A/N: Heheheheh, my second fic and first attempt at a Kenshin thing… hope you enjoy and R&R.

Crimson Blossoms

Act I: "Found You, Battousai…"

By KokoroHikaru

Amongst the time of the "Black Ships" that inflicted the Bakumatsu period in Japan, there had arisen a warrior, Hitokiri Battousai, who slashed open the gates of the Meiji. Yet one who had aided greatly the opposing Tokugawa Shogunate, one who struck obscurely in the shadows with a blade which spilt crimson onto the scattering blossoms, was unknown, but was one of their finest 'weapons.' Though at the beginning of the new age, both had disappeared… to later reemerge…

The pit-pats of her steps resonated over and over upon the soft roadside. The air hinted the coming spring as grass began to take their uprooting again and trees coming into effect. At first glance, the wanderer appears as a feminine male due to the clothes styled for men from a loose pale shirt under a nicely fitted hakama. Two large shirt jackets like happi coats, white and navy blue, embroidered over the figure to cover the sword hidden beneath. Yet a closer look, if to peer at the human structure, it was clearly a girl in a dress-up.

Her emerald-dominant eyes, lazy yet oddly bright and keen, gaze only notice to the clouds as she walked, though also peering at the road ahead. Tokyo was shifting ever closer and rest just that close. As her steps transcend closer with every trudging stride, the rurouni noticed the coming of sword-wielding policemen coming about, breaking the tranquil silence with their snickering racket. Only after they passed, did they suddenly stop to turn watch to this swordsman (or swordswoman).

She watched the three officers surround her slowly, a smirk on each face. The one with buck-teeth came up to her, running his hand over his sheath. He tapped at her sword, lips widening at each clink. "Well, well, well, some kids just don't learn… Swords are restricted to civilians in the Meiji gov't. Only us police can use them."

In a flick of her hand, she glances over her sheath with a scoff at them. Mere arrogant policemen who just wanted to mess with those supposedly inferior to them. That disgusted her. "What shall you do of it?" Her voice clear as a bell a woman's to them, making them snicker more.

"A girl in man's clothes. Ha, cute… you know, come play with us for a bit, and maybe we'll let you have your play-sword." He laughed in companionship with his fellows.

"Tch, I wouldn't want to do anything with bastard dogs that can't seem to wield a sword half as well as an infant can."

"What?! Do you know who speak to?!"

Peering through faux shocked eyes, the wanderer gave a fake gasp, before returning to her gaunt status. "Well I just seem to see ugly lap dogs… in their pathetic Western uniforms which I might add is horrible fashion."

Just with that, she pushed the buck-teeth officer out of hand, making him pull out his sword, trying to clash down on the rurouni. The girl had quickly reacted with counteracting with her blade, footing locked in position for her to pull out her sheath and jab it at the man's neck. The other two lunged at her with outstretched steel. In quick actions, she swept down to avoid the blows, and then sent her sword's blunt edge at the opponent's knee and the other sheath at the other's stomach. They keeled over into a coiled position, while the figure glared dully at them, casing her weapon.

The former hitokiri turned away, and continued her journey to Tokyo with the whisking wind.

In another turn for celebration in the popular Akabeko, the familiar little group appears. The recognizable Kamiya-Kasshin master Kaoru and her apprentice Yahiko both praised happily for the meal with some sukiyaki. Walking in, nipping at a fishbone with a content smirk on his face, the street-fighter appears in, chattering with his redhead swordsman friend. "Haha, won't have to endure Missie's cooking today."

"Hmph, at least you're getting a free meal, Sano!" She huffed.

Tae smiles at the group, happy to see them again. She leads them to their table, where across from them is a drinking stranger. One who was making a racket too. The drunken wanderer kept calling for sake, luminous emerald eyes under shady lids peered through long raven bangs, some that even sloped over her right eye. The rest of her hair was pinned up high with spiky locks prodding out. Her voice was rasp as she continuously called out for more alcohol.

Sanosuke looks curiously at the figure. "Hey, Tae, know who's the drunkard guy over there? Thinks he's a little overloaded…"

The Akabeko owner looks concerningly at him, twitting her fingers. "Well, we know, we did try to tell him, but he won't go just and threatened us with his sword…"

What does he think he is?!" Kaoru said, slightly ruffled. "Kenshin, do something! He can't do that to Tae."

"That's not a man, I say." Kenshin stated briefly as the two met eyes. The figure shifted uncomfortably at Kenshin.

"WHAT?!" That was the retort that escaped their lips, all in utter shock. Yahiko mutters at such a disguise, now wondering if Kaoru and Kenshin are in disguise too. The world is such an unpredictable one.

Sano gave a look of stupidity, then poked at Kenshin, being suspicious. "How do you know, eh?"

The swordsman blinked, looking innocently at his friend. "If you merely look at the figure, you could see hips and --."

"Ahh, Kenshin here is checking her out." Sano butts in, laughing.

"Oooooooorrrrrrrrroooooo? What? Sano!" He gasped, before the two received a smack on the heads by Kaoru.

Once their mutterings stop persisting and food came out, the cheerful group dug in. Clattering of bowls and chopsticks echoed while chattering maintained a regular balance between everyone and occasional once in awhile Tae spoke in. Yet Kenshin's curious attention was drawn to the other figure. Though still the person persevered in her drinking, grabbing the new given bottle greedily, sitting in the corner of her table space, pouring the drink down her throat, there was something just interesting he thought.

It was again their eyes met. As time passed, intensity grew 'til the stranger, shifted nervously away, dropping her sake jar down, and Kenshin being knocked over the head again with an 'oro' by Kaoru for dazing off. The stranger gets up slowly, leaning heavily on the sword barely balancing. Money clattered onto the table as she toppled outside, movements slow and tilting with lots of swaying.

The drunk girl's thoughts wandered slightly, part to dazed to think and the other trying to process what they just witness… those eyes were proverbial. Very familiar. But she pushed aside that thought, right now her head was spinning, and she needed a place to rest. She doubted that making to the inn without falling unconscious was possible. However her peaceful thinking was brutally interrupted by a projected weapon, which she scarcely was able to dodge only to be hit by the second loop out connect to the first right in the left shoulder. The ruckus caused by the first slamming into the Akabeko's wooden structure and the second crashing the girl into the building with her scream of anguish. Long since she felt such excruciating pain that tears formed in her eyes, but she grabbed a hold of the embedded blade, ignoring the forming of scarlet blood.

Pants formed from her lips as she stared down her opponent, nothing she could say. Just the pain rendering her useless to move or speak. She was paralyzed, and that struck fear in her, for the first time in such a long while, she panic. The wanderer could only hold onto the setted blade, watching her enemy with profound hatred, though the vision blurred back and forth.

Maybe, she should lay off the sake. Sure Tokyo brought back as bad as memories as Kyoto where she was much drunk there where she would avoid the city if possible. But today was just a dreadful day for such a habit, the mixture of pain and the drunken lore placed her in the unstable section with the enemy at the utmost advantage. And that he knew for he pulled hard to release the weapon from her grasp as she gave a whelp at the lurching sting. Her pants began to get louder, face pale from the pain yet red from her unsoberness, and the figure struggled to keep up with her breath coiling in mist. Oh god, I'm dead, aren't I?

She watched through clear bright eyes, though under heavy lids in a pained expression, as the assassin brought up his small scythe-like blades together to impale her. He smirked under the shadows, gleaming and musing. "How effortlessly it is to dispose of you. The great unknown 'Tsurai.' Tch, nothing but a pathetic woman easily finished off."

But even at the instant, her eyes followed the course of what was happening. A flash of red hair and ching of a sword crossing to stop the miniature scythes appeared. "You will not hurt the girl that I'll make sure."

"You're messing in ordeals that are none of your concern. Who the hell do you think you are?!" The man snarled, pulling back his weapon, straining at the chains.

"Names are of no importance, but if you insist to harm the lady…" His eyes narrowed to an intense glare, one that sent shivers down the assassin's spine.

The man only growled, set on leaving two corpses now, he pitched out his weapon at Kenshin, who easily countered it. Unexpected though was the third blade whipping out of nowhere, grazing slightly at the samurai's torso. The redhead staggered back, examining the surroundings, while Kaoru and Yahiko came to the young wanderer's tend.

The woman however pushed them back calmly as she watched with wide eyes. Sanosuke walked next to them, watching too. "Don't worry about Kenshin; he's got this one in the bag."

In many swerves of red hair, Kenshin maintained a smooth rhythm dodging the spikes thrown, though barely his sword managed to reach the controlling flesh. Yet in an impressive play by the samurai, he pulled together all the chains to bind around his sword on the assassin's last throw. It was to tangled up for the blades to be released, and Kenshin taking his momentum, pulled the man forward who loosened his balance. Using the wall as a spring board, Kenshin loosened the scythes joined to his blade, and connect his sword to the man in a shattering tone. The assassin dropped to the ground down for the count.

The other three gave a cheer, yet the stranger had a run of thoughts, confusing her head which could not take the pressure. From the lost of blood, her eyes glazed over as the world suddenly darkened and the dirt road became her temporary bed rest.

Megumi came silently out the room, sliding the door shut with a sigh. She gave a shocked look as to see Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke staring at her, sitting impatiently at the door for her. "So is it a guy or girl?" They asked.

She gave them a look of disgust, frowning with a flick of her hair. "What do you think I'm doing? Delivering a baby?" Megumi flick a snort, before changing her mood to see Kenshin. "Kya, Ken-san, brought another? You must be tired of Kaoru here…" Saying that, while putting her arms around Kenshin with playful eyes.

The rurouni samurai blinked, holding a tray of food. "Oro?"

Next thing to watch to see was Kaoru chasing Megumi who played her fox role. "I'll get you for that! Vixen!"

Kenshin just smiled, tilting his head. "Well, um, how is our guest?"

They stopped the chase, as Megumi puts her fingers at her lips. "Well… the girl's fine. The arm will take a few days to heal, but she's alright… Hmm, I know this is odd to say, but after getting rid of the sake and blood smell, she has a faint scent of Sakura blooms. Bah, enough of that, she needs her rest, but I think the girl will be up soon, so you could bring her in food."

"Now, I'll walk you to the gate." Kaoru said as pleasantly as she can to Megumi, while Sano and Yahiko had already sneaked off where with their mischief.

Kenshin entered the room to see the figure shift up, raven ebony hair fluttered like silk as she turned around to lock green eyes onto the visitor. He smiled pleasantly to her. "I see that you're well. I've brought some food, that I have."

She had already come to the conclusion, after vaguely pulling together the memories of last night. Drank to much, met an unfortunate pal, and had to be rescued which didn't seem to happen much to her yet oddly did last night. Her reply was soft, budging only little to adjust her happi coat which hung loosely on her bandaged body. "Yeah… sorry for the troubles…"

"Nahh, glad you're alright now. Kind of overdid it with the sake though." He hands over the tray to the girl, who takes it willingly. All she did engulf was sake, now with stomach aching for solid nourishment. "By the way, we haven't been formally introduced…"

"Not to be rude, but that who wants introduction, introduces himself first." She said taking up the bowl of rice and chopsticks.

"Sorry that I am. Himura, Kenshin."

"Tsurai." Her pronunciation slow, but clear as if she had long called it out. She came to nip onto the food immediately, realizing the strangeness of her talking. "The food's horrible…"

Kenshin blinked again, beads of sweat forming on his head. "Well-eh heh, um, Kaoru-dono is still working on her cooking skills, but they do get better with every try."

"She's got a ways to go then…" Tsurai replied, eyes wandering around the premises due to long-time paranoia.

"To change subject, I have wondered, that I have, to why you carry the sword. And to the reason why the man came after you."

"What is it to you?" Paranoia indeed made her already suspicious of the swordsman. He seems too kind, yet expressions did seem sincere. Bah, more confusing for her.

"Nothing much, a matter of curiosity," he said, waving his hands. "It just seems uncommon."

"Oh… let's say it's a habit, and for that assassin, I don't know. Money maybe…"

"Hmm…" It was obvious she was lying, but he dismissed it. After dismissing himself, Kenshin left the room for the girl to rest and resume his chores.

Night soon fell like a veil over the sun, and that had called supper on simmering in the kitchen no matter what it tasted like. Such a delectable meal it seemed, but the group knew better. The mistress was sent to call the guest for dinner only to return with a note in hand. "Seems like 'Tsurai' left already. Ha, she even paid for her stay and care here." Kaoru rejoiced at the small bag of money in her other hand. Yahiko muttered about money-grubber.

Though few nights had past in the dojo, too quiet it seems for the place to receive such peace with the infamous swordsman there. But as it is known, the peace does not last. For the past few days of her recuperation, one could easily gather information needed to quench her thirst of curiosity. But that spawned her growing emotion that lingered for so many years, learning of all this new knowledge.

So on the seventh night of her stay in Tokyo, dressed like a shinobi ready to infiltrate her enemy, the girl pulled up her black mask, tucking her weapon so it would make not a noise. Landing swiftly on the dojo's roof, she proceeded towards one person's particular room. Tsurai had mapped out the area in her mind when she visited from the outside when most weren't home. She knew exactly which room it was, and had made a path to avoid waking others in her stroll.

Paranoid and curious emeralds peeked their surroundings while she dropped down as skillfully as a cat to come into the room. The soft breathing of the two occupants in their slumbering forms were not interrupted. She mused over this a bit; kidnapping wasn't really her thing… this involved dragging when she usually just left the body. This required a live hostage though apparently her skills did dwindle a bit without clearly thinking this out.

After much thinking and then attempt, it resulted in muffled cries and knocking people out, the kidnapper barely got out in silence after dropping a note in the room before departure.

Yahiko shook his head, clearing the splitting images before him. He rubbed his aching stomach, remembering a shape punching the daylights, well it wasn't daytime but quite figuratively the lights, out of him. His vision cleared as he glanced over the ruffled blankets and a note. One body was missing in the room. "Kaoru…"

His feet pulled him over to Kenshin's room, screaming his head off at the now alerted waken samurai. In the comical fashion of shaking him, Yahiko yelled out, "Kaoru's gone!! Look at the note! Kidnapped… again!" He stuffs the paper onto Kenshin's face.

Scanning the paper, he got up. In his mind, he blamed himself yet again. A heavy sigh came from his lips, eyes determined and narrowed. "Call Sanosuke! Tell him to meet me at that location, East in the woods!"

Kaoru wriggled on the ropes that tied her to the tree, annoyed of this and the cloth binding her mouth. She stared down the man that dragged her out her to the bitter cold. Tsurai merely blinked without remorse, pulling down the mask to grasp some fresh air. To the Kamiya, she received a shock. After the figure reappeared, changing her clothes to the more comfortable ones she wore from behind the trees, she released Kaoru's muffle to already her screaming directed at her. "How could you do this? What have we done to you, especially after tending after you in your needed time? Huh?!"

Her face was gaunt, but tried to satisfy the lady's anger with an attempted false smile. "I do not aim any harm to you, Miss Kaoru, but you are just an asset in my game of strategy. A pawn in a game of chess if you think of it. I appreciate your hospitality to me, but I've paid that off, so we were even then."

"That's just wrong, where are your morals?" She expressed her emotions with a look of disgust. How could the girl be so heartless?

"It's a personal thing… I never really thought I could fulfill the promise I made long again," Tsurai said, looking up to the sky, glittered with stars. "Just a big, fat game… yeah, and it will end tonight."

Kaoru gave a huff. "Really? What's all this crap, really? If it's on some harsh reality, live with it! Many other have suffered… and now are you blaming it on Kenshin as so many others have?! He's repenting his crimes; stop tormenting him!" Her tears welled as the girl brushed it off, casting her eyes else where.

Only a small whisper came from the briefly dormant body. "So he comes."

To see coming out on que with a flash of red hair and a stern intense gaze of auburn, Kenshin appears out with mixed emotions, but mostly severe silence until, "Tsurai!"

The figure gazed down back at him intensely with auburn against emerald, smirk evident on her face though still gaunt. "Found you, Battousai…"