LOVE IT! LOVE IT! What an amazing concept and so well executed. Moving on to the Kyoto Arc right now.

I think it was cruel of you to not allow Tomoe to have any children with Kenshin. I'm not sure how you feel about her character, but she loved Kenshin as much as Kaoru did and she loved children too, like Kenshin. If you were going to have her together with him for ten years(and in an alternate timeline no less) why couldn't they have a child? It's not like having a child from a previous marriage would deter Kenshin from loving Kaoru(for an example of this done well, read 'Light of the Snow Red Village'.

GAh.. wow so my mind is all tumbling. This is so different.. i like it yet ... I have no clue what else to thinkk except to continue.
=D

Gah.. will there be Kaoru and kenshin moments in this story?? Its almost complete and I want to shoot my self because he still with Tomoe..and their not even happy!

Wow~ I really like the way you describe the room in such a humorous/horrifying way. I could really imagine the painting because I had a dream about a room similar to the one mentioned here.

I thought the showdown you placed here between Kaoru and yourself -was- pretty funny, but I also felt it distracted somewhat from the story. It makes you wonder why the rest of the Kaoru-gumi aren't ranting and raving about the mysterious voice from the ceiling...

Ah! The return of Kenshin and Tomoe! Actually, I like how they turned up while on the road. It would seem much to convenient if they showed up at the dojo...

Kudos for another interesting chapter.

Ha! There isn't all that much gut-twisting, heart-aching plot heret to contemplate and agonize over, but I just wanted to compliment you on your use of humor:

"I think if you just let him be, you'll find he'll grow on you."

"So will fungus."

Winning reply to the conventional phrase. And also: did I misinterpret the chapter or is Enishi also beginning to have feelings (at the very least territorial) over the girl ten years younger than him?

This chapter, though nicely descriptive, is an enjoyable break from the rest of the plot-driven action-laden scenes. Nothing really to crticise (besides small spelling mistakes and lack of breaks between each section). Just a comment.

Woah, a past between Hiko and Kaoru? Interesting.

Thumbs up for another great chapter!

wow! O_O that was an amazing story! it was so good! i loved it, honestly, sincerly, you are a very talented author! and i loved your story! ^^

Okay, so here I admire the way you thought out how Kaoru would fight (because she can't just copy everything from Kenshin) but I am confused as to what the "Inabikari" is that she uses on Jin'eh before he can paralyze Yahiko. Would you care to explain when you have the chance?

Another facet I like about this story is the humor you have managed to incorporate into a rather grim alternative timeline. I like the the character's inner monologues as they deal with minor villain stereotypes and Kaoru's confusion as she wonders about how she has changed the world she lives in now.
I think that you have really managed to show a different...not look per say, but another layer to contemplate. Her fear of men can be identified with Kaoru's own experience, and is a really intense and sort of scary thing to think about...
...I'm not sure if Jin'eh has any shades of Olaf in him...besides white hair. Olaf's retarded villainy never appealed to me very much, so I haven't finished the series...But Jin'eh was just -crepy-.

Miscarriages are always very sad. I feel for poor Tomoe...

I find it ironic (but it's on purpose isn't it?) that Enishi is so enamored with Kaoru when in the previous time line he was desperately trying to kill her as part of her revenge.

...Is her scar a remnant of the past timeline? Does that mean the two are somehow converged into a mutated version of itself?

Hm...So much to consider.

~IrisedLuna

Ah, the maenads, they would be a problem wouldn't they? With their crazed drinking parties and ripping apart poor goats...yeah. I had books on Greek Mythology at home and was -so- excited when we were doing our mythology unit in Freshman year. Sigh...And now I'll be reading documents and autobiographies. Fun.

Now, back to the story. I've been spellbound for the past couple of chapters, so I apologize for not giving my input. To tell the truth, I was a bit annoyed at not being able to hear about the origin of Kaoru's scar, but now I see that it leaves the reader with a lot to think about. And also it keeps me reading, though the scar isn't the only reason. Her daughter came as a shock since I hadn't considered rape at first. That's such an intense plot point.
Did you say that this story would have Kenshin and Kaoru moments in it? I wonder how you will incorporate that, especially into the current time-line. I doubt you would do that (but note that I'm very far from the end) but it seems that if Kaoru were to give up the beginnings of her romance with Kenshin in order to save Tomoe, but later ended up with Kenshin it would seem...like her sacrifice would be hollow. So (even though the thought of pining Kaoru makes me cry) I hope that it doesn't really turn out that way...oh well. I'll just have to see how this turns out.

Kudos for Kaoru's characterization. She isn't exactly the same naive girl we know, but she still retains a lot of her characteristics despite being older, more experienced, and weary. Yet she doesn't strike me as a Kenshin-clone. Maybe its because Kaoru is just Kaoru, no matter what sitation (or parllel universe) she is in...hm.

~IrisedLuna

Goodness, I haven't seen a story like this at all until today. Woah...just..Woah. I really like the twist you put into this story with Kaoru and Kenshin's destinies switched. It's a bittersweet alternative: Kenshin is allowed to spend the life he would have led with Tomoe and Kaoru gets the dregs of the cup but at least she knows that he is happy with the other woman.
Just a question, how did you come up with the concept of Raven? She seems very...refreshing in an all Japanese cast, if that would be the best way to say it...
I would really like to see how this turns out, so lucky me that I get to read a story with a very interesting plotline that's already finished. Yay~ on to the next chapter!

P.S. Oh, and by the way, insta-fave. I