From: Herald-Captain Kerowyn WOOHOO! I actually maanged to work on this today! YEAH! If you need the previous sections they can be found here: http://members.xoom.com/wmchichiri/ On with the story... Oh yeah anything within <> is what a character is thinking If the formats off I apologize, i did this in word pad @_@ Comments are welcome, keep in mind this is a rough draft version. ^_^ Chapter 1: The Tempering Part 3: The Party By: K. C. "Kaoru-Sensei" Hulsman Misao glared daggers at Okina wishing fervently that Shiro had not managed to convince her to attend her welcoming home party unarmed. Her fisted hand itched for her kunai. Although even if she had her kunai handy she didn’t know who she’d target first, Okina or his crew. "Hey, blue-eyes, wanna dump this place and you and I go back into the woods for some star watching?" Both of her hands fisted in response and she glared the look of death at this imbecile before her, steam rising from her head and replied emphatically, "NO!" "Ah, but honey," replied another one of Okina’s invited guests "The old man said it was time for you to start a family, we can start tonight?" The anger emanated off of her in waves, as her braid literally defied gravity sticking up in the air. Another guy oozed up to her, and slipped an arm around her waist, tugging her against his side. "Can’t you see she is a delicate flower? What blossom would allow a ruffian like you to pry forth her petals." He turned his attention to Misao, one hand stroking her cheek far to intimately for her taste. "I’ll be gentle, and show you Kami-sama," he smirked as he moved in to kiss her. Misao smiled sweetly at him, "well I’m afraid I won’t be gentle." She smirked at the momentary smile on the guy’s face before punched that to smug grin of his. He pried himself from the floor, touching his jaw tenderly, "Ah… you like to play it rough," he snarled as his eyes took on a feral gleam. "No," a voice cut through the din "she doesn’t want to play at all. I’d suggest that you vacate the premises before you are missing any limbs or the ability to father any children in the future." Aoshi walked into the room, his piercing eyes feral in their own protective way. The remaining guys around Misao began to beat a hasty retreat to the door. "Hey! This isn’t fair! That old man invited us, who are you to kick us out?!" Aoshi even though he was not at the point in time he’d draw his kodachi again, simply brought a kodachi into view. "I am dangerous, that is all you need to know." The gaggle of guys seemed to swallow in synchronization, and first took a few staggering steps to the door, before they pushed each other out of the way as they ran for the door. Misao looked askance at Aoshi in a shock that wrapped around her heart like a warm blanket. Suddenly she realized that he was looking at her and she blinked. "Arigato Aoshi-sama." Aoshi merely looked at her red face and was thankful that her wrath was not directed at him, "Ah. Are you all right?" Misao smiled "I will be as soon as I feed Okina’s liver to the koi in the pond. If you will excuse me." Aoshi stepped aside out of Misao’s way, and decided a nice soothing cup of tea would be good right around now. * * * * * * "AH!!!!!!!! JIIYA! How could you do that! Those guys were more lecherous than you!" Misao screamed as she threw him into the koi pond. Okina emerged from the water’s surface sputtering, "but Misao! I just want to see you married and with kids!" Misao glared at him, waded into the pond and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt "Is that some sort of comment that I’m an old maid?" Okina hastily shook his head in a negative response to her question. Misao growled, "I will choose the man I will marry, I will settle down when I decide to do so. You are never to interfere in that regard again, do you understand me?" "Ha-Hai!" Misao sighed and let him go, tears now threatening in her eyes as the anger faded, she turned around to go cool off. "Misao-chan…. Gomen. It’s just you have never had a guy call for you. I thought perhaps you focused to much on Oniwabanshuu affairs to allow anyone to see that they have a chance for some sort of relationship with you. I just want to see you happy, and I know that your parents would have wanted you to settle down." Misao stood stoically with her back to him, a few tears quietly sliding down her cheeks. "Baka! I am who I am. No man, woman, or child that cannot accept that and see through that is worth my time or my heart." She stalked off, deciding to go into the woods rather than her room, not wanting to be found. Unknown to her, a pair of male blue eyes followed her from the second story window of the Aoiya as he sipped at a cup of green tea. * * * * * Little more than half an hour had passed before Misao made an appearance downstairs at the Aoiya, joining the party in progress. Her face was freshly scrubbed, and she enthusiastically pounded Shiro on the back as he challenged Omasu to a sake drinking contest. "Shiro, why do you keep trying, she always wins!" Shiro hiccupped sheepishly, "one o’these days, I’ll win." "Not if your words are already starting to slur after only one jar of sake," Omasu lauged. "Misao-chan," asked Okon "would you care for any sake?" "HAI!" Okon poured her some sake, as Misao’s eyes wandered and spotted Okina in the corner of the room drowning in sake and banging away at some drums. She sweatdropped at the awful racket he was making. She picked up a rice ball from the table and threw it at Okina’s head. "OI! Jiiya those things are drums not a cat in heat! If you’re gonna play them, play them right!" Okina turned around and looked at Misao, his depressed face disappearing instantly and he laughed his characteristic evil laugh, rushed across the room and pinned Misao in one of his back-wrenching bear hugs. Misao laughed from his chest "jiiiyaaaaaaaaaaaa…. I can’t…. breathe……." Okina released her carefully and smiled. "Let’s party!" "YOSHI!" Misao screamed enthusiastically as Okina went back to the drums and Misao took the proffered sake from Okon downing it in one gulp. "Okon, where’s Aoshi-sama?" "Hmm, I think he’s in his room." "That’s not right, mau!" Misao stormed up the stairs and into Aoshi’s room, wrapped her arms around his torso and began tugging him out of his room. "MAU! This is a party, and you’re going to party!" "I don’t party, nor do I drink sake. My presence will only dampen the… festivities." "Baka! It’s a party welcoming me home, I want you there! Enough said!" Aoshi sighed and allowed himself to be dragged downstairs. "Hmm, how come you don’t drink sake Aoshi-sama?" Aoshi looked at her "because I don’t." "HEY! That’s not an answer…" Aoshi sighed, "I don’t like losing any awareness of my faculties or surroundings." "Oh… hey but you wouldn’t say that unless you’ve had some and something happened! What happened, what happened!" She chanted jumping up and down in the hallway. Aoshi sweatdropped, He looked down at her head hoping a change in tactics would work, "so did Okina’s punishment go well?" "HAI Aoshi-sama! I’m sure he’ll want to make it up to me, I’m sure if I were to ask him why you don’t drink sake he’d tell me." Aoshi felt like an arrow pierced his heart. He sighed knowing he was trapped, yet hoping if he gave her the barest facts she would not dig any deeper. "I don’t hold sake very well, a little bit makes me sleepy. I was out drinking once, fell asleep, and was robbed." Misao looked at him awe in her eyes and started laughing. "YOU!" Aoshi sighed. "It’s nice to know you were foolish once Aoshi-sama!" Aoshi looked at Misao startled. "why do you say that?" Misao’s brow furrowed in thought, "because you’re always so serious, it’s nice to know you did some foolish things." Aoshi looked at her intensely, "Misao, I’ve done may foolish things…" Misao smiled, "No I don’t mean that. That was a folly caused by how much you care for those under your command. Foolish acts committed for honorable although misguided reasons are not the same." "Why do you say that?" "Because, you thought being the strongest would make Hannya and the others not only proud but make their deaths not be in vain. Your foolishness was done for others, not for yourself." "Why is that any different from drinking and being robbed?" "It is the motivations rather than the outcome that makes the difference." "Ah," Aoshi replied not really understanding, yet realizing that in one lucid moment of clarity just how well Misao was beginning to understand him. She guessed my motivations for seeking to be the strongest. Misao giggled "come on," she tugged at his arm impatiently "I want to sing bar-songs!". For one brief moment Aoshi was shocked until he realized that she was not teasing him in regards to the first time you drank sake. "Ah." * * * * * * * Misao and Okina had been the last one’s standing, the others had long since passed out in various states around the room. Aoshi sipped at his tea and enjoyed the show in the corner. Okina leaned against the wall only to abruptly be interrupted mid-sentence with a snore as he slid down the wall. Misao giggled at that. "Aoshi-sama," she hiccuped as she walked towards him, only to stumble and trip forwards. Aoshi caught her sighing at the whole ordeal. A part of him envious at how open she could be with her heart, how she never was one to be embarrassed easily. He knew tomorrow she would laugh off all of her antics from this evening. "Hmmm…" she murmured against his neck. "Glad you came." She giggled as she felt Aoshi gently turn her about in his arms, only to abruptly fall asleep before he ever turned her around. Aoshi sighed when he heard the first softly purring snore come from her particularly flushed faced. He looked down at her face, cute and charming in her drunken stupor. A part of him awed by her innocence and overwhelming trust of him. He didn’t carry her straight up to her own bed, but instead just closed his eyes enjoying the feel of Misao’s head pillowed against his shoulder. He relaxed feeling tension ebb away, somehow that one thing able to reassure him that he was truly and completely accepted by Misao despite his mistakes. The relief of forgiveness washed through him. He sat there for a couple of hours, before he gingerly carried her up the stairs and wrapped the blankets warmly around her in her own bed. He closed the door softly behind him, and went to bed himself. Instead of his usual difficulties sleeping, the ghosts that haunted him seemed to have disappeared and the sleep he sought was found swiftly. * * * * * * * To Be Continued Part 4: Misao unveils her plans for the Oniwabnashuu's future. ===== Wind to thy wings, Herald-Captain Kerowyn "Why does everything come back to haunt me in my head?" http://members.xoom.com/wmchichiri/ --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- GRAB THE GATOR! FREE SOFTWARE DOES ALL THE TYPING FOR YOU! Tired of filling out forms and remembering passwords? Gator fills in forms and passwords with just one click! Comes with $50 in free coupons! Click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------