Two Sides of a Sword: Enemies from the Past and a Resolution

~~Enemies from the Past and a Resolution~~

OOC WARNING!! Don't be surprised if Aoshi acts a bit too OOC. Hey, he's with his imouto-chan ^_^.

"Rokou-sama!"

A cloaked ninja bowed before his Okashira who was watching the sky.

"Nani, Akira?" the man named Rokou answered.

Rokou was a man of his late twenties. His silver hair and copper eyes contrasted his dark demeanor and outfit. His face was ridden with scars, a particularly large one slashed across his entire face from the top of his left eyebrow to the right corner of his lip. Strapped on his back was a long sword, the hilt gleaming deadly in the moonlight.

"Shinomori Aoshi's sister has returned," Akira answered. The only visible sign of Akira was his bright green eyes that seemed to glow slightly in the dark.

Rokou laughed maniacally in the empty room; the ravens in the trees flew away briskly. Rokou's alughter ceased as he turned around, smiling evilly.

"Sou ka? Then our trap has been set," Rokou said.

Akira smiled throught the mask, exacting his Okashira's evil. "What would you like us to do?"

"Kill them all. The only two people who are exceptionally skilled are Shinomori and his sister. The others are just merchants, I should know."

Akira bowed. "Hai, Okashira." He turned to leave.

"Oh, and Akira."

Akira paused. "Hai?"

"Be cautious when dealing with the two Shinomoris."

"Of course, Rokou-sama."

Rokou turned back into the night sky, smiling maliciously. Those two will suffer the hell that they have given me.

Flashback ~ Thirteen years ago

Aoshi and Rokou exchanged blows over a bridge. Rokou falls to one knee, his face bleeding profusely. Aoshi looked down at him, also suffering from minor wounds.

"Just give up, Rokou," Aoshi said coldly. "Although the Azma and the Onibanwanshuu are equal, the Okashiras aren't the same."

He began to walk away when Rokou barely stood, his own blood blinding him. "Matte, Shinomori! I'm not done with you, yet!"

Aoshi continued on walking, ignoring Rokou's insults and cries.

Flashback ~ three years ago

Ikumi's eyes coldy stared back into Rokou's, a flame of revenge burning within. She gasped heavily, gripping the hilt of the sword that her lover once held, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You've taken me away from the ones I loved once. I'm not going to let you do that again."

back to the present

Rokou's laughter echoed throughout the mansion.

Aoiya

A soft knock came to his door, disrupting his mediation again.

"Nani?" Aoshi asked.

"Ne, aniki, can we talk?" Ikumi's voice answered.

"Aa."

The door slid open and was closed softly behind. Ikumi found a place and sat down. A few moments of silence followed. Aoshi couldn't think of anything to say.

Ikumi sighed. "Now, I know you just absolutely love feeling guilty about everything---"

"I don't love being guilty about everything, Ikumi," Aoshi interrupted.

"Well then don't blame yourself on the day that I was kidnapped. I don't blame you," Ikumi replied.

"...Twelve years, huh?" Aoshi asked.

"Jiya told me everything," Ikumi nodded. "So, now I wanna hear your side of the story."

"Why don't you start off?"

"Because I said you first."

Aoshi sighed. "I'll never get away from you, will I?"

Ikumi smiled. "Of course not. I'm your imouto, aren't I? That's what imoutos are for."

An explosion echoed nearby, catching the attention of everyone in the inn.

That ki...Aoshi thought as he and Ikumi stood.

"An attack?" Ikumi asked.

"Probably..."

From looking down the window below, dark figures began to approach the former Oniwanbanshuu base.

"Ikumi, tell Okina to prepare for an ambush," Aoshi said.

downstairs

"What was that?!?" the Oniwanbanshuu rushed in the back door.

That wasn't any normal explosion...Okina thought.

"Jiya..." Misao was about to say.

"Minna!" Ikumi rushed downstairs, Aoshi slowly following behind with his kodaichi in hand. "It's an ambush!"

The doors crashed open as crowds of ninjas rushed in for attack. The ninjas successfully managed to separate all of them. Ikumi dodged the kunai of one, taking him out with one kick. She began to take out the others that surrounded her with extreme accuracy and speed.

Misao was trapped in one corner, throwing kunai at each oncoming ninja. Some had escaped them and came even closer for her to go into close-range combaat. Ten kunai left, and about thirty or forty of them each, Misao considered. That means ten each and twenty or thirty left with nothing. Kuso!

None of the inexperienced ninjas dared to go near the former Okashira. The most skilled ones approached him and even then they wre struck down like flies. Aoshi eyed both his enemy and Misao. She seemed to be doing well, but he knew that she wouldn't last out any longer. But this one ninja he was against right now, he could barely make his way to her. Aoshi eyed the ninja's movements carefully as they exchanged blows.

The ninja attacked with precisions, but was cautious after each one. All of a sudden, the ninja disappeared, surprising Aoshi.

Her kunai ran out, so Misao had to resort to her inexperienced kempo. She noticed that the way that Ikumi fought was...pretty. She moved like the wind, eluding her opponents and taking them all out at once. So that's thw Wandon school...

Her mind was so concentrated on taking down her opponents that she didn't notice the one coming from behind. Akira raised his wakizashi for the final blow...

"Misao, abunai!" Ikumi shouted.

Aoshi's mind raced. Misao!

What are you doing, standing there?!? his subconscious demanded.

But----

No buts. If you don't move her out of the way, she'll be killed! Do you want the one you care for dearly be lost to you, forever?!?

Misao turned around, frozen in fear.

...blade met flesh instantaneously and blood spewed out from wounds.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Bwuahahahahaha....I just love doing this to you guys ^_^. Should I tell you what happened to Aoshi, or should I not? ::goes into Shakespearean mode:: To tell or not to tell, that is the question. ::reverts back into Ayame-chan mode:: ....Naaaaaaaaahhhhhhh....Stay tuned and R&R!!