Koonichiwa minna-sans! Please enjoy the newly written chapter 4 and for those of you just reading my story enjoy. Arigatou Aya45

During the days I spent, alone I was afraid,

But now with the skill of a god and the beauty of a goddess I am not afraid,

I am the hitokiri that penetrates the soul with one single glare,

Let me be free and never alone,

Shouting out my name is no use for I am the abyss of darkness,

There is no more laughter in me,

I have changed for the better,

I am no longer afraid,

No longer using his sword technique...goodbye...father

Chapter 4

Her Deadly Glare

Kenshin was up and ready to go searching for Kaoru and Yahiko was practicing some swings.

Yahiko, "Kenshin I got a letter from Misao and that Shinomori guy saying that there coming here for a visit." He said this dully and was unfazed by the awkward tension that formed between them.

Kenshin turned his head oblivious and said, "Really then I should get the guest room's ready, then we can all start looking for Kaoru-dono."

Sano and Megumi walked through the Kamiya gates rather hurriedly. Megumi quickly walking by Yahiko went straight to Kenshin who was about to go get the guest rooms ready.

Megumi who seemed very tired urgently said, "Ken-san! We have news that will upset you more then it did us..."

Kenshin turned and looked at Megumi who was pacing and had a stricken face that wrinkled her delicate features he asked worriedly, "What is it Megumi-san?"

Megumi glanced at Kenshin, not willing to look him in the eye as she said, "Well we got news from this man, that was shopping for food. He owns a small shop that sells bokkens, swords, and so on...he told me that he saw a young man that was around 18 and was fairly beautiful to even be a man, he bought a sword and a kodachi. He added as well that he had unusual colored eyes that he would never forget in a Japanese man, blue."

Sano quickly added in, "We think it may have been jou-chan but we don't know that for certain because he said he bought those to weapons the day...we went gambling...---he stopped his pacing as well and thought for just a second before his jaw tightened---no...it WAS her! She was dressed as a man! Jou-chan cross-dressed knowing that a girl shopping for a sword would gain the suspicions of the public."

Kenshin's face became pale and so did Yahiko's.

Yahiko's face was curiously drawn to a frown as he asked, "Why would she buy a katana and a kodachi?"

They where all surprised to hear a familiar voice yelling out, "Kaoru-san, Himura!"

They all turned around to see a, well kind of tall girl of 17 with black hair tied up in a braid and in ninja's clothes. The one and only Misao Makimachi and standing behind her was a tall handsome man which of course wasn't smiling but had those cold ice blue eyes and that strong pose of self-awareness his name (all of you know) Aoshi Shinomori.

Misao frowned and asked, "Hey aren't you guys going to say hi at all?"

Kenshin, "Oro gomen Misao-san! How have you been doing?"

Misao frowned even more and then said, "Okay where is Kaoru-san? I demand to know! Himura you did not go and hurt her and she ran away! She would have come to me!"

Kenshin, Yahiko, Sano, and Megumi fell backwards all thinking the same thing, "How did she know?"

Misao gaped at her accurate theory and she glared at Kenshin as she seethed, "Kaoru-san didn't did she Himura?"

Aoshi looking as impassive as ever stated, "So the battousai's woman Kamiya ran away from him."

Kenshin got up and managed to smile as he said, "Welcome Aoshi, Misao-san please come in and we shall tell you from the beginning."

Misao angrily said, "You better Himura, Kaoru would have a good reason to run away."

The Kenshin-gumi sighed and they all entered the Kamiya house.

Somewhere in Kyoto...Kaoru had just arrived a few hours ago and now traveled in the thick woods.

Kaoru stopped suddenly and could sense a ominous presence coming toward her she couldn't very well defend herself while she was in a kimono but she would try she grabbed her katana and unsheathed it, she turned around all of a sudden and in her defensive stance stood before a drunken man.

The middle age man smirked and said, "Hey missy you (hic) shouldn't be carrying (hic) a sword around you'll (hic) get arrested...so why don't ya come with me and will go and...---

Kaoru's eyes narrowed into a deadly glare and then her change of voice made the man back off she said "Old man why don't you go and just screw someone else before I slice your throat!"

The man slowly went toward her and said, "demo why don't you come with me and we'll have all the fun we can have and then you can kill me! Haha! Ugg"

Kaoru without taking her deadly glare off slit his throat instantly and he did not even have time to take out his small dagger.

Kaoru sighed and then said to herself, "This kimono is now in drenched blood I guess I'll change to my extra gi and hakama my first kill...that actually felt good...where am I? I have never seen this village before..."

An old woman walked in front of Kaoru and then said, "Miss?"

Kaoru's eye's narrowed and then said "Where you with him? Woman?"

The old woman wasn't a bit afraid of Kaoru and then replied just as calmly as before "No Miss. I just wanted to ask...would you be willing to protect our village...this village is not known to many in Kyoto. Even if it is known people try to destroy it or come to rape the women so I was wanting to know if you would like to protect our village...we are poor to pay but I will give you a place to stay and eat."

Kaoru's eyes softened ever slightly and then saw many villagers come out of there hiding place whom where smiling and whispering to among themselves. Kaoru then replied, "I do not need money Ma'am excuse my rudeness I do have skill and have come to train...I will be willing to protect this village with my life...because my mother once told me never to be rude to my elders...sumimasen...of course I will but there is one condition..."

Everyone at the village looked at Kaoru ready to keep whatever secret came toward them so did the children.

Kaoru impassively said, "Please if any outsider you do not know that seems to know me and asks about who I am tell them another identity to who I am...that is all I ask...my name is Kamiya Kaoru...I know I can trust all of you..."

The old woman smiled brightly and replied, "My name Kaoru-chan, is Maho Miyaki it is an honor to have you protect this village

Then another villager spoke up saying "my name is Wataru Kimano!"

And every villager called out their name's knowing that they could trust Kaoru and she trust them.

Kaoru, "My fake name will be...Sakura Mataru."

Everyone nodded and then a small cute girl came running toward Kaoru with a full hand of flowers she was dirty very dirty yet still cute she said, "My name Kaoru-oniisan is Kanna...I am a orphan will you be my elder sister??"

Maho sighed and said, "Kanna you know I take care of you like my only daughter."

Kanna smiled wickedly and then replied, "Of course you do Maho but I want an elder sister!"

Kaoru smiled kindly and picked up the 7-year-old girl and said, "Well then don't I have a handful of a little sister..."

Kanna giggled and hugged Kaoru. Her small arms entangled in Kaoru's neck and the scent of Jasmine intoxicated her.

Kamiya Dojo

Misao screamed horrified, "She what!"

Aoshi continuing to stay impassive slightly nodded and said, "Yes, I see battousai."

Sano nodded and then Megumi said "She ran away and while she was at it instead of taking her bokken she went and bought a sword and kodachi..."

Aoshi about dropped his tea and said, "Kaoru did what?!"

Kenshin "She bought a kodachi and a sword." His voice emotionless.

Yahiko stared out at the sky and then thought to himself "There where more meaning to her words yesterday...she wouldn't just go against her father's teachings and...kill...I can't tell Kenshin or he'll blame himself and leave...where are you Kaoru."

To be continued...

Review please, I hope you enjoyed. Aya45