Authors Notes: Hey guys! Sorry if I didn't update in a while. I was sorta gone…on a cruise…in the Caribbean :);;

Oh and for the people who don't know, I live in Maine. And no, it's not always cold. It's actually absolutely beautiful up here. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

I would respond to your reviews, but I don't have much time. I sort of got in trouble with my parents on the cruise so I don't know what's going to go on with my time on the computer for this week.

Well, here's chapter three!

Chapter three – Not going Unnoticed

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"LET ME OUT OF HERE THIS ISTANT! THIS IS INHUMANE! IT'S A MONSTROSITY!"

Kaoru screamed and hissed as much as her lungs would allow her to. She was trapped in a room that was eerie and musty, and not so much as one ray of moonlight could sneak it's way into its borders.

She breathed heavily as she tried to regain her breath that had been stolen away by her furious spouts at whoever was beyond her prison. She folded her hands into fists as she started to pound on one of the wooden walls repeatedly.

"LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! LET. ME. OUT!"

"SHU' UP!"

The sudden burst of voice from the other side startled her as she scrambled away from the wall, loosing her footing in the process and plummeting to the ground and landing with a thump on her rear-end.

She blinked profoundly as she stared at the wall to where the voice was heard from. Her eye brows then flew downward into a scowl as she growled.

"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO SHUT UP YOU LOUSE! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a menacing laugh came from the other end of the wooden wall, one that made the chills on her spine crawl.

"Oo' ever talked 'bout rights? It dunn' matter whether er' not I got the rights, yer' still gonna remain locked in 'ere 'till said otherwise, girly. An' if you 'ave any complaints," another laugh was heard. "I'll 'ave tuh loosen you up so tha' you won't complain no more."

Kaoru growled again and scowled at the sickening comment. She knew exactly the meaning behind the mans threat. However, it struck Kaoru dumfounded. The voice of the man on the opposite side wasn't the voice of her captor. This man's voice was more…raspy and had an Irish/Western accent to it.

"Tell me! Why am I here?"

Although she was still angry and very displeased with her present situation, she kept her cool.

"Why should I tell you?"

Kaoru's eyes twitched in irritation. She had no patients at the moment, and had a right to be thoroughly and utterly pissed off.

"TELL ME THIS ISTANT!"

Scratch it. Keeping her cool sounded like a crap load of bull at the moment. Her anger just flared even more when that same appalling laugh was heard.

"You shouldn' take 'at question tuh me, lassie. I ain't yer owner y'know. Though I wish I were."

Kaoru snarled again.

"I belong to NO ONE!"

"I dun' think you 'ave a say in 'at one, lass."

Kaoru groaned in utter frustration and then let her groan erupt into a scream as she tried to release her rising anger in a more contained fashion then beating on wood and throwing a meaningless tantrum.

"Heh heh, ee' sure go' a feisty one this time."

(A/N: The go' is pronounced like got, only without the 't'. So, sorta like gugh, only with a sharp cut off :) )

Kaoru still fumed as she tried to retain her utter irritation with the man. She simply took a deep breath and sat down on the floor and took a large breath. She needed to think things over.

Alright, Kaoru. You were walking the streets and then you were attacked by a man- no, a boy. Preferably not older than 20. He cornered you and then tried to molest you. After that he randomly decided to capture you and brought you here and somehow managed to deprive you of any information on how to get out. Now what.

Her question was left unanswered as her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden interaction with the man outside. She listened closely to the new conversation amongst the man and a newly added presence.

"Yes sir, she's in 'ere."

"Good. I presume that she's not causing too much trouble…?"

It was the voice of her captor! He was friends with that rag-tag guard? She heard a bit of shuffling of feet and a little bit of silence before the 'guard' spoke up.

"N-no sir."

Kaoru rolled her eyes. Scratch friends. He was intimidated by her captor. Ok, so he was chicken. She kept that in mind.

"Good."

"Y-Yes sir, Himura-san."

Himura, eh? So his last name is Himura…

"You know how I don't like complainers."

Kaoru scowled as she silently spat her tongue out at the wall where her captor spoke.

"No sir."

"Stop calling me sir. It makes me sound old. Just continue to make sure she doesn't escape."

I hate you, Himura.

"Yes s- Yes Himura-san."

"Good. Now, open the doors and have her come out."

I love you, Himura!

"B-But Himura-san! You said not to let her escape!"

Kaoru wanted to scream and scratch the eyes of the guard until they bled! She fisted her hands up as her eyes twitched. Just open the damn door!

"I know I said that, Kiroto, just open the damn door."

Kaoru smiled. My words exactly, Himura. Now, Kiroto-ass, just obey like a good little vermin and open the door.

A sigh was heard from the man named Kiroto and a small, curt 'yes' as well.

A sudden deep click was heard and then a loud creaking as a fine line of light started to seep through the entrance of the opening doors. Kaoru blinked multiple number of times, trying to adjust to burning light that clashed with the stark black room.

Two dark silhouettes stood outside of her confinement. One she vaguely remembered as her captor, or Himura, and the other she presumed to be Kiroto. She slowly stood to her feet as her captor came forth into the room and grabbed her wrist and started to tug her out of the room.

"Hey! Let go of me!"

Although Kaoru was more than happy to be out of that insanely black room, she still couldn't oblige by being forcefully tugged around like a rag doll.

"The boss would like to see you."

Instead of a retort that was laced with sexual sarcasm, his reply didn't sound at all teasing. It was cold and bluntly put. An initiative saying that you couldn't disobey and go about unharmed.

Kaoru just stared at him a moment before beginning to get tugged along once more. She hissed in pain as he unmercifully yanked on her tender wrist.

"Hey! I said, Let Go! Are you listening to me? You're hurting me!"

Although he just continued to face forward while tugging her along, Kaoru could tell that the slight increase of tightness that he held on her wrist was indication that he was getting irritated, but Kaoru still wouldn't settle for the way she was being treated.

"Stop it! I said you're hurting me!"

Finally stopping in his tracks, he stood still a moment, his shoulders slightly risen. He sharply turned around to face her, his molten gold eyes locking with her sapphire.

Kaoru's breath caught in her throat as he did so, a couple strands of his sunset color hair whisking into her face just slightly as he turned to face her. She couldn't draw away from his alluring glare. His eyes definitely weren't normal.

"Now you listen to me, woman. You'll keep quiet and stay that way until you're spoken to. You won't talk back or retort in a sarcastic or dishonorable way unless you want your tongue cut out; got it?"

Surprisingly, Kaoru wasn't frightened by the threat. She simply scowled even harder as she glared at him.

"You can't tell me what to do."

Cam her venomous reply.

With that, he stepped closer to her, pinning her against one of the shoji doors and his body roughly, his knee painfully nestled in her thigh, successfully trapping her.

"I beg to differ."

His comment was as cold as ice, making Kaoru unwillingly shiver as the hair on her neck rose as she struggled to get free. But she continued to glare at him amongst her struggling.

"Let me go you despicable piece of garbage!"

The boy simply smirked and snorted, the breath causing the hair in her face to shift slightly as he retreated from his position and then immediately continued to drag her along the corridors.

Kaoru growled as she muttered darkly under her breath and glowered at the man in front of her.

Suddenly, the strong stench of sake met her nose as well as a sudden grow in laughter and noise, coming from down the hall, toward where they were headed. The noise and smell continued to grow as they finally reached it.

The boy opened the shoji that led inside and a sudden burst of a yellow light filled the darker hallway as he dragged her into the active room. Kaoru looked around vigorously, taking note on what she saw.

Many men were gathered in the room, all chatting loudly and taking swigs of sake bottles. As soon as the two of them entered the room, their attention was redirected to them. Actually, directed on Kaoru to be specific.

Kaoru gulped slightly as the stares of the men around her made her feel as though she were naked. They had smug smirks on their faces and lust in their eyes.

One spoke out from the crowd.

"Hey! Himura! What's the rush? C'mon, don't be so selfish! Share the wealth, will ya? She's the prettiest one yet!"

To her dismay, her captor stopped. Kaoru quickly closed of any space between them.

"What are you doing?.!"

She hissed at him, containing her voice down to a whisper. He didn't seem to hear her, or if he did, he didn't listen. He just turned his head slightly to face the man with a boyish smug smirk on his face.

"She's not up for grabs."

All them men let out symmetrical 'aww's as they continued to pester her captor into letting her 'stay' with them.

"But Himura, you can't torture us like this. She's only a woman after all."

Kaoru was about to snarl and give that man a tongue lashing about being sexist but suddenly a set of bulky arms was wrapped around her waist from behind and a wind of hot breath played on her neck.

"Mm. A delectable woman as well."

Kaoru hissed and trashed, trying to escape the mans unwanted embrace.

"Rrrr LET GO OF ME!"

She flailed her legs and jerked her body sharply left and right, trying desperately to break free from the vice grip. She then locked eyes with the boy in front of her and glowered at him, trying to hint that she needed some help in her success in escaping. To her utter dismay, the boy just stood there, watching. Didn't he say she 'wasn't up for grabs'! Didn't that mean he'd try and aid her in this?.!

"HIMURA, YOU JACK-ASS GET HIS GUY OFF OF ME!"

A small smirk rose onto his face as his eyebrow rose at the call of his name. He seemed amused, not motivated. She then scowled and started to shriek out, floundering and jerking intensely.

"Oh! She's a feisty one!"

The comment was filled with lust as she was suddenly whirled around to face the man who was holding her. He then cupped her chin with force and brought her closer to his face.

"I always like them when they got some kick in their system. They're so much more fun."

He licked his lips and then took his hand from her chin and it started to make its way down her sides. Kaoru didn't give up in trying to escape, although panic started to flood her system. The man she was unwillingly pressed up against was much larger than her and her attempts to free herself from his vice grip was starting to become clear to herself that it was fruitless.

She almost screamed as she felt his hand make its way down her thigh, the whoops and cat-calls from the crowd not helping with her hopes that he may stop. But just before he could journey inside of her hakama, a metal object connected painfully with his face as the grip on her lessened and she quickly took that option to escape and scrambled away from the man.

She watched as the man fell back, holding his nose in agony as he rolled on the floor, writhing in displeasure. Kaoru's chest was heaving slightly as the panic still coursed through her body. She looked over to where the metal object has come from. Surprisingly, her captor had sprung into action and according to his posture, he used his metal sheath against the fallen man.

My hero…?

"You should know that when I say she's not up for grabs, I mean it…don't test me next time, Satatski."

The ice in his tone caused the whole room to go silent. Kaoru blinked a few times as she regained her composure and her breath. Her captor closed his eyes a moment before placing his katana back on his waist and then lunged for her wrist again, proceeding in dragging her to his destination.

Kaoru let him lead her out of the room of stunned men that were now partially gathered around the man named Satatski. She finally snapped out of her shock when they exited the room and she then went back to glowering at the boy in front of her.

"Why the hell did you wait until he almost molested me to act! And what is it with you and molesting anyway? Are you in some kind of rape occult?"

"I didn't molest you for one, I was simply trying to figure out your gender. And clearly anyone would see that I was waiting for a time to strike when he was unaware."

Kaoru was slightly surprised that he actually replied to her.

"Well it wasn't so clear to me or to those other men! And clearly you must be blind to not be able to tell that I'm most certainly female!"

A snort emitted from him.

"If it's so clear then why were you trying to hide it? Besides, I regret figuring out the truth. That image of your breasts are ghastly."

Although she wasn't the type to really care about the opinion of her body from the opposite sex, Kaoru felt herself feel insulted and absolutely offended by the remark.

"How dare you, you low-life, yellow livered, freak eyed, garbage mouth, infected cow brain, mutilated ass hole, irrational vermin, illegitimate insect, scrawny little piece of-"

"Battousai."

Kaoru stopped in her train of name calling when he interrupted her with a single word.

"What?"

He replied to her again, this time more clear.

"Battousai. My name is Battousai. Although your colorful barrage of names was amusing, my rightful and most fitting name is that."

It was Kaoru's turn to snort as she grumped and turned her head to the side and continued to rant off darkly her unfinished name calling.

After what seemed like a long load of painful silence and the ending to her knowledge of names, Kaoru finally decided to speak up.

"Kaoru."

He abruptly stopped, causing Kaoru to collide with his back and then stumble backward to regain her balance, rubbing her nose.

"What the hell was that for?"

She jeered at him with a nasal sounding touch. He cocked his head to the side as he looked at her.

"What?"

She looked at him strangely as well.

"What 'what' ?"

Battousai rolled his eyes in irritation.

"What did you say a moment ago."

Kaoru finished tending to her nose for a moment, acting as though she was ignoring his demand which caused a slight annoyance to spread through his body. She sniffed a moment before standing up fully and looking at him.

"I said 'Kaoru.' My name is Kaoru."

He stared at her a moment longer before grunting in response, then continuing to drag her along. Kaoru groaned once more. This boy was absolutely impossible to communicate with. It was like talking with cactus; thorns and all.

"Your last name…?"

Kaoru looked at the back of the boys head for a moment.

"I'm not obliged to tell you."

He simply grunted in reply, not bothering to argue with the bone stubborn girl.

Finally they came to a halt, but soon after that she was once again, thrown against the wall just as he had done before when she was complaining.

"We've reached the boss' room. Now. You remember what I told you earlier."

Kaoru decided that arguing would be futile and simple nodded in response. A satisfied smirk appeared on his youthful features as he purred into her ear;

"Good. Now do as you're told, kitten."

Kaoru scowled at him. He was absolutely unreadable. First he was berating her, then he was saving her, then insulting her, then seemingly seducing her. Well at least trying to. She was pushed into a darkened room and the just opened shoji door was then closed by Battousai who then presumed his position by her side.

The force suddenly put on her shoulders by him indicated that he wanted her to kneel. She obliged with a bite of her tongue. How she wished she had her shinai.

"So. Kenshin. This is her, I presume…?"

Kenshin…? Who in the world is Kenshin…?

"Yes sir."

Surprising, her captor responded to the question and bowed politely.

Kenshin…? He said his name was Battousai…

"Ah. I see now."

Kaoru turned her head back to face the voice that was coming from the front of the room. Stepping out from the dark was a man. He seemed to be in his early thirties, or late twenties. He had hazel eyes and black hair that was tied back in a pony-tail that barely reached the back of his neck with a few escaping strands on his forehead.

Kaoru almost found herself gaping. He definitely wasn't what she had expected. She expected. She imagined a more intimidating man with devilish eyes and vein throbbing anger signs; along with some major muscles. But he was different. He was the absolute opposite. He even had a smile on his face. Not to mention that he was considerably good looking.

Kaoru's eyes widened as she blushed just slightly and quickly bowed just as the boy next to her was. She heard a chuckle erupt from the man before her. How embarrassing.

"It's alright. Both of you may rise."

Kaoru hesitantly rose and cautiously looked at Battousai, or Kenshin, next to her. She hadn't gotten a chance to really get a good look at his face. She was either too busy thrashing about or too angry to take note. But now that she was doing neither of those things, she realized that he, too, wasn't that bad looking either.

His face was broad and young looking. He had a boyish look to him that seemed to give him a handsome edge. His eyes were fixed upward and were ablaze with the gold that made Kaoru's curiosity spark and his striking flame hair was held high on his head by a leather thong while the rest of his hair streaked all the way down his back and covered his forehead and side of his head with some that escaped the tie as thick bangs.

He definitely wasn't your ordinary captor.

Kaoru then noticed that this time she had been caught with her staring as Battousai turned to her with a smirk.

"We're not here to focus on me, kitten."

Kaoru blinked and her eyes widened a moment before she scowled and turned away, folding her arms.

"I wasn't focusing. I was observing."

"Either way, you were staring at me."

Kaoru snarled and groaned in utter frustration at the irritating boy beside her.

"I was not staring."

Her reply wasn't taken to heart and obviously wasn't taken seriously by Battousai, confirming that with a simple smirk and quirk of his head. That irritated Kaoru even more.

"Now, now. Kenshin, please refrain from upsetting the young lady."

"Yes sir."

Thank you Mr. whoever you are. Kaoru thought sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. Like he'd listen to one man.

"Good. Now, Kenshin said that he found you prowling around to outskirts of our inn."

Kaoru gave an exasperated sigh as she shook her head.

"I wasn't prowling, sir, and there's no reason as to why I should tell you what I was doing."

Before Kaoru could back talk the man in front of her anymore, a faint brush of breath that dance across her throat made her freeze.

"You remember what I a said about speaking out of turn….right kitten ?"

Kaorus eye twitched as she gripped the fabric of her hakama roughly and scrunched her nose in disgust. This definitely wasn't her day.

"Kenshin, please. There's no need to intimidate her."

"But sir-"

The hazel eyed man only looked at Battousai once, just a simple eye lock and left Battousai silent and only replying with a nod. Kaoru couldn't comprehend just how much power that man possessed to silence this boy beside her with a simple glance.

His stern gaze then lifted off of Battousai and turned soft once it met its path with Kaorus.

"Now, dear. Let's try and start from the basics. What might your name be?"

His gentlemanly offer and polite words baffled Kaoru. Where was all this hiding in the era that she faced? Why couldn't all men be like the one who stood in front of her?

Clearing her throat and sitting up a bit more properly, Kaoru spoke.

"Kaoru. My name is Kaoru."

The man nodded.

"Yes, and my name is Katsura. But what about your last name? Surely you must have one."

Battousai decided to take this one in his own hands for the moment, interceding into their introduction.

"Katsura-san, don't even bother. She's too stubborn to-"

"Kamiya. My last name is Kamiya."

Katsura smiled at Kaoru, ignoring Battousais supposed warning of her stubbornness and obvious awareness of the term 'Freedom of Speech.'

"And my last name is Kogoro."

Both Kaoru and Katsura didn't seem to notice the shock and surprise on Battousais face. His eyes were wide as he stared at the girl beside him.

Kamiya….? Her last name is Kamiya?

After the moments acquaintance and introductions, Katsura seemed to finally notice Battousai look of digression. He stared at the boy a moment then at the girl. She didn't seem to notice just yet either but he didn't wait to initiate it.

"Kenshin…? Something wrong?"

With that said, Kaoru quickly became curious and turned her head to face her captors wide-eyed stare. She jerked back slightly and looked at him eerily.

"What's with you…?"

Battousai blinked a moment then leaned forward slightly.

"Kamiya. You said your last name was Kamiya."

Kaoru nodded slowly, still looking at him strangely.

"Yes…Kaoru Kamiya…I'm known for my Kamiya-Kashine style back in Tokyo."

Battousais mouth went slightly agape as he continued to stare at the girl displayed before him. He only breathed two words from his gaping mouth.

"Koshijiro Kamiya…"

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A/N: HELLO AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WAITING SO LONG! AND PLEASE REVIEW! I just got back from my cruise last night at 11:34 and I'm so glad to be home. Sorry for the long wait!

REVIEW!