Every so often a trip to a nearby village was needed. Mostly to gather some supplies, such as spices and threads to fix tattered clothing. Sometimes she was feeling nice and would buy ingredients to make a pleasant dinner for Jaken and Rin. Every night, she tended to the fires, she made sure A-Un had been taken care of, and did whatever other general chores needed done. That was Kenshin. Honorable and responsible. Rin was always the first to eat, despite the protests of Jaken. For the past few days, things were nice.

But like everything else in the Sengoku Jidai, times of peace were often met with harsh realities. Peace was a luxury none could afford. So when Kenshin, Rin, and Jaken were walking back to the campsite, it should have been no surprise. Several bandits stepped from the thicket of trees, all of which brandished their weapons at them.

"Ooh, lookie 'ere boys, we got ourselves a buncha lil' girls and a lil' toad for dinner." The lead one jeered, bouncing his sword off his shoulder.

Kenshin's eyes immediately narrowedand began surveying the situation. Ten bandits. None of them were particularly big, but they did have some newer looking swords. Their armor seemed like it had been taken right from a samurai armory. How odd. She could tell by the way some of them were moving that they were unadjusted to wearing it. Every other step seemed to be met with a shake of the leg, as if the straps around their thighs were bothering them. Too tight, perhaps?

"C'mon, red head, c'mere and we'll let the lil' girl go free, maybe! But toad, he's comin' with us. Dinner, yah?" The men cheered and began to encircle them.

"Just WHO do you THINK you're talking to?! I'll have you know that I am LORD JAKEN. A toad? You'll feel the wrath of the staff of two heads!" He bellowed and danced from leg to leg. Rin, however, ducked herself behind Kenshin's legs.

"Jaken, be quiet." she said harshly. "I want you to go find Sesshoumaru." All of her normal light inflection had dropped, her odd idioms vanishing in an instant. There was a cold, harsh demeanor to her now.

"You're shaking in fear, Master Jaken!" Rin exclaimed as Jaken continued to flail about the staff.

"Nonsense, you stupid girl! I am trembling with excitement!"

"Jaken! Go!" Kenshin barked, punting Jaken off into the tree-line. He made an exclamation, something about being treated like a kemari ball. Kenshin, however, was still taking stock of everything. Jaken was light enough for her to remove from the situation, but Rin? Not an option. Defending Rin was her first priority, and despite her quip towards Jaken, Rin found herself pressing very tightly against Kenshin.

Of course she had to be wearing her more casual kimono to make herself appear more common to the folks in the village. It restricted her leg movements quite a bit. It would be a shame to tear that red fabric with the gorgeous black bars adorning the design. But…

"C'mon, c'mon, lil' oiran." One of the bandit's chimed, taking a few steps closer and reaching for Rin. She shrank back, and Kenshin moved. From a little pocket space she produced a kaiken, albeit still in its small wooden sheath. A keiken is a very small dagger, usually hidden in the folds of a kimono. The bandit's hand would find itself impaled by the knife, and he let out a scream. Kenshin then reached forward with her left hand, right towards his waist and pulled his sword from his obi. That bandit was busy screaming as another one darted forward, his sword held high. Kenshin's eyes darted towards him, and she ducked down, her right arm coming out to scoop Rin up. In the same motion, she darted the end of the scabbard up, right into the throat of the incoming bandit. He hit the ground, clutching his neck and gasping for breath.

Rin let out a scared scream as Kenshin continued to twirl with her. A bandit charged at them, and Kenshin flicked the guard of the sword forward, sending the kashira straight into his nose. It hit at just the right angle, breaking his nose. Her foot work was so precise, that every pivot and twirl was working to keep Rin out of harm's way of the impending bandits. She ducked down, and the motion and exertion caused the kimono to split at the for the bandits, that freed her up.

"I'm sorry, Rin-dono," she murmured, and tossed Rin into the air as high as she could. She shrieked, and Kenshin's right hand gripped the handle of that sword. She inhaled, and she was gone.

"Milord, Milord, ooh Lord Sesshoumaru, come quick! It's a tragedy!"

Sesshoumaru had been lurking some distance away from the village. While they had gone off to shop, Sesshoumaru had decided to sunbathe. He had found a perfect spot to sit and allow the sun to caress his form. Sunbathing was one of his favorite things to do, the easiest way for him to actually relax. While he lay there, he allowed his mind to wander. He thought about Jaken, about Rin, about his mongrel of a brother. Of the various strings of fate that were beginning to tangle. He was also thinking about the newly acquired member of his little entourage.

She was an interesting creature. She carried the smell of blood with her, permanently fixed to her skin. That scar contained a mysterious scent about it as well. With a nose as strong as his, he could pick up the lingering emotions that did not allow her scar to heal properly. It always seemed as if it were close to bursting and bleeding openly. The way she handled that sword was very unlike a human. He had never known one to move so elegantly, to move as if she were one with the wind itself. How she could see the lines of battle, and like a skipping rock, flit across the surface of water. It was an admirable quality to see. One who did not qualm about taking lives… much like a demon.

His rest was disturbed, and he opened his golden eyes. "What is it?"

"Ooh, milord, it's SUCH a terrible tragedy! We were walking back, and suddenly we were ATTACKED by BANDITS! I fought valiantly, but I was-" Jaken's words were cut off by the shrieking of a child in the distance. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, and he immediately sprang to his feet, taking off in a sprint towards the sound. "WAIT FOR ME, LORD SESSHOUMARU!"

Kenshin had moved swiftly. By the time Rin reached the apex of her flight, Kenshin had struck down three of her assailants. That borrowed sword slicing through their throats with expert precision, and then Rin was falling back down. Kenshin turned, catching her in her left arm and letting her cradle against her back.

"If you want to keep going, I will not hesitate to kill you where you stand." she said, her voice had dropped in pitch, and those violet eyes… well, now they were golden. The remaining bandit's looked at each other nervously. No one had ever cut them down like such. But the sound of Rin sniffling in her ear did not sit well with the Battosai. Not at all. They seemed to be discussing things amongst themselves… but Kenshin did not give them the chance. She was enraged, and a particular lust was settling in. Now that the imminent danger was gone, she knelt down, and Rin jumped off, looking very frightened. Kenshin wanted to spare her of this, but…

The distance between them was gone. She was on the lead bandit before he knew what was happening. Her borrowed sword had dug itself into his throat, pinning him to a tree. She stood before him, her small frame seemingly dwarfed by the size of this incoming bandit. He raised his sword, aiming to slash down upon her. Kenshin's left hand darted out, taking the sword from the bandit who was currently choking on his own blood. Spinning it around backhand, she spun the blade right into his liver. He made a noise, pausing with the sword above his head. She gripped the sword in the throat and slashed it, twisting her grip a bit so it was angled upwards. In one fluid slash, she ripped the throat from one bandit and beheaded another.

The remaining bandits were beginning to retreat, but Kenshin would not let them. She pounced, her geta digging into the bark of the tree to launch herself skyward. The retreating bandit could not escape fast enough; "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu; Ryutsuisen!" Kenshin bellowed, and from the tip of his head to his groin, that borrowed sword split the man straight in two. The last bandit fell onto his ass. Kenshin stood up, the front of her kimono splattered with blood and viscera.

"Is this what you wanted?" Kenshin asked him, and he violently shook his head and kept scrambling backwards on the forest floor. "To attack seemingly unarmed women? Is this what you bargained for?" He shrieked as she reached out, grabbing his head and lifting him upwards a bit. That borrowed sword found the tip pressed against his chest- right to his heart. "There is no room in hell for scum like you." And she aggressively shoved that sword right into his heart. He gurgled, and promptly dropped dead.

It was right at that time that Sesshoumaru laid his eyes upon the slaughter. Right as Kenshin plunged her blade into his heart. Rin was standing a ways away, looking visibly shocked and a little afraid at what she saw. Then when she saw Sesshoumaru, she immediately ran to him and hid behind him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" she cried, clutching his leg.

"Rin."

His golden eyes lifted from her to Kenshin, who had just turned to face them. He saw her face, the lines of rage etched into that youthful face. Those golden eyes filled with bloodlust, and the aura she was letting off. He recognized it. It was a killing ki. It spoke volumes for just how dangerous she was. They locked eyes.

"Battosai." he said dully. "Calm yourself."

She thought for a moment, weighing her options. Every ounce of her being was screaming at her to lunge the distance and claim his head. One slash of the sword. That's all it would take. He didn't even have his sword unsheathed- it would take little effort. She took a step forward, before she bellowed. It was a deep, throat tearing scream and she promptly punched herself straight in the forehead. She paused for a moment, before opening her eyes. They were their usual violet, and she smiled.

"Are you alright, Rin-dono?" she asked, and Rin nodded vigorously. "That is good to hear. This is one is glad, that she is." Just like that, her usual voice was back. Her mannerisms. All of it had returned. "Please forgive this one, Lord Sesshoumaru," she said, giving a respectful bow. "This one will explain once she removes the mess, that she will."

"Hmph. Learn to control yourself, Battosai. I will not waste my time cleaning up your messes." He said, and turned away, back to their camp site.

Kenshin, however, only bowed again and murmured an apology, and she followed.

In a tree down wind, not far from them.

"Well, well… My predecessor still has her skill with the blade. That will make this fun. She will prove to be quite the nourishment for me. And that demon. Sesshoumaru… he will make a fine meal." The figure, hidden by the canopy of shadow, began to laugh. What sort of mysterious events were in motion?