Obvious: Rurouni Kenshin is not mine.
Chapter One
Kaoru stood quietly beside Shinta's grave. Only two days had passed since his burial, and already several weeds had pushed their stringy green leaves above the churned earth. Kneeling abruptly, Kaoru dug her fingers into the ground and yanked out the offending shoots, tossing them aside. Her knees hadn't made the familiar cracking noise with the downward movement, nor did they ache from being in a single position. If a mirror had been available, she wouldn't have seen so many lines around her eyes and mouth, she was sure. Battousai was almost at full strength.
She hated waiting.
'Changed your mind, Kaoru-chan?'
'You need to tell me exactly what Battousai knows about me.'
'Do I?'
Before, she'd been caught off guard. She'd allowed him to frighten her. Shinta's sudden death had put her out of sorts. Today, she was feeling more like herself. Kaoru looked down at her hand, smoother and younger, nails earth-blackened from Shinta's grave. Remembering the feel of the weak stalks in her grip, she curled her fingers into a fist, and then tightened it savagely. Shishio made a strangled sound.
She stood slowly, enjoying the renewing suppleness of her muscles. Leisurely brushing the specks of dirt from her kimono with her unclenched hand, she waited several seconds before turning to face Shishio. He was turning blue.
'Yes. You do.'
He nodded. She loosened her fist. Slightly. Shishio drew a wheezing gasp.
'He knows you trapped him in that mortal's body.'
That's what she'd suspected. It had been a horrible thing to do. The little boy named Shinta--trapped with the immortal Battousai. What horrors he must have felt before he bowed under the weight of Kenshin's soul? Kaoru released her hand. Shishio's windpipe filled with air.
'How did he find out? Did you tell him?'
'Hardly. He would have killed me.'
'He did kill you.'
'Technically, I killed myself. Not quite the same. But I kept your little secret.' Shishio regained some of his bravado now that oxygen was returning to his brain. His eyes narrowed mockingly. 'Of course, I could tell him who actually revived me, after the government assassination, but I imagine he'll soon figure it out. As if any mortal body could have survived a firing squad or burning, let alone both.'
Kaoru paced. He was right. Her actions had been a stone cast into still water. How do you erase ripples in water? An idea sprouted in her mind. She halted and pivoted to glare at Shishio.
'The new moon is tomorrow night.'
The grin slowly slipped from his face, replaced by intense interest. 'And?'
'Time to cast another stone.'