Author's Note: Okay, I know Tetsu said something about a week passing or whatever for this chapter's preview, but in truth, a few months have passed since Mina joined the Satsuma Clan. There's not much action in this action just to let you know ahead of time, this chapter basically just shows us how Mina has changed after those several months after her separation from Kenshin. And if you thought she was crazy before, just wait until you read this chapter...

Chapter 28: The Contract

Several months or so had passed since my first assignment, time had just flown since that day. Murder had become very commonplace in my life, whether it was my targets, on-lookers, Shinsengumi, or Bakufu, my blade's thirst for blood never dried. I had believed in Kensai's words then, I was vulnerable to any kind of truth after being separated from my brother, even if the truth was in fact a lie.

"All of you," I glared at my targets, my left hand taking hold of my katana's hilt, "die!"

My feet pushed forward after, my left arm sliding westward as it freed my sword from it's sheath. The blade shimmered for a second before slipping through my first target's center. Another small flash with the step that followed, this time my weapon swung to the east in an upward fashion, slicing through my next prey. A third step followed, along with a fourth, my sword swinging to the west and the east once more with those two steps. My back was now facing my targets, my left arm locked in an angle with my knuckles pointed to my right and my katana's guard just inches away from my pinky finger. The hilt began crawling between the spaces of my fingers as I extended my arm forward. My sword's spinning stopped a second later as the blade's tip pointed toward the earth, slowly turning at an angle as it slid back into it's oak restraint. A click echoed once it lay snug in place, and with that, my four targets fell in unison.

"It's not fun practicing on bamboo trees," I sighed as I took one last look at the trees I had just cut.

This is how I spent most of my days when I wasn't out killing, I would go out into the forest and practice my skills, preferably a new technique I created.

"I knew I'd find you here," Tetsu's voice soon followed, "still practicing your Left-Handed Battoujutsu I see."

After my fight with Kensai, I knew there would eventually be another battle where I would get my right hand immobilized, so I had to learn how to use my left. I began practicing by doing regular swings with my left arm alone, but those tactics were nothing special. I decided to combine my best skill, the Battoujutsu, with left-handed techniques. The result was the Left-Handed Battoujutsu, a stance in which I draw my katana with my left arm alone. I had to flip the blade so that the outer curve faced the ground when I used these techniques in order to draw the blade from it's sheath. It took me a few weeks to adjust, but the speed of my left-handed techniques eventually became faster than my normal Battoujutsu.

"What do you want, Tetsu?" I sighed, my eyes never turning to his.

I know it was rude how I spoke to him, I spoke to nearly everyone in that fashion during that time, the only exception being Shion. Why did I speak so rudely, it's because I didn't want others to worry, so I kept my distance by being rude. I don't know whether it was fortunate or not, but Tetsu did not back away when I acted to him in this fashion.

"I just wanted to see if you were free, that's all," Tetsu answered. "Shion and I wanted to know if you want to join for some lunch by going into the city right now."

"I could use a good meal," I told Tetsu as I began to walk passed him without once looking at his face, "of course, you're buying."

We went to the city after, the streets were as desolate as they always were. It was the first month of spring now, the streets were still somewhat wet from the melted snow of the last season. I took the lead as Shion, Tetsu, and I walked, I knew a great restaurant in Kyoto that served the best mochi, luckily it wasn't too expensive so it wouldn't have hurt Tetsu's wallet. As we walked, there was nothing but silence that came from our lips. I was not one to really talk during those times, except maybe to Shion when we were alone, but not when anyone else was around. Instead of trying to make a conversation, my eyes constantly shifted from side-to-side, scouting out for any supporters of the Shogunate. Back then, I would kill any Shogunate supporter that I saw, even if I wasn't on duty.

"As cautious as always I see," Kensai said as I scouted the area.

"Keep your mouth shut," I told her, "I have no patience to deal with you at the moment."

"Mina-san, we are keeping quiet," Tetsu told me as he and Shion tried to catch up with me.

"I wasn't talking to you, was I?!" I spat.

I would yell at Kensai more often during those times, even when others were around. I'm sure people thought I was crazy or something, thinking that I must've been talking to myself or something.

"Um..., so how are the kids, Tetsu-san?" Shion decided to break the ice.

"Fine," Tetsu answered, "they're..."

"We're here," I broke him off by stopping in front of the restaurant.

Our meal had come right away shortly after ordering. Shion had ordered a large bowl of chicken ramen along with several rice balls, Tetsu had a few slices of pork with rice, I just had some tuna with radish sprinkled on top and a few balls of mochi, but all of us shared a few bottles of sake. As we ate, there was nothing but silence going about the table, just as it did when we arrived at the restaurant. I didn't want to start any conversations, the only subject I could really bring up was how I hated my new life, how I felt so guilty for killing all those people I've killed so far. Yeah, I hated killing people, but for some reason I believed Kensai's words that every kill I made would bring me one step closer to Shinta. God I was such a moron back then...

"Hm...," I looked into my glass of sake after taking a sip.

"What is it?" Shion asked after slurping some of her noodles into her mouth.

"The sake," I began sniffing the contents, "it tastes pretty bitter."

"It tastes okay to me," Tetsu said after taking a sip from his own glass.

"I can't taste anything wrong with it," Shion said after taking a few gulps from her own.

"Sake has never been this bitter before," I told everyone, "I suppose it's just my imagination though," I shrugged as I took another sip.

It was hard to tell what was real and what was my imagination. Like that wound Kensai gave me, I swear I could feel it's burn sometimes, feel the scarlet rivers flowing down my face, and I still do this day. The sake though, it tasted like blood; there was not a hint of rice or grape in it as it usually had. My brother told me about this happening to him before, I never thought it was true until that day though.

"Um, Mina-san," Tetsu addressed me as I poured myself another glass.

"What?" I practically growled.

"There's a reason why we brought you out here today," Tetsu said.

"Make this quick," I ordered as I bit into one of my mochi.

"It's about your killing streak," Tetsu brought up. "You've been a hitokiri for only three months and you've done a lot for our clan."

"I don't need praise for what I do," I told Tetsu.

"Mina, what Tetsu-san is trying to say is that you've been going a bit overboard with your killing," Shion explained.

"What do you mean?" I asked, glaring at the two as I took another sip of my drink.

"Mina-san, you've already killed over one hundred people, that's more than half of how much your brother killed in the same amount of time when he was the Cho Shu Clan's hitokiri," Tetsu explained, "do you know how hard it is to hide all those bodies?"

"Well, it's your job, isn't it?" I retorted.

"It is, but the point I'm trying to make is that more than half of those men you've slain weren't even your targets, they were just random victims that you killed," Tetsu continued.

"They weren't random victims," I replied, "they were supporters of the Shogunate or witnesses who saw my actions, it's only natural that they should die."

"Now you're thinking clearly," Kensai said from the back of my head.

"Mina-san, I know they're supporters of the Shogunate and all, but don't you feel any kind of guilt from taking those lives?" Tetsu asked.

"I feel nothing," I lied.

"You're such a liar, Mina," Kensai taunted.

"Stay out of my affairs," I ordered her.

"Mina-san, your actions are my affairs," Tetsu overheard my words to Kensai, "as the field chief of the Satsuma Clan, I'm the one who has to clean up the mess you and Shion make. I'm not having this speech with you just because I want to make my job easier, but I want to make sure that you don't become a mass murderer of some sort."

"Field chief? Che, that's just a fancy word for janitor," I shrugged. "And you call me a mass murderer, don't even go there Tetsu, I have my limits on who I kill."

"But based on who you've killed so far and the reasons you've used, you're on the very same level as a serial killer," Tetsu explained.

"Don't you dare put me to their level!" I yelled jumping out of my seat.

"Shion-san, don't you agree?" Tetsu turned to her. "Please tell her what she's been doing is wrong."

"I...," Shion began to hesitate, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to side with Mina, Tetsu-san. There is no such thing as an innocent person in war, all those you killed are involved," Shion referred to my words a year ago once more.

It pained me every time Shion said those words, I never actually believed in it until Shinta had left me. It was me who was the first to say those words, and I was the last to follow them. I guess it was a good thing that I kept my mouth shut a majority of the time during that period in my life, otherwise I could've babbled even more nonsense that would lead me down a darker road in the path of violence.

"Mina-san, Shion-san, I can't believe the two of...," I suddenly cut him off with the wave of my hand.

My eyes had caught the attention of several Mibu Wolves outside. They didn't seem to be doing any patrolling of some sort, they just looked as if they were having a regular day out on the town. Regardless if they were on duty or not, I grabbed my katana that sat next to the table and hurried outside.

"Mina-san!" Tetsu tried to stop me.

"Pay the bill, all right," I ordered him, "I've got a bone to pick with some dogs."

I followed the three Shinsengumi men closely, my form staying within the shadows. I followed them until we were in a desolate area. There was no one around, I'm sure the closest part of civilization was miles away. That was when I struck. Their backs were turned as I began to step away from the shadows, my left thumb pushing against my katana's guard as my right hand began pulling it outward from the hilt. My steps became a dash soon after, the steel slab pulling outward as my steps began to echo in the area.

"What the hell?!" the three wolves finally realized my presence.

"Argh!" my blade met with one of their skulls.

My left palm began to push the metal curve outward, grinding his skull and muscle until my sword had been freed from the other side. Crimson fluids burst from the crater within that man's head, tainting my uniform with it's contents. I quickly leapt toward the closest Wolf with my sword raised above my head after, I can still remember the shock on his face before my sword sliced through it. He didn't even get a chance to draw his blade, and mine was already traveling down his spine, splitting the bone and body in half. The remaining soldier had a chance to draw his blade though, having it lead his run as he charged toward me after.

"Pathetic," I sighed as my sword caught his.

Our blades were locked in an angle, his breath was pushing against my face. My feet began to pull back suddenly as dust began to collect underneath my tabi. I was losing this contest of strength, but I had an alternative to win. I flicked my wrist forward in an instant, catching the Wolf off guard. My blade planted itself on the side of the man's skull, causing his sword to fall to the floor in the process. The man was basically dead at that moment, so I ended his suffering by pushing my blade further westward. His body fell to the floor after, a scarlet puddle began collecting before my feet after I had cut him. The deed was done, and my sword's thirst for blood had been quenched, along with three more steps being added to my path to Shinta.

"Mina-san!" I turned to where I had come from to find Tetsu and Shion.

"Tetsu, clean up this refuse!" I ordered as I began to make my way out of the area.

"Mina, wait up!" Shion called as she ran to my side.

The two of us had returned to the populated part of the city. There was no one around that I knew other than Shion, that was my cue to cut my act.

"DAMMIT!" I screamed as my knees brought me to the floor. "How much longer must I do this?!" I cried as my palm met with the road.

"Mina, you don't have to kill every single Shogunate supporter you see, you know," Shion assured me, "I mean, if it hurts you this much, you can always quit."

"I can't quit," I told her between my tears, "I have to continue with this charade until I find my brother."

"What gives you that idea?" Shion asked, placing her arm over my shoulder.

"The Cho Shu Clan is still alive, right? Then eventually they'll meet up with the Satsuma Clan again, and then I can be reunited with my brother," I explained, "so I have to stay with the clan if I want to see him again."

"That's nonsense," Shion told me, "you don't have to stay with us in order to be reunited with your brother. I'm sure you can find him on your own if you left the clan."

"I know, but...," the area around my eye began to tingle.

"You'll break our contract in the process," Kensai suddenly appeared before me.

I couldn't help but gasp at the image of the dark soul before me. My body jumped back without my input, sending my back against the road. Her golden eyes peered into mine with that dark simper stretched across her face, her shoulders moved up and down as snickers escaped the crease in her lips, and two rivers of scarlet ran down the left side of her face, leaking from the cross-shaped mark around her eye.

"You don't want to break our little contract, do you?" Kensai grinned as her palm met with her eye.

"Ow!" the burning around my eye began to grow.

"Mina, are you okay?" Shion hurried to my side once more. "What's wrong?"

"As long as you continue you killing, our contract won't be broken," Kensai said as one of the bodies that I had just slain fell before my feet. "And the more you kill, the closer you'll get to your brother," she said as the other two bodies appeared before the previous one, one a few inches above the other.

"Mina, come on, answer me," Shion said once more, just as the bodies and Kensai began to disappear, "Mina!"

"I'm...I'm okay," I tried to assure.

"Are you sure," Shion asked concerned, "you scared me there for a moment."

"Hai, I'm fine," I tried to put on my best smile, "I'm fine, that I am."

"Mina...," Shion continued giving me her worried expression.

"You don't have to worry about me, Shion," I told her once more, "it's just one of those days, you know."

"Mina, something's bothering you," Shion said, looking through my illusion, "it's not hard to tell at all. People just don't fall to the floor and break down and then freak out for no apparent reason. They also don't just shift over to a normal state after what they had just gone through."

"I'm telling you, it's just one of those days," I tried telling Shion once more.

"Mina, I don't think any woman has ever had mood swings like that during their period so don't lie about that stuff," Shion still wouldn't accept my lies.

"I'm not lying, Shion," I tried to convince her once more.

"Oh really, then what about the first time I encountered Kensai, huh?" Shion reminded me. "You lied about her existence until she almost raped me!"

"I didn't lie about her existence," I snapped, "I just changed the subject when you brought her up!"

"Still, you avoided the problem!" Shion yelled back. "Mina, did something happen between you and Kensai again? If so, tell me, I don't want you to be a victim of her crimes any longer."

It was too late for that, Shion just didn't know it. I couldn't let anyone get involved with my problems back then, no matter how close I was with them, even if they happened to be my best friend.

"Nothing happened between us," I lied, "she hasn't appeared after you kicked her ass a few months ago."

"Mina, you're lying to me, I know it," Shion saw through my lie once more, "just tell me what she's done this time."

"I'm telling you, nothing's happened!" I insisted again.

"By the way you talk, you're obviously hiding something," Shion pointed out.

"Why are you be so persistent?! I'm telling you nothing has happened!" I told her once more.

"Don't lie to me, Mina!" Shion began to raise her voice.

"Fuck you!" I retorted. "This is like a police interrogation, just stop it, all right!"

"I'll stop when you tell me what's going on!" Shion snapped back.

"For the last fucking time, nothing is going on!" I yelled at her, grabbing the attention of all the onlookers in the area.

I always had a tendency to be the center of attention; there were times I wondered why I haven't been caught during my assassinations if I keep putting myself in situations such as these. I was angry at Shion for her persistence, but in truth, I was angry with myself for making that deal with Kensai in the process. I couldn't stand her concern any longer, anymore of it and I would've broken down again. I should've told her what was going on at the time, but for some reason, I didn't.

"Che, I'm outta here!" I stomped as I turned my back on my best friend.

"Mina, wait!" Shion called.

"Don't you even think about following me, Shion!" I glared.

After my outburst, I began wandering the city, alone. As time flew by, more and more people began to occupy the streets. I didn't even bother to do anything to the Shogunate supporters I saw as I went down the streets, I was too caught up in my own thoughts.

'Shinta, how much more of this do I have to endure?' I thought to myself as I wandered.

"You're not thinking about ending our contract, are you?" her voice suddenly whistled in front of me.

"Kensai?" I stood frozen by her visage once more.

"Poor Mina," she said as she began to approach me, "you miss him, don't you?" she asked as our toes were practically touching each other.

"Hai," I nodded, my eyes dragging to the floor.

"You love him so much that you'd be willing to do anything to be reunited with him once more, don't you?" Kensai asked, her fingers taking hold of my chin.

"Hai," I answered once more.

"Then you know what you must do," Kensai said as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "You can be such a baby at times, you know," she whispered into my ear. "But maybe that's what I like about you," her finger met with the tip of my nose as her yellow eyes peered into mine.

"You needn't remind me of what I must do, that you don't," I told her as I turned my head to the floor.

"By the way you speak, I know that you lose your path often," Kensai said as she tilted my face toward her's again, "that's why you chose me as your guide."

"Kensai!" the call of another began drifting my way.

"An enemy?" I began to reach for my sword.

"No," Kensai assured me, "ally. Slay him if you wish, either way I'll enjoy it."

"I have no intention of doing so," I told her.

"Fine," Kensai sighed, "I guess I'll be on my way then," she said as she began releasing her grip on me. "I'll see you soon, Mina," she smiled once more before disappearing into thin air.

"Kensai!" the voice was now right behind me.

"What do you want?" I practically growled at the man.

"Saigo-sama has a job for you tonight," the man said as he handed me a black envelope.

"Okita Soushi," I read from the dark papyrus, "his head will be mine!" the paper crumbled with the close of my hand.

Chapter 28 Liner Notes

A little bit more info on Kensai- Other than being an alternate persona of Mina, Kensai is actually based on evil souls that are spoken of in some Japanese mythologies. These evil souls would always have the appearance of the person they share a body with and sometimes that person can see these souls outside of their body just as Mina did in this chapter. Sometimes these souls can be contained to a degree so that they can't take control of the person's body, usually with a necklace or divine item of some sort (in Mina's case, she has her ribbon). When the item is removed, then the soul can take control of the person's body. I should also note on the way Mina and Kensai interact. No, Kensai is not attracted to Mina, the way she interacts with her is nothing sexual, it's just a unique way of interacting. I got the idea from some of CLAMP's work (such as X/1999 and Chobits), the way some characters interact with their alternate personas in their stories is just like how Mina and Kensai interact, with all the touching and everything, but it's not sexual. I just thought I'd clear that up.

(Next time: "Four marks lay before my eye, each one representing a different path, a different destiny. Is it Fate that makes me do such horrible things, or is it my will...?" -Himura Mina)

Author's note: She's really losing it, isn't she folks? I told you this story was going to take a much darker turn now that Kenshin's gone, and things are only going to get worse until the end of this book. Well, only six chapters and the epilogue left and this book is over, then it's time to move on to book II, 'A Rurouni's Path'. In the meantime, why not leave me a review, and as usual, no flames. Well then, see ya next week and happy holidays.