Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Honest Nothing ❯ Journey ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I swear I own it, really I do! ::Looks around for lawyers:: Yep, it all belongs to me. ::Hears a noise from behind:: SMACK! But but, I . . . Okay fine, I don't own any of these characters. Even Aiko, she belongs to ione_girl. There, you all happy! OY!

A/N: Lookie, an update! Sorry if it took a long time, but I like to pretend that between my time of writing and going to college, that I have a life. It's a filler chap, and a slow one. About nothing happens in it, but read it anyways!

I would like to dedicate this story to my little sister, Jeri Diane Tout, for giving me the inspiration that I have.

For this chapter, I would like to dedicate it to my older sister, April Jean Zumwalt, for giving me a niece.

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Honest Nothing

Chapter Two:

Journey

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"Once by the Pacific"

The shattered water made a misty din.

Great waves looked over others coming in,

And thought of doing something to the shore

That water never did to land before.

The clouds were low and hairy in the skies,

Like locks blown forward in the gleam of eyes.

You could not tell, and yet it looked as if

The shore was lucky in being backed by cliff,

The cliff in being backed by continent;

It looked as if a night of dark intent

Was coming, and not only a night, an age.

Someone had better be prepared for rage.

There would be more than ocean-water broken

Before God's last "Put out the Light" was spoken.

~ Robert Frost

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Aiko's blank eyes looked into Okita's saddened ones. Her hands she had lying flat on her knees, as if trying to grasp what she knew to be a tangible object. Both their hearts were a mixture of happiness and sadness; happy to relieve beautiful days, sad to know the ultimate outcome of it.

"I was a young, naive, little girl, sheltered from the world because my father was our leader. I lived inside our home, my only chance to see the outside was when me and Takara would practice. However, it all changed on my 16th birthday. I was to take on the initiation process. Leave home with nothing and survive for half a year. I did this, I left my home gladly, and I met you . . ."

* * *

One lone figure walked the streets of kyoto, stalking its pray. Waiting in the crowds for the best opportunity. The soft mint green of the kimono aided to the stalkers cause of blending. Blending in this new world. Big eyes and feathers adorning dark hair, this person seemed to hold the very presence of innocence. But behind the mask laid something quite unusual in nature, a flame screaming to be set free.

~ * ~

Aiko's dark eyes scanned the area, drinking in all the colors and people of this new place. To her left she saw a lady playing off as some hapless female, trying to catch notice. To her right a store selling new silk kimonos in all sorts of colors. Everywhere there were smiles, cheer and laughter. A thing she had not the privilege of for her past sixteen years of life. She almost felt obligated to smile herself, though she couldn't quite understand why; she had no reason.

She moved to the kimono store, stopping when she reached the display window. Raising her hand up to the barrier that separated her and the fine clothing she wondered what her life would have been if circumstances would have turned out different. Would she be nothing but a normal teenager if she wasn't held to her destiny? Perhaps, but only in another life.

A soft voice came from behind her, startling her out of her thoughts. "Their beautiful, don't you believe?"

Aiko turned around to see the most regal female she had ever seen. This ladies kimono seemed to be made from the sky itself, as if a gift from the heavens. Aiko had never thought of herself to be much more than a comely face with bland hair, but looking at this person she felt worse than plan, she felt simple. The ladies hair was done up in a complicated bun, accenting her eyes. Green as forests, with what looked to be silver flecks hidden in them. Aiko was once told by her little sister, Takara, that the eyes of a person spoke much of what the person was on the inside. Cruel or kind, happy or sad, dead or alive.

"Yes, they are. It's a shame life can't be as beautiful as they." And that's the way she felt. Since she was born her life had revolved around the fact that she was her fathers daughter. Shown false respect, and being told she deserved none of it.

The lady grabbed Aiko's hand with both of hers. Looking into her eyes she said with much passion, "But life is, and if it's not, it can be. All we must do is open our eyes and take in the world around us." She paused, and looked around, imitating what she had just stated. "Like that woman over there," Now she gestured with her hand to a lady selling sweets and candy, "Do you believe that she only sells to make a living, so that her children can have food on their plates?" She dropped her hands but continued to hold Aiko in her stare. "The fact that she needs the money is indeed important, but what is so beautiful in this is that of the love she holds."

Aiko thought on this for a while, playing with the idea in her mind. Could this lady be right, that even in the worst of circumstances that something so wonderfully beautiful could still be had? But that went against all of her beliefs, and if nothing else, her beliefs were all she had in her world. And who was this lady to come up on her, only to start sputtering nonsense.

"But a silver lining isn't always enough to make the wrong seem right." Aiko watched on as the ladies eyes seemed to sadden a bit once the words were said.

"Poor little girl, you still have much to learn. No one should ever believe that all is lost, for surely all will truly then be lost. And that my dear, is the lesson I hold for you." The lady turned then, having done what she had come to do. Turning her back on the one that refused to believe in happiness.

Aiko was left staring at the strangers back, wondering what had just transpired when she saw the lady turn around, seeming to remember something else.

"Oh yeah, and I'll tell your father you said hello." She seemed to still be saying something to her, but Aiko couldn't hear her. Wouldn't hear her. Refused to hear her. If the strange lady noticed Aiko's blank look, she hid it well. Aiko vaguely registered the lady finish walking away, to consumed was she in trying to figure out how the stranger knew her father. Was she an acquaintance, a dealer with whom he dealt with? An old friend perhaps? No, Aiko quickly ruled that one out; her father didn't have any friends. And then it hit her, like a katana being jammed into her gut. She knew who this person was, should have noticed when she first laid eyes on her. So obvious it was . . .

But if that was the case, then her father sincerely did not have faith in her ability to make it back home alive.

Aiko was filled with such anger then. Her father had scrounged up his people and sent them to help her on her journey. Why couldn't he believe that she could do this on her own? It almost seemed to be so like him that it was sort of pointless to not have expected it. But this was her journey, and hers alone. She would show him that she could do this single handedly, that she didn't need help to figure out the world.

Her eyes fell back onto the kimonos, watching as they seemed to laugh at her existence.

* * *

As Aiko had continued her search for truth, the sun had set. Thus is why she now found herself at a local inn. Having nothing to her name at this point, Aiko collapsed onto the bed, happy the day was over.

Her hair cascaded over her face in a sort of black waterfall, her eyes slowly drifting closed. Leaving behind the world she knew, for the world she dreamed of. But her mind kept wondering of the strange ladies comments, and if they had any merit to them.

(FLASHBACK)

He was laughing at her again.

The held back tears began to go unchecked.

His cold eyes holding humor at her disposition.

Where was her mother?

Why wasn't she there to protect her anymore?

I hate you . . . I HATE YOU!

(END FLASHBACK)

* * *

The next morning Aiko was back out on the streets, wondering around for her unknown source of knowledge. A winding road, with no beginning or end. A fruitless search she knew, but one she believed would lead her to some unnamed goal.

Like yesterday, she was once again consumed by all the smiling faces around her. How uncanny, she thought, that even when things looked bad, the people still found the strength to smile. She could only hope that one day she would also hold such power. After all, it would come in handy. Maybe, for once in her life, it wouldn't be so bad to let go of her doubt, and try to see things in a new light. That was, wasn't it, what the strange lady had been trying to tell her to do.

Feeling an odd sense of giddiness, Aiko decided that nothing could make this day seem displeasing. She was free, she had no reason to brood over the past and future. Live in the present, and live it day by day. That would be her motto when she assumed the role of leader.

Aiko smiled, and it almost felt weird to feel the affects it had on her face. It felt some how liberating. But Aiko was too caught up in her own musings to realize that the towns people had stopped their contagious smiling. It all went unnoticed to her as the people crowded out of the streets and into buildings.

But after a while, she did notice. And the streets before her looked more like the future she believed would come. Aiko shivered, feeling cold from within. The once crowded streets of Kyoto now not desolate.

"Odd." She said to herself as she continued to study what was going on around her. She turned her head and saw a man dressed in blue standing next to her. An eerie aura stuck to his being. Did she really want to talk to this man?

Taking a double look around, she realized that if she wanted answers, she had no choice.

"Whats going on?" She asked him. She really did want to know what it was that caused such people to become so afraid.

Without turning his head the man looked at her. His chilling golden eyes regarded her. He spoke one work, not truly understanding why she wouldn't know for herself. But yet, she seemed to be so innocent, of course she wouldn't know. Young people like her should never have to know what goes on during days like these.

"The Shinsengumi." Curt, flat, holding no emotion to the word. It might have paralyzed her if it wasn't for her father speaking to her like that

"Oh." She honestly had no clue who the Shinsengumi were. A few men? Well, if it was just few men that stroke fear into the hearts of everyone, then she was compelled to teach those bullies a lesson. People shouldn't have to go around with fear constantly plaguing them. It reminded her too much of her father, and she hated that. She wanted no resemblance of that man while she was free.

Squaring her shoulders, she calmly walked into the middle of the road, and waited. Waited for the Shinsengumi to come to her.

~ * ~* ~

The day was going on as any other day. Walk the streets, patrol the city, make sure battousai didn't show up. He loved his job, but right now, it all just seemed to be so boring. He looked up to see his partner wearing his normal look. Though his slit eyes did seem to be slightly narrower than their usual.

"Okita, what do you make of that?"

Said man looked to where his companion was looking. The scene before him was quite rare, and his response was a quirked eyebrow and a smile that spread across his whole face.

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Next chapter:

They meet, they finally meet! Tee hee!

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Character Notes:

Aiko: Lets just say she has some major issues regarding her father.

Takara: Don't know much about her yet, she comes in later in the story though. So for right now, she's just Aiko's baby sister. ^_^::

Strange lady: What is there to say, just one of the many people out to help her discover what life can give.

Guy in blue: Figure it out, I know you can!

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So there you have it people, the next chapter of Honest Nothing.

To the reviewers - I love you guys!::

Mysitcinca: Don't say such cruel things, you know you love me! Tee hee! As to why I wrote this story, you'll have to take that up with ione_girl, she has all the answers in that department. He he, glad to hear you like it that much . . . hopefully this chapter wasn't TOO boring. I see your eyes have gotten heavy, your not going to FALL ASLEEP are you? ::evil glare:: Glad to hear it. So yeah, my next chappers out, where's the next one for "Truths Tears" huh? Lol. Keep reading, keep reviewing, I love you man!

Ione_girl:

Your welcome! Yeah, I kinda liked the whole scene with Okita finding out he might (might being the key word here people) be a daddy. I think Okita would make a good daddy. Kid might turn out a little twisted, but hey, who's to know . . . right? For the next few things in your review, LOL, LOL, LOL, shit . . ., yeah. I think I don't describe so much cause it's just not me. I like it more when you can "feel" whats going on instead of just "seeing" it. Yeah, I'm weird, I know. Tee hee.

Thanks all two of my reviewers! Your both my sisters, but its all good.