From: "P. Rico" Hello, hello Another little fic to add to my "Stepping Stones" series. This one is rather dark (like you couldn't tell from title) so if you get depressed easily, you've been warned. Also, the jury is still out on the title. So if you have a better suggestion, please tell me. Standared disclaimers apply. ******************** "Blood Tainted Memories" -By P.Rico Standard Disclaimers '//' denotes thoughts ---- Okina's eyes swept over the crowd of people who had arrived for the memorial service. He knew there would have been more if they didn't have other matters to attend to. They had all come to say goodbye to one of their own. Makimachi Jun: a good friend, a loving mother, and the daughter of the Okashira. Okina glanced over at the Okashira. His face betrayed no emotion, but Okina knew he was suffering. He knew the Okashira blamed himself. Okina blamed himself as well. If only they had learned of the plans sooner. If only they had arrived earlier. If only... He let his eyes wander over to the infant Misao. The youngest victim in this tragedy. Now she had no mother or father. The Oniwabanshuu would be her family now. Okina sighed, Jun had wanted something different for Misao. Okina's eyes finally fell on the eleven year old boy seated off the the side. They had wanted Aoshi to stay in bed, but the boy had insisted on coming. Okina watched as Aoshi shifted then winced slightly. Further evidence that his wounds were far from healing. He glanced at the alter, then back at the boy. Aoshi and Misao had been ones present when Jun was killed, but he had yet to say anything about it. "I want to know what happened more than anybody," the Okashira had told him. "But the boy has been through enough already. He'll talk when he's ready." //The Okashira's right,// Okina thought with a sigh. //The boy has been through enough.// Following the death of his own parents just over a year ago, Aoshi had grown attatched to Jun and Misao. Okina couldn't remember Aoshi smiling except when he was with the two. Now the boy had lost her, too. Okina sighed again. ---- Aoshi could sense Okina's eyes were on him. He refused to turn and meet the man's gaze. He shifted uncomfortably and winced as pain shot though his body. He knew what Okina wanted, what the Okashira wanted. But try as he might, he couldn't bring himself to talk about it. //I'm a coward,// he thought. //I should tell them. They need to know. But I can't...I...// He shut his eyes tightly and immediately reopened them. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see it all. The sword, the blood... "Makimachi-kun," he murmured, fighting back tears. No matter what, he knew, he'd never be able to forget. *** "Jun-san, what brings you here?" Jun looked up as Okina approached her and Misao. "Okina-san," she said with a smile. "How are you this evening?" "Fine. How are you and the little one?" "Couldn't be better," she replied. "We're just waiting for Aoshi." She looked down at the infant in her lap. "We're going on a picnic, right Misao-chan." "So late?" "It was the only time Aoshi could get away." "Makimachi-kun!" Okina and Jun looked up to see Aoshi running toward them. When Misao saw him, she started kicking excitedly and reaching toward him. "Sorry, I'm late," said Aoshi as he took Misao into his arms. "Practice went a little long." Jun smiled pleasantly. "That's quite all right." Then she turned to Okina. "Aoshi will probably be spending the night at my house." "As long as he's back in time for morning practice, that shouldn't be a problem," replied Okina Okina watched the two walk away, Misao still in Aoshi's arms. --- Jun couldn't sleep. She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. "You're being paranoid," she told herself. "All those years of being Oniwabanshuu have made you jumpy." She sighed and rose to her feet. She glanced over at Misao, who was sleeping peacefully, and smiled. After a while, she slipped out and walked to few feet to the room she had permanently set aside for Aoshi. She slide the door open slightly and looked inside. The boy appeared to be sleeping, his back to the door. She was about to close the door when Aoshi suddenly turned around and sat up. "Makimachi-kun?" she heard the boy say. "Is every thing all right." "Yes," she replied. "Just go back to sleep." She shut the door and made her way back to her room. She was about to go in when she heard the scuffling of feet on the roof. "Perhaps I'm not being paranoid after all." ---- Aoshi sat up. Something was wrong. He could feel it. He rose to his feet and slipped out of his room. He could see that the door to Jun's room was slightly ajar. He slid it open just enough for him to squeeze through. Jun wasn't there, but Misao was, wrapped in a bundle of blankets. When she saw Aoshi she began squirming in an attempt to get out of the blankets. Aoshi picked her up. "Where's you mother, little one?" Suddenly, he heard the door slide shut. He spun around to see Jun leaning against the wall. She was breathing heavily and her cloths were torn. The light of the moon coming through the small, high, window reflected off her sword. And even though Aoshi couldn't see, he smelled blood. "Makimachi-kun, what's going on?" Jun didn't answer, she grabbed a blanket and before Aoshi could react, she had wrapped it around both him and Misao and was leading them to the closet. "Makimachi..." "Shh," Jun hushed as she coaxed him inside. "Some of my father's enemies are in the house," she explained. "Hide here, and when it's safe, get Misao to my father." "But what about you?" "Don't worry about me. Just promise me you'll protect Misao." "Demo..." "Promise," she said sternly, gripping the boy's shoulders. Aoshi nodded. Jun smiled. "Good, boy." She then kissed Misao on the forehead. //Sayonara, my precious. I'll be seeing your father soon.// She covered the two completely and shut the door. Aoshi couldn't here anything for awhile. He began absent-mindedly stroking Misao's head. "So there you are," he heard an angry male voice say. "You killed my brother, you bitch. You're going to pay." "Four men to take care of one woman," Jun replied. "No wonder you're clan is dying out." "Know you're place, woman!" Aoshi heard the sounds of battle. Swords clashing, the movement of bodies. He clutched Misao tightly against him when he heard Jun cry out in agony. Then silence. //No! Makimachi-kun!// "The Makimachi line ends here. Next the Oniwabanshuu Okashira will fall." "What about the child? She had a child." "She must have hidden the brat somewhere. Find it. None of the Makimachi blood can survive." Aoshi heard the scuffling of feet as the men left the room. He waited for, he didn't know how long, before he dared to open the door. He couldn't sense anybody in the room. He slipped out of the closet, still holding Misao close. He quickly scanned the room and found Jun lying in a pool of blood. "No," he whispered, trying to fight back tears. Misao squirmed in his arms and began whimpering. //You understand don't you,// he thought as he rubbed the infant's back. I'm sorry there was nothing I could do to save her. But I will do every thing in my power to save you.// The men were currently searching the house. If they stayed in one place, there were sure to be discovered. The only option was to try to avoid them and get out as soon as possible. "What have we here?" Aoshi spun around to the open door to see a man standing just inside, carrying a sword. "The child of Makimachi Jun and," the man smiled. "Are you her young lover?" He laughed and approached the two, backing Aoshi into a wall. "Don't worry, the two of you will be with her soon enough." He raised his sword and brought it down. Aoshi dodged and the sword embedded itself into the wall. Taking this opportunity, Aoshi dashed around the man and out the door. Muttering a bitter curse, the man yanked out his sword and gave chase. Holding Misao close to him, Aoshi ran as fast as he could though the narrow hallway. Yet, he was aware that the man was quickly gaining. "You can't get away from me kid," yelled the man as he brought the sword down on Aoshi. Aoshi let out a choked cry of pain as the sword sliced across his back. He felt himself losing balance and knew he was going to fall. In an attempt not to fall on Misao, he spun around, only to have his back meet and un-giving wall. Not giving the boy a chance to recover, the man stuck. Aoshi cried out as the sword pierced thought his left shoulder, pinning him to the wall. "That should keep you from running off again," said the man as he pulled out the other sword he was carrying. //I can't...I can't let Misao die,// thought Aoshi. //I made a promise to Makimachi-kun.// "Please," he whispered. "What was that?" "Spare this child," Aoshi pleaded. "She's innocent. She knows nothing of the circumstances. She doesn't deserve to die." "How sweet," said the man in a mocking tone. "But all Makimachi must die." The man raised his sword. //I'm sorry, Makimachi-kun, I failed. I couldn't save Misao. I...I...NO! I can't give up so easily. As long as I'm alive, I'll protect you Misao. Makimachi-kun, as long as I can fight, I'll keep my promise.// In the split second it took for that train of thought to run thought his mind, Aoshi's right hand was on the hilt of the sword. With a fierce battle cry, Aoshi, in one fluid movement, pulled the sword out of his shoulder and sliced the man's stomach open. Aoshi heard the man hit the floor screaming in agony, as he ran toward the exit, still gripping the sword. He knew it was only a matter of time before the others would come to investigate. He had to get Misao out before then. Aoshi ran as fast as his body allowed, ignoring the pain, his senses alert for anybody else who may be near. He suddenly felt somebody behind him. So as not to give whoever it was a chance to attack, Aoshi spun around, lashing out with the sword, only to have his wrist caught in a firm grip. "Stand down, boy," said a familiar voice. Aoshi looked up at the black clad figure. "Okashira." Aoshi dropped the sword and fell to his knees, still holding Misao. "Aoshi," he heard Okina say as he cam up from behind the Okashira. As the Okashira gently extracted Misao out of Aoshi's arms, Okina began examining Aoshi injuries. //I did it, Makimachi-kun. Misao's safe. I got her to the Okashira. I'm just sorry I couldn't save you.// Aoshi suddenly felt exhausted. He leaned against Okina and closed his eyes. "Okashira, we found her," he heard somebody say before finally succumbing to the darkness. *** Okina walked into the Okashira's study, bowed, and slid the door shut. "How is the investigation?" he asked. The Okashira sighed. "We know who's behind this. I'll be sending out all the men I can spare to eliminate the clan entirely. There's just one thing I need to know." "What happened that night," Okina said. It was more of a statement then a question. "Yes," replied the Okashira. "How is the boy anyways?" "Recovering, physically," said Okina. "I wonder if he'll ever be able to tell us what happened." There was a quiet knock on the door. Okina rose and opened it and was surprised to see Aoshi in full uniform. "Aoshi, you should be resting," he said. Aoshi bowed to the Okashira before replying. "I'm sorry, Okina, but I had to come." "Are you ready to talk?" inquired the Okashira. "Yes," said Aoshi silently. "I didn't see everything, but I'll tell you what I can." "Very well." The Okashira motioned for him to enter. Aoshi stepped inside the room, and Okina closed the door behind him. ********************* Is is just me, or do my fics seem to end rather abruptly? Well, I hope you liked it. I had been wanting to write this fic for a while but just never got around to it. Thanks for reading. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- If you want to be single again, Click Here ------------------------------------------------------------------------