Enishi is unable to come to terms with his sister's diary. Lost and confused without his sister's smile Enishi seeks to return to Shanghai to the only other life he has known. OC x Enishi

I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of it's characters. I only own Kage Kyoko or other original characters found in this fanfiction.

The last of the summer's rays warmed Enishi's back. His head was full of Enishi continued to watch smith at work for a moment mixed emotions swirling in a whirl of thoughts. Gray all was gray. There was no good no evil. Nothing made sense. He had left that Gezer back in the ruined village a few days ago. He didn't know where he was wandering. He just left his feet go in front of him till he reached a village. Maybe he would return to Shanghai, to the only life he had ever known since his sister death. Nothing mattered anymore. He felt broken like the shattered blade he dragged on his back. The Battousai had sliced his Watō in half. Since that day Nee-san hadn't watched over him. Why? Why didn't see show herself to him? If he could just see her face... Her smile...

"Nee-san..." Enishi whispered into the wind. The road split west to Osaka and east to Kobe.

"Kobe..." He said out loud to himself. The name rang significance in his ears. Then re recalled one of his subordinates bragging about a new blade he bought from Kobe. A blacksmith, that is where his body would take him.

"Cling Ka-Cling! Cling Ka-Cling!" The rhythmic sound of metal filled Kyoko's shop as she shaped the molten steel into something new. Sweat polled around her forehead as she clenched a hammer on one gloved hand and tongs in another."Cling Ka-Cling! Cling Ka-Cling!" Satisfied with her work so far she raised the red hot metal from the anvil and walked over to the water basin. Steam hissed from the molten steel. She reached down and picked up a paper fan to wave the white clouds of steam away from her.

"Oye Kyoko-san!" Shouted someone. Kyoko looked over her shoulder to see one of her patrons.

"Good Morning Ita-sama." Kyoko stopped fanning and began to take off her heavy work gloves to great her customer.

"You've come to pick up your son's wedding gift I presume?" She smiled.

"Yes is it ready?" He asked eagerly.

"Well of course I said I have it ready today." Kyoko replied jokingly. She set her work gloves down next the fan and walked past the forge to the back of the shop. Ita waited impatiently for her return in the working area.

"Here it is." Kyoko said as she returned with a katana sheathed in white ivory.

"I took the liberty of polishing the sheath you gave me as well." She added handing the blade over to Ita. He took the blade from her hands wanting to see the craftsmanship. As he unsheathed the blade it caught the morning's rays from the open shop and glistened like jewel. He held it above his head and admired it for a moment. Kyoko watched him in anticipation. Ita then set the sheath down, he grasped it with both hands and swung it once, and then again. Ita held the blade strait out in front of him and smiled.

"This is beautiful, Kyoko-san. Truly you carry on your grandfather's tradition." Kyoko smiled widely with pride.

"Thank you. Your approval means a lot." She said with a slight bow.

"I hope your son will like it, and use it wisely. Do you plan to give it to him now or on his wedding day?"

"I think I will wait till the event. Have you had the pleasure of meeting his soon to be wife?"

"No not yet."

"Well you must give them your blessing at the festival in two weeks. They will have been married by then, and I'm sure Ayano will want to praise your craftsmanship as well."

"I had forgotten all about the festival! Guess I need to leave the shop more often." She said with little chuckle.

"I'll be sure to greet them there Ita-sama. Please give them my blessing for now."

"Do I owe you anything else, for the polishing?"

"No, it was just nice to see grandfather's work so I felt the need to make it shine. It's hard to come by ivory now a days." She added

"Indeed. Once again thank you Kage-san. I will see you at the festival then."

"Of course." Ita and Kage bow slightly toward one another and then Ita-sama took his leave.

Enishi pulled his blue cloak around him. It was getting late in the day, and he could feel the chill of autumn creeping in as the days of summer came to an end. He walked down a dirt road alone, that a villager had directed him to when he reached Kobe. There were many blacksmiths in the town as in all bigger cities, but this villager had specified that the best was far out of town.

"Nee-san..." He called out to no one. Once my sword is reforged, I'll find a way to see you again. I'll find some way to make you smile at me again. I promise... Nee-san. Before Enishi a wooden and stone building atop a small hill. Smoke puffed lightly out of a stone chimney coming from an open area of the home which he assumed was the shop area, and connected to it was a small traditional home. He walked up to the shop hearing the clang of metal and coos of several chickens in the front yard.

"Cling Ka-Cling! Cling Ka-Cling!" A medium sized figure with long brown hair tied in a ponytail stood in front of an anvil with a hammer in hand pounding out a piece red hot metal.

"Cling Ka-Cling! Cling Ka-Cling!" Wearing black boots and pants with a red top covered by an apron.

"Cling Ka-Cling! Cling Ka-Cling!" The red hot sparks scatter with each rhythmic beat. Enishi continued to watch smith at work for a moment then cleared his throat as he got closer.

"Excuse me." He said. The smith turned around from his work to look at who was speaking. 'A woman?' Enishi thought to himself.

"Can I help you sir?" Kyoko said placing down her hammer and giving her full attention to the stranger in front of her.

"Are you the owner of this shop?"

"I am."

"And are you as good as they say you are?"

Kyoko laughed. "Haha, Yes. My family does have a reputation."

"And what family is that?" She pointed to the shops sign which Enishi had failed to notice when arriving. It simply read Kage Blacksmith. Kage... He had heard of the craftsmanship before, but could not remember where.

"What can I help you with?" She asked pulling him from his thoughts.

"Can you fix this?" He asked reaching behind his back to take out his sword, but when he did only half of it came out. Kyoko looked at his perplexed. Enishi removed the sheath from his back and turned it over dumping the other broken half onto the stone floor of the shop. Kyoko reached down with her gloved hands to examine the broken half.

"May I see the other half please?" Enishi extended his hand to give her the hilt. Kyoko held both pieces above her. She switched the blade around and connected the two pieces together as they should be.

"That has to be the cleanest cut I've ever seen on a weapon." She said with a raised eyebrow. Enishi glared at her remark and annoyed asked again.

"Can you fix it?"

Kyoko ignored his tone of voice and replied, "Of course I can. I'll also have to remake the hilt and hone the blade. The sword is completely out of balance."

"How much?" Kyoko set the two pieces down on a counter.

"Oh I'd say around 200." She replied letting out a loud yawn.

"How long will it take then?"

"Hmm... Probably three weeks."

"Three weeks?"

"Yea... I have other orders to for fill at the moment, Sorry."

"I can't wait that long."

"Well, I'm sorry that's the best I can do." Enishi reached into his satchel and pulled out tan bag. It contained all the money he had that he brought before he left China. He walked over and placed it on the counter next to his blade. It made a large clinging nose. Kyoko stared wide eyed at the sum placed on the table. She could only guess how much was in it.

"You crazy! I can't take that! What are you!" Kyoko exclaimed waving her hand in front of her in defense."Look it is going to cost 200 more or less. That's it and nothing more. If you want to take your business elsewhere have a fun night walking in the dark back to town, or better yet you should go to Kyoto to find another smith that will know how to reforge a sword like this!" Kyoko said placing a hand upon her hip. Enishi continued to stare down at the strange girl with his cold eyes. The two were locked it what seemed like a staring contest to Kyoko. One that she was sure she would lose. Who was this guy she thought. He was dressed in fine clothing and had such an unusual look. She stared at his white hair and bright sea green eyes. She knew he was a warrior of some kind. She had seen enough during her days in the blacksmith shop.

Kyoko turned away. "Look if you if you don't have some place to go then you can stay here for the night. The sun is almost set anyway. Then you can leave for Kyoto in..."

"This is fine." He interjected. He reached for the tan bag and took out some money, placed it on the table and tucked it back in his satchel, then turned and walked out of the shop leaving the broken blade there.

Kyoko look at the sky. The sun was almost gone only a faint huge of purples and oranges on the horizon still remained as the stranger made his way down her dirt road. She walked over and pulled on the sliding door across the floor to close the shop. Once it clicked she latched it to make it secure. She yawned and stretched her arms outward. She then took off her gloves and placed them on the bench next to the unusual broken Chinese blade. She examined the amount he had left on the counter, 200. 'Weird guy...' Kyoko thought to herself, but she would worry about that another day.