Marching Forward

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, as sad as it is to admit.

…—advancing years. Propelled into what has now been dubbed "The Industrial Revolution," the city of Kyoto has unsurprisingly emerged as a mecca for engineers, scientists, encoders, and anyone looking to advance the technological superiority of Japan.

The spokesperson for Makoto Inc comments, "We find ourselves in an age where magic has been rendered unnecessary and dangerous, the use of which is now obsolete in the face of growing innovation."

With an unspecified Takishiko prototype now in it's final testing stages, the company has now boldly proclaimed that such innovations include everything from cyber communication to long-range plasma defensive barriers; Makoto Inc and up-and-coming sister companies now openly declare that the military, as well as the domestic needs of the people can be met with software that will not fatigue or shift overtime, machines that are capable of flawless logic without the inconsistencies and mistakes that accompany human emotions—that this unfortunate dependency on something as unstable as magic is finally coming to a close. It is being said that is "the last stretch of this century-long transition, the final push," the conclusion of which leads into a world where the need for enchantments, even for seemingly harmless tasks, is unfounded.

Competing companies believe that this new prototype is somehow related to the B2 cleanser, but one has to wonder if Makoto Inc has something bigger up it's sleeve, between the incredible secrecy surrounding this new product and the proportionately large advertising hype. In any case, Makoto Inc seems determined to totally overhaul this generation's current understanding of technology's relationship with magic.

Historically, the results of this technological overhaul, which began decades ago, have been indeed dramatic. It is predicted that by the 21st of January of this year, Japan will have increased its internal efficiency at lest ten fold, and produced enough in exports to secure influence in foreign lands never before interested in trade. The province of Nab—

Kaoru crumpled the electronic configuration of micro-particles into a ball and stomped on it for good measure. Idiots, the lot of them. Not only did she have to deal with the media's recent decision to trade in old fashion, hard copy newspapers for these waif-like micro-screens, but she also had to read their unsavory content. On one hand, she supposed going cyber made sense; columnists could update all copies of their work at any given time after official publication if such a thing was necessary, and, more importantly, it would appear as if they were backing the new government's popularized techie sensibility, which, Kaoru also supposed, they were. But that didn't mean that she didn't miss the feel of a substantial newspaper under her calloused hands. Katsu's Corner, now that was good media. Too bad he was forced out of business—covertly of course—for his printing of what the officials called 'libel against the current government' and what Kaoru called true facts. In any case, it would have been much better than stomaching the current falsities and half-truths the press seemed so fond of.

So far they had just been saying the same thing over and over for the past few months. She only had to read the half-page she just skimmed to see that. More pandering to public opinion, more placating, more not so subtle jabs at the magic using community—or at least what was left of it anyway.

And there certainly wasn't much left of her childhood home. She sighed. She had once lived in Tokyo with her father, training to one day take over the family dojo in his place. However, his untimely death at the hands of an ex-student with a revolver and reputation for drunken violence left her with no relatives, no money, and no time to grieve before she found herself on the cold road, alone and wandering with no particular destination in mind. The police had assured her the perpetrator would be punished, but that she was not old enough to take possession of the dojo; instead, it would become government property, not even to be returned to here when she did become of age. And as much as she would have taken great pleasure in storming into the police station and calmly sliding a sharpened katana into the gut of her father's murderer, watching with a satisfied smirk as the light left his eyes, it was a testament to her father and his teachings that she restrained from manslaughter, a feat that was only achieved as a result of her hasty departure.

Over the following years, she had familiarized herself with countless villages, but ultimately chose—albeit quite recently—to postpone her travels in the outskirts of Kyoto, a small town, barley registering as a blip on country-wide monitors. Tesuhia wasn't exactly a nice place to be; in fact, when she had to go into the neighboring metropolis, she had often heard Kyoto ladies look disdainfully into the countryside at the puffs of smoke in the distance, whispering of a slum that housed disfigured gangsters and prostitutes. However, it wasn't the lifestyle that drew her—it was the subtle undercurrent of magic, carefully hidden from the average person's range of perception. Its true nature was so well concealed, so tightly wrapped in its carefully crafted disguise that you had to have a damn good reason to pass those dilapidated gates, or be of an extremely resolute mind.

It was rather brilliant when she thought about it—Kyoto, being one of the traditionally prosperous and techi-based cities was also traditionally arrogant. The last place analysts would look for magical activity would be on the borderline of their own home, and gentrification was definitely not on of the city's to-do list. Sure, it was a risky location, but it was a trade off for the intelligence that could be gathered at such proximity, and besides, the other inhabitants were not the stupid thugs and hopeless lunatics they pretended to be. As Kaoru learned the first weeks she arrived; they knew what there were doing, the dangers involved, and how to cover their tracks, though she knew little of their actual activities. And as she expected, it wasn't a place people asked questions. Though being female practicing martial arts drew some attention, even in Tesuhia, it wasn't nearly as scandalous as it would in other places. That too was reason enough to stay, at least for a little while.

So here she was, on the brink of one of the most if not the most technologically-based cities in one of the most well concealed magical eddies she'd run across in all her travels. Keeping up with the news was just one of her many ways of gauging the public's opinion of magic. If times were really changing as quickly as the micro-screens suggested, then even ki-readers like herself, who only skimmed the barest surface of magical abilities, would be in big trouble—the kind one doesn't comeback from. And if Kaoru was honest with herself, it was with a sick fascination that she witnessed, day after day, powerful corporations continuing to stomp magic out of existence. Pure forms of magic had a reputation for temperamental outbursts for a reason: asserting dominance. It wanted to be here. It was tied to the earth intimately and it was wasn't going to leave any time soon. Silencing its users was like limiting conduits, leaving the general entity to bubble over in frothy anger, spitting at its aggressors. Not a good thing.

Kaoru shook herself from her meandering thoughts and looked around. In her frustration, she had ended up in the red light district, named not for regularly promiscuous activity, though she was sure it was exactly lacking in that department, but for the intensified level of magical exchange typically occurring. The name, in addition to amusing those who lived there, also served as a safety net, so that any lost Kyoto techies who ended up there would associate the spark in the air with the tingling atmosphere of booze and lust. Of course she would be drawn to this place, she thought ruefully, mentally rolling her eyes.

As long as she was here, she might as well look around. There were too many back alleys and constantly changing stalls with distractingly pretty trinkets for anyone to truly know the packed cobbled street without growing up here. There really was almost no room to maneuver comfortably, between all the kiosks squished together and eccentric customers chatting openly or dealing inconspicuously in the shadows. Kaoru took it all in with a keen eye, finally spotting a flimsy booth that looked about ready to fly away in the slight breeze, admiring an indigo ribbon that reminded her of the one her father gave to her for her fifth birthday. It had been sacrificed to the wear and tear of travel, finally abandoned after she had to use the remaining scraps as a tourniquet after a particularly challenging encounter.

"Can I interest you in anything, Miss?" The kiosk's owner, a kindly old woman, one of the few clean people in the street smiled up at her behind a gently toothy smile.

"Oh, don't mind me ma'am, I was just looking." Kaoru looked down, uncomfortable being addresses so formally. She was more used to a simple "you" or "girl."

"But this blue one you were looking at would compliment your outfit so nicely," the women continued pleasantly.

Kaoru barely contained the snort that threatened to overtake her. Just about anything, she thought, would compliment her outfit nicely. She was wearing all the clothes she owned, and that wasn't saying much—a white tunic that she had officially grown out of last summer and as a result clung to her waist a little too tightly to be considered comfortable, and brown cutoffs with pockets running down the length of both sides. They were valiantly cleaned as often as she could afford to do so, but persistent stains remained. A bokken was also strapped to her back, but it was specially magicked into invisibility, the charm stubbornly holding on, even in the present company of the red light district. The old woman's kindly but frail ki-force was no where near enough to break the binding magic on her concealed weapon.

Kaoru was about to murmur a polite refusal, remembering the near-emptiness of her purse bag with a aching clarity, when suddenly, a young boy with matted, scraggly hair and a downcast expression knocked her into side with unexpected force, causing her elbow to smash painfully against the edge of the stall. It was especially jarring because she had seen him in her peripheral vision the few seconds before and nothing seemed to be amiss. She closed her eyes and bit her lip to suppress a grunt of pain before forcibly swallowing it, turning fiery eyes to her assailant, the sales woman forgotten.

Muttering a curse under her breath, Kaoru cradled her abused elbow. It would only amount to a mild bruise—just one to add to her collection, she supposed—but she took the few seconds he needed to straighten himself out to inspect him more closely, under hooded bangs. He looked to be about thirteenth, maybe fourteen years old, but she was hesitant to hazard a guess—you never knew with these street kids. Besides being covered in a layer of filth, which probably worked both for and against them in a neighborhood such as this one, some were also terribly underfed. Perhaps it was his particularly unusual ki-force, but Kaoru got the feeling that this young man was something more than the regular street urchin his tattered green corduroys and faded yellow shirt said he was. He held himself proudly, despite the unfortunate state of his clothes, though, Kaoru realized, she should not be one to judge.

"What, no apology?" She managed to keep most of the annoyance out of her voice, not wanting to provoke his anger, but merely curious to see if she had read him correctly. Speculative brown eyes glance over her briefly, dismissively. He seemed to struggle with himself, finally choking out something that might have been a 'sorry,' before shuffling forward without another word. He looked to be suddenly in a hurry.

And he had her coin purse in his left hand.

She glared at his retreating back in incredulous outrage. He was clutching her meager savings as if he hadn't just stolen them from side pocket, palming her purse with a blatancy that was, to Kaoru, more insulting than the actual act of thievery.

"Hey." In four strides, she covered the distance between them and locked his hands behind his back in a hold, ripping her purse out of his weakened grip, and watched him squirm. He tried to pry himself out of her grasp, but she simply tightened his hands behind him threateningly. He growled in frustration and embarrassment.

"Let me go busu, I already apologized!"

Kaoru bristled at the insult. Looks had always been a touchy subject for her, not that she was going to let this little brat know that. She scowled at the back of his head.

"I might recall you muttering something, but tell me, was that for ramming me into that stall over there or for stealing my coin purse?" She felt him shift with surprise, craning his head around to look at her.

"You…saw me?"

Kaoru narrowed her eyes even further. He hadn't exactly been covert about the whole thing. Maybe he was new at pickpocketing, though by the genuine astonishment at being caught she could hear in his tone, she doubted it.

"Well, it was a little hard to see you take it from my pocket, having just been, as I said, rammed into a stall, but you weren't particularly secretive—just walking away with it out in the open like that, what did you think would happen?" He continued to squirm in her grip. "I'll let you go this time, but if you try that stuff with me again, I'll have to deal with you myself, you little runt."

She released his hands and stepped back, prepared to walk away and pretend the whole incident didn't happen. The boy, however, far from expressing any shame, swiveled around, pinning her with a petulant glare.

"I'm not little, you hag. I don't know how you caught me, but don't act like you could 'deal with' me even if you tried. I aint some pushover you can just boss around like that." He pointed an indignant finger in her face informally challengingly her, though he probably didn't know it. Kaoru couldn't remember the last time her fingers itched this badly for the bokken. It was instances like this that really irked her, how people just assumed she wasn't capable of mercilessly thrashing them within an inch of their lives because of her comparatively small body size. And while her petite frame certainly didn't lend itself to intimidating threats, people in Tesuhia should know not to underestimate fellow magic users. Of course, she didn't want to seriously injure the boy, just give him a good scare.

Before she could reply though, she felt an arm placed hastily on her shoulder draw her against a warm body. Choking back a few choice words, she made an 'eep' of surprise and looked at the man who was half-holding her still.

"Woah there, missy. What's going on here? I'm sure Yahiko here wasn't troubling you. It's not like my bro to chat up any women besides little Tsubame; he must really like you."

If this sudden intruder was trying to get this pickpocket off the proverbial hook he had just hung himself from, it wasn't going to work; Kaoru was going to get her money back and that kid was going to get a lecture, if not more. The man's arm was still wrapped around her shoulders in a way that would look friendly, even familiar to passerby, but was tight enough to prevent wide range of movement.

As she listened to the man's easy drawl, she saw him pointedly frown over at the young man apparently named Yahiko, lightly reprimanding him. Yahiko winced but recovered enough to bite out that he would never like some ugly broad like her.

Kaoru frowned and turned to the man still talking, not liking their proximity. The first thing she noticed about him was that he was tall and almost completely dressed in white. This family obviously didn't grasp the concept of subtly in anything they did, she noted, having to prevent herself from rolling her eyes. His hair was even more of a mess than Yahiko's; brown spikes flew in every direction, the ones around his face reigned in by only a red headband. He was a fighter, that much was for sure. She could tell from a combination of things—his ki signature was genuine and tenacious, but with a flare for violence, and from one fighter to another, she could see it in the way he held himself. It was more pronounced than in Yahiko's smaller form; this guy was exactly the sort of person she expected to see in the red light district.

He had finally stopped talking long enough for Kaoru to get a word in.

"Actually, your little brother seems to have a penchant for pickpoketing, not that he's very good at it. I caught him stealing my coin purse before you got here."

Kaoru ignored Yahiko's angry huff at being called little. The older man though, was now looking at her in barely concealed interest. He glanced at Yahiko again and they exchanged meaningful stares.

"You caught him." He repeated, frowning again, a hint of incredulity creeping into his voice.

"Yes." Kaoru was getting frustrated by this point. "But now that I know that you'll take care of him," At this she gave him a pointed look, "I'll just be on my way." Best not to engage with two, she thought. She didn't want any trouble. Besides, the sun was about two paces to the right from when she arrived, meaning it was approaching noon. It was about time for lunch and after that, she had places to be.

The man, whose arm around her shoulder had slackened over their conversation, drew her in closer once again, effectively stopping any escape. Before she could object though, he started speaking again.

"No, I insist. Let us treat you to lunch for your troubles. It's the least we could do."

"Look mister, I don't even know your name and I don't make a habit of eating with strangers or people who just tried to steal from me."

"I'm Sagara Sanoske, Sano if you like. And like I said, this is my brother, Yahiko. We're terribly sorry miss…Missy. But I really have to insist we take you to lunch. The Aoiya is only a few blocks from here and I have a tab."

Kaoru sighed. This Sanoske must have heard the low rumblings of her stomach and as much as she would have loved to graciously decline, Kaoru was in no position to refuse a free meal. She was hungry and her frustration at the day's microscreens made her forget about breakfast. Yahiko though, didn't seem so amiable to the idea. In fact, he looked a bit suspicious about the whole situation.

"What the hell, Sano? You want to take someone to lunch? They're about to kick you out on sight, you owe them so much. And since when are you so nice? She"—he pointed at Kaoru, "threatened to—"

"Yahiko," Sano muttered lowly "be quiet." That shut him up. Then Sano brightened considerable. "We don't want to upset our new friend here." He turned back to her. "It really is the least we can do as an apology."

Her gut was telling her to trust that Sano had no malicious intentions in mind, but she couldn't help but feel like there was more to his behavior than was immediately discernable. She shrugged his arm off—and he allowed it this time, clear that she wasn't about to attack his younger brother. After half a second's hesitation, she decidede to throw caution to the wind and follow his lead, trusting in her own strength should there be trouble. "I'm Kamiya Kaoru. Thank you for your kind offer...I really do have places i should get to," she began, watching as he began to interupt, clearly wanting to convince her otherwise. "So it'll have to be quick," she finished, effectivly shutting him up. Kaoru kept her words to a minimum, but motioned with her arms for him to lead the way.

Yahiko took the front, muttering darkly under his breath about unfair older brothers and ugly hags, which both Kaoru and Sanoske pointedly ignored—but not without a few mumbled comments of their own. With Sanoske at her side, now a comfortable distance away, whistling a soft melody Kaoru wasn't familiar with, they fell into an otherwise semi-companionable silence much to her surprise. Yahiko's ki had lost it's sharp edge after the first half block and now he seemed more inquisitive than anything else, daring a few glances back at her small form every five minutes or so.

Kaoru could feel her stomach preparing for another dull rumble as she turned her mind to their destination. Point to any building in this area and they would have an interesting history, but the Aoiya certainly outranked them all. She could sense already it, even a good block-radius away. The air around them tightened subtly, though not in a hostile way—in fact, just the opposite. She felt encouraged to relax her guard, let a little magic float free from various enchantments she carried with her.

She mentally rolled her eyes as, next to her, Sano let out a yawn. This was one of the oldest tricks in the book, and she expected no less from the unofficial headquarters of the local spy network. While she had only been in Tesuhia for a few weeks, she hadn't failed to notice back-alley conversations, suspiciously inconspicuous meetings, or the same tingling sensation in her right hand when someone in a blue jacket walked by. She'd heard of the Owniwabanshu. And clearly, this was their turf. Up to this point, Kaoru hadn't gotten a chance to check out this part of town, in fact making the conscious decision to avoid it, seeing as she didn't like people poking around her past and it was the Oniwabanshu's prerogative to know everything about everyone.

As Sanoske's posture became less and less defensive—not that this Sanoske guy was particularly self-aware in the first place—Kaoru spotted a brightly colored sign jutting out into the street, welcoming all hungry travelers in an almost comically deceptive script. As they rounded the corner, Yahiko's lazy stride had him trailing behind, they were greeted by exiting and entering crowds of people, most with some not-so-savory business on their agenda, Kaoru was willing to bet. This seemed to be a hub for the elite-type magic users, especially since the staff, who gave off that familiar tingling sensation, were more than equipped to deal with any outbursts from particularly enthusiastic customers.

A mixture of delicious aromas attacked her senses and her stomach reminded her that it was hungry for the third time that afternoon.

"Yahiko, go tell Misao what happened and get us some grub from the kitchen will we find seats." Sano waved off his little brother causally, cracking his knuckles non-threateningly in what Kaoru believed had to be habit.

"Aw, no way Sano why can't we just order like normal people; you know Tae doesn't like people in the back room." His voiced carried a whine that made Kaoru want to either smack him or growl in irritation, though she did neither. That boy just knew how to press all her wrong buttons.

After a bit more prompting on Sano's part though, some of which included the name 'Tsubame' again, the younger sibling sulked off to find food. That left her sitting with a quite obviously strange man in the red light district. She sighed, but before she could say anything, he began to talk. Apparently the smell of food brought out his conversational side.

"So, you must be packing some pretty serious stuff to catch Yahiko in the act. What are you carrying? Visi-packages? Defensive amulets? MP. vials?"

Kaoru blinked. Those were top-grade magic packages. Most magic users, or, 'conduits', only bought and traded simple formulas for things like drying wet clothes or cooling hot drinks—mostly to alter the speed at which a natural process would occur. These charms could come in any form, but they were now-a-days mostly concealed in small tokens, things that could be easily hid from the authorities.

But visi-packs, defensive amulets and MP. vials were all sensory enhancing charms that required a whole lot more willpower to harness than regular enchantments. This, of course, meant that they were also a whole lot more illegal than regular enchantments. Kaoru wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to discover that such dealings were going on the Aoiya, but she certainly couldn't afford to partake in them.

"No, I just…well caught him. No magic involved. Why is it such a big deal?" She arched her eyebrow. This was perplexing, flattering, and interesting all at the same time. Sano shifted in exasperation, but he was starting to look visibly intrigued.

"My little brother is one of the best pickpockets in this town." Sano winced at Kaoru's incredulous glare, his duties as an older brother clearly suspect. She knew people in this area weren't exactly known for their moral scruples, but still…

"Hey, it wasn't my idea, ok?" He ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "He's going through stealth training right now under some family friends. He's only in the first stage though, so they pretty much plastered weakening charms on him to combat a target's level three defenses. That way, a mark's magic is taken out of the equation and Yahiko can only rely on his own magical skills to get a coin purse.

Kaoru opened her mouth to object to being told she couldn't take on what looked to be a thirteen year old boy trying to rip her off, even if they weren't on an even magic level, before Sano continued, swagger still frustratingly apparent in his voice, a searching look in his eyes.

"What I find interesting though, is that his teachers also gave him…something," Here, Kaoru rolled her eyes at the un-subtle attempt at ambiguity, "to help him seek out powerful battle ki in an area; because, obviously, fighters would be harder to catch unawares, even if their initial magic barriers are confounded by the weakening charms. Now, Yahiko composes his own spell bundles."

Kaoru winced.

"Yea," said Sano "It's a pain in the ass, but that's part of the training too. Anyway, I happen to know that he's been working on a charm that diverts the target's attention away from him while simultaneously desensitizing them from their physical surroundings. So far it's been pretty successful." Kaoru was having a hard time imagining such a scrawny kid coming up with what sounded to be quite a complex concoction, but kept listening anyway without interruption. She wasn't sure where this was going.

"So, missy, it seems to me that either your defense barriers are so high around your coin purse that it confuses a substantial weakening charm," He paused as Kaoru shook her head. It was a rare thing to find a magic user with enough street cash to be that worried about it—and they were usually smart enough not to carry it on their person in such a visible manner, like a coin purse, in the first place. "or, you have a natural resistance to this particular enchantment."

Kaoru felt the surrounding customers pause and turn their ears towards their conversation and growled mentally. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen, especially in the Aoiya. So much for flying under the radar. She bet the Oniwabanshu members were rifling through her government profile this very moment.

What this Sanoske guy was suggesting was almost unheard of in these techi-driven times. Innates were increasingly rare and the Japanese government had tabs on all those still in existence. They were people with a natural reaction to magic, who could, in a way, speak to and manipulate it—if trained, they posed a significant threat to techi-corporations. In this day and age though, magic users were completely void of a personal response to magic; it lived entirely in the environment. If someone wanted a spell, the easiest way was to go to a market and buy a pre-packaged one under the table. To imply that she was an Innate, even an untrained one, was to totally blow her status as anonymous, and that annoyed her—especially since it was wholly unfounded. Her father had done the tests before he was killed and she didn't have a drop of Innate resistance in her. She was just a regular conduit, like most of the magic-using community, which was fine with her. But now, she had some back peddling to do.

"Sanoske, I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why this has happened. You said Yahiko was in the first stage of his training; perhaps this batch of enchantments didn't come out correctly. Unfortunately, I can assure you that I am not what you are implying. I would love to be one of those…people, who don't have to worry about buying spells though, what a nice thought. You flatter me in thinking so, though." She kept her voice high and dreamy, with a tinge of girlish uncertainty, making sure to look confused. Had to put on a show for the eves-droppers after all.

Sano shifted in his seat, just starting to notice the surrounding patrons and their penchant for listening in on other people's conversation. He didn't look entirely convinced, so Kaoru continued.

"I'm just passing by Tesuhia; I'm a wanderer, you see. My mother died when I was young and my father recently passed away," She hadn't expected her voice to waver as much as it did with that statement, but it would help immensely if she volunteered personal information like that, something that the Oniwabanshu could verify as true and those listening could use to write her off as a sniveling orphan.

"It's only been me for a long time and; I've been traveling the country for what has to be about eight years now. I help out where I can, but not many require the skills of a half-trained ki-reader with a sword. So, as you can see, I'm quite familiar with my physical and magical abilities, which, I can promise you, don't involve an Innate touch. I must insist that it was the composition of Yahiko's home-made charm, even though I'm...sure he's a talented boy."

She bit her lip at the last statement—Kaoru hated playing the naïve yet innocent card on people, but it was the best thing at her disposal in this particular situation. She bowed her head respectfully, praying that was enough to satisfy most. It seemed to be enough for now at least, as she observed the two in the table immediately adjacent to theirs turn back to their previous conversation. To be careful though, she memorized their work-worn faces for future reference, in case they decided that she was in fact an Innate and tried to capture her in the future for abilities they thought she possessed. She let out a breath. Coming here was a mistake.

Kaoru was about to say to hell with it and leave before Sano could spout off any more ridiculous and extremely inconveniencing falsities when she saw Yahiko stumbling over to their table with three trays of food balances precariously in his arms and an unfamiliar woman at his side. They were bickering heatedly, making Yahiko's already tenuous grasp on the trays even more worrisome.

The woman was probably Misao, the person Sano mentioned shortly after arriving. Though she looked to be about Kaoru's age, she was noticeably more petite. Her small frame was further emphasized by a waist long braid that wrapped around her right shoulder and bounced excitedly as she walked. Kaoru focused in on her ki and didn't read anything out of the ordinary, at least for the Aoiya. She could probably hold her own in a fight, but her energy was erratic, like there was too much and it was fighting to get out. Like Sano, Kaoru couldn't pick up any malicious intent towards her, just mild curiosity. They approached the table, still snapping back and forth, red in the face like schoolyard children.

Sano jerked in irritation as Yahiko slammed a tray of food in front of him, before promptly forgetting any exasperation and tucking in. He caught her eyes as he proceeded to devour a bowl of rice in a way that let her know this conversation wasn't over.

Kaoru was also served, only slightly less aggressively. The potatoes on her plate didn't seem to mind the rough handling though; they were soft, steamed to tenderness unlike the raw foodstuffs she was used to on the road. Before she could cut a strip of tofu in half though, the woman who came back with Yahiko turned to her, blushing.

"Sorry about that—Yahiko here is complaining again. Maybe I should just stop training the ungrateful brat and throw him out on the street where I found him." She raised her fist in what was supposed to be a threatening way and smacked her disciple on the back of his head, causing him to inhale a carrot through the wrong tube and start coughing uncontrollably.

"Well you said the spell would work fine, but obviously that wasn't true, Weasel girl—"

"Don't call me that you…" she, with much difficultly, drew in a breath and turned to Kaoru. "Again, sorry. This is awfully rude of me. I'm Misao Makimachi," she said, thrusting her hands into the proper gesture with practiced ease. Kaoru, surprised at the formal greeting set down her chopsticks and responded automatically.

"Kaoru Kamiya" she replied, introducing herself for the second time that day.

"Oh, I know who you are. You're the one that schooled this idiot over here." She gestured to Yahiko. "I'm not too happy with him about that, you know, but we could sure use some help from someone like you around—whether you did it through magical means or not. What do you say we talk shop?"

Kaoru was used to getting odd jobs in odd places, but even under extreme circumstances this was a little sudden. Most people weren't willing to believe she possessed enough mastery with a sword to be of use to them without a little demonstration, though she supposed the little display with Yahiko filled that role in this case, especially since Misao, who was apparently the boy's instructor, was the one making the offer.

But it still felt strange. The whole thing did, actually. Unfortunately, however, Kaoru was in no position to pass up an opportunity at a paycheck, even if it was under the table work—and this most certainly would be.

"Thank you, Miss Makimachi," remembering the girl's oddly misplaced use of greeting formalitites. "I'd love to help out around the Aoiya for a few weeks, or until I decide to wander off again. What would the nature of this work be though?" She continued to covertedly work on her plate of food between articulated words, having had first hand knowledge of how quickly a meal can be snatched from right under you. "I'm afraid my waitressing abilities leave something to be desired and my other skills might not suit your particular needs."

She made sure to keep her voice light, with a slightly feminine lilt to it. Unthreatening. It simply would not do to unleash her utter distaste for the situation. When she came to Tesuhia, she thought she would get the chance to brush up her technique on some of the street thugs littering the outskirts of Kyoto, and, more importantly visit some old contacts. Lay low for a while. Sitting next to a pair of delinquents, offering up her ambiguously defined services to a stranger in the middle of a spy hub was not good for a low profile.

Misao, not missing a beat, bounced twice on the balls of feet and pumped her fist in the air with the energy and enthusiasm of one not yet stained in battle.

"It's settled then!" She glanced at Kaoru's mostly-polished plate. "Why don't you follow me now? We can discuss the details in private and leave these two to their stomachs. And please, call me Misao." She grinned.

Kaoru nodded in assent, glancing mournfully at her unfinished food, and gathered her things. Thanking Sano for the meal and excusing herself with a glance in Yahiko's direction, she followed Misao's small form, already getting lost in the sea of customers.

Only when she was out of sight did Yahiko lowered his bowl from his mouth.

"Do you think she'll be ok?"

Sano too had stopped eating. He looked pensive, in the rare way that made Yahiko think maybe she wouldn't be. Digging for a toothpick in his pocket and finally popping it between his teeth, he answered.

"She's got more street smarts than she wants us to give her credit for. You feel that ki?"

Yahiko shook his head slightly in a frown. "Kind of. It was masked by something. Made me feel a little lightheaded."

"Yea, it was a common defense a few years ago before techs booted their software against it. Now, it's outdated and illegal. Just not worth the risk. Make me think she's not doing it on purpose—she's a weird one."

"Hey, when did you start thinking about things this much? And you didn't answer the question, rooster head."

Sano glanced over at his younger brother. It wasn't like him to worry so much about someone he just met. And while he knew Yahiko was trying to be nonchalant about it, it had been years since Sano failed to read him incorrectly. "Shinomori will have questions…but I think she'll be fine."

"Don't blame yourself." Yahiko's gaze was still fixed determinedly on the placemat in front of him. "Now, come on. We've got a fox to track down. I've got some burns from last night's raid I want to get looked at and you're due for your weekly check up, sport."

"I don't blame myself." He bit out, a little more loudly than intended, cheeks a tad flushed, though Sano was sure he would chalk it up to Misao's teasing from before.

"I know." He rose, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, ignoring the stain. "Let's go."

"Yea." Yahiko rose in imitation, trying to forget how the women he just let slip into the backroom of the Aoiya offered to let him go after she caught him stealing her purse.

"Let's go."

Kaoru realized how stupid she had been about the same time she felt magic locks shift into place the second she entered the room. Cursing, she reached for her bokken, only to be forcefully shoved into a seat with her hands suddenly tied in front of her, the rest of her body subdued under ropes as well.

A man emerged from the shadows, so large there must have been magic involved to prevent her from detecting him before now. Scars riddled his body and the reddish mess on his head more resembled a lion's mane than human hair. Misao, coming to stand next to him looked strangely apologetic.

"Kaoru, please don't be alarmed! This is just natural procedure. I've sure you've heard of the Oniwabanshu by now, having lived in this area for a while now and whatnot. But, ah, well, we're under strict instructions to restrict your movements and wait till Leader gets here for questioning. And hey, if everything checks out, we can even hire you for some extra work like we were talking about before! This little…arrangement now is about Yahiko though. Some things don't add up. So, uh, if you don't mind, we'll just hang out here and…talk? That is, until Leader gets here. Shikijo and I are really sorry about this, aren't we Shikijo?"

The man next to her said nothing.

"We usually have softer rope too, so…oh gosh, I'm rambling. Why do I always ramble in front of captives? Maybe I've nervous. You just look so damn innocent, I just—"

"MISAO. Let. Me. Go." Kaoru had been surreptitiously inspecting the knot currently binding her hands together as the rambling spy talked to herself, and she thought if she exerted just enough energy force near the bit around her wrists, she could free herself manually. Ideally though, someone would learn manners in the next thirty seconds instead and release her, but she wasn't holding her breath for that to happen.

Misao was helplessly scratching the back of her head now, with the absolute nerve to look sheepish. The really horrible thing about it was she had such misplaced faith in her Leader that she honestly believed he or she would treat Kaoru decently—meaning, of course, that Kaoru couldn't completely resent her for her actions. It just made a sticky situation even stickier.

Shikijo seemed to be looking out the window at passerby, but Kaoru could tell he was alert, waiting for any half-concocted escape plans she might have in mind. He must be used to being around Misao to be this unfazed by her sporadic conversational techniques.

"Sorry again, Kaoru, but I really can't do that. Leader's the best though, I promise. You don't have anything to worry about—we just have to be super careful around most of the people that come through here. Like I said, it's just protocol. He should be here any moment."

"While your faith in Leader is touching, you'll forgive me if I'm not relieved." She let some acerbic frustration slip into her speech. Really, the girl was naïve, but she had to admire her loyalty. On the road, she could have used a friend like her once or twice. Kaoru sighed, this wasn't helping anyone. Think Kamiya.

Before she could piece together a plan beyond 'break out of bindings and make a run for it', the door behind her swung open and the sound of boots hit the slickened floorboards, echoing in the room. Misao and Shikijo bowed lightly in acknowledgment; Misao was now positively glowing. Shikijo remained as indifferent as ever.

Kaoru strained to turn her head, but her bindings around her waist, strapping her to the chair, would have none of that. She resigned herself to wait and feel out exactly how forgiving Leader really was—and promptly find his weak spot.

"Look," she started, "I don't know what you're playing at, but—"

"Kaoru Kamiya." She stopped, words freezing in her mouth and fluttering from her mind like newly hatch butterflies. That voice…that voice was familiar. Yes, she had definitely heard that voice before. If she recalled correctly, it was usually projected in monotone, distributing orders with cold efficiency. Now, it was tinged with amusement.

The boots were moving again. She could hear them slowly work their way around her chair till they were in her range of vision. Black. Of course. Her eyes traveled northward. Navy pants, matching shirt. Strangely befitting white trench coat. Startlingly bright blue eyes.

"A-Aoshi?"

"Hm. Looks like I have to fetch you from trouble's gate yet again, Kaoru." He made a rapid series of hand movements in the air and for a split second, Kaoru could feel the binds constricting her body a fraction more, before they all fell to the group like a pile of used bandages.

"You're Leader of the Oniwabanshuu?" She had so many questions; they were threatening to overtake her ability to talk. Giving into relief though, she laughed, jumping out of the chair and throwing her arms around her old companion.

In hindsight, she realized that was just another thing to add to her long list of stupidities that day, since there were still two very loyal spies in the same room, who had vowed to protect their Leader with their lives, and there she was—some random girl off the street—throwing herself at him with a concealed weapon they probably already knew about. Never to be a step behind though, Aoishi must have alerted Shikijo to the nature of their relationship, as he was now holding back a very confused Misao, plucking the kunai from her delicate hands before she threw on reflex.

"It's been too long, friend. I see you've been busy since we parted ways." Her words were muffled in the folds of his trench coat, the same one that shielded her from the rain many nights as she lay awake, waiting for his return to their encampment. Finally releasing him, she stepped back, once again sweeping his form with her eyes, trying to detect any new injuries.

"It has."

Kaoru couldn't help but let a giggle escape her at Aoshi's expense. He was an unmovable force, like wind or water; nothing changed this man, not even time.

"Articulate as ever I see."

Aoshi's eyes were alight with familiar warmth as he looked at her. "It's good to see you Kaoru. We have much to discuss."

A throat cleared in the corner of the room. They both turned to see Misao with an uncomfortable look on her usually cheerful face. Her ki towards Kaoru had undergone an interesting development in the past thirty seconds. Apparently she had more than a comrade's affection for her leader, if the daggers of hostility now shooting up Kaoru arms were anything to go off.

Kaoru removed her arms from the Aoshi's back, making sure to hide a grin. She would have to ask Aoshi about that at a later time.

"So Aoshi-sama, when you said you knew the captive, what you really meant was that you're really close…friends with…her."

"I may have failed to disclose some of the details of our association; I didn't think them pertinent to the ongoing investigation."

Kaoru turned to Misao, taking pity on her.

"Aoshi and I did reconnaissance work a few years ago. It took me three partners to get to him—no one else could handle the power drain and long hours. He was one of the only people in that god forsaken organization I could stand. That lasted about two months, after which we split. We've kept in touch here and there over the years, even met up in Mokanitori once, but haven't seem him in a while." She turned to Aoshi. "It's great to see a familiar face."

"Yes, if I had known you were in town, I would have contacted you. I assume you've been going under a false name since I haven't detected anything with your signature?"

Kaoru grin was starting to split her face. "Negative iceman. I've just been really careful to fly low. I'm off the grid as of three weeks ago and I want to keep it that way."

"I see, and is that why you got yourself taken into the head quarters of the largest spy network within five hundred kilometers?"

Kaoru winced. "Eh, ok I deserved that. Yea, it was stupid, I know. I had a plan though! I could have gotten out of those bindings no problem—" Shikijo grunted in the corner next to Misao.

"Well, I would have figured something out, no need to get huffy."

"Kaoru, I'm not here to berate you. In fact, I have a proposition."

Kaoru perked up. This sounded like it would be a lot more entertaining than waiting tables. "I'm all ears."

"I need you to get me an in. Shishio Makoto has been spreading false information and I want you to work out whose saying what and stop them. Deatils will be provided if you accept. In return, you'll get free room and board here, with two meals a day."

Kaoru strained to keep her enthusiasm off her face. The place she had been staying was filled with scoundrels. And while she had nothing against scoundrels, mind you, she this particular variety of scoundrel liked to comment on her breasts more than Kaoru was strictly comfortable with, which is to say—at all. Of course, Aoshi probably knew all of this, despite his declared ignorance. That was just the way people worked around here. However, that didn't mean that she was new to the ways of negotiation.

"Three meals and unlimited access to the baths—and I do mean the private ones with scented water. I've heard the rumors about this place."

Aoshi took a step forward but Kaoru stood her ground. If he thought he could pull that macho crap with her, he was mistaken. She'd seen him pull rank on too may people to think he'd actually do anything—plus, he was the one asking her for a favor, and last time they worked together, he was still in her debt if she remembered correctly.

That warmth in his eyes came flaring back as she jutted her chin out in stubbornness.

"Three meals and special bath-time privileges once a week. The other six days, you shower like the rest of us."

Kaoru squealed in delight, her skin already craving a good soak.

"But I expect nothing but your best work, Kamiya."

"As if I'd give you anything less, great Leader."

Aoshi let out the barest of sighs, he had forgotten how much pleasure Kaoru derived from teasing him.

"Additionally, I'd like our house doctor to run some tests on you magic levels. They're different than before, though slight enough that I'm not sure you would have noticed yourself."

"Huh? A doctor visit?" Kaoru wasn't sure exactly why this was necessary, but as a wanderer, she wasn't one to regularly visit a practicing physician. It might be good for her, regardless of Aoshi's mysterious ulterior motives. It might seem strange to some, but though they were able to trust each other with their lives, it was in their nature to leave the details unspoken. That was fine with Kaoru; there were just some things about her past that no one needed to know.

"That sounds reasonable to me," she mused. "But the next time you give me a scare like this, don't think I'll let you peddle me to the clinic for a lollipop. I still know your weak spots."

"Think of it as a lesson in common sense. If you were unsuspecting enough to get yourself pulled into this situation, you deserved the rope."

"Oh, will you quit it with that, I get it already. Anyway, I thought this whole thing was about the kid Yahiko. Or was that just an excuse to ask me for my prodigious magical skills?" Kaoru smiled sweetly.

"Hardly. I'll be looking into your run in with Yahiko, and the doctor might be able to shed some light on things."

Kaoru frowned. That was meant as a joke—she never thought her 'run in' with Yahiko would amount to anything worth Aoshi looking into. And why would a doctor of all people be able to shed light on things? Sighing, she knew Aoshi wouldn't talk before he was ready. And until the day came that some revelation hit her square in the head, at least she got three free meals a day and some damn clean water out of this whole ordeal. Plus, it really was nice to see her partner again. Exchanging life debts really did bind people in a way that surpassed ordinary friendships.

"Get some rest, Kaoru. You'll be out through your paces tomorrow; I want to see if your skills are still up to par."

"Yea, yea. Don't worry about that, Shinomori."

"You'll be staying on the third floor, second door on the left. Shikijo can should you to your room if you like." Kaoru snuck a glance at the large man, still silent, waiting in the corner. It wasn't that she thought he was a bad guy or anything, but he had just tied her to a chair.

"I think I can manage, but thanks."

Aoshi nodded, clearly more than a little amused, judging by the small upward quirk of his lips. He motioned for Misao and Shikijo to follow him out the door.

"Breakfast is served at six. I trust you can find your way back to the kitchen without injury."

Kaoru stuck her tongue out at his retreating back.

As the steps of the three Oniwabanshuu echoed through the empty back halls of the Aoiya only to be swallowed up by the laughter and general chatter of the main serving room, Kaoru let out a whoosh of anxious air that had been building in her system the whole afternoon. She really was going to kill Sano the next time she saw him; that was the one sure thing in a multitude of unknowns. Rising to her feet, she arched her back, stretching her arms above her head.

Buck up Kamiya, you just landed yourself a gig.

Trudging up the stairs, her bokken suddenly feeling a whole lot heavier than it usually did, she wondered how many traps were set in place behind the walls. She could feel the building buzzing with energy that she was sure the Oniwabanshuu—or at least Aoshi—didn't fail to utilize.

Finally reaching what she supposed was her room, she admired the bare interior. Nothing but Spartan cleanliness and dust-free shelves. There was a mattress stuffed in the corner that looked more than inviting. Slinging her meager possessions onto the floor, not bothering to see where they landed, she tackled the pillow at the front of the bed and sighed contentedly, eyelids already sliding shut.

Guess this is home. For now.

A/N: This WILL be a Kaoru/Kenshin. Sorry too you Kaoru/Aoshi shippers out there. I'm sure we'll get a little red head action in the next chappie...please review, as always!