Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Rurouni Kenshin.

Deep Midnight

Chapter 1: The Night Holds Many Secrets

Moonlight filtered through the open window as she made her way across the room, to the door leading into the hall beyond it. The smell of cherry blossoms and rain soaked soil drifted through the window just as she exited the room and shut the door behind her. She found it almost relieving to shut out the temptation of that sweet smelling breeze. It would not be good to be seduced by it, especially while she had a task to complete.

Slowly she crept her way down the darkened hall, taking no time to enjoy the many valuable pieces of art that hung up on the walls. She made no sound as she moved, and her deep blue-almost black costume helped to conceal her movements.

The costume was really just a simple kimono that she'd cut short to give her freedom of movement, tied together by a plain black obi. In polite society, it would have been a very indecent thing to wear and she wouldn't have been caught dead in it in broad daylight. But for her nightly excursions it was the perfect outfit. She finished the ensemble off with dyed black clothe wound around her arms and legs, to muffle any sounds she might make and a black half mask to cover her face. Her bokken was strapped tightly to a leather cord across her back, and a large cylindrical container hung securely from her arm.

As she drew up to the grand staircase leading down to the lower levels, she came to a stop, listening intently for the slightest noise. She could just make out the sound of the owner snoring away in his bedroom to her right. She felt sorry for whatever woman he'd coaxed to his bed that night.

'I bet his wife is happy to be away from all that noise.' She glanced down the hall she'd just walked through, towards a door at the very end and felt a wave of pity flood through her for the poor woman sleeping behind it. 'What a sad way to live.'

Shaking her head she turned back to listen, and hearing nothing she descended the stairs cautiously.

As she stepped off the final step, she found herself in a large entrance hall, with the doorway out into the front lawn just ahead of her. She could sense the guards standing just on the other side of the door, ready to jump into action at the very hint of a break in.

With this in mind she slipped across the tiled floor and into a doorway located to her left, opposite a hall leading into other parts of the large mansion.

The room she entered was a study, with a large oak desk, she was sure had been imported from England, sitting in the middle of the room. Bookcases lined the walls, filled with glossy leather bound tomes of all sizes and colors. On the floor was the most beautiful oriental carpet she'd ever laid eyes upon, and off to her right was a little sitting area complete with a grand fireplace she'd only ever read about.

'If this is what opium smuggling can buy you, then perhaps I'm in the wrong business.' She thought in wonder, but then felt immediately ashamed of the thought. She knew the horrible affects that opium had on people, and had on one occasion seen first hand the trouble it caused in honest people's lives. No, she'd already fallen to stealing for a living; she wouldn't let herself become a complete monster.

With this thought in mind she turned her attention back to the task at hand.

A painting hung above the fireplace. It was a large portrait of a beautiful young woman, dressed in the western fashions that were becoming increasingly popular among the wealthy elite of Japan.

She thought the painting, while beautiful, wasn't the most extraordinary work of art she'd ever seen, but the man who had commissioned this whole operation seemed to think it was. He'd offered a very hefty sum for it. Shrugging she set to work.

Taking the painting down and removing it from its frame was easy enough, and from there she rolled it up gently and placed it into the cylinder container she carried.

Taking a glance out the window on the other side of the desk, she gave a start. If she didn't hurry, she'd be late for the exchange with her contact.

Setting the empty frame upon the desk top, she picked up her things and hurried out the door.

It was not until she was up on the roof, collecting her things, that she heard the guards discover the missing painting.

For the first time that night, Kamiya Kaoru smiled behind her mask, and then with a running leap launched herself from the roof into the awaiting night.

-----:R:-----

Nakagure Residence, later that night.

Kisho Nakagure sat quietly in the dark of his study, his deceptively handsome features hidden in shadow.

He was studying the cylinder container that had been delivered to him only minutes before by one of his henchmen.

The painting inside of it was of little consequence to him, merely something he had desired to have simply because he could. The fact that it was someone else's didn't faze him in the least. He'd wanted it, therefore he'd taken the steps to make it his.

No, the painting wasn't what played across his mind. It was the person that had stolen it, that interested him.

Being a highly powerful man of almost infinite wealth and influence, there wasn't much that escaped his knowledge in this city. He had men spread out all over Tokyo, all over Japan really, and he had ways of getting information that few could resist.

Yet, the thief evaded his knowledge with a skill Kisho had never encountered before, had even entered his home undetected on one occasion.

Kisho had been instantly intrigued, something he felt very rarely in his young life. He'd been intrigued enough to agree to whatever terms the thief had, terms the thief had taken such pains to write out and deliver when they entered his home, along with the diamond necklace he had wanted.

Not even the man he assigned to directly deal with the thief, knew who the thief was, and the only information his man brought back to him was that the thief stayed in the shadows, and never spoke. He merely stood and waited for the henchman to speak.

The most mysterious thing however, was how the thief only accepted assignments that dealt with people of questionable reputations, never accepting a job stealing from a respectable citizen.

It was all baffling.

However, Kisho found himself oddly excited by the mysterious thief, the challenge to uncover the thief's secrets becoming an addiction to him.

"Where are you hiding little thief?" he whispered almost tauntingly. "It won't be long before I discover all your silly secrets, and when I do you'll be sorry you ever kept them from me."

-----:R:-----

This is it, the revised first chapter. If you've read the first one I posted you'll see the changes. I hope that you all enjoy this one. I've already started working on the second chapter, and I'm happy to say that the story is coming along very nicely.

Thanks to the people who have already left a review. To those who haven't please do. I value any input you might be able to supply me.

Bye for now.