"A small single piece of amber was worth more than a healthy slave."
--UNRV(dot)com

Chapter 1

In general, Katsura-san did not raise his voice. There was no need. In the past, whenever there had been an altercation, swords were drawn, and Katsura's authority was quietly and swiftly made known.

With the arrival of Kenshin, this practice ended. I have not since seen him raise his blade. However, by this time Katsura was respected enough that it was no longer necessary.

That is why I was pretty sure, though this was supposed to be a private meeting, to which only Toriyama-san, Katsura, myself and about five others had been invited, that even Okami and her girls were privy to all we had been discussing for the past five minutes. Katsura would have to be dangerously angry to be heard even through the thin walls of the Kohagi Inn. Perhaps then, for Toriyama's sake, it was a good thing that Katsura had hung up his sword.

"Why do you persist in arguing this point?" our respected leader roared at the heavy Satsuma man before him. "I don't have men to waste on an entourage for you."

Toriyama-san's reply was immediate. "We have been generously supplying weaponry to Choshu for the past three weeks," he blustered, puffing up even more, if that were possible. "I have done my utmost to be sure the supply line was kept open. Surely you can spare--"

"Five men protecting one is ridiculous, Toriyama-san," Katsura responded, slamming his teacup down, and lowering his voice to a barely civil growl. "I am grateful for Okubo-san's support, but I am not going to waste men this way."

"It would be most unfortunate if Satsuma's aid ended with my death."

"Which is why I don't wish to draw undue attention to a large crowd. This isn't a military maneuver, Toriyama-san. Numbers won't aid us if the Shinsengumi find you. If that were to happen, then both of our clans would be compromised, whether or not you survived. I'm no fool. I am familiar with the fine line that Okubo-san is treading. And I am certain that he'd agree with me were he here. What you need is one or two highly skilled men. Nothing more." Without taking his eyes off of the man before him, he motioned for me to step forward.

With a sinking feeling I approached, stopping a respectful distance from the pair, and bowed.

Damn... I'd hoped it wouldn't be me. Keeping my head lowered, I carefully studied Toriyama. He was fat. Not just large or sturdy, but obese. Which meant he'd be slow. He sat there literally quivering from a fear of leaving that was so strong it easily shone through his calculating eyes. Why me? I wondered again. I've done some stupid things in the past, but even I've never had this large a death wish...

My thoughts were interrupted by Katsura. "Toriyama-san," my commander began, "this is Ushiro Ryu. He will be your escort."

Toriyama looked me up and down as I bowed again. The sour expression on his face made me suspect that he was no more impressed with the arrangements than I was. I only hoped I didn't have to run him any great distance. I didn't like this man or his attitude. It would be hard to motivate myself to risk my life to save him if need be.

Toriyama finally stopped staring at me, and turned back to Katsura, snorting. "What good will he be if we're attacked?"

"The point, Toriyama-san, is to keep you from being attacked in the first place." I honestly wasn't certain how Toriyama managed to ignore how dangerously angry he was making Katsura. Even the seasoned men in this meeting were already fidgeting from the dangerous ki that rolled off of Katsura in powerful waves. Obviously the heavier man was unable to feel it, or he'd have soiled himself by now. Instead Toriyama merely looked me up and down once more in disgust.

"Ushiro," Katsura continued slowly and quietly, "is well known among our ranks for his stealth. With him, you will be invisible."

How the hell am I supposed to make that invisible?

The fat man shifted his enormous bulk uncomfortably, seeming to finally have noticed how flat and carefully controlled Katsura's tone of voice had become. Still, the fool tried to make demands. "If I'm to have only one, then I want your best."

"Ushiro-san is one of my--"

"The demon," Toriyama spat out. "I want him. I want the one no one can kill. Battousai."

There was a soft murmur across the room, which I tried with some difficulty to ignore, instead turning my attention back to Katsura, who did not appear at all surprised by the demand. It occurred to me that this was perhaps not the first time that Toriyama had mentioned Battousai. They had, after all, been in meetings for most of yesterday, and well into the night. What I didn't understand was why he'd named Battousai at all. Only recently had the boy begun taking protection missions over assassinations, something none of us really understood. How had Toriyama heard of him already? Was Kenshin's skill with the sword spreading so quickly?

I turned back to look at the small redhead who stood in the shadows near the door, just outside the reach of the sputtering lantern's light. The same boy who had been rudely bumped aside when this fat ogre had pushed his way into the room an hour ago at the start of the meeting.

And it suddenly occurred to me that Toriyama had no idea who Battousai was. He was probably expecting some giant. Some true demon with red eyes and a flaming sword. As though such men existed in the real world. Not this child with his empty eyes and careful distance.

And I realized at that moment, that Katsura was aware of this as well. I watched as Kenshin was motioned forward. Watched as he came up beside me and bowed low, his expression hidden behind a fringe of long red hair. Toriyama's dim eyes flickered from Kenshin to myself to Katsura and back to Kenshin again.

"Himura-san," Katsura said in his now deadly-soft voice, "Toriyama-san has requested your services. Do you accept?" His eyes were still locked on Toriyama, who was red-faced and quivering from anger now. Amazing how I was already learning to translate his various forms of trembling...

"What is the meaning of this... this...?" The man struggled to stand in his rage, while motioning to the youth before him, but his bulk slowed him. He grunted as he finally managed to rise to his feet. "I ask for Battousai and you offer me some little boy? Okubo-san will hear of this! This is an insult! An outrage!"

Kenshin raised his face to Toriyama's, his blank eyes narrowing in less than a moment to deadly amber. We could all feel the fringe of the powerful ki, though the brunt of it seemed to be surging in Toriyama's direction. Even Katsura-san flinched slightly as he brought up his teacup, and took a sip.

Toriyama dropped back to his knees, his face gone slack from fear. I was pretty sure that this time that the man would need to change his clothes after this meeting. His mouth worked as though he wanted to speak. His hands were slightly upraised as though protecting himself from something.

With the exception of those that slight raise of his head. Those deadly eyes and that powerful ki, Kenshin had hardly moved.

Finally the youth replied softly, "I will deliver him."

No protests this time, I noticed. I tried to stifle my relief. If Kenshin was taking the job, then I was off the hook. That was something at least.

I bowed once more, ready to back off when Katsura spoke again. "It's settled then. Himura-san and Ushiro-san will be your escorts. I expect that will be all."

Toriyama was still speechless. For once, our feelings were mutual.

Our commander nodded briefly to him, and rose to his feet. "I will leave you to collect your thoughts. You will be escorted home tomorrow evening. Good night, Toriyama-san." With those words, Katsura-san bowed once, turned, and exited the room.

The only one who seemed more surprised than I by this simple announcement was Kenshin.

An hour later, I sat out on the engawa considering the situation I'd had so graciously placed before me. Although I wasn't happy with having to transport Toriyama anywhere, I supposed I could have managed it without too much trouble. If the fool had kept his mouth shut, there would have been no problems. No complaints.

But Toriyama had spoken up, and nothing would change that now. I sighed, staring off into space. Ignoring how the sun's slanting rays illuminated the trees and darkened the shadows, something I usually appreciated. My thoughts were elsewhere.

Now I would be paired with Kenshin... with Battousai-san. Even a year ago, when the light had begun dying from his eyes, I wouldn't have minded. Even then, he'd still respond politely when communication was required. Would still make eye contact. Now he was stone, and it made me uncomfortable to say the least. Something had happened to him in the time we were scattered.

I'd tried to put it out of mind, turning my attention warily to Kano as he came up from behind, clapping me on the shoulder.

Of course Kano had been no help when I'd spoken with him after the meeting. I didn't particularly want to talk with him now. As hitokiri Shishio's clean-up man, one would think he'd have been more understanding...

I stood, shrugging him off, and walked back into the inn, hoping Kano would take the hint. He didn't, and I really wasn't surprised. A few men were loitering around in the hall, talking to each other or flirting with the girls. Kano followed me like a shadow as I tried to busy myself with searching for Kenshin. He was nowhere to be found. I'd noticed that whenever Kano was around, Kenshin left. I'm not sure why exactly. Kenshin and I'izuka, Kano's predecessor, had been pretty close... And it wasn't as though Kano was imposing. He was short and strong, but clumsy. There was nothing intimidating about him, except that he was loud.

Maybe that's what Kenshin found so bothersome about him. Hell, Kano was my friend, and I found him irritating at times... like now for instance.

It wasn't any of my business. Maybe he just didn't want to deal with Shishio's man. After all, Kenshin had been doing a good enough job avoiding Shishio himself... I tried once again to put him out of my mind, forced to admit defeat and left with no real excuse not to talk with my irritating friend. I sighed and glanced back at him. "What is it, Kano? More cheerful words of advice?"

He was grinning. "Try not to get yourself killed," he commented brightly. Ever the optimist, Kano.

I snorted in disgust, and began walking back through the inn to the engawa. "That's the point of Battousai-san coming," I muttered. "He's supposed to protect us if someone tries to kill us. Or were you not listening?"

Kano shook his head, falling into step beside me, the smile fading as his eyes grew concerned. "I actually meant to make sure Battousai-san isn't the death of you."

At those words I froze, ignoring the one or two men who nearly bumped into me at my sudden stop. "He isn't like that," I snapped. "He's just a kid. Talented, but not a murderer."

"He's a hitokiri," Kano replied shortly. "He was just a kid, but that was the past. Don't try to tell me that you haven't seen the changes in him. Have you looked at his eyes? Have you seen the way he avoids contact?"

"He's been hurt. Okami has been--"

"No." Kano's voice was flat. "He may have been hurt, but that isn't the problem. He's been broken. His eyes are dead. Not hurt or wounded. Dead. You know that. You can see it, too. He's given up his soul. He's just a shell now. The bloodlust will take over, and that will be that." He snapped his fingers as if to show just how simple it all was. Kano, who never once had spoken of Battousai before this, stared hard into my eyes. His expression was troubled. "He's lost, Ryu. He never survived whatever happened while we were scattered. He died back there, and Katsura-san brought us back the body. Nothing more."

"No," I snarled. I don't know why I was so defensive of the boy. But it hurt me to think that Kano might be right. Hurt me that the man was speaking reason. And so I argued his reason with irrational anger..."It isn't true! He still fights for his cause. He's still in there! He's just hurt. Just give him time!" My voice was a low growl. I was dimly aware of how strange and irrational this anger was for me. How long it had been since I'd let my temper take over. But at the moment, I didn't care. I had helped train the boy when he'd first joined us. I'd watched his kata, spoken with him about it and seen his love for life. His passion. He was unique, and I'd be damned if I was going to just give up on him like that... He couldn't be lost.

He couldn't... could he?

My heart rebelled, but reason was struggling to take over. I had seen the changes, although I didn't want to admit it. There were reasons I hadn't spoken to Kenshin in weeks. My shoulders slumped, and my voice dropped as my heart spoke one last plea. "Give him time..."

Kano had simply nodded, finally understanding and backing off. "Fine. I'll give him time." He turned to walk away, leaving me out by the front door. "Just promise me you'll be careful... just in case." He glanced back, and I nodded shortly.

It was enough for him, and he'd walked away, leaving me standing helplessly in the doorway with no company but my warring heart and mind. Is he lost to us?

I hoped to god he wasn't.

Author's Note: Finally! An update! (sweatdrops) I'll try to be better about these, I promise. But this fic took a somewhat different turn than I'd expected. Anyway, this chapter is my rather belated birthday gift to lolo popoki. I hope she likes it.

And a special thanks to lolo popoki and seub262 and FrostPhoenix for their invaluable beta work!

And to the readers, as always, thanks for reading. Please review!

Dewa mata!