Watsuki owns them
I just borrow for a while
No harm intended
Dreams I Dreamt Instead
Chapter 6: Frustration and Discovery
Sano awoke just after dawn. The cool evening temperatures had dropped to near freezing during the night. He had felt it coming, and was glad now that he had been so persuasive with Misao. She had been adamant that they sleep on opposite sides of the spring, or at least opposite sides of the clearing. He had insisted that they should be closer so that no one could sneak up on them and for the additional warmth. She had set aside her sensibilities and given in to her ninja training and allowed that it did make some sense from a security aspect to remain closer. She had placed her blanket within a foot of his and glared daggers at him, reminding him at least five times that she could produce her kunai within seconds. He had acquiesced, but only until she fell asleep. Once he was sure she was soundly asleep he had moved closer and wrapped both her and her blankets in one arm, keeping her warmer, and feeling more confident of her safety.
Now, before he awakened her, he reversed the process, so that she would find nothing amiss this morning. He was prepared to do this for their entire trip if necessary. Unfortunately, he hadn't expected to awaken in such a state of arousal. Well, Misao had wished for him to consider her a grown woman, he just hadn't realized how convincing she had been. It had been a long time since he had slept next to any woman, let alone one who was this beautiful. She looked and felt grown up, her innocent sweetness showing more when she was asleep than awake. Awake, her eyes and humor were distracting. Now she was unable to hide the soft femininity that her training and deft actions sometimes belied. His body had reacted, and now his mind was following that lead. He was alert to more than dangers from bandits this morning.
Schooling his features and dousing his senses with the frigid morning air, he rolled up his blanket before he roused her. Misao came immediately awake at his calling, and they ate a quick bite as they examined the map and planned out their days search pattern.
Sano wanted them to stay together, too alarmed by the thought that she might happen on the bandits or they upon her without his assistance. She was just as reluctant to allow him out of her sight, but for much different reasons. She didn't want to have to search out Sano and then go back to finding the bandits. Sano sensed her reason, but didn't object since it bolstered his own preference. She might eventually find out he knew where he was going, but he didn't need to tell her.
Their search continued in much the same way as the previous days. They explored stands of trees, searched the underbrush and bushes for hidden caves, and were alert to any depressions, gullies or natural valleys secluded in these ever rising hills. Each day, they practiced ninja stealth abilities as they searched. Sano found the training demanding, yet satisfying. He had so many skills as a fighter; he welcomed the chance to add more. He knew from his world travels that you never knew when some skill might keep you alive, or come in extremely handy at an unexpected turn of events.
After several days, they had explored all of the lower lying grids and they began to search in the higher altitudes. The weather had continued to turn colder, so they pushed as hard as they could, relieving their tired muscles each evening in the hot spring, and falling asleep quickly in their clearing. The food they had strung in the trees survived the attempts of the local wildlife to capture it, and they completed their planned week at this location with enough to last them down to Hiko's.
It was a frustrated walk back to the pottery kiln and their small storage shed. They might be warmer, but their spirits were dampened by their lack of results despite their thorough efforts.
Arriving at Hiko's near dark, they were surprised that he was there to meet them. He had prepared a hot meal and seemed to be intending to grace them with his presence. They ate in relative silence, but then Hiko offered them sake and asked them to report on their progress. Sano took the lead, frowning at Hiko, but keeping his voice mild.
"We have searched nearly all of the Western and Northern grids that you and Kenshin laid out for us, over half of the map if you include the village and the farms, and we have found nothing. We were more thorough than I thought it possible going into this search, finding even the smallest caves and washed out gullies. The cold is working against us now, and the hot spring Misao found for us to use this last week won't be a help in the rest of the search. It may take us twice as long to search the remaining grid, perhaps longer."
Hiko raised an eyebrow to a very tired looking Misao for her comments, but she just shook her head, yawned, and confirmed, "What he said."
"Then it is fortunate we have news and help from an unexpected source."
Now he had their full attention, not to mention irritation from of both of them.
"You've found something? Some key to their whereabouts? Why didn't you say so as soon as we got here? Where are they?"
"Settle down, Sanosuke. I will tell you about it as soon as I finish my sake."
Sano was already regretting having asked Hiko to stop calling him gangster. The way he emphasized "Sanosuke" made him feel like a six-year old. Come to think of it, it was the same inflection he had heard Hiko apply to "baka deshi". He tried to hide his exasperation with the man. He couldn't very well expect Hiko to treat him any better than he treated Kenshin.
After leisurely emptying his sake cup and re-filling his cup but not theirs, Hiko continued.
"Shiro arrived with more sake today, Misao. The generosity of the Oniwabanshuu is most heartening. Especially when so many others are lax in their respect." Hiko looked hard at Sano as he said this. It was clear he considered Sano's impatience a reflection on Kenshin, as if Kenshin were responsible for their behavior while at his cabin.
Misao broke the tension by a small attempt to placate their 'host', "Hiko-sama, it is our pleasure to in some small way be able to repay your own generosity in helping our clan. It is a small gift in comparison to your assistance with Fuji."
"Of course, of course it is, but a welcome one." He paused to enjoy some of the 'gift' and then continued. "Shiro also brought letters from Okina for you, Okashira, and suggested that I read them as well, in your absence." He turned and produced the handful of the papers, briefing them on the contents.
"Okina has used the communication network of the Oniwabanshuu in this area to our advantage. Apparently one of your inactive members lives on the far side of the area you have not yet searched, and will be happy to offer you accommodations during your search. In addition, this same contact has heard rumors of disaffected Sanada ninja activity near the next village, and suspects that these renegades have expanded their territory to include our village. That may work to your disadvantage, as you may be required to expand the search area to include the mountainous terrain surrounding the neighboring village. Anticipating your need of an extension of the map, I have drawn one for you to take on your next leg of the search.
"Shiro also brought you more provisions, so I will leave you two lovebirds to pack up for your long trek tomorrow. I'll assume you'll be back underfoot in a week or two."
Hiko rose to leave, handing the correspondence and additional map to Misao. He called back over his shoulder as he disappeared into his cabin, "Try to pay less attention to each other and more to the task at hand."
Misao and Sano stared blankly after him, then briefly at each other. Mutual shrugs led to identical yawns. It had been a long day and the fruitless but taxing search had left them both tired and slightly downhearted. This new information from Okina was welcome, but did little to lighten their spirits as they realized the long search they had anticipated was growing in size, their last week of efforts nearly wasted.
Hiko had packed their provisions into the shed, leaving them even less space in the already cramped room. They quickly spread their futons and retired. Misao was somewhat disconcerted at the closeness of Sanosuke.
"Shall I tell you a bedtime story, Misao? I could whisper it in your ear?" She huffed in reply and faced in the other direction. She drifted off to sleep nearly immediately; welcoming the darkness and comfort she hoped to find in a renewing sleep with the added luxury of being off of the ground. Her last thought as she closed her eyes was to wonder why she hadn't really felt the cold during the last week.
Sano opened his eyes and sat up in a rush, roused from sleep by an unfamiliar sound. It was not yet dawn and the sound of Misao's mewling whimpering had brought him awake with a start. Her pained expression spoke clearly to the unpleasant dream that was disturbing both of them. She murmured bits of words as she began to sink into her blanket, gripping it tightly in her fists. He could only make out a couple of words, "cold" and something that might have been "hai".
He watched her for a moment to see if the dream would pass, but her expression tightened along with her fists, making him cringe. He was tempted to gather her up in her blanket as he had for the last week, but feared that she would awaken. He settled for gently reaching over to take both of her hands in one of his and touch her shoulder to rouse her, calling her name.
"Misao, wake up! You're having a bad dream. Wake up!"
Before her eyes opened, she turned her head to follow his voice and he could clearly hear her words, "…cold…such cold…cold eyes."
Misao opened her eyes and sat up abruptly. Sano kept her hands in his and put his other arm around her, hugging her to give her some comfort as she adjusted to her surroundings.
"It's OK, Misao. You're fine. We're here at Hiko's. The only thing to be afraid of is another visit from that jerk. Are you OK?"
Misao pushed herself away as soon as she was fully awake, embarrassed that Sanosuke had seen her at her weakest. She slammed back into her futon and pulled her blanket up tightly around her, hiding her embarrassed face by turning away.
"I'm fine now. Just go to sleep. I'm fine. Really."
Sano saw her deepening blush before she covered herself and decided to simply wait her out. He'd been doing it all week in the open, why not here, too? He laid back on his own futon and waited for her breath to even out again. Once he was certain she was asleep, her gathered her into his arms, blanket and all, for the rest of the night.
In the morning, they hastily packed their provisions and plotted their course to their new destination. After a quick breakfast, they began the long walk across the forest. Misao read the letters from Okina as she walked.
"We're going to Tohaku's, Sano. He's Amon's brother, the Onimitsu you met in Yokohama. Okina says that Tohaku has been living up here since the Bakumatsu and remains loyal to our clan. He may be able to direct our search. At least I hope so."
"Do you know him? What kind of guy is he? And what's he doing way out here if he's a member of your clan?"
"I must have met him sometime, but it was probably when I was a child. I really don't remember him. But Okina trusts him, so we know we can, too. I don't know why he's up here, but I'm sure he'll tell us."
They spent the day making their way to Tohaku's secluded mountain cabin without stopping. The weather was changing for the worse, and they were determined to reach him before nightfall. It would be too hard to search for a place they had never seen in the dark. It was getting dark earlier every day, noticeably so, since they needed the daylight so badly to aid in their search. They gave a cursory look to the quadrants they had already searched as they passed, just to assure themselves that no new clues would go unnoticed. Once they were out of the area they had already searched, they made for the cabin without even a rudimentary attempt to search along the way. It would slow them down too much.
Just after nightfall they reached Tohaku's cabin, finding the path indicated by Okina in his letter just before it became too dark to see ahead of them on the trail. If Tokaku had not set a lantern on his front step, they might not have found the cabin until the next morning.
They approached the cabin with eagerness; tired from another long and fruitless day and knowing they were expected. The warm glow of the fire behind Tohaku as he greeted them at the door was welcoming indeed in the cold night air. He was most respectful and courteous to Misao as his Okashira and Sano as her guest, but clearly agitated. He nervously peered around them to seek out behind them in the darkness. His eyes darted into the surrounding area and he hesitated to close the door behind them as they entered the warmth within.
"Is there another with you, Okashira? I was led to believe there might be another man with you on this journey."
"Ah, "Misao's eyes sparked in recognition of his underlying question. "No, Tohaku, Himura did not join us on this journey. He has returned to Edo."
Tohaku relaxed visibly at this, but felt compelled to ask, "Himura?"
"Yes," Misao replied with a firmness and finality in her tone, "Himura."
Sano was looking mystified by the entire exchange and was about to ask something when he felt a well placed elbow in his side. He gave Misao a glare as Tohaku excused himself to go bring them tea and something to eat.
"What about Kenshin?"
"Don't be dense, Sano. It's clear that Amon told him about meeting you at the docks and he was nervous about Himura coming to his house."
"Why would he be nervous about Kenshin coming here with us?"
Misao rolled her eyes and scowled at him. "Are you so hungry your brain's stopped working? We ate along the road, that should have been enough even for your voracious appetite."
Sano's eyes focused as he thought about why Tohaku might be nervous, but the light did eventually dawn. He kept it from Misao, however, preferring to tease her by feigning ignorance. "He wouldn't know Kenshin and besides, Kenshin's pink gi is enough to convince nearly everyone that he's probably crazy or at least a little guy with extremely bad taste."
"You're hopeless, Sanosuke! I'll try to speak slower for the rest of our trip. Try not to embarrass me in front of my clan member, would ya?"
"No promises, woman. It's too much fun to watch you blush."
"Sano!" Misao was about to read him the riot act when Tohaku and his wife came back into the room, bringing tea and dinner. They were so glad to see the steaming hot food and drink it banished their other concerns. When they had finished eating, Misao asked Tohaku to tell them about the bandits. He was clearly reticent, but felt compelled to comply with the wishes of his Okashira.
"Are you familiar with the recent history of the Sanada clan, Okashira?" Tohaku paused, and when neither Sano nor Misao seemed to know much about them, he began again. "Then let me give you some brief background about them. The Sanada clan has deep roots in the area north of here. The Okashira who led them prior to the Bakumatsu was well respected and a very talented ninja in the stealth and poisonous arts. He had two children, a daughter and a younger son. Towards the end of the Bakumatsu, he decided to take his band into the higher reaches to avoid the fighting and the retribution he feared from the Ishin Shishi. He had lost his wife in the Kyoto fires, and sought to avoid the violence of the cities. His clan, like ours, had served the bakufu for generations.
"After resettling, he became ill and entrusted his clans secrets to his elder child, the daughter who was by now a young woman. His son was much younger than the girl was and still a child. She led the clan, complying with his wishes and rearing her brother. When he turned fifteen, she refused to pass on the secrets of the clan, and sought to keep the leadership in her own hands. Her brother was well liked, but not as strong as his father or his older sister. The clan split into two factions, one following the sister into the higher reaches to protect one of their clan secrets. The brother and the remainder of the clan members settled in this area, but were still experts in stealth and kept to themselves.
"The brother's health failed, and he died leaving no successor. Two of the clan members fought for control of the group, and it splintered into two smaller groups. One continued their secret existence in the home established by the brother. The other, unfortunately, has become the group of bandits you seek." Tohaku paused as his wife returned to clear their dinner away and serve more hot tea. When she had left, he resumed.
"The disaffected members were unable to find a suitable place to settle, and were forced to build a shelter in a hidden valley during the winter. It over burdened their small resources and they were unable to find work to replenish their funds. In the beginning, the new leader, Ishiji, attempted to adhere to the honorable principles of the Sanada ninjas of the past. Once he turned to crime to survive, it overcame his training and he coerced his followers into robbery."
Misao had listened attentively as Tohaku told his tale of treachery, but as he wound down, she determined that it was time for her to speak.
"Tohaku, it is clear to me that you have too much knowledge of this group to have come by it through investigation. Do you have specific knowledge of this group of bandits? Do you know where they are hiding?" She gave him her full attention, bringing the bearing of her title and her ability to command in her voice.
"Hai." Tohaku's voice was quiet. He had known it would come to this and was prepared to obey the obligations of his clan, but it was clear from his pained expression that it would cost him dearly.
Misao's voice softened. "Please tell me, Tohaku. Maybe Sanosuke and I can help you when we take care of these bandits. Have they threatened you? Are you unable to defend against them?"
Bitterness crept into his response, "No, Okashira, that is not the issue. It is my family…" But before he could continue, his wife, Ichino, flung herself into the room, prostrated at his feet and imploring him to stop.
Sano and Misao were shocked and silent, waiting for Ichino's tears and pleas to stop as her husband attempted to command her silence. He was gentle with Ichino, yet firm in his resolve to tell his Okashira what she wished to know.
"Return to the kitchen or be silent Ichino. This will be as it must be. I will fulfill my obligations to my Okashira and you will endure it."
Sano and Misao exchanged worried looks. There was clearly something amiss here and they were not at all certain what it was.
Ichino sat silently with downcast eyes at the feet of her husband. After a moment, he cleared his throat and continued.
"Your pardon, Okashira. May I tell you something of my family before I give you the information you seek?" Misao nodded curtly, and he continued. "Before the last splinter of the local group of Sanada ninjas, our daughter, Makiko, married one of their clan. Her husband, Akoto chose to go with Ishiji. Our grandchildren are now with these bandits."
Tohaku paused, fisting his hands on the edges of his haori. His eyes were downcast and the tears of his wife fell silently behind him. Misao paled and glanced at Sano. He was scowling and looking determined.
Misao spoke softly. "Tell me about Akoto."
"He is a good husband and father, Okashira. And a good man, I believe. He followed Ishiji in good faith, before Ishiji choose a path of crime and murder…"
"And?" It was clear from Ichino's pleading eyes and Tohaku's pained pause that there was more to say.
"Ishiji's path may have been born of desperation, but he has become an evil man, Okashira. Akoto tried to leave, but Ishiji will not permit it. He holds his members hostage, using their families to hold them. It is Ishiji who expanded their range to Hiko's village. And it is Ishiji who kills. Akoto and the others have been careful to rob the villagers while they are gone, taking no chance of being seen. It is Ishiji who seeks out the travelers and murders them for their coin and goods."
Misao turned to Sano. His eyes had hardened and his face had become set in a scowl.
"Can we put an end to the bandits and help Tohaku? He is my clan."
"That would be easier to answer if we knew where they were and could determine the truth for ourselves, Misao."
Misao turned to Tohaku, who cast his eyes down and responded dejectedly. "I will take you there tomorrow. We must go early and remain undetected. Our lives as well as those of my child and grandchildren depend on it."
Sano and Misao nodded gravely.
After a long silence, Tohaku showed Misao to her room, giving Sano space in their common room for the night.
Sano sighed. It was much easier to fight when you knew who the bad guys were. But he had spent too much time fighting with Kenshin not to understand the nuances of good and evil. Who better to understand than the man who had lived with bad on his back?
They started off early the next morning, the three wearing the identical blue of Misao's clan and Misao shouldering the burdens of leadership again. Tohaku led them silently to a valley they had passed in the late afternoon of the previous day. They rimmed it during the morning, taking in the lay of the land and the carefully hidden buildings lying secluded within the trees.
In the afternoon, they crept as close to the nearest building as they could without detection. They hid in the trees to watch the rhythm of the life of the bandit camp. Detecting the building holding the women and children was easy. It was the only one with any signs of life. The bandits must have felt the security of their surroundings, because the children were allowed to play outside in a small play area behind the building. It was hidden from their view, but the sounds of the children were all too familiar. As was the pain on Tohaku's face. He said nothing of his grandchildren, but when the door to the building opened and a young woman went to retrieve the children, his audible gasp told them this woman must be Makiko.
She was pale and drawn, and left the door of the building only after an unseen arm had roughly shaken her. They could hear the muffle of barked orders, but were unable to make out the words. Makiko shook her head in quick agreement, and left to go around the building to get the children. Just before she reached them she paused and forced her face to relax, even managing to summon a small smile. Misao imagined what she would see if she were able to look Makiko in the eyes. Would the sadness be overwhelming? She was suddenly ashamed of her own small sadness. She had lost a man who hadn't loved her. Not her husband, not a child, not her home or security. She was free to lead her life. And she wanted Makiko to have that freedom, too.
After the children and Makiko returned to the building, all was quiet in the hidden valley. They turned to begin their trek back to Tohaku's cabin, Tohaku in the lead and Misao coming reluctantly last. At the rim of the valley, Sano and Tohaku turned to find the Okashira gone.
"Damn! I don't want her down there alone, Tohaku! Ishiji and his men will be back any time."
"Agreed. However, the Okashira is a very skilled ninja. If we go after her, we may endanger her. She is well able to hide herself."
"You stay here, Tohaku. I'm going after her. If something happens to her you're not the one who will be explaining it to The Battousai." As he sped back into the valley, Sano had to admit to himself that he had used Kenshin to scare Tohaku into staying on the rim of the valley. Kenshin knew how impulsive Misao could be better than anyone. It wasn't Kenshin who would be scared for her; it was his own fear that made him tear through the trees, retracing their steps towards the bandit dwellings without care or quiet. He stopped short of the sight lines of the buildings, only then using the stealth techniques he and Misao had practiced for the last week. They had been especially careful in their previous survey of the area, so he already had several well placed vantage points to use to seek out the wayward Okashira.
What was she thinking? Why had she returned to the conclave? Hadn't she seen enough to convince her of the truth of Tohaku's words the previous evening?
Sano silently moved in the forest surrounding the buildings to carefully look over each of them. Misao was not in sight, nor was there any sign she had been there. Frustration and stealth were equal partners in Sano's mind now. He wanted Misao out of there, and he wanted her out of there now.
He was just about to abandon his latest lookout location, just a few feet from the furthest reaches of the children's playground and start looking in doors and windows, when he caught a flash of blue streaking through the woods just behind him. She was headed back to the rim.
Without a backward glance, he followed her in a direct and disgusted line, reaching her side just before she made it back to where Tohaku would be waiting.
Sano grabbed her from behind and clamped one hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. He spun her around so she could see it was him and started to swear at her in a harsh whisper.
"What the fuck are you doing, Misao?! Risking yourself this way is totally stupid and you're putting all of us in danger. Cut this shit out or you're going back to keep Hiko company while I put an end to these bandits."
Misao's eyes darkened and she bit him.
"Just who the hell do you think you are grabbing me like that? I know exactly what I am doing and I don't take orders from you, Sano. Now follow me back to Tohaku's before the bandits return. We can yell at each other there."
Misao turned around and took off up the hill at breakneck speed. She was in a full dead adrenaline fueled run, but her instincts were also in high gear, so she was able to stop before the tree line. She motioned Sano back and leaped into the nearest tree. There on the ground lying just beyond the tree line was Tohaku's body.
Author's Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing: Susan, Midori Natari Himura, Firuze Khanume, Lizzie, Prudence-chan, Crystal, Rurouni, Hana Himura, marstanuki, mae, Unseen Watcher, Akal-Saris, tenshineko,K-chan, Noa, BladeRy, Amy and Misanagi.
Susan: You are quite right, of course, about Kensin's gambling skills in the anime, but in the manga, Kenshin predicts them all!