Two Sides of a Sword: Sibling Reunion

AYAME-CHAN SAYS: Aiyaa!!! Gomen nasai!!!! I took a bit too long on this chapter, didn't I? Well, I have something called high school. And high school has finals. And finals are EVIL. So are projects, too, but that's not the point. Anyhoo, enjoy and please continue on reviewing!!

~Sibling Reunion~

The sun was peeking over the horizon as morning dawned. Ikumi woke up early to pack her things and get ready to leave. She slid the door open softly to find herself not the only one awake in the household. Out in the area near the dojo, Yahiko was practicing his morning swings with Kaoru watching on the porch and instructing. The smell of food drifted around the home. Ikumi walked over to Kaoru and sat down next to her to watch.

"Ohayou, Ikumi-san!" Kaoru greeted her warmly.

"Ohayou, Kaoru-san," Ikumi softly greeted back. They watched Yahiko's practice swings together.

"Ne, Ikumi-san, when do you plan on leaving?" Kaoru asked.

Ikumi smiled. "Maa, I have to particular time. Probably today, though, because I have to see someone."

"So you're going to Kyoto?"

She nodded. "Hai. It's been a while since I've seen my brother and the others. I'm not sure if they'll recognize me."

"Why's that?"

"Ikumi-san!" Yahiko interrupted. He had stopped practicing. "Ne, can you teach me some moves from your school?"

"Yahiko," Kaoru frowned, "I told you that you have enough to do already!"

"Ie, that's okay," Ikumi interrupted as she stood up. "I'll just show him some of the basics if that's alright with you."

Kaoru thought for a moment and then nodded. She began to watch for a bit and then noticed something peek out of Ikumi's bag. It looked like the hilt of something, but she wasn't exactly sure. The designs were intricate swirls of what looked to be some sort of serpent. Curiosity took over her as Kaoru pulled out the object to reveal a beautifully deocrated sword. At first she thought it was a Chinese sword, but looking at the flimsy blade, it curved like a Japanese nihountou.

It's heavy, Kaoru thought as she felt her fingers along the flat of the blade. The blade was also intricately designed with a mixture of vine and petals encrypted in jade. But the blade's so thin...

"Kaoru-san?"

She was startled a bit and looked up at Ikumi hesitantly. "Ah, gomen, Ikumi-san, I didn't mean to snoop..."

Ikumi smiled and sat back down next to her, leaving Yahiko desperately trying to balance himself on a log in a handstand.

"Daijoubu. You can look if you'd like," she reassured. "I don't have anything to hide."

Kaoru felt relieved and began to examine to weapon further. "Is this yours?"

"Maa, I guess you can say it's mine," Ikumi replied. "It used to belong to someone I was close to."

She wouldn't go any further. Kaoru decided that it was none of her business to ask any more.

"Sou ka," she commented. "Demo, it's really pretty. I like the color of it. It's jade, isn't it?"

Ikumi nodded. "Hai. It's a rare weapon, shikashi, I don't use it that often."

"You really never have a mixture of Japanese and Chinese in weapons," Kaoru continued. "Demo, why is it so heavy? The blade looks like it's as thin as paper."

"The hilt makes the nihountou heavy," Ikumi explained. "It's a counterbalance for the blade."

"Oh, I really never thought of that..."

"Heh, heh, heh. I did it!" Yahiko shouted, interrupting their conversation.

Yahiko had managed to balance himself in the handstand. However, all the blood was rushing to his head and he was as red as a tomato.

Ikumi smiled. "Good, now try to do ten pushups in that position."

"NANI?!?!?"

Kaoru couldn't help but burst into hysterical laughter. The laughter soon spread to Ikumi, and the two women laughed their hearts out while Yahiko sat back upright, a bit lightheaded, and seethed in anger.

later that morning

Ikumi stood at the gate, saying her goodbyes to the Kenshingumi.

"Arigatou for letting me stay with you," Ikumi bowed.

"Daijoubu. You're welcome anytime, Ikumi-san," Kaoru said. "Just say 'hello' to Misao and everyone."

Ikumi let out a short laugh and nodded. "Hai, I'll be sure to tell them that."

"And tell your aniki hell as well, de gozaru yo," Kenshin added.

"Hai, I will." She bowed her head once more and set off.

The Kenshingumi watched her go.

Sanosuke scratched the back of his head. "Maa, she doesn't act like her brother at all. If it wasn't for their looks, I wouldn't be convinced that she's Aoshi's imouto."

"Aa, she's quiet at first, but is a bit more talkative later on, de gozaru na," Kenshin agreed.

"I wouldn't say that she's quiet. More like shy, anata," Kaoru pointed out. "Demo, she's a nice person once you get to know her."

"Ikumi-san's cool," Yahiko concluded. "She's not like Aoshi at all."

later that day in Kyoto ~ Aoiya

A soft knock came to his door and disrupted his meditation. The only person who knocked was the one person that Shinomori Aoshi tried to avoid at all costs. He opened his eyes.

"Nani, Misao?" he asked quietly to the door.

"Anno...Aoshi-sama, I brought you some tea," Misao's voice answered.

Aoshi closed his eyes again. "Come in."

The door slid open for a moment then closed again as Misao entered and gently set the tray down in front of him. To Aoshi, Misao had greatly changed over the past two years since he came back, but he didn't want to admit it. Instead of being the spunky little girl that he'd always known, she'd blossomed into a beautiful young woman. One that the guys would go after for marriage if it wasn't for fear of the former Okashira.

So much time has passed. Am I willing to accept happiness? Aoshi thought to himself before opening his eyes to accept the tea.

Misao gently set the pot down and settled down, staring silently at her hands. Should I go, or should I leave?

A few moments of silence and no reply from Aoshi who avoided meeting her face.

He stared back at the green-like mixture in his cup instead. ...I don't deserve to be happy. No, I can't do that to her.

Well, if he's not going to say anything, I might as well leave, Misao thought sadly and began to get up.

"Aoshi-sama, if you don't ----"

"Ie, Misao," he replied abruptly. "Stay."

Stunned for a few moments, Misao sat back down. Her heart began to beat faster. "H-hai." Did he say 'stay'?

More silence, but no words needed to be spoken. Aoshi, though, was contemplating with his thoughts.

Why did I say that? Why didn't I just let her leave? he asked himself.

It's because you're slowly accepting the face that Misao means more to you than what you think, his inner conscious answered.

Aoshi refused to accept it, but he was beginning to wonder if that fact was true...

Kyoto ~ early evening

It would take a normal person two or three days to reach Kyoto by foot. But Shinomori Ikumi wasn't your typical woman. Travelling alone meant that you could do as you please without anybody bugging you that you should rest. So, Ikumi used her speed to reach the city by sunset.

As she set foot on it, the natives began to look and stare. She wasn't surprised, though. Wearing yet another Chinese outfit that she brought with her, she looked exactly like a foreigner. The last kimono that Ikumi ever wore was five sizes too small now, and given to a child.

Some people whispered to one another, but one look from Ikumi made them turn and walk away. Nothing had changed much, so it was easy for Ikumi to find her way through the city. She stopped in front of an inn, once the Kyoto Obiwanshuu's headquarters. Memories began to flood back in on that dreadful day that would change her life forever.

"Lemme go! Oniichan! Oniichan, help me!! No, lemme go!! ONIICHAN!!!!!!"

Ikumi quickly shook her head to get rid of that memory. It's been twelve years, and you've been through that already. Just step in and hope that Gramp's still alive.

She took a deep breath and entered in the Aoiya.

inside

"Irrashimase!" Okon greeted cheerfully at the entrance of a customer. "Can I help you with anything this evening?"

Ikumi was a bit startled, trying to compose herself. "A-anno, I'm...I'm looking for someone..."

She looks familiar, Okon thought and cocked her head to the side to see if the young woman was going to finish her sentence.

By that time, Okina had walked in. "Oh, Okon, this soup is too..."

He never finished his sentence because he dropped his bowl in shock. Okon turned to him. "Okina, daijoubu?"

"You-you couldn't be," Okina said as he walked towards Ikumi, arms reaching. "Those eyes, that face..."

"Okina, you know this woman?" Okon asked, a bit confused.

Ikumi smiled with relief, glad that Okina had still recognized her after all these years. She resisted the urge to run to him in a big hug as she remained still.

"Jii-chan, you're doing well," she replied.

Okina grabbed her in a bear hug. "Ikumi!!!! Kami-sama, you're alive!!!!"

Okon's jaw dropped to the floor. U-uso!!!

in Aoshi's room

Okina's yelling apparantly was so loud that it got to the attention of Aoshi and Misao.

"Nani?" Aoshi asked in his usual quiet, monotonous tone.

"Jii-chan's happy about something," Misao explained, but she knew that Aoshi knew that already. He wanted to know what Okina was happy about.

A familiar twinge in his mind came to him. That ki...masaka....

He stood up followed by Misao. "Doushta no, Aoshi-sama?"

I have to make sure... he thought. "Why don't we got see what Okina's shouting about?"

back at the front...

"You're alive!! It's really you!! How have you been all these years, Iku-chan?!?" Okina shouted with joy.

Unfortunately, he had hugged her so hard that she couldn't move nevertheless speak. "Um...Jii-chan..." she managed to say. "I can't breathe."

Okina immediately released her from his hug. "Ah, gomen, Iku-chan, I just wanted to see if you were real or not."

Ikumi arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Are you still chasing after women?"

"Oh, is he ever!" Okon answered for him. "He's worse than before, Iku-chan!"

"Now, Okon, is that a way to talk to your elders?" Okina protested.

Misao was the first to come downstairs. "Jii-chan, nani ko---"

Her memory was still good, even if the person before her disappeared when she was just a child. Misao ran to Ikumi. "IKU-CHAN!!!!"

Ikumi ran to Misao, dropping her back which landed on the floor with a thud. "MISAO-CHAN!!!!"

They embraced in a hug and then began jumping around in circles. "Wai, wai, wai...."

"How in the world can you still be alive?!? We all thought that you were dead after those guys took you!" Misao asked.

"Whaddya mean how in the world can I still be alive?!?" Ikumi retorted, totally relaxing. "Even if I did die, they'd still have to face my wrath!"

Much chattering continued as Aoshi came down. He paused in midstep, in shock, as all the chattering ceased.

"I-Ikumi?!?"

Ikumi turned toward her brother and smiled softly. "Tadaima, aniki."