Blonde hair captured the moon beams as the samurai landed gracefully and blood fell all around its figure. The samurai sheathed its katana solemnly and walked down to the end of a dark ally in Kyoto on a deathly quiet night, leaden with the weight of death that hung in the atmosphere. The samurai stepped into a hotel and stopped by a basin, dipping its hands in the clear water, instantly turning it red. The landlady stopped as she passed by.
"Himura, this isn't a house of death."
The samurai was silent but nodded. She let her gaze linger for a moment before she continued on her way. The samurai dipped its hands back into the water.
Walking to the room that the samurai was staying in, the samurai noticed a presence in the room and stiffened, resting a hand on the hilt of the katana attached to its hip. The samurai opened the door quickly, jolting when none other than Katsura Kogoro was revealed.
"Ka…Kastura-sensei?"
"Himura, I have another assignment for you."
The samurai closed the door and sat down. "Yes? But why did you have to come in the middle of the night?"
Katsura looked closely at the hitokiri. "Because this involves you going undercover and infiltrating the Shinsengumi."
"What?" the samurai said startled. "Someone would surely recognize me!"
Katsura nodded. "You're thinking of Saito Hajime."
"Yes…"
"But, there is a reason why you are the only candidate for this assignment and it also makes recognition nearly impossible."
The samurai's eyes widened. "You don't mean…."
"Yes, with the use of your hidden gender….you can pass as a concubine easily."
Himura Kenshin flushed. "A concubine?" she said uneasily.
"Unfortunately, that is the safest disguise. We have suspected that there is someone leaking information to the Shinsengumi, and recently we caught the traitor, but now we are at a disadvantage and need to even the playing field a little."
"When?"
"Tomorrow." Kenshin gawked as Katsura said this calmly. Such a thing…had to be impossible. The plan sounded so simple….
"But…" Kenshin faltered. "I don't have any kimonos or…" but she was interrupted by movement.
Katsura took out a case and opened it to reveal several silk kimonos, shoe, and perfumes and lotions. "That is not an issue."
Kenshin looked on in wonder for a moment, but collected herself. "Yes, I will try my hardest to fulfill the assignment." She said, bowing to Katsura who got up to leave. She bit her lip in thought, hidden from Katsura by her bow.
"I'll come by tomorrow to situate you with the woman who will be posing as your boss. Get ready and meet me outside then."
"But…." Kenshin hesitated.
"It's fine if those staying in the house learn that you are a woman now. They are known to be perfectly loyal."
"Yes." Kenshin said, nodding her head and Katsura left.
****
"Hey, you guys….isn't the Battousai pretty late this morning?"
"Naw, he had a late assignment last night." A man answered lazily as the previous dithered on whether to knock on the Battousai's door or not. "Leave him be, if you wake him up he might kill you."
The first man laughed. "That's not something he would do, right?"
"Who knows."
The first man walked into the room with the other and they sat, eating their lunch and drinking sake. They heard the Battousai's door open and close gently.
"See he's already…" began the second man when his jaw dropped as a beautiful girl walked past the door.
"Wha…wha…?" stammered the man while the other jumped up and opened the Battousai's door to inquire whether he had actually taken a woman into his room last night, but found it empty.
He walked back to the doorway of the room he had been eating in. "He's not there….."
"That..That girl had golden hair." The two men looked at eat other queerly. The Battousai in a kimono?
They dashed after the girl as she stepped outside and were dumbfounded as they found Katsura waiting for her outside.
"What's going on?" They demanded in unison as other men filed out, interested in the commotion.
"Nothing, as you can see…Himura has a new assignment." Katsura answered calmly.
All of the men gawked. One said uneasily. "Dressed as a woman?"
"Himura is a woman."
A few people fainted and a few more fainted as Kenshin laughed at them.
"But, won't the Batt….I mean Himura-san need a katana for his….her assignment?" asked the same man, clumsily adapting his speech to this new information.
Kenshin pulled out a short sword hidden in the back of her kimono.
"Himura-san." called an authoritative female voice from within the carriage. "We cannot be late."
"Yes." Kenshin turned to the awe-stricken men with a nervous smile and bowed slightly. "Thank you for taking care of me. Goodbye." She got into the carriage. "Goodbye Katsura-sensei" she waved at him.
"Don't wave!" scolded the female voice. "It's offensive to the eyes."
"Sorry." Came Kenshin's voice as the carriage moved away.
The men were silent. "What's his…her assignment?" one spoke up.
"She has to pose as a concubine for the Shinsengumi captains." Katsura answered.
Several protests were heard. "How can you ask for a girl to do that?"
"How could I have asked a thirteen year-old girl to become a hitokiri four years ago?" Katsura muttered quietly, but the men heard and the atmosphere became solemn.
****
The door slid open and several important Shinsengumi leaders walked in noisily discussing various topics, some relevant to Kenshin and some just plain crude. Kenshin made mental notes as she knelt with several other girls waiting to serve the men. Kenshin remembered the woman's order to go by the name Arakaki Saki. Kenshin was dressed in gold kimono with white cherry blossom branches, and her hair was tied up with a beaded ornament with a pink cherry blossom on it.
She watched Saito Hajime out of the corner of her eye as he walked in with a company of three, silent in their discussion. She looked forward as he glanced up and stopped in his tracks.
"Saito?" asked one of his companions shocked. "What is it?" the three other men looked up with surprise too. "That hair….it makes her resemble…"
"The Hitokiri Battousai." Saito finished through gritted teeth. He continued to watch her out of the corner of his eye as he sat down with his companions. Kenshin noticed, but didn't bat an eye. She pretended to be oblivious to everything, like the other girls who were probably also only pretending to be the same.
"The hair, eye color, facial features….they're very similar but I can't say if they are identical." One of Saito's companions began to discuss Kenshin. "A sister, or even a twin sister?" Some of the other companions murmured.
"If it was a relative, why would it be here?" Saito said, emphasizing on it. His eyes were mercilessly glaring at Kenshin with obvious loathing.
"It?" coughed one of his companions and his mouth twitched into a frown. "That's a little much Saito."
Saito glowered at Kenshin and then scowled. "I don't like it. We should throw it out."
"There's a very slim chance she has anything to do with the Battousai. You can't just throw a girl outside during the winter for similarities such as these."
Saito continued to glare as the woman in charge of the concubines stood up and talked to one of the men in charge of the gathering, then she sat back down and whispered to girls when she got signals requesting them. Saito watched this for a moment and then requested Kenshin to the horror of his friends.
It also made Kenshin feel ill as the woman directed her to Saito's table. But she covered up her anxiety with a weak smile that appeared to be one out of shyness as she walked over to the company of men with a bottle of sake. Cups already were positioned for each group of men. Kenshin began to pour the sake for the men and then placed a cup before each of them. She thanked her master silently for forcing her to learn how to act somewhat like a woman because he thought it was inappropriate for her to not know anything, as he called it, 'proper for a girl'. He had made her attend lessons at a Geisha house twice a month for three years.
Kenshin went to place another cup on the table as she thought of these memories, but it met someone's hands, forcing her to look up. "You can just hand it to use, you don't have to be so formal." said one of the men. He was the last to receive a cup, so Kenshin nodded her head to express her understanding and knelt beside the jug of sake, waiting to be asked to refill a cup. The other men began to drink, but Saito left his glass untouched, looking at it as if it was poison. He leant over to another group and asked their girl to pour him a drink in a new glass. The girl looked smugly at Kenshin, who looked uncaringly back at her. The girl blushed and glared at Kenshin.
His companions looked at Saito curiously. "Why did you request her then?" One of them asked.
Saito was silent, looking at Kenshin, who looked back at him for a moment, then, remembering her position, she looked into her lap. One of the men asked her for another glass, so Kenshin reached out to receive it and refilled it, passing it back to the man. Saito noticed something and grabbed one of her wrists, looking at her fingers, before she could bring her hands back to herself.
His companions looked alarmed. "Saito?"
Saito ignored them and examined her calluses and Kenshin caught her breath. But this had been foreseen.
"These are odd calluses for an entertainer." Saito said looking at Kenshin's face.
"I play the shamisen. I'm sorry if they disturb you." Kenshin said quietly, referring to a three stringed, plucked instrument.
"Really?" Saito said peering at Kenshin, suspiciously. "Then play. You must practice often in order to get these."
"That would disturb the others, but I could ask my superior if I could borrow a shamisen from her and play for your company."
Saito looked at her and dropped her hand. "Do that." Kenshin looked at him, trying to read his thoughts, but got up and asked the woman if it would be okay, quietly explaining the situation. The woman nodded and Kenshin returned.
"She said that I could after the gathering."
The company looked at Saito uneasily, as Saito frowned slightly, deep in thought. "Fine then."
Kenshin sat quietly as the company returned to their original discussion. Saito glanced at Kenshin only periodically.
A hand tapped Kenshin's shoulder in an overly friendly manor and then gripped it, and she turned to see a drunken stranger.
"Ah, you took the exotic one. How is she, eh?" the stranger said, not specifically to anyone, pushing his face into Kenshin's. Kenshin grimaced at the liquor that wafted from him.
"Excuse me." Kenshin said softly, but the stranger ignored her. "Excuse me…" she said a little louder.
Saito watched in silence. One of his companions spoke up. "Saito was the one who requested her." Saito glared at him.
"Oh, Saito did? That's unusual," the stranger said, looking at Kenshin's uneasy face. "So this is your type?"
Kenshin's and Saito's face showed equal surprise. "No." Saito fumed. His companions looked concerned.
"Eh? Why are you angry?" the stranger drawled. "Am I wrong?"
"Please go back to your company." Kenshin said quietly, worried about Saito's growing anger. She herself was a little insulted by the rude man.
"Fine, fine." The stranger removed his hand from Kenshin's shoulder. "I'm not welcome here." The stranger left.
Kenshin sighed with relief, and looked up at Saito who was still fuming and disgusted. "Annoying." He uttered harshly.
The company slowly returned to how it had been previous to the drunken intrusion.
****
The gathering room had been emptied for a few minutes, and now Kenshin and Saito's company were the only one's inside, with the addition of the head woman as she stepped into the room with a shamisen in her hands.
She handed it to Kenshin. "Here you go." She sat down with the rest of the company, her face lit with curiousity.
Kenshin knelt with the instrument and looked at Saito. "What would you like me to play?"
"Whatever you feel like." Saito said, looking on in anticipation.
Kenshin began so abruptly that Saito started and Kenshin couldn't help but smile to herself in triumph as she began to play a song she had often played when she was younger. She closed her eyes and her hand ran over the instrument with ease. When she was done she looked up to hear the company, with the exception of Saito, clapping and Saito glare at her with a little confusion.
"Thank you for listening. I'll be going now." She stood up slowly and Saito was silent, still glaring at her as she left.
"We'll request you at the meeting later today." one of the men said, making Saito turn his glare to him, the man pretended to cower and laughed with his companions.
Kenshin wasn't so thrilled by this but smiled anyway and left.
****
Kenshin was lined up with the other girls again as the Shinsengumi entered for their official meeting. Saito and his company walked in and sat down. Once they were all seated girls were requested and sent to different tables. The stranger requested Kenshin, but she was automatically sent to Saito's table.
"Hello." said the men at the table. Saito was the only one who said nothing.
"Hello." Kenshin replied with a pleasant smile. Saito looked disturbed.
"Don't do anything unnatural like the rest of them. If you are going to serve this table, don't be so counterfeit."
Kenshin's eyes widened, and she felt that she appreciated the break from pretending. "Alright." She said with softer eyes and a true smile, surprising Saito and making him scowl.
A speaker stepped up and announced the meeting's purpose and goal. They discussed future battle plans and the replacement of a fallen officer and addressed varying less important topics.
Kenshin watched, remembering every significant point made. Saito looked at her once with suspicion, but decided against saying anything since some of the other girls were watching the speakers similarly to Kenshin.
The meeting came to a close and men began to drink and lose their seriousness, flirting with the girls. Kenshin watched, absentminded. She occasionally poured drinks for Saito's company, with the exception of Saito. They were heated in a random subject matter, even Saito was actively taking part in it.
Without looking away from his companions and only pausing his discussion for a moment to say, "Fill this." Saito handed his cup to Kenshin. When Kenshin didn't do anything, he said it again louder and turned. He stared at her with a blank expression, and she stared back at him.
"Um…I thought you had made a mistake…." Kenshin mumbled reaching out for the cup, but Saito took it from her reach.
"Yeah, I did." But he wavered, looking behind him as the girl at the next table had a line of cups waiting to be filled. "Whatever, it's a pain." He handed the cup to Kenshin, surprising her.
She filled the cup and handed it back without looking up at him. "Here." Saito took it from her without a word. After a while, he eventually drank it.
Slowly, individuals began to leave. Some of them took a girl with them. Eventually the stranger arrived at the table, drunk once again. "Hey you." he said, drawling his words, to Kenshin. "Come spend the night with me."
Kenshin colored and before she could check herself blurted out, "No." In her mind she shouted in outrage, no way in Hell!
The drunken man looked absolutely astonished and Saito looked suspiciously at Kenshin.
"I'm busy." Kenshin said, trying to make the weak excuse work.
The drunken man looked like he was going to hit Kenshin as his voice shook. "You little whore…"
Kenshin was hurt by this, and it showed on her face. Saito noticed this and dejectedly spoke to the drunken man. "As you can see, she's busy. Find yourself another girl."
Saito's companions looked on in interest as Saito seemed to be protecting Kenshin. Kenshin watched with them. The drunken man was taken aback. "I'll just take her once you're done here."
"We won't be, so leave." Saito was looking at his cup of sake.
"But," the man said in confusion. "I thought you said she wasn't your type."
Saito looked up and glared at him.
"Fine, I'm going, but if I don't take her and you don't, someone will." The drunken man stumbled over to another girl and left with his arm around her.
Saito glared at Kenshin as if it were her fault that he was in the mess he was in. Kenshin looked up at him with questioning eyes. Saito's companions were also confused. "Saito? What are you doing?"
"Shut up." Saito said darkly, taking a sip of sake. Kenshin wanted to laugh, but held it in.
One by one, the room emptied, and Saito's companions left him with Kenshin who sat silently by the table. When they were alone, they didn't look at each other.
Saito stood up and finally looked down a Kenshin who looked up. "Let's go."
Kenshin's eyes widened. "What?"
"I said, let's go."
Kenshin looked confused. Saito sighed in frustration and pulled her up by her arm and dragged her towards the door. "Unless you want the drunk to come back here…" Kenshin immediately quickened her step.
Saito stepped into his room and Kenshin followed, but was shocked to find another man and woman in there. Saito was sharing a room with another as the hotel could not provide rooms for each individual. The man was beginning to undress the woman, they only paused as Saito and Kenshin entered the room. Kenshin turned away, embarrassed. Saito ignored them completely, sitting down and pouring himself some sake.
Kenshin turned her attention to him. "You drink a lot." She said, mainly trying to forget about the couple in the other side of the room which was making out.
"You don't drink much." Saito said, eyeing Kenshin. He poured her a cup.
Kenshin shook her head. "I don't drink."
Saito raised his eyebrows. "Really? Of all of those girls, I'd say you're the only one." He pushed it towards her. "Try it."
Kenshin slowly put it to her mouth and took a small sip, her eyes widening in wonder. "It's good."
Saito drank out of his cup. He watched, awed as Kenshin drained her cup and poured another. One her third he asked her if this was really her first time drinking.
"Yeah." Kenshin said with a big, drunken grin. Saito's face showed his amusement and disapproval.
"You need to stop before you throw up." He took her cup away from her.
Kenshin put her head on the table, warmed and content. She had forgotten about the couple, but now she remembered and started when she heard their voices, instantly coloring wherever the drink had failed to color her face. "I want another cup."
Saito looked from her to the noisy couple. "No." he said with a sadistic smile.
Kenshin frowned. "You're horrible." Saito grinned wider.
"I know." But his smile faded as Kenshin became more and more upset. "Fine!" he poured her another cup. This time she drank it slowly.
Saito had an idea, and smiled. "Battousai, have you never seen something like this before?"
Kenshin caught this and looked up at Saito with a confused expression. "Man-slayer? You must be drunk. And no, I haven't."
Saito looked disappointed. "I'm not drunk. You are, I never said that."
"No….you did." Kenshin said, but felt a little unsure. "But I think I am drunk." She frowned and stood up, falling over. "Damn, you're right."
Saito looked at her. "Damn?"
Kenshin smiled mischievously. "I'm sorry, I'm drunk so it's not my fault."
Saito laughed, using this chance to pour more sake into her glass. Kenshin smiled drunkenly and took another sip.
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"Nope." Kenshin said without a thought. Her mind was clouding a little now.
Saito looked at her, realizing this also.
"So…did your family sell you into this business?" Saito said slowly, watching Kenshin.
"No, they died when I was six. Illness." Kenshin said without looking up from her cup.
Saito was a little startled, but recovered. "Then how?"
"I was asked to by the lady. I had no job, so I accepted." Kenshin had drilled herself for this response and now it came naturally.
"Oh…" Saito looked blankly at his cup, filling it with the last of the sake, draining it.
Kenshin finished her sake, and the couple reached their climax. Kenshin covered her ears and closed her eyes in response, putting her head on the table again.
Saito looked at her with some pity as he saw the couple ready to go at it again. He patted her head.
Kenshin looked up drunkenly. "You're a nice person."
Saito froze. He ripped his hand away. "No I'm not."
Kenshin smiled. "Yes you are, you're helping me even though you don't like me."
Saito looked at her. "Why would you say I don't like you."
"It was obvious. You glared and scowled at me and wouldn't even touch the sake I gave you, before."
Saito was quiet.
"And you're the first person I've ever met who's done something for my sake."
Saito looked at her oddly. Damn she's drunk, he thought. The couple became louder again, and Kenshin slammed her head on the table. "Shut up…." She mumbled. Suddenly, Kenshin stood up and made to run for the door, but fell over.
"Hey!" Saito picked her up. She whimpered in misery. Saito brought her onto his lap, his back against the wall. "Calm down." Kenshin was quiet, but flinched when she heard another moan. He hugged her. "Shh…just pretend it's not there…." They sat like that in silence for a while. Kenshin began to doze, and she fell asleep. Saito also nodded and then fell asleep.
That morning, Saito awoke to find himself lying on the floor. He wondered why he was only a little chilly, and he looked down at his arms where Kenshin was curled up against his chest, with his movement she pressed closer to him. He started, and then remembered what had happened the night before. "Damn, I was drunk." he said aloud to himself. He tried to sit up, but Kenshin was holding onto his shirt. He hesitated before dethatching her hands, but when he did she woke up.
"Nnn?" Kenshin said drowsily, looking up to see Saito. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in shock and horror. Her body shivered and she hastily pushed Saito away.
Saito got up. "You should leave…"
Kenshin nodded quickly pausing only to register that a major hangover was splitting her skull, and she ran out the door. Saito looked after her, absently touching his chest where her warmth remained.
****
Kenshin flipped backwards and pushed off of the support beam of the abandoned shop, hurtling towards Saito. There was a clash as their blades sparked, lighting up their faces. Saito and Kenshin attacked each other, colliding and pushing away. There was creaking overhead and Kenshin looked up at the overhanging roof of the shop that had been weakened when she had pushed off the beam. Saito didn't notice, he only saw an opening and attacked Kenshin. She dodged as she remembered that she was fighting him. He landed behind her, under the roof, while she had moved out from under it. The wood boards shrieked and gave way, making Saito look up in surprise. Kenshin ran forward as planks struck Saito and he fell.
Coughing and her arms shaking from the strain, Kenshin looked down at the moonlit side of Saito's face. She was holding the bulk of the roof on her back. Blood ran from the back of her scalp over her forehead and right eye, dripping on the unconscious figure. Kenshin could feel herself about to give, but she heard voices outside the ruins. She knew that they were Shinsengumi looking for their captain, but she ignored that.
"Hey! Over here!" she yelled, her voice cracking and uneven. "Hey!"
After a moment, Kenshin could see a face lit by the moon in an opening that gawked as it saw Saito.
"Pull him out! I can't hold it for much longer!" Kenshin yelled at the man, making him start, and Kenshin new that she was hidden from his view in the shadows.
The man looked blindly for the voice, but his comrades reached in on either side of him and gripped Saito, dragging him out. Kenshin shuddered under the weight and heard the man that had first arrived say to his comrades "Wait! Hold up! There's another person under….!" But Kenshin collapsed under the wreckage.
Feeling water on his face, Saito came to. "What?" he said groggily, he saw a familiar face.
"Saito-sama!" said a few men, crowding around him. When Saito looked at them in confusion they continued. "You were trapped under a collapsed building, are you alright?"
Saito sat up, remembering what had happened. An individual came to Saito's side from the ruin where he had been alone in trying to remove the planks. "Someone saved you, Saito-sama…" but he was cut off.
"Yeah, we did!" the men who pulled Saito out exclaimed.
"No, it wasn't just them. You would've been dead before we got here." The man said urgently, clasping Saito's shoulder. "He was shielding you, holding up the wood, and he called to us to help you." The man looked at Saito. "But he collapsed after we pulled you out, and is still stuck under the planks. Were you with anyone?"
Saito noticed the blood on his face and wiped it off, surprised to find no wounds under the droplets, and he looked at the man dumbly. "I was…but…."
The man's face lit up. "Who? We should help him!"
"No…." Saito said slowly, looking at the ruined shop.
The men stopped, looking at Saito in confusion. "But he saved you!" the man said, disturbed.
"The only person I was with…was the Battousai…" Saito said, getting up and walking over to the planks of wood. The men froze.
"What? The Battousai? Impossible, he saved you!" the man protested, walking up to the ruin and lifting out pieces of wood. "It couldn't have been him, Saito-sama! I even thought it was a girl at first, but a girl couldn't have had that kind of strength."
Saito started, watching the man pull off the pieces of the shop. His comrades began to stop him, but Saito bent down and was in the process of trying to help. All of the men started to work, after a moment of hesitation. Saito removed another plank, freezing when he saw a glint of gold hair. He uncovered her face, grimacing at the blood that slipped down her cheek. The men noticed and stopped, turning to their comrade.
"It is the Battousai! Fool!"
The man was frozen, but then continued. "He saved Saito-sama." He said stubbornly, but his hand shook with uncertainty. With this Saito hurled off the beam that was on top of Kenshin, freeing her. He slowly, picked her up.
"Saito-sama!" some protested. "That's dangerous! We should kill him!"
"He doesn't even have a sword, right now he's pretty harmless." Saito said, walking out of the ruins. "Besides….I think he…is a she." The men gawked as Saito put Kenshin down and loosened her shirt, revealing bandages that tried to erase her chest.
"Oh my God…" broke out randomly throughout the gathering of men. Saito just looked at her and covered her back up.
"Call for a doctor to be readied!" Saito ordered, picking up Kenshin's small body, carrying her back to their current lodgings. The man who had been the first to the scene, ran off.
****
Kenshin murmured as she opened her eyes. Her head aching, she winced. She turned her head to a presence, noticing the doctor. "Excuse me…" Kenshin said slowly watching the doctor turn in surprise.
"Oh, you're awake. No, don't get up, I'll come to you." he said brightly as Kenshin began to sit up, and he walked over to her.
"Ummm…." Kenshin looked up at him. "Thank you for helping me, I'll pay for any expenses, but I have to go."
The doctor looked on in interest. "Don't you want to know who brought you here?"
Kenshin was hit with realization. "Oh, of course. Who was it?"
"Saito-sama." Kenshin jolted and jumped out of the bed, stumbling as she underwent a dizzying spell. The doctor tried to grab her, but she swiped his hand away and ran towards the door to have it open before her.
"Saito…." she said, staring up at Saito. Then she asked more fiercely, "Why?"
Saito said nothing, staring down at her. "She's running away!" the doctor called to him.
Saito closed the door. "No she's not."
Kenshin started and her face paled. "So…the secret's out now…"
"Why did you save me, Battousai?" Saito said suddenly. In the background the doctor voiced his surprise, but his questions were ignored.
"It was a pathetic way to die." Kenshin tried to smile maliciously at Saito's blank face.
"I told you not to be counterfeit. You're a horrible liar." Kenshin frowned. "Why did you do it?" Saito said again.
"I felt like it." Kenshin said. "Now let me go."
Saito shook his head. "If you leave you'll be killed. You're unarmed."
"I know that." Kenshin said irritably. Her eyes widened as Saito handed her her own katana and the doctor exclaimed in the behind them. Kenshin took it slowly and attached it to her hip. "Why?"
"You can leave now." Saito opened the door. Kenshin didn't move. "Go." Saito glared at her. "Now we are even."
"Thank you." Saito looked surprised at Kenshin's words and she looked him in the eyes. "I was right."
"What?" Saito said as Kenshin began to leave.
She didn't look back. "You are a nice person."
Saito scowled. "Shut up and go, before I change my mind!" Kenshin shut the door gently.
The doctor just stared dumbly off into space.
****
She walked into the hotel she was staying at and was met by a few concerned acquaintances and Kastura who had arrived when he had heard that Kenshin had not returned the night before. They gawked at the mass of bandages that covered her head and could be seen to cover her back.
"What happened? What doctor did you have do this." Katsura demanded, but not roughly. It wasn't in his nature to be thus.
Kenshin was overcome with guilt. "I'm sorry Kastura sensei."
"I know, I know, but what happened?" Katsura insisted.
"I fought with Saito Hajime…"
"He hurt you this bad? You lost?" a man broke in.
"No." Kenshin grimaced at what she would have to explain. "We were fighting by an old shop, and I weakened the beam and it collapsed on Saito."
"Then he's dead. But how does that explain you?" another man broke in.
Kenshin withheld her frustration as she knew that they were only concerned for her. "No, I haven't finished." She turned to Katsura. "Katsura-sensei, I sorry. I did something stupid."
Katsura was silent.
"I saved Saito by shielding him as the building collapsed, and I was injured. I woke up where the Shinsengumi are staying currently, and a doctor had bandaged me, but now the doctor and Saito and probably even more people know that I'm a girl."
Kastura wore a strange expression to Kenshin's dismay. "I'm really sorry, Kastura-sensei. I don't know what came over me…."
"No…it's not so much that which surprises me…" Katsura said, trying to calm Kenshin. "But why would Saito Hajime save you?"
"He said that it was to get even…" Kenshin said, unsure about it herself.
"He was the one you spent time with as Saki, right?"
Kenshin nodded, having a dark premonition creep over her.
"Perhaps he has some interest in you…"
"Katsura-sensei!" Kenshin said, unhappily. "That's a little…"
"But I think it's true." The men were outraged and Kenshin blushed.
"Himura-san is ours." One of the men blurted, making Kenshin blush deeper.
"I'm glad you are alright. You should get some rest and I'll send in one of our own doctors to have a look at you." Katsura said as Kenshin bit her lip in thought.
Kenshin thanked Katsura before going inside.
****
In a town outside of Kyoto, Kenshin was surrounded, but undeterred. She calmly waited for her enemy to strike, easily cutting past their attack to have them fall. It was almost like a dance. As one came up to her, she appeared to brush past him and turn to brush past another, the men fell immediately. Two men attacked at once, they sliced into her after image, and felt a breath of air blow through them. They fell as Kenshin stood alone with her bloodied blade. Some blood had happened to land on her face and she wiped it away with her hand. Looking at the blood, Kenshin was still numb and thoughtlessly smeared the blood on her clothing. She wasn't very noticeable in the dark, dressed in black, so she easily stalked her next batch of unsuspecting prey. Of course she did not think of them like this, she thought of nothing, thoughts would come to her later…in nightmares.
Four men had been killed before they noticed Kenshin. A man who didn't understand what was happening fell, cut down in a way that he would never have to feel the pain of the blade. His head rolled on the ground, sending wave of outrage through the men. This outrage rippled down the spread out array of Shinsengumi and reached Saito who was at the front. They were transporting an important political figure, and night had been their cover of secrecy.
Saito followed the cries and excitement. In a sea of blood he saw Kenshin kill his men effortlessly, with eyes that stared right through them. He growled and whipped around. The official in the couch had noticed the cries and he was anxiously debating on whether to run or to stay in the carriage. Saito opened the door abruptly, making the man cry out.
"I'll escort you alone. This procession of bodyguards has made us into an easy target." Saito said hastily. "Come."
The man was confused at how the large number of bodyguards would not be a positive influence in this situation. He had more protection with them there, but he decided to follow Saito silently.
As the man stepped from the carriage, Saito took his arm and hurried him away through a side street. The official was uncomfortable as he was forced to almost run, and he was gasping for breath. Saito didn't let him slow down, though. None of this mattered as Kenshin stood before them at the end of the street.
"Oh my dear God!" whispered the official and he shook as he saw Kenshin before him. Saito stepped between them.
"Battousai." Saito took out his blade and it shown in the moonlight as it was directed towards Kenshin. She frowned, preparing to face Saito. Her face lost expression and she disapeered, reappearing before Saito. Metal clashed against metal and their blades sung at the force at which the two struck at one another. Saito forced Kenshin into the wall at one point, and she waited until he was about to strike and then slipped away. Saito ran after her as she headed for the petrified man. He didn't have a choice, he couldn't catch her. Out of desperation, he threw his sword towards her back. As Kenshin reached the man, the blade's presence was felt. She moved instantly, but the blade still nicked her shoulder before it clattered pass the official.
Kenshin hissed as blood ran down her arms and she turned to face Saito as he attacked with his Wakizashi. She blocked the blade, but did not return the strike.
"You can't win with that." Saito ignored her and attacked again, scowling when Kenshin slit his arm and passed him. They attacked and pushed apart, to attack one another again. "Stop Saito! This is foolish!" Kenshin shouted in frustration.
"Then kill me if you really can." They glowered at one another. Saito blinked as he saw a shadow behind Kenshin and she noticed it at the same moment. The slow strike was easy to avoid and the official stumbled as he missed.
"No!" Saito called out and he started towards Kenshin, but Kenshin killed the man before he took his second step. "Damn you!" their blades clashed and the swords shook as each swordsman pressed the other's sword with their own. Kenshin looked at him for a moment and then broke away, they clashed once more. Saito's blade clattered to the ground as it was cut in half by Kenshin.
"There's nothing to continue now." Kenshin said and sheathed her sword. Saito gazed silently at the useless blade in his hand.
"I'm still alive." He said, stopping Kenshin as she walked away.
"Isn't that preferable for you?" Kenshin didn't turn.
"No. There should be no reason for you to avoid killing me!" Saito remained where he was, to advance would be completely suicidal, though facing Kenshin at all without a weapon was also a death wish.
Kenshin continued to leave. "Damn it!" Saito threw the rest of the Wakizashi at her, but he heard it clatter in the shadows as she side stepped.
Saito fumed, but remembered that his own sword wasn't lost. He now had the time to retrieve it. He pried it from the dead man's hands and followed Kenshin's direction. A group of Shinsengumi appeared before him and he stopped.
"Saito-sama! The Battousai just passed through this way!"
"Which way did she go?" Saito barked.
"Where is…?" began the man, but Saito glared at him and spoke.
"Dead. Now tell me where the Battousai went!"
The man was severely upset, but pointed to a road leaving the town. "She is already being pursued…." But Saito left him and ran in the indicated direction. Yells made Kenshin easy to find.
Kenshin had headed into the rocky terrain outside of the town, hoping to discourage the men perusing her. She didn't know the environment, but she had to take a gamble. Her blood loss had hurt her amount of energy remaining after successfully killing the official.
Rocks fell over the side of the cliff as Kenshin skidded to a stop, almost not noticing it. She glared at the dark abyss, turning to find the men already forming a line behind her, blocking her escape. Someone called out in surprise and a moment later, Saito emerged through the string of men, panting slightly.
Kenshin was quiet, but readied for the attack. Saito's presence gave the men confidence, and they smiled as their captain and the Battousai clashed. A few of them joined Saito, when he broke away, they would attack mercilessly. Saito considered stopping them, but it wouldn't make any sense for him to do so. He was tired and injured.
Kenshin panted heavily but managed to block another attack from one of Saito's men, she was pushed closer to the edge of the cliff. Sweat ran down her face, affecting her vision, but she didn't have time to do anything about it as another katana came at her from the darkness. Her arms shook as the blades separated.
There was a slight pause by the offence. The Battousai was going to finally be defeated! This thought passed through all of their minds and Saito advanced, using all of his strength to strike at Kenshin. She blocked the blade from slicing into her, but was carried by the strike and her heel felt the edge of the cliff. Here she stopped and held her ground. She advanced on Saito and he went to meet her attack, but another man advanced at the same time as Saito. Saito slid to the edge of the cliff, avoiding the man, but losing his balance. Kenshin was forced towards the cliff and she watched as both of them fell from the edge.
She didn't hear the outcries as the men noticed their captain fall, she was speechless, watching him as they fell within arm's reach of each other. The men lost sight of them in the shadow of the cliff.
****
Kenshin dug her sword into the cliff's side, but only sparks scattered about her and slowed her for a second. Saito managed to follow her idea successfully and hung from the hilt of his sword for a moment. Kenshin instinctively grabbed his arm, only to have her hands slide to his wrist. Kenshin dropped her katana and secured her other hand as she began to lose her grip.
"Let go." Saito said emotionlessly.
Kenshin was quiet.
Shocked, Saito felt her hands loosen and she began to slip away. He grabbed her hand.
"Let go!" Kenshin yelled, surprising Saito further. "Let me go!"
"Do you want to die, Battousai?" Kenshin felt his hand tighten.
"Your sword can't possibly support us both!" she cried out in frustration.
"Why would that concern you?" Saito peered at her in the darkness.
"Just let me go!"
"No. It's a pathetic way to die."
Kenshin started at the familiarity of those words. "'Counterfeit'….you're lying." She spoke as she remembered.
"No I'm not." His hand shook a little from the strain. Kenshin smiled softly, surprising him.
"Just let me go."
She began to slip. "Hold on, Fool!" Saito gritted his teeth as he tried to retain his grip. Kenshin didn't, and soon all Saito had left in his hand were her fingers. "Hold on!" he barked.
"No. I'm not afraid of death. I've killed so many…I deserve this."
"That's a stupid way to think! Your death does nothing for them!"
"No…but it saves a more valuable life."
Saito couldn't respond, his lips separated in shock. He slowly recovered. "I don't agree."
Kenshin didn't speak again, but she smiled as she slipped away.
"No!" Saito cried out in horror. He peered, searching in the darkness, overcome by disbelief. "Hey!" there was no answer. "Battousai!" Saito yelled and grimaced. "Fool." He mumbled to himself.
Eventually ropes appeared from the top of the cliff. The first man was startled and overjoyed to see Saito. "Saito-sama! Thank god!"
Saito didn't respond but took the rope handed to him and claimed up. The men thought it was out of exhaustion, and didn't question his silence. They weren't surprised either, when he said he wanted to search for the Battousai's body 'to make sure she was dead.' They made him agree to do it in the morning.
****
A man got up, surprised by his sudden urge to go out. He followed it with a dark premonition.
****
Saito swept along the bottom of the cliff again, stopping where there was an obvious disturbance in the vegetation. She had landed here….he thought.
"Damn her! She's still alive even after all this? She must be a monster!" A man yelled and several agreed. Saito ignored this.
"Individually, we will search for her, because of our reduced number. She couldn't have gotten far. Bring her alive preferably." Saito ordered.
"Alive? What kind of fate do you have in mind?" another man spoke up with a sadistic grin.
"A fitting one." Saito said quickly and he took the path he thought he could read to have been made recently. The others hadn't noticed it and wouldn't bother with it now that he had occupied it. The path was lengthily and took much of the morning to reach a thatched dwelling. It could be said to be a hut.
Saito knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked louder. He slowly opened the door, but no one came, so he went in. He found Kenshin on a futon, bandaged in the back of the hut. She was breathing, he realized. The door opened.
Saito couldn't help but gasp in surprise as he was suddenly thrown against the wall and a sword racked his throat.
"Who are you? A samurai, that I know, but why are you looking for this person?" The black eyes pierced Saito, but he remained calm and was able to suddenly break away from the man.
Long locks of black hair covered some of the man's surprise. "You are no average samurai…but,"
Saito tried to block but he was overpowered and disarmed, thrown to the ground. "You are no match for me."
Saito was disturbed at how easily he had been beaten, at how strong this man was, and how familiar his movements were. "You…are you possibly…?"
Hiko cut in. "Yes, I'm this idiot-apprentice's master. Why are you here? What happened? She's stupid but not stupid enough to be beaten by someone like you or to fall off a cliff."
Saito ignored the sword pointed at him. "I'll leave her here. I just wanted to know if she survived."
Hiko didn't let him get up. "You'll just get your superior and others to come and try to take her." He glared with hostility at Saito.
"No. I would be the superior you're talking about. I wouldn't be stupid enough to bring my men to be slaughtered by you. There aren't many left anyway." Saito looked at Hiko, and Hiko believed he wasn't lying but didn't let him stand up.
"What happened?"
Saito frowned, unused to being ordered like this. "She attacked and killed almost all of my men and the hired body guards of an important Shinsengumi official. She killed him and left, but ran into more men and tried to excape but was trapped by the cliff. There was a fight and both of us fell."
"Both?" Hiko started and eyed Saito.
"Yes…" Saito returned the look defiantly, irritated at having to speak from the floor. "I stopped, and she caught on to me. I told the fool to hold on, but she didn't." Saito glared at Kenshin, remembering his frustration.
"And why would you do that?"
Saito answered dryly. "I owed her. She had the chance and didn't kill me."
Hiko's mouth twitched upward a little. "That sounds like her." He let Saito up. "Good. So she didn't change as much as I'd feared." He walked over to Kenshin. "I'm not going to let her go this time."
Saito started, and then paused. "That wouldn't be so bad."
Hiko laughed, harshly. "The Shinsengumi wouldn't have to be afraid of a little girl anymore, eh?"
Saito didn't respond.
"She's the only apprentice I'll teach." Hiko ruffled Kenshin's hair, but his voice held remnants of anger. "I'll make sure she finishes her training this time around."
Saito was surprised again. "She hasn't finished?"
"No. But she'll never be as good as me." Hiko huffed.
Saito looked at him in annoyance, but turned his eyes to Kenshin. "I'll be going then."
Hiko paused, watching him leave.
Saito noticed. "I'm not a liar." He smirked and closed the door behind him.
Hiko's eyes lingered for a moment, but returned to Kenshin and he smiled warmly. "You're still the same. You can calm any beast, can't you?" He remembered how his heart was captured when he saw the little girl's bloodied and splinter speckled hands as the orphan had buried the men who had tried to kill her and had killed the slaves whom she had grown attached to. He patted her head again, mumbling in a irritated voice, "Foolish, stupid apprentice. Why is it so hard to be mad at you right now? I should throw you to those wolves."
Kenshin slept on, peacefully, and Hiko couldn't deny that he preferred her being here than in the Hell she had trudged through for the past four years. He only broke away to collect some of the fire wood he had been collecting, to build a fire to add more warmth to the hut, though he didn't think it needed much more.