Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or Rurouni Kenshin characters. Nor do I own the movie Shrek that my story is based on. This is fiction and for entertainment purposes only. This story was not written for sale or profit but pure enjoyment. So with that out of the way please read and enjoy.

Aoshi

["Lady Misao?" Kaoru asked slowly walking over to her friend.  She leaned down and helped Lady Misao to her feet dusting off her dress.  Taking Lady Misao's arm Kaoru led her on toward the gate.]

Chapter 11

~~~"What… happened… did… I…" Misao asked each word softer than the last.  With each step she took a little piece of food would fall to the ground..  The tie from her hair fell out releasing her hair allowing it to fall around her shoulders like a shawl

"We have to go," Kaoru whispered glancing at Lady Misao she quickly picked up the tie and put it back in her hair.  While holding onto her arm Kaoru urged Lady Misao to walk faster.  "Stay right here and wait, while I open the gate," she told Lady Misao.

"I'm sorry I didn't leave you any food," Lady Misao said a small smile playing on her face.  Kaoru smiled with a slight shake of her head and said, "I wasn't hungry anyway."

Opening one side of the heavy wooden gate, Kaoru waited for Lady Misao to catch up before slipping through the gate.

Starting down the path they were soon surrounded by the Owls.  "Where do you think you two are going?" the leader of the Owls asked.

"I am sorry," Kaoru said to Lady Misao who shrugged her shoulders and said, "Beats sitting in a castle all day doing nothing.  Think you can handle half of them."  Kaoru nodded her head.

Before the fight could begin, a carriage pulled up beside them.  Stepping out of the carriage was Hiko the Great, his white cape gracefully floating around him as he descended the carriage, his ever-present smile on his face.

Kaoru growled and glared daggers at the impertinence of the man, while Lady Misao just smiled. 

Hiko looked over at the girls then asked, "Who is in charge?"

One of the Owls stepped forward and said, "I am."

"I brought the dishes," Hiko said pointing to the carriage, his eyes never leaving the girls.

Walking over to the girls, he picked up Lady Misao eliciting a soft moan from her as she relaxed into his arms.  Cradling her in his strong arms, he gently carried her to the carriage then stopped.  "You are free to go or you can come with me.  The choice is yours," Hiko told Kaoru without moving.

"I'll come," she whispered.

Hiko nodded his head then entered the carriage.                               

~~~Kenshin's head snapped up when he heard Yahiko call out to him.  His eyes mere slits as he looked through his bangs to see if Aoshi he had heard.

"I will be right back as soon as I find out what…" Kenshin started to say. Noticing that Aoshi was preoccupied he quietly left the room looking for Yahiko.

Aoshi, while trying to get his emotions under control, didn't hear Kenshin leave the room.

He had been trying to reach his inner peace for so long and now when he felt that the peace he was after was within his reach, it was shattered by her intrusion.  But could she be the peace that he was after, the peace that he needed.  Now that she was gone, after being with him for only one day, he had an empty feeling that he couldn't explain.  He had to find her and get an answer to this conflict that was coursing through out his inner self.  And the added feeling of his love for lady Misao made everything even more complicated, intensifying his need for answers.

~~~Kenshin entered the main room to find Yahiko waiting for him.  But before Yahiko could get one word out of his mouth the Yabo ninja clan rushed into the room looking for Kenshin also.

"Lady Misao…"

"He has her…"

"Who has her?" Kenshin asked grabbing the nearest ninja and shaking him.

"Lord Shishio has them both," Arata said putting his hand on Kenshin's arm.  Kenshin stopped shaking the ninja and looked over at Arata.

"We heard the Owls boasting how they managed to kidnap Lady Misao at the convention early this morning," Arata said sweat forming on his brow from looking into the golden eyes of Battousai.

"We are going to get her back.  I will not let him get away with this," Kenshin said in a slow deep voice.  Leaving the room, he returned to where he had left Aoshi and the two warriors went in search of their damsels in distress.

Lady Tae, hearing the noise in the main room, came to investigate.  Seeing the Yabo ninja clan, her problem was solved.  "Arata, you are just in time.  You and your ninjas can and will help me to get this food to the Aoiya for the big celebration," Lady Tae said swatting them each with her wooden spoon herding them into the kitchen.

Yahiko being so small was herded along with the rest.  Unable to give his message to Kenshin and now with Kenshin gone, he contemplated his next action.

But before he could figure out what to do, he was standing in front of, face to face with Tsubame.  Tongue-tied, he lost all thought until she asked him, "Why are you here Yahiko?" bringing him back to his duties.

 "I have a message for Kenshin.  And it's very important," Yahiko said willing himself to gather his wits, "but I don't know where he went."

"He went to Lord Shishio's mansion," Masaki said ducking when Lady Tae tried to hit him with her wooden spoon to get him moving.

"Why?" Yahiko asked.

"Because the Owls kidnapped Lady Misao," Masaki said hurrying to get out of Lady Tae's reach.

Turning back to Tsubame, Yahiko said, "I have to go but I will find you later."

Yahiko quickly left, once again in search of Kenshin.

~~~Lord Shishio groaned when he tried to breathe.  His chest felt like a heavy boulder had been dropped on it.  Taking him three tries to get into a sitting position, he growled when he remembered what had happen to him then he panicked.  Yumi's dishes!  She will kill me if she doesn't get them, he thought. 

Forcing himself to get up he leaned heavily against the wall as he made his way to the main room where he found Houji sitting on the floor leaning against the wall with the front door wide open and the sun shining into the house. 

His breath coming easier, he walked over to Houji.  "Houji where are the…" he started to say before he noticed that Houji was unresponsive so he continued on his way to the open door. 

Once outside, he scanned the area looking for the girls.  Not finding them, he watched as Iwambo sat up, an imprint of his huge body permanently engraved in the sidewalk. 

Limping back to the house holding his wings tucked firmly against his body Henya walked with the Owls, who were returning from their night at the convention.

"Where have you been?" Lord Shishio growled through clenched teeth his breath still labored.  Walking a few steps towards them, he noticed the boxes they were carrying.

"Don't worry Lord Shishio, we have the dishes right here, a whole set," the leader of the Owls said excitedly.

One of the ninjas stumbled, causing the box of dishes he was carrying, to go flying through the air.

Shishio painfully sucked in his breath while running for the box of dishes. The momentum of the box falling caused him great suffering, when he caught it with his chest forcing him onto the ground.

"Take… these… off… " Lord Shishio snarled red heat rising from his face.

"Lord Shishio…  somebody do something…" came the weak voice of Houji who was now leaning against the open door holding his left side, a pained look on his face.

The Owls managed to get the box off of Lord Shishio and helped him to his feet.  Turning back towards the house, Lord Shishio noticed Yumi standing in the doorway still in her nightgown.  Assuming that Yumi could tell he was angry, he was not prepared for Yumi's reaction when the Owls told her about the dishes.

Yumi ran for Lord Shishio and wrapped her arms around his chest.  Still unsteady on his feet, he crash-landed on his back with something on his chest for the third time since he started his trek to the kitchen for the snack she had asked for. 

Yumi looked at Lord Shishio's face, seeing the steam rising, she resorted to her female tricks.  She started to cry. 

Lord Shishio couldn't let her cry but he needed to breath so with the strength he had left, he moved her off his chest and took in a BIG painful breath filling his lungs.  Then he started the male part of her female tricks.

"Now, now everything will be all right," he said as he slowly let he air out of his chest.

Houji had managed to stumble over to his beloved Lord Shishio just as the last ninja went past him knocking him over (yup, you got it) directly on top of Lord Shishio.

Yumi squealed and Houji screamed pushing himself off of Lord Shishio.

"Look, Yumi I think that Lord Shishio has surpassed his limits,"

"But it hasn't been 15 minutes yet so how could he have done that,"

"I don't know but look at him…"

Yumi looked at Lord Shishio who lay on the ground twitching, his body glowing a bright fiery red through the white bandages.

"I think you're right Houji," Yumi paused before turning to Houji, " How long before you think that we can touch him?"

"Don't know…"

Both Yumi and Houji backed up and watched as Iwambo slowly poured water on Lord Shishio laughing his silly laugh. 

The steam rising form Lord Shishio's body turned from bright red to pink to clear.  

When the steam stopped both Yumi and Houji peered at Lord Shishio.  With one on either side of him they managed to stand him up.  Once on his feet Lord Shishio turned to Iwambo gave him a slight bow and then walked into the house without saying one word.

Remembering her dishes, Yumi ran to the kitchen to gleefully put them away in her empty cupboard leaving Houji and Iwambo standing in front of the house.

Iwambo curled into a ball and bounced away.

Houji slowly walked toward the house chanting, "he surpassed his limits, he surpassed his limits."

~~~Walking up to the gate of Lord Shishio's mansion Kenshin felt anger building in him at the though of Lady Misao and Kaoru being held captive.  Aoshi displayed no emotions.

Passing easily through the gate both men were very surprised to see a trail of rice leading to the perfect imprint of a small man with rice strewn all around.   They quickly walked to the house walking around a large hole in the walkway that also looked similar to a human imprint.

Confused by the two sights they continued. 

To be continued…

A/N---For the last chapter of this story, I want to do a dance party.  But I only listen to country western music.  So… if anyone knows of a song that they would like any of the characters to sing a piece of at the dance party or if anyone is interested in helping me put the last chapter together, please leave suggestions or offers in the review or email me at nasoyas@aol.com .