Disclaimer I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters! I am just borrowing them .
Gomen gomen gomen gomen! Gomen nasai for the long wait! I am through with school until the 20th of June so I will be updating as much as I am allowed to. For your patience, as well as your threatening reviews, I have written a LONG 8th chapter for all of you! . Please read, review, and enjoy!
Chapter 8
"Alright, goodnight itachi."
"Humph…goodnight tori-atama."
When Sanosuke heard the sliding door close he lifted his hand up to feel Taeya's temperature but never checked it as she let out a slight shiver. 'Cold,' he thought to himself as he wrapped her gently in one of the blankets that Misao had brought for him. Sanosuke laid down beside Taeya and thought about staying up all night to make sure that she was comfortable and nothing happened but he knew that Taeya would be mad at him if he stayed up all night just for her. He decided to catch up on some sleep and his eyes slowly closed.
"Aoshi-sama?" asked Misao as she knocked lightly on Aoshi's door.
Aoshi walked over to the door and quietly slid it open, "Misao? What are you still doing up? Everyone else is asleep."
"Can I come inside?"
"…Sure."
Misao opened the rest of the door and closed it once she was fully inside of Aoshi's room. She sat down on the futon with Aoshi, "Taeya-san…her attacker is Nukasa. He was an omitsu at one point, one of us…I remember."
Aoshi looked over at Misao and stared at her, "Where are you getting at Misao?"
"Nukasa told Taeya-san that she could not hide from him and that he was going to kill her. She is going to want to attack Nukasa head on…by herself."
Aoshi raised an eyebrow, "Taeya-san told you all of this?"
Misao shook her head, "No…she did not but…I know that is exactly what she will want to do. She is going to want to leave the two of us behind just like she attempted to leave Kaoru and Kenshin behind in Tokyo when she came here to Kyoto. She is going to want to go up against Nukasa and his army of men all by herself Aoshi-sama!"
"Misao, calm down. If that is what she wants to do then let her do it Misao."
Misao glared at Aoshi with much intensity, as she continued, "No! Do not tell me what to do! I will not allow her to fight by herself and die! I will not-"
Aoshi put his hand over Misao's mouth and glared at her with just as much force in his eyes as was in hers. "Quiet down, Misao. Everyone is asleep…calm down."
Misao nodded but the intensity in her eyes never left. "Gomen nasai, Aoshi-sama…but I will not just stand idly by and do nothing while someone I love throws their life away. I will not have it. Taeya-san is like y sister and you know that better than anyone, she is closer to me than Omasu and the others." Misao paused for a short while and then said, "Aoshi-sama…my mind is made up. When Taeya-san eaves…I shall be leaving with her no matter what anyone says to convince me otherwise."
Aoshi nodded his head in understanding and wrapped his arms around Misao, "I know that I will not be able to stop you no matter how hard I try…so I will be coming with you."
Misao smiled and returned Aoshi's tight embrace, "Aoshi-sama, could I stay here tonight?"
"Of course Misao." Aoshi laid down and covered both himself and Misao with the blanket as he once again wrapped his arms around Misao's small waist and brought her closer to him.
"Aoshi-sama…do you love me?"
"…Aa Misao, I do love you."
The peace and quiet of the night came and went too fast for the residences of the Aoiya. Misao awoke when she felt something cold brush her hair gently out of her face. Her sea green eyes slowly fluttered open to look into ice blue ones. "Aoshi-sama…what are you doing in my room so early in the morning?"
Aoshi slightly sat up and looked down at her with slight amusement, "This is my room Misao. And if I remember correctly you were the one who asked if you could stay here with me." Misao suddenly remembered the night's events and slightly blushed as Aoshi smiled softly at her. "How do you feel today, better?"
Misao nodded her head as she too sat up, "Much better than yesterday that's for sure. I should go and make everyone something to eat before they start complaining about breakfast."
Aoshi shook his head; "The Battosai has already made everyone breakfast this morning. He said that he wanted all of us to rest and take it easy today…especially Taeya-san."
"Himura is always cooking isn't he? Poor guy never gets a break. Have you seen Taeya-san or Sano this morning?"
"Iie, I have not been in their room today, I have been very occupied with you, Misao." He again slightly smirked when he saw Misao blush; "Do you want to go see how they are doing?"
"Hai," said Misao as she stood up and tightened the obi around her uniform. Aoshi and Misao walked over to the room where Taeya and Sano were and knocked on the door as lightly as they could. "Eeto…hello, are you guys up?"
"There's no need to be polite itachi, come on in," replied Sanosuke in a voice that was barley above a whisper.
"I thought that you would be asleep. How is she doing?" asked Aoshi quietly as he and Misao both sat down next to him.
"She's doing fine. She woke up for 'bout five minutes around and hour or so ago but she fell back to sleep. Her wounds seem okay, she hasn't reopened them or anything but you know Taeya, the instant she has enough energy to get out of that bed she is gonna want to do everything as if she had never been injured."
Aoshi looked over at Misao, "Sounds just like you when you get injured, ne?"
Misao smiled and shrugged, "Yet another thing that we have in common."
"So how long have you and Taeya known each other?"
Misao thought for a moment, "Hmmm…around eight years I believe," she said and then looked over at Aoshi for reassurance.
Aoshi nodded his head in agreement, "I would say that it has been that long as well."
"She's like your sister so I guess that you would like to spend a little time with her alone. Why don't the two of you take her of her for me for a little while I get some fresh air, would you mind?"
"Not at all, I was actually just going to ask if you wanted a break."
"Arigato you guys," said Sano while he got up off the floor and walked out of the room.
"Misao-chan, why don't you go get some more bandages for we can change her old ones?"
"Alright," Misao left to go get some clean bandages and in a few minutes came back and sat down next to Taeya and Aoshi.
"Arigato, Misao-chan."
"Aoshi-sama…why didn't you let me tell Hitomi that you were no longer the okashira? I am the okashira now."
"Because then Nukasa would want you dead instead, that is why."
"Aoshi-sama, I am not a little kid anymore so I really do not need you to protect me. I took on the roll of okashira in your place because the on Oniwabanshu needed one, I felt that I was strong enough to lead them, and I can protect myself without you. You cannot take away from my roll as okashira Aoshi-sama."
Aoshi finished bandaging Taeya's wounds and then took Misao's hands in his as he spoke, "I know that you are not a child anymore Misao, trust me, I know but that does not mean that I cannot protect you. I love you I will never allow you to get hut even if you are the okashira. Your health and safety comes before anything else…even orders. Ashitero Misao…always."
"Ashitero, Aoshi-sama."
"And I love the two of you but…do you have to wake me up so rudely, Aoshi-san?"
Misao and Aoshi looked down at Taeya with an embarrassed and shocked expression as they both spoke, "How long have you been up?"
"The very instant that you put your hand on my wound," replied Taeya a little painfully.
Aoshi blinked and looked down at her wound to find his hand pressing down against it quite hard and removed it immediately. "Gomen nasai-Taeya-san."
"Daijoubo, just do not do that again, it hurt."
Misao giggled softly and smiled at Taeya, "Are you hungry?"
"Hungry? I guess not."
"But you should eat something. You have not eaten anything sense yesterday morning."
Taeya sighed in defeat knowing that in her weakened state; she would not be able to deal with both Aoshi and Misao. "Alright, alright…just don't bring me too much, okay?" Misao nodded and smiled, then stood up and left Taeya and Aoshi alone.
"Are you really okay, Taeya-san?" asked Aoshi quietly with a little concern within the words he let out of his mouth. The concern that Aoshi displayed for Taeya was truly that of an older brother; it made Taeya smile contently knowing that she had people that cared so dearly for her.
Taeya nodded her head and slowly sat up, "I told you that I was fine, Aoshi-san, and I mean it. This cut doesn't even hurt that much anymore." The two of them sat in silence until Taeya spoke up again, "Gomen nasai."
Aoshi blinked, "Nani? For what?"
"For scaring you and Misao-chan the way that I did. I should have reacted faster and I shou-"
"Taeya-san, it is fine. You are alive and that is what counts. Demo…in the heat of battle against Hitomi you seemed different. You seemed…cold. What happened?"
Taeya remained silent for a while and then answered Aoshi's question the best that she could; "The hitokiri of the past attempted to resurface once again while I was fighting with Hitomi. There was this…desire for blood, a sort of…hunger. I wanted to kill Hitomi; I wanted to see the blood pour out of the wounds that I inflicted upon her. I-"
Taeya paused and looked up at Aoshi with sadness glinting in her emerald orbs.
"I never want to be the little girl that I was during the Revolution, Aoshi-san. The little girl that everyone thought was so kawaii and innocent but I was not innocent…I was no where near innocent. Back then, during the bloodshed of battles, I enjoyed killing people and hearing them cry out for mercy thinking that they all deserved to feel as miserable as I did; I was such a horrid child. I never wanted to feel that way again but when I was fighting against Hitomi all hell broke loose. I almost lost against myself but when I heard Misao-chan scream…when I heard her scream she mad me remember who I was now and she saved me, she saved me a second time, Aoshi-san."
Aoshi smiled lightly and nodded his understanding, "Aa Taeya-san, she saved me as well. Everyday that I thought that I should be dead, her smile brought me closer to her and made me feel at ease. I thought to myself: 'If I had died with my fallen comrades then I would not have had the pleasure of seeing her brilliant smile today.' Just that smile of hers helped me survive the rough obstacles in my way. I understand the effect that Misao-chan has on you because she has it on me as well. I am just happy that she chose to wait for me instead of moving on without me."
Complete silence settled within the room once more for a couple of minutes before Taeya spoke up again to ask Aoshi a question that she already knew the answer to. "Where is Sano?"
"Sagara stepped out of the Aoiya a little before you awoke. He said that he needed to get some fresh air."
"Aoshi-san, could you help me make my way down the stairs to the dinning room?"
"Nani? What for, Taeya-san?"
"Minna…eats in the dinning table and that includes me, no matter what condition I happen to be in, Aoshi-san." Taeya began to slowly stand up and Aoshi put his arm around her waist to help her. "Arigato, Aoshi-san."
"Are you certain that you are not in any pain, Taeya-san?" he asked while they slowly exited the room and made their way down the stairs.
"I would be a liar if I said that it didn't hurt but it really doesn't hurt that much. It's just another little scratch compared to my past injuries. No big thing, ne?"
"If you say so Taeya-san, but I really do think that you should be lying down resting upstairs."
The two of them were almost at the bottom of the large flight of stairs, "Oh come on, Aoshi-san, don't even give me that shit."
"Oro? Taeya-dono, eh…should you not be upstairs in bed resting?" asked Kenshin as he turned around and saw Taeya and Aoshi sit down at the table.
"Iie, I am fine. It's not as if I am dying or anything serious like that. I do not see why I cannot come and eat at the table like everyone else. So, what's to eat anyways?"
"Misao-dono helped me make some miso soup and rice balls that she did. It is delicious Taeya-dono, here, try some." Kenshin handed Taeya a bowl of miso soup and a small plate of rice balls.
Taeya picked up a rice ball and bit into it, "Mmmm, yummy! This is delicious, Misao-chan!" Taeya quickly finished the remaining rice ball in her hand and grabbed two more.
"Geeze," said Misao as she watched Taeya slurp down the miso soup. "For someone who said she was not hungry you sure ate what we put in front of you pretty damn fast. Do you want some more, Taeya-san?"
"Iie, but thanks anyway, Misao-chan. It was very delicious," Taeya said while she smiled in gratitude at Misao.
"Yeah Misao-chan," added Yahiko, "maybe I should move into a dojo with a woman who can actually cook. Your food is so much better than the food Kaoru makes us eat," grinned Yahiko.
"I can hear you, you know!" said Kaoru angrily as she glared at Yahiko. Kenshin and the others laughed as they stood and cleared the table of their empty plates.
"Here," said Omasu and Okan, "we will wash the dishes today."
"Arigato," everyone chorused as they left the kitchen.
"Oi, Okan-san, Omasu-san, do you need any help?"
"Uh…sure you can help," called Omasu, surprised that Misao wanted to help with the dishes.
Taeya entered the kitchen, "What do you need help with?"
"Oh, Taeya-san, I thought that you were Misao-chan, gomen nasai."
"That's okay, do you want me to wash the pile of dishes over here?"
"Iie, we are fine, you shouldn't do anything that involves movement and that includes walking, Taeya-san," said Okan seriously.
"Oh come on you guys, I already said that I feel alright."
"Hmmm…alright you can walk around but don't you even think about doing anything else. And stay away form the dojo!"
Taeya sighed, "Fine." She walked out of the kitchen and towards the Aoiya's dojo. She heard fighting noised coming from the inside, 'Just my luck, maybe they want to spar with me for a little while,' she thought as she slid open the door to find Shiro and Kuro engaged in sparring match with each other. She smiled hopefully, "Oi, can I join?"
The two men ceased their fighting and looked at Taeya with a lopsided smile. The knew that she could hold her own against the two of them with no problem; they were about to nod their heads when Misao's voice popped inside of their heads.
'If Taeya-san asks if she can spar with the two of you, you tell her no. If she gets hurt anymore than she already is, I am going to hurt you so bad you will not be able remember your damn names. Got it?'
Shiro and Kuro shook their heads, "Not right now Taeya-san, after you get better, ne?"
Taeya inwardly sighed and growled loud enough so that they could hear her, "Fine," she turned on her heel and slammed the door behind her angrily. "Ow," she whispered as she cringed lightly in pain. 'Damn it all to hell.'
"Oi, are you okay busu?" asked Yahiko worriedly as he walked over to her.
"Yeah, I a, fine, nothing to worry about," she said as she straightened up and rose to her natural height.
"Are you sure?"
"Want to fine out, Yahiko-chan?" Taeya asked with a smile.
"You mean you'll spar with me? Hanto?" asked Yahiko excitedly.
"Of course, I promised you that I would when we were in Tokyo, 'member?"
Yahiko took out his bokken and grinned, "Alright then, Taeya-san, it's your call so don't be surprised when I win." Yahiko charged at her and Taeya moved to the side at the last minute, tripping Yahiko in he process. "You holding back on me?" asked Yahiko as he stood back up.
"Maybe I am. You are too slow, Yahiko. Pick up the pace," said Taeya as she carelessly dodged his bokken. She heard Yahiko growl lightly and smiled, 'Good, at least he is getting the picture.' Taeya spun on her heel and hit Yahiko in the back of the head with the back of her fist.
"How are you doing that?" said Yahiko in frustration. "You are wounded so you should be slower but you are even faster than when I saw you training in the dojo when we were in Tokyo."
"You are right, sense I am injured I should be slower than I was when I was not injured and given the fact that I am trying not to reopen my wound in the process…you should have been able to hit me at least once. You see, Yahiko, you are too slow. You are too focused on how fast I am moving and how I am going to move an when that you slow down your movement making it easy for me to predict from where you are going to try and hit me from."
Yahiko stood silent for a while, taking everything that Taeya said in and understanding what she meant. "Oi, Taeya-san, do you think that you could teach me how to fight your way?"
Taeya smiled, "Of course, but you have to promise that you will continue to study the Kamiya Kashin style, yakasuku?"
"Yahiko nodded, "Yeah, yakasuku! So, where do we start first?"
"Well, why don't you just try to do whatever it is that I do, alright?"
Yahiko nodded his head again and watched as Taeya crouched down and jumped into the air to execute a perfect round house kick. When she landed on her toes she grunted and Yahiko was at her side in an instant. "Are you okay, Taeya-san? You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
"Iie, I am fine, Yahiko," Taeya forced a smile as she stood straight again. "So, aren't you going to try it?"
"I guess," said Yahiko slowly and stood in front of Taeya. He crouched down, trying to imitate Taeya's style, however, Yahiko's came out a little sloppy and he almost slipped. When he didn't hear Taeya's criticizing voice he looked up, "Well, aren't you going to criticize me?"
Taeya shook her head and walked up to Yahiko, "For a first that was a hell of a lot better than I thought it would have been. You learn fast, Yahiko, hmmm…let me see," Taeya looked at Yahiko and thought for a moment before she spoke again. "Why don't you try this instead," Taeya said while she looked up at Yahiko and spread her legs a little shorter than shoulder length and crouched down.
"Why did you spread your legs this time?"
"Well, I forgot the fact that you are shorter than me so the way that you jump off the ground will determine just how well you execute your attack. Here, you try."
Yahiko did as he was told and to his surprise, he executed it a lot better than when he had first tried it. "Wow, did you see that? I did it! It worked!"
"Excellent Yahiko, but it is far from perfect. What else do you want to work with?"
"Can you show me some of your warm ups?"
Taeya was about to speak when a familiar and cocky voice interrupted her. "How 'bout she shows you later?" said Sanosuke as he stood behind Taeya. "She shouldn't be doing anything but lying down upstairs getting some much needed rest."
"Oh c'mon! Don't tell me that I have to hear it from you too Sano! I already said that I am fine and I mean it."
"No, you just want to think that you are fine and that you are not injured when you really are. If you were fine then you wouldn't be grabbing your side every once in awhile."
Taeya sighed in defeat, "Fine then," she said as she bent down and whispered into Yahiko's ear. "Meet me tonight at eight in the dojo and I'll show you my warm ups, ne?"
Yahiko nodded his head and walked into the dojo noticing that Kaoru was already waiting for him with her wooden sword. "See you tomorrow Taeya-san."
"See ya," Taeya called back to Yahiko and then turned around to walk towards the direction of the temple.
Hey! I know that I said I wouldn't update again until the 27th but I got a lucky break and got some EXTRA time to type up this chapter for you guys! . Please review, it only takes a second!