Seeds of Doubt

Sano coughed into his hand as he stared at Megumi. He was turning a delicious shade of red although he was staring at her strait on. Megumi laughed inwardly.

“You think this will actually work fox?” He said like he was trying to keep his temper in check.  “You think Kenshin will actually play along?” he glared at her. Megumi nodded, acting completely serious.

Sano tore the pigtails out of his hair and ripped off the dress. He shoved the piece of fabric at her and wiped off the makeup she had tortured him with. Why had he even listened to her anyhow, he thought as stomped out of the house, kicking of the woman’s shoes he still didn’t know why he’d let her put on him.

Megumi laughed as he walked out of the clinic. She knew she shouldn’t have done it, but seeing Sanosuke dressed as a girl was priceless. And the expression on his face! She laughed behind her hand as she watched him leave, dropping the hand when he was out of site.

If this was true, If Kaoru had really fallen in love with her captor, then Kenshin would be free. Megumi smiled. Enishi likely hadn’t come for Kenshin, that’s for certain. If she could help the man, maybe he would help her in turn. It would be to her benefit if they got together.

She smiled, remembering the way Sano had looked in the dress. This would be most interesting, no matter how things turned out, life had gotten dull lately, and it didn’t look like anything else would come along.

Enishi sat on the porch leaning over his knees. It would be difficult to think of something to provoke Kenshin without threatening him.  He stared up at the bright cloud speckled sky. Patience was something needed for this. Maybe the best thing for now would be to do nothing. They likely suspected some sort of plan from him. Luckily patience was something that came easily to him.

He breathed out heavily and closed his eyes. He was glad he had chosen to work only short hours; it gave him more time to be around Kaoru. Most all she did was work in the dojo with Yahiko and a few other students, but he liked to watch her move. He was wondering how her hair would feel in his hands when he was interrupted by a kick. He opened his eyes and tilted his head towards the assailant. It was Sanosuke

“I know you’re up to something you crazy eyed freak, and I don’t like it” Sano said petulantly “Don’t think I’ll let you do anything, and stay away from Kaoru, she belongs to Kenshin.”

“Is that so,” Enishi said sitting back and raising an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard that from either of them” Enishi smiled crookedly “I see you’re not afraid of me anymore. It won’t do you any good though, you’re wrong anyhow, I’m not planning on killing anyone or anything.” Sano turned away with a look that said he didn’t believe a word of it and stalked off.

Enishi closed his eyes, pleased. The seeds of doubt were sewn, he would need do nothing more but wait.

                                                              *************

“Kenshin, you’ve got to do something about him!” Sano hissed, just short of yelling. Kenshin hushed him.

“Why is that” he asked.

“He’s got… I don’t know, evil, written all over him. He gives me the heebie jeebies, I know he’s plotting something. “

“Sano, Enishi hasn’t done anything yet so I have no cause to do anything about him. He’s even helped Kaoru dono with the dojo.”

“But Kenshin!” Sano said exasperated, “What if he tries to take Kaoru from you” Kenshin got a violent look in his eye at that.  “No not by force, I don’t think he’s going to do that. I mean, what if he tries to…” Sano trailed off, knowing by Kenshin’s expression the rurouni had gotten the point.

“Sessha…. I had not thought of that.” Kenshin said quietly. “I can’t let that happen… I care about her” Sano looked at Kenshin with pity for the first time ever.

“You’re going to have a hard time of it if you don’t tell her that.”  He said.

“I know…. I had just hoped she already knew.” He looked off to the side.

“Frankly, Kenshin, you act a little coldly towards her, although not enough to turn her away from thought. She may be unsure.” Kenshin nodded and sat down, already deep in thought. Sano thought it appropriate to leave then.

Kaoru smiled at her new students. One or two of her old ones had come back, finally having convinced their mothers that it was all a misunderstanding. The rest it seems had given up already.

There were a few new ones as well. A bright blue-eyed boy that reminded her somewhat of Aoshi in a way, yet not as solemn, and an older girl who was apparently his sister. They had come after the incident in the town with Yahiko, having seen the boy fight and hearing about where he’d learned.

The girl was really very energetic and devoted, but needed to tone down a bit, Kaoru thought humorously to herself, but she had been like that once, and there was no harm for now. The boy, well he seemed awfully intrigued by Enishi ever since Enishi had arrived.

“Apparently,” his sister had babbled on, He followed Enishi once and saw him practicing Katas. He even saw him Brake a tree in half!” she had recounted. Kaoru well remembered him doing the same thing himself. It had been pretty amazing to watch since he didn’t even seem to put much effort into it and did it in a single kick.

Kaoru shook her head and brought herself back to the present, it was time to start today’s training. She noticed the boy, Kaji, peering out the screen door. She smiled; Enishi was likely out on the porch.

She walked over and shooed Kaji over to the rest of the waiting students, peering out at Enishi herself.

“You can come in and watch anytime if you’d like.” She said. Enishi turned and looked at her. She stared at him startled. His eyes were so clear, it surprised her every time she saw them, his gaze was piercing but not uncomfortable. He hadn’t worn his glasses since he came here.

Enishi stood and walked past her into the dojo without saying a word. Kaoru closed the screen behind him. She walked to the front of the room and started the class.

Yahiko seethed. It wasn’t healthy, how long Kaoru had stared at Enishi. Maybe Enishi had done something to Kaoru while he kidnapped her. It’s true she hadn’t been quite the same since it happened. Yahiko looked down in sudden surprise as he realized he broke his shinai. He winced in embarrassment as he caught Kaoru looking at him strangely.