The name is Kaoru Kamiya, kenjutsu komachi and warrior who fights evil bandits in the name of peace and justice. And I ended up being chased by some. Since meeting each other while fighting them, Kenshin and I had been traveling together. Suddenly, the bandits’ pet black dragon appeared! After a lot of close calls, I ended the fierce battle by using my sure-shot technique, the Dragon Slave. In the end, peace was restored to the village. After bidding farewell to the grateful villagers, Kenshin and I continue our journey. Yeah, I know – but it’s not a total lie, okay?

Two men gazed at the smoking crater that had once been a peaceful village. One was tall and thin; his long arms were encased in sleeves with eye-straining red and blue stripes, and his face was hidden by the mask of a hannya demon. The shorter man wore a long white trenchcoat. The skin of his face had an odd texture, as if he were carved from marble. It was this man who spoke first. “I didn’t believe the rumors at first, but it’s true.”

The demon mask gave his companion’s voice a hollow quality. “She actually used the Dragon Slave!”

“She’s no amateur kenjutsu-ka, I’ll say that,” Trenchcoat mused.

“She attacked us out of the blue,” raged Demon-mask. “That’s how I ended up hurt as bad as I am!”

The bandits had been rejoicing over their loot, as Demon-mask watched from behind a pillar. He had been far enough away to escape being engulfed by Kaoru Kamiya’s initial fireball, but then he’d made the mistake of trying to counterattack. As he began his own spell she cried “Flare arrow!” and arrows of fire had shot from her bokken, straight at him. He turned and tried to duck, but three of the fiery bolts struck him, one squarely in the rump. It had put a definite crimp in his sex life, and deprivation was making him extremely crabby. “It’s all her fault I’m such a mess! Ooh, am I gonna pay her back so many times over for this!”

“In any case, we have to catch up with her,” Trenchcoat pointed out. “We must retrieve the item she stole from us.” He turned and walked away.

Demon-mask was still raving “Damn her! Ooh, the things I’m gonna do to that girl! Hee hee hee hee hee hee!”

Trenchcoat sweatdropped.

The old man didn’t even notice his pocket being picked, only that a spiky-haired boy bumped into him and then apologized. But then, the old man was watching his grandson’s delight in the toys on display.

“You want that?” he asked with an indulgent smile.

“Yup!”

“All right,” the old man chuckled. But his amusement changed to confusion and embarrassment as he felt for his wallet and found nothing. “Oh dear me, I must have forgotten it…”

The little boy’s face crumpled. Tears weren’t far away.

“Here, mister, you dropped this,” said the spiky-haired kid, holding out the missing wallet.

“Oh! Thank you very much, son!” The old man’s confusion evaporated and the child’s face once again glowed with delight. He skipped up the street, clutching his new toy.

The pickpocket’s actions did not go unnoticed. Kenshin had seen the whole thing as he walked past with Kaoru, and now he managed to pass close to the young thief. “That was a very good thing you did,” he murmured. “You have a fine heart.”

“Come on, Kenshin!” Kaoru grabbed him by the ponytail and dragged him away.

“Orororoooo…”

The little thief gazed after the spiral-eyed swordsman. Then he broke into a run, straight at the departing pair. He slammed into Kaoru so hard he knocked her over. She lost her grip on Kenshin, and he oro’d again as his backside met the cobblestones with a thump.

“’Scuse me, lady! You okay?” The boy was all solicitousness as he helped Kaoru to her feet before scampering off.

“Are you all right, Kaoru-dono?” Kenshin asked.

“I think so – why, that little THIEF!!”

“Oro?”

“My pouch! The one with the magical stuff from the Dragon Fangs!”

“Kaoru-dono… do you mean our money’s gone and we can’t get dinner?”

She checked. “No, the money’s all right. I keep that well hidden!”

“Oh, then the rest doesn’t matter so much, does it? Let him have them.”

She rolled her eyes heavenward, imploring the kami for patience. “Magic stuff can be really dangerous in the wrong hands, Kenshin!” Her bokken came down on top of his head again. “We’ve got to find him!”

They ran in the direction the pickpocket had gone, but there was no sign of a boy with spiky hair.

“Lucky!” Yahiko cried. He’d only been able to get one pouch – but what prizes it contained! There were some old coins, the kind the fancy shops paid high prices for, and an old knife with a funny feel to it, and a little silver statue of a beautiful woman in flowing robes. That’s gotta be worth a lot…

“Trying to hold out on us, huh, brat?”

Two newcomers were invading his sanctuary under the bridge. The taller man had upswept hair and carried a walking stick over his shoulder; he was the one who had spoken.

“The boss’ll be real interested to hear about that,” the shorter man went on. “And it’s magic stuff too.”

“Huh. Guess you really were holding out,” the tall gangster grunted. “Well, let’s bring him along.” The two men methodically beat the boy into unconsciousness before the tall one slung him over his shoulder.

Kaoru spotted the little procession on the other side of the river. “Kenshin! Isn’t that –” She started to run after them.

Kenshin caught her sleeve. “Wait, Kaoru-dono.” The rurouni’s normal foolish demeanor was gone. His eyes were narrow and his tone and expression had become serious.

Kaoru blinked, but obeyed. They followed at a discreet distance.

Tanishi, the yakuza boss, was eating when his top enforcer strode into the room and dumped Yahiko’s body on the floor. “Gasuke,” he reproached, “you nearly got blood in my food.”

“Sorry, Boss, but the kid was holding out. Probably thinking of making a run for it. Che, if he hadn’t been so stubborn I wouldn’t have had to beat him so hard.”

“Here’s the stuff he was keeping back,” the short henchman piped up.

“Hmm.” Tanishi picked up the coins one by one. “Nice.”

“Then there was this.” Gasuke picked up the knife and drew the blade. “It seems to have a spell cast on it.” The bright steel reflected his face; mirrored eyes met real ones. His eyes began to glow red, and suddenly he brandished the knife. “I’ll kill you all!” he shouted.

“Are you joking? What’s going on?” Tanishi demanded. “We call you hitokiri, but don’t attack us!” He scuttled backwards, upsetting his food in his haste to get away.

“Heh heh heh heh…” Gasuke licked the blade in psychotic glee.

“After him!” Tanishi cried. “Everybody get him!”

“No way! I ain’t messin’ with no demon!” His followers turned and fled.

“Help!” Tanishi screamed. “Somebody save me!”

In the midst of the confusion, Yahiko opened his eyes and tried to sit up.

“I think I’ll start with the brat here!” Gasuke advanced on the injured boy.

Yahiko’s eyes grew very big, but he didn’t try to escape. He knew he couldn’t, so he might as well die with some shred of dignity. “Yeah, finish me off, why don’t ya, ya big coward!” he jeered. “Cuttin’ down an unarmed kid’s just about your style!”

And then the wall panels fell in, right on top of the crazed hitokiri.

Silhouetted in the gap stood a small, slender figure with long hair the color of sunset. It clashed ludicrously with the intruder’s deep pink kimono.

That’s the guy from the toy shop! Yahiko thought.

“Who… who are you?” Tanishi stammered.

“Kenshin Himura,” the newcomer replied. The voice was as androgynous as the appearance: deep for a woman, light for a man, but the name was a masculine one. “This unworthy person has visited you to retrieve some dangerous magical items – and the boy who took them.”

“You’re nothing but another one of those interfering samurai!” roared Gasuke. He heaved up the fallen panels and rushed at Kenshin.

Kenshin didn’t even draw his sword, merely slammed Gasuke under the chin with the hilt. The possessed gangster flew up and stuck in the ceiling, the lower half of his body dangling grotesquely. “I was still speaking,” he went on in a stern tone. “Please be quiet until I finish.” He turned back to Tanishi. “Well? Will you show your leadership by letting me have them?”

Tanishi cowered against the wall. “Take them! Take them all!” he screamed. Frantically he scooped up the coins and the silver statue and threw them in Kenshin’s direction. “Just go away and leave me alone!”

Kenshin picked up the items, slung Yahiko across his back, and walked out, leaving the gangster boss sobbing amid the ruins of his meal.

“Is this everything, Kaoru-dono?” he asked.

“Looks like it. Oh, that knife too.”

“Be careful with it, Kaoru-dono. It seems to be cursed.”

She picked it up carefully and stuck the blade back into its sheath. “It’s all right, it’s only dangerous if you look directly into the blade.” She rounded on Yahiko. “That should teach you not to mess with other people’s stuff! You never know what you might get into!”

“Yahiko stole your magical items so he could gain his freedom, Kaoru-dono. Those gangsters were forcing him to steal for them – steal from good, honest working people, not adventurers like us.”

“Damn it, damn it, damn it,” Yahiko chanted.

“Oro?” Kenshin blinked.

“I shoulda fought ’em,” the boy went on. “I wanted to get away from ’em by myself… I shoulda fought harder…”

“Is it your own ability you regret so much, child?” Kenshin asked.

“My name’s Yahiko Myoujin!” the boy snapped. “I’m no child, I’m a samurai! My dad was killed when I was a baby, and my mom had to go to work in Tanishi’s pleasure house, and when she died they made me steal for ’em! I’ve been tryin’ to get away ever since I can remember, but I was never strong enough…”

“Then why not learn kenjutsu and become strong?”

The boy twisted his head, trying to look at Kenshin. “Would you teach me? I know I could get strong with that kick-ass style of yours!”

A strange expression passed across Kenshin’s face, a blend of regret, shame, and determination. “I do not pass my style on to others,” he said. “Kaoru Kamiya of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu will be your teacher.”

“WHAT?!” Yahiko and Kaoru yelled, in chorus.

“Are you sayin’ I hafta learn from this skanky hag?” Yahiko demanded.

“Do you mean I have to take this foul-mouthed little thief as my student?” Kaoru raged.

“Aa,” Kenshin smiled, and patted the boy on the head. “From now on it all depends on your efforts. You’ll become as strong as you want, Yahiko.”

And so two left town as three.

“Well, we still didn’t turn our treasure into money,” observed Kaoru.

“Guess we’ll have to go to the next town,” Kenshin replied.

“I’m hungry! I want to eat!” she cried.

“I’m hungry! I want to eat!” Yahiko echoed.

“Just be patient,” advised Kenshin. “There are times you just have to take it like a man.”

“I’m not a man,” Kaoru reminded him.

“Me neither,” Yahiko added. “I’m a growing kid!”

The stream was clear, and there were fish swimming in it. Kaoru plucked a hair from her head and bound it around a fishhook. A line of magic connected the hook to her bokken’s tip. “All set!”

“You’re pretty resourceful in a pinch,” Yahiko acknowledged.

“I guess.” She turned her attention to the stream. “Here fishy fishy…” It wasn’t long before she landed a monster nearly as big as Yahiko, and not long after that before they were all devouring fish, tails and all.

“Very tasty!” Kaoru exclaimed as she devoured every last bit of her fish.

“Look at you, busu, you ate every part of it,” Yahiko sneered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she flared back. “You shouldn’t waste anything! I’m not saying you should eat the head, but you should eat the guts!”

“Ugh! No thanks! I can’t eat the guts!”

“It’s the best part!”

“But the guts include the stomach, right?” Kenshin asked.

“Naturally.”

“Well, you used these for bait,” added Yahiko, holding up a green worm with a triumphant grin, “so they’re in there too!”

Kaoru promptly lost everything she’d eaten.

Fortunately, it wasn’t too far to another village with an inexpensive inn, and soon they were eating it bare while Kaoru explained to Yahiko how she’d caught the fish.

“You used your technique on it?” Kenshin asked.

“For the fishing, yes.” She gobbled a dumpling. “It’s my own original technique.”

“Oh, so you have something less powerful than the Dragon Slave?”

“Yup. Even an idiot can learn one trick. I bet even Yahiko could learn.” She effortlessly blocked his attempt to bash her over the head. “You can’t be the best without knowing the basic and advanced techniques!”

“Sou de gozaru yo,” Kenshin smiled. “Then, Kaoru-dono, could you please take care of our guests?”

“Huh?” Kaoru blinked.

The door flew open, revealing a tall thin figure with the face of a hannya demon. He advanced into the inn’s common room, a pack of trolls at his heels, and pointed straight at Kaoru.

“There!” he screeched. “That girl!”

“Oh my,” cried Kaoru, looking as innocent as she could. “What’s going on?”

Kenshin and Yahiko both sweatdropped.

“My name’s Sophia,” Kaoru simpered. “The girl you’re looking for isn’t –”

“Shut up!” snarled Hannya-mask. “I don’t care what your name is! You’re the one who stole all that bandit treasure!”

“Oops,” said Kaoru.

“He’s talking about her, right?” Yahiko whispered to Kenshin.

“Sou de gozaru yo,” Kenshin replied with another sweatdrop.

“Shut up! Never mind that!” Kaoru hissed. “We’ve got these guys to take care of first!” She jumped to her feet; empty dishes clattered to the floor. “All right then! Let’s take it outside!”

Hannya-mask recoiled. “I don’t want to.”

“Huh?” Kaoru’s wasn’t the only blank expression.

“Why don’t you just give us what we want, okay?” the intruder begged. In spite of having a pack of large, muscular trolls to back him up, it looked like he didn’t want to fight.

“You’ve got to be joking!” Kaoru sneered. “You think you can just storm in here and take whatever you want? You thief!”

“You’re a thief too, Kaoru-dono,” Kenshin pointed out.

She smashed him with her bokken. “I stole it from bad guys, so that makes it all right!”

“Ororoooo…”

“Get her!” Hannya-mask shouted to the trolls. They growled and rushed toward Kaoru.

She jumped over the head of the first troll, slid between the legs of a second, and slammed into a third. Her rebound carried her toward the wall; she sprang off the vertical face with her bokken out and glowing. She danced among the trolls, tapping each one with the glowing wooden blade. Kenshin watched in fascination. She seemed to know what she was doing, even though the light blows inflicted no damage on the trolls at all.

“What’s busu doin’?” Yahiko demanded.

“I don’t know,” Kenshin replied. “But watch, that you should.”

Kaoru flipped into the air and came to a perfect landing at Kenshin’s side.

“Welcome back de gozaru yo,” he said with an amused smile.

“This is no time for greetings!” she raged.

“Damn! She moves so fast!” lamented Hannya from the middle of a knot of baffled trolls.

“Kenshin?” Kaoru asked. “Can you wound those trolls for me?”

“Aa,” he acknowledged, “but will a simple thing like that work? Trolls heal as soon as they’re injured, that they do.”

“Never mind, just do it!” Kaoru pushed him toward the snarling, advancing trolls. “Just a little cut each will do!”

“Yare yare,” Kenshin sighed. “Just a little cut…” He blurred into motion; his blade wove lines of light among the bigger and slower trolls. Soon each was bleeding from a slash that would have been minor even to a human.

“Interesting trick, boy,” Hannya-mask sneered. “But you can’t beat trolls like that!”

Even as he spoke, one troll’s cut widened into a gaping maw of black nothingness! The troll looked down at himself in surprise as the slash widened and he was sucked into a black hole that opened in the middle of his own body. A second troll was engulfed, and a third. Weapons clattered to the floor as the trolls vanished.

“What the hell did you do?” cried the terrified intruder.

“What did you do, Kaoru-dono?” Kenshin asked.

“It’s a technique I used on all the trolls I touched before,” Kaoru explained. “It turns their healing power back on itself. In other words, since a troll’s healing strength is so great, the power turned around is enormous. So a small wound will destroy the entire body. It only works on trolls, though.”

Hannya-mask was raging, kicking and pounding at the lone standing troll.

Kenshin scratched his head. “I don’t really understand, but it certainly seems to work.”

Hannya-mask finally got the troll moving in Kaoru’s direction. It charged her with a roar. She sprang nimbly to one side, and drew her bokken. With a cry she thrust the wooden blade into the creature’s middle. She waited a second, but no hole opened up around the wound. An expression of consternation crossed her face – had she missed one? She tried to pull her bokken out, but the troll gripped the blade with one warty hand and hung on tight. A second troll approached her from the rear.

Shimatta, Kenshin thought. That’s what he was trying to do. Take the bokken into his own body and have his companions destroy Kaoru-dono while she’s trapped. Their healing power lets them sacrifice themselves in battle as a tactic! He tensed; his hand hovered over the hilt of his sword. Golden fire flickered in his eyes.

Kaoru concentrated on her bokken, concentrated hard.

Wind, crimson flame,
come to my hand and grant me the power of thunder!

The bokken began to glow with gathering power.

DIGGER BOLT!

The power discharged straight into the troll’s body and it fell backwards off her blade, a smoking wreck.

“Sorry,” Kaoru grinned at Hannya, “but I do better than you. Now, shall we get down to business?” She raised her bokken.

Source of all power,
crimson flame burning bright!

Hannya-mask recoiled in terror. “A fireball! Run! Run!” He bolted out the door, the trolls on his heels.

“Whew,” Kaoru sighed.

“Don’t just go whew!” Yahiko exploded. “What about that fireball?” The sphere of light she had conjured still hovered in the air.

Kaoru giggled and gestured with her bokken; the glowing ball floated toward Yahiko.

“Baka busu!” Yahiko dove for cover. Then he realized the glowing sphere hadn’t exploded in flames, it was hovering harmlessly in the air.

“It’s just a light spell, not a fireball,” Kaoru laughed.

“You shouldn’t play tricks like that!” Yahiko snapped in injured dignity.

The innkeeper bustled in. “Ara!” he exclaimed. “What have you done! Look at this place! My business is ruined!”

Kaoru looked abashed. “Sorry for the trouble. Um… maybe…” she rummaged in one of her pouches, “this could make up for it?” She held out a large ruby and placed it in the innkeeper’s hand. “It’s the best I can do for you.”

“Well, that should pay for it. Never mind.” The innkeeper was trying very hard to appear only mollified, but in fact the ruby was worth several times the value of his entire inn. Sometimes it was worth putting up with the mess, to do business with adventurers.

“Lucky!” Kaoru jumped in the air with glee.

“You’re quite the actress, Kaoru-dono,” Kenshin murmured.

“Oh, you noticed? I thought I was pretty convincing.”

“Yeah, right,” Yahiko jeered. “Lookin’ at you gave me the chills.” He fell to the floor, a lump growing on his head from Kaoru’s bokken.

“You talk too much for a student,” she told him.

The inn was quiet, the fire burned low, and the three adventurers still sat at the now-empty table, talking quietly.

“So the survivors of the Dragon Fangs are still after me,” Kaoru mused. “To find me here… they must have used magic.”

“Can they do that?” Yahiko asked.

“Whatever treasure that demon-masked guy came to get from me… is probably what’s guiding them to us as well.”

“I see.” Kenshin’s blank-eyed stare said he didn’t really see at all.

And there was a knock on the door.

Kenshin and Kaoru looked at each other, and took up positions on either side of the door, ready to ambush anyone who broke in. “Who’s there?” Kaoru demanded.

“I wish to make a purchase,” said a masculine voice from the other side of the door.

In the corridor stood a tall man in a long white trenchcoat. His hair was black, and the coat’s high yellow collar hid his face. “An item you possess… I’ll pay any price you name.” Near him stood the man in the hannya mask.

“Who is this guy?” Kaoru wondered.