Author's Note: Dude! I saw The Last Samurai and.....damn! That was a great
movie! If any of you haven't seen it yet, I command thee to go out and get
it! Anyway, I was going to work on my other fics today.....but the movie
inspired me to get this chapter up. Another reason to go out and get it,
lol. Now, about the greatest humor scene is in this chapter. So hope you
have fun.
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Misao yelped as she fell on her back.
"Too slow Misao," taunted Soujiro, smiling down at the fallen ninja girl.
"I'll get you," grumbled Misao. She stood up and wiped some sweat from her brow. Happy to be in her newly repaired ninja outfit, Misao got into a stance and kept her gaze on Soujiro.
It has been a few days since Misao first became a prisoner. And, despite Soujiro being her enemy, she now had a small bond with the Tenken and vice versa. Soujiro had even repaired her ninja outfit for her, saying that he was bored and needed something to do.
How they got into this situation was a bit of a funny tale.
Having gotten back her usual outfit, Misao made quick work to change out of the stupid kimono. She hated dressing up in kimonos. And considering how she had worn the kimono for days.....well lets just say Soujiro couldn't help but notice that some pieces of the clothing had been ripped out. Anyway, back to the story.
Soujiro could only stare at her. He had seen her in her outfit before. But now he seemed to really look at her.
"You fight in that thing?" he had asked.
Misao looked down at her outfit. Puzzled, she looked back at him with a questioning look. "Yeah. What about it?
Soujiro had felt the heat on his face as he tried to find the right words. "Don't you think it reveals a bit.....much?"
Misao again looked down at her outfit. Then, understanding what he meant, immediately put her gaze back on him. "What do you think I should fight in baka!?" she shouted, her face tinted with some redness. "And why would you care anyway!?"
"Well, if you kicked a little too high....."
"You hentai!"
"At least that outfit is tied securely. Can't say the same for the kimono though."
Again, it took Misao time for the message to reach her brain. Took three more seconds to process. And then.....
"HENTAI!!!"
And now we have Misao trying to rearrange Soujiro's smiling face.
Soujiro ducked from another swing of a fist and leapt back when she tried to give him a good kick. Another punch was thrown, and this time he caught it. Misao didn't have time to react because she was soon thrown across the room. She felt her back collide with the wall and slid down it.
She didn't bother to pick herself up. Instead, the Okishira just stood on her head upside down, her back against the wall. The girl crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the Tenken. Soujiro found amusement at the sight of the upside down ninja girl.
He took a few steps towards Misao until he was close enough to reach out, grab one of Misao's raised feet, and tug on it. This caused Misao to tumble onto the floor and soon she was on her back on the floor, and stared up at the ceiling with arms still crossed. Soujiro stood over her once again, his head tilted as he smiled down at her and she glared up at him.
Moments later, Soujiro suddenly blinked. Leaning down to Misao, he raised both eyebrows at her.
"What is it?" asked Misao.
"You stink."
Soujiro got kicked in the face for that.
"Of course I stink!" Misao shouted, standing up. "It's been days since I last had a bath! And with what happened here, of course I stink!"
Soujiro had a hand over where Misao had kicked him, even though the blow hadn't really hurt. It wasn't his fault that Misao smelled bad.
"You can go in the bath house," said Soujiro. "It is near here."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You never asked."
Misao grumbled.
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The guards didn't protest about Soujiro taking Misao out of her prison. It's probably because they didn't want Soujiro to turn on them. However, they did seem to pale when Misao appeared.
Obviously, it seems that word had gone out about what Misao had done to the last two guards, as well as the dozen of others that were now walking through Shishio's lair with limps.
Misao took delight in their scared looks, giving a good boast to her pride. Despite her pride having been damaged from Soujiro, she could still recover it by beating the hell out of the guards. Such a sweet little girl isn't she?
Anyway, it seemed that Soujiro was right about the bath house being bear. Misao mentally wondered why she hadn't seen it when she had tried to escape. Then again, she was busy beating the guards to a pulp so it wouldn't have been that hard to miss it. Soujiro had already gotten the bath ready by the time they got there. So all Misao had to do was go in and enjoy being in a bath again.
"And you better not come in," Misao warned before she had went into the bath house.
"I'll be standing right here," assured Soujiro, turning his back to the bath house as Misao went in.
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Misao couldn't help but sigh in content as she sat in the bath. The hot water was like a miracle worker to her body, as it put her tense muscles at ease. And with some kind of unwritten tradition with long hair, Misao had turned her long braid into a bun at the top of her head. Finally being able to take a bath, Misao was actually able to relax.
No guards, no smiling killers, no bacon men, no nothing. Misao was alone and able to relax.
"I think the bath should be hotter," a voice suddenly spoke.
"It seems fine to me," another voice replied.
Misao opened her closed eyes. What she saw made her groan.
She forgot these two.
"It still is good I guess," said Devil Misao, her head poking out of the water. Her once broken horn seemed to have been bandaged back together. Any other injuries she got from the fight with her counter part were gone.
"My wings like it," said Angel Misao, a relaxed smile on her face as her now wet wings stretched.
"What are you two doing here?" groaned Misao, her chance of peace gone.
"Nice to see you too," greeted Devil Misao. "We just came here to have a nice bath like you are."
"Sure you are....."
"We're here to talk about Soujiro," explained Angel Misao.
"Not again," grumbled Misao.
"Don't whine," said Devil Misao.
"I'm not whining. I'm just wishing that I never had a shoulder angel and devil."
"Well too bad."
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Meanwhile......
"Hello Soujiro," greeted Angel Soujiro, appearing on Soujiro's shoulder.
"You again?" asked Soujiro.
"Don't forget me," said Devil Soujiro.
"Just when I thought I was just imagining you two."
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"Now what are you going to be blabbing about?" questioned Misao, glaring at her shoulder angel and devil.
"Where to start where to start," muttered Angel Misao, a hand to her chin as she thought.
"He looked under your kimono!" Devil Misao immediately said.
"He did not!" objected Misao.
"Did too! He said the kimono was loose! So its obvious that he peeked while you were sleeping or something!"
"Soujiro wouldn't do that," Misao said.
"How would you know?" questioned Devil Misao. "You don't know anything about Soujiro other then that he's a psycho!"
"You're wrong!" For some reason, anger had suddenly took over Misao. She picked up her devil self in one hand and raised her up into the air before she was face to face with her. "You're the one that doesn't know anything about Soujiro! So don't you dare say anything about him!"
The poor shoulder devil ended up being thrown back into the water of the bath. When she resurfaced, the poor abused Devil Misao had the famous swirly eyes because of the impact.
"We're making excellent progress!" cheered Angel Misao.
"Ah, what do the three of you know?" asked Devil Misao dizzily, her vision spinning around and making her see three of her counterpart.
"Good job Misao!" Angel Misao smiled proudly at the now confused Misao.
"Huh?" asked Misao.
"You have developed feelings for Soujiro!"
"What!? I don't have any feelings for the smiling baka! He's my enemy!"
"Then how come you got all teary eyed when he told you his past? And don't forget, you hugged him! We see all Misao!"
Poor Misao now had a red face. Despite how much she tried to convince herself that she did not have feelings for the Tenken, it did nothing for the redness on her face. And Devil Misao's next comment didn't help.
"I bet you really wanted him to look under your kimono!" she cried.
"What!?" Now Misao's face seemed to suddenly take on an even darker shade of blush. "I did not!"
"Don't deny it!" Devil Misao pointed dramatically at Misao. "You really did want him to-gah!"
Whatever Devil Misao was about to say, she didn't get the chance. Misao had dunked Devil Misao under the water before she could finish her sentence. The ninja girl waited for a few seconds before allowing her shoulder devil to resurface. Devil Misao immediately started coughing away and breathing in gulps of fresh air.
"You didn't have to do that!" she complained.
"Seems that the only way I can shut you up is by doing that," replied Misao hotly.
Angel Misao watched the scene amusedly, the small piece of fake angel blood in her, we'll say, taking effect as she smiled at the pain being brought to her counter part. But she had work to do. She allowed herself to just relax in the hot water for a few seconds before speaking.
"Well you were wrong about Soujiro, Misao," she said, getting Misao's attention. "I told you he had a reason for being all smiley and killing people for Shishio."
Misao didn't really know how to respond to that one. All she was able to do was stare down at the hot water of the bath, lost in her own thoughts as she muttered, "Yeah. I was wrong about him."
"Which is why he needs you!" Angel Misao continued. "And you need him. He didn't have anyone to care for him when he was young. And you lost your parents when you were young."
"And there's really no hope for Aoshi," put in Devil Misao, who was now actually being serious. "He has too many problems."
Misao only continued to stare down into the bath. And as she thought, she suddenly realized something. Her feelings for Aoshi had seemed to change.
During her journey to look for the former Okishira of the Oniwabanshu, Misao had thought she had loved the cold and serious Aoshi. But now, as she thought, she realized that she really did love him. But only as a brother.
And what about Soujiro? What did she think of him now? Sure, she has now thought of him as her friend. Still.....did she think of him as more of a friend?
"Though I like helping you get your answers," Angel Misao spoke, "you're going to have to find the answer to that question on your own."
Misao wondered if her shoulder angel and devil could read her thoughts. That only lasted for a second, as thoughts of a smiling Tenken took over her mind. Sighing, she dunked her head into the water.
This was all very confusing.
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"She had cried for me," Soujiro said, having sat down as he leaned against a wall.
Angel Soujiro had perched onto Soujiro's shoulder, and Devil Soujiro was sitting on Soujiro's other shoulder. They both stared at Soujiro, who was lost in thought, thinking of what happened a couple of days ago.
"No one ever cried for me before," Soujiro continued.
"No one ever cared for you either," put in Angel Soujiro.
"And.....she hugged me." Soujiro seemed to be in a daze, several thoughts bombarding his mind.
Someone actually cried for him. Hell, someone actually HUGGED him. These things were all strange and new for Soujiro. Even this warm feeling in the pit of his stomach was strange.
The strange part was.....he liked this feeling.
This was a completely different feeling, opposite of when he would kill someone. When he would kill someone, he would feel a cold satisfaction that he had killed who he had sent to kill, and hoping that the next target wouldn't be so weak. There was also this hollow feeling inside of him. Even though he had done what he was supposed to do, he couldn't help but feel the small emptiness inside of him.
But this feeling, it was different. It seemed to actually fill the emptiness inside of him. It's probably why he liked this feeling so much. It was doing what killing couldn't do. Making him whole.
"Does this kind of thing happen a lot?" Soujiro couldn't help but ask.
"Yes and no," replied Angel Soujiro. "It doesn't happen. Not until you meet someone that is special. Like Misao."
"She's doing this to me....."
"So make a move on her!" Devil Soujiro spoke. "Peek inside the bath house! She won't know! Just one peek!"
"No way!" Angel Soujiro objected. "Soujiro wouldn't violate her privacy like that!"
"Come on! If this all goes well, Soujiro will be doing more then just looking at her!" Devil Soujiro winked, and Soujiro really didn't want to know what that was about.
"She has been quiet....." Soujiro murmured, looking at the door of the bath house.
"You don't need to look," said Angel Soujiro. "Besides, why wouldn't she be quiet? She doesn't exactly have anyone in there with her!"
"She could've escaped," said Devil Soujiro. Shrugging he continued, "If not take a peek, at least knock to see if she's still in there?"
"Fine," said Soujiro. Giving Devil Soujiro a look he added, "But only to see if she's still in there."
His shoulder devil only grinned, shrugging his shoulders.
Sitting up, Soujiro dusted himself off. Hesitant at first, he walked towards the door to the bath house. Again he hesitated, but he soon raised a hand and knocked.
"Are you in there Misao?" he questioned.
No answer.
Devil Soujiro was about to say something, but a look from Soujiro silenced him. The Tenken knocked again.
"Misao?"
Still no answer.
Soujiro stood there for a few seconds, weighing the options he had. His face reddened slightly as he slid the door open.
"I'm not looking!" Angel Soujiro cried, putting his hands over his eyes.
"Wuss," commented Devil Soujiro.
"She's not in here anyway," said Soujiro, looking through the room of the bath house.
Indeed, Misao wasn't anywhere to be found.
"Maybe she really did escape," said Devil Soujiro.
Angel Soujiro lowered his hands from his face. Spotting something on the ground, he turned to it and froze.
"If she escaped.....why are her clothes still here?"
Both Soujiro and Devil Soujiro turned to see what Angel Soujiro found. Indeed, Misao's ninja outfit was lying on the floor. The problem was that there was no ninja girl in the outfit.
It was at that very moment did something pop out of the bath.
What happened next, Soujiro wasn't sure. But as he turned to see what had revealed itself, he immediately regretted it.
Before him was Misao. And considering her clothes were on the floor.....yeah the author really doesn't have to go on.
Soujiro felt the burn on his face as he stared at the unclothed Misao, his feet frozen to the ground. Despite his mind telling him to turn around and get out of the bath house, he kept his gaze on the ninja girl. Misao hadn't seen him yet, thanks to whatever Kami was up there.
But.....she didn't see him YET.
"Damn....." said Devil Soujiro, staring at the girl.
"AH!!!" cried Angel Soujiro, covering his eyes with his hands. "I'M SORRY!!!"
The heat on his face continued to increase to the point where Soujiro thought his own sweat glands had been destroyed just like Shishio's had. When he tried to speak, his voice was unusually squeaky and he couldn't help but stutter.
"M-M-M-Misao?"
The said ninja girl's green eyes were suddenly wide. Turning, she soon saw the red faced Tenken. She couldn't see his shoulder angel and devil, if anyone was wondering. All she was able to see was Soujiro. Staring at her without her clothes!
There was a moment of silence.
Which was broken by a loud shriek.
"SOUJIRO!!!" screamed Misao, who immediately tried to hide herself. Her hand suddenly grabbed a brush that was next to her. And letting instinct take over, she threw it.
"Duck and cover!" Devil Soujiro warned, hiding behind Soujiro's shoulder.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-gah!" Angel Soujiro spoke before he felt the brush collide into him and sent him tumbling to the floor.
Something suddenly clicked in Soujiro's mind, and the now panicked Tenken took off running, with various objects being thrown at him. Angel Soujiro ran after him, his hands still over his eyes which caused him to bump into several things before finally getting out of the bath house and running after Soujiro.
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"I said I was sorry Misao," Soujiro apologized for the hundredth time, hanging his head as his face continued to burn slightly.
"You should've known I was still in there!" Misao shouted at him, her own face red with embarrassment while she tied her hair into her usual braid.
"You didn't answer when I knocked. I thought you were trying to escape again."
"And why would I try to escape again baka!? I can't get out of here with you and that stupid maze!"
"I said I was sorry."
Misao continued to grumble to herself as she finished her braid. Soujiro was able to make out her words like "smiling baka" and "hentai".
Soujiro sighed. This was all very confusing.
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The scent of fresh tobacco filled the room as Shishio lit his pipe again. He put it in his mouth and took a few puffs of it as he read the book that was in his hand. If Shishio hadn't had the bandages around his hands, the book would've already been burnt to a crisp with his abnormal body heat.
He turned a page in his novel. Aoshi Shinomori proved well enough that he wasn't going to betray them. It seemed that he was deep in his objective to beat the Battousai.
Meaning that they no longer needed the prisoner.
Shishio turned another page just as the door suddenly opened. He didn't look up just yet, just kept his eyes on his novel. Finishing up the chapter of the book, he closed it and placed it besides him before looking up at his visitor.
"You wanted to see me?" asked Soujiro, standing before the bandaged swordsman.
"Yes I did," replied Shishio, removing his pipe from his mouth and allowing wisps of smoke trail from his mouth, giving him more of a hellish look. "You know our prisoner right?"
"Yes I do. She's a very troubling one I have to admit."
"Glad to hear it. Because she won't be troubling soon enough."
"Hm?" Soujiro blinked. For some reason, he suddenly felt a cold hand seem to touch him as Shishio said those words.
"Shinomori has proven that he will stay loyal to us until he kills the Battousai. So we no longer need the prisoner. You don't have to do it now, you can wait until tomorrow."
"Wait until what?" Though deep in his mind, Soujiro knew what Shishio was about to say.
"I want you to kill her."
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Misao continued to curse silently to herself, the event at the bath house still angering her. She was going to kill that baka one day! How dare he walk in on her while she was taking a bath!
Fortunately, her shoulder angel and devil hadn't appeared. She really didn't need them. For some reason, Angel and Devil Misao had disappeared before the whole incident. Misao started wondering if they had something to do with the incident.
The thought only seemed to anger her further. It seemed like everyone was against her! Even her shoulder angel and devil!
Misao grinded her teeth together to the point where you could see sparks coming from them. She suddenly blew up, kicking and screaming as all the events became too much for her. She punched and kicked at anything that was in front of her.
She hated this place! She wanted out! Away from smiling hentai bakas! Away from backstabbing shoulder angels and devils! Away from everything that angered her!
By the time Misao was done, she was breathing heavily. She did feel better though. One of those little habits she had when all this stress became too much for her.
"Frustrated Misao?" Soujiro asked, staring at her with amusement, having seen the whole thing.
"Shut up baka! I'm still not talking to you!"
"But you just did."
Misao was about to retort, but kept her mouth shut. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back to him. Soujiro's smile widened at her.
And then his smile turned into his Tenken smile.
She had her back turned to him. This would be quick and painless. She wouldn't know what would hit her. His hand went to the hilt of his sword. His fingers wrapped around it and slowly started to pull it out.
Pain was what caused him to let go of his sword and let it slide back to its sheath. Soujiro held a hand to her head, feeling the pain attack him. He pressed his back against a wall and slid down it until he was sitting down on the floor, clutching his head in his hands.
What was going on? Sweat started to slide down his face as he held his head. The pain suddenly lessened, and Soujiro lowered his hands from his head and wiped the sweat from his face.
"Soujiro?"
Soujiro looked up, finding that Misao had actually turned to face him again. Now she kneeled down before him, watching him with a worried look.
"I thought you said you weren't talking to me anymore," said Soujiro, and his smile soon returned.
Misao didn't reply. She raised a hand and held it to his forehead. Soujiro tensed at the touch. Why he tensed was because he unconsciously thought that he was going to be struck, like what happened years ago.
Old memories die hard.
"You feel hot," Misao informed, lowering her hand from his head and wiped some sweat from his brow. "Maybe you're sick. Probably got what I had."
"That can't be," replied Soujiro, standing up. "I don't get sick."
"Don't get sick huh?"
Soujiro blamed the sickness about what happened next. It left him disoriented, and probably why Misao was able to knock him down. She planted a foot on his chest as she stared down at him, a triumphant grin on her face.
"Bout time I got you," she said. Removing her foot from on top of him, she bent down to help him up.
Soujiro allowed her to help him up. Misao met some resistance from him as she tried to move him. But soon enough she was able to guide him to her futon before lying him down.
"Now stay here and rest," she said.
Soujiro watched her stand up and move to a bowl of water that had somehow appeared out of nowhere. She came back soon enough with a wet cloth that she dumped into the bowl and placed it on his forehead. Soujiro was about to protest, but a look from Misao silenced him.
'She's so close,' a voice suddenly spoke in Soujiro's mind. 'Just one thrust through the blanket. That's all it'll take.'
The Tenken had heard that voice many times. During his assassinations, he would sometimes rely on that voice to help him strike down his opponent.
But this time he wasn't going to rely on it.
He blocked the voice from his mind as he allowed Misao to take care of him.
'Not today,' he thought. 'Tomorrow. She will die then.'
But even the Tenken couldn't help but notice how a part of him disagreed.
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Author's Note: Woohoo! Done! And now the plot thickens! Will Soujiro kill Misao or not? Well.....you'll only be able to find out in the next chapter. Even though I'm going to get killed for stopping here .
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Misao yelped as she fell on her back.
"Too slow Misao," taunted Soujiro, smiling down at the fallen ninja girl.
"I'll get you," grumbled Misao. She stood up and wiped some sweat from her brow. Happy to be in her newly repaired ninja outfit, Misao got into a stance and kept her gaze on Soujiro.
It has been a few days since Misao first became a prisoner. And, despite Soujiro being her enemy, she now had a small bond with the Tenken and vice versa. Soujiro had even repaired her ninja outfit for her, saying that he was bored and needed something to do.
How they got into this situation was a bit of a funny tale.
Having gotten back her usual outfit, Misao made quick work to change out of the stupid kimono. She hated dressing up in kimonos. And considering how she had worn the kimono for days.....well lets just say Soujiro couldn't help but notice that some pieces of the clothing had been ripped out. Anyway, back to the story.
Soujiro could only stare at her. He had seen her in her outfit before. But now he seemed to really look at her.
"You fight in that thing?" he had asked.
Misao looked down at her outfit. Puzzled, she looked back at him with a questioning look. "Yeah. What about it?
Soujiro had felt the heat on his face as he tried to find the right words. "Don't you think it reveals a bit.....much?"
Misao again looked down at her outfit. Then, understanding what he meant, immediately put her gaze back on him. "What do you think I should fight in baka!?" she shouted, her face tinted with some redness. "And why would you care anyway!?"
"Well, if you kicked a little too high....."
"You hentai!"
"At least that outfit is tied securely. Can't say the same for the kimono though."
Again, it took Misao time for the message to reach her brain. Took three more seconds to process. And then.....
"HENTAI!!!"
And now we have Misao trying to rearrange Soujiro's smiling face.
Soujiro ducked from another swing of a fist and leapt back when she tried to give him a good kick. Another punch was thrown, and this time he caught it. Misao didn't have time to react because she was soon thrown across the room. She felt her back collide with the wall and slid down it.
She didn't bother to pick herself up. Instead, the Okishira just stood on her head upside down, her back against the wall. The girl crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the Tenken. Soujiro found amusement at the sight of the upside down ninja girl.
He took a few steps towards Misao until he was close enough to reach out, grab one of Misao's raised feet, and tug on it. This caused Misao to tumble onto the floor and soon she was on her back on the floor, and stared up at the ceiling with arms still crossed. Soujiro stood over her once again, his head tilted as he smiled down at her and she glared up at him.
Moments later, Soujiro suddenly blinked. Leaning down to Misao, he raised both eyebrows at her.
"What is it?" asked Misao.
"You stink."
Soujiro got kicked in the face for that.
"Of course I stink!" Misao shouted, standing up. "It's been days since I last had a bath! And with what happened here, of course I stink!"
Soujiro had a hand over where Misao had kicked him, even though the blow hadn't really hurt. It wasn't his fault that Misao smelled bad.
"You can go in the bath house," said Soujiro. "It is near here."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You never asked."
Misao grumbled.
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The guards didn't protest about Soujiro taking Misao out of her prison. It's probably because they didn't want Soujiro to turn on them. However, they did seem to pale when Misao appeared.
Obviously, it seems that word had gone out about what Misao had done to the last two guards, as well as the dozen of others that were now walking through Shishio's lair with limps.
Misao took delight in their scared looks, giving a good boast to her pride. Despite her pride having been damaged from Soujiro, she could still recover it by beating the hell out of the guards. Such a sweet little girl isn't she?
Anyway, it seemed that Soujiro was right about the bath house being bear. Misao mentally wondered why she hadn't seen it when she had tried to escape. Then again, she was busy beating the guards to a pulp so it wouldn't have been that hard to miss it. Soujiro had already gotten the bath ready by the time they got there. So all Misao had to do was go in and enjoy being in a bath again.
"And you better not come in," Misao warned before she had went into the bath house.
"I'll be standing right here," assured Soujiro, turning his back to the bath house as Misao went in.
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Misao couldn't help but sigh in content as she sat in the bath. The hot water was like a miracle worker to her body, as it put her tense muscles at ease. And with some kind of unwritten tradition with long hair, Misao had turned her long braid into a bun at the top of her head. Finally being able to take a bath, Misao was actually able to relax.
No guards, no smiling killers, no bacon men, no nothing. Misao was alone and able to relax.
"I think the bath should be hotter," a voice suddenly spoke.
"It seems fine to me," another voice replied.
Misao opened her closed eyes. What she saw made her groan.
She forgot these two.
"It still is good I guess," said Devil Misao, her head poking out of the water. Her once broken horn seemed to have been bandaged back together. Any other injuries she got from the fight with her counter part were gone.
"My wings like it," said Angel Misao, a relaxed smile on her face as her now wet wings stretched.
"What are you two doing here?" groaned Misao, her chance of peace gone.
"Nice to see you too," greeted Devil Misao. "We just came here to have a nice bath like you are."
"Sure you are....."
"We're here to talk about Soujiro," explained Angel Misao.
"Not again," grumbled Misao.
"Don't whine," said Devil Misao.
"I'm not whining. I'm just wishing that I never had a shoulder angel and devil."
"Well too bad."
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Meanwhile......
"Hello Soujiro," greeted Angel Soujiro, appearing on Soujiro's shoulder.
"You again?" asked Soujiro.
"Don't forget me," said Devil Soujiro.
"Just when I thought I was just imagining you two."
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"Now what are you going to be blabbing about?" questioned Misao, glaring at her shoulder angel and devil.
"Where to start where to start," muttered Angel Misao, a hand to her chin as she thought.
"He looked under your kimono!" Devil Misao immediately said.
"He did not!" objected Misao.
"Did too! He said the kimono was loose! So its obvious that he peeked while you were sleeping or something!"
"Soujiro wouldn't do that," Misao said.
"How would you know?" questioned Devil Misao. "You don't know anything about Soujiro other then that he's a psycho!"
"You're wrong!" For some reason, anger had suddenly took over Misao. She picked up her devil self in one hand and raised her up into the air before she was face to face with her. "You're the one that doesn't know anything about Soujiro! So don't you dare say anything about him!"
The poor shoulder devil ended up being thrown back into the water of the bath. When she resurfaced, the poor abused Devil Misao had the famous swirly eyes because of the impact.
"We're making excellent progress!" cheered Angel Misao.
"Ah, what do the three of you know?" asked Devil Misao dizzily, her vision spinning around and making her see three of her counterpart.
"Good job Misao!" Angel Misao smiled proudly at the now confused Misao.
"Huh?" asked Misao.
"You have developed feelings for Soujiro!"
"What!? I don't have any feelings for the smiling baka! He's my enemy!"
"Then how come you got all teary eyed when he told you his past? And don't forget, you hugged him! We see all Misao!"
Poor Misao now had a red face. Despite how much she tried to convince herself that she did not have feelings for the Tenken, it did nothing for the redness on her face. And Devil Misao's next comment didn't help.
"I bet you really wanted him to look under your kimono!" she cried.
"What!?" Now Misao's face seemed to suddenly take on an even darker shade of blush. "I did not!"
"Don't deny it!" Devil Misao pointed dramatically at Misao. "You really did want him to-gah!"
Whatever Devil Misao was about to say, she didn't get the chance. Misao had dunked Devil Misao under the water before she could finish her sentence. The ninja girl waited for a few seconds before allowing her shoulder devil to resurface. Devil Misao immediately started coughing away and breathing in gulps of fresh air.
"You didn't have to do that!" she complained.
"Seems that the only way I can shut you up is by doing that," replied Misao hotly.
Angel Misao watched the scene amusedly, the small piece of fake angel blood in her, we'll say, taking effect as she smiled at the pain being brought to her counter part. But she had work to do. She allowed herself to just relax in the hot water for a few seconds before speaking.
"Well you were wrong about Soujiro, Misao," she said, getting Misao's attention. "I told you he had a reason for being all smiley and killing people for Shishio."
Misao didn't really know how to respond to that one. All she was able to do was stare down at the hot water of the bath, lost in her own thoughts as she muttered, "Yeah. I was wrong about him."
"Which is why he needs you!" Angel Misao continued. "And you need him. He didn't have anyone to care for him when he was young. And you lost your parents when you were young."
"And there's really no hope for Aoshi," put in Devil Misao, who was now actually being serious. "He has too many problems."
Misao only continued to stare down into the bath. And as she thought, she suddenly realized something. Her feelings for Aoshi had seemed to change.
During her journey to look for the former Okishira of the Oniwabanshu, Misao had thought she had loved the cold and serious Aoshi. But now, as she thought, she realized that she really did love him. But only as a brother.
And what about Soujiro? What did she think of him now? Sure, she has now thought of him as her friend. Still.....did she think of him as more of a friend?
"Though I like helping you get your answers," Angel Misao spoke, "you're going to have to find the answer to that question on your own."
Misao wondered if her shoulder angel and devil could read her thoughts. That only lasted for a second, as thoughts of a smiling Tenken took over her mind. Sighing, she dunked her head into the water.
This was all very confusing.
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"She had cried for me," Soujiro said, having sat down as he leaned against a wall.
Angel Soujiro had perched onto Soujiro's shoulder, and Devil Soujiro was sitting on Soujiro's other shoulder. They both stared at Soujiro, who was lost in thought, thinking of what happened a couple of days ago.
"No one ever cried for me before," Soujiro continued.
"No one ever cared for you either," put in Angel Soujiro.
"And.....she hugged me." Soujiro seemed to be in a daze, several thoughts bombarding his mind.
Someone actually cried for him. Hell, someone actually HUGGED him. These things were all strange and new for Soujiro. Even this warm feeling in the pit of his stomach was strange.
The strange part was.....he liked this feeling.
This was a completely different feeling, opposite of when he would kill someone. When he would kill someone, he would feel a cold satisfaction that he had killed who he had sent to kill, and hoping that the next target wouldn't be so weak. There was also this hollow feeling inside of him. Even though he had done what he was supposed to do, he couldn't help but feel the small emptiness inside of him.
But this feeling, it was different. It seemed to actually fill the emptiness inside of him. It's probably why he liked this feeling so much. It was doing what killing couldn't do. Making him whole.
"Does this kind of thing happen a lot?" Soujiro couldn't help but ask.
"Yes and no," replied Angel Soujiro. "It doesn't happen. Not until you meet someone that is special. Like Misao."
"She's doing this to me....."
"So make a move on her!" Devil Soujiro spoke. "Peek inside the bath house! She won't know! Just one peek!"
"No way!" Angel Soujiro objected. "Soujiro wouldn't violate her privacy like that!"
"Come on! If this all goes well, Soujiro will be doing more then just looking at her!" Devil Soujiro winked, and Soujiro really didn't want to know what that was about.
"She has been quiet....." Soujiro murmured, looking at the door of the bath house.
"You don't need to look," said Angel Soujiro. "Besides, why wouldn't she be quiet? She doesn't exactly have anyone in there with her!"
"She could've escaped," said Devil Soujiro. Shrugging he continued, "If not take a peek, at least knock to see if she's still in there?"
"Fine," said Soujiro. Giving Devil Soujiro a look he added, "But only to see if she's still in there."
His shoulder devil only grinned, shrugging his shoulders.
Sitting up, Soujiro dusted himself off. Hesitant at first, he walked towards the door to the bath house. Again he hesitated, but he soon raised a hand and knocked.
"Are you in there Misao?" he questioned.
No answer.
Devil Soujiro was about to say something, but a look from Soujiro silenced him. The Tenken knocked again.
"Misao?"
Still no answer.
Soujiro stood there for a few seconds, weighing the options he had. His face reddened slightly as he slid the door open.
"I'm not looking!" Angel Soujiro cried, putting his hands over his eyes.
"Wuss," commented Devil Soujiro.
"She's not in here anyway," said Soujiro, looking through the room of the bath house.
Indeed, Misao wasn't anywhere to be found.
"Maybe she really did escape," said Devil Soujiro.
Angel Soujiro lowered his hands from his face. Spotting something on the ground, he turned to it and froze.
"If she escaped.....why are her clothes still here?"
Both Soujiro and Devil Soujiro turned to see what Angel Soujiro found. Indeed, Misao's ninja outfit was lying on the floor. The problem was that there was no ninja girl in the outfit.
It was at that very moment did something pop out of the bath.
What happened next, Soujiro wasn't sure. But as he turned to see what had revealed itself, he immediately regretted it.
Before him was Misao. And considering her clothes were on the floor.....yeah the author really doesn't have to go on.
Soujiro felt the burn on his face as he stared at the unclothed Misao, his feet frozen to the ground. Despite his mind telling him to turn around and get out of the bath house, he kept his gaze on the ninja girl. Misao hadn't seen him yet, thanks to whatever Kami was up there.
But.....she didn't see him YET.
"Damn....." said Devil Soujiro, staring at the girl.
"AH!!!" cried Angel Soujiro, covering his eyes with his hands. "I'M SORRY!!!"
The heat on his face continued to increase to the point where Soujiro thought his own sweat glands had been destroyed just like Shishio's had. When he tried to speak, his voice was unusually squeaky and he couldn't help but stutter.
"M-M-M-Misao?"
The said ninja girl's green eyes were suddenly wide. Turning, she soon saw the red faced Tenken. She couldn't see his shoulder angel and devil, if anyone was wondering. All she was able to see was Soujiro. Staring at her without her clothes!
There was a moment of silence.
Which was broken by a loud shriek.
"SOUJIRO!!!" screamed Misao, who immediately tried to hide herself. Her hand suddenly grabbed a brush that was next to her. And letting instinct take over, she threw it.
"Duck and cover!" Devil Soujiro warned, hiding behind Soujiro's shoulder.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-gah!" Angel Soujiro spoke before he felt the brush collide into him and sent him tumbling to the floor.
Something suddenly clicked in Soujiro's mind, and the now panicked Tenken took off running, with various objects being thrown at him. Angel Soujiro ran after him, his hands still over his eyes which caused him to bump into several things before finally getting out of the bath house and running after Soujiro.
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"I said I was sorry Misao," Soujiro apologized for the hundredth time, hanging his head as his face continued to burn slightly.
"You should've known I was still in there!" Misao shouted at him, her own face red with embarrassment while she tied her hair into her usual braid.
"You didn't answer when I knocked. I thought you were trying to escape again."
"And why would I try to escape again baka!? I can't get out of here with you and that stupid maze!"
"I said I was sorry."
Misao continued to grumble to herself as she finished her braid. Soujiro was able to make out her words like "smiling baka" and "hentai".
Soujiro sighed. This was all very confusing.
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The scent of fresh tobacco filled the room as Shishio lit his pipe again. He put it in his mouth and took a few puffs of it as he read the book that was in his hand. If Shishio hadn't had the bandages around his hands, the book would've already been burnt to a crisp with his abnormal body heat.
He turned a page in his novel. Aoshi Shinomori proved well enough that he wasn't going to betray them. It seemed that he was deep in his objective to beat the Battousai.
Meaning that they no longer needed the prisoner.
Shishio turned another page just as the door suddenly opened. He didn't look up just yet, just kept his eyes on his novel. Finishing up the chapter of the book, he closed it and placed it besides him before looking up at his visitor.
"You wanted to see me?" asked Soujiro, standing before the bandaged swordsman.
"Yes I did," replied Shishio, removing his pipe from his mouth and allowing wisps of smoke trail from his mouth, giving him more of a hellish look. "You know our prisoner right?"
"Yes I do. She's a very troubling one I have to admit."
"Glad to hear it. Because she won't be troubling soon enough."
"Hm?" Soujiro blinked. For some reason, he suddenly felt a cold hand seem to touch him as Shishio said those words.
"Shinomori has proven that he will stay loyal to us until he kills the Battousai. So we no longer need the prisoner. You don't have to do it now, you can wait until tomorrow."
"Wait until what?" Though deep in his mind, Soujiro knew what Shishio was about to say.
"I want you to kill her."
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Misao continued to curse silently to herself, the event at the bath house still angering her. She was going to kill that baka one day! How dare he walk in on her while she was taking a bath!
Fortunately, her shoulder angel and devil hadn't appeared. She really didn't need them. For some reason, Angel and Devil Misao had disappeared before the whole incident. Misao started wondering if they had something to do with the incident.
The thought only seemed to anger her further. It seemed like everyone was against her! Even her shoulder angel and devil!
Misao grinded her teeth together to the point where you could see sparks coming from them. She suddenly blew up, kicking and screaming as all the events became too much for her. She punched and kicked at anything that was in front of her.
She hated this place! She wanted out! Away from smiling hentai bakas! Away from backstabbing shoulder angels and devils! Away from everything that angered her!
By the time Misao was done, she was breathing heavily. She did feel better though. One of those little habits she had when all this stress became too much for her.
"Frustrated Misao?" Soujiro asked, staring at her with amusement, having seen the whole thing.
"Shut up baka! I'm still not talking to you!"
"But you just did."
Misao was about to retort, but kept her mouth shut. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back to him. Soujiro's smile widened at her.
And then his smile turned into his Tenken smile.
She had her back turned to him. This would be quick and painless. She wouldn't know what would hit her. His hand went to the hilt of his sword. His fingers wrapped around it and slowly started to pull it out.
Pain was what caused him to let go of his sword and let it slide back to its sheath. Soujiro held a hand to her head, feeling the pain attack him. He pressed his back against a wall and slid down it until he was sitting down on the floor, clutching his head in his hands.
What was going on? Sweat started to slide down his face as he held his head. The pain suddenly lessened, and Soujiro lowered his hands from his head and wiped the sweat from his face.
"Soujiro?"
Soujiro looked up, finding that Misao had actually turned to face him again. Now she kneeled down before him, watching him with a worried look.
"I thought you said you weren't talking to me anymore," said Soujiro, and his smile soon returned.
Misao didn't reply. She raised a hand and held it to his forehead. Soujiro tensed at the touch. Why he tensed was because he unconsciously thought that he was going to be struck, like what happened years ago.
Old memories die hard.
"You feel hot," Misao informed, lowering her hand from his head and wiped some sweat from his brow. "Maybe you're sick. Probably got what I had."
"That can't be," replied Soujiro, standing up. "I don't get sick."
"Don't get sick huh?"
Soujiro blamed the sickness about what happened next. It left him disoriented, and probably why Misao was able to knock him down. She planted a foot on his chest as she stared down at him, a triumphant grin on her face.
"Bout time I got you," she said. Removing her foot from on top of him, she bent down to help him up.
Soujiro allowed her to help him up. Misao met some resistance from him as she tried to move him. But soon enough she was able to guide him to her futon before lying him down.
"Now stay here and rest," she said.
Soujiro watched her stand up and move to a bowl of water that had somehow appeared out of nowhere. She came back soon enough with a wet cloth that she dumped into the bowl and placed it on his forehead. Soujiro was about to protest, but a look from Misao silenced him.
'She's so close,' a voice suddenly spoke in Soujiro's mind. 'Just one thrust through the blanket. That's all it'll take.'
The Tenken had heard that voice many times. During his assassinations, he would sometimes rely on that voice to help him strike down his opponent.
But this time he wasn't going to rely on it.
He blocked the voice from his mind as he allowed Misao to take care of him.
'Not today,' he thought. 'Tomorrow. She will die then.'
But even the Tenken couldn't help but notice how a part of him disagreed.
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Author's Note: Woohoo! Done! And now the plot thickens! Will Soujiro kill Misao or not? Well.....you'll only be able to find out in the next chapter. Even though I'm going to get killed for stopping here .