Disclaimers: Fifth verse, same as the first...
Notes: I'm so sorry this took so long. I really had no intention of doing so, but then inspiration stuck its head out on me, and I decided to add more characters to the plot to help flesh it out a little more (as you can tell from the chapter title). I hate abandoning stories in the middle of working on them, so no worries; I love this story too much to quit on it, it's just that I was caught up in stuff (Senior pictures this week, which delayed my expected time of getting this up here) and didn't have time. I still appreciate your reviews and comments ('update soon' made me feel guilty, actually) and I thank you for taking time out of your day to read. Now, I will delay you no longer. Thank you very much for your long and patient wait. I'm very grateful.
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Reflectionsby Sean Montgomery
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Kaoru opened the doors the next morning to find Yahiko standing before her waiting for Kenshin."Hello, Yahiko. It's been a while." Kaoru said, grinning at the young man she hadn't seen in what seemed like months.
"Hello yourself, busu." He answered, grinning fondly at his former teacher. "You're looking well."
"Am I?" she said with a sad smile.
"Considering the circumstances. I mean, beyond the fact that Kenji blew up at Kenshin a little while ago and now we have to set things right with Hiko, you look good."
Kaoru's smile grew. "Do you think everything will be resolved?"
"Of course it will. Kenshin knows what he's doing. He'll bring Kenji back to his senses somehow."
Dear Yahiko. Ever the optimist. "I'm glad you think so." She leaned closer to him. "Be sure to encourage Kenshin a little. To be honest, he isn't the most confident person right now."
"He should be. I'll bring Kenji out of whatever he's in so Kenshin can have his own words with him."
"It might not be that easy, Yahiko. You should have seen Kenji when he came in last week. He was ready to hurt someone, it seemed."
Yahiko shrugged, crossing his arms. "Then he should learn to let his emotions calm down so he can shut up and listen. After all, doesn't he understand that what you were doing was for the best?"
"We hoped he would never have to know."
"Your kid? Not knowing something? I'm sorry, but with parents like you, do you honestly think he would settle for something like that?"
Kaoru chuckled. "I guess you're right."
"What's Yahiko right about?"
They both turned to the dojo. Kenshin, with a small bag slung over his back, was walking toward them with a curious smile on his face. Hiding behind his expression, however, where small bags under his eyes. He obviously didn't get a lot of sleep.
"That Kenji would find out everything sooner or later." Kaoru said, turning to him.
Kenshin set the bag on the ground, turning over to her. "I'll be out in a second, Yahiko."
"Okay." Yahiko answered. He continued to watch the two of them until Kenshin held her close. "Right." he said quickly, turning on his heel and walking a little distance down the road.
Kaoru had resolved the previous night that she wasn't going to cry when Kenshin left - after all, she had his guarantee that he would return unlike a similar time years ago. She only held him back as he held her, breathing in a scent she wouldn't know for a few days.
"I'll be back soon." he said quietly, attempting to calm any fears she might have.
"I know." she said firmly. "Bring him back with you. I don't care if it takes you a month to convince him to come home. Bring Kenji back. We're settling this when you do."
"Once and for all." He said. There was a certain air in his voice that made her pull back and look at him. He seemed confident, yet weary, hopeful tied with a noose of doubt. The smile he gave her amplified her thoughts. She wanted to say something to assure him yet nothing came to mind. He had enough encouragement - all he needed to do was take the first steps.
"Once and for all." she repeated. She leaned forward and kissed him, then bent over and handed him his bag. He took it quietly, never breaking eye contact with her until he turned. She followed him, waving goodbye to Yahiko when he waved to her. It was only until the two figures advanced further down the road that she closed the door and stared at the empty dojo.
What to do now? She smiled at her thoughts. There were numerous things she could do: her own chores, including Kenshin's, for one thing. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself for the days ahead, she marched into the dojo, making a beeline for the laundry.
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"You know, you two still make a good looking couple. It just took you forever to get it through your skull to propose." Yahiko said, waiting for Kenshin to join him on the path away from the dojo. "You should have realized that she wouldn't have cared about your past."
"It was more than that, Yahiko." Kenshin said quietly, turning to look up at the young man. When had he grown taller than him?
"Yeah, stained hands and all that what-not. Kaoru explained it to me once before you guys got married. She also said that you felt you would mark her somehow, or something like that."
"She didn't need people from my past showing up at the dojo."
"Who's shown up since Enishi? Show me the punk and I'll show him my bokken." Yahiko waited for Kenshin's answer, smiling happily when the older man didn't respond. "Exactly. But I do understand your reasoning; wait to see how long it takes before someone shows up to make some kind of move."
"I didn't wait that long, that I didn't."
"Really? I remember thinking something should have happened after you fought Shishio."
"Something did happen after I fought Shishio. Enishi showed up."
"So then when did you get to it?"
Kenshin turned to Yahiko again, a small smile forming on his face. "A week or so after I was brought back to the dojo. You where still around, but no serious decisions had been made yet. You became more oblivious to it once you moved into Sano's old house."
"I was not completely oblivious!"
Kenshin raised a doubtful eyebrow. Yahiko fought for words. "Okay, so maybe I was surprised when Kaoru told me you two where getting married, but I knew that something was happening!"
Kenshin's face formed a grin. "All right, Yahiko."
"Really! I knew something was happening!"
The two walked in silence for a moment. It was only early morning, but the heat was already beginning to make an impact on their journey. While Kenshin was able to walk as though nothing fazed him, Yahiko began to look a little tired by the time they reached the Tokyo Station, using his sleeve to collect the beads of sweat on his forehead.
"Are you going to be all right?" Kenshin asked, genuine concern mistaken for sarcasm.
"I'll be fine. I just haven't traveled for a while." Yahiko turned his head to the direction of the oncoming train. "I hope you don't mind that we're taking a train. They're faster than walking, but if you'd prefer that..." He let the sentence hang.
"I don't mind, that I don't. Anything that will get us to Kyoto is fine by me."
Using the last of his money to get tickets for them to Kyoto wasn't the most desirable thing for Yahiko do to. Especially since he made the decision the evening before, the only notice he got that Kenshin wanted him to join him to bring back Kenji. As he handed in the ticket and the two of them made their way to their seats, he saw a young girl with a scarlet ribbon in her hair. He gave a slightly irritated sigh. He was going to get Tsubame a ribbon, one close to that color. He had only noticed it the other day, thinking that it would be perfect to use as an apology for his lack of attention to their relationship. He only realized it would have to wait after he paid for the tickets and the only thing he had left were a few coins.
"Yahiko?" Kenshin asked, sitting in a seat across from where the man in question was standing. "Is something wrong?"
Yahiko forced back a growl. "No, nothing's wrong."
Kenshin smiled at the boy, knowing full well something was on his mind but deciding not to push him for answers. "If you say so."
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"I don't get it," Yahiko said hours later, standing in the market of Kyoto with Kenshin by his side, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked at the building towering before them. "We came all this way to get Kenji and to convince him to come back with us so you can talk to him about your past, and you wanna see Misao?"
Kenshin grinned at the Aoiya, seemingly unfazed by the bright afternoon sun. "I have some things I needed to ask Miss Misao about, that I do."
"About what?"
"For one thing, I know that it would please Misao greatly to get out of the house. I was curious to see if she would like to stay with Kaoru while we're gone."
Yahiko's head turned to Kenshin. "The tanuki and the weasel together, alone? Kenshin, are you sure that's a good idea?"
It seemed for a moment that the former manslayer hadn't thought about the consequences of those actions. An eyebrow twitched for a moment while a small sweat drop formed at his temple. "What's the worst that could happen, Yahiko?"
Both eyebrows raised on Yahiko's head. Could it be that Kenshin gave this no thought at all? "Are you sure you want to ask me that?"
"Himura! It is you!"
The heads of the ex-hitokiri and the Tokyo Samurai turned to the entrance of the Aoiya. Energetic as always, Misao Makimachi ran towards the two of them with a grin that would split the sun. "Aoshi didn't believe me when I said I saw you two coming down the path! Wait 'til I tell him I was right!"
"Aoshi didn't believe you? That's not quite like him, that it isn't." Kenshin said, a smile forming on his face at the sight of the Oniwabanshuu leader.
Misao stopped before them, momentarily rubbing her neck while her cheeks slightly colored. "Well, he didn't actually say that he didn't believe it was you, but when I told him, he just looked at me like he always does. I've had to try and guess what his expressions mean."
"And you thought he didn't believe you? Doesn't Aoshi know how to sense chi?"
"Well, sorta... anyway, he'll be happy to know you're here! Come on in! I'm sure you guys are tired and hungry! We'll get you fed in no time!"
Misao bounded away from the two of them, opening the doors of the Aoiya wider and beckoning them in with a waving arm.
"You're sure you want to ask her to stay with Kaoru?"
Kenshin gave Yahiko a nervous smile. "I'm beginning to wonder, that I am. Do you think the dojo will still be there when we get back?"
Yahiko stared ahead, smiling at Misao while muttering under his breath, "I think you'd be lucky if the foundation were still there..."
"I'm sure you both must be tired after all that walking. I know I would be! Remember when I was following you around Kyoto all those years ago, Himura? Man, I was sore! But I learned how to hide it so you guys wouldn't know. I think I would have been in bed for days if I wasn't after Aoshi..."
"Does she ever shut up?" Yahiko muttered under his breath, slowing his pace behind Misao so she wouldn't hear. "How does Aoshi deal with her?"
"I'm sure that's why Aoshi meditates, that it is." Kenshin answered, a small smile making its way across his face.
"I heard that!" Misao bellowed from in front of them. "I'll have you know that I missed you guys! I haven't seen you in, what, eight years? We need to catch up! There's so many things you guys don't know about yet! Tonight, we're going to have fun and drown our stories in jugs of sake!" Misao opened the door ahead of them, unaware of the glances Yahiko and Kenshin shared. "Maybe we'll add some tea for Aoshi. Hey, guys! Look who's here!"
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It wasn't until later that evening, after mounds of stories and light sake, that Misao realized that Kaoru had not followed Kenshin and Yahiko to Kyoto.
"I thought she was going to come later or something." she said once she asked the former manslayer about his wife. "I didn't think you would leave her alone here. Is she pregnant again?"
Yahiko slightly snickered at the small blush that covered Kenshin's face. "Not quite, Miss Misao."
"Not quite? What's that supposed to mean? Still trying or something?"
Yahiko audibly snorted. Kenshin was the color of his hair. Obviously, Miss Misao has had enough sake for the evening, that she has. "We came here for Kenji."
"For Kenji? Is something wrong?"
Kenshin took a deep breath. "We have some things we need to speak to him about."
"There's conflict in your family, isn't there?" Aoshi said, his small but booming voice full of wisdom beyond his years.
"You can tell?"
"You've been quite most of the evening. While you are not one to be loud like your friend Yahiko-"
"Hey!"
"-I can see that there has been something weighing on your mind. You are no longer burdened with the responsibility of a swordsman. It had to be something personal."
Kenshin grinned at Aoshi. "Your meditation has taught you how to be observant, Aoshi."
The corners of a mouth slightly quirked, the only indication Aoshi could give that he was smiling. "It's the first thing you learn."
"Kenji has been upset at Kenshin for not teaching him Hiten Mitsurugi." Yahiko explained, brown eyes moving back and forth between Aoshi and Misao. "It was just that for a while, but then a few days ago he burst into the dojo demanding to know why Kenshin hadn't told him that he was the Hitokiri Battousai."
"You haven't told him yet, Himura?" Misao asked, setting her cup down in shock.
Kenshin was silent, setting his chin on his chest.
"So now Kenshin wants to go and ask Hiko why he told Kenji the one thing he wanted to keep from him."
"Why did Hiko tell him?"
"That's what we're trying to find out." Kenshin said quietly, raising his head but keeping his eyes on his sake cup. "Kaoru stayed behind because I didn't want her to be a distraction for Kenji. Yet, she's all alone at the dojo with no one to keep her company or to help with chores. This is why we needed to see you before we saw Hiko."
Misao squared her shoulders and set her gaze on Kenshin. "What can I do to help?"
"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind spending a few days with her, just so she doesn't have to do everything by herself. The last thing I want her to feel is left alone."
Misao's eyebrows lifted in confusion. "Why would she feel alone?"
"Before I can to Tokyo, she had been living in the dojo by herself with the pain of knowing the last of her family was dead. After she told me that, I swore to myself to never leave her alone again." His gaze lifted, violet eyes meeting sea green. "Misao, would you stay with her until we get things figured out here?"
Misao's gaze softened when she saw the burden Kenshin was making himself carry. She gave him a small smile. "I'll leave in the morning."
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"You could never hold your sake." Aoshi said quietly, looking at Misao long after Kenshin and Yahiko had went to bed.
"I can so." she retorted, holding her pounding head in her hands. "I just didn't realize how many cups I had. Could you stop the room from spinning, please?"
"You should have been more aware of what you were doing. What would Okina have said if he saw you?"
Misao's heart lurched for a moment at the thought of her dead grandfather. "He would have laughed." she muttered, attempting to stand but stumbling over.
Aoshi stood and calmly held his hand out to steady her, then put his hand on her shoulder to lead her to her room. He was quiet until they reached the stairs, his concentration bent on her wobbly form. "I think you misjudge him."
"Are you kidding me?" she said, tripping on one of the stairs and hitting her arm on the railing. "Ow. You don't think the old man would be laughing at my condition? Aoshi, he'd be in tears!"
"He would be proud of your decision."
Misao paused and looked at him, suddenly locked into his blue eyes. "Really?"
"He would." he answered quietly. "Especially considering that you're going to have a headache in the morning when you see Kaoru."
"Oh, don't remind me!" she groaned, finishing the remainder of the stairs and walking to her room. "That's what he'd be laughing at!"
Aoshi's stone gaze never wavered, but Misao knew he had to be thinking of the old man doing just that. When he didn't say anything for a while, she knew he agreed with her, even if he wouldn't vocalize it.
"It doesn't matter." she finally said. "He's gone and it's my decision. I'll be gone before you wake up."
She never made it inside her room. A large hand, full of power and calluses, covered hers on the door. Misao stared in wonder at his face, suddenly so close she could feel his breath from his nose.
"He would be proud of your decision, Misao." he said again, his eyes boring into hers.
For the moment, the woozy haze disappeared, strange considering she felt more woozy because he was so close. Her haze faded when she considered his words, the closest thing she might get to a loving word from him, and she smiled at him. "Thank you, Aoshi."
Aoshi, stoic nature ever-present, nodded and turned on his heels to his room. "Good luck to you on your journey."
It wasn't much considering that most girls dreamed of romantic phrases and daring heroics, but at that moment, Misao Makimachi considered herself one of the luckiest women on the face of the earth.
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Honestly, I can't write Aoshi/Misao scenes. The blasted man is fun to make fun of, but to write him is another thing completely. It was fun to take on the challenge, though. Anyone else agree?
Hey, look! This chapter was... five pages! I'm getting better at this!
Review Responses (five months in the making...)
Ms. Zeal - I'm glad you like how things are turning out. I can't answer any of your questions, either. That would be giving too much away. : D
Kobe-Mac - Hey, I actually supported the Eagles in the playoffs. 4th and 26th, right? It was unfortunate that the Panthers had to play them - with the way both of my teams are doing so far, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Eagles in the Super Bowl this year. We'll wait and see.
Misaoshiru - I don't think short chapters are a bad thing - only if they are bad chapters. Maybe that's why these take me so long; I'm worried that they're going to stink or something...
Kyrene - A fight, huh? I'm not too sure. Don't you think with the anger already inside of him they would want to keep him as calm as possible? The kid's a spitfire, man!
Lynn10 - Like I said in my notes, I'm sorry this took so long. Hiko will show up on the next chapter (I think; it depends on where my muse is going to take me, I guess...)
Tanukigirl22 - Well, now, it would depend on how old you are. I openly admitted on my bio page that I'm seventeen, so that would make you... fourteen? Fifteen? Not that I'm dying to find out or anything. But where did I say 'young people'?
The simple mind - Thanks for reviewing! I was surprised to see your review, actually. I hadn't gotten one in a while and poof! It made my day. Thanks for checking this out!
Animeinsomniac - Don't worry - no intentions of dropping this story. And I do still read my reviews - everyday, basically. They inspire me. Thank you for checking this out!
See you on the next chapter!