Disclaimer: Nope. Rurouni Kenshin isn't mine.
Fun Quote Time (top)
"It's my daily routine on days when it's not raining."
-Himura Kenshin
XXXXX
How would Sagara put it? Oh yeah, THIS SUCKED. Aoshi couldn't believe Okina was making him go up some stupid mountain for a stupid week with a stupid hermit who drank stupid sake because of some stupid bet. It was so -- STUPIDLY STUPID!!!
Misao stood beside him with a smile that rivaled Seta Soujiro's as he packed.
'Meditation robe . . . books . . . er . . . I'm gonna get bored so . . .' Aoshi quickly stuffed some extra pieces of paper. Hopefully, Misao didn't notice.
"Ready, Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked.
"Aa."
"WELL, I hope your both ready!" Okina said, a little TOO happy. Misao's smile instantly left her face.
"Yes Jiya," Misao replied mockingly. Aoshi just glared at him, rising to fix his sash (I'm not sure what the thing is called).
"Aa."
Suddenly Okon rushed in. "Aoshi-kun? (did I use that right?) Can you please tell Hiko-sama that I said 'hi'? Please? Oh! And give him this?" Okon said as she handed Aoshi a sake bottle.
"Aa."
"I'll walk you two out," Okina volunteered. Misao and Aoshi both glared at him this time. When they reached the gate of the Aoiya, Okina handed Misao a piece of paper. "Give this to Hiko when you arrive."
"Fine, sure. Bye Jiya."
"Goodbye Misao!"
x
Omasu sighed as she watched Misao, in her little ninja outfit, and Aoshi, in his black onmitsu suit depart.
"Kuro? Do you think this is a good idea?" she asked nervously.
"I'm not sure," he replied solemnly.
"I COULD USE SOME HELP IN HERE!!" Shiro yelled.
"Oh! Coming!"
x
Misao couldn't help but notice Aoshi's obvious anger as they reached the foothills of the mountain.
"I think we should hurry . . . Aoshi-sama . . . It'll get dark before we arrive . . ." Misao said, hastening her pace by a fraction.
Aoshi didn't reply, but followed.
X
"Um, Okina? What are you doing?" Okon asked.
Back at the Aoiya, Okina was rummaging through Aoshi's belongings.
"Oh, Okon! I, was, well, uh, um, you see . . ."
"Why are you looking through Aoshi-kun's things?"
"Well, uh, I did find some interesting things . . ."
"Ooh! I want to see!"
x
"We're almost there," Misao said, exhausted from the long hike.
'GOOD,' Aoshi thought. Even though he hated to admit it, Okina was right, he was out of shape. How long had it been since he trained? Or something . . .
"No one's here . . ." Misao said, breaking Aoshi from his thoughts. He looked around the small clearing. A small hut along wth a kiln.
'For his pottery,' Aoshi thought. Well duh.
"Eh? Who might you two be?" A deep, strong voice came up behind them.
"Um, hello," Misao greeted uneasily.
"Huh?" Hiko looked at Misao confused. "Oh wait. I remember you. You're that itachi."
'Kami-sama, he didn't just call Misao-'
"KANSATSU TOBIKUNAI!!!!" Misao screamed. Hiko disappeared, and suddenly reappeared behind them, between his hut and them.
"How polite," he remarked.
"So, what would the two of you need from me?"
"Uh, here," Misao grumbled, handing Hiko the note Okina gave her. Hiko raised his eyebrows but still took the note. He took a minute to read it over, then he reread it . . . and smirked.
"Huh . . . lost a bet, eh?" Misao groaned.
Hiko reverted his attention to Aoshi with eyes that seemed to laugh at him. Aoshi glared back.
"Did you read it?" Hiko asked Misao.
"No, not yet . . ." She replied.
"Here," Hiko handed Misao the paper. She skimmed over it . . .
"Jiya, is DEAD when I get back."
X
"Oh, excuse you, Okina!" said Omasu, "Your not coming down with anything are you?"
"No, no. I think Misao read the note."
"Note?"
x
"We have a problem," Hiko announced. "I only have one extra futon."
Misao frowned. Did that mean she and Aoshi would have to share? Wait . . .
"I don't mind sleeping outside," Aoshi said.
"Well, that solves it then," Hiko said, jugging some more of the sake that Okon sent him. "I suppose we can start the torture- I mean work- tomorrow." Misao groaned again, plopping down on her knew futon. She froze. It had just occurred to her. Himura had slept in this same futon when he was young. That thought was pretty cool. If she was going to work tomorrow, it would be better if she slept early. Besides, she was more tired than if Seta Soujiro Shikuchi'd around the world, and if she had learned right. The world, was BIG. But then again, Soujiro might've not been tired. She didn't know. She never saw the Shikuchi. Whatever.
Now that Misao was asleep, Aoshi decided to take the time to look around. After all, if he was going to be here for a week, he might as well know the area. He wandered around before coming across a cliff overlooking a giant water fall. He had to admit, it was very . . . scenic.
"You're not going to jump off are you?"
". . ." Aoshi scowled as he turned and locked eyes with Hiko.
He couldn't help but remember the first time he met him . . .
The three of them, the Battousai, Sagara, and himself had finally returned to the Aoiya. Attention was brought to Himura, everyone brought him "inside" for treatment. And Sagara's hand - it was messed up. Aoshi was left outside on a bench, staring at the stars.
"Aoshi-sama, I brought you some food and tea. I-I thought you'd be hungry," Misao said, placing a tray next to him. "I mean, you don't have to eat it, if you don't want to . . . Well, I have to go help out Himura." She hurried back "inside", but it really wasn't "inside" since the Aoiya was practically torn in half.
Aoshi held the tea cup in his hands, welcoming the warmth it brought before taking a sip. It had been a long time since he had tea.
"So, you're the one that itachi was waitng for."
Aoshi looked to his left to see a large, bulky man with a long white cloak. "'Itachi'?"
"Let's just say it's a nickname we've given her. She doesn't really like it though."
Aoshi sighed. He didn't care WHO that guy was, couln't he just him alone?
"That wound and tear across your shirt . . . that was from my baka deshi, wasn't it?"
"N-nani?" THIS was the 13th successor to the Hiten Mitsurugiryuu? The teacher that could even surpass Battosai? Well, at least at one point in time.
"Well?"
". . . Aa."
"Hmph. Well, I don't see what she sees in you. You seem to quiet for her, but then again, maybe I do . . ."
To this day, Aoshi still wasn't sure what he meant by that.
"Are you still any good with those?" Hiko asked, gesturing towards Aoshi's kodachi's.
"Why do you ask?"
"I thought we could spar sometime."
"Perhaps."
X
"Note? What note?"
Okina shifted a bit, eating his noodles. "Well, there's this note I gave to Misao to give to Hiko."
"And, what did the note say that could make her upset?"
Okina pretended to yawn. "Omasu, this old man is very tired. Perhaps we should continue this conversation tomorrow."
"Okay . . . Goodnight."
X
Misao grinned stupidly, this was one of the best dreams of her life, Aoshi got drunk and-
"Hey! Wake up!"
"Huh . . . ?"
"If you want to get those pots, you're going to half to wake up earlier than this!!!"
"Uuuunnnnnngggg . . ." Misao groaned. What time was it? Was the sun even up?
"Well? Get a move on?"
"Urg . . ." Was THIS what Himura was dealt with every morning? "What time is it?"
"That doesn't matter! You're going to be working all day anyway!"
"Fine . . . okay . . ."
'Open up you stupid eyelids!!!' Misao mentally screamed as she slowly rose.
Once outside, she looked around.
"Where's Aoshi-sama?" she asked.
"No idea. He was gone by the time even I woke up, and that's really early," Hiko responded.
"Oh, he's probably out meditating."
"Medi-what?"
X
Aoshi paused to hear the sounds around him - birds chirping, the occasional wind blowing through the trees, and the distant waterfall. He wasn't really accustomed to all the noises during meditation. It was usually completely silent, except for days when it was raining.
He heard something else. Something small had hopped up right in front of him. Aoshi cracked open one eye and saw a cute, fuzzy, rabbit staring strait at him. What was he supposed to do now?
'Maybe if I ignore it, it'll go away.'
Sure enough, the rabbit kept staring at him, like the way Misao looked at Hannya when they first met. She wouldn't stop gawking at his mask.
Maybe he could move to another spot.
Why? You were here first!
'I don't think the rabbit has any intention of leaving.'
So!? You can kick the thing off a cliff for all I care!
'That isn't nice . . .'
WHAT!? May I remind you . . . me, IT is a RABBIT. You used to EAT these things!
'I'm moving.'
That's so dumb! You idiot! Baka Aoshi! Baka Aoshi! Ahou! Moving for a rabbit! How sad!
'Shut up! I said I'm moving.'
Fine!
What if it follows you?
'. . .'
(A/N I'm not sure if there were rabbits in Japan at that time. I just thought this scene would be funny.)
x
And so Day 1 passed without much incident. Hiko made Misao do suspiciously easy chores the whole day, Misao taught Hiko what meditating was-he hated it, Aoshi came back from meditation with a cute, fuzzy, rabbit following him, and they all had a nice rabbit stew for dinner. Well, Aoshi didn't want any.
XXXXX
Fun Quote Time (bottom)
Now I will explain the reason behind the quote on top.
In episode 89, Misao's staying at the Kamiya Dojo when Omasu, Okon, and Aoshi come to pick her up. Kaoru decides the girls-Megumi included- should all go out shopping, and they leave Kenshin, Aoshi, Sanoske, and Yahiko at home.
Sanoske suspects that the girls are going to have a 'big feast without them' and he and Yahiko follow them, leaving Aoshi and Kenshin alone in the Dojo. They have they're promised tea, Kenshin joins Aoshi in meditating, gets stiff from sitting in the same position for too long, and Aoshi gives Kenshin foot massage. No, not with his hands.
Later on Aoshi spots Kenshin doing laundry, and I quote:
"Uh, what on Earth is this, Battousai?"
"What do you mean, Aoshi? This is the laundry, isn't that obvious?"
" . . . Do you normally do things like this, Battousai?"
"It's my daily routine on days when it's not raining."
"You're 'routine' . . ."
"I'm just a wanderer with no means of supporting myself, so I have to do what I can to help out. I do have to admit, I find this enjoyable."
"Oh . . ."
-OR If you prefer what the subtitles said-
"W-what are you doing, Battosai?"
"Why do you ask? It's just what it looks like, I'm doing laundry."
"Do you always do things like that?"
"This is my daily routine on days that it's not raining, that it is . . ."
"D-daily routine . . ."
"I am just a wander and a freeloader. I must do what I can. Besides, it's kind of fun, that it is."
". . ."
End quote.