Disclaimer: I do not own either Inuyasha or Rurouni Kenshin.

Chapter 8.

Misao looked down at Soujiro's back. She tried not to stammer as she looked at him. She had never seen this much of Aoshi's chest and back but she hoped it was half as toned and muscular. Soujiro really was a beautiful young man. What was most remarkable was the fact that he was perfect. Except, for the burn on his back, which wasn't that bad now that the burned gi had been removed. It was totally unblemished. Nobody's ever been able to hit him before. She thought to herself. This actually scared her a little. That would explain the butterflies in her stomach. Even Aoshi and the other late members of her beloved Oniwaban group had some sort of battle scars. They even bragged about them. Soujiro was perfect.

Misao gulped involuntarily. If he had wanted to, he could have easily killed her when she had attacked him. Aoshi had told her only to find him, but she had determined to bring Soujiro in trussed up like a goose to impress her Aoshi. Misao changed her opinion of Soujiro. He was friendly, and kind from what she had seen so far. It just didn't add up.

"There. You deserved that." Misao said impishly. "You know you don't act like a cold-blooded assassin. It's almost unbelievable to hear you talk about it with Himura." Misao took out some water in a bowl and some cloth and started cleaning Soujiro's wound tenderly. Soujiro had to admit it made it feel a LOT better.

"Don't be deceived. Everything you've heard is probably true and more."

"You don't seem so bad though, Sou-chan." Misao said dipping the cloth and returning to cleaning. Soujiro didn't think the wound had been that big, but then he hadn't seen it either.

"Sou-chan?" Soujiro asked stupidly.

"Well it sounds better than Soujiro-san." Misao said plaintively. "I'm sorry you got burned. You didn't even move after I grabbed your mouth."

"I didn't want to get caught. I learned to distance my self from all kinds of pain a long time ago." Soujiro tried to make his voice his usual cheery self, but somehow this time he failed. Misao stopped washing his back for a moment. "What kinds of pain?" She said softly as she went back to washing his back.

Soujiro tried to hold it in but found he couldn't. He'd never really talked about it with anyone. He wasn't comfortable talking about it with anyone. For a long time he shut it out completely while he had become the emotionless assassin for Shishio. It had become increasingly hard since meeting Himura to hold it in, now with this gentle woman touching him tenderly and speaking to him softly it burned within his chest to come out. "You really don't want to know Misao. Someone like you doesn't need to be stained by the presence of people like me."

"Sou-chan no baka!" Misao said poking his side. Soujiro jumped in spite of himself. He'd never realized he was ticklish; no one had ever dared try. "You and Kenshin are two of a kind, you know that. Kaoru keeps trying to get him to open up to her and he keeps telling her pretty much the same thing. Well, I'm here to tell you buster I'm not Kaoru!" She started again with the side poking. "Finding out information is what I do best so you better 'fess up." Misao voice actually dropped back down to a soft and gentle whisper again almost instantly. It amazed Soujiro how she did that. "I only want to help."

Soujiro lay there for a few moments more before he spoke. "I learned early to block out all kinds of pain; emotional, physical, and mental. My mother was a courtesan and I was the illegitimate son of a rice merchant." Soujiro felt Misao go back to washing him. The water felt like it was soothing more than his burn. "When my mother grew tired of me she took me to my father's house. You can guess how my new 'mother' greeted a bastard child. I was shunned until my father died when I was about five. After that I became a slave to my father's real sons who were grown men. I worked every day carrying rice barrels. I wasn't allowed to stop until I had done all the work they had given me to do. It usually took me all day and most of the night as well."

Misao had stopped washing and now started patting his back dry with a towel as Soujiro continued. "I was beaten, exhausted, and hurting. I started smiling so that they would get tired of beating me and leave me alone. I would hurt so bad I finally started shutting it all away. The physical pain, my heart's anguish, all of it. That was when master Shishio found me. He spared my life in exchange for sanctuary from the police. I helped him and he was taken back by the fact that I always smiled at him. That was when he gave me his wakisashi. I think he expected me to kill myself, or maybe he pitied me. Regardless, he told me that the strong survive and the weak die. He then waited to see which one I was. I hid the sword, and finally had resolved to give it back to him, but by that time my family learned of what I had been doing and they tried to kill me. I ran at first, but when they caught up with me I had nothing but master Shishio's sword." Soujiro felt the tears rolling down his face. He sobbed a little as he went on. "I killed them. I killed my entire family. The pain was so much that I couldn't bear it; I was only eight years old. So I did the only thing I could do. I shoved the pain away like I had for so many years already and tried to forget about it. That was what Shishio taught me. I killed anyone Shishio asked in order to pave the way for his new order because I believed in what he told me 'The strong survive, and the weak die'." Soujiro felt Misao's gentle arm on his shoulder and felt her towel wipe away his tears as he closed his eyes.

"It's alright Sou-chan. I'm here. What do you believe now?"

"I still don't know." Soujiro managed as he regained his composure. Misao moved back to his burn. He felt the cool touch of the salve as she poured it onto his back and began to spread it over the wound. "I had hoped to wander until I discovered the answers that Kenshin found. From what I understand he has similar problems. I just wish I could get a grip on life like he has." That was the best way Soujiro could put it. What he wanted to say was, 'I think Kenshin wandered until he found Kaoru and she was his answer'. Soujiro felt Misao's gentle hands caressing his back. He had never felt anything like it, unless you counted the flirtatious passes Kamatari was always lavishing him with. This was different though. He remembered the feel of Misao's lips against his ear at the temple, and the feel of her hand on the nape of his neck as she pulled his head close. He had thought then that the pain of the burn had been almost worth it, now he knew for sure.

Soujiro groaned contentedly as tension he never knew was there left his body. It was then that he realized something. He hadn't burned his shoulders and Misao was straddling his backside. "Uh, Misao? I didn't burn my shoulders."

"Shut up silly. I told you I would make it up to you and I am. Just relax and be quiet." Misao scolded him but the gentleness in her voice betrayed her.

Soujiro wondered about it. Was this what it had been like for Kenshin? This girl whom he had know for but one day had managed to pry more of his secrets out of him than he had ever shared with anyone. Her gentle touch and voice had been a balm to his aching soul even as the salve had been a balm to his burn. Did Kaoru give this to Kenshin? Redemption. Someone who could look at the darkness in his soul and still find it in them to say 'It's alright. I'm here.'

Soujiro had never been this close to a woman before, emotionally or physically, and he drank in the experience gladly. Still something had been left behind by what Misao had done. There was a new burning in its place. He didn't know enough about emotions yet to call it love… but he could definitely call it… curiosity. Why was Misao like this for him? What made her so special, that she could do this to him within a day of meeting him? He tried to think of a way to find out and finally chose the best path he could think of.

"Misao, what is Aoshi like?"

Soujiro nearly cursed himself as her gentle massage suddenly stopped. He didn't draw an easy breath again until she started again. "Why do you ask?"

Soujiro couldn't really think straight so he defaulted back to what he already knew of Aoshi. "Well, I didn't get to know him at all when he came to join up with Shishio. I met him and all, but I really didn't get a feel for what he was really like."

Misao seemed to relax a bit before she continued. "He's strong, quiet, and so calm he's icy. I've known him all my life, and I know I love him, it's just…"

"Just what?" Soujiro asked honestly curious.

"He never seems to pay attention to me. He's always pushing me away. He's always protected me, like a big brother, but he won't look at me like I'm a woman."

"Oh, that." Soujiro said absently. He added 'needs glasses' to his mental list of traits about Aoshi.

"What do you mean 'Oh, that'. You don't know anything about Aoshi and me do you?" Misao sounded almost pleading.

"No, no, no, it's not that." Soujiro said quickly. "I was just curious about something."

"Like what?" Misao said suspiciously. She had stopped rubbing Soujiro's back and lay down next to him so she could look into his face.

"Well, I kind of thought Aoshi was well, you know, gay." Soujiro said. The response from Misao was electric and immediate.

"What!" Misao squeaked as she managed to flip Soujiro over and land on top of him. One of her kunai flashed angrily under Soujiro's chin. "You better explain yourself."

Soujiro swallowed slightly and waited for Misao to calm down. When she finally slowed down her breathing Soujiro tried to explain. "It was when Aoshi was with us in the Juppon Gatana. Nobody really gave him the time of day except for Kamatari."

Misao's eyes were threatening to escape from her head so Soujiro pressed on. "Kamatari likes to flirt with men. Honestly, I think she might prefer women over men, but no one in the Juppon Gatana REALLY wanted to get close enough to ask that question. Anyway, Kamatari liked playing flirting games with all the men to unsettle them. Even I was uneasy when Kamatari decided to play with people. She would rub up against the rest of us and say things I won't repeat. She even did it to Aoshi when he got there."

Misao sat up. She looked extremely dangerous in that moment. Soujiro looked at her sitting on top of him and tried to stay focused on the story. He had to admit thinking of Kamatari helped quell such thoughts. "The thing that caught my attention was that Aoshi didn't flinch. He didn't run, he didn't shrink away; he even talked to Kamatari about things within the Juppon Gatana. The rest of us thought that he must have enjoyed it not to run for cover when he saw Kamatari coming."

Misao didn't respond for a little while. Finally she shrugged. "Lord Aoshi is icy. He ignores everybody it seems. Nothing can faze my Aoshi."

Finally, Misao slid off to the side of Soujiro and lay there looking up. "I guess we had better get some sleep, huh?" Soujiro said finally.

"Yeah, I guess." Misao said dejectedly.

The two of them lay there for a long while until sleep finally took them. Soujiro slept better than he ever had in his life, with dreams of deep green eyes and dark braided hair comforting him where once his nightmares lingered.

"I guess that is a problem." Sano said over breakfast. Everyone was gathered around the table talking about the problem of getting the treasure without tipping off Saitoh. "I really would like to help get Anji get out of prison, and help these little missies get back to their own time. I'm pretty sure I can bust up the tree readily enough, but I can't do it with Cho and his goons lurking about. They'd ask too many stupid questions. You know how policemen are."

"Why is this monk Anji in prison anyway if the rest of the Juppon Gatana were offered deals in exchange for their services?" Sango asked.

"Anji killed three men before he joined the Juppon Gatana. He's a fallen monk, but he's trying to repent." Sano said simply.

"And you're wanting him OUT of jail?" Kagome asked confused.

"Yeah, well, I can't say I wouldn't do the same in his shoes. The three men he killed burned the orphanage he was running to the ground. The five children he was taking care of died in the fire, all because he was a Buddhist. Anji was so enraged he set aside everything he believed in and took vengeance on the men just because no one else in the government cared. He really is a good man. He kept one of Shishio's goons from killing Misao and he taught me some of his techniques. He also took care of me when I was injured during the uprising. I guess you could say I owe him." Sano looked down. "Of all of Shishio's men, he's the least deserving of prison and the only one who wound up there."

Kenshin leaned against the wall. Soujiro had also been numbered among Shishio's men but he couldn't really hold the boy responsible for his actions. He had killed because that madman Shishio had warped his sense of self and reality. He only hoped that Soujiro found the answers he was looking for. Kenshin felt Soujiro getting closer. He and Misao had gone out early to the Oniwaban agent here in Tokyo to have a message sent to Aoshi. Kenshin actually smiled. Soujiro was the only 'prisoner' he'd ever heard of that was allowed to carry his sword.

Soujiro and Misao came in through the gate walking towards the dojo with Megumi bringing Dr. Genzai's granddaughters. Kaoru was keeping them today because the good doctor had an operation to perform. All of them were smiling, talking and laughing. I guess a man can be taken prisoner by more than just chains.

Kenshin looked at Kaoru who was talking with Kagome about her own time. He was definitely her prisoner. He didn't think after everything they'd been through together he could leave her again if he wanted to.

"Is there any breakfast left?" Misao said jumping into the dojo and having a seat with Soujiro next to Sano. "Or did Yahiko eat everything already?"

Kenshin smiled as the fight started over the top of Sano. It was amusing to feel so at home here. Finally, Yahiko was settled and Misao set to eating. "I guess I better start training, Yahiko said as he got up from the table."

Sango got up too. "Do you mind if I join you. I haven't had a chance to train in a while." Yahiko looked aghast. "But you're a girl! Well, I mean ugly's a girl too, but she doesn't count."

Sango only smiled while Kaoru looked around to find something to throw at Yahiko. "You remind me of my little brother. Trust me, I won't hurt you." Sango said smiling.

"Hey, are you calling me little!" Yahiko screamed as he headed for the dojo. Kenshin got up out of curiosity and went to watch. He noticed everyone else did as well. They all came into the drill hall where Yahiko was getting a spare training sword for Sango.

Everyone settled around the edges of the room to watch. Kenshin found two little girls curling up in his lap shouting encouragement to anyone who would listen. It almost made the hell of the Bakumatsu worth it to know there were days like this in store for the world.

Yahiko bowed and dropped into his stance. Sango merely nodded and crouched low. Kenshin didn't recognize her fighting style, but Misao drew in a breath quickly. "That looks like one of the styles the Oniwaban uses!" Misao said with her eyes going wide. Kenshin remembered something about Sango being a ninja from the past, but could she be one of the ancestors of the Oniwaban?

Yahiko attacked ferociously. He was getting much better; he had bested one of the Juppon Gatana by himself. He was turning out to be quite the young swordsman. Sango however was extremely swift. Kenshin realized her fighting style centered mostly around speed and aerial attacks, jumping around one's opponent to avoid their attack. No wonder Misao recognized it. She used a modified form of this style herself. If she actually used a sword, it would probably have been identical.

Kaoru was shouting reprimands to Yahiko. "Sword up Yahiko!" "I taught you better than that!" "Pay closer attention next time." It was only a matter of time however before Sango managed to disarm Yahiko and leave him panting.

"Wow, you're good!" Yahiko said breathlessly.

Sango wasn't even winded. Kaoru got up and walked over to Sango. "That was very good. Do you mind if I try?"

Sango smiled and bowed to Kaoru. Kaoru took out her trusty sword and returned the bow to Sango. "Yahiko, go sit next to Kenshin, and pay close attention. If there is anything you don't understand ask Kenshin to explain it to you."

Yahiko grumbled about bossy instructors, but did as he was told. He sat down next to Kenshin and said, "This ought to be quick."

"Don't underestimate Kaoru-dono, Yahiko." Kenshin said pleasantly. "She doesn't get a chance to fight someone that is her equal very often like this."

"Look who's talking…" Yahiko said quietly.

"Oro?" Kenshin said.

"You're the one who acts like she'll break if you breathe on her. If this was a real fight you wouldn't be letting her in there would you."

Kenshin sat back thinking about it for a moment. No, probably not.

Sango and Kaoru squared off. Kenshin had to admit it was a very even fight. Sango's style was just as defensive as Kaoru's, but hers specialized in dodging while Kaoru's specialized in blocking and protection. The two of them fought back and forth for several minutes, with neither one getting the upper hand.

Both women were breathing heavily when finally; Kaoru dropped into a stance and made a sudden leap forward going into an uncharacteristically offensive attack. Kenshin's eyes were as wide as the river. She had just used one of the simplest Hiten Mitsarugi Ryu techniques. Kaoru caught Sango off guard and brought her down swiftly. Then with a broad smile she reached down and helped Sango up.

Apparently, this hadn't been lost on Yahiko either. "Kenshin, did she just do what I think she just did?"

Kenshin nodded silently as Kaoru turned her attention to Yahiko. "Yahiko come here."

Yahiko stood up and went to stand in front of his teacher. Kaoru looked down at him almost fondly. "What did you learn, Yahiko."

"I learned you've been watching Kenshin fight!" Yahiko said excitedly. "Will you teach me that move?"

"No, Yahiko I mean in more general terms, and no I won't teach it to you. Kenshin doesn't want to pass on his fighting style and we have to respect that."

Yahiko was obviously disappointed. "Well, I guess I should say that I can't always expect my opponent to only know one fighting style, and that I should be ready to expect them to change styles or modify their own."

Kaoru actually beamed at him. "That's right. Now that's enough practice for today. You've got chores to do."

"Aw, what if someone else wants to spar?"

"I wouldn't mind it." Soujiro said. "That is if Mr. Himura doesn't mind."

Kenshin looked at Soujiro warily. That could be messy. "I don't think Kaoru-dono would want to replace the floor of the drill hall." Kenshin said plaintively.

"Oh. That's all right Mr. Himura. I won't use my speed techniques since I sincerely hope you weren't planning on using your special techniques." Soujiro said with his usual aplomb.

Kenshin sighed and handed the girls to Sano. He and Soujiro got up and walked into the dojo as Kaoru and Yahiko sat down. Yahiko was grinning from ear to ear and was getting out a writing pad. "Now we're going to learn something good!"

Kenshin grinned inwardly. Well let's see how well you can follow us then Yahiko.

Misao watched as Soujiro bowed to Himura and both of them took up their fighting stances. She was a little bit nervous about this. She hoped no one got hurt.

Soujiro practically disappeared as he lunged at Kenshin. She felt a knot forming in her throat. She had attacked this man. She had slept within arms reach of this man. This man was currently fighting with Himura so fast that she couldn't follow the blade strokes of either of them. If he had wanted, he could have done anything to her and no one would have been able to stop him, yet, he hadn't. He had been a near perfect gentleman, allowing her to think he was her prisoner. She hadn't tried to take his sword, thankfully.

Why then did watching him now make her heart pound? It couldn't be fear, well maybe not much fear anyway. He'd had opportunity, and she WAS a pretty young damsel after all. Any other man would have been all over her but for her kunai. Somehow, though Misao didn't see Tenken no Soujiro being intimidated by nor stopped by her kunai. It was strange to admit it, but as dangerous as Soujiro was he seemed almost… gentle. A gentleness that apparently only applied to her as she watched him spin counterattacking Kenshin with a speed and ferocity that left most swordsmen looking like tame kittens. Somehow seeing this side of him coupled with the gentleness he showed her made her feel… secure.

Misao noticed everyone else in the room was staring at the two sparring partners in open astonishment. Even Sano, who had seen them fight each other before, had a look of surprise on his face. Yahiko was so amazed he had forgotten to write anything down, as if he could have followed all the movements anyway. Kaoru was watching Kenshin of course with a strange look on her face. She then turned to Misao and when their eyes met, she suddenly blushed. Misao wondered if she were blushing as well.

The two newcomers to the dojo were a bit more shocked at the display. This Kagome woman had a stunned look of bewilderment on her face that told Misao she had never even seen such a display of swordsmanship. The other one, her sister Sango, had been gritting her teeth and was watching with a look of utter disbelief as her right eye twitched. Both had their hands pulled tightly too them as if afraid the blades might stray in their direction.

Finally the two combatants stopped. Both were breathing hard, especially the nearly thirty-year-old Kenshin, while Soujiro simply looked temporarily winded. Misao smiled with a certain amount of pride. She was DEFINITELY going to have a talk with Okina about recruitment when she finally got Soujiro back to Kyoto. Between him and her beloved Aoshi, the Oniwaban group would be nigh invincible.

"Not bad pops." Soujiro said around a toothy grin. It was apparently contagious because Kenshin started grinning too.

"You're not bad yourself, Sou-chan." Himura was saying.

"Would YOU come teach Inuyasha?" Kagome said in hush from the side.

Soujiro looked over at the two young women and gave his usual disarming smile. "I'm not sure I'm good enough to be a teacher of swordplay." Soujiro said scratching the back of his head.

"You're kidding right?" Sango said as if she couldn't believe her ears. "I've never met ANYBODY that was as skilled as the two of you, and that includes Sesshomaru."

Misao almost growled. "Oh no you don't I saw him first. I'm taking him back to Kyoto with me!" Misao suddenly blushed. That didn't exactly come out right. It didn't help matters that Sano and Yahiko were suddenly rolling on the floor in laughter. Misao noticed Soujiro was looking at her as well, nearly as red as she was.

"He's my prisoner you perverts!" Misao said stamping her foot in anger as she got up to hover menacingly above them.

"That's the first prisoner I've seen who was allowed to keep his sword with him!" Yahiko said between fits of laughter. Misao blushed again. She watched as Sano and Yahiko started another fit of laughter. Kaoru and Kenshin were smiling broadly too. A sudden inspiration hit Misao and she grabbed Yahiko by the collar. He squirmed for a moment as she picked him up and hurled him toward Soujiro.

"Good point! Why don't you go GET IT!" Misao cried in sadistic glee as Yahiko barreled into Soujiro. Soujiro caught him and helped him to stand. Yahiko looked at Soujiro and was immediately stunned as Soujiro sheathed his weapon and handed it to Yahiko hilt first.

Yahiko had a grin on his face from ear to ear as he strode back over to Misao with his usual arrogance and handed it to her. She looked at the weapon for a moment before tucking it into her belt. "All you had to do was ask…" Soujiro said innocently.

Soujiro watched as Misao left the room. He'd thought that she'd be happy. Now she could show off to Aoshi by having his sword with her when Aoshi got there. She had stormed out however giving him a scathing look. Sano whistled to himself and shook his head.

"What did I do?" Soujiro said honest confusion coming over his features.

"I think she was hoping for Yahiko to get a lesson in manners." Sano said off-handedly. "I guess you're in the dog house now."

"What do you mean, I'm already her prisoner?"

Sano rolled his eyes back, "Clueless."

Alanor walked into his tower from the main hall. The other wizards of the order weren't too happy about his decision, but then they didn't have any better ideas. At least not any that kept them from getting involved.

Alanor snorted for the fifth time that day at the laziness of the collective order. Every group had its workhorse, and Alanor appeared to be the one for the order. It never seemed like any of the other wizards ever managed to accomplish anything except getting in the way or making a general mess of things. Alanor stopped in front of his magic mirror and concentrated on his new 'apprentice'. His mirror misted over and for a moment he had thought that something was wrong before he remembered she wasn't from this time. Finally tuning his mirror to search through time as well as space, for her most recent consciousness he found her.

Alanor swore as he looked at the time period displayed on the mirror's base. She was WHEN? Alanor looked at her in disbelief. She was in the middle of a crowd of people and she was TALKING to them! Alanor suddenly realized how much she had already disrupted history and the destinies of so many already.

Grabbing the books he had come to collect he began throwing everything haphazardly into one of his magic bags. This was going to get ugly. He should have brought her with him here, but then that would have introduced her to the wizards and after the shock Alanor had given them he really didn't want to think about how much worse it would have been had she been there.

This was serious; he knew where her portal was now so that would make things easier. He quickly removed his robes throwing them into his bag as well. He then reached under his bed and pulled out his suitcase. He threw the magic sacks inside of it and slammed it shut. The customs guys would look at him like he'd flipped, but he didn't care time was of the essence.

"SYMIRRIAN!" Alanor cried at the top of his lungs. The small drake popped into existence beside him and looked at him strangely.

"Alanor, why are you dancing around your room naked? Is this some sort of new ritual you're trying?" The drake actually managed to look innocent, in an evil reptilian sort of way.

Alanor flung his sandal at the reptile as it tried to escape. He was hopping around trying to put on socks and shirt at the same time. "Shut up and get me a ticket from London International to Tokyo. Business class. I need to be in Tokyo by tomorrow."

The reptile sighed and looked at him with pleading eyes. "You know they're generally booked up at this time of year. This isn't going to be easy."

"Go get Merlin's platinum card then. I need to catch up to Kagome and fast before the demon king gets his claws on her."

The little dragon gulped and was gone in a flash. A few minutes later it returned carrying some papers. "I got you an e-ticket, but Merlin said he gets to keep the frequent flyer miles this time. He's planning on 2003 Bermuda for vacation this year.

Alanor sighed, just like him he thought. "Fine, fine. I'm going to be on an extended leave for this mission so keep everyone off my back while I'm gone and under NO circumstances tell them where or when. I need to get this girl trained before the council changes its mind and lets the demon realms waltz all over us."

He finally stepped back and looked at himself critically. The suit he had on would suit a westerner in the Meiji Era without attracting too much notice, and would look only a little old fashioned in Kagome's time. He was ready to go. "I'm going in through Stonehenge now to catch my flight. I'll travel back from there."