Akane collapsed on the ground breathing heavily. "Kuso, Itachi-chan! After I take a long nap... I'm gonna... gonna... Zzz..."
Misao sweatdropped. "She's the only one I let call me Itachi... and live."
"She related to you?" Sano asked chewing a grain of wheat.
"Iie, demo, she's Aoshi-sama's sister!" Sano and kenshin looked at each other. "Yeah, she's his younger sister. She's 17. In fact, she was closer to Hanya and the others than me! Shock, huh?"
"So, Neko-chan is Shinomori's sister..." Sano said.
"Heh. That's not the first time someone called her that." Misao snickered. Akane snapped her eyes open.
"Shut up, Itachi," Akane yelled still laying on the ground. "At least I'm not obssesed with an ice cube."
"Aoshi-sama is not an ice cube!"
"How would you know? He barely talks to me, let alone anyone else."
"He's been gone for 10 years. He might've changed!"
"I doubt it. It's Oniisan we're talking about here."
Misao shrugged. "I still love him."
"Misao, sometimes I really wonder about you."
"So," Kenshin asked," Why do you use Hiraikotsu and Nunchaku, Akane-dono. The Hiraikostu is an extremely heavy weapon, and the nunchaku is a very weak weapon."
"Oh, that's easy," Akane sat up," Even though the Hiraikotsu is really heavy, I've learned to master it's weight, so I can carry anything twice it's size, now. I've been using it since I was 15. And for me, it rarely misses. So the damage of the Hiraikotsu is doubled. And as for my nunchaku, I've mastered that as well. I've used this weapon longer than my Hiraikotsu, at the age of 13. I've learned to use the potential of this weapon, making it very useful to me."
"Your conceit taking over again, Akane-san!" Misao teased.
"Conceit, eh? Well, Misao-chan, if you think I'm conceited, take a look at yourself."
"I'm not conceited!" the three looked at her like she was crazy. "You think I'm conceited!?"
"It doesn't take a genious to figure it out," Sano said.
"Damate yo!" Misao yelled.
"Well," Akane stood up and strapped her Hiraikotsu to her back and put the nunchaku in her sash," Let's go."
"Hm?"
"I informed the Aoiya that we'd be there today. Let's get going, ne?"
"Okay," Misao jumped up. "Let's go, Himura, Tori-Atama!" Kenshin stood up, and Sano grumbled.
"Let's so go, Sano," Kenshin told his friend.
"Yeah, yeah," he stood up and lagged behind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Hey, Jiya!" Misao yelled.
"Huh?" Okina turned around. "It's Akane and Misao!" He ran up to them and gave him one of his bear hugs.
"O..kina...can't.. breathe... need... air," Akane struggled to say.
"Oops, gomen." He let go.
"Oro," Akane rubbed her neck.
"Huh?" Omasu came out of the Aoiya," Everybody! Akane and Misao are back!" They all came out and hugged them.
"Itai..." they both said in unicen. They all let go.
"I'm gonna change my clothes!" Misao ran inside.
"Yeah, I'll do the same," Akane walked inside.
"Konnichi wa, Himura Kenshin the Battousai-san," Okina turned towards Kenshin and Sano.
"Eh, Konnichi wa," he replied with a smile on his face.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Akane walked up to the room where Kenshin, Okina, and Sano were with some tea. She was now wearing a white gi and red hakama. She slid open the shoji. "I brought you some tea."
"Domo arigatou, Akane-dono," Kenshin thanked her as she poured in the tea.
"Gomennassai if Misao-chan was a bother to you during your journey," she apologized, "She was suppose to stay with me during our mission. I guess she wandered off again. She has a bad habit of doing that. No matter how many times I tell her." She sighed.
"Oh, Misao-dono wasn't a problem at all."
"Really?" Akane blinked. "She's one of the most annoying people I've met in my life. I mean, besides my Oniisan, but he only annoyed me because he hardly talked."
"Couldn't agree more," Sano agreed.
"Anyways," Akane asked," Himura-san, why was Misao-chan following you and Tori-Atama?"
Sano grumbled. "What's up with that nickname...?"
"Oh, I told her that I had met Aoshi during my journey."
"Ah, figures."
"But, what I didn't tell her was that..." He looked down.
"I believe she can take it," Okina informed him," She is after all, Aoshi's sister."
"Nani? What's going on?" Akane asked.
"It's the Oniwabanshu," Kenshin informed," During my journey they were all--"
"Ahhh!" they heard a scream.
"Hm?" Akane got up and ran to the front of the Aoiya. "What's going on here?" She spotted a little girl standing next to a rather tall man with blonde hair, which oddly made him look like a broom.
Akane ran next to the little girl. "Kumiko-chan, I want you to go back to your Okaasan, ok?"
"Hai, Akane-san," the little girl replied and ran to her mother. Akane stood up.
"What do you want?" she asked coldly.
"I hear the Battousai is stayin' here."
"Hn. Why should I tell you?"
"You would if you value your life."
Akane glanced at all the swords on his back. *I better be careful with this one.* "Please leave, you'll be interrupting our customers."
"No can do, Miss. I came here for the Battousai and I ain't leavin' 'til I see him."
"Dammit. I'm not going to let you enter, so just leave!"
"What's going on?" Misao and the others came out.
"Well," the man looked at Kenshin," I do think I've found the Battousai." he stepped closer. Akane stood in his way.
"I'm warning you, one step closer and I'll have to hurt you. So, please, leave."
"Heh. You're a rather spunky one. Do you know who I am? I'm Chou of the Juppon Gatana."
Kenshin widened his eyes. "The Juppon Gatana..."
"Good for you. But like I really wanted to know who you are," Akane shot back. "If you don't leave, I might end up killing you." *Not killing... damaging REALLY badly... Oi, Misao's right, my conceit is getting the better of me.*
"I'm warnin' ya, Miss, step aside."
"... Misao, get me my Hiraikotsu!"
"Hai!" Misao struggled to bring out the huge boomerang. "Here... ya go." Akane grabbed the strap to her boomerang and ran towards a shrine.
"Well, if you're not afraid to die, you'll follow!" Chou smirked and followed.
"Akane-dono!" Kenshin yelled and ran after them.
"Misao," Okina yelled," You and I will go with Himura-san. The rest of you stay here." Misao and Okina ran after the others while the rest of the Oniwabanshu stay at the Aoiya.
Akane stopped at the shrine and unstrapped the Hiraikotsu from her back.
*Dammit, I wish I were in my ninja uniform. Agh, whatever.*
"Well, what are ya waitin' for, Miss?" Chou asked with a smirk.
"Himura!" Misao yelled as she hid behind the stairs with him. "Has she fought yet?"
"Iie, Misao-dono. But at any sight she's injured, I'll jump in."
"I doubt that," Okina informed.
"Yeah, Himura," Misao said," Akane is the strongest out of all of us at the Aoiya. Even Jiya, himself!"
"I hope you're right, Misao-dono," Kenshin looked at Akane.
"Of course I am."
Then silence spread between them all. All they could hear was the whistle of the wind. "I'll make the first move," Chou broke the silence as he took out a katana.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I can't really change that much in this chapter... If I make it too long it'll seem a bit lengthy. So please bear with me. ^-^ Reviews will be much appreciated.