Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni kenshin... stupid people!

Story

Chiyo closed her shamisen case, and locked it. She was going back to Kyoto, with Kenshin, Kaoru, Yahiko, and Sanosuke. It was a strange decision to take all of them but Kaoru wouldn't hear of Kenshin going by himself. She was actually thankful that Kaoru decided that, for Chiyo's heart raced to hear that she would be riding a train by herself, with Battousai the Manslayer. Chiyo looked at the case, and suddenly her eyes filled with tears. The case blurred in front of her, she tried to wipe them off but they kept coming. Memories flooded back into her mind as if a dam had just been unleashed.

"Could it still be?" she asked herself out loud. "That I still remember? Even after 3 years?"

"May I introduce my Little Sister, Chiyo." said Chiza. Chiza was one of the most famous Geishas in Kyoto, and Chiyo had the privilege to be her little sister. She was going to learn everything from Chiza, how to walk, who to have parties with, how to be the best Geisha. Chiyo bowed deep and asked for thanks.

"What a cute little sister you have this time Chiza!" exclaimed a man at the head of the table. He had a sword at his side, Chiyo knew better than to comment on his sword.

"What Chiro not cute enough?" asked Chiza, they both laughed. Chiyo laughed, as it was the proper thing to do. Chiyo noticed that his sheath was of impeccable design, it was red wood glossed so you could see your face, with characters on it. Chiyo couldn't read them, for she hadn't learned how to read. Chiyo's eyes glanced over to a small woman looking boy at the other side of the table. He had long black hair that was covering his eyes, and sat with his spine erect as if to balance. His head was down and it looked like he was sleeping. Chiyo looked towards Chiza, to ask with her eyes of what she should do.

"Why don't we play a game of 'Big Lair'?" asked Chiza, she pointed to the small sleeping boy. "You start." It turned out that the boy was not sleeping and yet just not interested in the party. He lifted his head up to see if she was talking to him. He looked dazed, as if he had no idea where he was. To Chiyo, his eyes were a very unusual color, like grass and dirt. He looked at everyone who was watching him, Chiyo looked in his glass but noticed that he hadn't drunken any Sake.

"Okay," he finally said. He put his hand on the sword that was next to his pillow. Chiyo was scared for she saw that the sword had not been sheathed the whole way. "One time, when I was smaller, I ate so many sweets that my body grew three times large. My mother poked me with a pin to let all the sweet air out, and my body deflated." Some people nodded their heads in agreement, that the next one was the truth. The boy closed his eyes and leaned his hand more on the sword. Chiyo could sense something was wrong, and she was sure that Chiza had felt it too because her body tensed up. "A man in this room helped slay my father," the boy looked toward the head of the table at the man with the beautiful sheath. "My fathers name was Ryusama Hibtotowa."

"Okay what are you trying to pull kid!" asked the man at the head of the table. "You must of drunk to much sake."

"No," commented the boy in a soft soothing voice. "My eyes are clear... unlike yours."

Before anyone could blink the boy unsheathed his sword and threw it at the man at the head of the table. Chiyo watched in horror as the man's head was pierced right between the eyes. Blood came out of the back on his head, as the man sunk down onto the floor. A trail of blood and parts of his skin and head followed him as he died. Chiza looked at the boy and he looked at her. He pulled another small dagger from his pocket and threw it at Chiza, at her hand on the table. Chiza shrieked in pain, as the dagger went through her skin and stabbed through the table. Chiza dare not pull at her hand, nor at the dagger. Chiyo watched and backed into a corner as the "men" ran away screaming.

Then, almost as if a bad dream, the boys eyes glanced toward Chiyo. Her heart stopped beating. He walked over to her slowly, as if he was taking in all of everything before he killed her. Chiyo wanted to scream but all was lost in her throat. As the boy came closer, she felt like her body was cold and everything was dead. The boy kneeled down right in front of her face, and smiled, Chiyo was taken back by his smile, tho' it was handsome.

"Do you wish to take you Shamisen?" he asked her in a subtle tone. Chiyo looked over at her case, she did has her shamisen to take.

"To where?" she asked, obviously feeling her throat again.

"I won't kill you," he said. "You are too much of a delighting flower for me to step on." The boy reached up and rubbed her face with his hand gently. "Just think of me as your dana."

"You mean?"

"Yes... come live with me." he said and he smiled again. "I will pay for everything, but I expect things in return." This wasn't exactly the way that Chiyo wanted to find her danna, but it was better than death.

"Yes." she said, perilous to any other answer.

"Chiyo-dono," Kenshin's voice broke Chiyo free from her memory, she turned around and noticed tears where on her face still. Kenshin had a bag slung over his shoulder, his elbow protruding out from his shirt. Chiyo blushed at how pale and delicate his forearm was, for just as women look at eyes on a man in the West, a woman looked at a mans forearm. "We are going back, you don't have to cry any more, that you don't."

"Himura-san," Chiyo was afraid to ask, seeing the sword on his belt, but she trusted Kenshin, hoping for him to bare this secret. "Would you ever force to be a danna for a Geisha with your sword?"

"Oro?" Chiyo chuckled at the word. "It would be her choice whether I would be her danna or not, Chiyo-dono, I could not force feelings, that I could not. Why do you ask?"

"Just something I needed to know." said Chiyo. Kenshin smiled and walked back to his room.

Everyone was acting strange today, even Kenshin for he didn't leave anything in his room. Kenshin took a seat on his tatami mat and double checked to make sure he had everything. It wasn't like he had never been to Kyoto before, why did this time trouble him so? "Seikei-san." thought Kenshin out loud. It was almost as if, he had another burden on his shoulders. "Chiyo-dono asked me to save him, from what?" He thought about his own time, when he only saw blood through his eyes. "Chiyo-dono does not want Seikei-san to turn into Battousai." Kenshin closed his eyes and sighed. He remembered the time when He called Seikei a blubbering, whiney, child. "I can't think of any reason why he would.." Kenshin's eyes widened, and the words flooded back to him like a slap in the face. "If I was your son, would you accept me?" "Did he tell her of that? That would explain why she would seek me out of all others, that it would."

"Kenshin!" yelled Kaoru's high pitched voice from the outside.

Kenshin opened his door, and saw everyone standing there. Kaoru had her sword and leather gauntlets, along with her straw hat. The kimono she was wearing was purple, with purple flowers turning around her body. Kenshin's eyes glided over Yahiko, who was standing in his normal yellow shirt and green pants. Sanosuke was also there with a bag as well. Kenshin's eyes slipped to Chiyo, she was the most exquisitely dressed of them all. Her kimono was orange, with green flowers dancing around her ankles. Her obi was the color of a fall sunset. A bag was tied around her hands and she stood looking right at Kenshin's eyes.

"Kenshin, we are ready." Kaoru said.

It seemed like, as they walked through the shops of Tokyo, that this wasn't something as simple as going to Kyoto to buy a rare fish. It was more like Shishio, again. Kaoru couldn't handle another Shishio, and even though to her it wasn't, she knew that Seikei had hit hard on Kenshin's heart, just like Shishio. Kaoru's feelings sunk as they headed their way out. She looked at Kenshin who was having a three way conversation with Yahiko, Chiyo and himself.

"It'll be alright Missy," said Sanosuke. Kaoru looked up at the tall man. "If I know Kenshin, he'll be just fine."

"I hope so." said Kaoru, she looked to the ground but her attention was immediately grasped when a man walked up to Kenshin. Tho', it wasn't Kenshin to whom he was talking to.

"Excuse me Miss," asked the man to Chiyo. "You wouldn't happen to be a Geisha would you?" Chiyo smiled and brushed her hair from her eye.

"I am sir." she said. Many men came around to see the Geisha, not many Geisha's ever came to this part of town.

"Do you have a danna yet?" asked one boy.

"I could be your danna!" yelled another one.

"Is this guy your danna!" yelled a couple more. Kaoru was green with jealousy, men never asked her such questions. Kenshin didn't even ask if she had a boyfriend when they first met! Chiyo held up her hand to stop them from talking.

"My danna lives in Kyoto." she said, with a high amount of dignity in her voice. "And that is where I am headed." Some boys sighed, others tisked their teeth, but most of them just left.

"Chiyo-dono, does this happen often?" asked Kenshin. They continued walking again.

"Unless I am walking with my danna on my arm, yes." Chiyo said.

"It must feel really good, stopped on the street like that for a lot guys to call you beautiful!" said Yahiko, now he seemed in the talking mood.

"I would much rather hear it from my danna, than a man I had never met before." Chiyo hung her head, it was obvious that her danna never said things like that.

They walked in silence for a while and a couple other men stopped and asked the same question to Chiyo, she said the same thing. Chiyo seemed to have not heard them really and just repeated the same thing she said. It was, to Kenshin, her mind was somewhere else.

Soon the docks came into view. Chiyo pointed to their boat, it was a large metal carrier with a red strip painted on the side. As they reached the booth to purchase, Chiyo reached in her pocket and froze.

"What's wrong Chiyo-dono?" asked Kenshin.

"I...I... Master only gave me enough money to take Himura-san and I."

"I didn't bring much money with me." said Kaoru feeling in her pockets for change.

"And we know Sanosuke hasn't got money!" said Yahiko.

"Shut up before I brake your legs." said Sanosuke. As Kenshin was trying to quiet down the fight, Chiyo sighed and walked over to the man in the ticket booth. Everyone stopped and watched her.

"Excuse me sir," said Chiyo, her voice had changed to somewhat of a seducing voice. She flicked her hair back and gleamed her eyes at the man. "My friends and I need to get on the boat but I only have enough for two."

"So you want me to let them pass?" asked the man, he wanted to know his limitations.

"I never said anything about letting anyone pass." Chiyo walked around to the door where the booth opened. They was she walked, she took small steps while moving her hips to catch the booth holders eyes. She opened the door, and stepped inside, the man in the booth put down the screen that was there to say he was closed. Kaoru gasped.

"Kenshin she's..."

"I know Kaoru-dono." said Kenshin. Kenshin silently prayed a thanks for Chiyo's helped and prayed that she would not catch a disease from the man.

"What is she doing?" asked Yahiko.

"Something she shouldn't have to do." said Sanosuke. He also prayed a thanks for Chiyo's help, and prayed that nothing would happen to her.

After a few minutes, Chiyo merged from the booth. Her kimono was hanging off her shoulder and her obi was tied wrong. Her hair was in disarray, she looked as though she had gotten into a bad fight but had no bruises or cuts. The Kenshin-gumi ran over to her and looked at her. Chiyo's eyes looked like they were about to cry, but all she did was pull her kimono back over her shoulder, and pull out tickets for all of them from her pocket. Chiyo handed the tickets over to Kenshin and asked for Kaoru to tie her obi for her. Everyone was worried about her.

"You got on the boat didn't you?" she asked, like it was something she had to convince herself about. "And that is all that matters..."

"Chiyo-san..." said Kaoru. Tears began to welled in her eyes.

They passed through the gate to the docks and handed over their tickets. Kenshin's eyes looked on Chiyo. Her head was down and it looked like she didn't want to be bothered by anyone. As the rest of the group speed up to catch the boat, Chiyo and Kenshin slowed down.

"Chiyo-dono..." said Kenshin. Chiyo turned to Kenshin and fell right on him, her hair brushed against his face, it smelled like the man in the booth. "Why did you..?"

"He needs to be saved." she said simply. No tears in her eyes, but Kenshin could hear them in her words. "He was like a pig on me. I couldn't look at him, and turned away. All I thought about was, I was saving him... he was going to be saved."

"Seikei-san is three things to you, isn't he?" asked Kenshin. "Your Master, Your Danna, and Your love." Chiyo gripped her hand onto Kenshin's shirt.

"Please..." she looked up at him. "If you won't do it for him, please, do it for me."

On the boat, everything seemed to move slow in time. Kaoru looked over the side and watched the blue waters drift by against the boat. She felt somewhat responsible for what Chiyo had to do.

"If it hadn't been for me," said Kaoru to herself. "She wouldn't have had to give up her body." Kaoru balled her fists and slammed them on the railing of the ship. "If I could still be happy without... if I could be stronger..." Kaoru's eyes closed, remembering.

"Kenshin..." Kaoru had a worried tone in her voice. "I know that this is something that you are close to but, you can't go by yourself."

"Kaoru-dono, if any of you come I cannot guarantee that Seikei-san will not kill you, that I cannot." said Kenshin.

"Then to protect Kaoru, I'll go too!" yelled Yahiko, Kaoru could tell he was excited.

"Yahiko-kun..."

"And who do you think is going to save your ass when it gets in trouble?" asked Sanosuke. "Kenshin has got to deal with Seikei, and has no time to deal with you. So, I'll go too."

"Guys I don't think..."

"The Kenshin-gumi acts as one!" yelled Yahiko.

"So we're going and that is final!" said Kaoru. She nodded her head to end it.

Small tears creased Kaoru's face. The sea air blew on her face, making her tears dry on her cheek. Kaoru could sense someone behind her, watching her cry. Kaoru didn't look back, and kept her eyes forward as the person joined her side looking out to sea.

"He told me a story once," said Chiyo next to her. "About a dream he had. He said that I died, and he cried. Then he killed everyman who killed me."

"Chiyo-san, I am sorry."

"Your not hearing my story," said Chiyo, her eyes never left the water below them. "When he said that, I felt like I was his world. That he would kill the gods themselfs, if they ever thought of hurting me." Chiyo's head sank, as if the forgotten memory ripped out her heart. "When he left for Europe, I wanted to hold onto him still." The wind blew her hair and, as Kaoru was watching her, she looked almost like Kenshin. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and it blew around her head. Her eyes, remembering something that was close to her, shined with such emotion Kaoru couldn't help but want to know more. "I wanted to feel like I was his world again. That nothing mattered but me, and he would gladly give up his life to be with me, to protect me." Kaoru's mind went right back to the time that Kenshin fought Jin-e. "To protect Kaoru-dono, I will become the Battousai once again!" Chiyo looked at Kaoru and smiled. "It is our hearts that are going to be the death of us."

Chiyo walked away from Kaoru back to the lower deck of the boat, and left Kaoru standing there on deck. "She understands." Kaoru said out loud to herself. "She understands how I feel. No one has been able to understand..." Kaoru followed Chiyo down into the lower deck of the boat, with a smile, instead of a tearful face.

In the lower deck of the boat, there where separate rooms for people going farther than Kyoto. In each room a family or two stayed. In the main room, which is the room you see as you come a deck, everyone was who was getting off at the next stop. As Kaoru made her way down the stairs, she saw Kenshin helping one of the people with cleaning the boat, Chiyo had just taken a seat next to Sanosuke who was talking with a old man, and Yahiko was in the corner throwing up in a bucket. She laughed and joined Yahiko at his side.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Yahiko, his stomach seemed to settle for a while.

"Nothing at all." said Kaoru, finally happy. She looked over at Chiyo.

"So your saying that," joined in Chiyo. "Even though things are getting more expensive, nobody is getting paid more?"

"Not unless you are an Official, or a merchant!" yelled the old man. Chiyo laughed, and covered her face. "You, a Geisha, are probably paid triple for the simple act of pouring sake."

"I am afraid not sir, since My danna pays for everything."

"Now really tell me, how much did your mizuage go for?" asked the old man. Chiyo blushed.

"That is a very personal question sir, I do not wish to tell you." said Chiyo, she turned her head.

"Or could it be that you still have it?" asked the old man licking his lips. Sanosuke could sense the uneasiness in Chiyo.

"Okay old man, that's enough." said Sanosuke. "That is something she doesn't have to share with you."

"Fine then." said the old man and changed the topic of conversation. Chiyo looked at Sanosuke.

"Thank you, I thought he..."

"Don't worry about it." said Sanosuke. He turned to her and winked. "After what did for us to get on this boat, it was the least I could do." Chiyo smiled.

A few hours passed on the boat, it would be night time by the time the Kenshin-gumi and Chiyo reached Kyoto. Chiyo was relaxing comfortably talking to a woman, with her children. Kenshin was finished with his "chores" and sat next to the woman, playing with her kids. Sanosuke and Yahiko where fast asleep leaning on the wall, Yahiko with the bucket on the other side of him. Kaoru was about ready to fall asleep, when a loud man dressed in ocean looking blue shirt and a green hat busted into the room.

"I am looking for a Chiyo!" he yelled. Chiyo bowed to the woman and stood up.

"I am here." said Chiyo. The loud man walked over and handed her a letter.

"This was to be delivered yesterday, but because you were not on the boat." He bowed to her and left. Chiyo walked back over to where she was and read the note allowed to Kenshin and Kaoru.

Chiyo,

I hope you get this letter, I miss you terribly, I want you to hurry home! I trust that Battousai is with you? Good, well I should tell you... are you ready? 139! I killed 139 today! Wonderful isn't it? I am going to throw a party when you get back, celebrating your safe return and of course 139. We are one away from 140, can you believe it?

Love,

Seikei.

"He says it so causally as if he is speaking about the weather!" complained Kaoru, she of course was talking about they way he killed someone else. Chiyo was giggling, and was trying to hide it, but as soon as those words passed Kaoru's lips, she couldn't keep it in any longer. Her laugh seemed to make the woman's children smile with happiness, and almost everyone who listened was laughing too. "Chiyo-san what are you laughing at?"

"He is happy Kaoru-san." said Chiyo through her laughter. "And that is all that matters, that when I come home, he has a smile on his face." Kaoru blinked, Chiyo sighed. "When Master comes home... he is usually in a horrible mood. I remember the first night he came home. After a night like that..."

"Master Seikei!" said Chiyo. Seikei came into the home, slouching on one side. It was obvious that he was hurt. Chiyo ran over, her zori clicking under her feet, she carried a tray with food on it to Seikei who was cringing in pain. "I made you dinner." Seikei looked up with a anger in his eyes.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU STUPID GIRL! GO FETCH ME THE DOCTOR!" Seikei reached up and slapped the tray from her hands. Chiyo watched as all the food she prepared fell to the ground. She looked down, and tears came to her face. Seikei looked at her and her face, and the anger vanished from his eyes. "I'm sorry." Chiyo looked up at him. "Please go fetch the doctor." Chiyo ran off and behind her, Seikei sank to the ground awaiting the doctor.

After the doctor looked at Seikei and left his room, he told Chiyo that Seikei wanted to see her. Chiyo was taken back by this, for he never asked her in private before. Chiyo slid the door open, and Seikei was laying on the futon looking at the ceiling. His room was quite large for someone of his size, he had a wardrobe, and a night stand where there was a full length mirror off to the side of it. Chiyo bowed and kneeled next to him, she didn't know what she was suppose to do. Seikei turned his face and just looked at her.

"Master...?" said Chiyo, but Seikei closed his eyes.

"Chiyo, forgive me for my rudeness." he said. He turned away from her face and looked at the ceiling. "Sometimes I just get so wrapped up in the blood, I forget who I am talking to." Chiyo looked at him with kind eyes. Seikei's vison began to blur as he tried to not cry tonight. "You often, hear me sob after a night like this right?" Chiyo nodded her head. "Well, now you know why. Sometimes," Seikei sat up in bed and looked at her. Chiyo was worried that his wound would start to bleed again. "Sometimes... I forget why I am even doing this." He put his hand up to his face, and started to sob. "Sometimes... I don't know what I am doing. My mind is becoming coated in the smell and color of blood, I cannot escape from this. I have buried myself in to deep, and will remain here. Forever." Seikei dropped his hand and grabbed his head as if something was about explode from it. "I can't ever escape! I must prove to him! I must prove to him, that I can be stronger than he!"

Chiyo did something that she never thought she would do, she took Seikei's hands down from his head, wiped his tears, and hugged him. She pressed his head against her body and felt his heat. She wrapped her arms around him and smoothed his hair with her hand. Seikei was surprised, no one ever touched him. No one, everyone was scared of him, scared of what he could do, but not Chiyo. Soon, he wrapped his arms around the lower part of her back and pressed onto her. He sobbed into her chest, and all she did was smooth his hair, and comforted him.

"That is something not many women in your situation would do Chiyo-dono, I am very proud of you that I am." said Kenshin.

"How could you hug someone like that?" asked Kaoru.

"He is a human being just like you and me," Chiyo said. "He does have these thoughts." Chiyo turned to Kenshin. "That is why I wanted to get you. He is already having second thoughts, if you can push him a little more, I know he'll stop."

"All for Kyoto! All for Kyoto!" yelled a man from the top deck of the boat. Kenshin looked up. "All for Kyoto! On Deck!"

"Home!" Yelled Chiyo. She ran and knocked Yahiko and Sanosuke up as she did. She ran faster up the stairs that no one could match her speed. Kenshin smiled and followed her, Kaoru after him (after Kaoru left, both Yahiko and Sanosuke were wondering why they were being left and went too.).

On deck, Kenshin could see the lights of Kyoto. Sudden memories flew back at him, like a cold slap. But as soon as his mind went to the days of the Revolution, a single voice broke his mind.

"Kenshin!" yelled Kaoru, she was looking over the edge at the gleaming city of Kyoto. Kenshin smiled and walked over, he stood in between Kaoru and Chiyo.

"Home!" Chiyo yelled again. "I am finally back home!"

To be continued in chapter 3