A/N: Okay, Chapter 3! Sorry for the delay in the updating--my co-author and I hit a busy patch. Hopefully we'll be able to get the next chapter out faster. A few reviewer responses and then on to the chapter!
kakashi-fan: Well, here is the first meeting of our turbulent pair. It's a little rough, but first impressions aren't everything after all. There will be more wondrous action in the next chapter so hole on to your socks. And no fair finding out my plot devices before everyone else! That's cheating!
Tiian: I'm happy that you liked the ending. I too, enjoyed that little scene. Thanks for the free-range of the characters, I hope we portray them well. I try to keep our writing serious--my co-author enjoys a bit of sarcastic humor and enjoys darkening certain aspects of the characters in which you will see later on--but I try to keep it fresh. And yes, Kaoru is immature--with no reason t be. Misao is also immature sometimes, but you can understand and love her for it.
tesuka-chan: I'm so very happy that you approve and like our story! *beams* You make me blush with your compliments. My co-author came up with that actually. She's very much into the back story of our characters and the past she has for Misao is very dark. I believe her exact words were 'Misao's past builds a lot of character for her, gives her her greatest strength but at the same time, is her greatest weakness'. I loved that, so all of our characters have a quirk or two, courtesy of Jesse-chan. There is just something so mysterious about thieves, so seductive, you can't help but love reading and writing about them!
gaby (hyatt: Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any songs by the band Sugarcult or the band American Hi-Fi.
Safer On The Outside
Chapter 3: "Something's Gonna Burn"
Misao wasn't speaking to her brothers.
Upon returning home to the studio, Misao went about packing for the three of them. She even went so far as to break out her old Phantom Rogue gear. Nostalgia was a big factor in making her take along the black body suit, but why fight it? Soujiro went down to the lab, taking what was salvageable of their old gear and some of his newer inventions. The job of calling Misao's students and canceling class for the next six weeks fell onto Kamatari, who took up the roster of phone numbers with ease. The one problem with that, however, was the excuses he deemed worthy to be given to Misao's customers. Ranging from Misao's sudden marriage to a death of a mysterious old relative who left Misao a fortune in cows out west, Kamatari's imagination had a field day--at Misao's expense, of course.
Soujiro had encouraged, and even given ideas when he was moving up and down between ground floor and the laboratory basement. When Misao found out what they were up to, she was rightfully furious. Consequently, she wasn't speaking to them. Even though she packed both their suitcases and made sure they were both set for the journey, she remained adamantly silent. A typical sibling punishment.
Nevertheless, it made Kaoru and Yahiko--the two escorts of the three thieves to the private Himura jet--very uncomfortable. After several failed attempts at conversation, the two simply gave up and the entire limo was quiet for the ride to the private airstrip. Misao stared placidly out of the window, watching as they left the interior of the city behind. Soujiro was fiddling with a gadget in his lap, while Kamatari had his headphones on, listening to the soothing sounds of a Bach concerto.
When they reached the airstrip, a medium sized plane was already waiting for them, gassed up and ready for take off. The rest of their team, as well as a pilot and co-pilot, were already on board and ready to head to their first location.
"Well, glad you could join us," Sanosuke drawled when they all climbed aboard. He was lounging happily in a chair, watching them all in a lazy fashion.
Megumi shot him a look of pure scorn, kicking his feet from where they had been resting in the chair beside him before helping Kamatari to his seat. She smiled kindly at him. "Hello Mr. Seta, how are you feeling?"
"I'm feeling good actually," Kamatari replied cheerfully, happily sitting himself in a seat and buckling his belt. Megumi sat in the open seat beside him. "But let's you and me drop the formality Doc," he said with a smirk. "I'm going to be seeing a lot of you; you're going to be seeing a lot of me. Why don't we cut the Misters and Misses and get down to brass tacks?"
"All right," Megumi said with a smile, patting his hand coyly. Sanosuke grunted from his seat across the isle from them. Misao gave him an appraising look before turning back to the doctor. She smiled slightly, then moved on to take the open seat beside Soujiro, just in front of Kamatari and Megumi.
"You can call me Kamatari," said man continued with a smile.
"Then call me Megumi," she said calmly. "And that goes for you as well, Soujiro and Misao."
"Thanks!" They replied back in unison.
Misao had already broken her punishment on Soujiro--she could never resist him for long--and they were now in the middle of a heated debate over which recon tactics should be used in order to steal the first of the swords. Kaoru and Yahiko took their seats in front of Sanosuke, and with everyone secure, the plane began its journey to England.
"This is sure to be an interesting trip," Yahiko drawled to Kaoru, looking over at Misao and Soujiro. They had gone from practically strangling each other to laughing hysterically over something.
Kaoru smiled placidly at her assistant. "Of course it is," she agreed. "Did you really expect anything else?"
"I expected a bit more professionalism," Sanosuke muttered, butting into their conversation from behind.
"It's only to be anticipated that they'd be a little rusty after two years, Sano," Kaoru explained, painfully slow, like talking to a dense child.
"Rusty, heh," he scoffed. "They're like school children! We're going against a lot of odds here to steal four of the most important artifacts ever created. You know the power they hold if they were to fall into the wrong hands."
"Sano, you have to relax," Kaoru replied. "Kenshin wouldn't have hired them if he wasn't sure of their abilities."
"Hmph. I still say I could have done a better job."
"Better job at what?" Misao asked, suddenly sitting down beside him.
"Mr. Sagara here was doubting your skills 'Sao," Soujiro said with a grin.
"You heard?" Sanosuke said, a little surprised.
Soujiro shrugged, leaning back with his hands folded behind his head. "I may not be as good a thief as Misao, but that doesn't mean I don't know a few tricks. Why does everyone think that all tech-guys are trekkies or something?"
"Because most tech-guys are," Kamatari called from next to them.
"Shut up!" Soujiro yelled over to him, pouting slightly. There was still a light of humor in his silvery-gray eyes.
"We were just pondering," Yahiko said seriously. "Whether or not you three understand the manpower we've invested in this project. I don't know if you can even comprehend how important it is that this mission be completed correctly."
"Oh, I get it," Misao said with a knowing smile. She nodded her head, arms crossed over her chest, looking over at Soujiro with a quirked eyebrow.
"Definitely," he said, looking over to Kamatari.
"Don't look for my permission!" He said quickly. "I'm conversing with my physician, I want nothing to do with your schemes!"
Both Misao and Soujiro snickered. Misao looked levelly at the three executives. "You were doubting my skills, yes? Let me assure you that I am more than capable of 'completing this mission correctly'."
No one looked all that convinced. Misao sighed and Soujiro suddenly stood up, stretching his back. "Well, you guys are in for a rude awakening," he said with a slight yawn. "Misao's got the stickiest fingers in the tri-state area."
All eyes went back to Misao. She was fanning herself with three wallets, two black and one tan. All three executives' hands went for their pockets, feeling them empty. Sanosuke's eyes widened as he looked at the small black-haired woman beside him. He hadn't even seen her move let alone feel his wallet being lifted.
Convinced they were all appropriately dazzled, Misao handed the wallets back to their proper owners, smiling smugly. "I thought you were only a prize thief, not a pick-pocket," Sanosuke commented, stuffing his wallet deep into his pocket now.
Misao shrugged. "I started my career as a pick-pocket," she explained. "I've been lifting wallets since I was five or six."
"That's pretty young," Yahiko commented. "What made you start a life of crime so early?"
"Necessity," Misao replied, her mood darkening. "But when I met Sou and Kamatari, they brought me into the big leagues of prize theft."
"I…don't suppose you'd let us run a test on your skills before the actual theft?" Kaoru asked subtly, her eyes refusing to meet Misao's. But the seasoned thief knew the drill. Most employers liked to run a test to make sure she was up to par. It wasn't offensive in any way; Misao thought it more like a compliment.
"I would be more than happy to," she said easily.
Kaoru grinned. "Wonderful!"
And so they crossed the Atlantic Ocean in peaceful conversation, and Misao didn't need to steal anyone else's wallet.
England--an empty warehouse complex outside of London--
"Are we sure that this is the right address?" Misao asked again as they picked their way over to the entrance of the largest warehouse. Garbage and random articles were strewn all over the tall grass and empty earthed yard.
Soujiro hung close to Misao, one arm loosely circling her waist as he directed her away from one of the more treacherous places. "We're at the right place," he said to her, hefting the heavy equipment bag higher on to his shoulder. "Far from civilization, full of dangerous crap so no one would want to come here. Can you think of a better place for a training yard?"
"Guess not," she admitted.
Kaoru was in the lead, heading toward the largest building with a key card in hand. Yahiko struggled behind her, dragging a larger bag of equipment that Soujiro had brought. He was grumbling under his breath about how he was always made to do the grunt work. Misao and Soujiro walked a few yards behind them, casually waiting for their turn to do something. Sano brought up the rear, hands in his pockets, looking extremely bored. Megumi and Kamatari had gone ahead to the hotel, leaving the thieves to their thief-work and the executives to their executive business.
When they reached the door of the warehouse, Kaoru swiped the card along a small grove above the door handle. A small green light suddenly blinked and the audible sound of a lock unlocking boomed in the silence. With a smile, Kaoru pushed the door open and everyone entered the building.
All of Misao's doubts of the facility were quickly dissipated when she saw the inside. It was empty, completely empty of all furnishings. The only things in there were the florescent lights that Kaoru had turned on. What was frightening was that it was sterile--utterly clean from top to bottom. There was no other explanation other than it was used for something else, something underground from the looks of it.
Soujiro was smirking happily. This was his element: electronics and high-tech gizmos, but most importantly, spy gear. As Kaoru led them to a small elevator that would lead them to the underground training center, he hugged Misao closer to him and smiled at her. She smiled back, a little strained.
"Don't worry Misao," he reassured her. "I'm right here with you. You'll be fine, promise."
"I know," she said confidently, her eyes reflecting her sincerity. "I just thought this part of my life was finally over." Soujiro nodded, a pensive expression steeling on to his face. "I promised him I'd stop," Misao whispered quietly, so that only he could hear her.
"He understands," Soujiro said, looking her in the eye. "Besides, you'll never be any good at anything but thieving."
Misao promptly elbowed him in the gut so that his laugh turned into a cough and the bag on his shoulder slid off to land heavily on Sanosuke's foot. "AIE!" the tall hacker yelped, hopping around in small circles on one foot. "What the fuck man?" he shouted at Soujiro.
"It was her fault," Soujiro denied, pointing at Misao.
"Me?!" she blinked. "What did I do?"
"My poor foot," Sanosuke whimpered.
"Aww, I'm sorry," Misao said, tilting her head. "My brother is a klutz sometimes. Don't judge him because he's slow."
"Hey!" Soujiro objected indignantly. Both Sanosuke and Misao shot him a glare. That shut him up quick, but didn't stop a few grumbles.
"I think I'm ok," Sanosuke commented, testing his weight on the foot.
"For the love of…Suck it up man!" Kaoru exclaimed as the door opened on the training center. Sanosuke was not a happy camper after that little incident, but it gave him ample opportunity to like Misao as she offered to cuff Soujiro across the head for him, which he agreed to and she promptly did.
Kaoru and Yahiko had taken their gear into the master control booth, a small room located above the actual training field that could only be reached by climbing a staircase and crossing a steel crosswalk. Sanosuke took his own position at a lower control station, punching in a few codes and setting up a few sequences. There was a large pit in the center of the room that was split into four sections, each a selected field of training. Misao was to be tested on all four fields.
"Okay Miss Makimachi," Kaoru said through a loudspeaker from the control box. "If you'll just ready yourself as much as you need, we'll get everything set up for you in the first field."
"What is the first field?" Misao asked, looking to Sanosuke. He was the one adjusting the settings for the test after all.
"It's a simulation of a laser-protected room. The object is to get through the maze without setting the sensors, and retrieving the artifact from a weight-regulated alarm." He didn't even look up while explaining; he was too busy punching a few more codes. "It's a level nine exercise."
"Out of ten?" Misao asked, opening the equipment bag Soujiro had laid down between them."
"Out of fifteen," he replied absently.
"Ah," Misao nodded. "It'll be cake."
"Don't get too cocky," Soujiro warned, placing a headset over his ears and adjusting the mouthpiece. "We want you to get out of this in one piece so we can skip to the real business."
Misao grinned. "Hey, this is me we're talking about."
Soujiro simply pulled the other headset over her hair and shook his head. "I know." She laughed lightly and changed from her baggy clothes into the form-fitting black body suit. Not only was it good for tight places where looser clothing might trip an alarm, it also worked wonders at disguising her gender, which was how she went so long without be recognized.
Adjusting her headset, and testing it with Soujiro's, they found the links were still up and running, just like they had been when the Phantom Rogue team was still on the job. Misao also buckled on her 'utility belt'. It was a running joke that she looked like Batman with the black body suit and the belt of toys. All she needed was the pointed ears and the cape. After another few minutes of warm-up stretching to her blood flowing and body limber, Misao happily announced she was ready to go.
Soujiro set himself up next to Sanosuke, pulling a small laptop into the control panel so he could upload the schematics of all the field tests and relay them to Misao. He happily tapped at a few keys and announced he was set as well. That was when Misao lowered herself into the first of the four pits, and began the test.
Misao looked at her surroundings, the setup of a normal flat walk for a museum. The to-be-stolen item set on a raised pedestal at the far end of the room. Just as she took the first step, the beginning riff to a rock song began to fill the room. Misao grinned, looking to the roof of the pit.
"We need a little mood music," Soujiro said over her co-link. He had rerouted the speaker system to play some of the songs stored in the hard drive of his laptop.
This may never start.
We could fall apart.
And I'd be your memory.
Lost your sense of fear.
Feelings insincere.
Can I be your memory?
So get back, back, back to where we lasted.
Just like I imagine.
I could never feel this way.
So get back, back, back to the disaster.
My heart's beating faster.
Holding on to feel the same.
Misao grabbed the small bottle attached to her utility belt, spraying a cloud of dusty smoke into the air. It hung, shimmering in the air for a few moments, illuminating the red laser beams that spread across the floor. After a quick assessment, Misao saw that the lasers were in a classic level eight star pattern, and was confident she could cross them easily. Each laser system company had a signature pattern that they set their lasers into. Misao had learned how to break just about every one.
This may never start.
I'll tear us apart.
Cannot be your enemy.
Losing half a year.
Waiting for you here
I'd be your anything.
So get back, back, back to where we lasted.
Just like I imagine.
I could never feel this way.
So get back, back, back to the disaster.
My heart's beating faster.
Holding on to feel the same.
Misao moved her body, muscles bunching and releasing. Her body was tense and in control, gliding under and over invisible lasers with painstaking slowness. She held her body with enough strength to make everyone watching her gain just a little more respect. Her body folded in many angles that looked impossibly uncomfortable, and still she bent herself again to move to the next free space.
This may never start.
Tearing out my heart.
I'd be your memory.
Lost your sense of fear.
(I'd be your memory)
Feelings disappear.
Can I be your memory?
So get back, back, back to where we lasted.
Just like I imagine.
I could never feel this way.
So get back, back, back to the disaster.
My heart's beating faster.
Holding on to feel the same.
It took Misao about six minutes to cross the room and get to her quarry. It was then that she pulled out another small gadget from her belt, touching the item with a small metal ball. The tiny remote in her hand ran off a few numbers before it settled on one--the weight of the object. Satisfied, she began to slowly slide the desired item off the weighted top it sat on, replacing it with the scaled remote that Soujiro had built for her.
This may never start.
We could fall apart
And I'd be your memory.
Lost your sense of fear.
Feelings insincere.
Can I be your memory?
When she was finished, Misao happily and confidently held up her prize. "Cake," she commented. Soujiro's chuckle was in her ears and she had to laugh along with him. And each of the other tests went the same way until not even Sano and Yahiko could doubt the skills of the Phantom Rogue.
London, private storage loft--
A dark figure scaled the wall of the room, silently slipping into the building through a window that had been cut open using a sharp blade. Garbed in black from head to toe, the would-be-thief crept calmly across the room. The cameras had been knocked out due to a few well-placed wire cuts. The laser system guarding the vault had fallen the same way. The vault itself stood like an unlocked door when faced with an electronic pick. The thief inserted the device into the lock and waited as the computer flew through number codes and system pairs until it blinked all seven numbers and the audible click of a lock being undone rang through the room.
That was when things became complicated.
Just as the thief opened the vault door, another figure dressed all in black, suddenly leapt out from a hiding place and tackled the first to the ground.
Misao had all the wind knocked out of her when she was thrown down. Her head smacking into the wooden floor with a hard thud. Pain erupted and her temper flared. With enough strength to momentarily stun her opponent, she pushed upwards and threw him from his position of straddling her waist.
They faced off, silently, carefully, assessing the other. Misao, who was small in size but big on attitude, felt herself gulp at her opposition. He was crouched before her, but she didn't need to see him at full size to know that he'd be even taller than Sanosuke, at least 6'2". He was also well built, the black bodysuit similar to her own fit perfectly to broad shoulders and long limbs. A mask covered his face completely; even the eyeholes were obstructed by his goggles, but she knew from the very power in his form when he had attacked her that there was no doubt he was a man. And the fact that two sheaths hung at his hips made her nervous.
Great going Makimachi, she berated herself silently, cracking her knuckles. I come for a sword and find myself a swordsman. Not that great of an exchange.
She squatted on the floor, hands in the ready, legs tense with the expectation to spring. Her heart was beating fast now, frightened in spite of herself. There had been times in her life when she had to fight for a way out, be it with guards or owners. There was a few times when she did fight other thieves too. Misao was skilled and confidant, but she never liked getting into a fight when she could avoid it, especially against a foreign opponent.
"Misao," Soujiro's voice came over the com-link in her ear. "What's going on?"
There was a code--they was always a code--when it came to talking over the com-link. If there could be a listener around, Misao never directly spoke into her microphone for risk someone hearing her voice, which was undeniably female. Instead, they worked out a system of sounds that contained a meaning to each other. In this way, Misao was always covered when it came to hiding her identity.
She whistled a high note through her teeth. It was translated into 'another thief is in the room'.
"Get out of there," Soujiro said into her ear. He hated worrying about Misao even though she was capable of handling herself, but they were outside of their element here and he wouldn't risk her getting hurt. "We can get the sword later, just get out."
Misao growled low in the back of her throat. It was her way of saying 'no way in hell.' With that, their link was severed as she hit the button on her headset. She was getting that sword no matter what. Himura would pay her the money she needed for that sword, and then she might have a chance. If getting that sword meant going through his guy, then she would do it. No one would stand in her way.
With that firmly established, Misao reached to the small bands circling each of her upper arms and pulled out the concealed kunai knives that she always carried on her person, four in each hand. The opposition seemed to expect nothing else as he reached to his waist and unsheathed two swords. They were shorter than a normal katana, and it took Misao a moment before she realized that they were kodachi--small swords that were created for defensive moves.
"Your move," he said quietly in the darkness. So, he wanted her to make the first move, huh? Well, Misao never was a woman to disappoint, so she rushed him. He raised his swords, ready to block and take her down easily, when she suddenly veered right.
Misao threw herself to the right, tossing four of her kunai for cover as she grabbed the door handle to the vault and threw it open in a jerky motion. Then she dove inside and scrambled back to a loping gait. Her opponent, though clearly not expecting this action, was soon giving chase. Misao was fast, but not nearly as fast a Soujiro, and apparently not as fast as this thief because he soon overtook her, tripping her and forcing her to catch herself with her hands, pulling her body over into an arch.
He managed to skip to a stop, but not before Misao had pulled herself up and was angrily slashing at him with her four remaining kunai. Her body wove in and out, moving too fast for a good slice with a trained hand. Her body could maneuver almost of its own accord. He slashed down, Misao bent over, hugging her knees and brought one of her legs up toward his chest, barely connecting as he read her move and shifted to the side. She quickly followed through, bringing up one of her razor-sharp kunai and slashing his across the arm. Both paused at the ripping of cloth and the scent of blood. Her opponent looked from his bleeding arm and back to her. Misao froze like a deer in headlights, waiting for the retaliation.
"I'm impressed," he commented in a rather flat voice.
Misao scoffed, adrenaline pumping through her again. She took up another defensive stance, which he quickly copied. Misao threw one of her kunai at his feet, sticking it deeply into the panel wood floor. His eyes followed it, as she intended, and she charge up the middle while his gaze was shifted. To her surprise, he seemed to have expected this tactic and brought up both his swords in a crossing motion. Misao was able to stop herself before she was secured, but he brought up the two sharp blades up a breath away from her neck.
Misao stood still, her ragged breath the only sound coming from her. The strange thief took one of his blades from her throat, sheathing it without once looking away. Misao was about to step back when he brought the other sword up closer to her throat.
Damn him, she mentally cursed. Her pulse was pounding in her veins, screaming at herself for being stupid and for not simply doing as Soujiro told her. No, she was Misao Makimachi, and she had to do everything her own way, or else.
That was when her mysterious opponent did something that caused her fear to spike even higher. He reached up with his free hand and grasped the hem of her mask a second before pulling it up over her head. Misao twisted out of reach of his sword now, but the damage was done. Her long hair fell from where it had been stuffed into her mask, falling around her shoulders and framing her face. Wide ocean eyes stared at the limp mask hanging in her opponent's hand, fear and anger flashing across them.
"Misao Makimachi," her opposition intoned in the same dismissive way as before. "Just as I thought."
Misao glared at him, pulling herself up to full height--though it really didn't do any good in the face of a man a full foot taller than her. "How do you know who I am?" she asked venomously.
"I do my homework," he replied. Misao still had three kunai, and she didn't like how he was advancing slowly toward her. For a moment, a memory flashed in her eyes. A dark alley…encroaching figures…icy rain…blood… The blood drained from her face and her body went ridged.
"Who are you?" she asked in a harsh whisper, the kunai gripped so hard in her hands, the knuckles in her gloves turned white.
"I was hired by Mr. Shishio, that's all I'm going to say right now," he said calmly.
"You won't get the swords," she spat, anger overtaking her fear and abating her memories. She'd deal with her emotional issues at a later date. She had a job to do right now, and that meant getting the sword that lay in a glass case no more than twenty feet from them. He didn't respond, only dropped his sword and began sprinting toward the sword in the same instant she moved.
Misao reached the case first, but he engaged her in another bout of blows. Misao struck out with her kunai, but it didn't connect. The other thief slashed at her, attempting to hack her in two if he could. Obviously he didn't go easy on women. That only fueled Misao's indignant anger and she brought her leg up to the glass case, kicking it off the table it was resting on. The shattering echoed through the room.
She quickly did a cartwheel from her opponent's side, grabbing the sword when her hands met the floor. When she was back on her two feet, Misao simply ran. She didn't look back, couldn't look back. She just ran as fast as she ever thought she could, the sword clutched tightly in her hand. Footsteps followed her quickly, almost overtaking her again, but in the last moment, she put on another burst of speed and flew through the storage facility and grabbed her rope to the window.
He collided with her when she grabbed the rope. Misao crashed hard to the floor, hugging the sword to her chest. He grabbed her by the arm, trying to haul her back up, to rip the sword from her gloved hands, but she struck out, her leg connecting hard with his kneecap.
He didn't curse or yell or strike out, but he did fall on to his knees with a low growl. Misao was released from his grasp and struggled back as far as she could until her shoulders were pressed against the cold wall. After a momentary breather, he followed after her, as determined as she to get the sword. As before, Misao struck out with her foot when he got to close, this time catching him across the elbow.
"Shit!" That time, he did curse. And he retracted his arm, cradling it near to his chest as he shot what Misao assumed to be a glare at her. His face was still in the mask so she couldn't be a hundred percent sure. "Dammit woman, just give me the goddamned sword."
"Go fuck yourself," she replied angrily. "This is mine now."
He growled, and then did something that surprised Misao greatly. Instead of hitting her, which she thought he just might, Aoshi reached up and pulled the mask and goggles off of his head, letting out a deep breath. Those things did obstruct the airway after all.
Misao became nervous after this act, and even more nervous when, through a curtain of raven bangs, her ocean eyes met the gaze of a very angry pair of crystalline orbs. She gulped, pulling herself into a tighter ball and gripping the sword tightly. Something in his gaze flickered when he saw the fear in her eyes.
Aoshi hadn't expected that. He expected the fierce fighting and the harsh temper, but he hadn't expected fear. It was…a little unnerving. Not enough to sway him from his course, however. He would get that sword; he had to.
They sat like that for a few breathless minutes, simply and openly assessing one another. Neither were naive enough to think their paths would not cross again. They were both after the same things after all.
After a moment or two passed, Aoshi dropped his head, breaking their eye contact and shook his head. A brief, humorless scoff was emitted from him before he looked up again. "Just what I expected from the 'Phantom Rogue.'"
Misao narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. "Who are you?" she asked again.
This time, he felt more inclined to answer. "'Ashen Shadow'," Aoshi replied with a shrug. "Courtesy of the press, but I never cared for the name."
They were silent again for a long moment, until a few sounds at the window drew both their attention. The head of a figure had poked through the window. "Misao?" it called in a harsh whisper.
"Soujiro!" Misao called back, breathless in her joy. "Down here!"
Soujiro slide down the rope easily, scanning silver eyes spotting Aoshi right away and his gaze darkened to a deep brown. In his free hand was his sakabato, ready for a fight, it one was to be provided. Both Soujiro and Misao were utterly shocked when Aoshi simply stood up, grabbed his mask from the floor and began walking toward his own entrance where he picked the lock on the service entrance.
"I'll be seeing you soon, Misao," he called back over his shoulder. She had no doubt about that and shivered more out of anticipation than fear. He had been a better fighter than her--Misao was not so proud that she could not admit that. There had been at least three openings where he could have killed her, but did not. It only gave her more questioned about this mysterious thief. Questions she would have to answer before they met again. For as long as she was in the dark, he had the advantage. And that was one thing Misao would not allow.
A/N: Well, thanks to all who read this chapter and I hope you remember to review! Thanks again for the support, the next chapter will be one in a week or so.
Notes from the Co-author: I wanted to say my own little speal here so here goes--I am Jesse the Wolf Demon, co-author of this song 'Safer On The Outside' and I have to say that I adore it! I have been feeling very Aoshi/Misao lately and this story just came to me one night when I was watching one of my favorite movies ever--Mission: Impossible--and said 'hey, I want to write something that will make people do cool spy-things'. But what's better than a spy? A thief! And I used the song 'Safer on the Outside' by my favorite band, American Hi-Fi, as title and chapter headings. So there you go!