OK, I know it's been a while, but I have been SUPER busy. Well, here is another chapter. Read, review, tell me what you think. Oh, and thanks for the grammar pointer. I didn't even notice I was making that error. Too much time away from English class, I suppose.


Chapter 17:


And So, It Begins


The crickets chirped in the cool, damp air of the early morning. The sky was still a dark, rich shade of blue with a hint of pink peering over the eastern horizon. The air was calm and not a sound could be heard aside from fast moving feet barely touching the ground. Sandals bound with leather on the soles aided in the silent ascent. The fabric of traditional garb rustled softly and two pairs of narrow, determined eyes led the way. Kenshin could smell how close he was. They had begun to travel in the mid of the night, when his skills of stealth would be at its best. Kaoru also favored the night. It had been a long time since she had to stalk her prey. This event was like a sick, sadistic dream coming into reality.


She would kill again.


She would smell blood again.


Her sword would pierce flesh again.


The blood would rain again.


Those promises, those lusty desires, kept her moving forward at a pace equal to her husband, the Battousai.


Odd, there was a time she never wanted to see the golden eyes of the Hitokiri Battousai from the Revolution. The cold, calculating, killing machine that he was, that he never wanted truly to be. She assumed that was the difference between the two of them now. She lives for the kill. Kenshin will only kill to live.


But, now that he has arisen, his presence stirred something in her soul, something she didn't quite understand.


It excited her.


It made the hitokiri in her turn up a wry smile.


No, she was a hitokiri.


She was a murderer.


She wanted to be a murderer.


Her hands itched to kill again.


After this night, she would not return to the peaceful life of being an innkeeper's wife, she thought. She would not plot her hands in the earth to grow food for others. She would not resist her urge to return to her past life. The desire had begun to consume her, but she controlled it out of her love for her husband.


And her child…


"Kiri," Kaoru whispered to herself softly. Slowly, her mind came back to its senses, and she felt ashamed. She was only killing again to have her daughter back…to have her heart back. She could not be an assassin and care for her children at the same time. They would just become targets again, just as they are now. It's a sacrifice she not only made for Kenshin, but for her baby girl.


Kenshin looked back when he felt his partner lagging behind. She was looking down, tears rolling down her cheek to the dry soil at her feet. How could she let such feelings consume her at a time like this. She was torn. She was two different people. She had become what Kenshin was. A killer and a lover of peace rolled into one. She had to fight her former self to let her real self prosper. But, again the irony…death begets life. Life begets death. This is the path she has to travel. This was her destiny, her fate. All of her years have led her to this one, defining moment in her personal evolution.


"We must keep moving," Kenshin whispered to his wife, holding out his hand to her. Kaoru looked up, wiping the dampness from her face. His eyes, his eyes were fierce, but soft. The Battousai was not void of emotion. He knew what he had to do. The determination took over. His soul burned as brilliantly has his golden eyes.


Kaoru nodded and took off ahead of him. She too could feel her child near. Call it maternal instincts. Call it her superior tracking skills. Whatever you want to label it as, she knew she was near. She knew she had to retrieve her child and kill the bastards who took her. Kill the bastards who tried to kill her.


She will kill them all.


And the rising sun led her onward. The pair moved swiftly as the dense forest began to thin as they approached a large settlement. The daylight would blow their cover, so they paused just shy of the town to shroud themselves and then walked casually through the streets.


"We are about a three hour walk from Kyoto," Kaoru said, looking around the main street of the town. Looking at all the buildings, there had to be a population in the thousands. Kaoru did not recall this settlement being so large the last time he traveled to this area. It seemed to be a commercial area, so perhaps a natural treasure had been found here.


"It is very quiet, even for this time of morning," Kenshin commented, his senses on full alert. They were painfully close, he could feel it down to his spine. He could also feel eyes on him. Familiar eyes. He turned his head to see two adolescent girls peering curiously at him. They looked so familiar, but he had not been to this town in years and when he was, he did not get acquainted with anyone.


But they were still so familiar


The girls were beautiful and obvisouly kin. They favored each other so much. One was a bit taller, maybe a year or two older. Her brown eyes seemed to light up, though her lips were still turned to a frown. Who could they be?


"It's is Ayame and Suzume. Do not speak to them. Perhaps Yahiko and Saitou do not know it is them either, just as you barely recognized them. They may just find you familiar, but don't know exactly who you are. Jogging their memory will only add to the bloodshed, Battousai," Kaoru informed her husband without looking at the girls. Kenshin continued forward into the town's square. There was a fountain with a beautiful Buddha pouring water into a pond below. Yahiko's tall, dark figure loomed from behind the statue, Kiri still in his arms. She looked unharmed, but tired. Her little eyes were barely open, but when she saw her mother, she brightened up instantly.


"Kaa-san," she screamed with delight. Kaoru could not smile, could not cry. She could not run and fetch her daughter. She could not show any emotion. Showing emotion would mean death. She was back in hitokiri mode. Hopefully, her maternal instinct was not stronger than her swordsman spirit in this case.


This was it.


"Surrender or die," was Kaoru's only words. Very simple. Very cold. Very determined.


Yahiko laughed and withdrew his sword, bringing it up to Kiri's neck. Kaoru nor Kenshin flinched.


"I see you both are back to peak. I wonder if you can truly handle all three of us this time," he said, walking over to Kaoru. She moved into stance, scanning for her best opportunity to kill. Every strike she saw would come too close to her child. She couldn't take the risk. Yahiko had planned this out very well.


"The mother bird as come for her chick," Saitou proclaimed, his hands in his pockets, a cigarette on his lip. Misao was not far behind him. She looked different. Her hair was shoulder length and her face has gained a bit of maturity. It seems Saitou had finally tamed her. She might actually be a threat this time.


"Do you really want me to beat your ass again, Saitou? Or are you just looking to die this time," Kaoru said, her arrogance showing on her sleeve. Her opponent smirked and brought his fingers to his lips. He motioned for Misao to move forward and she did. Kaoru took notice that Saitou appeared unarmed, while the woman was.


She was most definitely a threat.


"Have you forgotten about me? I have not forgotten about you," she smaller woman said, placing her kunais between her fingers. In a flash, the little darts came towards Kaoru and Kenshin. Both were able to dodge the assault...but just barely. Her skill level had improved tremendously, no doubt under the careful eye of Saitou.


Not too far away, Ayame and Suzume move closer to the battle. All of the other townspeople were tucked safely inside their homes, but they were drawn to the fight. It had been so long since they had seen him.


"Grandpa was right! Brother Ken was coming back. I wish he was here to see," the young Suzume said in a hushed, but excited tone.


"And Miss Kaoru! She looks so different. I wonder why they are fighting those people," Ayame added. The pair were excited to see the people they considered family, even after so long. They always reveled in the fact that both Kaoru and Kenshin were so strong. There was never an enemy they couldn't defeat together. While they were sad when Kenshin left, their Grandpa told them that he was a wander and wanderers wander. But, he also said that Kenshin would return, because he would never forget their faces.


"Let's get closer. I think that's Yahiko over there holding the baby. Why would he be holding a baby like that?" Ayame whispered to her sister, moving in closer, but Suzume held her back.


"No, we stay here until we figure out what's going on," she said low, tucking back into their hiding spot. This was dangerous, she knew. They all have the look of death in their eyes, as if their tongues water for the taste of blood. This was a volitile situation. Then, she saw the tall man with the cigarette look over in their direction, and a smile ran across his face. Fear struck Suzume, but she knew it was better she stay put or risk alarming her younger sister.


"We have an audience, hitokiris. It would be a pity if something happened to them," Saitou said, humor in his voice. The husband and wife pair did not look behind them, for they both knew who they were referring to. Still, they did not know who they were, so to go after them would be pointless, because as far as Saitou knew, the killers had no ties to the girls.


"Keep your eyes on your mark. I care only about my child," Kaoru said, her eyes low.


"I...will...kill you."