I OWN NOTHING BUT THE PLOTLINE AND THE OCS.
Chapter Eleven
Eavesdropping
"You can't avoid him forever, you know."
"I can try."
"You're being childish, Ryoko."
"I am not."
Fuyu sighed. "Fine; if you won't eat them then I will."
Heisuke had left another plate of dango outside their room. Fuyu had returned from Asami's room, bringing the plate in with her.
Ryoko launched across the room, swiping the plate from her friend before she could grab one to eat, holding the dango protectively.
"What the hell, Ryo?" Fuyu growled, staring at her.
For a moment, Ryoko couldn't speak. Why had she done that? She wasn't going to eat them...and she didn't know why, but she didn't want Fuyu have them, either. In fact, she didn't want anyone eating anything that Heisuke had made for her.
"If..." She searched her brain for a good excuse. "If you eat them then he'll think that I did it."
Fuyu stared at her in disbelief. "Why are you acting like this?"
'Like what?"
"You know damn well you're being weird. Why not just admit that you like him and go back to being the normal Ryoko?"
"I don't like him," She argued. "I'm only dealing with him because I have to."
"Oh? If that's true then why did you tell him about Susumu?"
At that man's name, Ryoko felt a shiver run through her body. The thought of that man's hands on her body...If he had told the others that then had he also revealed what he had told her about the Ochimizu?
"W-when did he tell you that?"
'The other day," Fuyu answered, sitting at the desk she had received from Hijikata; she had to play sweet to him for nearly a week before he told her to knock it the hell off and just gave her own. "He came to us for advice on you. You're hurting him, Ryoko."" She then frowned. "I hope this has nothing to do with Katsumi being gone.
"This has nothing to do with Yamaguchi!" Her voice was loud and sharp, making the other woman stare at her in shock. Never before had she referred to Katsumi by her last name. Ryoko stood up, leaving the dango on her bed. "I'm going for a walk."
She said nothing else as she left the room. She wasn't acting this way because of Katsumi was still gone; no, it was another reason.
She had listened to everything that Heisuke had told her and though it frightened her, that wasn't why she was avoiding him, either.
Scratching her head, Ryoko paused in the hall. Maybe Fuyu was right. Maybe she was being foolish. No, there was no maybe. Avoiding Heisuke like this was ridiculous but every time she even glanced at him she just panicked and ran. Her body just moved on it's own even though her mind screamed at her to stop and talk with him. She had seen his face lately; his smile was rarely there anymore.
She missed that smile...
"I'm sorry for calling you here to do this, Asami."
"It's fine, Isami. You always have been bad at sewing."
'Yes. You always tried to teach me but I could never get the hang of it. Sewing is an art for women, I tell ya."
Ryoko now knew where she was. She was at the back doors of Kondo's room. He and Asami were apparently talking. She knew she shouldn't be listening to Asami and Kondo talking but their words caught her; froze her.
"I must admit," Kondo began. "When I saw you that night...I didn't believe that it was you. To see you here in Kyoto...it was like a dream. I never thought that we would meet again; not like this. Fate made it so."
"Fate had nothing to do with it. I came..." Asami's words stopped there.
Ryoko felt her eyes widen and her breath catch. Asami...had brought them here to Kyoto for a reason? A reason like this? She knew all about the Shinsengumi all along; knew that they would be caught. Kondo wasn't the only one keeping them from leaving, was he? Asami was behind it all too! But why? What was going on?
"Asami," Kondo's words were slow. "Have you...reconsidered? Is that...perhaps, why you sought me out."
"Isami, I owe you more than I can ever give you. You, who took me and the baby I held in out of the pouring rain without a second through. You, who took care of both Fuyu and I until I was able to make it on my own. I came here from my home, barely knowing a think about anything and you stayed and helped me until I learned all that I needed. You, who knows where I come from and who I truly am...you accepted me with open arms; accepted both me and Fuyu. I swore to myself to repay you for your kindness...and I know what you want...but I'm afraid that I just can't give it to you."
"Even after twenty years?" Kondo sounded...so sad; Ryoko felt her heart stinging. This man...he and Asami knew eachother, they had to have met in Edo. He loved Asami so much it seemed...she could tell from his voice. "Twenty years of not even a glimpse of him and you still love him?"
"Even after twenty years," Asami's voice was soft and though Ryoko couldn't hear any emotions from it, she could see the sad smile on her leader's face. "I will go to my grave loving him."
"But you get the short end of the stick, Asami. It's not fair." Kondo began to plead. "You could be so much happier. Give me a chance."
"I will not have this conversation with you again, Isami." Asami's voice was harsh before fading again. "As I said before...if we had met in different times...I cannot pretend to love you while I long for another. I won't do that to you. You deserve better."
"So do you."
Ryoko felt her heart pounding from her chest. This was certainly not a conversation she needed to be hearing. She should tiptoe away now before she was caught but she was too curious. So many secrets were spilling out.
It was obvious now that Asami met Kondo in Edo when she first left her home to the north. Fuyu had still been a baby, making Kondo in his teens when they met. Asami was with Kondo for years, it seemed, before leaving him. How old was Fuyu at the time? Was she old enough to remember Kondo? Was she helping her aunt in keeping her secrets.
"I came because I saw you in a dream, Kondo."
"A dream?" The man sounded confused for a moment before his voice became sharp. "You mean...one of your visions?"
"Yes. As you know, the women in my family have the ability to witness Precognitive dreams. I knew my sister would have a bastard child and I knew that our father would try and kill them both; its why I grabbed Fuyu and ran when I did. It's why I ended up at your doorstep that night in the rain; I knew you would take me in. It's how I knew you would create your dojo in Edo and that Hijikata would grow to be your Vice-Commander for the Shinsengumi. And now...now it's why I am here."
"What...what did you see this time?"
Ryoko held her breath. She knew about Asami's dreams, all the women did. It's how she was able to save them all. Save Katsumi from the men in the alley. Save Tsukiko and Chika from starving in the streets. Saved Yumi from being sold as a slave. How she knew where Susumu and his friends had her locked up.
"This time...I saw you die."
Thunder rumbled overhead, making Ryoko jump and glance up. When had the clouds turned so dark?
"I...die?" Kondo's words were shaky.
"If you continue to walk this path, you will die. Not just you, but everyone around you. Sannan. Yamazaki. Shimada. Toshizo. Heisuke. Gen. Souji-"
"-I will not let that happen-"
"-You are captured and executed; beheaded before the Choushu, leaving everything on the shoulders of your Vice Commander before he follows you to the grave." Asami's voice was once again void of any emotion. "But its not just you I see dying. I see them, too. All of them..." Her voice trembled. "Yumi and Tsukiko will disappear from my side. Katsumi dies saving Saito and Heisuke against your damn Furies. Ryoko will drink the Ochimizu to try and save Katsumi before she fades to dust. And Fuyu...my father will find her and finish what he started, taking Chika and Okita both with her...I'll be...all alone again. That's why I came to Kyoto, Isami. I made us all leave Edo to try and go into hiding so none of this would happen. I came to Kyoto to give you merely a warning before we were to set off to find a new home, but I have been given another dream. If I were to pull us all away now...things would turn out worse. Only so much worse. We have been seen with the Shinsengumi too much. Us leaving would result in Fuyu and Ryoko being captured and tortured for information. And the moment they learn the truth about Fuyu..."
"We won't let that happen," Kondo's voice was soft. "I won't let that happen." He took a breath. "I was surprised when you asked me to refuse your ability to leave. Now I understand why. I will let no harm befall you or the others. As for your visions, we will find a way to stop them all; and your father. If he shows up around here...we can stop him."
"The only one strong enough to stop my father...has too much pride to do so; I have no doubt that...after I ran from him...he has long turned his back to me."
"Then he is not worthy to be called a man," Kondo told her. "And not worthy to hold the heart you still give to him. I swear on my honor that I, Commander of the Shinsengumi, shall keep you and the others safe. I will not leave you alone, Kimura."
A sharp pain shot through Ryoko's left ear. A hand slapped over her mouth before she could make a noise and she felt herself being dragged away from the paper door. She felt her face drain at the sight of Tsukiko's enraged face above her. How long had that woman been standing there?
Knowing that fighting would be pointless, Ryoko just followed after the older woman until they were close to Daiki's kitchen. The man was normally gone from the base this time of day, leaving no one to listen in on them.
Tsukiko let go of the other woman, glaring down at her. "Eavesdropping isn't like you, Ryoko."
Ryoko didn't even try to dent it. She wanted answers. "Tsukiko...is...is it true? Is it true that Asami wanted us to stay here, not the Shinsengumi? Is this all her doing?!"
Tsukiko stared at the younger woman for a moment before closing her eyes. "Yes."
"Why? But why?!" She demanded. She felt lied to; betrayed. They could have left so long ago and gone traveling like they planned but now they were stuck here!
~But you heard what Asami said. Fuyu and you get captured and tortured.~
years ago, if you had asked Ryoko if she believed in Asami's visions she would have laughed in your face. But she had seen them work before. On several occasions; it saved the lives of all of them more than once. She believed they were true but if they were...
Ryoko would die, drinking the Ochimizu, the Water of Life, to save Katsumi, Saito, and Heisuke. She would be turned into one of those...those things! It...it couldn't be true. She...she would never do that...would she?
"I've known Asami longer then anyone else outside of Fuyu. There are things that she has told me that she's kept secret from even her niece and this is one of them."
"So...not even Fuyu knows..." Ryoko closed her eyes for a moment before looking at the other woman. "But why? I still don't understand."
"You don't have to; not yet." Tsukiko gave the younger woman a small smile. "Has Asami ever given you a reason not to trust her?" Her answer was a shake of the head. "Then trust her now in this. I know you're confused and you want to understand but you will learn everything else in due time. Asami knows what she's doing; she always has. Trust her like the rest of us do."
Ryoko wanted to ask more questions, she really wanted to confront Asami about everything she just heard, but she found herself wanting to trust Tsukiko's words; to trust Asami. Tsukiko smiled as the younger woman nodded her head and tusseled her hair. "I'm proud of you, Ryo. Don't worry...none of us will die. All dreams can be changed. In the meantime," She glanced at the kitchen door. "You need to worry about something other than the past and the future; start thinking about the present."
"What do you-" Her question was cut off as Tsukiko pushed her into the kitchen, slowly pulling the doors closed behind her. She turned to leave but the sound of a crash caught her attention and she turned back to peer into the kitchen.
"Ahh, why did that happen?" A sneeze followed the voice. "Now the flour's everywhere. Ahh, Daiki's going to kill me."
The voice made Ryoko's heart pound again. Instantly her body wanted to turn and run but she was able to keep herself from doing so, though just barely. If...if Asami could bear the weight of her secrets then she could bear the weight of facing this young man again. She needed to apologize for how she was treating him. She...
"All right," She watched as Heisuke stood up from the pile of dishes and white flour on the floor and brushed himself off. "The dango obviously isn't going to work anymore so let's try some Daifuku. Or would she want some Botamochi." He grabbed his head with a cry. "I have no clue what to make!"
Ryoko stared at the young man, smiling as she had yet to be noticed. He was really into making her food, wasn't he?
A memory came back to her from the last time she ate something Heisuke had made for her.
"Oh, these are really good, Heisuke!" Ryoko smiled. "So much better than last week's! You're getting really good at this!"
"Well, I'm glad you like them!" He grinned. "Daiki says that I should try something else but I'm not sure what you would like."
"Well, if you'd like, I could show you how to make some Daifuku one day. Or maybe some Botamochi."
Heisuke looked at her. "Do you know how to make Yatsuhashi?"
He watched as Ryoko lowered her head. "I've tried it, but Chika's the best at that."
"Well then, next week, let's try and make it together. It can't be that hard! What do you say?"
Ryoko turned and glanced at him, one of the Dango sticks hanging from her mouth as she spoke around it. "Really? You wouldn't mind spending all day in a kitchen cooking?"
"With you? Of course not! I'll talk to Daiki about it!" He smiled.
That was over a month ago. Had it really been that long.
Taking a breath, she could feel her heart pounding in her ears as she stepped towards the storage that Daiki kept his ingredients in.
"How about we make some Yatsuhashi instead?" With the containers of sugar and cinnamon in her hands, she watched as Heisuke jumped at her voice and turned to stare at her in shock. She couldn't help but laugh; his face and hair was covered in flower. She reached forward with a free hand and began to brush the flour away. "We promised to make it together, remember?"
Heisuke stared at the woman before him, all kinds of questions going through his head. He wanted to demand why she had been avoiding him but as he stared at her smile, as her voice entered his ears, he found his anger and hurt fading away. A smile broke out inside.
"That's great! Let's make it and then tease Shin and Sano with it; they'll be so jealous!"
Ryoko giggled, watching as the young man went on and on about teasing his friends. There is was again; that smile that she had longed to see.
She still had so many questions that she wanted answers to but she would trust both Tsukiko and Asami and enjoy this smile before her for as long as she could.
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