Author's Note: Hello peoples…here I am with the first chapter…

Oh yeah, and sorry for the grammatical errors that the prologue contained…I wasn't really paying attention, since I wrote it in the morning before school…(and I also took time to do it during…er…English class…--;; I was supposed to be doing my personal essay…whoops…)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin…

Chapter 1

As it emerges from the shadows

Danger looms ahead

"Misao! Come and help with the customers!" Okon yelled. Today, the Aoiya was packed.

"Coming!!!" Misao bounded down the stairs and into the kitchens. She hated to leave Aoshi all alone at the temple, but there was work to be done at the Aoiya. Anyways, he seemed not to care if she was there or not.

Okon pointed to a table full of picky looking customers. "You can start with them."

"Lucky me…" Misao mumbled.

"What was that?" Okon snapped.

"Nothing, nothing…"

"Oh, and Misao? After you tend to those customers, you can also do the dishes." Okon smirked and then pointed to a large mound of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink.

Nakago stroked his chin thoughtfully. Why do I not feel right about taking that girl of his? After all, what Shinomori had done to me…but…involving women is only something that a coward would do, and I am NO coward…and she never did anything to me anyways…perhaps I'll only use that plan as a last resort…if all else fails, then the kidnapping WILL happen…

"COME HERE!!! ALL OF YOU!!! NOW!!!" Nakago barked.

His men scrambled up to him.

"Listen to what I have to say," Nakago said, staring menacingly at his men. His men didn't have to be told twice.

"No one, I mean NO ONE is to lay even a finger on Shinomori, got that? NO ONE! He is for me to kill, and me alone. He is MY enemy, not yours. If any of you defy my words, you will PAY. Got it?" Nakago said, glaring at all of his men to make sure that they got the message.

His men nodded vigorously, all except one, who wasn't listening. He was too busy daydreaming about how Nakago-sama would honor him if he killed Shinomori.

"The place that Shinomori is most likely to be alone is the temple. So that is where we will attack. Remember, it is tomorrow, at dawn…"

The man who had not been listening earlier heard these words. They were to attack tomorrow at dawn? Then that meant he would have to kill Aoshi before then. Suddenly, his previously empty afternoon was suddenly filled.

I'll kill Shinomori for Nakago…then, he'll honor me above all others. Nakago's scout was running through the forest, swiftly approaching the temple. He felt his sword banging against his side, the heavy bulk almost comforting to him.

It was a pity, since Nakago had specifically told his men not to kill Aoshi. But this man hadn't heard that.

Aoshi looked down at hands. He knew that somehow, he had hurt Misao AGAIN…somehow, he had seen the hurt in her eyes.

Why was he so cold and mean to her? Why was he—

A small noise sounded behind him.

Aoshi turned sharply, grabbing the wrist of a terrified man who had his sword pointed at Aoshi's forehead.

"Only sixty-thousand more dishes to wash…" Misao grumbled.

"What was that?" Okon snapped.

Misao jumped. Since when had Okon been behind her?

"Nothing, nothing…"

"Oh, and Misao? After the dishes, you can take meal orders from our customers," Okon said, and smirked again.

Aoshi twisted the man's wrist as he yelped in pain. The sword fell out of his hands, and Aoshi picked it up. He pointed the sword at the intruder. "Who are you? Who sent you?"

The man quivered under Aoshi's icy glare.

"Let me ask you again. Who sent you?" Aoshi kicked the man in the stomach.

"N-Nakago…"

Aoshi stopped. Nakago? I thought he was dead…

"Nakago sent you? What are your plans?" Aoshi asked him, his voice dangerously low.

"O-Our plans? W-We have none…"

"Do not lie to me. I know that Nakago has planned something." Aoshi glared at the man. "Trust me, I know when someone lies…so, I'll give you one more chance. When do you attack?" Aoshi pointed the sword menacingly at him.

"T-Tomorrow at dawn!" the man squeaked.

He then looked pleadingly at Aoshi. "P-please don't kill me…" he whispered.

Aoshi smirked. "It's a waste of time and energy to kill a man as weak as you…now go. Before I change my mind."

The man took Aoshi's advice, and ran back to the camp. Which was a very stupid thing to do, as death awaited him at both ends.

Misao stared at the wall, while washing dishes. She wondered how Aoshi was doing at the temple.

Was he lonely?

She sighed. Sometimes, she thought that Aoshi was so stupid for a man so intelligent. Being alone was the last thing somebody should do when they try to heal their wounds. Misao knew that she had to be with him, so he wouldn't be alone.

Nakago looked coldly down at the shaking man before him. "Where were you?"

"N-nowhere…master…"

"Do not lie to me…you could not have gotten beaten up by going 'nowhere' could you?" Nakago said.

"I was…at…the Zen temple," he answered. He looked down at his feet. For some reason, he was beginning to feel uneasy.

"And what exactly were you doing there, may I ask?"

"T-Trying to kill Shinomori for you, sir…"

"Looks like it didn't work…what did you tell him?" Nakago asked, his eyes narrowing.

"I-I…" the man's voice faltered.

"You what?"

"I-I told him when were going to a-attack…"

"Did I not specifically tell you not to try and kill him? You are to leave him to ME! AND you revealed our plans to him. Did you also reveal my name? I believe so, or otherwise, you wouldn't be alive! Do you know what you have done!? We must now change our plans! If Shinomori already knows when we attack, then our chances will change! But…no matter…you are to lose your life anyways. And that is by the hand of ME," Nakago said.

"N-no…brother…please…you wouldn't kill you own brother."

"Watch me. You are no longer a brother of mine…once dead, you couldn't be, correct?"

Nakago drew his sword.

"NO BROTHER…PLEASE!!!!"

A pained scream sounded through the forest. Nakago looked down at the bloody mess before him. He had killed his own brother.

Nothing could stand in the way with his revenge against Shinomori. Not even his own brother.

Author's Note: o.O erm…yeah…so…I kind of thought that this chapter really sucked, but hey! If you think so, why not review and tell me so? A review is a review, I say…

Yeah…I suppose this is the best I can do right now…this chapter wasn't all that serious…it was a little more light than the previous one, ne? Oh well…REVIEW PLEASE!!!!

Thanks to all who reviewed!!!!