Author's Note: Well – here I am with another update…hopefully. I still can't get off my lazy ass to go write "Pools of Emptiness" or "Shattered Dreams" (which, by the way, is in desperate need of a new title). As I said earlier, all my so-called "inspiration" has been drained away for that particular fic, due to the poor quality of the last chapter I wrote. I think I will stick with this fic for a while – maybe after this fic, I can try and finish it. Okay – I WILL finish it…someday…

Disclaimer: Here's what you people are going to say: unique-purple-starfish doesn't own Rurouni Kenshin. Am I right? Well, that's what YOU think. Someday, somehow…I'm going to get my hands on a crap-load of cash, and then…then you'll see how wrong you are…


Chapter 2

The eerie silence was broken, surprisingly, by Aoshi. "Okina – a word, please…"

With that, Aoshi turned to leave, Okina gratefully scurrying after him. "See you later Misao!" he cried cheerfully over his shoulder.

Misao didn't seem to notice. Her mouth hung slightly open, and the chopstick she had thrown at Okina lay forgotten on the floor next to her foot. She stood there, until finally, a fly buzzed deafeningly around her head and attempted to land in her mouth.

She swatted it away. Stupid fly…

"Misao?" Okon asked nervously.

Misao shook her head. "Yeah?"

"Ah…yes…um…we need you to run an errand for us at the market. Will you go?"

"Sure, sure…what do you want me to get?"

Omasu handed her a list. "Get everything on this list for us, okay? THANKS!"

They turned to leave.

"WAIT!" Misao stopped them.

Omasu looked questioningly at her. "Yes, Misao?"

"I-I didn't look really dumb in front of Aoshi-sama…did I?"

Omasu sniggered. "Er…well…ah…I don't know how to say this, but—"

Okon poked her. "Omasu is saying that you looked perfectly FINE, Misao."

Misao smiled. "Thanks, Okon."

Okon and Omasu looked at each other knowingly before slipping out of the room.


Okina and Aoshi stood in silence. It was a beautiful day – the sky was a deep blue, the air was light and breezy, and flies buzzed around lazily…

Okina blinked. Flies? He swatted one away from his ear. Oddly enough, the flies didn't seem to mind the swatting – they seemed to rather enjoy it. A fly landed on Okina's shoulder; again, he attempted to swat it away. However, he only managed to get the fly to fly around his head in a circle and then land on his shoulder again.

Clearing his throat, Okina broke the silence. "Soooooooo…." Okina waited.

"…"

"Soooooo…"

"…"

"Er…the weather's nice out, eh, Aoshi? I don't know where these flies came from, though."

"…"

"I knew you would agree…anyways, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

The silence was deafening. Okina began making patterns in dirt. OOOOOOHHH!!! This is actually kind of fun! I wonder if this can actually be considered an art. Okina studied his pattern. This one does certainly resembled a lady's—

"Okina…" Thankfully, Aoshi broke the silence before Okina could finish his thought.

"Yes, Aoshi?"

"I have…a proposition."

"Oh? And what might that be for?"

"For the good of the Oniwabanshu," Aoshi replied. And for my reputation…

Okina looked concerned. "Is anything wrong?"

"Do you remember, Okina, that there will be a red moon tomorrow night?"

Okina sniggered. HA! Aoshi still believes in that 'lady in red' thing! OH…wait till I tell Omasu and the others!!! That's hilariously funny…I wonder if he still believes in the tooth fairy…or Santa Claus…

"Well?" Aoshi asked impatiently (for once).

"Do you still believe in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy?" Okina asked. He hadn't actually meant to voice those words – they just…came out.

Aoshi raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Okina struggled to look innocent. "Nothing, nothing…but…Aoshi…I think I know what this is about."

Aoshi paused for a moment. "You do?"

Okina nodded. "Does this happen to concern…the 'lady in red' legend? Are you embarrassed about that little 'hallucination' you saw when you were a young boy? Don't be embarrassed yet! Wait till I tell the others! THEN you can be embarrassed." Okina smiled gleefully. He loved blackmailing people.

Glaring, Aoshi said, "It wasn't a 'hallucination'! I really saw her!"

A fly landed on Okina's other shoulder. He attempted to bat it away (alas, to no avail), and said, "Oh sure, Aoshi…I can just imagine it! Little weeny Aoshi seeing purty red fairies…oooohhhh…this is BIG news!! Omasu and Okon are going to DIE laughing!! Thank you SO much for reminding me of this incident!"

Aoshi lost his composure. The horrible memories of those 'times' (cheek-pinching, declarations of how 'cute' he was, etc.) came flashing back to him at an alarming rate. This flood of memories was too much for him. "But you CAN'T!!"

Okina stopped trying to brush the fly off his shoulder, and smiled. "Oh? And why can't I?"

"You're going to make the whole Oniwabanshu look like a joke. If this gets out…"

Okina's smile widened. "Do continue…"

"…" Aoshi glared.

"Aoshi, let me share a pearl of wisdom with you. To be popular with the ladies, don't mention your…hallucination…to them. Seeing fairies is a big turn-off…but…I think it doesn't matter if you tell them or not, does it? They're going to find out anyways (through ME)!!"

"…"

Okina sighed. "It certainly DOES feel good to be in control…" He sat down on a bench, as another fly landed on his knee. "What is up with all these FLIES!?" The poor fly – it never saw it coming. Okina's hand came down too fast for it to fly away in time, and this resulted in it becoming a disgusting mass of black…stuff…stuck on the palm of Okina's hand.

"Do you want to hear my proposition?" Aoshi asked abruptly.

Okina stopped trying to remove the disgusting black…stuff…for a moment to consider. He nodded slowly. "Okay, then. What is it?"

"Stay out tomorrow night with me, and I'll prove to you that the lady in red DOES exist. You'll see her! You'll ALL see!"

Okina burst out laughing. "I don't believe it! You're still convinced that she exists! Oh JEEZ!! This is GREAT!!"

Aoshi sighed. Apparently, this is NOT going to work…


Misao was at the market. A fly landed on her sleeve. She swung at it, managing to kill it. However, this was definitely not a good thing. You wouldn't think so either if your hand was covered in nasty, black…stuff. Disgusting.

Wandering up to a display of rather ugly fabrics, Misao checked around to see if anyone was looking—and there wasn't. She quickly wiped the black…stuff…on the fabric, and she stood back to admire the effect. Not bad, actually. This actually kind of fits with the theme.

With that, she continued walking.

She wondered why she had agreed to this errand as she neared the butcher shop. Misao always hated going to market – and for one reason only. That reason was a big reason—or horrible reason. It was—

"Misao, MY LOVE!!!" the butcher boy cried. "You have come all this way to see ME!! OH!! This makes me so happy!"

"Er…sure…"

"Oh, do you really mean it, Misao?" The butcher boy eyed her hopefully.

"Um…I have to go. BYE!" She ran.


The butcher boy was content. He was sitting on a stool and waving to girls (who, oddly enough, seemed to be repelled by the very sight of him), and he would yell, "NICE COCONUTS!!" at them. He didn't understand WHY they were repelled by him.

His father had once told him that yelling "NICE COCONUTS!!" was a sure way to get girls.

However, he didn't care much about THOSE girls anyways. He was content—not because girls were repelled by him—but because he had gotten a glimpse of Misao that day.

The butcher boy was always referred to as 'the butcher boy.' Of course, he did have a real name, but no one ever bothered to find out. Sometimes, even his mother would mess it up. When he came home, his mother would kiss him, and say, "Oh Aaoshi!!! Or was it Aooshi? Er…oh well! I love you SO much!!"

The butcher boy glared, as he picked at his pimples. His own name reminded him of another person—the person who was (keyword) rumored to be Misao's crush—Aoshi Shinomori.

He studied his reflection in a pan. Aoshi Shinomori wasn't THAT good-looking, was he? No, I'm MUCH better looking…


The girl in red was excited – and a little nervous.

Tomorrow night would be her big night – she would unite two lovers together! They were so perfect for each other.

Who would have thought a someone so loud and happy would go with someone who was quiet and stoic?

She sighed. She could just picture the two together: The girl, with her long braid blowing in the wind, together with that hot guy with icy blue eyes. That girl Misao is so perfect for that hot guy…erm…what was his name? I think it was Aaoshi or Aooshi or something like that…

The girl shrugged. It didn't really matter how she pronounced the name—did it?


A/N: So…this chapter was…pointless. But, that's okay, right? RIGHT?! I'm really sorry. It sucks. I know it does. But bear with me! Something will happen soon! This chapter DID have something important in it though…let's hope you caught it. You DID catch it, right? RIGHT?! This chapter contained some little hints as to why the pronunciation mistakes were made during the spell. I hope that gave you a big enough hint. So you see? This chapter wasn't completely pointless! It had a point! Now, it's time for you to a) review, b) review, and c) review!!! YAY!!!

Thanks to all who reviewed last time!