Chapter 7: When They Scold

The room in the inn definitely had that "occupied by men with other things on their mind" look as well as that slight musty smell of too many men in one space. Sano's winnings couldn't have come at a better time, but after a week of riding the train between Kyoto and Tokyo and stopping at each stop searching for any real clues, their money was beginning to run low. This rundown inn half way between the two cities was off the tourist path, and the perfect place to regroup when they needed it. No one would care or notice their irregular hours and infrequent occupation and its low fees stretched their cash. They had split up days ago, returning to this temporary base when they were exhausted and needed a place to crash for a couple hours. Sano and Katsu had arrived earlier to get some well needed rest after being out over 36 hours. They were meeting with the rest in a few hours to discuss the next step.

Sano was out cold. His arms and legs were outstretched, hanging over the mat, and his loud snoring wasn't helping Katsu's mood or feelings of restlessness either. He turned over and pulled his own cover over his head to block the noise. It sounded like a bullfrog was in the room with them and he needed some sleep desperately. He kicked his old friend not so lightly; Sano rolled over, and the snoring subsided. His eyes wide open, Katsu revisited every step, searching for the missing piece. Sano's half croaking, half wheezing snore jerked him back to reality.

He laid in the dark, listened to Sano snore and felt envious of Sano's ability to sleep anywhere. When they were kids on the field with Captain Sagara, Sano would curl up against a rock and sleep through the loud political discussions. But not Katsu. He was always too afraid he'd miss something, and would stay awake until he'd nearly fall from exhaustion and had to be ordered to bed by the Captain.

Retracing their steps mentally, he knew they'd seen something important, but he couldn't figure out what. Exasperated by his lack of ability to either sleep or think, he sat up and rubbed his eyes fiercely. He'd go take a bath and think while he was soaking, he decided, stepping over Sano's limbs to gather up his belongings.

Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear Kenshin enter the water. At three train stops yesterday there were almost no people waiting to catch the train, but there were porters loading cart after cart of luggage and police watching, he remembered. "How much luggage does the average traveler carry?" he wondered, unaware he had spoken out loud.

"Depends on the traveler," Kenshin replied.

He jerked back to reality. Embarrassed by his rudeness, he started to apologize, but Kenshin focused on the question he'd inadvertently asked.

"For example, men might carry one or two bags, but not much more. Women have a tendency to bring more. Why?"

Katsu explained about the porters he had seen at nearly empty stations.

Kenshin thought a minute. "The real question is why are police officers guarding luggage?"

Katsu frowned. Kenshin noticed and motioned for him to share his thoughts. "I don't believe in coincidences, that's all," Katsu replied shortly. Kenshin laughed.

"Me either. You're thinking that it's no coincidence that Misao was traveling with Cho when she disappeared?"

Katsu grunted in agreement. Kenshin nodded. They soaked quietly, thinking about the implications. Reluctant to leave the warm water, feeling all the tension of the last few days soaking out of him, Katsu leaned back and rested his head against the edge. His eyes closed briefly.

The racket in the courtyard made Kenshin sigh and step out of the pool. Katsu opened his eyes briefly.

Kenshin nodded at the noise getting louder. "Yahiko," he explained. Katsu nodded and closed his eyes again, a small smile of satisfaction that Yahiko wasn't his responsibility on his face. It was a very tiny smile, but Kenshin saw it just the same.

"Get off me! Let me down! I can walk! What's your problem, Iceman?" Yahiko's protests were growing louder and closer to the bath area. Kenshin shook his head as he wrapped a towel around his still damp body. Yahiko had great potential, he thought, for being a pain in the butt some days.

He opened the door to the bathroom and let Aoshi calmly stroll in with a kicking, pounding Yahiko tucked under his arm like a football. He ceremonially dropped the screaming brat into the water. The splash drenched Katsu who scrambled out of the water, wide awake and dashing for a towel. Kenshin handed him one as the three men watched the youngest member of their troop flounder in the water, coughing and choking, his arms and feet flailing incessantly, still cussing Aoshi out but it was muffled by the amount of water he was swallowing in the attempt.

"Guess where we've been for the last five hours," Aoshi said gruffly.

Katsu toweled his hair dry and grinned. He could guess, but it was much more fun watching Yahiko thrash in the water.

"I didn't do it," Yahiko protested, finally standing upright.

Amused, Kenshin hid his smile and frowned at the youngster. "Didn't do what?" he asked sternly.

"Apparently, your young student here thought it would be a good idea to investigate the police station," Aoshi began.

Yahiko interrupted, "Well, it worked the last time Misao and I needed to find Saito." (1)

"It didn't work that time either, brat!" Aoshi exclaimed, "And that time, at least you and Misao dressed up like you were delivering sushi. You didn't need to wear a kimono LAST time!"

Confused, Kenshin stepped between them. "Last time?" he asked, "How come I don't know about last time?"

The question stopped Aoshi and Yahiko cold. Last time Kenshin had given up all belief in his ability to protect those whom he loved and had taken up residency in Rakuminmura, the last retreat for those who had thrown away their lives. (2) The silence deepened. Yahiko looked at Aoshi, his sad eyes begging him to do the explaining. Aoshi sighed.

"You were," Aoshi paused and cleared his throat, "unavailable at the time." Yahiko clambered out of the bath, dripping wet, making a huge puddle of water on the floor under his feet. Katsu tossed him a towel as he started shivering.

"Unavailable?" Kenshin asked, still bewildered.

"As in you gave up and ran away," Aoshi said bluntly.

Kenshin paled. "Aoshi!" protested Yahiko, "you don't need to say it that way. It's when you were in Rakumin-" he began.

A long, lanky arm went around Kenshin's shoulder, and Sano leaned over him. "You all make way too much noise. How's a guy supposed to sleep?" He yawned, and looked at the soaked Yahiko, the kimono sagging off his shoulders, and laughed, "Cute outfit, Yahiko, but you're still not my type!"

Yahiko scowled and Sano laughed again. "I'm hungry. You want to stand around all day talking about ancient history, or you want to go get some soba?"

Kenshin glared at Aoshi. "You and I have some catching up, Shinomori, and this time, you're telling me everything."

Aoshi shrugged. "Anytime you're finally ready to hear the truth, Himura," he said sternly.


1 In the manga in Chapter 213, Yahiko and Misao barge into the police station dressed as food delivers but Saito recognizes them right away. It is Aoshi who had to rescue them that time too.

2 In the manga, Enishi tricks Kenshin into thinking that he'd killed Kaoru. Kenshin, in total despair, went to Rakuminmura where Yahiko or Misao couldn't reach him. Aoshi was convinced that it was a trick and took over from Yahiko's clumsy attempts to find the missing Kaoru. (vol 23-24)

If you haven't read these, I recommend that you read miago-chan's translations online at http: Note: Misao is the one character in the anime who dressed up in Western Clothing at least once. Plus there are a fewhurts that go deep in a woman, and one of them is the loss of a mother which is usually triggered by the thought of being a mother herself. But that's my own opinion! Keep reviewing! It makes me a better writer!