Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, I'm just borrowing it's characters and stuff for my own personal enjoyment. I do, however, own Mina, Shion, and any other characters who are never seen or heard of in the anime, manga, and movie.

Author's Note: Welcome to "Crimson String Book II: A Rurouni's Path," the sequel to "Crimson String Book I: Siblings of the Sword." For those who are new, you don't need to read the previous book to understand what's going on, summaries of the last book's main events are written in the first few chapters and prologue. I have to warn you readers ahead of time that this fic is supposed to be angst above all else, so don't flame me or anything if there's no action. The rating will most definitely change later on, but the violence won't get as intense as it did in book I. Anyway, without further ado, I present to you the prologue to "Crimson String Book II: A Rurouni's Path."

Prologue

Once again, I stand here; amidst the clouds, the city, and it's people, I stand here once more. I stand here with my allies, all of whom I can easily trust my life with. Rikumari Gonji, an ex-samurai from the fallen Tokugawa Shogunate, I can always depend on his advice. Wesley Smith, a "cowboy" from America claiming to be the "Best in the West," his skill with the sword and gun are equal. Shizaku Ryosuke, my youngest follower and extremely loyal, he means a lot to me, possibly more than my own life. Mizuhara Chisato, though she is not here with us at the moment, I could always trust her with anything. Futami Hideo, ex-Iga Ninja, an odd and silent fellow, but I know he is trust-worthy despite his frightening exterior. Kurotara Yurika, a tragic girl, stoic and calm in all situations, I can't blame her for how she is. And then there is I, Himura Mina, also known as Hitokiri Kensai during the hell that was the Meiji Revolution, leader of these few that follow me. Who are we, we are the Mitsurugi Seven, the dragons that will cleanse this country of the sins of this new era.

I was not always known as Himura Mina, I was once a simple farmer's daughter named Tachibana Minako. It was my twelfth year when I first met him, the love of my life, the one I share my red string with, Himura Shinta, also known to many as Hitokiri Battousai or Himura Kenshin. My chance encounter with Shinta caused many downfalls in my life; the farm went through a drought for two years, my parents died, my life just became hell, and then he returned once more. After saving me from death, the very same omen had saved me from my fate. Shinta took me in, adopting me to be his little sister, teaching me the ways of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, sending me down the path of violence.

I encountered many as I traveled down the path by the Sanzu: Kajima Tetsu, a good friend who later died by my hands; Shishio Makoto, an evil man that had a good heart; Misanagi the Flying Arrow, leader of the Sanada Ninjas and a near victim to a fate worse than death; Azumi Shion, my best friend and rival; and then there was her, the other soul that resided in my body, Hitokiri Kensai herself.

The path of violence only led me toward sadness; the souls whose lives I had taken would not let me sleep, Kensai's words and lectures slowly influencing my mind, the Sanada Leader Misanagi haunting me over and over again after nearly being raped by Kensai, all of these things made life worse than hell. I still lived because of him, I still lived so I could be with my brother, my love, Shinta. However, after working with Ishin Shishi's Cho Shu Clan for one year, we were separated. We never did see each other during the war after that, I had been drafted into the Satsuma Clan shortly after our separation. My relationship with Shion grew during the final years of the Meiji Revolution, though my mind was slowly being brainwashed by Kensai. My mind broke away from Kensai's hold on January 5, Western year 1868, the very same day the Ishin Shishi turned their backs on me. They sent Tetsu to kill me, and then Shion. Tetsu fell before my blade, Shion faked my death and allowed me to escape. The next day, I met with Arai Shakku. He told me of what happened to my brother; he had become a rurouni to repent for the sins he committed during the Revolution. Learning this information, I knew of my next goal in life; to find my brother no matter how long it took. Taking the sakabatou made by Shakku's son, Seikuu, I left Kyoto shortly, following the path of the rurouni...

"I will not regret the path I take, because I know that it is the right one..." -Himura Mina

Author's Note: Hold on to those reviews until the next chapter, all right? It's slow at first, but things'll pick up in the next few chapters.