Watsuki owns them
I just borrow for a while
No harm intended
When She Smiles
Chapter 6: A New Home
Once Saitou agreed to assist with Enishi's negotiations with the Meiji government, things began to move swiftly. Saitou and Enishi met several more times for Enishi to provide exact locations and descriptions of arms, contacts and money. Enishi did keep some money for beginning his new business with his father, but nearly all of his Japanese resources went to the government to make amends. He was very forthright with Saitou about exact amounts. It would not do to have the Wolf sense a withholding of any kind in his ki. His entire future rested on convincing Saitou of his sincerity, sanity, and ultimately, of his honesty.
In return, Saitou was extremely effective in securing extensive travel privileges for Enishi. These would nearly assure the success of his business and guarantee that Saitou would not be disappointed in his reconnaissance.
It took almost a month before Enishi was ready to leave Edo for Kyoto. He visited his mother's grave as his father had requested, and finally left the comfortable Inn where he had resided in quiet for so long. He was now free to walk the streets and fields of his homeland without fear of arrest. His amends had begun, but Enishi understood that this was only the barest of beginnings.
The return journey to Kyoto was uneventful, almost pleasant. He took care to enjoy the natural beauty of the landscape and wildlife. He tried not to focus on his new business, but to allow his mind the luxury of rest. He had been forcefully taxing himself for his entire adult life. It was now time for him to bring more balance to his mind and heart. He must do his best to keep his hard won sanity – to keep his thoughts of his sister on the comforting warmth he felt from her now. And he must treasure his relationship with his father. Oibore had been nothing but supportive of his wayward and disturbed son. He must repay that kindness by keeping his mind in balance.
Oibore had written Enishi to let him know where to find him when he arrived in Kyoto. Enishi was not familiar with the part of town he was directed to, a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of the commercial area. The address turned out to be a small dojo. Enishi stood looking at the gates, wondering what his father could be thinking. This place resembled nothing so much as the Kamiya dojo! But his father wouldn't know that, would he?
Enishi sighed and rapped on the gate. Oibore was delighted to see him.
"Welcome home, Enishi! You look well, how was your journey?"
"Father, I am pleased to see that you have chosen for us to live in Kyoto, but what possessed you to choose a dojo for our home?"
"Don't you like it? Let me show you around. I thought the privacy and the exercise spaces would appeal to you. If I was mistaken, it will take some doing but we can find another place." Oibore looked worried, what was his son's objection to this place?
"Let me look around and think it over a bit, father. Unfortunately, it reminds me of a place I know in Edo…"
"Whatever you decide, we will do, Enishi. I want you to feel comfortable in your new home. But consider the advantages. This was the only available place I could find that had enough exercise space for whatever disciplines you choose to practice as well as a fine garden. It is perfect for Tai Chi, ne? I've missed our morning sessions. It's not the same without you."
"I've missed you, too, father. Please give me a full tour and let me know everything you have been doing for our new business. Then I'll give you a full report on Edo."
"Yes, I am most anxious to hear about the Wolf."
Enishi was startled to hear Oibore mention Saitou. He had not shared his plans to ask for Saitou's help in Edo. Perhaps his father had more Shinsengumi contacts than he knew about.
Father and son toured the compound and discussed whether this choice would be a good one for their home. It was close enough to the commercial area to be very convenient, but offered more privacy and space than most of the private properties available. Enishi could see why Oibore had thought it a good choice.
Oibore could sense that Enishi liked the dojo, but was uncomfortable with something about the place. Enishi decided to give the place a week to see if he could feel comfortable, or if the appearance of the place would hold too many reminders of the past.
After dinner, Enishi told Oibore all about his dealings with the Meiji government, including his approach of Saitou and what he had offered in return for his freedom. He began to explain his reasons for using the Wolf of Mibu, but Oibore stopped him.
"I know Saitou Hajime much better than you suspect, Enishi. During my years with the Shogunate I was not a powerful man, but I was in a position to meet and get to know some of the Shogunate leaders and all of the leaders of the Shinsengumi. I understand why you needed Saitou. I may understand why he assisted you better than you do. We shall see. In any case, I am very relieved to hear that your freedom has been secured and your amends have begun. "
"Tomorrow, please show me the location you have chosen for our business and we can discuss our initial inventory and my first trip abroad. For tonight, we need to discuss my plans for amends here in Kyoto." Enishi sighed, "I cannot delay in making amends to all I have injured, father."
"I agree, Enishi. And I will do everything I can to help you."
"Unfortunately, I have a difficult task and I only wish I had an appropriate contact. I must somehow arrange to meet with the Okashira of the Kyoto Oniwabanshuu."
"I can help you, Enishi. I know her."
Enishi was shocked to hear that Oibore should have such a connection. Perhaps he was underestimating Oibore. How would his homeless father know ninjas?
"Father, could you please tell me all of the circumstances of your acquaintance with Makimachi Misao? Any dealings with the Oniwabanshuu are delicate, but they consider me an enemy, so I must be doubly careful in this regard. How did you meet such a person?"
"In order to relate all of the circumstances of our acquaintance, it will be necessary for us to discuss Himura. Are you ready to do that?"
Another sigh. Well, Enishi did not expect his path to be an easy one. And it was probably time that he and his father discussed the Battousai.
"Please tell me everything. I will need to deal with him sooner or later, it may as well begin here, with you."
Oibore told of discovering Himura in Rakuninmura. He briefly stated the facts of Himura's friends failed attempts to get him to leave. Then he turned directly to the visit of Yahiko and Misao.
"I was so surprised that those two kids came to see Himura, that I decided to visit them. I went to the Kamiya Kasshin School and they were kind enough to offer me food. " Oibore smiled, "When I told them I had lost a daughter, Misao offered to let me think of her as my daughter. I declined, but I know she would meet with me if I requested it. I knew she was Oniwabanshuu but did not discover she was the Okashira in Kyoto until I came here looking after our business interests.
"Of course, she does not know of my connection with you or Himura, only that I sat with him in Rakuninmura. What business do you have with her?"
But Enishi was too distracted to answer. He was too overcome with emotion to respond for a few minutes. His father had sat with Battousai in Rakuninmura. The same comfort offered to his son had been offered to his greatest enemy. Tears began to stream down Enishi's face. The scent of white plums was overpowering and he was remembering his last visit to Tomoe's grave. There were two vials.
"The first vial was for Bat…Himura?" Enishi's words were choked and bitter. Oibore moved closer to his son and attempted to comfort him. He was desperate to keep him from receding into madness. Quietly, he answered the question.
"Yes, for Tomoe's husband. My son-in-law. The man who loved her enough to marry her. I am sorry if this hurts you so much. If you cannot put your hatred behind you Enishi, I do not believe you will ever fully recover."
"It is not hatred father, it is pain. I understand why you helped Himura. I am just surprised that the man who led him to the strength to defeat me in my quest for Earthly Justice was my own father. Your forgiveness came much easier than mine. It is clear to me now that not only must I make amends, I must forgive Himura for his part in Tomoe's death. I had accepted her part in the tragedy without accepting his. But they are intertwined, ne?"
After long minutes of silence, Enishi calmed and asked his father if they could resume this discussion another time.
"I am exhausted. I am shaken with this knowledge and I must consider it when I have rested. Please let me be for now, and meet me in the morning for Tai Chi?"
Oibore agreed and watched his son retire. Was he so fragile still that just speaking of Himura would send him to the brink of madness? Would his son ever be able to forgive Himura for holding the sword that killed Tomoe?
Oibore cleaned up the remains of their dinner and went to bed.
Chapter 7: The Okashira
The next day was overcast and rainy. Enishi and Oibore met in the dojo to do their morning exercises. Afterward, Enishi pleaded continued exhaustion from his trip and asked that they spend the day at home. Oibore's face was dark with worry, but he agreed. If Enishi was doing too much too soon then a day of rest would be in order. He had stocked his son's room with writing supplies and books. Enishi was soon engulfed in his own work. They kept to themselves for the day, agreeing to continue their discussions after dinner.
The weather cleared, so once they had finished clearing away their dinner crockery, Enishi and Oibore sat on their porch to enjoy the sunset and some tea. Enishi began their discussion.
"Father, let me tell you why your choice of this place for our home unsettled me yesterday. It is very similar to the appearance of the Kamiya Kasshin School in Edo. The layout of the buildings is somewhat different, but the size of the compound is comparable. I didn't think you had ever been to that place. But now that I know you have, didn't you notice it when you considered this place for our home?"
"No. I honestly did not see the similarity. I was not looking for a dojo, but when I saw this place the idea of a dojo for your practice area made me think you would like it. I felt comfortable here, and I thought you would, too. I am sorry it reminds you of the past. I must ask you, since I do not think they are so much alike; is it this dojo, or would it be any dojo?"
"I don't know. I think that we should live here for the present and I will see if it continues to bother me. Unfortunately, it is possible that I cannot avoid reminders of Earthly Justice, wherever we may decide to live. It may be that the memories are so fresh and painful that I see parallels everywhere. Hopefully time will help me put it in the past.
"Shall we resume our discussions of the Okashira, father?"
"Indeed, I feel certain that I can arrange a meeting for myself. I am less certain that Misao will agree to meet with you. Will it serve your purpose if we go to meet with her together?"
"Unfortunately, no. I would like to meet with her alone, and I would also like to keep you away from any of my past unsavory connections. I wish to offer her assistance in information gathering from my past sources. She may request details that would be dangerous for you to know. Could you keep our relationship private for the moment? I promise to let her know of our relationship, but she might agree to meet with me more readily if you ask for a meeting with a man you met at Rakuninmura who has information that the Kyoto Oniwabanshuu may wish to obtain. You can tell her you have recently reunited with your son and are now living here in Kyoto. You can tell her about our new business. Just don't mention our family name or that the man with information and your son are the same person."
"That seems a reasonable compromise. But you must assure me that you will tell her of our relationship during your first meeting. We are going to be very visible here in Kyoto and she will feel betrayed and angry if she finds out we have lied to her before one of us tells her."
"I agree, father. Our visibility is one of the main reasons I need to meet with her in the first place. Can you attempt to see her tomorrow? And arrange our meeting as soon as possible. I am at her disposal."
"I will go to the Aoiya in the morning, and meet you here in the early afternoon to let you know if I have been successful. What will you do tomorrow?"
"After we practice our Tai Chi, I will visit my sister. Then perhaps we will be able to resume our discussions of the Battousai."
"Very well, Enishi. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, father."
The Aoiya bustled with activity in the morning. The Inn was full so there were customers coming and going, meals being served, and cleaning and living going on. Oibore spotted an older gentleman on the porch and inquired after Misao.
"Just tell her it's Oibore, her adopted father from Rakuninmura," he said with a smile.
Okina was a little taken aback by the reference to Rakuninmura – when had Misao ever visited such a place? And an adopted father? Wouldn't she have mentioned such a person? But he kept his face bland and asked Oibore to be comfortable on the porch while he went to relay the message.
Misao was braiding her hair in her room. She was momentarily puzzled by the name and "adopted father" reference, but then she laughed, remembering that Oibore had refused to consider her a replacement daughter since his own lost daughter had been so much prettier! What was that harmless homeless guy doing here? Only one way to find out. And she knew he had looked after Himura in that god-forsaken place when no one else could reach him. She was pleased to give him her hospitality in return.
"Oibore-san, my adopted father, it is so good to see you!" she smiled at him and he laughed at their shared joke. "What brings you to Kyoto? And my goodness, you are looking so much more prosperous than the last time we met! Won't you join me for some tea? Have you had breakfast?"
"Misao-dono, it is so kind of you to remember me. I have already eaten, but I would like to take a small amount of your time. If you can spare me a few minutes, I will be glad to tell you about my good fortune. We can sit here on the porch if you wish, and enjoy the sunshine."
Misao gave Okina a signal that he could leave her alone with Oibore, that there was no danger in this connection. But she didn't want to conduct any discussions on her front porch, so once again she asked Oibore to come in for some tea. Okina nodded his head as he left them, so Misao knew he would have tea sent to the private Oniwabanshuu dining room.
Oibore agreed to Misao's gracious offer and followed her into the Aoiya. The tea arrived directly and they were left alone for their discussions.
"Misao-dono, I wish to thank you again for your kindness to me in Edo*. At that time, as you know, I was often dependent on the kindness of strangers. I came to the Kamiya dojo to see Himura's friends. I must apologize for rudely refusing your kind offer to think of you as my daughter. It was an honor, but I could not risk giving you or Yahiko any reason to return to Rakuninmura. It was not a place for either of you. Besides, you scared me with your expertise with the kunai! You and Yahiko were a pleasure to meet. I know I told you that I had lost my daughter and my son, but I have now been reunited with my son, my only living family. This has not only brought me great joy, but prosperity. My son is a very able young man, and we are just now moving to Kyoto and starting a new business."
"What wonderful news, Oibore-san. It seems so rare that anyone is able to leave a place like Rakuninmura. And I know that you helped my friend, Himura, during some of the darkest days of his life. For that I am extremely grateful. If I can be of any assistance while you are setting up your new business please let me know. Do you and your son need a place to stay? Please do not hesitate to enjoy our hospitality here at the Aoiya."
"You are too kind, Okashira." Misao did not show her surprise at Oibore's use of her title, she kept her smile in place, but it seemed this visit was for more than just pleasure.
"Do you have business here, Oibore-san?"
"Indeed, we do, Okashira. I come to you to request a meeting."
"With whom and for what purpose?" As Okashira, Misao was always focused and brief.
"I am merely the intermediary, Okashira. The person who begs to meet with you is another lost soul I met at Rakunimura. He is here in Kyoto and says he has valuable information for the Oniwabanshuu. Will you agree to a meeting?"
"Will you attend the meeting as well, Oibore-san?"
"No, the man in question has suggested it could be dangerous for me to hear this information and has requested that you meet him without outsiders. He is, of course, available at your convenience and will meet with you on whatever terms you specify."
"Do you know this man well enough to trust him, Oibore-san?"
"You are asking me to vouch for him?"
"I am."
"Without hesitation, Okashira. I would not request this meeting if I did not trust him. Nor would I request it if I believed it would place you in any danger whatsoever. Will you meet with him?"
"I will. Ask him to come to the kitchen entrance of the Aoiya at 10 a.m. tomorrow. He is to be prompt, come alone, and come unarmed. Okina, whom you met earlier, will meet him at the entrance. He is to follow Okina's instructions without question. Am I clear?"
"Perfectly, Okashira. You have my thanks. Now, as our business is concluded, may I inquire after our mutual friends in Edo?"
Misao and Oibore spoke of Yahiko, Tsubame, and Himura. She told him that all three of them were well and happy in Tokyo. She did not tell him about Enishi or Himura's trial of Earthly Justice, only that he was now living at the Kamiya Kasshin School with the Assistant Master. She hinted that perhaps these two were more than friends, and suggested she might be going there to visit to speed things up soon.
Oibore thanked her for her hospitality and took his leave. Misao urged him to come again, and he promised he would, and hoped to return the favor as soon as he and his son were settled.
*Oibore and Enishi continue to refer to Tokyo as Edo. Perhaps it is out of deference to their samurai background with the Shogunate, or perhaps they just keep the old name in remembrance of Tomoe.
Author's Note:
Special thanks to Susan, Firuze Khanume, dementedchris
,Midori Natari Himura and Gochan for reading and reviewing.
Dementedchris: Saitou would never reveal his motivation, but I checked inside his smoke filled head and here are the top two reasons (I'm sure Saitou has at least 6 reasons for everything.): He works as a cop to cover up his spy job, he's like the CIA/FBI head for the Meiji (that's why he was in charge of the Shishio deal).
Japan is priority #1, above individual interests (e.g. Kenshin), and Enishi's gonna give him the goods on foreign powers – sounds like job security to me! (Japan was still at the beginning of westernization at this time and relations with China were lousy – leading to war in 1895. Enishi's Chinese connections would be especially desirable, ne?)