One Walk Can Change Lives Forever 2/4

[Chibi Reli]

So it seems Chibi Reli never posted the 2nd and 3rd chapters. Sorry. Chibi Reli thought she did.

One Walk Can Change Lives Forever

2 - All I Wanted To Do Was Take A Walk





?Hey you guys. Look at this,? Yahiko says as he runs into the dining area to meet Kenshin, Sano, and Megumi.



?What is it Yahiko?? Sano asks.



?I brought the paper in town while visiting Tsubame and looks at this.? He slams the newspaper down onto the table, showing the front page.



?Kotoh-san?s body has been found. It seems that he?s been murdered by someone. A man had found the body while walking through the Blossom Forest yesterday. The only way they were able to tell it was him was the badge he had in his coat pocket. There was a arrow through his leg and multiple wounds caused most likely by a sword,? Megumi reads off the front page.



?IT?s sounds to me like he was assassinated,? Sano says.



?So it was him the whole time,? Kenshin thinks to himself, closing his eyes. Suddenly, he hears a soft noise. He opens his eyes slowly and glances them towards the door. ?Karou-dono??

***

Karou freezes against the wall in shock. ?He knows I?m here. It would be a bad idea to run away though. You can do this Karou. You are the assistant master of this dojo. Y-yes Kenshin?? she asks, entering into the room very quietly, but staying by the door.



?Did you hear the news?? he asks, smiling trying to calm her nerves.



?Yes. I got here just when you said his body had been found,? she smiling back.



?Who would have done something like that?? Yahiko asks, trying to join the conversation.



?There are plenty of people who dislike the new government and think that if they can kill most of the officials, they?ll be able to create a new form,? Sano starts as Karou starts to inch her way out of the room.



?Hey Karou, where are you going?? Kenshin asks, as the group turns towards Karou.



?Huh?? she turns around and looks at them surprised.



Come on busu. It?s not a hard question.?



?I?I have to go do some chores so I?ll just be going now,? she says as she runs out of the room.



?She?s still acting weird. I expected her to scream at me or something,? Yahiko says, a bit disappointed.



?Do you really think you know what?s wrong with her? I mean, I still can?t believe she got so worked up over a sword,? Megumi comments.



?That?s true. Maybe there?s something else,? Sano says, putting his hand on his chin and thinking.



?While you guys discuss, I?m going to start getting lunch ready.?



?Sure thing Kenshin,? Sano says, continuing to think as Kenshin gets up and leaves the three to think of new reasons.

***

?Why would Karou-dono be so frightened of swords all of a sudden?? Kenshin wonders out loud as he heads towards the kitchen. He enters the room to see Karou cutting vegetables. ?Karou-dono.?



?Eek. Damn,? she says holding her cut finger with her other hand. She puts the finger to her mouth for a second and then takes it back into her hand. She looks up and sees Kenshin by the door, frightening herself into the back wall.



?Karou-dono, I?m sorry I scared you. Are you alright?? he asks, approaching her slowly with his hands out.



?I?m fine. I better go clean this up.? She sneaks around to the door and leaves, leaving a stunned Kenshin.



?Karou-dono,? he whispers under his breath.

***

Karou kneels on her floor as she looks out her window, her head resting on her arms crossed on the sill. ?I can?t believe that he was the one murdered that night. And all I wanted to do was take a walk?



?For once, things are peaceful. Megumi-san is off at the clinic. Sano is off gambling somewhere. And Yahiko is off with Tae and Tsubame. And then there?s Kenshin off somewhere. I just hope he?s okay,? she sighs as she walks through the forest during dusk She suddenly hears a few muffles and hides behind a tree to see a group of men beating another man to the ground.



?Please. I?ll give you whatever you want. Just don?t kill me,? the man says on the ground, pleading for his life.



?What?s that?? She looks to see one man standing with a sword in his hand. He turns his head, showing Karou a full profile of a man with what looks like red hair and light brown eyes. ?Kenshin?? She takes a step forward, snapping a twig. All the men turn towards her as she appears from behind a tree They all look towards the leader as he smirks..



?Get her!? he commands as he starts the chase, Karou running through the forest with the men following her.



?What has happened to him?? Karou whispers as she runs as fast as she can. Ahead of her, she starts to see a clearing and speeds up. She soon enters it and the men chasing her stop on the edge.



?You may have gotten away girl, but I know who you are and if you ever tell anyone about this, I will personally hunt you down!?



? And it seems like Kenshin doesn?t even remember it. Can it be that when his other half appeared, he forgot about everything? But that had never happened before. What if he turns back and then realizes it was me? He said he would only kill me if I told, and I haven?t. But still?? she stops, burying her face in her arms.

***

?So how are we supposed to deal with Karou? She?s still acting all funny and now it?s even affecting her classes,? Yahiko complains as he practices his swings in the training room, Sano watching from the side chewing a piece of grass.



?There?s nothing much we can do though Yahiko. WE already talked about this.?



?But I want busu back.? His swings start to become faster and more powerful.



?Can it be, or do you actually care about Jou-chan?? Sano asks, eyeing Yahiko.



?What are you talking about? I just want busu back so she can start teaching me again,? he comments, stopping his practice to look back at Sano.



?Sure. So do you have any ideas Kenshin? I would think you would have the best idea when it comes to fear of swords or something,? he asks, Kenshin sitting by the door with his sword against his shoulder.



?TO tell the truth Sanosuke, I?m not sure what to do.?



?Maybe Megumi or the doctor has come up with some ideas. I?ll go over and ask them later.?



?And maybe I?ll ask Tae and Tsubame later when I go over. They know Karou well enough.?



?Sounds like a good idea,? Kenshin comments. ?I just hope we can figure out what?s wrong with Karou-dono soon.?

***

?What am I supposed to do now? I can?t tell anyone or even let him know I know. This is all too complicated,? Karou whispers to herself as she does the laundry outside. She sighs and hangs her head. Meanwhile, Kenshin watches her from the porch, his hand on his sword.



?Here goes nothing.? He takes a deep breath and starts to approach her. ?Karou-dono, how are you doing today?? She suddenly stops scrubbing for a second, but then continues not to show Kenshin her fear.



?Oh, I?m fine Kenshin. How are you??



?I?m doing just fine. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute,? he says making sure to keep his distance between them.



?Um, I?m kind of busy right now Kenshin. Do you think we can talk about it later?? She starts scrubbing harder, trying to get Kenshin away.



?It?s very important Karou-dono. It won?t take long, I promise.? Silence. ?Karou-dono, why won?t you look at me?? He approaches her slowly and puts his hand on her shoulder. Surprised, she jumps forward, falling into the bucket of soapy water with a loud splash. As Kenshin tries to go help her out, she scurries her way out and crawls over away from him, covered in suds. ?Karou-dono? Please tell me what?s wrong.?

***

?You haven?t seen Karou or Kenshin have you Sano?? Yahiko asks as he runs into Sano in the hallway.



?Nope. I?ve been looking for them too.? Suddenly they hear a loud splash and crash. They run outside to see a soapy Karou on the floor and Kenshin trying to approach her.



?Karou-dono? Please tell me what?s wrong.?

***

?I?I?? she stutters, her whole body shaking as she backs away for every step Kenshin takes.



?IT?s my sword isn?t it? I don?t understand why you?re so scared of it, but take it if it will make you feel safer.? He takes it off his hip and throws the sword towards her, landing in front of her.



?Your sword,? she says, looking down at the object in front of her eyes.



?Take my sword Karou-dono. That way you won?t have to worry about it being used,? Kenshin says. Karou slowly extends her hand forward towards the sword, As soon as she can almost touch it, she quickly takes her hand back and holds it in her other. She tries again, but is unsuccessful. ?Take it.? Being unsuccessful again, she closes her eyes, emotions building up inside of her.



?I don?t want your filthy sword Battousai!? she yells, wrapping her arms around herself and bowing her head, trying to hide her face. Kenshin stares at her as she shakes and bows his head as well, turning around and heading back towards his room. Yahiko watch silently as Kenshin walks past them with no acknowledgement. Yahiko then looks at Karou and approaches her.



?Busu, how could you do something like that? He was just trying to see what was wrong with you.?



?Get away from me Yahiko,? she says, her voice hoarse as she fists her kimono in her hands.



?No way,? Yahiko answers back, trying to hold his ground.



?This is my dojo and you will do what I tell you to. Now get away from me,? she commands, the tears falling down onto her kimono. Yahiko becomes sullen and bends down to pick up Kenshin?s sword for him. He then turns around and heads back, not before looking back once at his teacher.



?Karou.?

***

?Kenshin? Are you in there? I brought you back your sword,? Yahiko says as he and Sano enter Kenshin?s room to see him sitting on his futon.



?Thank you Yahiko.? He places it by Kenshin and then takes a few steps back.



?You?re not upset about Jou-chan are you??



?I don?t understand what happened,? Kenshin says, looking down at his own hands.



?Just forget about what she said. She isn?t in her right mind. The real Karou would never say anything like that,? Yahiko comments, trying to cheer him up.



?Hmm.? Kenshin stands up and walks over to the window, looking at Karou still sitting on the floor. ?I think I should leave the dojo for a while.?



?What? You don?t mean it, do you Kenshin?? Sano asks, as surprised as Yahiko is at a comment like that.



?I seem to be causing Karou-dono too much trouble and this is her dojo. And if I?m causing her all her grief, I shouldn?t stay around her to cause her more.?



?Don?t go Kenshin. You can?t,? Yahiko says as he goes over to Kenshin, stopping a few feet away from him.



?Yeah. I bet if you just stay out of Jou-chan?s way, she?ll be fine. I mean she?s been avoiding you anyways, so it shouldn?t be that hard.?



?Alright. I?ll stay here until Karou-dono asks me to leave,? Kenshin says as he continues to watch Karou, now trying to clean herself off and gathering the laundry.

*****