Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Where Are You Now? ❯ Chapter 4: A New Member? ( Chapter 5 )

AN: Well last chapter was great but this chapter……..well you guys will find out. Teehee! Oh and writers block will kick in close to the middle maybe towards the end.

Disclaimer: You know what I had (keyword "had") these two posters of my favorite characters Okita and Duo Maxwell and you know what happened. They came to life only to tell me that I would never own, sadly but truly, Samurai X nor RK. I mean Okita and Duo came to life just to tell me that! What the nerve!?!?!

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Where Are You Now?

Chapter 4: A New Member?

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`I don't want you to go, but I do need to know. What is this feeling between us, the feeling that I am unable to caress? You play with me night and day, and make sure that I do not stray. My feelings for you are growing numb, from not being able to hear you hum. So listen to me pray, read the words that I say. Do not leave me my firefly, rekindle your fire and do not die…..' -Jeri Tout

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Kenshin and Sano immediately came to a stop, up ahead not the ninja or person they were hunting but a dead end. Sano sighed gravely and stared in front of them, there was nothing just a wall made of mud.

`Mud eh?'

Kenshin was about to turn back until he heard knuckles cracking; his body turned itself around to look at what the taller man was about to accomplish. A big grin crossed Sano's face and he jumped up to the wall, his right hand flying right in front of him. The wall vaporized, turned into complete dust and on the other side there was another road to follow. He was going to keep on running until Kenshin stopped him with his words.

"Sano, running somewhere without know that the person is there is fruitless, lets turn back."

His gave out another sigh and looked back at the road, old buildings lined its way and at the very end, a temple. Sano narrowed his eyes at it and began walking in the direction that his friend was walking. They weren't able to catch them; he'll just have to leave it up to Katsu to figure anything out for the moment.

* * * * * *

"Phew, that was close." Said the girl who was wearing anything and everything I ninja could need. Sitting in a position where she would be ready to run continuously if someone were to come. Pulling down the half-facemask that she wore, she took a deep breath and shook her head, if she hadn't hid herself on this temple's roof then she would have kept running. Really, running and jumping over these roofs is really hard to accomplish.

`Why can't they be like China, roofs kept closely together where you needn't jump anywhere, just run.'

A small whistle came from beyond the bushes; her head turned towards the sound and gazed down seriously. Out popped another ninja, clearly could be seen as a man nonetheless but a ninja. His hand waved her to come over there, she nodded and jumped down, and they ran into the bushes where people couldn't really see them.

"Here's your apprentice ninja clothing leader."

Phoenix pulled the clothing out of his hands and gave a huge evil grin.

"These people are going to regret ever going to the Meiji era. Long, prepare your friends, tonight we attack the main branch of the Meiji government in Tokyo."

Long bowed his head and jumped backwards to give his leader some air. Phoenix looked down at the blue and yellow clothing in her hands; it wasn't such a long time ago when she became the new master at the art of Phoenix. She stood up and began to undress, revealing her clammy skin she had received during her time in Shanghai.

She pulled on the almost dress like clothing over her head and pulled it over the rest of the skin that showed, ending to about two inches over her butt. The shorts where trimmed with thick gold fabric, and her obi that kept her outfit closed was completely black, and her shirt covered most of her neck, gold trimming not as large as the shorts but small and delicate. Phoenix closed her eyes, the name she had received from her generous master was Qi.

"I can even remember what he said to me that day."

`Apprentice, you are like a jade crystal, brilliant, outstanding and very noticeable. You will someday make such a great master.'

She didn't really want the name though; she wanted the name of Phoenix. Though many had their own opinions of the legendary bird, she did not follow in what they say. She believed that the Phoenix was a bird of life and death and was a sign a power. The young woman began to change her long dark hair that hung to the lowest part of her back to put it up in a high ponytail. There was only one reason why this nineteen year old girl had come to Japan and that was revenge.

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And back to the Fujita home…….

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June 1, 1879

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Okita, feeling a little stressed from all the weight that this woman was piling on him he couldn't help but to give a confused smile.

`Why again does Tokio-san need this much ingredients?'

Tokio grabbed the last bit of daikon radish and threw it into the pot that her new helper was holding. Finally clapping her hands and congratulating herself on the amount of things she still had kept away in the small kitchen that she has. A sweatdrop went down the side of Okita's forehead; `Saitou married this woman?'

"Tokio, what are you planning on doing with all that stuff?" The newly refreshed voice of Aiko spoke, startling Tokio immediately afterwards. She looked towards the doorway where Aiko stood and smiled brightly.

"Well since I haven't been over in the Kamiya residence for such a long time and now I have a new helper that is so generous I decided that I would teach some more cooking to that Kamiya girl."

Aiko could feel herself fall to the floor, if Okita went there more then likely somebody would realize the kind of spirit he possessed. She grabbed onto the doorway and looked up at the now speaking to herself Tokio, pulling herself up to a standing position she nearly laughed as she watched her friends expression go to confused to overwhelmed by the weight he was holding. He almost looked like he was going to topple over onto the floor; Aiko could imagine it now. (Kerplunk!) Aiko laughed silently to herself until Tokio was finally done.

"Here Tokio let me help."

"Me to, if you give anymore weight onto that guy he'll bend like a stick."

Aiko and everyone else, except Okita for obvious reasons, turned to look at the little boy with brown hair. Right beside him was the one-year-old boy named Tsutomu, his innocent eyes looked at the pile of vegetables and the man holding them. Okita didn't know what was going on, but he could surely use the help…….

"Well, then since everyone would like to help," Tokio looked down at little Tsutomu in mother instinct, "and since we can't leave Tsutomu alone let's all go together."

"That's nice…..Help me please, anytime would be nice."

Everyone laughed at the struggling Okita who to Aiko looked rather odd without the uniform of the Shinsengumi. She watched as Eiji and Tokio both lifted things out of the arms of Okita, relieving him of all the stress on his knees.

`He hasn't changed at all…..'

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There Kenshin sat, in the dojo not doing anything in particular, laughing to himself about how Yahiko goes all out now. As for Yahiko, he was surely growing into a young man and it was getting to the point where Kenshin would have to test the 11-year-old boy's strength. Outside, birds chirped happily and someone that could easily be recognized began to whistle as he came their way. Sano seemed like he was constantly stopping by due to three more murders in Tokyo. Also someone tried to attack the building of internal affairs not to long ago either. Sano stepped into the training hall, a skeleton of a fish hung out of his closed mouth.

"Hey Kenshin, what'cha doing?"

Sano walked over and flopped onto the floor right by Kenshin, he crossed his arms and watched as Yahiko tried to pummel the assistant master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu. Yahiko brought his shinai over his head once more and tried to smack it down onto Kaoru's hand, running towards her at full speed he let out a battle cry. Just as Yahiko came up to about a foot from Kaoru she quickly hit his right shoulder. He fell to the floor face down and went narrow-eyed.

"Yahiko, do you need to practice swings even more!"

"Shut up ugly, I just lost my balance that's all!"

"Why you little brat!"

**SMACK**

Two large bumps appeared on the top of the boy's head; after all of this Sano couldn't help but to laugh at Yahiko. This is how it was everyday when he practiced, somehow Kaoru would keep on dodging him and they would begin to fight. Well, at least they had some wooden weapons or else both of them would turn out with a bruise or two. Sano looked over at Kenshin who surprisingly enough was staring at the wood floor, and from anywhere Sano could tell what his friend was doing.

"I wonder, if this man that has been murdering others also attacked the Internal Affairs Department."

Sanosuke leaned back, his eyes not leaving Kenshin's face he wore the same worried eyes that he had with that kid Sojiro. He didn't want to admit it, but he was also having some second thoughts about this whole thing with ninja's. They say that if up against a ninja to be very weary of your surroundings and the surrounds of your opponent, which means you can never really trust a ninja. A distant knock came at the front of the Kamiya home, both Kenshin and Sano stood up.

"I see we have company, I'll go escort them Kaoru."

Kaoru's sweaty face turned to face Kenshin; she nodded and began to once again teach Yahiko. Kenshin smiled more deeply and began to exit the training hall Sano also followed. Kaoru was to tired and to into kicking Yahiko's butt to have to deal with visitors at this moment. The cherry blossoms seemed to be finally appearing over by the river, the sky was empty of rain clouds and other bad weather.

A ki struck right through him, his body tensed for a second until Kenshin finally released himself. This ki wasn't any other ki; Kenshin looked back at Sano who was also feeling something rather strange. The both ran to the doorway, hoping to see something that could explain all the questions both Kenshin and Sano. This ki, Kenshin knew it from somewhere but he just couldn't place it. They stopped in the back of the doorway and Kenshin proceeded to open the sliding door.

"Oh Mr. Himura I didn't think you would come and open the door for us."

There she stood, Tokio Saitou with four others, one of them which was Eiji all looked at the two men who stood in the doorway. Kenshin gave a sigh of relief, but Sano on the other hand looked rather steamed at the moment.

"You gave me a scare Tokio-san, that you did."

Kenshin looked up at the four others and nodded to them all then pushed Sano back so that they all could proceed to enter the courtyard. Though, it was just Tokio-san that had came, Kenshin could still feel the lingering ki and it was coming from one of the four. Kenshin examined all of them, except Eiji and the littlest one. Two others seemed to be a young couple had came, a girl about the same size of Kaoru who wore a bright pink kimono with no particular design on it once so ever. Then the man who was carrying all the materials that Tokio was going to need to cook. It was him, something about him made Kenshin want to pull out his sword, what it was though he could not tell.

"Oh Tokio-san, Kaoru is in the training hall with Yahiko so until she's done make yourself at home."

Tokio nodded in response and was about to proceed to the engawa to rest when suddenly she could feel someone staring at her back. As a reflex, she turned around to see the tall young man staring down at her.

"Um, Tokio-san, where shall I put this?" Tokio smiled and just told him to put it on the engawa, he did so and sat down. Kenshin walked up to everyone who had just gathered on the porch and looked the older woman with wondering eyes. She knew what he was wondering about, of course she did, but how to tell him.

"As you can see Mr. Himura, I have brought many people with me today to keep you company. As you could already tell, I brought Eiji with me, he seemed like he didn't want to be kept up in the house any longer." Kenshin proceeded to sit down by her, and watch as she continued to name the -people- she had brought. The younger boy jumped into Tokio's lap, she wrapped her arms around him.

"This is Tsutomu, my son….."

The `my son' made Sano fall face flat onto the ground, not only did Saitou have a wife he also had a son. For all he knew, that kid might turn up as rough as his father is. Kenshin waved his hand to have them all not really pay any attention to this friend.

"This is Aiko……..I guess you can say that Saitou and I took her in but not as our daughter to assure you."

Tokio looked at the younger man who sat patiently waiting for his name to be said. She took a deep breath and returned to Kenshin's heartwarming condition.

"This is……well, his name is……."

Another sigh came from behind her and up stood the man, who smiled at Tokio to stop, he looked over at Kenshin. That was it, that same stare, that smile that Kenshin knew all to well, it had to be -him-.

"My name is Okita Soushi."

Seconds passed on by until a voice came from afar.

"Kenshin, is Tokio really here!"

This was something, that Aiko didn't feel comfortable in, she wished that at this moment she was at home doing something else than introducing herself to the Battousai. He may have been that man who spared her life back then but it still didn't feel right. Her father hated the man, also did Saitou, but Okita envied his Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. She didn't feel in her place, days man have passed by and the sands of time may have stopped for Okita's disease, but for how long will he stay?

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The day had gone quickly and nightfall was surely upon them as they told their friend's goodbye, everyone was there except for Kenshin. He had been missing since after the time where Okita had introduced himself. The new girl though Kaoru had thought that she was mute and that she couldn't talk so naturally Kaoru said everything and anything possible to the woman. Yahiko and Sano both ate the meal that Tokio had made but Sano wore a horrible face through the whole thing.

As the group began to walk down the street, the stars began to come out one by one. Eiji and Tsutomu were probably the only ones who were actually tired from the visit. But through the whole day, Aiko was being absolutely quiet even now. Tokio thought that some fresh air and having Okita be with her would liven her spirit, but was only mistaken when Aiko wished to watch Yahiko and Kaoru practice. Okita was also being very strange, some time in the afternoon Okita was beginning to act like Aiko, quiet and reserved.

`I guess no matter how many times I try to brighten someone's day they just get even gloomier.'

"Hajime will be home soon, we best get there before he does."

Everyone nodded and kept on walking through the lonesome streets; not a single place seemed to be welcoming at this hour.

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"Kenshin, where are you?"

Kaoru yelled as she continued to open shoji after shoji only showing a small room with barely anything inside. Sighing once every minute sometimes a frustrated sigh Kaoru went around the corner to find the now approaching Kenshin.

"Kenshin what have you been doing?"

He looked up into her blue eyes, not a single worry in the world except for the well being of him.

"Kaoru I need to tell everyone something, can you gather everyone?"

Kaoru nodded and ran around the corner that she had stopped at, her yellow kimono disappearing behind the wall. He looked up at the darkened night sky, little sparkling white dots shimmering above him with a certain grace to even calm the inner fire from which he beheld. The calming feeling stopped when a picture of Okita Soushi, the man who was a child prodigy of Tennen Reshin Ryuu came into a fading scene in the sky.

`Could it have been him all this time? Is he really the one to be worrying about?'

The image soon faded away and the night sky seemed to glitter like it had before. Kenshin's red hair, swayed in the softly blowing wind, and his cross-shaped scar was as visible as a star. At this moment he didn't smile, being more concerned with the fact that this assassin who has no name may kill more people.

He moved his gaze to the engawa then began to walk down the dark wooden path. Everything around him seemed to be covered with complete darkness. His gentle footsteps reached the illuminated doorway, as the shoji stayed open Kenshin walked in and quietly sat down, his movements slightly reenacting the time with he had spoken to Okuybo for the last time. Taking his sword from the safety of his hip and laid it down by his side.

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Her hair fell down to her shoulders as if mimicking falling blossoms; the ribbon came out of her silky black hair. A deep sigh soon escaped her thin lips as she stared at the small mirror before her face. Tiredness was quickly sweeping over her and knowing that the sleep spell was about to fall over her, she began to take off her plain pink kimono. Another sigh escaped through her mouth, her eyes were trying their hardest to not become thin slits on her face. Though she had not done a single thing during the day, it seemed as if she were about to faint. Replacing her kimono with her nightgown…..

*Or whatever they are*

…….Aiko stood as quickly as she possibly could, she knew if she didn't get to bed right then and there she'd probably fall asleep on the floor which really wasn't a great place to be asleep on. Her legs slowly slipped into the futon's blanket and soon covering most of her body, the last thing that she had seen was the wooden ceiling.

Over in the corner Okita sat, his eyes showing no wanting of sleep unlike the younger woman's. His brown eyes stared at her now sleeping body, her chest raising every few seconds as she breathed in for some more air. Not a single care in the world did she have, or so he may think, but nonetheless she was beginning to feel comfortable with him around once again. She had changed within all of these years her body had grown. No longer that girl who wanted to be a son in the sight of her father but now a grown woman who seeks for something to live for.

`It must've been hard for you Aiko-chan, living without your father by your side.'

He leaned his head back and slightly shut his eyes only to the point where half his vision went blurry. A burning sensation started in his chest, so painful that Okita jerked forward and his hand went straight to the sight of the pain. Feeling something rather dreadful come up, he knew what was about to happen and the sudden urge to release a horribly hacking cough had came. Now instead on his shaking, pained chest his hand flew up to his mouth to capture the blood that had soon began to flow from it.

It had came back and his life seemed to have stopped at that moment, his body weakened and his lungs seemed to stop. He felt paralyzed to the point of no movement once so ever, his heart may have pumped blood but everything around him had stopped, Aiko's breathing and the twinkling stars above. He felt like falling forwards but knew if he even dared it, he'd choke on his own blood right then and there. His eyes closed themselves from the bloody sight in front of him, always shielding him from the terrible truth of his mournful pain. Pushing himself back against the wall it was then that all life began to turn once again, his body was no longer able to keep it holding from sleep that going limp was its only choice.

Tuberculosis resumed in his body, not making a second thought of giving him absolute pain in his lungs. It was for sure; nothing could change his fate, maybe delay it, but never change it. He was going to die of this disease; he was going to leave Aiko by being killed by tuberculosis.

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June 2

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Aiko opened her most refreshed eyes to the world she had come to know, everything remaining quiet without any noise at all except for the chirping of birds and other outside noises. Today though was a different matter, there was sound of a sleeping peacefully person only a few steps away. Aiko had turned her head only a bit of a fraction to actually see the person who slept soundly by her wall. His head slightly tilted to his left and his hand lay awkwardly on the floor. He hadn't even changed and gotten into his futon but only watched over her through the whole night.

`Now I know he hasn't changed……'

She got up as quietly and as sneakily as she could and crawled right over to his side. Part of her lips went up in a devious smile, she always loved waking him up with a loud hug in the past but when she began to think about it, it was a lot noisier back at the Shinsengumi headquarters. The devious smile disappeared and she crossed her arms and glared at the man who so she thought slept very peacefully.

"You're awake aren't you?"

Okita's lips went into a gentle smile, still pretending to be asleep. She had got herself all worked up over nothing. Beginning to say something but quickly cutting herself off Aiko turned her head and said something under her breath.

`Jerk.'

Okita couldn't help but laugh at her comment, the first time in a long time he had actually seen her and she was already calling him names. Aiko seemed to take a long pause before the contagious laugher finally caught itself in her throat and soon found herself in a laughing state just like the older man in front of her. She stood up, but quickly turned around back to her futon. She was thirteen when he last saw her and here she was all grown up and twenty-four. Her eyes quickly went narrow, when she was thirteen there was hardly anything to look at but now……..

"If you have some decency left in you I suggest you turn around or leave so I can get dressed."

But the laughter that Aiko had recently heard had impeccably stopped meaning he had already left her room? She turned her head to see that someone had quietly opened her door and that someone was masking himself very well for one of his sleeves still propped to where she could see it. Aiko walked over to the rice-paper door, grabbed did and said out loud:

"The least you could've done was close the door."

Slamming it then turning away Aiko froze in her steps, was she just playing? Giving a few confused blinks to the wall ahead of her she retracted her eyes back to where her kimono sat on the wooden pole. Softening her eyes as she gazed upon the pink kimono that she always wore, buying kimono's after all meant money, which was something she didn't have at the moment.

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His smile deepened as he left the side of the woman's shoji, his bangs were still the same length as they always were as if his hair never grew but kept that boyish look to him for forever. He walked down the engawa, trying his hardest not to wake the people who still slept through the morning. He wasn't hungry; he was just wandering around the premises, looking about the place to see the kind of things that were inside the Saitou's courtyard.

Okita hadn't even been able to talk to his old friend through the whole time he had been there. Even if the only people he really ever is able to talk to were Eiji and Tokio, he'd try and talk to Tsutomu once but found that the one year old was still trying to gain some vocabulary words. Aiko seemed to be a little distant from everyone, she always stayed by herself and sometimes cleaned by herself leaving Tokio were her youngest son.

Sometimes Okita would find her doing calligraphy all by herself in her room writing in some book of hers. That was really the only time to get her attention, to finally get to talk to and look into her adult eyes. His footsteps stopped as he reached the corner of the engawa, beyond was a huge tree that seemed to reach up to the sky. The sky still full of serene beauty and the birds made it all come to life. Okita sighed as each passing moment went on by like the seasons; he put his hand onto the pole to steady himself as he continued to listen to the morning's noises.

Not even paying attention to anything else around him and falling into his very own daydream, Aiko walked up behind him. She of all people expected him to be listening to his very surroundings especially if there is anyone walking up on him. Maybe she could…..just maybe……

**GLOMP**

Okita could suddenly feel arms wrap around him and a loud giggle from the side of his head `Oh Kami-sama I didn't feel her ki.' His eyes widened and his legs couldn't bear what they used to. Without warning he began feeling crippled, his legs had given out and he soon fell backwards onto the wooden porch. Feeling a bit strained on the floor he opened his pained eyes to the girl who looked down at him with one of the most hysterical smiles that he had seen. Aiko bent over and reached out her hand in order for him to get back to his feet.

Reaching up his hand he sat it in hers, tightening her fingers around his warm and gentle hand. A big cheesy grin swept over his face as he as well tightened his fingers around her hand and pulled her down beside him. Falling face forward onto his chest, Aiko's eyes quickly went narrow as she did her hardest to push the girlish form in front of her down back to the floor. Her hands pushing down onto his shoulder, making him only turn to his side. Their laughter spread throughout the house, thank heavens for them both that Saitou had left early that morning.

Tokio opened her shoji to peer outside, her drowsy eyes watched as the two fought. Both of them rolling on the floor trying to pin the other down, but in this time of the morning? It was clear to tell that she didn't have a good night of rest, her hair was completely a mess, a partial bun sticking out with stray pieces of hair all around her head. The only thing that looked good was her yukata, which she slept in. Tokio yawned as she watched the two `two-year-olds' mess around on her engawa. Then it hit her, like a locomotive hits a brick wall; Aiko was having fun with Okita.

Aiko, the girl who hated to be outside and talk to anyone around her slowly was starting to get her act together. Her deep sorrowful face, usually paled from not eating enough food, had disappeared or so she thought it had. Tokio sighed as she turned away with a slight smile touching her lips, silently closing the rice-paper door behind her.

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Somewhere far off into Tokyo…..

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A loud thumping noise came from the roof as a person in a hooded cloak quickly jumped off of it. The men who stood outside watching and waiting with their bokken's kept their grim faces, and a young man with short black hair laid almost crippled in the dirt. The figure landed and peered at the boy, walking to the front of him and examining every inch of him it soon stopped. He was…….smiling? The figure's hand rose to reveal it's face, a young woman with feminine slightly narrowed eyes gazed down at him.

"Hmph, you smile to much for your own good you know that!"

The woman kicked him in the chest; the boy let out a loud cough as he tightened his muscles to help him feel a tad bit better. She kept her gaze on the boy making him feel uncomfortable under it; even so he still smiled. It was just like………

"Get up!"

The boy did not oblige but kept himself on the ground, trying to recover from his injury.

"I said get up!"

Still nothing, she wasn't furious oh no, how can a ninja become furious with such a little thing? At this time she grabbed the front his gi and pulled him up to her level. His eyes widened in fear and his mouth hung open from the adrenaline that rushed through his veins.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Mareo Rinji, I - I'm an orphan belonging to the Kitoku family."

His words sputtered out onto the elder one, part of her lips went up into a narrow smile as she looked at the boy she held. Her eyes darted to a man that was to the side of her, he unlike all the others was a very helpful and uncaring kind of person.

"Long, go tell the family that their adopted son has been kidnapped."

"Aa."

The woman turned back to the boy's face that had now paled into a fearful expression. Her smile enlarged as she watched the boy tremble in panic, his arms clearly now twitching.

"Are you afraid of me boy?"

She released the Mareo's gi making him fall to the ground since he couldn't possibly touch it by himself. All of his energy went straight to his legs and feet, not feeling anymore comfortable in her presence he did the only thing that came to his mind, run. Shooting up to his feet he ran as far as he could go, he chest quickly contracted and released as he did so. Turning a corner he found himself face to face with the same woman he tried so desperately to run away from. Her smile still not diminishing and her hand kept tightly onto her hip.

"You can't run away from me now, not after I tell your family you would be gone a little longer."

Mareo screamed in fright; who exactly was this girl? As hard as he tried to scoot away from her, she kept on walking forward towards his smaller body. Her shadow overcoming the light that had once fallen on him, his eyes still wide open expecting for pain to strict his body. He lifted his hand once more to help him move farther back when he suddenly realized there was no more room to back up against. Her moving form did not stop, did not falter from coming to him, shutting his eyes to wait for horrid punishment he could almost feel himself cry. When unexpectedly a soft hand touched his small face that was covered with dirt. Opening his wetted eyes he saw her face a couple of feet from hers, only about the length of her arm.

"On the battlefield you may call me Okashira Phoenix, but today you are a lucky one. When those men brutally attacked you and you forced a smile, I knew I could trust you. Mareo, I do not wish to kill you, I wish for you to join my clan."

"Is that all you really wanted?"

Phoenix removed her hand from the child's face and revealed a deep scar on her right eyebrow. Still kind of confused Mareo stared at it for a moment and paused.

"In the past I had a Japanese name, it was….."

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Next chapter

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Is Aiko truly cured from all her pain from her past just from a single man showing up in her life? And what about Okashira Phoenix, what was really her Japanese name? Find out in the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?"

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Reviews

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Wow, not really any reviewers this time, that really sucks!

Kagome-angel2000: Well you found out a little on this murder that Kenshin and Sano were investigating. I also thought that it was a good idea to make some of Okita's memories come back but not all. Anyways thanx for the review since I obviously don't get that many, *sniff, sniff.*

MysticInca: Arigato! I'm so happy that you got off your lazy bum just to read my story. Thank you again for saying that I did really great on my story thus far, I'm starting to come around to like it too. As for the poem I did on this chapter, well it was a very old one that I just fixed up a little to match the story TEEHEE I'm so dumb!

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Vocabulary

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Ho-oo: Japanese Phoenix

Long: Chinese for dragon

Mareo Ninji: means rare silent forest

Kitoku: means tree in water

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AN: Alrighty, MysticInca told me to tell you guys this just so you all don't get so confused. The symptoms for TB are fever, sweats, chills, faints, coughing up blood, and sometimes but extremely rare memory loss. Just to tell you all this cause I bet your all wondering if he still had it or not so there you go!

Fanfic by ione