Usual disclaimers apply…

Misao's Turn to Solve a Maths Problem

"Please Jiya? I wanna go play!" Misao-chan spoke pouting her eyes cutely at Okina.

"I've made my decision Misao-chan. You shall sit here and do those sums or else no playtime and NO dinner!" Okina left the room sliding the shoji across keeping Misao-chan in the room. Misao-chan huffed lightly sitting on the stool and turned away from the paper on the table. Her chubby arms crossed in front of her chest in stubbornness. Misao-chan's lips pursed in thought as she stared at the closed shutters of the window. She got off the stool pushing it closer to the window and stood on tiptoes pushing the shutters open letting in the bright morning light.

"And if you think about climbing out of the window think again Misao-chan!" Okina spoke making her squeal in fright and she fell off the stool landing on her butt.

"OW! Jiya that hurt!" Misao-chan got off the floor rubbing her hand over her butt as she stared angrily at Okina as he looked in through the window.

"Misao-chan, if you sit down and think real hard about them, the faster you'll be able to come outside and play again. You don't want to be stuck in here all day do you?" Okina spoke glancing down as Misao pulled the stool back over to the small table she sat at.

"No Misao-chan wants to go play outside, so she'll do the stupid sums!" Misao-chan spoke angrily and sat on the stool, holding the ink pen in hand, her head bowed over the paper as she read the first question.

"Eight minus five? Jiya what do I do now?" Misao-chan spoke looking out the window to see that Okina had already left. Misao-chan grumbled softly pursing her lips once more as she stared down at the problem not having the faintest idea of what to do next.

* * * *

Misao-chan was now slouched against the small table; a blank piece of paper was now covered in small scribbles that she had drawn. Misao-chan felt like she'd been in here forever. No one had come to see if she was all right. No one wanted to see her at all.

"No one wants to see Misao-chan…" She whispered softly looking endlessly into the small bowl with black ink in it.

"That's not true Misao-chan." Came a soft male voice. Misao-chan sat up in happiness noticing a tall figure standing at the doorway.

"AOSHI-SAMA!" Misao-chan yelled excitedly forgetting about her sadness and loneliness as she finally saw the one person she'd wanted to see ever since she woke up.

"What are you doing in here Misao-chan?" Aoshi spoke quietly, walking inside and closing the shoji behind him. When he opened the door he'd never seen Misao-chan look so sad, so lonely before. The scene tugged at his heart, telling him he actually had a heart and that it actually hurt seeing Misao-chan in here by herself. He never wanted to see Misao-chan look like that ever again.

"Jiya said I'm not allowed to play outside until… Hey Aoshi-sama what's eight minus five?" Misao-chan spoke brightly thinking she was going to get out of doing those sums since her Aoshi-sama was here. She followed Aoshi with her bright blue eyes as he moved closer, squatting down to see the pieces of paper lying on the table in front of her. All he saw was a piece of paper filled with scribbles and the other one was blank, Misao-chan not having tried to work the problems out.

"I can't tell you that Misao-chan. It's not the right way to go about solving the problems." Aoshi spoke back looking down at Misao-chan. He watched her eyes frown in sadness and her hand gripped the pen tightly in frustration. She was ready to blow up at not knowing what to do and Aoshi patiently waited for it.

"What IS the RIGHT way then Aoshi-SAMA?" Aoshi couldn't help but smirk at the way Misao-chan was behaving. Aoshi finally realised Misao-chan would have been in here since she woke up and she was still in here too. The candle was half way down and the sun was above the Aoiya indicating it was noon. Misao would be getting really hungry soon.

"That's what you must figure out Misao-chan, but I'll give you a little hint." Aoshi watched Misao-chan's eyes light up in happiness as she edged closer towards him, as though it was a big secret.

"Don't think of the numbers as just numbers Misao-chan. Think about something you love and use it as examples for the problems.

"That no help me Aoshi-sama. You just making it more diff…more diff…more harder for Misao-chan!" A light chuckle escaped Aoshi's lips without his consent, but Misao-chan really was adorable. She was standing beside him, her hands on hips and a scowl on her face.

"What about flowers Misao-chan? You love flowers…and rice cakes too. Why not use them as the numbers and take them away from each other to see what is left." He watched the confused look grow on Misao-chan's face and Aoshi shook his head, patting Misao-chan's head lightly and stood up.

"You'll work it out Misao-chan. Just have a little patience and it'll come to you. I have to go do some training Misao-chan so I'll see you later." Aoshi walked to the door sliding it open and was about to close it when Misao-chan's stomach grumbled loudly. He turned to see Misao-chan patting her stomach lightly and then her head lifted up as she gave him a small smile of defeat, sitting down once more and placed ink to paper.

* * * *

"Misao-chan's never gunna get outta here…" Misao-chan sighed leaning against the table once more. 'Don't think of the numbers as just numbers Misao-chan. Think about something you love and use them as examples for the problems.' Misao-chan groaned placing her hands over her head listening to her Aoshi-sama's voice roll around in her mind. She lifted her head when she heard two muffled voices coming from outside and pulled the stool over towards the window to have a look. She watched as Hannya-kun walked off as he finished speaking to Aoshi-sama. Misao-chan watched fascinated as her Aoshi-sama continued on with his training. She gasped in surprise, her eyes widening as Aoshi began moving faster and to her it seemed like there was more then one Aoshi-sama.

"Aoshi-sama's so fast…there's eight Aoshi-sama's…" Misao-chan whispered her eyes following all of his movements. She watched as Aoshi began slowing down, the so-called other seven Aoshi's disappearing before her eyes and only leaving one of him behind.

"There were eight Aoshi-sama's…but now…seven left leaving only one Aoshi-sama. OH! THAT'S IT!" Misao-chan spoke happily jumping off the stool and scribbling her answer for the first question on the paper.

"Four plus five? I've got four Aoshi-sama's now and I need to get five more…so that makes it…five, six, seven, eight, nine! NINE AOSHI-SAMA'S!" Misao-chan giggled happily while writing the answer on the page. She finished up the other problems racing out the door and down the hall towards the dining room where she heard several voices.

"I FINISHED JIYA!" Misao-chan yelled running into the room placing the paper in front of him and sitting down waiting for lunch to be served. Okina looked over the paper in disbelief and turned his questioning eyes to Misao-chan wanting to know how she did this.

"And how'd you work them out Misao-chan?" Misao grabbed her bowl from Okon thanking her with a big bright smile and spoke to Okina once more.

"That's Misao-chan's secret!"

"I hope you had nothing to do with this Aoshi?" Okina grumbled under his breath not realising that Aoshi had entered the room.

"Excuse me?" Aoshi spoke quietly, his blue-green eyes staring straight at Okina as he walked into the dining room with Hannya close behind him.

"Don't blame Aoshi-sama Jiya! He was training outside when I figured it out by myself and Hannya-kun was there too! Weren't you Hannya-kun?" Misao-chan spoke looking up at her masked friend.

"Hai Misao-chan." The dining room fell silent as Aoshi and Hannya sat down beside each other and quietly thanked Okon for passing them their bowls and chopsticks.

"What about a small test Misao-chan?" Okina spoke looking directly at her.

"But I just wanna eat Jiya!" Misao-chan whined back as she stared at all the food being placed on the table, her stomach grumbling once more.

"Three problems then you can eat?" Misao sighed defeated and finally nodded her head knowing she wouldn't be able to get out of this.

"Nine plus three, seven plus two and seven minus three?" All eyes were on Misao-chan and she didn't even blink an eye when she answered correctly and proudly too.

"Twelve, nine and four. Can I eat now?" Okina's eyes were wide open in amazement and dumbly nodded his head watching Misao-chan dig in with the others following suit.

* * * *

It was Hannya's turn to tuck Misao-chan into bed tonight and he too was interested in wanting to find out how she knew the answers to the problems so quickly. Misao-chan was only four after all but was going to grow up to be a very smart and beautiful young woman.

"Hannya-kun? Do you want to know how Misao-chan figured them out?" Misao-chan spoke quietly and tiredly to him.

"Hai Misao-chan, I do." Hannya spoke back quietly, tucking the blankets around her tightly, just the way she liked it.

"It'll be our secret right Hannya-kun? You won't tell anyone will you?"

"Iie Misao-chan, you can tell me." Hannya spoke back reassuring her that he wouldn't tell a soul.

"It was Aoshi-sama. He told me to use something I love as examples for the numbers. He was talking about flowers and rice cakes, but I saw that 'flowy' thingy Aoshi-sama does when he trains and there was eight Aoshi-sama's! Then he stopped and there was only one again. The other seven Aoshi-sama's went away and that only left one Aoshi-sama. You see my first problem was eight minus five so I just thought of having eight Aoshi-sama's and taking five away like the flowy thingy did. When Jiya asked me early on, I just remembered Aoshi-sama and that's how I got it. Do you see Hannya-kun?" Misao-chan watched Hannya nod silently to her explanation and she closed her eyes falling asleep in mere seconds.

* * * *

Years pass

"Misao-chan where have you been?" Okon spoke looking at Misao with stern eyes. Misao stopped in her walking to her room and replied back.

"I've been training in the forest Okon. I thought I told you earlier today?"

"You did Misao-chan, but you promised to go into town to pick up the groceries but I got Omasu and Shiro to go instead."

"Oh no! I'm sorry Okon. I got so lost in my training it just slipped my mind. I'll go into town next time okay?" Okon nodded her head and walked back into the kitchen.

"Okon? Have you seen Aoshi-sama today?" Misao spoke leaning against the doorframe.

"I'm pretty sure he's still in the training hall Misao-chan." Okon watched Misao dash off and shook her head.

"That girl will never give up on him…" Okon spoke softly to herself and went back to chopping vegetables.

* * * *

Misao stood inside the hall watching her Aoshi-sama go through one of his training routines. Kuro and Okina sat on the floor to Misao's right and were watching as well. Misao lightly blushed as she watched Aoshi move around the hall faster, turning his action into the water flow technique, which he has now truly mastered.

"I wander how many strokes Aoshi-sama is doing right now?" Kuro spoke up looking over at Aoshi who heard every word but concentrated on what he was doing instead. Before Misao could stop herself she blurted out her own answer as she observed Aoshi.

"That all depends on the way you look at it. You see its 12 strokes, making it six per kodachi. Since there is 12 of Aoshi-sama at the moment that would make it 144 strokes. It also depends on whether or not he moves faster to increase himself in numbers, so you keep adding on twelve and the same happens if he slows down too, you just take twelve off." Misao's eyes widened as she slapped her hand over her mouth. Why did her mouth always have to run away like that? Misao noticed Okina and Kuro staring at her with wide eyes as she had answered in a split second. Misao's eyes travelled across the training hall to see Aoshi had stopped as well. A bead of sweat rolled down his handsome face, his chest heaved slightly and he lowered his kodachi's to stare silently over at Misao.

"How did you work that out so fast Misao-chan?" Okina questioned her. Misao let out a nervous chuckle backing closer towards the entrance and mumbled a reply before swiftly leaving the training hall.

"G-Gomen, I think I hear Okon calling me." Misao raced away from the hall and ran into the backyard heading for the garden. Misao stared at her reflection in the pond water as her cheeks were bright red from what she had said in front of Okina, Kuro and especially Aoshi.

"Misao?" Misao stiffened, her shoulders tensing up when she heard Aoshi call her name. He had followed her around to the back intent on wanting to find out how she answered so fast. Misao hesitantly turned around to see he was wearing his usual omnitsu uniform without his trench coat. Misao watched as Aoshi walked closer and sat down on the bench near the pond.

"D-Did you need something A-Aoshi-sama?" Misao spoke shakily. Now she really hated herself for sounding so weak in front of him. A light pink stained her cheeks again as she watched Aoshi pat the space beside him indicating for her to sit so closely to him.

"You know what I'm going to ask Misao. So just tell me the truth." Aoshi spoke back bluntly. Misao sat on the edge of the pond, unable to some up any courage to sit with him on the bench. Misao stared down at her fisted hands on her bare knees.

"He really didn't…Hannya-kun never told you? He never told you how I solved the problems?" Misao looked up, her blue eyes staring into Aoshi's semi-hidden blue-green ones. Misao watched Aoshi shake his head negatively, his long bangs swaying across his forehead giving her a better view of those intense eyes he had.

"Do you remember the time you found me in Okina's study as I was supposed to being doing some math's problems? When you told me to use something I loved as examples for the numbers?" Aoshi nodded his head affirmatively this time and watched Misao slouch slightly as she turned her head over her shoulder to look at her reflection in the water once more.

"That's what I did. After seeing the water flow technique you did way back then it helped me with the problems and then I solved them with switching the numbers to something I loved." Misao couldn't believe she was saying this. This was so embarrassing for her and she still couldn't believe Hannya-kun hadn't told anyone.

"What was it? You loved many things. Flowers, clouds, rice cakes, food in general, different coloured leaves or rocks, origami, kun-" Misao's anger rose as Aoshi kept marking off the things she loved on his fingers completely forgetting about himself. She blurted out her answer in complete frustration to him.

"It was a stupid idiot named Aoshi-sama! He's the one I love the most!" Misao blue eyes widened and she clamped her hand over her mouth in sheer horror at what she said. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Misao! She chanted inside her head. Her face was flushed red, just as bright as a cherry tomato, as she stood away from the pond and her left hand fisted as she looked directly at Aoshi. He was sitting emotionless on the bench not saying a single thing. Had he even heard Misao?

"So Hannya was telling the truth after all." Aoshi spoke getting up and turning away from Misao heading for the main building.

"W-What? Y-you knew all along… AOSHI-SAMA NO BAKA!" Misao yelled in complete anger and embarrassment grabbing some kunai's and throwing them at him. She watched with wide eyes as he jumped up onto the household roof looking down at her, his left arm resting on his up drawn left knee as he crouched on the roof. Misao's kunai's had embedded into the Aoiya wall completely missing Aoshi.

"That's zero Misao. Four kunai's that got the Aoiya and zero that got myself. How many is it Misao?" Aoshi spoke with a smirk crossing his face. He jumped away again when Misao landed on the roof as well. She yelled a loud battle cry getting out more kunai and chased after Aoshi never giving up the fight. A ghost of a real smile crossed Aoshi's lips, as this was the first time he'd sparred with Misao in a long time. He was going to enjoy every minute of this and the thought of what he really meant to her rolled around in his mind, making his heart swell with hope and joy, but he wouldn't show it, not right now anyway, he had to win this match first.

* * * *

Unknown to the both of them the other members of the Aoiya stood outside watching them.

"So Misao-chan finally told Aoshi-sama her secret in solving her math's problems huh?" Shiro and Kuro spoke simultaneously.

"And it seems Aoshi's using it to his advantage as well. Very smart young man, very smart." Okina spoke stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"What do you mean Okina?" Okon spoke confused at what the elder man said. She watched as he chuckled lightly as Aoshi plucked some of the kunai's out of the air and tucked them into his uniform for safe keeping.

"Now he knows how Misao-chan feels. He knows she'll wait for him and this lightens his burden dramatically. All because of his water flow technique…Ah, young love, such a blessing." Okina began walking away not realising the stupid faces the others where giving him. They all mumbled what an old fool Okina was but Omasu gasped in surprise pointing up at the roof and they all looked up noticing Aoshi caught Misao in his embrace, his face lowering closer to hers.

"OKINA QUICK! YOU'RE MISSING IT!" Omasu yelled in excitement and watched Okina run back over not wanting to miss such a moment between Misao and Aoshi.

"Ah, Omasu, that wasn't the smartest thing to say…" Shiro spoke while stepping back slightly as the battle auras of Aoshi and Misao could be felt as they glared angrily down at their audience.

"JIIIIIIYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAA!" Misao yelled grabbing her left over kunai's and jumping to the ground with Aoshi not too far behind her.

"RUN!" Okina spoke and the rest of the Oniwabanshuu scattered, running away from the now pissed off Aoshi and Misao.

The end

Authors Notes: *hehehehehe* I couldn't help myself! I got the inspiration from Saucie's fic "Eighteen Times Nine" Go read it! I hope Saucie doesn't mind. I couldn't help myself in doing Misao-chan since Saucie did Aoshi… Anywho…Ja Ne…must stop this and get on with Under the Cherry Tree ne?