After dropping Aioi, it’s around midnight when I secured Miyagawa and had Dr. Tenma tend to his injuries. The doctor having worked with me for the past few years is not new to this arrangement and already knows what to do to keep this captive quiet. No one will find out I took the pig here. So they made Uramura and Kawaji disappear for her convenience? Knowing what Kawaji and I discussed about what’s happened to the Ito prefectural police and the smuggling operations happening in Ito, he would not leave without making provisions. And the Oniwaban as good as they are, doesn’t know everything about how the inner police of the TMPD works which I still have faith in.
I told the doctor to keep him sedated until I’m able to get back which would be in a few hours. Then I sent one wire to an old right hand of mine up in the far north and thankfully for the other choice, there’s no need, they can just appear. I look at the tickets in my hand and wonder which choice she’ll make. In either case… I whip the horse and carriage to go quickly back to the house.
They should -not- have been my priority considering what my duty requires, but those words from my past come back to me loud and clear. I get to the house and it’s quiet. The former Okashira was correct that the sword police was re-assigned. I curse under my breath. It was an -underhanded- move considering I spent considerable time hand picking those men and they are trustworthy but whoever made the re-assignment must’ve used Kawaji’s name, otherwise these men would not have moved without my say so. But no matter, I’ll deal with that later and the mole that’s with the Oniwaban, cannot be my priority either. First this house and then the -rest-.
I go inside and since I no longer have a key to the inside, I knock. “Wake up! And hurry!”
(OOC: Saitou is banging on the door of Hide’s house, he’s got past the gate.)
(Hide)
Wake up! And hurry!
I’m dozing, unable to sleep with just Himura-san out there, and tonight it was one of the fire dreams….when I hear something. Danger? My heart pounding, as I open the door… that’s not Himura-san’s voice.
It’s… after having that dread fear all night, then the protection disappearing, it’s just too much. If Aioi had been standing there with him, I wouldn’t have seen her or -cared- as I wrap my arms around him, Hajime is here. Hajime is taking care of me. I hold on…
Tsutomu:
I hear banging? I think it’s -him-. Why’d he come here? To disturb our peace once again? I get up from the futon and make my way down the stairs but I see Yagi-san’s already going for the door and as soon as she opens it, the banging stops. I go down anyway. They might wake up everybody and it’s already past midnight. Thankfully I think Yukiko and Makoto-chan are heavy sleepers.
Saitou:
The door opens and she didn’t even bring a light. It’s hard to see what’s behind her but she doesn’t say anything and just rushes over… Her arms are around me but I saw the agitation on her face and her slight shaking. For a moment I hesitate to hold her back, I didn’t come here for this. I just came to deliver… to get them somewhere safe because I failed -again-.
But she’s holding on and I do what I tended to do back then, hold her back. Letting her rest against my chest as I rub her back just a little. “Shhh. I’m sorry for coming so late. I knew you’d be sleeping but I just learned about the guards.” Everyone seems like a step ahead of me but even if they are, if I can get her and the rest where they can be safer… Then it wouldn’t matter if I’m several steps behind.
I let her go and look at her. It’s feels like a long time since I’ve seen her. Her hair is longer and flows down her shoulders. And earlier I smelled that scent, the one I hoped to forget but couldn’t really. I look to the side. “I came to get you out of here.” For all this house meant to her and I back then, I don’t think it’s worth risking to stay. At least, not anymore.
It’s then that I see him, my son just a silhouette behind Hide. But he knows. It’s the same as what happened with his mother when I had them vacate our house in Ueno and have them packing to Aizu. That time I thought they were in danger after Tanaka found me in Ito but it ended up just being something convenient as I brought my mistress back to Tokyo. He doesn’t say anything but crosses his arms.
(OOC – got my covid booster and I’m poofed. Will reply tomorrow going to bed)
Shhh. I’m sorry for coming so late. I knew you’d be sleeping but I just learned about the guards
Hajime holds me back, and rubs my back, I tighten my grip on him. He’s no longer mine but this is what I need right now, and I had no such qualms taking it before, when he belonged to another. “It’s only been a few hours since they left. Since then, Himura-san…” I hear the rustling of the tree. Is that where he’s been? But in his arms, in this comfort… I take it, even if I’ll pay for it later. The shivers of the cold night or the situation cease, and my breathing slows down. “There’s been something in the air tonight, like the old days, before that…” I close my eyes for a moment to take in his smell. I smell… blood. So this has been such a night. Aioi’s words come back, about certain things not being -him-. He did the dirty work for Hijikata-san, Souji told me, and Hijikata-san rarely hit his limit where he would need another. As he lets me go, I look up at him. He looks -tired-.
I came to get you out of here.
“The guards cannot be restored?” I ask. I can’t… I can’t give this house up. It seems too… foundational, and to abandon it now… would I ever come home? Would he?
It’s then I realize that Hajime is looking beyond me, and I look back. Tsutomu-kun. It’s hard to read the look in his face, but there’s something in his body language that seems to be… he’s always contained, and I wondered if having Himura-san here would disturb him, but as a cloud that was covering the moon moves away, I see it in his eyes, the set of his mouth, arms crossed over himself like armor. Waiting for his father to fail him again.
“I’m certain this is a busy night, but… please… please, tell me what’s going on. And Tsutomu-kun should be involved. I saw… that he’ll be the head of the Fujita family next year.” I speak and wait for the coldness to come back to him. I should just do what he says and not question, yet here I am, making trouble and resisting. This is not some lovers reunion, I tell myself. I’m just a piece of business for him to attend to.
“It’s only been a few hours since they left. Since then, Himura-san…”
So he kept his promise, to protect everyone within his sight. But in my rush to get here, I didn’t even notice he was there up in the trees.
“That’s… Good.” I simply say as I let her go.
“The guards cannot be restored?”
I shake my head. “I can’t take that risk.” After all if it was that -easy- for them to get re-assigned, just because Kawaji was in some “trip”… There’s very few people I can trust left or maybe there is no one. But that wouldn’t matter much anymore, after all it’s done. I was just holding on to things, making things take longer when the truth was always in front of me.
She asks about what’s happening and also about Tomu. I address the former first. “Tomu is of age to take over the Fujita house. He is the rightful successor and has a good head on his shoulders. I have faith that he’ll be able to handle whatever comes up that concerns the house, whether on his mother’s side or yours.” I take my gaze away from Hide and glance at my son who is standing behind immovable, his expression set in stone.
“As for what’s happened, that man Miyagawa is now under custody. He should not present a problem for you going forwards.” Even if I didn’t put him to the ground, there’s no way is there for him to pose as a threat to her again?
“But that woman…” I get out a cigarette and light up, “I found her in Ito running her smuggling operations there with the protection of the local police. She’s also got Sugiyama and staying at her onsen with her hoodlums.” I sigh as I blow my smoke to the side, “She’s still after you and is trying to pin you as the person who cooked the accounting books for Tanaka’s operations.” How that happened I don’t know but there’s only one way I can think of to remedy that, so I need to leave for Ito as soon as I can.
I hand her the tickets. “You’re not safe here and I know you won’t go to your brothers and there’s a problem I need to resolve in Ito. So you can either go to Aizu to Ueda-sama and ask Kanbee for protection or you can go to Hokkaido. There’s a man there named Cho who worked for me, you might remember him from the wilderness, he’ll take you to Shinpachi. Anywhere else, I can’t guarantee you’ll be protected.” Because even now, here in Tokyo, even when -I- choose how she’s to be protected or when I do it -myself-, it was never good enough.
I look back at my son, “If Tomu wants to go to Tokio, let him. Kurosawa will take care of the rest.” He’ll miss another year of school but that can’t be helped. And besides he can go to school in Aizu, maybe even to the Nisshi-kan and reconnect with his brother. Somehow I’m sure Namuzawa would be very open to the idea should Kurosawa pose it. Namuzawa after all wasn’t a bad man, just one that didn’t approve of what I did.
Then I give another ticket. “This one is for Yuki, she’ll go straight to the Sohma’s.” They’ve told me yes but haven’t come for her, still it was a sudden request of mine. It’ll save them a trip at least. Though Yuki doesn’t know the Sohma’s well, Hiroaki did. In fact I heard that, that family cared for Katsu’s illness so thoroughly that Hiroaki was left with hardly anything to do but give his moral support.
As for the woman in front of me? In the end I suppose, there’s no escaping that future she went to once, but that was probably the way it should’ve been in the first place. And if she chooses Aizu? Well it will only be a temporary arrangement. I’m sure she’ll find some other place where she can be at peace so I don’t ask where she’s going.
“Wake up everyone, have them pack up only what they need. There’s a carriage outside and I will take you to Tokyo Station myself.”
The guards aren’t coming back? Yet Miyagawa is out? The blood… the blood I smell on him… is that his? Not that I know the man, the son of “Peaches” (maybe?)… does he live?
He talks, alarmingly, of us leaving? I agree that Tsutomu-kun has a good head on his shoulders, but that’s because he had to grow up fast. As someone else who had to, as well… I know what that is.
But that woman… I found her in Ito running her smuggling operations there with the protection of the local police. She’s also got Sugiyama and staying at her onsen with her hoodlums. She’s still after you and is trying to pin you as the person who cooked the accounting books for Tanaka’s operations.
“The old man Sugiyama…. it was said he had a gambling problem, and he took draws often from the onsen’s accounts,” I murmur. It seemed like mismanagement, but Mama-sama was there the entire time? All this time? “So Sugiyama-san…. is allied with her as well?” That one hurts. She helped me, once. I wouldn’t say that we were -friends- as she knew her place as the lady of the onsen relative to her staff, but she gave me enough of a start to hold on in Ito, until Hajime came for us.
His cold talk of logistics… he’s desperate enough to send me to -Aizu-? Where Ueda-sama has no love lost for me anymore, not after… and it is, in the end, -her- town. I suppose we could commiserate on what it is to be dumped by Saitou Hajime, I could visit Yaso’s grave… and then I remember with her name, a threat… “No, Hajime. The north is not safe. Where is Yaso-san’s brother? He let me be the last time, but now? Or if he could get his hands on Tsutomu-kun? -Never-.”
I take a breath, closing my eyes to steady myself for a moment…. “Himura-san offered to take us in. Let him take Yukiko-san and the children and Midori-chan. They can… go to school, not be disrupted so badly, but with the best protection in Japan, after you.” I glance back at Tsutomu-kun, could he live with that? At least he could protect his sisters and cousin, not to mention his friend.
“And I… you can bring Mama-sama her bounty, or let her think so.” Aioi-san can’t stand in for me, even if we resembled one another, she’s a good half a foot taller than I, and Mama-sama knows what I look like. Although he trusts her, and she’s learned to be useful in a way that I’m not.
“I won’t do anything stupid, I have no wish to die. You can protect me, and I get to be a decoy to get you in closer.” I look up at him, my eyes serious. I want my own… if not revenge, then to see her fall. And for her to see me not crippled.
I let out the breath I was holding. He’ll say no. He has another now, better suited to being is partner.
“The old man Sugiyama…. it was said he had a gambling problem, and he took draws often from the onsen’s accounts. So Sugiyama-san…. is allied with her as well?”
“I see.” So definitely there was some stealing going and the books would reflect that… But something that she said? “Allied?” I look at her for a minute, “No. She’s a victim much like you. At least that’s what I saw when I last spoke to her.” I need to get back to Sugiyama as well.
“No, Hajime. The north is not safe. Where is Yaso-san’s brother? He let me be the last time, but now? Or if he could get his hands on Tsutomu-kun? -Never-.”
I narrow my eyes at her. If he wanted to really find me, Naito could’ve easily done so. Tomorrow is that day isn’t it? “If you don’t trust the people of Aizu then go to Hokkaido to Shinpachi.”
“Himura-san offered to take us in. Let him take Yukiko-san and the children and Midori-chan. They can… go to school, not be disrupted so badly, but with the best protection in Japan, after you.”
If there’s anything I gathered from all this, is that nothing is sacred and until I know who is an ally or not… “No, even the Battousai is not enough anymore.”
“And I… you can bring Mama-sama her bounty, or let her think so.” “I won’t do anything stupid, I have no wish to die. You can protect me, and I get to be a decoy to get you in closer.”
What the hell is she thinking? I glare at her, at even -thinking- of that idea. She knows I’d -never- agree to it. “I’d let Ito burn and go to hell than do this stupid -idea- Hide. This is about Aioi isn’t? That I work with the Tayu but that’s the Tayu, I -can- lose her.”
He dropped me off in a hurry. I know where he’s going eventhough he didn’t breathe a word to that man Shinomori nor to -me-. I’m sure it’s to his Princess’ castle. He didn’t show it but the urgency of how he left the storehouse after that Shinomori appeared, I knew he just had to be sure that his Princess is still safe. It takes me a while to get there in this lavish kimono and I see the carriage that dropped me off less than an hour ago. Good he’s not left.
But what do I find? What was I expecting to find? All of them there. And she argues with him about leaving her castle! Doesn’t she see? How battered he’s been. Not his body though I think it’s going to give out soon, but his mind has been tortured the past few months. At least…
I go inside uninvited. “At least let him keep his pride.” I tell the Princess. I’m tired of her. I’m tired of seeing him care for this woman who treats him so -carelessly-. Even when he struggled himself, while he was with her, he kept himself faithful to -her-. It was only when he moved out that he let himself get closer to me, but I knew it was only for -relief-. So he can get by another day until he can show her, move her or at least redeem himself.
“If you have no faith in him or his abilities, then just this -once- even if it’s just for “show” or to get him “off your back”, take the damn train! There’s nothing keeping you here, you’re not from here, your children is still yours! And you’ve already let him go before! Rejected him even! Or do you really love the fact that you’ve got this man wrapped around your little finger Princess, proposing some ignorant plan that can get him killed!!!”
“Aioi!” Suddenly he’s by my side. Holding me by my shoulders, trying to turn me away from her, from -them-.
“Aren’t you tired of this Hajime-han? Isn’t everything you’ve done enough? No more…” I implore him.
He looks at me with those same eyes when we met again in Tokyo three years ago. I was a mess and he was, more so. “Please Aioi. -I- don’t want a scene here. Not -here-.” And he turns for a second looking at that boy who is probably his eldest son who he’s very proud of but only has daggers towards his father. The Princess is trying to concot something but its clear, he’s totally opposed to it.
“I know you. You won’t stop until you get her somewhere safe. You’ll run yourself to the ground trying to make things right for -them-. And then there’s still your justice, after. I’ve tried to help you Hajime but…” I shake my head at him.
“It will all be over soon Aioi.” He lets me go and looks down, “All of this, is now for the orderly closure of this place.”
I knew what he wanted after he was stripped of himself. The only thing he had left was blind faith to keep him going. That’s why eventhough I had toyed with the idea of us, in the end I decided to still play my part. The proud Tayu who never needed anything and so didn’t ask for anything. I touch his face with the palm of my hand and make him turn to meet my eyes.
“I -know- you. I knew after we caught Miyagawa you’d be sending me away.” I felt it but that night when he told me that maybe I can start over, made me certain. But I don’t tell him I heard what he told his Princess just now that I was -dispensable-.
“You know when you didn’t buy me out back then, I swore I’d get even with you.” I kiss him on the lips softly, taking my time before leaving his lips, “That’s my revenge Mibu no Ookami.” And as I turn away, I whisper, “Goodbye Hajime.”
I don’t turn back. But I did want him to find his peace, even if it meant it would be the end.
No. She’s a victim much like you. At least that’s what I saw when I last spoke to her
Oh no, if her, too, then who else is caught in this? The Sugiyamas?
He dismisses the threat of Yaso-san’s brother, and shrugging tells me to go to Hokkaido, under the protection of the former 2nd captain. “His wife… she’ll think I’m after her husband, too. I have a reputation with captains,” I mutter. One of the blemishes I left out of that alluring dream I tried to create for him, one he saw right through.
No, even the Battousai is not enough anymore
I look at him. “Hajime… you don’t have to do this alone. You have… I know you don’t consider them friends, but they will ally to you, as you did to them once. Himura, Shinomori, Myojin – didn’t you fight with them, once? In -their- fights?” I take his hand, his cold hand. My eyes are anguished as I look at him. “Mama-sama is -my- nemesis. You have enough of you own enemies.
And I’ll be damned if I sit around and let her kill you. I’m not going to die for her, either.”
I’d let Ito burn and go to hell than do this stupid -idea- Hide. This is about Aioi isn’t? That I work with the Tayu but that’s the Tayu, I -can- lose her.
“She shares your bed, your confidences, your mission. She took things you never let me have. I told you before… Shanghai, hell… ” I drop my head. “I wanted to support you. I need your protection, but you never had to do it without me.” All the meals, the coffee… it wasn’t enough to reach him, my useless domesticities. He could get that at a street stall.
Then it hits me, what he said? That he can lose her? That he can throw away a woman who’s been so much to him? Am I meant to take comfort in that, to rejoice? That he wouldn’t put me in harm’s way?
I’m surprised as Aioi-san comes in, and begins to berate me, as if a nightmare is unfolding before me. I only stand quietly, because she’s right, beautiful in her fine kimono, her beautifully done hair, her -resolve-.
If you have no faith in him or his abilities, then just this -once- even if it’s just for “show” or to get him “off your back”, take the damn train! There’s nothing keeping you here, you’re not from here, your children is still yours! And you’ve already let him go before! Rejected him even! Or do you really love the fact that you’ve got this man wrapped around your little finger Princess, proposing some ignorant plan that can get him killed!!!
Her words are like blows – no, they’re knives. I step back as she speaks, holding onto the wall. Weak and useless, but just like she said… just torturing this man. But she’s wrong. He’s not wrapped around my finger. My physical presence here is just a burden.
Aren’t you tired of this Hajime-han? Isn’t everything you’ve done enough? No more…
He’s holding her he’s holding her here in -my- kitchen where we once made love on the counter. Where we kissed good morning and welcome home. As she implores him…
Please Aioi. -I- don’t want a scene here. Not -here-.
I hear a sound from Tsutomu-kun, he’s here witnessing this entire scene. I can’t even protect him…
It will all be over soon Aioi. All of this, is now for the orderly closure of this place.
That’s all this is. He can close this terrible chapter of himself and start over. Kyoto, then. I’ll shame myself and go there. Better to have no pride there than somewhere where I’m -really- not wanted.
It’s like hell as I watch as she takes his face and leans up to him, her lips heading towards… I run back outside, to the yard, my head swimming, and I throw up off of the engawa. I’m surprised to find a kitchen towel being thrust at me, as I look back at who’s offering it to me. “Tsutomu-kun?” I have to get up. I have to uproot this family and break it apart and flee because… there’s no other options.
Then I hear footsteps and… I can’t -handle- this, what now? WHY? Two figures, one short, the other tall and… it’s Himura-san and Shinomori-san. “Aoshi-san, you didn’t need to bring him…” Himura-san is tutting at the ninja, who looks unimpressed.
The man in the strange coat takes a large bundle off his back and dumps it on the engawa, and as the bag opens, a thin face peers out. “What now?” the man moans, rubbing his bald head.
“His wife… she’ll think I’m after her husband, too. I have a reputation with captains,”
“Even so, Shinpachi will do the right thing.” I look at her. We all owed a debt of gratitude to her father.
“Hajime… you don’t have to do this alone. You have… I know you don’t consider them friends, but they will ally to you, as you did to them once. Himura, Shinomori, Myojin – didn’t you fight with them, once? In -their- fights?” “Mama-sama is -my- nemesis. And I’ll be damned if I sit around and let her kill you. I’m not going to die for her, either.
I can’t help but shake my head. I only made an exception to work with those people because the circumstance demanded it. But this is -different-, it’s not Japan… It’s.. “You shouldn’t have a nemesis Hide. And now that you do, then I have to resolve it. But you are -not- going to be involved.”
“She shares your bed, your confidences, your mission. She took things you never let me have. I told you before… Shanghai, hell… ” I can only flinch at that. It’s -different-. Doesn’t she understand? And she tells me I didn’t have to do it without her? Back then I was content in just going home, to a warm house and a good woman who had time to spare. But that was just a fanciful -dream-.
And then come’s Aioi and no amount of my trying to corral Aioi’s rage works. I can only try to hold Aioi so she doesn’t go and physically confront Hide. But her words to Hide, I can’t do anything about. Even if it were true or Hide already knew, I’d much prefer her not to hear it. Because what good does it do, for stubborn people like us? Who will never change nor give in?
And suddenly Aioi kisses me and tells me goodbye. And I’m -shocked-. She reminds me of old hurts but that she’s got her revenge. I can only watch as she walks away. This is what I wanted after all, for her to leave and start over. I was going to tell her but she made it easy for me and did the deed herself. It hurts to see the Tayu walk away, she was my comfort much like Hide was… How ironic. But that was all the Tayu to me, a comforting ally. Aioi wasn’t my life, but I know I’ll feel the pain of her leaving nonetheless.
I turn around and I’m alone in the room. When did Hide leave? Perhaps she couldn’t stand to see me with Aioi? But that’s just because it’s front and center. The other times when I came home, it didn’t really matter. There’s not much time and I have to make a decision. I can go after the Tayu or I can go to the ajar kitchen door that leads to the yard. The choice wasn’t hard but it was probably futile.
I see my son giving a towel to Hide, trying to help her. And I’m -glad- for this. He is strong. But after a few moments I feel a different presence – two different kis. Shinomori and the Battousai. I can’t let Hide and Tomu be alone with these two -dangerous- men, so I go ahead and make myself known, going in front of Hide intercepting the two men.
And at once the former Okashira throws a bundle to the ground and inside is a man. The mole.
I didn’t really need this. I had made up my mind to go to Ito and settle things after this house is in order. But I can’t even get them to Tokyo Station. And contrary to what Hide thinks, I’ve always been a lone wolf. I don’t like dragging others into -my- business.
“Why are you two here?” I ask irately. I don’t have time for this. I can’t even get back there to get Hide off the ground. I take a quick look and thankfully, it’s my son again who’s helping Hide to her feet.
Yukiko:
Going to the other side of the yard, I see Tomu trying to help Yagi-san who seems to have been reduced to a puddle. I walk over closer to Yagi-san than the three men, normally I’d take this as just fine since Himura-san is there and seems to know the man but Uncle is squarely in between all of us… Which tells me maybe this may not be a friendly meeting. And there’s someone else on the ground inside a sack!
I go over and help Yagi-san to her feet and Tomu seems relieved someone else is here. “Thanks Tomu.” I say to him and smile slightly.
Then I turn to Yagi-san and I see she’s holding on to some train fares? I take it from her hands as we try to steady her. “Would you like to sit on the engawa Auntie? Or do you want to go back inside?” And I remember she maybe hesitant because of the unwelcome guest. “There’s nobody else inside except the children who are still sleeping.” I put on a smile.
“Well that’s good.” Tomu adds. “I wouldn’t want any of them to see -this-.” His eyes go to the men standing a few feet away from us. “First some woman and now a bunch of men with all their -baggage-. Let’s go inside Yagi-san.”
You shouldn’t have a nemesis Hide. And now that you do, then I have to resolve it. But you are -not- going to be involved.
I look down. “It’s the price, I suppose, of having lived an interesting life.” I knew offering myself was a fool’s game, and how he must scorn me for my childish display of jealousy of Aioi-san. But he remains stubborn, refusing to work with those who would help him, help us?
“I just want… I want to be there, if not beside you, then when you return.” A samurai’s reward… but I see him get his reward already, from someone else. A woman brave enough to come into another woman’s home and claim her man…. after all, she can offer him a new start. I’m the same old problems. Children and home and my stupid, stupid pride and stubbornness… I -let- him go to her, after patting myself on the back for how high-minded and trusting I was being. Ha. -Fool-.
The night air, after I come outside and have my shameful reaction… but Tsutomu-kun is there. Tokio-san is lucky to have a son like him. “Thank you,” I say, wiping my mouth, my insides still churning.
Hajime only comes out, leaving his lady, once the other two appear. And now there’s Yukiko-san….
(Aoshi)
Why are you two here?
Now he notices, when we get to close to the home? The Yagi woman seems to be in medical distress… I’ll have Himura send Misao-chan here later, I suppose.
“This man.” I poke at him with the sheathed end of a kodachi. “Obara Goro. What is it you do?” I ask the man in the sack.
“Ummm… umm… personnel, sir, for the TMPD,” he cringes, and looks around, owled-eyed, blinking.
“And tell us all what you did, Obara,” I sigh, like prodding a child.
“Miyagawa-sama… I admired his father greatly, and he asked me to ummmm…. be of use? Keep an eye on things? And when he told me to find out who was getting private sword police protection….” Another poke, and I hear Himura make a -sound- of displeasure, but I give another one for good measure. “I forged my superior’s signature, pulling them as ummm…. a cost-cutting measure tonight.”
“And who did you tell?”
“Oh! Nobody but you, sir,” he says, cringing. “And now these fine people! I meant to send a messenger to Miyagawa-sama but ummm…. I can’t remember the code he likes to use and ummm… I never got the address he wanted, of the lady he was looking for. The assignment locations were ummmm… redacted by the higher-ups.”
I lift up the bag, to look at the man. “There were three sword police assignments you dismissed. This one and two protecting a foreign trade group.” I drop the man in his bag again. What a foolish act… I pull the drawcord. I’m done with him, and he’s ready for whatever the police has for him.
I watch as two older children – both clearly blood kin of Saitou – lead the Yagi woman away.
Himura speaks up. “While this one know that we have our past that is yet to be resolved, I remain in your debt for Kaoru-dono’s rescue, even if it was part of your responsibilities with the police. I will continue to do as you asked, to watch this house.”
I look at the man. He’s a mess and hardly fit for… “and I intend to go to Ito and deal with the potter myself. He’s supposedly at an abandoned shop building there.” It would be -useful- I suppose should we work together….
Saitou:
“It’s the price, I suppose, of having lived an interesting life.”
“But why do people like me who live by the sword -exist-?” I try to remind her. But I suppose in that regard, I have failed and so reparations need to be made as she looks away from me, when I looked back at her for a moment.
“I just want… I want to be there, if not beside you, then when you return.”
Did she -really-? But it didn’t seem like it before and I didn’t want to test -that- anymore and so I moved out.
Yukiko and Tomu asks her to go inside and thankfully she agrees. I need to deal with the baggage that the former Okashira sent my way. He’s nothing more than another corrupt man in the employ of the TMPD which unfortunately is teeming with such scum. But I’m not ungrateful for the information and he will become useful later as we build up a case against Miyagawa… Now that we need one since I wasn’t able to put him away.
“Oh! Nobody but you, sir,” he says, cringing. “And now these fine people! I meant to send a messenger to Miyagawa-sama but ummm…. I can’t remember the code he likes to use and ummm… I never got the address he wanted, of the lady he was looking for. The assignment locations were ummmm… redacted by the higher-ups.”
I lift up the bag, to look at the man. “There were three sword police assignments you dismissed. This one and two protecting a foreign trade group.”
“I only have one more question for you before I ask the Battousai to bring you to the Precinct to one of my men.” I can’t help but to start smoking. “Miyagawa said he did not order you to do the sword police reassignments. Who was it?”
Shinomori seems to be done with him and so after answering my question the mole can be sequestered in the brig. I write a short note directed to Shindou, to hold -tightly- to this man and not to allow visitors. I hand the note to the Battousai. “Here since you want to be in my “debt”. Find this person and he’ll take care of the rest.” I’d do this myself but the Battousai can make himself useful until I can take care of those people inside this house. I can’t leave here until then.
“and I intend to go to Ito and deal with the potter myself. He’s supposedly at an abandoned shop building there.”
I’m not interested in some former Oniwaban who went astray. I only have two things that needs to happen, well maybe three. “Try to get your potter before I set -our- trap. I won’t get in your way but don’t get in -mine-.”
(OOC: Saitou will exit into the house once he gets the answer from the mole or will stay if there’s something unexpected from the three men)
I only have one more question for you before I ask the Battousai to bring you to the Precinct to one of my men. Miyagawa said he did not order you to do the sword police reassignments. Who was it?
The man looks wide-eyed. “Oh sir I ummmm… Miyagawa-sama told me, that he was trying to find the lady… I thought she was one he was ummmm targeting, he’s done that before. I thought if I dismissed the police I could ummm… find it out, somehow. I just wished to please him!” He tries to get out of the bag, but I put a stop to that but he half-manages to prostrate himself on the engawa even while -bagged-, “sir, I’m not from a famous line like Miyagawa-sama, just a common family I ummm… had to find a way up, and Miyagawa-sama told me a man loyal to him would rise as he rose!” He looks up. “What other chance could a man like me have?”
I pull the bag and then man up, drawing the cord. “Is that enough of an answer?” I suppose he wanted to know if that ‘Mama-sama’ was involved as well.
Try to get your potter before I set -our- trap. I won’t get in your way but don’t get in -mine-.
I’m not going to argue with him. Too many “special” members went astray after the war, tempted by evil, like Gein. I’ll get what I need, certainly, but he forgets that I have an interest in Miyagawa as well, for his insult and -threat- to the okashira.
“He doesn’t seem to need your services, Himura,” I say.
He gives a long look to Saitou, one I can’t read. “This one still remains in Saitou’s debt. For not just Kaoru-dono’s rescue, but for the Wilderness. What he’s asking has does not balance the scales.” But he bows, and slings the sack holding the man over his shoulder as Saitou goes into the house.
(OOC – Kenshin and Aoshi leave, close)