Hello minna! I'm so glad you're still with me! This chapter's going to be a bit slow, but it's necessary. Bear with me now. I haven't the faintest idea how the Japanese police go about their business. I'm taking this from the stuff I read in other fan fics and a bit from the anime itself, so please do not flame me if I get it wrong. Think of it as…anou…creative license.

This chapter is kind of for Fox-lady fans out there. You go girl!

Standard disclaimers apply. "Rurouni Kenshin" (c) Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shuiesha, Shounen Jump, and Sony. I do not own RK, pray as I might, every night, it just wouldn't happen that way. No matter how many candles I light, no matter how many chickens I decapitate…

Megumi came out of Kaoru's room with a dazed look on her face. It was as if she had been struck by lightning. It did not seem like she bore bad news, but Kenshin and Yahiko were alarmed nevertheless.

"M-Megumi-dono!" Kenshin stammered, his heart filling with fear. "What is it? Is it bad?"

Yahiko began to bite back tears. "Megumi…is there something very wrong with Kaoru?"

Megumi shook her head, speaking in a stunned tone. "K-Kaoru's fine. In fact…she's…she's better than ever."

Kenshin and Yahiko sighed in relief, not comprehending Megumi's words quite yet.

"Ken-san, did you hear me?" Megumi said. "Kaoru's alright. She's healed. No broken bones, no bruises, no wounds. It's as if God came down last night and mended her."

They stared at Megumi in shock as her words sunk in. They could say nothing.

Finally, Kenshin found his voice. "But…Megumi-dono, how is that possible? She was so...broken last night. She couldn't even walk."

Megumi gave him a pleading look. "I know, Ken-san. And no doubt, she was practically smashed to pieces. I set the bones myself. I couldn't explain it, but she's completely healed!"

"This is seriously freaking me out," Yahiko muttered, feeling the hairs on the back of his head standing up.

"Show me," Kenshin said to Megumi.

Megumi nodded and both followed her to Kaoru's room.

They found Kaoru on her knees, sitting on her heels. She was staring at the hands on her lap with a very disturbed frown on her face. All her splints had come off, and the bandages that wrapped her wounds were pooled on the floor beside her.

Forgetting to be tactful in their flurry, all three stood surrounding her on the futon.

"Please stand up, Kaoru," Megumi said.

Kenshin motioned to help Kaoru but she was up before he could move to her side.

Megumi picked up the bokken from the ground and stretched it out for Kaoru to take. "Hold this up horizontally with your broken arm."

Kaoru complied without a word, without a flinch.

"Now do a kata," Megumi told her.

Kaoru sighed slightly but executed a turning martial arts form with fluid grace. There was no sign of any pain or discomfort.

She held her stance steadily as if waiting for her sensei's approval.

Kenshin and Yahiko gaped. This was unbelievable. Nobody could fake something like this, at least, not as well. Kenshin decided to examine her himself.

He moved forward and pressed a hand to her ribs. "This doesn't hurt?"

Kaoru shook her head. "No," she said. Though her eyes did not meet his, he knew she was telling the truth.

He gripped her arm. "How about this?"

"I-I'm fine, Kenshin," she said in a soft voice.

Kenshin tried to feel the lumps on her back.

"Hey!" Yahiko cried. "Now you're just groping her!"

Kenshin blushed and stepped back. "I-I'm not! It's just--I couldn't believe it!"

Megumi finally managed to let out a giggle. "It's alright, Ken-san. I did the same thing a while ago. If I wasn't in my right mind, I'd swear magic was involved."

Kaoru's eyes suddenly swerved towards Megumi. It was so pointedly done that Megumi actually gave a jerk of surprise, her smile startled from off her face.

Kaoru looked away, embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry…I was just surprised you'd say something like that. Sorry."

"Not as surprised as I was," Megumi grumbled, then she reverted back to her bright mood. "All in all, I still want you to lay off on the training for a day or two. You were pretty beat up. I'm not taking any chances."

Kaoru raised pleading eyes at her. "But I can't just sit around all day. If I do then that means I'd have to think, and I don’t want to think…please, at least let me teach."

Megumi's eyebrows creased at Kaoru's expressive gaze, so filled with innocence in spite of what she had been through. "I suppose teaching would be okay, as long as you don't push yourself. Yahiko can keep an eye on you for me."

"Arigato, Megumi-chan," she said softly, lowering her eyes again. "Now I must meditate before class. Excuse me." She walked passed them and out of her room, disappearing at the turn.

Those who remained stared at the door silently for several moments before Megumi spoke again.

"She hasn't even smiled in the slightest," she said in a sad and faraway tone.

Kenshin sighed. "It only happened yesterday, Megumi-dono," he responded, as if that explained everything. It nagged him though, that Kaoru wouldn't even look at him. It was not hate. He knew enough about ki to recognize hate when it was present, but there was a loathing, directed to herself. Did she think herself below him now? It pained him to see her so desolate. He wanted to ask her where his strong and spirited Kaoru was, but he knew it would be too much for her at the moment. He would never ask that much from her.

Yahiko, with an unusual amount of insight, tugged at his gi and said, "Don't worry, Kenshin. We'll get her back. She just needs time, that's all. This is Ugly we're talking about."

Kenshin smiled at him and put an appreciative hand on his shoulder. The name-calling never sounded so good. "Thank you, Yahiko-kun."

"I have to go," Megumi suddenly said. "I'll come back later to check on Kaoru. You two better take good care of her while I'm gone."

"Of course, Megumi-dono!" Kenshin said.

"You got it, fox-lady!" Yahiko exclaimed.

Megumi arrived at the clinic and rushed into the operating room before Dr. Genzai could even give her a proper welcome.

The moment Megumi slammed the door shut, she fell to her knees, weeping.

She cried for several minutes, curled up into a ball on the floor and rocking herself in her misery. It took a while before her thoughts gave her a measure of relief. Stupid! You're a doctor, not a god! Not all illnesses can be cured!

Megumi shook her head, sobbing. "Oh Kaoru…" she whispered. "If only I knew how to fix this for you."

"Eyahoo!" Ludlow whooped at his surveillance crew. "Janek was right on the money!"

The surveillance team smiled at the jubilation of their leader.

"Zager!" Ludlow called eagerly to one of his crew.

"Yes sir?" Zager responded.

"Get me the National Bureau of Potions, and somebody inform Rodren that all systems are go for a Meddling!"

Later that evening, after Megumi came by to administer a check-up, Kaoru sat out on the porch, leaning her head wearily against a porch pillar. She was looking at the ring on her hand while she fiddled with it idly.

"Kaoru?" she heard a voice behind her.

Kaoru knew it was Kenshin and she did not look up when she replied. "Yes, Kenshin?"

He sat beside her and placed a steadying hand on her jittery ones. "Love, you should go to bed. Yahiko thinks you wore yourself out today. I think so too."

Staring at their joined hands, she nodded. "I'll fold in soon, in a while."

"Do you want some company?" he asked gently.

"I'd like that," she replied.

They sat motionless for a few moments.

Kenshin was beginning to enjoy the peace when he felt Kaoru's hand grow cold and tense. Kenshin was about to ask her what was wrong when a faint smell of cigarette smoke wafted to his nostrils.

Sure enough, Saitoh's form appeared in the light of the lamp, reeking of tobacco. "Good evening Battousai, Kamiya-san." His cold feral eyes as expressionless as ever.

Kaoru kept still, but her hands involuntarily gave a slight tremble.

"What do you want, Saitoh?" Kenshin asked, his usual politeness gone in the face of Mibu's Wolf.

"I heard Kamiya-san has recovered from her injuries. I think I've given her enough time to 'regroup' seeing she's so special and all. I've come to question her," Saitoh replied without much preamble.

"Come back tomorrow," Kenshin said gruffly. "Kaoru's tired."

A sarcastic smile spread across Saitoh's face. "I think Battousai's woman is perfectly capable of speaking up for herself, right Kamiya-san?"

Kaoru looked up briefly in surprise, then she lowered her gaze again, nodding.

"Well? Will you cooperate?" Saitoh asked her impatiently, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Ask your questions," she said feebly, her grip tightening on Kenshin's hand.

Though her voice was soft, Kenshin noted her choice of words. It sounded more like the adjutant master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, and some of his tension eased.

Saitoh blew out the smoke. "Was your attacker alone?"

Kaoru shuddered at the memory. "When he kidnapped me, he was alone."

"How about when you were being beaten?"

"He did it alone. I was tied hand and foot. I couldn't fight back," she answered calmly. It was Kenshin's grip that tightened this time. She continued. "But there was somebody there with us, a woman. She didn’t do anything or say anything. She just…watched."

Kenshin gave a start. This was a surprise. Kaoru never mentioned anything about a woman. Then again, they haven't really talked about it.

Saitoh raised an eyebrow, then went on. "Were you raped?"

"Saitoh!" Kenshin growled angrily.

"Kamiya-san, I have to know. Police business, you see."

Tears dripped from her eyes to Kenshin's hand. She did not speak.

"Saitoh, Kaoru is not ready for this! Leave. Now," Kenshin hissed.

Saitoh frowned, extremely annoyed. "I haven't the luxury of time, Battousai. Some mad man is running loose in Japan and I have to catch him. Now there's even another person involved. A woman, perhaps even crazier than our psycho friend. I wouldn't have to ask these questions if Kamiya-san would just tell me everything from the very beginning."

"You know what happened!" Kaoru said bitterly. Her voice was steady, but the tears continued to flow. For the first time since she got back, she raised her eyes to meet with the one she was speaking to. "I was attacked in the middle of the street and the next thing I know I was in a cabin. Then for no apparent reason, he just started beating me. I asked him why, but he just kept saying that he had to, that it was his job!"

"So he was hired?"

"I don't know!" She cried, hiding her face again.

"Then what happened?"

"He made me drink something. I don't know what it was, but I passed out, and when I woke up her was…he was…" her voice trailed off, and she finally broke down in gale of violent tears, burying her face in Kenshin's chest.

Kenshin took her in his arms and glared at Saitoh menacingly, golden eyes and all.

Saitoh sighed, taking a Mibu's Wolf kind of pity. "Just tell me yes or no. Where you raped?"

She did not reply for several seconds, then from the confines of Kenshin's gi, she answered. "Yes…"

Kenshin felt his heart ripping apart for her. Hearing her say it for the first time made it so much more horrible. He tightened his embrace on her, as if to protect her.

"Hmph!" Saitoh said, stone faced. "He ought to be killed then. I don't care much for fools like him."

Kenshin could not help but agree.

"Then what happened after that?" Saitoh prodded.

Kaoru rose from her refuge slightly, wiping her eyes and sniffing as she gave small hiccups. "They left. They said it was time for Battousai to find me."

A flicker of astonishment and rage came to Kenshin. They had used her in all possible ways. So it was all another dastardly plan to get to him. Who were they? Neither name nor face registered in his memory, and strangest of all was the fact that Kaoru's assailant had said nothing that remotely resembled revenge for what he had done. It was as if the man had just did it to spite him, to get him angry.

Saitoh raised an eyebrow. "Find you? I didn't think anybody would be so crazy as to get on your bad side, Battousai. Well, that hardly matters. 'Dyou have names, Kamiya-san?"

Kaoru nodded. "The man's name is Bushio Desuke. He introduced himself. The woman…Mitsumo Yasanari." She did not explain how she got that name, but her healing has convinced her of many things. "Are we done, Saitoh-san? I'm very tired."

"Saitoh is done," Kenshin said firmly. It was short of saying, "Whether he likes it or not."

Saitoh was not intimidated, but he had better things to do than argue with Battousai. "I'll come back when I need more information. What you've told me will do for now." He took a final drag of his cigarette and threw it away. "Goodnight. You will see me again."

Kenshin said nothing as he watched Saitoh walk out of the gate.

When they were finally alone, Kaoru spoke. "I am sorry, Kenshin," she said feebly. "I did not want you to hear that."

Kenshin's face softened and he stroked her head. "It is alright, Kaoru. You need not apologize. None of it was your fault."

"Thank you, Kenshin. I love you," she piped out as she fell into his embrace again.

Kenshin smiled, tears falling from his eyes. "I love you, Kaoru."

"Are you sure you can close up by yourself, Megumi-san?" Dr. Genzai asked her as he began to head out of the door of the clinic.

Megumi smiled and nodded. "Certainly. I have some things to do before I go home, anyway. Go on ahead."

"Well, in that case, arigato. I'll see you tomorrow," said Dr. Genzai as he left the clinic.

Megumi locked the clinic door and started to clean up the daily mess. She usually did not like doing it, but this time it was comforting to do something she had complete control of.

Half an hour later, when she was putting the finishing touches to the herb cabinet, she heard a knock on the door.

What does rooster-head want now? Megumi thought, irritated. She went to the door and yelled, "Is that you, Sanosuke?" before opening it.

"No, it isn't," a voice replied timidly. Definitely not Sano. "My name is Dr. Schniedel. Is Dr. Genzai in?"

Cautiously, Megumi undid the lock and opened the door. She beheld a man, a short and fat man, wearing western clothing. He was a gaijin with sandy blonde hair beneath his bowler hat, a beard and spectacles. He was about the jolliest looking man Megumi has ever seen, and her suspicions disappeared with a sudden aura of unexplainable warmth.

"I am sorry, but Dr. Genzai left about thirty minutes ago," Megumi responded with a smile.

Dr. Schniedel looked very distressed. "Is that so? I was hoping to give him what he asked me to make. He said it was very urgent and that it was for his goddaughter. I'm leaving for Kyoto tonight and this is the only time I could give it."

For Kaoru? "Please come in Dr. Schniederu," Megumi said, ushering the kindly man through the shoji and closing them in. "If it's as urgent as you say, perhaps I can give it to his goddaughter myself."

Dr. Schniedel smiled and removed his hat, tucking it beneath his arm elegantly. "Thank you, good lady. You must be Dr. Megumi. Dr. Genzai talks about you a lot whenever we see each other, and I'd certainly entrust you with this medicine."

"Medicine, Dr. Schniederu?" Megumi asked.

The older doctor nodded. "Yes. He asked me to mix this for…Kaoru-san I think is the name."

"Yes, sir. Kaoru-san is his goddaughter. She is my friend."

"Excellent! Then you must make sure she takes this. I was told that she might be in a very melancholy state and might have a need to heal her soul as much as her body," continued Dr. Schniedel.

Megumi was surprised. "Medicine for the soul?" she asked uncertainly.

Dr. Schniedel nodded with an amused smile. "In a manner of speaking. It actually works in a person's brain, to ease a troubled soul. It's an anti-depressant. It will make her feel better, emotionally."

The closest thing Megumi has heard to such a thing was opium, but if the medicine came from someone Dr. Genzai trusted, she was willing to give it to Kaoru.

"Tell her to drink this vial before she sleeps and then to call you in the morning," Dr. Schniedel said with a laugh. He handed a small palm sized bottle and Megumi examined its contents.

The liquid glowered a faint green. "Why does it glow like that?"

"I think it's the mushrooms. They glow in caves," replied the older doctor. "Well, I must be going. The train's going to leave in an hour and I have to be at the station. Please give my regards to Dr. Genzai."

Megumi bowed respectfully. "Of course. Thank you Dr. Schniederu."

Dr. Schniedel smiled and bowed in return. He went to the door and put on his hat, tipping it thereafter in a western-style goodbye.

"Have a safe trip," Megumi said as she let him out.

"Thank you," Dr. Schniedel said.

The small man stepped out in the street and walked away, whistling a merry tune. Megumi watched him disappear in the fog, his whistling dissipating in the night.

"Wake up, lazy!" Somebody said.

Kaoru peeled her eyes open to the sound of the voice and half-expected to see Yahiko standing over her. Although the voice was slightly higher in pitch than the young boy's, she thought maybe her sleepy state may have impeded her hearing.

She rose from bed and yawned. "Yeah, yeah. I'm awake."

Kaoru looked around but saw no one. She blinked, puzzled. She could have sworn…she shook her head. So now she was hearing things.

She observed the light outside through her shoji door. It was still dark out, so she decided to tuck herself back into bed, but when she turned back to her futon, she was almost scared out of her skin to find her own body still sleeping under the sheets.

"Damn!" she hissed, rolling over to her side in astonishment.

"What’s the matter with you? You've seen this before with Nania," scolded the voice from nowhere. It sounded like a woman's voice, like no one she's ever heard before.

Kaoru frantically looked around her, scrambling to her feet. "Who's there?" she demanded, reaching for her bokken.

The voice chuckled. "What are you going to do with that? Hit me? You can't even see me."

"Show yourself, dammit!" Kaoru cried.

"I don't feel like it now," said the voice. "I'll show myself when I want to. In the meantime, all you have to know is that I am your trainer. You may address me as Shishou."

Kaoru glared at no one in particular. She raised a fist and growled. "I'm not calling you master! I can't even see you!" she declared.

"Idiot…" the voice grumbled. "You ought to learn more respect for your Shishou, Kaoru."

"Who are you?" Kaoru asked angrily.

"Look, Nania already told you about me. I'm your trainer. If you want to beat Yasanari, you have to listen to what I say. You hear?"

Kaoru stood in her place, speechless. Her trainer? As a Fire Mage, stupid!

This was not happening. This is not real! But the healing, and the tea set! That was real. How is this any different? Magic is real. Oh God! "Kenshin!" she screeched in panic. "Kenshin!" She cried again, rushing out of her room and into his.

"Now what are you doing?" the voice asked.

Kaoru covered her ears and found Kenshin asleep on his futon. She rushed to his side and tried to shake him, but her hand passed right through his body. "Yahhh!" she shrieked.

"Calm down, idiot!" Said the voice, irritation apparent in her tone. "I'm not going to hurt you! And what are you going to tell him when he wakes up? That you're hearing things? I'll tell you what he'll do. He'll send you to the mad house, that's what!"

Kaoru slumped weakly on her heels, the words sinking in. "H-How do you do this? This Suspended Time?" she asked in a resigned tone.

"Don't ask me, I just work here," the voice replied. "Now will you call me Shishou? I haven't got all day, you know."

Kaoru nodded. "Yes."

"Good. Now shall we get on with the lesson?"

"W-Whatever," Kaoru said wearily. What in the world was she doing? Talking to no one, taking orders from God knows whom. It was ridiculous. "I thought you were suppose to be…"

"What?"

"A guy."

"Hmph! Can't a government change its mind?" Asked the voice scornfully. "The one who was suppose to train you was too busy. He couldn't commit."

Feeling stupid, Kaoru got up and went to the dark front yard.

"Happy now?" Kaoru asked sourly. "I couldn't see a thing."

Shishou sighed. "Idiot…idiot…must I do everything?"

The porch lamps came to life and illuminated the grounds.

Kaoru's jaw dropped open in shock. "Wha--? How did you…?"

Shishou gave a groan. "Stupid! Did you think they'd send a two-bit Wind Mage or Earth Mage to teach a Fire Mage? Use your head, Raccoon-girl! Of course I have to be a Fire Mage myself! Honestly…such an idiot."

"Hey!" Kaoru yelled at the sky where she assumed her sensei was. "I think you've called me one too many names!"

"Oh, shut-up. There are things to do," said her Shishou. "Now I have to teach you how to conjure the fire."

Kaoru was fuming but decided to take up her lesson.

Ludlow and Janek smiled as Elena Hernsdatter entered the office.

"Well, Dr. Schniedel, how did it go?" Janek asked the small, stout man.

The same man who sported western clothes and a doctor's bag transformed into a very attractive, six-foot woman with long brown hair.

She smiled and sat on the easy chair facing Janek's desk. "Piece of cake. Just a little bit of a Calming Spell at the beginning and everything else went smoothly. Megumi acted according to plan, but really, Janek…it was a stroke of brilliance in your part!"

Coming from one of the best DWA field agents, that was a rare compliment. All field agents were gifted with more than one major power. Some of the best possessed four. Elena possessed six. Shape Shifting, Mind Reading, Elemental Manipulation, Flight, Manipulation of Inanimate Objects and Healing.

"Well," Janek said, trying to shake off the compliment. "I've always kind of wanted to manage a meddle."

"Simply genius!" Elena said.

Kaoru watched in fascination as a small ball of fire bobbed dynamically above her palm. "I can't believe I'm doing this," she gasped, the heat of it not searing her at all.

"I must admit," said Shishou. "You got on faster than I expected. You didn't even burn anything down."

Kaoru frowned but held back a retort. Instead, she asked her questions. "How come I never accidentally created a fire before?"

"Consciousness of your power is very important," Shishou replied. "No matter how powerful you are, if you're not aware of your magic, then you will not be able to conjure it. That's how the Mage Government keeps most undesirable Mages in check."

"Undesirable?" Kaoru asked, playing with her fireball, flipping it from one hand to another and separating the single ball into many tiny twirling ones.

"There are ten major powers all in all," Shishou said. "Elemental Manipulation, Healing, Shape Shifting, Flight, Manipulation of Inanimate Objects, Mind Reading, Foresight, Beast Mastery, Strength and Speed. These powers are inherent, born with the Mage. It's either you got it, or you don't. The others are considered minor powers and any Mage can learn them with a proper education, like Potion Making, Dream Weaving, Transport, Curses, Spells, Time Stoppage…that sort of thing. Some Mages have a certain personality profile that makes them prone to abusing these powers, so the Mage Government would prefer not to unleash these berserkers if they can help it."

Kaoru let fly a small fireball to an isolated rosebud. The unwitting flower burst into flames. "Yasanari manipulates inanimate objects, doesn't she? Nania-sama said so."

"Yes," Shishou replied. "Most people don't know the difference between Manipulation of Inanimate Objects and Elemental Manipulation. We manipulate the raw powers of the earth: Wind, water, earth, and fire. They can only manipulate its products, like paper, chairs, ashes, you get the idea."

Kaoru nodded, understanding. "Is she very good?"

"She's not as powerful as you are, but her experience can more than make up for that," Shishou answered her. "She cannot be underestimated."

Kaoru said nothing as she molded her fireball into a tiny dragon.

"Well, I guess this lesson will do for today," Shishou said.

Kaoru looked up. "Already?"

"I told you, I have things to do. This isn't my only responsibility, you know," she said bluntly. "Besides, this is merely a crash course, so you'll stand a chance against Yasanari when she makes her move. After that affair, that's the only time I can actually go through the whole wasabe. Tomorrow, we do defense and offense. Till then, practice conjuring and moving the fires around."

"Yes, Shishou," Kaoru replied.

"Don't burn your dojo down while I'm away, idiot," she said.

In a flash, Kaoru was back in her real body, staring up at the ceiling of her room with the sun streaming through her window.

Megumi informed Dr. Genzai about their night visitor.

"Dr. Schniederu?" asked Dr. Genzai. "My, how quickly he responds! I just sent that letter barely two days ago! Had to leave for Kyoto, you say? Well, he was always very busy. I was not even sure he could mix the medicine for me at all! Be a dear and give it to Kaoru-san for me, demo, with her healing like you said, maybe she doesn't need it anymore."

"I think this will be good for her," Megumi said, taking the vial.

Tucking it firmly in her parcel, she headed straight for the Kamiya dojo.

"Good morning, Ken-san, Yahiko-kun," Megumi said, appearing at the kitchen door. "Is Kaoru-chan awake?"

"Good morning, Megumi," Kaoru suddenly said from behind her.

Megumi smiled at her brightly. "Goodmorning, Kaoru! I have some medicine for you."

"Really?" she asked without returning the smile.

Stoically, she entered the kitchen and headed for the table to help with breakfast. Yahiko and Megumi fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Did you sleep well, love?" Kenshin asked to ease the mood.

"Yes, quite well," Kaoru replied. She turned to Megumi and asked, "What's this medicine, Megumi?"

The smile returned to Megumi's face. "It's an anti-depressant. To help your emotions, Kaoru, so that you won't be so sad," she said in the simplest terms she can gather.

Kaoru absorbed the doctor's words.

"I didn't know there was such a thing," Yahiko remarked.

"Neither did I, but Dr. Genzai foreigner friend brought it in last night. At this point, I'm willing to try anything," Megumi said. "So will you take it, Kaoru?"

"Of course I will," Kaoru replied in a soft voice.

Kenshin smiled slightly. At least Kaoru wanted to get better. That was a good sign. "Thank you for bringing it over, Megumi-dono. Please stay for breakfast."

Megumi bowed her thanks and began to help them.

They worked in silence for several minutes.

Kaoru, for once, was occupied with thinking about something else other than the assault on her virtue. She was thinking of her surreal lessons of last night, or was it during dawn?

She looked at the stove. The fire was not yet burning. Forgetting to take care not to be seen, she raised two fingers and made a slight darting motion with her hand towards the coals.

Kenshin saw her and wondered what she was about. He was startled out of his thoughts by a burst of flames shooting out of the oven.

Everyone but Kaoru yelped in surprise, jumping back in astonishment.

"Damn! What the hell was that?" Yahiko yelled.

"Ken-san, you idiot!" Megumi scolded. "You should know better than to leave a flame unattended!"

"But--" Kenshin protested.

"It's alright," Kaoru said in a calm, almost lifeless voice. "It was just a flare, no harm done."

Megumi and Yahiko settled down at her words, cursing vehemently by themselves.

Kenshin looked from the pit to Kaoru, uncertain of what he had seen.

Goodness! He thought, gaping at her. Was it my imagination or did she…? His eye caught a tendril of smoke lacing from Kaoru's fingertips, then it was gone. She continued to chop vegetables, her eyes downcast.

Shaking his head, Kenshin closed the pit trap and proceeded to put water on to boil.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note (again): So, did you figure out who her Shishou was? Hope you didn't. It's a surprise!