Aurora whisperwind: Konnichiwa minna-san! This fic is written for dedicated to Bharath, one of my fav people and a most talented artist, for his birthday. A little late, though. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

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I was getting bored. Honestly, being dead was a relief for a while, considering how much I'd been through- the blood, the delirium, the unbearable pain every single breath evoked. Yes, death was a relief. And it had been fun too, floating around, meeting former associates, scaring the daylights out of the still living people, and welcoming old and new comrades into the after life. But really, after around twelve years of that, I was bored. There's only so many times you can play games and only so many times you scare people.

There had to be something else to do.

"Arawaka-sensei?" the young woman questioned, as I tried not to wince at the nasty burns on her face and body; "Oh, I don't know… but Mii-chan said something about seeing him two days ago near the shrine" she trailed off. "They don't hurt anymore you know" she said, and she smiled almost knowingly at my discomfort about her burns. "Ahh… hai. Gomen ne. I didn't mean to… anyway, arigatou! I'll look for him" I managed to stammer before scampering off. Arawaka-sensei was our resident priest cum weirdo. Really. Everyone kept away from him, though I did find him fun to tease.

I approached the shrine, where a couple of living women had gathered to pray. I did contemplate on scaring them, but decided not to. It was getting old, and scaring people for no reason was mean, in a way. "Arawaka-sensei! Are you here?" I hollered, swooping through the various rooms, "Arawaka-sensei!"

"What do you want, boy?" a reedy voice snapped, as a skinny old man emerged from the shadows, his displeasure obvious. "Arawaka-sensei! Now there's no need to be that angry all the time, ne?" I asked, tilting my head to one side, and opening my eyes wide, my favorite tactic. He was unimpressed. Hmmm, apparently I'm not as appealing as I used to be. "Just tell me what you want and leave me in peace, you nosy little brat" he hissed, scratching his almost bald head. "Well…." I began, knowing that I had to put this request forth properly.

Well, it wasn't that hard to persuade him, considering that I offered to leave him be for a year or two. I had no idea what he wanted to do, but as I waited for him to return, I felt uneasy. There were certain rules in the after-life, and I hoped I wasn't breaking any. Of course I wasn't. There was no way Arawaka-sensei would be so mean, I reasoned, just as he came back with a small bag clutched in his claw like hands. Demo… that evil look on his face was scary, and before I knew it, he had thrown the contents of the bag on me, and the last thing I saw was his toothless grin.

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"Aoshi-sama! Aoshi-sama!" a young female voice pleaded over me, as I felt?hands grip my shoulders and shake roughly. "Aoshi-sama! What's wrong? Open your eyes!" her voice grew frantic as I struggled to open my eyes. Wait a minute. Open my eyes? Did I- did I come back to life?

And who was Aoshi-sama?

My vision cleared a little, and I found myself staring at a rather pretty young girl, hardly sixteen, with the most beautiful blue-green eyes. "Aoshi-sama!" she squealed in a (painfully) high pitched voice, "What happened?" Now I should be the one asking that. "Who are you?" I muttered groggily, as stars still swam overhead. Her expression swam from hurt to anger to slight suspicion. "Aoshi-sama, now don't kid me. It's me!" I stared at her. Then I stared at myself. I definitely had solid, flesh hands. Big hands. A big body too. Short hair. This is not me! Was I stuck in someone else's body?

Enjoying yourself boy? The all-too familiar reedy voice piped, and I spun around, trying to locate where he was. You can't see me boy, you're in the other realm; he said, a little too happily. Enjoy your day, you have only one after all, he continued, a chance to have a body again. Use it well. "Arawaka-sensei!" I yelled, "Doesn't this break the rules? Arawaka sensei!"

Oh well, it's only for a day.

I looked around at my companion, who was regarding me with a mixture of fear and irritation now. "Ano… little girl" I began, "I don't who you are or who I am… but this will last only a day, you see I possessed this body and… well it's only for a day. Ummm… where are we?" her eyes (god, they were beautiful) clouded in some anxiety, before relaxing into an indulgent expression "We're in Kyoto" she said kindly, and I suspected she thought I had lost my mind. Oh well, she needn't believe me. So I was in Kyoto…

I got up to leave, and her hands automatically latched around me. "I just want to sight see, that's all" I assured her, trying to pry her hands off me. "I'll come with you" she pleaded, and I decided to let her come. It would be nice to have company. "What's your name?" I asked her, getting a glare in return before she smiled and said "Misao"

"Alright Misao-chan, let's go then"

(Misao's POV)

Well, this was a weird day. I mean, I was really scared when he fainted like that! Not that I wasn't scared after, with him insisting he didn't know me and all that rubbish about possessing… demo, Jiya did say that Aoshi-sama had been through a lot. And I had thought that maybe this was a breakdown. Anyway, he didn't seem mad or anything… just weird. I thought I'd play along.

However, now I believe he was possessed, and Aoshi-sama had just sat in his body and watched in horror as his reputation as the manliest man in Kyoto was ripped to shreds. He's still in shock.

…I'm in shock too… and the trip hadn't started out so badly either!

(Aoshi's possessor's POV)

Well there was so much to do! Kyoto certainly had changed a great deal, and it was honestly a lot more likable now. Without the tension that something would happen each night, melting into a vague sense of relief as dawn approached, and the tension again as the day advanced. But first things first, according to Misao, we were going to eat.

Eat!

Honestly it had been so long! And even during the last days of my life I couldn't enjoy that… I stifled a sob at my pathetic state and followed Misao a little morosely into a lovely little restaurant called the Shirobeko. This must be a recent restaurant, what was here before?

Anyway, we had a lovely meal; everything was so delicious! The lady who owned Shirobeko was also so very hospitable! Her name is Sae; I must remember that, when she dies, I'll give her a nice reception! Although, she did look at me strangely when I chirped a goodbye and gave her my most winning smile when we left. Misao was a good deal paler when we left. Odd, maybe the food didn't agree with her…

A candy shop! That was what was in the Shirobeko's place! The best candy shop in all of Kyoto! "Where is the candy shop that stood in the place of that restaurant?" I asked Misao, "there was a candy shop in its place?" she questioned me, "no, it was always the Shirobeko" My face fell. Misao must have noticed, because she tentatively slipped her hand in mine, and whispered, "I can take you another candy shop, the best one in all of Kyoto, Aoshi-sama. Don't look so sad" I must admit, I squealed. I was going to have candy again! I tugged her hand, and started walking faster.

After buying enough sweets to last me a lifetime, well a day at least, we wandered around the city. She pointed out several new shops, statues, and government offices to me. Just as we stopped outside a florist's, and she was admiring a bunch of chrysanthemums, a voice called out from the crowd-"Misao-chan!"

Both of us spun around, and I tried to get candy smears of my mouth, only making my sleeve even stickier. A pretty young girl with blue eyes and dark hair waved at Misao before looking at me with horror. Was this 'Aoshi-sama' scary or something? I was sick of everyone in the city giving me the same look! I mean all I did was walk around eating those delicious dumplings.

"Ano…" the girl began, looking a little wary, before Misao interjected in a slightly high voice "Kaoru-san. Well what are you doing here? Shopping with Himura?" Whatever the girl called Kaoru wanted to say, she seemed to decide against it. "Misao-dono" a soft voice rang out, as a short redheaded man came closer, balancing several parcels in his hand.

Wait, red hair. Could it be? Battousai?

I gasped and sprang back, involuntarily reaching for my sword, which was not there. The redhead turned his large, lavender eyes to me, mildly puzzled. Demo, Battousai was supposed to have amber eyes. I tried to relax, feeling a little foolish as everyone around me stared. However, the incredibly strong ki emanating from him was not so easy to ignore…

I backed away, tuned around and fled. I was panicked, I had no sword, and I couldn't defend myself. After running for a while, and deeming myself safe, I stopped. I looked around, and realized with a start that I had ended up at headquarters, purely by instinct. I pushed the dojo door open, and the musty smell of rotting wood reached me. It was abandoned. I walked through the familiar corridors, feeling such an extreme sense of loss that I had to stop after a while and break down in tears.

The sun began to set as I sobbed uncontrollably, meaning I had hardly an hour left. I wiped my tears on my sleeve, and left, accidentally putting some candy crumbs into my eyes. "Well isn't this a surprise?" an almost familiar, snarling voice sneered at me from the shadows. It couldn't be, not him!

I looked up and strained my candy-invaded eyes to focus on the tall, lean man in front of me, dressed in a police uniform. It had been so long! "Saitoh-sama!" I screamed and threw my arms around him. He froze. "It's been so long, Saitoh-sama!" I bawled, getting a stuttering "O-Okita?" in response. I backed away, while he continued to stare at me incredulously, at my candy covered mouth and clothes. Without warning, He began to laugh, his crazy maniac laugh. "Who would have guessed? Shinomori's body on top of that!" he drawled, and clapped me on the shoulder. "Thanks Okita, when I heard curious mutterings around the city that Shinomori had lost his mind… let's just say that I never expected it to be this good!" he finished gleefully, tapping my cheek with a gloved hand before walking past me, leaving me frozen there. "By the way, if itachi asks you, you didn't see me, girly boy"

Girly boy. "YOU WAIT TILL YOU'RE DEAD, MISTER!" I yelled after him, but he just waved a lazy hand at me without turning around, leaving me fuming. I walked back, kicking a few rocks, waiting to go back to the dead and complain to Hijikata-san, earning more stares from passers-by. Well I didn't care. "Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked falteringly, coming up from a side street. I stopped and sighed. "Listen Misao-chan… well, I'm sorry. You didn't have fun" her hand was back in mine, "It's okay, Aoshi-sama" she said softly. What a sweet girl. Why doesn't Aoshi like her?

Time's up, boy Arawaka-sensei said, I'm bringing you back. "I have to leave," I told Misao "Thank you for everything, and tell Battousai Okita Souji said Hi" I paused; well why not? She wasn't going to get any attention from this Aoshi-sama anyway; I could feel that. So I kissed her.

The world blacked out again, and when I woke up, I was dead again. Misao was right below me, looking stunned, as well as all the people on the road, who seemed to have forgotten what to do. Hmmm… was it that unusual to kiss a girl in plain sight?

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Well… this was long. What do you people think? I had this weird vision of Aoshi skipping around, eating candy. I couldn't resist. Review? Please?