Chapter 13: "Discovery and Reunion"
Soujiro smiled as he lead the way down the dirt path, his katana at his side. Misao and Kaoru walked a little ways behind him, with Yahiko trailing at the end, looking at the ground.
"Hmm . . ." The boy became chibi and kept on walking, stroking his chin with one hand. The two girls stopped and turned to look at him.
"What's wrong Yahiko?" Kaoru asked.
"Yeah," Misao added. "You keep on grunting to yourself." Soujiro blinked and stopped, patiently waiting for the others to start walking again.
"There was something I was gonna tell Kenshin, but I can't remember . . ."
"Maybe you'll remember it later." Soujiro said, trying to get them moving again. "I should be back soon, so the faster I drop you three in the city~"
"That's it!" Yahiko shouted. "Aoshi! Shinomori Aoshi! He's in Kyoto!" A question mark popped up above Soujiro's head.
"Shinomori . . . you mean the Oniwabanshuu Okashira?" Kaoru asked, eyes wide.
"I just caught sight of him in the crowd, but I know it was him!" Yahiko bellowed, starting to turn around. "I have to tell Kenshin!"
"That's not really a good idea . . ." Soujiro interjected lightly. "Hiko- sensei won't like it if you interrupt, he gets grouchy."
"That's what old men do." Yahiko growled. Soujiro sweatdropped and scratched his head before Misao grabbed Yahiko by his hair. "Itai!! What're you doing??"
"Is it true? You're not lying?" Misao shouted, a happy grin on her face. Kaoru and Soujiro sweatdropped as Yahiko looked like he was going to bite Misao's hand. "Aoshi-sama is in Kyoto?"
Yahiko blinked. "Aoshi . . . sama?" Soujiro's left hand grabbed the katana's sheath instinctively as Yahiko knocked Misao's hand away and drew his shinai. "Get back Kaoru! She's one of the Oniwabanshuu!"
"Eh?"
"What's the real reason you stuck so close to Kenshin? Backup for Aoshi? Revenge for Hanya and the others?" Yahiko shouted, leveling his shinai tip at Misao.
"Backup . . . revenge?" Misao murmured, blinking. She glared at Yahiko and stepped forwards, bunching her hands into fists. "What's going on?"
"Quit playing innocent!!" Yahiko bellowed at her, taking a step forwards as well. He sweatdropped as Kaoru put her hand on his face and pushed him backwards.
"Both of you should calm down." Kaoru said calmly.
"Kaoru! What're you thinking??" Yahiko shouted, his voice muffled by her hand. Misao blinked as Soujiro put a hand on her shoulder and held her back as well.
"Even if I don't understand all of this, I agree with Kaoru-san." Soujiro said, his perpetual smile in place. "You should try and calm down Misao- san." She blinked again then nodded. Kaoru turned to face Misao.
"I'll tell you."
"Kaoru!!" Yahiko shouted, still with his shinai out.
"Thanks to Misao, I found Kenshin again. Now it's my turn to help her." Kaoru replied, turning a level gaze on the boy.
"Kaoru!" Misao shouted happily, stepping forwards and nearly bumping into Soujiro, who quickly moved out of the way. Kaoru then looked back at the younger girl.
"I never saw Shinomori Aoshi myself. I'm sure of all the details, but I did hear it secondhand. This . . . may be painful for you to hear." Misao's eyes widened.
[Change of Scene]
Shinomori Aoshi walked through Kyoto's semi-crowded streets. His white trench coat moved in the wind as he passed by the colorful stalls, families, and store workers.
"You actually came to Kyoto."
Aoshi stopped and glared down at the shorter young man in a dark blue kimono and white hakama, the shinobi zue sparkling in the sun. He glanced at the large monk and fat man to his right, then at the man in black standing behind Neji.
"I've felt you watching me since this morning." Aoshi said flatly, walking around them. "Only now, have you finally got the courage to meet me." Neji frowned then quickly caught up with Aoshi, walking beside him.
"I apologize for the spying but it was Shishio-sama's orders." Neji said, frowning to himself. He threw the shinobi zue to the side and caught it with his right hand, resting the staff against his other shoulder. "I also have orders for you to come with us."
"I told you before. I have no intention of working for anyone." Aoshi murmured, dead pan as ever. The monk held back the black clad man with one arm.
"You won't be working for us." Neji said, his black eyes watching Aoshi's similarly colored orbs. "Shishio-sama wants to see you, if not for that, we have different ways of gathering information. That should be worth the visit at least."
Neji frowned. 'I could try and take him by force,' Neji thought, gazing at Aoshi who seemed lost in thought. 'It'll cause some disruption though, because of all the people.'
"Show me the way." Neji blinked. "I will see Shishio Makoto." Neji smirked as he took the lead.
[From the capital there is a demon gate under the northeastern sky. On the slopes of Mt. Hiei, famous from olden times as a mountain of ghosts that protected the emperor's castle-]
"We've arrived. Follow me." Neji said, starting down the wooden corridors. The three of the Juppon katana nodded and followed, Aoshi trailing slightly behind them. Neji headed towards Shishio's room and knocked on the door. It creaked open and Yumi poked her head out, an irritable look on her face.
"Houji! I already told you Shishio-sama isn't here!" Yumi shouted, making her younger brother flinch. "Eh? Neji-kun?" Surprise filled her face for a moment before a smile broke out. "You're back!" She gave him a hug, her face buried in his shoulder before she glanced up and sweatdropped at the deadpan faces of the people behind Neji. (A/N: I know Iwanbou grins like an idiot . . . too lazy to think of another word ^^;)
"Ne, Yumi-neechan, you know where Shishio-sama is?" Neji asked, grinning as his sister jumped out of the hug, looking embarrassed. She blinked and then seemed to finally hear his question.
"I'm not sure, I think he's in the training room," she replied, pulling up the sides of her off-shoulders kimono. "I think you should tell him you're back, Neji-kun." Neji nodded, still grinning.
"I was gonna do that nee-chan, that's why I knocked," Neji said, smirking. "Nee-chan, why are you blushing?" Yumi sweatdropped and whapped him on the side of the head.
"I'm not blushing!" she shouted, going chibi before going inside and slamming the door shut.
"Etto . . ." Neji scratched his head then shook his head. When he turned back to the rest of them, he was serious once again. "Let's go see Shishio-sama."
End
A/N: um I could've written more . . . but I have homework to do ^^; in my defense tho . . . I think 4 pgs is enough rite? ~counts~ oops, more like 3 and two tiny little paragraphs . . . buuut it's better then nothing ne? ^^; how can other authors update so often?? ~envious~
btw would anyone be interested in trying to draw Neji? :P I tried myself . . . but it didn't turn out rite ^^; just wonderin . . .
Kurtain: I was gonna try an put some Soujiro fighting action in it . . . something like they r attacked by one of Shishio's men . . . but I'm not sure how to do it . . . an I didn't have enough time to ^^; sorry! An bout the Soujiro x misao thing I'm not really good at writin romance type ones . . . there was a little scene but I dunno if dat's rite ^^;
Hitokiri-san: um . . the fic is basically something I wrote for fun cause I like writing . . . and I didn't have any ideas to write one about a specific anime ^^; it was gonna be a manga I drew but my skills rn't that good . . . u wanna read more? :P
Lord Cirenmas, Craz_Psycho, Dragona 2007: sorry for not writin a more original reply to ur reviews . . but thanks for writing one for me! ^^ I like getting reviews . . . an I'll try an post again nxt weekend . . skwls killing me! _
School: ~chokes tenken~ Tenken: taskete!!! O_O
Soujiro smiled as he lead the way down the dirt path, his katana at his side. Misao and Kaoru walked a little ways behind him, with Yahiko trailing at the end, looking at the ground.
"Hmm . . ." The boy became chibi and kept on walking, stroking his chin with one hand. The two girls stopped and turned to look at him.
"What's wrong Yahiko?" Kaoru asked.
"Yeah," Misao added. "You keep on grunting to yourself." Soujiro blinked and stopped, patiently waiting for the others to start walking again.
"There was something I was gonna tell Kenshin, but I can't remember . . ."
"Maybe you'll remember it later." Soujiro said, trying to get them moving again. "I should be back soon, so the faster I drop you three in the city~"
"That's it!" Yahiko shouted. "Aoshi! Shinomori Aoshi! He's in Kyoto!" A question mark popped up above Soujiro's head.
"Shinomori . . . you mean the Oniwabanshuu Okashira?" Kaoru asked, eyes wide.
"I just caught sight of him in the crowd, but I know it was him!" Yahiko bellowed, starting to turn around. "I have to tell Kenshin!"
"That's not really a good idea . . ." Soujiro interjected lightly. "Hiko- sensei won't like it if you interrupt, he gets grouchy."
"That's what old men do." Yahiko growled. Soujiro sweatdropped and scratched his head before Misao grabbed Yahiko by his hair. "Itai!! What're you doing??"
"Is it true? You're not lying?" Misao shouted, a happy grin on her face. Kaoru and Soujiro sweatdropped as Yahiko looked like he was going to bite Misao's hand. "Aoshi-sama is in Kyoto?"
Yahiko blinked. "Aoshi . . . sama?" Soujiro's left hand grabbed the katana's sheath instinctively as Yahiko knocked Misao's hand away and drew his shinai. "Get back Kaoru! She's one of the Oniwabanshuu!"
"Eh?"
"What's the real reason you stuck so close to Kenshin? Backup for Aoshi? Revenge for Hanya and the others?" Yahiko shouted, leveling his shinai tip at Misao.
"Backup . . . revenge?" Misao murmured, blinking. She glared at Yahiko and stepped forwards, bunching her hands into fists. "What's going on?"
"Quit playing innocent!!" Yahiko bellowed at her, taking a step forwards as well. He sweatdropped as Kaoru put her hand on his face and pushed him backwards.
"Both of you should calm down." Kaoru said calmly.
"Kaoru! What're you thinking??" Yahiko shouted, his voice muffled by her hand. Misao blinked as Soujiro put a hand on her shoulder and held her back as well.
"Even if I don't understand all of this, I agree with Kaoru-san." Soujiro said, his perpetual smile in place. "You should try and calm down Misao- san." She blinked again then nodded. Kaoru turned to face Misao.
"I'll tell you."
"Kaoru!!" Yahiko shouted, still with his shinai out.
"Thanks to Misao, I found Kenshin again. Now it's my turn to help her." Kaoru replied, turning a level gaze on the boy.
"Kaoru!" Misao shouted happily, stepping forwards and nearly bumping into Soujiro, who quickly moved out of the way. Kaoru then looked back at the younger girl.
"I never saw Shinomori Aoshi myself. I'm sure of all the details, but I did hear it secondhand. This . . . may be painful for you to hear." Misao's eyes widened.
[Change of Scene]
Shinomori Aoshi walked through Kyoto's semi-crowded streets. His white trench coat moved in the wind as he passed by the colorful stalls, families, and store workers.
"You actually came to Kyoto."
Aoshi stopped and glared down at the shorter young man in a dark blue kimono and white hakama, the shinobi zue sparkling in the sun. He glanced at the large monk and fat man to his right, then at the man in black standing behind Neji.
"I've felt you watching me since this morning." Aoshi said flatly, walking around them. "Only now, have you finally got the courage to meet me." Neji frowned then quickly caught up with Aoshi, walking beside him.
"I apologize for the spying but it was Shishio-sama's orders." Neji said, frowning to himself. He threw the shinobi zue to the side and caught it with his right hand, resting the staff against his other shoulder. "I also have orders for you to come with us."
"I told you before. I have no intention of working for anyone." Aoshi murmured, dead pan as ever. The monk held back the black clad man with one arm.
"You won't be working for us." Neji said, his black eyes watching Aoshi's similarly colored orbs. "Shishio-sama wants to see you, if not for that, we have different ways of gathering information. That should be worth the visit at least."
Neji frowned. 'I could try and take him by force,' Neji thought, gazing at Aoshi who seemed lost in thought. 'It'll cause some disruption though, because of all the people.'
"Show me the way." Neji blinked. "I will see Shishio Makoto." Neji smirked as he took the lead.
[From the capital there is a demon gate under the northeastern sky. On the slopes of Mt. Hiei, famous from olden times as a mountain of ghosts that protected the emperor's castle-]
"We've arrived. Follow me." Neji said, starting down the wooden corridors. The three of the Juppon katana nodded and followed, Aoshi trailing slightly behind them. Neji headed towards Shishio's room and knocked on the door. It creaked open and Yumi poked her head out, an irritable look on her face.
"Houji! I already told you Shishio-sama isn't here!" Yumi shouted, making her younger brother flinch. "Eh? Neji-kun?" Surprise filled her face for a moment before a smile broke out. "You're back!" She gave him a hug, her face buried in his shoulder before she glanced up and sweatdropped at the deadpan faces of the people behind Neji. (A/N: I know Iwanbou grins like an idiot . . . too lazy to think of another word ^^;)
"Ne, Yumi-neechan, you know where Shishio-sama is?" Neji asked, grinning as his sister jumped out of the hug, looking embarrassed. She blinked and then seemed to finally hear his question.
"I'm not sure, I think he's in the training room," she replied, pulling up the sides of her off-shoulders kimono. "I think you should tell him you're back, Neji-kun." Neji nodded, still grinning.
"I was gonna do that nee-chan, that's why I knocked," Neji said, smirking. "Nee-chan, why are you blushing?" Yumi sweatdropped and whapped him on the side of the head.
"I'm not blushing!" she shouted, going chibi before going inside and slamming the door shut.
"Etto . . ." Neji scratched his head then shook his head. When he turned back to the rest of them, he was serious once again. "Let's go see Shishio-sama."
End
A/N: um I could've written more . . . but I have homework to do ^^; in my defense tho . . . I think 4 pgs is enough rite? ~counts~ oops, more like 3 and two tiny little paragraphs . . . buuut it's better then nothing ne? ^^; how can other authors update so often?? ~envious~
btw would anyone be interested in trying to draw Neji? :P I tried myself . . . but it didn't turn out rite ^^; just wonderin . . .
Kurtain: I was gonna try an put some Soujiro fighting action in it . . . something like they r attacked by one of Shishio's men . . . but I'm not sure how to do it . . . an I didn't have enough time to ^^; sorry! An bout the Soujiro x misao thing I'm not really good at writin romance type ones . . . there was a little scene but I dunno if dat's rite ^^;
Hitokiri-san: um . . the fic is basically something I wrote for fun cause I like writing . . . and I didn't have any ideas to write one about a specific anime ^^; it was gonna be a manga I drew but my skills rn't that good . . . u wanna read more? :P
Lord Cirenmas, Craz_Psycho, Dragona 2007: sorry for not writin a more original reply to ur reviews . . but thanks for writing one for me! ^^ I like getting reviews . . . an I'll try an post again nxt weekend . . skwls killing me! _
School: ~chokes tenken~ Tenken: taskete!!! O_O
