Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Written in The Stars ❯ Weaving a spiderweb ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: RK does not belong to me. It belongs to its creator Watsuki Nobuhiro, and a bunch of powerful and wealthy companies. Jihan as well as other OC, are my exclusive creation, and I keep all the rights concerning them. If you are interested in using any of them, ask me before, please.

This fic's only purpose is entertainment, no profit intended.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The last part of this chapter (the setting is in Hokkaido) is VERY strong. It's a STRONG R rated chapter. No lemon/lime involved at all, BUT, there is abuse in minors strongly HINTED. You won't see actual deeds, just hints, but some people might feel offended or/and shocked.

Therefore, BE WARNED about the contents of the last part of the chapter. Having said this, I humbly ask not to flame me BECAUSE of this.

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First, I want to show my deepest gratitude to the patient women that have helped me to make this piece relatively readable. Thanks to their time, their effort, their comments and their priceless suggestions and ideas. If you enjoy this ride, it's also thanks to them. Therefore to them, a deep bow from me. Thanks Midori, MightyMightyMunson and Kamorgana. They are great authors, and I'm sure you know their fics, anyway, there is no harm in remind you to check their stories.

I also want to express my gratitude for the priceless help given by Fujifunmum through the last months. It had been greatly appreciated. A deep bow to you too, Fuji.

To my reviewers, all my love. Individual answers at the bottom.

Now to the fic:

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Aoiya Inn, City of Kyoto, Earth, February 1880 A.D.

Far from the feverish activity in the dinning hall of the Aoiya Inn, two old men kneeled on the tatami mats in deep concentration, a shogi[1] board between them. The room was filled with the barely warming sun of late Winter, something that their old bones were grateful for.

- "You are determined to do this, aren't you, Hiroshi?"

- "It's my duty. Someone has to put some sense back into those two young persons' minds."

- "Well, I suppose that there is a dose of reality in your idea… These two have been beating around the bush for too long, if you ask me… Ah, I remember those times when I…" a dreamy look appeared in Okina's eyes, a product of the sweet memories of his youth.

- "And yet, you remained a bachelor…"- Hiroshi's chuckle cut short Okina's tale of amorous exploits- "Your turn…"

- "Well, you know, I was the second in command of my clan, I could have become Okashira myself… I was married to the Clan and duty… Your turn…"

- "I suppose a wife, another onmitsu of course, could have caused to a 'free spirit' like yours some … errrr… unwanted trouble…"

- "Definitely….- Now it was Okina's turn to chuckle."

- "You should consider the same course of action I'll take with my son-in-law. With Misao, I mean. It's not fair that such a sweet little lady should stay tied to that walking piece of ice. He should be less selfish and make his intentions clear. He either proposes honorably, or lets her go. What is he waiting for? That she passes the marriageable age, so he can keep her as his eternal waitress, bringing him tea to the temple until he is too old to sit with his legs straight again?" Hiroshi-shook his head, exorcising the disturbing image of the pair in their old age, still following the tea and temple routine.

- "He is a good man, and he wasn't always as he is now. I know, I raised him myself, I know his heart."- he paused for a second- "Better than he does, by the way he keeps acting. He assumed that detached attitude when he became Okashira, it comes with the title. Even then, when he left the Aoiya, he wasn't as cold and detached. It's my firm belief that he lost part of his soul when he had to work for dishonorable people, and then…"- the old man slowly shook his head, sadness darkening his ever cheerful features for a brief moment- "However, I have noticed him beginning to return to his old self... He is more open now than when he had just come back to us."

- "Oh, my! I can't imagine how he was then…"

- "For a long time, I had hoped that Misao was merely infatuated with him...that in time, her feelings would calm down and even revert to one more suited to deal with her...."enthusiastic nature". Okina sighed and fingered a game piece quietly. " But now...I am convinced that she is truly in love. And I know he loves her, as well. He might not outwardly betray those emotions towards her...but they are there never the less."

- "My point, then, is that you should act and help them a little."

- "Believe me, I've tried every trick in the book… But Aoshi is too clever to fall for any of them. He is the root of the problem... a damaged soul that needs a little more time to come back to life"

There was an awkward silence, an unvoiced thought lingering in Hiroshi's mind. War was always unkind, and had shattered the souls of many men, men who could have been happy, raising a family, simply living out their peaceful lives... But he also knew that duty required that a selected few to sacrificed their souls and futures in order to grant the welfare to the rest of the people. It was the task of men like he and Okina to gather the tattered remains of the chosen sacrificial victims and try to put them together, to let them to achieve a piece of the happiness they had granted others with their deeds.

- "War is a monster."- Hiroshi said bitterly.- "Turns our sons into demons, and then gives them back to us as broken, empty shells."

- "Yes, it is. But it's not the problem with him. Your class and our Clan are born to perform our duty. We, the Oniwabanshuu, like you and your samurai ancestors before, are ready to sacrifice ourselves for our land. It's our duty and our honor, and we are proud to belong to this Clan that has been serving Japan for so long. He assumed the position knowing full well what it meant. And unlike Himura, he has no problems shedding blood in the name of duty if necessary."

- "Then, I don't understand…"

- "He is paralyzed by guilt like Himura, but not for the same motives. His disastrous choices as Okashira drove some of our clan members to their deaths, and then he got insanely obsessed with becoming the strongest to honor their memory. This obsession almost set Kyoto in flames and killed Himura… and us. But then, when I had given up on Aoshi, Himura, the wise little fellow, trusted in the chance of salvation for Aoshi and brought him back to us. He was right, I was wrong; despite he had only met Aoshi in battle, at his lowest moment as a human being and as a leader, while I had raised him since he was a boy. Your son-in-law's deep insights are truly admirable, and if he hasn't given up on your son, it is because there is still hope for him."

- "He is paying for his father's sins. If I hadn't been so weak and selfish, I would have taken the reins of his education, taming his wild nature. He would have made a fine, honorable samurai, a soldier, no doubt. The way of the sword is his path, he couldn't possibly be a civil servant as I used to be. However, that was not destined to happen... Instead, he became a murderer, a criminal…"- he sighed- "However, I am glad that Kenshin had reached the same conclusion as I did concerning Enishi. His basic nature, no matter how harsh, wild and violent, is not completely rotten, there is still a spark of goodness within the dark. He can return from the evil path he had been following. I'll have to pay attention in the following years and guide him with a gentle hand, because even if he performed those deeds as a grown man, even if he is burdened by his wrong choices, he is still the same lost boy he was when he left our home looking for his sister." The old man sighed.

- "Okina!"

-

One of the young men belonging to the Oniwabanshuu entered the garden, visibly agitated.

- "It's Aoshi! He came back… he is injured…"

For someone of his age, thought Hiroshi, Okina could get up extremely quickly. By the time Hiroshi managed to reach the back of the Aoiya, where Aoshi was, the black haired man was already being attented to to by Megumi, the attractive female physician who was also among Kenshin's group of friends.

- "The wound is not serious per se, but he has lost a lot of blood. The bigger risk now is the shock that the blood loss could cause and the subsequent risk of infection ." -

The doctor cleaned the wound efficiently, her brows furrowing in worry. While gunshot wounds at close range were always serious, the ninja had been fortunate. The bullet had gone cleanly through his shoulder and apparently, it hadn't damaged major blood vessels, nerves or bone..

-

- "There is no need for concern, Takani-sensei. Your efforts are greatly appreciated, though. I'd be grateful if the issue is treated discreetly with Misao."

- "I wonder how you'll manage to hide this from the weasel girl."- She mumbled- " She is neither an idiot nor a child, Shinomori-san, you'd better realize that. She will discover you were attacked sooner or later."

It was a fortunate coincidence that most of the Kenshingumi had decided to take a ride that afternoon. Sanosuke, the tall ex street fighter, and Yahiko had gone for a ride to Mount Ueno.

- "Takani-sensei, we all appreciate your superb work, but Aoshi is right"- Okina said, all traces of gentle cheerfulness in the old man now gone, replaced by the steeled ninja warrior taking the front-"of course, we can't hide the attack completely from Misao, but we can minimize the consequences of it in front of her."

- " Causing her unnecessary worries is useless."-the always even and monotonous voice of Aoshi was tinted with a subtle note of pain

- "Yes," Okina confirmed, "Misao would go frantic about it, and as you said doctor, the wound is not critical. You certainly know that we, the members of the Oniwabansuu, have survived injuries far worse than a simple bullet."

Megumi shuddered, as if a sudden wave of memories had assaulted her

- "Yes, it's true, some of you have survived bullets before."

Hiroshi felt like he truly was an outcast at that moment. He was sure, for the way in which Shinomori's body had tensed, Okina's eyes had narrowed, and the uncomfortable expressions on the rest of the Clan members' faces, that Takani Megumi, Kenshin's friend, had hit some sensible nerve among these people.

- " But you owe her the knowledge, don't make decisions for her when you aren't entitled to. All of you, oh-so mighty warriors forget the pain you give to those who care for you, behaving irresponsibly, as if you were kami incarnated and couldn't be killed. But you are not immortal, you know? You come to us all battered and bloodied, after each stupid fight you manage to get into and we patch you up time and time again. And all for what? For nothing, I tell you. You go there again, and get beaten up to a pulp… I wonder if I should waste my time at all in any of you… The Rooster, Ken-san, you…What happened this time? Did you stopped another bloody revolution, or this time you decided to join it?"

The voice of the doctor had slowly escalated to a bitter, sharp tone, and Hiroshi knew exactly why. After all, he knew how deeply the doctor cared for his son in law, and he had heard about the consequences that years of battle had left on Kenshin's small body. Last time, Kenshin had fought against Enishi, the fight had taken a big toll on his son-in-law's health. For a devoted healer such as Megumi-sensei, someone dedicated to protect life and not to take it, all those fights should sound ridiculous and useless. Some of them certainly had been and still were, but sometimes to fight was the only way to protect the innocent and the weak.[2]

- "I'm sorry… I completely overstepped the limits, and I'm being an ungrateful guest. I think I'd better go, I'll be in my room if you need me." The sudden burst of rage in the young woman had died as abruptly as it had started. She bowed formally "Shinomori-san, Okina -san, all of you, my apologies"

- "There is no need for such apologies, Takani-sensei. I understand your reasons, and I can assure you that you are not the one at fault here." Shinomori made a pause, and went on, "Also, I want to express our gratefulness. Your help is greatly appreciated by all of us."

The doctor nodded curtly, as a silent acknowledgement, and left. Shinomori stood up, but he had to be supported by the two younger men, who walked him to his room.

- "Hiroshi… I want to ask you a favor. Misao does not expect Aoshi back for a couple of days, so she won't suspect immediately that anything is wrong. When she is back with Kaoru-san and Himura, keep her and Kaoru-san distracted until I come to talk to her."

Hiroshi nodded his agreement; it was the least he could do for these wonderful people. He understood completely their request.

- "Omasu… see that Himura meets me in Aoshi's room as soon he is back, out of the girls' knowledge" Okina commanded the girl, who nodded briefly.

Then, the old warrior made his own way to Shinomori's room. Hiroshi understood that they needed to discuss the details of the attack privately, and as Kenshin was considered as an ally of the onmitsu Clan, it was only logical that he had been summoned to such meeting.

While wearing the perfect incarnation of the clueless old man that had served him through many years, he sat down near the entrance, waiting for Misao. As in those times, he now had a job to do…

*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*

The faces of the three men sat in the room bore thoughtful expressions. They were facing a new potential threat.

- "Do you think that Enishi might have been behind the attack?" Himura Kenshin's voice was lower than usual, tinted with doubt and a subtle hint of pain.

- "It's a possibility, though it's not likely."

Shinomori Aoshi understood the lingering guilt in the former Hitokiri. If his brother in law was involved the attack, Himura's optimistic hopes for the other man would vanish, and the ex-assassin would probably be forced to face his dead wife's brother in combat again. However, there was no concrete indication of Yukishiro being the mastermind behind the ambush… or the schemes that the Miburo had been investigating lately. Still, Yukishiro's antecedents made it up to be considered as a serious suspect.

"It's true, Himura. Those who lured Aoshi to that trap with a fake lead could have been the ones who attacked Yukishiro as well." Okina sipped his tea calmly, stating facts objectively.

True indeed, Yukishiro had been attacked and then, he had quickly vanished. The Oniwabanshuu contact inside the Japanese Intelligence stated that they were absolutely sure he hadn't left the country, and no traces of him being in the mainland could be detected. The distinct possibility of Yukishiro having been suppressed in a rather drastic and permanent way lingered amid them, as an unspoken reality. That would also explain why someone had gone through such trouble to devise a trap for the people who were inquiring about the ex-weapons dealer. Especially, if the one inquiring was a master spy belonging to the best intelligence net in the country. Someone wanted to keep the mystery unsolved, and Shinomori Aoshi wondered why. Maybe there was something else than simple criminal paybacks.

"It was the most promising hint we've had in all these weeks..."- Himura Battousai shook his head, mildly disappointed. "Anything new from the Britons' involvement?"

"No." Okina answered the redheaded swordsman "They wanted Yukishiro dead, and have been pressuring General Yamagata himself to get your brother in law arrested and publicly executed. They'd been rather specific about this. The reasons are unclear, but rumors say that Yukishiro had stolen classified information about the British colonies in the mainland, which he could have sold to several rebel groups, causing great losses to the Empire, and he has made sworn enemies with some powerful British figures."

"Ah, I see… they want to set an example with him… An exemplary execution to discourage those who could try to face the British power" Himura murmured. "But I doubt Yamagata-san would let them pressure him."

" Unless they have something to force his hand. I suspect that there is more here than meets the eye. We can access it through our own channels, but we would be saving time and effort if you used your old acquaintance with Yamagata."

"Aoshi is right, Himura. You have access to Yamagata, and as Yukishiro is your own brother in law, your interest in this matter is justified. At least, we would have a more clear view of the kind of problem we are facing concerning our search…"

"Not to mention that we could perform a service to the country if we could stop the foreigners from poking their noses in our own affairs" Aoshi added.

"I'll ask to have a word with him on this matter. I'll probably receive news in a couple of days, if I use the old channels. It would be better not to lose more time."- Himura nodded pensively at his suggestion, and then he rose, bowing politely to his hosts before leaving the room.

As soon as they were alone, Okina spoke, as he had been waiting from the beginning.

"There is something else you didn't tell Himura."

"Aa."

"And you won't tell me either, will you?"

"You are correct. I need to confirm some facts and study some others first. I might know the one behind the attacks. If he is who I suspect, there is no need for Himura Battousai to be involved. It would become a direct Oniwabanshuu matter."

"And what about Misao? You know that she has been taking her responsibilities with real zeal. We won't be able to keep her in the dark for long. We will get in trouble if she decides to press things. And as for your certain behaviors of late, she will. She believes you are not taking her seriously because she is too young. I must ask this: are you not taking her seriously?"

"It's not a question of age. Times change. We should move ahead, following the flow of the times. There is no need for us to keep the old ways, we are an anachronism."

"Maybe, you should listen to yourself, Aoshi, and let the time flow for you too. You still think she is a child."

" No, I don't. She is a young and very capable woman, but in this era, there is no need for young women like her to learn the dark arts, to stain their hands with other's blood in obscure and dirty assassinations to protect some shady politicians' affairs. She is meant to live a normal life. She should never have taken over the title in the first place. You shouldn't have allowed it."

"Your memory is weak, Aoshi… I couldn't prevent her from taking the title because I was too busy trying to survive the injuries you inflicted on me. So, as it is your fault, you'll deal with her when she discovers that you have been hiding information from her. And to be pretty honest, she did a fine job being Okashira, better, in some sense, that other more physically and intellectually suited for the post."

"I'm doing it for her own sake." He kept his impassive features, but both he and his old mentor knew that the hit had been direct and hard.

"And who are you, Aoshi, to deprive her of her birthright and her own choices?"

"This is serious, old man. She might not realize it now, but being in the position and trying to keep our former place, would require that she lose her soul. And there would be a day, when she would regret the choice."

"You'll be the one regretting your hasty choices some day, Aoshi. You just don't realize it." Okina glared at him, but he kept his straight face as always. No need for further discussion on a matter that was already decided. "I'll go to give her the news of the attack."

The old man shook his head, and murmured some words about stubborn young men. Aoshi didn't care. He knew what he was doing. He had lost too much during his years as Okashira. He didn't want for Misao to go from the living force that kept the Aoiya alive, to a jaded soul like he was. No, she deserved much better. And even if the final result ended with him losing her, but keeping her protected and finding a new happiness, he was ready to pay the price. He'd do anything to protect Misao's pure being. She deserved it, even if only for her blind faith in him, her forgiveness, and loyal support during the hardest days of his life.

Hurried steps sounded down the corridor. He braced himself, knowing who was the small figure producing them. The shoji door opened brusquely and a swirl of wind encased in a young woman entered the room, throwing herself on top of him.

"Aoshi-sama!"

*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*

Aoiya Inn, City of Kyoto, Earth, a day later.

The practice area resounded full with the rhythmic 'thud' of the kunai reaching their targets.

"Can anyone explain me why men are so stubborn… so idiotic… so silent?"

"Tell me about it…" Kaoru rolled her eyes "but Misao-chan, would you prefer him otherwise?"

"Sometimes, I think seriously about it… but no, the answer is no. If he were different, he would no longer be Aoshi-sama." The next kunai buried itself to the hilt in the dummy Misao was using as target "But, anyway, he really infuriates me sometimes."

"How is it possible that the most perfect man in the whole creation infuriates you? Hasn't he mastered all the answers in the Universe yet?" Megumi said.

Misao glared at the doctor woman that Himura held in great esteem. She knew the basics of the story behind her meeting of sorts with the Oniwabanshuu and Aoshi-sama, but she had never gotten the full details. She understood that Aoshi-sama, Hannya and the others had done dishonorable things, but she also knew that they would never have harmed a defenseless woman like Megumi. She probably was still resentful because she had been held captive of Aoshi-sama's former employer, and Aoshi-sama's presence reminded her of those days.

"Yes, he has all the answers… but sometimes he just forgets them… probably too much meditation… I have a theory that it dulls the brain, even one as bright as Aoshi-sama's"- In quick succession, she pinned five new targets, all in perfect timing.<another well thrown kunai.> Misao thought, a satisfied grin on her face. It seemed that anger sharpened her accuracy. Yes, she had motives to be very, very angry at Aoshi-sama…

She still remembered the strong thuds of her heart when she ran through the corridor as soon as Jiya had given her the news about his injuries. It was evident then, that everyone had known, everyone but Kaoru and her. Hiroshi-san's reaction gave it away. It seemed as if the old man and Megumi expected her to collapse, or something. How could she? She was Makimachi Misao, and Makimachi Misao was brave and strong, and had to cheer up everyone with a positive attitude during grim times. She had to be, she had to keep her family glued together.

She had not collapsed when Jiya almost died at the hands of Aoshi-sama, and he had rejected her at that moment. She had not collapsed when Jiya had asked Himura to kill Aoshi-sama, and she had only dropped tears of gratitude before Himura's promise. She had not collapsed when the Aoiya had been reduced into a pile of rubble, and she had not collapsed when she had seen Aoshi-sama coming back in shreds after the Shishio incident. She hadn't collapsed when it seemed that Kaoru had been effectively killed by that bastard Yukishiro. Every time had been close, but she recalled who she was. She was Makimachi Misao.

So now, she wouldn't collapse because Aoshi-sama had been slightly injured. Few men were able to cause him real harm, and all of them were currently friends or allies of the Oniwabanshuu[3], so she had the absolute conviction that it hadn't been that serious, especially when they had avoided telling her from the beginning.

But Aoshi-sama was Aoshi-sama, and of course she had run full of anxiety to watch over his health and needs. There would be time to clear things out. Because she wasn't angry at the fact he had been wounded, that was part of their profession, neither she was angry because they had kept silence when they had already known of the injuries. No, she wasn't angry at that. She was angry at the plot developing behind her back.

She was angry because neither Jiya nor Aoshi-sama took her seriously. Well, in fact, only Aoshi-sama didn't take her seriously.

Anyway, both men had managed somehow to sneak information behind her back, leaving her in the dark about something, something they surely thought was beyond her capacities. It was an open insult to her as Okashira, and a break to the Clan codes. She could even expect it from Aoshi-sama, since he had managed to break each and all the inner laws of the Oniwabanshuu, but Jiya had held the utmost respect for the ancient rules. Aoshi-sama could had been working his way into the old man's brain, again using the excuse of her age as a good argument for getting away with his plan. As if he had forgotten that he was even younger when he had been appointed as Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu!

<The nerve of that man!>- another kunai buried to the hilt in the center of the target practice.

Anyway, she had offered the title back to Aoshi-sama as soon as he started his recovering upon his return to the Aoiya, but he had refused then, and Jiya had told her that it would be better for him to never be burdened again with such responsibility. So she held it, both for the sake of the Oniwabanshuu's honor and history and for Aoshi-sama's well being. So his behavior now sounded as a sort of small betrayal.

She would keep an eye on them both, and as soon as she could detect any proof of their plot, she would confront them. She wasn't a naïve child, but a trained Oniwabanshuu, and would teach a lesson to the pair.

Misao knew for a fact that if she confronted them now, without anything else but suspicions and weak leads, they'd only deny the charges, patronizing her, and would become more careful.

<Nonononono> said vigorously Misao in her head, while recovering some of the kunais thrown to take her stance again, and went ahead with her training session. She would not let them escape that easily. <I'll let them think I'm fool enough to not notice their sneaky behavior, and then… then I'll catch them red-handed… and then they will know who Makimachi Misao truly is: the acting Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu!>

"Misao-chan, calm down…" Kaoru tried to soothe her friend.

"I didn't see you oh-so-calm when you laid your hands on Himura after he left you in Kyoto to help Hiroshi-san…"

"Oh, well…" Kaoru blushed deeply "But that was different… he left without warning… but he at least left a note… See… it was different…"

"Yeah, right." Misao countered.

"Maybe a little make up, less kunai and bokken would make them more obedient… ohohohohoho."

The doctor's snickering at them, made both women turn their faces to her, and Megumi opted to leave the place at their murderous stares, though her annoying laughter could still reach their ears.

"Megumi-sensei is a clever woman, and she is wise advisor when she talks seriously, but she can be such a pain in the neck when she is teasing …" Misao shook her head "How can you deal with her?"

"At first, it was infuriating. At that time, when we met, she was truly interested in Kenshin." Kaoru stated, and Misao's eyes went wide with astonishment. She had heard Megumi's teasing, but shortly after knowing her, she realized that to annoy people was a basic trait of her character. She had never suspected that her teasing had some actual basis…

"How could you tolerate it? If I had been in such situation with my Aoshi-sama…"

"Oh, but there is a good reason for my attitude Misao-chan…" Kaoru gave her a small smile, and then started her tale "When the Shishio affair came, things changed forever among us all. Kenshin only said good bye to one of our family : me. I didn't understand what it truly meant at first. But Megumi took it for what it was. She understood I was the one for him, the one he had chosen. And despite her deep feelings for Kenshin, she selflessly stayed behind in Tokyo and encouraged me to go after him instead, hoping it would secure his happiness." Kaoru's expression softened, a slight blush staining her cheeks.

Misao looked at her in awe. She didn't know so many things about Megumi! Suddenly, she felt her sympathy growing for the sly lady doctor.

"When Kenshin left Tokyo, all I could do was stay in bed. I didn't talk, feed myself, anything…then she came. She confronted me and put me again on my feet." Kaoru continued with the account, "If Megumi had been selfish, she would have left me rotting in misery, instead she put me on the road to Kyoto. And when she came here to treat Kenshin's wounds, she did it again, she advised me, even when it was painful for her, and then she renounced Kenshin for the second time, and for good." An intense emotion flickered for a moment in Kaoru's eyes, and Misao recognized it immediately: deep gratitude. "From that moment on, I knew that she was a friend, and I could trust her. So, even when sometimes her jokes or her foxy comments can rub me the wrong way, these two moments pop up in my mind again and I can't stay angry with her anymore. I just hope she finds her true one soon. It hurts to see her that lonely"

"I thought Sagara…"

"No. There is something but...I think that they are too different to truly last, and that's why they had never gone beyond mutual bantering and sarcastic teasing."

"I see…" Misao sighed.

The young ninja seemed to lose some her ever present energy. Too many things to think about, and too many questions to ask… She sat down by her friend's side, thinking that maybe, that was a good occasion to ease her mind of some of the questions that had been lingering on her mind since long ago.

" I didn't want to bring this before but since we are talking about Megumi… She is so tense around Aoshi-sama… I feel as if she can't let go of the past, that she is still resented for what happened, for the role of the Oniwabanshuu in her captivity. But you see, I have never blamed her for the death of Hannya and the others; it was beyond her control. Therefore, I think that if I could let go of the sadness their loss meant to us, she also should forgive Aoshi-sama, I mean, not merely on the surface. We are now friends aren't we?"

"Yes, Misao-chan. But it takes more time for some persons to heal. Look at your Aoshi-sama…" There was a hint of sadness in Kaoru's voice, while she avoided her gaze.

<…or Himura… Yes, I know, I know…> Misao left the thought linger in her mind, though she knew that the unspoken words hung around also in her friend's head.

"At least, Himura has made some progress since I met the two of you…" Misao knew that her friend wouldn't take her straightforwardness as an insult.

"Yes, he has." Kaoru beamed a hopeful smile, but a sudden shadow of sadness flashed through her eyes. "After Jinchuu, he changed a lot. I suppose that after suffering through the living Hell that Enishi built for him, and finally finding his answer, he accepted that he needed to move forward…."

"Oh… Tell me more!" Misao sat hurriedly by her friend's side, who was trying to recover the air she had taken out of her lungs. If Himura had finally accepted that life went on, there was still hope for Aoshi-sama. And she didn't want to lose any details, though she hoped that in his case...there would be no need for another Jinchuu for the stubborn man to realize his feelings.

"Oh, nothing too spectacular. You know how shy Kenshin is. But we have started to sit at the engawa each night, after dinner. To be honest, we had been doing this even before Jinchuu. But back then, we just shared silence. Now, he has begun to talk, about him, his past, his fears… his wishes."

If Kaoru's words meant what she thought, those were great news indeed. Misao turned towards her friend, explosive enthusiasm invading her again.

<Ok… Maybe this was too much…>, thought Misao a moment later, after discovering that her too fervent embrace had left the other girl breathless. Misao sat hurriedly by her friend's side, who was trying to recover the air she had taken out of her lungs.

"That's wonderful!!! Why haven't you told me before that Himura has proposed to you!??"

"Shhhhhh…" Kaoru had clamped Misao's mouth shut with her hand, her face suddenly pale.

"Mmmpffff!!" protested the short ninja.

"Misao, just shut up… don't embarrass me please!" Kaoru looked frantically around "He didn't! He hasn't actually proposed. He is just… opening himself."

<Ok, maybe I was expecting too much… Geez, some guys can be so damn dense…> Misao let slip another sigh, thinking of pair of icy blue eyes, belonging to the king of dense guys of the Universe.

Anyway, there was still hope for Himura… There was a positive angle in this new development.

"Oh… but opening is good… If only Aoshi-sama could do the same…"- the image of the forever-silent man, sat down cross-legged in perpetual meditation, flashed through Misao's brain- "Still, even he has managed to be a little more open, after Jinchuu…" the look of absolute skepticism that Kaoru gave to her made Misao mad. Nobody gave Aoshi-sama the credit he deserved. She was the only one who could see his true efforts to get back to life - "No, don't give me that look, Kaoru! He is!"- Kaoru's expression didn't change, and she admitted to herself that maybe her friend was right -"But at the rate he's going, I think you'll have Himura's grandchildren before I get somewhere with him…"- <Well, I should be realistic… even with all that progress…> Misao thought to herself for a moment. Then, she regained her strength: she wouldn't give up on him. -"Anyway… what you told me is promising in the short term", finished the young ninja, trying to move away from an increasingly uncomfortable topic for her.

"I hope you're right … Misao, Kenshin is opening, I know he cares for me. Megumi told me how Jinchuu affected him, the doll, I mean…" Kaoru bit her lower lip, her eyes fixed on the tatami. "He has found his answer, but old habits die hard, and I know I'll have to wait for him… as long as he needs it."

"I think Himura needs someone to knock some sense into him… I will…", Misao jumped to her feet, ready to say a couple of words to the other dense man, but she found herself restrained by her friend once again.

"No! Misao… What would you do if someone talked to Aoshi?"

"Ok. You've got a point there…", she admitted, sitting down, slightly crestfallen.

There was an awkward silence. A long postponed question lingered on the tip of her tongue, and now that Kaoru had mentioned the incident, Misao guessed that probably she wouldn't get a better chance to talk about the subject.

"Kaoru... Did Megumi give you the full details of what happened during… during Jinchuu?"- Kaoru had mentioned the doll, but Misao wondered if she knew the true extent of Enishi's villainy.

"Yes, she did." Kaoru made a pause, gathering her strength. Evidently, it still was a hard issue for her "She couldn't help but tell me, Kenshin's behavior shortly after we arrived home left her no choice in the matter. His nightmares were horrible. I found him every night, resting crouched against the shoji of my bedroom… Every time I went out to buy, or to teach, I knew he was following me… And Tsubame's would look at me so strangely...even Yahiko's behavior had changed… On top of that, I remembered how Enishi was so sure that Kenshin would be cosumed by pain and die during the time I was held in his island, that I knew he had done something hideous and horrible to Kenshin, but without actually killing him."

"You must loathe him for what he did, mustn't you?"

"Misao-chan… For a man as proud and arrogant as Enishi is, who believed he was above the law, and that he was the deliverer of Justice when he had committed worse crimes than those he accused Kenshin of, there is something a thousand times worse than mere loathing, and that's the emotion we call pity. I only can feel a great deal of pity for him."

"Pity? How can you feel pity for that freak of a man, after what he did to Kenshin, to you, Tae-san, to us all?"

"I just keep thinking about that moment in the beach, when realization hit him. When I gave him Tomoe-san's diary I saw in it his eyes. I saw it then that he had understood that everything he lived and struggled for had been all in vain."

"Well, I have to admit that he looked terribly broken then… but later, he managed to escape custody… I don't know what to believe…"

"Yes, he looked so broken… I believed for a while that he'd kill himself. His words, those he said to Kenshin made me think so. But Kenshin thought he wouldn't… and he was right. However, Misao, I looked in his eyes and like in the dojo, when we crossed stares, his emotions were just…. there. I only could gather a deep sorrow emanating from him. I suppose it's reasonable, after realizing that, instead of honoring Tomoe-san, he had made her spirit restless because of his deeds…"

"Well, I would also have thought that he would kill himself , after such a discovery… Why did Himura think he wouldn't do it? "

"As strange it might sound, Kenshin said that he wouldn't do it because of Tomoe-san. Atonement, Kenshin said. But then, his burden will be a million times heavier than Kenshin's and the price of his atonement much higher. When I remember Enishi's words at the beach, condemning Kenshin for his sins as a hitokiri, I can't help but imagine how it will be for him to pay for his own sins. Time and again, he will have to face the hatred and loathing of those who have suffered at his hand, as he has loathed and hated Kenshin, and he will have to seek their forgiveness to forgive himself. Think of your own reaction a while ago. It's a very hard punishment. Hiroshi-san is the only close person he still has, but he is an old man with few years ahead, especially with the kind of life he lived… Enishi is not a kind person, and once Hiroshi-san joins Tomoe-san, his path will be one of loneliness, living only to get the smile of a ghost, while Kenshin, on the other hand, will have always all his friends. When I think of this, Misao-chan, I only can feel the deepest pity for him."

"I see your point… but I feel ambiguous about this… You know… I do feel pity, but not for him. I feel pity for his poor father. He probably has made bad choices too, but he is a decent man. He does not deserve the shame his son has brought upon him and his family…"

"He is not responsible for his son's misdeeds… as you are not responsible for Aoshi's."

"But Aoshi-sama changed…"

"I still hold a grain of hope for Enishi…"

"I understand… He saved you… Didn't kill Wu… Joined his father…"

"It's partly that… and some glimpses I stole from him when we were at the island. I thought I was going to die at one point, I was very afraid. However, I know that somehow, Tomoe-san protected me and, in a way, she protected him too. After that… incident, he treated me fairly well. I always asked myself why he didn't order Wu or any of his subordinates to kill or harm me. He couldn't do it himself, you know. I learnt it at the moment he attacked me. But still… He could have ordered…." Kaoru visibly shuddered "But he didn't… and he had the chance, believe me… that guy Wu…. And the people from the boats… They were in the main house, yet… I explained all this to Hiroshi-san when you were with Aoshi… the poor man was so ashamed, asking for my forgiveness… But these details made his burden lighter…"

"But as you said, he has nothing to be ashamed of… It was the loony's fault…"

"True, true. However, parents always take the responsibility for their children's misdeeds…"

An air of melancholy lingered around Kaoru. That wasn't right, Misao thought, so she decided to put an end to her friend's gloomy mood. But before she could act on one of her brilliant plans, she detected with the corner of her eye, a blue shadow passing swiftly through the courtyard. An Oniwabanshuu messenger, going directly towards Aoshi-sama's private quarters. Before she could think of what she was doing, she found herself racing towards the man.

"Where are you going in such a haste?" she yelled, stopping the man in his tracks.

"I came to deliver a report, Mis… errr… Okashira."

"Well, then consider it done. Give it to me."

"But… Aoshi-sama…"

"I'm the Okashira, am I not?" Misao assumed a commanding voice, and a dignified posture.

"Y-yes. I'm sorry, I thought Aoshi-sama would brief you later, and then…."

"It's not necessary to apologize" Misao tried to sound formal, as Aoshi-sama would, while she took the envelope from the messenger's hand "From now on, all your deliveries will come directly to me. It's an order, do you understand.? Now you can resume your usual duties"

"Yes, Okashira.", the man bowed formally and left.

As soon as the messenger left, Misao vented all her bottled rage.

"I 'm going to serve him tea and shove the cup down his sneaky throat!" See, Kaoru what I've told you? The man is impossible! But, wait, just wait…" The young ninja started to storm towards Aoshi's room, where the doctor had confined him since the attack.

" No, Misao." Kaoru stopped her "I made the same mistake more than once. Do you want to be taken seriously? If you throw a tantrum… it won't help you."

"What do you suggest then?"

"Read the report and if it's a case, try to solve it, as the Okashira would usually do, but without telling Aoshi. You will always have the chance to turn to him if things require his help, and if they don't… well, you will be able to go and show your worth in front of him."

"It sounds like a plan… Let's do it!"

The young ninja opened the sealed envelope and started to read.

"Mmmm…"

"May I know what the letter is about?"

"Of course… Some mysterious group that is allegedly kidnapping swordsmen…" Misao continued with her reading "the strange thing is that these guys were first level warriors… No trace of them is left after the attacks… all the witnesses coincide in the description of the attackers. Their faces were always hidden by strange hoods…"

"Sounds like a case…" commented Kaoru, enthusiastically, peaking the letter's contents from behind Misao's shoulder.

A devilish smirk crossed Misao's features. She would teach Aoshi-sama who Makimachi Misao was.

*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*

Outskirts of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, Earth- Three days later.

At long last... the ragged screams finally ceased.

Wu Heishin gave a deep sigh, and sent back the woman he had asked for. She was too scared with all the shouting in the other room to extract any fun from her.

< Damn, what a fucking bastard! >, he swore.

His newly found associate was even scarier than the previous one. Yukishiro had managed to give him chilling nightmares, but Takeda Kanryuu was a serious candidate for permanent confinement in a madhouse.

He strode slowly by the balcony, walking to the stairs. The door of Takeda's room opened suddenly, letting a sobbing maid hurry past him. Inside, some servants were unbinding the bloodied body of a young boy lying limp in Takeda's bed, his face sunk in the mattress. There was a bloodied harness hanging in a corner of the room, and several instruments of gloomy appearance that he wasn't particularly inclined to learn the use of. The psychotic man had killed at least another child in the past two days, a girl, after submitting them both to inhumane torture and brutal rape. If the bastard couldn't restrain himself, they'd be in trouble very soon. The news about his wicked tastes[4] would be filtering beyond the walls of the manor inevitably, attracting the irate reaction of the nearby villagers. He could sense the unrest and disgust within the members of the servitude.

Unfortunately, the nearby peasants weren't as submissive as the usual ones back in the most civilized parts of this savage country. The inhabitants of the territory were mostly from old samurai families, which had fought for the Shogunate and lost everything, but were offered by the new Meiji government a new chance, developing the new frontiers in Hokkaido. Therefore, they were used to fighting and not even the armed guards that he and Takeda used to protect themselves would make the villagers to stop if they ever found out that Takeda was kidnapping their children for his sick pleasures. These savages would gut him and Takeda out unceremoniously.

At this point, even powerful criminal bosses had to be sensible and careful. It would better to go to a more civilized part of that wild land, maybe near Yokohama, where a Chinese community (obviously more enlightened than these Japanese savages), could be found, and Japanese people who were more submissive than in this wasteland, respecting the power bought by money and terror. Yes, he had to convince the maniac to move from this place. How difficult could it be? He had long years of experience dealing with sick maniacs…

He walked then, resolute, to find his associate. He barely had enough time to move quickly enough to avoid being hit by the body of an old woman crashing against the wall that had been behind him mere minutes ago. A blurred shadow dressed in white passed by his side, to stand towering over the fallen figure, kicking her with murdering rage.

- "You, stupid bitch, I specifically ordered you to get strong peasants! And what did you get me? Sick, starved, second class stuff! I don't take kindly to be taken for a fool that can be deceived!"- the words were barely understandable under Takeda's heavy hissing.

- "B-b-but Taniguchi [5]-sama! I never intended to trick you"- the woman sobbed, staggering to her feet- "but… but… you request… to carry it out here would have been suicidal… These farmers… they are not ordinary peasants… most of them have been soldiers… and they have weapons… Even their children have at least some sort of training… They would have noticed and chased us down…"

- "I paid for first class merchandise, and I want first class merchandise!"- Takeda sent her flying, with a vicious punch to her guts "I don't care where you pick them from, or if you have to import them from other parts of Japan or from the mainland itself. It's your problem, and if I don't get a more resistant replacement for the cheap goods you brought me," - the Japanese man crouched beside the trembling woman- "I'll give you something to remember for the rest of your life"

- "T-t..Taniguchi -sama… I…know how I could… make it up to you… somehow… I had just bought a beauty… she was destined for a Sapporo merchant… She is a jewel, believe me, trained finely in the arts, but untouched yet… Her name is Sakura… she is 12… maybe… maybe…"

- "Now, you are talking my language…" the monstrous sound that was Takeda's laughter caused Wu's stomach to twitch in disgust. "Bring her in, and I hope this time she doesn't break as easily as the previous ones you brought to me… because if she does… there will be a Hell to pay"

- "She'll surpass your expectations… I swear…"- the woman bowed deeply, her forehead touching the floor in front of Takeda, who was now standing again beside the woman, before she gathered up her wits, stood up and went to bring the promised 'merchandise'.

Three days had elapsed since Takeda learnt about the failure of his hunt, which caused in him such a fit of rage, that he lost any restrain, murdering brutally his last acquisitions. Takeda's careless behavior, Wu concluded, was putting them in immediate danger with the neighbors if they ever found out.

Takeda was frightening in a whole different way than Yukishiro. He was not particularly afraid of him, or better said, of what he could try to do to him. He had managed to survive the Triads… and his former boss. Takeda was a worm, dangerous, but certainly not to him. However, the man was unpredictable, and that was a risk in itself.

They had to get away from there. And quickly.

"If there is something annoying to me, it is incompetent servants." Takeda had shifted his attention to him "Can you believe the nerve of the hag? She tried to fool me. Me!! Of all people…"

"Well, you have to admit that her excuses are valid… we aren't surrounded by common peasants…"

" I can crush them if I want to. I can buy politicians and police to reduce them to obedience if I want."

"Mmm… really? I don't see any point in doing that since it would only serve to make us too notorious too soon. Moreover, there is nothing to gain in this nefarious place. Nothing that justifies such a large financial investment." Wu's words implied that, as the capitalist partner, he had the right to approve the investments… or not. Like in this case. "On the other hand, think of the convenience of moving to the main cities… we could get new 'goods' to export… and you'll get a wider variety of toys…"

Before Takeda could answer, the door opened revealing the figure of the old woman dragging a young girl hastily by her wrist.

Wu thought that it was time for a strategic withdrawal.

"Think about it" he said, walking away slowly

While he climbed the stairs to his room, he heard the exchange between the hag and Takeda, until the woman left, leaving the doomed girl behind.

He stopped. From the veranda he contemplated in horrified fascination the interaction between his business partner and a child whose life was now measured in days...if not hours...

"What's your name, sweetheart?" Takeda had sat the girl on his lap.

"Sakura, Taniguchi -sama"

"Sakura is a beautiful, beautiful name, darling." Takeda took some chocolates, a rare import he used to lure his prey to walk confidently into his trap, and gave it to the girl, who obviously loved the present after the first mouthful. "But I know a name that is even more beautiful. A name that would suit you much better. I'd like you to use it as long as you stay here"

"Oh, and what's that name, Taniguchi -sama?"

<What a pity…> Wu sighed looking at the pair.

Given one or two more years that delicate flower would have shone in any of the red light districts of Tokyo, Kyoto, or, why not? Shanghai itself. She had the quality required, after all.

The girl was a true and rare beauty, so fragile and exquisite… so small.

As the old hag had said, a true jewel. Slender bones, porcelain skin, graceful stance, demurred sight… years of training now would go to the waste…

She would have made an excellent concubine too, for any fortunate and rich merchant who could afford the price of such a small treasure. Too bad for the girl that her final fate was to end in the monster's hands, instead of the glamorous life of high ranked brothels[6] or the golden cage that meant to be the property of a wealthy man.

"Misao. That's the name that you'll bear here. Do you like it?" Takeda's voice, the sinister hiss of a snake, made him shiver.

"Very much, Taniguchi -sama."

"O just call me Makoto-kun. It would be good… Did you like the chocolates, little Misao?"

"Oh, yes, very much"

"Come with me, Misao-chan. I have something that will please you a lot more." Takeda stood on his feet and walked towards the stairs as well, leading the girl by her hand.

"But will you give me more chocolate too?"

" Oh yes, there are plenty in my room."

Wu decided that it was too much information for the day. He quickly left; knowing that in no time at all...the screams would begin again.

*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*@*

MightyMightyMunson: I'm glad you like Jihan… Indeed, she is totally different from the clichéd females we use to read in fan fiction nowadays…

OneSickTarg: Thanks again! Your secret is safe with me… I won't tell Jen about you and RK… Thanks for Nemesis and the CD (WOW! These were GREAT).Yeah, indeed, Enishi is tough, tough, tough… he survived the war being just a boy, then the streets of a city called by people Sin City (you got the idea, right?), and made his way inside the organized crime, just to avenge his sister… This is just a change of scenery for him… one more in his life…

Oryo: Hehehe… It's an interesting exercise, I mean, to write the different perceptions of these two is something I enjoy maybe too much. Anyway, even when they eventually learn to have a better communication, they will keep this trait. Because, I'm treating them as people, and people usually have a different perception on things, according to their experience and the environment where they grew up. And, we have to agree here that they have a very, very, very different background to start with… Hehehe, yes, the human they mention at the end of the previous chapter, is Enishi…

Mids: *glomps Mids* Well, you know that the Fates have weaved a complex web, which caught me inside for too long. I truly hope that I can have next chapter ready in a shorter time… Thanks!

EK: You deserved it! I'm waiting for more of Taming a Tiger… (*writes this answer in full tamer's costume, the whip on her lap* OHOHOHOHOHOHO). In a more serious note, I agree with you that we (Enishi's fans and supporters) are a minority. But in this point, I can't stand character bashing. Besides, Travis was a tad rude, asking me to apologize for expressing what I feel, and in a language that was pathetic in a way, especially for a native speaker. I have my personal tastes too, but you won't see me doing any character bashing or using a character in an OOC way just to fit the cliché or my personal distaste. Just now, and due to the immense wave of BAD K/K fan fiction, I have a severe dislike for Kaoru. Reading the manga again was an excellent cure, because I found out that she can be likeable, and has very strong points. Anyway, even when she is not my cup of tea, you won't find me bashing her, or making her do something she would not, just to ridicule a character that had been deformed and whose 'lovers' do not hesitate in attacking authors who do not comply with the standard of K/K, as I've been reading lately in many reviews. My rant was directed to this. I know we are the minority, as I said, but being the minority do not allow others to bully us as they please…

Mara: I hope that you are well. AS and I miss you a lot.

EnishiYukshiro: Thanks… I hope you enjoy this chappie too…

L Sith: *blushes* Thanks for the compliments… You know what? Hehhe Kamorgana also recommended your story to me, and though I don't remember if I reviewed it, I'm fascinated with it! Hehehe… I like the 'cuteness' you gave to Saitou! (HAHAHA… that was GREAT!) I'm DYING to see Saitou learning who she truly is (if you stick to History, of course, she is NOT a maid. And her education details in your fic reveals this clearly… Studying 'prospects' before making a serious marriage proposal to a fitting Shinsengumi officer? I'm DYING to know why she disguised herself as a maid… I can't think she would be spying for the Ishin… wouldn't her?

Well , thanks again…. Until chapter 8…….