Despite my best delusions, I still don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

*Lines with-in the stars (*) are thoughts.*

Shadow's Return - Chapter 9: Refugees

The sun rests mid-way through its morning climb as police search the ruined warehouse for clues. A few hours ago, the building mysteriously exploded. As long as they searched, though, there were no answers to be found here for the police.

A soft rumble works its way across Tokyo, bringing the attention of the assistant inspector back to the present. He had been pouring over Meiyomi's report from six months ago in his head, over and over, trying to piece this puzzle together.

A junior officer runs up to him, saluting him crisply despite his rough breathing.

"Hodo suru!" the assistant inspector ordered, returning the salute.

"Fujita-sama, the clinic just exploded." the officer manages to say, slowing his breathing enough to speak. "There is also a report of a battle before it exploded."

Saitou raises an eyebrow at this. "How did a battle take place, in Tokyo, in broad daylight, no less, with-out the police being involved?"

"There were a police involved, sir. Three officers were killed by strange creatures."

"Strange creatures?" he says, "Who died?"

"Myomin, Sohiko, and Taijiro." he says.

Saitou grumbles softly. He knew the officers. While he knows death is part of the job, and he's no stranger to it, those three were the type of officers that the new era needed. They were good officers.

"Who else was involved?"

"Several people were seen fleeing from the clinic just before it was destroyed. An officer followed them back to the Kamiya dojo."

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The dojo is full of the patients from the clinic. Bodies of wounded and sick litter the main hall as Megumi and Genzai work their ways through the patients.

Suzume leans against Kenshin, crying. The red-haired warrior leans down and picks her up. He notices, for the first time, the large bloodstain on the front of her kimono.

"Suzume-chan!" he says, shocked. "Are you alright?"

She sniffles in his ear. "I'm scared, Ken-nii." she says in a weak voice.

"But, you are not hurt?" he says relieved. Suzume shakes her head. "Where did the blood come from?" he asks her softly.

"The stranger threw me at Kaoru-ane. He was all bloody."

Kenshin looks over at Ayame, following Megumi around, and sees the front of her kimono was covered in blood, as well. Curious, he begins looking around for Taiyoryu.

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Kaoru was doing her best to comfort those who were brought to her dojo from the clinic. She wasn't especially good at it, but she did what she could. Out of the corner of her eye, she spots Taiyoryu sitting in a corner, his head slumped down and his long hair hanging across his face. His katana rests against his left shoulder. Kaoru couldn't help but shudder as she thought of how similar he is to how Kenshin was when he first arrived.

Kenshin steps beside her. "Have you seen the Akumu?" he asks.

She nods in Taiyoryu's direction. "Why?"

"I think he may be wounded."

Kaoru moves behind Kenshin as he approaches the strange warrior. If the haunting similarities between the two bothered Kenshin, either he didn't show it or Kaoru couldn't see it. The were almost to him when Kaoru sees the pool of blood that is running out from under his cloak.

"Taiyoryu-san?" Kenshin says softly, placing a hand on the warriors shoulder. When the Akumu doesn't respond, he sends Kaoru for Genzai or Megumi.

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Ayame had to sit down. She had tried following Megumi around, tried to be as helpful as possible, but she was just too tired now. She had found that when she was busy, she didn't have time to be scared. Now, though, she was tired and had to rest, so she had plenty of time to be scared. She begins to whimper softly, despite herself.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" a deep voice asks softly beside her. She looks over to see one of the patients from the clinic looking at her. *What did he come in for?* she asks herself. *A doctor needs to remember this stuff.*

His hair was a little longer than Yahiko's, but not as long as Kenshin's. It is the bright yellow of the sun, as is his thick mustache. "I'm okay." she says weakly.

"Are you scared?" he asks. She looks over to Megumi, who is walking through the patients. The man must have seen where she was looking.

"You want to be just like her, eh?" She snaps around to stare at him. *How could he know that?* He chuckles softly at the look on her face. "I don't blame you." he says softly. He looks around, like he's about to share a secret. "She is pretty."

"She's smart, too." Ayame says proudly. "She knows everything. Well... Except kenjutsu, but she says doctors don't need to know kenjutsu."

"Hai." the man says softly. "And she always has boys around."

Ayame makes a face at him. "Boys are yucky. Well, most boys.."

"Ah." the man says, a smile on his face. "You have a boyfriend."

Ayame frowns at him, smacking him on the chest. "I do not!" The man coughs roughly for a moment, a trickle of blood appearing in the corner of his lips. She gasps softly, trying to figure out what his injury is. She places the back of her hand against his forehead. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to find, but she had seen Megumi and her grandpa, Genzai, do it. She sticks her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, she had seen her grandpa do that, too. The man chuckled at the sight of this.

"Am I going to be alright?" he asks her, laughing lightly.

She suddenly remembers why he was there. "Hai." she answers, then smacks him on the forehead with the back of her hand. She had seen Megumi do that a lot, too, but usually to Sano. "But you're supposed to be resting, not swinging your sword around."

The man laughs again. "You already sound like her." Ayame couldn't help but laugh with the man.