I do not own Rurouni Kenshin so don't sue me I'm broke and own nothing.

Under the Sky So Red

Ch. 1: Only a Dream

The sun sets casting the colors of red and orange down on the small farm. A woman sits by a calming river trying to ease her soul. She is stained with the blood of the one she loves the most. Her husband and the farther of her child. She had to watch as he was killed, and for what to be killed herself. How could this river calm her when she knew a murderer was going to come to her soon. She had no answer for this, but she couldn't run for her little boy was still in her small hut. She could not run and just leave Shinta.

"You could join me." the man whispered into her ear. This murderer wanted her to join him. She wouldn't she couldn't. "But that would never happen would it." he grabbed her hair and made her look at him one last time. "You know I killed him for you...for us, but that doesn't matter does it." the tip of his sword was now located underneath her left breast. "You know that this shall be very painful." his sword now was going lower, "And I will not give you the pleasure of a fast death. It shall be very slow." his words went right through her. She knew she was going to die, but she would not give him any reaction at all. Yet before she knew what was happening the blade was stabbing in her gut blood rushing out of her mouth and her eyes becoming wide as the pain went through her. He took the blade out of her and watched her collapsing figure and any hint of pleasure in this had already disappear. "You choose your own fate...remember that."

As he walked away for the first time he saw a young boy with crimson hair and violet eyes just watching. 'He must be his son.' the man thought still walking a way. He just walked a way as the life of the woman disappeared.

Shinta ran to his mother. He wanted to help her, but she had told him earlier to stay in the hut, but now he had to disobey her, "Mother." the innocent face looking upon her tears gently falling. "Are you going to be ok." He had no answer from her. All he heard was her difficulty with her breathing.

She looked at her son and motion for him to come closer. She gently lifted her hand blood dripping from the finger tips. With her last bit of energy she placed her hand on her son cheek. Her also violet eyes now had tears in them and as the red sun set so low in the sky she let out her last word, "Goodbye Shinta."

"MOTHER!" Kenshin yelled as he woke up. 'It was just a dream.' Kenshin listened to the sounds of the night to make sure that he had not woke up anyone. 'It's the same dream I've been having lately. I can't do anything My mother is dead, and yet I feel guilty. I can't change the past.' Kenshin laid back down on his futon. When he dreamed he dreamed only of the bad things that has happened in his life. He knew that his thoughts shouldn't also concern that. That night breeze relaxed his sweating body and he thought he would finally go to sleep that is before he heard her..."Kaoru I'm ok you can go back to bed now."

Kaoru sighed she knew he would hear her sooner or later. "Kenshin I heard you scream, I was just so worried." she said from behind the door, "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you." she got up from her spot, "I'll see you in the morning." The moon guided her back to her room though she managed to trip over a few things because of her distracted thoughts, 'Oh Kenshin what did you dream this time. You've been having a lot of nightmares lately and they all have been about your Mother. What happened in your past."

"Kaoru this is horrible as usual." Yahiko said with a mouthful of food.

"Well if it's so horrible than STOP EATING IT!" Kaoru said while snatching the bowl of rice right out of his hand. She stomped off too angry to even look at the little brat. She walked for what seemed like forever and she had no idea where she was going and then she found herself by the stream where Kenshin was at. She sat beside him not knowing what to say to him at the moment.

"Miss Kaoru I'm sorry that I didn't come to breakfeast this morning. For some reason I found myself at this stream and couldn't seem to walk a way from it." Kenshin said still looking at the calming of the stream.

"It's ok Kenshin it is pretty calming isn't it."

Kenshin looked at the waters flowing and for some reason it reminded him of something but he couldn't remember what.

The blood flowed down the hill like a stream flowing around them. Little Shinta just looked at this with no hint of fear. He was use to this. Use to seeing people die. Use to seeing the look on their faces and it was all caused by his Uncle. The one who killed his brother and Shinta's mother so long ago. Yet the death of the villagers didn't scare him even if he was eight that didn't matter. He just watched as the sun began to set casting low upon the bloody stream...

Kenshin shook the thoughts from his head. He couldn't remember things like that. He got up from where he sat and helped Kaoru to also get up. He looked at the stream one more time and then looked back at Kaoru, "Why don't we go back now Miss Kaoru I think I'm getting hungry now."

Kaoru face lit up with a smile. "Ok Kenshin." she started walking and was surprised when Kenshin grabbed her hand and just held it as they walked back to the dojo.

TO BE CONTINUED

Ok this is my first Kenshin fanfic so I hope that you liked it. If you have any suggestions for this story just tell me.