Author's note: Woo! Another story chapter up! Anybody even remember what's going on in this one? It's been awhile, I know. But hey, there's not that many chapters to begin with so read up and remember what's going on, cool? Cool. Anyway, Don't really have much to say on this one so read on and enjoy!!

As always, this is Blades. "Good reading equals good times." I'm out.

------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------

Kenshin's eyes blinked once, twice, three times before his vision became steady and he could see the smile face above him. "Miss Kaoru...." He said, rather weakly.

"Hey, Kenshin. Glad to see you're awake. Hiro put some good cuts on you."

"But his last attack....How?"

"He flipped his blade, guess he didn't want to kill you after all." She laughed to try and ease his seriousness.

"Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine. The worst his has is a fractured forearm. Magumi said it would only take a couple weeks to heal fully considering his strength."

Kenshin nodded. "Sounds about right...." He seemed to be thinking of something as he kept the conversation with Kaoru up....Something that looked quite serious.

"Kenshin, what's wrong? Does it have something to do with Hiro?"

He nodded once again. "His strength.....I never knew he would grow to be so strong. I wonder what kind of training he went through. I had to use all of my skill just to knock him out. He was a real challenge.....Those assassins must have really did a number on him." He paused and sighed. "Hiro.....I can only assume how much blood he has seen....Something that just shouldn't happen in this new age, that it shouldn't."

"What happened Kenshin.....Tell me the whole story about Hiro. You said he lived with you for awhile.....When and for how long? Did anything happen during that time?"

Kenshin shook his head. He couldn't tell Kaoru the whole truth for it would go into a whole different story....He lightly rubbed the cross-shaped scar on his cheek as memories came back to him. "It was perhaps a week after our first encounter....He found the place I had called my new home. He somehow heard that I was selling medicines and tracked me to my house in the hills. He was covered in blood when I met him....At first I thought it was his but soon discovered it belonged to his first victim....He was crying and had no where to turn so he stayed with me...."

"For how long."

"Not long, just a couple seasons.....But during that time Hiro idolized everything about me. He wanted to follow in my footsteps.....But not the footsteps of an apothecary but ones of an assassin. I told him that spilling blood, whether guilty or innocent was absurd and nothing good would come from it.....But he was arrogant.....Like I was when I was younger and he left in a rage saying one day we would meet and fight again. He said he'd be ready....He'd be the strongest....Strong enough to rightfully take-" Kenshin's mouth dropped and his eyes grew two sizes bigger.

Kaoru lightly shook him. "What? What's the matter??"

"I know why he's here....I know why he fought so hard."

"Why?! Tell me!"

"He was showing me that he's ready..."

"Ready for what??"

The front door slammed shut and Sanosuke came running in with a boy covered in thick cloths, Yahiko right behind him. "I can't believe you just forgot about him, Yahiko!"

"I told him to leave! It's not my fault he didn't listen!!"

Kaoru got up and looked down the hall as the two turn into the guest room Magumi was staying in... Luckily she was still here.

"Who was that boy?" Kaoru asked, mostly to herself.

She turned and saw Kenshin lying back down. Sounds of slumber coming from his body. She sighed and walked down the hallway to see what the racket was all about.

"He'll be fine...Just a small cold. It happens when you stand outside in the cold rain all night." She glared at Yahiko who seemed quite content of the designs on the floor.

Magumi looked back at the child. "So what is your name?"

After a couple sneezes and wiping of his nose he finally coughed out. "Tomonadi."

"How did you find this place?"

"Hiro told me to come here. He said I might be able to live here."

Everyone was silent. Hiro was just inviting people to live here?? HE didn't even live here! Kaoru stood up. "I think I'll go have a word with our 'guest'."

Tomonadi shot up off the ground. "Oh, can I see him too??"

Kaoru hesitated and looked around at the others. They just shrugged. She lowered her head and said. "Fine, I don't see why not. I'll have my word when you two are done."

Tomonadi shouted in excitement and chased after Kaoru who made her way to the room Hiro was in.

Hiro groaned has he prodded the splints over his forearm. He wouldn't be able to hold his katana until it healed. Just peachy.....Although he should have figured these kind of injuries would result from such a fierce battle with such a great warrior.... The fight reminded him of the old Kenshin he heard about. The one that served as a professional assassin all those years ago and not the Kenshin who sold those medicines.....Just then the flashbacks hit him harder then any attack he had ever felt.

He was back at Kenshin's house. His was ten and was watching Kenshin and his wife working in the garden. Hiro smiled as he ran outside to see what he could help with, he felt just like a son to him and he loved them as much as any parent he had.

"Can I help, can I help????" The rambunctious child asked.

Kenshin laughed and pointed back to the house. "Go get the seedlings and you can help your mother plant them." They had been living together so long that they even talked to each other like a real family.

"Yeeaaahh!!" He shouted running off to get the seedlings.

"He's certainly a handful, isn't he?" The women next to him said.

"Yes....But I'm still glad he's here. As long as he stays then the horrors of life won't get to him like they got to us...."

The women stayed silent and went back to planting.

"Tomoe....I'm sorry for bringing up the past."

"Shh, he's back."

And just like that it was over. Maybe they should have kept their conversations more private so Hiro wasn't able to spy on them. He smiled, he always loved to ease drop on those two even though they always caught him.

Suddenly Hiro's door cracked open and a boy can rampaging in. "Hiro I saw you're fight! That was amazing!"

He looked up to see none other then Tomonadi himself in his presence. He came after all.

"So you're here.....Sorry but I forgot to ask if you can stay. I can do that right now if you want."

Tomonadi nodded. "Ok, sounds great but if I can stay here....Can you umm....You know, umm...."

"Train you?" He finished for him.

"Yeah!"

"No."

Tomonadi almost fell over. "Aww! But why?!?!"

"Because I don't take pupils. My Ryu will die with me and that's how it should be." Wow....Hiro had heard this before.....Only from the mouth of his 'father'.

He looked up at Tomonadi who seemed far beyond disappointed. He smiled and motioned for the young one to come over to him. He did and Hiro put his good arm around his shoulder.

"I'll make a deal with you, ok?"

"Ok, sure!"

"Learn and master the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu and I'll teach you my own fighting style."

His eyes glimmered like the biggest diamonds. "Are you serious?! I just have to master some style and I can be your pupil?!?!"

"Yes, I'm serious....But don't think of it as 'some style' if you do you'll never master and I'll never teach you. From what I've heard and the little I've seen of Kamiya Kasshin.....It....It let's people live. Upon mastering this style your thrust for blood will never be started and you'll hold a peace of mind one could never attain unless using this style....You'll NEED this peace of mind to professionally use my own style. Do you understand?"

Tomonadi nodded once. "I think I do..."

"Good, now here comes your new Sensei right now."

Karoru came into looking quite confused. "What? Sensei?"

Hiro nudged Tomonadi forward and motioned for him to explain. After a small pause the little boy bowed to Kaoru and said. "I wish to become your pupil and learn the Kamiya Kasshin style...That is, if you'll let me."

Kaoru smiled and looked at Hiro who was too busy studying the wrapping over his katana's hilt to care.

"Sure, Tomonadi....I will allow you to train under me. Welcome to the Kamiya dojo."

He looked up and turned to Hiro. "Did you hear that! I'm in! Yee-ha!!"

He started dancing around Hiro as Kaoru just looked at him.

"Tomonadi, come with me so I can show you the basics. Hiro will make your room for you. If you're both going to stay here then you both with help around." She looked at Hiro to see if he really was going to stay here.

He nodded once. "Alright, I'll fix this place up a bit. Tomo, you go have fun and show me what she teaches you."

"You can count on it!" He shouted, running out of the room with Kaoru close behind.

Hiro shook his head. "Himura....You tried to protect me from a life of bloodshed but sadly you failed.....I won't let if happen to this child." With that Hiro placed his back on the wall and fell asleep.

"So here's your uniform. Your first lesson will be tomorrow at sunrise. Any questions?"

"Where's my sword!?"

"Eheh, we don't use real swords around here.....But here, you'll be using this."

She tossed him a wooden sword, the same as Yahiko's. He grabbed it and looked at it.

"Hmmm.....I guess this'll do....." He started walking away already disappointed in this style. Kaoru sighed. "Kids." She said walking away.

A couple weeks past and Tomonadi seemed to be doing pretty well in his teachings. Everything Kaoru was telling him about self-discipline and how a sword which protects people not only holds the life of the owner but also in which he guards. He was understanding it all, his only downfall was the actual combat. The sword he was using was the smallest one but it was just too bulky for him. He couldn't swing it with the right precision. Day after day he gave up in frustration from this annoying fact.

"I will never get this down!!" He yelled to himself on the dojo's stairs. Yahiko came and sat next to him.

"Hey, I know it's rough the first few weeks but you'll get used to it. Soon enough the sword will feel like it's not even there. You'll see."

"Hmph." Tomonadi turned in the other direction.

Hiro and Kenshin started walking by and Tomonadi halted them in their tracks. "Where are you two off to?!"

"The market." Hiro said walking past the youngster.

"Can I come?!"

"Nope, you're training for the day isn't over yet."

"Ohhh, can't you just cut me some slack?!"

"No....Go train."

Tomonadi groaned and ran off. Kenshin turned to him as they walked to the market. "Kind of harsh, don't you think?"

"No, just tough love. He's not going to learn if he doesn't practice."

"I think you should leave all that stuff up to Miss Kaoru."

"Well maybe if she had more discipline...."

They were walking around aimlessly as Kenshin tried to talk to Hiro.

"So you've been quite these past few weeks. Your arm seems to be doing better."

"Mmm, I suppose.....But it won't be better until it's out of this sling."

"You've seem to have adapted quite well though. I have never seen someone swing in sword in their weakest of the two hands with just as much accuracy, that I haven't."

"It's not hard.....Just needs practice like all other things."

"Nothing it too far out of your reach, is it?"

Hiro shook his head and glanced over at Kenshin. They still haven't talked about his goal to obtain the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu.....But Hiro never brought it up so Kenshin never thought to ask.

The streets were filling up and they decided today wasn't the best day to shop. They made there way back home nudging between the crowd. A hooded boy came running out of no where and slammed hard into Hiro's right shoulder. He used the force of the blow to shove the stranger away but that was a big mistake as it only lead to something revealing itself from the stranger's cloak and sticking hard into Hiro's face.

He spun around into the group but hurried back to his balance before falling into anyone. In one motion Hiro's right hand was on his hilt which was still on his right side. He learned pretty quickly how to fight with the katana held upside down in his wrong hand.

"Why don't you watch were you're going, pal!!" The stranger yelled at Hiro, holding his stick, a bokudo to be more precise, towards him.

The crowd stopped moving and Kenshin stood between the two. "Now, now. This is no place for a fight." He turned to the cloaked figure. "It was a common mistake. He is sorry now please leave."

The figure noticed the sword by Kenshin's side and the other one by Hiro's. "Swordsman.....You two.....You two must be with those other guys! Who else would carry a weapon in plain sight!?!"

All of a sudden the figure charged Kenshin who leapt out of the way. The person didn't care and just moved straight for Hiro who unsheathed his weapon and swung at his oncoming enemy.

Steel met wood as the two weapons clashed. Hiro raised an eyebrow. That should have cut clean through a wooden sword.....It didn't take much thought to think how it made it through the attack.

The cloaked figure jumped back and took the real weapon from it's clever hiding place inside the sheath and once again attacked Hiro. He blocked each attack but was slowly being pushed back. This guy was really strong! Not as fast as Hiro but defiantly strong!! And he only looked about the age of Hiro from what he could tell.

A hard downward slash and Hiro was pushed backwards. The figure took this opportunity to try and finish Hiro. He put his katana into a thrusting position and aimed to take his head off. He charged and slammed his weapon forward.....But hit nothing. Instead he was tasting the bitter steel of Kenshin's blade. The figure didn't even see the crimson haired fighter get in front of Hiro but he also didn't feel the effect of his attack.

The man tilted from one foot to the other then pushed his weight back onto this original foot while driving the side of his sheath into Kenshin's head, sending him skidding across the street.

He swung his katana as Hiro and their fight continued. As they fought all Hiro could think about was "He took a direct blow from Kenshin and its like he didn't feel a thing!" Their blades clashed and locked but it didn't last for long and the figure shoved Hiro back taking a follow up swing but hitting nothing.

Kenshin was back up and on the cloaked man in no time. Hiro took the other side and the handicap two on one was slowly wearing the man down...But he still had some tricks left.

He parried one of Kenshin's slashes and brought his foot up into his face. He fell back and went after Hiro. There was a short stalemate but the figure rammed the sheath into Hiro's stomach, ending that quickly.

Hiro rolled and saved his head from disappearing from his body. "Himura! Stop playing around and knock him out!!"

The man, hearing this turned his attention to Kenshin but it was Hiro who attacked him. Taking offensive, Hiro slowly pushed them man farther and farther back until he parried a sideways slash and sent Hiro on a path away from him.

The man grinned and looked for Kenshin. He searched around but couldn't locate him at all. A voice came from above him. "Up here!!"

The figure looked up and saw the blade of the Sakabato run straight through his face. He hit the ground with such force that the ground under him crumbled into a cloud of rocks and dirt.

Kenshin sighed and sheathed his sword, Hiro doing the same. "Took you long enough."

Kenshin smiled at him. "Sorry it wasn't as quick as you wanted."

"Eh, nothing ever is....." Hiro looked at the man unconscious man. "What do we do with him?"

"He seemed to have thought we took his swords. I think we should take him to the dojo and interrogate him, that we should."

"Fine, you take his body and I'll take his weapon."

Hiro nodded, picking him up and carrying him to the dojo.

"Man! Another person? This place is certainly seeing its fair share of guests." Kaoru said, as she was down on her knees cleaning the floor.

She helped Kenshin bring the young man inside as Hiro made himself at home on the stairs.

"Are you coming in, Hiro?" Kenshin asked from the door.

"No, not quite yet."

The wind blew through Hiro's hair as he looked over the horizon. The sun was just setting and the sky was painted a light gold. He smiled, small, but still there.

A faint noise came from a tree to Hiro's left. He looked over and saw Tomonadi sitting on a branch also setting his eyes on the lowering sun.

"I used to watch the sunset with my sister all the time." He said, not turning away from the golden orb.

"What happened to her?"

"She was killed....."

Hiro felt a small pain in his chest. He should have known that already....Why else would a small boy be wondering around by himself. His parents probably received the same fate.

"I want to become strong and avenge her death....."

"Revenge is a shallow thing. It brings neither satisfaction nor the person's you vow it for life to return."

A tear trialed down the side of Tomonadi's cheek. "I know.....But.....But it hurts so much. I want them to know my pain."

Hiro stood up and walked over at the tree, looking up at the child. "Tomo.....Don't think that. Don't let blood lust fill your body at such a young age. Your sister is gone and there is nothing you can do to bring her back. Allow her to live on in you memories....Trust me, Tomo. I know how you feel."

Suddenly he whacked the branch under him and started screaming. "No, you don't! No one does!! My sister is DEAD and it's all because of some mistake!! She was a casualty! She didn't deserve death, Hiro.....She didn't deserve it!!"

Tomonadi whacked the branch harder and harder until his own power knocked him off balance, sending him to the ground below. He hit something that gave but didn't fall altogether. Hiro was looking down at him, cradling in his arms.

"You're wrong, Tomo.....I do know and I have already took the path you are now walking....I regret every second of it but there's nothing I can do but continue on this route given to me. I have spilled too much blood to turn away now. But you, Tomonadi.....You can still change, you can still grow in peace. Please do that.....If not for me then you're sister."

Tomonadi's crying became fiercer as he soon wrapped his arms around Hiro's neck. There was nothing either of them could say so they simply stood there, a breeze blowing around them....Watching the sun set....