Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all of the characters don't belong to me, which explains why there aren't Soujiro plushies all over my house. My ranting about the color blue does not even belong to me; it belongs to insane1, and the phrase: "I' mso innocent I'm guilty" belongs to Adrienne-chan.
I really couldn't think of anything for this chapter…really (Thanks Ann)! This chapter takes place two years after the last one. If it is confusing you, it is probably A: the characters are popping up in random places, or B: you can't comprehend what I write at ten at night each night. SO…this is probably horrible.
If I'm boring you with the dialogue in this chapter, it's probably because in real life I'm a chatterbox…
??????? – I intended to make Mieko like San, but then I realized I couldn't write seriously enough to portray her like San. (By the way, I want to know who you are so I can stop typing question marks ^_^)
Kishi Seta- I'll try to write using more interesting words. I guess that's why my parents are making me memorize SAT vocabulary. (Actually, I'm supposed to be typing my English essay right now)
LotR-Redwall-Obsessive-Child - Do not try to give me any more writer's blocks. If you want, give me artist's block, but not writer's block. Actually, don't give me either and I'll be happy.
ConfuseDAngel- Thanks for the reveiw. The song I'm using is "Namida wa Shitteru." (It's not going to be in this chapter becouse it doesn't correspond to what I'm writing.)
I didn't care about reviews in the beginning, but now I guess I want them, since I can't think of anything to write. I think I've mastered HTML thanks to Seaoknarnar. Thank you!
Lilac Fire Blossom
By Meii-chan
Chapter 3- Autumn Chrysanthemum
The setting sun set the sky on fire, silhouetting a figure on the amber canvas. Makimachi Misao bounded across the roofs of Tokyo, her braid flying out behind her. She was evidently in high spirits, for she was visiting her friends in Tokyo. Besides, she had gotten fed up with Aoshi and his way of ignoring her whenever she visited.
"Now, where's the Kamiya dojo?" she asked herself. True, she had came to Tokyo just a year earlier to deliver Tomoe's diary, but Aoshi was with her, preventing her from getting lost in the labyrinth known as Tokyo. Misao put a finger to her chin, speculating what she should do.
I can either stay up here to look for eternity for the dojo and not get trampled on the streets, or…I can go down to the marketplace to ask someone for directions…Misao, Decide already! You're the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu! You've made harder decisions than this! Ah…what the heck, I'll just ask someone.
And with now resolve, Misao hopped down from the roof and onto the street. "Now if I can find someplace that smells better than sake and rotting vegetables…perfect!" Misao found herself outside of a flower shop labeled "Aki Kiku."
"Ano…hi." Misao said to the storekeeper, who was in a blue kimono, arranging blue flowers, in a blue pot, and not so strangely, which had a blue ribbon tied around it.
"Konnichiwa! Welcome to the Aki Kiku! May I help you?"
"Actually, I was wondering if you could help me find this address." Misao handed over a slip of paper that said nothing more than "Kamiya dojo."
"Oh! I know where it is! You turn right that way, then left, and left again, and right and left once more, and right, and right, and you go forward seven blocks and turn right again towards the river, and then you turn left and go forward until you reach the dojo. There's a big sign labeled 'Kamiya dojo.'"
"Sorry?" Even Misao, with her clever ninja mind, could not comprehend the directions she was given. "Can you show me?"
"Sure, why not. Hold on…what's you're name?"
"Makimachi Misao."
"I'm Himemori Mieko, nice to meet you…what's your name again?"
Misao rolled her eyes.
"Right, Hanekawa-san, I'm going to show Misao-chan where the Kamiya dojo is." She told an elderly woman wearing a (blue) yukata, who was also arranging (blue) flowers in a (blue) pot, which was tied with a (blue) ribbon. The woman nodded her head, and it was debatable whether she heard Mieko or not.
A boy, who appeared to be about eighteen or nineteen, stepped into the blue scene, holding a bundle of bright orange flowers that clashed with the surrounding scenery. "Mieko-san, which one of these are chrysanthemums?"
There's something familiar about this guy, Misao thought.
"The orange ones." Mieko replied, not really caring.
"They're all orange."
"The ones with a lot of petals."
"They all have a lot of petals."
"Therefore, they should all be chrysanthemums, ne?"
Something clicked in Misao's mind. "Tenken!"
The occupants of the Aki Kiku stared at Misao, except for "Hanekawa-san," who couldn't hear much of anything.
"Yeah, you heard me!" Misao pointed a accusing finger upon the boy, "You're Tenken no Soujiro!"
Meanwhile, quite a crowd had formed around the store, and before Misao's screaming could attract more people, Mieko dragged her off into a nearby alley. Soujiro was attempting to get rid of the mob by saying that Misao had gone insane, but he was met by Misao arguments of "No I'm not!!!"
Back in the alley, Misao was screeching at Mieko, who unfortunately, did not have earplugs with her.
"Hey! Do you even know who he is? He's Tenken no Soujiro! Dangerous Assassin! Do you get the picture, Mieko-chan?"
"I know he's a killer…but that doesn't mean he kills everyone in sight…"
"I know! You're working together to get rid of the government and get revenge!"
"No I'm not." Mieko stubbornly stated.
"Then you're going to get revenge on Himura! You evil child!" Misao was fuming by now.
"Misao, you're hyperventilating, and I'm not evil."
"Yes you are. Seta was with the Juppongatana and they were evil, so that makes him evil, and if you know that he's a killer and haven't turned him into the police yet, you're evil too!"
Mieko sighed. She could tell that this was going to be a long conversation. "You have twisted logic, Misao-chan."
"Fine. Then if you aren't here for vengeance, then what are Soujiro and you doing in Tokyo?"
"It's a very long story. Do you want to get to the Kamiya dojo or not?"
"Sure." Misao jumped onto a nearby roof with ease.
"What…Ow!" Misao yanked Mieko on the roof with her, giving Mieko a minor concussion. Mieko rubbed her head. "Misao-chan, don't give me amnesia…then I wouldn't know how to get around."
Misao laughed nervously. "Ha ha. Gomen. Where is it?"
"Ano…over there," Mieko pointed to some unknown location near the river. Then Misao dragged her off again, keeping a death grip on her kimono.
"How'd you meet Seta-san?" Misao let her curiosity get the better of her.
"I knew him a long time ago."
Misao eyed Mieko. "Specifics?"
"Ten years. Or do you want to know months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds too? Even though I already lost count of that."
"Nani?! You were in the Juppongatana?" Misao paused. "Eh…I guess you're eccentric enough."
"'Eccentric'? You're the one who is."
Misao shrugged. "So I suppose that you tagged along with Seta-san as the rurouni?"
"Yeah…"
"Where did you go for the past twenty-four months?
~Flashback~
Smoke stung her eyes as Mieko stared into the bright flame. She was held transfixed by the spell of fire. A few thoughts arose in Mieko:
Fire=Scalding=Dangerous=Death
She dropped the torch to the ground, but the flare fed on the dry grass, eventually surrounding her in a fiery embrace. She felt light-headed, and then, the world grew murky and dark.
The next thing she knew, she was sitting near an old shack on some other mountain. She noticed Soujiro nearby, talking to an old lady with equanimity.
"…Which way does this road go?" She heard Soujiro asking.
"North, I think. How long are you going to be traveling?" the woman asked.
"Ten years."
"Ten years? That's a long time."
"Yes." He answered with a smile. "Once, two swordsmen wandered for ten years searching for the truth. But in the end, the truths they each found were completely different. So if I wandered for ten years, I'll find my own truth too."
"If you head north, then can you stop by Tokyo and visit my sister? Her name's Hanekawa Natsue. Just ask anyone in Tokyo about her or her shop, the 'Aki Kiku.' Ask her to get out of town once in a while and visit me."
"Hai. I'll remember to do that. Sayonara, Obaa-san."
He's planning to leave me here? Mieko thought and then shook off her lethargy. Receiving extra energy from nowhere, she hopped up.
"Wait for me!"
Soujiro turned around with a look of surprise on his face. "Ara?"
"I'm coming too!"
The old lady smiled. "Good luck to the both of you."
~End Flashback~
"So, you just came to Tokyo and worked at her shop for two years?" Misao asked.
"Yes. And we went back to that shack on the mountain with Hanekawa-san."
They were stopped by a tall, dark, police officer who happened to be Saitou Hajime. "Get off the roof," he said blandly to them, "People where complaining about damaged roofs all day."
Misao's curious expression suddenly changed into one of fury and annoyance. She reluctantly jumped off the roof, followed by Mieko. "Humph, evil wolf…"
"Itachi Musume, Hana onna."
Mieko ignored this little comment and headed down the street towards a bridge, inwardly cursing Saitou. Misao followed, catching up to her when they reached the Kamiya dojo.
And indeed, there was a sign labeled 'Kamiya Dojo' in big, bold letters.
Misao marked their arrival with a loud: "KAORU-CHAN! HIMURA! IT'S MISAO!"
Mieko visibly winced at the sound. The door opened revealing Kenshin, Ayame, Suzume, and a huge mass of soap and laundry.
"Konnichiwa! Misao-dono, …Mieko-dono." Kenshin smiled his rurouni smile.
"Where's Kaoru-chan?" asked Misao innocently.
"Kaoru-nee-chan went to buy groceries!" Ayame told her.
"Yeah! Groceries!" Suzume repeated and then went back to playing.
"Please come in," Kenshin gestured them into the dojo, "I go make some tea."
Misao leaned against one of the wooden beams of the practice hall. "So," she started, putting on her "I'm so innocent I'm guilty look," "I think you love Seta-san."
"NANI?!" Mieko could feel the heat rushing to her face as she tried to think of something comprehendible to say, "How do you know?" A second later, Mieko began to realize what she said. Bad choice of words, Mieko. Bad choice of words.
"Why else would you follow him around for all eternity?"
"Ano…" her mind drew a blank.
Misao grinned. If she were Megumi, fox ears would be popping out of her head by now. Now she understood why it was so fun for Megumi to mess with Kaoru's mind. The effects were strangely amusing.
Luckily for Mieko, she was saved by the tea and the dangerous ways of which tea may be used. Usually, Misao would have gone right ahead taunting her if it wasn't for the look in Mieko's eyes that said: If you dare say anything, I'll pour tea over you.
The tension between them was broken by a "Tadaima!" as Kaoru entered the dojo, followed by Kenji and Soujiro.
"Anata? Say hello to this random person I met while grocery shopping." Said Kaoru enthusiastically.
"Kaoru-chan!!!" A hyper Misao jumped off the vertical beam to greet Kaoru…and crashed into Soujiro, who conveniently had placed himself in Misao's path.
"Ow!" Misao rubbed her elbow, which she had fallen onto. Great job, Okashira, no wonder Aoshi doesn't pay any attention to you.
"Misao-chan!"
"Kaoru-chan, That's Tenken no Soujiro!" Misao said, pointing to the younger rurouni.
"Tenken no…KENSHIN! SAVE ME!!!" Kaoru, somehow at a speed even faster than shukuchi, managed to hide herself behind Kenshin in a fraction of a second.
She soon forgot her fear of Soujiro, and materialized a bokken out of thin air. Misao flicked out her kunai menacingly.
"Ara…" Soujiro smiled, and Kenshin sighed. The everyday Kamiya dojo brawl had officially started.
~~~
After many "Maa, maa's" from Kenshin, screams of Kenji, and the confusion of Mieko, Ayame, and Suzume, the chaos subsided temporarily in time for dinner. Kaoru, after finding out that Soujiro was perfectly harmless, invited everyone for a meal.
Kaoru, Misao, Kenji, and Yahiko (he had arrived during the squabble) were apparently relieved that Kenshin was the one doing the cooking. Yahiko explained to Mieko and Soujiro that "busu" can ruin food even if she had professional help. Kaoru decided to be lazy and did not chase Yahiko around the room; she merely threw a wooden cup at him.
And so, dinner at the Kamiya dojo passed on with minimal disruption, except when Yahiko and Kaoru quibbled over whose turn it was to wash the dishes. Even though Kenshin and Soujiro both volunteered to do the task, Kaoru decided to be the "Evil Tanuki" and gave Yahiko another chore. The two rurounis felt sympathetic for the kenjutsu student and decided to help. In the end, Kenshin and Soujiro ended up completing the task because Yahiko "had to go to the Akabeko."
After Kaoru got Yahiko and Kenji taken care of, she joined Mieko and Misao who were talking amongst themselves. They stood outside the practice hall, watching the wind play with the fallen autumn leaves. The night sky was a giant veil, with only the glow of faraway stars penetrating the darkness. The cicadas kept quiet, and an eerie silence settled over the vicinity.
Mieko broke the silence. Her voice, though quiet, still cut through the stillness like a sharp blade. "Misao-chan, why did you say that about Soujiro and me this afternoon?"
"I don't know…" then in no more than a whisper, "I just felt like making someone miserable like me."
"What? Do you like someone?"
"I thought I made it so obvious even the Shanghai Mafia would know!" Misao changed from the melancholy teenager to a joyful, yet sarcastic child. "I guess Aoshi-sama is the densest person in the whole world!"
"So in other words," Kaoru added thoughtfully, "Shinomori-san ignores you too much?"
"You could put it that way. He keeps saying something about how he's tainted by killing."
"Sounds like Kenshin."
"Yeah…come to think of it," Misao said mischievously, "Soujiro-san is pretty cute."
Kaoru sighed, "So you're going to start chasing Seta-san?"
"No, I don't think I'll give up on Aoshi-sama yet, because I don't think Soujiro-san needs two girls after him."
"What? Misao!!!" Mieko tried to glare at Misao, and utterly failed because Kaoru and Misao both broke into laughter.
Kenshin and Soujiro came around the corner while Mieko was waiting for Misao and Kaoru to stop laughing. At the appearance of Soujiro, Mieko stopped screaming at Misao. They said goodbye to Kenshin and Kaoru and walked away.
Behind them, the voice of Kaoru could be heard. "Come back to the Kamiya dojo anytime! And come back soon!"
After a couple of minutes, the atmosphere again became annoyingly quiet.
"Do you think I…er…we should leave Tokyo?"
"Doushite? Tokyo's nice."
"Don't you find it strange to know that someone who completely changed your life lives in the same town?"
"Ah…no."
"I guess I'm not used to the purity of the Kamiya dojo or Tokyo…"
"Good point. We can leave now, if you want, that is. We can go to Kyoto, or Osaka, or Shikoku, or Hokkaido, or my childhood home."
Soujiro stared at her confused.
"Oni no mori. The forest of demons.
~End Chapter Three~
I finally typed it! It was really long on paper so I didn't feel like rewriting it. In my notebook it was…twelve pages.
I know, I focused mainly on Misao and Mieko in this chapter, but I really couldn't think of anything to write…I needed to get Misao's hyperness out of Mieko…
Next Chapter? I'm writing it. I just don't know where to stop.