Yoo Hoo!! i've finally dug up some determination to try and produce another of my uhhh......weird n rather lame fanfics...okie, okie, i'll admit it....i wrote this cos i wasrotting at home....and this is like my way of killing time....hehe......well, anyway, i hope u'll take A LITTLE of your time to quickly scan thru these....uhhh.....boring boring boring words.....n pls pls pls pls pls let me know wat u think k?? come on....be generous with those reviews...hehe.....well, that's enough crap....hope u enjoy d story!!

Chapter 1

"KAORU!! WE"RE HERE!!" An over-excited young girl clad in ninja attire bounded through the entrance without warning before disappearing behind a cloud of dust into the dojo. Her travel companion, an imposing figure of great height with a stone-like expression and piercing eyes, followed her footsteps, pausing in mid-stride to stare coldly at two wrestling idiots in the courtyard.

"Well, well, well…..If it isn't Mr. Shinomori again!" sneered Sanosuke Sagara while attempting to remove Yahiko's stinky foot from under his nose. A panting Yahiko could only managed a grunt in reply as he struggled to distangle himself from Sanosuke's limbs. The silent man resumed his pace.

"Misao!! You're early!" exclaimed Kaoru, waving a wooden broom about in delight as she rushed forward to greet her friend. The tall figure silently loomed into view. "Oh, Mr. Aoshi!" Kaoru bowed in a polite gesture. "Kenshin will be so glad to see you! I hope you had a pleasant journey." Aoshi Shinomori merely nodded in return without any change of expression.

"Where's Himura??" inquired Misao breathlessly, as she pranced about the dojo still in a state of frenzy. "I've so much to tell him! The Oni gang……..OOF!!" She crashed full-tilt into a figure about to enter the dojo.

"Watch where you're going, weasel girl," A bruised Sanosuke growled as he rubbed an aching shoulder.

"DON'T CALL ME WEASEL GIRL, YOU ROOSTER HEAD!!!"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A ROOSTER HEAD, WEASEL??"

"ROOSTER HEAD!! ROOSTER HEAD!!"

"OW! OW! OUCH! HEY, CUT IT OUT!!"

A disapproving look from Aoshi was more than enough to shut Misao up. She abruptly ceased smacking Sano to gaze lovingly into Aoshi's eyes and to hang on tightly to his arm.

"Lovesick fool," muttered Sanosuke under his breath, only to be rewarded by a warning look from Kaoru. "Hey, I'm starving! I can't wait for Kenshin any longer! Being the scatterbrain idiot he is, I bet he dropped the tofu and had to go back for more."

"Dinner!! Yipee!!" Misao patted her tummy affectionately. Kaoru was a little hesitant. "Well, ok, I guess……let's not wait for Kenshin."

Dinner Time. A brawl broke out between a ravenous Yahiko and an equally hungry Kaoru, fighting and scratching over the last shrimp.

"HANDS OFF, YOU LITTLE BRAT! IT'S MINE, I TELL YOU!"

"OH YEAH?? TRY STOPPING ME THEN!"

"ARRGHH…..GRAB HIM, SANO!!"

Sano however, was busy dealing with a certain vicious Misao. "Now that'll teach you for calling me weasel girl!" She crashed a few bottles of sake over Sano's rooster head.

"My…..my precious sake!! Noooooooooooo………"

Aoshi sat quietly at a corner of the table, sipping a cup of tea while efficiently dodging the occasional pieces of crockery thrown his way. All of a sudden, a soft thump…. Aoshi's sensitive ears caught the almost inaudible sound and he sat up straight at once."What was that?" The sharp tone caught the others by surprise, putting a halt to all yelling and tugging of hair.

"What was what??"

"That thumping sound. I think there's something out there."

"You worry too much, Aoshi dear," Misao didn't seem the least bothered. "It's probably just a cat or something." Sano nodded lazily in agreement. "Yeah, and it's not as if we can't handle any character stupid enough to venture into our grounds. Now hand over that bottle of sake, weasel girl." No one noticed the silent intruder slipping noiselessly away from the kitchen window.

Ten minutes later……

"Oh gosh…..I'm stuffed…." groaned Misao, her eyelids feeling extraordinary heavy. The two figures of Sano and Yahiko were already sprawled out on the ground, snoring their heads off. Kaoru yawned, already half drifting off to dreamland. Even Aoshi struggled to prevent drowsiness from clouding his usually alert mind.

"What's happening??" Aoshi forced his mind to work. "All I had was tea and miso soup! Why are we all……Could it be?? The food!! Someone drugged the food!!"

Even stumbling upon the answer did nothing to clear Aoshi's already uncooperative brain. He felt himself drawn nearer……and nearer to darkness. "Have to…..keep awake….have to…..have….." Finally losing the battle, Aoshi collapsed onto the ground, where 4 other figures lay inert.