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Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. In a perfect world I would, but I live in the real world…and sadly I ain't got no money…so, it's utterly useless to sue me…but for good measure: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, but Nobuhiro Watsuki and a bunch of other people do…
Let the strangeness continue…
Promises from the PastThen he looked up at Sano and said, "Sessha thinks we should follow them."
Frowning, Sano asked, "Why?"
"Somebody might get hurt."
Waterfalls and Tea
Hiko led Sayuri to a clearing near a waterfall.
"Nice," she commented.
"Thank you," Hiko smiled in satisfaction.
"Is this where you and Kenshin used to train?"
"Yes, some of the time," Hiko said as he looked around the spot where he and Kenshin had spent so many hours of grueling lessons.
"Beats a musty old training hall," Sayuri said to him, admiring the glorious waterfall.
Then she turned towards Hiko, who was looking at her expectantly.
"Are you ready to do this?"
Hiko nodded solemnly, "Hai."
"Okay, let's see if you remember the basics," she said to him.
"The basics?"
Sayuri nodded, "The basics."
"We don't need to go through the basics," he assured her.
"Oh yes we do," she countered.
Hiko put his hands on his hips and in an imperious manner stated, "Listen lady, I am the 12th Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu…I do not need to go through the basics."
Sayuri put her hands on her hips and said in her superior tones, "See, that's where we have a problem. You are the 12th Master of the Hiten Mitsurigi Ryuu, not of the Kage no Odori Ryuu. I on the other hand, am the 12th Master of the Kage no Odori Ryuu, so therefore, I know more about it than you!"
Hiko was about to say something but Sayuri held up a commanding hand, "Plus, I am the teacher here and you are the student, in case you've forgotten. Therefore what I say, you do. And Sayuri says: basics!"
Hiko looked at her in fascination. It was like he was back with Matsuo Takashi and the old man was giving the lessons!
"Okay, you win," he said to her, impressed and oddly proud of her.
Sayuri nodded regally, got into a crouching stance and placed a hand on the sword handle.
"Shall we begin?"
Misao and Aoshi arrived at the Aoyia in complete silence.
On their way home, Aoshi had been trying to figure out how he was going to broach the subject of Misao's going to a school for the Geisha arts.
Misao had been trying to figure out Aoshi's increasingly odd behavior.
Okina greeted them but the two just gave him an absentminded nod as they passed him.
"What's with those two?" the old man thought as he stroked his beard.
Misao broke their silence by asking Aoshi, "Where do you want to do this?"
Aoshi looked at her vaguely for a second before asking, "Do what?"
Misao gave him a have-you-lost-your-brains-completely look, "I thought we were going to talk."
"Training hall," he said, heading towards that building.
"Okay," Misao mouthed.
Aloud she asked him, "Would you like some tea?"
Aoshi stopped abruptly, "No! No tea!"
Misao looked at him funny, so he said, "I'm not thirsty."
"Okay," she mouthed again.
To Aoshi she said, "Do you mind if I get some tea? I'm kinda thirsty."
"Sure," he said, "I'll wait for you in the training hall."
When he got there, Aoshi settled in his usual meditation corner. And waited for Misao.
"Nothing to it, you can do it, nothing to it, you can do it, nothing to it, you can do it…"
After about a hundred repetitions of his new mantra, the screen door slid open and Misao, carrying a tray with tea paraphernalia, walked in.
Aoshi watched in stunned silence, as he saw his former tomboyish charge walk in with all the grace and elegance of a skilled geisha.
She gracefully sank to her knees in front to him, placing the tray between them. Then she lifted the teapot, careful of the sleeves of her kimono and poured tea into the two cups.
Putting the pot back down, she handed a cup to Aoshi with a gracious smile.
Still in a daze, Aoshi accepted the cup and raised it to his lips.
But at the first taste of the liquid, he looked down into the cup and hastily put it down.
After drinking Hiroko-chan's tea, he didn't want to take any chances with tea.
Misao raised an inquiring eyebrow while she took a sip from her own cup.
'This is good' she thought, enjoying the soothing aroma of the tea.
Aoshi watched in fascination as she lifted her cup to her mouth, taking dainty, ladylike sips from it. Watched her throat as she swallowed the liquid.
When she finished drinking, he watched her hands place the cup back on the tray.
They were beautiful hands. Small and delicate. But there was strength in them also, he knew.
His eyes traveled over her kimono-covered arm to rest on her face.
He studied that face, so endearingly familiar but also so different lately.
He took in the hair that was swept up in a simple but elegant bun, the eyes that looked at him with liquid questions in their depths, the nose, a graceful arch that ended in a slightly stubby tip. That mouth, with moisture from the tea wetting the lips.
Lips that were pink and soft and glistening and inviting.
Aoshi stopped himself. Had he been about to contemplate kissing Misao?
So shocked was he at the thought that he blurted out, "What were you doing at that school?"
For a moment, Misao had been transfixed by the look in Aoshi's eyes. She had the distinct impression that he was studying her and for the first time was seeing her as a woman.
Flustered and excited by the thought, she had felt her heart beat faster, her palms going sweaty, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
But there was as also a feeling of lightness, a sense of well-being, a feeling that everything would be okay. Maybe her efforts haven't been for nothing.
So caught up was she with the possibilities of what could happen next, that she completely missed the question.
"Pardon?" she asked him.
"What were you doing at the school?" Aoshi asked again, this time more in control of his wayward thoughts.
The school! Of course, he must be curious about that. Misao hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should tell him the truth. It was too embarrassing! But maybe half of the truth would do.
"I study there," she said with a nonchalance she didn't feel.
"Study what exactly?"
"Oh, you know, dance and manners and posture…the usual social skills," she said off-handedly, hoping that he wouldn't ask her why she was studying them.
He looked at her in that intense probing way, "Why?"
Of course he would ask! But she couldn't tell him the whole truth.
She settled for, "To get some refinement…to learn how to handle life with grace and poise." The last part was what her teacher always said.
"But why?" he wanted to know. He was studying her, his sharp mind looking for the answers he felt she kept hidden.
Of course he would probe deeper. This was Aoshi. But she couldn't tell him.
"I told you, to get some refinement…I was getting tired of acting like a tomboy…I thought I should start acting like a lady…I am a female you know," she tried to convince him.
She poured herself another cup of tea, to add to the illusion of nonchalance. She sipped from the cup. This was really good tea…she must hand it to Hiroko-chan, she sure could choose her blend.
Aoshi's eyes narrowed slightly, and in a pensive tone said, "You know, you sound so different from the Misao I used to know…"
'And the Misao you used to know, never got the kind of attention from you like the Hiroko-chans of this world do!' a tiny voice in her heart screamed.
Outwardly, she just shrugged her shoulder.
So Aoshi asked, "Why didn't you tell anyone that you were attending the school?"
"Everybody looked at me funny when I started to wear kimonos… they would have died from laughter if I told them I was attending geisha academy…" she said in a self-deprecating manner as she looked up at Aoshi, silently asking him to understand.
He looked at her with those enigmatic blue eyes, "I wouldn't have laughed at you."
'I wouldn't have laughed at you', said with such sincerity. Misao hugged his words to her heart. She was feeling oddly light right now. She took another sip from her cup.
"I wish you would've told me, then you wouldn't have had to sneak out the Aoyia all the time," he said to her.
"I couldn't," she said, speaking the whole truth.
"Why?" he wanted to know, looking at her with those probing eyes. Beautiful eyes, Misao thought.
How she wished she could tell him, tell him of the feelings deep in her heart. Tell him of her jealousy, of her insecurities, of her love…To keep herself from blurting out the truth and nothing but the whole embarrassing truth, she finished the tea in her cup…that light feeling increased…
And without thought she blurted out, "I did it for you."
Their eyes widened in shock. They sat like that for a second looking at each other.
Misao couldn't believe what she said; Aoshi couldn't believe what he heard.
Misao could actually feel her whole body blush.
Aoshi saw Misao go red all over and found it endearing. And maybe because of her unexpected admission or his male ego, or perhaps because of some lingering after effects of Hiroko-chan's tea, he smiled.
Misao watched in fascination as Aoshi's whole face lit up. There was a sparkle in his eyes and a boyish grin on his face. It was amazing! She never thought he could look more handsome if he tried, but looking at him now he was devastating!
"You did it for me?" he asked, that grin still on his face.
And because she couldn't snatch back the words that had been said she said, "Yes."
His smile turned into confusion, "Why?"
Misao couldn't help herself, she rolled her eyes "Men can be so dense sometimes!"
In that moment something went click inside Aoshi's brain and something Kaoru had said to him the other day finally made sense.
"Is it because of Hiroko-chan?" he asked.
Misao looked at him, wondering how he could have guessed. She searched for words to deny it, but found that she couldn't.
"Yes," she answered him. This feeling of lightness was making her admit all the truth!
"Why?" he asked, not because he didn't have a clue but because he had a suspicion he wanted confirmed.
Looking at her lap, she answered him, "Because when you look at Hiroko you see her as a woman. And when you look at me you see that grubby little ninja girl in pigtails."
"Cute pigtails," he said, a smile dawning on his face. He'd been right!
Misao looked up and was blinded by that smile. Cute pigtails? Nothing made sense…
Sensing her confusion, Aoshi gently said, "Misao-chan, you don't need to change for me…"
There it was again. Misao-chan. Misao looked at him, feeling even more confused.
"I love you just the way you are," he said, in that same gentle voice.
Happiness and doubt warred inside of her. Happiness, because this could finally be it. Doubt that he didn't mean it the way she wanted it to be meant.
But hope was there. Undeniable hope that maybe this was really it.
Aoshi sensed the conflicting emotions inside of Misao so he said to clarify, "Misao-chan, I don't love you…"
Misao's face fell, but he reached out to take her hand, "Let me finish, okay?"
"I don't love you like a sister, or a member of the Oni gang. At first I thought I did or I tried to convince myself that I did. But a few days ago I finally found out the truth."
He looked at Misao.
When she just looked at him mutely, he continued, "The truth is I love you like a man should love a woman."
He looked at her waiting for a reaction. But when none was coming he asked, "Did you hear me? I love you!"
And then she finally said something.
"Why'd it take you so long to find out?" she asked, looking at him accusingly.
Aoshi chuckled, "Because apparently, meditation is good for clarity of the mind, but works a little slower at the clarity of the heart."
This feeling of lightness overwhelmed her. Aoshi loved her! He actually said it out loud!
"You love me," she said to him, feeling amazed and happy and incredibly at peace with the world.
"Yes, I do," he said.
Smiling, he asked, "But the question is, do you love me?"
She looked at him thunderously, "Baka! That should be obvious by now. Of course I love you!"
Aoshi couldn't help himself, his grin became wider, "I'm glad."
"I'm glad?" Misao asked, "Is that all you can say?"
"What do you want me to say?" he asked teasingly.
Misao felt so light and giddy she felt like she was floating on air. Life was beautiful!
"It isn't something I want you to say…it's something I want you to do," she said suggestively.
Aoshi's eyebrows went up as she leaned over, putting her arms around his neck.
"What do you want me to do?" he whispered, as he inhaled her scent.
He was so close, she could see his eyes, how they darkened as they looked at her.
This was so unlike her. She was acting strange…maybe there was something in that tea she drank…but she didn't care, because she was so close to experiencing what she'd dreamt about so many time before.
"Kiss me, Aoshi," she whispered.
And like in her dreams, Aoshi's head came closer and closer, his lips a mere breath's width away from hers…
The screen doors slid open and the two jumped apart.
Something big, brown and fury came running towards them.
A wet tongue greeted them enthusiastically as it licked their faces, interrupted by an occasional "Wuff, arff!"
"I see you know this dog," Okina said from the doorway, then left.
Aoshi and Misao looked at each other, then at the dog.
Then they burst out laughing.
"He must've followed us home," Aoshi said, scratching behind the dog's ear.
"Can we keep him?" Misao asked, stroking the dog's body. The dog leaned against her.
"I don't see why we can't," Aoshi said, standing up. Misao stood up as well.
The dog spotted the tea tray and started to drink from Aoshi's cup.
Misao looked at the dog in concern, "Maybe I should take him to the kitchen and give him something to eat and some water to drink."
"You should. I don't think he should be drinking that tea," Aoshi said, picking up the tray. The dog looked up at him, but Aoshi shook his head, frowning.
"Aoshi-sama," Misao said, "maybe we should write Hiroko-chan and ask her where she bought that tea…"
Aoshi turned to look at her, seeing a definite sparkle in her eyes.
"Maybe we should."
"Kenshin?" Sano whispered, his eyes glued on the two figures sparring.
"Nani?" Kenshin whispered back, his eyes never leaving the two figures engaged in sword practice.
"She's good," Sano said.
"Very good," Kenshin said.
They'd arrived at the clearing, just about when Sayuri and Hiko had started the lesson.
"She's fast, too," Sano said, as he tried to follow the movements of the two.
If he hadn't been used to Kenshin's god-like speed, he wouldn't have been able to make out the individual moves of the two.
"She is," Kenshin agreed. He'd never thought he would see the technique again.
Sano frowned, "I don't recognize the style, though."
"It's called Kage no Odori Ryuu," Kenshin informed him. Shadow's Dance.
Sano looked at him in surprise, "You know it?"
"I've seen it before," Kenshin said, his eyes still on the two figures.
"It looks deadly," Sano commented.
"It is. Very deadly…belied by the fact that there is some grotesque beauty in the movements," Kenshin said, remembering the first time he'd seen the style.
He'd just started his role as an assassin. He'd received instructions to kill some important local businessman.
After he'd done the job, he and Iizuka walked back to the inn they'd been staying at through the dark back streets of Kyoto. They'd been empty and silent, lit by the glow of the pale moon.
Suddenly, something moved in the shadows. Kenshin turned towards the movement to see a figure slashing two men before they could even draw their swords or scream out for help.
The movements had been lightning quick, smooth and precise. Deadly.
Deadly and beautiful, he'd thought, as he remembered that night.
Kenshin had gotten into an opening stance, ready to draw his sword if the figured attacked them.
But Iizuka had chuckled and said, "Relax, kid, this is a friend, not a foe."
The figured turned, sheathed the sword and disappeared.
"What was that?" Kenshin had asked Iizuka.
The older man chuckled, "Impressed, are we? It's called the Kage no Odori Ryuu."
"Shadows Dance," he whispered.
"It's as deadly as your Hiten Mitsurugi."
"But more beautiful," Kenshin whispered, not quite understanding what he'd meant by his words.
But he understood now, as he watched Sayuri and Hiko go through the movements.
There was a graceful, flowing quality about the technique that made it look more like a dance. But a deadly dance. One should never forget the deadly.
Sayuri and Hiko, their backs to each other, swords pointed to the side, were breathing heavily as they came to a stop.
They turned to face each other, sheathing their swords in the process.
"You're good," Sayuri stated matter of fact.
Hiko was better than good, with his height and width giving him the advantage of strength. Not that it mattered with Kage no Odori. But it was still an advantage.
"So are you," Hiko countered.
Sayuri was better than good. Although she was considerably lighter than him, she had the distinct advantage of speed. Plus, she was accurate. Very accurate. Speed and precision. A deadly combination.
"I think it's time," she stated.
"For what?" Hiko asked, but he already knew the answer.
"The Seven Steps To Death," she replied calmly.
"That sounds deadly," Sano commented to Kenshin.
"It is. It's the succession technique," Kenshin replied.
"Someone's going to get killed," Sano said in a horrified voice.
"Won't it be interesting to find out who it'll be?" a voice asked
Kenshin and Sano turned to see Saitou, with a cigarette in his gloved hand and a smirk on his face.
To be continued…
I had to give Aoshi and Misao some closure in this chapter. I hope you like what I did with them…they're completely OOC but I hope that the it was fluffy enough for you…can anyone give me a suggestion for a cute doggie name?
This story's about three chapters away from ending…at least I think it's three chapters. And some things are going to happen…I'm so excited!!!
Until next time,
Lillienne
PS. Please visit my site if you haven't done that yet.