Kassie: Hey again everyone! I can't believe how fast this school year went! I mean I'm still in a mood that feels like school is going to be tomorrow even though I know it's not. I'm sure one week of vacation will cure me of that though.

Viper: Jeez…maybe something is wrong with her…my god. Just have fun but can she do that? NOOO…instead she's acting like a fucking priss.

Kassie:…What crawled up your ass and died?

Viper:…

Kassie: Right, anyway, I want to clear a few things up before I start on the chapter.

Everyone knows that Kenshin is still Battousai. Only a different part of him. And in the beginning chapter you can see that Battousai has been coming out more because of his lust and love for Kaoru. And Kenshin does feel Kaoru's in danger because of the fact that he could lose her to Aoi. So that's why when he's easily angered by Aoi Battousai comes out.

And as for Kaoru crying, if someone told you that you bought shame to your family, the very family that you're so proud of and that you love so very much that you would willingly give up your life for its sword style you may be crying as well. Plus Kaoru is kinda feeling betrayed because her family just gave her away you know? So yeah.

Man…everyone truly HATES Aoi…don't worry though he'll get his! Bwahaha.

Aoi:pulls on Kassie's hair: QUIET YOU! YOU WILL WRITE WHAT IS SAY CHANGE THAT HE WILL GET HIS AND PUT HE WILL GET KAORU IN THE END!

Kassie:winces: Ow…you jerk…:teary eyes: VIPER HE"S PICKING ON ME!

Viper:to Aoi: And this is her in her first grade picture…

Aoi:…………BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU WERE A CHUBBY LITTLE GIRL WEREN'T YOU? OH WAIT YOU STILL ARE!

Kassie: TOT STOP PICKING ON ME! WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! I HATE YOU BOTH:runs away crying:

Aoi: What is her problem?

Viper: Who knows? Anyway we don't own RK

Misao quietly hid behind the walls every once in awhile poking her head out to see what Aoi was doing. 'So my prey is shopping eh…hehehe…he'll never know what he hit him…the day he met Makimachi Misao was his downfall! Heh!' Misao thought to herself with a huge smirk.

Aoi looked at the woman's kimonos she was selling on the streets. You could tell right away that the fabric that was used was of poor quantify. One tight pull could be the undoing of the kimonos. Aoi squinted his olive colored eyes at the patterns. One of the kimonos he was looking at had a color of navy blue but then as you move down to the middle you noticed that the color changed it was no longer the same. It was a sky blue color. You could even see the green strings of the fabric that was holding the pieces together. The only thing that really matched was the sakura blossoms that seemed to be blowing in the wind. Aoi smiled slightly, 'Just like hers…'

" See something you like sir?" An older woman asked as she sat next to the stack of the kimonos. She was wearing a green one that she had made herself. She held her wooden crane and her gray hair was up in a bun on top of her head. She had a wrinkly face and her eyes were closed, but really weren't and her smile was kind.

Misao who was watching looked at and thought, 'Oh boy…that poor old woman…she's going to break out in tears when he's finished with her!' Misao thought. She then growled, 'I can't wait to kick his ass!'

Aoi smiled and said in a polite tone, " Yes I do." He looked at the woman's hands, they were rough, callused and you could even see some scratches that she must have gotten when she was working on these kimonos. He touched the blue one he had just been gazing at when he asked,

" How much ma'am?" The woman looked up at him and smiled,

" Well…about 1200 yen…" Aoi never lost his smile as he then asked,

" How about…for all of them?" Aoi was looking at the old woman. Most women were pale but she looked almost as white as a ghost. It made him wonder how much the woman had been eating. The woman blinked and asked,

" All of these sir?" There was a total of 25 of them. Each of them a different color some bright and some so dark it looked almost black. Aoi just smiled simply and said,

" Yes. I would love to buy all of these wonderful kimonos." He gently took the older woman's hand and asked,

" Do you know why ma'am?" The older woman were blushing as she blinked wildly. 'My! Young men these days are quite desperate if they want some action from an older women!'

" Why…yes I did! How did you know?" Aoi smiled and said,

" Well…you see…the devotion you put into these lovely things that I just want them all to myself." The older woman just blinked once and closed her eyes. She wanted to cry. It had been so long since someone had taken notice of her hard work that…she forgotten what it was like to feel appreciated.

" So how much ma'am?" Aoi asked once more in a gentle voice. The woman then said,

" Oh give me a minute…' She began to count the numbers in her head while Aoi knew what the price was right away. 30,000 yen. He looked around at the kimonos. And they weren't that good. He had seen so much more that made these kimonos hold not even a candle to them. But that wasn't why he wanted them. He didn't want something that looked lovely but really wasn't. Though that probably didn't have anything to do with kimonos.

" That would be 23,000 yen…" She told him. She hoped that number was right. She wasn't very good with them. She was good at making kimonos but not selling them. That was her husband's job but sadly he was so sick that he couldn't even leave the bed. He needed medicine fast and soon if not…she may lose him…she couldn't have that. She needed him.

Aoi smiled. It was a common mistake that everyone made. Aoi looked again over at the kimonos. As he had mentioned before they were made of poor quantity and weren't that nice. For crying out loud you could clearly see different colors! So what he did next truly didn't make any sense!

" I'll tell you what, since you are a very kind and generous woman I want to make you an offer." The woman glanced down only for a second and thought, 'He's going to take it for so much less…I got my hopes up again…I'm sorry Seisake…I can't get the medicine you need…' Aoi then looked at the old woman and saw that she was sad over something. He then smiled even more brightly than before. This was going to be fun after all.

" I want to buy these from you for a total of 50,000 yen." The woman's head shot up so fast you would think that it would pop off.

" What did you just say?" She asked in bewilderment. She had never heard of such a huge amount of money like this before!

" I want to pay you 50,000 yen for these kimonos. Do you accept?" She could have kissed this young man! He seemed like an answer to her prayers. But wait…

the matter if he was telling the truth of not didn't seem to be coming up. She felt her old heart pounding in hope. If this young man had the money…and took her kimonos then…all of her worries…all of her family's worries would be gone! In a trembling voice she asked,

" Do you…do you have the money on you?" She asked. Aoi smiled as he then went to the inside of his kimono with his good arm and began to search and then he pulled out his wallet and said,

" Yes I do." He then opened up his wallet and began to look inside of it. He began to count his money and pulled out 50,000 yen and then said,

" Here you go.' He put the money on the wooden desk next to where the kimonos were stacked. The older woman stared at the money and her mouth trembled. She slowly reached out to touch it. When she did she let out a small gasp.

It's said money couldn't bring happiness but that truth was, it worked both ways. This was her ticket to save her husband's health. And to have her grandchildren that weren't hungry all the time. As she put them in her hand she barely even noticed when the young man who had just bought her kimonos began to pick them up and neatly across his arm.

" Well…I thank you ma'am. I do hope you take care of yourself. Have a good day." He then turned around and began to walk when the old woman called out to him,

" WAIT!" Aoi blinked and turned around and looked at her.

" Yes?" Tears were running down the old woman's face as she choked out

" Thank you…thank you so much…" Aoi blinked and then just simply smiled.

" No thank you." He then turned back around and continued on walking forward. The older woman watched after him and just smiled as tears ran down her face. 'Thank you…my angel…'

Misao's eyes were wide. Her mouth was hanging down it was almost touching the ground. Her arms hung limp at her side as she watched what just had taken place.

"…WHAT WAS THE HELL WAS THAT!"

What had just taken place? She did follow the right guy right? That was the same man she had saw earlier after her and Aoshi-sama separated right, RIGHT? That had to be Aoi! But…since when was Aoi ever so…NICE?

At first Misao thought that Aoi would just start to LAUGH at the older woman for even talking to him! Say something like, 'Are YOU talking to ME? A BEHITO?' But when that didn't happen she went into shock.

Aoi was actually treating the old woman with some respect and didn't say a damn thing when she made a mistake with the money.

And what the hell was that romantic crap? He kissed her hand! She didn't know either to feel sick because Aoi was being romantic or to be proud of him that he wasn't being a total jerk.

" I don't know what's going on but I will find out!" She declared as she then began to chase after him. She didn't understand what he was doing. Was she seeing a new side to Aoi?

Aoi looked around. He was in the poor side of town. Hardly anyone was on the streets and if someone were they were beckoning Aoi to come over to them. He could tell by the smell of them that they were drunk. He wrinkled his nose in distaste and moved on. He knew this parts fairly well because this was the way he had came though when he was coming to the dojo. He didn't really like going though the shopping district. He liked to save his money. But sometimes he did shop. And when he did…well…

He looked at the kimonos he held on his arm and smiled.

They were going to love this.

He kept on walking down for a few more streets until he saw what he was looking for and quietly went up the steps and knocked on the door.

Misao who was watching behind another corner squinted her eyes at Aoi. She watched as the door he had just knocked on opened up to reveal a girl that couldn't be more than 7 years old. She was in great need of a bath because her hair was so dirty that it was standing up by it's self. From head to toe she was covered in dirt you couldn't tell if her kimono was a green or a blue color anymore. If you were to throw her in water then all of the dirt, and anything else would come right off of her. But then you would need to scrub a little bit so you could see a little bit more of her true skin color. Misao blinked when soon next to the young girl appeared a boy that was starch naked. He couldn't have been more than 3. He was just as dirty and rangy looking as the girl next to him was.

Misao blinked in pure confusion. " What's going on?" She asked herself in a whisper. Did Aoi come here to make fun of these children? 'That bastard! I bet he did!' She then growled as she wanted to throw her knives at him.

The little girl's eyes just lit up when she quite sight of the man before her. Her mouth slowly opened and broke out into a wide grin that went from ear to ear.

" Aoi-san!" She cried as she happily hugged his leg. The girl's little brother blinked but then smiled a toothless grin as he hugged Aoi as well. Aoi blinked and smiled,

" Careful now! You're make me drop these!" He laughed. Blinking the young girl pulled away and blushed as she looked down.

" Oh! We're sorry! We didn't mean to hug you like…" She glared at her younger brother who was still hugging Aoi's leg. She cleared her throat and said, " Eimaru…" Eimaru held on causing his older sister to twitch as she said, " Eimaru! Let go of Aoi-san now!" Eimaru blinked and whimpered,

" But…but…" Again Aoi laughed as he picked up Eimaru and said,

" It's quite alright. You needn't worry Aiko." Aiko blushed slightly and said,

" Yes…thank you." Aoi then asked,

" Did you get what you needed for your mother?" Aiko smiled as she put her hands together and said,

" Yes! She's much better now! She's even starting to walk again! Thank you so much!" Aoi smiled as he gently put Eimaru down.

" I'm very glad to hear that. I was very worried. I apologize for taking so long to get here but I was…busy for the past few days." He sweatdropped when he thought that he was in bed because that man Kenshin had knocked his ass out in a sword fight. If father knew of this then…hell would truly be on Earth.

Then again, if Father knew what Aoi was doing now?

" What do you think you were doing Aoi! Making FRIENDS? Hah! You are a fool then! Don't you think you can be friends or anything below us Behitos! Be proud you stupid, stupid boy!"

" But father…they're so nice and…and…they liked me! They played with me! That one game…with a ball and stick! Umm…baseball!" Aoi's father's eyes seemed to glow with heated hate and much anger as he then raised his hand up to his 13 year old son and slapped him hard across the face.

" QUIET! I don't want you to ever, ever, EVER go near anything that is poor! Do you understand me boy! You are a Behito start acting like it!"

Aoi mentally shook his head. Whatever. He could do as he wanted and right now, he wanted to be near poor. But not because it was just do defile his father but also it was to help who needed help. He had ran into this girl when he first got to town and she was crying because she worried that she would soon leave her mother because she was so sick. And they no longer had money for food so…he gave her money. And he was glad that he did.

" Aoi-san?" A soft voice called out to him as it also dragged him out of his thoughts.

" Yes?" He asked now looking at the little girl to show that she had his full attention.

" Well…I…we don't know…what to do you helped us so much…and…we don't have…can't…" Aoi kneeled down and gently ruffled her hair.

" Hey…do you think I want payment?"

"…"

" I don't. But what I do want is…" He moved the kimonos to her and said,

" I got these for your family." Aiko looked at them and just stared.

"…Oh! You…" Tears began to come into her eyes. He truly was an angel…he saved mama and her brother and her and now he was giving them clothes? Why? What made him do this?

" I wanted to do this…so don't think I want any payment." He smiled as he watched Eimaru hold onto the back of his sister's old kimono.

" This is all…" She started but couldn't finish. Tears rolled down her face instead as she held the kimonos to her and hugged them. Aoi then said,

" Then again…maybe a payment will do.' The girl's eyes widen as she looked up at him.

"…?"

Aoi just simply kissed her on the cheek and said as he pulled away,

" A promise to make sure you and Eimaru will leave a happy, strong life that shouldn't be too much you think?" Aiko blushed deeply at the kiss he had just placed on her cheek but then looked at her younger brother then back at Aoi. She nodded.

" Yes! That shall be our payment!" Aoi grinned as he held out his hand,

" Good now you must shake to seal the deal!" Aiko looked at it and then put her little hand into his big hand and began to shake.

" Yes!"

Misao was just…what the hell? Was this the same Aoi who…what? She went to her knees in confusion. What was going on?

Aoshi walked down the streets of Kyoto. He was hidden in the busy crowd that seemed to want to get home as fast as they could. He watched as he was avoided in the crowd so no one would bump into him. He kept on going for about 12 more minutes. When he came up to a small house with little light in it he went inside and went to the very back where he knocked twice on the door.

The door slowly opened and an older woman appeared and said,

" My…Aoshi-chan it's been awhile…please come in." She opened the door for him. Aoshi merely nodded as he walked in and passed the woman who closed the door.

" So…what brings you here? I know it's not to talk to me." Aoshi then got straight to the point and said,

" I need information on a Behito Aoi." She blinked and said,

" A Behito?" She sighed. " I hate that name…do you know how arrogant they are?" Aoshi shrugged.

" Not really…"

" Let me tell you, ever since way back when they have though themselves higher than the rest of us. Brainwashing their young at birth to make them think that everyone else is just part of the ground they walk on!" She sighed and said,

" Forgive me…I can get the information for you within a few moments…please make yourself at home." She went to the very back of her house and went to work. Aoshi just waited.

Kaoru and Kenshin were currently in the kitchen making dinner. Well Kenshin was making the dinner Kaoru was just trying to help but every time she did it seemed to take Kenshin back to step one. Though he didn't mind. He rather enjoyed being in Kaoru's company it felt nice. And plus…

He held her hand a little tighter to see if they were really holding hands.

Kaoru blinked and looked at Kenshin and asked,

" Kenshin? Something wrong?' Kenshin looked at her and just smiled.

" Nothing is wrong Kaoru. Sessha is just enjoying cooking with you that I am." Kaoru laughed and said,

" Oh…well I don't think I'm doing anything but making things harder for you." Kenshin just smiled and told her,

" Perhaps but sessha likes cooking with Kaoru. So it's no problem for me." Kaoru blushed slightly and said,

" Hai…" So they went on cooking. Even though they really didn't get far.

Sano began to walk back to his apartement. Since this morning he had an…interesting day. Sheets were rolled over and over again as sweat held their bodies together. It was beautiful.

Sano sighed in remembering what had happened.

Since a wonderful day this had been.

Aoi began to make his way back to the dojo trying to put his mask back on. He had taken it off so he could be able to interact with the children and other people today. He closed his eyes and re-opened them.

He was ready.

" Here you go." The old woman said as she gave Aoshi the fold he wanted.

" Thank you." He looked at it and chose not to open it.

After all…this was Misao's job.

Just R&R if you feel like it.

I just lost my father last night so I don't know if I can write anything for awhile. I'm still in shock.

I got to go and rest now.

Please do R&R

-TennyoAkana