Chapter 3
By: Cessy Angel
'Tap'
'Tap'
They're back. Aoshi's mind wandered outside, where it was raining heavily, the gentle pattering of the rain drops falling onto the Aoiya's roof soon began overpowering the noise made by the other Oniwabanshuu members as they entered the restaurant.
He placed both hands on his side, debating wether or not he should meet with the others and ask if they had found the ninja, or knew where she was. He shook his head vigorously, no, what difference would it make? So he sat on his meditating position again, and waited until he heard a light knock on the door.
"Aoshi." A grim voice on the other side of the door called out. Okina.
"Come in..." His voice was hoarse, but was obvious that he had been up until now, close to early dawn. Yet, all that Aoshi could say about it, in his head, was that he didn't feel like sleeping.
"Running away from the truth again, aren't you, Aoshi?"
"There is not such thing as truth, because truth itself is a lie."
The door opened and a soaked Okina walked into the room, while gently tapping his feet against the floor, letting the water out of his sandals. His pale face showed as water ran down from his hair, onto his chin, and then falling on the floor soundlessly. "We didn't find Misao, not one trace of her." He sighed. "We looked everywhere in Kyoto, I don't know where she could be..."
"Do these things matter? I don't know where she is."
Okina's face shot up and looked and looked almost in anger at Aoshi's cold demeanor as he spoke those words. His palms turned into tight fists, while he shook away his anger. Instead, he spoke at the other one in a cool tone, yet, menacing at the same time.
"Aoshi, will you stop acting such a way? I'll do anything to find Misao, and you acting as if it didn't matter wether or not she's hurt somewhere. You've been the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu, why can't you accept the fact that you can't feel for the others?" Aoshi, you're a coward.
"..."
The two men stood there, looking at each other in silence. Another sound broke the silence, someone entering the Aoiya, even though it was closed.
Omasu came into the room and looked at both men for several seconds before speaking. "Gomen nasai. Aoshi-san, someone at the door is here to see you. I think he's from the Tokyo police."
Aoshi's eyes blinked once. The Tokyo police...? He got up and brushed past Okina, who gazed quickly at the man, as if he needed to tell him something. The tall man passed Omasu and marched towards the entrance, quickly casting a menacing glance at the man who was waiting for him in the restaurant.
"Shinomori Aoshi, we meet again." The man grinned, his long bangs unable to hide his small eyes, although he acted in a good mood, showed some bad news.
"Hajime Saitou, chief of the Tokyo division police...*" Aoshi's eyes grew annoyed. After Himura Kenshin, this was the last person he wished to see. Only then did he notice that the sun was rising, why on earth would Hajime come here at such an hour?
"You much better greet me than that, I did walk from Tokyo just to tell you some information. Although, I'm not certain that you'll be too happy to hear about it." Saitou paused, looking at the other Oniwabanshuu members that were near the door, all of them looking at him carefully, and waiting for his answer.
"You may continue..." Aoshi's mind began to ask questions. He was anxious to hear the news, bad or not. But at the same time... he just hoped that it didn't involve Misao.
"Aoshi, why do you always involve the ones closer to you into danger? Why do they all die?"
Saitou looked at Aoshi, sighing. He placed a hand on a nearby table, and gave the news away, while no emotion came out with it. "Takeda Kanryu escaped from the Tokyo jail four days ago."
Aoshi felt as if a knife had been stuck into his gut, but instead of releasing pain, it released rage. His eyes burned as if on fire, his body raging in anger, his knuckles turning into fists and they squeezed until he felt his fingers turn numb. He closed his eyes. "Kanryu..."
"See Aoshi? Your being here will only bring pain to those you love, nothing you do is right."
"Shut up, if he's the one who took Misao..."
"You'll what? It's not like you care for her, you coward."
"..."
Author's note: You saw that
coming, didn't you? Sorry for the short chapter, I'm working on the fourth
part right now. (Misao will actually be in it, this time! Since she's kinda
part of the main character cast..) Oh yeah, about the Saitou thing, I have
no idea what Saitou's position as a policeman is, so don't flame me for
that little comment, okay? Please review!