A.N.: Well, for once I don't have much to say, but THANK YA! to all my
great reviewers. Ya'll are too kind. great big smile. I figured I outta
update, sense it's been a little while. Now, I have the 5th and 6th
chapters all written out on paper...but between the final weeks of school and
work...and now I've taken an Inu Yasha fic upon myself...well, it may be a
couple of weeks between updates sometimes. Gomen nasi....
So now, lets get on with the story, shan't we??
DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin is NOT mine. There ya go, simply stated.
Warped Reality: Chapter 4
For a few seconds, Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru/Megumi stood frozen speechless in shock, staring into space.
A low moan from Sanosuke jerked them back. Yahiko immediately ran to his side, with Kaoru/Megumi close behind. Kenshin shifted his really-pissed- off/worried gaze, but stood fixated to the spot.
"Sano! Sano! Are you alright?" Yahiko babbled.
"Sanosuke!" Kaoru/Megumi kneeled beside Sano and gently rolled him over. "Can you hear me? Can you move at all?"
Sano's face held a look that was somewhere between rage and pain. "I'm fine, dammit! I'm fine! Get your hands off me!" He shook his arm, and then added as an afterthought, "Ouch...."
"Are you sure you're alright? You looked kinda...dead." Yahiko kneeled down on the opposite side of Kaoru/Megumi.
Sano propped himself up on his elbow. Coughing, a small drip of blood escaped the corner of his mouth. "I...I just got the wind knocked outta me...that's all. It's a little hard to breath now, though."
"You'll recover," Kaoru/Megumi said quickly, examining Sano's painful looking ankle. The wound wasn't deep...he should be able to walk on that.
"More, importantly Sano, is what happened? Sand, did you catch up with Kaoru?" Yahiko sounded worried.
Sano stared into space above Yahiko's shoulder. "That's just it! I know WHAT happened, but not WHY. That kid...that annoying little bastard came out of the alley." (Here, Kaoru/Megumi, Yahiko and Kenshin turned to look.) "He said he was looking for 'Megumi-san' but he was going after Kaoru...that's who that was, right? When I tried to stop him...he...he took off."
Sano clenched his teeth, holding back tears. "I couldn't stop him...I couldn't see him...DAMN! The—the next thing I knew, I couldn't breath. I—I backed out. Dammit, he took her!" He slammed his fists into the ground, creating s few cracks in it, and continued to mentally blame himself.
"Who...who was it? What kid?" Yahiko whispered. He didn't know why he was whispering, but he was.
"The Shukuchi," Kenshin growled.
"The what?" Kaoru/Megumi asked.
"Seta Soujirou, the Tenken," Kenshin explained. He himself didn't understand it, not at all. Soujirou was... he had become a rurouni, after leaving his mentor, and insane overlord, Makoto Shishio. He shouldn't have...what could he possibly want with Megumi? For the love of Kami-sama, he didn't even KNOW her!
"Only the Tenken could've created those tracks," Kenshin muttered to no one in particular, gazing hatefully over at the ditches.
Yahiko blinked excitedly. 'Seta Soujirou...he was one of the Juppongatana...one of Makoto Shishio's highest men. Why was he here now, attacking...us!" he fumed silently.
Sano tried to sit up, got dizzy, but he fought the urge to lie down. Now wasn't the time for that. They had to find Megumi/Kaoru, for Kenshin's sake. Sano wasn't positive, but he thought he saw Kenshin's eyes flicker, just once. That wasn't a good sign.
Kaoru/Megumi stared at the ground, but was really looking through it. Just as Sano blamed himself, she blamed herself.
Kenshin, without another word, began following the trail left by Soujirou. He was positive that someone else had hired the boy. Soujirou himself would have no reason, no motive to hurt Megumi-san, or Kaoru, who he really kidnapped.
"Kaoru..." Kenshin whispered.
"Hey Kenshin!" Yahiko yelled, running to catch up. "You're not going anywhere without us!" Kaoru/Megumi traveled slowly, ghostly behind him. As soon as Sanosuke reached his feet, he also followed, ignoring his many aching wounds.
"We'll get her back, Kenshin," Sano did his best to comfort, wiping the blood of his face. He frowned disdainfully; his entire jacket was smudged and stained with blood and dirt.
"I know that Sano, that I do." He kept his voice low, quiet, so as not to betray the growing anger, hurt, and now fear deep within his heart. In there, he hated himself more than Soujirou, in the ultimate of blaming one's self. Meanwhile, he was attempting to formulate a plan within his head. If...when he found Kaoru, her kidnapper...and her kidnapper's master, he wasn't sure what he would do.
But he knew he would find them, by following these tracks as far as he could. Maybe by then, he would have decided....
The trail kept going, and going, and going. And so they walked, and walked and walked. And walked....BLAH! (A.N.: I HATE writing 'the journey' parts of stories. So, here's the point: They walked. And somehow, the tracks lead them past the Tokyo Train Station. Of course... :P)
Sano limped at first, but soon most of the pain subsided. Or, maybe he just wasn't paying attention to it anymore.
Yahiko, whom Megumi was certain would pass out from walking all night and begin complaining, strode straight ahead, never falling back from Kenshin's side. Kaoru/Megumi was rather impressed, because she herself was beyond tired.
She took a second to breath, resting her hands on her knees and slowly inhaling. Sano and Yahiko kept trudging on ahead, but Kenshin paused, swiveling around in place without hesitation.
"Megumi-san. WHY are you stopping?" he asked calmly. On the outside, he seemed calm, placid, in control. But there was this kind of cloud, an aura that surrounded him, revealing that he was on the edge, ready at a moment's notice to draw his sakabatou and attack. You could tell by the way he stood, by the way he walked, by the way his left hand was never far from his sword.
"I'm sorry to seem so insistent, Megumi-san, but we have absolutely NO time to waste." Kenshin turned stiffly, gaze falling down to the tracks. They had shrunk to only about an inch deep, half that wide. At times, they were damned near impossible to see. Any interference at all, and them may disappear.
"Ken-san," Kaoru/Megumi murmured.
Kenshin turned back around to face her. A steady stream of harsh words were ready to come pouring out, but Kenshin didn't have the heart to unleash them. Though his eyes were all narrowed and Hitokiri-looking, he couldn't bring himself to flat-out absolutely blame Megumi. That was impossible to do, since he blamed himself.
He sighed instead. "Megumi-san...."
There was a sharp tug on Kenshin's ponytail, and he felt himself being drug backwards. "Oroooo?"
"C'mon, Kenshin," Sanosuke grumbled. "No baka, we need to keep creating motion instead of standing here like a bunch of ninnies. Right, Yahiko?"
"Yeah! We've got to catch that Juppongatana boy and get Kaoru back, remember?" Yahiko added.
Kenshin, still being drug by his hair, crossed his arms and laughed coldly, "Ada, Yahiko, I assure you, no one remembers that better than this one. We will need----OOORRRROOOOOO?!"
"HEY!" Sanosuke, who was paying diddley squat attention to where he was going, tripped and fell flat on his face, dragging Kenshin with him. Yahiko, who was also not paying attention, tripped over Kenshin's sprawled form and rolled a few feet.
Kaoru/Megumi ran to catch up. "Are you alright?"
"Ugh...Sano...." Kenshin grumbled, lying on the hard dirt with his eyes closed.
"That was embarrassing," Yahiko muttered, brushing the rocks and dust out of his hair.
"I'LL say it was," a voice said, sounding greatly amused. Sano looked up into the shadow above him and made out the image of a tall man carrying a small girl.
The one who had spoken was the girl. Though her voice sounded more serious...lower then Sanosuke remembered.
"Misao-chan?" he mused.
The small girl LEPT out of the man's grasp, flipped over and landed right on Sano's chest, which knocked the wind out of him, again. She pushed her nose up into his face.
"What did you say?! Misao-chan?! Misao? Chan? Are you people really that ignorant?" Aoshi/Misao yelled.
The man, who appeared to be Aoshi, giggled. "Ada, Aoshi-sama, did you REALLY expect them to know?" He leaned down, and looked at poor, flattened Kenshin. "Himura! Glad to see you're as oro-y as usual!"
''Himura', coming from Shinomori Aoshi? Misao's not... Misao?' Kaoru/Megumi was trying to add things up in her head. 'And Aoshi is...SMILING?! And LAUGHING??"
"Something's wrong here," she said aloud.
"No, really? Go figure! I'm glad someone here has a brain! I'll tell you, I've never---"
Aoshi/Misao promptly picked up Misao/Aoshi as Sano lay on the ground all spiral-eyed.
"Pardon him. He's just a little touchy," Aoshi/Misao laughed.
"Misao-chan, PUT ME DOWN!"
"Will you cut it with the '-chan'? I'm taller than you now, and you know it." Aoshi/Misao set 'him' down on the roadway. 'She turned 'her' gaze to Kenshin, still lying prone on the ground. "So, Himura, is everything normal with you? I told ya I'd come to visit, even if it is on such short notice."
"Aoshi?" Kenshin asked, bewildered. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Battousai, "Misao/Aoshi snorted.
Kenshin got all big eyed. "ORO?"
Aoshi/Misao stopped grinning for a moment. "Gomen nasi, it's been a very long trip, and he's not so thrilled with this whole 'switch' thing, so...."
"'Switch' thing?" Kaoru/Megumi echoed.
"Oh, goody, I wasn't sure how to tell you, but since you asked, great!" Aoshi/Misao clapper her hands together. "You see, we're in need of your assistance. Perhaps one of your doctor friends could help us. As Aoshi before put it:
'Oh, please help me extract myself from Aoshi-sama and put him back
together from me as well.'
"Wait," Kenshin pointed one hand up in the air at 'her', even though he was till flat on his back. "You mean, you are telling this one that you are Misao inside Aoshi, and that Aoshi is Misao?"
Aoshi/Misao shrugged. "Yeah, that's about it. I know it's hard to believe, but...."
"We really aren't crazy," Misao/Aoshi finished.
"Whoa, boy." Kenshin sat up quickly as Sano made it to his feet, glaring at Misao/Aoshi, and Yahiko just stood up.
"Iai, sadly, it's not hard to believe at all. Misao...Aoshi. Both of you. You see, the sad part is, is that we know exactly what you are talking about, all too well," Kaoru/Megumi said, looking at the dirt.
"Nani?" Misao/Aoshi choked.
"Hai, indeed we do," Kenshin dusted off his back. "You may think it odd that we aren't calling you insane right now, but the truth is, we are facing the same predicament."
"But, Himura, you seem normal enough,"
"It's not me...it was Kaoru Koishii, and Megumi-san," he pointed. "Here, my friends, is Megumi."
Now, Misao/Aoshi let out an even bigger, "NANI?"
'Whoa, this is easier than I thought....' Aoshi/Misao thought. 'But...something bothers me. They know what we're talking about, but....'
"Then, why are they still switched?" she blurted.
Misao/Aoshi spoke before any of them could answer. "Obviously, they don't know how to undo the switch. Perhaps, you should be focusing on other questions, Misao, like 'Sanosuke, why are you covered in blood?'"
Misao felt incomparably stupid. Poor Sano. She realized that she should have noticed that something was wrong.
"G-gomen nasi," she stammered, looking down, (which seemed like an odd reaction for an 'Aoshi.')
"Misao-chan," Kenshin said gently. "This one understands, that you did not notice, considering that your life is a little confused right now. But, it is indeed true that we are in a time of crisis. Kaoru is...was..." he stuttered, his eyes flashing for a moment.
"Kaoru was taken AGAIN!" Yahiko blurted. "And we're on a mission to find her!"
Kenshin sighed, "Hai, Yahiko." He looked at Aoshi/Misao. "But this time it was a case of mistaken identity. There were truly after Megumi-san."
Aoshi/Misao got these great big eyes as Misao/Aoshi nodded curtly.
"So...?" Aoshi/Misao began.
"This one has a theory. That is all." Kenshin waved his hand. "But, it is best that we discuss these matters in private."
Aoshi/Misao giggled. "Ada, Himura, you seem so serious!"
---A quick glare from Kenshin shut her up---
They were able to get a room in the smaller town next to the Fuji Mountains. (A.N.: Okay, don't stake me... I don't know any nearby towns, and I don't now the Mt. Range's name. suppose a little research might help. But, in other words, they're in the mountain range by a certain psycho's base....hint, hint.)
The hostess bowed, rose from her knees and left with the group's dishes. Kenshin got up and slid the door shut as smoothly as possible. "Now, we need to clarify a few things...."
"Yeah," Sano muttered. "Like...why are we all sharing the same room? Eh, Kitsune-san?" Sano batted his eyelashes as he scooted closer to Kaoru/Megumi, getting in her face.
"Get off it, you baka Rooster head!!!" Kaoru/Megumi, slapping him upside the face, "Hentaiiiiiiiiiii!"
Sano fell backwards, landing hard on his elbows. "NANI? Nothing hot for poor little me from this corner? Okay...let's see..." he turned his gaze to Misao/Aoshi, and gave a pure hentai grin.
"Sagara, if that puny rooster brain of yours even thinks of saying anything, I will personally grant you with the gift of what it feels like to have two kodachi stuck up your ass," Misao/Aoshi said coldly, crossing his arms.
Aoshi/Misao giggled. Sano blinked, getting one of those tiny-eyed, no nosed, smiley expressions.
"Shutting up," Sano stuttered, bowing.
Kenshin kicked off his sandals, came over and kicked Sano as hard as he could in the ass. Sano flipped end-over-end into Misao/Aoshi.
"I SAID...!!!"Misao/Aoshi began.
"Aoshi-san, calm down. Sano...just grow up," Kenshin muttered. "We all have something to discuss."
"Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah...." Sano was all swirly-eyed.
Yahiko got off the floor and came up behind him, giving him a good shake. Still shaking Sano, he asked, "So, Kenshin, what now? Did you sense anything?"
Kenshin sat down and drew little circles in the wood floor. "Hai...but it is only a theory."
"Tell us, Battousai," Misao/Aoshi prodded.
"Well, as you know, Kaoru, appearing to be Megumi-san was kidnapped. For now, I'm having trouble figuring out why."
"Why?" Sano asked, rubbing his cheek.
"Because, Seta Soujirou, the culprit, wouldn't have any reason to attack Megumi. He would have had to been hired to do so."
"Shukuchi?" Misao/Aoshi asked. Kenshin nodded; he wasn't surprise that a fighter as experienced as Aoshi would have heard of the boy Tenken.
"But who hired him?" Yahiko asked.
"There, this one is at a total loss, that I am." Kenshin turned to Kaoru/Megumi. "Megumi-san, is there anyone, ANYONE out there that would hate you so much as to hire Soujirou the Tenken after you?"
"Iai, none that I can think of."
"Now, there's a surprise," Sano coughed jokingly.
"Well, think harder," Kenshin said, ignoring Sano. "But, next and more importantly, is my theory. This one believes that the personality-switches are connected to Kaoru's disappearance."
"Nani? Why the heck do you think that?" Yahiko demanded.
It's just a feeling, that it is. I first noticed the disturbance when I woke up yesterday. I noticed that Kaoru's...Megumi's chi was different, but the feeling soon melted away, and so I thought nothing of it. But then, when the real Kaoru showed up, both chi's were messed up.
"That makes sense, but what does that have to do with Kaoru's disappearance?" Aoshi/Misao asked.
"Not much, I'm afraid. But then, when this one found you two, he felt the same disturbance. But the bigger thing is...that the longer we follow this trail, the stronger the feeling becomes."
"So? That just means you're sensing Kaoru again," Sano suggested.
"No, I don't think so. See, it's the same kind of feeling, only more energized. More vibrant. Stronger. Like it's not from a human...but from something more like...like...a machine."
"A machine?" Kaoru/Megumi mused.
"Could it be, that the disturbance you're feeling now is the cause of all the strange happening lately, per say, the switches?" Misao/Aoshi asked.
"Indeed, it is possible. That is my theory," Kenshin muttered. "I beginning to feel vibes from it, whatever it is, when it works. I believe that if we find the source and demolish it—"
"We'd be put back together!!" Aoshi/Misao cheered, pumping a fist into the air. "You're smarter than you look. Himura!"
"Gee...thanks," Kenshin sighed.
"Tomorrow we better hurry, then," Sanosuke said, lying down.
"Hai...." Yahiko yawned.
As Misao/Aoshi blew out the lantern, he asked, "So, Battousai, do you always feel this presence?"
"Dame, dame. Shikashi, it comes in waves. Like, oh, right now," Kenshin answered as a clap of thunder sounded and the rain started pouring.
"Strange, this weather."
"Hai."
A.N.: Okay, that's it for this chappie. It may have seemed a little 'blah- y' but the info was all-important. Before you ask, the strange weather is also connected to the 'machine sent' thing. Don't worry. It'll all come together in time. Sighs and rubs sore fingers
Well, it's getting late, and I gotta go. I'll update whenever I get the chance, I promise!
Oh! And the next chappie is about what's going on with Kaoru. You won't want to miss it!
Chao!
GCN anime dragon
So now, lets get on with the story, shan't we??
DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin is NOT mine. There ya go, simply stated.
Warped Reality: Chapter 4
For a few seconds, Kenshin, Yahiko, and Kaoru/Megumi stood frozen speechless in shock, staring into space.
A low moan from Sanosuke jerked them back. Yahiko immediately ran to his side, with Kaoru/Megumi close behind. Kenshin shifted his really-pissed- off/worried gaze, but stood fixated to the spot.
"Sano! Sano! Are you alright?" Yahiko babbled.
"Sanosuke!" Kaoru/Megumi kneeled beside Sano and gently rolled him over. "Can you hear me? Can you move at all?"
Sano's face held a look that was somewhere between rage and pain. "I'm fine, dammit! I'm fine! Get your hands off me!" He shook his arm, and then added as an afterthought, "Ouch...."
"Are you sure you're alright? You looked kinda...dead." Yahiko kneeled down on the opposite side of Kaoru/Megumi.
Sano propped himself up on his elbow. Coughing, a small drip of blood escaped the corner of his mouth. "I...I just got the wind knocked outta me...that's all. It's a little hard to breath now, though."
"You'll recover," Kaoru/Megumi said quickly, examining Sano's painful looking ankle. The wound wasn't deep...he should be able to walk on that.
"More, importantly Sano, is what happened? Sand, did you catch up with Kaoru?" Yahiko sounded worried.
Sano stared into space above Yahiko's shoulder. "That's just it! I know WHAT happened, but not WHY. That kid...that annoying little bastard came out of the alley." (Here, Kaoru/Megumi, Yahiko and Kenshin turned to look.) "He said he was looking for 'Megumi-san' but he was going after Kaoru...that's who that was, right? When I tried to stop him...he...he took off."
Sano clenched his teeth, holding back tears. "I couldn't stop him...I couldn't see him...DAMN! The—the next thing I knew, I couldn't breath. I—I backed out. Dammit, he took her!" He slammed his fists into the ground, creating s few cracks in it, and continued to mentally blame himself.
"Who...who was it? What kid?" Yahiko whispered. He didn't know why he was whispering, but he was.
"The Shukuchi," Kenshin growled.
"The what?" Kaoru/Megumi asked.
"Seta Soujirou, the Tenken," Kenshin explained. He himself didn't understand it, not at all. Soujirou was... he had become a rurouni, after leaving his mentor, and insane overlord, Makoto Shishio. He shouldn't have...what could he possibly want with Megumi? For the love of Kami-sama, he didn't even KNOW her!
"Only the Tenken could've created those tracks," Kenshin muttered to no one in particular, gazing hatefully over at the ditches.
Yahiko blinked excitedly. 'Seta Soujirou...he was one of the Juppongatana...one of Makoto Shishio's highest men. Why was he here now, attacking...us!" he fumed silently.
Sano tried to sit up, got dizzy, but he fought the urge to lie down. Now wasn't the time for that. They had to find Megumi/Kaoru, for Kenshin's sake. Sano wasn't positive, but he thought he saw Kenshin's eyes flicker, just once. That wasn't a good sign.
Kaoru/Megumi stared at the ground, but was really looking through it. Just as Sano blamed himself, she blamed herself.
Kenshin, without another word, began following the trail left by Soujirou. He was positive that someone else had hired the boy. Soujirou himself would have no reason, no motive to hurt Megumi-san, or Kaoru, who he really kidnapped.
"Kaoru..." Kenshin whispered.
"Hey Kenshin!" Yahiko yelled, running to catch up. "You're not going anywhere without us!" Kaoru/Megumi traveled slowly, ghostly behind him. As soon as Sanosuke reached his feet, he also followed, ignoring his many aching wounds.
"We'll get her back, Kenshin," Sano did his best to comfort, wiping the blood of his face. He frowned disdainfully; his entire jacket was smudged and stained with blood and dirt.
"I know that Sano, that I do." He kept his voice low, quiet, so as not to betray the growing anger, hurt, and now fear deep within his heart. In there, he hated himself more than Soujirou, in the ultimate of blaming one's self. Meanwhile, he was attempting to formulate a plan within his head. If...when he found Kaoru, her kidnapper...and her kidnapper's master, he wasn't sure what he would do.
But he knew he would find them, by following these tracks as far as he could. Maybe by then, he would have decided....
The trail kept going, and going, and going. And so they walked, and walked and walked. And walked....BLAH! (A.N.: I HATE writing 'the journey' parts of stories. So, here's the point: They walked. And somehow, the tracks lead them past the Tokyo Train Station. Of course... :P)
Sano limped at first, but soon most of the pain subsided. Or, maybe he just wasn't paying attention to it anymore.
Yahiko, whom Megumi was certain would pass out from walking all night and begin complaining, strode straight ahead, never falling back from Kenshin's side. Kaoru/Megumi was rather impressed, because she herself was beyond tired.
She took a second to breath, resting her hands on her knees and slowly inhaling. Sano and Yahiko kept trudging on ahead, but Kenshin paused, swiveling around in place without hesitation.
"Megumi-san. WHY are you stopping?" he asked calmly. On the outside, he seemed calm, placid, in control. But there was this kind of cloud, an aura that surrounded him, revealing that he was on the edge, ready at a moment's notice to draw his sakabatou and attack. You could tell by the way he stood, by the way he walked, by the way his left hand was never far from his sword.
"I'm sorry to seem so insistent, Megumi-san, but we have absolutely NO time to waste." Kenshin turned stiffly, gaze falling down to the tracks. They had shrunk to only about an inch deep, half that wide. At times, they were damned near impossible to see. Any interference at all, and them may disappear.
"Ken-san," Kaoru/Megumi murmured.
Kenshin turned back around to face her. A steady stream of harsh words were ready to come pouring out, but Kenshin didn't have the heart to unleash them. Though his eyes were all narrowed and Hitokiri-looking, he couldn't bring himself to flat-out absolutely blame Megumi. That was impossible to do, since he blamed himself.
He sighed instead. "Megumi-san...."
There was a sharp tug on Kenshin's ponytail, and he felt himself being drug backwards. "Oroooo?"
"C'mon, Kenshin," Sanosuke grumbled. "No baka, we need to keep creating motion instead of standing here like a bunch of ninnies. Right, Yahiko?"
"Yeah! We've got to catch that Juppongatana boy and get Kaoru back, remember?" Yahiko added.
Kenshin, still being drug by his hair, crossed his arms and laughed coldly, "Ada, Yahiko, I assure you, no one remembers that better than this one. We will need----OOORRRROOOOOO?!"
"HEY!" Sanosuke, who was paying diddley squat attention to where he was going, tripped and fell flat on his face, dragging Kenshin with him. Yahiko, who was also not paying attention, tripped over Kenshin's sprawled form and rolled a few feet.
Kaoru/Megumi ran to catch up. "Are you alright?"
"Ugh...Sano...." Kenshin grumbled, lying on the hard dirt with his eyes closed.
"That was embarrassing," Yahiko muttered, brushing the rocks and dust out of his hair.
"I'LL say it was," a voice said, sounding greatly amused. Sano looked up into the shadow above him and made out the image of a tall man carrying a small girl.
The one who had spoken was the girl. Though her voice sounded more serious...lower then Sanosuke remembered.
"Misao-chan?" he mused.
The small girl LEPT out of the man's grasp, flipped over and landed right on Sano's chest, which knocked the wind out of him, again. She pushed her nose up into his face.
"What did you say?! Misao-chan?! Misao? Chan? Are you people really that ignorant?" Aoshi/Misao yelled.
The man, who appeared to be Aoshi, giggled. "Ada, Aoshi-sama, did you REALLY expect them to know?" He leaned down, and looked at poor, flattened Kenshin. "Himura! Glad to see you're as oro-y as usual!"
''Himura', coming from Shinomori Aoshi? Misao's not... Misao?' Kaoru/Megumi was trying to add things up in her head. 'And Aoshi is...SMILING?! And LAUGHING??"
"Something's wrong here," she said aloud.
"No, really? Go figure! I'm glad someone here has a brain! I'll tell you, I've never---"
Aoshi/Misao promptly picked up Misao/Aoshi as Sano lay on the ground all spiral-eyed.
"Pardon him. He's just a little touchy," Aoshi/Misao laughed.
"Misao-chan, PUT ME DOWN!"
"Will you cut it with the '-chan'? I'm taller than you now, and you know it." Aoshi/Misao set 'him' down on the roadway. 'She turned 'her' gaze to Kenshin, still lying prone on the ground. "So, Himura, is everything normal with you? I told ya I'd come to visit, even if it is on such short notice."
"Aoshi?" Kenshin asked, bewildered. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Battousai, "Misao/Aoshi snorted.
Kenshin got all big eyed. "ORO?"
Aoshi/Misao stopped grinning for a moment. "Gomen nasi, it's been a very long trip, and he's not so thrilled with this whole 'switch' thing, so...."
"'Switch' thing?" Kaoru/Megumi echoed.
"Oh, goody, I wasn't sure how to tell you, but since you asked, great!" Aoshi/Misao clapper her hands together. "You see, we're in need of your assistance. Perhaps one of your doctor friends could help us. As Aoshi before put it:
'Oh, please help me extract myself from Aoshi-sama and put him back
together from me as well.'
"Wait," Kenshin pointed one hand up in the air at 'her', even though he was till flat on his back. "You mean, you are telling this one that you are Misao inside Aoshi, and that Aoshi is Misao?"
Aoshi/Misao shrugged. "Yeah, that's about it. I know it's hard to believe, but...."
"We really aren't crazy," Misao/Aoshi finished.
"Whoa, boy." Kenshin sat up quickly as Sano made it to his feet, glaring at Misao/Aoshi, and Yahiko just stood up.
"Iai, sadly, it's not hard to believe at all. Misao...Aoshi. Both of you. You see, the sad part is, is that we know exactly what you are talking about, all too well," Kaoru/Megumi said, looking at the dirt.
"Nani?" Misao/Aoshi choked.
"Hai, indeed we do," Kenshin dusted off his back. "You may think it odd that we aren't calling you insane right now, but the truth is, we are facing the same predicament."
"But, Himura, you seem normal enough,"
"It's not me...it was Kaoru Koishii, and Megumi-san," he pointed. "Here, my friends, is Megumi."
Now, Misao/Aoshi let out an even bigger, "NANI?"
'Whoa, this is easier than I thought....' Aoshi/Misao thought. 'But...something bothers me. They know what we're talking about, but....'
"Then, why are they still switched?" she blurted.
Misao/Aoshi spoke before any of them could answer. "Obviously, they don't know how to undo the switch. Perhaps, you should be focusing on other questions, Misao, like 'Sanosuke, why are you covered in blood?'"
Misao felt incomparably stupid. Poor Sano. She realized that she should have noticed that something was wrong.
"G-gomen nasi," she stammered, looking down, (which seemed like an odd reaction for an 'Aoshi.')
"Misao-chan," Kenshin said gently. "This one understands, that you did not notice, considering that your life is a little confused right now. But, it is indeed true that we are in a time of crisis. Kaoru is...was..." he stuttered, his eyes flashing for a moment.
"Kaoru was taken AGAIN!" Yahiko blurted. "And we're on a mission to find her!"
Kenshin sighed, "Hai, Yahiko." He looked at Aoshi/Misao. "But this time it was a case of mistaken identity. There were truly after Megumi-san."
Aoshi/Misao got these great big eyes as Misao/Aoshi nodded curtly.
"So...?" Aoshi/Misao began.
"This one has a theory. That is all." Kenshin waved his hand. "But, it is best that we discuss these matters in private."
Aoshi/Misao giggled. "Ada, Himura, you seem so serious!"
---A quick glare from Kenshin shut her up---
They were able to get a room in the smaller town next to the Fuji Mountains. (A.N.: Okay, don't stake me... I don't know any nearby towns, and I don't now the Mt. Range's name. suppose a little research might help. But, in other words, they're in the mountain range by a certain psycho's base....hint, hint.)
The hostess bowed, rose from her knees and left with the group's dishes. Kenshin got up and slid the door shut as smoothly as possible. "Now, we need to clarify a few things...."
"Yeah," Sano muttered. "Like...why are we all sharing the same room? Eh, Kitsune-san?" Sano batted his eyelashes as he scooted closer to Kaoru/Megumi, getting in her face.
"Get off it, you baka Rooster head!!!" Kaoru/Megumi, slapping him upside the face, "Hentaiiiiiiiiiii!"
Sano fell backwards, landing hard on his elbows. "NANI? Nothing hot for poor little me from this corner? Okay...let's see..." he turned his gaze to Misao/Aoshi, and gave a pure hentai grin.
"Sagara, if that puny rooster brain of yours even thinks of saying anything, I will personally grant you with the gift of what it feels like to have two kodachi stuck up your ass," Misao/Aoshi said coldly, crossing his arms.
Aoshi/Misao giggled. Sano blinked, getting one of those tiny-eyed, no nosed, smiley expressions.
"Shutting up," Sano stuttered, bowing.
Kenshin kicked off his sandals, came over and kicked Sano as hard as he could in the ass. Sano flipped end-over-end into Misao/Aoshi.
"I SAID...!!!"Misao/Aoshi began.
"Aoshi-san, calm down. Sano...just grow up," Kenshin muttered. "We all have something to discuss."
"Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah...." Sano was all swirly-eyed.
Yahiko got off the floor and came up behind him, giving him a good shake. Still shaking Sano, he asked, "So, Kenshin, what now? Did you sense anything?"
Kenshin sat down and drew little circles in the wood floor. "Hai...but it is only a theory."
"Tell us, Battousai," Misao/Aoshi prodded.
"Well, as you know, Kaoru, appearing to be Megumi-san was kidnapped. For now, I'm having trouble figuring out why."
"Why?" Sano asked, rubbing his cheek.
"Because, Seta Soujirou, the culprit, wouldn't have any reason to attack Megumi. He would have had to been hired to do so."
"Shukuchi?" Misao/Aoshi asked. Kenshin nodded; he wasn't surprise that a fighter as experienced as Aoshi would have heard of the boy Tenken.
"But who hired him?" Yahiko asked.
"There, this one is at a total loss, that I am." Kenshin turned to Kaoru/Megumi. "Megumi-san, is there anyone, ANYONE out there that would hate you so much as to hire Soujirou the Tenken after you?"
"Iai, none that I can think of."
"Now, there's a surprise," Sano coughed jokingly.
"Well, think harder," Kenshin said, ignoring Sano. "But, next and more importantly, is my theory. This one believes that the personality-switches are connected to Kaoru's disappearance."
"Nani? Why the heck do you think that?" Yahiko demanded.
It's just a feeling, that it is. I first noticed the disturbance when I woke up yesterday. I noticed that Kaoru's...Megumi's chi was different, but the feeling soon melted away, and so I thought nothing of it. But then, when the real Kaoru showed up, both chi's were messed up.
"That makes sense, but what does that have to do with Kaoru's disappearance?" Aoshi/Misao asked.
"Not much, I'm afraid. But then, when this one found you two, he felt the same disturbance. But the bigger thing is...that the longer we follow this trail, the stronger the feeling becomes."
"So? That just means you're sensing Kaoru again," Sano suggested.
"No, I don't think so. See, it's the same kind of feeling, only more energized. More vibrant. Stronger. Like it's not from a human...but from something more like...like...a machine."
"A machine?" Kaoru/Megumi mused.
"Could it be, that the disturbance you're feeling now is the cause of all the strange happening lately, per say, the switches?" Misao/Aoshi asked.
"Indeed, it is possible. That is my theory," Kenshin muttered. "I beginning to feel vibes from it, whatever it is, when it works. I believe that if we find the source and demolish it—"
"We'd be put back together!!" Aoshi/Misao cheered, pumping a fist into the air. "You're smarter than you look. Himura!"
"Gee...thanks," Kenshin sighed.
"Tomorrow we better hurry, then," Sanosuke said, lying down.
"Hai...." Yahiko yawned.
As Misao/Aoshi blew out the lantern, he asked, "So, Battousai, do you always feel this presence?"
"Dame, dame. Shikashi, it comes in waves. Like, oh, right now," Kenshin answered as a clap of thunder sounded and the rain started pouring.
"Strange, this weather."
"Hai."
A.N.: Okay, that's it for this chappie. It may have seemed a little 'blah- y' but the info was all-important. Before you ask, the strange weather is also connected to the 'machine sent' thing. Don't worry. It'll all come together in time. Sighs and rubs sore fingers
Well, it's getting late, and I gotta go. I'll update whenever I get the chance, I promise!
Oh! And the next chappie is about what's going on with Kaoru. You won't want to miss it!
Chao!
GCN anime dragon