DISCLAIMER: I do not own nor will I ever own Rurouni Kenshin. I am making no profit from this and I will remove this if requested to do so for any legitimate reason.
WARNING: This story is rated R for violence, so if you do not like graphic depictions of people dying I suggest you find something else to read.
The Last Battle of the Bakumatsu
Chapter 16
When Sano had woken up, he had expected today to be just like any other but it was quickly turning into one day to forget. It had started out with Kaoru insisting Yahiko stay at the dojo and help her conduct training rather than him going off to the temple. There wasn't a problem until Yutarou turned up at the same training session. As soon as Kaoru was busy Yutarou had started to niggle and taunt Yahiko until the boy snapped. Yahiko looked completely lost after his brief outburst of rage. Yutarou was stunned and thankful that Sano had got a hold of Yahiko before he attacked. The two were separated but Kaoru, who was completely bewildered by the event, cornered Yahiko before he could leave the dojo.
He had confessed about the man he had killed but didn't elaborate on why as he abruptly left. With the new information, Kaoru's anger was quickly turned on the person she believed was at fault. Sano quickly had to face the wrath of Kaoru's blame as she ranted and raved at him. She hit him several times but he made no effort to defend himself. At some point she started crying but her accusations kept coming until the emotional and physical exertion became too much and she fled back to her room. Sano waved off Kenshin's apology since he already felt some blame for Yahiko's situation. He then retreated to his room and collected his and Outa's belongings before they left the dojo and officially moved into their new home.
That was the beginning to an otherwise annoying day. Sano continued to work on the repairs but his mind was rarely on the job at hand and he constantly hurt himself. The pain was only a momentary distraction and once he started back to work his mind would eventually drift onto the morning's events. Luckily for Sano it only took to the early afternoon to complete most of the major work that he needed to get done. Deciding that they both needed a break, Sano took Outa to the clinic for some ointment for his cut hands before they went into town to get a few other items.
While at the clinic, Megumi informed them that she had been to the dojo for lunch and had heard about what had happened. She mentioned that after Kaoru had calmed down after that and she regretted putting all the blame onto Sano. She also said that Kaoru became a little more distressed when she discovered that he had taken his belongings and left the dojo. Megumi knew where Sano had gone but she had neglected to tell Kaoru. Megumi didn't talk about Yahiko at the clinic but she did tell Sano that she would come past his place so that he could explain in full. Sano and Outa had then left the clinic and travelled to various places around Tokyo buying food, furniture and several other essential items.
By the time Megumi arrived that evening, Sano and Outa had put the house into order. They had divided the space up into three bedrooms with a larger sitting area adjacent to the kitchen. Sano was just starting the evening meal when Megumi arrived with Misao in tow. Outa had taken Misao on a little tour of their modest home with Megumi deciding to add a little variety to the bland meal Sano was making. After it was ready the four of them settled down to the meal with the issue of Yahiko pushed aside for the moment due to a more immediate problem.
It was the first time Sano had seen Misao since she rushed out of the dojo yesterday morning. She hadn't been back to the dojo since and Sano could see that her were clothes dirty and wrinkled. Her face also had a reddish hue that Sano guessed was sake induced because she smelled like she had been drowning in it. Sano's assumption was quickly proved right as she drank three cups with speed that would have rivalled Kenshin. Sano and Megumi both watched her cautiously but said nothing as they all began to eat.
Misao did very little eating and a lot of drinking. Sano was getting close to the point where he would step in and stop her from going any further. Both he and Megumi had expected Misao to start talking eventually but she only paused now and then to take a mouthful of food. She would pause on occasion, staring out at nothing before her eyes hardened and she redoubled her efforts to drink herself into oblivion. By now even Outa was looking at her anxiously and glanced at his big brother hoping that Sano would intervene. Sano finally relented and placed his hand on the sake bottle, stopping Misao from refilling her empty cup.
"You've had enough, now it's time to tell us what's going on," Sano stared at Misao and she looked back with a scorching glare. Sano remained unfazed and Misao futilely tried to prise the bottle from Sano's grip.
"I'd be better if you told us the problem, then maybe we could help you," Megumi hoped her voice would calm the quickly angering Misao.
"You can't help, I don't want your help. I just want to forget," Misao growled as she tried to free the bottle from Sano. Sano frowned as Misao's attempts continued to increase in intensity and aggression.
"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that this is about Shinomori," Sano watched as Misao hesitated and then shook with anger.
"Don't say that you can help me because you can't. Don't say his name. Don't say anything! I don't want to think I just want to forget. I just to forget him! I just want to forget everything!" During her screaming, Misao leaned forward forcing Sano to lean back and relinquish his hold on the sake bottle. Misao was supporting herself using the sake bottle but her intoxicated senses caused her to lose her balance and topple over. She lay motionless for a few moments before she lifted herself off the floor. Misao had spilled sake on the floor and herself. There were also a few drops of blood on the floor from her hand that had crushed her porcelain sake cup.
"I'm useless." Misao's harsh whisper was accompanied by tears falling to the floor and mingling with the spilled sake. "No wonder Aoshi hates me. I'm just a stupid, little, lovesick girl trying to be a ninja when I should be dressed in a kimono and looking for a husband. I wish I'd never meet him. I wish I wasn't Oniwabanshu. I wish I could just forget everything and the world would just forget me." A defeated Misao started to slump back to the ground but Megumi took hold of her wrists. Misao looked up through her tears and took the silent offer of comfort, clinging to the older woman.
Sano and Outa silently observed for a few minutes before Sano started to clean up the mess. Outa quickly followed his brothers lead and they mopped up the sake as well as clearing away the dirty dishes. As they worked, Misao openly wept on Megumi's shoulder, smearing Megumi's clothes with sake, blood and tears. Megumi ignored that as she tried to sooth the despairing Misao by whispering reassurance and smoothing out Misao's ruffled hair. After cleaning the dishes in the kitchen Outa quietly went to his room while Sano took Megumi's medical bag and placed it beside her. Megumi nodded to him as he settled down with the last of the sake and waited for Misao to calm down.
"Misao, I need to take care of your hand," Megumi softly spoke after Misao had calmed down. She reluctantly relaxed her hold and sat back on her heels. Megumi tentatively took Misao's hand and started to pick out the broken pieces of the sake cup from her wounds. Misao didn't react as Megumi pulled the shards of porcelain from her hand and just stared blankly at the floor. Sano observed all of this from his position, trying to resist a desperate urge to ask what Aoshi had done. He could already feel the rage building and he knew that Megumi had also realised what his reaction was going to be.
"I suppose you want to know what happened," Misao hesitantly looked up at Megumi and then turned to Sano. Sano assessed her for a few moments before he filled a cup of sake and offered it to her. She took it in her free hand and swallowed it but savoured the taste as it flowed through her mouth. She didn't ask for another, instead she stared at the floor again waiting for their reaction.
"You don't have to Misao, it's probably better if you leave it till morning." Before Megumi had even finished speaking Misao had started to shake her head.
"No I have to do this now," Misao's voice held a little more certainty and she was able to look Megumi in the eye.
"Well out with it Weasel, we don't have all night," Misao smiled at Sano's blunt answer but Megumi scowled at him. There were a few moments of silence that was broken by Misao's hiss as the pain from the antiseptic finally reached her.
"Sorry Misao but at least now you can feel you hand," Megumi tried not to laugh at Misao's face as she tried to endure the stinging pain.
"Don't change the subject Fox, I want to know what's going on," Megumi glared at him and he smiled innocently.
"You only want a reason to get into a fight with Shinomori," both Misao and Megumi watch Sano smirk.
"Maybe I would, a good beating and he might loosen up a little," Sano chuckled as Megumi frowned at him. Both of them were a little surprised to see Misao smiling at the idea.
"It probably wouldn't make a difference but I'd feel a little better seeing him knocked down a peg or two. However I don't want you to get hurt because of me," Misao didn't look up but she knew that Sano was smiling.
"You just tell me what happened and I'll worry about what happens after that," Sano continued to display his reassuring smile as Misao looked up at him. She nodded at him before concentrating on organising her thoughts.
"I suppose it started a few years ago after Enishi had been beaten and Aoshi and I went back to the Aoiya. Okina and Aoshi thought that I should stop being the leader of the Oniwabanshu but I didn't want to. They reluctantly gave in to me but Aoshi was supposed to guide me through the role. I thought it was easy because there wasn't much that I needed to do and not much happened. After a while though I started to run into people who sent information to us and heard about reports that I had never seen. At first I dismissed it but when some trouble started and I didn't hear about it I got suspicious. Can I get some water?" Sano stood up and moved to the kitchen to get some water while Megumi finished bandaging Misao's hand.
"You should try and let it heal for a couple of days. Most of the cuts were minor but there were some deeper cuts," Misao nodded at Megumi's advice as she tentatively flexed her hand. Sano returned with some water and handed it to Misao who took it in her uninjured hand, resting her other hand in her lap.
"So Aoshi was making sure that you only got the reports that would keep you out of trouble," Sano surmised as Misao seemed to lose herself in her thoughts.
"At first I thought it was just Aoshi but when I started to investigate I found out that Okina was helping him. I think everybody else at the Aoiya knew what was happening but I was too afraid to ask why someone didn't tell me. I thought that they might have agreed with Aoshi so I continued alone. One night I heard Aoshi leave and I followed him. I couldn't stay too close to him and I lost him several times. I caught up to him when he was in the middle of a fight and charged in without thinking. Aoshi had his back to me and there was someone between us but he saw me coming. I was able to duck under his sword and pass him leaving me with my back to Aoshi and my enemy in front of me." Misao paused to take another sip of water, her eyes showing the same haunted look that Sano had seen in their battle together.
"It took me a few seconds to realise that on my way passed him I had drawn my sword. He collapsed and I couldn't take my eyes off the blood that dripped from my sword and onto my hands. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings so I didn't notice that Aoshi had finished his fight. I guess he was upset, I didn't notice what was happening until we got near to the Aoiya. Once we arrived Aoshi and Okina tried to find out what I thought I was doing and I asked them the same thing. It was the first spiteful argument I can remember having with them, maybe even with anyone. In the end they treated me like a child and I acted like one. I spent nearly a month in my room and I treated them both with cold respect, almost distain at times." Misao paused to drink again, aware that both Sano and Megumi were watching her intently.
"I take it that's why you aren't calling them by their usual titles, like Aoshi-sama," Sano stated as he sipped his sake.
"Aoshi probably didn't care but Okina seemed to suffer a little because I would barely acknowledge presence. Things were tense but they were settling down until Okon told me that they were looking for a husband for me. When I confronted Okina I found out that a family had approached him with the idea after seeing me working in the Aoiya. He was actually entertaining the idea and thought that it might help me to settle down. At first I protested until Okina said that I should just meet him and take it from there. I stopped protesting when I realised that this might be my best chance to impress Aoshi. Even after what had happened, I was still hooked on him, I think I still am," Misao's voice dropped to a forlorn whispered as she wiped tears from her eyes.
"I dressed up in a kimono and tried to look as attractive as I could," Misao spoke in a dead tone after a few moments to recompose herself. "My prospective in-laws were impressed, my proposed husband nearly drooled, Okina was suspicious and Aoshi showed nothing as usual. I chatted with them and acted elegantly, hoping that I could make some impression on Aoshi. Eventually they left me alone with the man they wanted me to marry but he tried to put his hands where they weren't wanted. I then had to explain to Okina why breaking his arm wasn't excessive and the ensuing argument ended up at Aoshi. Okina told me that he had asked Aoshi if he was interested in me but he… he said no." As Misao spoke, tears filled her eyes and began to trickle down her cheeks but they quickly turned into a flood.
Megumi's comforting touch encouraged Misao to take the older woman in a fierce hug as she wept on her shoulder again. Megumi returned the embrace and tried her best to sooth Misao as she cried away the memories. Megumi spared a glance in Sano's direction to see him sitting motionless. He was staring distantly into his half filled sake cup but his face was familiar to her. He looked like he wanted to rip something apart but it was more likely that he wanted to rip someone apart. Sensing he was being watched Sano lifted his gaze to Megumi, letting his face soften and a smile of reassurance appear. Her attention was diverted back to Misao as she started to get a hold of herself.
Having stemmed the flow of tears Misao pulled away from Megumi. Misao missed the slight twitch in Megumi's eyebrow as she wiped her eyes and nose with the back of her bandaged hand. Sano resisted the urge to chuckle at Megumi's reaction and instead refilled Misao's cup with sake. Megumi shot a warning glare at Sano but Misao picked up the drink and downed it without hesitation. Megumi sighed and shook her head as Sano smiled in silent triumph. Misao was oblivious to the other two people present in the room and stared at the floor feeling lost.
"Are you alright Misao?" Megumi softly inquired trying not to startle her. Misao looked up blankly for a moment before some life appeared in her eyes.
"I'm okay, it just hurts to think about it. Sorry for being such a bother," Megumi frowned at the quiet girl who was nothing like her normal cheerful self.
"You're not a bother Misao," Megumi's encouragement did little to raise Misao's spirits.
"So what happened next?" Sano stated, earning the ire of Megumi. Before she could chastise him Misao began to speak again.
"I was totally lost and confused. I didn't know what to think until I ran into Aoshi in the hallway. I couldn't speak to him but as soon as I reached my room, I packed a bag and left. It seemed like the only thing to do and I ended up wandering around aimlessly until I came to Tokyo. I stayed at the dojo for a while but I didn't tell them why I left Kyoto. When Kenshin realised something was wrong he wrote a letter to Okina and when I found out about it, I ran away again. I was too afraid of Aoshi coming to get me or maybe it was why Aoshi would come to get me. In the end I was back on the road but also flat broke," Misao sighed and drank some more water.
"I know what that is like," muttered Sano as he drank his sake.
"Well I had been in that situation as well, so I went back to what I used to do. I'd lure thieves and bandits into a trap and then steal from them. It helped me keep in shape but I tried to use my sword as little as possible. I had no choice sometimes but I never killed anyone and I still found it hard to see blood on my sword." As Misao felt those memories creeping back Sano's voice reached her ears.
"So that's why you were able to handle yourself in that fight against the Shinsengumi," Sano could recall how effective she was despite her hesitation in going with him.
"I can fight if I want to but I don't like to, especially if there's a chance I might kill someone," Sano nodded in understanding and Misao returned to her story. "I travelled like that for a few months, not in any particular direction or with any destination in mind. Eventually I came close to Kyoto and I couldn't resist passing through rather than going around. I guess someone saw me and told the Aoiya because Okon and Omasu cornered me. They convinced me to go back but not much had changed. I worked in the Aoiya while avoiding Aoshi but Okina looked tired. He was relieved to see me but he seemed to have lost his energy. So while I did all that, in my free time I tried to train on my own and away from the Aoiya," Misao stopped when she saw Megumi looking confused.
"If you weren't talking to Shinomori, how did you get him to include you in Saito's investigation?" Megumi watched as Misao sighed and her eyes started to glisten with fresh tears.
"I though he had decided to accept my involvement in the Oniwabanshu, I was overjoyed. I felt hope for the first time in months but then yesterday when I told them about Katsu's discovery he said I should go back to Kyoto. He insisted that he didn't want me to be further involved and it was no place for… a child. The only reason I was there was because Saito didn't think Sano would react well to working with Aoshi. So I was there to make sure you behaved, I had no real other use," Misao started to sink towards the ground. This time Megumi's touch didn't reach her but before Misao could fully lay down Sano dragged her to her feet.
"What are you doing?" Misao weakly protested as Sano took her in his bedroom.
"If you want to cry yourself to sleep, do it in the futon and preferably in something clean," Sano search through his clothes as Misao noticed the state of hers. Sano threw a white button up shirt at Misao as Megumi entered.
"Don't you have something more appropriate," Megumi asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah but that's what you are wearing," Sano thrust the yukata Kenshin gave him into Megumi's hands. "You two can sleep in here and give me your clothes when you have changed so I can wash them. Otherwise you won't have anything to wear tomorrow," Megumi missed his sly grin after being stunned by his offer to do the laundry. By the time Megumi had started to think again she observed that Misao had already changed. Misao dropped into the futon and curled into a ball. When Megumi wrapped the blanket over her she was already asleep and Megumi brushed some hair away her face.
"It'll be alright, even if it doesn't look like it yet," Megumi whispered to her before she changed into the oversized yukata. She took the rumpled pile of clothes that was Misao's and walked to the door. She had to settle a few matters with Sano, before he did something stupid.
Author's Notes: Well a little bit of angst that only occurred because I was having a bad day when I wrote this. Sorry for all the Aoshi/Misao fans but not everything can be happy for everybody. Anyway I think you know what to expect from the next chapter so I don't need to say it. As for Kaoru, well she'll lighten up later, like Chapter 19. Criticism and comments welcome, flames as well, if they are creative.