Disclaimer: RK is not mine. I don't want people to sue me just because I like to write.
Author: Arrgh. How long is this going to become? Well, I guess I am stalling. Or were until this one. There is more action in this, particularly in the end. Yep, a lot happens in this and in the chapter 8. It's half ready.
Chapter 7. Talking and feeling
*It is already Thursday. Only few days left.* Misao rose and walked to the window. The morning sun warmed her and a gentle wind caressed her skin. For a moment she considered if she should remove her eye cover and allow the wind to touch the skin there. But the thought disappeared soon. Someone could see her eyes and she wasn't sure if they were ready to see them, or if she was ready to show them. Yoko and Keita were the only ones ever to have seen what was left of her eyes.
Moving forward and accepting changes. She had told Yahiko that she had accepted the loss of her sight, which was the truth. What she hadn't told him was that there was something she hadn't really accepted. And that was losing herself.
Because the day her eyes had been taken away from her, she had lost herself. She had lost something very important, something that had made her Misao.
Her positive attitude towards everything.
The one thing that had kept her going even if she was considered to be a child playing adult's games. Even if everyone thought that she was stupid and weak.
No matter what happened it had always been the one thing that kept her going. She had drawn her strength from that attitude.
But it was gone now. One of the elements that made her Misao was lost. And so was Misao.
She knew that if she didn't learn to accept it, she wouldn't be able to move forward. She wouldn't be able to return here as Misao. She would continue living inside of the safe bubble she had created. Behind the mask of Takahashi Mei.
She knew all of this, but she couldn't really do anything. She knew that she would never be able to get that attitude back, so she would have to replace it with something else. She had to learn to be happy again. Her life at Suzu was nice and she was satisfied, but not really happy.
She hadn't been truly happy since that day and becoming happy was her goal now. If she could find a way, she would find herself. And then maybe she would be able to truly return here. To her old friends. And to Aoshi.
No matter what had happened, she couldn't let go of her love for him. No matter what would happen, she would always love him. She remembered the doubt in everyone's eyes. They had never truly believed that she loved him and neither had he. But if it was so, then how come she missed him most of all. How come her heart ached every time he was near.
Why couldn't she let go of him?
And again Misao wanted to cry. She wanted to clean her soul, her spirit. But she wasn't allowed to. She felt the water gather itself, but it would never spill out. She would never cry again. *If only I could cry, I would be able to purify myself. Maybe then the memories would fade.* She shook her head. This was getting her nowhere. Pitying herself was something she hated about her new self. No matter how much she would mope, it would get her nowhere.
She straightened. *Besides, there are things I am proud of in this new version of me. I can't return to the past, and so the only way to move to is forward.* She turned from the window. *No matter how much I hate to admit it, coming here was a good thing. It has forced me to take one step forward towards the person I want to be.*
She walked out of her room. The way down was already familiar to her, but she took her cane with her anyways. *I refuse to hide in my room anymore.* She walked down the stairs. *I won't allow Shimabara to win over me. I am strong.*
Misao straightened her head. *I refuse to be beaten by him. He may have taken my sight, but there is more to me than that.* She walked to the dining room. *I can't alter the past, but I can choose where I move in the future.*
She stood in the doorway listening to people talking. Her hearing was indeed good, it had always been. Just like Aoshi had said when Himura had used Ryuu Mei Sen at the beach against Enishi. Every Oniwabanshu member had been trained to hear the faintest of sounds. Misao had been trained since she was a child. It had been one of the first things ever though to her. And now when she could not see, she relied heavily on hearing. That increased her hearing even further.
In a battle taking her hearing away would be almost fatal. She would have to rely only on her ki and her sense of touch. That wasn't much.
Misao sighed and a small smile found it's way to her lips. The little time she had spent here had really changed her. Yahiko had changed her. He had grown, but he had the same kind of spirit he used to have. She remembered how they had acted in the forest when she was taking Kaoru and Yahiko to Himura. How the fact that Himura would become stronger had made them act. They had both been so exited, like children with a new toy.
Yahiko reminded her of who she had used to be. And with him she was a little bit closer to it. During the last five years, she had never smiled as many times as she had during these days that she had spent with him. Maybe he could help her to become Misao again...
She shook her head. They had too little time and the risk that he would realize who she really was became greater every day. The more she opened to him, the more masks she shed, the closer she was to her old self. And she knew that Yahiko wasn't stupid, he might be able to see her for who she was. And if it wouldn't be him, it would be Aoshi.
He had promised to keep an eye on her and she could only hope that he didn't watch her too closely. Because she didn't know what to do if he or someone else realized who she was. They would want to know what had happened, what she had done. And they would want to see her eyes. She didn't know what they looked like, but she had traced the scars often enough to know that they were everything but pretty. Yoko and Keita had never said anything about them, but they hadn't had to. She had known.
Her thoughts broke when she felt a familiar ki. Her smile disappeared, because she knew that he would know who she was if she would smile to him. She had always had a special smile she had only shown to him. Some had said that when she smiled like that her eyes had shone. Well, that was impossible now.
He came to stand beside her. For some time they just stood there, neither one of them moving. Then to Misao's surprise it was Aoshi who broke the silence and spoke. "I would like to talk with you."
Misao just stood there quietly. An idea was forming in her head. She knew that she wouldn't be able to say no, so she would have to get the advantage over him. And she knew exactly how she would achieve that. She had to force a smile from her face before speaking.
"You chose just the right time. I am hungry. Get me something to eat. Hmmm... I think that nigirisushi's, norimaki's and miso-soup would be just perfect. Bring them to my room." Then she turned and walked towards the stairs, leaving one confused man behind her.
*Aaah. That felt good!* mischievous smile rose her slips. She hadn't felt this alive in a long time. She knew that making Aoshi annoyed got her nowhere, but it had been fun. She just couldn't suppress the smile on her face. It had been a long time that she had done something like this. Playing games like this had been her whole time job in the past and it still felt good. It felt refreshing.
Giving orders Aoshi or making fun of him was something she had never done before. He had always seemed so distant after his return. When Misao had been little she had done few tricks to him now and then, but it had ended after he had left. And once he was back, Misao told him stupid stories and did everything to get one little smile. But now, since he didn't smile to her, she would smile at him. Now she was free to make fun of him. And there was a hard job.
Misao smiled all the time, during her walk back to her room and in there until he arrived. With food.
She knew that he would get it for her, just as she knew that he was not in a good mood. But hell with it. She knew that this conversation would be anything but pleasant for her. So if he was going to torture her, she had the right to return the favour.
He came to her room without knocking and placed the tray on the floor. Misao could feel his eyes on her, but she just thanked politely and sat to eat. She knew that at this point Aoshi would feel rather uncomfortable, but it really didn't bother her. She was uncomfortable every time he was near her.
Every time he talked to her, every time she could feel his eyes on her, her heart skipped a beat. Her whole body felt weird. It was hard to get air and her chest felt heavy. She wanted to be in his arms, she wanted to be protected. She wanted to feel his warmth surrounding her, wanted to be close to him. Always.
******************
Aoshi sat on the same pillow that Yahiko sat on when he was in her room and watched at the woman before him. She looked the same as always when he looked at her. Somehow she still managed to raise a protective instinct from inside of him. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her. And that made suspecting her harder. The changes that she was a spy were high, but he just couldn't get rid of the feeling that she was somehow special.
But he was the okashira of the Oniwabanshu now that Misao was gone and it was his duty to protect every member he could. From the enemy and possibly from her.
Today when he had finally decided that he knew her well enough to speak with her politely, she pulled another stunt proving to him that he knew nothing. She asked- No, she ordered him to get her food. To his utmost surprise he had done exactly as she had said.
He could still feel Okon's and Omasu's amazed eyes on him as he asked for food. For Mei. He had surprised them just as well as Mei had surprised him.
He knew only one other person that could have been able to pull a stunt like that. Misao.
When Misao had been a little, no one was safe. Not even him, the honourable okashira. She had surprised all of them all the time and kept them always alerted. She had pulled of mischiefs and survived untouched after every single one. Even the one she had done to him when she was four to him.
Okon had given her some paint, a brush and paper. Then she had left the little girl alone in Aoshi's room. There was a big meeting coming up and Aoshi's clothes were hanging from the wall. The little girl had played with the paints for some time when she noticed his clothes. No one was watching her so she walked to the cloths with a pink paint in her brush. She had made a big flower to the back of his shirt and no one noticed it before it was too late. Aoshi had been in a hurry and had changed his cloths fast, not really paying any attention to them. The skirt was the last thing he put on when he was already at the door of the meeting room. He had never felt as humiliated as he felt then and there, when one of his older ninjas laughed and asked him if he liked flowers.
He had intended on speaking to Misao about it and tell her never to do such a thing again, but the beauty and innocence of Misao's eyes had won over him. He had just told her that it was a beautiful flower.
Aoshi looked at the woman before him again. She was sipping her soup. He looked at her lips. Misao had had beautiful lips and her smile had been breathtaking. This woman had lips that looked just like hers. If this woman smiled, would her smile be as beautiful as Misao's had been.
The woman placed the cup back on the tray. She was finished. She raised her head. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" Her voice was firm. None of her feelings found their way to her voice.
"I would like to ask few question." he kept his voice professional.
Mei nodded him to continue.
"How long are you going to stay?" he watched her carefully. Since he could not see her eyes, he would have recognized a lie in some other ways.
"I'll leave next Sunday."
She spoke calmly and surely. Nothing changed in her. As far as Aoshi could tell, she was speaking truthfully.
"Why are you in Kyoto?"
She cocked her head before answering. "I am looking for the love of my life."
If there was an answer Aoshi was waiting to hear, this was not it. *She is looking for the love of her life? That can't be true.*
"No, really. That was my friends' idea. She dragged me here saying that I should find a husband. She had business in town and she asked me to come and keep her company." she spoke with a little bit of amazement in her voice, but Aoshi couldn't tell what she was amazed about.
"So where is your friend? I don't recall seeing her or him, unless it is Yahiko?" He place intentionally some wonder into his voice.
"No, I guess Yahiko would be the love of my life." she sighed dreamingly and clapped her hands together.
A bang of jealousy hit Aoshi, before he understood that she was playing a game with him. *But why...? Why am I jealous? Of her of all people? Why?* He had never really felt this kind of jealousy. This was new to him.
"Himiko-san is the friend I was talking about. She has a sister here in Kyoto and she just got a child. Himiko-san is staying at her place with her husband and two little children. I live in the same village with Himiko-san and she wanted me to keep her company. She is the one that told me to stay in here, at the Aoiya. I'll go and see her next Saturday. I can assure you that I am no threat to you unlike you seem to think."
She continued to speak, but Aoshi was more concentrated on his emotions than in her. *This kind of jealousy... I have never felt anything like this. Why does this woman keep raising such strange emotions in me. A wish to protect, jealousy. What is special about her?* He kept watching her sitting there peacefully, waiting for him to do or say something.
*To get the information I want, I need to surprise her completely. And I can do that only by doing something that will be a surprise to me as well. Then she will be confused and she may tell us what we need to know to be sure about her. But what can I do...?*
Mei just sat there waiting for him to do something. But he didn't know what he should do to surprise her and he didn't want to question her more at the moment. He could continue later. "This is it. Thank you for your patience."
He would return later after he knew how to surprise her. He stood up and turned to walk away when he heard her voice. "Don't forget to take the tray with you."
He turned to see her with a passive face. He could swear that she was making fun of him. That she was playing with like he would be her puppet. He would prove her wrong.
But he still took the tray with him.
*********************
Misao sighed, it had not been as hard as she had thought it would be. But this proved to her that something was going on. Aoshi would never show this kind of attention to a visitor, even if he/she knew how to fight, unless he or others were in some kind of danger. There was something going on that she didn't know about and she didn't like it at all. It meant that she would get involved in it or she already was.
She didn't want her friends to be in any sort of danger, because she didn't know would she be able to leave them to handle it on their own. And if she stayed, she would have to tell them whom she was. *Dammit!* She hit the floor, almost making a hole to the tatami.
She rose to her feet and walked to the window, hoping to cool herself off. If someone threatened the others, it would explain why Aoshi was acting the way he was. Asking question, challenging her to a battle. *The okashira has returned.*
But if he is suspecting that I may be a threat that means I can't ask anyone about anything or it will be used against me. *What a mess! Wait a second! I wonder, does Yahiko know?* That thought gave her some hope, but very little. He acted towards her just like always.
Her ears caught sounds from the corridor and just as she recognized who it was, Yahiko walked in. Without knocking. He yawned and sat down as fast as he could. "Ohayoo." His voice was sleepy and he yawned again. Misao wondered if she should ask him what was going on. He might be spying on her for Aoshi. *Hell, I am just as suspicious as he is!*
"Yahiko-chan. Can I ask you something?" *I guess this is the only way to find out about it.*
Yahiko nodded and made an agreeing sound. "Sure." He almost fell asleep again.
Misao took a deep breath, this was extremely risky. "What is going on? Something is bothering Shinomori Aoshi, the okashira of Oniwabanshu."
That surely woke Yahiko up. He looked at Mei eyes wide. *She...She...* "How do you know about Oniwabanshu?" he blurted out.
"Humph. I am not stupid. I have heard of them many times. I am a ninja. I don't belong to any ninja group, but sure as hell I do know a lot about them. Oniwabanshu and its okashira are pretty famous. Shinomori Aoshi who rose to the position of okashira in the age of 15 is someone every ninja should know and respect." her mouth was a thin line and Yahiko knew that she really didn't like telling him all this.
"So you are not an Yaminobu-ninja?" Yahiko knew that asking this and speaking about this was risky, but he wanted to clear the air between them.
"Yaminobu?" her voice sounded surprised. "No, I am not a Yaminobu nor have I ever been one."
Yahiko sighed in relief. He knew that she could be lying, but the way she spoke assured to him that she had nothing to do with them. Also if she were a spy, she wouldn't have asked him anything this bluntly.
"Why did you ask me that? Is there something going on between Yaminobu and Oniwabanshu?" her voice was cold. She knew of Yaminobu, naturally. And she also knew that they were not to be underestimated.
Yahiko nodded, eager to tell her everything. Maybe she could help. "Hai, that's what Shinomori and Okina told me. They said that Yaminobus have declared a war to Oniwabanshu."
"WHAT?" Mei sounded horrified, surprised and angry all the same time.
"It's true. The war hasn't been started yet, but every Oniwabanshu member has been activated and weapon's have been cleaned from dust."
Mei rose from her seat swearing heavily, and walked to the window. After closing it she returned to her seat. "That's insane."
Yahiko nodded again. "I agree with you. And another thing. Shinomori thinks you're a Yaminobu spy."
Mei didn't take is as angrily as Yahiko had thought, she just nodded. "If a war has been declared, every outsider is a possible enemy. And since I know how to fight, it's quite natural that they would think that I am the enemy."
She sat still, thinking. But no matter how much she thought about it, it made no sense. "It is stupid. Why would the Yaminobu want a war?"
Remembering the conversation he had had with Shinomori and Okina, Yahiko answered. "Maybe they wish to widen their territory."
Mei shook her head. "They have had many better changes in the past. Starting a war now in Meiji, is stupid. It will draw the attention of the police, army and people. I would have understood if this had happened during Bakumatsu, but now... It's merely stupid. All attention will be on ninjas and our code is to stay in the shadows. Who could be stupid enough to do this?"
Yahiko thought for a moment. He was sure that Shinomori and Okina had said a name. The new leader of Yaminobu... What was his name? They had told him so much that it was hard to remember one single name. *What was it? Shi-, Shibara? No, it was longer. It started with Shi- and ended with -bara, but what was between them. Shitabara, no. Shikabara, no. Wait a second! It was--*
"Shimabara!"
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
'I told you that I would take that look of your face, of your eyes.'
A shining knife...
Numerous cuts...
Shimabara.
Incredible pain...
Blood flowed everywhere...
Shimabara.
Everything was black and red...
All black...
Shimabara.
The pain...
The scars...
Shimabara.
'--of your face, of your eyes.'
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Don't ever say that name before me again!!" Mei screamed and drew a sharp and strange weapon from her kimono's sleeve. And placed it on Yahiko's throat.
"NEVER again!! There is no other person, no other that I hate as much!
NEVER SAY HIS NAME BEFORE ME!!"
Yahiko was shocked at her reaction. Her weapon pierced the skin on his throat slightly and he could feel blood running from the little cut.
"I won't. I promise I won't." he was afraid of this new person before him. He had never seen such anger in anyone.
Mei took the weapon away and hid into her sleeve again. She was breathing heavily and she was pale. Her whole face had gone pale, including her lips.
"Gomen nasai." it was a small whisper and Yahiko barely heard it. She seemed to be getting a hold of herself.
"Mei...-san. Are you... alright?" Yahiko suppressed his desire to just run away from the room. This woman had helped him a lot, asking nothing in return. If he could help her, he would.
She shook her head. "I am not all right, as you could see. I should be able to control my anger better." her voice was tired and empty. And a little bit sad. "I am very, very sorry. You took me by a surprise. I didn't think that you of all people would go and name that monster."
Yahiko took a deep breath. Mei seemed to have calmed down, but he didn't want to tick her of again. "He is the new leader of Yaminobu. I heard his name from Shinomori and Okina." He almost packed of, fearing that she would explode again. But she did no such thing.
She just spoke, her voice sad. "So the war has begun already years ago. And I am involved in it."
"What do you mean 'years ago'? I thought that it was recently declared. That's the impression I got from Shinomori and Okina." Yahiko watched the woman before him carefully. She knew something others didn't. Obviously. At least her reaction proved that she was not working for him.
Mei shook her head. "No. It begun five years ago. Shinomori and Okina just happened to hear about it now. That monster wasn't ready to face them yet then nor did he have Yaminobu's behind him. But now..."
"How do you know this? If I may ask." Yahiko began to relax. Mei seemed calmer now and she was 'openly' speaking of him.
She was silent for some time, thinking. Then she sighed. "This has gone far enough. I can't leave you without the information. It is time for me to move one more step forward."
Taking a deep breath she started.
End of chapter 7.
TBC in chapter 8.
Reviews please. Pretty please.
~Tiian~
Author: Arrgh. How long is this going to become? Well, I guess I am stalling. Or were until this one. There is more action in this, particularly in the end. Yep, a lot happens in this and in the chapter 8. It's half ready.
Chapter 7. Talking and feeling
*It is already Thursday. Only few days left.* Misao rose and walked to the window. The morning sun warmed her and a gentle wind caressed her skin. For a moment she considered if she should remove her eye cover and allow the wind to touch the skin there. But the thought disappeared soon. Someone could see her eyes and she wasn't sure if they were ready to see them, or if she was ready to show them. Yoko and Keita were the only ones ever to have seen what was left of her eyes.
Moving forward and accepting changes. She had told Yahiko that she had accepted the loss of her sight, which was the truth. What she hadn't told him was that there was something she hadn't really accepted. And that was losing herself.
Because the day her eyes had been taken away from her, she had lost herself. She had lost something very important, something that had made her Misao.
Her positive attitude towards everything.
The one thing that had kept her going even if she was considered to be a child playing adult's games. Even if everyone thought that she was stupid and weak.
No matter what happened it had always been the one thing that kept her going. She had drawn her strength from that attitude.
But it was gone now. One of the elements that made her Misao was lost. And so was Misao.
She knew that if she didn't learn to accept it, she wouldn't be able to move forward. She wouldn't be able to return here as Misao. She would continue living inside of the safe bubble she had created. Behind the mask of Takahashi Mei.
She knew all of this, but she couldn't really do anything. She knew that she would never be able to get that attitude back, so she would have to replace it with something else. She had to learn to be happy again. Her life at Suzu was nice and she was satisfied, but not really happy.
She hadn't been truly happy since that day and becoming happy was her goal now. If she could find a way, she would find herself. And then maybe she would be able to truly return here. To her old friends. And to Aoshi.
No matter what had happened, she couldn't let go of her love for him. No matter what would happen, she would always love him. She remembered the doubt in everyone's eyes. They had never truly believed that she loved him and neither had he. But if it was so, then how come she missed him most of all. How come her heart ached every time he was near.
Why couldn't she let go of him?
And again Misao wanted to cry. She wanted to clean her soul, her spirit. But she wasn't allowed to. She felt the water gather itself, but it would never spill out. She would never cry again. *If only I could cry, I would be able to purify myself. Maybe then the memories would fade.* She shook her head. This was getting her nowhere. Pitying herself was something she hated about her new self. No matter how much she would mope, it would get her nowhere.
She straightened. *Besides, there are things I am proud of in this new version of me. I can't return to the past, and so the only way to move to is forward.* She turned from the window. *No matter how much I hate to admit it, coming here was a good thing. It has forced me to take one step forward towards the person I want to be.*
She walked out of her room. The way down was already familiar to her, but she took her cane with her anyways. *I refuse to hide in my room anymore.* She walked down the stairs. *I won't allow Shimabara to win over me. I am strong.*
Misao straightened her head. *I refuse to be beaten by him. He may have taken my sight, but there is more to me than that.* She walked to the dining room. *I can't alter the past, but I can choose where I move in the future.*
She stood in the doorway listening to people talking. Her hearing was indeed good, it had always been. Just like Aoshi had said when Himura had used Ryuu Mei Sen at the beach against Enishi. Every Oniwabanshu member had been trained to hear the faintest of sounds. Misao had been trained since she was a child. It had been one of the first things ever though to her. And now when she could not see, she relied heavily on hearing. That increased her hearing even further.
In a battle taking her hearing away would be almost fatal. She would have to rely only on her ki and her sense of touch. That wasn't much.
Misao sighed and a small smile found it's way to her lips. The little time she had spent here had really changed her. Yahiko had changed her. He had grown, but he had the same kind of spirit he used to have. She remembered how they had acted in the forest when she was taking Kaoru and Yahiko to Himura. How the fact that Himura would become stronger had made them act. They had both been so exited, like children with a new toy.
Yahiko reminded her of who she had used to be. And with him she was a little bit closer to it. During the last five years, she had never smiled as many times as she had during these days that she had spent with him. Maybe he could help her to become Misao again...
She shook her head. They had too little time and the risk that he would realize who she really was became greater every day. The more she opened to him, the more masks she shed, the closer she was to her old self. And she knew that Yahiko wasn't stupid, he might be able to see her for who she was. And if it wouldn't be him, it would be Aoshi.
He had promised to keep an eye on her and she could only hope that he didn't watch her too closely. Because she didn't know what to do if he or someone else realized who she was. They would want to know what had happened, what she had done. And they would want to see her eyes. She didn't know what they looked like, but she had traced the scars often enough to know that they were everything but pretty. Yoko and Keita had never said anything about them, but they hadn't had to. She had known.
Her thoughts broke when she felt a familiar ki. Her smile disappeared, because she knew that he would know who she was if she would smile to him. She had always had a special smile she had only shown to him. Some had said that when she smiled like that her eyes had shone. Well, that was impossible now.
He came to stand beside her. For some time they just stood there, neither one of them moving. Then to Misao's surprise it was Aoshi who broke the silence and spoke. "I would like to talk with you."
Misao just stood there quietly. An idea was forming in her head. She knew that she wouldn't be able to say no, so she would have to get the advantage over him. And she knew exactly how she would achieve that. She had to force a smile from her face before speaking.
"You chose just the right time. I am hungry. Get me something to eat. Hmmm... I think that nigirisushi's, norimaki's and miso-soup would be just perfect. Bring them to my room." Then she turned and walked towards the stairs, leaving one confused man behind her.
*Aaah. That felt good!* mischievous smile rose her slips. She hadn't felt this alive in a long time. She knew that making Aoshi annoyed got her nowhere, but it had been fun. She just couldn't suppress the smile on her face. It had been a long time that she had done something like this. Playing games like this had been her whole time job in the past and it still felt good. It felt refreshing.
Giving orders Aoshi or making fun of him was something she had never done before. He had always seemed so distant after his return. When Misao had been little she had done few tricks to him now and then, but it had ended after he had left. And once he was back, Misao told him stupid stories and did everything to get one little smile. But now, since he didn't smile to her, she would smile at him. Now she was free to make fun of him. And there was a hard job.
Misao smiled all the time, during her walk back to her room and in there until he arrived. With food.
She knew that he would get it for her, just as she knew that he was not in a good mood. But hell with it. She knew that this conversation would be anything but pleasant for her. So if he was going to torture her, she had the right to return the favour.
He came to her room without knocking and placed the tray on the floor. Misao could feel his eyes on her, but she just thanked politely and sat to eat. She knew that at this point Aoshi would feel rather uncomfortable, but it really didn't bother her. She was uncomfortable every time he was near her.
Every time he talked to her, every time she could feel his eyes on her, her heart skipped a beat. Her whole body felt weird. It was hard to get air and her chest felt heavy. She wanted to be in his arms, she wanted to be protected. She wanted to feel his warmth surrounding her, wanted to be close to him. Always.
******************
Aoshi sat on the same pillow that Yahiko sat on when he was in her room and watched at the woman before him. She looked the same as always when he looked at her. Somehow she still managed to raise a protective instinct from inside of him. He wanted to take her in his arms and protect her. And that made suspecting her harder. The changes that she was a spy were high, but he just couldn't get rid of the feeling that she was somehow special.
But he was the okashira of the Oniwabanshu now that Misao was gone and it was his duty to protect every member he could. From the enemy and possibly from her.
Today when he had finally decided that he knew her well enough to speak with her politely, she pulled another stunt proving to him that he knew nothing. She asked- No, she ordered him to get her food. To his utmost surprise he had done exactly as she had said.
He could still feel Okon's and Omasu's amazed eyes on him as he asked for food. For Mei. He had surprised them just as well as Mei had surprised him.
He knew only one other person that could have been able to pull a stunt like that. Misao.
When Misao had been a little, no one was safe. Not even him, the honourable okashira. She had surprised all of them all the time and kept them always alerted. She had pulled of mischiefs and survived untouched after every single one. Even the one she had done to him when she was four to him.
Okon had given her some paint, a brush and paper. Then she had left the little girl alone in Aoshi's room. There was a big meeting coming up and Aoshi's clothes were hanging from the wall. The little girl had played with the paints for some time when she noticed his clothes. No one was watching her so she walked to the cloths with a pink paint in her brush. She had made a big flower to the back of his shirt and no one noticed it before it was too late. Aoshi had been in a hurry and had changed his cloths fast, not really paying any attention to them. The skirt was the last thing he put on when he was already at the door of the meeting room. He had never felt as humiliated as he felt then and there, when one of his older ninjas laughed and asked him if he liked flowers.
He had intended on speaking to Misao about it and tell her never to do such a thing again, but the beauty and innocence of Misao's eyes had won over him. He had just told her that it was a beautiful flower.
Aoshi looked at the woman before him again. She was sipping her soup. He looked at her lips. Misao had had beautiful lips and her smile had been breathtaking. This woman had lips that looked just like hers. If this woman smiled, would her smile be as beautiful as Misao's had been.
The woman placed the cup back on the tray. She was finished. She raised her head. "So what did you want to talk to me about?" Her voice was firm. None of her feelings found their way to her voice.
"I would like to ask few question." he kept his voice professional.
Mei nodded him to continue.
"How long are you going to stay?" he watched her carefully. Since he could not see her eyes, he would have recognized a lie in some other ways.
"I'll leave next Sunday."
She spoke calmly and surely. Nothing changed in her. As far as Aoshi could tell, she was speaking truthfully.
"Why are you in Kyoto?"
She cocked her head before answering. "I am looking for the love of my life."
If there was an answer Aoshi was waiting to hear, this was not it. *She is looking for the love of her life? That can't be true.*
"No, really. That was my friends' idea. She dragged me here saying that I should find a husband. She had business in town and she asked me to come and keep her company." she spoke with a little bit of amazement in her voice, but Aoshi couldn't tell what she was amazed about.
"So where is your friend? I don't recall seeing her or him, unless it is Yahiko?" He place intentionally some wonder into his voice.
"No, I guess Yahiko would be the love of my life." she sighed dreamingly and clapped her hands together.
A bang of jealousy hit Aoshi, before he understood that she was playing a game with him. *But why...? Why am I jealous? Of her of all people? Why?* He had never really felt this kind of jealousy. This was new to him.
"Himiko-san is the friend I was talking about. She has a sister here in Kyoto and she just got a child. Himiko-san is staying at her place with her husband and two little children. I live in the same village with Himiko-san and she wanted me to keep her company. She is the one that told me to stay in here, at the Aoiya. I'll go and see her next Saturday. I can assure you that I am no threat to you unlike you seem to think."
She continued to speak, but Aoshi was more concentrated on his emotions than in her. *This kind of jealousy... I have never felt anything like this. Why does this woman keep raising such strange emotions in me. A wish to protect, jealousy. What is special about her?* He kept watching her sitting there peacefully, waiting for him to do or say something.
*To get the information I want, I need to surprise her completely. And I can do that only by doing something that will be a surprise to me as well. Then she will be confused and she may tell us what we need to know to be sure about her. But what can I do...?*
Mei just sat there waiting for him to do something. But he didn't know what he should do to surprise her and he didn't want to question her more at the moment. He could continue later. "This is it. Thank you for your patience."
He would return later after he knew how to surprise her. He stood up and turned to walk away when he heard her voice. "Don't forget to take the tray with you."
He turned to see her with a passive face. He could swear that she was making fun of him. That she was playing with like he would be her puppet. He would prove her wrong.
But he still took the tray with him.
*********************
Misao sighed, it had not been as hard as she had thought it would be. But this proved to her that something was going on. Aoshi would never show this kind of attention to a visitor, even if he/she knew how to fight, unless he or others were in some kind of danger. There was something going on that she didn't know about and she didn't like it at all. It meant that she would get involved in it or she already was.
She didn't want her friends to be in any sort of danger, because she didn't know would she be able to leave them to handle it on their own. And if she stayed, she would have to tell them whom she was. *Dammit!* She hit the floor, almost making a hole to the tatami.
She rose to her feet and walked to the window, hoping to cool herself off. If someone threatened the others, it would explain why Aoshi was acting the way he was. Asking question, challenging her to a battle. *The okashira has returned.*
But if he is suspecting that I may be a threat that means I can't ask anyone about anything or it will be used against me. *What a mess! Wait a second! I wonder, does Yahiko know?* That thought gave her some hope, but very little. He acted towards her just like always.
Her ears caught sounds from the corridor and just as she recognized who it was, Yahiko walked in. Without knocking. He yawned and sat down as fast as he could. "Ohayoo." His voice was sleepy and he yawned again. Misao wondered if she should ask him what was going on. He might be spying on her for Aoshi. *Hell, I am just as suspicious as he is!*
"Yahiko-chan. Can I ask you something?" *I guess this is the only way to find out about it.*
Yahiko nodded and made an agreeing sound. "Sure." He almost fell asleep again.
Misao took a deep breath, this was extremely risky. "What is going on? Something is bothering Shinomori Aoshi, the okashira of Oniwabanshu."
That surely woke Yahiko up. He looked at Mei eyes wide. *She...She...* "How do you know about Oniwabanshu?" he blurted out.
"Humph. I am not stupid. I have heard of them many times. I am a ninja. I don't belong to any ninja group, but sure as hell I do know a lot about them. Oniwabanshu and its okashira are pretty famous. Shinomori Aoshi who rose to the position of okashira in the age of 15 is someone every ninja should know and respect." her mouth was a thin line and Yahiko knew that she really didn't like telling him all this.
"So you are not an Yaminobu-ninja?" Yahiko knew that asking this and speaking about this was risky, but he wanted to clear the air between them.
"Yaminobu?" her voice sounded surprised. "No, I am not a Yaminobu nor have I ever been one."
Yahiko sighed in relief. He knew that she could be lying, but the way she spoke assured to him that she had nothing to do with them. Also if she were a spy, she wouldn't have asked him anything this bluntly.
"Why did you ask me that? Is there something going on between Yaminobu and Oniwabanshu?" her voice was cold. She knew of Yaminobu, naturally. And she also knew that they were not to be underestimated.
Yahiko nodded, eager to tell her everything. Maybe she could help. "Hai, that's what Shinomori and Okina told me. They said that Yaminobus have declared a war to Oniwabanshu."
"WHAT?" Mei sounded horrified, surprised and angry all the same time.
"It's true. The war hasn't been started yet, but every Oniwabanshu member has been activated and weapon's have been cleaned from dust."
Mei rose from her seat swearing heavily, and walked to the window. After closing it she returned to her seat. "That's insane."
Yahiko nodded again. "I agree with you. And another thing. Shinomori thinks you're a Yaminobu spy."
Mei didn't take is as angrily as Yahiko had thought, she just nodded. "If a war has been declared, every outsider is a possible enemy. And since I know how to fight, it's quite natural that they would think that I am the enemy."
She sat still, thinking. But no matter how much she thought about it, it made no sense. "It is stupid. Why would the Yaminobu want a war?"
Remembering the conversation he had had with Shinomori and Okina, Yahiko answered. "Maybe they wish to widen their territory."
Mei shook her head. "They have had many better changes in the past. Starting a war now in Meiji, is stupid. It will draw the attention of the police, army and people. I would have understood if this had happened during Bakumatsu, but now... It's merely stupid. All attention will be on ninjas and our code is to stay in the shadows. Who could be stupid enough to do this?"
Yahiko thought for a moment. He was sure that Shinomori and Okina had said a name. The new leader of Yaminobu... What was his name? They had told him so much that it was hard to remember one single name. *What was it? Shi-, Shibara? No, it was longer. It started with Shi- and ended with -bara, but what was between them. Shitabara, no. Shikabara, no. Wait a second! It was--*
"Shimabara!"
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
'I told you that I would take that look of your face, of your eyes.'
A shining knife...
Numerous cuts...
Shimabara.
Incredible pain...
Blood flowed everywhere...
Shimabara.
Everything was black and red...
All black...
Shimabara.
The pain...
The scars...
Shimabara.
'--of your face, of your eyes.'
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Don't ever say that name before me again!!" Mei screamed and drew a sharp and strange weapon from her kimono's sleeve. And placed it on Yahiko's throat.
"NEVER again!! There is no other person, no other that I hate as much!
NEVER SAY HIS NAME BEFORE ME!!"
Yahiko was shocked at her reaction. Her weapon pierced the skin on his throat slightly and he could feel blood running from the little cut.
"I won't. I promise I won't." he was afraid of this new person before him. He had never seen such anger in anyone.
Mei took the weapon away and hid into her sleeve again. She was breathing heavily and she was pale. Her whole face had gone pale, including her lips.
"Gomen nasai." it was a small whisper and Yahiko barely heard it. She seemed to be getting a hold of herself.
"Mei...-san. Are you... alright?" Yahiko suppressed his desire to just run away from the room. This woman had helped him a lot, asking nothing in return. If he could help her, he would.
She shook her head. "I am not all right, as you could see. I should be able to control my anger better." her voice was tired and empty. And a little bit sad. "I am very, very sorry. You took me by a surprise. I didn't think that you of all people would go and name that monster."
Yahiko took a deep breath. Mei seemed to have calmed down, but he didn't want to tick her of again. "He is the new leader of Yaminobu. I heard his name from Shinomori and Okina." He almost packed of, fearing that she would explode again. But she did no such thing.
She just spoke, her voice sad. "So the war has begun already years ago. And I am involved in it."
"What do you mean 'years ago'? I thought that it was recently declared. That's the impression I got from Shinomori and Okina." Yahiko watched the woman before him carefully. She knew something others didn't. Obviously. At least her reaction proved that she was not working for him.
Mei shook her head. "No. It begun five years ago. Shinomori and Okina just happened to hear about it now. That monster wasn't ready to face them yet then nor did he have Yaminobu's behind him. But now..."
"How do you know this? If I may ask." Yahiko began to relax. Mei seemed calmer now and she was 'openly' speaking of him.
She was silent for some time, thinking. Then she sighed. "This has gone far enough. I can't leave you without the information. It is time for me to move one more step forward."
Taking a deep breath she started.
End of chapter 7.
TBC in chapter 8.
Reviews please. Pretty please.
~Tiian~