Disclaimer: (^^) (^^) Orororororo~ *Kenshin rolls in on a monocycle* Kouri-dono does not own us. *Ran enters as well* Neither does she own us! There, that enough to tell you that I don't own them? _ Much as I would like to own the PS2, I don't so don't sue me!

A/N: Heylo again peeps! Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter, and I'm glad to see you guys back around for more! ^^ Mucho mucho OOCness from Kaoru in this chapter, but well, give her a break, ne? This is [probably] the long-awaited mission for the slave auction thing that Misao and Aoshi were getting information about way back in Chapter 6. New character alert! Young girl, but it's pretty easy to guess who she is.

I think this chapter has to be rated R, for sexual innuendoes and actions that aren't very nice, along with the blood, angst and darkness. You have been warned! Read at your own risk!

Reviewers' Space!

Firenseye – ooh, new reviewer! Glad that you like the story so far, and I hope that you stay around for more! Thanx for R&Ring!

Neko Oni – Lol ^^ of course you do, since you read the side story! XD I thought it would be interesting if for once, Kaoru tried to make Yahiko actually call her 'busu' instead of the usual way round, hehe; she really can't say that it isn't her fault now! Lol. Ah yes, all the nick names that Kenshin has to go through in my fic. ^^ But Oro-chan is a cute name, no? I lurve WAFF, especially K&K WAFF. XD glad you liked it!! Un, foreshadowing, as the story might turn slightly darker soon due to how the storyline's gonna progress. It is a freaky dream, I agree; it doesn't help that things in dreams feel so real either, and you sure get a great shock when you wake up! Yeah, I live in Malaysia, where it's either perpetually hot, or raining, but always, always humid! That's what living on the Equator gets you, I guess. Nah, not really, the translating in sometimes really crappy, but it's better than nothing. AXN and StarWorld at like, the only channels that I watch though, hehe. Ouch, hundred bucks huh? I think the stuff's cheaper over here, but the funny thing is that I've never seen any Ranma stuff, except for the movie around. Yup, only 4 hours! Of classes anyway. But I've got to stay back for my stupid BKA class, and sometimes I'm stuck in school until 5pm or so, and then I get really grumpy after that. Yesh XD do update update!! Thanks so much for R&Ring again and see ya 'round girl!

Nicky – It's no problem at all! ^^ Glad that you enjoy my story so much ne! So you like how Kenshin treats Kaoru huh? ^^ I do too! For once he's not trying to push her away or anything. ^^;;;; hehe… about Aoshi and Misao? Well, they're back again; I've been really busy focusing on the KxK aspect of the story that I've totally neglected the AxM part of it. Yup, Yahiko is very much (sort of) cured. Ah, Kenshin's always so very secretive, but his secrets will come out as the story progresses! XD who is the man indeed? You'll find out as the story goes on, but until then, I'm sure that you can probably guess who it is already ne? I'll try to update ASAP, and thanx for R&Ring!

Rapyer2986-Malik's Mika – Yeah, Yahiko's all annoying to Kaoru all over again ^^ Happy much? ^^ it's an interesting twist, don't you thing? Haha, for once, she actually suggested that he should insult her! *Pokes Oro-chan who waves back* ^^ No problem, read at your own pace! Yeah, I know all about computers having a cold, lol, so I understand ^^ Hope your computer's feeling much better now! *Gives it some medicine* Thanks so much for wishing me luck! I really appreciate it! ^^ Arigatou gozaimasu! I'll update ASAP, kays? ^^ thanks for R&Ring!

Dragontamer9741 – Wow, I'm glad you like my fic enough to read it so many times ^^. XD it would be really interesting if Sou-chan did indeed do that, hehe! Yup, will definitely update ASAP, and XD 'see' you again next chapter too!

InuYasha22 – o_O Ororo? Was it really all that depressing? ^^;;; it's just a dream that Kaoru had, and yes, dreams can indeed be quite depressing, but no, Kenshin isn't dead! ^^;;;; Depressing would be my Inuyasha fic ^^;;; Thanks for R&Ring!

Random Reader-san – not at all ^^ glad to see you once again, but it's not all that great a problem, coz I use dial-up too, and it can be such a pain sometimes. Bard? ^^ lol, can barely imagine myself with some harp, but thanks for the compliment ^^. Yeah, Seisouhen is really heart-wrenching, and I really don't agree with how serious it is. For goodness' sake, Kenshin didn't even say "Oro" once! That just totally deviates from the Kenshin we all know and love. Hah, OOCness there already. A friend of mine pointed that out, and I have to agree with that. Makes for a cruddy ending. Anyways, thanx for R&Ring, and I'll see you soon in the next chapter!

Chris – Yupyup. Dreamwalking once again, after such a long interval. As for whether the dream was sent to Kaoru or not~ XD is a secret! Lol. Definitely will continue ASAP. Thanks for R&Ring!

Flyinangel777 – Glad you liked the chapter! XD obviousness alert? Thanks for the compliment ^^ I do try my best after all. Well, by American standards I'm still in high school, doing senior year, before I skip off to university. Not all that different, since I'm following a Canadian programme. Thank you! ^^;; I'll really need the luck in school! Thanks so much for R&Ring, and I'll see you in the next chapter!

Cute emerald – Yup, Yahiko's back to his normal annoying self :p Definitely! Yahiko deserves to have a family after having suffered so much in that measly lab, and Kenshin & co. are sure to oblige him!

Baka-Ryu – XD ah yes, fluff is mucho nice ^^ I'll update as soon as I can, and as for identities :p you'll find out soon enough! ^^ hehen~

Dragona – Thank you ^^ Yup, sure, go ahead and write your fic (did you get my e-mail?)! After all, I'm not the only one who's written a fic like this, so sure, no problem, go on. ^^ I'd be glad to read it when you've got some stuff on it up! Thanks for R&Ring, and I'll see you around!

Kaoru – Oro? Acting up is it? ^^ *bokken appears magically* want me to whack it up a bit? ^^ I think it would help ^^;;;

Sticks – Glad you enjoyed it! Mwahaha ^^ well, identities will be revealed soon enough, but it's pretty obvious already, isn't it? Anyway, thanks for R&Ring, and hope to see you around in the chapters to come!

Missaw – lol, yesh indeedy. ^^ This sounds evil, but it would be quite fun to go and wreck some havoc on while some of the people in my class are having their nice dreams, considering how totally stuck-up some of them are. Teach them a darned lesson or two about the word RESPECT! Oh well. Thanks for R&Ring girl!

On to the fic!

Chapter 15: Blood in the rain

Thoughts are in ' '

Speech is in " "

Telepathy is in italics.

I hide my tears in the rain

Letting go of all the pain

Even as the blood washes away

Pink stained, blood water, no more clean.

The guilt, and the deed is here to stay,

Nothing that can be washed away.

Amber eyes squinted in the darkness as other human forms moved around him, trying to keep an eye on the girl who was dressed in a skimpy black mini-skirt and a too-tight white shirt who was currently serving drinks. The strobe lights of the disco reflected off Kenshin's hair as he stood near the wall keeping an eye on both Kaoru and Misao silently. Now and then there would be women dressed scantily trying to chat him up, but one baleful glare from the assassin drove them off easily; he only had eyes for Kaoru. Bodies twisted to the thump of the music on the dance floor, like puppets on a string controlled by an invisible hand. His heartbeat seemed to pulse in time to the music even as it changed, trance to techno in mere seconds.

Kaoru set down the drinks on the table, beaming at the customers in a fake manner before withdrawing back to the bar. She lifted a hand to wipe the sweat off her brow, then glancing at her watch as she put the tray down. It had just gone past 11pm, but there was still no sign of the slaves or any of the clients who would be there for the slave auction. Kaoru, Kenshin and Misao had been in the disco since 8pm, and had been watching for anyone involved with the slave auction. The 'uniform' she was wearing was way too skimpy for her standards, and the skirt barely even covered her butt; the shirt was even more unmentionable it the way that it clung to her body. She was beginning to get quite irritated with all the leery glances that some of Carousel's patrons were giving her, and it took all her willpower not to reach for the dagger concealed in her boot to threaten them. Kaoru glanced over at Misao who had also gone back to the bar counter to place some orders. The almost unnoticeable shake of Misao's head showed that she too had not seen any of the clientele or 'merchandise' of the slave auction.

Still nothing? Soujirou was outside with Aoshi, watching for the possible arrival of the guests. No. He answered in reply. The cold was starting to seep into his skin after standing around in the wintry March weather for three hours straight. Aoshi had taken to prowling around the area now and then (in human form of course), returning every ten minutes or so; they would have to be on high alert because there were only two of them outside and Sanosuke was back at headquarters with Yahiko. It didn't help that Kaoru and Misao were the ones inside being spies for the mission, even if Kenshin was indeed inside to keep an eye on them. Both of the men were on the edge. Soujirou was no Seer, but there was something that made him feel uneasy about this mission, and the uneasiness was trying to worm its way into his blood.

Kaoru looked up from the bar as a hand grabbed at her arm not-too-nicely. The hand was attached to an arm with too many tattoos on it, liquid blue ink scratched into the skin. The man had a nasty sneer on his face and too many piercings in his ears and face. 'Kami-sama, yet another one of those junkies again. I really don't need this right now!'

Her voice dripped ice and disdain as she addressed the man. "Please take your hand off me now, sir."

"What if I don't want to, bitch?" Kaoru wrinkled her nose in distaste as the fumes of alcohol rolled off the man. The glare that she gave him made him back off slightly, but the grip on her arm didn't loosen.

"Then you'll deal with the goddamn consequences." She threw back acidly. It wasn't often that she got mad, but the man was proverbially putting the icing on the cake by being such an asshole. Kaoru was already pissed off at the mission, disgusted with the tight clothes that she had to wear for the mission, and now this sexually deprived idiot was trying to pull a move on her. Her anger had hit boiling point and she had had more than enough.

She wrenched her arm out of his grip, turning her back on him while trying to rein in her anger; it wouldn't do to attract attention here, when the operation was supposed to be as covert as possible. The punk reached for her arm again in his drunken stupor.

"Why you little---!!" Her eyes flashed and she straight-armed the palm of her hand into his chin, knocking his head backwards before kneeing him in the groin. The man collapsed to the ground in a heap, groaning as he clutched at his crotch. 'Never anger an assassin.' Kaoru smirked slightly, unable to help herself, and she stalked away from the bar, going to join Kenshin at the wall he was leaning against. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her close to smirk into her hair.

His eyes sparked in amusement as she curled a lock of his hair around her finger. "Couldn't have done better myself, koishii." Kaoru was no ordinary woman, and although he would have gone to her aid if she had indeed required it, he knew that she was more than capable of handling punks like that. She was, after all, one of the top assassins in Japan, and just because she was his HalfSoul didn't mean that he would belittle her abilities or coddle her like a lovesick puppy. Kenshin was smart enough to know when to butt in and when to let her handle situations on her own; this was one of those situations. Electricity ran up his arm as he tilted her chin up with two fingers to meet her lips in a kiss, all male pride and fondness for his beloved. Kaoru tugged on his hair as she pulled his head closer and smiled as she whispered into his ear. "Glad that you approve, itoshii."

"Always." Came the reply.

~*~

"Nooooooo!!!" Sanosuke groaned as his game character on the screen once again went down under Yahiko's proficient thumbs on the PS2 console. The Empath, on the other hand whooped with joy as he did a mad dance around the living room. It was the 15th time in a row that Yahiko had beaten Sanosuke; it was amazing how fast the boy had adapted to his environment, and had now taken over as King of the PS2 (which was what Sanosuke had been before Yahiko had beaten him in a series of games in succession). The man sighed as he put down the console, linking his arms behind his head as he let his full body weight sink back into the couch. The grandfather clock near the front door chimed as midnight arrived, signalling that the rest of Black Dawn still had not returned from their mission.

Takasugi had showed up at the house two days ago, only to proclaim that they had yet another mission, and that Aoshi and Misao would be joining them again. Sanosuke remembered how tense the atmosphere had become when Takasugi had announced that both Kaoru and Misao would be going undercover as waitresses during the span of the mission. One of the Ishinshishi who worked undercover in the disco had already arranged everything, so there wouldn't be any hitches during the mission. Kenshin and Kaoru on the other hand, seemed to be fine about it, but Soujirou, Sanosuke, and even Yahiko had protested against it.

"Kenshin, stop her!" Yahiko had been very persistent in trying to stop her from going off to such a dangerous mission. The boy knew that Kaoru was indeed skilled as an assassin, but that didn't stop him from worrying, and he was scared, selfish even, that he might lose part of his family after only having found it not so long ago.

Kaoru had taken him aside then, smiling gently as she explained to him that she would be alright, and that Kenshin would be there as back up if they needed it. "But Kaoru--!!" He protested but she shook her head. "Don't worry Yahiko, I'll be fine! You know that we only do this to save the lives of innocents, just like we saved you." His eyes were downcast as he tried to blink away the tears. "But you could get hurt." He whispered. Kaoru held him in a motherly hug then, whispering comforting words as he tried hard not to cry.

"I promise I'll come back safe and sound with everyone alright?" Kaoru looked into his face as she held out her little pinky. "Yakusoku yo!" Yahiko rubbed hard at his eyes before sniffing slightly, linking his little finger with hers.

"You'd better, busu." He grumbled, and was promptly swatted at playfully.

Sanosuke looked over at the boy now, who seemed to have used up all his energy for the day, and had curled up on the other large couch, asleep. The lanky man smiled slightly at the sight of the boy; Yahiko was more attached to her than he would ever admit, but his actions proved it all. Sanosuke sighed slightly as he lifted his eyes to the ceiling; he hoped the mission was going well.

~*~

Incoming. They've finally arrived. Kaoru pulled away from Kenshin's kiss, breathing lightly as Soujirou sent the entire team a mental message. The couple exchanged a hug before pulling apart from each other and going to their respective posts; a mission was a mission, and emotions were not allowed to interfere in them. The red head sank into the darkness again, blending with the shadows there, unseen except for the occasional strobe light that flashed over him as the lights danced furiously in the disco. His amber eyes followed the patrons who had just entered, matching some of the faces with some of the pictures that Takasugi had given them before the mission; the ones in the photographs would have to be taken out tonight. Judging by the haughty looks on their faces, Kenshin could tell that money was not at all a concern for these men, and that pleasure was their only satisfaction. It would have been so easy to just assassinate them under the cover of darkness of the disco and the noise of the people, but they had been told specifically only to kill the men after the auction, so that they might also be able to find the slaves and then save them.

Misao's sharp green eyes met Kaoru's striking blue as the women picked up trays full of cocktails before trailing behind the men who had just arrived; not too close to be detected, but not too far to lose sight of them. The entrance to the slave auction was so unnoticeable that neither of the girls had even noticed it, until the guard standing near it pushed a few sections of the wall, causing it to swing in against itself, and showing a dark pathway that spiralled downwards, lit only by swinging lights that dangled from the ceiling. The men in front of them passed into the passageway after flashing what looked like an invitation to the guard, before the wall swung close behind them again, looking once again, like an inconspicuous normal wall. Both women walked up to the guard as they held their drinks, giving him fake flirty smiles.

"And what business do you have?" He arched an eyebrow at the two waitresses.

Kaoru scanned his mind easily to look for the most appropriate answer that he wanted. "Reiji-san told us to help out." She giggled inanely, acting like a dumb brunette to fool the guard, but she could have gagged herself on the inside. 'Well, I didn't take all those drama classes in high school for nothing, and all the lying that Sou-chan and I had to do when we were gone in the morning during missions sure paid off!' Her acting skills would have put any actress to shame. Misao caught on quickly, batting her eyelashes at the guard. "So please, sir, let us pass, ne?" She sidled closer to the guard to whisper breathily in his ear. "You wouldn't want Reiji-san to get mad now, would you?" The guard gulped, losing his composure at the sound of the disco owner's name; he was someone who had a lot of protection in the underworld, and not following orders often meant the end of your life. He pushed the switches on the wall again and the wall swung open to reveal the dimly lit pathway once again. "Arigatou!" The women tittered before they disappeared into the darkness, winking at the guard before the wall swung shut behind them.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Misao and Kaoru lost their smiles and a hardened glint entered their eyes. It was time to get down to business and do what they had come for.

Commence mission.

~*~

Kenshin swiftly dodged and meandered his way in and out of the crowd as he approached the secret door that Kaoru and Misao had gone through. They had agreed beforehand that he would give them fifteen minutes headway before following them so that they would not look as if they knew each other. Once the mission started, they were not to show any signs that they knew each other, and Kaoru would only contact mentally with Kenshin, with no vocal or facial expressions that would show that they were connected. He flicked an invitation card at the guard silently, watching the door open before him. His footsteps seemed to echo all around as he made his way down the winding stairs, leaving the sounds of the disco behind him. Kenshin's shadow flickered against the wall as he descended, and the sound of hushed talking and the clinking of wine glasses reached his ears as he neared the lighted entrance.

A multitude of voices reached him as he entered the brightly lit room; the state of décor here was definitely more subtle and tasteful in comparison to that of the disco upstairs, and the people, he could tell were more highly-strung and materialistic as the clothes that they wore. Kenshin's eyes darted around, trying to find the two women masquerading as waitresses. He located Kaoru's aura signature easily, finding her offering drinks to a few men who were almost leering at her. Turning his head to the side, he found Misao nearby, also doing the same, surrounded with just as many men. Fifty, sixty, a hundred people perhaps filled the room as he took in its size and the people. There was a stage up near the front, but there was nothing on it. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the stage would be where the slaves would be put on display, and he was loathing every minute of it.

Humanity was something that these people had deserted a long time ago, pleasure overriding their senses, caring nothing for the suffering of others, and only for their own wealth and pleasure. Kenshin was disgusted at the ki that he was reading off all these people around him; an intense hunger for lust and the need to inflict pain onto others, their thoughts all but projected into their auras. One of the men beside him turned around, smiling as he made polite conversation.

"Ah, you are a new face here. How did you hear about us?" He wished he could wipe the smile off his face.

"Here and there." Kenshin's reply was short and curt.

"What is your preference? I am one of the auctioneers here, and I could offer you a very good bargain, since it is indeed your first time here." The man rubbed his hands together as a dirty smirk lit his face. "A girl? Or a boy? All our merchandise are in very good condition, and they have been tested before being sold. First come, first serve."

The smile on Kenshin's lips was fake and strained as he regarded the man. "That is very kind of you, but I will have to decline." The man shrugged, then turned away. Movement attributed to Kaoru's ebony hair that had fallen out of the bun she had put it up in caught Kenshin's eye as she moved towards him, away from the throng of men who stared lustily after her.

"May I offer you a drink sir?" A real smile graced her face as she offered the tray of drinks to Kenshin. I hope we can get out of here as soon as possible. I hate all the disgusting looks that I'm getting, and I'm going to gut all of them if possible! You can't believe how perverted their minds are!

"Thank you." He reached for a cocktail, returning her smile. What I'm reading off their aura is rather distasteful to say the least. This may sound wrong, but killing them is the right thing to do! Kenshin drained the glass, set it down on the tray again and reached for another. I'll be more than prepared when this whole thing is finished. "Domo." Both of them moved on, never showing any sign of ever knowing each other.

The slave auction started soon enough, as pompous music started playing in the room, and a man's voice boomed throughout the room from a microphone. "Welcome, one and all to the 17th Slave Auction ever held! The Sanshuu are proud to be the hosts of this glorious event, and welcome you with open arms. Unfortunately, the head of the Sanshuu, Hirutori Nakano is unable to attend today, and he expresses his sincerest apologies, but to make up for his presence, we have sixteen very special slaves here today for you to buy; five of them being new girls, three being new boys, and eight more who are being resold as second hand goods." He smiled at his captivated audience before continuing. "Our second hand goods are much cheaper of course, but they are also more experienced, and are more likely to be able to cater to your pleasures." His hand rested on the nearby podium. "Without further ado, the 17th Slave Auction will now officially begin!" Applause roared from the crowd as the curtains swept open to reveal the backstage.

Cold fury bit into Kenshin as eight girls and three boys were pulled onto the stage; chains that bound their wrists and feet clanged together as they shuffled onto the stage awkwardly. Their state of undress enraged Kenshin to no end; their 'clothing' comprised of a piece of dirty cloth that barely covered their privates, and the girls' chests were a free-for-all to see. What shocked him, though, was the glazed look in their eyes, as if a veil had been placed over them, cutting them off from the outside world. 'And for a very good reason too.' Kenshin thought grimly to himself. 'They don't even exist in their bodies anymore; they've withdrawn into the recesses of their minds.'

The auctioneer on stage carried on, smiling gleefully as the men in the crowd started to murmur to each other. "Today we shall be selling the second hand goods first, before building up to our final event of the new slaves." He gestured to the line of slaves who stood silently on the stage, eyes unseeing. "As you can see, they are all of high value, and are experienced. Please feel free to take your pick. Product testing (1) is not allowed, but demonstrations may be carried out if the request is permissible. The starting bids are at 4 million yen; may the highest bidder win! You may collect your goods at the end of the auction. They will be backstage."

Misao seethed inwardly as the 'guests' around her started bidding for the 'slaves' who were onstage. She could not believe that these people were actually buying and selling humans for the sake of their own pleasure. '"Goods" they said! They are calling human beings "goods"! I've got a mind to go up to the stage right now and give that pathetic excuse for a human being a piece of my mind!' She took a step forward, but Kaoru's mental voice stopped her. Not yet, Chii. I know how you feel, but we have to verify the location of the 'slaves' first before we go charging in. Misao protested. But Bara! Surely you can't just stand still here and watch this go on! Her eyes met Kaoru's across the room. The normally gentle and depthless ocean blue eyes had hardened into something akin to glittering sapphires, and Misao knew that she wasn't the only one who felt the same about the situation. There is nothing we can do, Chii, unless you want to risk endangering them. Let Kagami and Tenken finish the job when this is over. Misao's nails dug into the tray that she was holding and her knuckles turned white. Okay. She consented. But I'll make them pay if they start doing 'demonstrations' to any of the girls or boys up there. Kaoru nodded unnoticeably in reply.

"…And sold to the man in the green top over there for 5.6 million yen!" The auctioneer's little hammer crashed into the podium as he proclaimed the sale. "All the second hand slaves have now been sold; thank you to all those who have bought the goods, and we sincerely hope that you will enjoy them! Now we move on to our main event, and the new slaves will be brought in one by one." He leaned forward over the podium to leer at the audience. "All of the new ones are virgins, so the starting price will be even higher than that of the second hand slaves. The starting bids start at 10 million yen!" Protests started up in the crowd, but he waved at them to be quiet. "Yes, it may be quite a high price, but I assure you, they will be worth it. Let us bring the first new slave in!"

Two men dragged a girl onto the stage who looked about 14 years old, and who was dressed in a see-through white slip. She couldn't even stand properly, and her head lolled about her shoulders as the two men helped hold her up by her arms. "A beautiful specimen, this one. The man who gets his hands on this one will be a lucky fella! New skin and shapely flesh to break! The effects of the drug will wear off in a few hours, and then you are free to test her out! Or if you wish, you can test her out under the drug's influence!" He winked at the audience lewdly. "I can assure you that it will be an interesting response!"

He grabbed at the girl's arm, pinching the flesh slightly to turn it pink, but not enough to leave a bruise. "What will the bids be?" Uproar ensued as everyone yelled out offers at once, eager to have the girl as his possession. Kenshin gritted his teeth as his hands curled into fists, fighting not to sink a punch into the men who stood nearby and snapping their necks. He had left his katana with Aoshi; he wouldn't even have been allowed into the disco with his katana on, let alone the auction if he had brought it along. The muscles in his arm tensed as he fought to keep his hands at his sides, and kept an impassionate mask on his face.

The auctioneer's hammer slammed into the podium again to proclaim the sale. "Sold to the man with the blue hair in the back for 35 million yen!" Kenshin's head snapped around at the mention of blue hair (2) and he looked for the man in the roaring crowd. A sigh of relief escaped him as he noted the face. 'Not who I thought it was.' The auction continued to proceed in the same manner, until finally, there was only one more slave left to go.

"For our last and final sale of the night, we present to you the youngest of the group!" A man dragged a struggling girl dressed in school uniform on stage as the auctioneer continued to speak. "Oh, this fine specimen is very much awake and kicking!" A dirty smirk clouded his face as he grabbed the girl's chin. Dark brown eyes wide with fear regarded him as she looked at the auctioneer and continued to struggle. He turned back to the audience triumphantly. "Would you like a demonstration?" The (almost) unanimous uproar from the crowd determined his answer. The smirk turned into an ugly grin as he slid a hand up her thigh reaching upwards and under her skirt. The girl screamed and he slapped her hard. His hand continued to reach upwards into her skirt, grabbing at the fabric of her underwear and about to yank it downwards when an icy cold voice stopped him.

"I think you've done quite enough, you sick bastard." Misao's eyes blazed emerald green as she stepped onto the stage, boots echoing on the wood in the silence that ensued after her statement. The auctioneer removed his hand from the girl's skirt, moving towards Misao, leering at the way the uniform emphasized her figure. "Oh? And what do you think you can do about it, little girl?"

"Make you stop." Her answer was very matter-of-fact as she stood her ground.

"And exactly how do you intend to do that?" Came the question.

"I have my ways." Cold anger lead her mind.

Eyes turned to the second set of footsteps that echoed on the stage as Kaoru stood up as well. The combination of the icy blue gaze and the blazing green one made him slightly weary of the girls. "I will back her up."

The auctioneer laughed slightly, trying to alleviate the tensioned situation that the two girls seemed to bestow the room with. "Well gentlemen, it looks as though we have gained another two more slaves to sell! Who wants to break their spirits?" Some life seemed to return to the men in the hall at the question, and they started murmuring to themselves. Kenshin's hardened golden eyes regarded the men around him even as he prepared himself to move at any given time; a jump would easily take him to the stage and place him in reach of the auctioneer, Kaoru and Misao, as well as the trembling girl.

A cold smile lit Kaoru's face as she closed in on the man, every step precise. "It seems that you do not understand your predicament yet."

"But now you will."

The hall was suddenly plunged into darkness as Kaoru finished her sentence. Murmurs filled the hall as the men wondered if this was part of the auction as well, but the question was quickly answered by what sounded like the falling of a bloody body to the ground. The auctioneer was no longer alive. Chaos ensued as the men started to panic at the screams of others, and the sound of flesh being torn by metal in the darkness. They could see nothing in the darkness but shadows that seemed to flash by quickly, and bodies falling before them. They started running for the entrance at which they had entered, but only managed to stumble over the bodies of others who had fallen before them, only to be killed in turn as Kenshin guarded the entrance like a silent dragon. The dying screams of his victims could not be heard; the sounds from the disco were much louder and covered all the noise. Back inside the hall, Kaoru swung her katana, cleaving into two men at the same time with a mighty swing. Their dying gurgles caught in their blood as their bodies turned lifeless. She stepped across the room, avoiding the bodies as she made her way towards Aoshi and Soujirou; they could all see well enough in the dark and had been trained to fight blindfolded, which was why they had managed to kill the men without hurting each other.

The older man slid his both of his kodachi out of a man's body, shaking the blood off before sheathing the short swords. Soujirou finished off his target as well, wiping the blood off his katana with a piece of fabric torn from the man's shirt. Both the men had gotten Kaoru's mental message; she had sent one immediately when Misao had stepped up onto the stage; enough was enough, and they could both kill all the men at the same time that they could save the slaves. Soujirou had caused the blackout easily with his Hex abilities, controlling the computer through a set of wires that they had found, and only cutting the electricity in the downstairs hall, but not in the disco, so that Carousel's patrons carried on partying, oblivious to anything that was going on below it. The pair had entered the hall easily, throwing weapons to their three colleagues, before starting the blood bath in the hall. Kenshin re-entered the hall and the three turned to him as one as he made his way towards them. Amber eyes met three sets of blue in the darkness, and the assassins walked on towards the stage, leaving a piece of paper proclaiming 'Tenchuu' on it, while a black rose rested atop it on the bloody carpet.

Heaven's Justice had been performed in Japan tonight.

~*~

Misao urged the 'slaves' onwards as she looked for the blue van that was supposed to be waiting outside the disco. While the rest of Black Dawn had been assassinating their targets in the hall, the young ninja had taken the young children outside to meet one of the Ishinshishi contacts who would bring the children to a safe house for the time being. Her muscles tensed slightly as someone stepped out of a dark alleyway, then relaxed as she recognized the navy blue and gray bandana (3) that was wrapped around the person's hand. Following the man while the children trailed on behind her, they soon reached the van which was almost unnoticeable as it blended into the darkness.

The back door to the van opened, and she coaxed them inside gently. "It's alright now, you'll be safe where you're going, and nothing like that will ever happen to you again." Only three pairs of young eyes locked onto her figure in the darkness; the others were too drugged up, or too far gone to notice. One of the newer girls, a thirteen year old with hazel eyes smiled thankfully at Misao, and hugged the older girl. Misao was too surprised to do anything but return the hug.

"Arigatou, onee-chan. I won't ever forget you." She pulled away just as easily as she had hugged Misao. The emerald-eyed woman ruffled the teenager's hair slightly.

"May you be happy where you are going." She said in reply. Little would she know how ironic her answer would be in the near future.

"We have to leave soon." The man with the blue and gray bandana on his wrist said to Misao from the front of the van. She nodded silently in reply, doing a quick head count on the children in the back of the van. Her blood threatened to turn to ice as she counted only fifteen kids. Then she remembered the girl with the wide frightened eyes. 'Where's the last one? Did I leave her behind? Kami-sama, please let her be ok!'

"Shit!" She cursed out loud surprising both the man and the 'awake' children. "Just get the van ready to go; there's one more girl who's missing, as soon as I get back, you'd better take off, so just start the engine and lock the doors first! Don't open the door to anyone otherwise!"

Running back the way that she had come, she was almost back at the disco when she saw Kaoru, Kenshin, Aoshi and Soujirou leaving. A relieved sigh escaped her as she spotted Soujirou holding the unconscious girl in his arms. "Thank kami-sama! I thought that I'd lost her!" She ran ahead as the others followed behind her. "We have got to get her to the van soon, just in case the Bakufu has already got wind of this; the children need to reach the safe house as soon as possible."

They were just rounding the corner when the explosion occurred. Misao was the closest – 5 yards – to the van, as she was running ahead of the others. It happened without warning; one second the van was there in front of them, engine going quietly, in another second, it had erupted into flames for no unknown reason, exploding shrapnel ripping past them as metal shattered into a million pieces. The blast threw Misao backwards, knocking her unconscious even as Aoshi barely caught and shielded her from the raining shrapnel that cut into his skin.

Flames from the explosion continued to lick at the van, even as Kaoru threw herself forward with a sobbing cry, trying to reach the children who were no longer there, no longer alive, as Kenshin held her back in a firm grip. Soujirou looked away with a pained expression on his face, cradling the young girl close to him. The uneasiness that he had felt earlier during the night had so very unfortunately been proved in such a sorrowful manner.

The only survivor among the sixteen that would have been saved.

Aoshi adjusted his hold on Misao as he slid the two kodachi into the belt that wrapped around his hips. Guilt and sorrow and pain twisted in his heart as he hefted Misao into his arms. It wasn't meant to be like this. They had not been able to fulfil the mission; how could they have when they had only saved one when they should have saved all of them? How could they answer to Katsura now?

The sound of sirens nearing made the men move out of their stupor, and they took to the rooftops of nearby buildings, making their way home as they carried the respective women.

~*~

Somewhere along the trip home, it had started to drizzle slightly, and the drops of water on Misao's face made her wake up. For a moment, she was disorientated, but then all the memories came crashing back, and she remembered the van blowing up. She shifted in Aoshi's arms slightly, trying to curl up on herself as guilt bit into her mind. If only she hadn't asked them to get into the van; if only she hadn't left them there all alone; if only she had spotted something wrong with the van; oh, if only, if only, if only…! Her thoughts were cut short as Aoshi stopped, and she noticed that they were back at Black Dawn headquarters again. She stepped gingerly onto the ground, trying to regain her balance after the blast. The front door opened and Sanosuke stared at them. It was clear that something had indeed gone wrong from the dejected way that none of them would meet his eyes, and Soujirou handed a girl over to him before disappearing into the backyard silently. Kenshin was still carrying Kaoru, and his jaw was hard-set; lips drawn into a thin line even as she stayed in his arms, eyes open and staring, body limp.

"What happened?" The spiky-haired man whispered into the uncomfortable silence.

"We failed." His dark brown eyes flicked to Kaoru as she answered his question in a shaky voice. "Someone sabotaged the van that was supposed to take the children to the safe house, and it blew up with the children and the driver inside it. The girl that you hold in your arms now is the only survivor; she wasn't in the van when it exploded."

"Oh. Shit." It was a total understatement and all of them knew it.

The group stood there for a moment before Misao spoke up in a small voice, her bangs covering her eyes. "I just…need to be by myself for a while." She took off down the pathway leading away from the house be herself. Aoshi looked at them before he too, followed the girl, disappearing from their sight in seconds.

"Sanosuke, would you please take care of that girl for now? I just want to stay outside in the rain for a moment." Kenshin let her down onto the ground as she shifted in his arms, and turned her back on him. "If Yahiko wakes up, just let him know that I kept his promise ne? I just need to be out here in the rain right now." He nodded in silence as he disappeared into the house with the girl in his arms, leaving the front door slightly ajar so that they would be able to come in later, leaving the couple outside in silence. Sanosuke knew when to leave well enough alone, and this was one of the times when he would just let her be.

Kenshin reached for her as she spoke. "Aren't you going inside too?" Her voice was a soft murmur in the rain. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around gently. "No." He answered softly. "I need to be in the rain too."

As if his sentence was the breaking barrier that had held back all her emotions, she grabbed fistfuls of his black sweater and buried her head into it, small body shaking with sobs as the slight drizzle turned into heavy drops of rain that drenched them instantly, washing away the blood that stained them, rosy pink water trickling down as rainwater eased it away. Kenshin held her close as the rain continued to fall, running a soothing hand down her back as he whispered softly into her ear.

"Cry it all out, koishii. Cry all you want until you feel better." She wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into the drenched sweater as her shoulders continued to heave with her sobs. "I'll share in your pain." He could feel his heart squeeze tightly as her emotions boiled over, slamming into his consciousness like a bullet train. Yet, he held on to it, to their link, allowing the pain and sorrow and guilt to wash over him; he felt as she felt.

Allowing their tears to mingle together in the rain, even when the guilt couldn't be washed away.

Dictionary

Kami-sama – God

Koishii – beloved (what men say to women)

Itoshii – beloved (what women say to men)

Yakusoku – promise

Busu – ugly, hag

Arigatou – thank you

Ki – aura

Domo – something akin to thank you

Sanshuu – literally means '3 colours'. Name of a yakuza group in my fic.

Chii – literally 'small'. Misao's codename.

Bara – Rose. Kaoru's codename.

Kagami – Mirror. Aoshi's codename.

Tenken – Sword of the Heavens. Soujirou's codename.

Notes:

(1) Product testing. This is sick, but what is meant here is like, sexual intercourse and the like.

(2) Dun-dun-dun. Something/someone else from Kenshin's past! Or not.

(3) Blue and gray are the Ishinshishi's official colours.

A/N: _ Meh. A rather dark, angsty and depressing chapter, so let me say sorry! Woo…very large chapter again, 6459 words, so I hope that satisfies you until my next update. There was a bit more Misao spotlight this time round, so urm, hope that it kind of makes up for my neglecting Aoshi and Misao for the last couple of chapters! More AxM in the next chapter, so never fear! Thanks to all for R&Ring, and I'll see ya'll in the next update!