Chap. 5 Life's Complicated
Koishii geez. Do you really need to rub it in my face?
Of course I do!
You've turned into a twelve year old.
I'm sorry that the only way to get my point across could be called juvenile but, you have to admit that this is working perfectly. Now to prod them a little more in the right direction...
Koishii, I let you talk me into making him take the girl to the Aoiya. I don't plan on bugging Himura-san anymore after that.
You do know that Ken-kun is about this close to slicing your head off for putting him through this. The last time you tried to get him together with anybody it failed miserably to put it lightly. He also ended up scarred both physically and emotionally from that. He has buried those scars along with his heart and currently is running on autopilot when it comes to his job. Consciously I don't think anything about his job affected him. But, I'm pretty darn sure he's falling apart on the inside.
Koishii that's why I think we should just leave him alone.
Don't you get it! That idiot has lost himself to his job! I can't just leave him alone! He needs help!
Koishii, after that little mishap I've decided not to ever get involved other people's love lives again.
You might have decided not to but, I've never said anything of the sort. So I really don't need your opinion on this in the first place. I'll just do this myself!
You sound alot like a certain impossible Tanuki girl I know.
Now your the one sounding juvenile.
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"KAO-CHAN!"
Kaoru's head snapped up at the sound of her name. Only to see the ceiling seeming to get farther away.
"Kaoru-chan don't you ever scare me like that ever again. You had us all worried sick..."
"My name isn't Kaoru. Watashi wa Ukiko, Kurasa. Would you please do me the favor of getting off me?"
Misao immediatly got off Kurasa. Kurasa stands up dusts herself off and bows to Misao. I can't know her. she must recongnize me.but I can't recongnize her.
" I know you are Kaoru quit playing around. Kaoru everybody thought somebody raped you and killed you off..."
" I have never been in any sort of comprimising situtation like that in my life." I'm really sorry misao... I know I'm hurting you... I just can't let anybody know... Okita would kill me... Please understand...
"Gomen, I just thought you were somebody else..." Misao turned around, hiding her teary eyes behind lengthy bangs. She's not Kaoru. Koaru would never act so dignified. Or use such big words for that matter...
Kenshin just leaned against the wood frame watching the two impassively as per the usual. Why does she stick with her lie? She knows I don't believe her anyway. Why?
" Now, if you please excuse us." Kaoru gently slipped her hand into Kenshin's and they entered the meeting room. To wait for the arrival of one Shinomori, Aoshi.
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Kaoru why? Misao was in a state of complete disrepair. Her best friend refuses to aknowledge her. The love of her life doesn't even seem want to give her the time of day. Let alone a gift. or a kiss...
"Misao?"
"Aoshi-sama?"
"Misao, what are you doing on the floor?"
"Aoshi-sama why do care?"
Aoshi was dumfounded, although the emotion never really reached his face, he felt it just the same. What's with her being so sarcastic all of sudden...
"Aoshi-sama, Kaoru is inside there. I know it. Only she's pretending not to know me..."
"What if it isn't Kaoru?"
"I know it's her! You'd think I would recognize my best friend when I see her! You believe me right?"
Aoshi couldn't say no to those doleful teal eyes. So full of trust, hope and desparation... "I do." the words slipped out his mouth before he could fully comprehend what she had just said.
"Thank you, Aoshi-sama..."
"Don't worry about it. Misao I'll talk to you later okay?"
"Hai. Arigato again, Aoshi-sama."
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Aoshi slid open the shoji and took a seat across from Kenshin and Kaoru.
"Battousai, I trust the assasination went as planned."
"Hai, it did. Only there was slight interuption at the end. Shinomori-san I would like to meet Ukiko, Kurasa." introduced Kenshin. He nodded slightly toward Kaoru who was sitting to his right.
Aoshi only had to glance once to recongnize the face. Misao was right. I need to find out why.
"She witnessed the murder of General Okubo and is currently under the custody of the Ishin."
"Kurasa-san will remain with the Ishin. I trust you to take care of her."
"Hai."
"Don't I get a say in all this?" intoned a quiet voice.
"Kurasa-san you don't."
It's about time! That girl is playing us all for fools. She knows that myself and Shinomori are both too perceptive to fall for this little charade yet she continues with it when in public.
"Of course I do. I refuse to be treated like some piece of property which has to be taken care of. I never came volentarily to the Ishin therefore I want out!"
"Ukiko-san, sure you are not a peice of property. But, you did witness an assasination. Therefor you should be thankful that you are not simply dead. So please do shut up about wanting to be free." She never wanted to be taken. Kaoru is still worried about all of us even though she's the one captured. She pretending so that we don't get connected with Shinsengumi.
Turning away from the women he laid eyes back onto the redhead. " Battousai, I would like to ask you a favor. This envelope is to be delivered to Katsura-sama." He handed the envelope over to Kenshin
"Fine. We will be going now." Kenshin and Kaoru stood up and left through the rice paper door behind them.
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"Misao, what are you doing back here. You could catch a cold."
"I like it back here. You should know that Aoshi-sama." This koi pond was always the place that Misao found the happiest moments of her life took place. A small smile reached her face when she remembers Aoshi telling her she could train to be a member of the Oniwabanshuu. The first time she landed a hit on him. Him giving her, her first set kunai
"Misao you were right when you thought it was Kaoru. Kamiya-san was trying not to draw attention to the fact that she was good friends with the top spies of the shogunate. That's why she pretends not to know you. Did you see whom she was with?"
"Iie..."
" I'll give you a hint. He has red hair, amber eyes, and a cross shaped scar on his left cheek."
"The Hitokiri Battousai! Wait a minute what the hell was Kaoru-chan doing with the Ishin's top assasin?"
"Kamiya-san saw the murder of General Okubo. It's either she stays with them or she's going to be killed."
"Aoshi-sama you know as well as I do that Kaoru-chan would never stay with them. She would do everything in her power to leave. That wasn't Koaru-chan. She never uses big words. The Tanuki girl I know would never politely aknowledge anybody if they tackled her first. The bokken would already be out and pounding them into unconciousness before they even got the chance to stand up. You're trying to make me believe something that I know is a lie. I've already moved on."
"Misao..."
I love the way he says my name... But, I think it's time I give up... Time to give in...
"Aoshi-sama, I've moved on..." The words had a second meaning behind them. An unsaid statement. Emotions never given back, feelings never shared...
"Misao I..."
Misao grinned back at Aoshi. "I've decided not to chase you anymore. To not be the annoying itachi anymore. To not be the proverbal pebble in your shoe. I plan on leaving tommorrow. I have a few friends of mine to visit in Tokyo. Then I'll be off to where the wind takes me. Sayonara." The words seem to have a bitter taste about them.
Misao turned on her heel and began to stride out of the moonlight. Only to feel the iron grip of somebody holding her wrist.
"Misao, you might be ready to try and move on but, I'm not." How could I have not seen... Aoshi could see the shock playing out on her face in the pale glow of the moon.
"Aoshi..." a slender finger slid across her lips silencing her.
"Misao, I'm sorry if I hurt you by ignoring you. I just didn't want you to get involved in my problems. Please understand."
"Wakarimasu..."
"I know you don't yet. But, maybe it's better that you don't..."
"Aoshi..." Misao's retort never quite left her lips. Aoshi tilted her chin toward his face and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. Leaving her in shock yet again. Misao was only focused on the handsome face of her beloved that seemed to glow in the reflected light of the moon.
"Aishiteru, Koishii. Trust me. I would never lie to you."
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"Okashira, I guess you saw the Battousai?"
"Hai, turns out the Kamiya girl is with him. I have a really bad feeling about this."
"Okashira do you know any connections that the Kamiya girl would have with the Ishin?"
"Kuso, I forgot. Her mother was the older sister of Katsura's wife."
"That makes sense. That's the reason that The Kamiya's were trying so hard to be neutral. They couldn't afford to be on either side of the war."
"Should we tell Okita-san about this?"
"I don't think so. Better to pretend that Kaoru-chan is dead."
"Katsu?"
"Hai, Okashira?"
"Could you please tell Zanza and those guys at the Akebeko that Kamiya-san is fine. Also tell them to be quiet about it. Kamiya-san is currently pretending not to know any of us."
"Okashira, what do you mean?"
"Okina remember her stage name?"
"Kurasa?"
"Hai, she's made a persona to go along with it and is currently under the false name Ukiko, Kurasa."
"Oh."
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"Oi, Katsu-san!"
"Hey,Yahiko-chan."
"I'm not LITTLE!"
"Maa, maa. I have some really good news about the Tanuki."
"You better have really good news. It's gotten kinda bad around here. Kitsune and the tori-atama over there have actually made peace."
"Your kidding!"
"Tori-atama is actually referring to Kitsune by saying 'Megumi-san'. The Fox is actually refering to that baka by 'Sagara-san'. They haven't fought all day either. It's actually kinda scary."
"This I gotta see."
"TORI-ATAMA! FOX! GET YOUR BEHINDS DOWN HERE!"
"Yahiko-chan your getting to be almost as bad as the weasle girl. You'll make Megumi-san and myself deaf!"
Katsu bursts out laughing. "I can't believe it..."
"Nani? Katsu what are you doing over here?"
"You're growing soft Sano. She must really have you whipped!"
"Sagara-san is not whipped. He's exactly how he was before."
This makes Katsu laugh all the harder. "Yahiko, you didn't say it was this bad!"
"Katsu, just shut the hell up and tell us what the fuck are you doing in the Akabeko."
" 'kay,' kay Sano. I came here to deliver a message from Shinomori-san. Turns out the Tanuki is doing just fine."
"Busu isn't dead?"
"Jou-chan is still alive?"
"That's what he just said baka tori-atama!"
"Who you calling stupid, Kitsune?"
"Anyway, currently Kamiya-san is under the custody of the Hitokiri Battousai..."
"Katsu, I thought you said she was safe!"
"Sano, she is fine. becauseshe'spretendingnototknowanyofus."
"Nani?"
"She's pretending not to know any of us."
"Why would the Tanuki do that?"
"Supposedly, she doesn't want anybody to know that she has friends and relatives who work for the shogun."
"Busu might well, busu, but she actually does have brains." sighed Yahiko.
"Anyway Shinomori-san wants you to still pretend that Kaoru-chan is dead. He doesn't want the Shinsengumi to find about the Oniwabanshuu and their ties to the Ishin Shishi."
"Geez all this is giving me a headache."
"Only bakas, such as yourself wouldn't be able to understand this."
"Kuso! Kitsune just shut the hell up!"
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"He did what?"
"He kissed me."
"Misao-chan that's sooo romantic."
"Now if Hiko-sama would just come down from his little mountain and give little old me a peck on the..."
"NO! Hiko-sama would be the one giving me a kiss..."
"Oi would you two just shut the hell up about 'Hiko-sama!'"
"Gomen Misao."
"I just don't know whether or not to actually believe Aoshi-sama. He's been ignoring me for sooooo long."
"Misao-chan trust me the guy does love you."
"Yeah he does. You know when you shut yourself in your bedroom?"
"Hai..."
"He came down here to actually tell us to leave you alone."
"He did not!"
"Did too!" chorused the two older ninjas.
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Shimatta! That girl always seems to find a way to make me irritated! That hot headed girl just had to dissappear the second I took my eyes off her. Think logically. Think rationally. Where has that girl dissappeared to the last time she went missing...
Kenshin paid no heed to where he was headed and eventually ended up on the back porch of the inn. What's that? A voice could be heard amid the other sounds of the night. Kenshin headed toward the stream that she seemed to adore so much and proceeded to take his usual perch amid the trees. Her voice as clear as a nightingale...
Running free
nobody to hold me
Escape from the cage
Doesn't matter what the rage
Always free
forever more
Free from the wear
and tear
where whatever done
amounts to nothing
because nothing holds meaning
because our world is falling
falling into a place
where good is made
into evil
and evil into good
where people lie
cheat and hide
to only show
what others want to see
but all this is only
my escape
to me
Her words echoed in the stillness that is night and in Kenshin's head. Ignoring the confusing questions that always seemed to arise whenever she was around, Kenshin jumped out of the tree and approached the clearing yet again.
"Who's there?"
"It's just me?"
"Why were you spying on me?"
"I wasn't spying." yeah right.
"Then what the hell are you doing out here so late at night?"
"I should be the one asking you that question."
"Hey! This is your fault in the first place! You were the one who locked the room after you took me on your 'mission'! It's not like I can just walk around and make enough noise to wake up poor Okami-san. Who still doesn't get enough sleep because of all of you men who seem to think that this inn is open 24 hours."
"Are you done yet?"
"Men! Same the whole lot of you!"
"You sound like some old married women." Kenshin said this with a smirk quite apparent on his face.
"Mou!"
"Anyway, I came back here to tell you not to leave the inn when I'm not here."
"Umph, as if I would actually listen to you."
Kenshin was just a bit peeved by this. But, it still wasn't quite apparent by his face or actions.
"You will stay in the inn like I asked, right?"
"Yeah, yeah. Demo, you have to do something for me though."
"Why should I?"
"Because then I won't ever argue with you ever again."
"Fine. Name it." Anything to get her off my back...
"You are going to take me shopping tomorrow." This guy, Battousai or not, is going down.
"Fine." It couldn't be that bad...
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"Okita-kun, what are you doing out here?" Saitoh casual said while lighting a cigarette.
"Thinking."
"About what?"
"Death."
"Why?"
"Dunno."
"Would you give me an answer that is more than one word?"
"Saitoh-san, Remember what I told you about my niece supposedly being dead?"
"Hai..."
"She was only 16 years old. Just one year younger then me. She was way too young to die. I remember meeting her once when I was six. She was 5 years old. Always happy. She loved to practice with that bokken of hers. Constantly she challenged me when I was little. Everytime she would lose but, she always said that she would get stronger and beat me one day. I just hope that wherever she is she's happy...
"Ahou."
"Hey!"
"You think to much about things."
"I shouldn't have told you."
"Ahou, everyones gonna die at one point or another. It's simply inevidable."
"You're telling me to enjoy the time that I do have. Right?"
"Finally, he understands. I'm turning in. You should too." Saitoh snuffed out his cigaratte under his foot.
"Hai, Saitoh-san."
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Saitoh rounded the corner and opened the shoji of his room only to be met with another disturbence in his nightly routine.
"Tokio, I told you to just leave the futon in the closet."
"Listen, you incourageable wolf, I do this because it's my job. And not a damn thing you say will make me do otherwise. Got that?"
"Yeah, yeah..."
Tokio spun on her heal leaving the futon already set up for the night.
"Women. Same the whole lot of them."
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"So, have you found it yet?"
"Hai, demo things have to... let's just say progress a bit."
"So we have to wait for a little while?"
"Hai."
"He's found the weakness let's get going and use it!"
"Just shut up. Listen in order for this to be a success we have to make sure all our gambles will pay off."
"I still don't see why we can't just go ahead and just use it."
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Author's note:
How'd you guys like that chappy? I personally am much happier with this one then I was the previous. That was more of set up chapter.
In this story Okita isn't going to have Turberculosis. I found it extrodinarily sad in the anime and I feel that Okita should one day live a happy life.(awww)
Also I'm kinda sorry for the lack of KenxKao action in the chapter. This chapter was just getting too long! 12 pages total geez!
The reason I constantly have to reload the chapters is because I'm using appleworks to write this story because I have a Mac. So that really annoying new Ouickedit thing doesn't work!
Anyway, same deal as the previous chapter. I end up with 27 or more total reviews and you guys get a new chappy in one week. If not give me 2!
Japanes to English Glossary:
Hai-yes
Iie - no
-sama- Lord...
-san - Mr, Ms mrs
Arigato- thank you
demo -but
wakarimasu- I understand
okashira-leader
hitokiri-assasin
tori-atama - bird head
itachi- weasle
kitsune -fox
tanuki-raccoon
busu-ugly, hag
aishiteru-I love you
-chan, -kun - term of friendship
kunai- little daggers
shoji-rice paper door
ahou-moron
baka-idiot
shimatta- all purpose curse word
kuso- another all purpose curse word
mou - darn kaoru style
nani - what
watashi wa - I am...
koishii-sweet heart
Remember if I get 27 or more total reviews the chappy will be out in a week!
