Divine Commiseration

Chapter 3: Pure Emotion

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rurouni Kenshin, including the very hug-able, Sou-chan!

Author's Note:
 Already the third chapter! I'm so proud of me! sniff Just kidding. I remember when I first started my first big 'project' on this pen name... I updated every four days. Then every week. Then every other week. Then once every month. Then I stopped writing for over three months. I hope that doesn't happen with this! I'm hoping to have this complete by the time school starts (September 1st), or at least have it all written up I can update whenever. This should be... hm... I would say hopefully less than 12 chapters. Well, enjoy!

Makimachi Misao stared at the ground before Seta Soujiro, the Tenken. The wind was blowing softly as she tried to ponder how to escape him.

He was going to kill her if she didn't convince him otherwise. He was going to slaughter her like she would have slaughtered Aoshi-sama when he left her with Jiya. There was no point seducing him like she did when she needed money, since she was sure that, blush on her face, he had not had any sexual experiences and, god forbid, any hormonal changes. Fighting him when she had so few Kansatsu with her, and those she would save for an emergency, when he was trying to stab that dangerous looking katana at her. What was there to do? All she could think of was to talk. And keep talking. So he would forget the fact that he was supposed to kill her like any good little slave for a crazy madman trying to take over the world.

"Ah... They call you Tenken, right?" Misao asked tentatively.

Soujiro shook out of his reverie and stared at Misao for a few awkward, silent seconds before he nodded, jerking his head up and down.

"Then, Tenken, how do you feel about fighting Himura?" A light edge appeared once more in Misao's voice.

Looking at her as if she was crazy, Soujiro blinked and stopped thinking of his own pitiful past to answer her question. If he was any normal killer, he would have already killed her. Or at least become annoyed with her questions. However, Seta Soujiro was no ordinary assassin. "I will have to kill him. Like Shishio-san asked me to."

Unlike Soujiro, Misao became annoyed. "How come you always listen to Shishio? He's a total lunatic! It's not as if you're attached at the leg, so you have to obey everything he says!" She stopped for a breath. "First, you listen to him when he wants to take over the government, then you listen to him when he wants you to kill little innocent me, and then you listen to him when he tells you to go out and get yourself beat up by Himura!"

Soujiro looked at her strangely. "Excuse me, Misao-san, but why do you think Himura-san would ever, as you say, beat me up?"

Shrugging, Misao rolled her eyes. "You know. Himura has that aura around him. His ki is too determined to let him be beat, no matter the cause. And besides, he has to defeat your brainsick master so he can save the people of Japan."

She certainly had a point, he had to admit. "Yes, that's true."

"So, tell me about Shishio-san," Misao persisted, spitting out the respective suffix.

He was silent for a moment or so, his eyes slightly glazed over as he pondered the question.. "Shishio-san," he started, without any sign that the sarcastic 'san' had effected him. "Shishio-san is like my father, but in a sense more of my mentor. I never had a father... To repay him for saving me from my personal hell, I do everything he asks me to. He never beats me, even when I fail, and I am grateful for that."

Misao cocked her head, seeing Shishio in a new light. "What do you mean, your father? Where is your father, anyway? Where's your family?"

If Soujiro could feel anger, he supposed he would have glared, like Himura-san does when he is angry, but he couldn't. Instead, he answered as truthfully as he could without letting himself plunge back into those memories that hurt him so. "My family... I don't think I ever had one. The Juppon Gatana are all I have, and Shishio-san and Yumi-san. My real parents I don't remember. They died... When I was young. Really young. I was adopted by another family, one that owned a rice paddy and sold their harvest. They..."

What was he doing? Telling a girl he hardly knew about his history when no one but Shishio-san, who he had known for so long, knew? What was he stalling for, anyway? He was supposed to kill her, and quickly. He was already late.

But... No matter how much he should have, or should be doing, he couldn't. She was so... pure. So full of emotion. He couldn't imagine not talking to her, and they had only met for an hour or so. No... He would have to hide her.

Shishio-san would not mind. A missing girl was as good as a dead girl when you can't find her, and besides, if she was gone, she still couldn't command the rest of the Oniwa-Banshu.

Without another second's doubt, he pulled her up. "Come with me."

"Why? So you can kill me in the dark?" Misao glared, her brow furrowed, angry once more.

Impatience showed in his voice. "No! Come with me. I'll hide you, until... unless Shishio-san dies. Or until someone finds you. I won't stop them."

"Where?"

"There's an old temple up there," he pointed to the misty silhouette of a mountain straight ahead. "I'll make sure you have enough food and water to last a few days. And firewood, too."

Misao was puzzled. What a strange boy! First he was to kill her, then he was to converse with her, then he was to safe her life even though he had never disobeyed his master before! How very... disorienting! It was as if was she had been hit by the news that Aoshi-sama was good again, would come to her with a million apologies, and beg for her to marry him!

Admitting to herself that this was one of her many dreams, it would probably not happen for a long, long time. Sighing, she looked back to Soujiro. "Can do you suppose we get up there?"

Soujiro pointed to his feet. "Walk, Misao-san."

"What?!"

Without another word, or sigh, for that matter, Soujiro scooped Misao up, bridal style, and started running.

Of course, Misao started screaming uncontrollably and struggling like a wild animal caught in a trap. "LET GO, TENKEN!"

"You didn't want to walk," was his simple reply. "Now, please be quiet. You don't want any of Shishio-san's spies to say something strange, like they heard a scream come out of nowhere."

"They'll see me!"

"No, they won't. I am the Tenken. The Heavenly Sword. That is how fast I am, Misao-san." The words were said without any sign of arrogance, rather a tone of telling a truthful fact. "They will hear you, but they will not be able to see, or sense you."

In moments time, they had arrived at the temple. Settling down Misao down slowly, he pointed to the small well on the side, then towards a pile of firewood leaning on the side of the temple. "I'll bring food soon. If not, there's rabbits around here. Just... Please, just don't cause a commotion. I don't want to see you dead."

'Why not?' was on the tip of her tongue, but she said nothing. She knew she had to be grateful that he, at least, let her live. "Thanks," she whispered softly.

He nodded in reply, then let out another one of his smiles. "No... I think it's you I should thank. My head's feeling a lot clearer."

Misao beamed at him, joy shining through. "No problem. Don't worry about me getting away. I don't know where the hell we are. If anyone comes here, I'll take care of them." She winked, then leaned towards him, her eyes shining. "I promise I'll be good!"

Soujiro nodded, still smiling, then walked down the stairs of which he had just climbed up. "I think you will be too, Misao-san. I'll be back soon."

Misao grinned. "Good."

Without another backward's glance, Soujiro nodded, knowing she would see.

At the moment, only one thought was burning in his mind.

'I hope I get a chance to.'

Ending Notes:
 Ah! This story is so hard to write! Soujiro is the hardest person to write in person! I mean, how can you write about a person's thoughts when they can't feel anything but pleasure when killing? It's so difficult trying to keep him in character! Ack! Oh well! Anyway, thanks for all the support! You guys rock!

Responses to Reviews:

(People that are signed in will be in bold, while anonymous reviewers will be underlined.)

Monou Hakkai: Yay! A new reader! It's so nice to meet other people who like Sou/Misao fics! Yes, I do intent to keep this short and snappy (hopefully under 12 chapters or so), but hopefully still well written. Misao is our sneaky weasel girl, isn't she? So of course she has to take advantage of all opportunities! Hope you liked this chapter! Enjoy!

GoldAngel2: I'm glad you still like this story, but it makes me queasy to see that the second chapter is a filler chapter. It's hard not having action around. Yes, I did see episode 63, with Ryunosuke, because I have it! I have all the episodes except (and this is ironic to a fault) 51-60, the very episodes in which Kenshin fights both Soujiro (SOU-CHAN!) and Shishio. I have seen them, however. I just need time to remember EXACTLY what happened. I'm glad you approve so far!

Sorrowful: Butcher knife? Take off 5 points. Come on, Vanessa! Let's get creative, like with those giant axes that drip with blood or those huge flyswatters! Teehee. Just kidding. My first 'weapon of mass destruction' was the butcher knife, too. Or it might have been an axe. Same difference. I am an overly devoted Soujiro fan. A little insane? I think it should be a little more than enough insane! LOL! Well, glad you enjoyed this chapter! Talk to you soon?

xT-Zealot: Your stories are definitely not disappointments! They are actually very funny and I enjoyed them very much. Hope you update your festival story soon! Thanks for all the nice support!

JMeg: Oh, please write! I would love to see a new writer! I'm sure they'll be awesome! I'm so glad you really liked the last chapter, and hope that this one was just as satisfactory!

Saku: It's okay that you didn't review! It's good enough that you did for this one and (hopefully) enjoyed the chapter! I will update soon, and they'll be fast updates! I'm hoping to finish this story by the end of the summer!

MSN-CHAN: Ack! I was just kidding! You don't have to call me God! Although it is very flattering and wonderful and—there I go, mouth running again! I am just kidding, of course. Please, just call me Wicked. I totally know what you mean when you say Aoshi is too old for Misao! Misao is more of a light spirit and Aoshi is... well, he's old in both spirit and mind. I won't say the age really matters because Kenshin and Kaoru have a huge age difference, but all the same... Misao and Sou-chan forever! Thanks for the awesome review! I love your thoughts of Misao and Soujiro!

KRN-CHAN: Thank you so much for the birthday information! I know that will come in handy sometimes soon! I'm trying to learn more about Sou-chan, too! I love that amazing boy! He's so cute and smiley! He's just begging to be glomped by fangirls! I shall update soon! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

CoNfEsSiOnS: I'm glad I found another person who agrees that Sou-chan is 18! It really clears everything up! Here's the newest chapter; hope you'll enjoy it! Thanks for the inspiring review!