Chapter 10
If I Should Die Before I Wake.
Disclaimer: You get the gist, I own nuttin'
A.N: It is a miserable rainy day as I begin writing this, and I feel rather cold and depressed so hopefully it should be good! Angst is good for the soul!
~*~*~
'Run, run away,' Misao's inner child cried out. 'Run back to Kyoto, run back to the Aoiya and run to the backyard and climb the tree there. And when Aoshi-sama finds you in that tree tell him it was another girl standing before him today, that you've never been to Tokyo before. Run, please!'
But, Misao could not. He stared at her behind his bangs, looking her up and down, taking in inventory of what she wore; how she held herself and how far she had fallen. So this is what the deer felt like before it got run over by that Mac truck. Frozen and hypnotized.
Saitou spoke, Misao listened but she didn't really hear.
"It seems that they have information that we want and it seems we have information that they want. And considered that that bakayarou over there has ties with both of our parties-"
"What do you mean Sano has ties with both of us?" Kaoru piped in.
"It means that he works for both Saitou and our organization, Kamiya-san." The redhead explained, with a hint of sadness and betrayal lingering in his voice. Kaoru remained speechless but look up at the now quiet Sano, her large blue eyes asking for some denial of this statement.
"I'm sorry jou-chan," Sano merely replied, shame glistening within his eyes. Saitou cleared his throat to regain everyone's attention,
"So since we have the same goals we have decided to make a temporary alliance."
"Join forces you mean?" Megumi said looking up.
"Exactly what I mean," Saitou replied. "Of course I see no reason for objections to this idea?"
It took Misao a moment to absorb everything that was being said, but she soon understood what was going on. 'Run away,' the little girl said, and a rage built within Misao, why should she feel shame and guilt for a life she was forced into?
"Never," Misao said very softly, everyone's attention turning towards her, "There is no way in hell I am EVER working with him," Her voice growing more and more as she looked at the quiet man in the corner. Saitou raised an amused eyebrow at her,
"And pray tell, itachi, why ever not?" He asked. But before she could answer, the last Okashira of the Oniwabanshu spoke,
"I would prefer if Makimachi-san would not be involved in this matter," An animalistic fury exploded within Misao. Her paces were long and quick as she strode in her once beloved guardian's direction.
"HOW DARE YOU! How dare you come back here, and tell me what I can be involved or not! You gave up that right a long time ago Aoshi-sama!" She screamed, 'Run away, Run away' was still being chanted in her head. Misao turned to Saitou,
"There is no way in heaven or hell I will ever work this deserting, traitorous, pompous asshole!" She screamed again, chest heaving up and down. Saitou was calmed and very composed, his face holding a very serious expression.
"Fine, if you feel that strongly about it Makimachi, then you're out," This is what it felt when the Mac truck hit the deer, "You are off of the team and out of the mission. Your services will not be needed from now on." Misao felt her world crumble around her, and began to retaliate,
"Fine," She said with a cocky snarl, "Forget this, and forget all of you! You want me out? Fine I'm gone! Screw all of you!" She grabbed her bag and headed toward the door.
"Misao wait!" Kaoru called after, but she didn't hear. She walked out throw the corridor, over throwing a chair and some tools with a crash and a scream. She slammed the door behind her.
The air was cool and it looked like it was about to rain. Misao stopped when her feet hit the sidewalk, looked up at the sky, took a deep breath and began to run.
~*~*~
Back in the garage all was quiet after the door slammed. Sano was the first to speak,
"Christ Saitou! She's just a kid, you didn't have to be so harsh!" Saitou lit another cigarette,
"There is no room on this team for members who will have issues with obeying orders. We might not all like each other but we have to be able to work together." He said indifferently walking away, puffing on his cigarette.
Kaoru had slumped in a chair, trying to put together what just happened, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. Kenshin stood beside Sano silently as the tall mechanic muttered his disapproval of the wolf's decision.
Meanwhile, Megumi had approached the man who risked his life to save hers so many years ago.
"Shinomori-san," She asked softly.
"Yes, Dr.Takani?" The solemn man replied, not looking at her.
"That wasn't just about what happened last night was it?" Aoshi looked at her, his face as stoic as ever. He turned away and began to speak,
"Do remember the little girl that Hannya and the others would always tell you about?" She nodded with a small smile, "That was her." Megumi felt like crying. She had overheard them talking about her so often. That little girl so full of life and mischief, who was now stealing to survive and was just shot the previous night,
"Dear god," She never realized how much Misao had lost, "Have you read all her files yet?"
"Some," Shinomori replied.
"Then you better read them all."
~*~*~
Misao had run thirty-six blocks, non-stop, back to her apartment. She had never run that fast for so long, not to mention she had had only 3 hours of sleep and was injured. When finally arriving to her apartment, she ripped it apart, screaming and sobbing uncontrollably. She tore up everything in sight. She couldn't stop, she couldn't think. Her screams and tears were that of the most basic animal instinct.
She ran into the bed room, over turning her computer and clawing down her blinds. She pulled away the false wall and pulled out the stale, torn cardboard box. She threw its contents across the room, breaking her mother's old perfume bottle in a flurry of glass and gold liquid. She cried even harder than humanly possible, so much so that she couldn't breathe.
Her hands had finally found what she had been looking for. The scarf. HIS scarf. She would rip it to shreds with her bare hands. But before she could, she had to run to the bathroom and vomit. She hadn't eaten in the past twenty-four hours so all she coughed up was stomach bile. The scarf was still in her hands. When she finally stopped heaving, Misao crawled into the shower and clutched the scarf close to her chest. Her sobs sub- sided to hiccups, until her tears dried. Her hands still held the scarf over her heart as her body curled up away from the cold, moldy tiles.
Misao couldn't recall how long she sat that way, but when she finally got up it was already night.
She looked at the chaos all around her and found she was surprisingly numb to it. All of her arm throbbed and eyes burned and she was thirsty, but not for water. At times of high stress Makimachi Misao was a borderline alcoholic, but with a life like hers how could you blame her?
It was cold out, she put on her jacket and without even thinking about it she wrapped the scarf, still clutched in hands, around her neck. It was beyond comforting and beyond heart wrenching. The smell of her mother's stale perfume clung to it; she remembered her mother's eyes and smile. Her father's musky sweat hung off it; she remembered her father's neck, shoulders and mustache. Then the warmth of the scarf, it brought to mind a quiet man's hands and hug.
'Isn't it funny how we only remember pieces of people?' She thought to herself. Misao made her way out on to the street into the fuzzy buzz of lights, cracks of guns and wails of sirens. She was home, for around her neck was her home and she carried it with her wherever she went.
~*~*~
The garage was dark, except for two lights one glowing bright in the office and one hovering above a car. Kenshin crouched besides the car, idly chatting to Sano, as Sano himself worked on the underside of the car.
'It seems that all is forgiven,' Aoshi thought to himself as he observed his two cohorts from the office above.
'At least someone's sins are absolved; I doubt mine will be pardoned so easily.'
Shinomori Aoshi had taken on the strenuous task of reacquainting himself to the life of the girl he had loved so dear. But, luckily for him, Dr. Takani had taken a fascination with her and collected all information possible on Makimachi Misao.
Aoshi had never had such a difficult time starting something; it was like reading a tragic tale of a character you held dear, but you already knew the ending was going to be an unhappy one.
He began to read,
Report cards, news clippings, hospital files, psychological reports and police records.
But, it didn't really fill in the gaps. He needed to know what happened to Misao herself. And there was only one man who could help him with that,
But the question was would he?
~*~*~
Misao climbed down the stairs, into the hole, that was the name of the bar "The Hole". She walked past the long lineup of young juvenile delinquents and walked straight past the bouncer as he lifted the velvet rope for her.
"Koneko-san" The burly joked as he let her in. Misao smiled, 'The hole, where everyone knows your alias' This was the place she would meet bugsy and the place you want to go to when you want to get involved in some illegal street racing. In underground parking lot of the joint bikes were lined up like soldiers. Inside their masters would arrange battles of pride, money, fame, who had the nicest hair, you name it they would race for it. They were nearly the scum of the earth, but they still accepted and occasionally revered Misao.
For a time Misao would go there nightly, where her life's insecurities would melt away. Where instead of the people leaving her the dust, she would leave them with the kick of the throttle. They would heave her above their shoulders and let her drink herself stupid even though most of them thought she was no older than sixteen.
But, then the place became, as its name suggested, a hole. Sucking her constantly in, it was so easy to forget in this place, and Misao wanted to forget everything all the time. She wanted to forget now. This is what brought her back.
The moment she descended down the stairs into the darkness, she felt as if she was re-entering the womb, everything was muffled and loud, warm and dark, with lots of liquid nutrition to be found all around. They had got a new DJ, the other was shot in the back alleys for sleeping with some mob guy's girl. But, everyone forgot that and danced on. When some stranger grabbed her hand and took her into the hearth of the mass of dancers, Misao felt the sensation of being loved. The kind of love that a boa constrictor had for the baby lamb it was snapping in half in its coils. It loved the lamb because of what the little thing could give it. This place knew what Misao could give it.
She danced around, spinning and twirl, hugging and holding. Misao liked feeling she was apart of someone, instead alone within herself with only her demons for solace. But soon her fun turned to a terrible downer as she noticed two groups of people that Misao definitely did not want to see. On one end of the club was her old racing rival and his entourage, on the other Bugsy's old crew. And if they spotted her she would be in a whole lot of trouble. Misao disappeared off the racing scene undefeated and pissed off everyone who wanted to over throw her undisputed title and Bugsy's crew was pissed for obvious reasons.
"OI ISN'T THAT THE KURONEKO!?" Misao sighed and grimaced. It looked like she was going to drink alone tonight.
"HEY YOU GET BACK HERE!" Misao heard several out cries like this as she slipped into the bathroom and out the window, an act that made her shoulder scream out in agony.
She went to a liquor store and procured herself the filthiest drink she could find, gin. If the queen mother could drink it straight everyday for the majority of her life then Misao too could have it entertain her for the night.
Alone in the cold she sat on a bench overlooking the ocean and drank from a bottle concealed in a brown paper bag.
She felt like trash.
But of course, when in Rome.
~*~*~
The grounds were beautiful without a doubt. The huge old oak trees, the fountains and highly kept gardens. One could forget this was a private hospital.
Aoshi now had a vague inkling why Misao had taken up thieving as a career choice.
It was to pay for the care of Kishiwajaki Nenji, her Okina, her Jiya, the only one she had left.
Although Aoshi had looked at Misao's files he had failed to even think of looking at Okina's.
Maybe the old man could shed a little light on the mystery that had developed in his absence.
The stoic man asked a young nurse at the front desk at the placement of his former master, she seemed to get excited seeing a young attractive man, but grimaced when Aoshi dropped Okina's name,
"That old pervert would be outside near the pond, and tell Misao that if she doesn't tell that man to keep his hands to himself she'll have to find another home to put him in!"
Shinomori felt a twinge of sadness for the sweet little girl that used to be. He wished she would always be carefree but it seemed that all she got was the demands of others. Aoshi made his way to the grand oak over shadowing the pond, the bench and the old but not lifeless man. Right on cue, without needing to turn around, Okina knew who was coming,
"Well of all people I would expect to visit an old man such as myself, Shinomori Aoshi," He turned around a peered up at the cold figure standing over him, "I thought you were dead or at least had the sense to leave the country, I was obviously wrong. Please have a seat." Aoshi did as he was told.
"I never expected to see you again to be honest. So, what did I do for the honour of this visit?" Jiya said in a biting and mocking tone. Aoshi didn't flinch,
"I'm here to talk to you about Misao-"
"HA! Misao, after all the things you put that girl through I'm surprised you even remember her, for you have acted as though you were completely ignorant of her feelings. I don't know what she would do if she could see you right now-"
"She already has." His cold voice interrupted him. Okina looked toward the unchanged face of his former pupil in shock, and then buried his weary head into his hands.
"My poor Misao-chan, just when I thought we were getting back on our feet, this happens,"
"Okina, how could you allow her to get involved with all of this?" Sharp eyes glared at the icey man.
"How dare you," Okina said with a snarl, "How dare you come here and judge me and Misao after you completely cut yourself out of our lives!" The former master's hands squeezed his cane, "You insolent, selfish, bastard. Just because you watched them die doesn't mean you have the right to abandon the people who really need you." Aoshi looked unmoved but at the mention of his fallen comrades his heart turned to stone.
"Tell me what happened to her,"
"You have no right to know." Okina said staring out at the green depths of the pond.
"I need to know. please." Okina sighed and smiled bitterly,
"Alright then, since you asked nicely I'll tell you."
~*~*~
It was pitch black out, but Misao had stayed sitting in the cold on that hard bench. The drunker she got the more she stewed and became embittered about the days events. The more she sat alone the more sorrow she felt weigh on her heart. Rage and pain mixed together and when every dropped was drained from the bottle Misao screamed out her turmoil and threw the bottle into the darkness of the sea.
Her shoulder began to flare in pain again and she stumbled back to the bench. She was cold, she was alone, she was exhausted. And then she crumbled into a mass of sobs and tears. Then through the darkness and emptiness of the night a voice rang out.
"Misao, why are you crying?" Misao's sobs instantaneously subsided. She knew that voice, she knew it almost painfully well. She turned to face the darkness and smiled bitterly, wiping away tears with her dirty sleeve. She sniffled a little and warm arms encircled her frail body. She rested her head on his shoulder and asked him laughingly,
"How come you always come across me when I'm a complete wreak Soujirou- kun?"
TBC
~*~*~
Well folks! Another semi-cliffhanger for you! I really wanted to get the entire Misao story done in this chapter but realized I was pushing it. Yeah I know this chapter was pretty angsty and boring but hey! I gotta build plot here. The next chapter I make no promises of being anymore exciting, but the one after it there'll be definite but kicking. I warn you before you get your hopes up that I've become a little alienated to the fanfiction world and may not be producing anything for a while. But, I don't think I'll bail out on either of my stories, I put to much into them to leave them halfassed.
So merry Christmas to some and happy Hanukah to others! I'll just wish you all a happy holidays and a happy new year!
And since it's the season of giving why don't you give a review? It's great writer's incentive!
'Til Next Time
P.S I just realized that I've been writing until next time with a hyphen after not before til. I'm bright one aren't I ?
If I Should Die Before I Wake.
Disclaimer: You get the gist, I own nuttin'
A.N: It is a miserable rainy day as I begin writing this, and I feel rather cold and depressed so hopefully it should be good! Angst is good for the soul!
~*~*~
'Run, run away,' Misao's inner child cried out. 'Run back to Kyoto, run back to the Aoiya and run to the backyard and climb the tree there. And when Aoshi-sama finds you in that tree tell him it was another girl standing before him today, that you've never been to Tokyo before. Run, please!'
But, Misao could not. He stared at her behind his bangs, looking her up and down, taking in inventory of what she wore; how she held herself and how far she had fallen. So this is what the deer felt like before it got run over by that Mac truck. Frozen and hypnotized.
Saitou spoke, Misao listened but she didn't really hear.
"It seems that they have information that we want and it seems we have information that they want. And considered that that bakayarou over there has ties with both of our parties-"
"What do you mean Sano has ties with both of us?" Kaoru piped in.
"It means that he works for both Saitou and our organization, Kamiya-san." The redhead explained, with a hint of sadness and betrayal lingering in his voice. Kaoru remained speechless but look up at the now quiet Sano, her large blue eyes asking for some denial of this statement.
"I'm sorry jou-chan," Sano merely replied, shame glistening within his eyes. Saitou cleared his throat to regain everyone's attention,
"So since we have the same goals we have decided to make a temporary alliance."
"Join forces you mean?" Megumi said looking up.
"Exactly what I mean," Saitou replied. "Of course I see no reason for objections to this idea?"
It took Misao a moment to absorb everything that was being said, but she soon understood what was going on. 'Run away,' the little girl said, and a rage built within Misao, why should she feel shame and guilt for a life she was forced into?
"Never," Misao said very softly, everyone's attention turning towards her, "There is no way in hell I am EVER working with him," Her voice growing more and more as she looked at the quiet man in the corner. Saitou raised an amused eyebrow at her,
"And pray tell, itachi, why ever not?" He asked. But before she could answer, the last Okashira of the Oniwabanshu spoke,
"I would prefer if Makimachi-san would not be involved in this matter," An animalistic fury exploded within Misao. Her paces were long and quick as she strode in her once beloved guardian's direction.
"HOW DARE YOU! How dare you come back here, and tell me what I can be involved or not! You gave up that right a long time ago Aoshi-sama!" She screamed, 'Run away, Run away' was still being chanted in her head. Misao turned to Saitou,
"There is no way in heaven or hell I will ever work this deserting, traitorous, pompous asshole!" She screamed again, chest heaving up and down. Saitou was calmed and very composed, his face holding a very serious expression.
"Fine, if you feel that strongly about it Makimachi, then you're out," This is what it felt when the Mac truck hit the deer, "You are off of the team and out of the mission. Your services will not be needed from now on." Misao felt her world crumble around her, and began to retaliate,
"Fine," She said with a cocky snarl, "Forget this, and forget all of you! You want me out? Fine I'm gone! Screw all of you!" She grabbed her bag and headed toward the door.
"Misao wait!" Kaoru called after, but she didn't hear. She walked out throw the corridor, over throwing a chair and some tools with a crash and a scream. She slammed the door behind her.
The air was cool and it looked like it was about to rain. Misao stopped when her feet hit the sidewalk, looked up at the sky, took a deep breath and began to run.
~*~*~
Back in the garage all was quiet after the door slammed. Sano was the first to speak,
"Christ Saitou! She's just a kid, you didn't have to be so harsh!" Saitou lit another cigarette,
"There is no room on this team for members who will have issues with obeying orders. We might not all like each other but we have to be able to work together." He said indifferently walking away, puffing on his cigarette.
Kaoru had slumped in a chair, trying to put together what just happened, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. Kenshin stood beside Sano silently as the tall mechanic muttered his disapproval of the wolf's decision.
Meanwhile, Megumi had approached the man who risked his life to save hers so many years ago.
"Shinomori-san," She asked softly.
"Yes, Dr.Takani?" The solemn man replied, not looking at her.
"That wasn't just about what happened last night was it?" Aoshi looked at her, his face as stoic as ever. He turned away and began to speak,
"Do remember the little girl that Hannya and the others would always tell you about?" She nodded with a small smile, "That was her." Megumi felt like crying. She had overheard them talking about her so often. That little girl so full of life and mischief, who was now stealing to survive and was just shot the previous night,
"Dear god," She never realized how much Misao had lost, "Have you read all her files yet?"
"Some," Shinomori replied.
"Then you better read them all."
~*~*~
Misao had run thirty-six blocks, non-stop, back to her apartment. She had never run that fast for so long, not to mention she had had only 3 hours of sleep and was injured. When finally arriving to her apartment, she ripped it apart, screaming and sobbing uncontrollably. She tore up everything in sight. She couldn't stop, she couldn't think. Her screams and tears were that of the most basic animal instinct.
She ran into the bed room, over turning her computer and clawing down her blinds. She pulled away the false wall and pulled out the stale, torn cardboard box. She threw its contents across the room, breaking her mother's old perfume bottle in a flurry of glass and gold liquid. She cried even harder than humanly possible, so much so that she couldn't breathe.
Her hands had finally found what she had been looking for. The scarf. HIS scarf. She would rip it to shreds with her bare hands. But before she could, she had to run to the bathroom and vomit. She hadn't eaten in the past twenty-four hours so all she coughed up was stomach bile. The scarf was still in her hands. When she finally stopped heaving, Misao crawled into the shower and clutched the scarf close to her chest. Her sobs sub- sided to hiccups, until her tears dried. Her hands still held the scarf over her heart as her body curled up away from the cold, moldy tiles.
Misao couldn't recall how long she sat that way, but when she finally got up it was already night.
She looked at the chaos all around her and found she was surprisingly numb to it. All of her arm throbbed and eyes burned and she was thirsty, but not for water. At times of high stress Makimachi Misao was a borderline alcoholic, but with a life like hers how could you blame her?
It was cold out, she put on her jacket and without even thinking about it she wrapped the scarf, still clutched in hands, around her neck. It was beyond comforting and beyond heart wrenching. The smell of her mother's stale perfume clung to it; she remembered her mother's eyes and smile. Her father's musky sweat hung off it; she remembered her father's neck, shoulders and mustache. Then the warmth of the scarf, it brought to mind a quiet man's hands and hug.
'Isn't it funny how we only remember pieces of people?' She thought to herself. Misao made her way out on to the street into the fuzzy buzz of lights, cracks of guns and wails of sirens. She was home, for around her neck was her home and she carried it with her wherever she went.
~*~*~
The garage was dark, except for two lights one glowing bright in the office and one hovering above a car. Kenshin crouched besides the car, idly chatting to Sano, as Sano himself worked on the underside of the car.
'It seems that all is forgiven,' Aoshi thought to himself as he observed his two cohorts from the office above.
'At least someone's sins are absolved; I doubt mine will be pardoned so easily.'
Shinomori Aoshi had taken on the strenuous task of reacquainting himself to the life of the girl he had loved so dear. But, luckily for him, Dr. Takani had taken a fascination with her and collected all information possible on Makimachi Misao.
Aoshi had never had such a difficult time starting something; it was like reading a tragic tale of a character you held dear, but you already knew the ending was going to be an unhappy one.
He began to read,
Report cards, news clippings, hospital files, psychological reports and police records.
But, it didn't really fill in the gaps. He needed to know what happened to Misao herself. And there was only one man who could help him with that,
But the question was would he?
~*~*~
Misao climbed down the stairs, into the hole, that was the name of the bar "The Hole". She walked past the long lineup of young juvenile delinquents and walked straight past the bouncer as he lifted the velvet rope for her.
"Koneko-san" The burly joked as he let her in. Misao smiled, 'The hole, where everyone knows your alias' This was the place she would meet bugsy and the place you want to go to when you want to get involved in some illegal street racing. In underground parking lot of the joint bikes were lined up like soldiers. Inside their masters would arrange battles of pride, money, fame, who had the nicest hair, you name it they would race for it. They were nearly the scum of the earth, but they still accepted and occasionally revered Misao.
For a time Misao would go there nightly, where her life's insecurities would melt away. Where instead of the people leaving her the dust, she would leave them with the kick of the throttle. They would heave her above their shoulders and let her drink herself stupid even though most of them thought she was no older than sixteen.
But, then the place became, as its name suggested, a hole. Sucking her constantly in, it was so easy to forget in this place, and Misao wanted to forget everything all the time. She wanted to forget now. This is what brought her back.
The moment she descended down the stairs into the darkness, she felt as if she was re-entering the womb, everything was muffled and loud, warm and dark, with lots of liquid nutrition to be found all around. They had got a new DJ, the other was shot in the back alleys for sleeping with some mob guy's girl. But, everyone forgot that and danced on. When some stranger grabbed her hand and took her into the hearth of the mass of dancers, Misao felt the sensation of being loved. The kind of love that a boa constrictor had for the baby lamb it was snapping in half in its coils. It loved the lamb because of what the little thing could give it. This place knew what Misao could give it.
She danced around, spinning and twirl, hugging and holding. Misao liked feeling she was apart of someone, instead alone within herself with only her demons for solace. But soon her fun turned to a terrible downer as she noticed two groups of people that Misao definitely did not want to see. On one end of the club was her old racing rival and his entourage, on the other Bugsy's old crew. And if they spotted her she would be in a whole lot of trouble. Misao disappeared off the racing scene undefeated and pissed off everyone who wanted to over throw her undisputed title and Bugsy's crew was pissed for obvious reasons.
"OI ISN'T THAT THE KURONEKO!?" Misao sighed and grimaced. It looked like she was going to drink alone tonight.
"HEY YOU GET BACK HERE!" Misao heard several out cries like this as she slipped into the bathroom and out the window, an act that made her shoulder scream out in agony.
She went to a liquor store and procured herself the filthiest drink she could find, gin. If the queen mother could drink it straight everyday for the majority of her life then Misao too could have it entertain her for the night.
Alone in the cold she sat on a bench overlooking the ocean and drank from a bottle concealed in a brown paper bag.
She felt like trash.
But of course, when in Rome.
~*~*~
The grounds were beautiful without a doubt. The huge old oak trees, the fountains and highly kept gardens. One could forget this was a private hospital.
Aoshi now had a vague inkling why Misao had taken up thieving as a career choice.
It was to pay for the care of Kishiwajaki Nenji, her Okina, her Jiya, the only one she had left.
Although Aoshi had looked at Misao's files he had failed to even think of looking at Okina's.
Maybe the old man could shed a little light on the mystery that had developed in his absence.
The stoic man asked a young nurse at the front desk at the placement of his former master, she seemed to get excited seeing a young attractive man, but grimaced when Aoshi dropped Okina's name,
"That old pervert would be outside near the pond, and tell Misao that if she doesn't tell that man to keep his hands to himself she'll have to find another home to put him in!"
Shinomori felt a twinge of sadness for the sweet little girl that used to be. He wished she would always be carefree but it seemed that all she got was the demands of others. Aoshi made his way to the grand oak over shadowing the pond, the bench and the old but not lifeless man. Right on cue, without needing to turn around, Okina knew who was coming,
"Well of all people I would expect to visit an old man such as myself, Shinomori Aoshi," He turned around a peered up at the cold figure standing over him, "I thought you were dead or at least had the sense to leave the country, I was obviously wrong. Please have a seat." Aoshi did as he was told.
"I never expected to see you again to be honest. So, what did I do for the honour of this visit?" Jiya said in a biting and mocking tone. Aoshi didn't flinch,
"I'm here to talk to you about Misao-"
"HA! Misao, after all the things you put that girl through I'm surprised you even remember her, for you have acted as though you were completely ignorant of her feelings. I don't know what she would do if she could see you right now-"
"She already has." His cold voice interrupted him. Okina looked toward the unchanged face of his former pupil in shock, and then buried his weary head into his hands.
"My poor Misao-chan, just when I thought we were getting back on our feet, this happens,"
"Okina, how could you allow her to get involved with all of this?" Sharp eyes glared at the icey man.
"How dare you," Okina said with a snarl, "How dare you come here and judge me and Misao after you completely cut yourself out of our lives!" The former master's hands squeezed his cane, "You insolent, selfish, bastard. Just because you watched them die doesn't mean you have the right to abandon the people who really need you." Aoshi looked unmoved but at the mention of his fallen comrades his heart turned to stone.
"Tell me what happened to her,"
"You have no right to know." Okina said staring out at the green depths of the pond.
"I need to know. please." Okina sighed and smiled bitterly,
"Alright then, since you asked nicely I'll tell you."
~*~*~
It was pitch black out, but Misao had stayed sitting in the cold on that hard bench. The drunker she got the more she stewed and became embittered about the days events. The more she sat alone the more sorrow she felt weigh on her heart. Rage and pain mixed together and when every dropped was drained from the bottle Misao screamed out her turmoil and threw the bottle into the darkness of the sea.
Her shoulder began to flare in pain again and she stumbled back to the bench. She was cold, she was alone, she was exhausted. And then she crumbled into a mass of sobs and tears. Then through the darkness and emptiness of the night a voice rang out.
"Misao, why are you crying?" Misao's sobs instantaneously subsided. She knew that voice, she knew it almost painfully well. She turned to face the darkness and smiled bitterly, wiping away tears with her dirty sleeve. She sniffled a little and warm arms encircled her frail body. She rested her head on his shoulder and asked him laughingly,
"How come you always come across me when I'm a complete wreak Soujirou- kun?"
TBC
~*~*~
Well folks! Another semi-cliffhanger for you! I really wanted to get the entire Misao story done in this chapter but realized I was pushing it. Yeah I know this chapter was pretty angsty and boring but hey! I gotta build plot here. The next chapter I make no promises of being anymore exciting, but the one after it there'll be definite but kicking. I warn you before you get your hopes up that I've become a little alienated to the fanfiction world and may not be producing anything for a while. But, I don't think I'll bail out on either of my stories, I put to much into them to leave them halfassed.
So merry Christmas to some and happy Hanukah to others! I'll just wish you all a happy holidays and a happy new year!
And since it's the season of giving why don't you give a review? It's great writer's incentive!
'Til Next Time
P.S I just realized that I've been writing until next time with a hyphen after not before til. I'm bright one aren't I ?