Crimson Sonata

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin....so don't sue.

Chapter 1

"Wait! I'm not asking the Battousai to stay! I'm asking you, the rurouni!" said a raven-haired kendo instructor.

The rurouni turned to face her." Are you sure? I mean—"the instructor nodded.

"So what's your name?" she asked.

"Himura. Himura Kenshin." he replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The scene was blurring. Roaring winds rushed past her as her body plunged into the darkness. The crimson-haired person was blurring as well. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks....

~~~~~~~~~~~~

He jerked in bed, breathing roughly. Yahiko panted and then shivered. He was shaking uncontrollably for some unknown reason.

"Who......who w-would do that to her...?" he asked in the silence of the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Yahiko walked down the hall silently in the Aoiya. He soon passed an open shoji door and looked inside to see Kenshin in his usual red gi and hakama. Then Kenshin turned to see Yahiko out his door. He smiled.

"Ohayo, Yahiko," he greeted happily, tucking his sakabatou in his belt and walking over to him.

"Ohayo..." Yahiko replied. Kenshin tilted his head to one side in puzzlement.

"Is something the matter?" he asked.

"I...had this dream last night," Yahiko said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" the rurouni asked. The young samurai shook his head.

"No...it's nothing, really....I guess..."

~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, hey, hey! Do you think it's alive??" asked a young boy with dark short hair wearing a green kimono, his eyes a deep brown.

"Probably...besides, I think it's a she, Takeda-kun." said a young girl who hunched over something.

"But Reika-chan, shouldn't we----"

"Oi, you two! What are you doing over there?" a person called to them a few feet away. The young girl named Reika went over to the crimson- haired man as they walked to the jumping Takeda in his spot, holding Reika's small hand in his calloused one.

"We found something!" Takeda talked excitedly as they neared. "And it's a she! Come over here, Kyo-san, Kyo-san!"

The crimson-haired man came over to him. He wore a black gi and a white hakama. Next to his hip were two peculiar long looking swords. He looked at the body with his amethyst eyes that lay on the shore, the body being pushed by the waves. He looked at the face and his eyes widen.

"...Oh my God..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Misao trudged through one the halls of the Aoiya and opened a shoji door only to find Megumi and Okina drinking some tea. She pouted and then asked,

"Do you two know where Aoshi-sama is? I can't find him."

Megumi set down her cup and turned to face her. "No. He should be in some shrine medititating. You do know he does that every single day now." she said.

Misao pouted again."Aww man...Oh well..."she sighed. "By the way, where are Himura, Yahiko, and tori-atama?"

The female doctor sighed and shrugged. "Who knows? Tori- atama probably took them to some gambling joint in Kyoto."

Misao let out a depressive sigh, shaking her head. "Doesn't tori-atama know another time to do that??" she asked. Megumi also shook her head.

"No. That's all his stupid brain can ever think about..." with that said, the conversation had ended and Misao went off to look for Aoshi and Megumi went back to drinking her tea.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"What should we do now, Kyo-san?" asked Takeda as he took hold of the man's free hand. The crimson-haired man stood there silently, his violet eyes not wavering from the sight in front of him. He then felt a small tug on his hand and he looked down at Reika who looked at him quizzically.

"What should we do?" she asked him. He looked back at the body and then,

"Children, go get the village chief. I will handle this. Go," he commanded and they went.

"You're lucky those kids found you....Anything could've happened..." he sighed and then smiled.

"....You're safe now..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko walked through the bustling street of Kyoto. Sanosuke looked around and grinned.

"Humph. After what happened months ago, I kinda can't believe this place acts like nothing happened with Shishio and all." Sanosuke said. Yahiko nodded, Kenshin was in his own thoughts.

'...Sessha wonders...did she even give any thought to come to Kyoto...? Oh well, I think it was best she didn't...for her safety...' he thought.

"Yo, Kenshin," called Sanosuke. They stopped and Kenshin looked up.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Well, you seem kind of out of it. Somethin' wrong?" the ex-gangster asked. Kenshin shook his head.

"No....no. Nothing is wrong, sessha was just thinking about something. That's all." he replied.

"What is it about?" Yahiko asked. Again, the rurouni shook his head.

"No really, it's nothing! Well, I have somewhere to go. Ja!" with that said, he ran off without another word.

"What was that about..?" Sanosuke asked. He then heard an irritated sigh behind and he turned. "What?"

"I can't believe you--!" he said and continued to walk.

"And what does that mean, Yahiko-CHAN!" Sanosuke retorted.

"Don't call me CHAN!" Yahiko snapped.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kenshin slowly walked up the hill to his destination. He finally reached the top and then the person he stood apart from grunted.

"And what brings you here again, hmm?"

"I need to speak with you, shishou," Kenshin replied.

Hiko Seijuro grunted again and took a sip from his sake and stared back at his student with intense eyes.

"I already helped you at the Aoiya. Oh well, too bad, I ain't taking anymore favors." Hiko said. The ex-hitokiri shook his head.

"I just need to talk to you about something," he said. His master smirked.

"Humph! Let me guess, it's that woman you kept on talking about when you were here. Right?" Hiko said.

Kenshin blushed a bit. His master somehow knew what he was about to say! He opened his mouth to say something but his master interrupted him.

"Don't bother asking how," he said. "Your face just says it all. But, I need to say something first."

Kenshin nodded. "Okay...." Hiko cleared his throat then started.

"One day, there was this strange visitor. Said I knew someone...A friend of the Battousai," he said. "I said which?"

Kenshin stood there, listening to his master.

"He said he wanted to meet 'her'." One of Kenshin's eye brow went up.

"' She'?" Kenshin asked. "Who did this person look like?"

"Don't know. He had this thick black cloak on him and a hood over his head. I didn't see much of this stranger." Hiko answered.

"Did he describe of whom the person he wanted to meet?"

Hiko shook his head. "Only one word, 'jasmine' before he left."

Kenshin's violet eyes widen of the answer. He gulped, whoever this person is seemed to have some connections to her. Though, even if this person is an ally, he would bring danger and Kenshin would never let that happen.

"Hey baka deshi," Hiko called. "I'm just giving you advice; we don't know who this person is and what this guy is capable of. Watch your back."

Kenshin nodded. "I will."

Somewhere in the woods around the area, a figure hidden in the shadows overheard the whole conversation and its deep, intense indigo eyes watched intently at Kenshin.

"Humph. Battousai, no matter what, you'll never have my woman..."

Hello! This is the author! I hope you like what's happening 'cause it'll get a whole lot interesting! Please read & review! Ja ne! (