Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Two Sides of a Sword ❯ The Wandon School ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

AN: See? I told you I'd get this out sooner than what you all had hoped ^^. Anyhoo, like how the last chapter was sort of a like a Misao-based chapter, this chapter is sorta like an Aoshi-based chapter.

Chapter Eleven ~ The Wandon School

A lone figure stood upon the pier during the wee hours of the morning. It listened to the ships' horns that blared by, waiting for an answer. Ice blue eyes reflected the rising sun, clearing out the mist that had enshrouded the port.

"Soon...we will all meet again," the figure murmured.

"So, he has not returned?" Rokou asked as he absentmindedly stroked the head of the canary in his hand.

"Ie, but he has disposed of Akira before he could leak out anything," a seductive voice in the corner of the room replied. "My spies say that he has left no trace of his whereabouts."

"Sou ka..." he murmured, cracking the bird's fragile neck. A small pop made him smile in satisfaction at its death. "And the others?"

"They have left for the mainland. I assume that they want the protection of the Wandon," the voice replied.

"Notify Sai, Mizuki," Rokou replied and stared at the woman across from him. "And find them."

Mizuki's pretty face broke into a cruel smile. She bowed in deference, letting her black hair cascade around her face. "As you wish, Rokou-sama."

"Aahh, it's so great to be back on solid ground again!" Misao proclaimed as she stretched her arms.

"You were just fine on the ship, Misao-chan," Ikumi replied.

"I agree with her," Ryu said behind her, carrying Setsuko on his shoulders. "It's been longer than usual on that boat."

"Where to now?" Jun asked, raising her voice over the crowds.

"We have to find Sensei," Ikumi answered as she began scanning the crowds. Her eyes caught a familiar face from a distance. "Minna, this way."

The group began to separate from the large crowd of people as Ikumi led the way. Aoshi trailed behind, taking in his surroundings. China didn't seem what he thought it would be. He began to feel self-conscious. There's so many people...

"Sensei!" his sister's voice broke him out of thought. His eyes glanced at a slightly elder woman wearing monk's clothes. He held his breath. Masaka...

"Sensei, I thought you asked for Isamu to pick us up?" he heard Ikumi ask.

["Ao-chan, whatever you hear out there, even if it's me, do NOT step out of this room."]

"Isamu said he had other matters to finish," the woman replied to Ikumi. Then she scanned over the group with general curiosity.

"Did he say what he was doing?" Jun asked softly.

"Ie, but he did bring his katana with him. I assume that he's getting food," The woman's eyes passed by Aoshi's and met with Ryu. "I'm glad you're back from the dead, Ryu. You look a little bit different than before."

He grinned sheepishly in reply. Silence.

"Sensei, this is my brother Shinomori Aoshi and my friend Makimachi Misao," Ikumi introduced.

"Konnichiwa!" Misao said cheerfully.

Aoshi merely nodded. The woman smiled at the two and bowed politely.

"It's nice to be able to finally meet you two," she said. "Ikumi-chan here has told me much the past twelve years. My name is Wong Ji Ling."

After a couple of hours of rides on horseback and stopping for food, Ling and the others reached the infamous Wandon school, masters of the wind. All the while Aoshi's side ached with pain, but he was determined to ignore it. Pain was something that he had grown used to, yet for some odd reason it felt like a thousand needles had attached every time he moved. At times he was dizzy but assumed that it was because he hadn't fully recovered.

Climbing over a few more steps, Ling turned around towards the group. "Well, we're here."

With one hand, she waved towards the school behind her. All that Misao could do was gawk in awe. The Wandon school was divided into three separate temples, each located on a different mountain and each as big as a small village. The temples were connected by bridges that spanned over a waterfall a thousand feet high. The water sprayed over them, leaving a sprinkled mist over the mountains. The sun seemed ever so close to them yet it did not harm. It was then Misao realized how high they were in the mountains.

She switched back into reality, noticing that everybody had gone ahead of her. Only Aoshi had remained, leaning against a nearby tree. Their eyes met for a sparse moment before he lifted himself off the tree and began to follow the trail left behind by the others. Misao watched him go, letting herself breathe again, and followed after him.

"Ikumi's sensei told us that we can stay here as long as we want to," he said as soon as she caught up to him. "Rest first and then you can wander around later."

"Hai," she replied softly, staring at his stoic face. Inwardly, she felt frustrated. You're getting colder each day, Aoshi-sama, she thought. Naze?

"Okaasan, do you think the baby's going to be a girl or boy?" a six year old Aoshi asked.

His mother smiled down at him, instinctively rubbing her swollen stomach.

"Well, what do you think the baby's going to be, Ao-chan?" she asked him in a gentle voice.

Aoshi smiled, his blue eyes brightening at the question. "I think the baby's going to be a boy! That way I can show him all the stuff that otousan taught me."

His mother giggled at her son's excitement. "But if the baby's a girl, then you'd have to protect your little sister from all the boys. Besides, Ao-chan, you have to wait a few years before you can teach your little brother or sister kempo."

Aoshi put on his best serious face. He had been trying to mimic his father. "I will. Promise."

Gunshots echoed outside. Behind him, his mother disappeared and his legs stopped moving. Aoshi was no longer a six year old boy, but his current self. Blood oozed out from his leg wounds and more gunshots rang. He looked up to see the bodies of his four dearest friends lying around him with holes in their chests. Takeda Kanryuu's laughter echoed in the void, mocking him.

"You can never be worthy of her," a voice echoed. "If you couldn't protect them, how can you protect her?"

"I will protect her!" he shouted at the voice, unafraid. "I can!"

"You can't," the voice retorted.

Misao appeared in the distance before him, half looking back. "If you couldn't save them, how could you save me?"

"I..."

"You promised mother and you broke it," she said, changing into Ikumi. "You promised mother and yet you let me go."

"That's not true! I..."

She changed back into Misao again, walking away. Aoshi tried to run after her, but his legs wouldn't cooperate.

"Misao! Matte!"

"You could never protect me, Aoshi-sama. Never..." her voice echoed in the distance. Then he heard her scream.

"NOO!!!"

Aoshi sat up straight in bed, gasping for air and hand outstretched. Forcing to calm himself down, he took in deep gulps of air and drew them out slowly. Very slowly.

Misao softly walked down the hallway, carrying a bowl of medicine in a tray. She didn't bother to look ahead of her; she knew where he slept. I hope Aoshi-sama's okay, she thought worriedly, frowning. Why did he just collapse like that?

"NOO!!"

She paused in front of his door, surprised to hear his yell. He's awake? She listened closely, listened to his ragged breathing and incoherent murmurs. She frowned again. Aoshi-sama?

With some hesitation, she knocked.

MORE AUTHORESS NOTES! ~ Kind of strange, yes? Well...I'll explain it more clearly as soon as I can write the next chapter! R&R!