Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki-sama does.
Author's Notes: This story popped into my head while I was watching the RK anime episode where Misao says that she's scared of spiders. Warning: This story feature's spiders so if you are afriad of them you might not want to read futher. Read and Review if you like but Flames will be ignored. Thanks!
Eight Legged Freaks
"Aoshi-sama!" A small blue blur shrieked in fear as it darted behind the first person it saw. That person happened to be Shinomori Aoshi, the sixteen year old Oakashira of the Oniwaban.
"What's wrong Misao?" Aoshi questioned, mentally running through the list of things that could have frightened the little girl. Had Shikijo scared her? That was a possibility but it wouldn't have been on purpose because that wasn't in his nature. Had she seen Han'nya without his mask on? No, that couldn't have been it because Han'nya never took that mask off.
Finally he decided that Misao's terror could not have been caused by anyone who lived at the Aoiya; they all loved the little girl too much. It had to have been something else.
"Misao, what's wrong?" Aoshi questioned again, this time making his voice slightly firmer. Misao looked up at him, her teal eyes wide in fear, "Aoshi-sama, there's somthin' scary in my room!" she whispered.
Aoshi looked down at her, "There's something scary in your room?" he repeated and Misao nodded, "It's on the wall."
Aoshi sighed, he had things to do and he really didn't have the time to be fighting off imaginary monsters for a six year old, "Can't you get Okina-san or Omasu to look at it?"
"Umm-umm." Misao shook her head and gripped Aoshi's pant's leg. "Why not Han'nya or Beshimi?" He questioned.
"Nope, it has to be you Aoshi-sama."
"Why does it have to be me?" Aoshi suppressed the urge to shake his head at Misao's stubbornness.
"'Cause you're tougher then the scary thing on my wall." Misao insisted with child like faith.
"Very well," Aoshi picked a lamp up form its place on a table and started walking up the staircase, followed cautiously by Misao.
Aoshi stepped into Misao's room and looked around. Her futon lay in the center of the room, the blanket thrown to the side and her few belongs where scattered across the floor but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary. He stepped back into the hall, "Misao, there's nothing in there."
Misao looked into her room before darting in to check for herself. A few seconds later she ran back out, "It's still in there!"
This time Aoshi did sigh, "Show me where it is then."
Misao grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room, leading him to the far wall, "Right there."
Aoshi studied the wall closely, "Misao, like I said…" he stopped as he noticed a small black dot on the otherwise white wall. He leaned closer but the thing scurried away, "Misao it's just a spider, it won't hurt you."
"But it's scary looking!" Misao protested.
"Misao, look at it."
"I don't want too," Misao frowned.
"Please Misao just look at it."
Misao frowned but did as Aoshi asked her.
"Look at how small it is, it's probably more frightened of you then you are of it."
"People die from spider bites though and I don't want to get bit and die!"
"That spider's just a harmless one, it won't hurt you Misao."
Misao and Aoshi watched as the spider crawled across the wall and vanished into the hall. "See Misao, it's gone now."
Misao nodded and Aoshi placed a hand on her shoulder, "Why don't you go back to bed now? It's very late."
This time Misao yawned as she nodded, "You have to tuck me in." she insisted as she made her way to her futon.
"All right Misao but then you must go to sleep." Aoshi picked up her blanket and shook it out before placing it over her. She was asleep before he had finished. Aoshi watched her for a moment, a rare almost smile on his face.
This had taken some time away from his more pressing duties but now Misao knew that spiders weren't dangerous and she would never again come running to him in the middle of the night for protection.
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"Aoshi-sama, there's a spider in my room!" Makimachi Misao, the sixteen year old Oakashira of the Oniwaban came running into Aoshi's room, her yukata slipping off of one shoulder and an expression of terror on her face.
Aoshi looked up from the book he was reading and allowed himself one sigh. No matter how old Misao got, there were some things that never changed.
Fin.