Author's Note: Oh man I feel like hell right now, I have to go in for some surgery, but I should be able to update this and Twin Dragon Arc soon hopefully. I'd rather not speak of what I have to go in for, so let's just get into details what's going to happen in this chapter. Kenshin's gonna make his debut this chapter, I'm pretty sure all you readers have been waiting for this. There's a little bit of action in this chapter, but I wouldn't really call it action, I don't want to spoil what happens so just read on...



Chapter 3: Binding the String



It was evening by the time Mother had returned. At the very moment she returned, powder-white specks began to fall from the sky. Snow. Were the heavens shedding tears for me, or was it marking the end of one chapter of my life and the beginning of a new, I still don't know the answer to this day.

"Mother, have you...found someone...to take me?" I asked, hesitating every two words.

The tears wouldn't escape my eyes, they were either locked by my emotions or frozen by the weather. I couldn't tell, but it didn't matter, I had to support the two of us, whether it was through honest work or something such as dirty as this.

"I have," Mother nodded, "I shall take you to them."

"Them?" I asked puzzled as Mother dragged me with her.

We hurried down the streets, the snow beginning to collect on our feet as if someone was intentionally trying to slow us down. Mother brought me to a dark alley, it was empty, no one seemed to be there. It was very dank, the buildings surrounding the alley were held by splintered oak and random straps of bamboo. I don't see how anyone could've lived here, it was worse off than our farm. After I was done observing the wretched architecture, two silhouettes appeared from the darkness, both in sky blue coats with white lining.

"Is this the girl?" one of the individuals asked Mother.

Shinsengumi, how I hated them, there was no way I'd allow myself to work for them despite how desperate I was for money, especially since they were to be my first clients.

"Well, shall we get started my dear?" the second individual placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Get your dirty hands off me!" I swatted the wretched man's hand away from me.

"Mina!" Mother looked to me in shock.

"You bitch, what the hell did you do that for?!" the first individual spat at me.

"There's no way I'm supporting the Shogunate," I sneered, "even if it is in this way."

"Mina, what did I tell you about watching your mouth?!" Mother reminded me of her lecture earlier.

"Are you supporter of the Ishin Shishi?!" one of the Shinsengumi slid their blades out of their cases.

"I'll support anyone who doesn't support scum like you!" I struck one of the individuals with my fist.

I was so brash at the time, I didn't expect any retaliation, but I had to learn the hard way. I was struck back, losing my balance in the process. I looked back to where I had fallen only to see my reflection staring back at me through a steel blade. I could see the fear in my eyes, I could see myself backing up against the corner, scared for my life.

"Please, spare this child!" Mother suddenly ran in front of me, her body shielding mine.

I shut my eyes to envelop myself in darkness. Though I could not see it, I heard her screams, I heard steel piercing through her flesh and her cries after. I felt a warm liquid fall onto my hand, suddenly freezing upon touching my skin. I opened my eyes again to find my mother laying on the floor in front of me, wading in a frozen pool of ruby red. My mouth was being pulled down by my sadness, but again, no tears fell. Soon my entire body rose from the floor, backing against the wall without me acting.

"Now it would be a shame to kill this one too," one of the soldiers began to inch toward me as I stood there with my back flat against the wall.

"No...," I stuttered, my hands etched into some of the splinters on the wall, "Get away!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Come here!" I soon found myself pulled into the other devil's arms. "We're not going to kill you just yet, not until we show you a real good time!" his coal black eyes pierced fear into me just as his blade pierced through Mother.

My life flashed before my eyes in a matter of one second, I thought I was going to die. It was up until then that I realized I didn't want to just be a simple nobody no one would recognize if they found my body out in the streets, I wanted to be known. It would've been too late for me, but it was unknown to me that the Red String of Fate was finally wounded up, bringing us together once again.

"Let the girl go!" the voice of my savior echoed from the other end of the alley where I stood.

He had come, the one who held the other end of my string. Hair as red and wild as fire, eyes as cold as ice, yet as calm as the cerulean sky, and that scar on his left cheek, forming an "X", as if marking two paths that became one, but then split again. My samurai, he has finally come.

"Who's there?" one of the devils turn toward the warrior.

"This your brother or something?!" the soldier spat, tightening the grip he had on me.

"I said let her go!" the red-haired samurai began to draw his blade.

"Wait a second," the other Shinsengumi member steps back, "it's the Battousai!"

"You'll be our victory celebration," the soldier threw me back to the floor. "Prepare

yourself!" I soon find both soldiers charging toward my savior.

In the blink of my eye, both men were slain, face first in a pool of crimson, the same pool in which Mother fell. His shimmering blade reflected the stars as it slowly slid back into it's oak sheath, his navy blue kimono was again tainted in crimson, the sight of a true warrior, not an expression on his face after he killed those two men.

"Are you all right?" his hand soon opened before mine, his face now offering me a smile.

It was him, the boy whom I met two years ago. I sensed a change in him, other than that scar on his cheek, he seemed so different from when I first met him. I didn't know how to respond, but out of impulse, I responded with silence and the turn of my head.

"I'm sorry about your mother," the young man suddenly apologized, "if only I had gotten here faster..."

I just had to respond, I didn't know what to say. My Red String was no longer stretched between him and I, I knew it then, time had frozen for a moment as I laid there. I couldn't delay time any longer, so I finally responded.

"...it's not your fault," I answered, "it was mine, I shouldn't have been so picky about my clients."

"Clients you say?" the young man looked to me puzzled.

"Mother told me things were no longer going to be easy," I explained my story, as I took a glance at my dead mother, "after Father died two days ago we came here to the city with the trade route. It's the only way we could make money, but I wouldn't allow myself to support the Shogunate in anyway. Damn the Shogunate, they put everything on us, the farmers, why should we suffer for the government's loss?!"

"I agree," the young man sat next to me, his lavender eyes looking straight into mine, giving a gentle warmth as I peered into them, "I, too, hate the Shogunate for all the chaos they've created," the young man then turned his eyes to the ground. "I hate them so much I decided to join this conflict, despite my Master's words, despite leaving my training incomplete. He told me that I was only going to protect people with murder, slaughtering many so that only a few may live. Maybe... he was right. Why does it matter," his face turned to the dark skies, "he never really cared for me anyway. By the way," the young turned back to me, brandishing another smile to me, "I'm Himura Kenshin, and you are?"

"I have no last name," I answered, the words of that soldier from two years ago still etched in my mind, "the Shogunate said farmers were not worthy of such things. My parents called me Mina when they were alive."

"Mina," Kenshin practiced saying my name as he returned to his feet, "please allow me to help you in any way," Kenshin offered his hand to me again.

"If it's no trouble," I slowly took his hand into mine, "I'd like something to eat and a place to stay for the night. I hope what I'm asking for isn't too much, Himura-san."

"Kenshin is fine," Kenshin continued brandishing his smile at me, "but I can do that. Well then, we should pray for your mother first."

We both kneeled there with our palms pressed against each other. As I prayed, I couldn't help but take a few glances at Kenshin as he payed his respects to my mother. I got this feeling when I stared at him, a feeling that I things would get better from here on.

"Well, shall we go?" Kenshin asked as he finished his prayer.

"Hai," I nodded, "please, lead the way, Kenshin."

We treaded down many streets, I don't know how long we were walking, it seemed such a short while to me. As we walked, I leaned my head on his broad shoulder, placing my right arm around him. He felt so warm, I had no idea how he would react to me holding him. He returned the favor, wrapping his arm around me, petting my hair as he did so. I felt happy again for the first time in two years. I hate to admit it, but Mother's death was possibly the best thing that happened to me.

"Here we are," Kenshin's voice broke me out of my trance.

I found myself looking to a descent structure, a simple two stories. There seemed to be a lot of noise coming from within, they must've been very busy. I wondered if Kenshin would be able to get us a room, but I guessed he already had one.

"Himura, welcome back," a man opens the door for the two of us. "Oh, you have a friend," the man flashed me a friendly smile.

"Shinji-dono," I simply bowed in response.

The people within seemed to be much friendlier than those soldiers of the Shogunate I met. Who exactly were they, I wondered. They definitely weren't supporters of the Shogunate, so they had to be one of the rebellion groups that made up the Ishin Shishi.

"Mina-dono, come on in," Kenshin showed me inside.

The entire inn was crowded, many individuals were talking with one another. Swords were plastered on the far wall, presumably their's. As I looked around the room, Kenshin found me a seat in the corner of the room. A second later, he was handed a bowl of rice, which he in turn handed to me.

"Here," he smiled as he presented me the food.

"Arigatou," I took the dish, slowly placing each grain into my mouth.

"Kenshin," a well-dressed man calls him.

"Sir," Kenshin approached the man.

I couldn't make out what they were saying, but it didn't matter, I had food and a place to stay, at least for the night. The rice was delicious, I think it had hints of fish in it, along with some radish. I finished it rather quickly, my stomach had been totally filled for the first time since the drought two years ago. Once I had finished, I looked back to Kenshin, this time he had a worried look on his face.

"Is something the matter, Kenshin?" I asked concerned as he returned to his seat.

"Nothing," Kenshin answered with the shake of his head. "So how was it?" Kenshin looked to my empty dish.

"Delicious," I answered, brandishing the same grin Kenshin gave me earlier, "I haven't had a meal like that in a long time!"

"I'm glad to hear that, that I am," Kenshin took my empty bowl and headed into the direction of the kitchen.

Later, Kenshin took me to the second story of the inn. All of the rooms seemed to be full, except one. Kenshin slid the Sakura blossom designed door to the side and signaled me inside.

"Please, make yourself at home," Kenshin offered.

"Arigatou," I placed my luggage in the corner of the room.

"Here," Kenshin then handed me a futon, "pick any spot in the room."

"I'll do that," I placed my futon near the room's balcony.

"Well, good night then," Kenshin yawned, sliding into his futon.

"Good night, Kenshin," I yawned, slipping into my futon.

It was such an eventful day, that it was, it was the first day of my new life, a life that would later become stained with blood...

Chapter 3 Liner Notes



Who was the well dressed individual Mina spoke of?- The well dressed individual was Katsura Kogoro, leader of the Cho Shu Clan. He'll play a bigger role later in the story.



Where's the action already?!- The next chapter will have some, it will have Mina beginning her training and then up to the point where she has her first kill. I promise there will be more action later on, a lot more once she has a few more training exercises.



(Next time: "Steel breaks through bone and muscle, the hand takes the pieces of Man, mixing it's contents with the sand. A new creature is born from within, born with sword in hand and bathed in the ruby liquid of life itself." -Mina)



Author's Note: Good so far, I hope so. The real action begins I think in chapter six, and from there, there will be fighting in each chapter. Anyway, please be kind and leave me a review, and don't flame me, I feel bad enough already.