For some reason, this site doesn't display this story at all in the RK page!! *shakes fist* maybe it'll fix itself later?

Whatever. Finally: chapter 3. I'm sorry. My cable got cut off, so I haven't watched RK in months and I lost my motivation. T-T It seems I always have some sorry excuse, don't I?? Well, I got to watch an episode on vacation in Motel 6, and I must say, THE NEW ANIMATION IS ALL WEIRD! I liked it before!! *cries*

Note: if I make any mistakes (except typos. I'm talking the names of certain objects and etc.), please lemme know so I can fix them in upcoming chapters. I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, and it helps if I know the names of things. *dunce hat*

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Chapter 3- The Assassin

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Night had befallen the Kamiya dojo many hours past. The sky was a hazy midnight blue, and the moon and stars contrasted it in their twinkling and shining. It would have been all too peaceful. if Yahiko wasn't snoring so loudly. But it made the job easier for the shadow creeping along the dojo. Right past the kitchen, past Kaoru's bedroom. the person's silhouette was only clear when steeped in the moonlight for a moment outside the shared room of Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sanosuke. It was a she, stepping as gracefully as a cat as she padded over toward the panel barring inside from outside. Her long formal kimono seemed a regal green studded with images of swooping cranes, and she had wisely avoided the clunk of sandals.

The panel was coaxed open gently, revealing Sano once again gone on a "walk", leaving Kenshin and Yahiko sleeping peacefully. How conveniently they were placed; Kenshin lay closer to the panel, and laid parallel too! Too easy.

The woman stooped at his side, a long dagger clenched nervously in between her painted-scarlet lips. This dagger was transferred to her hands, which immediately trembled as she gazed upon the face of her next victim.

Each one was the same as the last. Each haunted her thoughts and dreams as she slayed another. There was no running.

No one could run.

This face in particular hypnotized her fearful eyes, her breathing becoming unsteady as each previous face flew before her eyes.

No. There was no turning back! She fought the haunting profiles and gripped the dagger tighter. One thrust. That's all she would need.

One thrust and the warm blood would spew from the wound in his chest. Spew like anguished cries from his mouth as he coughed up blood.

The blade was stopped in midair with a warm hand that shot up like lightning. Kenshin's amethyst eyes flew open, gazing at the painted face before his. Her eyes were lined with black, her lips crimson, a face as pale as a ghost, hair of the darkest hue tied up on a knot.

The geisha stared in horror back at those eyes. She would be seeing them for the rest of her life! His eyes were clearer than a crystal. She was sure he could see right through her.

"I-I can't take it anymore..." she choked, dropping the dagger like it burned her slender hands.

Kenshin's face wore a heavily puzzled expression as he silently watched her stumble out of the room and out the dojo. Was that Hotaru?

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Sanosuke eyed the other people and his surroundings as he put down a drained saucer on the tray in front of him, pushing aside a bottle resembling a vase [what's this called?? XD]. Several drunkards were there, singing to the old traditional drinking games that sailors often played. His little compartment [like the Akabeko restaurant!!] was just as gray and dark as the rest, lit only by a small Chinese lantern in the corner. He called for a waitress girl to fetch more sake and leaned back in wait. The Nightlife wasn't very quiet, but it was a place to take one's mind off things. It was a place to escape the quiet of the daytime.

The front door opened as another sake-deprived customer walked in. Usually, no one paid any heed to a stranger, too absorbed by their own conversations, thoughts, and problems. But with a few steps into the store, this person received many cat calls from drunken men.

It was that same geisha that attempted murder, ignoring the cries of the others. She stopped short as she found Sano.

At first, he didn't recognize the geisha in the dim light of the lantern's red glow. Her face was stained as if tears had been wiped away as they spilled, the black liner was smeared, and the lip-paint was wearing off and fading. "Hotaru?" he inquired as she sat opposite him and his tray.

The girl sighed as she poured herself sake in Sano's used saucer.

"What's with the getup?" Sano surveyed. He received no answer, not even a glance into his brown eyes. Seeing as Hotaru was drinking out of his saucer, he gulped down sake directly from the bottle in frustration before putting it down.

A few quiet moments between the two before Sano decided to speak once more. "You shouldn't be out so late," he stated calmly.

"Why? Are you worried about me?" Hotaru asked in reply, tilting her head in a soft manner. Sano looked away hurriedly, trying to regain his composure. "I can take care of myself. Besides, Sano, you're out late just as I am."

Sano opened his mouth to protest the difference, before he was interrupted with a question of his age.

"19," he said gruffly as she finished off the rest of the sake straight from the bottle.

Hotaru smiled in a smug manner. "That makes me one year older. So don't tell me what to do, little boy."

Sano shook his head in slight disapproval, ignoring the last remark about being little. The waitress then came with more sake in a tray, which she deposited next to the current one.

"Did you want anything else, sir?" the waitress asked Sano with a smile, who shook his head in the negative. "And your girlfriend.?" she added hastily.

"More sake," Hotaru replied, her cheeks red as she handed her the empty bottle.

After the waitress had slinked off, and half the new bottle was empty, Sano leaned forward, his eyes narrowed in disbelief. "How much do you drink?!"

Hotaru paused from sipping. "Not enough."

Much time was passed. Bottles were emptied as well, with Hotaru doing most of the drinking. Sano decided to keep his remarks to himself; Hotaru was getting drunk anyway, so it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

The bill ended up to be outrageous. Sano could only afford 3 bottles at the time, so the rest was put on his tab. A drunk Hotaru didn't make things any better; she couldn't stand still without swaying like Jell-o on a subway train. Sano had to drag her out of the bar, and they didn't get far before he grew annoyed of her slow pace.

Her face shown red as a beet through the faded parts of white on her face.

"(hic) Shanoooo. where we (hic) goin'?" Hotaru asked, smiling with the innocent air of a child, as they stopped in the middle of the road.

"Home," Sano replied in an angry tone and he turned to face the geisha before picking her up in his arms. He could get back to the dojo faster that way, instead of dawdling around, dragging a drunken girl who liked to smell the roses too often. Hotaru whined as she was slung over his shoulder.

"NOOOOoooooOOooo! Take me (hic) back, pleeeeeezzz! That man will be (hic) at home. Murderer. murderer! MURDERER!!" she cried slowly, loud enough to wake up all of Tokyo. Her weeping and struggles caused Sano to stand her up in front of him, as straight as her loss of balance would let her.

"Hotaru, listen." he whispered, holding her head in his palms so she wouldn't look away. He stared into her dark eyes that mirrored his own. His face was very close to hers, and his spiky hair that hung in the front of his headband was tickling the top of Hotaru's head. "There IS NO murderer."

Then who was the girl that stood in front of him?

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AHHHH. a whole hour. I should be sleeping rite now!

This chapter was so serious~ jeez. There will be humor in the next chapter, though. Just a bit. I think. *shuffles papers*

Review, review, review! You KNOW u wanna.