Chapter 1: Enter the Hitokiri
Hello! This is a re-write of a fic I wrote under the name Starlite-Destiny. It was the first fic I ever wrote, and was started while I was in middle school. Needless to say (Being a junior in college these days), my writing has drastically improved and I am here to act on the constructive criticism left in reviews from the original. I hope you enjoy, and as always, REVIEW PLEASE! :D
The sun was setting on the Kamiya Dojo, and things were winding down for the evening. Kaoru had finished up dinner and Kenshin was cleaning up. Yahiko had already gone to bed following the large amount he ate at dinner. As for Sanosuke, he was sitting with his back to a porch post, picking his teeth. Everything seemed quiet and typical until a carriage pulled up to the main gate. A tall, mustached man strode up towards Kenshin.
"Himura-san! We have some interesting business for you and Kamiya-san if you are interested." He spoke clearly and with a slight smile.
"Nani? What is the matter, Sir?" Kaoru asked, intrigued that she was mentioned by the Chief of Police.
"Well, we have been experiencing some strange assassinations in the poorer sections of town. Everyone says they were with the victim until the time of death, but there has not been one shred of evidence towards a suspect until this evening. We caught the murderer, and it was something that quite honestly shocked us. If you don't mind, I would like you both to have some words with this person. Kamiya-san, you are beginning to develop quite the reputation as a reformer, being as you have a former hitokiri, pickpocket, and fighter-for-hire living with you with no problems." He smiled.
"Chief, you expect me to reform this guy? I didn't reform Kenshin! And he reformed the other two basically. I really don't think this is a good idea…" Kaoru explained.
"You'll see, Kamiya-san. For this unique situation, I need a woman to be present."
Kenshin and Kaoru rode back to the station with the Chief. As they approached the building, they could already hear that the station was in a frenzy. The station was packed and booming with life. Men were smiling and kidding one another, and some were dealing with families or friends of victims, but most were securing the other inmates to cells in a different building, and keeping the crowd away from a cell in the far corner.
"Why are you moving the other inmates?" Kenshin asked the chief.
"They have been grossly rude this evening, and we don't feel like dealing with it. Also, one of the inmate's brothers was a victim."
"I see…Lead the way." He said.
As they parted through the crowd and came upon what seemed to be a mostly empty corner. All of the cells were empty of inhabitants with the exception of one. But inside was not a 400 pound giant, or a criminally insane looking assassin, but a woman who was neatly rearranging her rumpled kimono. Her long black hair fell past her waist and was secured in a low ponytail. As she finished arranging herself, she turned and glared at the group from behind her thick forelock.
"Meet Yamatara Ryuichi; our newest inmate and by far the most interesting. You see, we found her on accident…" The chief said, before being interrupted.
"Speak for yourself, prick! Damn right it was on accident, you fools couldn't find me had you been looking…" the woman turned and lunged against the bars, but recoiled as she saw Kenshin. "Battousai…" she purred, "Odd place to see you…I heard you died in a house fire."
"You are mistaken, Yamatara-dono. And Sessha does not wish to be called by that name. His name is Himura Kenshin these days."
"Please call me Ryuichi…"she smiled with false sincerity, "And what is a cupcake like you doing here?" she motioned towards Kaoru. The police chief interjected.
"I felt it would not look good doing your interviews surrounded by men. I was hoping she may be able to help you…Himura-san, follow me and I will explain."
"An interesting character she seems to be, this Ryuichi-dono. How many people did she kill? And how did you catch her on accident?" Kenshin asked as he sat down inside the chief's office.
"From what we can tell, she killed roughly 10 men. She was very tricky, and one of the most acrobatic people I have met. A guy was chasing her after catching her in the act of basically eviscerating his gambling buddy. When she slipped on loose roof tiling, she fell right on top of me and almost stabbed me. I took her weapon and sent her to the station with Tanaka-san while I talked to the guy who was after her and checked out the corpse. She has been very cooperative, all things considered." He sighed as he closed her file.
"What things did she mention? For example, how old is she? Or did she mention why she killed these people?" Kenshin asked.
"Well, it seems that she is around 25 years old and it's possible that she has been an assassin for almost ten years, if she matches the profile of a case we have been looking at for the past few months. Her father is Yamatara Tatsumi, an ex-Patriot who has been known for raising groups of young swordsman, so most likely swords are just something she has been around for most of her life. On a much different tone, I really hope Kaoru will take her in. We will need you to safeguard her for a while and keep her away from weapons, but this is her only option if she wants to live. As things are, most just want her hung…"
"Sessha will see what he can do. She will still need to stay here tonight so we can remove any dangerous articles that she may try to take advantage of, as well as inform the other members of the household… Let us return, shall we?" Kenshin smiled.
As they reentered the main room of the station, they saw that most of the people had already left. The remainders were working on paperwork, or packing to leave. Kaoru and Ryuichi seemed to be having a roughly pleasant conversation.
"How would you like to live with us?" Kenshin asked warmly, but firmly. "Your only other choice is to die. And Sessha knows that you would rather not upset your father, ne?" Kaoru was already expecting this news and was not surprised to be asked to house another former criminal.
"I do not appreciate you speaking of my father," Ryuichi spat, "Nevertheless, I will stay with you. I have much unfinished business in this life and many people I am not yet prepared to say goodbye to."
"We will come back in the morning for you. Tonight, you should get yourself ready to not be so snotty to us and be prepared to move past your life as an assassin." Kaoru said, trying to not show her anxiety.
"Oh, I will be." Ryuichi smiled and brushed all of her hair away from her right eye, revealing a scar from her forehead to the top of her cheek.
Sorry that this kind of drug on, but this was an introductory chapter and I have much more complicatedness planned for Ryu than I did in the first fic. I hope you will find her to be as interesting in the future, as I do! Reviews always help!