Being Okashira

Part Seven: The Past Stirs


Misao stood in the empty Aoiya kitchen reaching for the plate and dropping the slab of meat onto the wood block. She reached for her cleaver and began slicing it into thin strips. In a few moments, the kitchen would be buzzing with activities. She was just early this morning and itching to do something to keep her busy.

If she hung out in the kitchen, she couldn't be swamped in her office.

This was Misao's good plan number one.

It was also on it's road to failure when in walked Kamatari, a paper in his hands. He leaned on the opposite side of the counter and began regailing her with tales of injuries that had taken place in the last battle with some friends of his and then inquiries about what she intended to do about it.

She half-listened before tossing him out of the kitchen and returning to her work.

There was just no way to 'get away' from these people. She'd just barely been able to dodge Hannya this morning and who knew where Aoshi had gone to, but she didn't really want to know.

If she had to guess though, she'd put her money on a training session somewhere, he was the too-serious type of guy.

Just as she thought Shiro and Kuro were about to sweep in the doorway, in came Okina, a smile spread over his lips.

"Good morning, Misao-chan. How are things?"

He sidled up next to her, tossing an arm over her shoulder.

"Fine," she replied.

She felt moody.

Yes, that was definitely the word. She wanted desperately to get out of the Aoiya for the day. Grab a travel bag and go, but she wasn't going to risk being immature again.

At least, not while Aoshi was around, his scoldings were just too... intense.

"Oooh, ho ho! Daydreaming again, little Misao?"

"I want you to invite Takani Megumi to stay with us."

Okina paused, his arm dropping from her shoulder.

"What? What for? The last time she came here you threatened to 'cut out her treacherous tongue', if I recall correctly."

"I have a job for her. Tell Takani-san if she wants to keep her practice open she will be here next week. Got it?"

Okina turned a serious, calculating stare toward her. She looked up and gave him an encouraging smile. "Don't worry, I won't do anything violent. I promise, I'll be completely sweet the whole time."

"What is this business you have with Takani?"

Misao paused. "Hmmm... It's personal, so I can't tell you. Just arrange it, okay?"

He hesitated, but he would do it. She knew he would. He turned, leaving her alone in the kitchen once more.

She was really beginning to feel rather trapped. The guy was like a ... a walking cage. She couldn't get away from him. She couldn't exclude him, she didn't really want to.

In fact, she felt willing to hand over the job right now just because she was so tired. Of course, she couldn't do that.

It would be a betrayal of her duties, her trust, her love, for the Oniwabanshuu and her family. That didn't make her feel any less fatigued. It didn't really help that he made her feel insufficient.

Everytime he looked at her, she felt small.

That was going to change though. Starting next week.

She'd done research on this Shinomori Aoshi. She knew things about him. As of yet, she hadn't really thought of anything in that dusty old file of his that could help her, at least, not until last night.

Last night she'd come upon a name extremely familiar to her.

Takani Megumi - lady doctor extraordinare, and Misao's number one annoyance. She didn't really, really didn't like her. She had to go through such extraorinary lengths when Takani was around to act the part of 'heartless leader'.

That's why outside guests, who were not paying cusomers, were not frequent at the Aoiya - other than the fact it was an inconvience for everyone.

Misao had to be protected - and she had to be careful. More especially in the Aoiya than outside. She was young, and though she had the loyalty of her ninjas, being respected by outsiders was extremely difficult.

From the very beginning, she'd been instructed to put forth her most ruthless demeanor when facing or handling those outside the organization and Takani-san fell in that category.

Takani Megumi was, apparently, an ex-lover of Aoshi's. This was going to be hard on her. Attracted to Aoshi as she might be, she had to face other women's attractions to her would-be husband and know how she would handle it.

She hung her head, the knife ceasing it's motion.

This would be very hard, and she wasn't even in love with the man.


Aoshi stared at the female watching, eyes steady, as she neared the Aoiya. What the hell was she doing here?

He tried to move his tense frame, but couldn't. He was frozen by the doorway, just watching as she neared, closer and closer. She didn't hesitate walking straight through the front door of the Aoiya's main house before pausing to slip off her shoes.

She paused when she looked up and saw him.

"A-Aoshi!" She exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

He stared stonily at her. "Why are you here?" He asked, ignoring the fact she'd spoken at all.

She turned her head as she slipped on a pair of guest slippers. "I had no choice. That little weasel is making life miserable again."

"What 'weasel'?"

"Ah, there you are Takani-san, it's so good of you to come see me."

The loathing on Megumi's face was all too apparent before she washed it away beneath a smile. "Thank you for inviting me, Makimachi-sama. It was very... generous of you."

"Only the best for you, Takani-san. Please come in."

He watched Megumi follow after Misao, the dislike between them almost palatable. Why had Misao invited Megumi? How did the two know each other? What was the basis for their obvious mutual dislike?

He was tempted to follow after, but couldn't.

To his fortune, Hannya stepped out heading toward the door.

"Hannya," Aoshi called.

"Hmm? Yes?" The demon masked man paused near the door, looking around as though he'd lost something.

"Do you know why Takani Megumi is here?"

Hannya seemed to tense as he faced Aoshi. "All I know of it is that it was the Okashira's direct order to bring her."

"Her direct order?" Aoshi repeated.

Hannya nodded and continued to look around. "Is that all you wished to ask of me?"

"Aa," Aoshi replied turning to glance back down the empty hall once more. Why was she here?

"Shinomori-san..." He turned toward the little voice, half-surprised to see two little faces staring up at him. Takeo and Chisato shared a glance before looking back at him. "Misao-sama says we were supposed to come see you about our kenpo since Hannya-san is busy today."

He nodded. So, Misao wanted him to oversee the training of the kids? For just today, or was he taking it over until sometime later?

He motioned for them to follow and they did so bobbing along behind him, perfectly in step.

What was it about these two that seemed so off?

He determined to try to find out as he led them to the interior courtyard, thankfully finding it empty.


Misao smiled brightly, trying to hold onto her act of actually being happy to see the older woman. "It's so good to see you, Takani-san."

The lady doctor nodded. "It is also good to see you."

"I've heard you've been making some rather embarassing mistakes out at your clinic, feeling distracted lately?"

Megumi tensed, her entire body stiffening, her face tightening. "I can't imagine how you could have come to such a conclusion. Things are going just fine."

Misao waved a hand. "Either way, business is slow, isn't it? Stay here and relax for a week. You're an important part of the medical community, Takani-san, being the only lady doctor I know of. Please, rest with us."

It was blatantly obvious she was suspicious. "What for?"

"Let's just say I want you to test someone else. No one's in danger, nothing bad will happen. Agreed? Do whatever you like, rest your mind. You do look stressed," she admitted.

The poor woman, no matter how much Misao thought she was obnoxious, had bags under her eyes.

"I suppose one week wouldn't kill me," she conceded.

It wasn't as though she had any choice, Misao thought, rising to her feet.

"Good, good," Misao chirped.

Before the doctor could say anything else, Misao was out the door and it was snapped closed behind her. She exhaled deeply.

She'd never liked Takani Megumi. The other woman had always seemed arrogant and somewhat snobby. Misao had always felt the older, prettier woman was looking down on her.

It brought back the wave of nauseous feelings she'd had when she felt she wasn't good enough to compete with that lady escort, Yumi. She shuddered at the memory.

This would be her life, she thought desparingly. This is the kind of life she would have, always bound in some type of insecurity, fighting off her feelings of jealousy and inadequacy when other, more beautiful women flirted with her husband.

But that's what this week was about, wasn't it? Trying to head off these feelings before she became officially tied to them, or him. Or, whatever it was this was.

She hung her head. Could she really do this? Did she have any choice?

There would be no shortage of women willing to be Aoshi's lover. She sighed, about to head off to her office to get a few things done, Okina came around.

"Ah, there you are. Aoshi is down in the courtyard with the twins, perhaps you should go down and see."

She nodded.

She'd asked the two kids to see Aoshi about training since Hannya had to go out today and she was busy with Takani and paperwork. She hadn't even gotten to her office yet.

She could spare a moment to stop by the courtyard and see how the children were. She really worried about them, those kids.

If things went bad with Aoshi well... She'd have to determine that later, wouldn't she?

She headed down the stairs noting everyone seemed to be off working. That was good. She hated being idle, and she hated others being idle too.

She slid open the doors to the courtyard and all movement inside stopped.

The two children, facing off against each other, immediately turned and bowed toward her. She smiled cheerily.

"How goes?" She asked.

Aoshi's gaze was steady on her, but she ignored him for the moment.

"I heard from your instructor you didn't do well. Either of you, I'm very disappointed. Shooting arrows at wildlife instead of your target wasn't the point of you going there."

She received two frowns.

She wanted so badly to save them, to stop their descent into something she couldn't fathom, but didn't know how. She looked up at Aoshi feeling helpless. Maybe he could...?

"Go to the well and bring back some water."

The two straightened and bowed and then almost ran to the door to escape at Aoshi's order. He watched them until the door snapped closed behind them.

"Chisato and Takeo are... " she trailed off.

"Disturbed?" he asked, a tight frown across his lips.

"They're parents were killed right in front of them. We've tried everything. They're always so quiet and obedient but their behavior is very bad. I thought maybe some light training would give them some focus but... They only seem to get worse.

"That's why I sent them to you. Hannya's worked with them a little, but not too much. Spend some time with them and tell me what you think, okay?"

He nodded.

She turned to go, but paused. "We had a dog once, as he got older he got aggressive. At first it was minor, he growled but then it escalated into serious bite wounds. Jiya said we had no choice and the dog was killed. I remember it broke my heart, I cried for hours. I can't help thinking about it now, but it isn't really the same. You can't put down bad children."

Aoshi stared at her, surprised. He couldn't recall ever seeing such a vulnerable look on her face. Not even when she'd cried over Hannya or Soujiro did she look so utterly helpless and afraid of something. Never had she looked so tired or burdened or overwhelmed.

These children then, they were truly weighing on her.

He could understand that. The two children were devils in sheep clothing. All politeness and obedience but something in their eyes spoke of wounds carved deep into their hearts.

"Their parents died in front of them?"

"Protecting them. Others arrived to help ward off the attackers, but it was too late, the two died collapsed over the children. " She replied.

He reached down, turning her chin toward him so their gazes met again. "You give me complete authority over them?
She nodded, her gaze not wavering from his, even as the door slid open. He watched as he drew his hand away, glancing at the children once and then back to her, but she had looked down.

The children approached where they stood and waited. Misao turned, no smile gracing her face.

"From today forward, Takeo and Chisao, you are directly responsible to Aoshi-sama for yourselves, your actions, and your training."

'Aoshi-sama?'

How easily she'd said that, he thought, watching her smile smoothly at the children. She slipped out the door and quietly closed it leaving them alone again.

'Aoshi-sama', he thought, before turning his gaze back to his young charges.


"So, I hear you're engaged to marry the Okashira here, is that true?"

"No," he replied, looking back to the window under which Misao was sitting outside. He knew she was out there, he could feel her. What was she doing?

Unsupervised. Alone. Unprotected.

"Oh. She does seem a bit young for you."

He didn't reply. What she thought didn't concern him. Her laughter drew his attention away again.

"You don't think so?"

"No," he replied.

His answer must have surprised her because her laughter quickly died. "I see. You really like her then? Or is this all job related? If you win her then you get to be the Okashira, isn't that so?"

He turned her a stony glance. "Mind your own business," he warned.

"Ah, just like old times. Absorbed in your own little world, not caring about anyone else and using people to suit your own ends. It's too bad time hasn't changed you any, Aoshi."

Is this what Misao wanted?

Is this what she was waiting under the window to hear? Personal insights from his past?

What was it?

The conversation certainly seemed to be taking a personal direction.

He didn't reply to her barb, but Megumi didn't seem to care. She went on without his comment.

He was not happy to see her. Takani Megumi was a symbol of his youth he wanted to forget. A sign of failure so engrained into his pysche he could never escape from it, and that she had become so twisted and cynical made it all the worse.

Did Misao know this?

He doubted she did.

Very few knew of his exact relationship with the doctor's assistant, and he liked it that way.

As far as he knew the leaders of the Oniwabanshuu beneath the Okashira had known of his relationship with Megumi.

Megumi had been a learning experience, but one he didn't often like to remember. Their relationship had been tenative, passionate, but distant. He'd held Megumi at a distance like he did everyone else and she, in the end, had gone tired of what she perceived to be his condescending tone and attitude.

It had ended badly with heated words, mostly hers, and lots of resentment. He had simply felt abandoned by what he could only describe as her sudden turn on him and neither had left happy.

He leaned his head back against the wall, watching Megumi work. He hadn't seen her in years, but it didn't seem she'd changed any.

He glanced toward the window. He no longer sensed Misao's presence.

Before he could blink the door was slid open and there she stood.

"Hello!" she chirped. "How goes, Takani-san?"

Megumi shrugged and Misao frowned.

Aoshi watched as she interacted with Megumi, as though completely unaware of his presence. It simply couldn't be though, not with as long as she'd spent outside the window listening.

From the doorway stirred another presence. One far less friendly. Hannya appeared, his lanky form pulled up straight.

"Okashira." He called. "We have a problem."

Misao's smile faded, the light in her eyes dimming completely as her tiny mouth took a downward turn.

"A problem?"


End chapter 7