Echo *a Rurouni Kenshin fanfic*

Chapter 1: Reunion

The afternoon was calm and peaceful, the kind of day that made you forget all the battles and bloodshed of the past. Perfect for running errands. But if the Revolution had taught me anything, it was never to let my guard down. As Kaoru and I walked along the street, I kept my senses sharp, scanning the surroundings for anything out of place. "Yahiko added his favorite treat to the list again," Kaoru commented, breaking the silence.

I glanced over at her, trying to hide my amusement. "We can just tell him we didn't see it, like last time."

She shook her head, a slight grin on her lips. "That won't work. He made sure we'd see it this time." She handed me the crumpled list, and sure enough, Yahiko's scrawled handwriting was right at the top.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Guess we've got no way out of it this time, then."

Kaoru smiled back and shrugged. We continued down the street, chatting about nothing in particular, when a piercing scream cut through the air. Our eyes met, a mutual understanding passing between us before we both took off running towards the sound.

Rounding the corner, we found three thugs cornering a terrified woman. One of them brandished a sword, a clear violation of the law. Then again, I carried a sword too, though mine was a reverse blade.

"Hey tough guy! Pick on someone your own size!" I shouted, drawing their attention.

The thug with the sword sneered as he stepped toward me. "See? The boss said Battosai's little sister would come if we caused a ruckus."

My heart sank. So they were after me. This wasn't the first time the Juppongatana had sent their lackeys after me, but it was the first time they'd gotten this close. They had been hunting me since long before I met Kaoru, and while I didn't know who their boss was yet, I knew they wouldn't stop until they had me.

"Kaoru, stay back," I whispered urgently. "These guys were hired by the leader of the group that's been after me."

"No way! I can help!" she protested, her eyes blazing with determination.

I sighed in defeat. There was no arguing with Kaoru when she set her mind on something. "Fine, but stay close."

The thug lunged at me, and I quickly drew my sakabatou, blocking his strike and redirecting his blade away from me. "Your boss must be getting desperate if he's recruiting thugs like you," I taunted. "During the Revolution, the Juppongatana were known for being elite warriors. I guess that was back when their leader had some brains."

"You're just a bunch of jerks!" Kaoru yelled as she charged at one of the other thugs, but he was quicker than she expected. His blade flashed, and she yelped as a thin line of blood appeared on her arm.

"Kaoru!" I cried out, my heart skipping a beat. "I told you to stay back! Are you okay?"

She nodded, her face pale but resolute. "I'm alright."

"Good. Now stay put," I ordered, turning back to face the thugs. I couldn't afford any more distractions.

I attacked again, this time with more force, but the thug was stronger than he looked. We clashed for a few minutes, the sound of steel on steel ringing through the street, until he managed to land a heavy blow on my right shoulder. Pain shot through me, and I stumbled back, clutching the wound with my left hand.

"Aka!" Kaoru exclaimed, rushing to my side.

"I'm fine," I gritted out, though the pain was almost unbearable. My shoulder was bleeding heavily, and I knew I wouldn't be able to use my sword effectively now.

"This is your end," the thug sneered, raising his sword high. "Today, the boss will reward us greatly."

"Not this time," a familiar voice rang out, strong and sure.