Subject: [KFFDISC] Along the Stream (Part 1)
    Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2001 01:10:29 EDT
    From: Ranma1517730129@aol.com
Reply-To: kffdisc@nabiki.com
      To: kffdisc@nabiki.com


I had to split this into three parts (stupid AOL), sorry for the
inconvienience.

______________________


Hello again everyone! I was so happy with every ones helpful comments on my
last fic. Especially to the nice person on the RKFF who gave me the name of
Kaoru's father!!!! I owe you one! I promised a few more Aoiya fics. This
isn't really a second chapter...Really...It isn't...I swear...Because this one has
nothing to do with Kaoru : ) Right...That's a good reason. Ummmm, spoilers to
the Kyoto arc. I am kind of applying hints to the Jinchuu arc with a
sledgehammer too. Here's to Yahiko the strongest ten-year-old to ever grace
the world. Don't you just love shonen? I am going to take this time out to
say that RK isn't mine. I'm still poor...oh well on with the fic.

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Kyoto: The Present:

Yahiko ran through the streets of Kyoto toward the Shirobeko. It was coming
up on the lunch rush soon. Sae had made him promise to be on time the night
before and Yahiko couldn't help but try. She reminded him so much of Tae.
Well, they were twins after all, but something in the chipper souls of the
resteraunteurs always made Yahiko want to do his best. He wouldn't ever admit
that to busu, she might get mad. She would take it the wrong way...She always
did. Yahiko couldn't help thinking of Kaoru as a sister. It dropped her out
of the woman category for some reason. Well, ok the sister thing wasn't the
only reason that she didn't seem quite as feminine; she couldn't cook, wore
men's clothes, and swung a sword better than most men he'd met. Of course
that didn't mean that Yahiko didn't take her seriously, it just meant that
he didn't have to really impress her. She would love him no matter what.
Yahiko stopped running and stared dumbly through sightless eyes. "She really
is my like my sister...Busu...She's my family..."

Yahiko had run the rest of the way to the Shirobeko in relative mental
silence. This epiphany scared the ten-year-old in a way that nothing else
could. Yahiko could always train harder to become stronger. He could always
learn more to protect himself. But if something were to happen to Kaoru...
Yahiko knew that he would die inside. His father had died in the Bakumatsu as
a member of the Shogitai, an honored samurai until his last breath. His
mother...She had done her best. Yahiko knew that. She did what she could to
keep them both alive. When she had died, Yahiko had begun to feel the
bitterness that can only come about when life and society fail a young child.
Unfortunately Yahiko really didn't have the time to ponder the death of his
family for long. The Yakuza had come to collect the debts his mother had
supposedly accrued during her sickness for medicine. Yahiko began to learn
the fine art of pickpocketing. He had no skills the Yakuza could use
otherwise and the Boss said he could always use a good urchin... "Bastard." It
was of course the first word he had spoken aloud in some time, and of course
he had just entered the very busy Shirobeko.

"Oh, my, Yahiko-kun...Ahahaha..." Sea's hand had covered his mouth and she made
little placating waves with the empty hand as she headed toward the kitchen
with Yahiko in tow.

"Sorry..." Yahiko was staring at his sandals through his spiky bangs and
wishing he had been paying attention. "I didn't realize I said that out
loud." He offered a lame smile to the young proprietress. Who was, Yahiko was
surprised to see, also still smiling?

"It's ok Yahiko-kun, you have been a marvelous help...Even if you are a little
rough around the edges."

    Yahiko felt his face turning red and he almost didn't notice the frilly
apron go over his head. Almost. "Hey...C'mon...I really, really hate this
thing." Yahiko felt himself being gelded by the frilly pink creation and
somewhere deep inside his soul his machismo huddled in a corner and cried.

"It's only for a few hours Yahiko-kun...Then I will put you on dish detail to
relieve your friend." She was smiling pleasantly.

He couldn't remember if Tae smiled that way when she wanted him to do
something or not...He had always had his mind on a certain young striking
waitress...and... "Hey wait...What friend???" His mind was reeling. Behind Sae,
there he was, snickering and making waving motions. "Sano..." He would die
right there...Die of embarrassment now or suffer the indignity later. Yahiko
shot the gangster a warning look and grabbed his tray from Sae none too
politely. "I'm gonna' go work."

    It had been almost four and one-half hours since Yahiko had last sat
down. It seemed business was booming for Sae and he could see why. She had
the place running like a well-oiled machine with the two extra hands about.
Sano looked slightly weary to Yahiko's trained eye. He knew that Sano was
still recovering from his injuries, but he couldn't help himself.  "You
getting old or is this too much honest work for a gangster?"

"Don't know. But I definitely think we should let you have a few of Weasel
Girl's kimono for tomorrow. You sure do look cute in pink Yahiko-chan...Who
knows, maybe we can take this little drag show of yours on the road."

Yahiko could feel his temper flare out of control. The pink apron soared
through the air into Sano's face as a distraction. While he struggled with
the material Yahiko launched himself at Sano's head and began to bite
furiously at his unruly hair. "So much for impressing Sae with my maturity."
Yahiko thought while he tried to gnaw off Sanosuke's scalp.

And as if on cue..."Ok...That's enough!" Sae folded her arms in front of her
and glared at the street fighter and the young hooligan. "If you wreck my
kitchen I will personally kill the both of you." It was then that her smile
returned. "Misao is here to collect the two of you anyway. Apparently you are
needed for construction." Yahiko was about to volunteer to stay behind and
help but Sae was still two steps ahead. "My night workers will be in shortly
anyway."

"Oi...You mean Jo-chan is going to be helping at a restaurant? For the love of
god...Keep her away from the kitchen."

"I HEARD THAT!" Kaoru walked through the door to the back room and glared at
Sanosuke as if he were the devil himself. It was of course to her surprise
when Sano launched the frilly pink apron at Kaoru and headed toward freedom
with a smile on his face. "Megumi said she expected you three hours ago for a
check-up...She seemed...Frustrated." Yahiko watched as Sano was held frozen for
a second by Kaoru's statement.

"CHE!" Sano began to move again, and he quickened his already long strides
before running smack into Misao.

"Ouch! Geez Rooster-Head...Watch where you're going." Misao was trying to
look annoyed but she had seemed pre-occupied to Yahiko lately. In fact Misao
had been almost withdrawn for the last few days. "Aoshi..." He guessed. Her
heart wasn't in the fight, and Sanosuke's eyes narrowed at the usually
chipper weasel girl. "He must have picked up on her mood." Yahiko thought.
Sano went no further into banter; it seemed to Yahiko that he had decided to
let it go for once.

Yahiko tried not to smile at the antics of his friends but to a ten year old
this stuff was, well, classic. So he laughed. "Hey Sano...Did Megumi Sensei
put her collar on you now?" Everyone was laughing now. Everyone, including
Misao and Yahiko felt like he had won a small victory.

"Ah, shut up kid! You just don't know what it's like to be on the
fox-lady's bad side." Sano's frown turned into a smile and a wave as he
exited the room.

Yahiko was now walking toward the exit of the kitchen as well when Kaoru
stopped him. She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"Make sure you don't work too hard Yahiko. I don't want to see you or Sano
get hurt...Don't let him do too much! For me...Ok?" Her eyes were smiling but
also filled with concern.

Yahiko couldn't even force himself to smile back, so he grunted and stared at
the floor as he began to walk forward again. He just couldn't do it...His mind
rewound to the thoughts he'd had on the way to the Shirobeko. "See ya
later..." It was half hearted and grumbled at best.

    Yahiko was a little more than surprised to find Sanosuke leaned against
the building waiting for him. He walked by Sano and the taller man kicked off
the wall with his foot to fall into step with the ten-year-old. They walked
in a companionable silence until the Shirobeko fell out of site. That was
when Yahiko looked up at Sanosuke and asked the question that he had waited
almost a block to voice. "WHAT!?!"

"Hey kid! Look, I'm not waiting around for my own health here you know. The
fox lady is going to have my hide as it is..." He was casting a sidelong view
at Yahiko and slowed his pace even more. "What's going on in your head? You
haven't been yourself today. I was going to let it go, but then I saw the
Weasel and I decided that one person moping around was more than enough.
Besides that...I'm already three hours late...What's a few more right?"

Yahiko looked up at the street fighter and decided that he could probably
tell him to back off. It wouldn't be the first time. He would let it go if he
asked him to...But right now, more than anything Yahiko wanted to talk to
someone, and Sano would do just fine. He had no reason not to trust him...But
wasn't he part of the problem? Maybe...He would have to see. "Look, don't
tell anybody ok? I don't want any pity, or anyone to look at me like I'm
nuts or anything." Sano turned toward what looked to be an alley and Yahiko
followed. He was about to tell him the story when Sanosuke's bandaged hand
cut him off. They proceeded to walk in silence and Yahiko began to wonder if
Sano had changed his mind about wanting to hear the story. They walked though
the darkening streets until they came to a bridge, but instead of mounting
the wooden planks Sano walked down and around until they were under the
bridge. He sat down and made himself comfortable lying down in the grass and
looking up at the slats between the wood. Yahiko watched his ever-present
fish bone go into his mouth.

"Ok kid. I got all night. What's eating you?" Sano was rough sometimes, but
Yahiko knew that it was his way of saying: I care. Right now care and trust
were more important than anything...But it was also the reason for Yahiko's
current predicament.

    "Well. First off I'm not mad at anybody...I guess I have been a little
rude to Busu...But I got my reasons..." Yahiko stared at his feet and sat down
next to Sano. "It's a long story...but I guess it started about...Two years
ago..."

Two years ago: Tokyo:

    Myojin, Yahiko stood on the bank of a river overlooking the setting sun.
Tears were still streaming down his face and he couldn't stop the endless
flow. "Okaa-san..." She hadn't even been dead for more than a week before the
Yakuza had descended upon him. A tall man with a strange hair-cut named
Hitokiri Gasuke had approched him and under no uncertain terms told him that
his life belonged to them until he could pay off his mother's sick debt.
Yahiko had no choice so he allowed them to take him to see the Boss. He was a
short stout man that reminded Yahiko of an ugly rat he'd seen once in the
alleyways beside the row houses. He spared no time in telling Yahiko that he
was too young to be of any worth...That he would kill him so that at least in
death his family could find honor. Then, for no reason, he changed his mind
and told Yahiko that he would see him on the front steps of the Yakuza's
building in the early morning. That had been earlier that afternoon. He
wasn't sure what to do anymore. Maybe if he left...If he ran as fast and as
far as he could he would escape. "NO!" He almost screamed it as the dying
rays of the sun reflected purple and red. It almost seemed as if the water
was on fire. It felt as if the world were reflecting his angry soul for the
world to see. "I can't run from them...My family would lose all of its
honor." Yahiko sat on his haunches and pondered his decision. Finally his
eight-year-old brain short- circuited after the long time in thought and he
curled up shivering but finally finding sleep.

    It was a little before sunrise and Yahiko was awake again. His feet took
him to the water's edge and he splashed the cold water all over his face and
rubbed at his hands. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a long warm
bath...It really didn't matter. Yahiko had lost all hope when his mother had
died; this was the first ray of hope he'd seen. He didn't want to be part of
the Yakuza. Even he knew that the group was bad news. They hurt, they
exploited, they destroyed, and no one ever seemed to be able to stop them.
Then again, he had no where else to go and no where else to turn. He Myojin,
Yahiko was the last of his line; he had no relatives that would take him in.
He had no choice he would go see the boss. Perhaps he would take pity...Perhaps
he would realize that Yahiko was just a boy and he would just let him be. To
die in the streets like a dog. He felt the emptiness in his stomach and
wondered how long it would take to die of starvation as he began the trek
toward the home of the Yakuza Boss.

"Good morning...Are you Myojin Yahiko?"

He wasn't expecting a woman to greet him. She was a beautiful girl with her
hair tied high on her head. Three pins stood out of her hair drawing
attention to the curve of her jaw and Yahiko could have sworn that she was
some sort of vision.

"I have been instructed to help you get used to your new life here...I have
food and a hot bath waiting for you inside...You have but to take my hand to
accept. If you don't...the boss said that I should kill you."

"Her eyes should be cold." He thought as she reached out her hand to him. He
felt his own hand going up to meet hers even as he played with the notion of
running...But food, a hot bath, things that he had once taken for granted, he
now wanted more than anything to have them all. His hand closed around the
woman's and she led him up the stairs into the house. He was now one of them...

The present: Yahiko and Sanosuke:

    "I know what it's like you know..." Sanosuke looked at Yahiko with
serious eyes. "I don't talk about the past much...But I will tell you that I
would have done the same thing kid. Sometimes you just have to take what life
gives you. You're never a slave unless you let them make you into one right?"

Yahiko cringed at that. "But I was their slave...For a long time. She taught
me everything about the fine art of pickpocketing. Her name was Yuka. I never
thought about it much but I guess she'd be about Kaoru's age...Though she was
nothing like Kaoru.

"Was she cute?" Sano now had a piqued interest.

"I don't know...I guess so. I never really thought about it at the time. She
was really beautiful to me, she was all I had, but it was only about a half a
year ago that I realized just how important she was."