Standard disclaimer applies.
Definitely this is an Ao/Meg fic, Yvonne, with a little Misao/Sou and KK pairing on the side. Kitsune-chan as always, thanks, and Meg is indeed one pretty gal. Anithene, your suggestions are highly noted that led me to revise the previous chapter. Check it out everyone! You're right with the author insertion. I, myself, got annoyed at it when I re-read it. Heehee. Also, I intended to make some character slightly OOC to fit those of the original play but still trying to make them IC. So here's more, special thanks to "Oro".
Scene 2: Presenting…the Iceman!
Formidable. Strength. Beauty. Control. Cold. Rigid. These were the words to describe him. He sat motionless in silence, meditating, contemplating. What he could be pondering, no one knew. For his thoughts were safely tucked away from anyone to see. No emotion could be conveyed from his face, or his actions. He could never be read, unless one looked deeply into his blue-grey eyes. But no one could stand the gaze, the stare, and oh, the glare. No once could penetrate its coldness. Therefore, no one could read him.
The slightest sound disturbed his solitude. Shinomori Aoshi turned to his companion. The young man, Myojin Yahiko was snickering as he made his way towards Aoshi who sat cross-legged at the center of the Buddhist temple.
"Geez Aoshi, how long would we stay here? I didn't agree to travel to Tokyo just so we could meditate. You could have simply asked Hannya instead of me," the young boy complained.
"You volunteered yourself, if I remember correctly," he grunted at the boy.
"Well, duh! This is my hometown, and I am here to prove to everyone that Myojin Yahiko, descendant of the long line of Tokyo Samurai is here to prove his worth!" his declaration echoed all throughout the temple.
If only rolling one's eyes was not showing emotion, Aoshi could have done it seconds ago. Yahiko had the tendency to become overdramatic when it came to his Samurai bloodline. Who wouldn't? Being a samurai was a reason to be proud; just like Aoshi being proud of his shinobi roots.
Aoshi simply ignored him and went back to his meditation. His adoptive father, Okashira Makimachi, taught him the importance of meditation to a warrior. Meditation practices were useful in midst of a chaotic battle, wherein the warrior would be able to contain the presence of mind to make complicated decisions. Yahiko gave him another ten minutes before launching another complaint. Aoshi gave in.
"Very well. We shall proceed to our destination," he stood up, gathered his coat and proceeded out the temple. Yahiko followed closely behind.
"So Aoshi, tell me, we are here in Tokyo to find more fortune? That is what Beshimi told me."
Aoshi slightly narrowed his eyes. He hated it when people talk about his personal life. Then again, it was the truth. The purpose of his travel from Kyoto to Tokyo was to further enrich the fortune he had inherited from his adoptive father. But there was more to it than meets the eye. Aoshi did not care about himself getting rich; he cared about the people under his care and jurisdiction. He needed to expand his financial assets to support the Oniwabanshuu clan, and establish themselves as the strongest onmitsu. This was Aoshi's goal in Tokyo. How he would do that, he had no idea.
"Aa," he answered the boy.
"How are you gonna do that? Join some fighting sports to earn money, while gamblers bet on your victory or loss?" he snickered at his own joke. Yet, Yahiko knew if ever Aoshi engaged in such activity, the man would simply come out the champion. "Maybe you could find some rich girl, fall in love, court her, and then get married," he shrugged his shoulders.
Aoshi glared down at him. "Marriage is not an option. Marriage is a game where only losers play."
Yahiko rolled his eyes. "Watch your words, man. You may regret it if ever you find a woman of your match, and fall madly in love. Then again, that would be the day," he told Aoshi bluntly. "So…where are we staying again?"
"We were offered lodging by Okashira's old comrade, Senor Hortensio."
Senor Hortensio's house was a mansion, but no bigger than Aoshi's inherited Aoiya mansion. The whole building was made of red brick walls. There was a big front steel gate painted with black. On each side of the gate were two stone statues of lions. Yahiko frowned at it. "Lions? So what does these represent?" he asked as he fingered the outlines on one of the statues.
"Yahiko, keep your hands off them. Ring the door," Aoshi said.
"Wring the door? What do you mean by 'wring' it?"
"No, the bell."
Yahiko scratched his head. "I shall wring the bell instead of the door?"
"Aa. The bell."
Yahiko proceeded towards the small bell hanging in front of the front gate. He encircled his hands around it, clasping to wring it. Amazingly, a sound was produced from Yahiko's 'wringing'. Aoshi frowned at Yahiko's strange way of ringing the bell, yet he made no comment about it. It did make a sound after all.
"That's a strange way of ringing a bell, young man," someone said from behind.
Both Aoshi and Yahiko turned around. "Yet it is a strange way of the owner of the house appearing from outside his house when summoned by a visitor," Aoshi stated. Senor Hortensio approached them with a chuckle. Did the iceman just say a joke to him? Impossible, yet it seemed he indeed had.
"Shinomori Aoshi, I expected your presence earlier. I thought you changed your mind about your visit to Tokyo," he clasped Aoshi's hand as a form of welcome.
Yahiko snorted. "Well, he stopped over at some temple to meditate for the whole morning," he told the older gentleman. Yahiko scrutinized the said owner of the house. He was old, probably in his late thirties to early forties. His eyes were so gray that Yahiko immediately formed an image of a wolf. His beard did little to hide the roughness of his face. The owner of the house bore no handsome feature except for the air of richness around him.
"And who might be the young boy, Senor Aoshi? I do not think Senor Makimachi had another adoptive son? Or is this young man your son?" Hortensio bent over to examine Yahiko closely. The boy stepped back, avoiding contact from the older man.
"Myojin Yahiko is his name. Okashira Makimachi took him in when he became orphaned," Aoshi supplied, getting a little impatient. He was beginning to feel the hunger he had suppressed all throughout the morning. This was one of meditation's disadvantages.
Hortensio seemed to take the hint from Aoshi's tone of voice. The younger man wanted to go inside already. "Gentlemen, we should head inside the house." He opened the black gate to welcome the visitors. He led the two inside the house, walking along stony paths. Aoshi admittedly was impressed at the elegance of the house. He mentally noted to himself a plan to buy a house of similar built in Tokyo, a place he will reside whenever he visited the town. It would also serve the Oniwabanshuu another headquarters.
"What brings you to Tokyo, Senor Aoshi?" Hortensio asked as he gave his visitors a tour inside his mansion.
"To find a wife with fortune," Yahiko responded in snicker. Hortensio missed the glare the shinobi gave the samurai-son. He also missed the humour in the lad's voice. If he had noted all those, he wouldn't have this crazy idea suddenly rummaging through his brain. He nearly squealed in delight.
"A wife with fortune, eh? I may just know what you're looking for." He faced the younger man fully, determination on his face. He hated blackmailing people unless necessary. This situation was necessary. "I shall finally ask for the payment I have long ago refused," he announced to Aoshi.
You see, long time ago, Senor Hortensio did something terribly kind to Shinomori Aoshi. Senor Hortensio, back when he was still residing in Kyoto, found Aoshi loitering the streets at the mere age of four. The child at the young age proved himself intelligent and extremely talented. Although a beggar in the street, Hortensio was amazed at how the child regarded himself. He was not rugged, nor dirty, nor produced a stink to the nose. That was why Hortensio took him in, and introduced him to an Okashira Makimachi of the Oniwabanshuu Aoiya. Because of Senor Hortensio, Shinomori Aoshi found himself finally belonging to a family once again. For that, Shinomori Aoshi owed Senor Hortensio a great deal.
Now, Senor Hortensio, a shrewd man full of subtleties, had finally decided to claim his payment; and Aoshi could not bring himself to disagree.
"Payment?" Yahiko inquired, confused.
"Hai.We will discuss this over lunch. For now gentlemen, I will show you to your sleeping quarters," he gave the two visitors from Kyoto a smile. When he turned around, the smile hinted of shrewdness, and his eyes were hinted with a dash of evil.
Forgive the puns (ring and wring) used. My English TA told me to practice on it so…that's what I was doing. If it sucked, oh well. Better to try than not at all…
I had so far stuck to the original name for the characters of Gremio and Hortensio. If anyone is familiar with the play, pls suggest RK characters for both. I wanted to use Hiko and Saitou but I have good plans for both. So…tell me who are left… will Shishio work as a Gremio? Or should I just stick with the original ones?
Also, pls dont flame me for putting Yahiko with Aoshi. I dont know where to put the kid...I cant neglect him. so...it seemed fitting Yahiko will act as the Grumio-version of this fic.
Suggestions, reviews are always welcome and highly appreciated.
Also, this chapter was done in a rush so it also might be revised. Other than that, thanks for reading.
