Title: My Imouto-chan

Author: Neko-Yasha Formally Known as Hikari-Chan

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Um... Not much romance envolved until the end, sort of depressing, kinda sucks royally. There is no Yaoi or Yuri so skidadal if thats what your looking for. Also more of an over-view of a character I role-play than a fanfic. Anything involving the other characters interaction was suggestion from friends. The story also hops around alot to explain her life quickly up to the point that Kenshin met Kaoru.

Pairings: Kaoru/Kenshin, Sannosuke/OC (sorta)

Disclaimer: I dont own Rurouni Kenshin, so all you lawyers can bite me ^ ^ *sweatdrops seeing a missing peice of her shirt sleeve was ripped by a lawyer bite* ... crap, now I gotta go get Immunized...

Inspiration: Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal, Samura X: Reflection, Suggestions from friends.

Category: Drama/Romance/Comedy-- not till close to the end though, you people should know I cant resist placing a comedic twist in my stories ^ ^

Cross-over of: er... none... ^ ^.^ ^

Ch. 3: Journey

At the dinner table, they heard gunshots in the night. Sagaso sighed as he drank his sake then smiled to his wife. "Delichious as always Mistko..." She nodded with a smile and poured him more, then looked to Chitosei," Dear, would you like some rice?"

Chitosei blinked looking to Mistko, drawing herself away from the storm of thoughts in her head. Then nodded,"... yes please... "Another scream into the night and she heard Sagaso sigh again. "... Sagaso-sensei... That is the execution of Samurai is it not?" He paused at the question. Then took another sip of warmed sake and set it on the table closing his eyes.

"Yes Chitosei... the cries you hear are not of innocent people... The men being exicuted are murderers."

She blinked," ... So our town will not execute the innocent?"

Sagaso smirked," The truely innocent... not all who dis-obey the law are deserving of death. This is part of your lesson for today... Those who have never touched a blade or are unknowledgeable to the death that surrounds them each day... those are innocents. As a swordswoman, a skilled one you are becoming... you must protect those people. Promise me now that your blade will never quench its thirst on innocent blood." His eyes serious as he starred into her's and smiling slightly at the purity he saw in her.

Chitosei smiled back and nodded her head," Hai Sensei... I promise."

A sound, gunshots, and blood stained her vision. Screams of her dearest sensei and the shouts of Sakura, the dying mother.

***

Her eyes opened and she jumped from her bed in a start. A pale hand rose to her forehead and whiped away the cold sweat. "... Nightmares again..." She sighed and lay back on the padding. "heh... thats right Chitosei.. you have nothing to worry of in this time of Meiji..." A few years had passed now... Her left eye winced a bit as light shone through her window and she smirked a little, crawling out of bed. She moved to her window and parted the curtains, warm summer light pouring in her room.

"Beautiful day..." A voice came from her door and she looked over her shoulder at its source. "Saraga-dono..." Chitosei turned and bowed to him fully," Arigatou for taking me in sir."

The man smiled cheerfully at her. "... It's not a problem, no need for thank yous... Besides... the kid likes you." he smirked and left her door way, Chitosei smiling widely ear to ear. She had been fortunate these past couple weeks. Taken in by a kind clan, she didnt intend to stay but their kindness... it restored her faith in humanity. Especially the boy... Sannosuke. Instead of wondering the streets a lost soul, stealing to survive and fighting off bandits without killing them, she was sleeping in a warm bed, fed a good meal and exposed to training with men that were protecting her and didnt dare to harm or touch her. For now... life was good. However.. she knew she could not stay forever, and today was the day she was leaving. The men decided to put together a celebration for her departure.

The night was young as the large bon-fire burned on as drunken men and women danced in delight and Chitosei smiled as she stood and Sagara-san pulled her atop a log to be in clear sight as she spoke. She bowed her head and smiled as she raised her hand asking their silence. The party complied.

"Members of Sekihoutai... thank you so much for taking me in as one of your own. I am in great appriciation of this celebration and enternally in your debt. I go on now, not because I want to leave, but because I have to. I have unfinished business to attend to... thank you for allowing me to accompany you this long and I wish you great luck in your coming battles with the Isshin Shishi government." Another bow, and she stepped down... Sagara Souzou then laughed heartilly and spread his arms speaking loud an cheerful," Everyone dance and enjoy the feast!"

Each man and few woman raised their arms and some with glasses of sake and began to dance again, hooting and halaring with great happiness of the wonderful celebration. Souzou patted Chitosei on the back with a warm smile and nodded in the direction of her camp. She nodded back, bowed her head and exited the scene... she would leave silently with out anyone knowing.

As she pulled back the curtain to her tent, she felt a hand tugging her sleeve," Kurunai-sempai, you cant go..." her large eyes blinked and she looked over her shoulder. Then smiled warmly at the boy before her," ... Sano-kun." The eleven year old boy starred back at her with pleading hazel brown eyes.

"Onegai, Kurunai-sempai... "

She smiled at him. Then turned and kneeled to where she was a little shorter than him," Sano-kun... I cant stay here, I have business to attend to..."

He clenched his teeth a bit and starred into her eyes with a slight pinkness on his cheeks," ... But... I dont want you to go... what if I never see you again?"

The red-head smiled and cupped his cheek, shaking her head," we will meet again someday... You choose the path of battle with your comrades, I however have made a promise never to kill again... all but one man. I have unfinished business."

Sano sighed and looked down to his feet, nodding," I understand..."

Still keeping her cheerful disposition, Chitosei in mid-stand turned Sano's chin to face her and placed her lips on his forehead in a endearing kiss goodbye. "Until we meet again Sannosuke... Defend what is prechious to you... You must protect what you love because it is worth dying for." The boy starred at her with a perplexed and contorted look on his face. Then slowly nodded as he watched her gather up her sword and weaponry, some extra food and a scarft she covered over her face with. "I look forward to seeing you again, when sakura petals fall..." She said with warmth in her voice as she ruffled his hair and walked away into the night of the forest. Sano starred at his feet, sighing slightly with a smile as he held in tears. Men didnt cry... "Until Sakura petals fall..." the slight whisper on his lips carried into the wind that danced in the trees. "I look forward to it."

***

A horse's neigh sounded in Tokyo and its rampaging feet flew through the streets in alarm as more followed behind it. On its back was a black cloaked figure who glanced over their shoulder at the many men on horses behind. "DAMNED WENCH! I'LL SLICE YOU IN HALF WHEN I CATCH YOU!" A smirk crossed the cloaked figures lips, and a chuckled laugh as a slender hand, reached into a belt pocket and withdrew acupuncture needles. The hand came back and flicked out the needles with precise aim, striking the horsemen in their shoulders at shins, causing them to fall from their horses.



"What the hell?" A young girl turned over her shoulder and watched the commotion, her raven black hair whipping past her shoulders and the purple bow bouncing slightly in the wind. The boy that accompanied her was much younger about 11 or so, and a man as well, dressed in white with a japanese character on his back. 'Evil' being its meaning. Suddenly the rider looked ahead and found they were going striaght into a wall if they didnt stop now. As pale hands pulled back on the reigns of the horse, he let out a mighty neigh and reared up to stop the hood tossing off the riders head and long red locks fell past her shoulders, the cloak slipping back to reaveal a very womanly figure.

"Its a girl!" She shouted stating the obvious and the man dressed in white dashed through the mud to catch the girl falling from her steed. Her startled body fell freely into his arms and he pulled her against his chest, looking towards the bandits that were now on injured foot and coming to claim her.

"Kaoru! We gotta split, none of us are prepared for this!"

The raven haired girl blinked... wow... He said something rational and smart for once. He turned back and ran with the other two into an alley way, the three of them leaping over a short fence.

The younger boy shouting," quick, we can lose them down here!" hearing the foot steps of many chasing after them as the boy led them down a sharp turn and up a ladder into an over hang built into a building made from rock. They watched as men went running by without noticing their hiding place.

Until now the woman had kept quiet and she looked up to her rescuer. "... Now that we've gotten past the whole 'saving my ass' part-" She raised her hand and brought it down in a swift slap across his face, leaving a red welt where his cheek rest," Get your hands off the merchendise pal!" His eye twiched a bit and Kaoru growled.

"Sannosuke! You pervert!"

But the brown haired boy grinned slightly then prominantly dropped the woman in his arms on the hard ground, her rump coming in quick and hard contact," Itai!"

"Well, you said hands off..."

The red-head growled," Teme! I didnt say drop me!"

Just as Sano opened his mouth again, Kaoru put her hand over it as a signal he'd better shut up while he's ahead. She smiled a bit kindly, however Yahiko wasn't so quick to judge this person as good. "Hey.... what're all those guys chasing you for?"

She blinked a bit at the young one's question. Then smirked," Wanted to ask me for a good time, why else?"

His eyes widened as well as Sano's while Kaoru starred blankly.

"Your a hooker? A ugly violent girl like you?" Sano smirked at his words and soon found his other cheek as red as the first one with a welt.

"Baka! If I were a hooker dont you think I'd be dressed like a woman!?"

He growled back at her... this girl had alot of attitude," Well I dont know some of them are pretty kinky-"

"You wanna get slapped again pal?"

"Eh-- miss-" Kaoru chimed in with a smile.

"What?"

"Well, don't mind him, he's really not all that bright in how to intdroduce himself."

"HEY!"

"Urusei, Sano." Yahiko snapped at him.

***

The door to the Kamiya Dojo slid open and Kaoru walked in with a sigh and a solemn look on her face. Wonderful, they gained yet another freeloader and mouth to feed. She glanced over her shoulder at the new guest and said nothing as she walked away and bustled towards the kitchen. The guest looked to each side of her, Yahiko on her left and Sano on her right. Sano... was this the same Sano? She turned her head eyeing him with an all out curiosity and not bothering to mask over she was looking at him. He blinked when he noticed and turned slightly starring back down at the very short red-head. "You got a problem?"

She shook her head and kept starring at him, studying the features... he had the same color hair... was taller... most likely the propor age...

"... Hey, look, its not like I'm naked or something so stop starring. Sheesh. Baka gawking hentai girl." He mumbled incoherantly as he bagan to wander out the side door. Chitosei's cheeks reddened and she growled a bit,"NANIYO!?" gritting her teeth as he walked out... calling her the hentai after he'd fondled her? FEH! Her left eye was still twiching a bit when the boy in yellow grasped her sleeve," Don't mind Sanosuke." Then that boy exited the room as well following after Sano and leaving a very confused young girl.

She blinked a few times with no clue what to do with herself now that she had been brought to this place. So, with lack of anything else to do, she sat on the floor and made herself comfortable... though it was a bit hard.

***

Later in the night she sat down at the dinner table and looked at those who sat around her. Kaoru the woman who had cooked the meal and the kind one who offered her a place to stay. Sanosuke, the pervert that liked grabbing her rear... and the child she had learned his name to be Yahiko. And he tended to stare at her with distrust... She looked at the plate before her when she sat down and blinked at it... burned fish... her nose twiched a bit at the smell and she glanced at Karou," ... you know how to cook right?" Kaoru shifted into demonhellspawnbitchfromhell mode and screamed, "WHY WHATS WRONG WITH MY COOKING!?"

The red head fell over in that 'ORO!? X.x' sort of way and her clothes singed at the fire Karou was breathing at her," OK OK I'LL EAT IT I'LL EAT IT!" And Kaoru sat back down in her place, eating calmly... yet still shooting daggers at their new guest. The girl sweatdropped as she poked at her plate and decided it was better than nothing... she mustered the strength to down the entire fish, her eye twiching a bit at the taste.

"SSOOO!" sanosuke started in his usual crude manner, "Are you a boy or a girl?" Everyone hit the floor Oro style. She twiched a bit, he already damn well knew she was a girl.. just because she wore baggy clothes and had a scar on her face she was classified as a boy that looked like a girl... the corner of her eye twiched again and she already didnt like Sanosuke as she gave him the satisfaction of an answer," ... girl..."

Sanosuke simply laughed as if acting oblivious to the girls newfound hatred of him

Her eye twiched yet again and she reached in her pocket pulling out acupunture needles... she thought about throwing these into Sano's neck, then remembered her vow not to kill... all but one man. Daming her honor she sighed a bit then looked across the table at the young boy who was still glaring at her like she was some sort of criminal. Sanosuke, once again, rudely snatches the needles from her exclaiming "so, what are you, some kind of healer?"

She blinked... then grined almost molevolently," ... not... exactly." And like the monkey he was, Sanosuke started using the needles to eat his food " wow, this sure beats those dull chopsticks for cutting through this tough stuff!" Kaoru twiched.

Chitosei winced a bit... such innocent looking supplies were really one of the many weapons she hid in her robes," ... um... you might not wanna eat off those..." she waited for him to feel the parylisis powder kick in. And as if on cue to her words, it did. He suddenly lost all feeling in his extremities and body, "mffh thh mfck!"

" Eh..." she laughed a little bit, nervously," I tried to warn you." Yet, everyone else didnt seem to care that Sano was parylized... and Kaoru smirked admitting to herself... she sorta liked him that way.

They ignored him and Chitosei went back to poking her food... finally finishing it. Soon she found herself in the same state as Sanosuke, falling back on the floor and twiching a bit. Yahiko didn't seem very panicked... this was typical for someong first tasting Kaoru's cooking. But obviously, the dojo girl didnt like this supposed 'joke' and mockery of the food she cooked. However... Chitosei wasnt acting when she wraped her arms around her stomach and groaned in pain. Slowly Kaoru stood up and drew the wooden sword with a growl on her lips.

Just then, the door had slid open. A man with red hair much like the guest and violet eyes stepped in, grinning a gentle smile with buckets over his shoulder," Sorry im late, that I am, the market was very crowded." He blinked a bit at the scene before him... Ms. Kaoru was standing up with her sword drawn and glarring daggers at a girl at the floor, with a battle aura that seemed to flame like fire. His eyes widened with a sweatdrop, and gulped a bit as she set down the buckets and tried to intervene. " Kaoru-donno, we don't want a fight he-" but his words were cut off as Yahiko and Sanosuke picked up his shoulders and dragged him away with all intention of finding a 'Kaoru War Shelter' and hiding under it.

Chitosei sat up and grinned nervously at Karou," uhh, I dont wan-" but it was to late the raven haired girl took a swing at her with the wooden sword and she rolled aside to avoid it," eep!" Chitosei squaked and leaped up to her feet.

"CATFIGHT!" Sanosuke shouted with a grin as kenshin tried to pull away from his and Yahiko's grip to stop the fight. The wandering girl growled over her shoulder at Sanosuke but soon found herself stepping aside in a dodge again from angry Kaoru. She finally decided it was time to cut this short. In a speed that made her a mere blur of color by vision, she stopped behind Kaoru and hit her on the sleep pressure point at the back of her neck, catching her when she fell. Chitosei sweatdropped with a nervous smile," Ah, anno, Sumimasen..." Kenshin's eyes widened slightly the only of the 3 males present that saw the movement. 'So...' he thought 'she's trained in a fighting art that uses medicinal techniques... dangerous.' A girl he came home to discover was suddenly much more intruiging and he became a box of questions about her past and identity. Chitosei gently laid the sleeping Kaoru on the floor and sighed a bit, bowing her head in applogy. When she stood straight again she glanced over at the younger boy who growled slightly," Not that I care but what did you do to her?"

She smiled some," She's sleeping, dont worry..."

"Im NOT worried..." He replied, taking a look at Kaoru before walking out the door of the kitchen and out of sight. Obviously... he did NOT like this girl. Sanosuke and Kenshin remained and the former samurai smiled a bit as Sanosuke crossed his arms and boomed out a laugh at her. "Well well, you are experienced! Where'd you learn a technique like that missy?"

She blinked at him and rasied an eyebrow at his curiousness. Was this really the same Sano she had met years before or was the name and look just coincidence? " ... ah... Kurunai Sagaso... A formal general and a very good one at that, stationed in training young samurai."

"Was he your father?"

The girl didn't like how he was prodding his nose where it aught not to prod. She took her time responding," ... Not... exactly.... "

"Where were you raised?" Another question of pure curiosity as he smirked none-to-kindly at her.

Then she growled a bit in response," stop prying will ya?" Kenshin looked at the two of them and sensed some tension. So he broke in with some friendly suggestion, "You know, Sanosuke and I are fighters as well, perhaps we should spar one day." She blinked a bit starring at the red haired man... The scar on his cheek and she tilted her head in suspicion... Battousai? No... This man had a gentle face.

The cocky Zanza then laughed again, "Oh yeah as if she'd stand a chance against you Kenshin." He grinned back at Chitosei," he is THE Hitokiri Battousai you know!" In a bit of embarissment and modesty Kenshin immediatly hit Sanosuke over the head lightly. The boy winced back,"What?"

She blinked... her eyes widened suddenly... then narrowed in a glare at who she had suspected. "... Battousai huh..." suddenly the cheerful girl seemed clenched her fist as she turned to walk outside before she lost her temper. Just hearing that name made her blood boil... the name of the man that took away the only family she had ever known. She shut the door behind her as she walked down the steps and Kenshin blinked some, looking at Sanosuke with a bit of confusion there in his eyes.

"Dont look at me, I dont know what crawled up her ass and died."

He sweatdropped," Dont be so crude Sano... I have the strangest feeling about that girl, that I do... she's very... familiar."

Sano now blinked with a bit of confusion as he looked off to the side in thought," ... kinda think of it... she looks sort of like a girl I once knew..."

She stepped lightly and made her way to a bench by some water buckets as she starred at her feet. Her lips tugged up into a almost malichious grin and Chitosei chuckled. She glanced over her shoulder at the shadows that outlined as Sanosuke and Kenshin. "... I've found you... Hitokiri Battousai... "

***

well, like it? Hate it? Review or Kenshin gets a hair cut... *points to a bound former battousai (@.@x) on the ground, and grins. Then kneels down and puts a Katana to his hair*

Kenshin: ORO!? Help me please Kaoru-dono!

Kaoru: ... Are you nuts? Your on your own pal, I dont trust her with that sword o.o

Yahiko: .;