Standard Disclaimer Applies Here
Heaven's Clampdown
Chapter One: A Controversial Job OfferThe light spring rain hit the roofs of all the buildings in Kyoto a little noisily. Despite the rain, there were only a few clouds in the sky and it was still considered a beautiful day. The grass was greener and more pleasant to look at and the cold spring wind cooled the people outside. The cherry blossom on the trees was already bloomed fully for several days and the light pink cherry petals filled the ground near the trees. The wind blew them until they reached several distant places like the roof of the Aoiya. Despite the cheerful mood of the day, an unhappy and uncomfortable meeting was taking place inside between a seventeen-year-old female, a pensive man and an elderly man with a chain-smoking police officer and another man with hair similar to a broom.
Misao was not smiling. It wasn't surprising that she wasn't. How could she smile while receiving these two unpleasant visitors? The uncomfortable tension and the heat it caused in the room were unmistakable. She was relieved that Okina and Aoshi were near her or she would have lost her temper and used her kunai on them several minutes ago.
She coughed as the smoke from Saitou Hajime's cigarette reached her nostrils. He smirked and sent several ringlets of smoke to her while his companion; Chou drank some of the tea Jiya offered.
"So you're saying that the underground network of the government is asking the Oniwabanshuu to spy on some British guy because you think he's supplying arms to the rebels and intoxicating our army with opium?" Misao repeated all they had said earlier. "Tell me where he is so I can send some of our agents to him."
Chou snorted into his tea while Saitou sneered.
"You can't just send any agents to him because Edward Murray is not in Japan right now." Saitou said and took another puff on his cigarette. "In fact he's in China and according to our foreign sources; he will be in England in late autumn."
"England?" Okina repeated. "You want one of the Oniwanbanshuu to spy in England? How long will it take? What kind of agent do you need?"
"We'll take a female agent, preferably someone who can pass as a sixteen year old foreign student. She'll be leaving for England at the end of March, which will be in ten days. We're not sure how long the spying is going to take, though." Chou answered as Saitou continued to smoke.
"A young female agent, who can pass for a sixteen year old," Okina mused. "I don't think we have anyone else…"
"Except for me to do it." Misao spoke softly but her words were audible for everyone to hear what she had said.
Chou guffawed and Saitou smirked again. Misao looked at them angrily and was about to reach for her kunai when she felt Aoshi place his left hand over her right, gripping it tightly and preventing her from reaching them. Her blue-green eyes widened at his touchas she looked up at him in shock but his face was as blank and expressionless as it was earlier.
"The mission will be all messed up if the weasel girl joins!" Chou commented nastily after he was calm enough to talk.
"An experienced and more qualified agent shall be also preferred." Saitou added.
Misao flushed furiously. "I am the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu and I do have experience in fighting!" she retorted.
"More like experience in brawling." Saitou muttered and this time Misao had to be also held back by Okina to keep her from throwing her kunai.
"Asshole." She mumbled under her breath.
"I'm sorry to say this Saitou but I believe that the only agent that satisfies what the government wants is Misao. She is seventeen and has been trained well and I can vouch for that." Aoshi said unexpectedly, surprising and pleasing Misao with what he had said.
"But I believe we have to turn down your offer." He added.
Misao gasped and looked at him in shock. "Turn down the offer? Why?" she asked furiously. "Is it because you don't think I can't handle the job? I thought you of all people would trust me into doing it well!" she turned away from him and faced the other three people inside the room.
"I'm taking the job." She announced firmly. Okina looked at her grimly.
"Are you sure Misao? You'll be in England, at the other side of the world and…"
"I'm taking it!" she interrupted heatedly.
Chou shrugged and looked at Saitou. "Looks like we do have to take the weasel Boss, we can't get anyone else…"
"You will have to find someone else because Misao is not taking the job." Aoshi stated shortly.
Misao huffed and stood up and gained some height over him. She looked down at Aoshi, her eyes expressing rage. "I am taking it."
Aoshi stood up, now gaining the advantage the height. The color of Misao's cheeks turned to the color of her pink obi at their nearness, rendering her speechless. Aoshi didn't look affected at their near distance and merely stated to her his answer.
"No."
Saitou snorted. "While it is rather amusing to watch the two of you fight, I am afraid I have other business to do today than waste my time listening to the two of you." He said and stood up and pushed the shoji aside. Chou followed him as he headed out. Misao and Aoshi turned to watch what he had to say.
"Send me a message when you've figured out what to do." He told them and the two walked out and disappeared from the Aoiya.
Aoshi walked past Misao and pushed the shoji and began to exit the room. Misao stared at him in shock.
"Wait! We're not finished yet!" she protested unsuccessfully for Aoshi had already left the room.
"Let him go Misao, he needs time to think." Okina said from behind her. Misao turned to him sharply.
"Jiya, why is he acting like that? You're all right with me going to England to spy but what's wrong with him? Why can't he let me go?" she looked down.
Okina placed his palms over his adopted granddaughter's shoulders and gazed at her worriedly. "England is a very far place Misao and it might take you a few years before you can return to Japan, depending how long you're staying in England. Not only that, it is full of foreigners. I don't feel very comfortable sending you there." He lifted her chin with his right hand. "You have to understand how he feels; I think he's as worried about you as I am about you taking the job.
Misao clenched her fists and moved her chin from Okina's hold and looked down. "It's not because he's worried about me Jiya, it's because he still thinks I'm a child. He doesn't think I'll be able to succeed in this mission." She looked back at him confidently and strongly. "I'm going to make him agree." She paused. "I know I can do this Jiya. I can pass for a foreign student well and I also know how to speak English and don't deny that I don't have any battle experience. You have seen how I fought alongwith Kaoru–san against the transvestite last summer."
She pulled herself from Okina's hold and stared at him with an aura of command that reminded the old man of Misao's late grandfather, a former okashira of the Oniwabanshuu.
"I shall accept this offer. Tell that to everyone else except Aoshi-sama. I'll deal with him. Send a message to Saitou Hajime tomorrow about my decision." She commanded with dignity, unknowingly gaining some respect from Okina.
He nodded his acquiescence, sending Misao into a little squeal of glee, which made the light flush, that had stained her cheeks earlier turn darker.
"Thank you, Jiya," she mumbled. "I think I shall go train now and I'll confront Aoshi-sama later when I bring his afternoon tea." She said and stepped back and exited the room swiftly, leaving the old man alone in the room.
Okina sat on the floor, feeling a little proud of Misao. He knew now that Misao was ready to take the mission even if he knew deep inside his heart, that he didn't want her to go. He wanted to keep her and protect her from the world, which he knew was very similar to what Aoshi, Hannya, Beshimi, Hyotokko and Shikijou had felt almost ten years ago when they left Misao under his care. But he couldn't keep her shut away from the world anymore. She was not a child anymore and the self-proclaimed leader of their group too. Keeping her away from this mission was like building a barrier between her and her happiness.
He only hoped that Aoshi would agree to let her go to.
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As swiftly as she could against the wind, Misao sent sixteen of her kunai against the trunk of her, tree, hitting her desired target.
She wiped her sweat and walked over to the tree and plucked her throwing knives out of the tree.
"I wanted to train to vent my frustrations out on something useful but not to destroy nature." Misao muttered to herself and placed the kunai back to its hiding place in her obi.
Misao took the golden pocket watch that she hid in her pink obi out. The pocket watch had been a present from Aoshi during her seventeenth birthday last November. It wasn't a present with a hidden romantic meaning that she had wanted so she was disappointed at first when she received it. He told her that he bought her a pocket watch since she always worried about bringing his food late, a pocket watch would be useful for her to tell when she should leave the Aoiya to bring him his food. Misao's feelings were hurt at first when she heard his reasons but it faded away quickly when she realized his thoughtfulness for buying a useful gift.
Misao took this as a small sign that maybe Aoshi did return her feelings because of the meaningfulness of the gift at first and it had put her in a good mood for the next few days. Unfortunately, it slowly faded away and a lot of the hope left inside her became lost for Aoshi remained indifferent. Their normal daily routines went on. Nothing interesting happened and nothing changed except for the fact that Misao was never had to rush to prepare his food and tea and she was never late at arriving at the temple anymore.
She flipped the cover of the pocket watch and watched as the second fastest hand hit the number nine in the watch, telling her that she had fifteen minutes to fetch the things for the tea ceremony and to reach the temple. She groaned and ran as fast as she could to the Aoiya and grab the things she needed for the tea ceremony. She surely didn't want to be late again after a very long time.
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Misao was happy that she was able to reach the temple just in time but a part of her wished that she came later to delay the tension and awkward you-can-hear-a-pin-drop silence that was happening between her Aoshi when she performed the tea ceremony and the current situation of watching him drink his tea at the moment.
She gulped a little as she watched Aoshi drink his tea slowly. Very slowly. It was relatively puzzling to her why it seemed to her that the length of time he was drinking his tea at the moment was taking longer than the usual. To her, it seemed as if hours had passed before he finally finished drinking his tea and set the cup down beside him.
She clutched the tea cup and fixed the items she used for the tea ceremony as she tried her best to gather enough courage to confront Aoshi but could barely do it. It confused her that she was always able to confront people easily but could never with him. She wondered how she was able to argue with him earlier that day.
Asking, why is it so hard?
To go with the flow of your world?
Misao was almost finished in her cleaning up and surprisingly, her determination to confront him was growing inside of her. She gathered the items she used for the tea ceremony and placed them inside the small wooden box where she kept them. She stood up, determination and courage fully grown inside of her.
Confused, life would have been so much simpler if you were all right
"Aoshi-sama," she spit out. "I have made my decision. I'm taking the job offer and have now sent the message to Saitou." She proclaimed resolutely.
Not to her surprise, Aoshi remained on the floor, seated in his lotus position when he replied to her.
"You are not going; you are sending another message that says that you have declined the offer." He told her briefly.
Tell me of your secrets, I'll take care of them
Misao felt a mix of fury, aggravation and confusion gush inside her. She dropped the box she was holding to the floor, spilling its contents out and clenched her fists.
"I am going. I am the Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu and I make the decisions here and I say that I'm going to take this mission and I will not let anyone especially you stop me!" she paused as she swallowed furiously and straightened her shoulders and held her head up. "I…command you to stop trying to hinder me from this mission!" she commanded in her strongest voice.
"Why can't you just let me go? This is what I want to do. I can't be a good Okashira if all I do is stay in the Aoiya." She added softly, her voice shaking a little.
Pass all your problems to me, I'll endure them
Misao's eyes expanded from surprise as she watched Aoshi stand up and walked to her slowly and stopped a mere inches away from her. She shivered slightly at their closeness and his towering height. She lifted her head up and stared straight at his cold and icy blue eyes. Finally after a short moment that seemed to last an hour to her, he finally spoke, his voice expressing no particular emotion.
"Nothing I'll say or do will stop you from taking the mission."
Misao nodded. "You are right. I'm glad to see that you've finally relented." She bent down and seized the items she spilled earlier and replaced them in the box. She stood with it and spoke to Aoshi, more lightly.
"I'm going back to Aoiya now." She informed him pleasantly and started walking to the temple's exit when she felt a strong and calloused hand envelop her left wrist. She turned her head to Aoshi, feeling too surprised to be furious.
"Aoshi-sama," she whispered, feeling baffled. "What…
I'll offer the moon and sun with my eyes closedEven the shoes I'm wearing
"I'm coming with you." He spoke, no emotion still showing in his voice.
His words sent Misao out from her daze. She snatched her hand out from his grip as stared at him furiously.
Asking, life would be so much simple if you would go away
"Aoshi-sama, I'm not a childwho needs guidanceanymore! You say that I've been trained well so why can't you let me go by myself? I know how to take care of myself! I've traveled alone several times before and I helped in defeating one of the members of the Juppongatana!" she looked down as she felt her body shake angrily then he spoke.
"Okina and the others would want me to go with you. I will watch you from afar in England."
I'll be with you when it's sweet
"Jiya," she began. "Has already agreed to let me go on with this and I believe your presence in England will not help me at all. She blushed a bit. "It would be also a little distracting."
"I do not care." Aoshi said, shocking her once again with his words. "A girl like you should not be in a foreign country by herself surrounded by many dangers."
Misao blinked away the little tears that had appeared in her eyes. "A girl like me?" she repeated. "I am right, you still treat me like a child and I'm sick of it!"
I'll be with you in the dark
"It's not that I'm treating you like a child. You are a female and will surely attract a lot of danger." He retorted.
"I can handle any man! I've trained hard and vigorously everyday and I've gotten better than I was last year! I am capable enough to defend myself against anyone!" she declared to him confidently; feeling the words he had just told her, sting her greatly.
Aoshi moved closer to her, making Misao step back. Aoshi did not stop and continued to move closer to her sending her to the wall. She did not notice this until she felt the strong and hard wall bump against her back.
I'll be with you in the dark
"You say that you can handle any man." He murmured as he stepped even closer and bent his head down to her.
"But can you handle someone like me?" he whispered to her hoarsely as he lifted his arms and placed them on the wall, pinning Misao in between.
She didn't know why but maybe it was from the shock of what was happening but suddenly her body felt stiff and cold and she couldn't move at all. A light blush appeared on her cheeks at her nearness to Aoshi and as her nose caught his scent.
"You say you can handle any man but you stand there doing nothing. What if this happens to you in England? Will you just stand by and let some man do what he wants to you?" he voiced dryly.
The meaning of the words that he had just said jolted Misao from her spasm. She gave Aoshi her strongest punch, sending him back abruptly and groaning.
I'll be with you when it's sweet
Misao moved away from the wall and clenched her fists.
"I can handle you."
Aoshi looked surprised for a moment but it quickly went away as he smoothed his yukata.
"We'll see about that."
Misao smirked and readied her fighting stance. Suddenly it seemed that Aoshi and she weren't in the temple, almost desecrating it with their little battle. They were in the streets of England, fighting a serious battle.
She lunged at Aoshi and tried to give him an upward punch but he quickly dodged it. Misao felt him try to punch her on the back but she quickly blocked it with a knife hand block. She tried to give him a sidekick but he caught her foot, sending her to the floor. She scrambled up quickly, just in time to block another one of his attacks. She stepped away quickly, leaving a great distance between the two of them.
The two of them panted heavily as they walked around the room in circles, never taking their eyes of the other. They stared at each other, waiting for the other one to make a move. No sound was heard in the room except for their ragged breaths and footsteps.
I'll be with you until heaven
They didn't know who had lunged ahead first as they threw punches at each other. Misao had the advantage of the kick for Aoshi couldn't kick in his yukata but it didn't help her for Aoshi blocked all of her attempted kicks. Misao panted angrily as she moved away again and readied for her favorite kick that would need astrongjump.
"Kecho giri!" she yelled as she tried to send her most powerful to kick to Aoshi's face. But to her annoyance and surprise, he dodged it. She landed on the ground nicely, with her back facing him. She was about to turn to him when she felt two strong hands grip hers from her back. She gasped as she tried to slip out from his grip. She tried to send a kick to him while facing front but her efforts were in vain for she only received a slight grimace from him.
Misao smirked when she suddenly remembered a similar situation that happened between her and several yakuza members the summer before. She jumped and slipped away from Aoshi's grip and flew not so high but enough not to let Aoshi catch her easily or hit the ceiling.
I'll be with you when it's bitter
It was to Misao's surprise when she felt his strong andwarm body as she landed. She groaned and shrieked menacingly as she felt his arms envelop her tightly, she facing his chest. What was with Aoshi that he could easily catch or pluck her from the air?
She clenched her fists again and started punching Aoshi's ribs, making him groan. There was no way she was giving up without a real fight. The grip his arms had on her loosened and soon there was little but enough space for her to punch Aoshi's chest. She lifted her right fist and tried to send a punch to his chest but he unfortunately caught it. The same thing happened when she used her left fist.
"Let me go." She protested as she panted heavily and tried to regain her breath.
"No," he replied, his breath as ragged as hers as he pinned her to the ground. Misao gasped as she felt his lips cover the right side of her neck. She continued to struggle against him to no avail. He kept her pinned down as his mouth slowly moved up and down the left side of her neck.
"Misao, don't leave. Stay here, be safe." He murmured against her nape.
I'll be with you until heaven
Misao felt her hands and legs stop struggling as she stared up the ceiling, enjoying the feel of Aoshi's lips against her neck. She felt her arms and hands place themselves on Aoshi's back and her fingers locking unconsciously.
His lips moved up from her neck to her cheeks then to her forehead, to her hair and soon it floated above her parted lips.
"You're not coming with me…because I'm not going…" she spoke softly against his lips.
I'll be with you…
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A/N: Review everyone! If you're curious with the song I used in this story, it's actually a song originally written and sang in Filipino by a local band called Imago, which I translated to English for this story. I posted the original version here:
Akap (Embrace)
Nagtatanong bakit mahirap
sumabay sa agos ng iyong mundo
Nagtataka
Simple lang naman sana ang buhay
Kung ika'y matino
Sabihin sa akin lahat ng lihim mo
Iingatan ko
Ibalik sa akin ang problema mo
kakayanin ko
Pikit mata kong iaalay
ang buwan at araw pati pa sapatos kong suot
Nagtatanong
simple lang naman sanaang buhay
kung ika'y lumayo
Sasamahan ka sa tamis
Sasamahan ka sa dilim
Sasamahan ka hanggang langit
Sasamahan ka sa tamis
Sasamahan ka sa pait
Sasamahan ka sa dilim
Sasamahan ka hanggang langit Sasamahan ka