Author: Oo now to the accepting part for Misao. I feel bad for being so mean towards her….sweatdrop……warning, she is going to be OOC, considering the circumstances.
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-Charmed Wolf -(grins broadly) thanks again for your encouragement! (hugs Aoshi plushieO.o) I love peanut butter!
-animefan3534 - thanks! Well, that man is really...(points to story below)
-Yuki - (whacks her back) aye aye thanks matey! (I don't know why I said that) And you'll just have to read on, no peeking, to be fair.
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Disclaimer: sniff. Sniff. No amount of whining is going to help….I don't own RK.
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Chapter 2 Gone
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A small girl kneeled in front of a burned down house, blood splattered everywhere, with no exception on the little figure.
A group of ninjas huddled around the ruins, and one with grey beard walked towards the little child, bending down and whispered gently, 'Misao-chan?'
She gave no response, staring at the decimated corpses that were her parents. Her eyes wide and unblinking, making no sound, and she clenched her tiny fist hard on the broken sheathe of afractured kodachi. The one that belonged to her grandfather, the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu.
The older man sighed, depressed, "Aoshi, come.You seemed to be closer to her than most. She won't let go of the kodachi. See if you cancoax her out of it, though it is understandable."
"Very well, Okina," nodded a fifteen year old Aoshi curtly, his scarf covering half of his face. He gazed at the little girl, showing no emotions outside when, on the inside, he was having a heated turmoil, trying to accept the death of Okashira Makimachi, whom he had looked up to all his life. Misao had always been inseparable since their childhood, just like real brother and sister.
She had just witnessed the deaths of her family. No one knows who had done it; no one knows any possible murderer capable of defeating the Okashira. Aoshi's heart went out to her, wondering at the little girl's silence.
Aoshi knelt down in front of her, prying her fingers away from the bloody weapon. It took awhile, but as soon as her fingers released their grip on the hilt, she gripped his uniform hard. She buried her head in his scarf, as if trying to burrow a hole to escape reality.
No matter what he did, Misao showed no signs of letting go. When he stood up, Misao clung on and whispered, her tiny voice raspy and full of panic, "Don't leave me. Onegai." That did it. Aoshi embraced Misao gently as he lifted her off the ground, muttering words of comfort.
"Let her rest, that poor girl," said Okina sadly, giving a regretful glance at his dead best friend, "We didn't come on time……poor Misao-chan…go back to the Aoiya, Aoshi, we'll take care of the rest…"
Aoshi nodded, careful not to wake the now sleeping girl in his arms.
A twelve year old Omasu and thirteen year old Okon cornered Aoshi as he got back, inquiring looks on their face. Catching their silent question, he nodded in confirmation, and Omasu cried quietly as Okon put an arm around her, crying as well.
Aoshi tried to hand Misao to them, but her grip was surprisingly strong for a five-year-old. Aoshi's expression softened, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her wet eyes. "I'm sorry…I won't leave you, Misao-chan." Misao smiled hugging him closer as if hearing his words.
The scene suddenly shifted as the present Misao stood in a bamboo forest, and Aoshi stood with his back facing her, his trench coat fluttering with the wind.
"Aoshi-sama?" Misao began to yell, nervous as he started moving away. He did not look back, not even sparing her glance or a word of farewell. He kept walking.
In front of him stood Beshimi, Hyottoko, Shikijo, Hannya, her parents and her grandfather.
Misao's eyes widened in realization as she screamed feverishly, "No you can't go! Not you too! Not anymore! No! Everyone's gone…you can't leave me here! Aoshi-sama!"
Aoshi's silhouette began to fade along with the rest of them. They all wore a kind but heartbreaking smile. Aoshi turned abruptly and caught Misao's eyes, filled with sorrow. He smiled lightly before disappearing completely.
"AOSHI-SAMA!"
Misao's eyes snapped open, sweat drenching her body, and sobs shook her small frame. She was wearing a sleeping yukata, her futon tossed across the room during her rough sleep. She stared at the ceiling, her tears eventually came to a stop as the sense of reality sunk in.
Everybody's gone. Aoshi-sama is gone. She stared blankly into space, half wondering where she was until she finally recognized her room.
My room? Isn't the Aoiya destroyed…? And my ribs…they don't hurt anymore, so what…? Misao wondered half-heartedly, still utterly lost in her own world. Upon closer inspection, she found that the materials are rather new, and her possessions must have been found under all that rubble, and had been put in place to imitate her old room.
So, they built the Aoiya while I was out? How long was I out, and why……? Oh yeah, that……
She remembered brief scenes, vaguely recalling Sano's devastating words, and her memory grew fuzzy after that. She used her hand to support her self as she sat up, her hand brushing against a cold material.
She spun to look at the object, gasping slightly at the familiarity. Aoshi-sama's kodachis…… She held the weapon in her hands delicately, afraid that it would shatter like glass if she was careless. She fingered along a dark stain on it, wondering whether it's the victim's blood, or…….
She stared at it for awhile, as a radical desire crept into her mind. A crazed glint shone in her dull eyes. I can be with them……they can't leave me now……I can finally see them again…
Far far away, the man woke up in cold sweat, a memory of a little girl hanging onto him for dear life came back to him indistinctly. His ice blue eyes looked around in confusion. He recalled passing out in a forest, but now he was covered with bandages, some of the injury not even hurting anymore.
"Ah you are awake," said a kind voice gently, "Dr.Shima is the name. You've been out for almost three weeks. You are lucky to be alive, with those gashes on you. It was fortunate that I was picking up medicinal herbs that day. What is your name?"
The man blinked, trying to process the information the doctor just old him, and his dream.
"I don't remember. I don't remember anything," he replied in a baritone voice, wavering a little due to lack of usage.
Dr. Shima stroked his chin, deep in thought, "I see……judging from the cut on your head, I should say you have gotten amnesia. Don't worry, I am sure your memories will return, though it was uncertain when. I will leave you to your thoughts now, as you probably wanted to be alone."
The man nodded in agreement, and the doctor rose and closed the door behind him. The man brushed his dark bangs out of his eyes, his mind in a mess. Who is that little girl? What was her name again? Is she my sister? No, I don't think so…and what did she call me? Is my name……Aoshi?
Kaoru sighed heavily, holding a bowl of water, walking steadily towards Misao's room. The past three weeks went by like a blur, though giving them a fair amount of stress; Kenshin and Misao were still unconscious. Megumi was certain when she announced that, even though it would take some time, Ken-san is going to be alright. As for Misao……Kaoru frowned sadly, recalling that the genki kunoichi fainted after screaming in agony. She understood, on some level, how Misao must have felt, as she was often worried about Kenshin in such way. It was not that she didn't trust his strength, they all did, but she still stressed over his safety.
Yahiko walked beside her, trying to look unconcerned, though she knew he was deeply concerned about Kenshin and the weasel he actually liked arguing with, like that 'busu' beside him.
Kaoru frowned again, since it had been three weeks since Misao found out the news. It was understandable that Kenshin needed such rest physically, but Misao, though needing rest too, should not be out for so long. During that time, the Aoiya had been rebuilt and they moved in again just a few days ago, and Misao still showed no signs of waking up. Megumi told them that emotional wounds were the hardest to recover from, and she needed all the rest she could get. The fox doctor had explained seriously that Misao may have wanted to escape the harsh reality, and locked herself in her dreams.
Sano, Okina and the rest of them had already recovered, though Megumi forbid the ex-gangster from doing anything rash with his still bandaged right hand. Saito had returned to the police immediately after Kenshin had been transported to the Shirobeko. Saito had smirked at her lightly, before handing Okina Aoshi's kodachis, saying simply, "Shinomori doesn't want them," and he left without another word. Sano had been trying to contact him, reminding him of their unfinished duel back at Tokyo, but was unsuccessful.
Yahiko tensed at he heard the unmistakable sound of metal scraping against metal. "Busu, did you hear that?"
Kaoru pursed her lips, willing to let that 'busu' business slip. Just this time. "Yes, Yahiko-CHAN," he bristled at that but said nothing, "It sounded like when one unsheathed a katana………" she trailed off, and Yahiko continued for her, his eyes bulging in shock, "and we left the kodachis in her room!"
Putting two and two together, the two ran to her room, regardless of the water spilling from the forgotten bowl.
"Misao-chan!" shrieked Kaoru fearfully, her voice caught in her throat as she opened the door, witnessing the scene before her.
Misao's face was away from them, her left hand trembling, holding the sheathe; her right hand, though, was firm and sure, gripping the kodachi and pointing it towards her heart.
"Kuso! Yamerou, Misao!" bellowed Yahiko, deflecting the weapon just in time with his shinai. The sword edge, instead of her heart, slashed at her cheek instead, though she showed no sign of pain or recognizing them.
"What happened?" footsteps were heard, and the rest of the Oniwabanshuu crowded around the door, including Megumi.
"Just what did you think you were doing?" Yahiko gritted his teeth, trying to force his voice to sound more gentle.
Misao hung her head, her dark bangs obscuring her eyes; her hands were limp by her side, blood trickling down her cheek. She seemed to murmur more to herself, "……why didn't you let me die……why…… gone…they…gone…minna……death…gone…"These strings of broken words sent shivers down their spine.
They stared at her with mixtures of shock and pity. Megumi snapped out of her trance, "I'll go get some bandages."
Okina was shaking his head, looking at his beloved adoptive granddaughter, "My little angel……why?" Please don't scare your old man like that...suicide…
Kaoru knelt beside her, and Yahiko used his shinai to push the kodachis as far as possible, reassuring himself that they were out of her reach.
"Remember, Misao-chan? You stopped that Juppogatana okama, Kamatari...I think,when he tried to kill himself after we defeated him! He said he wanted to die, but you stopped him, Misao-chan. You were right about that. You shouldn't do this…" Kaoru felt tears gathering up around her eyes.
Misao lifted her head, her energetic, sparkling blue eyes replaced with dull, empty voids, "Why not…? Everyone is gone……so why not? I have no reason…to live…"
Yahiko opened his mouth angrily, but Okina put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head in a silent 'no'. Kaoru threw her arms around Misao sisterly, though she herself was the one crying.
Misao's body was still limp, though she snuggled her head in Kaoru's arms and muttered quietly, sounding like a five-year-old, "Okaa-san……don't leave me again……"
They all gasped inwardly, but Kaoru held on, trying to pat the girl to sleep as her mother had done to her when she was a little kid.
Misao closed her eyes, and the feeling of being hugged by Aoshi-sama came back to her, as he always did after she had nightmares of her family's slaughter, and she fell into an uneventful sleep.
Days went back quickly, and Misao had not said a single word since then. She rarely ate anything, and she was put on constant watch either under Okon or Omasu, in case of another attempted suicide.
Okina had explained to the Kenshin-gumi, minus Kenshin who was still asleep, of Misao's past. Weeks after the Okashira's death, with no clues whatsoever of the murderer's identity, Okina had given leadership to Aoshi, as he felt himself too old for the position. It was rarely seen Aoshi without a trotting Misao behind, smiling widely up at the young Okashira in adoration. Whenever he's on duty, either Hannya or the other three would be with her; Hannya taught her kenpo, Beshimi taught her the basics of kunai use, Shikijo gave her some endurance training, and Hyottoko, well, he would always humor the tiny girl with his fire. Therefore, Aoshi and the rest were a second family to her, even though she sometimes still cried after her mother in her sleep.
Kaoru bit her lips in grief, remembering all too well how she felt when her parents died. But she was a lot older than Misao when it happened, and she did not witness their deaths. Furthermore, it was accident, that her father was shot by a stray bullet from an insane gangster. If it wasn't for Gensai-sensei, Kaoru didn't know what she would have done. Taking care of chibi Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan took her mind off a lot of things, but her loneliness was still there. If it wasn't for a certain red-headed rurouni………
Kaoru shuddered, not even wanting to think about her life without the kind swordsman, rough ex-fighter-for-hire, bratty but adorable (she would rather worship Saito than saying that aloud) little samurai, and even the fox doctor. True, they had become a vital part of her life she enjoyed so much, a new family she loved dearly.
Kaoru just hoped that the Oniwabanshuu were enough for Misao, hoping that she would pull through. Her train of thoughts were broken when the fox doctor's scolding voice rang through the hallway.
"Where do you think you are going, Misao-chan? You shouldn't be out of bed yet," Megumi put her hands on her hips, her face a strict-doctor-ly expression.
Misao might as well be a ghost then, gliding across the floor in her long, white yukata, her face pale and lifeless.
"To the temple," breathed Misao, and Kaoru had a hard time hearing her.
"Temple?" blinked Megumi, she went after Misao, but was interrupted by Sano.
"Yo, Weasel, wanna go have a drink wi'me?" grinned Sano, his fishbone sticking out of his mouth.
"Mou, that tori-atama, so insensitive……" growled Megumi, two pairs of angry fox ears sticking erect from her hair.
"Ne, Megumi-san, I think Sanosuke's trying to cheer her up. I think he's trying to get Misao going again, calling her itachi. I believe getting angry is better than nothing, don't you think?" Kaoru stopped Megumi from hitting Sano with her medicine chest.
Yahiko popped out from behind Sano, waving his shinai a little. He pointed it to her Misao, challenging her, "Want to have a spar with me, Weasel? There is no way you could beat me!"
He still remembered when he argued with her over trivial things, the results with him getting pinned down by some of her kunais, and her flying in the air with her Demon Bird kick of joy.
Misao swept pass them, silent, and continued forward.
Yahiko gritted his teeth, "Oi! Are you ignoring me? Are you actually afraid that you are going to lose? Too bad, I guess I'm just too out of reach for a weasel like you!" Yahiko waited for an furious retort, or a kunai flying at him.
Nothing. She was already opening the back door.
Sano and Yahiko exchanged looks. "Come on, itachi-chan! Party with us! Don't leave a humble good ol' Sano drinking sake all by himself, ne?" Sano was getting desperate to get a response.
Misao paused, and Sano wasn't letting the opportunity to go to waste; he failed to see her trembling.
"That's right! You should be cheerful and back on your genki self in no time at all! Let's go, Yahiko, jou-chan and kitsune!" Inside, Sano was already dancing in victory.
Misao let out a hollow, dry laugh, "Cheerful? Cheerful? You are a funny man, rooster. Real funny. So hilarious I can barely walk. Just like when you told me about…… him. Very funny."
She stared at them with a frozen look in her bitter eyes, and continued in the direction of the temple.
A stunned silence wasn't enough to describe how they felt. The fishbone dropped to the ground softly as Sano gaped at her retreating shadow. Guilt swallowed him whole, reminding him again when he broke the news to her.
"Let's go have a drink anyway, tori-atama. She needs time. It's not your fault," whispered Megumi softly, tugging his jacket.
They did not see Misao hiding behind the shades of trees, herface buried in her hands. Gomen, minna……I can't bear it…… I can't get close to you anymore…I might lose it all too…I have to get away. Yes, the temple is a place where I can meditate. Concentrate and perhaps, I can find a new reason to live…
"You shouldn't be up, Aoshi-san. Even though your body is healed, your mind cannot cope with it yet," said Dr.Shima hurriedly, trying to force the tall man back in bed, stuffing a blanket over him.
'Thank you for your concern, but I have to go. I must find the broken pieces of my past," replied Aoshi, his voice still cold and deprived of emotion, just like before. He was like a wal of mountain for the short doctor, who resigned in defeat.
"Fine, fine, I won't stop you. But come back whenever you feel something wrong, then," sighed the doctor in despair, shaking his head. What a stubborn and somewhat scary patient he had.
Aoshi took long strides across the floor, and was quickly out of the door. He went straight into the forest the doctor had said when he found him. Aoshi was surprised how natural it felt, jumping from tree to tree.
Was I a ninja? Why can't I remember any of the names, of the faces that keep appearing in my head? Who was that name with a cross-shaped scar? Most importantly, who was that smiling girl with a long braid? Why does it hurt so much just to think about her?
A pair of glittering eyes peered out from behind a bush, and a low, feral growl blended with the sound of metal chafing against metal.
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End of Chapter 2 Gone
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Translation – Oo I suppose I don't need any more translations. I figure most people no what the words mean. If not, tell me in your reviews.
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Ooo, who was targeting after Aoshi?
Misao is just too depressed to do anything, and too afraid that she would lose more of her close friends, since eight of her cherished ones are already gone.
No Himura action yet. He was still unconscious Don't worry, he'll wake up next chapter.
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(holding the kodachis menacingly)
Review or I'll……chop some apples for you? (blink)
-Kaco-