Hi ya'll! This is my first Aoshi/Misao fic and my Third fan fic in total. This is also part of my London series. What does that mean you ask? We'll I've have another story, 'living the dead', that is also in London and all the stories in my London series will be intertwined, basically from the view, or other stories, of the other couples. I plan to do one for Sano and Megumi as well. Well let's get this show on the road and get started!
Warning: Some references will be made to another story, 'Living the dead', that coincides with this one. If you have not read it or have not been keeping up I suggest you read that first or as well.
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin! Now go away, I need to be alone……
Chapter One: A meeting of new and old
(London sidewalk in front of 'The Aoiya' a jazz club. A crowd is milling about in the afternoon sun)
"Okina!" The old man turned from the door he was about to enter to see a beautiful (if somewhat tomboyish) eight-teen year old girl running down the sidewalk. He had to admit, she was beautiful. In a grand-daughter sort of way.
"Misao! You're here early, we didn't expect you here 'til next week!" The old man shouted, surprise tingeing his voice as he swung her around in a giant hug.
"Oh gramps, you know I couldn't wait that long to see everybody."
He laughed at her foolishness "Couldn't wait to see them?! You've only spent a month with them!"
"So? I was fond of all of them from the beginning!" She boasted. It was so good to be back with gramps. That boarding school he sent her to almost killed her! (As well as her teachers!) But that was fine; it was old. Gone and done, never to be revisited; she was with her only family now and that's what mattered.
"Well, now that you're here lets get your things to your…" He drifted off as drool began to escape his gaping mouth.
"Gramps?" Wait he's mumbling something.
"Pretty girl, nice, very nice…" Wait! Pretty Girl…? Oh yes he was definitely…EW! Gross!
She swore she could feel steam coming from her ears. Never gonna change, are ya? "Gramps, snap out of it!" She yelled as her rather idiotic gramps met the impending doom of her hand.
*WHAP* Oh, yes. The whole block heard that one. "But, Misao! You would extract your Jiya from his favorite past time? Devil child" Oh yes, your grumbling is music to my ears. And still he was whining. I love being evil.
________
"Aoshi?"
And of course as dispassionately as ever "Yes, Okon? What is it?" This job is getting tedious. How was he to get any work done when they always interrupted him? And, oh yes, he did mean always.
"Shiro needs help setting up the stage for the entertainment tonight. He was wondering if you would help?" Her voice was starting to grate.
"We booked 'The London Series' for tonight, didn't we?" Wow, That's one of the longest sentences he's ever spoken. Too bad it was business. A/N: That was from Okon
"Yes."
"Well, we all know they always come an hour early to set up. So what is the real reason you want to get me out of this office?" WOW! A/N: that was also from Okon
"Aoshi! Have you been working on talking?! That one was pretty long!" Her voice was even more tedious when she was excited……or maybe it was just that her brain was tedious?
"hhmmmm…." A/N: HAH! HAH! He's sounding like Heero! That was my answer but she still seemed expectant. "You still haven't answered my question Okon."
"Oh, yeah!" That nervous laugh was an indicator of something foul coming. If I had not learned that in the twenty-three years of my life, I learned it now. Okon is up to no good. A/N: Is she ever? "I, um, just wanted you to meet somebody!" That voice was way too happy.
My voice was suspicious, my eyes started to narrow. "Who?"
A noise sounded throughout the establishment. *WHAP* "JIYA! YOU PERVERT!"
"Her." She paused a moment. "That's the second time she's hit him since she got here. Some things never change."
She answers my question and yet at the same time she doesn't. I know its 'her', but who exactly is 'her'?
"Okon! Where are you?!" The voice came again, angry and exasperated.
"In the study dear!" Soft footsteps echoed down the hall.
"I just want to know where I can sleep…" Her face came into the room and she stopped short. "Hello."
Her hair was long ebony braided while her eyes were like the ocean, in color as well as liveliness. She smiled and I answered. "Hello."
"My name is Misao, Misao Makamachi." Her face held only the politeness of a schoolgirl and the weariness of a traveler. No sign yet of estrogen overload. Thank god.
"Aoshi."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Aoshi." I simply nodded in response.
"Don't mind him Misao. You'll be lucky to get a sentence out of him the first couple weeks. But why doesn't Aoshi take you to get a bite to eat while I see where we can put you? You can sleep all afternoon when you get back but you must be awake for the show tonight!" Did I hear something about lunch?
This girl called Misao laughed and it was beautiful. You find very few women who do not bray or chitter like some animal; another point in her favor. "Alright, lunch sounds great!" There it was again! Lunch! Am I hallucinating? "And why must I be up for the show tonight? Who's playing?" One quick note: Mental questions are rarely answered by the other people in the room.
"The 'London Series'!" Am I a participant in this conversation or a bystander?
"Kaoru?! She's going to be here tonight?!" I guess that depends whether it's a mental conversation…
"Her and Sano, and Soujiro, and Yahiko, everybody!" At this moment Misao decided to jump into Okon's arms, happiness spilling off her. Or a verbal one.
"This is wonderful! And on my first night back as well!" Obviously a bystander.
"Well, you better get some sleep first or you'll conk out when they get here! But lunch first." Her tone was adamant. "You need a break as well, Aoshi. Why don't you take her out to lunch?" Now I can't have been the only one to hear that?! And the way she slipped that in there the first time! Oh, that Okon was a tricky one!
By the happy expectant look on this girl's face I'd say she expected me to comply easily, it was a common courtesy. But there is one thing she doesn't know! I… am… definitely…not…a people person.
"Okon you know how much work I have to get done before we open up tonight." I turned towards the smaller figure "Maybe another time, I have much work to do."
She spoke up "Even enough to skip getting any lunch at all?"
"Yes."
And her eyes sparkled with mirth "Then I guess I'll have to bring you some." Misao grinned "Okon, show me the kitchen!"
***********
All right! How was that for a first chapter? Well get ready because I plan on having the next chapter out soon! And when I say soon I mean within two days! Yeah! That is like a record for me! Next chapter: lunch while they work and a reunion with the 'London series'!
******* 'The London Series', as mentioned by Aoshi, is actually a Jazz group consisting of Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko (hah!), and Soujiro (cool, huh!). But I will open the group up to suggestions from you, the audience. Yahiko will play the drums, Soujiro will play the trombone, Sano will play the Trumpet, and Kaoru will play the piano (just like in 'Living the dead', which is the other London series story =P ). The other story will have a coinciding chapter for every time they appear in this one. Get it?! No?! Oh, well. I guess you'll see if you read both. **********
Side Message: I love you Iram! I love you Chibi Yuushi! Hope your reading this! You guys seem to be the only constant reviewers and I love you for it! You love my other London story (Living the dead, remember?) so you'll love this one too; seeing as all the stories in the London series make our favorite characters into musicians! (Isn't it great?)
If you would like to join this 'love list', all you have to do is one simple thing! (Buy you fanstuff?) No, not that hard on your wallet. Just click da button and type your heart out! I promise cookies, confetti, and review responses! Sounds pretty good doesn't it?!
Reviews Onegai!