Author’s note: I give all credit to Watsuki for creating the Kenshin gang. Aki Autumn and Fuyu Winter, my Ninja girls. This tells who really gave Kenshin his cross-shaped scar. Read & Review please.

Act V. Autumn’s intentions

“Zzzz, Zzzz,” was all they heard as rode down the long worn path that lead to Aki. Battosai was asleep and inside at the moment, but the Kenshin was wide-awake. The snoring was coming from the middle horse that flicked its ears in annoyance with its sleeping rider.

“THWACK!” that was the sound of a rock hitting the sleeping rider. The rider fell off and started to look around pissed. He saw the Kenshin’s look on annoyance and decided that he would just get back on the horse. Yahiko pulled his horse up to Sanosuke’s, and decided to keep his voice down.

“Sanosuke, be careful he’s not in a good mood anymore,” Yahiko said quietly. The Battosai stopped his horse and then turned it to face them. His lavender eyes were confused and annoyed, yet sadly tragic.

“I want you guys to go back to the dojo, I have to deal with this alone or else—” was about say something put decided against it.

“Or else what? Look we stood behind you all this way, we are not about to abandon you now Kenshin!” Sanosuke stated firmly, he pulled his horse up to the side of Kenshin’s.

“Sano, life isn’t as simple as good or bad, right or wrong. Part of the reason I don’t want you to come is so you don’t hear about an event in my past that changed me. The reason that I became a Rurouni instead of being a manslayer or just an apprentice to the Mitsurugi Style,” Kenshin’s face was sad and filled with misery.

“What does this have to do with Kaoru?” Yahiko asked wondering for some reason.

“Yeah, and what does it have to do with us?” Sanosuke and Yahiko looked at the rather upset Rurouni.

“Everything, yet nothing at the same time. Its history, yet its become apparent to me that Aki intends to make me relive the worst day of my life, but in the place of the original person who was involved she intends to use you guys. I can’t take what happened then a second time,” Kenshin looked like he was morning the loss of a dear person in his life. Unexpectedly to Sanosuke and Yahiko his cross-shaped scar began to bleed. This scared them, but it didn’t even surprise Kenshin under the circumstances.

“So you want us to go home so that we don’t get hurt like someone did, am I right?” Yahiko asked him. Kenshin nodded and wiped the blood away that had dripped from his scar, the crimson liquid seemed to be falling for no reason to Sanosuke and Yahiko. Kenshin knew what it meant for some reason unknown to them.

“Please go back to the dojo and wait for Miss Kaoru there, I’m afraid I won’t be coming back,” Kenshin looked each of them in the eyes, the two them nodded and turned there horses in the direction of the dojo and took off. Kenshin smiled a little then turned his attention to the castle he had been headed for and had his horse at full speed toward it.

POV Change-1

“He better be coming Himura, he isn’t the girl isn’t the only one who will suffer,” the shogun leader. His words were no meaningless threat either, and she knew it.

‘If he doesn’t come all of us will suffer, just like Tomoe,’ Aki thought to herself. She was surprised he had been living with a girl who resembled Tomoe so much, perhaps more than he noticed. The eyes were the biggest difference between them. Tomoe’s eye color was a dark brownish color while this girl’s was a blue color. Maybe she could be used to get Kenshin to do something for them, if Kenshin didn’t decide to let his anger get the better of him.

“Hey, let me go. Just wait until Kenshin gets here and finds me then perhaps you’ll let me go then!” the guards were trying to take the girl to a room. Aki could have laughed at her pointless resistance; she was trying to get free and leave.

“Let me handle this, after all she’s part of our strategy with the Battosai,” Aki said calmly. Kaoru looked frightened of her, but was sure that Aki wasn’t going to hurt her.

“Lady Himura a red haired Samurai is headed this way on horseback. He should reach the castle in about two hours,” one of the guards whispered to her.

“Good, make sure to show him respect and lead him to the shogun. Oh, and don’t forget to leave a nice path for him to get through,” Aki replied. So the Battosai was on his way that was fortunate. She only had a few things to do anyway; the girl was who needed to be prepared.

“Where are you taking me? I’m not going with you people!” the girl screamed at them.

“Oh hostile are we? Then will just have to make sure that the more you struggle the more the Battosai suffers for his crimes,” Aki answered tactfully, the girl fell silent, “good choice girl, now follow me and don’t try to run off.” Aki lead Kaoru up to a room at the far end of the castle, the room was extremely pleasant and very old fashioned. There was a white kimono hanging in the corner, it had a large crimson stain on the right shoulder. An identical kimono lay folded up at the foot of the stained one, except there was no stain on it at all.

“What are you going to do to me?” the girl asked, her bright blue eyes nervous.

“I want you to change into that clean Kimono, I’m going to have yours washed anyway,” Aki answered, “by the way, what is your name little girl?”

“Kaoru Kamiya. Why do you want to know anyway?” Kaoru was unsure about her intentions.

“I figured I should ask your name before explain my plan to you,” Aki replied instantly.

“What plan?” Kaoru was wondering why she was being so nice. There was a sudden knock at the door, it was Fuyu, the very ninja who had captured Kaoru before.

“The plan to free us all from the shogun,” was all Aki said before leaving with Fuyu. Fuyu shut the door behind Aki as they left Kaoru alone to change. They walked a little way from the door when they decided that Kaoru couldn’t hear them.

“Does she have any real idea why we gave her that kimono to wear?” Fuyu asked, Aki shook her head, “good. The plan is set, now what about the Battosai?”

“I doubt he’ll ignore our little plan, but we should probably get everyone on high alert for his arrival. Right?” Aki asked smiling a little.

“Yep, I’ll take care of that while you get the girl ready,” with her job done Fuyu took off for the main part of the castle. Aki was glad that Fuyu was on her side for now, but later on she would be on her own. That was the price to pay for freedom. Aki walked back into Kaoru’s room to see her changed and eagerly awaiting to her Aki’s plan.

POV Change-2 (first person now)

As Aki entered the room I looked at her with curiosity, how could someone like her be Kenshin’s sister? Aki grabbed a brush and some ribbon from the desk by the door.

“I’ll take care of your hair Kaoru,” she told me as she sat behind me, “you need to be perfect for this. Otherwise I might not live to see you leave.” She started running the brush through my hair

“Why is that?” I asked her, she didn’t answer me but I had a feeling she had done something really bad to Kenshin after I left. When she started to explain her plan I started to understand. She continued to brush my hair, as she told me why had this kimono on. Her words revealed that I looked very much like a person known as Tomoe. That’s when she told me why she was so worried, she had said ‘Tomoe’ and Kenshin was coming to kill her and to rescue me.

“Why would he kill you for mentioning her?” I asked, she stopped brushing my hair and proceeded to tie it up in a way foreign to me with the ribbon.

“Tomoe was very dear to him, but she was murdered,” Aki said once she was done tying my hair, “her death is what changed him so much, but also the fact that he was responsible for it.”

“Kenshin was responsible for Tomoe’s death?” I was confused. If this Tomoe person was that important, and Kenshin was the best swordsman in Japan, just how was she murdered?

“In large part yes. She also was responsible for her own death, and that mark on his cheek. Did he ever tell you that those cuts were from two different people at different times?” she asked me. I shook my head; she got a perfume out and handed it to me.

“A bodyguard from Edo was responsible for the one who made the long cut down his face, and Tomoe herself cut the other half shortly before she died,” I looked at Aki in disbelief. Kenshin’s scar, that legendary scar that was one of his trademarks as the Battosai. It was a mark that had sent terror into the hearts of the Japanese people, but really it’s true meaning was deep within Kenshin’s past and his heart.

“So why… why did she have to go and die?” I asked her, I was on the verge of tears.

“Tomoe had left the safe house to try to stop a plot that was going to kill him, but in the end she did succeed. Tomoe is the only one that ever saved the Battosai from certain death, but the cost was her own life. Tomoe wanted something precious back from the man the Battosai was fighting with so that he could see her, she stepped in between the man and the half dead Battosai. The Battosai cut her and the man down in one blow,” Aki answered.

I could feel the tears that I had fought so hard to keep back fall down my cheeks. Kenshin had never told me about this, but why did he hide his sorrow behind his tragic smile. All those times he had fought to protect Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Megumi. All those horrible fights, and that time with Jin-e… It wasn’t just because he was our friend, he was trying to repent for Tomoe, the friend that he couldn’t save.

“So how come Kenshin went to save her?” I managed to say through my tears. Aki looked like she understood a lot more than I gave her credit for, she must have been debating weather or not to say it since her answer didn’t come straight away.

“That’s for Kenshin to say, but if he dies before you can ask… You may ask me then,” she replied with a sad expression, “Now let’s get you ready for his arrival.” I don’t think there was ever a time where I thought I understood the Himuras more than then. Aki wasn’t heartless at all. Someone with heartless plans was just controlling her. I finally had come to understand why she had asked me to dress like Tomoe. I only hope now is that Kenshin will understand when he sees me.