Honor to Us All

A Rurouni Kenshin Song Fanfiction ONESHOT

By: Mazakai

Started: June 23, 2006

Completed: October 2, 2006

Don't Forget! I would like to hear what you think of my story so please review.

Ladies and Gents This came to me when I was listening to this song after reading another song fic called "A Girl worth Fighting For". It will be about Misao and how she's getting ready to impress Aoshi to see if he would marry her. Kaoru and Megumi are helping her get ready for a big party. Okon and Omasu are also in her since they do play pretty significant roles in Misao's life. I just thought that this would be funny and I needed something to do while on vacation, which I'm leaving on tomorrow. So yeah. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: ME, own Kenshin? I wish! Anyway, if I were Nobuhiro Watsuki or the people at Shounen Jump or Viz or 4Kids or wherever, I'd not only be rich, but I'd make a REAL life Aoshi Shinomori for me to hold prisoner or something... So yeah. This is for fun, not profit. Oh and I don't own the song either. Just borrowing. Okay!

Speaking "no italics"

Singing "italics"

Thought 'italics'

Misao walked into the dojo, looking around for Kaoru. She had gotten her letter to be at the dojo that afternoon, but so far she hadn't seen anyone.

Everyone had gotten together in Tokyo for a party celebrating the second anniversary of the defeat of Shishio and of the marriage of Kenshin and Kaoru.

"Kaoru, where are you?" Misao called out, turning down on of the hallways in the dojo.

Suddenly to her right one of the shoji doors slid open in response to her question.

Cautiously Misao walked into the room. She saw four silhouettes of women at the back of the room. Scratching the back of her head, Misao fiddled with the end of her braid; which was coming undone slowly.

"Guys," Misao questioned into the darkness of the room. "You know it would be nice if you came out of the dark, Kaoru."

Two of the silhouettes moved and struck flints, lighting candles on either side of them. Megumi, Kaoru, Okon, and Omasu sat in a row.

"What's going on here?" Misao asked, not liking the looks any of the older women were wearing on their faces.

Megumi stood and walked over to where Misao stood. Omasu also stood and closed the door behind Misao. Then she came up behind Misao and undid the rest of her already falling out braid.

"Hey, what are you doing Omasu?" Misao exclaimed as she felt her ribbon being undone in the back.

Before Omasu could answer, Megumi grabbed Misao's chin, looking at her, "This is what you give me to work with? Well honey, I've seen worse. We're going to turn this sow's ear…into a silk purse."

"What the hell are you doing!" Misao screamed as she was stripped of the rest of her clothes and shoved into a tub of water.

"We're getting you ready for the party and a certain former Okashira!" Okon and Kaoru chorused while they washed Misao's long hair.

"WHAT!" Misao cried.

Megumi continued, "We'll have you washed and dried, primped and polished 'til you glow with pride. Trust my recipe for instant bride. You'll bring honor to us all."

Misao was pulled out of the tub and was quickly dried off by Kaoru. Okon and Omasu pulled the under layers of a kimono on; the collar a bright sea green, and tied it securely around her waist.

Megumi pushed Misao into a sitting position and then sat down behind her. Kaoru passed her a set of brushes, combs, ornamental combs, and a pair of ornamental chopsticks. Kaoru sat in front of Misao and took hold of her hands.

"Wait and see when we're thru…" Okon started and then was cut off be Omasu.

"He would gladly give his life for you…" Omasu was then cut off by Kaoru this time.

"With good fortune…" Kaoru was cut off by Megumi, who had just finished Misao's hair.

"And a great hair-do."

All four older women stood up and watched Misao as she looked at herself in a mirror and together, "You'll bring honor to us all." Misao was lifted to her feet and directed out of the room to another one across the hall. "A girl can bring her family great honor in one way. By striking a good match and this could be the day!"

Kaoru went to a closet and pulled a kimono box out which Misao's new kimono was in, while Megumi was giving her advice. "Men want girls with good taste…"

"Calm," Okon interrupted.

"Obedient…" followed Omasu.

"Who work fast paced…" responded Kaoru, who was unfolding the new kimono from the box. All four women worked to put the kimono on Misao.

It was a floor length black kimono with a dragon of ocean blue silk coiling around the bottom hem up to the obi. The sleeves hung down around Misao's knees and had the same blue silk as the dragon outlining the cuffs. The obi was the same color as the collar of the under layer of the kimono.

"With good breeding…" Megumi sung as she Okon, and Omasu either held the sleeves out of the way or held the obi in place as Kaoru tied it.

"And a tiny waist," Kaoru finished, pulling the obi extremely tight around Misao's already small waist.

Misao let out a surprised gasp and was yet again pulled from the room to another one down the hall.

"You'll bring honor to us all." Misao was pushed down on to a cushion in the center of a brightly lit room. The other four women sat around her, different kinds of make-up in each of their hands. "We all must serve our emperor who guards us from the foreigners. A man by bearing arms. A girl by bearing sons."

(A/N: Sung in a round)

"When we're thru…" Megumi sung, rubbing a light foundation to Misao's face.

"When we're thru…" Kaoru sung, putting a grey eye shadow on Misao's eye lids.

"You can't fail…" Megumi continued, applying a light blush to Misao's cheeks.

"You can't fail…" Kaoru followed, outlining Misao's top lid with black liner.

"Like a cherry blossom soft and pale…" Megumi sung, moving behind Misao and spreading thin oil smelling of cherry blossoms on her hair and the base of her neck.

"Like a cherry blossom soft and pale…" Kaoru chorused dusting off Misao's shoulder and moving away from the younger girl.

"How could any fellow say "no sale"…?" Megumi sung as she moved a full length mirror from a closet to behind Misao.

"How could any fellow say "no sale"…?" Kaoru followed, placing a new pair of black sandals out beside the mirror and putting the matching socks on Misao's small feet.

"How could any fellow say "no sale"…?" Okon and Omasu chorused as Okon applied red paint to Misao's lips and Omasu straightened out the kimono after Misao stood up seeing if any thing had gotten out of place.

"You'll bring honor to us all…" Megumi and Kaoru sung together, watching Misao turn around slowly to see her new look.

"You'll bring honor to us all!" Okon and Omasu finished.

Misao examined herself in awe in the mirror, turning this way and that to see everything that had been done to her. Omasu slipped her feet in to the sandals.

"There, you're ready," Kaoru said in a mothering tone, smiling at Misao.

"Not yet! An apple for serenity," Okon chimed, shoving an apple into Misao's mouth.

"A pendant for balance, cause we all know you'll need it," Omasu said teasingly, tucking a circular pendant into Misao's obi.

Megumi brought out a necklace from a box on the floor and fastened it around Misao's neck. "Beads of jade for beauty, you must proudly show it."

"Now add a kunai just for luck! And even you can't blow it!" Okon said as she tucked the knife into the other side of the obi.

Somehow they had traveled to the gate of the dojo. Okon and Omasu opened the gate, while Kaoru and Megumi ushered the shocked kunoichi into the street.

As Misao passed Okon, she slapped Misao firmly on the butt, almost making the already clumsy young woman fall over. Misao turned a shocked expression towards Okon who just laughed.

"Good luck Misao-chan!" both ex-Oniwabansh­­­ū members called after their Okashira.

Misao swallowed and made her way to the inn where the party was going to be held.

"Ancestors hear my plea; help me not to make a fool of me. And to not uproot my family tree. Keep my Jiya standing tall." Misao sung, nearly a block away from the inn. "Scarier than the Juppongatana, I am meeting my Aoshi-sama!"

All this time Okon, Omasu, Kaoru, and Megumi had been walking five feet behind Misao as she made her way to the inn.

Of course being a ninja, Misao heard them and then stopped and waited for them to catch up seeing as they were now in front of the inn.

"Destiny guard this girl and her future as it fast unfurls. Please look kindly on this feisty girl, her, a picture perfect bride!" the older women sung, Kaoru and Megumi moving to Misao's left and Okon and Omasu to her right.

"Please bring honor to us…" Megumi sung.

"Please bring honor to us…" Kaoru sung.

"Please bring honor to us…" Okon sung.

"Please bring honor to us…" Omasu sung.

"Please bring honor to us all!" All five women finished.

(A/N: I debated on stopping this here and doing a sequel as just a regular oneshot, but I think I'll continue writing. From this point on this will be just an oneshot, not a song-fic. Okay…on with the story.)

Megumi and Kaoru moved in front of Misao and Okon and Omasu stood behind her to shield her from view.

After entering the inn, the five women walked to the large room that they had rented for the night. All the men were already there and waiting for them.

Servers from the Akabeko were finishing laying food and sake out for the group. Hurriedly they picked up their trays and boxed and left the room.

The four women spread out into a line in front of Misao, still shielding her form the eyes of the men present at the party: Aoshi, Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko.

So far everything was going as planned. Without Misao's knowledge, everyone had been planning more than this party for the past two weeks.

After the first anniversary, Aoshi and Misao had gotten closer, reuniting with each other. Then this year, Aoshi finally realized that Misao was the one that he wanted to marry; that he returned the love that she had shown him on countless occasions.

So one day when everyone was in Tokyo, while Misao was playing with Ayame and Suzume, Aoshi told everyone that he intended to ask Misao for her hand in marriage. A month later and two weeks before the party, Kaoru had an idea for Aoshi on how to ask his "question" to Misao.

"How about surprising her at the party," she had told him. "We'll get her ready the day of the party, so she won't distract you or get in the way." That had sounded like a pretty good plan to him. So that's what they had done.

The next two weeks consisted of everyone getting ready for the party and the surprise engagement. The latter of course being hidden from Misao.

Then three days before the party, Aoshi had gone out and bought an engagement ring. The ring was made of 24 karat gold with a large diamond in the center and slightly smaller sapphires the color of Misao's eyes on either side of the diamond. He had been glad that he had saved some of the money from his previous body guard jobs. Once he saw the ring he knew it was what he wanted to get Misao.

Thankfully during the whole time they had been planning, Misao had remained complete unaware of what was really happening behind her back. And for that Aoshi was high grateful.

And now here he was at the moment of truth. Misao stood in front of him, concealed by four of the people who had helped plan that "moment of truth" for him.

Kenshin broke Aoshi out of his trance when he asked the four ladies to sit down.

"Wait we want you to see something," Kaoru replied, smiling wickedly at Aoshi, who swallowed visibly.

Simultaneously, the women standing in front of Misao split apart, revealing the confused and shy kunoichi.

No one had seen Misao other than those who had helped get her ready for the party, so the reactions from the men were priceless.

Sanosuke and Yahiko both said simultaneously, "Weasel-girl!"

Kenshin had a shocked yet pleased look on his face as he looked at the changed kunoichi.

Aoshi looked up at the "Weasel-girl!" and his jaw dropped in amazement. He already thought Misao was beautiful, but now, when he saw her in the beautiful kimono, she was absolutely the most breath taking sight he had ever had the pleasure to look upon.

"Misao-dono, you look lovely, that you do." Kenshin complimented as Kaoru moved to sit beside him.

Megumi sat down beside Sano. Behind their backs they gave each other a small high-five. 'Perfect,' they both thought.

"Misao-chan, go sit by Aoshi-sama!" Okon whispered, giving Misao a small push.

"Yeah, Misao-chan! Go sit with Aoshi-sama," Omasu joined in, also giving Misao a small push in the right direction, literally.

Misao stumbled slightly, moving towards the silent man. "Ao-Aoshi-sama, may I sit next to you?" she asked bowing slightly.

"Hai, Misao."

Misao sat down, slowly, minding her kimono, and looked up at the rest of the party.

Everyone then reached for food and started talking about what had been happening lately, making the atmosphere more relaxed.

Halfway through the party, everyone was found laughing at Sano and Yahiko, who had gotten up and sung a very odd ballad about a warrior and his sorrows. They were both swaying and red in face, slightly drunk.

Kenshin and Kaoru were snuggled up together, watching and laughing; the buzz of the alcohol flowing through their veins, yet not to the point of drunkenness.

After Sano and Yahiko's performance, Okon and Omasu got up and performed a fan dance while Megumi accompanied them on a flute.

While watching the acts, Misao had leaned on to Aoshi's side. She hummed along with the flute and took a sip of her tea. She and Aoshi both had opted for the non-alcoholic beverage for that night's festivities.

When Okon and Omasu finished their dance, Aoshi did the most unexpected thing; he took a full glass of sake and downed it in one gulp, wincing at the sting of the alcohol as it seared down his throat painfully.

Everyone looked up; that was the signal.

"Misao…?" Aoshi asked quietly, looking down at her relaxed form.

"Is there something wrong Aoshi-sama?" Misao asked lazily.

Aoshi sat upright and turned Misao so she was facing him.

"Aoshi-sa…" Misao started, but Aoshi put a finger against her lips to silence her.

"Misao, I need to tell you something important so please let me say this before you say something. You've been in my life since you were a young child. I've watched you grow from a curious toddler, to a stubborn young girl, and to the independent, strong, determined, loyal, and beautiful young woman you are today. You took my place as Okashira two and a half years ago and I was amazed how you stepped up when you were needed and thought of the members of the Oniwabanshu before yourself in times of need. How you made sure they were alright before you even thought one moment about yourself. I was shocked to see how well you took the role as leader and at how fast you excelled in that role. How you loved each and every one of our comrades wholeheartedly, as if they were your family in blood, not just in mentality. You once told me you loved me, that you loved me more than as just family. I need to know if you still feel that way." Aoshi spoke quietly, emotion running through his voice as well as his eyes as he looked into her own ocean blue orbs.

Misao could hardly believe what she was hearing. All she could manage was nodding her head "yes". Aoshi continued after seeing her answer.

"I finally realized what I felt for you. At first I thought what I was feeling was just because I had helped raise you; that it was natural to feel that way about you. Then it dawned on me that this feeling was no where near natural. I tried for a long time to fool myself into believing that I didn't return the kind of feelings that you had for me, but two months ago that changed. I realized that I could deny my love for you no longer; my heart would not allow it. I love you Misao Makimachi and I would like you to become my wife. Will you marry me Misao?" Aoshi asked, pulling out the ring box from inside his haori and opening it in front of Misao's face.

Tears slowly fell down Misao's face. "Yes, Aoshi Shinomori, I will marry you."

Aoshi took the ring from the box and slipped it on to Misao's left ring finger, kissing when it was in place.

She looked down at the ring, and then up to Aoshi, who was actually smiling. Suddenly, she launched herself into Aoshi's arms, kissing him for all he was worth, which was a lot in her opinion.

He was shocked at first, then wrapped his arms around her small frame and kissed back with all his pent up passion.

The other quest cheered and clapped for the two.

A few moments later Aoshi and Misao broke apart, gasping for air. They looked at each other and Misao turned in his arms so her arms were around Aoshi's waist and her head was resting on his chest.

Sano passed around another round of sake in honor of the engagement.

"Congratulations to you both, may your marriage be peaceful and prosperous." Kenshin toasted.

Aoshi looked own at his fiancé and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you Himura."

Okon and Omasu cried happily and bowed respectively at the new couple. "Wait until Okina hears about this," Okon said through her tears jokingly.

"He already knows. I asked him for Misao's hand and for his blessing because he's the closest thing to a father Misao has." Aoshi replied quietly. "He asked me what took me so long."

Everyone laughed at that. Leave it to Okina to say something like that.

A dull thud came from the corner where Yahiko and Sano had both passed out due to their state of drunkenness.

Kaoru tried to stifle a yawn, but failed. Kenshin scooped his wife into his arms (must to Kaoru's displeasure and protest) "If you'll excuse us, I think I should take Kaoru home so she can sleep." He bowed and left the room and the inn with an angry, yet tired Kaoru in his arms.

"Okon, Omasu? Could you two help me carry these two to the clinic?" Megumi asked, pointing to the two unconscious idiots on the floor (A/N: Okay even if you don't like it you have to agree that Sano and Yahiko both idiots).

"Sure Megumi-san" both women chorused and then bade Aoshi and Misao goodnight and good-bye.

Megumi waved quickly to the couple and followed the two female ex-Oniwabanshū members out of the room.

Aoshi looked back down at Misao once the door was shut and found her asleep in his arms, clutching the fabric of his sea green haori. Slowly he maneuvered her around in his lap and wrapped one arm around her back and the other under her knees. Gently he stood and walked towards the door.

A maid slid the door open and Aoshi half bowed to her. "We're all finished with the room. Thank you."

The maid simply nodded and bowed before entering the room to clean up what was left of the party. Aoshi made his way to the lobby. The head maid greeted him with a weary smile.

"Would you like me to show you to your room Shinomori-san?" the head maid asked, remembering his tall stature from earlier in the day when he had booked the suite.

Aoshi nodded and followed the short woman to the room. Misao snuggled her head deeper into his chest and murmured in content.

A few hallways later, the short woman opened a shoji door and allowed Aoshi entrance into the suite. It was a large open room with two futons laid out next to each other already. Aoshi would have looked around the rest of the room, but Misao shifted slightly in his arms, reminding him why he had even bothered to get up from the other room.

"Do you need anything else tonight Shinomori-san?" the woman asked, standing near the door.

"No, thank you."

Aoshi walked into the room and placed Misao onto the already laid out futon. She shivered slightly at the loss of warmth from his body and curled up into a small ball. Aoshi knelt down and began to untie the obi of her kimono. Slowly the yards of fabric came off and she remained in the plain white under kimono that she wore under the rest.

Sighing, Misao reached out and pulled Aoshi back onto the futon when he moved to get up.

"I want you to stay with me tonight." Misao said sleepily, tightening her hold on his wrist.

"Misao…we're not married yet. I can't, I mean it's not like I don't want to…it's just that, we aren't married yet, we shouldn't," Aoshi stuttered, trying to get up, but Misao tightened her hold on his wrist.

"We don't have to do that, I just don't want you to leave me again." Misao replied, pouting sleepily.

"Never."

And with that settled, Aoshi lay down beside Misao and she curled up against his large body. He wrapped his arm around her timidly, but Misao then grabbed it and pulled it around her waist.

Before she drifted off to sleep Misao heard Aoshi whisper into the darkness of the night.

"I love you my little Misao-chan."

"And I love you Aoshi-sama," she whispered back, smiling slightly and resting her head against his firm chest, falling asleep finally.

Aoshi's lips curled upward slightly at her words and closed his eyes as well, falling into the land of dreams right after his little weasel; the women that he loved.

You'll bring honor to us all!

Okay, so I think I'm done with this one. Hope ya enjoyed. I don't think I need a lengthy ending speech for this little piece of fiction so I'll let ya all go. Please Read and Review. Bye

Mazakai