Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. ;-)

Forgotten

Chapter 1

The prison had a music of its own; a symphony of shuffling on cemented floors, metal clanging against metal with clarity. The electronic beep followed by a thousand cages opening simultaneously heralded the beginning of a new day, and each was always exactly the same as the last. She couldn't remember the last time she had thought that they would release her, giving her the freedom she had long since abandoned the hope of having. A normal life after 10 years of incarceration? Nothing would ever be normal again.

"Your sweeps are not low enough Kaoru!" Yelled Sensei angrily.

Kaoru remained silent beneath his scrutiny.

Shaking his head in frustration he sighed "Repeat your exercises and we'll see if you can actually touch me as opposed to trying to defeat me tomorrow."

Kaoru practiced everyday. Her form was perfect. Her energy points were succinct. She was as her sensei told her everyday, a technical genius.

"Your energy must come the heart Kaoru – from here" he indicated, placing his hand over his heart "If it comes from here" he said tapping his head "then you will never truly master this style of fighting – never."

Sensei would be the one person she would remotely wish to see if she ever got out. She still practiced in her cell. Her daily lessons imprinted in her memory. Keeping her healthy and fit, she felt sane when she repeated her katas and sweeps until she managed to find those who had done this to her. How would she kill them? She waited for the day.

"Hey Kamiya! I'm up to see the committee on Wednesday" Yelled Yumi from across the prison floor. Kaoru lifted one eyebrow and continued her katas in silence. She knew that the incarcerate wouldn't get parole. Yumi was – for lack of a better word – crazy. Her husband a lazy man with very few virtues cheated on her often and beat her within an inch of her life every other week. One day Yumi very calmly poisoned her husband to death, vacuumed the house, cleaned the sink and created a sterile shrine in her den where her husband's body lay for seven months before it was discovered. Along with him four other men's bodies were found, decapitated so that they could fit into her large sliding freezer. They were, she explained in a rather candid manner, men who cheated on their wives and deserved to die. It was an open and close case. Every other woman in their cellblock was terrified of Yumi, Kaoru however was not. What was there left to fear? She was already in hell.

Yumi may have been guilty of the crimes she had committed. Kaoru on the other hand was guilty for being innocent. She knew better than anyone about what happened when innocence was in the hands of those who had their own selfish agendas.

The sting of betrayal is eternal, an intangible wound in the heart of innocence lost. Kaoru would be destined to remember, and to remind those who had forgotten.

I'm nor alive nor dead

In my innocence, what have I done?

Who wrote this fate?

Time and time again I cry

What is in my future?

I'm nor alive nor dead.

Kaoru had thought she understood what was expected of her. She was essentially alone in the world, and unless she had some fantastic idea which would make her millions, she would have to educate herself to respectability. Her sensei had taught her to respect everything in life, and never make assumptions. He was the most important person in her life. The moral pillars he bestowed upon her helped her negotiate an existence in this journey of life. As she walked to the café where she worked she wondered if anyone valued honour and honesty anymore.

"You're early again Kaoru!" commented Tae dryly

"I know"

"You're the only employee in the whole world who arrives to a waitressing job one hour early everytime"

"Be greatful!"

"I am" replied Tae laughingly at her retreating form "I am."

Her six hour shift passed by quickly which always happened when the cafe was busy. Yanking off her apron she hurried quickly down the street to meet her friends at the blue bean cart like they had for the last five years. As she moved swiftly down the deserted street she saw the cart but none of her friends.

"Beanie! How's your day been?" she asked cheerfully.

"Good! And your day?"

"I dunnow, depends on your answer to my next question" she grinned "Have you see my crew at all?"

"They were here half an hour ago."

Kaoru smiled despite her disappointment. This was nothing new. They always tried to avoid her unless they couldn't and she knew they thought that she was annoying. In her heart she knew they didn't really like her and over the years they had all gradually shifted away from her. Maybe she tried too hard? She wasn't sure.

Reminiscing about her tepid past wasn't something Kaoru did often. She silently wondered what had brought on the nauseating recollection. Leaning her head back on the cement wall she felt the cool sensation against her hair as it seeped into her neck, sending tingles down her shoulder. Today was restless. The wind was erratic; it was sunny in the morning but had rained in the afternoon; a normally clear day had misted until she could no longer see the mud yard she had walked the length of so many times. Sign's that times were changing - but for what? She had no energy left to hope, only to exist.

The steam from the large metal tub billowed into her face, the tiny droplets stinging her with minute pinpoints of intensity. Her arms were screaming with pain from the effort of turning the clothes in large circles mimicking a whirlpool. Ten years and she had now learnt to grit her teeth, her face a mask of impassiveness. A tap on her shoulder stopped her from continuing her work as she turned to face the person she had sensed from before they had been within three metres.

"Kaoru?"

"Warden" she replied unemotionally.

"Please follow me, I have a few things to discuss with you." Kaoru did not move from her position holding the wooden turning tool in one hand, sweat dripping down one side of her neck. "You've been excused from today's duties" she amended uncertainly.

Nodding Kaoru lay the turning tool down and wiped her faced with her face washer while following the warden back to her office. The warden's office wasn't exactly an office. It was more like a jail cell that had been amended to look like it supposed to be an office, but failing miserably.

"I know that this is highly irregular, but the parole committee has paid particular attention to your case."

Kaoru remained silent for a moment before speaking, choosing her words carefully. "Have I done something wrong?"

"No. Nothing like that. Apparently they have noticed that your cell guards and psychologist have given you a glowing recommendation. Your behaviour has been good for the last ten years and they think you might be ready to go on probation." She replied gently.

Kaoru blinked. She had, in all honesty, never expected to hear those words so soon.

"Why?"

"It's been ten years Kaoru. Don't ask why, just agree and try to get your life back."

What life?

Kaoru lifted her eyebrows but remained aloof. She had learned not to show her emotions.

"Sign these papers, and you're free to go" sliding the papers towards Kaoru the warden linked her fingers together in anticipation.

Kaoru wasn't going to fall for that trick again. She would read all the papers she before she signed anything. She flipped through each page calmly reading the terms of her release. She would be allowed to live an apartment complex controlled by two parole officers. She was not allowed to leave the state, or travel internationally and she had to be home by six pm every night. If she needed to travel outside the designated area she was allocated she had to carry a signed permission from her parole officer with her at all times. If she followed these rules with good behaviour she could leave probation in under one year.

Sighing inwardly she signed the papers and wondered if they actually thought that she would silently resign herself to a fate of boredom and sterility for the next year. She had no intention of following the rules. She had tried that last time, and ended up in jail. This time she was going to break all the rules, after all rules were meant to be broken.

She could almost hear the sombre music in the background as she walked away from the jail she called home. The shuttle bus rolled up next to the curb where she stood and rattled with every fibre of its aged metal frame.

"Kamiya Kaoru?" questioned the bulky bus driver from inside his plastic protective cage.

"Yes." She replied.

"Climb aboard, I'll be dropping you off at your apartment where you'll meet your parole officer."

"I can't wait."

The bus driver laughed. These broads would never learn, he thought snidely.

Kenshin Himura studied the file on his desk. The picture of his next parolee was pinned to her sentencing sheet. Those blue eyes screamed of innocence untouched. He privately felt that those were the ones that were the most dangerous. Apparently you could massacre a house full of people and still look like an angel.

He lifted his head as heard the rumble of the overused parole bus stop outside the complex. Sliding his chair towards his window, he leaned as far back as he could in the hopes of glimpsing his newest parolee. She stepped off the bus with care and stood looking up at the building. As if she knew he was watching she turned and looked unerringly at his window where he sat in his chair.

Kenshins hold on the window sill slipped in surprise at her awareness, falling to the floor in an undignified heap. Quickly righting himself, he pulled his chair up and rolled it back to his desk just as a small knock sounded at his door. Clearing his throat importantly he sat back down in his chair.

"Come in!"

The door opened to reveal the same woman he had been anticipating. She looked the same except her eyes were different. They appeared older, wiser and emotionless. No innocence there.

"Miss Kamiya I would presume?" he asked in a polite but firm tone.

"Yes."

"Please take a seat." indicating towards an old leather chair in front of his desk. "Uh firstly let me welcome you to our humble abode, and congratulate you on getting your parole." He began, waiting for her to say something, and when she didn't he continued. "I've, um, assigned an apartment to you. And I've also set up a job for you at our local supermarket. Nothing fancy, but it's money which you can spend in whatever manner you wish – uh I mean legally of course." He nodded in agreement with himself. He licked his lips nervously. She was making him feel uneasy. Her eyes were eerily impassive and although her beauty was breathtaking her face remained unemotional. He knew she was watching everything he was doing. Her eye's darted seamlessly between him and the contents of his office, taking in every detail. Cataloguing his belongings; quietly assessing his every move. She reminded him of a jaguar. Her movements were lithe and exact. Nothing was in excess and everything had a purpose.

"Here's your key." He slid it across the table towards her "If you'll follow me I'll explain the rules to you and show you around your unit."

As they walked up the stairs he explained the contract she had signed "You have to be back in the building by six pm. Either myself or my partner will be around at six o five to check. During those hours you must report to work or have signed approval to visit anywhere outside the area highlighted on this map" he handed her a photocopied layout of their area.

Sliding the key into her apartment room's door, he hesitated.

"Please don't try and run away. I'd have to find you and bring you back and then you'd go back to jail for nothing. Just follow the rules and you'll be fine."

"As you wish." She murmured politely taking the key from his hand she entered the apartment and shut the door in his face. Damn that was cold he thought miserably.

Kaoru surveyed her apartment. It was fine she guessed. She wasn't going to be here for long anyway. She felt bad for her parole officer. He seemed nice enough and didn't deserve to be tricked, but she had things to do, and they weren't going to happen if she stayed.

At six o five Kenshin walked up the stairs to where his newest parolee now lived and knocked. He didn't know why but he had a feeling that she wouldn't be there. Crowbar in hand he was getting ready to pry open the door when it opened swiftly. Kaoru stood there in tiny shorts and a singlet top.

"Present officer" she murmured.

"Uh right, yeah obviously" he scratched his neck uncomfortably.

"Do you normally take a crowbar with you to check on your parolees?"

It was the most he'd heard her say unsolicited since she'd arrived.

"Yeah sure, always – I mean you never know right?" he laughed nervously. "Anyway since I can see that you're here, I'll see you at tomorrows check in." he waved awkwardly.

Kaoru watched as he ambled away to the next apartment. She'd guessed correctly. He had suspected that she would run away before the night rolled round and she knew it. Now he wouldn't check on her in the night; she would be long gone before he realised she was missing.

That was the last night anyone saw Kaoru Kamiya.

If you wish to review, tell me what you think and how I might be able to improve the story ;-)

cheers,

Iuvenalis