Disclaimer: All rights reserved to the creators and the affiliated persons of Fushigi Yuugi and Rurounin Kenshin, so please don't sue me. All other characters were made up by yours truly.

C and c can be sent to kenshin_oro@hotmail.com. Please don't fry me too badly.

A Story

"Misao-chan, you look so happy this morning!" Okon noted when Misao walked into the kitchen to grab some breakfast. "Is there anything that you are looking forward today?"

"Nothing in particular," Misao grinned, unwilling to reveal to the older woman her real reasons. "Have you seen Aoshi-sama this morning?"

Omasu, the other woman in the kitchen, glanced at her with a sly, but amused, glint in her eyes. "He already left to go to the temple."

Misao sighed, but hurriedly straightened up. "I think that I'll bring his tea to him after breakfast."

Okon chuckled knowingly. "Alright, just make sure to get back in time to help clean up the rooms."

"No problem!"
Misao downed her rice and pickled vegetables and, armed with an insulated jug of tea and a small teacup, immediately set off in the direction of the temple where Aoshi liked to meditate. She smiled and skipped, unheeding of the gentle rain of sakura leaves that marked beautiful spring days ahead. Fortunately, the temple was only a short walking distance away and Misao reached it before the tea got too cold.

Aoshi was deep in meditation when Misao walked in. So deep that Misao thought that he didn't notice her. Therefore, Misao jumped when he spoke.

"Thank you."

"A-Aoshi-sama! I hope I didn't disturb you!" Misao apologized.

Aoshi turned bland silver eyes towards her, a hint of kindness the only thing preventing them from being cold and hard. "It's alright, I was finished."

"H-hai!" Misao busied herself with setting the teacups and pouring tea into them. "I brought tea."

"That is why I said 'thank you'."

"Hai," she replied weakly.

They both drank quietly. Misao was still a little embarrassed for being caught unawares. She was Oniwabanshuu, she shouldn't have been startled that easily!

After a moment, she dared to look up. She was startled for the second time that day when she saw that Aoshi's eyes were staring right at her. She was caught. She stared back, wondering what he was thinking, what he saw. Is he finally realizing that she was a woman? Her heart started to beat faster.

"Is there something wrong, Aoshi-sama?" Misao ventured hesitantly, wanting yet not wanting to hear what he would say.

It took him a few minutes to respond. "Nothing is wrong."

Misao looked down at the floor of the temple in disappointment.

"I was thinking that you shouldn't be embarrassed for being startled. You were concentrating on not disturbing me, so it's alright," Aoshi added, trying to be kind.

Misao looked up with a slight smile. He was so intelligent and kind. But that still didn't erase her painful feelings of having watched her hopes slashed in front of her yet again. He still remained unaware of her feelings towards him. Maybe, if she tried to act more mature, talk to him about serious subjects--maybe that'll bring them closer together and make him see how grown up she is.

"Uh--Aoshi-sama," Misao began. Aoshi merely looked back at her inquiringly.

"I was wondering if you're going to take back the title of Okashira now that you are back?"

"Okashira? Why would I? Okina told me what had happened and I don't see the need to change anything," Aoshi said, unperturbed by her question.

"Oh," Misao continued a little bothered that he had not been disturbed by it. "It's just that I don't think that I'm fit to be okashira. I don't know the first thing to being one, and since you are here now---"

"Misao, you will learn," he said, dismissing the subject.

Misao knew that she was losing his attention. Desperately she searched her mind for something else to say. "Will you take me to them? Will you show me where they are resting?"

That caught his attention. His clear, cool eyes flickered over her face for a moment then looked away. He knew who 'them' was: Shikijou, Beshimi, Hyotoko, Hannya. "Misao--"

Misao heard the silent plea in his voice, the one that he tried to hide. She bowed her head in shame. It was too soon to talk about what had happened to their four friends. Too many things have happened in the last month, leaving them still raw from the 'incident' that had almost ruined their lives: the incident that had involved Shishio Makoto and his insane plans to take over Japan. There had been no time yet to heal, no time to get close-- only far.

There was nothing more to say. Misao knew today was going to be another failure in her attempt to mend the growing rift between her and Aoshi. She had brought up subjects that were not yet ready to be talked about, and as a result, she had only pushed him further into himself. In her mind, she kicked herself for being so impatient.

Give him time; wait till the right moment presents itself, she mentally advised herself. Another voice spoke up immediately after, How much time does he need to remain alone? And when the right moment comes, will it be too late for you both?

Without saying anything else, Aoshi finished his tea slowly. Once he sipped the last drop, he prepared himself once more for meditation, making it obvious to Misao that he wants to be alone. She took the hint, her shoulders slouched as she gathered the tea supplies quietly.

She was about to leave him once again when she heard his whispered thanks. She nodded in reply before making her way back to the Aoiya once again.

Damn, damn, damn, she muttered over and over again in her head. When am I going to learn?

Okon was waiting for her in the kitchen, a water-filled bucket and a rag set beside her. Her greeting smile faded when she saw Misao's unhappy face. "Misao-chan, if you like, you can go to town and…"

"It's alright, Okon-chan, nothing happened." Nothing ever does! Misao thought. "I'll start cleaning the upper rooms, okay?"

"Sure, if that's what you want. I'll just be down here, tidying up the lower rooms, then."

Misao nodded and carried the bucket with her upstairs. She didn't mind; she needed something that would keep her mind off her disappointment. With an unusual enthusiasm, she set herself to cleaning. She washed the floors, walls and table and chest surfaces with alacrity, hoping to dispel the familiar ache in her heart. It worked well enough that by the time that she reached Aoshi's chamber, Misao was already eager to finish cleaning and do something else. Unfortunately, her impatience caused her to become clumsy with Aoshi's small collection of books. She groaned. Aoshi-sama was going to kill her if she damaged his precious collection of Zen books and old manuscripts! Carefully, she returned each of the books, some of them familiar to her, back to their proper place on the shelf.

She was practically done when she suddenly saw one book that had escaped her notice. Misao reached for it, but just when she got it and was about to reshelf it her fingers suddenly turned clumsy and she dropped it to the floor.

"Oh no!" Misao cried as it fell open facedown. She hurriedly, but carefully, picked it up again, hoping that none of the pages became folded or ripped.

She was surprise when she flipped it over to inspect it that the pages in the middle and end had nothing on them -- they were completely blank.

What if this is Aoshi-sama's diary or something! She thought in a panic. She had always been brought up with sound moral values, and respecting people's privacy was something that was drilled into her a long time ago. On the other hand, her curiosity for such things always sprang up to get in the way. Like right now. As she looked at the book that she had slammed shut, and thinking that it was Aoshi's private journal, Misao became highly tempted to open it to the front and see what he had written.

Misao bit her lip in indecision. She closed her eyes shut trying to block out the little voices that seem to be clamoring for her to open the book for just a tiny peek. Then she saw his silver blue eyes in her mind. They were staring at her with kindness and understanding, as they did that morning. They seem to say that he knew she would do the right thing. And like before, Misao became mesmerized knowing right away that she would do the proper thing in returning the book without looking into its pages for any hint of Aoshi's thoughts. Her hold on the book loosened and she opened her eyes to look at the front cover of it, feeling a little regretful.

Her eyes widened a second later when she read the old writing on it. The book she held was not Aoshi's journal! It was a regular book, with a title and everything!

"The Book of the Four Gods, Earth and Sky," she read outloud. "Hmm, wonder what this is about."

Misao opened to page one, and for an instant she thought that she heard a bird screeching, crying with joy. At first she thought that she was just imagining things, but she changed her mind a moment later when a bright beacon of red burst straight from the center of the book. Misao shut her eyes from the brightness and immediately felt herself embraced with warm comfort.

Then she was falling. She screamed and tried to reach for something to hold on to but she felt nothing but space all around her. Her hearted thudded in her chest and just when she thought that she was going to suffocate from the panic she was feeling, she landed.

Misao lay on her back, bewildered. Beneath her, she felt a cold wetness seep into her clothing and curiously she felt the ground. When did it rain? she asked herself dreamily.

A moment later, Misao's eyes widened in shock and horror as she raised her hand in front of her to confirm what her mind screamed out for her to accept. And slowly, confusedly, she closed her eyes again, feeling the snow fall on her cheek only to melt.

**************** to be continued ****************