Author's Note:

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter 2: To Lose Someone Dear pt I

"Himura Kenji..." She whispered like it was some kind of secret. Narrowing her deep sapphire eyes in wonder, she didn't allow herself to speak for another time until she could finally find her voice, "I'll carry it out, you won't be dissapointed."

"I know." Her father responded with an almost kind voice. He was proud of Kaoru, she was in fact the only person here he could rely on and that, in a strange way as a father, made him feel safe and trusted.

He turned around fully to look at her. However when he did so, Kaoru had already departed. She was so far now that he couldn't even sense her ki.

'I have faith in you Kaoru.' He almost smiled, almost…

end of flashback

Kaoru remained in her unmoving position behind the trees and bushes. As trained as she was to 'keep her cool', she felt her heart still skipping beats, just watching her prey walk, talk, and breathe. She didn't know why she got such an overwhelming feeling of ecstasy from killing the lives of the innocent, but she suspected that all assassins felt this way.

She calmed her soundless excitement and paid attention to the task at hand. And like a lion about to pounce on its prey, she watched with deadly eyes and listened.

"Hey Kenji, how about we stay here tonight?" Asked Kenshin as he looked at an Inn that actually looked ok to stay at for a night or two, which was a great change from the norm of sleeping out doors. Grabbing his brother's attention at the sound of a place to stay at, he replied with a tedious smile, "Ok, Im so sssllleeeeeeppyyyy…" He groaned as he yawned like a little baby. Kenshin smiled and nearly laughed. Just watching his younger brother act silly gave him a good sort of comfort that he hadn't had in a long time. That was just one more thing that he loved about his borther so much. "Alright then, let's go inside." Kenshin kept smiling that beautiful innocenet smile of his and led the way.

Once they reached the entrance of the Inn they both eagerly walked inside and was insantly met with great wave of warmth against their flushed cheeks that were in the cool air outside for a little too long. Kenji savored the feeling and rubbed his face a couple of times with his hands as he followed behind Kenshin.

'The Akabeko Inn.' Kaoru narrowed her eyes in suspicion and satisfaction, she thought this was too perfect and knew she would take care of this sooner than she had thought. Kaoru formed a plan then and there. When she went inside she will use everything to her advantage. Going over her little plan in her head acouple of times, she jumped from the tree and began to head towards the seemingly cozy Inn.

Kaoru was greeted by a lady who appeared at first sight, a very kind person, and thankfully was, "Welcome to the Akabeko Inn and Restaurant. My name is Tae, would you like a room or would you like something to eat first?" She asked with a bright smile. Usually big smiles like that would creep out the customer, but Kaoru didn't seem fazed at all, instead she felt unexplainably relaxed. Studying the woman named Tae while coming up with an answer, she noticed the woman's lovely brown hair and eyes. And she also noticed that this woman looked to be her late twenties at the most.

"I would just like to have a room please." Answered Kaoru as she entered further into the Inn and scanning it all with curious eyes. She sighed happily for an instant. This kind woman Tae seemed to make this place all the more cozier, and Kaoru loved that. "All right miss, this way please." Tae led her down the wide hallway and into a comfortably decorated room. "This is a really nice room." Complimented Kaoru as she followed Tae around the place, looking at different things here and there.

Tae nearly giggled, "Why thank you miss, we get that here all the time." She said with a casual wave of her hand. She obviously loved hearing good things of this place. "Just call if you need anything." Tae finished with a small smile this time.

Kaoru's heart leaped for a second, wanting to ask the lady a question before she left, "Umm, Miss Tae, could you please tell me something?" Kaoru asked.

"Yes, miss? What is it that you need?" Tae approached Kaoru a couple of steps and waiting politely for an answer. Kaoru now seemed to stumble with her words, but covered up her anxiety well and walked slowly toward Tae, "I was wondering if you could tell me..."

"Yes?"

Kaoru held out a hand of money to pay for her stay of the night and held it out to her. At the same time, she placed a hand next to Tae's ear and spoke in a whisper, "Where is the room that two young men are staying in?"

Tae didn't know what the meaning of all this whispering was, but she just played along, "Oh uh, it's only at the end of the hallway, the last room on the right side I believe." Whispered Tae as she took the money from Kaoru and put it away in the little knit pocket of her apron. Kaoru smiled innocently, "Why thank you very much." She pressed two fingers together on a pressure point in Tae's neck, instantly making her pass out.

Kaoru placed Tae on the floor gently, took her clothes, and then once she was all dressed in the apron and all, she walked out and closed the door behind her. She tried her best to fix her hair in a way that would cover most of her face and would still look decent. When that was done, she exited the room and strolled down the hallway to the room Tae had told her where the two men were staying .

When she was almost there though, the door of the room opened and a young man with stunning violet eyes and bright red hair came out of the room. She noticed he had a cross shaped scar on his left cheek too. Kaoru right away felt her soft ivory cheeks grow warm, 'He's... so handsome.' Thought Kaoru for a mere second. She immediately shook her head, nothing like that shoudln't matter now, especially at a time like this trying to be someone else.

Gathering the courage that she had so much of, she approached him, hoping that her attire wouldn't fool him, "Sir, is something wrong?" Kaoru tried to mimiclk Tae's voice the best she could and also not to show her face much.

Kenshin stopped and looked at her. He shrugged, "I was going to go and get some tea." He said with a smile and then before he could walk away, Kaoru stopped him with her voice, "Oh uh, don't worry sir, I'll bring your tea to your room. Just go inside and make yourself comfortable please."

Kaoru made a gesture to lead Kenshin back inside of his room. Kenshin didn't mind this and just did as he was asked, "Alright miss, thank you very much." He then turned around and walked into his room without a second thought.

Kaoru whirrled around and walked hurriedly towards the kitchen to prepare the tea. She felt her heart beating fast and the warmth in her cheeks wouldn't go away. She shook her head for the second time, she knew she couldn't think such things, not at all. It was her responsibility to uphold her duties toward her father, and she planned to uphold them very well.

Kaoru, still preparing the tea, suddenly felt her shouldres sag in misery. All her life she never really had a certain kind of love interest. That and so many other things were taken away from her as a child and young teenager. And now she was so sad that she couldn't just go back in time to get it all back, no matter how silly the thought was, it was how she really felt. Could anyone blame her?

Kaoru felt as though her childhood had just... been thrown away.

But, in another weird way, she at the same time felt safe and secure. Her entire life was of nothing but training of all kinds. She knew how to defend herself and how to take anyone down in hand to hand combat, no matter how big or strong the opponent may be. In a way, she had a major advantage that many other girls like her didn't have. And for that, she could be at least a little thankful, right?

And besides, this wasn't the time nor the moment to be thinking of such silly thoughts about some guy.

Kaoru took a deep breath, just because, and then retrieved some strange powder out of her inner pocket that she had placed in earlier before changing. 'When he drinks this tea , everything will soon be over.' Kaoru poured the powder into the tea, suddenly feeling very guilty. Hell, she felt a lot of things at the moment, but she couldn't help feeling mostly, utterly sad.