Author's Note:

Wow, that last chapter was pretty long, wasn't it? It was supposed to be longer, but then I decided to fragment the sequence. Currently, on my Word Program, it's 14 pages long. It could have gone up to 18 or 20, depending on how much I felt like rattling off! But as you know, I'm afraid of boring any of you, so I did a bit of adjusting.

Standard disclaimers apply. "Rurouni Kenshin" (c) Watsuki Nobuhiro, Shuiesha, Shounen Jump, and Sony. I do not own RK, pray as I might, every night, it just wouldn't happen that way.

More disclaimers. I would just like to say that although I will be mentioning (and have mentioned) a lot of people who actually existed in Meiji Japan, my account of their lives and personalities are all fictional, except for what I say is true and actual in my closing Author's Notes. Please, no one sue me for libel.

Chapter Seven

THE SPY

From the beginning it's been nerve-wracking, unsettling at best, but since our visit to Nakagura Daisuke, the uncertainty has never been so strong. I never dreamed that there would be someone else apart from the scope of our knowledge involved with the whole thing. Ikue...do you really exist, or are you a fragment of a child's imagination?

It seems almost silly that we should rely on the tales of a three-year-old, but it seems we cannot afford to write it off as a fancy.

Kenshin told me that Daisuke, in his own subtle way, had tried to convince him not to believe anything Soushi had told him. It could mean that Soushi's words have merit, for why else would her father try to convince Kenshin otherwise? But at the same time, I know we are gripped with fear and paranoia, which means that our musings may be tainted, that spoken words to us would be interpreted to mean something significant, when in reality they may mean nothing.

It isn't just Daisuke, either. The mere fact that Saitoh had asked us about our business with Nakagura spoke volumes, but then it goes back to the same question of what's real or what's congealed. Saitoh may have just been fishing for information, his aims vague, making the haze seem all the more thicker.

Only one thing is for sure. Everyone has a secret to keep. Everyone has a lie to tell. Everyone has a truth to stretch. We have to sift through the whole slush of unknowns, misinformation, and half-truths to get to the core of it, and we're nowhere near being certain of what to discard and what to keep.

This really sucks.

Sano has been assigned to keep an eye on Saitoh. How he'll do it, I didn't even dare to ask. As long as he doesn't get himself killed, I don't care what methods he'll employ.

In addition to all that's been happening, we have to keep up appearances with the rest of our friends. Me, especially. Dr. Genzai and Megumi were already asking why we've been running around lately. We had to tell them that Kyosuke is an old friend of mine, and that we were giving him somewhat of a tour. I'm sure that gave them more cause for suspicion, because we couldn't exactly afford to bring guests to Yokohama and back. And then of course, the word that Saitoh's been coming to the dojo has gotten around as well. None of us could come up with a plausible explanation, so we merely evaded the subject.

Everything's a mess, and I just want to get it all cleaned up, without a trace.

We're on our way to Zojo-ji now, Kenshin, Kyosuke, Yahiko and I.

I wish Yahiko weren't so bent on participating, but the kid has a mind of his own after all, a stubborn one. If only I can take him across my lap and spank him like the child that he is, but that would only make him more determined.

"I'm tired," Yahiko whined, his shoulders slumping a bit.

A chuckle escaped me. He really is a kid. Insisting to come with us only to complain along the way when discomfort arises. Although we have been walking for a few hours..."Want a piggyback ride?" I asked, sincere about my offer.

Yahiko's face screwed. "Jeez, busu. Don't you think I'm already too old for that? I'm eleven for cripes sakes!"

And that means what, to me? He turned eleven and suddenly I couldn't look out for him anymore? "No need to get hysterical," I said, raising my hands in surrender.

I think just to prove that he can handle himself, Yahiko began to walk ahead of us, refusing to acknowledge our adult presence.

"Why do you treat the kid like such a baby, anyway?" Kyosuke asked me.

I frowned. "Well, excuse me for caring!"

"Himura," Kyosuke said, cocking a half-smile at the rurouni. "Her maternal instincts are going gaga. Why don't you knock her up and put her out of her misery?"

"Oro!"

"Do you mind?" I cried.

Then Kyosuke proceeded to give this intensely annoying cackle. He's worse than Yahiko. Honestly! If he starts singing "Kaoru and Kenshin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," I swear I'll kill him myself!

"Kyosuke-san," Kenshin interjected calmly. "Your tendency to make a mockery of Kaoru's instinct to ...mother annoys sessha. Might sessha remind you that Kaoru is the only one who is actually concerned for your welfare. Appreciate it."

"Oh fer--" Kyosuke began. "Can't anybody take a damn joke around here?"

He stalked on ahead, joining Yahiko in stride.

I raised an eyebrow at Kenshin. "I'm not concerned for Kyosuke...much."

Kenshin smiled. "Keep telling yourself that. However, Kyosuke-san does have a point with regards to your...coddling tendencies."

Coddling? "I do not coddle!" I protested.

A chuckle rose out of his throat. "Piggyback?"

"What's wrong with piggyback?" I demanded.

"Nothing. Just...not for eleven year olds like Yahiko," he replied. "In some ways, he's eleven going on forty, you know."

"Of course I know that!" I lied. What is wrong with these men? Doesn't anyone believe in taking care of children anymore?

I wonder if the kid's shirt has been dampened by his perspiration, though. Lemme see...I packed him an extra gi for the trip...

Kenshin was watching me with an amused grin and I realized I was digging out Yahiko's shirt from out of my pack.

Oh my god...they're right! I am babying him! Well, so what!

Stuffing the clothing back into my bag, I turned away in a huff. "So shoot me!" I snapped.

Kenshin has not gotten rid of that infuriating grin. "There's nothing really wrong with it, de gozaru. It is actually very endearing, but you must allow the boy to grow. It's for his own good. We can adopt another pickpocket if you want. Somewhere around the age of 4 or 5..."

"Quit teasing, Kenshin!" I growled, genuinely irritated.

"Or maybe you can have one of your own."

I turned red in the face. I can't believe Kyosuke has rubbed off on him! "Oh, I'll need a man for that, Kenshin," I said sarcastically. "I sure as hell know babies didn't come from Storks."

He nodded sagely. "That I also know. Babies happen when two people..."

Is he nuts? "Kenshin, cut it out! I know how babies happen. You're creeping me out here!"

"Oro? There ought to be nothing creepy about two people falling in love and making babies," he said in all innocence.

Ooooh! I can just hit him! Now my face is all blotchy... "Grrr..."

He blinked clueless-ly. "Don't you want to have your own babies, Kaoru?"

Of course I want to have my own babies!

Oh, he can't fool me with those innocent amethyst eyes. He's baiting me into blushing, and he's succeeding more than I care to admit! What is it with Himura, anyway? Don't tell me they're hints...

Damn, Kamiya! They're only hints if you want them to be hints! I thought, scolding myself. Besides, he's talking about making babies. Granted, he mentioned mushy-lovey stuff as well, but...

I'm not an old-fashioned gal. No way, no how, but heck...it would be nice to have love and marriage before making babies?

Kamiya, you know Himura isn't a Do-You-Leave-You kind of guy!

Of course he isn't! Kenshin is sweet and caring and...but he's a man. Men can't help being...driven.

That's a totally unfair assessment of the male species! And besides, Kenshin isn't THAT kind of man!

Men are all the same!

No, they're not!

Yes, they are!

How dare you compare Kenshin to those boars in the Bakumatsu!

Well, I CAN'T HELP BEING AFRAID!!!

"Hentai!" I cried.

"Oro!"

Realizing what I said, I turned even redder. "Omigosh! I didn't mean that! I--"

"Um..."

"I'm the hentai!" I blurted out in my flurry.

Oh shit! That was just awful!

Perplexity crossed Kenshin's face. "Eh?"

I winced. Now how in the world am I going to explain that?

"There's the temple!" Yahiko cried from ahead of us.

Saved by the gods, no less!

I rushed towards Yahiko, and as I walked passed Kyosuke, he sneered and asked, "So did you get to talk to the rurouni?"

"Shut-up," I snapped without looking at him.

We walked through the main gate of the temple and my eyes took in the scene.

The year was turning, and we were fast coming to the end of summer. The Sakura trees that grew abundantly on the grounds of Zojo-ji have begun to shed the evidence of its blooms. Though Sakura has been known to be in full-bloom during the Autumn, here at the Zojo-ji Temple, they prefer to bloom in late spring and early summer, however it seemed that they were destined for a quick death as well.

Some of the buildings on the temple grounds were yet to be completed in their reconstruction. Damaged by the Boshin civil war, many of the structures have lost their former grandeur, but I'm guessing the temple devotees are just glad that the Sammon gate has been left standing.

In the distance, I could make out the small dwarf-like statues splayed out on the side of the main Temple. Their red hoods could have been charming, but frankly, they gave me the heebie-jeebies.

Cute as they were, I couldn't quite come to terms with the fact that they had been erected in memory of the spirits of dead children and aborted fetuses.

Ugh! I'm just thankful that I didn't have to abort anything during my Shikeigai days. The Ishinshishi had a woman in its roster whom I prefer to call, to this day as The Woodwitch. I couldn't remember her name and I don't even care to know, all I can recall is that she provided Miyori and I with the proper herbs to avoid any unwanted pregnancies that may occur during the course of our service. The rape was bad enough, begetting kids out of it would have been infinitely worse. Maybe I would have resorted to abortion if the medication hadn't worked, but I shudder at the mere thought of it.

"Kaoru," Kenshin said, prompting me out of my reverie. "We must get to work."

I nodded silently, trying to figure out how we would begin.

"Hey, cool! Is that a graveyard?" Yahiko cried, breaking from our group to rush towards the macabre memorial I had just recently condemned to Freak-Me-Out-Why-Don't-You Status.

Kyosuke chuckled. "Should I tell him, or would you like to do the honors?"

My upper lip screwed in disgust. "Be my guest."

Kyosuke hurried off in anticipation of Yahiko's reaction to the tale of the Creepy Statues.

"Great. They're sightseeing," I muttered, my mood unsettled by the memorial.

Kenshin smiled slightly. "Perhaps it's better that Yahiko is distracted."

"I guess," I responded weakly. "Should we find the abbot, or something?"

"Any monk would do for the time being," he replied, looking around for anyone who might be in long robes.

It did not take long for us to spot a pair of monks with their beads walking through the courtyard amidst the silent throng of Buddhists. Hurrying towards the two holy men, their calm presence of mind had the grace to stop and wait for us to catch up with them.

They smiled at our approaching figures.

"Hello," said the one who was...bald and skinny...heck, his companion looked almost exactly like him.

"To you, good day," the other one chimed.

Kenshin and I bowed respectfully, returning their greetings with murmured replies.

Chang and Eng, as I begun to call them, flashed even brighter identical smiles. If they had been connected at the hip like their Siamese-Twin namesakes, I would have been less surprised. I bet if P.T. Barnum's circus happened to pass by, they'd give our monks here a second look.

"We do not wish to impose," I began as pleasantly as I could. "But we have come here to pay a most important visit to a friend of ours. We were told that she resides here now."

Chang and Eng looked a bit perplexed.

"She? A woman?" Eng asked.

Oh you know, the female species of the Hominidae, currently of the Homosapien variety. Bears children...has boobs...intuitive...often times smart...that sort. "Why, yes," I replied politely.

Kenshin demurred from any violent reactions himself.

"Here?" Asked Chang in disbelief.

Oookay. Chang and Eng are either the last remaining Homo-neanderthalensis or they really are so far-gone into their monk-lives that the existence of women appalls them.

"Oro!" Kenshin exclaimed. I could tell that even he was a bit surprised by the monks' own astonishment at the mere suggestion of a woman residing in their premises. "We were told she lives here. Ikue-dono?"

At the mention of the name, the monks paled (at the same time, of course, like the twins they are) and temporarily lost all manner of speech.

After a period of silence in which Kenshin and I began to fidget, Chang and Eng turned to each other and conferred in hushed tones.

I looked at Kenshin and raised an eyebrow. Kenshin just shrugged and waited for the monks to speak up.

Finally, the monks turned to us.

"Live here, she does not," said Chang.

Oh, how quaint. Monk-ese double-talk. These guys couldn't lie to save their lives. By referring to her as a person she, they have unwittingly confirmed that they knew who we were talking about, thus increasing the possibility that she does indeed stay here. I suppose, one can say that a crazy person doesn't exactly live.

"But she does exists here, ne?" I asked, aiming precisely.

Chang and Eng froze.

"The abbot," Eng said frantically.

Gathering their robes, they began to make a hasty retreat.

"H-Hey!" I cried, unable to stay myself.

"Oro...they're running away..."

A keen observation, Kenshin.

At this moment, the monks have quickened their pace.

"Come on!" I said, grabbing Kenshin's hand and pulling him with me in pursuit of the pseudo-twins.

"This will not make them happy," Kenshin pointed out, matching my strides.

Tugging at Kenshin to walk faster, I sighed in exasperation. "It took us hours to get here and I'm not about to let Chang and Eng sound the alarm just when we're on to something!"

"Who?" Kenshin asked.

"Chang and...mou! I'll explain later...step it up, Kenshin!"

"Kaoru...we're frightening them," he said.

Well, yeah. Maybe.

Chang and Eng kept looking back, as if to see if they had lost us already. They hadn't broken off into a run, though.

We wove through the walkways, not losing sight of them until they disappeared into one of the many temples of the grounds.

"We better hurry," Kenshin remarked, skittering past me.

Didn't I already say that?

This time, we ran, and when we reached the steps of the building they had entered, we were halted in our tracks by yet another monk who basically looked like Chang and Eng if not for the red sash draped over his shoulder.

I hereby dub thee Ringmaster Barnum.

"I am Abbot Tomokazu," he said sternly.

Darn! I would have liked calling him Ringmaster Barnum. However, without Chang and Eng, who are currently nowhere to be found, that's half the fun gone.

"What business have you with Watanabe Ikue?" The abbot asked, not at all pleased.

I must admit, Abbot Tomokazu was a bit imposing. He radiated annoyance like the bright tints of his robes. Coupled with his monk-scepter, I wondered if he would start swinging it at us to knock us unconscious and throw us out of the grounds.

"We are very sorry to have disturbed you," Kenshin said respectfully. "But we just want to pay her a visit. That is all."

"We're told she gets very lonely," I added.

The abbot stared at us intently, then he banged down his staff with a single thump, jingling the rings looped at the head of the scepter.

Kenshin and I were startled into a jerk. I'm glad to know that I wasn't the only one intimidated by him.

"Her half-brother has not authorized any visits from outsiders," Abbot Tomokazu said. "And I shall not permit it."

"Well..." I began cautiously. "Can you at least tell us which building she's..."

"No!" Yelled the abbot, startling me even more.

I winced. "S-Sorry..."

"Now, I advice you to enjoy the grounds like good citizens of Edo," he barked. "May Buddha bless you."

With that, Abbot Tomokazu turned around and strode back into the building, shutting the door and leaving us at its wake.

I heaved a sigh and sat dejectedly on the steps, propping my chin on my palm while my elbow leant on my knee. "Now what?" I asked Kenshin.

Kenshin shrugged and sat beside me. "Do not look so glum, Kaoru. At least now we know that Ikue-dono does actually exist."

I giggled a bit at his subtle reference to Chang and Eng. "I guess we'll just have to find another way. Can't say we didn't try to do it legally."

"That's one way of putting it," he responded.

Something creaked behind us, like rusty hinges. Being the obsessive compulsive that I am, I frowned at the negligence, vowed to inform one of the monks that the door needs oiling and then was properly surprised to see two heads peeping through the crack of the entrance.

"Oh, it's you two," I said rather grumpily.

Chang and Eng looked quite bothered by my less-than-enthusiastic salute.

"Hello again," Kenshin said, smiling and waving but not getting up.

"Very sorry, we are, that see your friend you could not," Eng said, truly apologetic. "But rules, there are, yes?"

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled.

Kenshin chuckled at my response. "Forgive us, but it was rather disconcerting, the way you ran away from us, like we were contagious."

"Panicked, we did," I heard Chang say, as if it was explanation enough.

They always have to speak in turn, don't they?

"Tour you on the grounds, we could," Eng offered. "If you like, yes?"

This perked my attention. Toured by the two monks who couldn't lie to save their lives...

"That would be excellent!" I cried, getting to my feet. "We'd love a tour! Let me call our companions! Wait right here."

Kenshin blinked at me in perplexity.

"You stay here with them while I call Yahiko and Kyosuke," I ordered him. "We don't want them running out on us again."

"Oro!"

Bossy, aren't I? Well, deviousness does that. I swear I'm condemned to hell. Lying to holy-men, no less! Well, tough! I have a lifetime to live and indeed, I'll be damned before I let some wacko cut it short!

THE HITOKIRI

I looked at the monks curiously and saw that they were giving me these goofy smiles...

Do I look like that when I do that? My goodness...if I do, I ought to rethink my little clueless façade. It looks somewhat ridiculous after all.

I doubt if these men have a terrible past to hide, though. Unlike me, they only had to deal with death through the deeds of other men and the divine hand of God.

"You are married, yes?" Asked Monk #1 who, by the way, had eyebrows just a wee bit thicker than Monk #2's. They really didn't have many distinguishing features, so I've taken to numbering them.

Married, he asks? "What made you say that?"

Monk #2 grinned. "To the lady. Kaoru-san. Very pretty, she is."

Oh. Married to Kaoru.

I felt my cheeks flaming and I shook my head. "I'm afraid not."

"Oh? Pretty, you don't think she is?" Monk #1 asked.

"Oro?" What? "N-No! I mean yes! Sessha means...I think she's very pretty. Beautiful even."

Monk #2 nodded sagely. "Ah. Married to her, you're not, but you wish you were, yes?"

I fidgeted uncomfortably. I really don't have to tell them anything. They are mere acquaintances.

Monk #1 squinted at me suspiciously. "In love with her, you are."

"Oro!"

"Well, don't look so surprised," Monk #2 said. "So obvious, you are."

I reddened. "Sessha are? I mean--"

Monk #1 laughed. "Ha! Caught, you be!"

Wha--!

I scowled to let them know that I was not at all amused. "Well it's quite apparent that sessha is not obvious enough. She doesn't get it!"

Monk #2 looked at his companion. "Ah. A difficult one, that woman. Shadows, she has."

How in the world can they know that just by looking at her? Is Kaoru that burdened?

Monk #1 agreed with his so-called brother. "Bad memories, she has. Some haunt her constantly and some she refuses to face. Very difficult indeed, she is."

"Excuse sessha," I said, lest they forget I'm there. "But how did you know that?"

"Interested, are you?" Observed Monk #1. "Not hard to spot a shadowed soul, it isn't. Like you, redemption she seeks."

Oro! Like me? These monks know more than they let on!

"Made for each other, you two are," said Monk #2. He turned to his fellow-monk again. "To each other, light for the dark they be."

"Make her see, you will," quoth Monk #1 as he looked at me. "Like she makes you see, yes?"

"See what?" I asked in slight frustration. These two talk so strangely, even stranger than Aoshi or myself! Turning their sentences around...are they doing it on purpose to sound more...Monk-esque?

"Holy thoughts, the gods encourage," Monk #2 replied. "Un-holy thoughts the gods, as well, permit. Need nourishing, the body, not just the heart and soul, yes?"

I did not think monks were capable of ideas that were anything but holy. "Look here. Telling me to do things that ought not to be done, are you?"

Now they have me talking like them! Oh my goodness...

Monk #1 gasped, shocked by Buddha knows what. "Oh, but done they have to be! Monks, we are. Denial, virtue is for us. Monk, you aren't. Denial, tragic is for you...and her."

"Here, redemption is," said Monk #2, tapping the part of my chest where my heart is. "Here, not." He thereby rapped a fist on my head once. "Love, redemption is. Hesitation, not."

Monk #1 nodded. "Does nothing, hesitation. Only loss. Losing this woman, you'll risk?"

"O-Of course I will not risk losing her!" I cried. I could not believe I am actually understanding these two! "Kaoru is...she is sessha's..."

"Your life, she is, yes?" Supplemented Monk #2. "Then act, you must. Not so slow this time."

"Danger, we sense. Hatred of others, terrible thing," said Monk #1. "Anxiety, we understand, but Hesitation, we do not understand."

Monk #2 smiled at me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Of her, worthy, you are."

I...am?

They nodded together, as if to reply to my thoughts and then they finally fell silent.

THE SPY

"So these monks will tell us where Ikue is?" Yahiko asked.

I did not look him in the eyes when I replied, "Not voluntarily, no. But I'm certain they would, with the proper...manipulation."

"Oh I get it," Kyosuke said with a smirk. "Just like old times, 'ey Kaoru?"

I grit my teeth. "Okay. I'd appreciate it if you would just shut up with the reminiscing and do something useful for a change."

"Hey, you didn't have to baby sit this brat while he went traipsing around the temple grounds. If you and Himura didn't run off so fast..."

Yahiko stamped his foot. "I didn't need a babysitter!" He yelled angrily.

Just what I need. Two kids that need babysitting.

After I left Kenshin with Chang and Eng, I found Yahiko and Kyosuke sitting on the steps of the main temple with the young boy bored and the younger boy sulking. Yahiko was upset that we had left him with Kyosuke, and Kyosuke had spaced out to forget that he was with Yahiko. I briefed them of the development within a span of a minute and now we were heading back to our tour guides.

Seeing Kenshin and the two monks from a distance, I could tell that they weren't talking, but Kenshin had this really amazed look on his face, like something had happened which he himself could not make out.

"Ah! Your friends, these are?" Asked Chang as we approached them.

"Yes," I replied. "This is Yahiko and Kyosuke."

Eng smiled broadly. "You, as well, we are pleased to meet."

The boys had the grace to bow respectfully.

"He talks funny," Yahiko muttered under his breath.

I stepped on his foot lightly as I said. "It would be nice to know your names, good sirs," I said to the monks.

They nodded eagerly.

Chang began. "I am brother..."

At that moment, I caught Kenshin's gaze. It was filled with so much tenderness, coaxing me to...surrender? Am I reading him correctly? It hardly matters. The warmth that spread over me and the blush that crept up my cheeks was enough to convince me that I liked the way he was giving me this kind of attention.

I tried to smile at him. "W-What?" I whispered lest I interrupt introductions.

He shook his head slightly but did not avert his eyes.

Tearing myself away from the contact, I tried to focus on the monk's names. By this time, Eng was already beginning to speak.

Oh shoot! I missed Chang's name!

Eng bowed. "I am brother..."

I felt fingers slipping through mine, and my breath actually caught.

Kenshin...

This feels nice, but...I hardly know what to do. Well, maybe I should just do nothing, just let our hands be entwined like this. People hold hands, right? Nothing wrong with it.

It would be ridiculous of me to act coy and silly, because a gal like me has no business being such things. Furthermore, coyness and silliness are just customs many of us women can do without. It's not like some have the right to be like that and some don't, ne? Besides, this is Kenshin. Someone very special...

I'll just let myself enjoy this. Just this once, I can indulge myself. Wonder what's gotten into him, though. Dare I ask?

By the time I had gathered back my senses, I still did not know Chang and Eng's real names and we had begun our leisurely walk to tour the grounds. Kenshin did not let go of my hand.

Kyosuke, noticing our coziness, arched an eyebrow and was about to say something when he was stopped short by Kenshin's warning glare. It screamed, "Make a crack and die!" without need of verbosity.

Kyosuke was at least smart enough to take a wordless hint.

Suppressing a smirk, I tried to concentrate on our current task.

"Monks quarters, that was," Chang said, gesturing to the structure we had left behind. "In summer cool, in winter warm. Luxurious, it's not, but very comfortable, it is."

Eng nodded in complete agreement. "There, important business conducted is. To a temple too, administration essential be."

"Main temple, held the prayers are," related Eng. "Intentions for the living."

"And intentions for the dead," completed Chang.

Kyosuke and Yahiko scratched their heads at the same time.

I giggled. Chang and Eng might as well be joined at the heads. They spoke like a practiced chorus, and frankly, I'm quite entertained. I once again caught Kenshin glancing at me, a tiny smile playing on his lips at my apparent amusement. I only took a second to return his attentions, and then I focused on what our tour guides were saying.

Walking further into the grounds, they pointed out various gardens and their significance to the Temple. We passed a group of monks who were calmly seated in one of the lawns, chanting something low and melodic.

Chang nodded placidly. "Nembutsu, that be. Upon us, Amida Buddha smiles."

"Taught us well, Bennei Yamazaki did," agreed Eng.

Leaving the gardens behind us, we came upon more edifices, most of them run-down. Chang and Eng delved on the history of the ones that were still presentable.

"What happened to those?" Yahiko asked, jerking a thumb at the dilapidated structures.

"Boshin wars," Chang replied hastily.

"Negligence," Eng added, just as quickly.

They then continued to talk about the other buildings.

Hello. Do I sense...evasiveness?

"Are they condemned, or are you still using them?" I inquired casually.

"Yes," Eng answered at the same time Chang said, "No."

The monks looked at each other, that same panicked gleam affixed in their eyes when earlier Kenshin and I asked them about Ikue. Turning back to me, Chang said, "Yes," while Eng blurted, "No."

"Well," I intoned patiently. "What is it then? Yes or no?"

"Yes, some of them," Eng explained. "No, some of them."

I pointed to one that was particularly run down, my eyes piercing theirs so I can catch the slightest lie. "How about that one?"

"Condemned," Chang said without hesitation.

I jerked my head to another one. "'Bout that?"

"Condemned," Eng replied.

"And that one?" I asked, my eyes darting to a third building that looked somewhat usable. I then stared at them intently for their response.

Chang began to fiddle with his beads. "C-Condemned."

Eng fiddled with his beads the moment the word escaped Chang's mouth.

This is too easy.

"That is too bad," Kenshin said with nonchalant ease. "It still looks livable."

Chang and Eng paled.

I think my deviousness is rubbing off on Kenshin, or is it just the contact of our hands? Or maybe just that very moment he was caressing the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Are they alright?" Kyosuke asked me in a whisper. "They look like they're going to be sick."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," I muttered. Bringing my attention to Kenshin, I dropped a well aimed side-shot. "Wow, if I wanted to run away from home, I can actually hide in there and no one would find me, ne Kenshin? Since they've declared it condemned and all."

Chang and Eng, keeping their eyes away from mine, began to nod frantically while they fingered their beads and whispered words we could not hear.

And now for the kill. "You can put a person in there and no one would know, ne?"

Their gasps were audible, and I wondered momentarily if they would run back to their abbot.

I suppose they didn't expect this. It was an ambush after all.

"Maa..." Kenshin told me softly. "Not too harsh."

I smiled at him and decided to put the monks out of their misery. Shifting my gaze, I looked towards one particularly lavish temple separated from the near-ruined ones. "This one seems rather busy."

Chang and Eng immediately latched on to that opportunity to get back into the swing of truthfulness. I certainly hope I hadn't scarred them for life. After all, if I were to fry in hell, I don't want to drag a couple of monks down with me.

We were eating our packed lunches in one of the public gardens surrounding the perimeter of the temple. The weather was perfect for an out-door picnic, and the bento boxes kept the food well enough to make the meal satisfying. The tea had suffered into a lukewarm temperature, but it was a welcomed drink nevertheless.

The shade of a Sakura tree protected us from the sun, the calm breeze blowing wisps of our hair. There was hardly any noise considering there were quite a few groups of people around us. The close proximity of the area to the temple grounds made people conscious of those praying within the temple walls.

Yahiko gobbled down his rice-balls like there was no tomorrow. Must have been the long walk from the dojo.

Watching him in awe, I gave him portions of my own lunch, as if I just wanted to see how much he could actually consume. He took my share without looking up.

"Oink, oink," Kyosuke said.

Yahiko stuck his tongue out at him, bits of rice stuck on it.

Kyosuke's face screwed in disgust.

"You can have some of mine, Kaoru," Kenshin said, pushing some hair that had fallen to my face with his finger upon seeing that my hands were laden with a bento box and chopsticks.

"Th-Thank you," I stammered.

"Hey Kenshin," Yahiko said, his cheeks puffed from the food in his mouth. "You're being awfully sweet to busu. I noticed it in the tem--"

I imagine that my face was casting unbelievable shades of red as I reprimanded him. "Your manners are atrocious, Yahiko. Don't talk when your mouth is full."

Kyosuke laughed, seeing right through me.

Out went Yahiko's tongue again, this time in my direction.

"Mou!"

Kenshin smiled at me, the clueless sheen of his eyes making me feel better at the normalcy, but disappointed at the banality.

Sure, it's weird that Kenshin is paying attention to me in that way, but it doesn't necessarily mean...that I don't like it.

Suppressing a sigh, I turned to lunch. I was thoroughly surprised when Kenshin leaned over to me and whispered, "Perhaps...sessha should not have been so obvious in front of the kids."

When I looked up to stare at him, that same idiotic smile was pasted on his lips. It's so out of the ordinary that I'm beginning to think I'm imagining things. That temple has some weird stuff going on in there, and I don't mean secret asylums and freaky statues.

"Breaking and entering...trespassing...defiling sacred grounds...disturbance of the peace..."

"Kyosuke, shut up!" I hissed from the shadow of our bush. "Since when were you ever a stickler for rules?"

"Since Gen-ichi's gang began going after me, since Saitoh wants my ass in his investigation, and since you dragged me in front of temple grounds in the middle of the night, hiding under the darkness by the light of the moon, plotting some kind of amateur coup attempt in a place where all things must remain holy..."

I glared at him. "Look, if you have a better plan, I'm all for it..."

"Shhhh!" Kyosuke whispered, clamping a hand on my mouth. "You're making a racket!"

"Ouch! Dammit, roosterhead! You're stepping on my foot!" Yahiko cried softly, wriggling is head through my arm.

"Well then, quit squirming, kid!" Sano shot back as he practically pushed me face down on the ground with his shifting.

Taking a deep breath and praying for the grace not to strangle all of them on the spot, I pushed Kyosuke's hand away and concentrated on the task at hand.

"Kenshin, tell me again why they're all here. Please?" I asked my rurouni.

He smiled serenely. "Because they wouldn't be left behind, de gozaru yo."

I sighed.

In my earlier desperate attempt to get Yahiko out of the way, I managed to convince everyone right after lunch that we should head back to the dojo, hoping that when I decreed we were going back to Zojo-ji on the same day we left it, the long walk would be too daunting for him to undertake. Apparently, the boy has had a good dose of his wheaties, and was as energetic in the evening as he was when he first got up for the day. He declared that he would be part of the Temple Sneak-In, and he didn't care if it was almost a four-hour walk going and another four hours getting back. To top it all off, Sano had declared he would go too. He said that trailing Saitoh all afternoon had been the most boring endeavor of his life, and he needed some action. I considered applying some of my Cat's Paw technique, just to knock out Yahiko and Sano, but sleep from a pressure point can only last for a few hours, and it would be risking the possibility that the two of them would follow us anyway and thereI was counting on Kenshin and Kyosuke to be the only ones dedicated enough to accompany me, instead I got a whole posse. It's almost endearing to think that they're all concerned about how this affair turns out, but shit! It wouldn't hurt for them to have a sense of strategy, strategy that says: In circumstances like sneak-ins, small numbers is advisable.

I suppose letting them figure that out would be asking too much of their brains.

Perhaps the worse thing about this whole episode is Kyosuke's constant complaining. The guy didn't like the idea of sneaking in "like a bunch of thieves". An uncalculated risk, he says. When I told him not to come, he said, "And let the kid have all the fun? Bite me, Kamiya." Believe me, I would have, and then washed my mouth with very strong soap, for lack of something more potent.

I just wish he'd quit griping about how flimsy our plan is and at least pretend that he was putting his whole heart into this.

Before we left the temple this morning, I had managed to wheedle information from Chang and Eng about the monks' sleeping habits. They said that all lights are off by 10:30. It is now a bit past 1 am, and I'm pretty sure that as long as we stay quiet, we wouldn't get into trouble.

I studied the perimeter wall and gauged it to be about eighteen feet high. I hope Kenshin and Sano could manage it.

"Let's do this," I told my boys.

Kenshin nodded and crouching low, he crossed the distance between our bush and the foot of the wall. He barely made a sound, and in spite of his red hair, he was hard to see in the dark. He had changed out of his pink gi and white hakama. He now wore a dark blue and gray ensemble that I personally think makes him look really...well, manly. I always thought him attractive enough for me, but seeing him in darker shades...I allowed myself to drool a bit.

In my humble opinion, Kenshin looked gorgeous. I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious that my own white gi and blue hakama made me look conspicuous in the dark but plain in the light.

Yahiko and Kyosuke had gone with less bright colors as well, just for tonight.

Sano...well, that tough guy doesn't give a damn about anything, so he refused to switch hues.

Kenshin signaled for Sano to follow and the ex-gangster flitted through the shadows, lugging the rope we had brought along for the mission.

We watched as Sano bent low and gave Kenshin a foothold. Kenshin stepped on Sano's hands, and with a mighty boost, Kenshin flipped into the air and landed gracefully on the top of the wall. Kyosuke gave a low whistle. "Awesome. Those two actually make a great team. Have they ever thought of becoming burglars?"

I swear! Does Kyosuke ever take anything seriously?

Kenshin jumped and disappeared behind the wall. Sano then tossed the bundle of rope, holding one end of it as he did so. The rope draped over the wall and then a few seconds later jerked twice, signaling that it was secured. Sano made sure that the rope would hold from his end then gestured for the next person.

"Go," I told Yahiko.

Yahiko nodded and swiftly made his way. I saw Yahiko climb the rope nimbly. Soon he was going down the other side.

"You next," I said to Kyosuke.

Kyosuke took a deep breath, shook his shoulders then rubbed his hands together, as if psyche-ing himself. "Well, here goes nothing."

I didn't quite understand why he said what he said and did what he did, but when he went to Sano and began his climb, I realized that the guy couldn't ascend a rope to save his life. He was a major klutz, and soon enough, Kyosuke and Sano were arguing in whispers.

Oy...what am I going to do with him?

Sighing, I stealthily approached them.

"Push your feet against the wall and use your body weight for leverage, you moron," Sano was telling him.

"Look, if I knew how to apply that, do you think we'd be having this conversation? No, I think not."

"For cryin' out loud," I hissed. "Forget the rope! Sano, boost him up."

"Whoa! Hey! I couldn't fly like Himura, you know!" Protested Kyosuke.

"Jeez!" I said. Do I have to think of everything? "Sano, get down. I'll ride your shoulders and then Kyosuke will try to ride mine. Do you think you can climb the rope from that height, Kyosuke?"

Kyosuke frowned, but he replied. "I'll try."

So we went through the motions. Sitting myself on Sano was no problem, but when Kyosuke started to climb him and me, goodness! First of all, he had this painful way of stepping on Sano's back, and then he actually clung to my hair, taking fists full of my strands.

I complained as quietly as I could.

"Hold your horses! Do you think this is easy for me?" He said.

"Tell me that when you're not pulling on my scalp, you idiot!" I growled.

I am not a big woman. In fact, I am a small woman, and Kyosuke's weight on my shoulders was a bit more than I could bear. It wasn't so bad when Kyosuke steadied himself on me, but when Sano stood up, it was impossible to keep our balance. We actually wobbled and we had to crash into the wall to stay stacked and standing. With my forehead bumping against the stone, I wasn't the least bit happy. My skin was scraping against the gravel, and it was stinging like anything.

"H-Hurry up, Kyosuke!" I ordered him.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!"

The moron actually stood on my shoulders. Stood on them! And man, did it hurt! If he stays there any longer, he'd dislocate both my arms.

"Ouch! Kyosuke!" I cried.

"Jou-chan, are you going to be alright?" Sano asked me worriedly.

"I'll be fine," I replied through grit teeth.

Kyosuke's weight was soon off me and I breathed a sigh of relief while he clumsily managed to get to the top.

"Now Jou-chan, I'd expect you to be more graceful than that," Sano told me with a snicker.

Wiping my lapel on my scratched forehead, I saw small drops of blood smearing the linen. "Well, I certainly hope so!" I said in disdain.

Sano took firm hold of my feet.

Balance I had for sure, and bracing myself, I was easily able to stand on both of Sano's hands and climb swiftly from there.

Kyosuke was still on the wall, this time laboring about how he was going to manage his descent.

"Just grab the rope, fool!" I told him.

He nodded wordlessly, and to my utter horror, he clutched at my shoulder to position himself. I think he forgot that his weight on my shoulders was far different from supporting his weight while balancing from the top of a wall.

So quite naturally, we fell.

THE HITOKIRI

My eyes widened as I watched Kaoru and Kyosuke toppling from the wall. The idiot will break her neck!

Neither of them screamed.

It was amazing, as if even in this dire time, they had the presence of mind to stay quiet.

"Oh shit!" Yahiko cursed.

Bent on nothing but preserving Kaoru's life, I rushed forward, intent only on catching her.

I jumped, felt her plop into my arms and then promptly crashed full-bodied on the wall. My breath got knocked out of me, but it hardly mattered. I could still stand, and I had caught her.

Kyosuke, however, wasn't fortunate enough to have someone who loved him to cushion his fall. He was instead caught by a few weeds and some bonsai trees lining the foot of the wall inside the temple. The thrashing of the growth was followed by the decided thump of his body on the cobbled ground.

Yahiko bent over him gingerly, nudging Kyosuke with his foot.

Kyosuke groaned and swore.

Well, at least he's alive.

"K-Kaoru?" I asked her worriedly.

"Mah hero!" She exclaimed in a breathy voice.

"Oro!"

She grinned at me. "I always wanted to say that," she explained.

I sighed in relief. She's alright.

"Damn! Jou-chan, are you okay?" Sano asked from the top of the wall. He jumped and landed beside us in a graceful crouch.

She nodded. "Thanks to Kenshin," she said.

"And what's this?" I asked, spotting some raw scratches on her forehead.

"It's nothing," she replied. "I really appreciate you catching me, Kenshin. Thank you."

I was pleasantly surprised when she kissed my cheek. "Oro!" I exclaimed, but this time with what I was certain to be a very stupid smile.

"I'm fine," Kyosuke piped, cringing as he got to his feet. "I'm alright, people."

Sano snorted. "Who cares?" He responded, untying the rope from where I had anchored it to a small stone lamp holder lodged into the ground.

"Shouldn't we just leave that there?" Kyosuke asked, still groaning, probably from some kind of pain on his back.

"And what are you gonna do if some monk decides to take a little walk and sees this rope?" Sano asked in return, looping the cord around his bent forearm. "Besides, we don't even have to use the wall to get out. We can use the gate, ne?"

"I fell off a twenty foot wall. Forgive me if my brains are a little scrambled now," Kyosuke responded grumpily, limping a bit.

Yahiko smirked. "You can put busu down now, Kenshin."

And so I could. I wish I did not have to. She fits so perfectly in my arms.

Setting her gently to her feet, she gave me one last smile before directing all of us to follow her.

Staying low, we scurried through the grounds in stealth. I was somewhat impressed by the way Kaoru moved about. She was fluid in every step she took, light on her feet, choosing just the right shadows for better concealment and looking around her for constant awareness. She reminded me of a ninja.

She knew what she was doing, and I'll wager everything on the presumption that she had done this before.

Even Kyosuke couldn't match her nimble movements, but then, as he said, he had just fallen off a twenty-foot wall, so...he was so clumsy, in fact, that I kept hearing him making sounds of pain when he bumped his knee or his shin on something or other.

She got us through the grounds with quick efficiency, and soon, we were rushing up the steps of the building which the monks had so desperately tried to lie about.

"You know," Yahiko whispered. "This is kinda creepy."

Kaoru hushed him softly and made us crouch for a while on the porch.

It was very dark and quiet, but we could see fairly well by the light of the moon. Our eyes have already adjusted quite well, but in all likelihood, the inside of the building wouldn't have much to illuminate it.

The building had a sliding front door. It wasn't locked, and it opened easily enough. A sure sign that it was still being used. Just as expected, it was pitch black where the light of the moon didn't reach.

I leaned my lips close to her ear. "Do you think there's a guard, Kaoru?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Stay here."

I clutched her arm. "Kaoru! You are going in there alone?"

"Well it's better than five people stumbling around in the dark!" She argued. "Especially with Kyosuke being such a klutz..."

Kyosuke scowled at her.

Point taken. "Sessha will go with you," I said firmly.

"But--"

"Sessha knows how it is to be blind," I told her. "Can you say the same?"

Kaoru said nothing to refute me.

I smiled to myself. I had always considered my encounter with Amakusa Shogo a learning experience, and it's divine providence that I can use it now to "out-stubborn" Kaoru.

"What about us?" Sano asked.

"Go inside but stay at the door. Stand guard." Kaoru replied. "We'll holler if we need you. In the meantime, I don't care what you do, just stay quiet."

She put a hand on my shoulder and I nodded.

This time, I led Kaoru inside.

I've experienced this kind of darkness before, and I learned how to be aware of things around me by the feel of the slightest breeze, or the echo of the smallest sound. Taking it from there, I figured that the room was bare, and we would be free of any impediment at the moment.

Slipping Kaoru's hand from off my shoulder, I clutched it firmly in my own hand and pulled her with me. "Stay close," I instructed her.

We moved cautiously across the room and came upon a passage entrance that turned to the right. Following the path, I felt that we were going deeper into the structure. It was somewhat disorienting, but feeling our way through, we knew that we had not missed any doors or other hallways.

"Kenshin, can you hear that?" Kaoru asked me.

Amidst the barely audible whisper of the wind came a faint melody, like someone was singing.

I must admit, the haunting sound made my hairs stand on end. In the words of Yahiko, it was creepy, and childish as it may seem, the sound reminded me of monster tales wherein protagonists were warned of their impeding doom by unearthly arias.

Kaoru shuddered against me. "I feel like an Oni is going to jump us any second now," she whispered.

How terribly accurate Kaoru could be. Not comforting at a time like this. It was bad enough that there were tales about Oni who were once Buddhist monks, returning as these demons to protect temples from harm, but what's worse is the story of the invisible Oni who make known their presence by singing or whistling.

So potent were her words that I was seriously wondering whether our Oni would be green or red, whether it would have an ox head or a horse head, and whether it would have on its trademark tiger skin mantle. As I child, my imagination had terrified me with visions of its neck-less and hairy human body, it's big mouth and clawed fingers. So vivid where the images in my head that whenever I did something bad, I would expect an Oni to come crashing through the mist, intent upon snatching me and dragging me to Emma-Hoo, the god of hell.

Goodness, I was a troubled child.

"Where is it coming from?" Kaoru asked, whom I noticed was sidling up to me.

"I don't know," I replied, keeping her close as we crept forward. "But it's getting louder."

I was beginning to make out words

"Asamashi..." Sang the voice of a woman. It was still faint, but I was catching snippets of her lyrics. "...mono ni...to..ru...mukashi no...nari..."

Walking a bit more, I came to a complete stop when I made out a flickering light coming from something like a trap on the floor.

Kaoru gasped before we stepped up our pace.

We came upon a flight of downward stairs, and from where we stood, we can hear the words clearly.

"...ya...nado kedamono ni...uchitokuru...sa koso...mukashi no...chigiri nari tomo...Asamashi ya...nado kedamono..."

"She's signing the same song over and over again," Kaoru breathed in my ear.

If you could call it a song. Whoever was singing it, she was using random notes, in whatever tone she pleased. Only the words were consistent, and the tempo.

No, there was a pattern still. The way she paused before she went on to the next group of words. "Waka," I concluded.

Is it so outrageous to make love with an animal...Even if that love must spring from karmic vows of former lives...

"What a nasty poem," Kaoru remarked with distaste.

"It's a Chinese Tale, actually," I said, glad that I could contribute to Kaoru's vast knowledge just this once.

Even through the dim light from beneath us, I could make out Kaoru's wince. "About doin' a pet?"

I chuckled. "Something like that." I can tell her the whole tale some other time. Right now, there are more important things to think about.

"I wonder if she got the waka from Miyori's Genji collection," she surmised.

I shrugged. "Likely. Watch your step, Kaoru."

We made our way down the stairs gingerly, still trying to be as quiet as possible.

When we got to the bottom, we peered cautiously around the corner.

There was a guard. A monk, sitting on a stool in front of a heavy wooden door. The door had a trap at the foot of it and a tiny window at eye level. The light came from a burning lamp placed at a safe distance opposite the monk, the fire from the lamp already on the verge of dying out.

Upon lengthier observation, I could tell that the guard was actually slumped on his seat, asleep.

"Do you think he'll wake up?" Kaoru asked me in a whisper.

"I don't know."

"Well then, we'll just have to make sure," she said.

Walking past me, she approached the guard then crouched down to look him in the face. To my astonishment, she nudged him.

What is she doing? Is she waking him up? "Kaoru!" I hissed.

The monk gave a snort and slowly roused out of his sleep. "Is it two already...?" He slurred, opening his eyes.

He gave a start of surprise when he saw Kaoru.

Kaoru smiled. "You're dreaming. Go back to sleep."

With amazing quickness, Kaoru administered something from his stomach to his chest in rapid succession, hand and fingers flipping accurately over precise points.

He instantly slumped forward when she was done, snoozing deeply.

I stared at her in awe.

"Not even an earthquake can wake this guy up now and he probably won't even remember me," Kaoru said, pushing him back against the wall with care. "But he'll be waking up on his own in about four hours, with a major headache."

I snapped myself out of my stupor by giving my head an abrupt shake. Kaoru has managed to bewilder me yet again.

"First time to see Cat's Paw?" Kaoru asked me with a grin.

"Yes," I replied, finding my senses and going to the door to peep through the window.

I saw a woman crouching by the light of a candle in the corner of a small room. They had provided her with a futon that looked like it hadn't been slept on. Some books were scattered on the floor along with several sheets of paper. Looking a bit more, I noticed an inkbottle with a quill stuck into it.

The woman wore a beige kimono fastened by a red obi, somewhat unkempt in its appearance. Her black hair hung loose and tangled, but I could make out a ribbon haphazardly clinging to a lock of her hair. She had not stopped singing.

Kaoru tiptoed and tried to get a view of the cell as well. The window was so small that I had to drape my arm around her to give her space to see.

"Ikue-dono," I called to the woman.

She looked at us but continued to sing. Her eyes were dazed, bereft of sanity. She would have had a pleasant face if not for the blank stare in her dark pools. The hollows of her cheeks were sharp against the dancing shadows.

She approached the door, shuffling on her feet. "...sa koso...mukashi no..."

"That's an interesting song, Ikue-san," Kaoru said to her nervously. "What's it called?"

"...asamashi ya...nado kedamono..." continued Ikue as she peered at us.

Kaoru and I continued to speak to her, hoping that our words would spark some kind of lucidity in her that might be worth all our trouble of coming here.

It got rather frustrating, because she would just keep on singing, maintaining eye contact with us as she did so.

After a while, Kaoru pulled away and sighed in exasperation. "We don't have time for this."

I turned away from the window and rubbed my fingers against my eyes. This hour used to pose no problem for me in terms of wakefulness. I worked as a bodyguard, for goodness sake, but all that walking, scaling walls and basically just the entire day, is beginning to wear me out. I'm getting old.

In a most opportune moment, the lamp lighting our side of the room jumped then died, leaving both of us annoyed at its wake. Will bad luck never cease?

"Great. Just great," Kaoru muttered in irritation.

Ikue suddenly stopped singing and said, "Kuraki yori,"

Out of darkness. I froze for a second. I looked up from my hands to stare at the door, then finally comprehending, I rushed back to the peephole, Kaoru doing likewise.

"Yes, it's quite dark," Kaoru blurted.

She looked at us intently. "Ruri...murasaki...ossharutouridesu."

"D-Did she just agree with us?" I asked Kaoru.

Kaoru bounced slightly on her toes. "She did! She did! Ruri and Murasaki...they're names, ne? The writer of Tales of Genji, and Ruri is one of Murasaki-sama's best friends! Daisuke-san said so! But they also mean..."

"The color of our eyes," I finished for her. Ruri, lapiz lazuli blue, and Murasaki, purple.

"...shitsumei..." Ikue went on.

It was fragmented. "...Name unknown..." she had said quite clearly. But it was responsive. She was explaining.

"Ikue-dono," I said, not breaking our combined gaze. "Can you understand us?"

"Tsukaidate...watashi...desu kaaaaa...?" She asked in a sing-song whisper.

"No, not at all!" Kaoru replied excitedly. "You're not causing us any trouble! We need to ask you some questions. Will you answer our questions?"

"Jiyuuuu..." replied Ikue.

As it pleases us, she said. Oh, what a wonderful woman!

"What happened with Miyori-san?" Kaoru asked her urgently.

Ikue pressed her face to the door, her eyes staring out at us. "Kyoujou...kagyakou..." she breathed with saddened eyes. "Isshasenri...hakabakashii..."

Offense, causing pain. One swift effort, quick.

It was like she was speaking in poems.

"...shimyaku...kirifuseru..."

Feed...to slay.

"...naematoloma...sekaku...fuasikikurare..."

Naematoloma...at great pains...fuasikikurare.

I didn't catch that. I could not understand the words.

"...ribidumo...ibitsu...kumorigasa..."

Now she was making little sense.

Ribidumo? Crooked...umbrella?

I could see Kaoru waiting intently for Ikue to continue, but she said nothing more.

Kaoru looked at me and I shook my head, conveying that I could not comprehend it.

"Did you kill her, Ikue-san? Did you kill Miyori-san?" Kaoru asked her.

She flashed a melancholic smile. "Aa..."

I heard Kaoru take a deep breath and I had to keep still to steady my beating heart.

"Why did you do it, Ikue-dono?" I asked.

"Daikirai," Ikue's face fell and her reply came in a howl. "Onshuu. Ookami no koigokoro...naishougoto."

Hate. Love and hate. The awakening of the wolf's love...a secret.

Wolf's...love? " Is it so outrageous to make love with an animal? Even if that love must spring from karmic vows of former lives."

Uncanny...

A clatter from behind us jolted us from our conference.

We saw a light and heard footsteps from the stairs.

I felt Kaoru clutch at my shoulder desperately and my hand immediately went to the hilt of my sakabatou.

We were astonished to see Yahiko appearing with a lamp in his hand.

"What are you doing here?" Kaoru demanded. "And where did you get that lamp? You could have given it to us earlier if you had it..."

"This isn't mine!" Yahiko said in protest. "A monk came and he had this with him. Sano managed to knock him out, but if we don't wanna get caught, we have to go! The other monks might be expecting him back from where he came from!"

His words clicked in my head. The guard had asked Kaoru whether it was two o'clock already when she woke him up. They were taking shifts!

"Not the one Sano knocked out, but this one right here," I said, pointing to the monk snoring against the wall.

Kaoru cursed and prompted me to get a move on.

"Itoshigo!" Ikue chimed from the window.

"Who is she calling a beloved dear child?" Yahiko cried.

I sighed. "No time, de gozaru yo!" I said, turning Yahiko by his shoulders and hustling him to the stairs.

Kaoru looked over her shoulder at Ikue. "Goodbye, Ikue-san. Thank you!"

"Dou itashimashite!" Ikue cried, her voice fading behind us as we ran.

As Sano said, we used the gate to rush out of the temple grounds, but it created such a grand squeak that we thought it best to keep running.

Kyosuke was in pain, but he lagged behind us only a little, limping awkwardly and holding his back while we continued our escape.

"Hurry up, Igor!" Kaoru told him.

"Well, I'm sorry! I didn't have a hero to save me from my fall!"

I do pity the man. Even if Sano were around to catch him, the ex-gangster wouldn't have bothered anyway.

A few minutes later, we were able to reach an area where we could loiter unnoticed. We took this opportunity to catch our breaths and settle our rattled nerves.

"Kenshin," Kaoru said between gasps. "I was thinking..."

Always, she thinks. "Yes?"

"What Ikue-san said."

"Which one?" I asked, collapsing to the ground on my seat as I panted.

"The parts that made some sense," she continued, wiping her sleeve on her damp forehead gingerly. "About the wolf..."

"Wolf?" Kyosuke predictably reacted.

Sano and Yahiko chose to listen, waiting for Kaoru to continue.

Kaoru nodded. "Yes. That and some of the other words...kyoujou...hakabakashii...kirifuseru..."

"Kyoujou," I repeated, understanding at that instant what she was getting at. Offense...sin. "Quick...swift...to slay."

Aku, Zoku, Zan.

THE MONKS

Chang and Eng watched as the group left the temple, waving their good-byes with heartfelt wishes of fortune.

"Think they understood what we were getting at when we went cuckoo over the Loony's Building?" Chang asked his best friend.

"Ah, at least one of them did," Eng replied. "The girl's smart. She knows. Of course, if they're going to break in, we really have to make sure that everyone's folded in by ten thirty. It's up to them to stay quiet and wake no one up."

Chang smiled and nodded sagely. "I'm glad we did this, brother. This is very important to them, and they need this to be one with their own souls. The abbot is very wise to have assigned us for the job."

"Well, the abbot's a genius," Eng said in agreement. "He's a compassionate man, and he has never turned down youngsters in need of help. The path of Buddha requires enlightenment after all, and the abbot believed that without the truth, it would be impossible for those youngsters to find peace."

"How about Battousai, though? Think we knocked some sense into him? He's really taken with the lady," said Chang.

"He'll be fine," Eng replied. "We have done several good deeds today. Buddha will smile upon us."

"Indeed he will. But brother...do we have to talk so strangely all the time? It's very difficult..."

Eng sighed. "It's all part of our sacrifice. We have to talk like nitwits, or else nobody will believe a word we're saying."

"I suppose you're right..."

 

 

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