He always thought mountains were supposed to be quiet and serene; a place to tune out the world and focus one's energies. He'd realized when he'd first arrived several years ago this was far from the truth. The keening of hawks, the wind moaning through crevices, even clumps of snow plummeting to the ground made for a mountain that was markedly not soft. Summer, in particular, was always noisy. The insects seemed to be at war over who could drone the loudest for the longest amount of time.

But even the incessant buzzing of cicadas couldn't quite drown out the loud swish as Kenshin's sword sliced downward with astonishing speed. The brown summer grass below rustled in response. One thousand. Without pause the boy slipped into an offensive stance and thrust upwards. The sheen of sweat on his forearm outlined his taut boyish muscles. His body moved fluidly and precisely, and only his red hair was out of synch, flying every which way as he struck and parried invisible opponents.

He looked focused on the task at hand but Kenshin knew he would be called out if Hike Seijurou was watching. Kenshin was desperately trying to make out the conversation occurring fifty feet away from where he practiced. The most he'd caught thus far was angry mutterings.

He executed a flip, bringing him several feet closer to the three men conversing in low tones. Still nothing more than a low drone that blended with the cicadas' melody. Ironic, that the last lesson his shishou had tried to drill into his head was about utilizing auditory senses. He'd just have to move a little closer and make sure he stayed in the safety of the trees.

Kenshin wasn't sure how many more times he flipped and slid his way closer to the trio−it was hard to pretend like you were practicing diligently while paying attention to something else−but suddenly he realized he could hear the conversation quite well. He let his cheek rest lightly against the smooth bark of the tree he stood behind.

"Don't give me that ethics bit, Seijurou, I know damn well why you're being so obstinate about this."

"Then you know nothing you can say will change my mind." His shishou, arrogant as ever.

"You know you're effectively turning your back on your country?" The third man spoke. He and the other man were obviously worked up about something.

Kenshin had forgotten all about practice strokes by now.

"I know that an unexpected force is a much more effective defense than some group all but advertising a coup." Shishou, on the other hand, could have been talking about pottery. "Observe."

The tree obscured his line of sight and Kenshin didn't even know his shishou had moved until a hand closed around his gi and dragged him forward. "Shishou, I was just practicing." Kenshin spluttered, embarrassed at being caught off-guard and exposed so easily.

"I suppose that's why your sword is lying on the ground there?" This invited chuckles from the other two men.

Kenshin scowled, annoyed that his embarrassment was the reason for the sudden release of tension. "I was practicing." He repeated stubbornly.

"Who's this whippersnapper?" Asked the man Kenshin had first heard speak. His hair was pulled into a traditional samurai topknot, and his daishou lay on the ground beside him.

"Nobody. Just a boy I took in a few years ago. I thought I might turn him into a swordsman but as we've seen here, his future would be pretty grim."

Nobody? Kenshin felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach, and his face flushed as this jibe provoked more laughter from the visitors than his shishou's first comment.

"Nobody! You're something, Seijrou."

"Despite his apparent lack of talent though, I'm not giving up." Kenshin almost winced as Hiko gripped his shoulder tightly and gave it a shake. "You can see this is just one more reason I'm not the man you want for this. I have too much liability."

Kenshin's eyes were burning now. Shishou had never called him that. Even the times when he was a liability.

"You can't hide behind a boy, Seijurou," The second man had long, flowing hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. "I can see we won't get anything more from you today, but you haven't heard the last of us about this, I promise you that." He scooped his daishou from the ground and stood. "Come, Jisaemon, we'll take our leave."

The other man kept his eyes on Hiko, slowly tying his daishou to his hakama. "I don't believe you're hiding behind anything, Siejurou. But . . . I would advise you to consider our request. Consider it an honor. Who knows what− liabilities could occur if you ignore your country's need."

Hiko was gripping his shoulder painfully hard now but Kenshin didn't dare shrug free. "Until next time then, Jisaemon, Yoshinobu."

The two visitors turned and walked briskly to the rocky path that led down the mountain. Kenshin watched them disappear into the trees, hurt and anger boiling inside him.

"Shishou!" He glared up at his teacher, but before he could continue Hiko had shoved him away, his hand raised.

"Baka deshi!" Kenshin quailed, sure that he was about to be backhanded to the ground. Hiko's voice was scathing, and his eyes could have burned holes through a tree.

"What part of 'stay out of sight' don't you understand?"

"I just−I thought you didn't want to be disturbed." Kenshin said meekly.

"And you thought you'd go unnoticed squatting behind a tree less than five feet away? Do you realize what you've done?" Hiko roared, his raised hand quivering.

Kenshin had to force himself not to turn and run. "No."

The flame left Hiko's eyes although he held his hand up a moment longer before clenching it into a fist. "Keh, of course you don't." His hand fell to his side. "Baka deshi." The words lacked their previous venom though and Kenshin breathed an inward sigh of relief. "Promise me, Kenshin, that you stay away from those men if you ever see them again."

"Why?"

"They're vultures. They'll eat anything that's thrown their way, and scavenge what isn't."

The cryptic response went over Kenshin's head. "I could beat them in a fight if I had to."

"I'm not talking about one fight, baka." Hiko snapped. "Why don't you listen to me for once and do as I say."

"Alright, I'll stay away if I see them." Kenshin mumbled. Like that would happen. He was still burning to know what had transpired though. "Can't you at least tell me who those men were?"

Hiko seemed to be appraising him. Then, simply, "Black ships."