Hey again. This time I'm sticking to Hiko Seijuro...because I'm getting used to writing it this way ^__^. And with my ( somewhat bad ) japanese skills, I'm reading it as that anyway...!
Anyway on with it :P
*************
Chapter 3
" Aoshi-san. You're back."
The bustling activity of the Aoiya kitchen stopped as a tall figure ducked underneath the door frame to greet them with a nod. Okon dropped her knife with a clatter, unusual for a ninja to be so taken by seeing the return of the former Okashira. As Aoshi moved to leave the room, Okon stared at him, taking in his ragged appearance. His normally tall posture was now quite visibly slumped, betraying his appearance of complete alertness. He was obviously tired.
" Okina said he wished to see you as soon as you got back."
" ...Aaa...Misao...?"
Okon shook her head and looked down at the half chopped vegetable on her board. She mumbled softly as if she was too scared to say it aloud.
" She's gone. I...I thought you knew. Aoshi...did you go and look for Misao? Do you know where she is?"
Okon turned around to look at Aoshi once more but to her surprise he had disappeared already.
__________
Aoshi strode purposefully along the hallway, stopping at the doorway of Misao's room. He ducked inside, his eyes resting on the pure white material of the wedding kimono which still hung on it's pole, untouched.
" Aoshi."
Aoshi could barely hide his surprise as Okina, seated near the window of Misao's room, spoke to him.
" Where have you been?"
Okina gestured for Aoshi to sit down. Aoshi could feel Okina's eyes on him, glaring and carefully choosing his words.
" Out."
" Doing what? You knew Misao was missing."
" Yes. I was out looking for her."
" Do you have any idea where she is? Yoshimura isn't happy."
Aoshi sat in silence, his mind imagining a thousand and one ways to kill Yoshimura slowly.
" What do I care about his happiness?"
Okina coughed to encourage Aoshi to answer.
" No. I do not."
Okina sighed in disappointment and turned back to the window, watching the early morning sun rise above Kyoto. Aoshi stood and moved to leave the room. Before shutting the door behind him, he hesitated.
" Okina. What is to become of the ...Yoshimura alliance?"
Aoshi tensed, afraid of the possible answer to his question. He couldn't bring himself to say 'Marriage' and 'Misao' in the same sentence. Not with the dirty word of ' Yoshimura'.
Okina turned to him with a bitter smile and tapped the tatami mat beneath him with his fingers.
" It will still take place. When we find Misao."
" ..."
" Aoshi...go find her. Bring her back."
Aoshi nodded and walked away from the room. He couldn't bring himself to look at Okina anymore. But he also could not disobey the direct order from his mentor... For the first time in a long time, he had found something to rival his feelings about his fallen comrades. His complete and utter confusion about what to do about Misao.
_______________
Okina watched Aoshi's back disappear behind the door. He touched his calloused hands to his mouth where his harsh words had come from. As much as he loved Misao and cared for Aoshi, it was too late. He, as a representative of the Oniwabanshuu could not go back on his word. The former Okashira, Misao's grandfather had made him promise.
Protect the honour of the Oniwabanshuu.
Misao's father had said the same. And also something which was causing the conflict in his head.
Protect Misao's happiness.
Steeling himself, he tightened his hand into a fist as he called for Okon. He would find Misao first...then he would figure out what to do. Knowing Misao, she would be hard to find, especially if she did not wish to be seen. Now she had all the more reason to hide out. He silently cursed Misao's ninja skills with pride.
_______________
Misao's eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring at a yellowed ceiling.
" Where am I?"
Sitting up, she jarred her arm. She drew a sharp breath in pain and cradled it. It was bandaged all the way up her forearm. As her muddled mind sorted itself out, she saw flashes of what had happened. The stillness of the forest, the gentle thud of paws hitting the ground, the growling afterward. Wincing, she delicately touched her arm where the wolf had bitten her.
" Don't touch it weasel girl."
At being called her most hated nickname, she grabbed the nearest object and threw it at the speaker, which happened to be a candle stick. This plunged the room into darkness.
" My my girl. You're skills are rather sloppy. You should be better judging from the Oniwabanshuu standard of ninja."
In the semi-darkness, Misao could make out the silohuette of a tall and super muscular figure. She drew a sharp breath before backing up against the wall on the bed.
" Who are you?"
A scraping sound, then light. Hiko Seijuro stood before her, holding a lighted candle.
" So...I have reached here at last."
Hiko snorted and turned with a whirl of his manto before heading out the door.
" Didn't anyone tell you not to come into these woods alone at night? I was sure the Oniwabanshuu was better than that."
" We are!"
" Could have fooled me girl. It's too late to go back now, but you better leave by morning."
" What if I don't want to?"
Hiko stopped walking and turned on his heel to stare at the speaker of those defiant words. It had been a while since anyone had said anything to him which wasn't sugar coated for their protection. His bulky and muscular form had always suceeded in scaring people into not defying him. Or draw flattering attention from females.
" You have to."
" I don't want to go back. I never want to go back. Not if it means..."
" Means what?"
" Marrying Yoshimura."
Hiko gave her a sour look and took a seat on a wooden stool nearby.
" Whatever happened to that icy guy? Shinomori?"
" He...he..."
Misao trailed off as tears choked her words and overflowed. Hiko was quite taken aback. It had been a long time since he had seen a young girl, let alone a crying one. Living like a hermit was not all that it was cracked up to be, even with his sake to keep him company. With some quick thinking, he decided to employ some techniques he had used on his baka deshi all those years ago.
" Quit bawling. You want to move on and become stronger right?"
Misao gave him a weird look and continued crying. Hiko fidgeted with discomfort. A 16 year old girl was defeating him in a battle of wits and mental strength. Obviously, that was the incorrect approach.
" Of course it was Hiko. She's a girl...not a male child learning swordplay."
Hesitating, he held out a hand, placing it gently on the girls head and patting it. A hand swatted him away as the girl moved off the bed and into the corner, her tears slowing as she struggled to stop crying.
" I am not a child. I don't want to be patted like a dog."
" Then stop acting like a child. So that Shinomori guy isn't the one you'll marry. With an attitude like that I'm surprised you got anyone to marry you."
Misao grabbed a log from the unused fireplace and ran with it, hoping to whack Hiko good. Hiko simply grabbed the log and squeezed. Wood chips and dust flew all over the room, completely covering them both.
Suddenly, she couldn't control herself anymore. She held her stomach in pain as she laughed heartily at Hiko's discomfort. She knew he was trying hard to get her to stop crying...his attempts were working, but not in the way that he wanted it to.
" What are you laughing at girl?!"
" You...!"
The man grunted and let out a exasperated breath.
" This is the thanks I get for helping you...I shouldn't have-"
His eyes widened as Misao stopped laughing and kissed him on the cheek. As she drew away she whispered huskily.
" Thank you."
Hiko stared at her weirdly, quite surprised as a red tinge spread across the bridge of his nose. His blush turned to a flush of anger as again the girl laughed at him, sticking out her tongue and hitting him playfully.
" Why you!"
Hiko grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, threatening to strike.
" Mou...I'm injured...I was just having a little fun."
With his baka deshi, he would have striked already, letting him feel the power of his wrath. But something was holding him back as he stared at the girl cradling her injured arm and smiling endearingly at him. Sighing wearily he sat down and reached for his sake jug and swigged it.
" I have a feeling I'll be needing a lot more of this with you around."
Misao bounced to his side, having fun while playing with Hiko's obvious discomfort and lack of experience.
" Does this mean I get to stay?"
Muttering under his breath which included words like " regret" and " weasel" he nodded cautiously. He sweatdropped as the supposedly injured Misao bounced off the wall with a typically cheesy grin.
" bah. Teenage girls."
Hiko headed for the door, picking up a bucket on his way out.
" Where are you going?"
Misao, clinging to a rafter attatched to the room watched him.
" Going to get water."
" Wait...you're not going to tell anyone I'm here right?"
" Weasel, I said I was getting water. I don't walk all the way down to Kyoto for water."
Without so much as a wave, Hiko walked off with a whirl of his manto. Dejectedly, Misao sunk back onto the bed. The fun was over, the distraction was over, leaving her with her solitude and her problems once more.
***********
Author's notes: erm..............................................yeh. ^__^;
That was confusing! I don't really understand it very much myself. Does Okina sound insensitive? Probably. OOC ( out of character)? Yeh that's about right. But it works for the story...of course as a fic writer I shouldn't be allowing OOCness! Gomen ne? ^^
Can I just say Okina is confused? Yeh. That's it. He's in conflict with himself. Yer! *cheers at the somewhat 'convenient' solution* .
Okina stares at Tomoe while stroking his beard. * Death glare *
Tomoe sweatdrops and backs away into Hiko wielding his sword.
" Since when am I afraid of teenage girls?"
" eep! Yamete!"
Tomoe runs off with a tonfa specialist Okina and a maniac sword wielding Hiko running after her screaming bloody murder.
^__^...I really shouldn't make this sort of image thingy a habit. Heh.
Anyway on with it :P
*************
Chapter 3
" Aoshi-san. You're back."
The bustling activity of the Aoiya kitchen stopped as a tall figure ducked underneath the door frame to greet them with a nod. Okon dropped her knife with a clatter, unusual for a ninja to be so taken by seeing the return of the former Okashira. As Aoshi moved to leave the room, Okon stared at him, taking in his ragged appearance. His normally tall posture was now quite visibly slumped, betraying his appearance of complete alertness. He was obviously tired.
" Okina said he wished to see you as soon as you got back."
" ...Aaa...Misao...?"
Okon shook her head and looked down at the half chopped vegetable on her board. She mumbled softly as if she was too scared to say it aloud.
" She's gone. I...I thought you knew. Aoshi...did you go and look for Misao? Do you know where she is?"
Okon turned around to look at Aoshi once more but to her surprise he had disappeared already.
__________
Aoshi strode purposefully along the hallway, stopping at the doorway of Misao's room. He ducked inside, his eyes resting on the pure white material of the wedding kimono which still hung on it's pole, untouched.
" Aoshi."
Aoshi could barely hide his surprise as Okina, seated near the window of Misao's room, spoke to him.
" Where have you been?"
Okina gestured for Aoshi to sit down. Aoshi could feel Okina's eyes on him, glaring and carefully choosing his words.
" Out."
" Doing what? You knew Misao was missing."
" Yes. I was out looking for her."
" Do you have any idea where she is? Yoshimura isn't happy."
Aoshi sat in silence, his mind imagining a thousand and one ways to kill Yoshimura slowly.
" What do I care about his happiness?"
Okina coughed to encourage Aoshi to answer.
" No. I do not."
Okina sighed in disappointment and turned back to the window, watching the early morning sun rise above Kyoto. Aoshi stood and moved to leave the room. Before shutting the door behind him, he hesitated.
" Okina. What is to become of the ...Yoshimura alliance?"
Aoshi tensed, afraid of the possible answer to his question. He couldn't bring himself to say 'Marriage' and 'Misao' in the same sentence. Not with the dirty word of ' Yoshimura'.
Okina turned to him with a bitter smile and tapped the tatami mat beneath him with his fingers.
" It will still take place. When we find Misao."
" ..."
" Aoshi...go find her. Bring her back."
Aoshi nodded and walked away from the room. He couldn't bring himself to look at Okina anymore. But he also could not disobey the direct order from his mentor... For the first time in a long time, he had found something to rival his feelings about his fallen comrades. His complete and utter confusion about what to do about Misao.
_______________
Okina watched Aoshi's back disappear behind the door. He touched his calloused hands to his mouth where his harsh words had come from. As much as he loved Misao and cared for Aoshi, it was too late. He, as a representative of the Oniwabanshuu could not go back on his word. The former Okashira, Misao's grandfather had made him promise.
Protect the honour of the Oniwabanshuu.
Misao's father had said the same. And also something which was causing the conflict in his head.
Protect Misao's happiness.
Steeling himself, he tightened his hand into a fist as he called for Okon. He would find Misao first...then he would figure out what to do. Knowing Misao, she would be hard to find, especially if she did not wish to be seen. Now she had all the more reason to hide out. He silently cursed Misao's ninja skills with pride.
_______________
Misao's eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring at a yellowed ceiling.
" Where am I?"
Sitting up, she jarred her arm. She drew a sharp breath in pain and cradled it. It was bandaged all the way up her forearm. As her muddled mind sorted itself out, she saw flashes of what had happened. The stillness of the forest, the gentle thud of paws hitting the ground, the growling afterward. Wincing, she delicately touched her arm where the wolf had bitten her.
" Don't touch it weasel girl."
At being called her most hated nickname, she grabbed the nearest object and threw it at the speaker, which happened to be a candle stick. This plunged the room into darkness.
" My my girl. You're skills are rather sloppy. You should be better judging from the Oniwabanshuu standard of ninja."
In the semi-darkness, Misao could make out the silohuette of a tall and super muscular figure. She drew a sharp breath before backing up against the wall on the bed.
" Who are you?"
A scraping sound, then light. Hiko Seijuro stood before her, holding a lighted candle.
" So...I have reached here at last."
Hiko snorted and turned with a whirl of his manto before heading out the door.
" Didn't anyone tell you not to come into these woods alone at night? I was sure the Oniwabanshuu was better than that."
" We are!"
" Could have fooled me girl. It's too late to go back now, but you better leave by morning."
" What if I don't want to?"
Hiko stopped walking and turned on his heel to stare at the speaker of those defiant words. It had been a while since anyone had said anything to him which wasn't sugar coated for their protection. His bulky and muscular form had always suceeded in scaring people into not defying him. Or draw flattering attention from females.
" You have to."
" I don't want to go back. I never want to go back. Not if it means..."
" Means what?"
" Marrying Yoshimura."
Hiko gave her a sour look and took a seat on a wooden stool nearby.
" Whatever happened to that icy guy? Shinomori?"
" He...he..."
Misao trailed off as tears choked her words and overflowed. Hiko was quite taken aback. It had been a long time since he had seen a young girl, let alone a crying one. Living like a hermit was not all that it was cracked up to be, even with his sake to keep him company. With some quick thinking, he decided to employ some techniques he had used on his baka deshi all those years ago.
" Quit bawling. You want to move on and become stronger right?"
Misao gave him a weird look and continued crying. Hiko fidgeted with discomfort. A 16 year old girl was defeating him in a battle of wits and mental strength. Obviously, that was the incorrect approach.
" Of course it was Hiko. She's a girl...not a male child learning swordplay."
Hesitating, he held out a hand, placing it gently on the girls head and patting it. A hand swatted him away as the girl moved off the bed and into the corner, her tears slowing as she struggled to stop crying.
" I am not a child. I don't want to be patted like a dog."
" Then stop acting like a child. So that Shinomori guy isn't the one you'll marry. With an attitude like that I'm surprised you got anyone to marry you."
Misao grabbed a log from the unused fireplace and ran with it, hoping to whack Hiko good. Hiko simply grabbed the log and squeezed. Wood chips and dust flew all over the room, completely covering them both.
Suddenly, she couldn't control herself anymore. She held her stomach in pain as she laughed heartily at Hiko's discomfort. She knew he was trying hard to get her to stop crying...his attempts were working, but not in the way that he wanted it to.
" What are you laughing at girl?!"
" You...!"
The man grunted and let out a exasperated breath.
" This is the thanks I get for helping you...I shouldn't have-"
His eyes widened as Misao stopped laughing and kissed him on the cheek. As she drew away she whispered huskily.
" Thank you."
Hiko stared at her weirdly, quite surprised as a red tinge spread across the bridge of his nose. His blush turned to a flush of anger as again the girl laughed at him, sticking out her tongue and hitting him playfully.
" Why you!"
Hiko grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, threatening to strike.
" Mou...I'm injured...I was just having a little fun."
With his baka deshi, he would have striked already, letting him feel the power of his wrath. But something was holding him back as he stared at the girl cradling her injured arm and smiling endearingly at him. Sighing wearily he sat down and reached for his sake jug and swigged it.
" I have a feeling I'll be needing a lot more of this with you around."
Misao bounced to his side, having fun while playing with Hiko's obvious discomfort and lack of experience.
" Does this mean I get to stay?"
Muttering under his breath which included words like " regret" and " weasel" he nodded cautiously. He sweatdropped as the supposedly injured Misao bounced off the wall with a typically cheesy grin.
" bah. Teenage girls."
Hiko headed for the door, picking up a bucket on his way out.
" Where are you going?"
Misao, clinging to a rafter attatched to the room watched him.
" Going to get water."
" Wait...you're not going to tell anyone I'm here right?"
" Weasel, I said I was getting water. I don't walk all the way down to Kyoto for water."
Without so much as a wave, Hiko walked off with a whirl of his manto. Dejectedly, Misao sunk back onto the bed. The fun was over, the distraction was over, leaving her with her solitude and her problems once more.
***********
Author's notes: erm..............................................yeh. ^__^;
That was confusing! I don't really understand it very much myself. Does Okina sound insensitive? Probably. OOC ( out of character)? Yeh that's about right. But it works for the story...of course as a fic writer I shouldn't be allowing OOCness! Gomen ne? ^^
Can I just say Okina is confused? Yeh. That's it. He's in conflict with himself. Yer! *cheers at the somewhat 'convenient' solution* .
Okina stares at Tomoe while stroking his beard. * Death glare *
Tomoe sweatdrops and backs away into Hiko wielding his sword.
" Since when am I afraid of teenage girls?"
" eep! Yamete!"
Tomoe runs off with a tonfa specialist Okina and a maniac sword wielding Hiko running after her screaming bloody murder.
^__^...I really shouldn't make this sort of image thingy a habit. Heh.