DM: -sigh-

Misao: ?

DM: -drops head on computer desk-

Misao: What the heck's wrong with you?

DM: -glances up briefly- Not much, just have to deal with you.

Misao: What kind of crack is that! -attacks with her 'monster bird kick of rage'-

DM: -jumps away from desk-

Misao: Stand still!

-Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi look on in silence--sweatdrops-

Sakura: I think we're in the wrong story...

-the rest nod in agreement-

DM: ;P Okay... couldn't really come up with anything this time, going to blame it on the fact that I had to work on an english research paper beforehand-everyone knows that writing those things sucks the fun out of whatever you're about to write. At least it won't affect the chapter. Anywaaaaaaays -moving on- I'd like to say thanks to -alphabetical order so no one can get mad- EcstasyOfSesshoumaru, Kioji, Newbie GK, and rurouni madness-battousai obsession for their continued reviews. Thank you so much!
Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own it. Those mean men said I couldn't. -points to a group of lawyers-

--Chapter 4-Ice Blue Eyes/Sano's Big Bet--

"Sanosuke." she practically bit out the name again as she stalked over to where he sat.

Everyone watched as the man nervously gulped and chewed on the fishbone worriedly. "Hey, Megumi..." his voice trailed off at the look of sheer fury that covered the kitsune's face.

"What-do-you-think-you-are-doing." Not a question, more like a flat demand to know why her husband was in here, and leaving her alone at home.

Misao smirked, it was a good thing he didn't have a woman draped all over him like some of his friends-that alone would have sealed his fate.

"Well..." he seemed to not want to confess, so he tried a different approach. "So how are you feeling, koishii(1)? Want me to take you home?"

Misao's POV

Almost everyone in the room flinched at the sound of the resounding smack that followed.

Sano winced and rubbed at him face gingerly.

I couldn't quite feel sorry for him, but that did look like it hurt. Wonder if he got that a lot...

The raven-haired woman crossed her arms over her gently swelling abdomen, sparks flashed from her cinnamon eyes. "Well?"

One of his friends took pity on the baka and helped him out, "We talked him into a quick game, then we started betting on whether Sano'd have a boy or girl and-" he shut up at the look on her face.

Sano fidgeted a little, but kept his senses about him... what little he had.

"You-were-what!" she snapped, her angry chi flared and felt like a dark aura. It struck fear into the hearts of Sano's friends and those close-by. They slowly inched away from the woman whose look promised death.

I also took a step back, but only because I wanted a better view. I'm still short, so when the men moved away from the couple, they blocked my view.

Taking a few steps backward, I stumbled over the hem of my dress-you would have thought I would have done something about it at this point-and fell backwards onto someone.

More specifically-someone's lap.

I would have probably hit the table and the shot glasses that were upon it as well, if the man hadn't caught me. Preparing myself to both thank him and apologize, I looked up into ice blue eyes.

"Oh." was the only word that came out. My brain dimly registered the fact that Sano was getting a verbal beating, but it concentrated more on the fact that Aoshi-sama was holding me. I refused to think about what happened to have gotten me in this position-that would just be too embarrassing to ponder right now.

He silently helped me to my feet, and as he stood up beside me... I had to notice how tiny I was in comparison. But, that could be solved easily. All I had to do was talk Megumi into helping me find a pair of shoes that would elevate my height, and knowing the kitsune, she'd love to help.

A small smirk played about his lips, and you had to look closely to catch it-but catch it I did. Those smirks tend to make me mad, unfortunately. "What's so funny?" I glared, straightening to reach my impressive height of almost 4'10".

He said nothing in reply. I was about to repeat my question when I heard a loud crash. Turning quickly to look, I had to wince slightly at the sight. Sano's face had a bright red handprint and was sporting a large bump on his head-probably from the now shattered bottle of some kind of alcoholic beverage-the neck of the bottle still tightly grasped in Megumi's hand.

Knowing that the rooster was famed for his endurance to pain, I didn't jump in to stop them. I could feel Aoshi-sama's glance directed back towards me as Megumi started to yell at Sano again, who in turn was defending himself as best he could.

"Makimachi Misao, was it?" he spoke, but it hardly sounded like a question.

I nodded dumbly, inwardly cheering at the fact that he had remembered my name.

He nodded, as if confirming something. Sitting back down on the chair, he looked again at the arguing couple.

Slumping inwardly, I sighed and was tempted to take the empty seat beside the man. Megumi removed that thought as she stalked towards me, dragging a rather disgruntled looking Sano behind her.

"Of all the nerve." she hissed between clenched teeth as she glared daggers at her husband.

He rolled his eyes, "Are you selling me another fight today, kitsune?"

She growled, "Don't push it."

Another brawl started in the back of the bar, but this one was more than just a domestic dispute. Tables, chairs, and glass flew as drunken men caused an uproar. Shouts and curses filled the air along with the sounds of their fights.

The bartender, a short fat man with almost no hair on his head, rushed to Sano's side and begged him to help. Being an apparent regular, Sano shrugged and stood up. I figured he helped because the bartender probably put less onhis tab this way. I was more or less right in this assumption, because the short man took out a little book and marked something in it.

As quickly as it had started, it stopped. Sano looked ticked off, "Just a bunch of wimps." Shaking his head, he made his way back to the table we were at.

One of the less beat up men stumbled towards our table as well. Having already seen that Megumi was taken, I was the unfortunate victim to his unseemly advances. He pulled me to him and slurred something unintelligible. What was it with me and getting hit upon by drunks! Sheesh, that makes twothis week!

Suddenly, a wave of chi hit the man-I was hit with it also, as I was by him and trying to pry his hand off my arm. It felt cold, dark, and promises of a painful death were melded into it. Aoshi-sama's eyes were locked on the man, daring him to keep holding onto me.

The man let go instantly with something that sounded like an apology. He staggered off and disappeared in the crowd.

Megumi and Sano stared at Aoshi-sama, then stared at me. I shrugged, what was there to say? That he had saved me twice and I... had yet to thank him. Crap. Well, guess better late then never?

"Aoshi-sama." I started a little hesitantly. It didn't help that now I had his full attention. "I, um, well-" gathering my depleting store of energy, I tried to sound more energetic than I was, "Thank you for helping me out!" Flashing him a bright smile, I took the chair that remained conveniently situated between Sano and Aoshi-sama.

He merely nodded in reply.

As Sano turned to me, I could see the handprint's mark had started to leave. "So, what brings you here?"

Megumi sighed and rubbed her temple to try to ward off an oncoming headache, "Ken-san told us that Misao-chan was to stay with us for a little while."

"Oh, yeah." he winked at me, "So, not getting hitched yet?"

I glared at the irritating rooster, "No."

Sano then looked at Aoshi, "Kenshin was telling me you were planning on leaving soon."

My world spun for a moment, 'Wait a sec! Himura knows Aoshi-sama!'

Aoshi-sama nodded.

Sano leaned back into his chair, chewing on his fishbone. I'll never be able to understand that habit. "Do you think you could take the weasel here with you?"

I bristled, "Who are you calling a weasel! I'm gonna kill you!" Grabbing a couple of kunai, I had almost time to release them when Megumi hopped up and restrained me.

Aoshi-sama was silent for a little while longer. "Battousai requested that I take her along."

"And?" Sano pushed.

Ignoring him, Aoshi-sama stood up. "Report, Han'nya."

A man wearing a bizarre mask and outfit appeared almost from out of nowhere. He bowed before he spoke, "No one has followed us or her. We are ready to leave when you are."

Aoshi-sama nodded and turned slightly to look at me, his cold eyes brooking no argument. "Get ready to leave in a few hours."

I stared, who did he think he was! Ordering me around like that, needless to say I was growling inwardly-barely having enough restraint to keep it from coming out.

Megumi smiled at him and grabbed my arm, "She'll be ready." Pulling me out of the bar with Sano trailing behind, we headed for her house-with me still spluttering over how that man had ordered me around.

----------------------------------------------------------------x

--END NOTES--

(1) koishii-simply an endearment, like beloved, dear, etc.

Okay, hopefully you guys liked that chapter! The first draft had Megumi threatening to do a lot more than bash him upside the head with a bottle. I figured that might have been a little harsh, so I cut down on that. That kind of made the chapter shorter, so if ya'll think I should put a hair more violence in, I'll put some of it back in. Otherwise, I won't mess with it anymore.
Aoshi was a bit of a pain in this chapter, but that's only because he doesn't really talk. So... hopefully it comes across as being somewhat close to what his character would actually do in that situation.
On a random tangent, I was flipping through the first few books in my ruroken manga collection-and I noticed again how much Watsuki-san changed how Aoshi was drawn over the course of 1 book. I'm really glad that he did change Aoshi's appearance, because if any of you have read the manga, you will know that he looked almost wierd in the first few sections he appeared in. I guess Watsuki-san couldn't quite decide on how to draw him, lol.

DM: Yay! It's done!

Misao: What's with you and getting me around drunks!

DM: -shrugs- Don't know, but as I don't have any killers in here yet, they're the most dangerous thing I have at the moment. -laugh-

Misao: -glare- You better not put any more crap like that in there!

DM: -puts hands up in placating gesture- Okay!

Misao: Now that that's settled, when am I going to get some action?

DM: -flips through notes- Ummmm... soon?

Misao: Wrong answer!

DM: -ignoring- Anyways, please review and tell me what you think! Arigato!