MysticalDreamer: Psh, don't ask where this came from... Even I don't remember OO Anyhoo, this is my first RK oneshot...

disclaimer: I own the manga, volumes one through five... but that's it. RK belongs to good old Watsuki Nobuhiro, that it does.

Promise

"Now, now Kaoru-chan, come along. Night comes closer and that means our safety is not guaranteed."

"Yes! Otou-chan!" squeaked the little six year old. She reached for her father's hand and clutched it tightly. Her eyes darted around for any movement. Being small, she didn't quite understand everything about this "revolution" people talked about. All she knew was that it was not safe to be alone, or safe at night, so she stuck to her father like glue.

These were the days of the Bakumatsu. A chaotic time, especially in Kyoto, which was where Kaoru and her father were at the moment.

The sun had begun to set and everyone began rushing around. Doors closed shut and shops began to close down.

"Hurry now, Kaoru," said her father, slowly picking up his pace as they headed back to the inn they were staying at. His grip on his daughter's hand tightened. She had to go at an almost run to keep up with her father's long strides. She didn't mind though, because the sooner they got to the Inn, the sooner she could lose the weird sense of fear inside her.

Dusk had slowly neared its end and Kaoru and her father still had another street or so to walk down. He leaned down and scooped up his daughter, holding onto her tightly. He was at a near sprint as he raced for their Inn.

He turned a corner and crashed into someone. They both fell over and Kaoru fell from his grasp.

"Gomen nasai!" squeaked the woman, pulling her kimono back over her legs.

"It's all right," said Kamiya. "We're all rushing to get inside safely." He rose to his feet and held out his hand.

The woman nodded and allowed herself to be helped up. She straightened her kimono once more and bowed her head slightly.

"Move!" came an angry shout. Two seconds later, four men ran through, shoving Kaoru a bit. She stumbled backwards and crashed into another speedy person.

"Tou-chan!" she called, reaching out for him, but to no avail.

The two had turned onto the busiest street in Kyoto, even filled now because of the incoming night fall.

Through wide eyes, she looked up through the crowd of people, searching for the familiar face of her father. "Tou-chan?" she asked in a tiny voice.

More people rushed through, pushing Kaoru further and further away from her father. She stumbled to the ground and desperately crawled out of the way, to avoid being hurt. She sat against some random wall, clutching her knees tightly to her chest. "Tou-chan," she whispered.

She watched every person rush by, hoping and praying to catch a glimpse of her father. Soon, it became too dark to see to the end of the street, and she could barely make out what was just across on the other side.

The streets slowly became deserted, save for a small six year old in a dark green kimono. The air was eerily quiet and Kaoru involuntarily shuddered.

She looked around and spotted a barrel against the end of the wall. She crawled over to it and did her best to hide. She didn't know why she hid, but for some reason she had this feeling in her gut - like a warning - Hide Kamiya Kaoru. Hide.

Time flew by. She didn't have a clue how long she'd been alone. All she knew was that it had been a long time since she saw anyone walk by or come down the street.

"Where are you, 'Tou-chan?" she said, partially to herself and partially to the air around her.

When she heard some footsteps of some sort, her eyes and ears perked up. She looked around for the creator of the noise from her hiding spot.

What she saw was not her father, but rather some men dressed in garbs of blue and white. They each had two sheaths and swords at their waists as they walked down the street. There was about four of them, all clearly focused on one thing.

Of course, Kaoru had no idea who they were or what they were doing. Always wary of complete strangers (especially those with facial hair), she remained in her place, afraid to move.

"The streets are unusually quiet and empty," said the tallest of the men.

"Yes, well those foolish Ishin Shishi are all in hiding," said another, with a smug grin on his face. "They know they are no match for us Shinsengumi, so they flee."

"Don't be so sure of yourself," said the tall one again. "It's that sort of over confidence they will get you killed."

"The man speaks the truth," said a third. They all chuckled to themselves a bit, before they froze.

"Speak of the devil," said the tall one.

Kaoru's eyes followed those of the Shinsengumi and she soon saw what they saw.

It was a samurai, clutching a sword in each hand. He was glaring ferocious daggers at the Shinsengumi and they too drew their swords.

Little Kaoru squeaked a bit and leaped from her hiding spot, tumbling away and down the nearby side road. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, not stopping until she tripped and fell over. She crawled to the nearest wall and flattened herself as best she could against it, remaining as silent as possible.

From the street she had just left, she could hear the clash of katanas and flaps of lose clothing. When she heard an almost war-like cry, she covered her eyes with her hands.

She could hear the men running. Running right in her direction. Behind her palms, she closed her eyes as tight as she could. Her breathing was sped up, although she tried not to make any noise while she took in the air she needed.

She heard them gasp and cease their movement. There was a piercing tension in the air and Kaoru could feel chills go up her spine.

"It's you!"

Two seconds later, the sound of a sword behind unsheathed echoed in her ears and there was a gust of movement's wind, and a slicing sound. Warm droplets collided with Kaoru's hands and face, and she completely froze up.

There was more sword clashing and cries of anguish, followed by loud thumps of heavy objects on the ground.

"I'll be off," said a gruff sounding voice, before the wisps of clothing and footsteps vanished from the street. Another person sighed.

Kaoru squeaked and moved, her hands at last leaving her eyes. She tripped slightly over her shoe and felt two eyes leering in her general direction.

The young man had raised his sword upon sensing her presence, but he lowered it quickly when he spotted the little girl. He turned to face her and squatted down so he could see her eye to eye.

Kaoru looked at this man and felt some of her fear vanish. She still backed herself into the wall as much as she possibly could, but there was just something a bit relaxing about his face.

"Fear not, little one," he said gently. "I will not harm you."

She felt herself nod in reply to his statement before she knew what she was doing.

Not another word was said, and neither of them moved an inch for a good five minutes.

During those minutes, Kaoru could slowly feel herself calming down; the extremely intense fear that had filled her escaping her body with each passing second. Her small hands dropped to her side and her breathing relaxed.

"There now," he said. "Isn't it much better to be at peace than to be anxious?"

She blinked at him in confusion. He just gave off a faint grin at her motion.

She watched him cautiously, her eyes traveling down to his clothes. He wasn't dressed like those Sheen-sen-goo-mee from before and his style also differed.

She reached out and lightly touched some bloodstains on his sleeve. She looked to his face and noticed an open cut bleeding down his cheek.

"Are you injured badly?" she asked softly. "There is ... blood. Why are you bleeding?"

He looked a bit startled, and even more so as she reached up and lightly touched his cheek with her other hand. He smiled warmly at her and the concern she showed.

"I'll be fine," he said in an assuring tone. "I should be asking you that question. How are you?"

She nodded at him. "I'm okay," she replied. "I'm not bleeding."

"You see, this isn't my-" he began. He froze and she tilted her head slightly. "Nevermind," he said.

She let go of his face, but still clutched his sleeve. She didn't want to be separated from this man, hence she would be alone again. Even if he was a stranger to her, she felt like she could trust him. But she couldn't figure out why.

"What's your name, little one?" he asked.

"Kaoru-chan," she said without hesitation.

"What a pretty name, Kaoru-san," he said. She smiled at his compliment. "It's nice to meet you. My name, well, you can just call me Ken-san."

"Pleased to meet you," said Kaoru, bowing her head politely, as she had been taught to do when she met someone for the first time.

"Now, what are you doing out here so late at night?" asked the one known as Ken-san.

Kaoru felt her eyes water up. "I lost my daddy," she said softly, still clutching Ken-san's sleeve. "I dunno where he went!"

"It's all right," he said.

"I want my daddy!" she said, louder than she had been speaking, perhaps without meaning to.

"Shh," he said, putting a finger to his lips. "You don't want to bring attention to yourself out here."

"Nani?"

"It can be quite dangerous at night."

"Who's down there?" came a shout from the end of the street.

Ken-san looked up through narrowed eyes. He saw a figure at the end of the street, dressed much like the dead bodies nearby. Without further thought or hesitation, he scooped up Kaoru in his arms and dashed off down the side street.

He ducked in a tight space between two buildings, holding Kaoru close to him. She clutched his shirt tightly, feeling safe in this mystery man's arms.

He watched carefully as another member of the Shinsengumi ran by, not even noticing Ken-san and Kaoru. He waited patiently before chancing a peek out into the street again. Upon seeing it was completely empty, he quickly left the tight squeeze and took off.

Of course, the only thing Kaoru really knew was that she was depending on this man, perhaps even for her life. With that in mind, she buried her face in his chest, keeping the death grip on his shirt and sleeves.

Ken-san ran down the street for a little while, before making a sharp turn onto another. He was silent in his speed and movement; the only reason Kaoru knew she and him were moving was that blurred images going by. She tried not to pay much attention to anything around her. It was like if she focused on anything but herself and Ken-san, she would fall or something.

He slowed to a halt and stopped, freezing in place. He turned to look at her and asked, "Any idea where your father might be?"

She shook her head. "We were on that crowded road before I lost him though," she explained.

"Ah, I see," he said, knowing of the street she was talking about. "Perhaps if we go back there, you might recognize something that could lead to your father."

Kaoru nodded at him. "I just want my daddy," she whispered in a soft voice.

"Don't worry," said Ken-san. "We'll find him."

"Arigatou," she said, bowing her head the best that she could while being held.

There was a sound of movement and his head instantly turned in the direction it had come from.

"Quick! I think there's someone down there!" came a shout.

Two seconds later, Ken-san took off in the opposite direction of the voices. Kaoru was a bit startled by the sudden burst of running, but calmed down soon after. She didn't even try to figure out where they were heading. He was moving too fast, so she just closed her eyes - partially to hide herself and partially to avoid getting dizzy.

"I can't seem to get away from these people..." whispered Ken-san as he ran. He made a sharp turn and slid inside the slightly opened door of a building.

When Kaoru opened her eyes, she could faintly see the outlines and shapes of tables and chairs. She figured they had entered a restaurant.

Ken-san was still watching through the opened door. He was so silent that Kaoru wondered if he was breathing. She debated in her head whether or not to poke his cheek to check. When he took a soft, deep breath, she knew he was okay and restrained from poking him.

"We'll stay here for a while," said Ken-san, looking at her face. "To rest and regather our strength and energy."

"Are you tired?" she asked politely.

"Not really," he replied. "But I want to get you to safety, so we'll hide here for some time to throw those after me off my tail."

"People are chasing you?"

"Yes," he said. "They want to take my life."

Kaoru gasped. "Why would they do that?" she asked. "Who would hurt someone so nice?"

Ken-san smiled at her words. "I thank you for that, but I understand why they seek me out and want my death."

Kaoru pouted and hmphed. "I still don't get why they want to hurt someone like you..."

The smile on his face wouldn't go away. The little girl's words hit something inside him.

She spoke again. "Then stay here as long as you want," she said. "I don't want you to die because of me."

He froze. I don't want you to die because of me. She spoke those words with such honesty in her voice. This little girl was showing concern for him. Something he hadn't seen that often. She cared about him.

"Thank you," he said gently, resting his chin softly on the top of her head. "I promise to live through the night for you."

"Not for me," she said, "With me."

"Hm?"

"Let's stay alive together, okay?" she asked, holding up her pinky. "Pinky promise?"

He smiled again at her, then linked his pinky with her's. "Promise," he said.

Kaoru giggled a bit and gave him a warm, trusting smile. And he couldn't help, but smile back at her, once again. Then she moved forward and threw her arms around him as far as she could, and hugged him.

Ken-san froze in shock for a second, amazed at the amount of affection this girl was showing for him - an assassin, a murderer. But she didn't know that. All she knew of him was the side that was protecting her and helping her. He smiled, breaking his frozen trance, and hugged her back lightly.

"Ello? Is there someone down here?" came an elderly man's voice as his steps entered the room. He had a candle in his hand and held it up in the air, to spread the light as far as he could.

Ken-san watched the man's every movement, while making sure Kaoru was okay as well.

"We're closed you know," said the old man, spotting two figures.

"Gomen nasai, ojii-san," said Kaoru softly. "We're hiding from some bad men."

The man walked over to get a better look at the two of them, and sighed a breath of relief. "I wasn't sure what you were - Shinsengumi, Ishin Shishi," he explained. "I just didn't want chaos in my restaurant."

"We mean you no harm, old man," said Ken-san.

"I can see that now," said the man. "Are you two siblings? Father and daughter?"

Kaoru shook her head furiously while Ken-san began to give off an explanation. "She was lost from her father, so I am helping her find him, along with keeping her out of harms way," he told the man.

"Ahh, I see," said the old man. "It's very nice of you to do that."

Kaoru smiled at the both of them. "I told him that too. We're both gonna keep each other alive!" she said cheerfully.

The old man chuckled. "Feel free to stay here then," he said. "Take care now and be careful! Good luck to the both of you."

"Thank you, Ojii-chan!" said Kaoru, waving as the old man walked off, presumably to his living quarters within the building.

She turned to Ken-san. "See? That man thinks Ken-san is nice and kind too!" she said with a smile.

"It would be great, if every were as optimistic as you, Kaoru-san," he said. "Then there might not be such a chaotic time, such as now."

Kaoru blinked, slightly confused, as she didn't fully understand what he was saying. But he said it with a smile and soft voice, so she knew it was good, whatever it was. She grinned at him once again.

No words were spoken after that for a good half hour as they sat in the little restaurant, relaxing. Kaoru felt herself slip into a light doze under his watchful eyes. She couldn't explain why, she just felt unnervingly safe with this young man. She didn't have a problem with this though, as she would rather have felt safe than in a constant danger.

It was sometime later that she found herself being woken up, by both a slight shaking and a soft voice whispering her name. Her blue eyes fluttered open and she looked into the face of Ken-san.

"Hmn...?" she grumbled the usual 'just woke up' noises often mumbled by those her age.

"We're heading off," he said. "I feel like now is the best chance of safety through the streets."

She nodded groggily and leaned against him, clutching his sleeve as he rose to his feet. He looked again outside, then slipped silently out the door, closing it just as silently behind him. He made his way down the street as Kaoru slowly began to fully wake up.

"So far, so good," he said softly. "You'll be reunited with your father again soon."

Kaoru nodded into his shirt, feeling the gusts of wind formed as he ran play with her hair. A strand of dark hair tickled her nose and she wiggled it, before giving off a slight sneeze.

"Bless you," she heard Ken-san whisper.

"Thank you," she replied, also in a whisper.

Ken-san made more twists and turns as he ran through the streets of Kyoto, holding little Kaoru in his arms. After one final turn, he stopped.

"This is the main street," he said.

Kaoru looked up and around at her surroundings. This was indeed the road at which she had been separated from her father.

"Do you see any place that looks familiar?" he asked. "Any place where your father could be?"

She looked around again, but it was too dark to get a clear view of anything. She shook her head sadly. "No," she said softly.

"Hmm..." said Ken-san, as if deep in thought. "We'll walk then, and perhaps you'll get a better view of things and you'll figure out where your father could be."

"Okay," she said.

And so, he began to walk at a steady pace, making sure Kaoru got a good look at everything they passed. Kaoru's hopes slowly shrunk with each unknown building they passed. She looked left and right, across and every direction she could twist her head. Yet she saw nothing.

"This is a long road, so it's very possible we haven't gotten to it yet," said Ken-san, trying to reassure her. She nodded before continuing to look for her Inn.

The street was eerily quiet as the two made their way down the road. But they weren't heard, as Ken-san continued in the silence he had mastered the entire night.

"Anything?" he asked.

"No," she said, shaking her head.

There was a slight swish of clothes and a footstep or two. Ken-san froze in place.

"I know someone is there."

Kaoru tightened her grip on Ken-san's clothes. He took a slight step backward.

The person came into their view, and Kaoru saw he was dressed like those Sheen-sen-goo-mee from before, and Ken-san seemed on his guard.

"Ah, I know of you," said the mystery man.

"Kaoru-san, please cover your eyes and ears," said Ken-san quickly, and she did just that. She buried her face into his chest and shirt, and covered her ears with her hands, clutching the shirt with a few fingers.

"Today will be your downfall!" shouted the man of the Shinsengumi, drawing his sword and charging at Ken-san and Kaoru.

Ken-san dodged the attack and tripped the man. Without hesitation, he took off. "Kaoru-san, keep an eyes out for you Inn as best you can," he said. She nodded and moved her head so she could see.

I can't fight while protecting Kaoru-san, he thought as he held the small girl in his arm. It would put her in grave danger.

"Ahh!" said Kaoru suddenly. "There it is! That's where Daddy and me are staying!"

Ken-san nodded. He stopped suddenly and set Kaoru on the ground. "Listen carefully," he said, looking her in the eyes at her level. "I want you to hide. See those barrels? Run and hide. Face the wall and do Not turn around, not matter what. Cover your ears as well."

Kaoru nodded. "I will. I promise," she said. And with that, she ran to the barrels. She squatted down and faced the wall, covering her ears, just as Ken-san had told her to.

In the street, Ken-san stood and faced his opponent, as the Shinsengumi member caught up at last.

"Running away isn't like you," he said, pulling out his sword. He prepared at attack and brought down his katana.

In a flash, Ken-san had blocked it. Two seconds and a super speedy move later, the Shinsengumi's katana clattered on the ground and Ken-san kicked it away. Two seconds later he dashed forward and brought his sword upward, slicing the flesh of the man and sending red liquid into the air. He jumped backward to avoid getting splattered with the blood, but still got some drops on his face. He quickly wiped it off with his sleeve, before looking to Kaoru.

He sighed when he saw her still facing the wall. He ran over to her and tapped her shoulder. "Kaoru-san," he said. "The man is gone."

She turned to look at him. "Good," she said. "He was scary."

"Yes he was," said Ken-san. He scooped up Kaoru in his arms again and made sure she wouldn't see the dead man of the Shinsengumi on the street. "Now which Inn was yours?" he asked.

Kaoru pointed to a two story building with just two sliding shoji doors in the front. "That one!" she said, with a tone of happiness in her voice. She was going to be with her dad again!

Ken-san walked to the hotel and pulled open the one shoji silently. He looked around, then looked to Kaoru. "Which floor were you on?" he asked.

"Well," she thought, "We went upstairs..."

"So the next floor up," he said, looking for the stairs in the Inn. He walked around the bottom floor for a little while, making as little noise as possible. It was the middle of the night, so the majority of the people were sleeping. Ken-san had a good guess, however, that the father of Kaoru was still wide awake with worry. He vaguely wondered which side of the Revolution he supported, but pushed that thought out of his mind as he remembered Kaoru.

A bit later, he spotted the stairway and made his way up the flight in silence.

"Wow," said Kaoru in a small whisper. "You're real good at being quiet."

Ken-san smiled. "I guess I am," he replied. "Do any of these doors look familiar?"

She looked around, but shook her head. "They all look the same," she said, with a hint of despair in her voice.

"Hey now," he said, turning her face towards his. "We're here, aren't we? Your father has got to be in here somewhere."

Kaoru nodded and her face lit up a bit. "Could he still be awake?" she asked.

"That's very possible," said Ken-san. His face lit up as well as he thought of something. He made his way down the hall, stopping outside each shoji.

Kaoru remained silent, afraid to disrupt his plan. She watched everything he did.

He'd listen through each door, as if hoping for some kind of noise. Then he'd open the shoji every so silently, but only a tiny sliver - just enough for him to take a quick look inside. This process went on until the fifth door.

"The man inside that room is awake, Kaoru-san," he said to her. "Look inside and see if he is your father."

She nodded at him and closed one eye, using the other to peek inside. Her face lit up and she looked back to Ken-san. "It's him!" she said happily.

He smiled at her. "Then perhaps you should go inside?"

Kaoru nodded as he put her on the ground. "Thank you, Ken-san," she said warmly. "I don't think I would ever see my daddy again if it wasn't for you."

"You're welcome," he said, getting down to her level.

She leaned forward again and hugged him tightly. "I'm so grateful..." she whispered. Then she turned his face sideways a bit and placed a light and sweet kiss on his cheek. He smiled again and rose to his feet.

"It was very nice to meet you, Kaoru-san," he said, putting his hand on the top of her head lightly. She grinned back at him.

"I'm even happier I met you!" she said cheerfully. "Let's meet again someday, okay? Do you promise?"

He smiled. "I promise to do my best with that one," he said, ruffling her hair a bit.

Her face scrunched up a bit, like she was thinking, then it lit up again. She reached up and pulled the ribbon from her hair. She held it out in her hand and he raised a curious eyebrow at her. She smiled and with her other hand, put his on top of the ribbon, closing his fingers around it.

"My favorite ribbon," she said. "As my thanks to you! And so you'll never forget me."

He nodded and took the ribbon from her. "I'm afraid I don't have anything to give to you in return," he said.

She smiled. "That's okay," she said. "You saved my life. That can be your gift."

He smiled. "Then that it shall be."

There was a shared moment of silence between the two, with a tone of sadness. Both had grown rather fond of each other the past few hours, and now it was like leaving a sibling or parent, or even something that could be more.

"I guess... I should go..." she whispered, folding her hands behind her back.

"Perhaps you should..." he said, arms straight at his side. "Go on," he urged. "Your father must be worried to death about you."

She nodded. "Sayonara, Ken-san," she said.

"Sayonara, Kaoru-san."

She gave him one last smile, before turning around and pulling open the shoji.

The man in the room looked up. His face went from down and defeated to shocked and extreme joy in less than two seconds. He scrambled to his feet and ran towards Kaoru, who also walked forward towards him.

He grabbed his daughter tightly and hugged her, some tears pouring from his eyes.

"Daddy!" she said.

"Oh Kaoru! Kaoru!" he said. "I was so scared! I didn't know what to do! Oh, Kaoru!"

"I missed you too, Daddy," she said, wrapping her arms around her father as well.

He pushed her away for a second to get a good look at her. "You seem fine," he said. "But, how did you manage to get back here?"

"Ken-san helped me," she said, pointing back to the open door.

Both she and her father turned around. The latter of the two simply saw a shadowed young man standing just outside the room. He gave one last smile to the father and daughter, before being enveloped in darkness.

Kaoru gave him a tiny wave as her final farewell, and whispered, "Arigatou," one last time.

Her father looked to the shadows where the man had vanished. "He has my thanks," he said, before hugging his daughter again.

Kaoru smiled as she hugged him back tightly. Her eyes wandered one more time to the open door, before she stepped into the moonlight and gazed at the stars.

"You will most likely forget about me, little Kaoru-san," he said to himself, "As you are still young, but I will always remember the small girl, who was worried about the safety and life of me, Hitokiri Battousai."

Someone came out from the shadows and stood behind Ken-san, who seemed unalarmed.

"It's not like you, Himura Kenshin," said the man, "To spend the entire night with a child."

Himura Kenshin shrugged. "It was just something about her," he said. His hand tightened around the evergreen ribbon in his hand.

"Ah, well. It doesn't matter," said the man, putting his hand on Kenshin's shoulder. "More defeated Shinsengumi then we expected. It's a good night for the Ishin Shishi. Well done."

Kenshin nodded as the man disappeared back in the dark alleys. With one final look back at the hotel, where Kaoru could not be seen by his eyes, he turned and followed his superior into the shadowed alley, an evergreen ribbon dangling from his fist.

END

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