Disclaimer: I don't own any RK characters;
I don't own the lyrics of Bono's great songs.
Warning: Angst?? Spoilers for Jinchuu arc, I think.
Rated R for violence and future lemon.
Author's note: I'm not a native speaker, so if there is any mistake bear with me and I hope you are not distracted by them. This is my first fic, here it goes...
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A SORT OF HOMECOMING
By Cyma
Chapter 1:
A Day Without Me
Starting a landslide in my ego
Look from the outside
To the world I left behind
… … … … … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … …… … ……
She's here!!!
The young woman kept running with all her strength her legs could bear. The news she had were so important especially for one person…
"Okon!!! Nice to see you!" a soft voice distracted her.
"Oh… Hello Sae, I'm in a hurry right now, we'll talk later, all right?… By the way, have you seen Aoshi-san?"
"No. I think he's still at the temple."
"Thanks. See you later."
Once again her feet moved with the agility only ninjas possess. Wind was playing with the few locks of hair that had fallen from her loose bun. Finally she went up the stairs arriving at her destination.
... ...
"Aoshi-san!!! Aoshi-san!!!" she barged in his meditation room out of breath.
"What is it Okon?" he was still seated facing her with a cold expression.
"Oh Aoshi-san, I heard it, I'm sorry but I heard it all." She said catching her breath. By her desperate tone he was guessing this was important, even if the Aoiya women tend to blow things out of all proportion and overreact.
"Please calm down and tell me what's wrong. What did you hear? Did something happened at the Aoi-ya?" he was beginning to worry but he kept his composure.
"Everyone is fine." She said finally calming down. She saw the tea on the table and served herself a cup. "Everyone is fine," she said before she drank it all.
By now Aoshi was amused by her. Women, always making a fuss about small thing. Let's see what she has to say.
She was facing him still holding the cup. She let out a sigh or more like a forced breath and she settled down.
"I heard it all, Aoshi-san," she said once again having her regular breath back. He just stared at her waiting for her to continue.
"They weren't going to tell us. Okina was talking to Kuro and Shiro. The news arrived about a week ago." She stared at her empty cup a strange look on her face.
Aoshi despite his self-control felt he was going to pounce over the woman for an answer. Could she get to the point already? Of course his face wouldn't reveal a thing.
"She's here. She arrived a few days ago and her ship has been anchored for more than a week now."
He didn't understand. Who was here? Ship? What ship was he expecting?
Okon lifted her face from the cup and looked straight into Aoshi's eyes. It was clear to her he didn't understand… or was it… that he finally turned to ice that news as this didn't produce any reaction from him. She half expected he would know what she was talking about. especially for being of such importance to him...
"Mitsuko is back."… So she made it clear for him.
… Well… he reacted… but it was so imperceptible that only Okon could have guessed he was impressed with the news. He never thought it could be about her.
"Since when do they have the information?" Aoshi monotonously asked.
"It seems they know since she arrived at the port at Osaka a week ago."
"Do you know where she is now?" Aoshi kept his detached attitude.
"I only know that she's here. If you really want to know you should ask Okina."
Immediately he got up and headed for the door, leaving Okon still sitting down serving herself another cup of cold tea.
... ...
Aoshi, without realizing it quickened his pace. The dusty road seemed too crowded all of a sudden.
"Aoshi-sama!!! Aoshi-sama!!!"
"Misao? Where do you come from?"
He was definitely altered. That was obvious to people that knew him enough, Misao being one of them.
"What's wrong, Aoshi-sama?"
"Okon needs to talk to you. She's in the temple." I just need to get rid of her . I'm not in the mood of explaining things to her and I don't have the time.
"Okon?"
"Yes. Is Okina at the restaurant?"
"I think so…" and with that he headed once again back to the Aoiya.
While he made his way his head was a complete chaos. She's here! She's here! How long has it been. About twelve years since she left and about a couple of years last time I saw her…Mitsuko…
- - - - - -
"Hannya she's in Edo. I just received the message."
"So, we'll part for Tokyo at once, Okashira?"
"Of course. Please call the others."
... ...
"It seems she's working with foreign trading and smuggling. Kaneda is her last contact in Japan. So we have to go and get more information.
Everyone nodded. They were resting around a fire in a forest at the outskirts of Tokyo, the darkness surrounding them.
"Okashira…"
"Yes Beshimi?"
"We will have to consult with this Kaneda guy, won't we?"
"Yes. I got us a job with him. It could get a little nasty and illegal, so if you don't want to join me I'll understand."
All of them kept silent. The answer to their leaders request was clear. And their silence was meant only for the Okashira.
Hannya sat at his right, his demon mask always on. The rest were a bit apart from the two, facing them. Aoshi could have been well trained in self-restraint but his uncertainty and stress was obvious to his mates. Everyone straed at the expressionless face of the man in front and burst out into laughter.
"But of course we'll come, Okashira. There's no way you're getting rid of us that easily." It was Shikijou who spoke.
If the Okashira's worry was evident, his relief was in full sight for everyone to see. "So much for patience training, ne boss?"
"What do you mean?"
Everyone laughed again. They were a group of friends it wasn't just an Okashira and his followers. Their loyalty was unquestionable and for that they gave their lives to prove it.
"Will she accept what you have to offer if we find her?" Hyottoko asked after some time.
"That is something I don't know."
"Why would she leave?" he then asked after a few minutes.
"Hyottoko, I think is time to rest" Hannya said getting up and moving away from the group.
That was the end of the conversation. No one would get more answers. Of coursed they remembered her, all of them did. And everyone expected for her to yield when Aoshi was named Okashira, but they didn't expect her to leave, least of all Aoshi. And they didn't expect for Aoshi to follow after her, but of course, he was the Okashira and they would follow him until the end, that was for sure. What they weren't sure of was if she came back, what would happen then? But Hannya was right, it's time to rest and so they did.
- - - - - -
She's here! The last time I heard about her ended in a tragedy. And even myself haven't come to a conclusion of why I seeked for her so desperately. Why I wished for her to come back. And when I stopped looking for her, when I finally managed to drown all kinds of feelings in me, she appears, she's back to haunt…
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … … … … …
I'm dreaming
You're Awake
I'f I were sleeping
What's at stake?
A day without me
TBC
I'm finished with the first chapter. Please R&R and thanks for staying with me until the end of this first part.