(headdesk) I had SUCH a hard time writing this chapter.

Ukyo sighed, leaning on the railing of Toshiki's vehicle, and wondered how long it would take to fall apart completely. He wasn't kidding when he said this thing is a hunk of junk. It was unpainted, allowing him to see that there was more rust than metal. As it sped along, something creaked ominously, and his hands tightened on the railing.

His thoughts turned to Kirara, who was sitting on the deck, staring off into space. Since the defeat of Shigeo two days ago and their subsequent exit of Aichi province, she had barely spoken or eaten, despite his urging. My darling Kirara…I wish you would tell me what's wrong. (1.) It hurts me to see you like this…

Toshiki spoke up from behind him. "Worried about that girl?" Ukyo harrumphed. "That's none of your business." The older man glared at him. "Excuse me? I saved her life. You do know why she's acting like this now, right?" Ukyo shrugged. "How should I know? I am a man of many talents, but mind-reading isn't one of them."

Toshiki clapped a hand to his forehead, muttering, "Such an idiot…Listen; I was married and had a daughter, so I think I know what's going through her mind." He grabbed Ukyo by the shoulders, shaking him roughly. In a low voice, so that Kirara wouldn't overhear, he hissed, "She killed someone. How do you think she feels? How did you feel, when you killed someone?"

Pushing Toshiki away, Ukyo replied nervously, "Umm…I don't know. I usually just try to avoid thinking about it. But they're my enemies, so why should it matter?" Toshiki sighed. "Look, just go comfort her. She needs you right now."

"No, she doesn't." They turned to see Akemi standing in the door to the cabins, having listened to their conversation. She rolled her eyes as she added, "If you go over there, she'll start crying. Again. Trust me; we should leave her alone for now." (2.) She paused, thinking out loud, "And who's flying this heap of scrap metal anyway?"

"This is not a heap of scrap metal!

"You're right—it's a rusty, decrepit heap of scrap metal."

While the others bickered, Kirara sat alone on the deck, curled into a small ball. For two days, she had been unable to eat much more than a few mouthfuls of food. Over and over, her mind replayed the scene. She saw Ukyo at the edge of the roof, his terrified face as he ran out of ammunition, and Shigeo's attack. Before she knew it, the gun was in her hand. She rubbed her hands together, as if that could erase what she had done.

I killed someone. I killed someone. She buried her face in her hands, trembling. Great Inari-sama, what have I done? Have I lost the favor of the gods? She was glad now that Komachi had held onto the water crystal.

The next day, they reached Kanna.

Kyoichi raised an eyebrow. "This is your home village?" Akemi smacked him on the shoulder. "Hey, if you're going to talk like that, you should have gone home to Kurume." The man shrugged. "They're going to feed me, right?"

"You're just like my brother—always thinking with your stomach." Her eyes widened as a fragment of thought drifted into her brain. Just like my oniichan… Before she could focus, the notion was gone.

As Toshiki helped Tatsuko from the vehicle, a shriek of joy caught their attention. "Oneesama!" Komachi ran over the bridge, flinging herself into her sister's arms. Kirara smiled faintly. "Komachi, I'm glad to see you too." Her sister trembled, hugging her tightly. "Oneesama…I have really, really bad news! O-samurai-sama's back!"

Kirara gasped, catching Ukyo's eye. He had turned white, half-reaching for his guns. Next to him, Akemi trembled with rage, hands balling into fists. "That bastard. He has the nerve to show his face around here?" Tatsuko looked confused. "Who are you talking about?"

Ukyo shivered, placing a hand on his stomach as if trying to keep his guts from spilling out. "Kambei Shimada. He was the one who tried to kill me. He's here?" Komachi nodded. "He arrived a few hours ago…he's been talking with the elder. I didn't tell him about you, but if he finds you…" Ukyo sighed, rubbing his recently injured arm. Everywhere I go someone's trying to kill me.

Tatsuko remarked, "Shimada? I went to school with his cousin! I met him a few times; he scared me a little." Toshiki growled, "We fought together during the great war." Akemi's jaw dropped. "You were friends with him, Toshiki-san?"

"Did I say that? I barely knew the guy…he was a few ranks above me. Always barking orders. And Bishamonten forbid someone question him!" Toshiki shuddered. "The last thing I want to do is meet him again. But…I don't have anywhere else to go now."

Tatsuko grinned. "Well…are you any good with guns?" He blinked. "Fairly, why?"

"I run a school—Ryugujo School of Houtedo. My kids help, but we sure could use an extra teacher. How about it?" Toshiki stammered. "Uh, I—that is…" Kyoichi unsubtly elbowed him in the ribs, and he blurted out, "I would be delighted. Which way?" Tatsuko bowed, turning to her former students. "I leave this in your hands. I have faith that you can save yourselves from him."

As the two took off for Tatsuko's hometown, Akemi and Ukyo stared after them. "Was she just flirting with him?" Ukyo had a look of revulsion on his face. "Unfortunately, yes." Akemi clapped a hand to her forehead, muttering something about how disgusting it was for old people to be doing things like that.

Komachi piped up, "Who were those people, Ukyo-niisan?" He replied, "Friends of ours. The woman was Tatsuko Amami-sensei, my old teacher. The old guy was Toshiki, who saved your sister's life. So…about Shimada…" He trailed off, shivering despite the warmth of the sun.

Akemi shrugged. "We live here, don't we? And I don't know about you, but I want to go home and take a bath."

As the others entered the village, Katsushiro hung back, thinking furiously. Sensei is back…What can I do now? This may be my best chance to get rid of Ukyo. But if I do that, Kirara-dono would surely hate me.

As they entered the village, an eerie silence hung over them. At least, it did, until Akemi whispered "What are you going to do, oniichan?" But Ukyo had run into the house, sliding the door closed with such force the frame shuddered. Akemi rolled her eyes and started to follow him, but Komachi called after her, "What do we do now, Akemi-neesan?"

Akemi growled "Unfortunately, since I can't kill him, I'm going to have to ask you to distract him. Kirara, don't you dare start complimenting him. In fact, don't say anything to him unless you have to. I'm going to go take a bath, if my brother's not in there already."

She went into the house just as Kambei Shimada walked up to the group and bowed politely. "Kirara-dono, I heard about your kidnap. I am relieved to see you are safe. Are you well?" Kirara nodded, hoping her apprehension did not show on her face. Kambei-sama…I thought I was in love with you, once. But now I'll do whatever I can to protect Ukyo. Please understand…

As he bowed in greeting to his former student, Kambei watched Kirara and frowned. She's hiding something…If Ukyo did something to her, he will regret the day he entered this village. "Excuse me. I must speak more with Gisaku." As he passed Katsushiro, he murmured, "Keep an eye on Ukyo. He is not to be trusted." The young samurai automatically nodded.

Freshly bathed and changed into his spare clothes, Ukyo joined the rest of the house around a low table. Kaede informed him, "There will be a feast tonight, because of you and Akemi-sama returning my granddaughter."

Ukyo sighed, catching Akemi's eye. She leaned her elbows on the table. "Obaasan…even if I wanted to go—you guys all know I can't stand Shimada—my oniichan wouldn't be able to. Shimada would kill him on sight! I think we should--"

"I'm going."

Kirara gasped. Akemi raised an eyebrow. Komachi blurted out, "Ukyo-niisan!" He smiled faintly. "I'm not a coward anymore. This is my home now, and I won't be driven into hiding by someone like him."

Komachi said, "If…if you're going then so am I! After all…I'm the Mikumari, right? I have to put in an appearance."

Akemi ran her fingers through her hair nervously. This is probably a bad idea…but what the hell, oniichan's right. This is my home. "Ehh…count me in. Just make sure you seat him far, far away from me."

That night, as promised, there was a feast. Gisaku sat at the head of the table, with Kambei on his left and a sleepy Komachi at his right. The aging samurai glared down the length of the table, disregarding the revelry taking place around him.

That bastard Ukyo…he can't have changed so quickly. He must be plotting something. His eyes settled on where Ukyo, seated next to Kirara at the middle of the table, was ignoring the newcomer's (was his name Kyoichi? Kambei wasn't sure) attempts to rope him into joining a drinking contest. Pathetic. He could sense Akemi glaring at him from the other end of the table.

Fujiko timidly tapped her on the shoulder. "Akemi-san?" Without looking at her friend, the younger girl snapped, "Yeah, whaddaya want?" Fujiko flinched. "Um…Kambei-dono is glaring at you. Just thought you should know…What do you have against him anyway?"

"He's a traitor!" Unfortunately, this exclamation came at a lull in the festivities. All merriment stopped as the villagers stared at her. Ukyo quietly buried his head in his hands. Dammit, we're really in for it now.

Kambei's voice was filled with menace. "What…did...you…call…me?" Akemi stood up, hands balling into fists. "You heard me! But maybe I should repeat it. You're a traitor!"

Gisaku asked, "Now, let's be reasonable. Akemi-sama, what do you mean by calling him a traitor?"

The girl laughed, but there was no humor in her voice. "You mean you didn't know? Oh, this is rich." She turned to the villagers, raising her voice to be heard over their nervous whispers. "On the night before they attacked the capital, I thought I was supposed to come with them. I knew they were going to kill my brother—my brother, who as you all know helped save this village and Kirara-chan from Hirosegawa. I thought that if I went with them, I could save him…"

Seeing Katsushiro, she smiled coldly. "Katsushiro, do you know what your wonderful, esteemed Kambei-sama did? He left me behind." She slammed her fist into the wall on each word of her next sentence. "He. Left. Me. Behind. If I had come with Shimada, I could have saved my brother, gotten him to turn the capital around. Kanna-mura would have been saved without bloodshed, and no samurai would have died that day."

Komachi whimpered as she realized what Akemi meant. If Akemi-neesan had fought…Kiku would still be alive.

Akemi raised her eyes, looking each villager in the face. Satoru, still clutching his sake cup. Fujiko, staring at her with wide eyes. The very pregnant Sanae, and Rikichi holding his wife's hand. Kirara, with a hand held to her mouth in shock. Ukyo, trying to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible. Finally, her eyes settled on Kambei's as she snarled, "Everyone…Kikuchiyo-san, Heihachi-san, Kyuuzo-sama…even Tessai…their deaths could have been avoided so easily! All you would have had to do is wake me up that morning before you left. Well? What are going to say for yourself?"

Kambei replied, "Ukyo needed to die. If you had gone with us, justice would not have been served. The loss of our comrades was regrettable, but there was simply no other way."

Ukyo had been debating whether or not running was his best option. Now, seeking to distract Kambei, he snapped, "Well, I didn't die, in case you haven't noticed. And I hardly call the loss of half your warriors necessary."

Kambei turned on him with rage in his voice. "They died thinking that your evil would be eradicated! They died to keep Kanna-mura safe! And now you have the nerve to walk in here and sit at this table, in this village, and the people think you've changed! The newspapers called you the 'Hero of Matsugakure', the 'Savior of Uken-mura'! If they learned the truth, you would be dead by now."

Ukyo growled, reaching for his guns before realizing he'd left his gun belt by the door, leaving him defenseless. Kirara gasped as Kambei stood up, buckling on his sword. "I will finish what I started. But not here." The old samurai left, storming out into the night.

An uneasy silence hung over the room, as the villagers stared at each other and murmured. With a shrug, Akemi plopped herself back into her seat, nudging Fujiko in the ribs. "Well, that's that. Fujiko-chan, can you pass me those noodles?"

"Come on, oniichan, please? Just hide up a tree with your rifle and a night-vision scope, it wouldn't—"

Ukyo pulled his shirt off, glaring at her. "Akemi, how many times do I have to tell you? I am not going to assassinate Shimada. The village might lynch me or something, and Kirara-kun would hate me forever." He threw himself down on his futon, pulling the sheet up over his head. "Now, go to sleep, it must be past midnight."

As Akemi began to snore, Ukyo sighed. Although he had tried to remain calm, knowing that he was marked for death was extremely nerve-wracking. But what can I do? If he fights me and I lose, I die. If I win, the village might turn against me. And Kirara… He thought of what Akemi had told him about Kirara's previous infatuation with Kambei. I don't want to know what her reaction would be.

A faint sniffling reached his ears, and he sat up, straining to hear more. Kirara? Carefully, he tiptoed out of the room and padded down the hall, wincing at the feel of cold wood touching his bare feet.

Kirara was slumped against the wall outside the bathroom, sobbing quietly. She looked up as Ukyo approached. "Ah, Ukyo-san…I'm sorry to disturb you." He knelt on the floor next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Kirara-kun… why are you crying?" She rested her head on his shoulder, blinking back tears.

"K-kambei-sama…if you fight him…" She trailed off, unsure of how to finish the thought. You'll die…he'll die…I will never forgive him… Finally, she embraced him tightly, crying into his shoulder. He smiled faintly, embracing her in return. "You worry too much, Kirara-kun. I'll be alright."

As he helped her up, he glanced down, and his eyes widened, seeing a large bruise on her leg. "Kirara-kun, how'd you get that?" She started to cry again, leaning on Ukyo's arm for support. He looked on with dread as she choked out, "I…I tried to heal it with the water crystal…and it didn't work. I…"

"Eh, oniichan…whassamatta? What's all this—Kirara-chan! What happened?" A half-asleep Akemi had stumbled out of her room, rubbing her eyes. When she saw her brother holding a sobbing Kirara, she rushed to her friend's side. "Kirara-chan, Kirara-chan…it'll be okay. Don't cry…" As she hugged Kirara, she mouthed to her brother, "Go back to bed. I've got her under control." Ukyo shook his head, leaning against the wall.

Eventually, Kirara stopped crying. She straightened up, wiped her eyes, and smiled. "I'm alright now. Thank you." With that, she went back to bed. Akemi and Ukyo stared at each other.

"Oniichan, what the hell--?"

Ukyo sighed heavily. "I'll tell you in the morning, Mei-chan."

The next day, Ukyo and Akemi were sitting on the guard platform. Akemi was clinging to the railing as though her life depended on it; seeing this, Ukyo rolled his eyes. "Akemi, you're not going to fall off. Calm down. You're perfectly safe up here."

Slowly, she cracked open one eye, and then the other, relaxing her grip on the wood. "You know, there must be some safe place on the ground where Shimada won't find you. So, why was Kirara-chan crying?"

Quickly, Ukyo told her what had happened the previous night. When he was done, Akemi clapped a hand to her forehead. "Wonderful. Just…wonderful. Now we have to wait for her to snap out of it, and hope nobody gets seriously hurt in the meantime."

At Ukyo's questioning glance, she elaborated. "The last time this happened was right after you tried to attack Kanna. Kirara-chan was feeling horrible, and she was beating herself up emotionally. Just like now, the water crystal wouldn't work for her, so she gave it to Komachi…and right after she did that, I tripped and sliced my arm open—don't ask me how, I have no idea. Kirara fixed it."

Ukyo frowned. "So, let me get this straight. When she feels guilty or depressed, she can't use the crystal. But then when she takes her mind off of whatever was bothering her, it works again?"

Akemi nodded. "And with Shimada out for blood, we'd better hope she snaps out of it soon."

Meanwhile, Kyoichi was seriously regretting his decision to stay in Kanna-mura. Since Katsushiro was sharing a house with Shino and Manzo (who had acquiesced after realizing that his daughter couldn't possibly come to any harm with him one room over), Kyoichi and Kambei were staying in Rikichi's house. After a night spent sharing a room with a man who was supposedly Ukyo's mortal enemy, all he wanted to do was hightail it back to Kurume as fast as his Yakan could take him. But I did kinda promise Ukyo-kun I would help him…

He sighed, inspecting the sword Tatsuko had given him. He hoped he wouldn't have to actually use it—he hadn't fought in years.

"Where did you get that taisenshatou?"

Kyoichi flinched as Kambei spoke from behind him—he hadn't even known the older man was there. How the hell does he do that? "Um…Tatsuko Amami-sama gave it to me! She's Ukyo-kun's sensei…"

Kambei frowned. Tatsuko Amami…I've heard of her. A traitor to her ancestry, she gave up the sword and turned to guns after her husband was killed. I didn't know she accepted students, though. He rested his hand on his sword, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the nervous Kyoichi.

"You are…friends…with Ukyo, aren't you?"

Kyoichi gulped, nodding rapidly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should get out of there while he still could, but he wanted to see where this conversation would lead. "I-I saved his life a few times."

Kambei's voice was devoid of all emotion as he replied, "One of those times was at Kanna, wasn't it?" Kyoichi trembled, shaking his head. Quicker than the eye could track, Kambei's sword was out and pointed at his chest. "I have very little patience for liars."

Kyoichi shuddered. "I…I saved his life then, too. What of it?"

Kambei's eyes narrowed. "Tell me more. Tell me everything."

Author's Notes

1. Ukyo may be cunning and highly intelligent, but he's still a guy. He has very little clue what goes on in Kirara's head, and even after Akemi explains it to him, he still doesn't understand why it's such a big deal.

2. Akemi's not really that callous. She just hates being expected to comfort people, and she doesn't like to be around when anything horrible happens.

Next Chapter

Well, Kambei's threatening Kyoichi for info, Kirara's currently depressed and useless, and Ukyo and Akemi have no clue what to do. Of course, there's only one way to get Kambei to leave our brave heroes in peace—fight him! But who will dare oppose him? Ukyo's already been almost killed by him, so he won't want to fight…unless he has the proper incentive, of course.