Unsaid Goodbyes
It had been four years since the incident with Katsu Yurimaki, four years since Misao had been expelled from the Oniwanbanshuu, four long years since Kaoru and Kenshin had seen the former leader walk out of Miss Megumi's clinic and into the world. She was barely able to stand on her own, but she somehow managed to stammer out, promising to become as strong and wise as her leader and hoping that he would accept her once again. Kaoru knew she would return one day. She just hoped she found what she was searching for.
Four years had passed, and Kaoru was in the courtyard of the dojo playing with Kenji when she first heard the knock on the door. She had always kept it locked since the incident and always asked who it was before opening it. This time was no different.
"May I ask who it is?" she questioned as she got her bokken ready.
"It's me," a meek, weasel-like voice stated. Kaoru quickly unlocked the door and swung it open. In front of her stood a twenty year old woman with chin-length hair. She was in traveling clothes, but those blue eyes couldn't hide her identity.
"Miss Misao!" Kaoru immediately hugged her and looked at her friend. "You look so tired. Please, come in." Misao nodded slowly as Kaoru led her into the house. As she fixed up some tea, Misao played with Kenji, who constantly tried to grab her throwing knives. Misao was juggling six kunai when Kaoru sat down in front. Kenji immediately went outside chasing after a butterfly as the two conversed. "It's been such a long time. How are you? I was worried since you left in such a condition."
Kaoru continued to look at the girl before her. She could tell that Misao had grown a little. She was still as skinny as ever. In fact, Kaoru could have sworn that the ninja had lost weight since she saw her last. Her eyes were what stood out the most. They looked so dry and worn. The flame had long gone from the blue globes and was replaced with a look of maturity beyond her years. The once cheerful and innocent little leader had turned into a full-grown woman.
"You didn't have to worry," Misao replied as she grabbed her tea. "I healed up quickly and traveled around the world a bit. I've learned a lot of new fighting techniques and about different cultures. Japan has been missing out on a lot, but we'll finally be able to catch up. What about you? I see you have some more people on your hands." Misao and Kaoru both looked at Kenji.
"Yes, Kenshin and I got married and had a little boy. Kenshin was so proud." Misao smiled as she watched the boy play.
"He looks so big. Is he chasing a bird?" Kaoru was surprised at the question. It was clear that the boy was still chasing a giant butterfly.
"Um, Misao, are you alright? It's not a bird. It's a butterfly." Misao laughed lightly as she looked back at Kaoru. The master swordsman could see what was wrong. The ninja's eyes had not only lost their light. They had definitely become blurred.
"I'm sorry," Misao replied. "My eyesight seems to be getting worse. Ever since I went on my journey I've been losing it." Kaoru grimaced at her friend's suffering. After everything she had gone through she had to add another injury to the list. "But let's not talk about that. What else has been going on?"
"Oh, well, Sanosuke is still in Beijing, but Megumi has come back from Aizu, and Yahiko has inherited the sakabato. He and Tsubame are going to get married. Isn't that wonderful?"
"Yes," Misao stated. "So much has happened since I've been gone." Kaoru watched as she took a sip of tea. What had Misao gone through all these years of traveling?
"We've missed you since you've been gone. There hasn't been a day that Kenshin and I haven't thought of you. It's been almost…"
"Four years," Misao interrupted. Kaoru blinked as she went on. "It's been four years since…since I left Japan. I went away to learn about the world in hopes that the Oniwanbanshuu would take me back. China, Russia, Egypt, France, England, even the States." Misao stared into her tea as if looking for words to express herself. "After four years of training and studying, I decided to come back to Kyoto to find Aoi-Ya. Everyone was getting along well from what I could see. I found out that Okina died in his sleep. At least it was peaceful." She stopped again to look at her tea. Kaoru wanted to know what was wrong with her friend.
Then it happened. Misao dropped her tea as she let out a stream of dry coughing. Kaoru ran to stable her friend, but nothing would stop it. As soon as it subsided, Kaoru got the woman to drink some more tea.
"Are you alright, Miss Misao?" Kaoru asked. At first Misao didn't answer, so Kaoru started to get up. "I'm going to go get Miss Megumi. Just stay here." She was about to leave when she felt a tug on her kimono. Misao was holding onto the sleeve for dear life. "Miss Misao?"
"Please, sit down," Misao whispered. "I need to tell someone. Besides, no doctor can help me with what I have." Kaoru was confused. What did she mean, "No doctor can help me"? Nevertheless, she sat down and listened to the girl's story. She could tell that her sick friend needed to get something off her chest. The least she could do was listen. Misao took another sip of tea to make sure the fit wouldn't come around again. Then she began.
I walked through Kyoto trying to find out where Lord Aoshi was. A man told me he saw a tall, icy man wondering around the gardens. I thought it was a bit weird since he usually spent time in the old temple, but I knew that was the man described. Maybe he decided to change. I had to find him.
As I approached the gardens I saw that there were a lot of people there. Lord Aoshi would hardly like to be with big crowds unless he was trying to blend in on a mission. Why would he be in such a place?
Then I saw him. He was standing on the bridge watching the cherry blossoms fall. He looked so moved by the falling petals. He was actually smiling, something I hadn't seen in a long time. I wanted to see him smile. I was about to run up to him when I saw another woman walk next to him. She was tall and beautiful. Her chocolate eyes matched her hair which played against her pale skin in the wind. She instantly clung to his arm and joined him in watching the sakuras. Who was this woman? Why was she so close to Lord Aoshi? He had never let anyone get that close to him.
I couldn't quite make out the whispers between them, but it had made them laugh. Lord Aoshi was laughing. She was making him laugh, something I had never been able to do. Then a small child ran up to him, a little girl with green eyes and dark hair like the woman. The little girl giggled as Lord Aoshi threw her in the air and caught her. He was laughing too. They were all laughing like one big, happy…
"Family," I whispered. He had a family. He had married an attractive woman, and they had a beautiful, healthy daughter. They loved each other. I saw that they were happy together, something I apparently couldn't do for him. It was something I would never share with him. I looked at the man I once loved. I still loved him. Why was he doing this?
Then it hit me. He had forgotten all about the little Misao he used to take care of. All he had on his mind now was his family. Not the Oniwanbanshuu, no missions to execute, and certainly not me. He was the one thing I held onto all of these years, and I was nothing but a memory to him, a faded memory that was all but gone.
Kaoru watched as her friend held back tears. She had been right. The cheerful girl she once knew was broken. She would never mend from the pain of losing the one she loved to another. That sight of the happy family without her was burned into her brain, and that brand would never heal.
"I can't really do much about it, can I?" Misao stated as she got up. She slowly walked to her older friend and gave her a hug. "Thank you for the tea, and thank you for listening. You have always been here for me, Miss Kaoru. I will never forget you." Misao was heading for the door when Kaoru came running out of the house.
"Miss Misao, what are you going to do now?" Misao didn't turn around. She just looked at the sky.
"I suppose there really isn't much to do. I can always wonder around. Maybe it's time to find a place to live and settle down for the rest of my life. Yes, that's what I'll do. Find a tiny house on a hill next to a sakura tree with a small stream to look over. Wouldn't that be nice? It's what Lord Aoshi and I wanted to do someday."
"Misao, I'm sorry." Misao still didn't look at her friend. She couldn't let her see her tears.
"I couldn't make him laugh. I couldn't even make him smile. I tried all those years to make him see me and smile and they did it so easily. That's what hurts the most." As she left, she thought about her last moments in Kyoto.
Misao leaned against the entrance of the gardens as she thought about what she saw in the gardens. She knew she couldn't change anything. Fate was just against her. She would have to accept it. She would never be with Lord Aoshi. Ever since she was banished from the Oniwanbanshuu she had been alone. Even before then she felt alone because Lord Aoshi was so distant. She would live the rest of her life alone, and she would die alone.
She was about to leave when she saw the little green-eyed girl fidgeting with a piece of paper. No matter what she did she couldn't get it to fold right. Misao walked over and smiled softly at the girl.
"What are you doing there?" she asked. The little girl frowned and started to weep.
"My daddy always makes paper cwanes, but I can't do it. I twied but it's too hard." Misao laughed as she pulled out two new sheets of paper and gave one to the little girl. They both sat down and started to fold.
"First you fold it this way. Then you open this flap. Then fold it this way." Misao walked the little girl through each step until they got to the end. "Alright, now blow!" The little girl blew into the bottom and giggled. When they were done they each had a perfect paper crane. The little girl laughed as she flapped the wings. Misao couldn't help but smile. So this is what it's like to have a daughter. At least now I know.
"Tank you, Miss," the little girl shouted as she bowed. She was about to leave when Misao said something.
"Wait, why don't you keep this other one?" Misao held out her hand with the crane in it. The girl smiled and took it. "Give it to your father. It'll show him how grown-up you are." The little girl nodded and ran off. Misao smiled and thought again about the situation. "At least he's happy. That's all I can really hope for him." And then she walked out of the garden, hoping to do one last thing before leaving her city.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Aoshi turned around to see his little daughter running up to him. He picked her up and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Look what I can do! I made a cwane!"
"And how did you do that, little one?" he asked with a smile. She held the two up and giggled.
"A weally nice lady showed me. She told me to give you one." Aoshi took hold of the paper crane and examined it. Each crease was made carefully and precisely. It was perfect. Only one person could make a crane just like his. "See, daddy? She said I was all gwod-up. Now I can make cwanes for you all the time." Aoshi gasped as he heard the comment. It was the same thing that a little girl just like his had said a long time ago.
"When I'm grown-up, I'll make paper cranes for you, Lord Aoshi."
A smile came to his face as he looked at his daughter. Then he looked at his wife and nodded, suggesting that they should go home.
"Yes, little Misao. Now you can make paper cranes for me."
Misao was now heading to Tokyo to visit Kaoru. She had been gone for almost four years, and she was sure that the swordsman had worried about her. She decided it would be best to let her know what had happened. But before she could do that, there was one thing she had to do. She found Okina's grave and decided to give him one last farewell.
"I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you. You took care of me all these years. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to be the woman I am today. I'm sorry I was such a disappointment to you and Lord Aoshi. By the time I figured out what I needed to do it was too late." She took one of her kunai and put it behind her neck. With one swift motion, she cut the long braid she had grown for all these years, a sign of a true Oniwanbanshuu leader. "I guess I won't need this anymore. I don't have any flowers for you, so all I can give you is this. Maybe you can give it to Lord Aoshi if you see him. Tell him that he is the true leader, and I love him."
And with that she left, never to return to Kyoto. She had left everything behind her here: her pride, her title, and her heart.
There should be one chapter left. I'll try to get it up as soon as possible. Thanks for all of your patience. I'll try to get my other stories done too. Cya.