Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic

Summary:Kaoru and Aoshi go for a seemingly innocent stroll through the countryside, but Kaoru has ulterior motives involving the investigation of her rurouni's past. A sudden rain storm alters plans somewhat.

- PG - English –Humour – Multi-Chapter - Status: Complete –

Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese Version © N.Watsuki/Shueisha Fuji-TV SME Visual Works Inc. Sony Pictures Entertainment

All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.

The Blanket Scenario: Aoshi & Kaoru

By: Chiruken

Chapter 1

Kaoru pressed her lips together in a thin line to hold in her annoyance. It seemed as if she'd been walking for hours, yet wasn't that the same jinzou that they'd passed five times already?! "Um…Aoshi…you do know where we're going, right?" Not surprisingly, he didn't answer. She sighed in resignation. She had no choice but to rely on him…she was already hopelessly lost. "Is it much further?"

Aoshi restrained himself from pointing out that she was the one who insisted on this ridiculous quest…barely. She'd insisted that she knew exactly where she was going and only required his presence for company. Now she expected him to guide her? Honestly, how did Battousai find the patience to deal with the annoying girl?

Kaoru gritted her teeth at his continued silence. He was quite possibly the most boring companion she'd ever had the misfortune of spending time with. His conversational skills were virtually nonexistent. She couldn't see what Misao found so wonderful about him. In her opinion, Shinomori Aoshi was, simply put, a sour puss with no understanding of how to have any fun. "Oh look…there's the jinzou…again." This time she didn't bother stopping by the stone statue but continued walking.

Aoshi sighed inwardly. Walking in circles was getting them nowhere fast. "Where, exactly, are you trying to go?" He didn't like surprises, but as a favor to Battousai he'd agreed to this supposedly short trip without asking any pertinent questions.

"Otsu." Kaoru glared at her companion. "Didn't I tell you that in Kyoto?" He shook his head silently. "Oh. I thought I did." She giggled nervously. "My mistake. Sorry."

Aoshi halted and turned in the opposite direction, raising his hand to point. "Otsu is that way." How many hours did they waste walking in circles? His patience was nearly at its end. "Why are we going to Otsu?"

"Um…well...you see...it's a little hard to explain." Kaoru blushed under his implacable gaze. "Hiko-san mentioned it this morning when I was visiting him."

"Did he now? And why has that any bearing on why we're now going there?" Aoshi narrowed his eyes suspiciously. To the best of his knowledge, Hiko Seijuurou never just 'mentioned' anything. He'd heard something about a tragedy near Otsu a number of years back involving Battousai towards the end of the Bakumatsu. Could that be what Hiko had 'mentioned' to Kaoru?

"Well…" Kaoru cleared her throat and averted her gaze from his penetrating stare. "He may have said something about Kenshin having lived there for a while…" She blushed and shuffled her feet wishing for all the world that she'd never thought of going to Otsu to find out for sure in the first place.

Sometimes Aoshi hated being right. "Then why go with me and not Battousai?" It made no sense to him. Battousai was by far the best choice for a journey of this sort.

Kaoru rolled her eyes. "I thought that fairly obvious, Aoshi."

"Enlighten me." He folded his arms over his chest and waited.

"Kenshin never once mentioned Otsu. There has to be a reason, right? So I thought I'd just go and check it out on my own."

"Is that a good idea? Battousai may not wish for his past to be fully discovered. As you said, there may be a reason why he's never discussed it with you." Inwardly, Aoshi had to admit to being curious as well, but that didn't excuse prying into someone else's affairs. Admittedly, he had been the leader of the Oniwabanshu, an elite group of spies, and as such was, by nature, rather nosy himself. But still, he doubted Battousai would appreciate his involvement in this escapade.

"But aren't you even a little curious, Aoshi? I mean, don't you find it a little odd that he's never even mentioned Otsu? Not even when we were all in Kyoto the last time. And now, he disappears, sometimes for the whole day. Maybe it's something important that we should really know. Haven't you noticed how quiet he's been lately?" Kaoru drew in a gulp of air. "It isn't as if he ever said don't go to Otsu, right?"

Aoshi almost smiled at her convoluted reasoning. "Very well. However, the consequences of whatever we may or may not discover in Otsu rest fully on your head, Kamiya Kaoru."

"Sure, sure. No problem." She smiled brightly and turned in the direction he'd indicated. She was willing to agree to anything just as long as she made it to Otsu within her lifetime…and before her feet fell off.

Aoshi shrugged inwardly. He doubted if she fully realized the possible extent of the repercussions of this foolish idea of hers. Battousai, he knew, would not be pleased when he discovered the truth behind their excursion today. And somehow he doubted that Kaoru would be blamed. No, Battousai would reserve that honor for him and Aoshi wasn't looking forward to the inevitable retaliation that would be directed towards him. He smiled inwardly. At least he'd be able to say he'd relieved his curiosity…if he survived long enough.

To Be Continued…