Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

He who has injured thee was either stronger or weaker than thee. If weaker, spare him; if stronger, spare thyself.

- William Shakespeare

Cherry Blossom Dream

Chapter Three: A Look of Innocence

Tokyo was exactly how she remembered it to be six years ago; a bustling industrious community with its inhabitants running about adorned many buildings of wood, and steel.

But that had all been through a naive girl's eyes. She perceived the city for what it truly was...a corrupted paradise of capitalism. The people always working for pleasure to serve themselves; they were all but robots in a sick perverse world.

She would never truly know how wrong she was until she would be able to look once more through a naive and sagacious girl's eyes. Only with those two qualities could anyone ever truly see the world that hid beneath the mask.

They had docked an hour ago, and thus she was now settled in her hotel room huddled in the middle of Tokyo with life passing her by. The hotel was the grandest in the city; its lobby was adorned with romantic coloring, the drapes settling over the windows, and the tile of beautiful tan marble, but she was not enjoying it at all.

While William was still amongst society in the Grand Parlor she was in their outsized room sitting down on the secretary chair, her elbow propped on the table as her arm supported her head.

So many sights she use to see every day came back with such a force that she couldn't help but think of past times; times of merriment, lies, fear, love, and adventure. Why should she been think about her old life? Who was it that said look towards the future and not the past?

She sighed drumming her hands along the brown leather book that Antonio had given her; she had read some as she promised, but it barely affected her. This God that these people had so ardently written about seemed a lie made up by a child's fantasy. Who could actually believe that any divine being, or God, could love so passionately and let his children suffer so?

I thought Antonio was smarter than this, she thought to herself, having a deep pain in her heart as she said it.

The door opened. Kaoru didn't flinch.

"Kaoru dear." William walked in going towards the rather large window and pulling back the curtains. "Why are you here sitting in the dark?" Kaoru stuffed the Bible inside the secretary quickly so that he wouldn't notice.

What would he think of a prostitute having a Bible? It was outrageous.

Not coming up with an answer she shrugged smiling while she did so. "I was thinking about what would happen today."

He walked over to her grabbing her chin and placing a hard kiss on her lips. "Well, if you really want to know sadly I will be at meetings until late at night, but for you my dear...."

He went to sit on a green arm chair flipping the back part of his jacket up so that it wouldn't be wrinkled. "Did you know that today there is going to be a yearly Cherry Blossom Festival?"

Her memory jumped. Of course she had forgotten about it, six years had almost erased all memories of traditions in Japan for her. "No I must have forgotten. I have been living in America for so long now." She laughed at herself. He just smiled again...he always smiled at her, always.

"What about it?" She asked further.

"Oh, I was just going to say that you could go if you wanted. I' m sure Sylvia would love to go with you." He was referring to the maid. Kaoru clasped her hands together.

Oh, joy that she had to receive permission to go, but still she wanted to go alone no matter what he said. "Oh William you are good indeed! But it will be such a sad affaire without you." She rushed towards him kneeling beside his chair.

He petted her raven hair. "Don't worry. I will be here tonight."

His evasive message was far too clear for her; she hugged him and kissed him fully on the lips. Oh, how she could do deceive a man like him. How many times had she done it to others? How many of them did she send to their deaths at Master's whim? How sinful of a putrid maiden was she?

She had blood on her hands, but committed no murder; she was behind them when they died: her shield- a glass wall protecting her from the red crimson splash. She hadn't thought of her numerous sins in years...why now?

She stood and walked to the wardrobe.

"May I wear a traditional Japanese kimono?" Her eyes pleaded with him, and he found himself unable to refuse. Her eyes were like vortexes of a navy atmosphere that could draw a man in and never let them go until she had her way; that's why Master liked her so much.

"Yes, of course. I will send the maid to go buy one."

She titled her head and smiled, and William could have sworn he saw a darkness unlike anything he had ever seen in her eyes glow, and come alive. He shook his head, he was imagining things.

He stayed for another thirty minutes until he was called again. He tilted his hat, kissed her fully, and left.

Kaoru relaxed her muscles letting the smile fade from her lips. Two months of pretending was starting to wear her; in fact her life drained her.

She hadn't breathed in six years. How much longer could she take? How long could she keep lying to herself that she was content? She knew she didn't have very much longer; the chill was becoming greater every day. If there had been a knife around she could have ended it right then and there, but she then she would become weak again wouldn't she?

She had never thought taking one's own life was right; in truth it was a sign of weakness, and weakness was something she had rid herself of.

Looking out the widow she spotted Sylvia coming into the hotel carrying a package in bright colors. Bright....

Kaoru looked in her trunk and wardrobe and found not a single item that was lighter than a shade of gold lace. Master had told her once that light colors didn't suit her; he never bought her anything remotely light except if it was her one ribbon that was a deep shade of gold.

"Only pure maidens may wear such colors, and you my little foreigner are not one of them." His voiced teased in her head.

Her hands closed the cabinet dresser...if only she were one.... She laughed at herself. Did she actually think that? No, no...she didn't, she was better off right?

Sighing she knew it was a lie...she knew, but lies were her only substance to fall onto when times became rough. Lies made the world, lies destroyed the world.

The door opened and Sylvia came in. "Ms. Kaoru here is your kimono for the evening," She laid the package down on the bed. Kaoru nodded not looking at her as she left as quickly as she had come.

Kaoru smirked. The girl was terrified of her. Maybe Sylvia saw something that people didn't see, maybe she saw her shadow, maybe she saw the scorched ground Kaoru walked on, but Kaoru knew that her maid had seen the black flower that made her soul. There no longer was the sight of a white cherry blossom to be seen.

Unwrapping the package her azure eyes narrowed: she had bought her a pink kimono decorated with gold and purple flower petals and a gold obi. It was beautiful stretching long until it reached the ground having it flow out, but still light colors were unfit for her.

If Master were here his rage would have gone back to the maid, but he wasn't and Kaoru could do as she pleased, and for once she wanted to defy Master in any small way she could.

She would go to the festival unchaperoned, wear virginal pink, and act the way she pleased. She smiled putting on the kimono. It was pure silk and so much more comfortable then her European dresses were. She had forgotten what it felt like to wear such loose clothes.

Once she was done she looked into the mirror and gasped. There in front of her stood the young Kaoru Kamyia as pure and as innocent as she had ever been.

"Tomorrow," Megumi sighed. She collapsed into a chair taking her break from the clinic. Closing hers eyes she held back her tears. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Kaoru's leaving...it would be hard on everyone especially Kenshin.

What happened to make Kaoru go, she thought. Kenshin never told them, but Megumi was inquisitive; something had happened in their relationship and she had known it was for the worst.

She clenched her fist wanting nothing more to hit that naive girl. Did she know what she had done to Kenshin? Shaking her head she relaxed...no how could she. Even though Kaoru was naive in some ways she was never ill informed, something terrible to the girl had to happen to make her flee the way she did.

No one had ever thought Megumi cared for the girl so much, but in truth Kaoru had been like a little sister to her brightening everyone's way in the darkest of tunnels. Megumi had stopped numbering the countless night she prayed for the girl's safety, and most of the time an odd feeling of a shadow sphere would come over her and in turn she would pray harder.

Call it women's intuition but Megumi felt a dread that something deep and searing had happened to Kaoru during her six year absence; a fear that she would never tell anyone.

The door to the sitting area burst open, Megumi jumped up panicking. "Hello, Megumi." A young voice bellowed through out the whole clinic.

That voice it was so familiar to her. Megumi strode into the other room and gasped. "Misao?"

"Hey Megumi." Misao waved to her giving her a hug letting Megumi see the perfect form of Aoshi Sinomori behind Misao; he was like her shadow now...ever since they were married three years ago. She beamed at them both.

"Hello Misao, Aoshi." He nodded. "I see you're still as silent as always." She looked at Misao and sighed letting the other just shrugged. "I thought you would change him Misao, after all living with you would make anyone talk."

Misao laughed. After finishing their pleasantries Megumi led them to the tea room letting them relax after their long journey from Kyoto.

"It's been six years I can't believe it." Misao put down her tea as Aoshi took her hand in his.

"We can only pray that she is safe."Aoshi said his voice as stoic as ever. Megumi smiled at the couple...if only that rooster head would hurry up and ask her.

"Kenshin is still at work, right Megumi?" Misao inquired. That's all he had been doing for the past six years, work. Work was his life letting him have the excuse to ignore his friends. The less he saw of them the less he would think of her.

Megumi nodded. "We're getting him to go with us to the Cherry Blossom Festival. He...he needs to get out, and I think he needs to find another." The last part was said in a hushed tone, but the others heard perfectly.

"Megumi!" Misao slapped her hand on the table. "How could you say such a thing?" Aoshi looked at Megumi and nodded her understood. He put his hand on Misao's arm.

"Misao, calm down please." Her startled eyes turned towards him, and finally relenting collapsed down.

"I'm sorry it's just that...she was my best friend Megumi." Misao pleaded her eyes moist. It still hurt even after six years.

"Kaoru was like a sister to me Misao, but she..." Sighing she went on for the first time admitting it truly to herself. "She is gone, she left all of us." Misao and Aoshi looked at her. "I'm not judging her. Kaoru almost always had a good reason for everything she did."

"And since she is...gone I just want Kenshin to be happy again." She finished. Misao gave in.

"So how are Sano and the others?" Megumi smiled a little. "Has that rooster head asked you to marry him yet?" Misao nudged Aoshi as he coughed. He did seem to like these types of conversation.

"Aoshi, be still, I had many conversation with Megumi and Kaoru about you." He turned away trying to avoid the conversation. Misao winked at Megumi.

"No, sadly. That rooster head is too busy with his shipping business." She still couldn't believe had actually got a decent job and was making quite a comfortable amount of money.

"Oh, come on Megumi." Misao laughed clutching her stomach gingerly; Megumi's eyes took on a surprised looked but said nothing. "I still can't believe he is one of the top merchants in Japan. It's simply hilarious."

"I'm still getting over the fact that he has a brain." Megumi put in looking quite serious. "Though he had some help from Kastu and Kenshin."

Misao waved her hand, "Of course, of course."

"Well everyone is doing well Misao to answer your question. Tae and Tubsume are getting more profits from the Akebeko, Yahiko he is doing very well still teaching the Kamyia Kasshin Ryu. The dojo is getting an enormous amount of money."

Aoshi who had been silent spoke up. "He is instructing government officers on how to use to Kamyia Kasshin am I right?"

Megumi didn't even have to ask where he had heard the information. He and Misao were still as involved in the government as they had always been, but looking at Misao, she wasn't sure if she was as involved as she use to be.

"Well I hope tonight we will all be able have fun and relax. God knows we all need it." Misao redirected the conversation. Megumi sighed.

"I was able to get Kenshin to go with us with, might I say, quite a few gentle reminders of we are his friends still."Misao covered her mouth.

"I wouldn't believe you could be gentle Megumi." Misao said between her laughter.

The night was coming swiftly; soon it would be dusk, and then the festival would begin.

A/N: Sorry guys this chapter is very very short, but I'm really trying to get them to meet fast. In the next chapter some old character will meet Kaoru, but I don't think Kenshin so soon...if ya'll have any idea on how they could meet please tell me because I only have a few.

Thanks for all the reviews...I will try my best to make the next chapter longer and more interesting. I'm juts trying to get all the boring stuff out of the way. And what's up with Misao? If you can guess go on a try!

Don't You Just Hate Me,

CrypticMaidenRK