Under The Circumstances

An r.k. Fanfic

 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

"Full Circle"

 

"The interaction between men and women is so illogical."

 

 

Ritsuko Akagi-Neon Genesis Evangelion

 

********************************************

 

 

"Don't give up Misao, he's waiting for you."

 

"Nan...?" the little ninja groaned as her eyes slowly opened. Gods what a headache she had, and her ribs, they felt as if they had been broken with bricks! As her vision cleared, images of a large iron ball and chain flying toward her assaulted her memory, instantly explaining why she felt as if she had been dashed against a rocky cliff. Groaning again she forced herself to sit up, some far corner of her mind free enough from the pain to wonder why the air around her smelt so strongly of…

 

"Flowers…" she whispered, her ocean-colored eyes wide with disbelief at the scene that unfolded before her. Flowers of every size, color and shape, fields of them, stretching beyond the horizon where they seemed to kiss a sky bluer than any other that she had ever seen.

 

“Is this…” she whispered to herself, unwilling to give voice to what she feared, as if by saying the words out loud she herself would seal the fate that terrified her the most.

 

“The fight is more difficult that we imagined, ne?” a soft, familiar voice spoke from somewhere out of her field of vision.

 

“Sou?” she whispered, her voice trembling with anxiety as she forced herself to turn around.

 

His gentle, gray eyes seemed to light up from within as her face came into view. As always, he was smiling, but in the golden light of their imagined sun his smile seemed more affectionate, warmer than it had ever been before.

 

So shocked was she by his presence in this land of dreams, Misao started when his hand came into contact with her cheek, gently brushing away tears that glittered on her skin like jewels before slipping down into the dark-blue fabric of her uniform. More willingly than a beloved pet to its master, she leaned into his touch, more tears being squeezed out as she closed her eyes to savor its warmth.

 

“Sou,” she repeated, a smile of relief creeping across her lips with the word, “You’re alright.”

 

Soujiro smiled and pulled her into a more substantial embrace; cradling her head on his chest as both her arms snaked around his waist. “Of course I am,” he comfortingly replied, brushing her bangs away from her face with his free hand, “We made a promise to each-other didn’t we?”

 

“Hai, we did,” she responded, turning her eyes toward his once more, “I promise I’ll come out of this alive Sou, I…” she faltered, eyes widening even further as a new form seemed to melt out of the air itself to loom over them, blocking out the light.

 

Sou himself seemed oblivious to the shadow that hung over his shoulder as he continued to smile at Misao even as she shrank away from it and began to tremble in his arms. “I know,” he said calmly, “I’m counting on it.”

 

Even as he spoke, the shadow’s shape grew more definite until it settled into the distinct silhouette of a man. Tall, broad-shouldered and lean, he stood over them in complete silence as the light shifted to reveal the color of his eyes.

 

“Aoshi-sama…” she breathed pulling away from the both of them.

 

As she looked on, Soujiro stood next to Aoshi, both looking directly into her eyes with more love than she could stand. They both wore the expression so openly, their hearts on their sleeves as they offered all of themselves like lambs for sacrifice. Then, as if that weren’t enough, they both spoke to her, their mismatched voices intermingling to create as sound that pulled on the very fabric of her heart.

 

“There is so much waiting for you Misao,” they said, “All you have to do…is choose.”

 

"Dame…" she whispered, eyes stinging with fresh tears as the light of their dream-sun waned. Slowly the field was swallowed by the darkness, followed by the images of the two men who meant the most to her. Soon, she was left alone in the gloom with only the salt-stains on her cheeks for company.

 

"Aoshi-sama…" she whispered, falling to her knees in defeat. "Sou-kun," she sobbed into her hands as she pressed them to her face.

 

A gentle hand pressed itself against her back in soothing motion and a rich, deep voice rumbled out of the past toward her

 

"Wake up little Misao," it said, "It's time."

 

*********************************************

I want to change the world

Piercing through the gales, unafraid of anything,

Now I hold my courage and pieces of my smile

Change my mind

If we reach out to the soaring future

without losing our passion, we'll be able to shine,

It's wonderland

**************************************************

 

"Hannya…" Misao called out as she opened her eyes and sleep slipped away from her. Gradually the land of dreams faded to be replaced by the reality of sunlight streaming through the open shoji onto the blankets wrapped around her slender body, the clean wooden walls and floor of her room and the kimono hanging on the wall.

 

She smiled then, her eyes caressing every inch of silk with open admiration and wonder as the outfit gleamed back at her from under the golden light. How fitting it should be that the old nightmare should come to her that morning, it would be her last one, for she had made her choice.                   

 

Today was her wedding day.

 

*********************************************

You've left something in the far reaches of the gray sky,

and you keep on searching

as you wander.

In the night when your heart shook, and I can't see tomorrow

I can't believe anything, and close my ears.

When I met you, I found my true place in life.

An innocent kindness is right here.

And so we awaken...

*****************************************************

"There," Kaoru said with a self-satisfied smile as she fixed the last ornament onto Misao's hair, stepping back a bit so she could admire her work.

 

What a beauty her friend had turned out to be. Even with her glorious hair chopped above her shoulders, Misao was still a sight to behold. Her mother's wedding-kimono fit as if it were made for her and her only. Age had done nothing to decrease its splendor, the golden dragons embroidered into the hem still shining defiantly against the vibrant red silk of the robe as they had on the day it was made. A golden obi cinched her waist, the bow at the back tied to resemble a sakura while the scarlet cord securing it held a glittering ruby accent at the front. Ornaments of gold and jade fell in beads on either side of her face and tiny doves made of ivory nestled above each of her ears. Her eyes themselves glittered brighter than any jewels out of her lightly powdered face and her rouge-reddened lips parted into an equally bright smile at the sight of herself in the mirror.

 

"Kireii…" she heard herself say softly.

 

Kaoru leaned over and looked into the mirror. "I'll have to agree with you on that," she said with a gentle chuckle in her voice. As she continued to stare at their reflections her expression changed, adopting the closed look her husband used to hide his thoughts. Misao noticed and her own face held a look of confusion.

 

"What is it?" asked the bride.

 

A small, wistful smile tugged at Kaoru's lips, "I was just thinking of how lucky we are to have you around."

 

Misao blinked, even more confused than before, Kaoru's words, though kind, held something more that she was not revealing. "Kao-chan?" she breathed, struggling to understand.

 

The elder woman's smile widened mirthlessly and her eyes averted from the mirror for a moment. "Misao," she said, "The way that we treated you a couple of months ago was just…inexcusable. I of all people should know, you're the first real friend I've made in ages and even I was so quick to doubt you…" her voice faded away, but only for a moment. "I was wrong," she calmly admitted. "It's just that the thought of losing Kenshin made me so angry I was willing to believe anything in order to justify my own selfishness. The truth was, you did more to preserve Kenshin's life than I ever could." With that last word her voice broke, tears falling onto her hand where it lay fisted on the dressing-table.

 

For a few moments the only sound that could be heard was that of Kaoru's soft sobbing, but her breath caught in surprise as Misao's warm hand moved to cover hers.

 

"It's alright," the younger of the two said softly, "I was worried for him too and if I were in your shoes I would feel just the same." She lifted her hand to brush the wetness from her friend's cheek, "Let's forget about it. A fresh start, for the both of us, ne?"

 

Kaoru smiled through the remainder of her tears, grateful for her friend's forgiveness. Through this she could see that  Misao's appearance that day was only a reflection of the beauty she had always held inside, a beauty that had blossomed from the Kuni Tori as a phoenix rises from its own ashes.

 

"Hai," she finally replied, "It's time that we put the past behind us."

 

"Misao," a low, familiar voice called from behind the closed shoji, "May I come in?"

 

Kaoru sniffed as she wiped all remaining evidence of her tears away, "Just a minute," she called as she got up to leave. Almost as an afterthought, she bent at the waist and kissed Misao on the cheek.

 

"Good luck," she said before reaching to open the door.

 

Misao looked as if she were about to tear up herself, "Arrigatou." she managed to reply with a smile.

 

As Kaoru slipped out the door, the somber face of Aoshi Shinomori appeared in her place. Misao's eyes widened a little at the sight of him. A handsome man by any standard, Aoshi's form seemed even more attractive garbed in the rich material of his formal kimono, the deep indigo color he had chosen did much to highlight the bronzed magnificence of his skin and his eyes gleamed more brightly than usual in contrast. Eyes that widened in open admiration as he caught sight of Misao sitting by the western-styled dresser in all the finery of an angel.

 

"Ohayou gozimasu Aoshi-sama," she said with a smile.

I want to change the world

I won't hesitate again.   If I can shape a future with you,

then I can fly anywhere.

Change my mind

I can spread my wings and fly towards the unknown future

without losing my passion.

It's wonderland

 

"Ohayou," he replied, forcing himself to remember what he had come to say in spite of Misao's tongue-numbing appearance. "You look lovely in that," he complimented, earning a surprised blush from the bride at his unaccustomed openness.

 

"Just as you always have." he added mentally.

 

"Domo arrigatou," she replied in a whisper, "It means a lot to hear you say that."

 

A flicker of sadness crossed the ice-blue surface of his eyes. Had he really been that cruel to her that she would be that surprised by his statement of the obvious? She had always been beautiful, even in that first moment when she had wrapped her entire hand around just one of his fingers, smiling up at him as if she knew exactly who he was, she had been the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Oh, Kami-sama why didn't he have the courage to let her know that from the start?

 

"Well," he finally said, "It seems it was long overdue anyway."

 

Misao's beautifully arched brows knitted in confusion at the sadness in his voice. Her emerald eyes following his every move as he knelt down beside her, for once looking up to her the way that she had always looked to him. Taking both her hands in his, he shocked her further by bringing them both to his lips and kissing them gently.

 

"Gomen," he said softly.

 

"Aoshi-sama?" she whispered in a small, confused voice.

 

Aoshi sighed, his warm breath flowing over her bare hands for a moment before being replaced by the vibration of his words. "I owe you an apology Misao," he said softly and sincerely, "I didn't mean what I said before in the dojo, I…I still wanted you to be my little Misao in spite of everything's that has happened. Even as I gave you away I wished that Soujiro had died from his wound so that you could return home with me." He closed his eyes then, pressing her hands against his cheek as if in silent supplication. "I was wrong," he said simply, "A gift should never be given with a spiteful heart and I did not want to see you get married today without my full blessing…if you would let me give it to you."

 

He held his eyes closed for a long time, afraid that they would be met with contempt from the most important woman in his life, but he should have known better. Misao gently pulled her hands out of his grasp, only to cup his cheeks, turning his face upward to meet hers coaxing his eyes open with a gentle brush of her thumbs.

 

He opened his eyes just in time to see her lean into him, unwittingly tilting his head even further back as she bent at the waist, her beautiful face drawing just a breath's distance away from his own. Lightly, carefully, she caressed his forehead with her lips for a short moment, before wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

 

"I accept your blessing," she replied in a voice choked with gratefulness, "Thank you Aoshi-sama."

 

Aoshi closed his eyes, hugging her tightly for a moment before releasing her and helping her up to her feet.

 

"I'm glad I finally had the courage to say that," he said while offering her his arm, "Let's not keep him waiting too long, ne?"

 

*******************************************  

 

The steps leading up to the old shrine had been scrubbed completely clean that morning, so much so that Misao didn't give a second thought to the parts of her kimono that trailed behind her on the polished stone. Her breath caught with every step, eager to reach the top, to begin her life anew with the man that she loved.

 

Aoshi walked beside her, gazing wistfully at the expression on her face as the temple's roof came into view. Gradually more and more of its delicately patterned walls seemed to rise up from the ground until the last step was surmounted and the full scene loomed before them in all its majestic glory.

 

The crowd that had gathered outside the temple's walls lay like a field of butterflies before her, each man, woman and child decked out in their very finest. Aoshi almost whistled at the sheer number, he had always known Misao to be a likeable person. But never had he really stopped to think of just how many friends she had made along the way.

 

Misao's eyes threatened to tear, overwhelmed by the knowledge that every one of them had come because all of them loved her, each in his own way. Nothing could ever change the fact.

 

Kenshin was talking to Soujiro as he reached out to straighten his already flawless wedding outfit. The fact that the former rurouni seemed even more exasperated than himself was both endearing and overbearing at the same time. Half of him wanted to smack the spastic redhead's hands away, while the other half was infinitely grateful that the past was now truly behind them and that things had worked out in such a way as to have Himura fathering him as he was now.

 

Choosing to tolerate Kenshin's well-meant gesture, his eyes traveled down the path that led to the steps of the shrine just in time record the one memory that he would treasure to the end of his days.

 

***************************

We keep swimming the same world

until the day we reach our dreams.

All of us bear the same worries

When you stop and look, I'll be right here

gazing at you.

****************************

 

There she was, holding on lightly to Shinomori's hand as he led her up the path toward the shrine, looking like she belonged on a plane higher than a mere earthen one. The deep scarlet of her kimono made her skin seem to glow in the sun's bright light and even from that distance, the ornaments of jade that hung on either side of her face set off her eyes in a way that that made him forget his own name.

 

He could hear the whisper of silk as she began to walk toward him, her eyes lighting up with the fire of a thousand stars as they locked with his own.

 

The entire crowd had hushed upon her arrival, admiration written clearly on their faces as whispers of "so beautiful" rippled back and forth

 

Misao smiled at them, that warm engaging smile that had attracted them to her in the first place. As they neared the shrine itself Aoshi bent and kissed her on the cheek before placing her hand in Soujiro's.

 

"Take care of her," he said sternly to the boy, "Make sure.....make sure that she is happy."

 

Soujiro nodded silently, his face a perfect mask of seriousness for a moment before turning to his bride again. His eyes roamed freely over the whole of her, desperate to remember every detail of her appearance, every nuance in her expression, every breath that she took. Shinomori should not have worried, from this point on her happiness was his reason for living.

 

Misao blushed under his ardent gaze, she couldn't believe how handsome he looked in his black gi and hakama, a spotless white shirt peeking out from beneath the former. The color seemed to make his gray eyes twinkle all the more from under the shade of his bangs as he smiled at her with all the warmth in his heart.

 

"You look like a princess in that." he said gently

 

Misao grinned, "I suppose that would make you my prince then?"

 

Another grin, "I suppose it does, doesn't it? Are you ready?"

 

"Of course I am." Misao replied, allowing him to lead her into the building.

**************************************

I want to change the world

If you accept my gaze as I watch over you

and don't let go of my hand, I can do anything.

Change my mind

I won't let you be alone. Everyone is here.

Let's pierce our way through whatever may happen.

It's wonderland

************************************************

 

Kneeling before the priest, the couple waited patiently as the man blessed them both, wishing them prosperity, happiness and of course....many children. Misao bit back a giggle as Sou wiggled his eyebrows at her in the naughtiest of fashions, too quickly and discreetly for the priest to notice.

 

Finally the old man produced two elaborate cups and a small bottle of sake. Filling the first cup he passed it to Misao who took the customary three sips before handing it to him again. The priest then passed the cup to Sou who drank the same amount. The priest then produced the second cup, this time passing it to Sou who in turn passed it back to the priest who then gave the cup to Misao

 

The ceremony, which was little under an hour long seemed to stretch for days for the two young lovers. Finally, the final words were uttered the ones that they both had been longing to hear.

 

"Now the two of you are bound for eternity," he declared, "Go and present yourselves to your witnesses"

 

Misao looked at Soujiro. Soujiro looked at Misao.

 

**************************************

I want to change the world

Piercing through the gales, unafraid of anything,

Now I hold my courage and pieces of my smile

Change my mind

If we reach out to the soaring future

without losing our passion, we'll be able to shine.

It's wonderland

********************************************

 

It was done, and it was more than they could have ever hoped for. All the years of loneliness, the pain of separation, the worse that came before the better. All of if had slipped away as if it had never existed at all, their love was the light that had burned away all doubt and despair, In the end they had truly conquered all. 

 

Sou's hand was warm and inviting as it wrapped around Misao's, promising her his love and protection until the end of his days. Misao's in turn was soft, but strong, promising him her support, along with her heart until death do them part. 

 

Hand in hand, heart in heart, they walked into the sunlight....together.

 

 

 

:::OWARI::::

 

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