This is a prequel to my story "The Way to His Heart." It tells the backstory of Omasu and Aoshi, as well as Omasu and Hiko. It begins as the Kenshingumi and Oniwabonshu are cleaning up after the battle with the Juppongatona and the return of Aoshi and Kenshin from fighting Shishio.

UNDONE

BREAKING DOWN

The first time Omasu was alone with Master Hiko was the day after the battle with the Juppongatona. The Oniwaban, plus Sano and Yahiko, were clearing debris from the courtyard behind the Aoiya. Kaoru was still at Kenshin's side back at the Shirobeko. Lord Aoshi had disappeared.

Misao's determined attempts to treat his wounds or convince him to stay the night had fallen on deaf ears. By morning she was frantic in her worry, and clearly not mindful of what she was doing, or saying.

"Honey, you're too young to remember, but Lord Aoshi has always been somewhat like a wild animal," Omasu tried to explain to the girl. Misao stiffened at the reference to her youth.

"He's never wanted any help, it's like an insult to his pride. Having been gone all these years, and especially after what he did to Okina, he's just not going to blend back in easily. He's wounded, Misao, on the outside and the inside. Let him tend to those wounds in his own way."

Omasu at first thought she was getting through to Miaso, who was staring at the ground. Misao looked up then, and Omasu winced at the pain and fury in her eyes.

"Shut up!" Misao screamed. "What do you know or care about him anyway? I'm the one who went looking for him when no one else cared what happened to him! I'm the one who tried to stop him and Okina from fighting! And don't forget that I'm the Leader of the Oniwaban now!" Misao's voice broke on her tears and she pushed past Omasu, running back through the ruins of the Aoiya and into the street.

Omasu just stood in the courtyard, staring blankly at the ground where Misao had been a moment ago. She felt a pair of arms around her and looked up to see Okon's concerned face. Okon hugged her tighter and whispered, "That spoiled little brat needs a good spanking!"

"No, she just needs to rest. And to grow up a little more!" Omasu said, smiling at her friend's defense.

"You're right," Okon conceded. She looked worried, then turned to leave as well. "I'll go follow her and make sure she's alright."

Omasu glanced around and realized that everyone in the courtyard had been watching Misao's tirade, and they now quickly found ways to look busy. Except for Master Hiko of course. Even as he tossed a huge piece of roofing onto the pile, he looked as if he were merely lounging about. He caught her eye and winked with a lazy smile. Omasu tried to smile back, but mostly failed.

She had been trying to convince herself as much as Misao that Lord Aoshi would be okay. It hadn't worked on either of them. A screaming temper tantrum, preferably directed at Aoshi, sounded good right now. I don't have Misao's youth as an excuse though. I'm supposed to be mature, she reminded herself bitterly. In ten years her body had matured and her mind had gained wisdom, but in her heart was still the sixteen year-old girl that Aoshi had left behind. It was so easy to allow her disappointment to come to surface after all this time.

He shouldn't have come back, dammit! It wasn't fair to poor Misao to finally find him again and then see the monster he had turned into. It wasn't fair to the rest of the Oniwaban to have their leader turn on them. It wasn't fair to have to hear his once beautiful voice flattened into a frigid monotone, to see his once youthful and carefree face now so gaunt. Not fair to see his still beautiful eyes look right through her, emotionless and blank, as if she were a stranger. He should have just stayed in whatever hell he'd created for himself and rotted there!

She abandoned the pretext of clearing entirely now and fell to just swinging a broken post. Over and over again she struck the stump of the post that was left in the ground. Dents appeared in the wood from the force of her blows. Splinters began to work their way into her palms, and she kept on. Her thoughts were finally gone, replaced by a blank concentration on the movements of her body and the feel of the impact through her arms. It felt good.

Suddenly there was a resistance, and then she felt her feet coming off the ground and her grip tightened. Focusing her eyes, she met Master Hiko's laughing face as he stood holding the post above his head and she dangled off the end like a doll. Letting go at last, she collapsed in a heap of tears and wood chips, panting heavily.

"Perhaps you should take a break from demolishing the rest of the Aoiya for a while?" he chuckled.

Ashamed of her loss of composure, Omasu wiped her face. She hoped it looked like sweat running down her cheeks. Master Hiko's large hands grasped her own and helped her to her feet.

"It's getting late and you should get some rest. I'll escort you to the Shirobeko since I'm going there anyway to get some more sake," he said. She had to skip to keep up with his huge strides when he pulled her along and out into the street.

Omasu smiled to herself, knowing that his real intention was to check on Kenshin. In spite of constantly extolling his apprentice's faults, she knew he was deeply concerned that Kenshin was still unconscious. Kaoru was maintaining a calm exterior, but worry and lack of sleep was surely affecting her. She would need someone to relieve her bedside vigil for a little while. That was a fine excuse to cover her own intention of checking on Lord Aoshi. If he had even returned.

Now that they were away from the watching eyes of the Oniwaban, Omasu had expected Hiko's flirtation with her to increase. Instead he was silent, simply guiding her with a firm hand through the crowds of people and vehicles. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

Omasu noticed as they made their way through the busy streets that women would stop and stare. Master Hiko's height and looks alone were enough to garner attention anywhere he went, but his massive, white cape was unusual as well. She could see by the strange way it moved that it was weighted somehow and she wondered what its purpose was.

When Master Hiko first arrived at the Aoiya, just in time to save them from the remaining Juppongatona, she was as stunned and amazed by his strength and power as any of the others. It was after the battle, when she first had a chance to speak with him, that Omasu realized the true power of this man: his charisma. She was nearly speechless when he first looked her straight in the eyes, praising her sake and then her looks. A moment later though, she found herself giggling and blushing like some young girl, while she and Okon joined in his banter.

It felt good. How long had it been since a man had complimented her for something besides a well performed mission? Or a well-cooked meal? Okina didn't count of course. How long since a man had even looked at her as a woman and not a fellow Oniwaban member? Too long Omasu decided. In those first few minutes of flirtation, as she shyly met his sultry eyes, she decided that this was it. He was it. She was finally going to let go of the past and move on.

Following Hiko up to the Shirobeko's entrance, Omasu wondered just how to actually do that.