The Tragic Circumstances of Lost Souls conjoined:

Chapter Five: They are not long, the days of wine and roses

"God and I both knew what it meant once; now God only knows."

Friedrich Klopstock


In those moments that Megumi and Aoshi shared the divinity of a starry night, all had changed. The lines of duty and whim were blended together in a most extraordinary manner, and within this complex alteration the stars themselves were hazy in the limelight.

For what had been so painstakingly clear was fading into obscurity. This was felt most by Hanya, who was not seduced by the current rose-colored glasses that Aoshi and Megumi wore. Hidden within the foliage, Hanya watched his leader confess his sins, in an embrace to a woman of no standing. Megumi had stolen their leaders heart, but Hanya hoped she also left the mind in tact.

Megumi slowly felt her anxiety and guard slide away with the fragments of time, not sure whether it was the soothing aroma surrounding her or the safety she felt within Aoshi's strong embrace, Megumi dared to feel happy and Aoshi's, guilt was being eased away by the moment he now shared with Megumi. He almost felt caution disarm itself and a new sort of emotion arrive with the present windfall. The thoughts of a girl with blue eyes began to drift from the corners of his guilt-inflicted mind, and instead, Aoshi only saw the woman before him, depending so much on his strength.

For what was due in the natural course of events, the desperation of Megumi's hug grew whimsical and teasing. The Okashira felt continually self-conscious as he drew his fingers through Megumi's long hair, feeling how it flowed like silk through them. Megumi shivered has Aoshi's hand brushed accidentally against the back of her neck; her hands fell from his shoulders and onto his waist. Suddenly, Megumi felt aware of Aoshi's closeness to her, but did not withdraw. Instead, she leaned her head against his chest, and inhaled Aoshi's soothing scent. Megumi said softly, in a hushed whisper,

"Thank you." A hint of a smile dusted Aoshi's lips in a rare moment of serenity and openness, and he tightened his hold around Megumi, discerning she must the cause of it.

Lifting her cinnamon eyes to Aoshi's ice blue ones, Megumi looked deeply into them. Aoshi's hand, which had been lying unconsciously on Megumi's shoulder instinctively, brushed up the sensitive side of her neck and down her jawbone, lightly and hypnotically. Megumi trembled and her eyes closed on their own accord as Aoshi knelt down to claim her lips in a gentle kiss.

At first Megumi was surprised by the normally stoic Aoshi's actions, but soon warmed to his persuasive kiss. Neither Aoshi nor Megumi knew why they had kissed, or what divine goddess inspired it, but were equally surprised when Kanryuu let his presence be known.

"My dearest Megumi, " Kanryuu jeered, and continued, "You've seemed to warm up to Aoshi, and I must say you both make a simply beautiful couple. Megumi your beauty is harsh and severe, Aoshi is also beautiful, but his is distant and enticing. Not unlike your own." Megumi, to Kanryuu's surprise did not move from Aoshi, instead she leaned into him. She remained defiant in her decision to confide in Aoshi.

Aoshi glared daggers into Kanryuu, hold Megumi to him closer still. He did not want to loose the consolation he had just discovered within Megumi. Kanryuu continued with his jealous rant,

"Do not glare so harshly Shinomori-san. I will not tear this new found love apart, if anything, it will help my dear servants happiness." Aoshi felt Megumi's ire rise at Kanryuu's new insinuation. Kanryuu smiled grimly, and his eyes glowed with a devilish fury. He looked as if he had more to say, but this was not the case and Kanryuu escaped the suddenly crowded room.

After Kanryuu had left, Megumi disentangled herself from Aoshi and sat on the edge of the bed. The dainty blush remained on her cheeks, and Megumi ran a hand nervously through her hair. Aoshi watched Megumi with attentiveness as she walked toward the vanity and sat on the bench to brush her long hair, which had become disheveled in the moment.

Aoshi lightly pried the brush from Megumi's grasp, and started to draw it through her dark hair. Initially, Megumi was anxious but relaxed into the strokes of the brush.

"You cannot stay here." Megumi stated firmly, looking up to Aoshi. This caused him to stop brushing through her hair. Aoshi was silent, but his eyes burned into Megumi's posing the obvious question.

"You cannot understand. I have been kind to you, and Kanryuu will expect the same sort of treatment. Now I can never be free from him, he will twist my fate anyway he so chooses."

"He has not the capacity to ensnare you Megumi," Aoshi snorted disdainfully, and set aside the brush. "However, since you have requested this I will leave you for the time being." He stated definitively, appearing emotionless, as he had been for the long span Megumi had known him. While Aoshi walked out Megumi thought to call him back, but knew that she could not take back what was said.

Whether Megumi was aware or not, Aoshi knew her fears and doubts, and had known them from the moment he laid eyes upon her. For a moment, he saw the sorrow in her eyes lift, but that had fallen again from Kanryuu's new conspiracies. As he tread back to the quarters Kanryuu had given him, Kanryuu approached Aoshi,

"You must tell me, Shinomori, how did you break her?" Aoshi turned on his heel and glared at Kanryuu, his eyes radiating with a dangerous glow.

"You are not worthy of her." Aoshi stated simply. Kanryuu, in his turn, became angry, and asked, baiting Aoshi,

"Why am I not worthy of Megumi? She is but an Opium woman, she sold her dignity to survival." Fingering his concealed weapon, Aoshi's face was set into a stone mold, and he replied,

"You know not of what you speak."

"Heh. Are you defending her, so Megumi broke you?" Kanryuu taunted, his voice screeching in delight. However, Kanryuu had not the time to celebrate his victory as Aoshi drew his blade and using his Oniwabanshuu skills, gave Kanryuu a trivial, but bloody wound on his forearm.

"You are not to insult, Megumi-san. If I find you with the intention to compromise her virtue, you will not be let off so easily." Aoshi stated firmly, and with cold harsh eyes. He walked away from the trembling Kanryuu who clutched at his blood-spattered arm. The situation that had seemed so congenial was growing hard to handle.

When Aoshi returned to his quarters, he could not help but feel for Megumi. He had found a soul so similar to his own and would not relinquish it for the world. While Aoshi was left in much deserved solitude Megumi was receiving a visit from Hanya.

She had been sitting her room, drawing the flat- paneled brush through her long, silky locks of black hair.

"You have taken the Okashira's heart, Opium Woman, " Hanya announced authoritatively as he appeared behind Megumi from what appeared to be nowhere. Megumi demanded frantically as she saw Hanya's demonic reflection in the mirror,

"Who are you!" Megumi stood from the vanity, and Hanya bowed, saying,

"Hanya, a comrade of the Okashira." Megumi recovered her breath, and responded to Hanya's initial question steadily,

"I have not stolen his heart, he gave it to me of his free will." Her eyes were blazing with a pure fire, and Megumi's fine skin was unaltered by any rouge coloring. Hanya, after observing this, was confused.

'Maybe there is more to this woman…' he thought. Hanya, because of this notion, venerated Megumi with a bow and kind words,

"If such as true, I am honored to be in your presence." Megumi's smile was small, but held a humbling radiance. Without any prior warning, Hanya disappeared and Megumi reevaluated her earlier comment to Aoshi knowing she could not take it back. However, the table had been reopened and Megumi was now ready to start placing her bets, for she felt more confident in her own abilities.

In the aftermath of all that transpired, Kanryuu now plotted to save his own skin. Megumi joining forces with Aoshi and the Oniwabanshuu was an ill omen to all Kanryuu had fought and scrapped to obtain. Taking Kanryuu by surprise, a dark man withdrew from a corner of the plush office and grinned wryly at the nervous businessman.

"Is there something wrong Kanryuu?" The man jeered, his eyes appeared red and taunted Kanryuu.

"Please! Don't come out from dark corners like that! You are eerie enough as is!" Kanryuu demanded in a small and puerile manner while whipping red sweat from his forehead.

"As you wish." The dark man stated and approached Kanryuu's desk more benevolently, "I hope what causes this blood to seep from your forehead does not impede our arrangement. " Kanryuu paled, whipping his forehead with a handkerchief and stammered,

" No, ii-t will not. Everything will go out as planned, despite minor complications." The dark man's entire face was suddenly visible and inspired fear with its twisted and evil formation while he frowned threateningly.

"You are not ignorant of what will occur if it is not as you say, my political influence will crush both you and that Golden Goose." The dark man maliciously stated, laying a dagger on Kanryuu's desk.

Hanya, upon hearing the conversation between Kanryuu and the unnamed politician, knew there was more to Kanryuu's character than monetary greed. Feeling the need to report to Aoshi, he approached the Okashira in his room.

"Staying here is dangerous, Okashira." Hanya stated to the rather disinterested Aoshi Shinomori, who was shaving his face.

"Aa." He only replied, paying closer attention to shaving his face.

"There is more to Kanryuu than the greedy business man, he is involved in dirty, deceitful politics. If you opt to remain here you place us all at risk." Hanya added, in hopes that it would spur a reaction, but it only received the flicker of an eye.

"Okashira, are staying because of that woman?" Hanya asked, worried of Aoshi's current mental status, and whether he had become infatuated with the opium woman. He received a mixed glare from Aoshi, who had set down his shaving blade somewhat callously.

"Hanya, do not worry. I will not lead the Oniwabanshuu astray," Aoshi announced. Hanya, however, would not be pushed away so easily, and stated firmly,

"I know, as a subordinate I should not doubt you, but Okashira, to stay here is folly." Aoshi responded somewhat harshly to Hanya's demanding tone, his eyes were cold upon his skull, and he said icily,

"You walk on dangerous ground Hanya, despite our friendship, that was too bold." Hanya was somewhat ashamed and apologized, "however, fully necessary. I do not intend to release the Oniwabanshuu directly, but through the actions of a certain woman who needs to escape this place." Hanya now understood what Aoshi's intentions were in regard Megumi and felt relieved to know that he would not consider abandoning him.

End Chapter Five


Rissi's elucidation:

I don't know if the word fits, but it sounds so cool! This chapter is odd, and I hope it satisfies you hungry reviewers. Lord know this chapter has been painstakingly rewritten! Onto the reviews now:

Laryissa Hyuga: Well, thank you, I appreciate your kind words. I hope you enjoy this AoshiMeg chapter thoroughly!

Kowatashi: evil grin, oh, you will love this paring after I'm done with you my pretty, and your little dog too! The necklace, well , I find as an author descriptive touches really add to the story, no matter how seemingly mundane…Thank you!

Kurokitsune-chan: Yep, logic just plain sucks anyway! Enjoy this anti-logic chapter, thanks for reviewing.

Yvonne: Yay! I spelled it right…More Aoshi Megumi action for ya'll….enjoy….Many thanks!

Zero27: I hope this story is shaping up well, please warn me if it gets too…anything really. I just let my heart write this chapter, and some of my equally twisted sense of humor. Happy reviewing, my friend! Danke!

ThiefRikku: That trick usually works to bring some of the Readers out to review. Thanks, I'm trying for depth, but often it gets shallow…so tis difficult.

Special thanks to Dan the Man for being a great friend, and to that random flamer who told me this story sucked…I appreciate all the commentary, no matter how infantile.

Bai then, there now!