Disclaimer: Don't own RK, but again I do own Meru, Shiru, Rushi, Kashuko, and Shakon. Lots more names to type now ^.^;

Shiru sat within the confines of his "room", washing the blood upon his blade off with a rag. This was his, what? fifth murder in three days or so? Oh well, it was starting not to matter to him. But he thought, if Shishio didn't want to be found yet, he should stop sending out those inexperienced, untrained, weaklings that always seemed to get tracked back to Mt. Hiei. Not that he was all that experienced, but at least he was trained. As he wiped the blood off, he could see his reflection within the blade. His now normally narrowed eyes softened slightly.' What am I doing here?' He thought. 'Why, why haven't I left yet? I could easily walk out of here, and just never return.' 'Because'. A new voice awoke in the back of his mind. 'Because this is where you belong.' What? Where I belong...? 'Yes. This is where you belong. Here, with Lord Shishio. Here, as a manslayer.' Hn. You're wrong. Apparently you don't know much, I despise being a manslayer. 'Then, as you asked yourself. Why haven't you left yet? You know you enjoy the sensation that comes with slaying someone.' The voice said, and Shiru didn't know how to respond. However, Hoji came banging into the room at that moment, inturrupting his thoughts. Shiru's eyes hardened and narrowed again as he turned them to glare at Hoji.

"What do you want?"

He asked.

"You had do best not to use that tone with me you little brat!"

Hoji growled. He looked throughly ticked about something.

"Hn. Sorry."

Shiru retorted sarcastically.

"I ask again, what do you want?"

Hoji glared at him before slamming a newspaper down onto his desk.

"This!"

He hissed through clenched teeth.

Shiru glanced over at the paper. The headline said something about the sword ryus that were being used to kill off some of their leading officials had been identified. Shiru looked back at Hoji.

"Your point would be?"

Hoji snarled at him.

"My point would be that your ryu was identified!!! There are only a limited few people still left who know the Hiten Mitsurugi ryu!! They're going to figure it out eventually! And, if they find out it's you, they can start suspecting Lord Shishio is alive again!! That's my point brat!!"

Shiru sheathed his sword and stood.

"Hm. Is that all? Nothing but a waste of my time."

Hoji looked utterly perplexed at this statement and watched with a dumbfounded expression on his face as Shiru left the room.

Shiru kept walking, not caring if Hoji followed him. He passed by Shishio's lounge, and would've kept going without pause if Shishio's voice had not said

"Shiru, come in here."

He turned and walked into the room. Shishio sat in the center with Yumi at his side. He looked up as Shiru entered and smirked.

"Yes Lord Shishio?"

Shiru asked.

"It has been brought to my attention that we're starting to be found out. No doubt that wolf Saitou has something to do with it, but that lowerclass dog alone can't hinder our plan."

Shishio started. And, as he said that, Shiru couldn't help thinking 'Watch what you say about that lowerclass dog.'

"What worries me slightly, is not the police force, but some of the help they could inlist. No doubt they will immediatly seek the Battousai's help, if they haven't done so already. And as I already learned, Battousai is truly not a man to be underestimated."

Shiru looked at him, slowly raising an eyebrow.

"So, what do you want me to do?..."

*********

Back in Tokyo, Saitou again walked through Kashuko's office door, this time accompanied by the Battousai as well. Kashuko looked up from his papers as they entered, and Kenshin looked at him with a look of concern.

"Do you have anymore news about wether it's Shishio again, sir?"

Kashuko nodded.

"Both Shakon and Yahiko have been by with reports. Shakon says the fortress has been restored for the most part and that it's crawling with people who look like Shishio's men. Yahiko got his from the Oniwabonshuu, and they said they have in fact seen both Hoji and Yumi, so Shishio has to be around somewhere."

Kenshin nodded and looked as though he would like to ask another question but couldn't do it. Saitou lit another cigarette and took a long drag off it before asking the question for him.

"What about their new assasian? The one who seems to be using the Hiten Mitsurugi? Have they seen him?"

Kashuko looked at Kenshin, who's look of anticipation and fear was almost too much to look at. He shifted his gaze off to the right as he said.

"They, haven't seen his face. They've only seen glimpses of him. But from what they could gather, he's about 5"8, and has red hair that is usually worn in a ponytail twards the top of his head..."

Saitou coughed when he heard that. He looked at Kenshin who was now looking at the floor.

"He wears his hair in the way of the old samurai..."

Kenshin still said nothing as Kashuko stated.

"It dosen't matter who he is, the fact is, he's on Shishio's side and he's highly dangerous. As much as I hate to do this, Mr. Himura, we're going to need your help in desposing of him..."

Kenshin's head snapped up and he looked at Kashuko with a look of disbeleif on his face.

"You mean, you want me to..."

*********

"....kill him?"

Shiru asked, his eyes widening slightly as he looked at Shishio, who had quite a smug look upon his face as he replied.

"Of course, if we allow him to live, he could easily come and upset our plan again as he had done last time. I've already been to hell once, d'you think I want to go back?"

Shiru shook his head slightly.

"No Lord Shishio."

Shishio smirked.

"Good, I thought you'd feel the same way, as it's thanks to me you're even alive again."

"Yes Lord Shishio."

Shiru said, looking at the floor.

*********

"So, you'll agree to it?"

Kashuko asked anxiously.

Kenshin's hand tightened upon the hilt of his sword.

Saitou looked at Kashuko.

"How can you ask someone that? Ask them to basically assasinate their own child who they've thought was dead for years? Even I'm not that heartless."

Kashuko turned his eyes from Kenshin to Saitou.

"It's not like I like asking him to do this, but if something isn't done about him it could lead to total catastrophy! And I think the safety of the naiton of Japan is a bit more important than the assasination of one person!"

He snapped.

Saitou opened his mouth to retort but Kenshin held up a hand to silence him. He raised his head up to look at Kashuko. His eyes full of pain and anguish he said.

"I...."

*********

"....I will."

Shiru answered. Shishio's smirk widened.

"Good. Then you can get started immideatly. The quicker we defeat the Battousai, the quicker we take over this country."

Shiru nodded, turned on his heel and left. As he walked, his eyes took on a new apperiance. They became colder, heartless. Not like himself at all. Perhaps this was the eyes of a true killer. One who does not care anymore. It didn't matter to him anymore, who he killed and when. And that thought was in his head as he headed out in the direction of Tokyo, a place he hadn't set foot in for years.

~~~~~ There's Chapter 6! 'Twas a pain to write XP I think I'm startin to get a block on this... hope not anyways. Well, thanks to the only two people reading this story who review, please R&R and I'll update soon.