Misao no Monogatari

Sagasu Pt 1

Disclaimers apply. Sorry, I'm not a very good translator! This fic contains language that may be offensive to some.

Those men. They can't be that deprived, can they? I just have to lower my voice a little and they fall for it. Big mistake. I, Makimachi Misao, will never degrade myself to selling my body for money!

I tightened my grip on my cloak. Not long now...they're falling into my trap...I needed the money urgently and knew they definitely had it--they obviously had not detected my presence while they were stealing from Odawara inn! Smirking to myself, I still could not help but wonder what had made me lower myself to doing this. It was all an act...but still shameful. What would Aoshi-sama think if he knew about this?

I was pretending to be a cheap prostitute and robbing men along my way because of him anyway. If he and the others had not left me, then I wouldn't be stuck in Kyoto, searching all over the country whenever there was any news of his whereabouts! Aoshi, this is partly your fault, but I'll do it willingly if it means being able to see you again...and make you smile...

When I first started robbing this way, I had been rather nervous...what if I was overpowered? But men...those men anyway...they have one track minds with only one goal--one aim. And when that is promised, they can never turn it down. Easy prey. By the time they realised that their money was missing, I had long escaped while they stood in their loincloths, foolishly waiting for pleasure. Sometimes, I can't help wondering if all men are like that.

Definitely not Aoshi-sama though.

"There is nothing to be afraid of right now." That lecher's voice broke into my thoughts. Those gangsters grinned at me, saliva practically dripping down to the floor. I took a step back, disgusted, unconsciously wrapping the cloak closer around me for protection. The cloak had always given me a feeling of warmth and security...Aoshi-sama gave it to me when I was little. It was rather big then, but I've since grown into it. Hmm...I wonder if he still has that trenchcoat of his...

"After all, you're the one who came up to us." There was a glint in his eyes. Worse than Jiya.

"I know...but do you guys have money?" I heard my lowered, husky voice say, well-rehearsed. Any moment now...

"We just grabbed a stash from Odawara. See for yourself." Just what I was waiting to hear.

"Oh, that's good..." Clutching the edge of the cloak, I watched their disgustingly hungry, anticipating eyes. With a flick of my wrist, I flung the cloak off me.

"Enough! The game ends here! Hand over all the money you have on you!" I couldn't have been more satisfied. This stash was much more than what I had ever robbed before. The lecherous grins had turned into stunned stares.

"What! A little girl!" I had not expected that reaction! Little girl indeed, eh? My blood boiled into angry steam which practically shot from my ears. Who did they think they were? I'll show them! Gritting my teeth, my body spasmed with fury. They actually dared to turn their backs on me! I felt my face growing hotter and hotter with anger. Why was it that the men had the same reaction every time I tried pulling this off?

"She had such a sexy voice, I thought that we would have fun tonight. Terrible!"

"Children should not be running about late at night. Go home and sleep."

A child! Is that what I look like? Wasn't I sexy even without the voice! Damn those men! Can't they recognise a woman when they see one? Aoshi-sama beats them any day. Did they think I was running about of my own accord? How was I supposed to go home and sleep without any money to get home? Did they expect me to listen to them? Fat chance if they're not Jiya or Aoshi and his four friends! I wasn't planning to offer them any 'services' anyway, unless it was to clean them of their money!

"Stop right there!!!" I yelled at them, exploding. "Who's a little girl? You guys are blind!" The anger propelled me up into the air, kicking one of those bastards [sorry about the language!] in the back of the head. He collapsed with a loud thump, unconscious, still drooling like a lovesick dog. Good. He deserved it.

"Irritating little girl!" His companions were getting angry too. One of them was brandishing a stick with a vengeance. So, they wanted a fight? Well, they'll soon find out that no one messes with Makimachi Misao. Arigatou Hannya, Aoshi-sama, for teaching me kempo...

"I'm already sixteen this year!" Gathering all my strength, I emphasized my point by elbowing him hard in the stomach. With a groan, he was sent a few metres away. He was already lucky I wasn't Aoshi...or Hannya by the matter. If they were here, his guts would probably be bursting out of his stomach. Aoshi and his friends always never let anyone bully me...

What was I thinking? If they were with me, I wouldn't be here fighting those gangsters in the first place. I'd be safe and happy...with them...somewhere...just like when I was little, before they left me with Jiya.

A strong armlock from behind awoke me from my reminiscing. The danger I was in at that moment quickly shot back into focus.

"Little brat, don't get too carried away!" Another man was coming up to me with a sword. For a while, I was extremely frightened...he had killed before that, as he was yelling out now. Killing another--especially a 'little girl' like me, wasn't much.

Wait a minute. 'Little girl'? What had Aoshi-sama taught me? Never to let myself be bullied...well, if that thug thought this 'little' girl was no match for him, he's certainly wrong!

The sword came down...onto nothing. Vaulting myself into the air, I backflipped, aiming for them. They hadn't learnt their lesson, had they? I'm no weak little girl, I'm a member of the Onmitsu Oniwabanshuu, with skills taught by the Okashira himself! And they still think they can get their filthy hands on me?

Cries of agony filled the air as I lashed out with all my might. Landing on my feet, a natural reflex, I surveyed my surroundings. The thugs lay unconscious on the ground, some with blood dripping from their nose and mouth. It would be a long time before they woke up. Satisfied, I dusted my hands. "A bunch of useless bums..." Couldn't even beat a sixteen year old girl...luckily Aoshi and the others are not like them, although I have to admit, I did kind of wrap them around my finger when I was little...

Finally, I caught sight of what I had been looking for. Picking up the bag of money, I couldn't have been more satisfied...now if only I could find Aoshi-sama, Hannya, Shikijou, Hyottoko and Beshimi, my life would be perfect, especially if Aoshi falls in love with me.

"All I have to do is lower my voice a little and the prey comes knocking on the door," I thought aloud, my face stretching into a grin. With that amount, I wouldn't have to rob anyone again, which was kind of a relief. Since all the men thought my low voice was sexy, maybe I should try it on Aoshi when I find him. Who knows, maybe it'll actually work, but of course, with less um...hentai results. I know Aoshi isn't that kind of lecher who searches for women in the mizu shobai [literally, water business. Meaning well...pleasure business] every night. Not like Jiya who--

"Unbelievable!" A voice came from behind. Stunned, I nearly dropped the back. Who was it who dared to sneak up on me?

The voice was too low to be female, yet to high to sound male. I wondered if it was some kind of transvestite...or were there ghosts in the woods?

"I thought you were being robbed by those men at first, but it turns out your were the one robbing instead!" The voice continued. I turned to meet a short, wiry red headed man with long hair and a cross scar on his left cheek. He looked rather feminine to me. I narrowed my eyes.

"Is there a rule that says women cannot rob?" I asked. He shook his head, looking ashamed.

"What I mean is, you shouldn't rob whether you're male or female," he replied. I was beginning to get angry with him again. Then, I noticed the sword that hung from his waist.

***

Well, I did try to get that sword for him, but he actually ruined my beloved cloak, which I took months to save up for! I suppose it was my fault, but he shouldn't have used it to block my kunai! But then, I wouldn't have done Kansatsu Tobikunai if he had not made me angry in the first place...

It rather surprised me that he was using a sakabatou--a reversed edge sword. And he forced me to return the money to the Tamuraya. But as I watched him fight the thugs I had knocked out barely an hour before, I realised that I could use him as a friend. Judging from his looks, I would never have guessed that he was such an excellent swordsman, but of course, Aoshi is much better.

The swordsman waved his sword around swiftly, reminding me of Aoshi-sama. When I was little, I would sit in the training hall, watching him practice kaiten kenbu, kodachi nitou ryuu, and kempo. I was there too, when he taught Hannya kempo. He wouldn't teach me although I begged him like crazy, said I was too young and would hurt myself. To pacify me, Hannya taught me after he mastered it.

I still remember Aoshi's hand over mine as he taught me how to hold and throw the kunai properly. Initially, after the kempo incident, I wanted him to teach me kaiten kenbu! He was shocked, but managed to convince me to settle for kunai instead. "I don't want you to get hurt, kunai are safer." Those words will always remain in my mind...maybe--maybe when we meet again, he'll teach me kaiten kenbu, and we'll go around doing justice together, with Hannya, Shikijou, Beshimi and Hyottoko, just like before. They can't say I'm a little girl anymore, I am sixteen after all.

Then, the bridge we were on suddenly collapsed. Unable to brace myself, my head hit the ground and all went black.

The swordsman was standing over me when I came round. Still rather delirious, I murmured dazedly what I thought of his sword skills. He smiled, telling me that he had fought on bridges many times in the past. As he said that, a thought suddenly occurred to me that if he had fought in the past, perhaps...just maybe...he would know of Aoshi's whereabouts. I decided to hint to him.

"I still think the person I'm looking for is better."

His smile widened. "Maybe..."

"During the Bakumatsu, they were the ones who secretly protected Edo." The swordsman started, looking quite shocked. I knew I was on to something.

"I wonder what Aoshi-sama and the other Oniwabanshuu are doing now..." Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine. Would they be thinking of me? Aoshi especially? Did they even remember me? The warmth of Aoshi's hand, clutched around mine making sure the kunai were held correctly, was still fresh on my skin, as if he had just let go barely a second ago. And I found myself missing those sharp, mysterious greyish blue eyes more than ever. Oh please, please, let that swordsman have a clue for me...Kami-sama, onegai shimasu...

And my silent prayer was answered.

"Shinomori Aoshi......." the swordsman murmured.

tbc...

Notes: I think this fic is more like an extended manga translation than a POV fic(laughs) Gomen ne readers. I've tried not to go OOC here, but so far there's still room for improvement.
Reminder: This is a separate fic from the songfic-'prologue' Ice Blue Eyes, but I'm putting all the fics under the Misao no Monogatari(Misao's Story) series together as one chaptered fic so that they're easier to find.