Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that originally appeared
in Rurouni Kenshin. As for any other characters I am no longer sure
where they came from because they certainly don?t do what I tell them to.

Rating: R for the entire story if not chapter by chapter.

Summary: Kenshin?s past comes back to haunt him again and a new danger
starts to hunt in Tokyo.

Please review (pretty please).

 

A KILLING MOVE

By COLLEEN

 

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Chapter 5a

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*Yoshitomi Fujio*, Kenzo thought, *you owe me big time*. No matter how
scary Inspector Fujita was he would still lose to the old woman by
Kenzo?s side.

Armed with a quick sketch of the victim Kenzo and his partner had
canvassed the area that lead away from the murder site and towards the
centre of the city. Their orders, to look for anyone who had seen the
victim and/or anyone or anything strange the night before. Both of them
where sure that they were just wasting their time

When they had found their ?witness? they almost went into shock.

The old lady, who ran a business selling pots and other kitchen
necessities, had looked at the picture and floored them by answering
?yes, of course I did. But not until after he was dead? to their
oft-repeated question of ?did you see this man last night.?

Both of them had stood there with their mouths gaping open as they
struggled to restart their brains.

?Stop staring at me like a pair of stunned fish? admonished the old
woman. Two mouths snapped shut in perfect unison. ?That?s better. Now
ask your questions already, I have a business to run.?

?Anou? Fujio began, falling silent when the venerable old woman nailed
him right between the eyes with a glance. He was actually surprised to
find he wasn?t bleeding from it. He started again. ?Please, in your own
words, describe what you saw when you found this man.

Her explanation of what she had seen was the best information they had
gotten in weeks. *Actually*, Kenzo thought, *it?s the only information
we?ve gotten in the last few weeks.* Fujio could hardly contain his
excitement. He quickly told his partner to escort the grandmother to the
crime scene and ran ahead to inform Fujita san.

Kenzo had smiled nervously at the old crone as she closed up her shop.
Her anger at the disruption that they were causing to her business was
fully apparent. His palms started to sweat; her glances at him making
him feel like small furry prey that had foolishly gone up against a
large ancient serpent. He tried unsuccessfully to shake the feeling off
as he escorted the woman towards the murder scene. She moved slow but
steady and Kenzo walked beside her, actually nervous to have her at his
back.

As they walked Kenzo came up with and discarded about half a dozen
conversations. By the time he arrived at the scene with his eyewitness
he was drenched in sweat. He found himself attempting to blink away the
liquid that dripped down his brow and into his eyes. He considered
pulling out a hanky to mop at his face but his unreasoning nervousness
in the old lady?s presence was simply too great to allow him to show
such a weakness.

Finally arriving at the murder site he experienced a new and unusual
sense of emotion.

He had never been so happy to see his commanding officer before in his
life.

Inspector Fujita stood at the scene as menacing and gruff as always but
the sight of him meant his ordeal was over. Kenzo bowed deeply to his
boss and said ?Fujita san may I present Ekiguchi Hana san who has some
information about the events of last night. Saitou nodded to him and
Kenzo stepped back out of the line of fire. Having passed his burden
over to his superior he realized the most profound sense of relief he
had ever experienced.

Saitou looked down at the small grandmotherly lady in front of him. He
twisted his face into his most patronizing expression and was about to
start questioning her when he looked into her eyes. Saitou Hajime
suddenly felt like he had been stripped down to his under shorts and was
being inspected like a side of beef. His hand quivered as it moved
reflexively for his sword but instead of grasping it Saitou moved back
and broke eye contact.

The old woman gave a brief snort and told Saitou ?ask your questions
already. I have a business to get back to.?

?Fine, please relate the events that correspond to the murder that took
place last night. ?

?Pompous ass. Could you be anymore official??

Saitou felt his jaws starting to grind again. He wondered if he would
have enough teeth left to eat with after this investigation. Ready to
completely blow his top he suddenly found a moment of great joy as the
old woman?s attention was diverted to Kenshin.

?You boy. Stop skulking and come here.?

?Sessha wa.... ??

The old lady turned her baleful glare toward Kenshin. He froze for a
moment, large violet eyes blinking in surprise as he returned Hana?s gaze.

Kenshin looked past the antagonism that seemed to surround Hana. Pushing
his ki beyond the anger that lay film like over her eyes he sought the
place where her true personality lived. Despite the layers of protection
that she had placed around herself Kenshin was able to reach her ki with
his own. As it echoed back to him the red head lost his look of
uncertainty. His eyes lit up in pleasure and his face broke out into a
smile that could have cheered up a rock. This time it was Hana who broke
eye contact. She voiced a slight ?harrumph? and turned back to Saitou.

?All right, let?s get this over with.?

Saitou nodded, felling somewhat cheated by the interaction between the
old woman and Battousai. If Saitou himself was going to feel nervous
around this woman he wanted everyone to feel nervous. Especially his old
rival.

 

*********************************************************************

 

_

Chapter 5b

_

 

?I had been visiting my youngest son? Hana began. His wife just gave
birth to their third child.? She paused.

?And?? Saitou prompted.

The old woman (*old witch* Saitou thought) glared at him and continued.
?It was rather late when I left them to head home. My son wanted to walk
me back but I told him to stay home and look after his wife and new
child. I assured him that no one would dare to bother me.?

*She?s got that right* was the heartfelt thought of every police officer
in hearing range.

?When I arrived here I noticed the man in the picture on the ground and
a shape standing over him. I went over to check?, she gestured towards
the dead body, ?on him.? He was obviously dead.? Hana paused again,
wondering just how much she should tell the police officer. She held
back a sigh and decided to describe what she had seen. What she knew was
another matter completely.

?When I approached the body the shape backed away but I was able to tell
that it was a woman.? Saitou opened his mouth to comment then stopped
not wanting her to loose the flow of the story again. ?She looked like
she hoped I wouldn?t see her and before I could speak to her she turned
and disappeared.?

Hana fell quiet again and Saitou waited a few moments before asking her
to describe the woman.

Hana thought for a moment. ?I suppose you could say she was pretty.? She
mused. ?She was about medium height with short black hair cut in a bob
and wearing a blue green kimono.?

Kenshin?s body jerked in surprise. Anger quickly followed. That that
woman was after him was one thing. That she was striking out at others
was something he could not allow.

?Where you able to see the colour of her eyes?? Saitou asked.

?Brown, probably a light brown by now? Hana replied.

*Strange way of putting it* Saitou thought. Still he decided to let it
go. He also decided to ignore the fact that the old woman hadn?t
reported the dead body when she found it. He could have made an issue of
it but he doubted it would make a difference in the long run. Besides,
he really didn?t want to be in her presence any longer than he had too.
Her aura continued to send danger signals to his brain and he had to
fight off the need to draw his sword in self-defence. He cast around for
a likely victim to escort her back to her business.

?Battousai.? Kenshin jumped. ?Could you do me the favour of seeing this
fine lady home for me?? Saitou asked.

None too happy to have his old nickname blared out (not that Saitou ever
called him anything else) and trying to ignore the shocked whispers that
where now being exchanged between the surprised police officers Kenshin
glared at Saitou and nodded. He wanted a few words with the venerable
old grandmother and could track the former Shinsengumi Captain down for
the rest of the information later.

Kenshin turned to Hana, gesturing to her to lead the way. He mentally
cursed Saitou again for using that old name of his. Hana?s face held a
look of amazement and fear, and it was aimed at him.

Speaking softly and politely Kenshin said ?if you prefer it I will ask
that someone else see you home, that I will?

?No.? Hana said looking resolute. ?I insist you help me home. Besides, I
definitely want to talk to you.?

?Oro??

Hana snorted at him and started off towards her home. Kenshin quickly
fell into step with her, shooting glances at her every step of the way.

Saitou smiled at their departing backs. He felt the world had balanced
out now that Kenshin seemed just as uncomfortable with the old bitch...
err lady as he had been.

 

************************************************************************

 

_

Chapter 5c

_

Kenshin and Hana walked back in silence. Hana passed her place of
business without a second glance and instead lead the way to a small
home a short distance away.

?Come in and I?ll make tea.? Hana told him.

?Arigatou gozaimasu.? Kenshin replied.

They both removed their shoes on the porch and entered into a small but
well kept room, empty but for an alcove and a black table with brightly
coloured cushions around it. Kenshin knelt on one of the pillows while
Hana busied herself making tea.

?I know you have some questions for me? Hana told him as she returned
with the tea.

Kenshin took his cup and thanked her. He took a sip of tea as he ordered
his thoughts before beginning. ?Yes I have a few questions about the
woman you saw last night, that I do. Your description of her was rather
complete considering how dark it must have been. It made me think that
you might know her.?

Hana furrowed her brow in thought. She decided to be direct. ?Yes I know
her. She?s been looking for you, you know. I was wondering if she had
found you.?

?Hai? Kenshin answered softly. ?She has.?

A moment of silence followed the statement and they both sipped at their
tea while thinking of what to say next. Kenshin jumped as Hana slammed
her cup down on the table. ?Enough, this is ridiculous. I?ll tell you
what I know about her. It won?t help with the murder case since I have
no idea how she?s involved but you will need to know these things for
your own good.?

?Domo arigatou gozaimasu.?

?Humph, you may not thank me after you know the whole story.?

Hana shifted into a more comfortable position on her cushion and began
her tale.

?About eight years ago my granddaughter and I were opening up the shop
for the day when a strange young woman wandered in to look at things.
She poked and prodded and acted as if we couldn?t even see her. In fact
when my granddaughter addressed her I think she jumped a good three feet.?

?She turned towards us with a look of absolute joy on her face and
started saying you can see me over and over again. My granddaughter and
I realized what she was immediately. I have always been able to sense
things others could not and my eldest son?s daughter had inherited the
gift. Together and separately we had run into some strange things and we
just added her to the list of them.?

?When you say you realized what she was.......? Kenshin asked.

?Well she?s a ghost of course. If she hasn?t explained that much to you
I?d be very surprised. I mean you can?t haunt someone if they don?t
realize their being haunted.?

?I had been hoping to learn otherwise, that I was? Kenshin replied
wistfully.

Hana snorted again. ?No use hoping otherwise, she?s a ghost. At the time
she seemed very nice. She would pop up now and again because we were
someone she could talk to. Shioko, my granddaughter, became great
friends with her.? Sadness flickered over the old woman?s face so
quickly Kenshin was unsure he had really seen it.

?So this is how you knew who I was. She told you about...? Kenshin found
himself unable to continue.

?About her death you mean, about how she died and who was responsible
for it.?

Kenshin lowered his eyes and nodded.

?Yes she told us.?

Kenshin cringed inside at the look of distaste that swept over Hana?s
face. She shook it away and looked at him once more. Discarding what she
had heard of this man she let what she could sense of him decide her path.

?The real reason I wanted to talk to you was to warn you. To suggest
that a trip out of the country would be in your best interest. Your
ghost may seem innocent and flighty but you can?t trust that. She can be
very dangerous and vengeful when angered and you are definitely on her
revenge list.?

Kenshin?s violet eyes grew large. ?Revenge? She didn?t seem driven that
way when we meet. Although, if she?s killing young men around the city
then it would stand to reason that she is very dangerous. If so I will
stop her, that I will.?

?Good luck doing that.? Hana told him. I?ve seen her extract vengeance
for a crime and it isn?t a pretty sight.? Kenshin?s next question was
cut off. ?And if you want to know about it you?ll have to ask her I...
really don?t want to talk about it.?

Hana?s outer appearance was as gruff as usual but Kenshin could feel a
mind-numbing expanse of sadness existing behind the facade.

 

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End of Chapter 5

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