When Dreams Come True

NOTE: If one of you guys could send me the HTML for the story, 'Whose Rainbow Never Ends,' that would be great. Or just send me the site for any of your favorite S/M fics. I have read the story, 'A Moment of Love.' Actually, my favorite stories are, A Moment of Love, When the Rain Stops, Alone in a Crowd, and All I Need. But unfortunately, a couple of those stories had been removed from Fanfic .net. They'll be deeply missed.

…Because medicine doesn't heal

And doctors can't tell

If better I'm to feel

And when I'm to get well.

Chapter eight – In Your Eyes

Soujiro felt tired. Not tired like being sleepy or anything, he felt tired from life's events. He was beginning to feel like maybe he couldn't finish his journey. Maybe he was just a born failure, or something like he couldn't keep at something. Like being an assassin? Well that was over. Being and staying a ruroui? It seemed like that was over too.

"Sou…are you awake?" It was Misao. For some reason, whenever he saw Misao walk by him, he felt differently about her than he did before he left for Tokyo.

'It's that girl.'

Mr. Shishio's voice echoed in his head from the day before.

So, did that mean he hated Misao? Did Mr. Shishio want Soujiro to hate her?

"Sou? Are you up?"

Hate Misao? But…how?

"Yes Misao, you can come in," The door slid open quieter than usual. She tiptoed in and set herself gently next to him.

"I just had the best idea ever a few hours ago!" she whispered as Soujiro gave her a worried look. It was about five a.m. and if she thought of this 'great' idea a few hours ago… what time did she wake up?

"What is it Misao?" Sou whispered back.

"Well for starters," she started as she lowered her head, "I know how much being a rurouni is important to you so I've decided that I'll go with you!"

Soujiro just kind of stared blankly as Misao went on, "I was…I was really, really sad when you went away so, I guess this is a way for both of us to get what we want," she raised her head.

"I'm sorry Sou! I know its selfish of me to ask such a question but, you have no idea how much I missed you!"

Soujiro was a little astonished that he made that big of an impression on someone's life. He couldn't help but wonder what it might be like to leave that big a gap in someone's heart.

He also wondered if someone dear to him left him as well.

But if he was that precious to someone, he could only smile, "That's a great idea Misao. The journey will be much more fun with you around."

Misao jumped a little from where she was sitting, "Serious!"

He nodded as she shot forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Thank you so much Sou!"

He felt…good.

But he was also feeling a little warm in the cheeks.

Maybe that was what you felt like when someone cared for you; warm.

"I'm gonna go pack! We'll leave in half an hour so we're gone by the time everybody wakes up."

She then pranced out of the room to leave Sou by himself for the time being.

'…I see you.'

Wha?

'What did I say about that girl?'

'Mr. Shishio…'

Soujiro felt warm again, but it wasn't the feeling of comfort. This time he was actually…afraid of the man who raised him for half of his life.

'What did I say about that girl!'

He was getting angry, 'You said she was changing me into someone else.'

'Good. So don't let her come with you on your journey.'

'But!'

'No. She will eat your mind from the inside out.'

Then why did he feel so good when Misao said such nice things about him? Why did he feel so warm…?

He then made up his mind. He would rather take his chance with the living than negotiate with the ghosts of his past, 'Mr. Shishio?'

'What?'

Then Soujiro said something he would always remember.

'Goodbye Mr. Shishio.'

Soujiro felt a zing of pain for only a moment as the words echoed in his head.

'Fine. But you can't run away from me. I see you wherever you go.'

And that was it.

Soujiro just sat there for a moment while he waited for what he just heard to sink in. Mr. Shishio really was the bad guy, wasn't he? But he couldn't think about this now. In less than half an hour, he and Misao would be leaving for wherever the road took them. He guessed he could call himself, 'happy.'

If only he knew exactly what the feeling felt like. Happy, happy, happy. No matter how many times he said it, he couldn't get the feeling.

Or maybe, just maybe, those kinds of things couldn't just be said.

But Soujiro wouldn't know.

After twenty minutes of just contemplating, Misao slid the door open once again, "Ready to go?"

Soujiro would've answered 'yes,' but Misao dragged him out of the room anyways, "Come on! I want to get a head start!" Soujiro then set his hands on Misao's to let her know that he wanted to be released.

"I just wanted to say goodbye to Kou-chan."

Misao rolled her eyes, "Again with the fish? You're really attached to the little thing, aren't you?"

He nodded. He walked into the kitchen where the little fish was.

"I'll be outside," Misao called out to Soujiro who was now inside the kitchen.

He looked into the clear waters of the dwelling Koukiji continued to swim left and right as if it were calling to Sou, 'Take me with you!'

He smiled as he dipped his finger into the cool waters, "I'll come back for you someday. Just don't get fried.

Soujiro gave one last smile before he was about to turn around.

But when he was just about to turn around, something terribly scared him.

"It's been a while, Tenken."

Aoshi.

Soujiro turned around to see the tall man with black hair and black eyes. Soujiro was intimidated by him at first, but then remembered his composure.

Aoshi was standing in the doorway sending off angered feelings towards Soujiro. He had came down the stairs as soon as Misao left the building so she wouldn't be a part of this.

"So where have you been this whole time I've been here?" Soujiro asked, a hint of caution added to his voice. He needed to make sure that Aoshi knew who was the most powerful person there so he wouldn't act on past events.

Aoshi replied, "I've been trying to find myself in the Kiyomizu Temple a couple miles away. And how about you Soujiro? What are you up to these days? I was told you were on a 10-year journey as being a rurouni. What happened? Settling down here at the Aoiya? That doesn't seem like something you'd do."

By the time Aoshi was done, Soujiro was already staring at the floor, "Are you about done?"

Aoshi nodded.

Soujiro then looked up, "Well to answer your question, I've been trying to find myself too but in a different way."

Aoshi watched him with his darkened eyes. No emotion could be read in them as Soujiro continued, "It just so happens I met Misao along my travels and then she invited me here."

Aoshi tilted his head, carefully listening to every word the younger man said just in case he slipped up,

"And apparently," Soujiro sighed, "I've found myself just a little more than you have Mr. Shinomori."

Aoshi's eyes flared for a single moment, which Soujiro caught right at the bat. They just stared at each other for a while until Misao hopped in with an energetic voice, which slowly faded as she caught what was going on, "Sou! Come on we have to get going before anybody…wakes…up…"

She gazed at Aoshi who still kept both eyes on Sou.

'I bet he's trying so hard…'

A voice rung in his head. It wasn't Mr. Shishio, the voice sounded more angelic.

At that moment, he understood.

"I'm sorry Mr. Shinomori. You must be trying so hard," Aoshi's eyes picked up once he heard this, "I guess that's why we both attempted different roads. I guess that's why we might not see eye to eye."

Aoshi glared with his eyes so deep, "So because I meditate in a temple while you travel the word means that we won't get along with each other? I think not. I think it's something else."

Soujiro's smile faded. So this is the way it was going to be.

"I understand Mr. Shinomori."

Then Soujiro began to walk away from the bucket in which he originally wanted to visit. As he walked past Aoshi, he could feel the tall man's eyes burn into Sou's skin. As soon as Soujiro was at the exit of the Aoiya, Aoshi spoke up.

"Understand what, Tenken? You can't understand me or anybody else because you don't have the emotion to do so. So don't say you understand, boy. That's why you're called the Tenken. But the 'Heavenly Sword?' I think not."

By the time Aoshi was fully turned around, Soujiro was staring right back him with eyes Aoshi remembered from several months ago.

"Don't you even dare call me Tenken once more."

'It can be so hard to achieve something in life that takes an entire lifetime to find. But in a split second, you can lose that name, and sink back to shadowy depths of you mind.'

Aoshi smirked, "You really haven't changed at all. I can see it in your eyes."

Soujiro wasn't expecting that comment.

But Aoshi continued, "Try your hardest while you can Tenken, just don't find yourself too much, you might get lost again."

Soujiro's eyes flickered just for a split second while Aoshi smirked once again as he finished, "And if Misao is hurt at all because of your problems, I will personally kill you my self."

With that, Aoshi walked up the creaky stairs back up to his room.

Soujiro just stood there as Misao walked up behind him, "Aoshi-sama…" she said as she stared at the stairs in which Aoshi walked up. Soujiro couldn't help but turn around and stare deep into Misao's sad, sad eyes.

"Misao…I'm sorry."

Misao diverted her attention back to Soujiro, "It's ok. He'll ask me to marry him when I come back!"

Soujiro lowered his eyes. In truth, he really did want Misao to come with him. But he knew she really didn't belong on a long journey with him. She more likely belonged here at the Aoiya with Aoshi. No matter how much it killed him to say it.

You see, after Soujiro came back to the Aoiya after his attempt to leave he realized some things.

"That's not what I meant, Misao."

She tilted her head in confusion, "Then what did you mean Sou?"

He tried to keep a smile on his face, but he could tell that she knew something was up, "I think it was best if you stay here at the Aoiya with your family."

Misao's mouth slightly opened not knowing what to say. But after a couple of shocked moments, she eventually figured out exactly what would change the young man's mind, "Sou, I understand that you have to wander around Japan for how long it might take you, but do you really have to do it alone? I mean, if you're gonna do it as long as Kenshin, you won't get anywhere if you're on a journey all by yourself! That's not being a rurouni, that's being lonely!"

Her words rang through his head. She was right too. He didn't have to be alone during his journeys. But if she stayed with him for ten years…

"But Misao, you can't roam Japan with me for ten years…!"

She sighed exasperatedly, "Fine. I'll only travel with you for a week or two. A month tops."

Now that wouldn't be that bad, a full two weeks with Misao. That was more than he could ever ask for.

"But," She interrupted his thoughts, "Will it really take you ten years to find healing? I mean, ten years is a long time. What if you find what you're looking for sooner than you expected?"

Soujiro shrugged, "I guess I'll stop then."

Misao's eyes lit up, "And then you'll come back to the Aoiya!"

There was something about that moment that made Soujiro smile. Something that made him really, really smile, "Sure, anything for you Misao."

Misao squealed as she grabbed Soujiro's hand and pulled him along the road ahead of them. Even though his arms were about ripped out of its socket, he was feeling invincible. Maybe that was the feeling when you had a friend who cared for you as much as you wanted to care for them? But all Soujiro wanted to know was why he was feeling so good, and if there was another word for the way he was feeling.

While the two ran along the road that was aligned with the river, a little piece of paper bounced up and tucked down inside of Soujiro's hakama. It read:

'If we could all do the things we were capable of doing, we'd be amazed.'

So that meant if Soujiro would realize his emotions, he might even realize he…

End.

The paper came from chapter five and it was the one Okon was holding. And the quote was slightly changed from the quote Thomas Edison said, "If we could all do the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves." That just so happens to be one of my favorite quotes.

Give me a few days to think up a new chapter since I'm like, fresh out of ideas. But if you're going to mention any ideas, I'd prefer if they weren't your average Soujiro story problems such as flirting hookers or…pretty much that… Anyways.

I'm trying to be original!

NaiLAUG!