Author's Note: Well, this chapter's pretty slow at first, but hey, things pick up later on. Don't worry, we'll have plenty of action in chapters to come, the fourth is guaranteed to have a nice long one. Anyway, if you're new to the "Crimson String" story, the entire tale is told in Mina's POV. Kenshin will appear in this fic if you're wondering, but it will be a while before that happens. If you're a K/K fan, don't worry, Mina won't get together with Kenshin, I have someone else for her.

Chapter 1: Blue Sky, White Clouds

"Hey part-time girl, can you go greet the customers at the door?"

"Hai!"

It had only been a day since I had left Kyoto, a day since I had began the life of a rurouni. The current date of my story is January 7, 1868, four days after the Meiji government gave the order to destroy the remnants of the Tokugawa Shogunate. I had already found myself low on funds, the money I had last received working for the Satsuma Clan was not enough to last me for even another day. Still, I did have some rations and water, but I thought it would be best if I filled my wallet a bit more in case I got tired of dried fish and jerky. Luckily I came across a small village that day, the inn was looking for part-timers to work in their kitchen and dining hall. The pay was one yen an hour, along with a free room for the night and free meals, not a bad deal I guess.

"Hello," I greeted the family at the door with the best smile I could put on my face, "will you all be eating together or separately today?"

This is how I mostly made my rounds during my travels, working at inns as a waitress or servant. The pay was decent at the time, and I usually got a free room for the night. I could also pick up some news in the dining hall as well by listening in to the customers' conversations.

"We'll be eating together, ma'am," one of the customers answered.

"Right this way, please," I lead the group to a table by a window.

It was a small family, one husband, a wife, and a baby boy. It was funny to see a family like this, the husband and wife looked about my age at the time which was sixteen. I was considered an adult now, but I still felt like a kid at the time. Maybe Kensai's brainwashing took away some years of maturing or whatever. I don't know what it was, but seeing that couple kind of reminded me of Shinta and me. Both of us were always happy together, planning what we were going to do after the Revolution. We were both supposed to travel around Japan together as rurounies, and Shion was going to tag along too. Shinta, I could never stop thinking about him, and this happy family standing before me didn't help either. Families and couples like them always make me think what could've been between my brother and me, it just hurt me to see others given happiness I more than rightfully deserve.

With a sigh, I turned away from the young family, making my way back into the kitchen.

"Do you think that sword on the waitress's belt is real?" I overheard from one of the customers at the bar area.

"Nah, why would they have a woman dress up as a samurai, especially with the times they are now," another customer responded. "I gotta admit though, she does look kinda like that one hitokiri all the ex-Shogunate supporters are talking about."

"You mean Hitokiri Battousai?" the first customer asked.

"Yeah, that's right."

I turned to the sword on my belt, the end of the hilt reflecting a speck of sunlight as I laid eyes on it, filling my pupils with my visage. Of course the sword was real, but I couldn't let anyone know that, they'd probably think I was picking a fight or something. Even if I did draw it, my opponents would probably mock me for carrying around a sakabatou, laughing at how it's blade is on the wrong edge. All the thieves, bandits, and other men that tried to attack me on my journey thus far did, and they soon found themselves eating dirt after. I could never shed blood with this blade, there was no more need to do so, there was no need to bring more rain to the Sanzu. Blood, that was probably the color of my hair now. I mean, it was always red in the first place, but after being showered with the ruby elixir for so long, the shade of my hair must now have been a dark scarlet. My eyes were still of the same shade however, a light lavender a color, the same color as Shinta's. We really could pass as brother and sister, after all, we shared the same appearance, minus the placement of our scars.

Scars, the scars Shinta and I shared were different than others. His was a scar that was marked on his left cheek, mine was over my left eye. The cross-shaped tear, that is what Kensai called our scar, it resembled the bond we once shared, it resembled the pain that I caused others. Kensai inflicted this wound upon me, the mark would sometimes sear during the Revolution if I had not done what she had asked. The wound was never apparent until now, I'm sure every man I've come across has been pushed away from me because of this cross. Funny, I never really realized how my clothing reflected my scars.

I always wore a white kimono with black lining that traveled up the sides of my kimono and sleeves, it also covered the top half of my kimono. I didn't like to wear those baggy hamakas that most soldiers wore, I always like wearing the bottom half of the kimono like most Japanese women, it showed off my legs, something I couldn't do back in the Revolution. There was a red belt that came with my outfit, it was wide enough to cover my stomach but it didn't stop directly below my bust like most women's belts did. There was also a sakura flower design on the right side of my kimono's bottom half, it seemed out of place, but it looked kind of cute in my opinion. The white represented the times before I was under Kensai's influence, the black represented the darkness I went through under her spell. The sakura design was just a random thing, I'm not sure what it represents. Heck, I don't even know why I said why my clothes represented my scars. Oh well, whatever.

"What do you mean you can't put it on my tab?!" the yelling of one of the men at the bar area soon filled my ears.

'This isn't good...,' I sighed as I began making my way back into the dining area.

"Gomen nesai, but your tab has already exceeded the maximum limit of five hundred yen," the waitress tried explaining, "the restaurant's policy is..."

"I don't give a crap about the restaurant's policy!" the man yelled at the waitress in a drunken rage. "Put it on my tab or I'll...!"

"Can you keep it down over there?" the man I had just given a table to asked from the other side of the room.

"What was that you son of a...!"

"Let's watch our language, shall we?" I interrupted the man before he could mutter a swear. "Some people are trying to enjoy their meals peacefully, that they are."

"The hell do you think you're talkin' to, Lady?!" the drunken man spat at me.

"Your breath reeks of alcohol, that it does," I said as my fingers pinched against my nostrils.

"You think you're so funny, don't ya?! I oughta...!"

"Is there a problem here?" the manager suddenly appeared.

"I can handle it, sir," I assured him. "If you can't pay for your bill, you can at least keep your mouth shut and allow the rest of the restaurants occupants to enjoy their meal peacefully."

"Che, who the hell do you think you are talkin' to me like a kid?!" the drunk took hold of my collar.

The sake this man was drinking had definitely poisoned his mind, I could see it in his eyes. His grip around my kimono's collar was firm, his fingers were ready to tear it or any part of my body that was close by. Rivers of sweat were traveling down his brow and arms, the cool streams falling onto my wrist as he held me. His eyebrows were arched and his eyes narrowed, the alcohol had already taken hold of his personality, there was no way this was going to end peacefully.

"I suggest you let me go otherwise I might retaliate," my patience began to dwindle at that moment.

"You gonna bust out that sword of yours or something you wanna-be samurai?" the drunk taunted.

"Part-time girl, you really should..."

"Sir, I can handle this," I assured the manager once more.

"Handle it as well as I handle your face!"

The drunk had raised his other hand in front of my face at that moment, his fingers curling against his palm and his thumb locking them in. The hold on my collar had tightened, just as the rush of air began slicing against my face. My breath was beginning to touch his knuckles, but they traveled no further when I finally took action.

My left hand had traveled to the hilt of sakabatou at the very moment his fist rested before my face, my arm pushing forward so that the end of the handle met with the drunk's abdomen. The man's fist suddenly stopped levitating, dropping to his body's side as it hunched over. His eyes were as wide as his mouth, I swear you could fit an entire fish in there with that expression on his face. My foot then jumped forward, my toes striking against the man's chin and straightening his figure once more. Gravity took it's toll soon after my kick, dragging his entire body to the floor.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, Hai-Ryu-Sen," I chanted my attack's name as I slid the blade back into my belt.

"You bitch!" the drunk suddenly returned to his feet.

"Didn't I tell you to watch your language?!" I yelled at my opponent.

The man's hand began drifting into the sleeve of his kimono, removing a sanded piece of bark from his clothing. His left hand began to pull on one end of the short stick as his right began to reveal a shimmer of steel as the stick extended. The stick had extended a small distance away until one half had fallen to the floor and the half with the small slab of metal still remained in his right.

"A tanto?" I looked at the drunk's weapon.

Shuffling began to fill my ears as soon as the knife was revealed, the occupants were obviously frightened by the puny weapon. Even the manager had left, I suppose none of them had lived through the hell that was the Meiji Revolution, a tanto wouldn't have even been considered a threat. With the restaurant now empty, I wouldn't have to worry about having any bystanders getting the way.

"Looks like it's just you and me, girl," a smirk stretched across the man's face. "Let's dance!"

"I hope you know how stupid you sound," I remarked.

I wanted to end this battle quickly, some poor civilian might accidentally stumble into the restaurant if this was to go on for a some time. There were a number of attacks I could think of that could easily dispose of this man, but some could give harm to the restaurant itself, cutting down on my pay check. There was only one real attack I could do that could prevent any property damage, and it was...

"Die!" the drunk suddenly charged forward.

My eyes widened at the sight of his attack. His right hand firmly cradling the knife as his palm took hold of the bottom. The edge was sharp enough to pierce even the strongest of blades, but it would be useless after what I had done. My right hand quickly took hold of my sakabatou's hilt as my legs arched forward. The steel slab quickly flew out of it's oak restraint, digging into the drunk's ribs. The metal object in his hands quickly dropped to the floor as I pushed the reverse-blade further into his body. The mass that held my blade in place suddenly disappeared and the drunk's body suddenly flew out of the restaurant via the entrance. A loud thud erupted in the entire area and clouds of dust began to fill the area outside. As the clouds began to disappear, I could see my opponent lying with his eyes shut and mouth wide open, but his chest was still heaving. Again, I had fought a battle to the death and I had spared my opponent's life, just what I had wanted. My eyes then shifted back to the reverse-blade in my hands, there was still not a drop of blood on it.

"Don't come back until you pay your tab!" I yelled at the man as I sheathed my weapon.

"Whoa, did you see that?" spectators began encircling the area.

"That girl, did she...?" was another reaction.

"Nice job, part-timer," the manager approached me seconds later.

"He was nothing compared to what I've faced in the war," I suddenly blabbed.

'Shit!' I quickly shut my mouth after my last comment. 'That wasn't very smart of me, this guy might find out who I really am and turn me in to the government!'

"The war?" the manager asked. "I suppose so, a traveler such as yourself must've faced the likes of the Shinsengumi or the Ishin Shishi during your travels."

"Yeah, that's exactly right," I quickly followed up.

"I can't thank you enough part-timer, as a matter of fact, I'm throwing in ten more yen to your payment tomorrow," the manager added.

"Arigatou, sir," I bowed.

"Now let's go back in and clean the place up," the manager ordered.

The rest of the day was rather dull, not another soul dared to try and start another ruckus. The entire inn was silent as I served customers, everyone must've been frightened of me. I didn't like the fact that I was scaring people, it reminded me too much of the Revolution, that it did. The Revolution, after participating in the living hell that was Kyoto, I now wonder which side was really good and which was evil. I don't want to get too much into this right now, even I don't know the answer to this day.

It was rather relaxing when I was finally able to get off work, it was about midnight when the manager told me to call it a day. The first thing I wanted to do was take a bath, the smell of fried fish was very apparent on my body. The bath house was empty when I got in, maybe the other women scrambled out when they knew I was on my break. Steam was rising from the translucent pool, the entire bath house was engulfed in the thin clouds. A warm bath, the perfect way to get the smell of fish off of my body. It was soothing to lay in that steaming pool, the feel of the water put my body at ease. My eyes couldn't help but linger to the ceiling as I lay there, observing every little speck of the steam clouds. Just staring into the clouds began to add weight onto my eye lids, it had been a long day, but at least I earned twenty yen. The darkness was coming closer with every second I blinked my eyes, soon my eyes would open no more.

Ting! The sound of metal barely made it's way into my ear. Ting! Another scratch of steel, this one louder than the last. Ting! A third screech, my face couldn't help but scrunch at the sound. Ting! The sound was growing closer. TING!

"Is that all you can do?" I suddenly found myself amidst several men.

The blackness had been stripped from my eyes, the walls and streets of Kyoto had taken their place. My breathing had changed, my chest was now heaving heavily. A weight was now prying my arms to the floor, it's steel curve dripping of a substance I knew too well. Navy blue rags were hanging from my shoulders and gray leggings wrapped around my legs.

"Hi...Hitokiri Kensai!" one of the men managed to stutter my nickname.

"Himura Mina!" another draws his blade with hesitation.

"Prepare yourself!" I yelled as I found my feet pushing me forward.

My arm suddenly swung forward, a flash of steel glimmering before my eyes as a blast of crimson followed. Another metal curve appeared, this one swinging at my neck. My knees then bent, bringing my form closer to the floor. Strands of red fell from my attacker's sword, just as a gush of scarlet liquid followed with the rise of my katana. The geyser had illuminated the night in a ruby red, I could see my remaining opponents quivering in fear. My eyes began to drift forward, counting each street tile until it laid sight onto the remaining men. All of them took a step back, their blades lowering an inch or two after. Just as the crimson light began to die, my feet pressed forward once more, my katana raised upward and slicing the wind. Steel met with flesh for a mere second, the cold kiss of death meeting with another within the blink of an eye, suckling away at his life from his neck. A clatter of metal meeting with stone followed with the withdrawal of my blade, the remaining men were trying to escape. My legs began to bunk, the wind slicing my face with each step my feet took. Their backs were within reach in an instant, there was no way they could have escaped. Again I swung, another blast of the ruby elixir erupted upon impact of my sword. A second swing followed, my katana's blade embedding itself into the ribs of another. Everywhere my arm turned, another gush of red would follow. Blood, blood, and more blood, it was such a common sight back then. When the geysers of red ended, I found myself staring at the newly tainted roads. My clothes were now tainted in the ruby substance, my hair hardened and sticking more closely to my body, my sword was heavier than ever, drenched in a heavy coat of scarlet.

"Well done," the clapping of hands suddenly entered my ears.

That voice, I knew it too well. Slowly I veered my head in it's direction, and there she was, the other soul that resided within me. That simper was perched upon her face as usual, her bright yellow eyes as narrow as a wolf's, her teeth as sharp as a knife's edge, and her hair as dark as blood.

"How can you say such a thing?" I asked her, returning the deed I had just done.

"It's all going to a good cause, is it not?" her dark chuckle began escaping her lips. "Each of these corpses are the steps to the path to find your brother again, are they not?"

"...hai, they are," I nodded after a small moment of hesitation.

At that very moment, I couldn't help but spring my neck forward, the scenery of Kyoto shifting back into the bath house in the blink of an eye. I found myself once again staring into the ceiling of the bath house, the steam of the pool was as thick as ever. My body began to loosen once more as I sank back into the piping water.

'A dream,' I assured myself, 'a dream, and nothing more, that it is.'

As I left the bath house, I couldn't help but continue thinking about that dream. My eyes drifted to my lavender ribbon as it lay in my hands. The ribbon, it was the only gift Shinta ever gave me, it meant a lot to me. It was more than a simple hair ornament, it was what kept Kensai's mind apart from my own. Kensai, it had only been two days since I last saw her, but her words were still fresh in my mind.

"You haven't seen the last of me, you can never get rid of me!" she said. "You need me! Ah ha ha ha ha ha! You need me!"

'I don't need you,' I thought to myself as I tied my ribbon in my hair, 'I never needed you.'

I went to my room after, I would be leaving this place early the next day. The life of a rurouni, so far it has been nothing but lonely. At the time I couldn't help but think about the Revolution, I mean, not the Revolution itself, but the friends I had then. Tetsu, Shion, Shinta, they were always there for me. I was able to share my pain with them, and they knew exactly how I felt. Tetsu, he was such a good man, he had so much that I wanted; a loving family, a positive attitude, and many other things. Shion, my best friend, I only wish I could return the feelings she had for me. Shion, she said that she would travel with me, that we would meet in Nagoya in September. Shinta, my beloved Shinta, the man who took me in and raised me as his sister, if only he knew how I truly felt about him. Shinta, I'm still looking for you to this day, could you have perhaps forgotten about me now that... No, I can't say it, it's too soon.

'Everyone,' I thought to myself, 'I want to see everyone again.'

The life of a rurouni was a lonely one, I was already getting depressed even though it had only been a day since I left Kyoto. I sat at the corner of my room, my arms hugging my legs and my head meeting with my knees I was alone, all over again, just like that time Shinta and I were separated. I remember it all too well...

I can remember the roar of the cannons, the feel of dirt splattering onto my face, the burn in my hand as my brother dragged me. We were running for our lives, the Shogunate had managed to ship Western weaponry into Kyoto. Men from all sides were falling beneath our feet, their eyes often filled with nothing but white. The ground would rise for a moment after a sphere of black would meet with the earth, it's contents occasionally slicing my body. And then suddenly, I felt the ground below me rising, my fingers beginning to burn as they pulled away from my brother's hand. The wind was then pushing against my body, pushing as the ground suddenly disappeared before my feet. The moment my back met with the surface once more, everything went black.

'Shinta...,' his name barely escaped my lips as I held my knees closer.

"Mina-san," the last memory of Tetsu began to replay in my mind once more, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

"No, you shouldn't be the one to apologize," I took hold of his hand, "I was being so rude to you after being separated from Kenshin. I was so angry at the time that I would blow up on anyone, please forgive me."

"Don't worry Mina-san," a weak smile curled on his lips, "it's all right. Maybe with you leaving the Ishin Shishi you can find your brother once more."

"My brother, but what about you? What about your family?" I asked him, trying to hold back the tears. "It's because of me that..."

"My boys are pretty strong, you of all people should know that," Tetsu tried to assure me. "I'm sure they'll be strong enough to go on without their father."

"Tetsu, please don't say that!" my hold on his hand tightened. "Your boys need you, I shouldn't have..."

"Mina-san, it was either you or me," he coughed. "This...is how war is. Everyone is fighting for the sake for another; you for your brother, me for my kids, everyone wants the best for their family..., for their friends..., for their...country. Unfortunately, not everyone can get the best, and so, only the ones who strive the most can achieve the best. Mina-san, you... strived to be with your brother so much, more than what I must have wanted my to have my kids live in a safe new era, and I... respect you for that...," his voice began to die.

"Tetsu...," his hold on my hand suddenly loosened. "Tetsu?!"

'Tetsu, what have I done?' I asked myself.

"This is 'Crimson String and the Four Destinies," my thoughts then turned to the last time I spoke with my best friend.

"I thought I could leave it with you once this job was done," Shion said, "you really liked that book so I thought it could be a going away present."

"Arigatou," I thanked her as I stuffed the book into my kimono.

"And I have another gift for you," her eyes turned to the ground, her toes circling the same area over and over again. "I know you're not into this kind of stuff, but..."

I knew how Shion felt about me, I knew what that gift was. With a sigh, I took Shion into my arms, wrapping her body around mine. My toes began pushing against the ground, allowing my eyes to meet with hers. Pushing back whatever thoughts I had, I quickly placed my lips upon hers. I remember the shock on her face as I kissed her, the shock quickly vanishing as she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around me. That kiss, it meant so much to her, I'm just glad that it made her happy, even if it did sicken me.

"Was that what you wanted?" I asked after our lips separated.

"Arigatou, Mina!" she squeezed her body against mine once again.

"Don't read anything into it," I told her, trying my best not to spit out the contents of her mouth that remained, "I know that it meant so much to you that..."

"I know, Mina," Shion smiled as she began to release me, "and I thank you for that."

"I guess this is goodbye then."

"Yeah."

"Thank you for everything," I told her, trying to hold my tears back. "Goodbye, Shion."

"Goodbye, Mina," Shion called as I began to take my leave. "I love you!"

'Shion...,' I cried, hugging my legs tighter than before. 'September,' I remembered our promise, 'in September we'll see each other again, in Nagoya. But September seems so far off, I wish it could be now. Shinta, Shion, Tetsu, I want to see you all again. Tell me everything's okay like how you always do. Tell me this is all going to be over. Tell me what we're going to do once the war has ended. Please, just say something. Please...!'

The sobs would not cease, the tears could not be held back any longer. I wanted to see them all again, I wanted things to go back to the way they were. I didn't want... I just didn't want to be alone anymore. My cries and whines were the lullabies that put me to sleep that evening, and they would my constant companion during my long journey. Even now, the lullabies of my cries put me to sleep...

Chapter 1 Liner Notes

What's with the title "Crimson String"?- The Japanese believe that two lovers are connected by "the Red String of Fate," and since Mina and Kenshin were hitokiries during the Revolution, the color of the string is now crimson because of all the blood they spilled. For all you Kenshin and Kaoru fans out there, don't worry, Mina won't end up with Kenshin, I've got someone else for Mina.

What's with the name "Hitokiri Kensai"?- As we all know, Kenshin adopted Mina as his sister. As a result, Mina's nickname and alternate persona is Hitokiri Kensai as Kenshin is known as Hitokiri Battousai. Battousai comes from the word "Battoujutsu," a defensive sword style that samurai learn in conjunction with "Kenjutsu," which is an offensive sword style. If one only learns one style, they will be lacking in the other department in terms of defense or offense. Basically, one must know both sword styles to be equally rounded in battle, the same can be somewhat true with Mina and Kenshin during the Revolution.

What's the "Sanzu" that Mina talks about in the prologue?- The Sanzu River is what's supposed to separate the living from the dead. The river is supposedly made of blood. If one crosses the Sanzu River, they would be considered dead and can't return to the world of the living.

What does "hai," "gomen nesai," and "arigatou" mean?- "Hai" is translated into "yes" or something along the lines of it like "okay." "Gomen nesai" means "I'm very sorry," so "gomen" would just mean "sorry." "Arigatou" is how the Japanese say "thank you."

So where are Kenshin and Shion at this time?- Kenshin is wandering Japan at the moment, though he's in a different place then Mina. Shion is elsewhere as well, she has her own problems at the moment. If you wish to see how she's doing, read my other fic, "When Angels Lost Their Wings," which is co-written by Crystal of ff.net. It's about Shion and Misanagi's adventures and will occasionally crossover with this fic. The story is rated "R" in case you can't find it.

Next time: "During the Revolution, I have slain many men. Death was my constant companion during those hellish nights in Kyoto, but none of that matters for the challenge I'm about to face. A challenge where even the mightiest warrior can become a hapless wimp, where one's skill with the sword means nothing..." -Himura Mina

Author's Note: Well, how was it? Sorry that it was kind of slow and stuff, but I swear the action will kick in the next few chapters. If you want, go ahead and leave me a review, but no flames!