Disclaimer: Watsuki Nobuhiro owns Rurouni Kenshin. I do not. I just
adore him so much that I have to borrow him now and then. However, he
isn?t mine and I?ll never make any money off of him so please do not sue
me. I have no money.

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

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

Apologies: Sorry this is another short chapter.

Thanks: A very special thank you to Calger459 and Zosocrowe for being
such faithful reviewers. I love your stuff so much.

 

A KILLING MOVE

By COLLEEN

 

 _Chapter 6_

_ _

After their talk Hana saw Kenshin off at the door. She closed the shoji
and walked back to the table to clean up the tea things. Carefully (even
she?d admit she wasn?t young any longer) she bent over to pick up the
teapot and cups. Balancing everything she straightened up to find
herself staring into a pair of honey brown eyes.

The resulting crash of pottery made both of them cringe.

Hana backed a couple of steps away from the intruder and took in the
familiar form wrapped as always in a blue green kimono. Panting heavily
from the fright she?d just received she waited until the worst of it
passed before trying to talk to the young woman. The girl simply stood
there, staring at her, her body stiller than a pond in calm weather.

?You?re not welcome here any longer. I thought I made that clear years
ago.? Hana told her in a brusque and slightly breathless voice.

?Yes, you did. But I need some information from you.? The Sea Green Lady
said; her voice as flat as the calm pond her body was imitating.

Hana snorted. ?What makes you think I?d tell you anything??

?Nothing. But it doesn?t mean I shouldn?t try. Also the faster I get
what I want the sooner I?ll leave.?

Hana?s eyes narrowed in anger. ?You should know better than anyone that
I?m quite capable of getting rid of you if need be.?

?Yes, but the process is long and energy draining and you?re not young
anymore. Telling me what I want to know would be simpler.?

The young woman was lucky that looks couldn?t actually kill (or
exorcise). Hana?s glower would have caused spontaneous combustion if it
had had any power behind it. ?Fine, ask your question.?

?What I want to know is why you told the police about seeing me. You
know they can?t do anything. If fact I doubt many of them can see me
much less arrest me. With a little warning I can even hide myself from
the ones that can see me so why bother.?

Hana glared at her intruder. Anger still ran through her body, but the
desire to be rid of the girl?s presence ran deeper. ?Aa I know. I
wouldn?t have told them anything except...?

?Except??

?I had an overpowering need, almost a premonition that I had to tell
them what I had seen. I?m not sure why. Maybe it was just so I could
meet Battousai. Maybe it?s something else. Either way I?ve learned not
to ignore those feelings when they come.?

Both women fell silent for a moment, each remembering a time when such a
feeling had been disregarded just a little too long.

?Battousai was here??

Hana looked at her suspiciously ?I thought you where there.?

?I didn?t stick around very long. The dead guy was annoying me.?

Hana decided not to ask. ?Yes, he was here. I did my best to warn him
about you but I doubt he?ll take my advice.?

The Sea Green Lady gave a slight smirk. ?You seem to like him. I didn?t
think that would happen.?

Hana growled. ?Whatever he was he isn?t that now. He?s atoning for his
past mistakes. Maybe you should do the same.?

Hana took a step back as the woman before her twisted into something
terrifying. The fact that she didn?t seem to change physically at all
and yet became something else was the most frightening part of the
metamorphosis.

The woman in the blue green kimono practically hissed out her words at
Hana. ?If it were a mistake I would gladly repeat it over and over
again.? A skeletal smile stretched her face and a calculating gleam lit
her eyes. ?Tell me Hana, are you really angry that I hunted down and
killed your grandson or are you just pissed that it wasn?t you who
tracked down and punished the bastard who raped and killed Shioko??

?GET OUT, GET OUT NOW!!!?

?I?m going I?m going.?

Hana?s eyes where clenched shut and her body shook with fury. ?Girl, if
you ever come back I will do more than simply use my abilities to throw
you out. I will end your existence. Forever.?

The Sea Green Lady looked at the old shaking woman. Because Hana?s eyes
where still tightly shut she didn?t see the moment of sad acceptance
that crossed the spirits face before she carefully blanked her face.
When Hana opened her eyes the Lady bowed deeply to her then stepped back
into a shadow that fell across the floor. Her body seemed to blacken and
fold up as she joined with the darkness and faded from Hana?s sight.

A whisper danced on the air and curled around Hana?s body.

?I will not bother you again.?

?Stupid ghost? Hana growled. ?Always has to get in the last damned word.?

?Oh, and I?m sorry about the tea things.?

Hana bowed her head and shook it slightly. Briefly she considered
another last word but gave it up and went to get a broom to sweep up the
broken china. Her grandchildren would be visiting tonight and if she
didn?t get it all up one of them would find a piece with their foot for
sure.

Her grandchildren. She would protect the ones she had left. She would
not lose another one, to anything.

 

_

End of Chapter 6

_

 

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