Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Where Are You Now? ❯ Chapter 10: A Capture ( Chapter 11 )

AN: Yeah, what a comical relief last chapter was. Like I said a few chaps before, I'm am so thinking this up as I go, but there is a plot. I'm just not going to tell everyone about it yet because well . . . I'm stingy that way. LOLS! Hope you guys liked last chapter and . . . um . . . like this chapter TEEHEE! WOOHOO, eleven chapters and goin! SWEET! Just to tell you all, I hardly doubted that I would get this far in this story since I never ever got this far in any other story. My last story I worked on only got to four chapters and I still kinda uh need to work on it, but not until this story is FINISHED!

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Where Are You Now?

Chapter 10: A Capture

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'A window opens

And you're not there

I call to the ocean

And then I am aware

You've left me here

And now I'm alone

You seemed to disappear

And I whisper words unknown

Don't leave me

Please stay here

Don't leave, my Sakura tree

Wipe away my tears

Let me find you again

Let me hold you in my arms

Don't let me be afraid of what you're in

Please my love stay out of harm . . .'

~ ione

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June 9, 1879

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'Kill the Okashira Phoenix. I will help you out by finding bait to lure the person in. Later on I will send you a crow. On its leg it will tell you the location of the bait at the time and you are to capture the individual. I will pay you 1,000 yen if you bring me back the head of this Okashira Phoenix.'

Nagakura looked at it intently; skimming through the messy script which contained the words that were rather strange.

'1,000 yen, Kami where is he getting this stuff?'

His eyes narrowed a bit and his hand went up to his chin, there wasn't anything strange neither about this writing nor about this paper but the envelope? The envelope wasn't as fine as normal Japanese rice paper; it actually felt more rough then usual.

"Oi, Shinpachi, if ya continue to stare at that paper, ya'll begin to get wrinkles in ya forehead."

Nagakura blinked a couple of times and looked over at his lazy companion. Sitting in the corner was Harada; his hands supporting his head and a little piece of grass sticking out of the corner of his mouth. In all his years in China living with a growing family did Nagakura ever realize that he'd be here working as a hit man. A grin went swept across his face as he began to think, 'If my wife were here, she'd be torturing me.'

Deciding to finally put down the piece of paper on the table in the room, Nagakura grabbed his nearby tanto and stood up. Stuffing it tightly in his gi he turned around and proceeded to the closed door.

"A tanto eh? I thought that those were things made for children."

Nagakura snorted at his friend, "Can't carry a sword anymore, gotta carry this tiny thing."

"Yeah, whatever."

Waving his friend off, Harada sighed and then felt ease come over his body. It had been so long since he was able to relax like this before the Bakumatsu. Yes, those times where the greatest of his life, of course he had to take care of a little brat but hey, when he looked back at those times he could always laugh at them. How he would fall into the easiest of traps made by Kondo-san's daughter. Then there was the time where he tried using a sword. He wasn't much for swords though, he usually used a spear in his battles and no one knew how to protect against that.

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The streets held many people in them, people of every size. Yet they tend to forget what Japan was before this Meiji era. If there were one thing that was for sure, he would never forget it. The bloodshed, the sacrifices, and the hope to either kept the old or to bring about a new, no, the blood of others would always dirty his hands. But it was not as if he felt horrible for putting those people to death, it was just a run of bad luck. It had it coming to them, turning their backs onto the Shogun on becoming rebels. That's what he hated, and so did many of the others in the Shinsengumi.

His purple eyes searched the markets, which were full of candies, vegetables, and meats. He wasn't surprised though; nothing had really changed about Japan. Just because swords were taken out of the picture that doesn't mean things of bad could happen once again. Nagakura smiled, this place almost reminded him of Kyoto.

Turning a corner he ran into something rather unexpected. It had almost felt like he just ran into a brick wall but noticed that the thing he ran into had also been pushed.

"Ah, I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention!"

What a rather boyish voice . . .

Nagakura opened his purple eyes onto where the boyish voice had came. A young man, with brown hair cut in a western style stood above him holding out his hand. Nagakura was stunned on whom this boy looked so much like. Standing up and ignoring the boy's hand, he nearly had to look up to him in order to see his face. Kami, why did he have to be so short? Then he soon noticed the katana that was held at his hip. 'Was this guy a rebel of this new era, if he is then certainly he's on my side.'

"Good, now that we've got that understood." Nagakura gave him one of his biggest grins, "Let me ask you this, isn't it illegal to carry a sword now-a-days?"

A large sweat-drop went down the back of the boy's head, and as an answer he got a sigh of distress. Yep, the kid knew what he was doing that was for sure. But, it was curious that he wore a western style shirt and even had the haircut to go with it. Though, it seemed that the guy was only skin and bones, his brown hair was a tad bit long. If Harada were here with him, he'd take the boy under his arm and begin to stuff food down his throat.

"Well sir . . ."

SIR! Who the hell calls him 'SIR' . . .

"I'm very sorry for knocking you over like that, but now I must be on my way."

'What?! Right when I just had something to do you just run away, BAKA!'

Quickly grabbing the back of the young man's shirt, Nagakura pulled him down to the rocky ground underneath him.

"Sorry, but your stayin' with me just a little while longer."

The younger man starred up at him frightened of what he was actually planning. Raising his eyebrows worriedly he squirmed under the guy's gaze.

'H . . . He . . . Help me please!'

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Somewhere far away . . .

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The sound of birds chirping, the water moving, and the odd but familiar sound of metal striking against more metal. Hmmm, yep, something was going on outside his little dusty hut, but what exactly he was not for sure. Sliding his grimy hands between the twig woven door and the bamboo, Mareo glanced outside. Far off on one of the other huts high up in the trees were two people who always fought each other, Qi and Long. Why they always seemed to fight was undiscovered to the little boy, they would even fight over the littlest of things. Keeping his attention on the gracefully jumping and attacking figures in front of him.

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Yes, this was exactly what she needed at this moment, a good fight. She never knew that her sister could be this annoying. Jumping backwards into the air, Qi pulled out her iron fan from its nicely kept place at her leg. Gripping it tightly, she moved her left arm towards Long's neck but was soon blocked by the fabric-covered metal that stayed on his arm. Moving forward Long brought his hand up to his chest and used it and his weight to push his so-called 'Leader' from the snare she had caught him in. Long moved himself backwards then stomped his foot on the old wood and pushed himself into the air. Tucking his arms down to the side of his legs he pulled out the two daggers that he only used in battle. Twirling and then falling with his daggers above his head he came down with a silent 'Thud.'

'Nice move, but clearly seen.'

Qi quickly backed away from this, hastily placing her fan into its slot on her left leg she jumped into the air. But only high enough for her turn around and face the opponent's back, also landing with a silent 'Thud!' Qi launched herself forward to the person who finally realized where she was. Cracking a grin, she grabbed her dagger and pulled up to his face. Qi's smile broadened when she finally saw the anger that had just built up in Long's eyes. Stashing her dagger behind her back, she turned around and began walking away from him.

"That's enough."

Long glared at the retreating woman, 'Enough eh? No, there's plenty more for you to come . . .'

Narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists into tight balls, he looked down on her, the woman who was chosen by his father to become the next Okashira. And in order to do so, she had to kill his father. By now Qi had already made her way down the ropes and onto the ground which had patches of dark green grass on it.

Continuing on in a low whisper, "Yes, you're going to receive more then you bargained for . . . Isami . . . Takara."

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Back in Tokyo

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Snore . . .

Snore . . .

Snore . . .

CCCAAAAAAA!!!!!!

"NANI!?"

Literally jumping from his comfortable place in the corner, the man tried to gain back his breath. Looking to where the sound had come, Harada stopped all motions together. On the ledge hopping from one position to another was a large black crow. And on it's leg was a tiny piece of paper wrapped around it.

' Later on I will send you a crow. On its leg it will tell you the location of the bait at the time and you are to capture the individual.'

Carefully moving forward he reached for the paper on the bird's leg and pulled it gently but as he did so the crow's wing began to wildly flap. Now instead of gently grabbing the piece of paper, he captured the crow's leg and undid the white strap on its leg. Pulling it off, Harada looked down at the bird and released it from his grip. The bird immediately went flying out into the sky.

Now looking back down to the crumpled up white strip of rice paper, he let out a long sigh.

"Now, what do we have here?"

Once he opened it, both knee's and hands gave out and the piece of paper, which was in his hand, fell to the floor. He could feel himself do the same graceful decent to the floor as the paper did. His eyes remained wide for the person he was to snatch from their little hole would be the person who long ago he had to take care of.

"Isami Aiko . . ."

Oh Kami, why did he take this job again? Dropping to his hands he began to think on how this girl was anything important to the Okashira Phoenix. Starring down at the little piece of paper that sat in front of him he closed his eyes and stood up. His face going tense and for once Harada had a serious moment.

"Even if she is the daughter of Isami Kondo, I will follow out this job. I am no longer a man in the Shinsengumi, I am now a hit man."

With that said he turned for the door, picking up his katana from its resting-place and picking up an overcoat for him to wear. Harada opened the door and walked out; tonight he would wait for her if not he would snatch her from her place. Walking slowly down the steps he again made his way for the front door, not paying to anyone who starred at him and the sword at his hip. His hand went for the shoji that was closed before him and slammed it open.

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"Mister, I really need to be going."

Nagakura turned around and glared at the boy, "I have a name ya'know."

The boy looked at him and smiled, of course he knew that this guy had a name, everyone does.

"Nagakura Shinpachi, get it right!"

Closing his eyes he let out a slow sigh, walking along everywhere with a sword in plain daylight was not what he wanted. After all, this era is an era where swords aren't needed. In his hands were the very few things that this man could buy . . . . Children's candy. Maybe this man didn't understand him, he wasn't weak, and he was strong compared to most men.

"So . . ."

Getting caught out of his thought, he looked at Nagakura in front of him and starred at him. Waiting for him to continue on what he was saying. As they walked past all the people in the market he couldn't help but to sigh once more and close his eyes.

Nagakura stopped when the slight movement of a familiar man drifted by. What was Harada doing out….. without any money of course. The moment that he had turned to look at his retreating friend, he met a human wall. That human wall happened to be walking forward and knocked into Nagakura. The food that was once in the young boy's arms had fallen to the ground along with Nagakura. Looking up at the boy with narrow eyes and barely visible pupils he began to speak.

"Oi, that's the second time you've done that."

Standing up and dusting off his backside, he starred at the boy with the attitude that got him into the Shinsengumi in the first place.

"What's your name kid?"

My name? . . . . . Why does he want to know such a thing?

"Ano . . ."

He looked down at all the newly acquired food on the ground but soon saw the face of the older man. Looking up at him he asked again.

"I said what's your name?"

There was a long pause before Nagakura just flat out gave up. Straightening his back he turned around and started off again down the street.

'That boy . . . Doesn't he respect his elders, he's one of the most self-arrogant, pitiful, conniving little-'

"Seta Soujiro."

Nagakura stopped the ill thoughts of the boy and looked back at him with his angry expression still showing. But through the whole time he was starring at him Soujiro was smiling. Narrowing his eyes even more he began to walk away from the contented boy.

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Fujita Residence

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A hot summer sun cast its rays down onto the town of Tokyo, creating shadows of the homes on signs on the streets. There she sat in the middle of the room, wearing her purple kimono she looked up to the blank walls. Memories flooding into her empty head, memories that she had kept close to her heart. Most of those memories she had only him in them; the good memories were the only ones she would hold onto. But the thoughts that lingered were the only think that could break her heart make her wear the so saddened smile she had gained. Her eyes closed as she dipped her head back down.

"Nothing will ever change, you won't leave me, never."

Standing up from the floor, she glanced to the slowly darkening door. Earlier that day Okita had left, and without saying a word Aiko let him do so. Why she had done so she didn't know. Turning to the door her hands slowly opened it and she walked out. She needed air; she needed to get out of there but quickly. Walking around the corner she bumped into something and could hear the sound of that certain something falling back onto the floor.

"Oof!"

Aiko leaned on the wall for support as she looked down at the young 13 year-old Eiji who laid there as if her were crippled. Eiji looked you from the floor and saw Aiko, a very tired looking Aiko that is. Sitting up from his spot on the engawa, he continued to stare at the older woman.

"Tokio-san said that dinner is ready."

Looking surprised Aiko replied, "So early, why didn't she wait for Saitou-san to come home?"

Eiji shrugged his shoulders and finally stood up taking one more glance at Aiko then retreating back to the main room. Aiko watched him, her eyes softening a bit, she could smell the lovely miso soup that Tokio had prepared so obviously Saitou wasn't planning on coming home tonight. Pushing off the wall Aiko also made her way to the main room where she could hear Tsutomu crying and Tokio hushing him. Walking in seemed to please Tokio a lot, but Aiko had other plans then to stay here and eat. She wanted to go find Okita, because where ever Saitou goes Okita always accompanies.

"Tokio-san, I'm going to leave for a bit okay?"

The other woman's face suddenly dropped from pleased to the expression of sadness.

"Aiko, he won't be coming back for a while how about you stay here and wait for him."

She smiled at the mother, memories instantly flooding her head.

"Gomen nasai, I've done that plenty times for him already Tokio-san, but I think I'm going to go watch the fireflies alone if that'd be alright."

Tokio nodded, if Aiko wanted to be alone there was no stopping it. Turning around Aiko soon made her way to the front door, put on her sandals and walked outside into the deepest and quietest of nights.

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In an alleyway

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Blood, the liquid for life was everywhere, on the walls and making puddles on the ground. Four men lay there, there bowels gushing out of their own bodies and two more slashes to their chest area and their head. Each ones eyes darkened and no life showed in them. He had seen that much of this in his days of the old era, blood and gore always pasted the streets and his uniform. But still, in this peaceful era, which didn't need any weapons, how could someone do this.

His friend bent forward to retrieve a little paper, that paper included the name of the person who done this.

"Okashira Phoenix strikes yet again……."

Saitou glanced up at his still staring companion, "There's nothing we could've done, this guy is as quick as Hijikata and has millions of ways to get out of tight situations."

Okita nodded, his bangs danced as he did so, there was something awkward of this night. Something that kind of scared him, his main question was 'What's going to happen now?'

Saitou kept his gaze at his either drifting off friend, or at a man that he doesn't know. Standing from his place on the ground he began to walk away from the bloody mess. Okita noticed he was leaving but kept on listening to the eerie silence around him, not a bird, tree, or person was making any noise. Okita stared up at the moon, some clouds floated around it. Taking in a quick sigh he began to walk in the direction of home, when he got there he planned on going to sleep, nothing else.

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By a stream

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Aiko watched as all the fireflies floated over the water and by her, each and everyone glowing with magnificence. It was so beautiful; all of their reflections danced as the water slowly drifted on by. She took in a long and relaxing sigh, leaning over the water she also saw the mirror of herself. Black hair straying from the high loose bun, soft brown eyes, and the purple kimono that she loved to wear now. She tried to compare herself to what she looked like back then, but nothing came to mind.

Camouflaging himself behind a tree, Harada stood there fascinated by the close resemblance of her and her mother. Wearing pure black and a mask he stared at the smiling woman by the water. Pushing himself up against the tree he closed his eyes and took in the refreshing smells around him. Reaching deep into his pocket he pulled out a white packet and a folded up cloth. Dabbing some of the contents of the bag onto the cloth he looked back at the girl he once knew. It was going to be a full sprint up to her, he'll try to be as quiet as possible since he didn't want to disturb anybody.

And as he had said, he jumped from behind the tree to see the slowly realizing Aiko. And before she could say anything, she could feel the soft texture of a cloth up against her mouth and nose. Aiko squirmed to get out of his grasp, digging her nails into the strong arms wrapped around her. When he moved his arm up, Aiko's hand dropped quickly pulling away something so sacred to her, her mother's necklace. The crystal fell to the ground unnoticed in all the chaos.

Then, something came over her; her body began to shake violently. Drowsiness was falling over her and her muscles were threatening to give out all together. She didn't want sleep she wanted to be released. But that wouldn't happen for her frail body begin to give out and the hands that stay tightly on the man's arm fell. Her eyesight went blurry and for the first time in her life, Aiko felt a sudden surge of hopelessness. Only one last word was spoken from her mind, a word that she would always keep close to her heart.

'Okita . . .'

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Pacing his way along the stream, he could still feel the strong sorrow in his stomach. He was tired, and worst of all, that sorrow in his stomach was beginning to turn sickly. Okita didn't pay any attention to what was in front of him, shadowing his eyes with his bangs as he strolled farther from where the assassination had occurred. His chest was aching, his stomach was hurting and his head was lost in the entire ruckus.

He'd been walking for a couple of hours now, it was about time for him to go back, and he didn't want to worry Aiko. Turning the corner he made his way to the Fujita residence and went inside. No lights were on by first glance, but when he took off his sandals at the doorway he noticed that there were no smiling faces to greet him. Not a surprise, everyone probably fell asleep while he and Saitou had been wandering about the town. Stepping up onto the mat he began to go to his room where he saw Tokio walk past the hallways exit.

"Tokio-san."

Stopping in her tracks she was instantly greeted by the man's smile. In her arms was the silently sleeping Tsutomu, and she wore her usual green kimono.

"Okita-san welcome back, I see my husband didn't come back with you."

Okita's smile widened as he brought his hand behind his head, "Well, he said he had more work to do."

Tokio's soft smile saddened a bit as she pretended to be only fine with just that information.

"As long as he hasn't gone on one of his journey's I'll be fine."

Okita's eyes also softened but his smile didn't diminish; he could see the pain in her eyes. They almost resembled . . . He stared down at his feet, 'Is that the way Aiko looks when I leave?'

"Are you alright Okita-san?"

Eh?

Looking up to the curious woman all he could do was lie, "Hai, hai just tired."

That wasn't the truth though, he felt more like puking more then anything else. A nausea sweeping over him like the urge to cough. Tokio continued to stare at him until the boy in her arms began to squirm. Then, when she was about to go and put Tsutomu in his room she stopped and glanced at the man in the moonlight. She was startled when she heard him speak something to her.

"Is Aiko in her room?"

Tokio paused between the boy's room and the engawa, hadn't he seen her? She didn't feel the least bit comfortable about this but she told him where she thought Aiko was.

"Aiko-san said she was going to go watch the fireflies tonight. Funny . . ."

The last word caught Okita's attention quickly, his eyes remained on the woman who went to go set down Tsutomu. Following her Okita couldn't help but question her.

"Funny?"

Lifting a finger to her chin and tapping it slightly, she remained by her child and stared up at the ceiling.

"Well, Aiko left about two hours ago, I would think she would've been home by now."

Okita's shoulders slouched and a sweat drop went down his head. Knowing Aiko she'd even stay an hour or two watching the insects glitter about. Sighing, he turned away and began to walk down the engawa.

"I'll go get her, and don't worry, I probably won't be back soon."

* * * * * *

*A hundred days have made me older

Since the last time that I saw your pretty face . . .*

Okita walked down the street, looking closely to see a woman sitting by the water. There were still fireflies out, each one of them soon settling into the grass. Then, an image of Aiko squatting down by the river edge with her hand in the water came to his mind. A grin came over his face, the way he had imagined her had made her look so peaceful, and a woman full of laughter and life.

*A thousand laughs have made me colder

And I don't think I can look at this the same . . .*

He continued to walk forward until something caught his attention, something shining in the moonlights rays. Coming closer to it he bent down and uncovered the object from the dry earth. A beautiful crystal in the shape of a small flower hanging by a long sliver necklace nearly dropped out of his hands.

*But all the miles that separate

Have disappeared now and I'm dreamin' of your face . . .*

Gripping the necklace in his hand, he could've broken into pieces by all the force he was using. Standing up quickly, he looked around for anything, a young woman behind a tree, maybe sleeping in the grass but there was nothing. Aiko was gone, but he couldn't allow that. Starting off in a full sprint Okita desperately looked for the woman he so needed. He had to know if she was alright, he HAD to know!

*I'm here without you baby

But you're still alone in my lonely mind

I think about you baby

And I dream about you all the time . . ."

A sharp pain shot through his chest and left him crippled on the ground. His chest wanting to crush itself from the pain, wanting to make everything worse. He swallowed hard as he tried to push himself off the ground but the weight of himself simply seemed to much for his arms as he went crashing for the earth beneath him. And then it hit him, he could feel it come up with all the pain under it. The urge to cough came sharply as he hopelessly tried to cover his mouth. Coughing, hurting his chest, he closed his eyes from the pain as his stomach muscles tightened.

*I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight, is only you and me . . ."

Okita opened his eyes finally, but it was something unexpected, he had tears rolling down the side of his nose and then dripping off the top. Right in front of him though, was only a red and black blur, blood. Though his coughing still persisted, he couldn't feel it at all for only one thing remained in his mind. Her laughter, her smiles, her distress, her sadness . . . Only one word was mumbled painfully from his mouth.

"Aiko . . ."

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Next Chapter

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In the next chapter of "Where Are You Now?" Aiko wakes up to find she's not at home anymore. What will happen to Okita's pain, and what the heck is happening between the Okashira Phoenix and the mysterious black man . . . Find out in probably another month…….

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Character Notes

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Okita Soushi: Yes, he's still ill, this is an angst ya' know….

Harada Sanosuke: You know, I really wanted him to be funny in this story, and frankly I like the guy in PMK so what the heck. For all of you who don't know and is reading my story but not reviewing, Harada was the Captain of the Tenth squad in the Shinsengumi. He is also a hit man in my story…..

Nagakura Shinpachi: Oh in PMK you have got to love this character! But in this story he isn't as sneaky as he is in the anime. He is the Captain of the second squad in the Shinsengumi.

Qi: The leader of the Art of Phoenix, Qi was very well known in China for her spectacular performance in the martial arts. She was a ninja assassin used by the empress herself since the empress's symbol is the Phoenix. In order to become the well-known leader she had to fight the former leader and kill him. Very little is known about her except the fact that her Japanese name was Takara Isami, meaning that she is the sister of Aiko and the daughter of Kondo and Maemi Isami.

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Reviews

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Inca_dove: Okay fine! I'll let you be the first one that I review. I'm glad that you knew who I was talking about in Aiko's dream but tell me Inca, was it a foreshadow of what is to come or what? **raises eyebrow**

JadeGoddess: I've just started on getting people confused but just wait, I love this chapter incredibly . . .

MysticInca: Oh your so nice! COOKIE! Unlike you I don't got those problems with the internet. But tell me, DID YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE I KNOW I DID!

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Fanfic by ione