Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, "Rurouni Kenshin" (c) Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shuiesha, Shounen Jump, and Sony

Fair Kyoto

Chapter 4: Kaoru's Past

Kaoru stumbled through the hall, past the open kitchen, and into the living room. She shrugged off her coat, and kicked out of her shoes, sending them flying across the room. She opened the bedroom door and silently slipped into the darkened room. Kaoru decided to postpone her much-needed shower until the next morning. It wouldn't be a good idea to take one when she was still on the verge of fainting. So instead, she more-or-less collapsed onto the bed, burying her aching head into downy pillows.

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When one says, 'He disappeared into the dark city without a sound.' One almost means it literally. Kenshin's steps were always impossibly silent. His movements always kept him in the shadows, out of plain view from passing pedestrians and motorists alike. When he did venture out into the busier byways, he kept his profile unnoticeable and his actions very regular. However, Kenshin never disappeared, he only blended in with amazing skill. It was one of his chief talents, along with being extremely perceptive and a master of the katana; Kenshin could assimilate to almost any situation.

Kenshin had a destination in mind as he completed his twelfth block and fifth corner. However, it was not the apartment building that he now stood in front of. It was only a stop along way. This building was small, almost as small as Kaoru's, but not quite as nice. There was no man behind a desk as he entered; Kenshin actually preferred it that way. No one to mark his comings and goings.

He strode up the staircase to the sixth floor, and unlocked the door to his domicile. It was bare to say the least. The only proof that someone lived here was the half-finished carton of orange juice in the refrigerator and the soap in the bathroom. Some furniture was scattered about the area, a sofa and armchair here, and a bed and dresser there. But they were all furnishings that came with the apartment.

Kenshin didn't so much as remove his coat; instead he forcefully pulled open the doors to the hall closet. Two swords lay against the back wall. Kenshin quickly grabbed one and slide it into his belt. He pulled the katana from its sheath and examined the razor-sharp blade before sliding it back in again. Satisfied with his inspection, Kenshin slipped out the door, locking it behind him.

Behind the apartment building there was a small, enclosed parking lot. It was rarely used because most of the residents didn't own vehicles. But Kenshin did; he owned a sleek-looking, black motorcycle, more specifically a 2002 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R. People might inquire how a gang member in his position in the hierarchy could afford a bike like that, but then again no one really dared to ask. The sporty little bike was fast, ridiculously fast actually, and it handled like it rode on rails, that is, if you knew how to handle it.

Kenshin started it up and speed out of the parking lot onto the quiet little street out front.

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Half an hour later, Kenshin pulled up outside a little building on the outskirts of the city. It was well cared for, but nothing spectacular. The sign on top of its roof, proclaimed 'Aoi-ya'. To most it might look like a restaurant, but Kenshin and many like him knew its real purpose. The Aoi-ya had been in existence for at least a decade, the people running it however had been practicing their art for much longer. They were in the information business. Mostly spies with amazing skill, they would sell their services and 'goods' to anyone who could pay. That is how they survived in the treacherous underground of Kyoto. By taking no side or preferring one gang over another, they would provide invaluable information to anyone who could afford their steep prices.

Kenshin approached the old-fashioned doors and knocked almost inaudibly. Moments later a tall woman with long black hair answered.

She squinted her eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. "Ah..Mr. Himura, please come in." she said as she ushered him inside the building.

"Aoshi is in the room, third door to the left, down the hall." She showed him to his destination and then promptly left.

Kenshin scanned the dimly lit room. The only thing in it was a man sitting cross-legged, facing the door. His eyes were closed in deep meditation, his face as calm as a reflecting pool. Despite the appearance of rest and inactivity, Kenshin knew he was aware of everything that happened around him.

"Don't you ever sleep, Aoshi?" Kenshin asked dryly.

"I would ask you the same thing, but I already know that you do not." Aoshi said unperturbedly, eyes suddenly opening.

Kenshin glared at the stone-like man.

"What is it that you want?" Aoshi asked.

"Information." Kenshin said icily, "A girl named Kamiya Kaoru."

"I see. Have a seat, this may take a while to explain."

Kenshin stared at him, about as surprised as he ever got. The Aoi-ya already had information on her. Why would they, she's not exactly of high interest to anyone. That must mean that he wasn't the first to inquire about the Kamiya girl.

"Who was it that already asked about her?" Kenshin demanded angrily.

"You know that I won't reveal information about my clientele." Aoshi said unfazed. "That's why you come here."

Kenshin scowled, it was true and there was no use in pressing the issue farther. Aoshi took his silence for consent and continued.

"Our information begins when she was six years old. A policeman named Kamiya Kazuki found her alone on the streets in the Hiko district of Kyoto. He had been working in that area for fifteen years, helping chip away at the Hiko yakuza. He and his wife had no children and so Kamiya took her in. He taught her Kamiya Kasshin Ryu, a sword technique that protects without killing."

Kenshin stifled a snicker, knowing that Aoshi hated to be interrupted. 'The purpose of the sword is killing, it's naïve to believe otherwise.' He thought to himself. Yet it fit the Kamiya girl's persona very well.

"When Kamiya Kaoru was sixteen, her adopted father was killed in an attempted drug-bust in which the Hiko yakuza was involved. The girl didn't take his death well; emotionally she broke down. I have papers on her psychiatric report after Kamiya-san's death." Aoshi stood up and walked out of the room, a minute later he returned with something in his right hand. He tossed a manila folder at Kenshin, who caught it easily, tucking it beneath his jacket.

"Then, a month later, she disappeared. Kamiya-san's wife reported it to the authorities, but nothing was really done about it. It's not surprising; she was just another run-away returning to the streets. The next time anything is heard about her, she is working for the Hajime yakuza, the rivals of the Hiko yakuza. But, then I don't need to tell you that."

Kenshin knew all about the long-standing war between the two gangs; he had witnessed the bloodshed himself.

"She has been one of the bodyguards of its leader, Hajime Tokio, for four years." Aoshi concluded.

Kenshin let his mind run over the new information. He concluded that she would work just fine.

"How much?" Kenshin asked, reaching into his pocket to pull out a wad of bills.

"Nothing." Aoshi stated, leaving no room for discussion.

Kenshin wondered about his sudden generosity. It was unlike the shrewd leader of the Aoi-ya's forces.

"Don't think about it too much. I already had the information after all." Aoshi said, completely unprompted.

Kenshin nodded at Aoshi, as close to a Thank you as could ever pass between the two. The short ride back to his apartment, gave Kenshin even more time to plan out his actions.

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Takani Megumi slipped the keys out of her pants pocket and unlocked the door to apartment 304. It was 11:36 in the afternoon and there wasn't a sign of life in the cluttered little space. Megumi sighed; she knew that she was in here, somewhere. Carefully avoiding the pile of crumpled clothing and nearly stumbling over a small mountain of old newspapers, Megumi finally made it to the bedroom in the back. She didn't knock, just opened the door and glanced inside.

Sprawled out in an extremely ungraceful and most likely uncomfortable position on the queen-sized bed was the girl. Megumi sighed once more, and then silently tiptoed to her side. She didn't exactly scream, Megumi was above such repugnant behavior. However, she hissed, loudly enough, into the sleeping girl's ear.

"Wake-up, tanuki."

It was enough. Kaoru's eyes immediately flashed open, she was standing in a second, staring angrily at the taller woman.

"Megumi! What do you want!?" Kaoru yelled, glaring at the smug look on the other woman's face.

"Is this the kind of welcome I get when I come to check on the welfare of our little martial artist?" Megumi said feigning hurt and indignation.

"What do you mean 'our'?" Kaoru said, easing up.

Megumi shrugged elegantly. "That rooster-head said that you were sick, but when I came to check on you last night, you weren't here."

Kaoru sat down on the edge of her bed; her headache had started to come back.

"Where were you?" A malicious gleam sparked in Megumi's eyes. "You were with a guy, weren't you?"

"NO!" Kaoru yelled at her implied suggestion. Then she remembered. "Well .. actually ,, sort-of .. I was.."

"Ohoho.." Megumi smiled deliciously.

"It's not what you think." Kaoru glared. "He just helped me home."

Megumi refused to relent. "He 'just helped you home'. Huh?" Megumi said skeptically.

"Hai!"

"Your apartment must have scared him away." Megumi laughed.

Kaoru started to protest, but a thermometer was shoved into her mouth.

"Don't open your mouth until it beeps." Dr. Takani Megumi ordered, as she left the room.

Kaoru sat on the bed swinging her legs back and forth; she felt very much like a child sitting on the examining table in the doctor's office. Her mind raced back to the night before as a golden-eyed man helped her through the dangerous streets of Kyoto. She smiled slightly; in her memory those eyes possessed less bitter cold. She was woken from her contemplation by a high-pitched beeping.

Kaoru wandered out of her room. The woman was clearing newspapers from the floor.

"Mehguhmee? Thuh 'eeping won' shop." Kaoru mumbled through the thermometer.

Megumi rolled her eyes. "Take it out, baka.."

Kaoru eyebrow twitched, but she complied. She handed it to Megumi, who quickly examined it.

"98 degrees." She concluded "No fever."

Before Kaoru could respond, Megumi had pulled out a tiny flashlight and was telling her to open her mouth and say 'ahhhh'.

After a thorough examination, Megumi handed her two red pills.

"What are they?"

"Tylenol." She responded dryly. "For your headache. Otherwise, you're fine."

Kaoru bit back the remark that she could have told her that. Megumi had been a doctor in the Hajime yakuza longer than Kaoru knew; she guessed about ten years. She took care of everyone there, but Kaoru in particular. She remembered when she had first joined at the young age of sixteen. Megumi had been the only other woman besides Madame Tokio. The doctor had taken special care to help and protect her. So had Sano, she recalled.

So instead she managed a meek "Arigato."

Megumi shrugged it off, as was in her fashion, and went back to cleaning up her apartment.

"You don't have to do that." Kaoru said

"Yes, I do. If you trip and hurt yourself, I'll have to take care of you." Megumi said scathingly.

Kaoru was about to respond once again, but the doctor cut her off.

"Go take a shower. You need one."

Kaoru sighed and obediently trudged to the bathroom. She tossed her clothing onto the floor and stepped into the hot water pouring from the showerhead.

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Author's Notes:

These are my first comments; I guess they're a bit overdue.

Mainly I'm just wondering if anybody is actually reading this. If I knew people were I'd put more time and effort into getting these chapters done sooner. I'll still do them even if no one is because I enjoy writing them, but a few more comments would be nice.

Hope you like it so far, - stony brook