NOTE: Thanks to all who have been patient enough to read this; I have been extremely busy and can't find a lot of time to type….

Chp. 2: Hand of Justice

The day slipped by quickly after my encounter with the Wolves of Mibu, and the day of the next. As the sky darkened, the pale colors of the sunset illuminating the sky, I readied myself for the preparations, a note of warning to the targeted house. It made it more amusing, finding bodyguards posted all around the house, trembling in fear of the appointed assassination, dealt by my hand. When the sun had slipped in the shadows, I ran quietly through a forest, coming the the back of the house. Stringing my bow and notching the shaft in one quick movement, I let the arrow fly, hitting the wooden beam of the house. I heard the alarmed cries of guards, and the rustling of paper.

"I-It's from him," one of them stammered. "Sokusai has targeted this house! Tonight, at midnight, he will strike! We must inform Shindou-sama!"

"Then hurry, we must get all the preparations we can!"

I smirked silently, sitting in a tree, my red ribbon swaying in my hair. The old Sekihou attire had become the Sokusai's, with the red vest removed. I still had the kimono Souzou had given me, tucked away carefully in my current residence, untouched. I relaxed slightly, knowing that my vengeance would be complete tonight. With such an appeasing thought in mind, I closed my eyes and dozed off, sure to wake at midnight.

The bright beam of the moon shining on my face awoke my abruptly. The air had become still again, like it always did on nights of assassinations. This was the first assassination I had done right after another. The prospect of seeing Shindou's blood dripping off the tip of my sword was too tempting to resist, knowing it was time. Hearing the town bell ringer hit his bell three times, I broke off into a run, leaping and bounding, bouncing off the wooden walls to avoid rapid gunshots fired aimlessly. I dodged easily, the bullets being shot suprisingly slowly; perhaps the gunmen were too nervous. I tore through the horde of soldiers, slashing my sword in a bored way, taunting them with no words, just motions. Shindou, I assumed, was in the most far back of the house, probably cowering in fear, as most patriots were. Pausing for a brief moment to gather strength and clean my sword of dripping blood, I breathed in a harsh breath and tried to calm my nerves. Tension released, I sped off at top speed again, moving gracefully through the crowds, killing them without letting a scream leave their lips. As I neared the final room where he was, I felt the familiar uneasity that appeared in my throat every single time I thought about Souzou for the past eight months. Those eight months had been hell, a life without meaning, other than to kill. To get revenge for his death, my life, other than to kill Souzou's murderer, had a meaningless one. I slammed open the door, causing whoever was in there to jump in surprise. Just as I thought, Shindou was in the corner, crouching in fear, an upset glass of wine spilling over the floor. There was a small candle light, casting shadows against the glinting wooden walls.

"Get him!" Shindou commanded, pointing a trembling finger at me. "Whoever gets him, I-I'll give him as much money as he wants and a role of a respectable patriot in the government army!"

"A patriot?" one of them said excidetly. "That's enough for me!" He charged at me with a yell, sword raised.

"Who wants to be a patriot anyway?" I asked softly, flicking my sword, bringing it through his head. "Perhaps it's just the prospect of getting so much attention." As the body collapsed to the ground, I drew my sword out of his head and stepped out of the shadows, allowing the small light of the lamp illuminate my figure ever so slightly. The men stood in awe.

Finally, Shindou regained his senses. "A woman?" he gasped, his shaking becoming more violent. "Sokusai…is a woman?"

"It took you all long enough," I snarled, taking another step. The men recoiled, scrambling for refuge. "But now that you all know, you're bound to die here. So ends the life of a man protecting vermin."

With lightning speed, I flipped into the air, moving swiftly and gracefully, without a mistake in my swordplay.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu! Ryu Shou Sen!" I shouted, finally raising my voice as I brought my sword up to someone's throat. The blood splattered cleanly over the gilded walls, the heads rolling to the ground and the bodies falling with a thump. I walked over to Shindou as the candle abruptly went out, engulfing us in darkness. My dark eyes gleamed as I noticed his figure scramble for something.

"What are you looking for?" I asked, my voice in mocking perplexity. "Can you find it?"

He stood up, shaking, his hand holding a rather large gun. "Don't come any closer," he stammered, holding the gun steady. "I-I'll shoot you…"

With this, he turned the handle to his gun. A rapid sound of bullets had me taken back, plunging into my shoulder as I quickly regained myself and ran towards him. In one swift moment, I sent the gun flying in two cleanly cut pieces. Shindou stood there, trembling.

"Quite a rapid gun," I stated calmly, touching my shoulder and feeling the wetness of blood. "Useless in two, isn't it?"

Shindou took a step back. "Sokusai, what do you have against me?"

"Think back eight months ago," I said calmly, though the familiar insane look appearing in my eye oncemore. "Eight months, with the disbandment of the Sekihoutai Army. I have come for revenge, Shindou, and you won't get away."

Shindou stared at me in terrified eyes, racing in his mind what to do. His fretting eyes darted around the dark room, looking for refuge, escape...

I let out an insane laugh. "Can you feel it now?" I cried. "The torture that I've been feeling for the past eight months? The feeling, the premonition, of being killed? Death has always been close for important figures like you, Shindou, but did you honestly think that such pathetic bodyguards would save you from the full wrath..." I brought my sword to his neck, keeping it still. "...of Sokusai?"

This last statement broke his stamina completely, his legs gave away, dropping to the floor like a dead man. A gleam flashed in my eyes as I raised up the blade.

"Die."

I brought it down with both hands, expecting to feel the texture of skin, and the coolness of blood. I was prepared to taste the sweet revenge that had sustained me for the past few months that had seemed like decades. But in vain...I encountered a clink of metal, a swift stroke to parry the blow...I flipped over to escape it's range.

"How the h—"

Then I saw it. The glimpse and sway of that gorgeous red hair. The glint and flicker of those deadly golden eyes. Here he was, the strongest of the patriots…Battousai…

He sheathed his sword and moved in front of Shindou, protecting him.

"B-Battousai!" Shindou cried, relieved. "About time you were here, she could have killed me in j—"

"Shut your mouth," he snarled. "I'm not here to protect you. People like you, those who embezzle money from the patriots, you all aren't worth my protection. I'm here for…" He turned to me. "…you, Sokusai, or should I say, Nato Kikome."

I remained where I was, my dark eyes showing a flicker of alarm, then disappeared. "So you still remember me, Kenshin."

"It's hard to forget someone from childhood. I trust you've fared well?"

"Don't play games with me, Kenshin," I snapped, feeling rare emotions boiling in my chest. "How can you honestly say that I've fared well if I'm here on a killing frenzy?"

"I was expecting something like that," Kenshin said lightly. "What happened that turned your innocent self this way? In to a killer?"

"I should ask the same for you," I replied dangerously. "What happened to the young 'I-don't-care-about-anything-except-for-others' Kenshin that Master so disapproved of? Why are you, of all people, the assassin of the famous patriot Katsura Kogoro?"

Kenshin lost his composure. "What and why I'm doing for Katsura is none of your business, Sokusai," he snarled. "I'm here for justice, and—"

"Justice?" I laughed. "You're talking about justice when the filth your protecting behind your back has a gun raised in his hand and he's about to shoot either you or me?"

Indeed, Shindou had raised a small gun that I had not noticed before while Kenshin and I were having our light conversation. Kenshin whipped around and sliced the gun in two without hesitation.

"I must say, Shindou," I remarked lightly, "that to have two guns in your possession sliced in two by two of the most infamous hitokiris of the Revolution must be a frightening experience. Then again, I don't think anyone else would raise a gun to a bodyguard's head, would they?"

"LEAVE," Kenshin hissed angrily.

I shook my head. "He's not going anywhere, Battousai. I have business to do, and I'm going to finish it."

I leapt in the air, unsheathing my sword. Hiten Mitsurgi Ryu, Ryu Tsui Sen! The deadly Mitsurugi attack, coming from above to bring the blade crashing into the target's head. It wasn't going to be pretty.

Clink of a blade. I doubled back, snarling. Kenshin had defended him again.

"Would you stop it!" I hissed. "Why, of all people, are you protecting filth like him! Can't you find a better sponsor?"

"I was not ordered to protect him," Kenshin replied. "What I was ordered to do was to bring you back."

"I don't need psychological help, I wasn't psychologically impacted," I snarled. "And I definitely don't need help from the likes of you!"

I flipped into the air, then doubling back with a slash, which was blocked swiftly. I panted, narrowing my chances…

There were two moves Kenshin hadn't mastered, and both were the highest degree of difficulty in swordsmanship. But…

I was brought back to my senses when I saw Kenshin, racing to me, sword high. I parried the blow squarely, then rushed in on the offensive. I could kill him in an instant. Just the Kuzu Ryu Sen would be enough. But… My mind flew back to the times where we lived with Master…the times where we would argue who would get the water, who would cook, who would be the first to spar with master. I shook my head briefly. No. No mercy. I rushed in, sheathing my sword. Not in stance of Kuzu Ryu Sen, but the final attack, Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki, flight of the descending dragon. Seeing me sheathe my sword, Kenshin paused.

"Your sword is a bit low," he stated simply, as if it were a tip.

"No one said I was doing Battoujutsu."

A pause. "Then what are you doing?"

"It was your fault for leaving; I'm not wasting my breath telling you. Come at me."

Still, a hesitation. "If you're not coming, Kenshin, I'm going." My dark inert eyes gave a brief flash that caused him to hold his breath for a short time.

"…Fine."

And he came, with a vigor that I had not seen him with before. I readied myself, waiting, waiting…now!

Three steps, not two, the risky take of the left foot instead of the right. I released my sword arm, sword almost out of its sheath. But something was wrong. I stopped, watching Kenshin's body pass by me. Numbness washed over me, as I found myself falling. What had I done wrong? How—

The will to live, and not throw my life away. Was that it? I felt myself hit the cool floor, waves pain overcoming my numbness. I closed my eyes. So that was it. I hadn't wished for my life. Just revenge. I smirked, and fell into the beckoning darkness.