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Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin
Chapter One
late 1866, 9pm
"Tomoe? Tomoe?" Feet walked the wooden floors of the Yukishiro home. Violet eyes searched each room quickly. "Tomoe?"
Tomoe's eyes drifted away from the moon. "Hinageshi?"
"There you are." Hinageshi smiled. "It's a dangerous night, you shouldn't be out here alone Tomoe." She removed her katana and sat beside her friend. "Well I guess you're not alone, not really."
Tomoe's eyes saddened.
Hinageshi looked down. "Please don't worry about Kiyosato, he'll be fine."
"But why? He's not even a swordsman and yet he still went." Her hands clasped tightly together.
"Because the Imperialists are moving." Hinageshi reached for her hands and grinned. "And because Kiyosato Akira loves you, Tomoe Yukishiro."
"Where's Phoenix? Is she back yet?"
"Yes sir. She's back. But I haven't seen her."
Lord Yukishiro thundered down the hall. "Phoenix!"
Hinageshi walked into the hall, Tomoe behind her. "Lord Yukishiro." She bowed. "My mission was successful. A whole camp of Imperialists have been destoryed."
"I need you to go to Kyoto, the Shogunate has run into a rather difficult situation."
"Oh no." Tomoe covered her mouth. "Akira."
"Imperialists." Violet eyes widened. "The Battousai?"
He nodded.
She stood straighter. "Understood Lord Yukishiro."
"Father allow me to go as well."
"No Enishi."
"Why?" Enishi stomped his feet. "We're the same age. And I'm just as good at swordsmanship as Hinageshi."
"But father, Hinageshi's just getting back."
"Both of you, shut up!"
"I will leave shortly my lord."
He looked down at her. "You have an hour."
9:15pm
"Hinageshi?" Tomoe knocked on her door and slid it open. "Don't tell me..."
Hinageshi walked in from the outside. "Tomoe?"
"Are you really leaving for Kyoto?"
She sat down with her. "It's my job Tomoe. Your family saved me when they took me in six years ago. Since then I've vowed to do what ever I could to protect the Yukishiro name." She pulled a dagger from her kimono. "For your protection while I'm gone, ok."
"But you're still just a child." Tomoe wrapped her arms around her.
Hinageshi pulled away. "I'm a samurai fighting in this revolution. Age means nothing when it comes to war." She stood. "When I come back, we'll go out and celebrate ok?"
Tomoe watched her vanish in the dark of night.
"Enishi." Hinageshi paused outside the house.
He shyfully came from the shadows. "Yes, Hinageshi."
She turned to him. "Please watch Tomoe for me."
10:35pm
Phoenix hurried through the city. There were small fires and soldiers from both sides laying in the road.
"Phoenix." A voice whispered. "Phoenix is that you?"
She stopped. "A shogunate soldier. Who did this?"
"Those eyes, it was him, the Battousai."
She gasped. "The Battousai!? Where is he? Tell me?"
"The Shogunate." The man choked out. He fell limp.
She let him fall to the ground and rushed to the main road. "Darn Imperialists."
"'Tomoe...please forgive me my love.'"
A cold shiver ran through Phoenix pushing her faster. "No! Akira!" Her violet eyes were wide as her shaking hands reached down to touch him. "Kiyosato." He skin was cooling but his blood was still warm. "Answer me, Kiyosato. Kiyosato!"
"What was that?"
"A voice?"
"Not another Shogunate member? I thought we took care of them."
"Look, there's one still standing."
Phoenix turned around, her eyes narrow and dark.
The three Imperialists backed away.
"Imperialists. Where's Battousai the man slayer?" She pulled out her twin katanas from her back sheath. "I won't ask again."
"She's an enemy of the Imperial Army, attack."
In a flash her swords slashed through them, leaving the soldiers unprepared for the strike. She stopped next to her friend. "Forgive me for not being able to come with you and for not being able to be here in time Kiyosato, Tomoe." She ran through the streets. /I know he's still here. Himura the Battousai./
Gold eyes glowed from their position above the houses.
"Battousai."
He glared down at her.
"You killed him." She gritted her teeth. "Imperialist!"
6am
"Man those soldiers really have it out for eachother."
"What a battle."
"Hey Iwao, what's the matter?"
The three men turned.
"Iwao?"
Navy blue eyes focused on something in the shallow part of the river.
"Something down there Iwao?"
"You guys head back to the camp, I'll be there later."
"Sure."
"Whatever Iwao."
"Don't be too long."
The young man made his way down to the river bank. "What? A girl?" He carefully manuvered around the slippery rocks. Her dark red hair floated about her face. /She's too beat up to just be a girl./ He looked around. There was a sword in her hand and the other was a few feet further down. "A soldier."
8pm
The fire reflected small shadows on the tent wall. Hinageshi slowly blinked, trying to clear the fog from her mind.
"It's good to see that you survived. Though I don't know how." Iwao put a kettle and pan on the fire. "I hope you don't mind but I had your clothes changed." He looked at her. "I didn't want you to catch a cold." His navy eyes glanced her over. "I found you down by the river. You sustained some critical injuries."
"Injuries?" She closed her eyes. "Figures."
Iwao smiled and went to the door. "Rest here a while. I'll be back later."
3 weeks later
"It's good to see you up and walking around now, Hinageshi."
She looked away from him, jumping off the large rock only to sway into him.
"Careful, your wounds are still healing. Here." He helped her to sit. "I'd like to check those bandages, if you don't mind."
She eyed him but said nothing.
He removed her main shirt, unwrapping the bandages around her waist.
"How does it look?"
Iwao glanced up at her. She was staring off in the distance. He finished with the remaining layers, careful not to be rough. /Hm./ His eyes slightly narrowed.
"Well?"
"Huh?"
"How it is?"
"It's slow in healing but I suppose that's to be expected." He lifted off the ground. "Your opponent, he must have been very skilled."
"He could have killed me. But there was something different about him that night."
Iwao followed behind her. "But he didn't."
"He couldn't." She clentched her fists. "And that mistake will cost him his life."