Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me but to Nobouhiro Watsuki. I am merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes. I am not getting any money or any other profit from this.

Chapter 4

A Trip To The Past

Aoshi lifted his gaze to find a stoic picture which he found awfully familiar: A cold wicked smile. The Tenken was evidently there and he had not changed a bit since he had last been in the same room together with him. The memory was so vivid that he was even tempted to offer him to share some sake with him like the last time they had seen each other. He put aside the thought. Seta Soujiro was his enemy now. He had leaded him into joining Shishio's side and tricked him into helping him exhausting the Battousai before their last battle at the Room of Fire. It was his fault that he had fought Himura Kenshin, it was his fault he had attacked Okina, who had once suggested that he should become the new Okashira, it was his fault he had had to revive memories that he thought had been buried inside him, it was his fault that he had lost his honour… it was his fault that he had hurt Misao…

… Misao….

The only person who he had actually cared about when he left the Aoiya. And also the only person who had cared about him in return during all these years: his ever loving and supporting wife. And now she was crying because of him.

"Aoshi-sama!"

His mind displayed the guilty images of that day when she had discovered him swinging his two kodachi towards Okina; then, as if in an old picture, her crystal eyes flooded when she found out that Hannya and the others had been killed while protecting him, he recalled hearing the sobs from the other side of the shoji door when she finally convinced him to come back just to realize that nothing had changed and his affection for her was still, as it had always been, completely inexistent; her reprimanded pain when she served tea every morning and he remained oblivious to her attentions. He nodded in realization: Her face covered in tears had become a familiar memory now.

And speaking of memories...

"Aoshi-san" the Tekken interrupted his thoughts for he was partially thankful "Will you listen to me now?"

"I will…" he shifted uncomfortably unsure of how to address his former defendant "…Seta-san"

"Magnificent!" Soujiro smiled "Can we have some tea? It was extremely impolite of your wife not to bring us some"

"And it was extremely impolite from you to appear in her bedroom and attacking her" he retorted "Speak now, Seta-san, or please make your way out of my sight"

His interlocutor simply chuckled "Did you know Anji was killed last month?"

"The Buddha traumatized monk?"

Soujiro arched an eyebrow "The description serves you well too Shinomori-san"

If eyes could kill…

"Anyway" he spoke seriously "he was found in a river near Aizu with his throat sliced… Curious fact: the cut was made by a nihontou. Same thing with Kamatari-san during one of his trips to Yokohama to spread Shishio-sama's word"

"Perhaps the monk got into a fight… and the cross-dresser must have gotten involved in a discussion concerning Shishio…"

"Anji-san in a fight? Kamatari-san beaten by some drunken with swords?" he laughed "I thought you to be a little cleverer, Shinomori-san. There was a reason for us to be the Juppongatana, ne?" Aoshi narrowed his eyes "And please do not to look at me that way, you should be worried too, and you know it. Shinomori-san" he made a small pause and lowering his voice he added

"They're hunting us…"

"Why should I care?" Aoshi started "It's better for me if you disappear. Haven't you thought of that?" He knew the Tenken wouldn't leave it like that but if the kid had a plan, he needed to discover it before things went any further.

"You owe me. Therefore, you will allow me to use the Onniwabanshuu's information network, you will keep me informed about everything you hear from the assassinations and... " a cynical smile appeared on his face "I will stay here as your guest under your protection" he finished with triumph.

"What about Misao? She won't accept it"

"Your wife over your honour? Shall I take that as your choice?"

Touché. The Tenken was done with the game and he was at his mercy now. Damn him! Oh, but the Okashira of the Onniwabanshuu wouldn't let it end this way. Maybe the kid had won this battle but the war was just about to begin. And the Aoiya would be the battle field.

"Very well…" he nodded "Okon will show you to your quarters"

"I will meet you at six" he smiled " maybe we can we have some tea then? I am eager to catch up with you, Shinomori-san."

The sound of one drop after another followed the exact same rhythm of Shinomori Aoshi's thoughts. That day... it had been raining too. The ground was wet and the sight of one foot ahead practically inexistent making it easy to slip with little effort if one wasn't careful enough. The mud was starting to make its way inside Aoshi's shoes when he reached the entrance of the hideout. He had finally reached Shishio's fortress.

Shishio Makoto: the one man who would give him the chance to prove his strength and superiority. Yes, he would beat the Battousai no matter the cost of it. He had to do it for their sake.

Beshimi... Hyotokko... Shikijo... Hannya...

Their deaths would be avenged and Himura Kenshin would meet the rage of the Onniwabanshuu.

Rain was still falling outside but inside Makoto Shishio's main room the fire was enough to warm the – finally gathered – ten members of the Yuppon Gatana. He shifted his gaze from one to the other making mental notes of each one. First there was Yuukyuzan Anji, the monk who had lost the faith in his beliefs... or maybe he had just taken his very own interpretations to far. His strenght was not only physical – he pointed out – but also mental. Nevertheless, that mental dependence on his beliefs that granted him his strength could also lead him to an inevitable defeat at the slightest disturbance on its fine balance. Next to him stood Sawagejou Chou: the swords collector. Arrogant and broom haired, Chou represented no significant menace without any of his weapons for he relied only on his rare swords' special attributes.

Shishio was sitting in the center of the room and to his sides he had his most valuable companions: Komagata Yumi, his lover; and Sadojima Hoji: his right hand. Neither of them possessed fighting skills but they worshiped him as a living god, serving him as loyally as possible... and making sure the others would as well. Rivalizing with Yumi's devotion was Honjo Kamatari's. Kamatari – he could tell – under his silly disguise of lovesick puppy, hid a tremendous power whose only flaw was the fact that it was fuelled by his passion... Which meant that Honjo Kamatari was a passionate warrior and, as such, he could be easily tricked by his emotions.

Hiding beneath the shadows, Aoshi perceived the presence of one of the most intriguing members of the Juppon Gatana: Uonuma Usui. Known by the rest of the group as the blind sword, he seemed to be one of the strongest of the ten. Respected by the most and feared by the others, Aoshi felt that Usui kept a secret purpose besides conquering Japan. That man, he immediately knew, was not one to be trusted.

The rest of the fighters were dispersed all along the room babbling randomly and cleaning their weapons. Kariwa Henya, Iwanbo, Saiduchi Roujin and Fuji were minor actors in Shishio's plan of conquer. Aoshi rapidly deduced that they would cause him no trouble while he stayed there.

His gaze travelled then to the skinny little boy standing on the left corner. Dressed up in simple hakama and gi, the kid seemed oblivious to the movement and excitement around him as he simply displayed a discrete smile. Later he would learn that that omnipresent smile was Seta Soujiro's trademark and that if he should fear someone inside the Juppon Gatana besides Shishio Makoto, it was him. The impossibility of reading his ki was his secret and most lethal weapon: he had the heart of a warrior and the soul of a cold blooded assassin all in one. The instant Aoshi saw him, he knew he should avoid all possible misunderstanding with the blue-eyed boy if he wanted to live enough to confront the Battousai. Still, he failed to admit that deep inside, he feared Okubo Toshimichi's murderer: Tenken no Soujiro.

"Okashira!"

A delicate feminine voice snapped Aoshi out of his trance as the shoji door displayed the fine figure of a young woman in front of him.

"Yes, Omasu. What is that you want now?"

"Tea is served"

End of chapter 4

May 5, 2004 ; 03:55AM

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Oh! And for those who asked. Yes, this will be a Soujiro+Misao

Ok, I KNOW IT'S SHORT! But things have been crazy around here. I apologize to you once again for the lateness.

Thank you all for waiting for this chapter. You have no idea how weird everything has been for me these days. First of all, I've just started college (It's incredible how much time one has to devote to school nowadays), I moved from my hometown (Veracruz) to Cholula, Puebla. I, now, live "alone" (well, not actually alone, since I share the suite where I'm living with other 11 girls). Anyway, thanks for waiting and … ON WITH THE FIC!

This is the first chapter I write in my new home. Dedicated with all my heart to all the people who have supported me here in Puebla.

Josefina, Laura, Gaby, Ana Lilia, Arturo, Yola, Javier (el Yoplait); Tanya, Doménica, Montse, Sazzy, Sandy, Areli, Mónica, Kareny, Sandy, Marisol, Maritza, Dulce, Jony, Carlos, Emmaly, Katia, Emilio, Nicté, Francisco, Héctor, Sara, Eduardo, Pablo-kun, Nancy, Robin, Gustavo.

SPECIAL THANKS TO CHAOS WHO, AS ALWAYS, HELPED ME UP WITH THE PREREADING OF THIS FIC (MY MISTAKES ARE NOT HERS).

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME FOR REVIEWING. YOU ROCK!!!!!!

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