Hikari

By KCSobe

Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters of RK, and if we did, well, lets just say the both of us would be fighting over our cute little Kenshin!!

A/N: Hey! Thanks for all the great reviews!!! We're already at 30 reviews! Yay! Sorry for the delayed update, but Xmas brake made it impossible to update! Now for some feedback!

Dark-Fiend-Thanks for the kind words! It's people like you who keep us going! We both hope you'll stick with us till the end! We're not sure, but we're aiming for around 20 chapters, but we don't want to drag it on, so it might vary. Thanks again!

Lexie23-We're glad you like the suspense! Thanks for reviewing!

Brittanie Love- You really think it's getting interesting? Gee! Thanks!

Yoruko- Believe me, it's been tuff trying to get Kenshin to act in the proper way that an assassin would undercover. But it's all worth it if we're keeping you on the edge of your seat! Thanks for reviewing!

JaneDrew- It's interesting that you noticed the whole Futae No Kiwame thing with Sano. We're not going to say anything yet, but that comes up later. You'll just have to keep reading! Teehee!

Bradybunch4529- Yeah, we had always wondered how Kenshin would react to the gang if he wasn't rurouni. That's just one reason why we wrote this in the first place.

Unicornfan- Hmm… Well, Kaoru fighting along with Shishio would be…interesting, but she's definitely a good fighter! We both hate it when people make her all weak and fragile, cause she's not!

Triste1- Yeah, those grammar mistakes are really what bite you in the butt later on… It's so embarrassing to reread old stories we both wrote a long time ago and see all the really stupid mistakes. Thanks for reviewing!

Reignashii- Sorry to leave you hanging! We're just so evil! But don't worry, the next chapter is already almost done and ready to go! Expect it soon!

Sakura Mori- Thanks! You wouldn't believe how happy your words make us both!

Echoes of the Past

"Himura Kenshin… We meet again," Megumi spoke softly, her words barely audible. "What exactly do you think you're doing here?"

Kenshin's normally collected mind had been spinning frantically ever since he had opened the door to the dojo and seen Takani Megumi. Of all places, and of all times, it had to be now that his disguise was blown. He had already gotten a lead on Shishio- if the true identity of the Hitokiri Battousai was known, the government would withdraw him from the mission. That would be a failure, and failure was unacceptable.

"Or would you prefer me to call you Shinta?" Megumi inquired sarcastically. "I'll ask you again; what are you doing here?"

"Kenshin is fine for now. I'm on a mission, obviously," Kenshin responded quickly. "Shinta is only a cover, so I can do my investigations in secret."

"But why are you living under my friend's roof, eating her food, and doing her laundry?" Megumi prodded, still looking angry.

"I just needed a place to stay! As soon as I've accomplished my objective, I'll be gone," Kenshin tried to placate her.

"And you realize that your presence at the dojo puts them all in danger?"

"It doesn't, as long as my identity remains a secret. Please Megumi, I need you to keep this quiet for now." Megumi stared at the man facing her. Was he telling the truth? She had never known him to lie, but how could she stand by while an assassin took up residence in Kamiya Dojo?

"Megumi… You owe me," Kenshin reminded her gently. "I helped you- the least you could do is return the favor." Megumi felt her fist clench at the memories that came flooding back with those words.

"Yes," she whispered. "I'll keep your secret, for now. But if anything bad happens to Kaoru because of this…" she trailed off, glaring at him.

"You have my word that nothing will ever harm her," he promised. She nodded shortly, and turned to head back towards town. Looking back, she saw that he had not moved.

"Why Ken-san," she smiled mischeviously, "you promised to walk me back my office!" Kenshin rolled his eyes. Some things never changed.

Kenshin watched from a corner as Megumi bustled around, helping her patients. She seemed so different from when he had seen her last. There was a spark of purpose in everything she did, and her voice was lively and cheerful. Nothing remained of the hollow, empty shell he had seen at the mansion. He closed his eyes, remembering that long-forgotten adventure.

It had started out simply enough. Okubo had briefed him in the basics that morning, at a government office near Tokyo.

"We have suspected Takeda Kanryuu for some time now, of illegal business ventures. He has engaged in numerous black market activities, but we lack the evidence to persecute him in a court of law. Recently, a young woman came to us, claiming that Kanryuu had coerced her into making cheap but potent opium for him to sell. It fit in with the sudden outcropping of opium overdoses. However, while being transported to a safe location, this woman was kidnapped, and the guards escorting her were killed. There is no doubt that this is Kanryuu's doing, but again we have no proof."

"So you want me to eliminate him," Kenshin replied, mulling over the information.

"Yes. His mansion is well guarded, both by his personal army, and the Oniwabanshu, a group who was affiliated with the Shogunate during the Bakumatsu. However, they should prove powerless to stop a hitokiri of your caliber."

That was how, as dusk approached, Kenshin found himself crouched in the woods bordering Kanryuu's estate. He had been watching the guards pass back and forth, calculating the best time to make his move. The guard on the left moved out of sight, and the guard on the right turned to scan the courtyard.

Without hesitation, Kenshin sprang from his hiding place and sprinted towards the building. The guard on the right started to unsheathe his sword at the sound of footsteps, but Kenshin, without breaking his stride, neatly beheaded him. With a grunt of exertion, he leaped upwards, landing hard on the balcony outside the second floor.

Hastily, he slid open the glass paneling, and stepped inside. He appeared to be in a large ballroom. According to the map, Kanryuu's office was off the ballroom, exactly opposite from the main staircase. However, before he could reach the office, he would have to go through the man standing in the center of the ballroom.

"So it is true. They have sent the Battousai to stop Kanryuu," the man spoke, his voice cold and emotionless. "People say you are the greatest of the revolutionaries."

Kenshin smiled, his amber eyes glowing in the dim light.

"I am." With that, he launched into a ryusosen, multiple blows slamming towards his opponent almost instantaneously. The taller man blocked them all, his kodachi ringing with the clash of metal.

"I, Shinomori Aoshi, will defeat you, and take the title of the strongest for the Oniwabanshu. It's nothing personal, but that title will be ours," Shinomori shifted into an attack with startling swiftness. Kenshin dodged the thrust, only to feel his opponent's fist connecting with his shoulder. He responded by retreating several steps backwards.

"Your skills are impressive, but you can't hope to defeat me with martial arts," Kenshin managed to sneer. To his surprise, instead of continuing to attack, Shinomori began to sway slightly. Kenshin blinked, as the after-images of Aoshi's movement rapidly multiplied. Which one was real?

"My Kaiten Kenbu is beyond your rudimentary understanding of movement," he smirked, dodging Kenshin's blows with ease. Kenshin gritted his teeth. The movement truly was beyond him. However, he suddenly sensed a change in Shinomori's aura.

Spinning around, he saw the man's kodachi slicing downwards on him. In that moment, the pattern of motion simplified, and Kenshin merely side-stepped. As his opponent made the transition into a lunge, Kenshin's eyes hardened.

"As amusing as this is, it ends now," he snarled, as he parried the blow. In one smooth motion, he disengaged his blade, and with incredible speed lashed out at the man's chest. The force of the blow flung Shinomori several yards backwards, where he lay motionless in a growing puddle of blood.

Kenshin looked down expressionlessly. Far from dead, Shinomori would probably recover consciousness in a few hours. Should he kill him now, and save himself the trouble of one more enemy?

Just then, a slow clap sounded throughout the ballroom.

"Bravo, Battousai. You truly have proved yourself worthy of my attention. Still, this charade, as you put it, ends now." Kanryuu stood at the entrance to his office, next to a large gun.

"I will allow you the honor of being the first to die at the hands of my latest acquisition. The newest model of the Gatling Gun, capable of firing two hundred rounds per minute. Shall we give it a try?"

The click of the gun was the only warning Kenshin had before it spewed into action. Bullets careened across the room at an unbelievable rate, and Kenshin could feel the blistering of the air as they narrowly missed. A sharp burning pain shot through his arm, as a bullet made contact. Blood, his blood, spurted out of the new wound, and he had to clap his free hand over it to stem the flow.

The roar of machinery had almost deafened him, and what was worse, he was not getting any closer to Kanryuu.

A door suddenly slammed open, revealing four figures of assorted sizes and shapes.

"Kanryuu! What is the situation?" A tall man in a demon mask barked out. "What is the Okashira's status?"

"Ah, the rest of the Oniwabanshu. So good of you to drop in. As you know, I do not tolerate failure, and it seems Shinomori was defeated. Clearly, he is not up to the task of protecting me. What is the Okashira's status, you ask? As good as dead!" Kanryuu laughed maniacally, as he swung the gun around to target the prone body on the floor.

"AOSHI!" A burly and muscular man flung himself forward to shield his commander. The other two, a large chubby fighter, and a small ninja-like one did the same. The gun rang out mercilessly.

As the smoke cleared, Kanryuu smiled maliciously. Four dead bodies lay in puddles of their own blood. However, he had forgotten the Battousai. The last thing he would see before his own death were those merciless eyes staring out from under dark red bangs.

Kenshin did not even look back at the bodies behind him. His next assignment was to rescue the girl, who was believed to be imprisoned on the third floor. He ascended the stairs quickly. There was a single door, which appeared to be locked. He drew his sword, and with a powerful slash, smashed it open.

A girl looked up from where she was slumped on the floor. Under normal circumstances, she would have been beautiful. Long black hair hung down over her face. Barely visible were two dark blue eyes. However, her clothes were torn, and she was bleeding from multiple lacerations. A large purple bruise was forming on one cheek, and it looked like she had been crying.

"Takani-san? I've come to free you," Kenshin spoke overly loud, as if to fill in the silence. At this the girl lifted her head, and the hair fell away from her face. Kenshin could see the eyes better now, staring at him. Behind their superficial beauty was nothing but emptiness.

"I'm not going back. Too many… too many have died because of me. This is the least I can do for them," she slowly pulled out a concealed blade, and held it over the artery in her wrist.

"Do you really think you can atone for your sins by killing yourself?" Kenshin replied calmly, fixing her with a cold stare. "It seems to me that you're taking the coward's way out." For the first time, her eyes flashed with something. Anger? Hope?

"You can't understand. In my own selfishness, I've sent people to their deaths. How can I say 'they forced me' and carry on living my life?" She responded, the blade shaking slightly in her hand.

"Your death will not help those who are beyond help. Why not put your talents to use by saving people? But if you're too selfish to do even that, then I will not object to the course you have chosen. It's your decision," Kenshin crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall, waiting.

Slowly, the girl raised the blade, her hand trembling more violently. Then it slipped through her fingers, clattering on the stone floor. Kenshin straightened, and extended a hand to pull her up.

"Come Takani-san. Let's get you to safety. What you could use now is a warm bath and a good meal." She smiled weakly at that and allowed herself to be pulled up.

"Please. Call me Megumi."

He had taken Megumi to one of the numerous safe houses belonging to the government. Along the way, she had bandaged his arm, and insisted that he refrain from any strenuous activity. Once there, Megumi had insisted that he stay with her so that his arm could fully heal. Those few weeks had been an oasis of peace amidst his bloody career.

Of course, all good things had to end. This one had been relatively sudden. An urgent message had arrived in the middle of the night, requesting his presence in Tokyo once again. So he had packed his things, wrote a note, and left that same night. He had felt guilty, sneaking away like that, but good-byes were never his strong point.

Megumi finally sent her last patient packing. Turning around, she smiled at Kenshin.

"Seeing you here after so long, it feels so strange. What have you been up to?"

"Government work. I'd much rather hear what you've been doing all this time," Kenshin answered, changing the topic.

"Oh no you don't. You said you're here on a mission, and I want to find out what it is," Megumi cut off his line of escape. He hesitated for a second, debating whether or not she was trust worthy, but for he sighed in defeat.

"I'm hunting down a former hitokiri by the name of Shishio Makoto. He's been plotting to overthrow the government, and I need to take care of him before anything happens."

"I'll keep my eyes open for anything suspicious."

"I would really prefer you not to get involved, Megumi. Shishio is extremely dangerous, and I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Nonsense. I owe you one, after all." Kenshin shrugged.

"It's your life, I guess. How has everything turned out for you?"

"Well, obviously I took your advice and became a doctor. I've got a small practice, but it's growing. Recently, I went home to Aizu, to look for my family," Megumi looked down, and Kenshin gave her a sympathetic look.

"I know chances are I'll never find them, but I can't seem to give up hope," she laughed bitterly. "Still, my life here in Kyoto is more than I deserve. Kenshin, I can't thank you enough for what you did. You saved my life, and now at last, I feel like I'm doing some good in the world."

"I knew that you'd be wasting your life, committing suicide," Kenshin replied as cheerfully as he could. "How did you meet Kaoru and the others?"

"Actually, Yahiko was one of my first patients. I had just set up practice, when Kaoru came in with a boy, badly beaten. She said she'd seen some thugs corner him, and she jumped in to defend him. He turned out to be a pickpocket working for a local Yakuza. Yahiko decided he wanted out, and they weren't too pleased. Still, he recovered quickly, and Kaoru took him in as a student. As a thank you, they insisted I come over for dinner. After tasting Kaoru's cooking, I decided it was my duty, as a doctor, to provide my patient with edible cooking at least once a week," Megumi giggled. "So, Ken-san, what do you think of Kaoru?"

"She's very kind and generous. I hope someday that we will become as good friends as I am with you," Kenshin answered. Seeing Megumi's calculating look, he realized that he had completely misinterpreted the question.

"But don't you think of her as a little something more…?" Megumi pursued the question. Kenshin felt his face flush.

"Our relationship is strictly business. I am merely her lodger, and I have no intention of pushing the matter any further."

"Ohohoho! I think that tanuki may be exactly what you need!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Takani-san," Kenshin retorted. Seeing his flustered look, Megumi fell to plotting. It was obvious he liked her, but knowing the hitokiri, he would be too preoccupied with business to pay any attention to his feelings. Still, if Kaoru and Kenshin were to grow closer, Kaoru might even have a shot at melting the ice around his heart. There was no doubt about it; this situation was desperately calling for a matchmaker. And who better than Takani Megumi for such a delicate proceeding?

Seeing the expression of Megumi's face, Kenshin began to nervously edge towards the door.

"I'll see you later!" he called over his shoulder. Megumi only waved her hand, shooing him off. She had plans to make.

Amidst the bustling crowds that flooded Kyoto everyday, nobody noticed a small red-headed man, weaving his way through the stalls. While his hair was an unusual hue, the unusual was commonplace in such a large town. Nobody noticed this man, except for one.

Shinomori Aoshi had been sitting in a small shop that opened out on to the street, waiting and watching. He had been here for several hours, patiently tracking the powerful aura he had felt. For the past several days now, he had been following this man. The Hitokiri Battousai.

Before that was the year of fruitless searching, turning up dead end after dead end, in his quest for vengeance. But now it was all falling together; his target was in sight, and he would have his revenge.

Part of the problem was that he had been subconsciously avoiding Kyoto. Too many painful memories lay here, and the Oniwabanshu still had a thriving base downtown. But this was where the trail had lead, and he had come too far to be dissuaded by the thought of meeting someone he once knew.

Besides, he could not rest until the Battousai's blood was dripping down his blade. Every time he closed his eyes, he remembered that night. That awful night at Kanryuu's masion.

It was the throbbing pain of his chest that gradually wakened Aoshi from his stupor. His vision was still blurry, and when he tried to move, pain raced through his body. Reaching a hand over, he touched his wound. His hand came away wet with blood.

With a rush, the events of the previous fight came racing back. He had been guarding Kanryuu's study when the Battousai had appeared. They had fought, and he, the Okashira of the Oniwabanshu, had lost. He staggered to his feet and looked around.

There, lying amidst dark red puddles, lay his four comrades. Their faces were contorted into death masks, the pain of their deaths lingering in their features.

"Hannya… Shikijo…Hyottoko… Beshimi…" the words felt acidic in his mouth. He had let them down. It was clear now what had happened. On defeating him, the Battousai had turned on Kanryuu, and slain him. Sure enough, the man's corpse was lying in the corner besides a large gun. The others would have heard the commotion, and come upstairs to investigate. Taking advantage of the weapon next to him, the Battousai had simply shot them down where they stood.

"I'm so sorry…" Aoshi whispered. There was no response. The Okashira had failed, and his men would never come back. Nothing he could do would change it. But that amber eyed assassin would pay. He robbed Aoshi's friends of their lives, and for that he would pay an equal price.

Aoshi picked up his kodachi, from where it was lying on the floor. One by one, he severed the heads of his former comrades. Then, swaying slightly from loss of blood, he left the mansion through the secret passage. It took him into the woods, where he turned to walk into the heart of the forest.

An hour later, he had finished the shallow graves, and marked them with tombstones. Kneeling on one knee, he rested his hand on Hannya's grave.

"I swear to you, I will avenge your deaths. You died, never knowing fame or glory. But I will remedy this. I will kill Battousai, and then the title of the strongest will be ours, and I can lay it on your graves. I swear I will not rest until this is done." Aoshi clenched his fist, the hate sluggishly moving through his veins. Then finally, he collapsed from exhaustion.

Seeing his enemy again after a year of searching had been a shock. The man was different from the person he remembered. The first time the Battousai had been sighted, he had been walking with a girl and a young boy. Was that his wife? The boy had been too old to their child. Perhaps he was the girl's brother. The Battousai's hair had been in a low ponytail, as opposed to the high one that Aoshi remembered. His posture was relaxed, and he seemed at peace with himself.

Still, it mattered not. With family to care for, the Battousai would be twice as vulnerable. And Aoshi could use those vulnerabilities to his own advantage.

After paying his bill at the shop, he slipped out to follow his target home.

A/N: Well, now we're really on a role! The next chapter will be out soon, we're already done writing it, and we're just adding the finishing touches. Thanks! Review please!

Next Time on Hikari:

Kenshin finds him self fearing for the safety of his new friends when he feels a familiar aura following him. Does his presents at the dojo actually put Kaoru and the others in danger?