Moon Over Kyoto Part 1
by Kaz

this is sorta a sequel for 'Mask of Innocence', thank you for the people who reviewed, heh... never thought someone would do that because this is an alternate pairing after all ^^;;; April-san, what a nice site you have there! I love the Ao/Sou gallery section! Yay!

standard disclaimer applied
warnings: Aoshi + Soujirou, angst, romance, lemon in part 2, PG-13 to NC-17 ( I guess...)
notes: still the spoiler from manga vol. 11 and kinda boring... gomennasai...
beta-ed once again by Tiggy, big thanks! ^__^

* * * * *

Part 1: In Silence

It was early in the morning, but the Kyososhu group hadn't come back from Aoiya. Houji started to look nervous at his desk while Shinomori Aoshi stood by the bookshelf, glancing towards the door every minute. Ten minutes later he heard running steps in the hallway and a guard burst through the door. Houji turned his back almost abruptly, eyes widening with surprise.

"Houji-sama!" the guard said with a choked voice; a glint of fear crossed his face. Somehow, Aoshi could guess what had happened to the Kyososhu group.

Houji almost ran to the meeting room, only to find one of the Kyososhu members standing on the doorway. His clothes were soaked with blood that dripped from all over his body, from face to toe. The soldier's face was filled with trauma, as if he'd been tortured for days, but he was lucky for he was the only man left alive from the attack.

"One hell of Owls you have there, got defeated by the mouse." Aoshi smirked as he saw the only survivor's condition. He too didn't last long, as he fell to the floor and they could see note engraved on the man's back. Aoshi read the message quickly, a challenge, he noted, from Okina. He should've expected that.

This was his fight alone.

"Are you going?" A voice startled him as he was just stepping out through the gate. He knew who it was even without looking back. Soujirou. Nobody had that calm cheerful voice except the young man. "I know that you'll make it, demo..."

Aoshi stopped, turning his face to see the young man. He could feel that pang rising back inside his heart as he saw Soujirou's lips curved into a smile. "What is it?"

"I can find the information for you; you don't have to go."

"Why?"

Soujirou shrugged, his eyes so wide. "Because you'll get hurt."

Aoshi started. Lifting his face, he saw the smile had gone but Soujirou's expression was still filled with a remarkable calm, no emotions in those eyes whatsoever. He didn't know how he hid that, but he didn't care about anything at all at that moment.

"You said yourself that I'll make it," Aoshi retorted calmly.

"Physically," Soujirou added, and then, "Your heart will hurt after you fight the Ojiisan. He's your..."

"That is not your business." Aoshi cut him off, "This is something I have to do. And that's exactly what I will do..."

The younger man nodded; that smile came back to the previously pensive face. Aoshi turned and started to walk out of the cave. The morning wind blew his coat, making him shiver. He knew that the boy still there, watching him as he left.

Hurt. Funny, that boy sounded as if he cared for him. He used to have people who cared for him, for their goal to make Oniwa Banshuu as the strongest soldiers among others in Japan. But then they were all killed, and then he didn't have anyone any more. He couldn't even achieve the dreams of his friends to be the strongest fighter. But he would, once he beat Battousai Himura he would finally gain the title. But to find Battousai, he had to face Okina first, even if it meant killing him.

And nobody could stop him. Even Soujirou...

* * * * *

Soujirou watched him go, walking slowly down the long path and then into the small forest. The wind blew his hair softly as he walked; Soujirou couldn't help but smile. He felt something different in his smile. Why was he still feeling that strange sensation inside his heart every time he looked into Shinomori Aoshi's face? He couldn't find any answer for that, and certainly he couldn't ask anyone about it.

But he felt something bad was going to happen. What would happen to Aoshi if he let him go now? Was it the right decision after all to fight the Ojiisan from Aoiya? His sources told him that he was one of the strongest warriors that ever existed in the history of Oniwa Banshuu. He surely couldn't be underestimated by anyone, even at his age. Sure, Aoshi might be stronger, but then...

That was one of the things Soujirou worried about if Aoshi did fight the man. What would happen if Aoshi won? He would only be left with regret and remorse for killing his own friend. And that pain would destroy the man little by little from the inside. Is that what he wanted? Soujirou asked himself.

He bit his own lip, thinking hard. What if... that stupid question kept dancing inside his mind, bothering him. He had to do something, he realized. He had to be there for Aoshi, just in case...

Shaking his head he went back to the cave and walked directly to Shishio's chamber. Yumi was there also, smiling as she saw him and asking him to play a game of sougi. The boy smiled and sat with her, started playing. He didn't notice as time passed by. Houji came in and reported the news he had heard before, telling Shishio that Shinomori Aoshi had gone to face the Ojiisan from the Oniwa Banshuu.

He felt that strange feeling come to haunt him once again. "Ara, check mate!" Yumi smiled in triumph as she took her next pawn and placed it right in front of Soujirou's king. "I won!"

Soujirou's mouth twitched into a smile and he scratched the back of his head. "Omedetou, Yumi san!" he chuckled, and then, "I guess I need to practice more if I want to defeat you next time..."

Yumi put her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed. "You did that on purpose, didn't you! Naughty boy!"

"Iya, iya..." He chuckled, "...but I really have to go somewhere now, take a nice walk outside. Can I do that, Shishio-san?"

The leader of the Juppon Gatana eyed him for a second and nodded. "Be back before midnight, Soujirou. I want to talk to you tonight..."

"Aah," Soujirou smiled, "...would you excuse me then."

Soujirou closed the door behind him and continued walking, out of the cave again. He didn't know why he was so troubled. It wasn't like Shinomori Aoshi meant anything to him. He shook his head. Maybe it would be okay if he checked how he was doing right now. Yes, that would be a good start, then at least he wouldn't be burdened with all those thoughts about the okashira anymore.

His sources had told him that there was a mountain to the east of Kyoto where the Oniwa Banshuu held their meetings; it was their special place. He was more than certain that Aoshi and the Ojiisan would be fighting there.

With a smile on his face, the boy set off.

* * * * *

He stared down at the beautiful view of Kyoto city just beyond his feet before turning to the small wooden house standing among the forest of bamboo. It had been a long time since the last time he walked on this mountain. And now here he was, planning to fight his old friend. He was no longer the okashira, he was no longer a proud member of Oniwa Banshuu... He was just Shinomori Aoshi, the man who would be the strongest of them all. Once he defeated Battousai Himura.

He reached the wooden door, pushing it gently until it edged open. Okina was already there, sitting with eyes as sharp as an eagle's, dressed in his fighting uniform. He knew that he was more than ready. The morning sunlight slanted through the door he'd just opened, brightening the not too large room. Before he could utter a single word, Okina had started.

"Let's begin, Aoshi!"

He was fast. But Aoshi was faster; unsheathing the kodachi he raised the two steel blades, seeking a weak spot to attack. Head, his brain supplied fast. He swung the first kodachi to the head, but he also knew that the attack was only an opening for their fight. Okina dodged the attack, shielding his head with his hand. Aoshi heard a sound of metals colliding when his kodachi touched the old man's hand. He realized that Okina had something under his sleeve.

He was too late as he saw that thing, whatever it was, whirling in Okina's hand. He tried to dodge, but Okina was faster, hitting his head with the metal in his hand. Aoshi felt a sting under his right eye, feeling his blood drip onto his cheek.

"Tonfar," he said almost inaudibly.

"Yes. You know that this is the weapon I used when I fought the previous okashira," Okina's eyes were deadly as he gazed into Aoshi's. The younger man didn't budge from his spot. "Even your kodachi nitou ryuu couldn't break it, Aoshi."

Aoshi didn't say a thing, focusing his mind on the fight. This wasn't over yet, nothing such as metal tonfars could stop him.

Okina took a step back, eyes narrowed as he saw Aoshi's shadow multiply and surround him. He gritted his teeth, but his ears were sharper than anyones. "Kaiten Kenbu, the soft fast movement to confuse your enemy..." Okina remarked, "...but as you start to attack, I'll be able to know where you are!"

Aoshi's kodachi collided with the tonfar, the two metals shifting in one single motion. But Okina had forgotten that the younger man still had another kodachi above his head. He didn't even see it coming and it cut his tonfar in half. The sound of the metal hitting the floor was almost tearing.

"The one that couldn't break your tonfar was the former okashira's kodachi nitouryuu..." Aoshi's voice came out cold and calm, "I don't care about copper tonfar, ex friends, or even the Battousai himself... No one could survive my kodachi nitouryuu."

Okina fell to the wooden floor, his back against the wall. With only one tonfar left he couldn't protect all his body from Aoshi's two kodachis. And the fact that the man was stronger than the former okashira himself made him realize that his resistance was futile.

"Tell me where Battousai is, Okina." Aoshi said again, "That way I can stop all this here..."

"Don't underestimate me," Okina said, almost choking on his words because of the lump in his throat. "Even though I am old, I'm still a member of the Onmitsu Oniwa Banshuu! And unlike you, I would never sell my friend to the enemy! I am not that low!"

Their eyes met. Okina couldn't utter a single word after that, the pain in his body getting worse every second. Aoshi's eyes were deadly cold and he knew that he was serious; he would take his friend's life to get what he wanted.

"Really?" Aoshi's voice filled the silence. "That means that you'll end up dying here. And so will the other four members in Aoiya..."

"I won't let you do that!" Okina stood back up, drawing his one tonfar with his arm. He knew that it was probably useless, but with the rest of what was left inside him he charged the young okashira, only to have his tonfar hit the air.

"It's no use, your tonfar is broken. You can't use it against me..!"

Aoshi lifted the kodachi, getting ready to strike as he saw Okina raise his hand, opening the palm. His kodachi stabbed the palm of the old man, blood spattering all over the floor.

"You hurt me, Aoshi." The cold remark made the younger man halt for a second. Okina used the chance to grab the kodachi in his hand. Aoshi still froze as the tonfar whirled one more time before his eyes. "Although I only have half of my tonfar, if I keep attacking you with all my strength, it will be a totally different story!"

Aoshi could see the light flash from the metal before he felt the metal touch his forehead, his vision filling with blood. Okina was back in his position on the floor, looking up to the other man.

The kodachi was lifted. Okina's eyes widened slightly as he saw the position that told him that Aoshi was going to use his chi to strike him next.

Kaitenken. He was going to charge him in a swirling move, Okina noted. And then his eyes widened to their maximal size. Aoshi's eyes were more than predatory. They were filled with a darkness he never seen before inside the young man.

And as the Kaiten kenbu rokuren danced in the air, Okina felt the stab all over his body. He felt himself flying in the air before he finally landed back on earth with his back to Aoshi. He closed his eyes, feeling only silence surrounding the two of them.

The door opened, allowing the sunshine into the room once again. Misao stood on the threshold, face filled with gladness as she saw the two men still alive. "Yokatta, everyone is safe..."

Okina felt that pang inside his heart, and couldn't believe it as his body arched back and blood started to sputter from his body. He fell to the floor, almost drowning in the pool of his own blood.

Misao's eyes grew wide as she saw the Ojiisan's body reach the wooden floor, filling with pain. Aoshi put the two kodachis back in their sheath, walking away from the young girl. "It's over."

Misao froze, eyes widened in horror and unable to look away from Okina's body. And then she remembered, "Aoshi!" she called before he could walk too far, voice filled with tears.

"Go away," came the cold answer, "Don't show your face in front of me ever again."

The wind blew coldly as the man walked out of the house with blood on his coat. Long bangs covered his two eyes, lips pressed tightly together as he walked. Cold was the only thing he could feel afterwards.

* * * * *

Soujirou watched as the girl carried the old man's body out of the house and ran back to Aoiya. He was too late, he realized. He didn't see Aoshi anywhere when he arrived. If only he hadn't wasted time playing the sougi he might have seen what had happened with Shinomori Aoshi.

But if the old man was badly injured, that would mean that he was safe, right? That meant Aoshi had won, although Soujirou was certain that Okina hadn't given him any information about Himura Kenshin.

He didn't know why he started to walk to Aoiya, following the girl's steps. One of the men in the restaurant ran out to call for the doctor. That meant that he was alright. He didn't die, Soujirou sighed gladly. He'd just have to make sure before he could tell everything to Aoshi.

It was nearly mid afternoon when the doctor finished the stitches for Okina's wounds. Soujirou spied on them almost the whole day without being noticed. How funny that a group of ninjas weren't even aware that they were being watched. They must've been very worried about the old man, he concluded vaguely.

After making sure that Okina was alright, Soujirou walked back to the mountain, almost certain that Aoshi would be there.

He took the short path he had marked, knowing that he would get there in a shorter time than before. He wanted to tell Aoshi what he knew. That the Ojiisan didn't die, so he wouldn't have to feel guilty for what he had done. But what if Aoshi didn't regret what he had done? Soujirou pondered. What if it was the wrong decision to tell him the truth? Would Aoshi come back to Aoiya to hunt the rest of the members of the Oniwa Banshuu when he found out?

He couldn't believe he was thinking that way. Murdering was easy, he realized. He had killed so many people in his young life and still couldn't feel anything towards his victims, but now thinking how murdering the people at Aoiya would hurt Aoshi made him ache inside.

Soujirou lifted his face as he reached his destination. The okashira was indeed standing there, eyes gazing across the beautiful view of Kyoto. His eyes looked so beautiful under his long bangs, but they were filled with hatred and anger, and a little bit of... sadness, Soujirou noted. Maybe it was only his imagination after all...

"Shinomori-san..." The young man stepped closer. Aoshi didn't flinch from his spot, but Soujirou knew that his coming must've been known long before he arrived. "I thought that you'd be here."

"Why are you following me?"

"I..." Soujirou wanted to explain and found himself failing. He looked away to the view beyond and sighed, "I know what happened..."

"You don't know anything," Aoshi stated calmly, but there was no cynical tone in that cold, deadly voice. "You don't know..."

Soujirou touched one of the other man's arms, holding it lightly. "I know."

His words went through to the okashira's heart and the older man turned to face him, eyes widened slightly with surprise. Soujioru collected his courage to take the man's two hands in his. "He is okay. He is still alive."

"What?" Aoshi pulled his hand away. "What did you say?"

Soujirou smiled gently, "He's still alive. You didn't kill him, Shinomori-san..."

Aoshi looked puzzled, his hand clenched at his kodachi sheath, taking a deep breath. "I have to go there and make sure. To find information about Battousai..." He started to turn only to have his hand caught by Soujirou.

"Don't kill anyone there if you think you might regret it, Shinomori-san."

The older man eyed him icily, "What do you care, Soujirou?"

The smile on Soujirou's face was enigmatic, "You'll make yourself suffer as a murderer if you kill them. You can't kill them without feeling guilty."

"Oh?" Aoshi's eyebrow lifted. "Is that coming from a man who's killed so many people?"

Soujirou let him go at last, eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled. "I never feel guilty for the murders I've committed, Shinomori-san. Because I can't feel... Demo... I want to try. That's why I'm taking this risk."

"What risk?"

Soujirou smiled widely as he faced the okashira. "To feel for you, no matter how painful it is for me."

Aoshi's lips parted to speak, but he could barely utter a word as he saw that smile. Turning away, he started to walk away from the young man. "I have to go."

"I'll be waiting for you here."

Aoshi stopped in his tracks for a long second before he continued his pace. His eyes were cold but his heart melted a little. What exactly was Soujirou offering to him? He didn't want to know...

-tbc-