The pitter-patter of feet echoed through the dojo, fleeing the soft, resounding, and much calmer steps.

The running footsteps stopped; a dead end…

The calm steps came closer…

A lone plea of mercy was whispered.

"Onegai…"

The only response was the ominous hiss of a katana being drawn. The fear in its victims eyes only made it long…

…for blood…

The piercing, unintelligible scream reverberated around the halls, until it was cruelly ended and a light thud was heard.

The only sounds were soft, resounding, and calm steps, walking away from the growing smell of blood.

Echoes of the anguished wail still bounced around, chilling the night and everyone else.

And amber eyes flashed in desire, a desire that was met.

Violet eyes shot open and the small redhead sat up. Sweat was pouring down his body, as if he'd run 20 miles. His breathing was irregular and it took several minutes for him to calm down. His nimble fingers were wrapped around a sakabatou that had been resting on his shoulder as he slept sitting up. His grip tightened, as if to make sure it was there…as if the mere presence of it relieved him.

…which it did…

He closed his eyes, hiding their unusual but beautiful color. His brow wrinkled in thought as he tried to remember what the hitokiri.

However, his dreams decided to toy with him tonight. The images of the killer and victim were so blurred he could just barely see their gender, much less who they were. And while he did not know who the girl victim was, the male hitokiri looked oddly familiar.

His eyes opened again, but you could not see his eyes for the blood red hair that fell over them. The moon shone through the shoji door, and even though he was inside, caused a sort of light red halo to descend upon his head.

However, even if he was repenting, the former Hitokiri Battousai was no angel.

The man shook his head. This was no time to be thinking about his past as Battousai.

The small man stood up, and anyone who didn't know him would have laughed aloud at the thought. This small, short, and relatively weak looking man was the legendary Hitokiri Battousai that killed hundreds?

Yeah, right…

Until they saw him in battle. He moved with grace and agility, a deadly combination in skilled hands. And he was one of the best swordsmen in the world, said to be invincible.

The man smiled ruefully at himself. He said he should not be thinking of the Battousai, yet here he was.

Grabbing the sakabatou, he quickly tied it to his waist in a way so that it was almost hidden in the folds of his hakama. He pulled his dark red hair into a low pony-tail and opened the shoji quietly.

Maybe a walk would clear his head.

Or not…

…maybe it would make things worse.

He walked slowly, in no hurry to get back to sleep. The cool night's wind swept across his face, chilling the sweat still there. He strolled around, not really paying attention to where he was going. His feet made no sound upon the dewy grass, and he walked in complete silence. Until…

…until he heard a soft sigh, a sigh of lost dreams and worlds. Looking up from his feet, he saw a young woman sitting under a tree, still in her yukata. A smile quirked his lips.

'Kaoru…' he thought to himself. Thinking he had woken her, he made his way towards her to apologize. A small smile was all the acknowledgement she gave him. She appeared to be as deeply immersed in her thoughts as he had been. Raising an eyebrow he stared at her.

"Kaoru-dono? Are you alright?"

These words seemed to snap her out of her stupor. Her bright blue eyes swung around to meet his violet ones.

"I'm fine. Just couldn't sleep. I had most horrible dream."

Her eyes snapped away from him, and she turned back to stare into nothingness. She remembered her dream.

She ran faster than she ever had before. She growled in frustration as she heard his calm steps behind.

She stopped; a dead end, damn it.

She swung around just in time to see him come around the corner. He had an almost amused smile on his face. There was an amber glare of desire for something in his normally purple. His red hair seemed even darker, giving him an evil appearance.

"Onegai…" she pleaded.

She didn't want to die like this, not by his sword. He pulled his blade out and smirked. Her last dying scream was wrenched through her lips, and it echoed through the halls.

"KENSHIN!"

And then she woke up.

How's that for a first chapter? I would really appreciate any help! Because I have this Japanese glossary and am hoping I get everything okay..

Onegai: Please.

Yukata: sleeping robe

PLEASE REVIEW!

I love Kenshin! This will probably not be a Kaoru/Battousai story. CUZ I LOVE THE RUROUNI!