Hitoezakura - Of course I own Rurouni Kenshin! I'm an excellent mangaka!
Aoshi - Save for four drawings, none of yours are very good...
Kenshin - Sorry Hitoezakura-dono, but they don't appear 3D
Yahiko - Don't be polite Kenshin, she sucks!
Sanosuke - I'll compliment you for food...
Hitoezakura promptly pulls a Kaoru and whacks allfour of them with a bokken that appears out of nowhere!

Disclaimer - I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Nohiburo Watsuki is the true owner, and I'm sure you've all figured this out by now.

Wow, I'm a great writer! I have four original stories of my own, eight or nine fanfictions on Hiatus so that I can rewrite them, two fanfictions I am dedicated to, although I have writer's block on them currently, and what do I do? I create yet another fanfic!

At this rate, all of Christmas shall be spent on my computer, completing these stories...(well, that and the treadmill, since I want to get down to 100 pounds, so I need to lose 11 pounds somehow...)

Anyways, I may be completely wrong, and I apologize if I am, but I don't think I've ever seen a story that takes place during the Pearl Harbor Incident. I really hope this story doesn't offend anybody because of the content, and if it does, than I truly do apologize.

Plus, it's going to be my second Aoshi Kaoru fiction, which makes me excited! I can't wait to see how this one will turn out! I'm not going to give anything away at the moment, so readers, please bear with me! This will be Aoshi Kaoru for sure, but it will take a few chapters to get to them! Bear with me!

I seriously will stop talking now, so please read!

SMOKE THAT CANNOT BE CLEARED

Prologue - Proposal

November 1, 1941

I stared out at the crashing waves that hit the shore, sending trickles of water under my bare feet. My shoes were thoughtlessly discarded somewhere along the path behind me so that I could feel the fine sand between my toes. My eyes were riveted on the stars beyond the horizon, beckoning to me, filling the sky with a romantic and beautiful light.

I heard a slightly rustling behind me, but I calmly overlooked it, deeming the slight noise as the movement of the palm fronds in the gentle breeze. Only when a pair of warm and comfortable arms encircled me did I realize that someone had been behind me. However, these familiar arms did not fill my heart with fear as I turned to meet the joyful amethyst eyes of my boyfriend.

"Kenshin!" I whispered happily, kissing him gently on each of his unblemished cheeks as the breeze brushed his soft hair gently, causing it to tickle my own cheeks. I giggled softly as he carefully placed his own fingers under my chin and lifted my face up to his, kissing me gently on the lips. I sunk into the kiss, my eyes fluttering shut as I melted under his passion.

"Kaoru-dono…" he whispered softly, ruining the romantic moment completely. I rolled my eyes quickly before swiftly knocking his head with my fist.

"No honorifics Kenshin! How many times must I remind you?" I yelled angrily, my voice echoing into the empty skies of Oahu, Hawaii. He smiled sheepishly as he gently rubbed the bump on his head that I had created.

"Sorry Kaoru-dono" he apologized sheepishly.

"There you go again!" I growled, brandishing my fist yet again.

"No Kaoru! I understand!" he quickly reassured with a smile as I slowly lowered my fist. "Actually, I have something important to ask you."

"And what's that?" I asked curiously, brushing back the strands of hair that had slipped out of my neat ponytail. Kenshin smiled softly and suddenly lowered himself to one knee in front of me, causing my eyes to widen. My hands fled to my mouth as I gasped, only to have one of my hands lowered by Kenshin so that he could stroke it as he spoke.

"Kaoru, we've been friends since childhood," he whispered softly. "You've been there for me since day number one. We've spent so many years together, and not once could I ever imagine leaving you. I don't want to spend another moment without you by my side…"

He trailed off, staring up at me as my eyes filled with tears. He stood up slowly and using the pad of his thumb, gently brushed away the tears that had slowly slid down my cheeks.

"Will you marry me?" he whispered gently, reaching into his pocket and revealing a delicate diamond ring. "Will you be mine Kaoru?"

I laughed and cried at the same time, unable to answer for a minute before I finally nodded in consent.

"Yes" I managed to choke out. "Yes, I'll marry you!"

Kenshin grinned as he slipped the delicate ring on my finger, binding us for the entirety of our lives. He embraced me gently before pulling me into yet another passionate kiss, our first one as an engaged couple.

Suddenly, a violent breeze filled the air, howling into my ears, causing the waves to thrash about on the shore. The sand that tickled my toes was suddenly coated with water, foamy and thick, so opaque that I could barely see. I glanced up at the skies and realized that the stars suddenly seemed to have lost their bright gleam, their light dying as the clouds inched towards them, eating away at their power and brilliance.

"Looks like a storm is arriving" said Kenshin with a chuckle. "We better head back home before we get caught in the rain."

I nodded wordlessly and followed him as he made his way to the road, picking up my shoes along the way so that I could wear them before walking down the road. However, I could not concentrate; I could not organize my thoughts just yet.

A few minutes ago, the seas were calm, the breeze gentle, and sand so soft and fine. Suddenly, they were filled with violence, the beauty marred, the light slowly dimming. A minute ago, Kenshin had proposed to me, making this day the most wonderful day in my life.

Did that mean that sometime soon, the happiness I just experienced would transform into sorrow, just like this peaceful night?

"Kaoru, we need to head back home!" yelled Kenshin over the crashing waves and violent winds. I ran towards him, trying to escape the dark thoughts that had just entered my mind as quickly as the violence of the storm destroyed the calm of the night.

I swear, it is going to be AoshiKaoru! I have my plans!

Anyways, please review, please please please please please!

Ja ne for now...