This entry was done by Super Sheba, who was supposed to be one of the original collaborators but couldn't do it. Except, when Jupe got really busy, she volunteered to do one. Here it is.

Smile
By Super Sheba.

He just wouldn't smile. No matter what she did, he just would not flash her a smile. Not even the simplest grin would grace his lips, and she, being of an overly happy nature, was about to bang her head against the nearest blunt object. And Misao was not one to discourage easily. This said a lot about the nature of her beloved Aoshi-sama. This also said a lot about Misao's nature, strange and excitable as it was. Thus, Misao Makimachi became determined to make her Aoshi-sama crack a true smile. Of course, she would have to prepare, seeing as how if she did so, she'd be facing the apocalypse. No, not an apocalypse, THE apocalypse. Yeah. It was that big of a deal.

Misao, being of a sly nature, began to ponder what made normal people smile, but then realized it would take about five hundred times more of what made the average human smile to make Aoshi-sama smile. Then it hit her. Perhaps if she were to give him a gift he would smile. At first she had thought of giving Aoshi a certificate entitling him to her soul, but then realized after some prompting from Okina, that that was slightly creepy. Not that she cared, but she did not really want to chance scaring Aoshi. That was the other way to cause the apocalypse, and she had already decided how she wanted to bring forth the apocalypse. She did not think she could bring it about twice either. Otherwise, she'd have been willing to try.

Instead, Misao decided to employ her mad ninja skills in order to discover what her Aoshi-sama might like. Other than green tea, that is. She already knew he liked that, and he seemed to have an unlimited supply of the beverage. So, stealthily the young ninja went about spying on Aoshi to the best of her ability. She was almost 100 percent sure that he already knew she was spying on him, but she decided to ignore that little fact. Of course, she was also sure it hadn't helped when she had stubbed her toe on a door, fallen down the stairs, and run into the fichus.

Finally, Misao collapsed with exhaustion into a heap on the floor.

"How the hell does that man get around so quickly?" Misao asked herself as she panted.

It was then that Misao was struck with a brilliant idea. Literally. She pulled the book that had fallen from the bookshelf from atop her head and looked at it. It was entitled "The Human Psyche" or something to that effect. Any way she looked at it, the book was about some complicated subject that was definitely most Aoshi-like. After all, she WAS in his study.

Misao's mood suddenly brightened as the idea finally reached her brain. She could get him a book.

"If I were an Aoshi-sama, what kind of book would I enjoy?" Misao questioned as she stroked her chin in concentration. "Pop Goes the Hamster and 200 Other Fun Microwave Games, perhaps?"

With a shake of her head, Misao decided that the aforementioned title was a bit too silly for her Aoshi-sama. Still caught in concentration, Misao soon realized that she did not know what kind of books Aoshi might appreciate, and decided that she would journey to the book kiosk within the marketplace. She had not been there since she had bought Hiko that joke book. It really was too bad the old fart could not appreciate it.

Upon arrival, Misao was quickly shocked by the many titles that were for sale.

"'Her Story: A Romantic Encounter,' 'Inspired Hippopotamuses,'" Misao stared at the assorted books, reading the titles aloud. "No, those just won't do!"

Misao groaned in annoyance as she glared daggers at the books that were most definitely not books that Aoshi would enjoy. However, Misao's mood soon changed when she laid her eyes on the thickest book she had ever seen. Remembering how all of Aoshi's books were thick, leather-bound books, a smile crept across Misao's face.

"'Dictionary,' eh?" Misao inspected the tome with the utmost scrutiny. "It's leather bound, the lettering on the outside is fancy gold, and it's thick enough to sit on."

Poking her head out from behind the book, Misao waved to catch the stall-tender's attention.

"Oi, Tomizuka-san!" called Misao in a voice that was much louder than necessary. "How much does this book cost?"

Upon hearing the answer, Misao frowned as she gazed into her money pouch. She did not have enough money.

"I see you do not have enough money." the old woman stated.

"Yeah," sighed Misao in discontent. "And I was going to buy that huge book for Aoshi-sama too."

"It's a gift, eh?" the old woman asked. "For Shinomori-san? That man needs some cheering up. Take the book and hand me the money you have."

"Really?" Misao questioned the old woman, joy evident in her bright eyes. "Thank you very much, ma'am."

With that, Misao carried the large book home, struggling the entire way. Aoshi's reading habits were going to get Misao killed. As she walked, Misao's curiosity began to poke at her with a very thick mental stick. She could hardly stand it, leaving this book shut. It beckoned her, cried for her to open its spotless cover. Not wanting to be further beaten by her curiosity, Misao snuck through the Aoiya's door and walked cautiously towards her room. She could not let Aoshi see the gift before she got a chance to look at it, err--- give it to him.

Misao flopped onto the ground and opened the cover of the dictionary.

"Aoshi-sama probably already knows most of the words in this book, but I'm sure he'll appreciate the effort." thought Misao to herself as she placed here finger on a random page. "Cornucopia. Noun. An abundant, overflowing supply."

She flipped to another random page.

"Sesquipedalian. Adjective. Containing many syllables." Misao looked at the new long words she was discovering.

That was how Okina found Misao three hours later, still lying on the floor reading the dictionary.

"Misao, what are you doing?" Okina asked the girl suspiciously. "You've been in here all afternoon."

"I fear your hypotheses pertaining to my activities are rather erroneous, Jiya." Misao commented nonchalantly.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my pretty Misao?" commanded Okina as he stared wide-eyed at the girl.

Okina then noticed the enormous book in front of Misao. Shaking his head, Okina laughed and left Misao to her reading.

"I am ready to give Aoshi-sama his gift now!" Misao shouted in elation.

No amount of learning would ever cure the poor girl of her loud nature. Realizing what she had done, Misao clamped her hands over her mouth.

Attempting to again use her ninja skills, Misao crept around the Aoiya in the quietest manner she could manage. Unfortunately, the huge book was making a lot of noise, and it was especially loud now that it was wrapped. Misao felt a tap on her shoulder and nearly jumped out of her skin. She whirled around to find herself staring at her target.

"Target spotted!" Misao exclaimed, forgetting that she was stating her thoughts aloud.

Aoshi gazed at her, his reaction to her exclamation hidden within the depths of his ice blue eyes. In short, his face looked just as it had when he had tapped Misao upon the shoulder.

"Aoshi-sama, I have a gift that I wish to bestow upon you." Misao explained as she tried to hide the present behind her back, and failing miserably.

Aoshi inwardly cringed. Most of Misao's gifts involved things like ruined cooking and worms. He suspected the next thing she's offer him would be her soul, but he would never admit that to her.

"Aa." replied Aoshi.

There was no sign of a smile on his face. Misao hoped that he would be happy once he had opened the present.

Aoshi ever so neatly slid the wrapping paper from the book, not allowing a single rip to mar the paper's elegance.

"There is a cornucopia of sesquipedalian words within this tome." Misao said, hoping she was not pronouncing any of the words incorrectly. "Within the text of this dictionary is a plethora of words that have the ability to greatly augment your already enormous vocabulary."

"Aa." Aoshi responded. "Thank you."

Without uttering another word, Aoshi carried his new dictionary to his study. Approaching his bookshelf, Aoshi's lips began to curve slightly. He pulled his copy of the exact same dictionary off of the shelf and threw it away, hiding it beneath other trash. Aoshi gazed at the slightly used binding of the dictionary, placed it upon the shelf where the other dictionary had rested, and smiled.