Dedication: To Sara-chan, who listens to my nightmares and is constant to spur me on to embrace my dreams.

"I touch the fire and it freezes me/
I look into it and its black/
Why can't I feel? My skin should crack and peel/
I want the fire back/
Now through the smoke she calls to me/
To make my way across the flame/
To save the day or maybe melt away/
I guess it's all the same/
So I will, walk through the fire/
… Where else can I turn?/"

-"Drawn to the Fire" (Sarah Michelle Gellar)

Finding Home

"Draw your weapon and prepare to die, Battousai."

The words echoed in his head. Such malice, coming from such a small body… It was almost chilling. After a lifetime of battles and bloodshed, this would cut him to the very marrow of his bone.

He pulled back, katana glinting, but she barely allowed him an opening to attack.

She was instantly striking out, lacking any kind of rhyme or reason. She was impossible to predict… and therein laid an almost perfect strategy.

Kenshin was immediately set to defense, and Miyuzuko seemed to take great delight in the fact. She giggled, ripping a dagger from a sheath on her hip and sending it flying in his direction. He only just dodged it; the rip on his shoulder was a testament to the fact. He jumped forward, with no time for showy attacks. All he could manage was a quick slash at her, cutting into the silk around her hips.

"Now, Battousai, you know better than to attack a lady so intimately, don't you?"

She teased vocally, but she was glaring daggers at him.

:: You would kill us both. It's my turn.::

Scarlet eyes were met with gold. She felt a wave of fear pass through her. This was no innocent wanderer. These were the eyes of an experienced killer: one who would not blink before slaying the woman standing in front of him. She had real trouble on her hands now.

"Draw your weapon and prepare to die… Miyuu" He snarled.

She did as she was told, pulling out a long sword. I must stall him…

The singular thought made its way through her mind. If nothing else, she could have a bit longer before her destruction.

"I know you, Battousai. I know you and the girl."

"She is not a girl, she is a woman."

"Ooh, I see how it is…"

"My, my, you're even stupider than you look. I shall be sure you never speak of Kaoru again."

Suddenly, her eyes were jerked upward, to a bird in the trees overhead. The small bird was white, but wings were blood red, both innocent and deadly. It let out a loud, long call, even as Battousai charged her. With a squeak she slid out of the way and took off at a run, calling over her shoulder.

"Hey, fair fight next time, I don't want to see your wimpy loser again, clear?"

She disappeared, following the bird away.

::Fool. She is after our woman.::

A guttural and animalistic growl was rumbling from his throat, a strange but uncontrollable reaction. In a moment he was after her, ignoring the pain in his feet and the nick on his shoulder that was beginning to open up and bleed. None of it mattered, for his friends were in danger. He knew Battousai would not interrupt this time… the rurouni would fight to full potential if his loved ones were on the line.

Miyuu was fast, weaving between the trees with agility only acquired through years of practice. The bird's feathers were casting down droplets on her face as she ran, as if its wings were soaked in water. She wondered where it had been…

She shook her head, running on. Miyuu's final mission as the Demon was coming to a close. Kill the girl, the boy, run. That was the only plans she had devised on such short notice from the boss. She drew her katana again, looking on it with a disturbing comradeship. Strange how this simple blade had protected her for so long. She only hoped it would continue to do so. She shrugged to herself. Now was not the time for petty trips down memory lane.

She let out long, black locks behind her, letting the wind rustle through them. She couldn't sense the Battousai, but that meant very little. He could have been concealing his presence. He could be right behind her… Startling herself, she glanced back, but was greeted with nothing but a bitter silence.

Perhaps she shouldn't go through with it…

But she was no coward and she was no turncoat and no disloyal wench. She grinned arrogantly at nothingness, challenging the day.

And even more luck- she seemed to have lost the Battousai.

She came to the dojo, ready to finish off her prey. Ruby eyes searched frantically for signs of life. They found an abandoned dojo, looking rather lonely, with no signs of inhabitance. She could only glare at the place in disbelief. Was she not sent here to destroy a prosperous dojo? Was she not told that the Battousai's wench was here, with a boy? There was nothing.

"Jou-chan, you okay?"

Kaoru nodded as she climbed to her feet again. The summer was a bit too warm to be running around in a kimono. She put a hand to the burning flesh of her forehead; a small jolt of pain ran through it at her touch. Just a little overheating, she assured herself.

"Maybe we should go home?"

Sano's suggestion was sounding better and better, but she knew he was only asking for the fifth time because he was hungry. She finally nodded grudgingly; at least they could eat, then get back to the clues of Kenshin's disappearance. She was going to find him- if it was the last thing she ever did.

Little did she know… I could be the last thing she ever did.

 He grunted in frustration at the restaurant owner, finally slamming the counter and leaving. No help. Just a fearful glance and a screaming run. How was that supposed to help him get home? If any of them were hurt in the slightest…  he shuddered in pure rage for something that was only a possibility to this point. But the weight of such a possibility was finally weighing him down. He had to find out where he was… and how he could get home.

Home. He'd never remembered really having one. Maybe with Hiko? No, it was not home- it was training camp. Perhaps with Tomoe he'd had a home… His chest constricted and he found himself searching for air. Apparently, it was enough on that subject for now. He leaned against the bar, sighing hopelessly. What was going on now?

"Hey young'n. What 'chu groanin' at?… Dang, this sack-y stuff is good." A voice greeted from the other side of the room. Even the ever-cheerful rurouni seemed to have a short temper in answering him.

"I need to get back to Tokyo, de gonzaru." He said, adding the end only for effect, to convince himself that everything was the same. He brought violet eyes up to meet the man.

He was crooked and tired, but not very old. His hair was dusted with dirt and grease,

"Well, I could show 'ya the way if you don't mind an old man's bad feet."

Kenshin looked up, vaguely amazed at his dumb luck. He only nodded absently in reply.

"A'right then, off we go."

The man downed the rest of his sake. He looked rather foreign, especially judging by his horrible mutilation of the vernacular, but he spoke as if he'd been in Japan since he was born, knew it like the back of his hand. Kenshin nearly smiled at this, but it ceased as the old man stumbled to the side, giggling madly as he hit the wall and continued on through it, met by the screams of startled waitresses on the other side.

"'Ello there, love…" He slurred slightly.

A slapping sound resounded through the place.

"You get the hell outta here, Toshiki! And don't you be comin' back here 'til you're sober." A waitress's hysteric cries escorted them out.

Kenshin found the man's arm and led him away, mumbling nonsense about how no woman could resist his charm. The samurai rolled his eyes- this was going to be interesting.

"What's y'ur name, young'n?"

"Himura Kenshin."

"Well, well, Mr. Himura, 's nice ta' meecha."

"…two years 'go I came back an' I been livin' in that rest'raunt ev'a since."

Kenshin would have fallen asleep if he hadn't been walking. Wasn't he in a rush? He tapped the man, and spoke quietly.

"Gomen, Toshiki-san, demo, could you just point me in the right direction? I would be very grateful, that I would."

Toshiki turned with a large grin and nodded, pointing forward and slightly right. "I s'pose you'll be able t' find y'ur way from here. You go along and get back home young'n. I know there's someone a-waitin' fur you. Take care o' y'rself."

"Arigatou, Toshiki-san." He glanced back at the chubby, smiling man behind him, then slipped silently off.

"That poor man has no idea what he's getting himself into." He shook his head as he watched Kenshin disappear. A small bird landed on his shoulder, white with red wings. He swatted it away with a grunt, then walked off, footfalls heavy against the dirt.

The bird looked after him, then took flight upon its own path.

The streets were strangely deserted as the three figures wound through them, back towards the dojo. It was growing dark, dusk's colors once again finding her deep in thought. Kaoru led, still wondering about Kenshin's whereabouts, and thankful that they hadn't gone so far as to have been stuck out there. Her feet were sore, her voice was almost gone, and the other two were no better off.

They walked into the courtyard and were met by the sight of Miyuu, sitting casually by the door and staring at them. She nipped a smallish apple, just tearing at the deep red skin. "Well, well. So you do still live here. What a surprise." Her eyes found Sano, who was giving her a sharp look.


"What do you want?" Kaoru asked, sensing something was wrong.

Miyuzuko didn't speak a word. She didn't have to. Her sword was drawn quickly, held to threaten. "I hope you weren't expecting to see the Battousai again…"

A lingering scream held the air, fading into quiescence. And Miyuu's apple was left abandoned in the yard…

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Ali-Adi- Aww, thanks. Sorry this took so long, I'm running on empty right now. I always want to know whether or not I'm keeping people in character. So thanks for the opinion! Would love to hear from you again!
 
Brittanie Love- Thanks for the review, hope this chapter is as good.
 
Invader Zim- Hehe. Good. *watches as McDonalds' lawyers carry off Invader Zim on copyright infringement* ^.- Hope to hear from you soon!