Hi again!
I'm a volunteer at my high school, so I get to see a lot of spelling lists. There's one particular spelling list I like best. It has the following words: "raccoon" , "rooster" , and "wolf". Unfortunately there's not a tiger, weasel, or dragon in sight. ^_^x
If you still don't know who Shinichi is-I don't know what to do with you. ^^ And, as you notice, I'm back with the dialogue. ^_^;;
..........
"It's just a dream, Misao!"
"No, it wasn't a dream! I really was with E-I mean-Shinichi, last night!"
"Maybe it's just too much sake in the brain, Misao-chan," Okina suggested, to clarify the confusion.
"I've only had green tea all of last night-the best kind, too!" Misao protested, still wearing the kimono, loose hair scattered all over. "Come on, now, doesn't ANYONE believe me?!"
"Maybe you just forgot about the sake," Omasu rationalized. "What we know is this: you trailed behind to buy some takoyaki. I think we saw someone call you, and you followed. We never saw you again all night. We figured you just partied with some neighbor of ours. Then this morning we find you here, fast asleep like nothing happened!"
"But even I don't know why I'm back here," Misao complained. "I fell asleep in Shinichi's house, I swear! Surely you believe me, Aoshi-sama!" she implored.
Aoshi averted his gaze from her, and calmly sipped his tea. "You were just drunk."
"You, too, Aoshi-sama?!"
No further reactions came from him.
Days passed. Nothing more was said about the mysterious evening.
Misao noticed, however, that her Aoshi-sama stayed home more often now. He meditated near the garden, no longer at the temple. He constantly placed himself where Misao could see him, or where he could see her. Whenever he had to leave the Aioya, he would take her with him, and keep her beside him.
Not that there was an increase of affection out of him, though. Rather, he was colder than ever. It seemed like there was nothing she did right. If she brought him tea, he said it was cold. If she got him some well water, he complained that it was warm. If she practiced within his line of sight, eventually he saw something wrong with her technique.
"This is about, Shinichi, right?" Misao dared to ask once.
"Call him by his name," he ordered sternly.
"I don't know what you know, Aoshi-sama," Misao glared back, "But the name he gave me was Shiroyuki Shinichi."
Aoshi simply harrumphed.
Shinichi had definitely noticed the increased...surveillance and protection. Purple spectacles always hid sad eyes now.
Aoshi took her one day with him to the precinct. He said he would check up on a case in one of the offices, and he left her outside, seated in a chair in the hall. She sat quietly, and tried to read her Japanese translation of her friend's French book. Reading novels, however, was not a regular pastime with her, and she read very slowly.
Aoshi stayed inside the office for quite a while, and Misao had read half a chapter already.
Quite unexpectedly, she noticed an officer sit beside her. He probably was waiting for the men inside, so she ignored him after the usual greetings.
"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea?" the officer suddenly asked. "I've heard that it's a good book!"
"Oh, yes it is," Misao decided that small talk would help pass the time faster. "But there are times when this translation isn't so good--- from the French, that is."
"You've read this in French?"
"Oh, no, I don't understand French, but I have a friend who does, and he translates it. Nice guy, rather a loner, but quite the gentleman. Definitely better-looking than Aoshi-sama in there!"
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
From a pocket, the officer took out a beautiful haircomb. He took one of her hands and placed the comb inside it.
"Whatever anyone else says, that night was not a dream." He whispered, a familiar tenor.
Misao opened her hand, and recognized her comb from that night. She suddenly gaped at the officer's all too familiar face.
He smirked confidently at her. "I do this every once in a while. These bluecoats don't notice me; I'm just another worthless rookie to them. This is how I know they have false evidence of some kind against a certain Yukishiro Enishi." He looked around for a split second, and continued. "I won't let them get him. I know the tricks from both sides of the law. Whoever is really behind this operation against him..will eventually be caught."
"Do YOU know?" she asked carefully.
"I have my suspicions, but I have no proof. Don't trouble yourself, my pretty weasel. I've been in tougher situations than this." He stood up to leave. "Take care of yourself."
"B-b-but, E-ni---Shi--Shiroyuki-san..."
He looked behind him from the top of the stairs. "Thank you for that evening. I'll be seeing you."
He was gone.
Just then, Aoshi opened the door of the office. "Who were you talking to just now?"
"S-S-Some officer," she lied. "I think he was looking for one of the rooms on this floor."
He was satisfied with the reply. He just saw the blue police cap from the top of the stairs. "Come." He ordered. "We have an operation for tonight."
No other words were exchanged, despite the thousand questions Misao had ready to ask the okashira.
Back at the Aioya, the okashira called for a general assembly at the dining hall. Everyone was present, from Okina, the highest member, to the newest recruit. This kind of assembly was rare now, with the coming of peace with the Meiji government. Obviously the police had a big fish to catch, and needed auxiliary assistance. Misao was intrigued.
Aoshi gave the general and specific layouts of the plan. He called out particular people. He assigned them to strategic locations. He gave them important warnings and vital suggestions. He was completely in control. He was the perfect leader. Misao could not help but admire this indomitable man who led the Oniwabanshuu.
Finally, he called Misao.
"Everyone else has been assigned. You're the last one."
She was happy beyond belief. Finally he was giving her some important responsibility in an important operation.
"The whole operation depends on you, Misao. One false move would spell its failure."
The young woman was up to the challenge. She nodded with determination and listened intently.
"Everyone else has been assigned a watchpoint. They are supposed to alert the police to any exit points the criminals may have in trying to escape. The general plan is to catch the suspects and their accomplices red-handed. You are assigned to ground zero. Meaning, you will alert all of us if the exchange is beginning to take place."
"An exchange of what?"
"A weapons exchange. Completed illegal weapons from overseas are about to be transported to Kyoto tonight, and it will soon be taken to other key cities in Japan, unless we stop it here. In exchange for the weapons, steel and iron parts needed to make more weapons will also be transported tonight."
"You know this because...," she was all business.
"Someone from the mansion gave the police an important tip," he answered matter-of-factly.
"Mansion? W-W-what mansion? W-W-Where are you assigning me?" she lost composure and looked at Aoshi with apprehension.
"I am assigning you to the metalworks factory. Any developments there tonight, you will warn us about. You will tell us if and when Yukishiro Enishi makes his move."
Misao whispered menancingly to him, "I've told you a million times, Enishi is not involved in crime anymore!"
"Why do you insist on defending him?" His face had not changed.
"Because he is my friend, Aoshi-sama!"
He answered with a voice full of ice, "But I thought you were friends with a Shiroyuki Shinichi."
Misao clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
"You cannot let your emotions overtake your duty, Misao," Okina reminded her. "You will follow the instructions as given."
"I won't do it," she proudly defied them both.
"Then you are disobeying a direct order by the okashira. You will be sanctioned by the Oniwabanshuu," Okina warned sternly. "You will no longer be associated with it. You will no longer have this place to go home to."
Misao was astounded at the gravity of the situation. If she chose to side with her new friend, she would have to relinquish her old ones. If, however, she chose to side with her comrades, she would have to turn her new friend over to the police-probably under a false charge.
Was she ready to give up everything she had known, loved, and grew up with, for a man she barely knew, for someone she only really met five months ago? Was she tough enough to forget the memorable days she had with this unfathomable young man? Was she willing to give up on her old life for a new one? Was she willing to destroy the new life she found in favor of the old one?
White...or.....black?
"Give me another assignment, please! Anything but that!" she pleaded.
"There is no other way," Aoshi stubbornly declared. "You are the only one acquainted enough with the factory, and the only one who knows the target well enough to act as a direct lookout."
Misao sighed. There was no way out of this predicament. She had to chose. Only one.
But, she thought upon it again...there might be a way to obey Aoshi but not turn tail on Enishi. She might be able to give her friend advance warning, so she would not be deserting Aoshi, but also have nothing to report. It was, not a perfect plan right now, but it would have to suffice.
She chose gray. Neither white nor black, but with shades of both.
"Alright, Aoshi-sama. You win. Tell me the rest."
........
I apologize to the Aoshi fans for the current treatment. Don't worry, I know he's not as bad and awful and coldhearted as he seems. I'll make it up to you guys.
Thanks to those who reviewed Passenger Seat, my one-shot songfic. I liked that mushy little song ever since I've heard it. When my brother played our MP3 of the song, the concept for the fic just popped up. ^^ I remembered reading somewhere how Enishi always reminds a writer of a fast red convertible...and it started from there.
Tesuka-chan-Pinoy ka pala, ha, kabayan! ^^ According to my brother's copy of the CD, the percussions guy is Dain, and I have to agree with your opinion of him. ^_^ Unfortunately we never got to see the Stephen Speaks concert. Thanks for compliments. Hope you keep on reading!
Chiki-san-Thanks for liking Passenger Seat! Hope that when you see this, you've been totally convinced to accept the E/M movement! ^^
Doujin-thanks for liking Passenger Seat. Yup, you got it all right! And you're not the only one who likes Enishi. ^^
Max-Thanks much! No more about White Tiger from now on. ^^ You do realize, of course, that Siberian tigers now have an effect on me? Penn and Teller won't be the same again.. ^_^;;
Kyanos-I've never thought of Misao as air-headed comic relief; she's just in the Britney Spears situation ("I'm not a girl, not yet a woman.."). ^^ She's a very capable young lady! Thanks for the support!
Tiian-Chap 7 was the second chapter I ever wrote with more description than talking, the first, as I said, being in Nine Months. I don't know. Just write what comes, then proofread later. It makes for faster updates. ^^
Shiomei-Hi again! I won't say it's a new style. It's just that the stuff that was happening is better said in description than dialogue. But I am trying to mix in more description than previously. I think I have more description now than I even had with Nine Months!
Sabbie-Arigatou! I'm beginning to like Eni-chan a lot too. ^^ You want to MARRY Eni-chan (with the "I do! I do!" in the Passenger Seat review)?! Midterms? They're done, and I actually passed! Your question? Hmmmmm, a very good one, and I don't have an answer for it! Certainly there will be less remorse on Kenshin's part.....probably less affection for the -gumi, but a little less of the uneasiness about Kaoru.....and we'll never get to meet Eni-chan!!
Firuze-nee-san-Thanks much, for knowing Eni-chan so well!! Your tips are always very very helpful! Thanks for the Passenger Seat review!
CardMistressSakura-Um, I don't know yet, really. I'm still deciding who she ends up with. ^^
Mi-Same answer as above. I really don't know yet. Thanks for liking Passenger Seat!
Chitchat-Thanks much for liking the inner dialogue.
Fan-Thanks much for liking Misao! I like her a lot too!
BittersweetKandy-Calm down, as you can see by now Enishi went nowhere. ^^ Thanks for the compliments!
Chavi-WestWind-No problem! I hope you don't forget again!
Currently I'm getting as many people (more or less) as I used to get for Nine Months! Thanks everybody!!
I'm a volunteer at my high school, so I get to see a lot of spelling lists. There's one particular spelling list I like best. It has the following words: "raccoon" , "rooster" , and "wolf". Unfortunately there's not a tiger, weasel, or dragon in sight. ^_^x
If you still don't know who Shinichi is-I don't know what to do with you. ^^ And, as you notice, I'm back with the dialogue. ^_^;;
..........
"It's just a dream, Misao!"
"No, it wasn't a dream! I really was with E-I mean-Shinichi, last night!"
"Maybe it's just too much sake in the brain, Misao-chan," Okina suggested, to clarify the confusion.
"I've only had green tea all of last night-the best kind, too!" Misao protested, still wearing the kimono, loose hair scattered all over. "Come on, now, doesn't ANYONE believe me?!"
"Maybe you just forgot about the sake," Omasu rationalized. "What we know is this: you trailed behind to buy some takoyaki. I think we saw someone call you, and you followed. We never saw you again all night. We figured you just partied with some neighbor of ours. Then this morning we find you here, fast asleep like nothing happened!"
"But even I don't know why I'm back here," Misao complained. "I fell asleep in Shinichi's house, I swear! Surely you believe me, Aoshi-sama!" she implored.
Aoshi averted his gaze from her, and calmly sipped his tea. "You were just drunk."
"You, too, Aoshi-sama?!"
No further reactions came from him.
Days passed. Nothing more was said about the mysterious evening.
Misao noticed, however, that her Aoshi-sama stayed home more often now. He meditated near the garden, no longer at the temple. He constantly placed himself where Misao could see him, or where he could see her. Whenever he had to leave the Aioya, he would take her with him, and keep her beside him.
Not that there was an increase of affection out of him, though. Rather, he was colder than ever. It seemed like there was nothing she did right. If she brought him tea, he said it was cold. If she got him some well water, he complained that it was warm. If she practiced within his line of sight, eventually he saw something wrong with her technique.
"This is about, Shinichi, right?" Misao dared to ask once.
"Call him by his name," he ordered sternly.
"I don't know what you know, Aoshi-sama," Misao glared back, "But the name he gave me was Shiroyuki Shinichi."
Aoshi simply harrumphed.
Shinichi had definitely noticed the increased...surveillance and protection. Purple spectacles always hid sad eyes now.
Aoshi took her one day with him to the precinct. He said he would check up on a case in one of the offices, and he left her outside, seated in a chair in the hall. She sat quietly, and tried to read her Japanese translation of her friend's French book. Reading novels, however, was not a regular pastime with her, and she read very slowly.
Aoshi stayed inside the office for quite a while, and Misao had read half a chapter already.
Quite unexpectedly, she noticed an officer sit beside her. He probably was waiting for the men inside, so she ignored him after the usual greetings.
"Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea?" the officer suddenly asked. "I've heard that it's a good book!"
"Oh, yes it is," Misao decided that small talk would help pass the time faster. "But there are times when this translation isn't so good--- from the French, that is."
"You've read this in French?"
"Oh, no, I don't understand French, but I have a friend who does, and he translates it. Nice guy, rather a loner, but quite the gentleman. Definitely better-looking than Aoshi-sama in there!"
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
From a pocket, the officer took out a beautiful haircomb. He took one of her hands and placed the comb inside it.
"Whatever anyone else says, that night was not a dream." He whispered, a familiar tenor.
Misao opened her hand, and recognized her comb from that night. She suddenly gaped at the officer's all too familiar face.
He smirked confidently at her. "I do this every once in a while. These bluecoats don't notice me; I'm just another worthless rookie to them. This is how I know they have false evidence of some kind against a certain Yukishiro Enishi." He looked around for a split second, and continued. "I won't let them get him. I know the tricks from both sides of the law. Whoever is really behind this operation against him..will eventually be caught."
"Do YOU know?" she asked carefully.
"I have my suspicions, but I have no proof. Don't trouble yourself, my pretty weasel. I've been in tougher situations than this." He stood up to leave. "Take care of yourself."
"B-b-but, E-ni---Shi--Shiroyuki-san..."
He looked behind him from the top of the stairs. "Thank you for that evening. I'll be seeing you."
He was gone.
Just then, Aoshi opened the door of the office. "Who were you talking to just now?"
"S-S-Some officer," she lied. "I think he was looking for one of the rooms on this floor."
He was satisfied with the reply. He just saw the blue police cap from the top of the stairs. "Come." He ordered. "We have an operation for tonight."
No other words were exchanged, despite the thousand questions Misao had ready to ask the okashira.
Back at the Aioya, the okashira called for a general assembly at the dining hall. Everyone was present, from Okina, the highest member, to the newest recruit. This kind of assembly was rare now, with the coming of peace with the Meiji government. Obviously the police had a big fish to catch, and needed auxiliary assistance. Misao was intrigued.
Aoshi gave the general and specific layouts of the plan. He called out particular people. He assigned them to strategic locations. He gave them important warnings and vital suggestions. He was completely in control. He was the perfect leader. Misao could not help but admire this indomitable man who led the Oniwabanshuu.
Finally, he called Misao.
"Everyone else has been assigned. You're the last one."
She was happy beyond belief. Finally he was giving her some important responsibility in an important operation.
"The whole operation depends on you, Misao. One false move would spell its failure."
The young woman was up to the challenge. She nodded with determination and listened intently.
"Everyone else has been assigned a watchpoint. They are supposed to alert the police to any exit points the criminals may have in trying to escape. The general plan is to catch the suspects and their accomplices red-handed. You are assigned to ground zero. Meaning, you will alert all of us if the exchange is beginning to take place."
"An exchange of what?"
"A weapons exchange. Completed illegal weapons from overseas are about to be transported to Kyoto tonight, and it will soon be taken to other key cities in Japan, unless we stop it here. In exchange for the weapons, steel and iron parts needed to make more weapons will also be transported tonight."
"You know this because...," she was all business.
"Someone from the mansion gave the police an important tip," he answered matter-of-factly.
"Mansion? W-W-what mansion? W-W-Where are you assigning me?" she lost composure and looked at Aoshi with apprehension.
"I am assigning you to the metalworks factory. Any developments there tonight, you will warn us about. You will tell us if and when Yukishiro Enishi makes his move."
Misao whispered menancingly to him, "I've told you a million times, Enishi is not involved in crime anymore!"
"Why do you insist on defending him?" His face had not changed.
"Because he is my friend, Aoshi-sama!"
He answered with a voice full of ice, "But I thought you were friends with a Shiroyuki Shinichi."
Misao clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.
"You cannot let your emotions overtake your duty, Misao," Okina reminded her. "You will follow the instructions as given."
"I won't do it," she proudly defied them both.
"Then you are disobeying a direct order by the okashira. You will be sanctioned by the Oniwabanshuu," Okina warned sternly. "You will no longer be associated with it. You will no longer have this place to go home to."
Misao was astounded at the gravity of the situation. If she chose to side with her new friend, she would have to relinquish her old ones. If, however, she chose to side with her comrades, she would have to turn her new friend over to the police-probably under a false charge.
Was she ready to give up everything she had known, loved, and grew up with, for a man she barely knew, for someone she only really met five months ago? Was she tough enough to forget the memorable days she had with this unfathomable young man? Was she willing to give up on her old life for a new one? Was she willing to destroy the new life she found in favor of the old one?
White...or.....black?
"Give me another assignment, please! Anything but that!" she pleaded.
"There is no other way," Aoshi stubbornly declared. "You are the only one acquainted enough with the factory, and the only one who knows the target well enough to act as a direct lookout."
Misao sighed. There was no way out of this predicament. She had to chose. Only one.
But, she thought upon it again...there might be a way to obey Aoshi but not turn tail on Enishi. She might be able to give her friend advance warning, so she would not be deserting Aoshi, but also have nothing to report. It was, not a perfect plan right now, but it would have to suffice.
She chose gray. Neither white nor black, but with shades of both.
"Alright, Aoshi-sama. You win. Tell me the rest."
........
I apologize to the Aoshi fans for the current treatment. Don't worry, I know he's not as bad and awful and coldhearted as he seems. I'll make it up to you guys.
Thanks to those who reviewed Passenger Seat, my one-shot songfic. I liked that mushy little song ever since I've heard it. When my brother played our MP3 of the song, the concept for the fic just popped up. ^^ I remembered reading somewhere how Enishi always reminds a writer of a fast red convertible...and it started from there.
Tesuka-chan-Pinoy ka pala, ha, kabayan! ^^ According to my brother's copy of the CD, the percussions guy is Dain, and I have to agree with your opinion of him. ^_^ Unfortunately we never got to see the Stephen Speaks concert. Thanks for compliments. Hope you keep on reading!
Chiki-san-Thanks for liking Passenger Seat! Hope that when you see this, you've been totally convinced to accept the E/M movement! ^^
Doujin-thanks for liking Passenger Seat. Yup, you got it all right! And you're not the only one who likes Enishi. ^^
Max-Thanks much! No more about White Tiger from now on. ^^ You do realize, of course, that Siberian tigers now have an effect on me? Penn and Teller won't be the same again.. ^_^;;
Kyanos-I've never thought of Misao as air-headed comic relief; she's just in the Britney Spears situation ("I'm not a girl, not yet a woman.."). ^^ She's a very capable young lady! Thanks for the support!
Tiian-Chap 7 was the second chapter I ever wrote with more description than talking, the first, as I said, being in Nine Months. I don't know. Just write what comes, then proofread later. It makes for faster updates. ^^
Shiomei-Hi again! I won't say it's a new style. It's just that the stuff that was happening is better said in description than dialogue. But I am trying to mix in more description than previously. I think I have more description now than I even had with Nine Months!
Sabbie-Arigatou! I'm beginning to like Eni-chan a lot too. ^^ You want to MARRY Eni-chan (with the "I do! I do!" in the Passenger Seat review)?! Midterms? They're done, and I actually passed! Your question? Hmmmmm, a very good one, and I don't have an answer for it! Certainly there will be less remorse on Kenshin's part.....probably less affection for the -gumi, but a little less of the uneasiness about Kaoru.....and we'll never get to meet Eni-chan!!
Firuze-nee-san-Thanks much, for knowing Eni-chan so well!! Your tips are always very very helpful! Thanks for the Passenger Seat review!
CardMistressSakura-Um, I don't know yet, really. I'm still deciding who she ends up with. ^^
Mi-Same answer as above. I really don't know yet. Thanks for liking Passenger Seat!
Chitchat-Thanks much for liking the inner dialogue.
Fan-Thanks much for liking Misao! I like her a lot too!
BittersweetKandy-Calm down, as you can see by now Enishi went nowhere. ^^ Thanks for the compliments!
Chavi-WestWind-No problem! I hope you don't forget again!
Currently I'm getting as many people (more or less) as I used to get for Nine Months! Thanks everybody!!