Author's note: This is my first fan fiction ever so please review and tell me what you think of it. If I mess anything up please let me know. It is still set in Japan during the beginning of the Meiji era.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or its characters

Chapter 1

It was pouring outside, the rain beating down upon the ground unrelentingly. Lightning and thunder clashed in the sky lighting the road momentarily. A solitary figure walked in the rain, soaked from head to toe. She moved at a slow pace with her head hung low. Her tattered violate kimono was matted to her skin with water. Mud spatters lined the kimono, the edges were torn giving the girl a deathly look. She was small, very small for her age. She looked to be a child with her long ebony black hair let down over her shoulders.

Her deep bloodshot sapphire eyes seemed to glow in the dark as she kept them fixed on the ground before her. She did not know where she was headed but she kept on going regardless. With no friends and her family gone she had become homeless, wandering from place to place.

The girl moved along carrying nothing with her but a small wooden sword strapped to her back, her only worldly possession left. Everything else she had owned was left behind in Tokyo with all of the memories she wished to forget. The only thing she cared to remember was her name, Kamiya Kaoru.

Kaoru had lived a happy childhood for the most part. She had known the love of her parents and the happiness of having a home. Her father was a military general who served during the bakamatsu. She had not been plagued by the troubles of the world. Knowing no true hardship until that one gloomy day. That day her whole life had been ripped apart, taken from her very grasp. Kaoru's family had been murdered in Tokyo and everything she had treasured was taken from her.

She closed her eyes against the tears that were welling up. She could still see the bloody bodies of her family, the images haunting her to no end. The smell of blood assaulting her nose the stench of death in the air. The twisted and mangled form of her beloved father on the floor as she sat and watched able to do nothing about it…she forced the memory back not wanting to concentrate on it.

With the rainstorm and everything traveling became very difficult. Deciding that it would be a good place to stop Kaoru searched around for any type of shelter. Finding nothing but trees she sighed and made her way to a large one. Settling down under a rather huge tree she leaned her back against it closing her eyes out of exhaustion. Shivering from the cold she curled up waiting for sleep to come to her.. She drifted slowly to the realm of unconsciousness.

With sleep came dreams, dreams of blood and death. Kaoru tried to think of something else, anything else but could not. Her dreams were beyond her control and she was helpless against them.

:Dream:

Screams… Kaoru heard the screams of her sister through her shoji. Startled she jumped up and grabbed her wooden sword running toward the screams. She ran as hard and as fast as she could only hoping she would make in time. Something was wrong, very wrong.

She shoved the door to the dojo open just in time to see a sword plunge through her sister's throat. "Luna!" She screamed. Luna went limp, her body falling to the floor in a heap, blood spattering every where. The blood flowed to Kaoru's feet pooling on the floor. "NO Luna!"

The man turned his attention to Kaoru as she cried for her sister. His eyes were the color of blood as they locked onto Kaoru's sapphire blue ones. He smirked then, truly amazed that the girl had come running in to face danger head on. He moved toward her one step at a time watching her body shake with fear. Kaoru held her ground and lifted her wooden sword in a stance of self defense.

"No Kaoru, run!" She heard her father's voice as she was yanked back. Her father stood in front of her shielding her from the murderer. "Run. NOW! He shouted running to attack the man. Kaoru was frozen to the spot, her legs would not comply with her father's wish.

Kaoru watched the battle with terror as her father fought bravely against this madman. She could only stare as her father's throat was cut. "Papa!" she shrieked. The assassin then slaughtered the body of her father, not being satisfied with just killing him. Taking off his head first the man then sliced open his stomach spilling blood all over. Reaching in side he pulled out the intestine like a long rope. As he focused his attention back on Kaoru the faint sounds of police whistles could be heard from off in the distance.

Cursing under his breath he darted out of the dojo leaving the girl alone. She should pose no threat to anyone and it was not important that he take her life. Kaoru could only stare at her father's body in horror as the police filled the room. "Papa."

:End dream:

"Papa!" Kaoru yelled bolting upright at the end of the dream. Her breathing had become erratic during the course of her dream. It had all happened over a year ago, but yet she still remembered it like it had happened yesterday. She slumped over letting her tears flow freely at the memory of her family. Her body shook violently with her sobs. "Luna, Papa, I am sorry." Curling up she waited for the storm to pass.