Disclaimer: As always, I do not own a thing. Well… nothing involving Rurouni Kenshin, anyway.

Notes: Just a silly thing that popped into my head. Slightly out of character, but that’s okay. There will be insults flying, but that too is just for fun. I hope you find this somewhat amusing.

Warnings: None.

First Impressions

Subject: Kamiya Kaoru

The question: What was your first impression when you met Kaoru?

Kenshin: I was baffled. I mean... what kind of idiot starts shouting at Hitokiri Battousai, and then goes after him with a wooden sword? She had no sense of self-preservation, I thought. What’s that?

            Tape player.

Kenshin: ...Oh. You’re not writing this down, are you?

            Do I have any paper with me? You jumped out of the way...

Kenshin: Huh? Oh! Right. Anyway, she startled me. Of course, I had not expected that roof to have those weak boards. I saw them a little too late.

            Embarrassed?

Kenshin: Yeah. With a sore bottom too.

            I was surprised that you actually let Kaoru take your sword.

Kenshin: Most people, when I show them the sakabatou, do not actually take it. And then she started waving it around! Like it was some child’s play thing!

            This bothered you.

Kenshin: Of course it bothered me! What kind of swordsman would I be if I let any kid on the street throw my sword around?

            Why did you follow her, then?

Kenshin: I couldn’t very well let her get herself killed.

            Thus far, you sound like you didn’t much like the girl. Do you still feel this way?

Kenshin: It was just a bad first impression. When I heard her story, it was not so bad. And when she let me stay in her dojo... well, what’s not to like?

            That sounded very shallow.

Kenshin: Why is it that I have to be the profound one all the time? What are you doing?

            Shutting off the tape player.

Kenshin: Oh. So are we done?

            Yes. You may go.

Kenshin: You’re not going to tell anyone what I said, are you?

            I will not speak a word of it.

Kenshin: Whew.

*Next*

Yahiko: She’s an ugly, annoying girl.

            Surely that was not your very first impression.

Yahiko: Who cares? That’s what she is.

            What about when you saw her for the first time? I believe it was just after Kenshin teased you.

Yahiko: Yeah, whatever. Then, she was an ugly, annoying, pushy girl. Did you see the way she dragged Kenshin around?

            And then she tackled you.

Yahiko: The b--

            ALRIGHTY THEN! What do you think of Kaoru now?

Yahiko: She’s an ugly, annoying girl.

            ...And we’re back to square one.

Yahiko: Are you writing this down?

            No.

Yahiko: And that thing?

            A tape player.

Yahiko: What’s that do?

            It plays tapes.

Yahiko: Uh... right. Well, I guess Kaoru’s okay.

            Okay?

Yahiko: She takes care of me. Feeds me, gives me a place to live, and she teaches me to fight.

            Thank you, Yahiko. You can leave.

Yahiko: It’s about time.

*Next*

Sanosuke: Jou-chan? I didn’t get much of an impression right away. I mean, she just stood there and let Kenshin do all the talking.

            Well, what were your initial thoughts?

Sanosuke: I figured she was his girlfriend or something.

            Kenshin’s girl?

Sanosuke: Sure. Why else would a guy hang around a shrew like her all the time?

            Tell us what you really feel.

Sanosuke: Don’t get me wrong. I like the girl and all. She’s just not my type.

            Really. Then what is your type?

Sanosuke: Why? You want to go on a date?

            Keep wishing, sweetheart. Do you have anything else to offer?

Sanosuke: About Jou-chan?

            Yes.

Sanosuke: Yeah. She’s the best.

            Why do you say that?

Sanosuke: She pays for all my meals. What’s not to like?

            And suddenly... a sense of déjà vu.

Sanosuke: Huh?

            Nothing. Thank you for your time.

Sanosuke: We’re done?

            Good-bye, Sanosuke.

*Next*

Megumi: She was a naive, classless thing.

            You seemed to enjoy tormenting her.

Megumi: She made it so easy.

            Why’d you jump to tease her when you didn’t even know her?

Megumi: It was easy to see she was head over heels for Ken-san. I just wanted to shake her up a bit.

            So it was not because you held anything against her personally.

Megumi: Of course not. I didn’t even know the girl. How could I have a grudge?

            That doesn’t stop many people.

Megumi: You’re antagonizing me now.

            Sorry. If that’s it, I thank you for your time.

Megumi: Ah. Good-bye.

There we have it. Overall, it seems that Kaoru is fairly popular among her daily acquaintances. She has a few downfalls, but who doesn’t? Next: We see what people think of Sagara Sanosuke.

^_^

Notes: So, it’s short, but that’s okay for this, I guess. Let me know if you like! (Or dislike, that being the case.) No flames, please. We all know that’s inappropriate. *Fitz pops on teacher’s hat* And now, we have a lecture on responsible reviewing. *Is immediately smothered by pillow-wielding characters*

Sano: Whew. Thought we were going to have to listen to that for a minute.

Kenshin: That’s not nice, Sano.

Kaoru: You were the first one to reach her, Kenshin.

Kenshin: Eh heh heh…

Yahiko: PILLOW FIGHT!

Fitz: WHEEEEE!