Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Chapter Five

Shinta and Lila ate quietly the food that Tae brought to them.

"I feel so bad for them." Kaoru watched them from the opposite side of the restaurant. "Loosing their home like that."

Sano leaned against the wall. "What do you think they're talking about?"

Kenshin stood and went over to them. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"No." Shinta shook his head. Lila cuddled closer to him. "Thank you again for saving my sister and I from that man." He glanced at Lila.

He smiled, kneeling down. "An heirlooom like that is important, that it is."

"Yes." Shinta looked down.

"May I ask what happened?"

Shinta relunctantly placed his bowl down and sighed. "Our mother was summoned to come here to Tokyo. A day after she left men dressed in government uniforms told the elders of the village that our rebel ways were finished. I wanted to stay and fight but my father told me that I had to protect Lila." Shinta met Kenshin's gaze. "When we came from hiding...everyone...everything was gone."

The feather ingraving on the handle of the dagger Lila held stood out at Kenshin. "Your father's dagger, it has remarkable markings, that it does."

"Lila." Shinta held out his hands. She gave it to him. "'If you want peace, a symbol needs to be carved.' This feather represents the Heiwa group from the Meiji Revolution."

"Did you say Heiwa group?"

Kenshin faced Sano. "Do you recognize this group Sanosuke?"

"Yea. The Sekihoutai did some business with the Heiwa. Their founder was Lord Eto who died early in the revolution. His son Iwao took control of it at a young age." Sano leaned on his knees. "The group sort of faded out toward the end though. Last heard of in 1866."

Shinta's eyes cut sideways.

Kenshin thought a moment. "1866..."

"Shinta." Lila pulled on his sleeve.

The boy nodded. "We thank you for everything you've done for us today but we have to be going."

"Oh it's no problem." Tae smiled.

"Wh-where are you going?" Kaoru stopped them.

"We've already over-stayed our welcome and she's tired now. We should go."

Kaoru shook her head. "You don't have to. There's plenty of room at the dojo, why don't you stay?"

For a moment his eyes glittered. Lila pulled on his arm and he hesitated. "Shinta." Her voice warned.

He looked at her. "But Lila."

She shook her head defiantly.

He pulled her aside. "I know we're not suppose to involve anyone else, but Lila he's a swordsman. Maybe we can find our mother and father with their help."

"Shinta." Her eyes held worry. "What if...they find out."

"It won't happen. And I'll get us out of there the at the first site of danger."

Her indigo orbs gazed deep into his night blue ones. "Promise?"

He nodded. "On my life." They faced back to the group. "Well if it won't be of a bother to your and your house Miss Kaoru."

Her smile widened. "No not at all!"

Kenshin and Sano looked at one another.

Lina threw shirukens at a tree. Kem sat off in the distance cleaning his feathers. His sensitive ears picked up a noise and cried out. Lina's violet eyes narrowed.

"Don't looked so disguisted to see me Phoenix."

"Haven't you tortured me enough Kogoro?"

"I wouldn't call it torture."

"Then tell me who you really are."

"Ok." He pause for mere seconds before answering. "Kastura Kogoro."

"Fine." She yanked out her weapons.

"I have another request for you."

She reached for the last shiruken.

"The Embassy; I want you to attack it. There will be several important people from other countries there." He watched her. "The main leader of the government's enemy won't let me down, will you?"

She glared at him. "They burned my home, didn't they?"

"That's what I want to hear."

Iwao hopped to the main room of Megumi's building. "Hey Doc."

"How are you feeling today?" Megumi was mixing medicines. "You've slept most of it."

He chuckled. "I noticed that when I woke up. I'm feeling better I suppose."

"I cooked earlier, if you're hungry."

"Yes, thank you." He followed her to the dining area.

"Here." She served him the small remaining portion. "I'm not use to patients staying and when they do they normally can't consume food."

"It looks good. I'll pay you back once I get on my feet again."

"Don't worry about it. Besides you still have to find your family, that's more important."

Iwao looked at her then down at his bowl. "Yea."

"I'm going to town the day after tomorrow, since you are feeling better and should begin to walk anyway, why don't you accompany me."

"What ever the doctor prescribes."

"Shinta?" Lila asked from her makeshift bed. "Are you awake?"

"Yea, what is it?"

An owl hooted in the near distance.

"Nothing."

"Everything will be ok." He shifted to face her. "Good night Lila."

She smiled back at him. "Good night Shinta."

"Kenshin." Sano walked up next to him on the porch. "Do you think it's safe to keep those kids here? I mean if the government is after them."

"The Heiwa was a group of peaceful people, gathered together to see the end of the Revolution."

"So you don't believe that it was the government's soldiers who tore through their village then?"

"I can't see them troubling themselves with it, that I can't."

"Then who would attack a village of innocent people?" Kaoru questioned.

//"Our mother was summoned here to Tokyo."// Kenshin recalled Shinta saying. /Whoever it was wanted to make sure their mother wasn't around to interfere./ A faded memory relapsed into his mind. //She glared at him with all the hate a child of the sword could muster. "You killed him!" Tears streamed from her face. Despite that though, her body was firm. "For that I'll kill you!"//

"Kenshin?"

He turned to Kaoru.

"Are you ok?" She was on her way to her room. Sano was in front of her, on his way to leave.

"I'm fine, that I am."