CHAPTER 4- SCARS

Tokaji's first assassination was only the beginning. As Hotaru quickly found out, he would be gone on many nights, daisho at his waist and determination in his eyes. Most of the time, he went about the dark business alone. Other times, Himura went with him. On these occasions, Tokaji would simply be there to back him up. However, the youth saw this as foolish.

"Himura's perfectly capable of handling those jobs without my help." He would say.

But Kogoro would give him a knowing frown. "If that were the case, then you would not be a Hitokiri altogether."

The two fought side-by-side in the Kyoto streets for some time. Then, one cool autumn night, there was trouble.

It was late and Hotaru was asleep in her futon. But her eyes shot open when she heard the shoji open downstairs. She knew the boys were home.

"AH! WHAT HAPPENED?" That loud shout drove her out of her room, down the hall, and down the stairs. There, she almost screamed at what she saw.

Himura stood there in the doorway, his cheek cut and bleeding. Slung over one shoulder was a moaning Tokaji!

"TOKAJI-SAN!" Hotaru raced forward to help. She, Idzuka, and Kogoro pulled him down off of the redhead assassin.

Eyes filling with tears, Hotaru stared at her master's face. "No."

He was a bloody mess. There was a deep gash running from under the ribs, across the chest, to his left shoulder. His eyes were squeezed shut in agony.

Kogoro, who was a little pale himself, hoisted his son up over his own back. "Okami-san! Hotaru! Let's get him cleaned up!" He carried him to an empty room and deposited him softly on a futon. Then he stood back while Okami-san began her work. "Hotaru-chan," she hissed. "Hand me the supplies when I call for them, okay?"

Anxious to help, the child nodded. "Yes."

By dawn, Tokaji was stitched up and bandaged. Okami-san smiled with relief. "He's young and strong. He'll be up on his feet again within a few weeks."

Kogoro grinned slightly as well. "That's good to hear."

Hotaru beamed. "I'm so glad!" She wanted to throw her arms around her young master, but knew his injuries wouldn't tolerate that. So instead, she grasped his large hand in her own. "So glad."

Okami-san rose to her feet wearily. "I'm beat!" Just then, she peered around. "Where's Himura?"

Kogoro blinked in surprise. Himura had come into the room to check on things. Where could he have gone now?

And so, a few minutes later, Hotaru was knocking lightly on Himura's bedroom door. "Himura-san? May I come in please?"

There was a faint sound in reply, but Hotaru's senses translated it into a "yes". She slid open the door and entered.

Himura sat up against the wall, leaning partially on a pile of books. Now Hotaru had known him enough to know that he didn't read. He only used the stacks for a pillow. He didn't ever sleep in a futon.

Hotaru closed the door behind her and put on her friendliest smile. "Gomen nasai, for disturbing you. But you left before anyone could check to see if."

She noticed dried blood on his face, his left cheek to be precise. She took a step forward to see. "Is that still bleeding?"

Himura shook his head. The intense glow in his eyes seemed to lessen ever so slightly.

"Well, aside from that, are you okay?" Hotaru asked.

He nodded, causing his red ponytail to bounce a little. He really wasn't one to talk.

Knowing she wasn't going to go any further with the conversation, Hotaru bowed her head respectfully and turned to go. "Okay then. Sleep well, sir."

"Hotaru."

"Eh?"

He looked at her fully, his eyes becoming less and less forbidding. "Arigato gozaimasu."

That was the first time he'd ever addressed her.