Question and Answer: Shimizu Hitomi
Shimizu Hitomi is author of many fics featuring RK characters. Her Seiya no Kinen won best one-shot in our first fic contest. Her fics can be viewed at fanfiction.net or at her homepage.

First off, let's get this monkey out of the way, why Aoshi and Megumi? In other words, what makes them work, in your eyes? and What is the most interesting or complex thing about Aoshi and Megumi's
characteristics?

They look damn good together. :D :D Plus they are intellectually compatible, and complement each other personality-wise. It's an intelligent pairing -- the hints are there, but subtle, and it requires a lot of thought to really see it. I mean, it's not a pairing where the girl blatantly mopes after the guy or vice versa, there's no chocolate/flower-exchanging (though Aoshi does give her the dagger...), the girl doesn't constantly bash the guy with a broom, the guy doesn't hit on the girl (does cheek-touching count?? XD)...

But anyway the captor/captive dynamic is a very interesting one... very psychologically messed up, since there is a certain unique bond that develops in situations like that, although it is a bit depressing and disturbing to think about. But like I said, very interesting, especialy in this case, where the "captor" is also a captive himself... And their interactions in the post-Kanryuu arcs adds a whole other layer to everything. Oh man, I have no idea what I am talking about.

Both of them wear masks. Other characters in the series do as well, but the type of mask that Aoshi and Megumi wear as well as the things that are hidden behind their masks are different from the others. Aoshi acts cold and unfeeling, hiding his compassionate, caring side -- as a leader, he was obligated to hide his true emotions. Megumi flirts and teases, pretending that she doesn't care, doesn't love... even though she does. As a doctor she has to be strong for her patients, just as Aoshi had to be strong for his followers. Both of them have suffered the experience of losing their "family" and being left completely alone, and still feel somewhat like outcasts in their current "family.; Both seem to follow (or at least are highly influenced by) the old-fashioned samurai code with regards to death and honor and all that lovely stuff.

And now my brain is beginning to die (I don't think I've thought this hard ever since summer started) so I'll just stop here.

2. Are there other pairings or stories out there that reminds you of the relationship between Aoshi and Meg?

Can't think of anything specific right now, but their relationship during the Kanryuu years (as I imagine it) always seemed like a tragic love affair to me -- love, yet not quite love. Beginning with mistrust, maybe even hatred, that slowly turned into understanding, but it seems the trust was never quite complete, which is why things ended the way they did. Yet, like I said, both of them are pretty strong & intelligent people, and their interactions in Kyoto and Jinchuu indicate to me that they would actually have a better chance of working things out and resolving their past compared to others who may have been in their situation. So maybe not so tragic after all. (uhh, this is still answering 1 & 4, isn't it???)

Um, now that I think of it, Sesshoumaru/Kagura, Sess/Kikyou (Inuyasha), Snape/Lily (Harry Potter), Haru/Rin (Fruits Basket), and Vegeta/Bulma (Dragonball Z) are in some ways similar to A/Meg (Sess/Kagu more so than the others), although they don't really necessarily remind me of it... Hm. Kenshin's relationship with Tomoe has A LOT of parallels with A/Meg. I'm sure there're better examples out there hiding in the back of my brain, but my brain is trapped in a nice little haze right now, which doesn't really help. x.x

3. Do you think that Aoshi likes pineapples? Er rather, what do you think Aoshi's favorite food is? Heck, if you feel like it, attach a favorite meal/snack for any and all RK characters! Use your imagination. (no points for people who already have favorite foods--ie beef hot pot or soba noodles) :D

Umeboshi!!! XD XD Errrrrr, yeah. (too much fruits basket can do that to you.) Seriously now, my first thought -- what goes well with tea? XP Well, a salty but simple dish, would do. I was thinking fish, actually. (According to the Shinsengumi TV drama I've been following, Serizawa Kamo loves fish guts with his sake...)

But you know Aoshi, he probably has a secret sweet tooth, and absolutely cannot live without expensive chocolate candies imported from Europe. :-P
For Misao I always put down mochi as a fave snack... No idea why, it just came to me when I was writing something or other, once. And after reading eriesalia's Soujirou vignette I'm absolutely convinced that he loves red bean buns. ^_^