Betrothed

Author's Worthless Commentary: If you have read Halloween and Meeting the Oniwabanshu, you already have a good clue of what this is about. However, this is more centered around Shinyo instead of Chikara. I hope you like it! R R please!

Disclaimes: I don't claim Rurouni Kenshin. That's a bit obvious because I'm such a dork I couldn't create something that cool.
Claimers: I do, however, own Chikara, Shinyo, Setsuna, and Amari. Hikari belongs to Kai-Himitsu (who's permission I do have to use her in this story) They are my characters in which I did create. Do not copyright them without my permission. (more details at http:www.toorikosu-dreams.

Betrothed-

Two young children were ushered into a small inn. They shoved around with each other, trying to evade thier mother's pushes. She swatted thier backsides and they bolted forward. The swat wasn't hard but it was necessary. The two had been giddy ever since they had gotten home from thier friend's home. The mother was exasperated. "Please... won't you listen to me?" she begged with the rascals. They barely glanced at her.

"Aren't you lucky that you have such behaved children?"

Hm?" Lady Setsuna stared over at her young maid, Amari. "Pardon?" she asked. Her voice was faraway, as though she had just come back from dreaming. Amari repeated herself and motioned toward the Shinomori twins. The first-born boy, Shinyo, was staring at a Go board. His opponent was busy contemplating his next move. CLACK! The white stone snapped on the 3-4 diagonal star point. Shinyo readily rebounded with his own black stone. CLACK! The second-born daughter, Chikara, was leafing through an old history book discarded by Han'nya. Her mouth opened slightly as though she was about to ask a question. Then her light brown eyebrows rose and her mouth closed. It was her way of saying she discovered the answer. Chikara didn't like to ask questions unless she couldn't figure it out herself. CLACK!

The proud mother nodded with a grand smile. "Yes," she said. It was obvious that she was proud. She was practically glowing with happiness. "They are very well-behaved children." At hearing thier call the two raised thier heads up at once. "Not according to Shikijou..." Shinyo began. "He says we are demon-seeds. Is that true mother? Are you a demon?" Chikara knocked her brother in the back of her head with her book. "Of course not. Mother is an angel." Setsuna chuckled softly. She ran her tanned hand through the silky chocolate tresses of her children. CLACK! They beamed up at her with those sparkling blue-green and brown eyes.

"Why are we here? How come Father wouldn't come?" Shinyo asked. He didn't mind asking questions. He tended to talk so much Chikara was beginning to think he was in love with his own voice. His mother, a beautiful woman for her condition. She had flowing chesnut brown hair. Luchious hazel-green eyes, one in which she was blind. She wore an expensive kimono of pink, lilac, and slate cross-stitching threads. Soft rose-colored silk was inside of the dress. The back was transparent to show off her bare back. She was gorgeous. CLACK! CLACK!

"Why, to meet your betrothed..." she said as though it was something they conversed over regularly. Shinyo's eyes widened. "Be...trothed?" His voice was wavery, uncertain. Setsuna ran her hand through his hair and scratched his scalp. Chikara studied her mother. Puzzlement was written clear on her face. Niether of them had heard of this before. "Hey kid, hurry up. You're wasting my time." said Shinyo's opponent. His voice was gruff and irritable. Shinyo pulled away from his mother and stared down at the bored. He needed to end this game quickly and get some answers from his mom.

CLACK. CLACK. CLACK. CLACK. CLACK.

"Pay up."

The old man's eyes widened. His furry brows were raised almost to the cieling. Three moves... He had been winning. But in just three moves... His fumbling fingers dug through his pocketbook and pulled out some coins. With a shaky hand he offered them over to the deserving winner. Shinyo barely even glanced at his hand. He took a fast look, quicker than a glance. In one split-second he took in the old man's shaky hand, his chipped nails, the peeling cuticles, the blue vein rising out of his transparent skin. Shinyo stood.

The young 11-year-old stared down at his opponent. He slipped his small, gentle hands into opposite sleeves of his slate-gray kimono. "I don't want your money." he said. He sounded just like his father... The old fellow stared up at him in shock. "But... you said. We made a deal. Now I'm going to hold up my end of the bargain." Shinyo flashed a grin. "I know we did. I made that high-stake bet so you would play your all. I knew you underestimated me so that's why I took such a risk. The higher the risk the more challenging the play." Shinyo explained.

Setsuna smiled. She knew her son would make a great husband one day. Shinyo stared over at his mother. "Betrothed? What do you mean?" he asked. Setsuna smiled at her son. "I want you to meet your fiancee. You know the tradition of Japanese families..." she said softly. Shinyo nodded slowly. He had an odd look of puzzlement on his face, as though he wasn't quite sure what to think of this. He was... to be engaged to some girl? Who was she? Was she somebody he already knew? Was she pretty? He blushed. According to old traditions, the oldest child in a family would be betrothed to someone close to the family in order to create peace, gain greater lands together, to stop a war, or anything else along those lines.

Chikara smirked. 'So, big brother is going to be engaged to some girl? She better be worthy of the Shinomori name or I won't allow it!' She watched her brother who was still staring up at thier mother. Chikara nodded to herself. She put up her father's font. He wasn't there so she would have to be the judge in his place. 'I won't let Father down!'

"Who is she?" Chikara asked. It was as though she was reading Shinyo's mind, instead of thinking the same exact thoughts. Setsuna patted her daughter's head, like she always did. The young shinobi swatted her hand away gently. "Mother..." she whined. She hated whining. She never whined. She just had to get her point across. Her eyes thinned into cat-eye slits as her mother scratched her scalp gently. "You will see her soon. What fun would it be to just tell you? It is a surprise after all." She smiled brillantly. Chikara sighed softly and gave up. Her mother would get away with it... this time. But she will find out! This chickadee better have some strength in her in the least.

"Lady Setsuna..." Amari's brow touched the floor. "I believe it is time, my lady." whispered the maid. Setsuna nodded. "Thank you." She stood and motioned for her children to follow. The two kids stood and filed into the next room obediantly. Setsuna rushed over to a man as fast as she could in her kimono without ripping it. She was welcomed into his strong, lean arms. She was smiled upon with his sincere smirk. It wasn't a smile... but a smirk that was so genuine it was close.

He could only look at her through one brown eye. His other eye was covered by long, onyx-colored bangs. Setsuna giggled and gave a light yank to the long, red ribbon around his forehead that hung down to his mid-back. He grinned at her. The ribbon slipped from her fingers and dropped away. Her digits closed around the brown and gray material of his jacket. "It's excellent to see you again." she said. He gave a brief nod, agreeing silently.

Chikara studied the man with suspicious eyes under furrowed brows. He wore complete black besides that gray-brown coat. Was he an assassin? He didn't have the eyes of a shinobi; nor the posture. He carried no sword... was he a possible samurai or rurouni? She tapped her foot in annoyance. What was this man? 'By Buddha if he's a merchant I swear I will-'

Chikara blinked, sweatdropping under the man's eyes. It seemed that the two old friends took her foot tapping as a sign of impatience. Her eyes darted away.

"Chikara dear, Shinyo honey... meet Sagara Souzo. He will be your father-in-law." Setsuna introduced. Souzo smiled kindly at the children. He certainly didn't look old enough to be a father. Of course, when they looked at thier parents... Setsuna and Aoshi weren't exactly old either. She smirked at the thought. Souzo smiled back. Her eyes widened. 'Sagara!' She suddenly remembered from when she was taking lessons under Shikijou. 'Sagara of the Sekihotai?' She stared up at him in awe. She smirked. 'It seems my mother has found a worthy match for my other half.' Her eyes twitched when her hair was ruffled underneath Souzo's hand. She snorted and pulled away.

"Where is little Hiri-Chan?" Setsuna asked. Chikara's face faulted. 'HIRI? What kind of name is that?' her thoughts screamed. Souzo pointed to a door behind him. "There." There... was meant as the spot of where a young girl stood. She had dark brown hair down to her shoulders. The way her bangs were crunched, it was suggested that she, too, wore a headband like her fathers', yet had taken it off for this special occasion. Her brown eyes glanced up at her father, then to Setsu-San, then to the girl, and finally the boy. Her thin brows knotted together in disgust. She stormed over to them, her stomps about to tear her green kimono with an ivory obi. She glared at Shinyo.

Shinyo stepped back, puzzled. His big eyes blinked in confusion. Had he accidently given her a rude look? Shinyo gaspsed when he felt her rough knuckles ram into his jaw. He quickly sat up and stared wide-eyed at the flaming girl. "What was that for?"

"Hikari!" Hikari stared up at her father. "This... is the boy who I was forced to wear a kimono for? He looks as homely as a whipped dog!" Shinyo stared at her, dumbfounded. She was a snot! He yiped as he was jerked to his feet by Chikara's firm grip. Hikari laughed. "He even sounds like one too!" Chikara glared at her. She grabbed her by the wrist and held it securly in her grasp. Hikari blinked and stared up at her. "What? You have a problem?" Chikara's fist raised and flew directly at Hikari's face.

Her knuckles froze about an inch away. Hikari stared at him. Silently he pulled his sister off, and removed the hidden dagger from her curled fingers. Shinyo tossed the dagger to the floor. Hikari watched as he turned his back to her. His stone cold eyes fixed to the floor. Chikara pushed him, but he barely flinched. "How dare you let her defile the Shinomori name like that!" she screamed. Shinyo turned to face them. He was smiling.

"She's... a fiery spirit. She will make a good bride..."

Chikara's eyes widened. Hikari's eyes widened. Setsuna and Souzo just smiled with pride. Hikari grabbed his shirt collar and shook him violently. "Are you stupid!" Hikari stared over at Chikara, just now realizing it was her voice who had copied her own question of Shinyo. She smiled and laughed. Chikara blinked, stupified, but returned the smile. Shinyo's form dropped to the ground into a dizzy mess. "Oops!" Hikari and Chikara knelt down to pick up the crumbled form. Hikari laughed at the poor boy. Chikara shook her brother senseless. "You're gonna kill him!" Hikari laughed. Chikara giggled. Shinyo's face started to turn green.

Setsuna smiled at Souzo. "I think... it might just work out..." Souzo nodded. "A good match... as good as it would ever get..." He smirked. "They'll work it out somehow." He winced when the girls screamed from being vomited on. "SHINYO!" Setsuna looked away from watching her son being pummeled by the two violent girls. They would work it out... somehow.