Hello again. Glad you could join me.

I am hoping that you are enjoying my story thus far and will continue to do so.

Please review/rate, it would make Kenshin & Aoshi very happy.
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Everything was dark. The wind could be heard forcing itself through tiny cracks in the wooden hut. The smell of mold and rain mixed together creating a powerful scent that could wake the dead. A low moan broke the silence as a dark figure sat up. An intense throbbing from the back of the head caused the figure to clutch her head in agony. Slowly the room came into focus as the figure looked around. A dim light given off from a candle put everything into a grim perspective.

Kaoru Kamiya groped around the wooden floor until she found another match. Striking the match she sought another candle. Luck smiled upon her as she lit the second candle next to the pre-lit one. As light filled the room, the silhouette of a figure sprawled upon the floor next to Kaoru, made her almost drop the candle she clutched to. "Misao!" she cried out in despair. Gently placing the candle in a hole in the wooden floor, Kaoru rushed to her sister's side.

Misao stirred but did not wake. Kaoru carefully felt around for any wound that could threaten Misao's life. Kaoru jumped when she felt a warm liquid dripping from Misao's upper leg. Searching frantically, Kaoru looked around the dim hut for some kind of gauze. Searching with no avail, an idea struck Kaoru. In a rushed movement Kaoru pulled up her sleeve that covered her injured arm. Carefully Kaoru pealed the soaked gauze from her arm and found a bucket of water nearby.

Pulling the bucket towards her, Kaoru poured some out into a broken clay pot that lay strewn about the ground as if kicked and then forgotten. At least they'd have something to drink later. As Kaoru worked hard to get most of the blood out of the gauze, Misao stirred and opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds for them to adjust. Once she did, Misao called out to Kaoru. "Kaoru, are you there?" she asked quietly. Movement from the left side of Misao made her jump. But it was just Kaoru. "Yes Misao, I'm here." Kaoru answered.

As carefully as she could, Kaoru pulled Misao's shorts up so she could dress the wound. Misao kept quiet as Kaoru worked her magic. It wasn't until Misao realized Kaoru was using her own gauze from a previous injury that she spoke up. "What are you going to use for your injury?" Kaoru smiled at Misao's question. "Don't worry about my wound, it's almost healed anyway." Kaoru lied. Truth be told her arm injury had reopened the night during their abduction.

Kaoru and Misao had been out late, they had some last minute shopping to do. After that, they stopped by the Aoia, to see how some friends were doing. Once the sun had set, they had decided they should probably be getting back to their uncle's. As they were walking home they were ambushed by some skilled ninja. Normally Kaoru would've been able to handle her own, but once her wound from training the previous day had reopened, Misao had to do a little more fighting than Kaoru liked. But the ninja threw a smoke bomb at them and it knocked them out cold.

As Kaoru studied their surroundings, Misao listened for any human movement outside of the hut. She didn't train with Hanya for nothing! Kaoru handed Misao the pot with water. "Drink." she ordered. Misao took the pot and drank less than half, then handed it to Kaoru. Smiling her thanks, Kaoru took a quick swig of it then placed it by the candle in the floor. They sat in silence until the growling of Misao's stomach thundered loudly.

Blushing scarlet, Misao ducked her head in embarrassment. Kaoru laughed and reached into her side pocket and pulled out a small rice ball. "Where'd you get that?" Misao asked as Kaoru handed it to her. Kaoru smiled. "Yumi-san gave me some for a quick snack." Kaoru answered taking out another one and chowing down. "Good old, Yumi-san!" Misao said before she stuffed her face with rice and plum. "Yes, her cooking certainly is delicious!" Kaoru laughed.

There was silence once more until Misao asked something that had been on her mind since she regained consciousness. "Do you thing Shishio oji-chan is looking for us?" Misao asked Kaoru quietly. Kaoru thought before answering her. "Of course he's looking for us. And I know he'll find us soon, if we don't find him, that is." Kaoru replied. Misao didn't say anything. Kaoru sighed as rain began to fall gently upon the roof of their prison. Kaoru glanced over towards Misao and smiled as she saw her playing with her knee long hair that she had braided that morning.

Kaoru and Misao shared some similarities, but looked very different. Kaoru and Misao both had ebony locks and sapphire eyes. Kaoru was two years older than Misao who had just celebrated her sixteenth birthday a few weeks previos. Misao was only a few inches shorter than Kaoru and had longer hair. Kaoru's hair was just a few inches below her waist. Misao's, on the other hand went down to her knees. Granted Misao kept her hair in a braid all the time, which she rarely untied. Every once in a while Kaoru would talk Misao into letting her hair out of the braid, but it took hours to put it back in. Misao dreaded messing with her hair after a nice hot bath, but the relaxing bath soothed that disaster. Kaoru often trimmed Misao's hair to keep it healthy, but if she started to get too crazy, Misao would run.

Misao had been Kaoru's little sister for as long as she could remember, which had only been since Misao was eight. Kaoru had been walking with her bodyguard Hanya, when they hear crying coming from an alleyway. Kaoru, who was never afraid of anything, ventured into the alleyway to see what the crying was all about. Kaoru found a little girl with really long ebony hair crying on the wall. Kaoru had always wanted a little sister, so she and Hanya took Misao to her uncle Shishio and asked him if Misao could be Kaoru's little sister. Shishio, who would do anything for his niece, said yes and soon after Misao became Misao Kamiya. Misao couldn't remember anything before that day Kaoru rescued her so Kaoru and her family were the only family she's ever known.

Kaoru had always looked out for her younger sister. Kaoru made sure Misao took fighting lessons with her and Hanya, so Misao would know how to defend herself. Kaoru would give the world to Misao if she could. She had always tried to be the best older sister no matter what, and over the years the girls had become inseparable. They rarely were seen without the other.

Misao loved her older sister and thanked Kami everyday for Kaoru. She has always depended on her for everything, but now that she was older Misao rarely needed Kaoru's help. Kaoru noticed, as Misao got older her dependence upon Kaoru had dwindled like an ember. But every once in a while Misao would come to Kaoru and ask her for help. Together they were two of the most skilled ninja's on their uncle's team. Every once in a while Hanya would talk about his days in the Oniwabanshu. These stories would light the girls' passion for martial arts and encourage them to train even harder.

Kaoru was a master with a katana and hand-to-hand combat. She could best some of her uncle's strongest men. She also was great at treating wounds and knew her poisons like most kids knew their fairy tales. Misao was a pro with kunai and secret ninja techniques. Hand-to-hand combat was her strength as well. Misao knew enough about first-aid to help injuries as sever as broken limbs, but she didn't know as much as Kaoru knew. Sometimes, if their uncle Shishio had a few men who couldn't go on missions he would allow Kaoru and Misao to accompany the men, only if Hanya would go as well. And Hanya always went wherever the girls went. He was like their second shadow.

Kaoru could tell dawn was fast approaching. Quietly, she peaked out of the broken window and saw a dirt path leading form the hut to a clearing. The clearing could possibly lead to a river, which would eventually lead to a small village. Kaoru weighed their options. They could stay in the hut until the creep that kidnapped them got back, or they could use their skills and maneuver out of the woods, to a small village where they would be safer. After taking a few seconds to debate, which was best Kaoru whispered to Misao, "Misao, it's almost dawn, and there is no sign of our kidnapper so I think we should make a run for it." Misao nodded her head and started to creep towards the door.

"Not so fast!" a voice said from the inside of the hut. Kaoru and Misao turned to the shadowed part of the hut and gasped. "You're not going anywhere." Suddenly Kaoru and Misao screamed hoping some passerby would hear their cries and then all was black once more.

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Oh, cliff hanger!

*evil laughter*