Prologue
Story by: Cessy Angel
Misao looked into the mirror, her blue eyes glittered while a small smile formed on her face. She was so happy, this was a special day for her, after all. Getting up, she looked around her closet until she pulled out a beautiful purple and pink kimono. Her mother's. Holding the fabric in her hands, she winced, how she wished her mother could see her on this day. How much she had grown, yet she still had a childish side to her, that part pointed out by the braid that hung loosely in her back.
"Aa, today is the day!" She sighed, while putting on the kimono. Looking around, she grabbed the fan that Omasu had given to her, and she put on one of Okon's bracelets. The young woman took a deep breath as she opened the door. The sunlight from the early morning shone through the hall, warming the Aoiya in the cool month of November.
The halls of the Aoiya were deserted, everyone was in the den having breakfast. Misao's heart lumped as she tried thinking of what the others would say, or if they would atleast have remembered this special day. Her feet walked gracefully on the wooden floor, each step bringing her closer to the room.
"Omasu, where is Misao-chan?" Okina asked. Noticing that Misao did not show up for tea on this morning, and it was such a special day, too. He poured himself some tea, looking over at Okon and Omasu, while they quietly shrugged. Shiro and Kuro looked confused as well. The old man didn't bother looking in Aoshi's direction, he knew the man wouldn't know of Misao's whereabouts.
Secretly, while Okina had turned around, Okon and Omasu both smiled at each other. Both of them knew Misao would be joining them soon, and couldn't wait to see Okina's reaction. All was going according to the girls' plan. They quickly took their former composure as they both heard footsteps coming their way.
Misao finally reached the door. She let out a sigh of annoyance. What on Earth am I doing? Her hand reached for the door, and slowly opened it, inch by inch. Her heart lumped inside her, her annoyance was at the end of its line. She was going to kill Okon and Omasu for making her do this. Finally, she swung the door open in arrogance and waited for the laughs to burst in her face. None of them came.
"Misao-chan!" Okina blurted out. He got up and walked up to Misao, putting both hands of her slender shoulders. "My, you're so beautiful today! You look just like your mother did, at your age..." He sighed, smiling at the sight of the girl he though of as his own daughter. "Now, why on Earth would you dress like that for?"
"Jiya!" She blushed, and laughed as Okina grinned playfully with her. It was obvious he knew what day it was. So, they didn't forget after all. "You better have remembered."
All the others, Okon, Omasu, Shiro and Kuro were looking at Misao with a smile on their faces. They had enjoyed seeing her grow up so much, up to this day, and it would be like that for a long time, they thought. But, in his own corner, Aoshi was also watching the scene. Ever since they came back from Tokyo, he had done nothing more but meditating. This morning, Omasu had asked him to stay and have breakfast with them. Normally, he would have refused, but he knew that it was Misao's day, even though he acted as if he didn't care, and he didn't. He was used in doing so, what else could he do?
He looked up silently, making certain no one saw him looking at the young woman. He agreed with himself, that she had grown up wonderfully. But in the last three years, his mind had wandered a lot, from the lost of his close Oniwabanshuu companions, to Himura's fight with Enishi. The only reason he stayed at the Aoiya was to protect the people in it, he didn't want any of them to go through what he had been through. Maybe it was that he cared, no, he didn't. He shook his head and came out of his dreaming state in time to hear Okina yell.
"Happy birthday, my little Misao!" He put her back on the ground, and gave her a big hug. "Only you're not so little anymore! Gomen nasai! You're now 18 years old!"
"Gramps, let me go! I can't breathe!" Misao struggled to get out of Okina's grips just as the others laughed as the old man and the young ninja struggled together. It was such a happy day, only that the happiness would fade away. It would be gone, forever lost...
Warning: The next parts/chapters will possibly contain kidnap, torture, angst and suicide. People who are looking for waff should NOT continue reading this story, because it will worsen as it goes deeper into the story. Each chapter will be rated individually.