Fate Beckons
Disclaimers STILL apply
Angst and violence warning!
Chapter 3: Dreams Of the Past (1)
*Begin Dream*
"Aoshi-sama!" Misao yelled, flinging herself at her beloved playmate and okashira. "I was so afraid when I couldn't find you just now. Don't ever leave me again!"
A sixteen year old Aoshi, still drenched in sweat and blood from a just-completed mission, managed a tired grin as he picked Misao up and wiped her tears away. "I still have to sometimes, ne? Besides, you'd be pretty sick of me if I were with you all the time."
Misao, cocking her head and appearing cute, pondered for a few seconds. "I guess that's true but I'll never be sick of Aoshi-sama."
"Never?" Aoshi mustered a grin.
"Never never never never ever in my entire life!"
Aoshi sighed inwardly. "I'll never leave you alone forever, Misao," he promised, wondering if she would catch the implied meaning. "If you'll promise never to cry for me again."
Misao grinned, her tears long dried. "Hai, never!"
Then, there was a flash. An older Misao looked fearfully into Aoshi's eyes. The settings had changed—they were in a forest, bodies sweat and blood ridden. Numerous corpses lay in the dirt, mutilated or dismembered.
His kodachi were blood-stained. A gaping wound had opened in his shoulder where a sword had slashed him. They were outnumbered. There had been a traitor who had given them false information and lured them into the forest.
Aoshi shot Misao a look and the final battle began. Blood rained and the swish of swords and kunai being thrown were all that could be heard, among the groans and cries of the wounded and dying.
And suddenly, they were lying on the ground in each other's arms, too severely wounded to continue fighting. It had been worth it—everyone in the rival ninja group had been wounded if they were not already dead. The traitor lay some distance from them, head nearly severed from body. But they knew they would not live for long themselves. The poison they had been fed was taking effect.
A tear ran down Misao's face, and Aoshi gently, albeit weakly, lifted a hand to wipe it away. "You promised me never to cry for me, Misao."
Misao managed to force a smile. "At least we've done our best. The Oniwabanshuu is safe…"
Aoshi pulled her closer to him. "One thing I regret is not marrying you before this mess, Misao. Now I'll never have a chance to…not in this life."
"Then promise you'll marry me in our next life."
"If fate allows us to meet again, I will…and I'll never leave you again."
"Just like you promised all those years ago?"
"Yes. And we'll never be separated again."
The wind blew their words to the heavens as the rain beat down, washing the blood from two lifeless bodies entwined in an eternal embrace.
*End Dream*
Misao woke up with a start. What kind of dream was that? But it was so vivid. The sky was still dark, so she stole a look at the watch lying beside her bed. "3 am? This is a little crazy isn't it?" She still could not forget the vivid dream she just had, however, and somehow, felt that there was a hidden meaning to it. Walking to the window, she stared at the sole star shining brightly in the dark sky. But what is it?
Aoshi sat up abruptly, awakened from the same dream that Misao had had. The blood, emotions…everything had seemed so real, as if it had really happened. But it had not…right? If it had, he would not be alive and lying there on his comfortable bed. Besides, Misao had been there—which would not have been so if the dream had been real. There was one thing he had to admit though—she had looked so beautiful and been so brave in his dream. Could that be what she had grown into?
He stared at the star in the sky, searching for an answer.
Tbc…
Notes: Hope it wasn't too corny or anything—I didn't really want to kill off A&M in the dream! C&C o kudasai!
