Author's Note: Chapter Three! Yay! I feel like I'm really getting somewhere!
Okay, first of all, I was terrified of posting that last chapter. It was really controversial, as you all were too kind to inform me. This chapter's a doozie too. It's actually been finished for a while but I was afraid of posting it. I know it all happened really fast and really early in the fanfiction, but if I had put it off, I'd be looking at 30 chapters. And I have no patience for something that long, I'm afraid. But cheer up, this isn't a fighting fic. I just had to put it there because that's what Aoshi is most likely to respond to. Oh, but I won't spoil it for you! And thank you all for reviews! 20+ already! Wouldn't it be great to get 100? My most dedicated reviewer will get this story dedicated to them! Wouldn't that be dandy?
Leona Westley: Yeah I know, she would hate him for it. But hey, a lot can happen in 15+ chapters…
Aoshi/Misao Fan: No, they didn't fight at all in the series, but Soujiro is even better than Kenshin. Kenshin's sneaky, he can screw with your head. ;D But anyway, Soujiro is better, in theory (but hey, you never know, right?).
Cathy Mark: Oh, you hate it don't you? I'm so sorry! But yes, Soujiro is extremely polite, he calls people by very formal names. (Like 'Mr. Himura' in the English series.) I picked this up and researched it after re-watching the series twice this week. I got the flu. Dude, that was almost too much RK! Jk, jk, that's impossible.
KRN-chan (A.k.a: KaoRu-chaN): You know, I haven't decided yet. My dear friend Buttknee thinks it should be, but those always make me sad, so probably not. And yes, Soujiro is a Rurouni now, but two years isn't a lot of time to change how you've lived your whole life. Don't worry, he feels very guilty about it. And how Misao will feel about it… yeah she'll be upset, but perhaps our weasel girl has a forgiving heart…?
Flamer: A flamer! You totally made me cry for serious when I read this. I'm really sorry for being so weak… please forgive me! But Misao called Kenshin a bum and a transvestite, so she likes to insult people I suppose.
Raeyn-chan: Sou/Misao are the cutest! You made me feel better about the flamer, thank you for your support. bows
The Hellsfury Gumi: Who-hoo! It's so nice to see you again! I love you! Yes, this is after the Kyoto arc but I changed the story a bit to fit my taste I suppose… and Aoshi wouldn't hesitate to protect Misao if he thought she was in danger, ne?
Amasaki Reyoko: I love you. For serious.
naiLAUG: Thank you. You really helped me deal with that awful flamer. I feel so terrible! But I guess you can't please everybody…
Somnus: Hey, thanks! I'm glad someone liked the poem. Perhaps I'll put the rest of it in the story later…
Charming Woman: Yep, all very good questions. All will be revealed! If you're patient, so stick around, I'd love to see your charming reviews again!
Digitalex: Yeah, the Sou/Misao pairing has become really common. I've wanted them together for years! I was so excited when I came to and saw so many other people with the same idea!
Aoshi-sama's weasel girl: Oh… I'm sorry you feel that way. Um, if I may ask… why did you even bother to read this fic if you knew it was about Soujiro and Misao? And why are you yelling at me because I have a different opinion of you. I'm sorry, that was mean, but your review sort of made me mad. I'm so sorry I wasted your time.
Mieko: Wow. I guess everyone has different opinions. Hm.
Disclaimer: This is a fanFICTION. As in not true. As in FICTION. Whatever, I don't own RK.
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"Very good, Aoshi-san. You dodged my attack." He was breathing heavily, though he hid it pretty well. My sword had connected with his shoulder blade. "But then again, that was four steps short of the Shukuchi. It looks like I'll have to defeat you three steps short." Aoshi's eyes widened. I could almost feel his outrage that my attack hadn't been all out. I would enjoy this.
I attacked.
Aoshi attempted to cut me down before I could reach him. Too slow!
"HA!"
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-Misao-
I could hear someone screaming. It wasn't until later I found out it was me.
"No no no, oh nonono…" I found myself on the ground shaking in pain. I could feel every attack rattling me to the bone. I couldn't stop shaking, I was so useless, Aoshi-sama, he could, he would, he was already hurting, in pain, I could feel it!
Okina sank to the floor. "By the gods…"
"AOSHI-SAMA! AOSHI!"
-Soujiro-
I smiled. I was still confident. "My Aoshi-san, giving up already? This isn't like you at all. And with me only three steps short of the Shukuchi. Looks like I won't get much fun out of this fight." My smile widened. He picked himself up off the floor where I'd flung him. One more blow, that's all I needed. Easy. "No more games now, Aoshi-san."
I stopped. He was speaking.
"Kaiten Kenbu Rokuren"
My eyes widened. So he would finally use his famous Kaiten Kenbu. Roughly, the dance of six slashes. Using his double kodachi, the attacker spins in circles delivering six fatal slashes to his opponent. How marvelously interesting.
Aoshi disappeared. I could hear his footsteps quickening as he charged. No man could dodge this attack.
Well, aside from me, that is.
Using the Shukuchi, I sped around him, faster than the human eye can register. Too slow.
WHAP.
Another strike. Aoshi's back arched in pain. It's hit him straight from behind. "How embarrassing, Aoshi-san. Has no one ever taught you to guard your back? But I am impressed. That blow was meant to kill. I am vain, so I don't want to show you the full Shukuchi. But for you Aoshi-san, I will stand for only one step short of the Shukuchi."
I charged.
-Misao-
There was a roaring in my ears. I couldn't tear my eyes from Aoshi-sama. It would be the last time I would ever see his face…
"NOOO!"
Before I knew what was happening, I was running across the floor, outside to the dark cold night. The grass had turned to mud from Soujiro's godlike speed. No, not godlike. The Shukuchi was the speed that surpassed that of the gods! My head was buzzing, and tears ran down my face to fly behind me. I ran in front of Aoshi-san, my Aoshi, and threw my arms wide.
"Misao, run! Tenken, he will kill you!" Aoshi's mask of calm was gone, his eyes wide with horror.
"Aoshi… it is an honor to die for you." I closed my eyes, waiting for death.
But it never came.
I opened my eyes to see Soujiro frozen less than a foot away, eyes wide with shock.
-Soujiro-
Why?
Why would she do that? She would have died. I would have killed her. Why didn't I kill her? She is just one girl, although a cute one.
Why? Why why WHY?
I don't understand. My head hurts.
Misao began to cry silently, her head in her hands. I could see every tear clinging to her eyelashes. Her knees were shaking. My eyes were wide with what I had almost done. She is weak. I could still kill her now. My smile was frozen to my face. Perhaps if I knew how, I would be crying too.
CLATTER. I looked down at the ground. I had dropped my nihontou. My hands were numb. I closed my eyes. Why couldn't I think clearly? I brought my shaking hands up to my face. They were scarred with welts from their use with a sword. I could see where tonight's battle had left fresh wounds from holding my blade. I had not realized I was gripping it so tightly. My fingers… Aoshi's blood was dripping down to my arm. I felt sick.
But why did I even feel this way? Aoshi-san attacked me first! He has already proven to me that he did not deserve to live. Himura-san… have I betrayed your words tonight? No, of course not. Aoshi-san was worse than weak, he was arrogant. I turned to look at Aoshi-san. He was staring at Misao-dono, crying in the mud. I could not look at her… I had no intention of causing her pain. How could I have predicted she would react so strongly to Aoshi's death? Didn't she know that the weak were food for the strong?
My smile widened. Himura-san would not be happy if he could see me now. For hadn't he taught me that the weak were not food for the strong? Had a completely forgotten his lesson? Before I had made up my mind, I turned and walked away from the Aoiya. Away from Aoshi-san, away from Okina, who had shown me only kindness. Away from Misao-dono's tears…
I looked up at the sky as thunder tore through the night. It was raining again.
-Misao-
I couldn't stop crying. I am so weak… it was no wonder why Aoshi-sama didn't love me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I started.
"Misao…"
"Oh, Aoshi-sama! I was so, so scared… are you all right? Aoshi-sama? What's wrong…?"
Aoshi-sama was sinking to the floor. Was that… blood? He was hurt! I will never, ever forgive Soujiro if he dies!
Okina ran into the rain to my side. "Misao, lay out Aoshi's futon, and heat some water! Fetch the doctor, then run to the Shirobecko. Omasu and Okon are there. Well, hurry Misao!"
I ran to Aoshi-sama's room to lie out the futon, and then boiled some water in the kitchen. I came back in time to see Jiya lay Aoshi-sama gently down. "Oh, Jiya… is Aoshi alright? Will he be okay?"
"Misao, no time for questions," said Okina sharply. I was taken aback by his harsh tone. I had never heard him speak like that to me before. "Fetch the doctor."
I only took time to nod and glance at my Aoshi-sama. His face was covered in sweat. I'd better hurry.
Aoshi Shinomori watched Misao run through the door. Okina pressed him back down on the futon gently. "Rest, Aoshi. Misao is worried about you."
Aoshi was silent as he thought of Misao's face, how she had cried at the fight with Tenken. She had looked so fragile. His face hardened to its usual icy stare as he thought about Soujiro. "Tenken… you will pay for what you have done to Misao."
-Misao-
I told the doctor about Aoshi-sama, then ran to find Okon and Omasu at the Shirobecko.
"Whoa Misao, slow down. What's the emergency?" asked Omasu. "Aoshi-sama he, he…" I started to cry again, dry shoulder-shaking sobs.
Fortunately the female ninjas had more sense than I did, and we immediately ran back to the Aoiya.
-Soujiro-
Looks like I made a mess of things again. No wonder Aoshi-san wanted to drive me off like that. I guess once a Tenken, always a Tenken.
"Omasu! Okon! Hurry up!" A young girl flew past me. A very familiar young girl… it was Misao-dono. My first instinct was to stop her, ask her if Aoshi-san was all right, beg for forgiveness… but my pride was still nagging at me. There was no reason for me to bother her any more. Misao, you don't need a Tenken in your life.
And with that last thought, Seta Soujiro, the mysterious Tenken no Soujiro, vanished into the night.
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Author's Note: Oh, I am sooo evil! I know this chapter is sort of shorter than I like, but I can't write anymore, you'll have to wait to see what happens! This was a really hard chapter for me. I'm trying to set up the storyline without moving too fast, trying to keep everyone in character, blah blah blah… So sorry all you sticklers for in-character characters. This chapter had a lot of Soujiro OOCness, as well as some Aoshi OOCness. I'm really going to do some weird things with Soujiro's personality, mostly just because in the series you really never see him with one. And I changed the little border things, I really didn't like the one I had. Well anyway, hoped you liked it, I'm working really hard on it. Oh yeah, and REVIEW! Please?
