Sorry I haven't written in SO SO LONG! And no promises for the future, but thank all of you for your support.. without all the reviews I NEVER would have restarted this story.. Anyway… there's an EDIT from last time: KATSURA-SAN is in charge of Kenshin's old organization.. not Iormi-sama… got it? Anyway, I'm hella busy and in college now (at University of Pennsylvania.. YAAAY!) but I'll try to finish this story.. next update I PREDICT in the next 2-3 weeks.. hopefully.. ENJOY!

Chapter 5

Kenshin refused to go back to the kendo club. This left many members curious, but soon he was relatively forgotten among most of the students. Of course, his new friends were a different story. Sano repeatedly tried to get Kenshin to come back for a rematch, but Kenshin stubbornly refused. Kaoru watched these exchanges with interest, but usually without involvement. Kenshin figured as far as most of the kendo people went, he was off the hook.

Not so with Kaoru. She'd been hounding him ever since for information he was supposedly (okay, more than supposedly) hiding about his past. At one point, they were walking together (this seemed to happen a lot for some unfathomable reason) during lunch break.

"Why did you have to miss the first kendo practice? You said you had a family thing, but.. you're an orphan."

Kenshin sighed, resigned. "I don't suppose you'd believe I was with my aunt and uncle?"

"Not at all."

Kenshin sighed again. "I'd rather not discuss the matter."

"I believe this classifies as a recurring theme," said Kaoru with a little laugh.

Kenshin couldn't help smiling a bit – it had become almost a sort of game between the two of them, a battle to withhold or gain information – Kenshin seemed to be winning, but the game was clearly taking it's toll.

By this point they'd wandered into the farthest reaches of school property – a large, secluded field that would eventually be converted into some kind of sports court – battles over which one had hindered its development thus far.

"It really is a gorgeous day," Kaoru said.

Kenshin stared at the sky, which was an unbelievable shade of blue. Clouds drifted through it, large and tinged at the edges with a glowing light… as if from heaven.. heaven's justice. A chill passed through him, and the realization jolted him – he was being watched. His eyes narrowed marginally.

Kaoru hadn't yet noticed the change in him. "You know, it is a Friday – we should get the gang and hang out at my house tonight... Kenshin?"

Kenshin was gazing into the nearby forest, his eyes narrowed and tinged with yellow.

"Kenshin, what is it?"

"Nothing… let's go back."

"What's wrong?"

Kenshin sighed. "I feel ill." Haunted. Followed. It's almost hard to distinguish between memories and reality.

Kaoru frowned at him, concerned. "You really don't look well… in fact, you should go home. You're sick… but it's not just physical. You're worrying… you know, it's okay to depend on others once in a while – you have friends now. We're here to take care of you."

Kenshin stared at her, vaguely shocked. You have friends now. "I can't. I don't deserve it."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"I can't. I can't."

"Kenshin?" Kaoru looked almost panicked.

"I have to go home… I have to go home.."

"Okay... we'll get you home."

Kenshin and Kaoru went instantly to the nurse and got Kenshin permission to go home – the nurse was reluctant to agree to allow Kaoru to go home as well, but she insisted Kenshin was quite ill and had no one else to take care of him.

When Kenshin and Kaoru arrived at his house, he had regained his composure. "Look, I appreciate it, but you can go back to school now."

"Nonsense. You're very sick… Maybe you should be in a hospital."

"No." The word was spoken very coldly.

"Kenshin…"

"Please… I need to be alone…"

Kaoru wrung her hands hopelessly for a moment… and then her eyes hardened. "

Kaoru wrung her hands hopelessly for a moment… and then her eyes hardened. "You.. what do you think you're doing!"

"Oro!"

"I am not going anywhere. I'm making you some soup." And, to Kenshin's surprise, she marched into the house, into his small kitchen, and started chopping up vegetables.

Kenshin sank onto his couch in shock and then laughed softly, painfully.

Kenshin arrived home a week later and instantly knew the house was being watched. He could feel it. A kunai was suddenly rushing past his head. He dodged easily – there was a letter attached to the kunai. Kenshin unwrapped the note, glancing swiftly around – his watcher had vanished from the area after throwing the kunai.

The words were written in neat script: "You cannot escape our world. Especially now. You think you have left your organization in capable hands, hands that will continue to try to save the world with the sword. Shishio has other plans. He will try to pervert the organization in order to serve only him. What will you do now, Hitokiri Battousai?" The note was signed – Saitou Hajime. Kenshin's heart raced; his blood ran cold. The Wolf of Mibu knew where he was and, more importantly, wasn't planning on leaving him alone – this note was a most despicable ploy. Why should Kenshin believe anything his enemy told him about his own organization? And yet… the doubts about Shishio he had tried to push from his mind resurfaced and surrounded him. Damn it. Is there really no escape?

What the hell was Saitou playing at? It was so unlike him to simply throw a note. Then the pieces clicked, almost as soon as his mind formed the question. He had his own fears regarding the organization – perhaps he was more afraid now than he had been before. Before, Kenshin's organization (they called themselves the Imperialists) had been opposed to the Shinsengumi, whom Saitou worked for. Of course, he would desert them in an instant if he thought they were violating his sole code. Aku Soku Zan. However, there had been some degree of balance – the two sides were opposed but often not directly. How, perhaps, Saitou feared a more direct conflict? What he wanted was for Kenshin to discover what he could about Shishio and the organization. Kenshin balled the paper in his fist, then tore it to shreds. I won't do his work for him. Kenshin suspected that ignoring the matter wouldn't make Saitou go away, though. Their battles had never provided a decisive victor – he suspected Saitou wanted a final battle.

Unsure what further to do, Kenshin walked into his house. Could he really just ignore his fears about Shishio? Katsura-san, Kenshin prayed, This is for the new era. Keep him under control. Please.

"Yumi-san! Yumi-san!"

"Eh? What is it?" The woman stretched elegantly on her futon, looking every bit the aristocrat she was.

"Shishio-sama has returned!"

Instantly, Yumi leaped from her futon and tore past the maid out into the hallway – she bolted quickly into the foyer, where she found Shishio standing with Sojiro and Houji (damnit was that his name?). She stopped short, surprised for only a moment.

"The boy is here. And you, Houji." She turned to Shishio. "You're truly prepared to start enacting our plans."

"I am," Shishio said softly. "I have secured the membership of a total of 10 members in our little club – the Juppongatana. (screw the spelling) It is time for our first task."

A slow smile spread over Yumi's face. "Soon…" she whispered. "Soon… this will be your country."

Kenshin was sitting alone in his backyard, staring into space and thinking, when suddenly he realized he was no longer alone. Another kunai flew through the air and landed in the grass beside him. He bent to pick it up, glanced around, realized he was alone again.

He unfolded the note and read the words. Read them again… was in shock for a few moments, and then sunk onto his knees… Even though Saitou had undoubtedly written this note, he was certain the words were the truth, certain they could not be otherwise. He knew what all the Imperialists would be told – they'd be told it was a strike by their enemies… by the Shinsengumi or another group… but he knew who was behind this… his worse fears were confirmed. Shishio Makoto.

The words on the paper played in his head over and over again: "Katsura is dead."

What do y'all think! Review, yo! I'll try to write again soon!