I know that over time, I can finally do works of true art of you!" Ryuzaboro pleaded as tears came down his face. Kenshin stared out in shock and the older artists looked interested.

Kaoru blushed as she turned around. "That's sweet of you to say but… I can't. I'm a wanderer now and as much fun as it is to be a model, I don't think I could be your girlfriend. I'm not the marrying type. Come on, Kenshin, I need to do some work." They walked out of the door.

Ryuzaboro stared mournfully at the door. "She doesn't want me?"

"Looks like it. These model/artist relationships are always fleeting." Kawanabe replied as he smiled slightly. "But they are so good while they last."

He didn't listen as he got up. His heart was torn as he stared out of the window. "I… I WOULD RATHER DIE THAN LOSE HER!" He proclaimed as he ran to the window. The older men ran after him and pulled him back.

"Don't be an idiot! You can't die for a woman! Just find someone else." Kunichika advised.
"I don't want someone else! I want her!" Ryuzaboro cried out as he slumped down. Then, he looked at his mentors. "I respect you as my teachers and I need your help in winning her heart!"

Stunned, the two backed away. "Hey, I'm not a matchmaker." Kawananbe said as he shook his head.

Kunichika smirked as he walked toward him. "Okay. I know the perfect way to win the girl's heart." He went to the side and got out a bokken left behind by Kobayashi. "If you defeat Kenshin in battle before sunset, then you proved yourself to be a good swordsman. Women love a good swordsman."

Ryuzaboro looked down at the bokken and sweat. "But, I've never held a sword in my life!"

Kunichika put his hand over his shoulder. A pink and white hue filled the air as the two gazed out over the distance. Sparkles surrounded them. "My friend, nothing is more powerful than passion. Fight with your heart and you will win."

"Y-Yes! I will make you proud!" Ryuzaboro proclaimed as he ran off with the bokken in his hand.

Kobayashi twisted the water out of his clothes as he walked back upstream. "This vacation is so stressful." He muttered to himself. Then, he saw Ryuzaboro marching down towards him with his bokken in his hand. "Hey! Student!" Kobayashi screamed as he ran up. "What are you doing to my bokken?"

The young man sighed as he clutched the bokken in his hands. "Forgive me, Koba-sensei, I am on a mission of love and creativity!" He posed heroically as the wind blew behind him. "I shall defeat Kenshin and win Kaoru's heart!"

The older man fell over in shock. "Wh-What?! You can't even fight with a sword!"

A pink and white hue filled with sparkles surrounded Ryuzaboro as he gushed, "My passion shall defeat him!"

Ryuzaboro waved away the hue and sparkles and screamed, "YOU CAN'T FIGHT HIM! HE WILL KILL YOU!"

The student paused. "What do you mean?"

The older man tensed up as the air around him grew dark. "As you know, I once fought for the Shoganate and I had been in many bloody battles. So please, take what I have seriously. You know about the demon Hitokiri Battousai, the man who made it rain blood and eat the hearts of bad boys and girls?"

Ryuzaboro just nodded.

Clouds darkened the sky and the man continued. "I had actually met the Battousai and was lucky to live. I could never forget his face or his voice. THE KENSHIN YOU WANT TO FIGHT IS THE HITOKIRI BATTOUSAI!!! IF YOU FIGHT HIM, YOU WILL DIE!" Lightning crashed in the distance and the young man collapsed onto his knees.

"N-No." Ryuzaboro gasped as he paled.

"Just forget about it and find another woman." Kobayashi advised as he walked away.

Kenshin wiped his brow as he made another chop. Working at the inn was giving good money but so much has happened with the artists. He had known a few artists in his life, even his Shishou had shown a talent for pottery. So, he knew that artists tend to be on the eccentric side. Kenshin paused as he thought of all of the artists and musicians he had heard about. Basically, anyone creative was eccentric if not borderline insane. Kenshin glanced up to see Battousai standing there. "I think that artist could make Kaoru-dono happy and safe." The figment of Kenshin's imagination said as he crossed his arms.

"For once, I agree." Kenshin said as he chopped the wood again. The wood pieces flew out and the Battousai saw it.

"You know that any chance for a life with another woman is impossible with our luck."

"I know." Kenshin gazed down at the ax. Kaoru would be happier with someone without so many issues. Why was she so persistent in joining him in his wandering? He slammed down his ax again and a piece of wood flew out. The three artists watched from the bushes as Ryuzaboro hid in a nearby bush with branches sticking out of his hair. "Now, I will ambush him and win Kaoru's love." He whispered to himself.

Quickly, Kenshin chopped the wood in half and the two pieces flew out into the bush. The wood hit Ryuzaboro right in the forehead and he fell back. The offending piece of wood fell just outside of the bush. As Kenshin got up and picked up the wood, Ryuzaboro crawled away furious. "I will get him yet." He growled to himself.

The artists winced and Kawanabe shook his head. "Okay… Kenshin dodged that one."

"He should've fought him." Kobayashi muttered.

"He was lucky." Kunichika said as he smirked. "Okay, that's one to one."

Kenshin walked through the halls with his trays stacked up on him. He was still bothered by what happened before or what didn't happen before. "Someone is stalking us. It could be Enishi." The Battousai warned as he walked along side him.

"I doubt it." Kenshin whispered as he looked for the Yuka wing. Unknown by him, a real stalker waited at the bottom of the stairs. Ryuzaboro knew that with his hands full, Kenshin has no chance against him. He rushed at him. All of a sudden, Kenshin turned into the hallway and the artist missed him completely. He fell back down the stairs and Kenshin looked down to see Ryuzaboro lying on his back with the bokken nearby. "Are you okay?" He called out.

The artist got up and walked away. "I'm fine!"

Kaoru picked up a bucket for the kitchen staff as she thought of Ryuzaboro. She didn't hear anything about the young artist. She was hoping that she didn't break his heart too much but she didn't want to be his girlfriend. "Hello, Kaoru-dono." Kenshin said as he came up with a bucket. He looked around confused and said, "I am worried about Ryuzaboro-san. He had been getting into a bunch of accidents lately."

"Really? I hope he won't hurt himself for me." Kaoru blushed as she thought of the artist.

Kenshin nodded and then looked away. His hair fell over his face. Kaoru saw it and was about to talk to him when Kenshin looked in the well and jumped back. "Oro?"

Kaoru looked in to see Ryuzaboro in the well with his hands and feet firmly anchored to the side. "Oh moe, vi can't…" He started to slip and he fell into the well.

"Ryuzaboro!" Kaoru dropped the bucket and pulled the soaked man out.

Ryuzaboro coughed up water and then gazed into her eyes. "I will win your heart." He vowed as he picked up the bokken and ran off.

Kaoru clenched her fists and she got out her bokken. "This is getting crazy. I have to talk with those guys."

Kaoru looked around the woods. The three artists who were close to Ryuzaboro were nowhere to be found. They weren't drinking out in the open and they weren't in the hot springs. Finally, she saw Kawanabe, Kunichika, and Kobayashi walked around with branches in their clothes as camouflage. "What are you three doing?"

"Busted." Kunichika gulped as he grinned helplessly.

"It's complicated. You see, Ryuza-chan wanted us to fix you and he together." Kawanabe started out.

"But, Kawan refused until I told him that if he wanted to win your heart, he has to defeat Kenshin in a fight. He never really fought before but I convinced him that his love for you will triumph." Kunichika continued.

Kobayashi added on. "He won't hurt your friend because… well, I know that he was the Battousai and I want to prove it to these guys."

Kaoru paled and then screamed, "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST ASK?! Ryuzaboro could get himself killed! I have to tell Kenshin."

She and the others ran back to the inn. Outside, she saw Toushin. "Toushin-san! Where's Kenshin?!" Kaoru called out.

The old man pointed to the nearby mountains. "He went out to the mountains to gather some food for dinner."

"Does he have his sword with him?"

"Yes."

"Good." Kaoru sighed in relief as she ran off to the mountains. She ran as fast as her legs and her kimono would allow her. Kenshin was in trouble because of her again. This time it was a well meaning but love sick artist who wanted to defeat Kenshin. True, the artist never fought in his life and was no match for Kenshin. But she was worried that something might happen to one of them.

Finally, she saw Kenshin walking up the road with a pile of bowl of vegetables in his hands. Kobayashi ducked behind a tree as the man got closer. "Kaoru-dono, look at all the food I got!" Kenshin exclaimed as he held up his bowl.

Kaoru sighed in relief. "Looks like he gave up."

"Bonzai!!!" The group looked up to see Ryuzaboro literally flying through the air with a rope tied to his back with both hands on his bokken.

"Oro!" Kenshin dodged him with ease and the rope snapped. The artist fell to the ground and landed in the bushes. The short man put his hand on his hilt and asked, "What is going on?"

Before anyone could answer, there was a low hum in the air. Kenshin and the other artists tensed as they recognized the sound. Out of the bushes, Ryuzaboro dashed out with a swarm of wasps at his heels. "Run!!!" He screamed and then tripped on a rock. He fell hard and landed on his face. Briefly forgetting that his life was in danger, Kobayashi ran to the young man. "Come on, kid!" He picked him up and dragged him back to the group.

With godlike speed, Kenshin leapt high into the air, drew out his sword, and slashed at the insects. Everyone watched in awe as the insects fell to the ground in pieces. "That's insane, no one can move that fast." Kunichika said in awe.

"Kenshin can." Kaoru said as she crossed her arms smugly.

The swordsman sighed in relief as he came up with his sword in his hand. "That should take care of them." He stiffened when he saw Kobayashi. "Ummm… hi."

"Hi." Kobayashi said as he stepped back until he saw the dull edge pointing at him instead of the sharp edge.

"Do not worry, I didn't mean to scare you. I made a promise not to kill again after Toba Fuma." Kenshin said as he sheathed his sword.

Kobayashi relaxed and smiled at him. "Good."

"Wait, so you are really the Battousai and you had really threatened to kill Koba here?" Kawanabe asked as he gestured to his friend.

Kenshin nodded slightly.

"Freaky." Kawanabe muttered.

Kaoru came up and saw Kenshin was sporting stings on his arms and hands. "Oh, Kenshin, you're stung." She reached into her sleeve and got out the bandages. "Let me clean that for you."

"Hai." Kenshin shyly look at the artists.
Kaoru saw them and said, "Go, shoo shoo! Give us some privacy!" She said as she waved at them and started to shove them away.

Confused, the men walked to the trees and sat on some logs. Kaoru led Kenshin to the spring and he reluctantly took off his gi. With gentle hands, Kaoru cleaned the sting marks and wrapped them in bandages. "It's a good thing all you had were a few stings."

Kenshin bent his head down. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Kaoru-dono."

"Baka, it's my duty to be worried about you. Someone has to be worried for your sake." Kaoru's smile faltered as she sighed.

"What's wrong?" Kenshin asked as he saw Kaoru's smile faltered.

"That Ryuzaboro was trying to fight you because he got some stupid idea that if he defeated you in combat, he would win my heart!" Kaoru's hands shook. "You got in trouble because of me, again."

"It's okay. I'm fine and so is Ryuzaboro-san. It was all just a misunderstanding, that it was." Kenshin replied as he took her hand.

From the bushes, the artists watched in awe. "Look at his scars. I didn't think he could have that many." Kunichika whispered. He looked at Kobayashi and smiled slightly. "Looks like you won the bet. But, I would have to pay you later."

"Fine." Kobayashi waved off. They both know that they could barely afford to pay for their own share since they are poor artists. But, they didn't mind it that much.

Ryuzaboro gazed at the two with wide eyes. Kawanabe sat beside him and said, "You okay, kid?"

"I see it…"

"Huh?"

"I can see the true beauty! Kaoru's feelings towards him are what made her so radiant!" Ryuzaboro exclaimed as he jumped up. "My muse is calling me! To the canvas!!!" He dashed off to the inn leaving a cloud of dust behind.

"What was that?" Kaoru asked as she and Kenshin came up to see the disappearing artist.

"An artist getting inspired for a masterpiece." Kawanabe replied as he smiled slightly.

A day passed as everything went back to what passes as normal at the inn. Kaoru and Kenshin kept on working, the three artists were drinking, and Ryuzaboro was working at his artwork.

Kaoru and Kenshin came up to Ryuzaboro's room and saw Kobayashi sitting in front of the door. "He's still working on it." The artist replied.

"Ohhh…" Kaoru drooped as she sighed. "I want to see it."

"I know, but he didn't want anyone to influence him or the feeling would be ruined." Kobayashi replied as he shrugged, "Don't worry, his muse is working on him hard. He'll be done soon."

Kaoru smiled at that. "Good, I didn't want to hurt his feelings because I didn't want to be his girlfriend."

The artist looked up at Kenshin and nervously asked, "Ummm… this has been bothering me for ten years. Why did you spare my life? I was no one important."

Kenshin shrugged and replied, "I was tired of killing."

For ten years, Kobayashi had tried to think of the reason why the Battousai spared his life. He thought that the Battousai had shone mercy or that he chose him because the assassin somehow knew he was an artist. "That's it? You were tired of killing?"

"After I became a bodyguard, I had this policy. I only kill people who tried to kill me or the person I was protecting. When I fight alone, I gave the other person a chance to escape." Kenshin replied as he looked at the floor.

In an instant, Kobayashi fell over in relief. "Man, I can't believe I didn't realize that. All those times, looking over my shoulder, jumping at the thought of you being alive, and even avoiding going out at night and you never wanted to kill me."

"I'm sorry for scaring you." Kenshin said as he bowed.

"No, don't be." Kobayashi studied Kenshin and asked, "Kenshin, you are one of the most powerful swordsmen in all of Japan if not the world. What are you doing working at an inn? I thought someone like you would be having a cushy government job or even in the new military. What have you been doing all this time?"

Kenshin fidgeted as he tried to figure out what to say. All of a sudden, Ryuzaboro opened the door. "I did it! I finished! My first masterpiece is completed after all this time!!!" He exclaimed as he spun around with great glee. He looked down to see the group lying on the floor. "Did I miss something?"

Everyone gathered as Ryuzaboro stood at the doors wearing his backpack. "Thank you for inspiring me. Now, I can go out and really make more beautiful paintings for the world to see." The young artist said as he bowed. He picked up a covered painting and handed it to Kaoru. "Here is my gift to you. It's called, Eternity with the Goddess."

Kaoru blushed as she carefully uncovered the painting and looked at it. Kenshin and the three older artists looked behind her and their eyes bulged out of their skulls. "I'm in love." Kawanabe said as he drooled.

"It's interesting." Kaoru sweatdropped as she smiled politely. "I wish I can take it with me but I don't know when Kenshin and I will go back home."

"We can take it to your place." Kunichika offered as he took the painting.

"Great, let me write down the address and a short note." Kaoru said as she went off, get some paper, and wrote it down. She handed it to the three older artists and said, "I live in a dojo, a small boy named Yahiko and a tall guy wearing white and a headband named Sanosuke would be there. Just give it to them. If not, then give it to the Gensai clinic down the street."

"Gotcha."

"I must go now." Ryuzaboro said as he bowed. "Thank you again, for all your help. I'm sorry for the trouble I caused."

"Don't think about it. It's been fun." Kaoru said as she smiled again.

The young artist nodded and then walked off into the distance. After that the three older artists looked at the couple. "We better head off too. We have paintings to paint and sake to drink. It was fun meeting you two." Kawanabe said as he took another peek at the painting.

"It was a relief to see you again and live." Kobayashi confessed as he laughed.

Kenshin laughed nervously. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I'll tell the Kabuki Battousai that you really exist." Kunichika offered as he held up the painting.

"I do not mind that he was using the name as long as he wasn't hurting people. I was not close to it anyway." Kenshin said as he bowed.

"Hope to see you again." Kawanabe said as he saluted and the three men walked off towards Tokyo.

Kenshin and Kaoru sighed in relief. "That was interesting." Kaoru said as she blushed, "I can't believe that Ryuzaboro drew us like… that."

"I know." Kenshin blushed as well. He fidgeted and asked, "Ummm… Kaoru-dono, do you think that… well… what will you do when another man confesses his love to you?"

"I don't know. It depends on the man." Kaoru shrugged, "Besides, I'm not interested in marrying anyone yet. I have to improve the dojo's name and protect you." The woman put her hand on Kenshin's shoulder. "So, don't worry, I won't leave you any time soon."

Kenshin smiled back and then saw the Battousai standing over her shoulder. "We… better get back to work."

The sun was shining as Yahiko was sweeping the front porch, Sanosuke was lounging in front, and Megumi was taking care of the flowers in front. Three middle aged men came walking up the sidewalk and the oldest one asked, "Is this the Kamiya Dojo?"

"Yeah, but the owner's gone now." Yahiko replied as he put down his broom.

"I know, she asked me to deliver this to you, Yahiko-chan right?" Kawanabe asked as he looked at the boy.

"You saw them?! How are they?" Sanosuke said as he came up.

Kunichika said as he looked around. "They looked good. They were really nice and… Kenshin is one of the shyest assassins I had ever met."

"Yeah, he's been through a lot after the Bakumatsu." Megumi said as she sweatdropped, "What do you got there?"

"A painting done by a new artist. It's his first true painting." Kawanabe said as he handed the boy the painting. "It's called 'Eternity with a Goddess'."

"This should be interesting." Megumi said as Yahiko opened up the note attached.

"We did not pose like this." Yahiko read out loud. Intrigued, Sanosuke, Megumi and Yahiko opened up the painting and their eyes bulged.

"WHOA!"

"HO HO!"

"GAH!"

Staring back at them was the image of Kenshin and Kaoru. Kenshin's chest was wrapped in loose fitting bandages. Kaoru was clutching his chest from behind as she gazed out with tear filled eyes. Her top was off and her breasts were covered by Kenshin. Surrounding the couple was falling snow.

Ryuzaboro stood on the hill painting the various graves. The warm air blew around him and a figure stood over him. "Nice painting."

The artist jumped to see a tall man with white hair and dark blue eyes. "Thank you. Are you visiting someone?"

"My sister. Her ashes were buried here." Enishi replied as he saw the sketchbook. "Say, may I look at your sketchbook?"

"Sure, but they weren't good." Ryuzaboro said as he handed him the sketchbook.

Enishi flipped through the book and gasped as he saw a familiar figure. "Say, where did you see this guy?" He asked when he pointed to a sketch of Kenshin sitting alone in a robe.

"Oh, at The Hakone Springs. He and his girlfriend were working there." The artist replied.

"Girlfriend?!"

"Yes, she's quite lovely but I lost to Kenshin. Her heart belongs to him."

Enishi smiled as he bowed. "Thank you. I have to go." He ran off as he whispered, "Now, I may be able to find you, Kenshin."

To Be Continued…

That's it for the second chapter. Believe it or not, Kawanabe, Kunichika, and Kobayashi were based off of real Meiji Artists who were drinking buddies. Kobayashi even fought for the Shouganate before becoming a painter.

Another note about the Battousai: I know that in the anime/manga series Battousai was not a separate personality or another presence but I figured that in this alternate timeline, Kenshin is frailer and more… unstable. Hence the hallucination.

Anyway, I based the painting on this doujinishi scan which I borrowed that's named 'Scarr'. Here's the link.