Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin…I just worship it.

Chapter 8: Meji Era Nightmare

Everyone at the Kamiya residence had retired to their rooms for the night. Arianna sat on her futon. She held a picture in her hand.

"Kuso." She whispered.

"Arianna-san?" Arianna's head shot up.

"Hai?" Arianna stared at the silhouette of Kaoru behind the shoji.

"Sumimasen, I just wanted to say good night."

"Oyasuminasai, Kaoru-san." Kaoru nodded her head behind the shoji.

"Oyasuminasai, Arianna-san." Kaoru bowed behind the shoji and left. Arianna tucked the picture in her hands underneath the pillow on the futon. She pulled the covers up and lay down under the silky masses. She snuggled into the warmth and let sleep over come her.

Arianna's Dream

"Keep moving!" five men rushed through an alleyway holding the hilts of their swords that were still sheathed.

BLSHHH

"AHHHHH!" the man in the back fell forward, a large gash on his back. Behind him stood a figure with glowing amber eyes holding a sword with blood dripping down the blade.

"Shinigami!" a man turned around and drew his sword from his sheath. The figure walked over the corpse on the floor. Moonlight shone on the face revealing a woman. She smiled evilly.

"Here's your absolution."

BLSHHH CRACKKKK

The man gasped. His body slowly fell apart into fourths. The woman brought the blade to her face to examine. She watched the blood trickle down the blade.

"Crimson is such a beautiful color, wouldn't you agree?" The woman shook the blood off the sword and sheathed it.

"May as well let the others have a head start, makes the game of cat and mouse more fun, ne?" The woman walked out of the alleyway, she headed towards the moon as it basked her in its eerie glow.

End Dream

Arianna shot up out of bed. She breathed heavily. The futon covers were tangled around in her legs. Arianna pulled them away and stood up. She dressed in her short mid thigh black skirt that had a long train in the back down to her ankles, a black Chinese kimono top that was attached to the skirt, adorned in gold embroidery. She finally tied the leather Sai holsters around her thighs. Arianna grabbed the Sai's form the side of the futon and slid them into each holster. Arianna slid the shoji back and walked out of the room. She walked down to the kitchen and found Kenshin chopping up vegetables for soup. Arianna walked over to him.

"Ohayou, Kenshin-san. Would you like some help making breakfast?" Kenshin turned around. He smiled brightly and returned to chopping the carrots up.

"Iie, kekkou desu. Why don't you sit down, breakfast should be ready in a few minutes." Arianna nodded. She sat down on the small square pillow at the hibachi table.

"Ano, did you sleep well Arianna-dono." Arianna fiddled with her hands.

"Iie." Kenshin stopped cutting and turned around to look at Arianna.

"It's all right if you do not want to talk about it." Kenshin smiled and returned to cutting the vegetables. Arianna nodded.

"OHAYOU!" Misao skipped into the room.

"Ohayou Misao-san."

"Ohayou Misao-dono." Misao smiled broadly and glided over to Kenshin.

"Mmmmmm, what are you making?" Kenshin laughed.

"I am making Miso soup, ohagi, and rice cakes." Misao grinned.

"Kenshin your cooking is really so good, better then Jiya's cooking!" Kenshin smiled.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Misao-dono." Misao plopped down next to Arianna. Kaoru and Yahiko shuffled into the room rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

"What's all the fuss about?" Kaoru yawned and sat down at the table.

"Nothing, Misao-san was just saying how good Kenshin-san's food is." Yahiko grinned.

"It sure is good, I mean, if Kaoru made it we'd all be making a trip to Megumi's clinic." Yahiko busted out laughing. Kaoru glared at Yahiko.

"1,000 swings Yahiko, right after breakfast, no breaks either today." Yahiko gaped.

"You can't do that! I'll get heat exhaustion!" Kaoru grinned wickedly.

"Oh yes you will, and after that, your cleaning all the dojo floors, twice. So Kenshin gets a break today. So any way you look at it you may be making a trip to Megumi's." Kaoru laughed evilly. Yahiko gaped even more.

"Really Kaoru-dono, Sessesha doesn't mind cleaning the dojo floors." Kaoru glared.

"You get a break today Kenshin." Kenshin gulped.

"Ha...Hai Kaoru-dono." Kaoru looked around.

"Hey, where's Aoshi?" Misao shrugged.

"Last I saw him he was meditating on the porch." Kenshin nodded.

"He should be here in a few minutes de gozaru yo." The shoji slid open revealing Aoshi.

"Ohayou Aoshi-sama!" Aoshi nodded to Misao and everyone else. Kenshin placed a pot in the middle of the hibachi table.

"Everyone dig in."

Later

Arianna, Kenshin, Aoshi, and Misao sat on the porch watching Kaoru train Yahiko.

"Arianna-dono, how long did you say you trained?"

"10 years, since I was six." Kenshin nodded. Misao looked at Arianna.

"Speaking of which, what weapons do you use besides your Sai's?" Arianna gazed out into the sky.

"Sai's, Kodachi's, Wakizashi's, Sakabatou's, Kunai, and Katana's. I trained with all of them and mastered them at the age of eight. Before I had a master to teach me any form, I learned to use each weapon by watching people. I was able to mimic their moves and the strength of their attacks. My mother didn't approve of it. Even though she also was skilled in a sword technique, she said she did not want me learning to use such weapons. She said that bokken's would be more appropriate, but I never listened." Misao nodded.

"Wow. So what got you into swordsmanship?" Arianna hesitated but replied.

"My father, he...he was a very skilled swords man. My brother wanted to be like him, so he trained. My father didn't approve of the style he learned, but when my brother said it was to protect our family, my father praised him. I was the girl in the family. My mother wanted to have an arranged marriage for me when I was older. I felt that my brother and father didn't really care too much. Ever since I was little I loved watching my father or other people train with their swords. So I felt I wanted to prove to them that I wasn't some ordinary girl. I wanted to become strong and beat my brother someday. I ran away from home when I was 12. I trained in different techniques for three years. I returned home when I was sixteen. My mother and father were relived I was home, but they were mad at me that I learned swordsmanship. Particularly my mother." Kenshin, Aoshi, and Misao stared at Arianna.

"Wow, Arianna. You're really independent. So who was your master?" Arianna opened and closed her mouth.

"Um... His name...is umm...Hikoa. Master Hikoa." Misao scrunched her brow in confusion.

"That's a weird name." Arianna nodded vigorously.

"Ye...Yea it is." Arianna smiled. They sat and watched Kaoru and Yahiko train some more.

A/n: Stay tuned!