Part 3: A Past to be forgotten
That night, Shiro is trying to sleep. He does not want to be disturbed, and therefore tries to get some sleep at the tree house situated among the cluster of trees few meters away from the Oni's residence. That tree house had been their childhood safe house as children. Okina told him that both Himura's and their place ends up being in a whirlwind mess when the two of them and plus Kenji comes to play so they created a small place where they could all stay at their recreational time. Right now, he doesn't feel like seeing his brother and it's a perfect hiding spot when he wants to be left alone.
Why is he so eager to protect? Why is he eager just to learn everything?
"He is just a child, Soujiro!!" He can see blearily amid his tears the silhouette of his mother trying to hold his father's fist, clutching what seems to be a thick belt. "He does not know what he is doing!"
Memories, that fateful night he and Kenji "escaped" for the Osaka trip. It haunts him, things he doesn't want to remember.
"Let me go Misao!" he can hear his father's furious voice, "He let us worry, and what he did was wrong. He needs to be taught a lesson!"
Nothing is wrong if he recall being severely punished for his deed. That they made everyone worried for the night. His father rarely gets mad and when he did get mad, he knows he deserves a punishment.
But why does it keep on recurring, those voices. Those images all in his head?
"He is my son!"
"And also mine!"
"I am never beaten if I do wrongly as a child, Soujiro!" she tries to finally grasp the belt away from his fist, "Don't treat him like what they did to you at the past!"
His father's eyes, took a deadly flame of blue.
"Never talk about my past!" he screamed, and losing control for a minute, he lashed Misao who fell backwards and hard to the floor.
It's where he witnessed, for the first time, his father raised a hand his mother. But there is something else that scared him afterwards, something that filled him with guilt and fear that he carries, until now, that no one knows that he had seen.
His mother let out a pained cry and his father stumbled into shock as he realized what he has done: Misao, clutching her belly and beneath her legs trickled the deep pool of crimson that become spontaneous that it spills to the floor and stained her kimono. "Soujiro!!! ….the baby!!" she cried, "…the baby!!"
"Iya!!"
From that point, everything became a whirling confusion. His father, dropped everything and rushes to his mother, frantic and shaking as he tries to scoop her up and carry her downstairs, staining his hands and clothing with the same crimson stain, then he calls for help, one of his Oni guardian's cover his innocent eyes and carried him hastily outside. Tenshi could be seen crying, who seems to be have awaken from his sleep because of the commotion.
"Omasu, take Tenshi outside, quick." He can hear his great-grandpa Okina's voice, and felt his arms carrying him, "I'll look after Shiro," the old man said, looking at Shiro assumingly. "Don't worry now, your okaasan will going to be okay."
He is young, full of shock and very afraid for he cannot put the words what happened and what he has done. Confused, he starts to cry in chorus along with his younger brother as he huddled to Okina's bosom. "Hush now, it will be all alright. Is there anything you have seen that made you scared?"
"No." he replied weakly between sobs,
He lied.
"I promise otousan not to go out without permission anymore..."
But not what he wants to say, he saw that his mother got hurt. Hurt because of him. Hadn't he got his otousan angry this shouldn't all happen? It's his entire fault.
"Your otousan is deeply worried for your safety." Okina spoke, "he never experienced this as a child, so he is making the best for the two of you."
"I hope okaachan is okay…"
"Your okaasan is a strong woman, she will be okay."
Is she?
There are still strong vivid flashbacks he could still recall, right after the confusion. When he and Tenshi were prepared to bed, and the grown-ups are all downstairs talking at his okaasan's room…he sneaked out and try to listen to what they are conversing. He waited for the doctor to leave the room.
"I don't mean it Misao, I'm sorry. It's…"
"No one is blaming you for what happened, Soujiro." He could hear great- grandfather's voice, "What happened has happened, we all know that it isn't intentional."
"It's my fault Sou-chan; …" his mother calls his father that way, if she wants to say something intimate and serious to him.
"... I shouldn't have brought about the topic intentionally. I couldn't be so tactless." His mother, he could hear his mother is okay…yes indeed his mother is strong, but he could note a small tone of cracking in her voice. "…so even how much I regret it…its not going to come back…" she looked up, also noticing the equal look of hurt and guilt in her husband's eyes. "It's supposed to be a baby girl, Soujiro…" and she wept, knowing well how much Soujiro would like to have a baby daughter for an addition to the family.
I'm supposed to have a sister…as he listen through the screened door, If he just haven't got everyone upset, if he just haven't get his otousan upset…this wouldn't happen.
"You are supposed to be in bed." The sudden deep tone of voice nearly made him jump out from where he was eavesdropping. Aoshi-san has arrived and was just behind him. Okina and the other's stood up noticing that Shiro was indeed there behind the screen door listening to them. Okina opened the door, "How long have you been there Shiro?"
He didn't answer, he just ran away outside. "Shiro!!" Okina cried out, "I think he is listening to us all this time! Aoshi, how long had he been there?"
"I just came. It seems he had been sitting there by sometime."
"I'll get him." Soujiro stood up with a heavy sigh, "I know where he will go. It's at the tree house."
Apparently, it took them all night to convince him to come down the tree house. Shiro never spoke what happened he heard or what he feels that night and so is everyone else, but somehow his otousan understands and never brings out the topic, but noticed that Shiro became even more stubborn and determined to learn the way of the sword.
"I want to be the strongest!" the words he always used to say as a child…
"It's not always being the strongest Shiro…"
"I want to be the strongest, it's because I want to protect…I don't want to see anyone getting hurt because of me…" he whispered to himself, now his thoughts back to the present. His head is starting to throb, probably because of trying to forcibly recall all those memories.
"Aniki! There you are!" Tenshi exclaimed out loud, his face bleating out by the small entrance that made Shiro fall back from where he was leaning on. Not amused, he stared sharply to his twin, which seems like looking to his own reflection only with long hair. "Don't give me that look, I know were you go every time you get upset and its no big secret to everyone." Tenshi implied, as he crawls inside the tree house and sat in front of his brother. "Look Shiro, it's very important that we go down now and quickly…"
"Remember the Osaka trip incident?"
"Yeah, I told otousan and you became angry to me for telling, and you didn't talk to me the whole week." Tenshi replied and looked at his twin quizzically; it's no time to bring up some childhood moments. But Shiro rarely opens up with anyone, and so he tries to listen.
"Not that you baka. Do you know that okaasan is also actually pregnant at that time?"
"She was?"
"You didn't know?"
"No." Tenshi said, "Why are you telling me these? And if okaasan is indeed pregnant what ha…"
"Miscarried." Shiro whispered, "Okaasan tried to stop otousan from punishing me and accidentally got hurt in the process, she lost her baby. And it's supposed to be a baby girl. Our sister."
Silence
"You never told me about that, Shiro..." Tenshi finally said, "Are you saying you are blaming yourself for what happened all these years?"
"Then why would I devote myself trying to be a good swordsman? Do you know why I'm so insanely jealous when I learned you knew the Heaven Sword technique? Otousan seems not to trust me, as if he is afraid I'm going to disappoint him again."
"Then it only means you should strive harder, eventually he would see that you are trying your best" Tenshi said. "…and you don't have to be miffed that I also know how to handle the sword. It is also taught in the way of ninjistu."
The two looked at each other and laughed, at least the heavy air seems lifted for now. "So Tenshi, what are you about to tell me awhile ago?"
Tenshi quickly narrated that their parents left off to Kyoto upon receiving the news that Kenji's sister is being held for ransom, and not to tell Kenji about the incident and let him stay at the residence for a week, but he overheard everything and now he already ran away. "WHAT!!! Why didn't you stop him?"
"It's dark, Aniki…I can't be so sure. Do you think we had to follow them to Kyoto and tell them?" he called out, following suit to his brother who quickly leaped out the tree house upon hearing the news. "But then again, Kenji might have just run back to his place…"
"Kenji wouldn't do that Tenshi; he will look for his sister. I know him." Shiro replied, pacing about inside the house and preparing things, he took out his wooden sword and starts changing his clothes. He tosses some clothes to Tenshi. "He knows well he won't be permitted to look for her even if he talked to his otousan,"
"So what are we going to do? Tell them the news at Kyoto?" Tenshi asked doubtfully, as if thinking twice if he is going to change. Even their clothing is identical. "Yes, we are going to Kyoto. We must learn who also took Hotaru." Looking at the half-dressed Tenshi, he noted, "…and don't you just stand there! Prepare your things if you want us to be there by this night!"
"I don't know Kenji does actually have a sister, how come you know?" Tenshi still persisted continued, but followed the order to start preparing his things. "Otousan said she had always been a sickly child so I don't get too see her much."
"Hotaru has always been a sickly child," Shiro replied, echoing the same statement his father said, while stuffing the final material in his small duffel bag. "She was always kept to a closed room at Himura-san's residence; I came in to that room once by accident while I was goofing around Kenji when we are kids." He paused, "No one is allowed to see her much because she happens to be sensitive and physically weak, but she insisted on seeing other people so Kenji sometimes drag me to see her to make her happy."
"I can't recall seeing her though," Tenshi remarked, "but she does know about everyone, right?"
"Yeah, she knows about Otousan and Okaasan as family friends," Shiro looked to his brother, "And also she knows we are twins, Kenji always tell her about us. I know you got to see her couple of times, but I think you can't recall THAT pretty well."
Tenshi mock punched his brother by the shoulder. "Why don't we just go to Kyoto now, shall we?"
"Great. Aoshi-san is assigned to watch over us, we can't get out this easily." Tenshi sighed, whether their okaasan and otousan is up to something important and the brothers want to go out some where else, Aoshi resumes authority and does not let them just go anywhere else that easy. He had a sharp keen sense and he can feel if the two are to tiptoe out of the residence. Sometimes Shiro resented having ninjas for relatives, they sense everything. But he suddenly got an idea, "Remember the cap I use to wear when I go trekking to Kyoto every afternoon?" he said to his twin,
"Yeah," Tenshi recalled. "It's a funny western beret type cap, okaasan takes a liking in buying western goods like those." Then he looked up, "Why what's your plan?"
"I got two caps; you wear one of them so it could hide your long hair." Shiro grinned broadly, "We are going to trick Aoshi-san to just seeing just me."
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"Where do you think you are going?" Aoshi spoke; he is meditating by outside with his eyes closed and his back facing the porch, which is the only way exit. "Years of hard training pays well that I don't have to see you to know where you are going somewhere. Whatever it is, the answer is no."
"I forgot some of my things at the temple, Aoshi-san. I'm just going to get them back." Shiro said, tilting his cap. Aoshi knew that the Shiro had a weird habit of wearing his funny cap from time to time and also leaving his things carelessly anywhere after practice, so he didn't became suspicious. "As only you will allow me to walk you through the temple's door," he stoically replied, "just to make sure that you are not up to something."
"Hai."
Eventually, Shiro's plan starts to work. As Aoshi never left his eyes on Shiro whom he followed through the temple's entrance, Tenshi slipped off the dojo's only exist…and as instructed by his older twin, take a rough shortcut route where there is a secret entrance behind the temple. No one know that there is a back route though, it happens that Shiro created that path alongside with Kenji some few years back when they happen to try hide from their boring house chores. Wearing his brother's spare cap to hide his high-pony tailed long hair and having the same identical clothes, Tenshi signaled his brother behind one of the Buddha statues to indicate his presence, and also making sure that Aoshi wasn't looking. Shiro reacted by stalling Aoshi, and told Tenshi to move when he would eventually "distracts" him.
But Shiro's plan for a distraction didn't come easy, to make sure that his very perceptive Aoshi-san will get all his attention, he "trips" down the stairs below the temple entrance, and rolls down several steps (which is from temple to ground…ouch!) enough to follow him downstairs like crazy. Tenshi can barely open his eyes when he heard the thuds and ouches from his aniki as he finally slips outside the bushes at the temple's front. Some plan he had, he sighed.
Aoshi seems more annoyed than concerned and it shows in his face as he eventually catches Shiro who was just about to hit his head in the last few steps. "Are you trying to commit suicide or something? Next time be very careful, I don't want Misao to worry if anything else happens to you." Shiro was still all swelled and pained from the bumps and scratches he sustained from the little accident he created that he just nodded mutely to indicate he understand. "Now go down, before anything ELSE would happen like that again."
Limping with his one foot and holding the small of his aching back at the other side, Shiro continued a few steps until he reached ground, and shouted. "Aoshi-san! I think I forgot my cap! It might have fallen and I need to get it back!"
"It's just a cap, you get it tomorrow morning." Aoshi mumbled, wondering what such importance for such piece of material.
"But it will get dirty, I need to get it!" As Shiro echoed his voice, Tenshi slowly crept from the bushes from the temple and slowly near the shrubs by the stairs.
"Not at your state young man, I'll get it myself."
Tenshi quickly dove back to the bushes as Aoshi-san turned around to go upstairs and look for the cap, "matte! Wait! I know where it fell down; I'll go look for it myself!" Shiro shouted. This boy is very stubborn just like his mother… Aoshi then turned his back around, much to Tenshi's relief. Then the crucial switch to slip out the residence is put into motion, Shiro pretended to go among the trees and bushes (to avoid the stairs, having "fallen" down there few minutes ago.. obviously making Aoshi worry less.) when in fact he has just stayed put so he can wait for his twin to come down. Tenshi shall emerge a few minutes from the bushes from the higher ground, pretending to be Shiro having found the cap. From that point, Aoshi would let him go down stairs and will follow him shortly after "contemplating" a few minutes by the temple surroundings, which he usually do. With knowing Shiro still bruised from the fall he won't think the youth will attempt to go so far.
"I got it Aoshi-san!" Tenshi emerged, putting the cap firmly around his head. "Its okay now, we can go downstairs."
"Good, now go downstairs… I will follow shortly."
Tenshi pretended to limp all the way downstairs, and reached at his twin soon enough. Shiro made a short chuckle and nudges his twin as they make their escape, "That's excellent! Aoshi-san seems not to notice the difference!"
"Aniki, that's some stupid plan. Having you roll down the ground just to distract Aoshi-san?"
Shiro rubbed his sore neck and glared at his brother, "AND what do you suggest? It wasn't easy tricking someone that knows you for 17 years." Then cursing silently him as his side smarts with an attempt to swing the duffel bag to his other arm.
"I agree. But it is still a stupid plan to roll away down the temple; you could have mis-located your neck."
"But we finally made one successful attempt to slip off from Aoshi-san."
The two looked at each other, and then let out a restrain chuckle that sounds like a snort that finally escalates to a full blown laughter. They are now miles away from the dojo and it seems that the only thing they have to worry is how to get to Kyoto for the night. "Okaasan used to take us to a train near here when we are kids, it makes the trip here from Edo fast enough to make us reach there in less than an hour." Tenshi said, pointing out at the alley. "We could reach there to catch the last full ride if we take a shortcut." The twins having known the street of Edo quite well, leaped from fences and climb at walls, also jumping off at some rooftops to get at their destination. The clamoring voices of disgruntled and awakened neighbors followed a few minutes later.
"Is Okina there? Anyone?" One of the few town neighbors called out, they are about a group of five people…all residences near to Okina's home. One of the Oniwabanshu's opened the entrance, obviously looking annoyed at the sight of them so late in the evening.
"Master Okina is very sick, just come back tomorrow. And its 11 am…everyone is trying to get some sleep here." Rubbing her eyes, the oni member still notice that the neighbors just won't go away. "We are also trying to get some sleep, but I think it's his twin great-grandson's that has been keeping us up this hour!" One of the neighbors called out angrily. "Those kids need discipline!"
"That's impossible! The boys are always under Master Aoshi's watch." said another Oni member who had also woke up because of the commotion. "It's not that easy for them just to slip away pass by him."
"Then we want to talk to Aoshi!"
Before the neighbors could create more noise, Aoshi have already come down from the temple and reached the dojo's entrance, and the crowd suddenly toned down their noises to whispers and hushing sounds, very relieved to see him. "What's going on here? Aren't they supposed to be sleeping at their homes?"
"Master Aoshi, the neighbors are complaining about the Misao's boys." One of the oni members replied. "It's what keeping them up here demanding for some answers."
Then it would be seem countless, Aoshi thought. Every time Shiro and Tenshi are together they get themselves to trouble. It seems a part of every week routine that one or two of the neighbors would complain, like for example at one incident that a neighbor's pet cat lost all it's fur when Shiro accidentally mixed some of the herbs that the oni's keep in safety and he tried to put it on the cat as a shampoo or when one of the neighbors find that their clothes having poison ivy in them when Tenshi mistakenly threw it in a laundry water.
"The boys are with me, if you have more complaints I'll bring them here."
"Are you sure?" One of the residents called out, "they happen to run over our rooftops causing a commotion to anyone who is asleep at the whole neighborhood!"
"When is exactly did they did it?" Aoshi starts to sound suspicious, it's no way Misao's sons will try to slip off him…especially that Shiro had clumsily rolled down all the way from the temple, Tenshi is staying inside the dojo and probably fast asleep.
Or is he? Aoshi nearly forgot that Tenshi also has his brother's stubbornness in things but he didn't show it much openly and loud like Shiro does. He can sense something is wrong.
"Go and check if Tenshi is up to his room." He motioned one of the oni's. "Tell him I want to talk with him and his brother." After a quick bow, the oni rushed to Tenshi's room. Aoshi turned back to the neighbors, "…and what exactly around what time have you people heard of the commotion?"
"Just an hour ago."
"Master Aoshi!" the oni member called out, "Tenshi isn't in his room!"
"How about Shiro?"
"No sight of him either!" the other oni member gasped, "we checked everything, they are not at the practicing hall too and they even took their clothes, their rooms are empty!" Ignoring the rest of the clamoring voices, Aoshi quickly rushed to the temple area, with the other oni's curiously following his pace. If Tenshi have gotten away, the other oni members would easy realize it…and he saw Shiro with his own eyes tumbled down… It took them in matter of minutes to realized what happened, One of the oni's spot a secret entrance by the temple that no one knew and probably one of the boy's created it, and two, Aoshi noticed that a cap has been lying down the steps to the temple…that Shiro might have dropped down when he fall at the steps. So it means that it isn't Shiro he had seen come out of the bushes…it might have been Tenshi disguised as Shiro! The two look very much alike, minus the long hair and Tenshi could easily achieved his brother's look by just tucking it in the cap.
"Omasu, how many of this western type caps did Misao brought?"
"Does it matter, Master Aoshi?
"Just answer me..." he said with a sharp blue stare, "how many caps did Misao bought that look like these?'
"Two." Omasu replied, "She brought one for each twin."
"Achooo!!!" Shiro sneezed; it's either he is catching a cold or that someone had just remembered him. The two are just few feet near the station, and even at such late time they noticed that a crowd is still there near the departure and ticket area, most of them foreign traders on the way to another destination. "Aniki, one of us how to go and buy the tickets, we can still catch up." Noting his older brother still sneezing spontaneously, "Why don't you get you use your cap?"
"Yeah, okay…" Shiro grumbled and reached inside his kimono…he usually hides it at his left side, and it wasn't there. He checked the other side, and same thing. "Darn, I think I dropped it!"
"Are you sure? We had already run many miles…"
"No, I could have dropped it at the temple! It might have slipped off when I fall down!"
"Nani?!" Tenshi exclaimed, "If Aoshi-san sees it he'll become suspicious and look for us!" But Shiro wasn't listening, he is looking behind Tenshi and his expression seems to turn white. "There is no time to look, Aniki!"
"That's not it," Shiro whispered. "Just…Don't turn around…" It's Aoshi, Shiro could tell the broad trench coat from a distance, with him are the rest of the Oniwabanshu's who seem to have been robbed of their sleep. They are looking and asking people around the station, each of them taking a separate direction. Tenshi does not have to wonder why Aoshi knew where they are going.
"This would be the last line for the trip!" One of the train conductors echoed. Shiro looked and it seems that they are not going to make it, for they are a couple of lines behind. They had to either break in the line or slip in the train without a ticket before Aoshi sees them. He had to think of something fast, but that would seem to be his brother's line of specialty.
"Tenshi, just think of a bright idea so we can get in the last ride." He spoke, "It must be quick, before Aoshi-san or any of the…" But something caught Shiro's eye that stalled him for awhile, there is a spider that fell down to Tenshi's cap…and like their okaasan, Tenshi is deathly afraid of spiders that he would instantly forget everything and scream.
"Is there something wrong, Aniki?"
"Umm…no, your cap is fine…just leaving it there…"
"What's with my cap? Is something on it? " Shiro made a wide NO expression as Tenshi attempts to fix it, and he watched the spider glide down the cap to Tenshi's nose. "Just don't scream Tenshi…don't..."
The first of the two Oni's come out at the south east direction and approached Aoshi; the twins are not there they said. Now he had to wait for the last two who checked the southwest direction.
"Ayaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Aoshi heard a scream, coming from the northwest direction. He looked around, and he saw a youth scraping a cap off… "G-get that thing away from me!!" shouting and stomping on which seem to be a crawling insect at the ground. Pulling the cap off, it spills forth a long high pony-tailed black hair.
"Spiders." Aoshi said, when it come to realization who the screaming youth is, Obviously it is only Tenshi who had inherit the trait of freaking out spiders like Misao, and probably the only boy in Japan who's deathly afraid of them. He signaled the rest of the Oni's to go ahead with him as they made haste to the northwest direction.
"Great! Now they have seen us!" Shiro groaned, looking at his shaken brother"…look, we have to think of a plan to get ahead to Kyoto before they catch up with us!"
It's practically no use asking Tenshi right now, he lost all his logical senses with just a mere presence of that crawling insect. So Shiro have to improvised a plan himself, "I think I got it," he said,
But whatever plan Shiro had in mind, Tenshi feared that such idea isn't a good idea… "Gomen, but this is going to hurt…" and before Tenshi knew it, he was fisted by his brother to the face to render him unconscious and then carried him by the back so they could get to the train immediately. Shiro could hear the rest of the Oniwabanshu's voices nearing.
"He knocked his brother down, is he really THAT desperate to go to the train?" One of the oni's called out to Aoshi who replied without unwavering his focus to the two, "Yes, he have to do that to stop Tenshi for acting hysterical."
"Hysterical?"
"Don't you hear awhile ago that he is screaming about a spider on his head? If you want to knock sense in to him there is no choice but to hit him at the face."
"I see..."
Ugh, I have to move fast…Shiro mumbled, dragging his unconscious sibling along him as he ran past the furious crowd and trying to camouflage with them. It would be easy for Aoshi-san to follow him since he is the only one looking very much in a hurry, and he is getting the creeps for the prominent trench coat is growing more and more clearer to his view. If they get caught, it would be a ban for them the whole month to go anywhere and the usual intensive martial arts training as a discipline and punishment for them. And the biggest punishment is that Aoshi-san would be disciplining them instead of their okaasan. And with the stone-cold look that his Aoshi-san have it would be really no mercy.
The train made a loud blowing sound, and the steam comes out of its chute and the wheels made screeching moving sounds…its already time to go and the crowd became more intense and bustling to get into the last ride, and Shiro have to think of something to get to the train. He look at the train and it has an impossibility to squeeze in the crowd plus the security per door, at the other side Aoshi-san and the rest of the Oniwabanshu's are nearing in an alarming phase. Think Shiro think…!!! He said to himself, and then he looked down the floor…
"He is trapped," Aoshi said, "there is no way he could escape with such a big crowd and the security at the train." But as soon as he made the remark, Shiro dropped down the view, "He dropped himself down the floor!" One of the Oni's called out, "he is going to crawl down so we can't see him!"
Aoshi's patience is running off, "then go ahead and look for him, he wouldn't get that far!"
Actually I'm going to roll…Shiro said to him after overhearing them, as he rolled down to the other pavement that leads directly to the rail. Once there, he crept underneath the train. He is going to hold tight below the pipes and iron supports below them, but since he can't just grip there alongside with his still unconscious twin for a long time, so he quickly improvised by hurriedly pulling out one of those blankets he packed in his duffel bag and bound them in certain section where they could both lie and clutch at any support they have in case it might gave way.
"All aboard!! This is the last trip to Kyoto!"
Aoshi furiously phased with his group enough to get close among the crowd at the train, and get his hands at the two stubborn boys as soon as they show up. But the train security prevented them getting any nearer. "I'm sorry sir, but from this point it's off limits."
"I want to check if there are two boys who could possibly slip in."
"There are a lot of young men here, sir."
"There are two of them, they are two Japanese youths," Aoshi noted, since the whole crowd is full of European people it would be easy for them to get spotted. "…they are both identical looking, but one of them has a long-tied hair."
"We'll check inside, sir." The conductor said,
Shiro hold his breath underneath as the train conductors did their last routine in checking to every passenger. From below he could see Aoshi- san's feet and the rest of the Oniwabanshu's. It seems they are stalling the ride, as Shiro can make out at the tone of their voices as they talk to the train authorities. But he don't have to wait for long, since the trip has to be really on time to make it's final stop for the day. "I'm sorry sir; there are no youths with that description aboard the train."
"It seems we lost them, Master Aoshi."
"What shall we do? Do we have to tell Master Okina about the incident?"
"No. We just have to let them go for now…"
"But Master, what about Misao? If she learns that they…"
"I said, just let them."
It seems a sign of defeat to Aoshi, and he just looked wearily as the train moved on towards outside the station to Kyoto. Those two had grown into shrewd young men and it seems his age is catching on him. He found the other cap lying down the station, and picking it up he told everyone to go home and get a good night rest. "They are grown young men; they will eventually know how to get home…."
That night, Shiro is trying to sleep. He does not want to be disturbed, and therefore tries to get some sleep at the tree house situated among the cluster of trees few meters away from the Oni's residence. That tree house had been their childhood safe house as children. Okina told him that both Himura's and their place ends up being in a whirlwind mess when the two of them and plus Kenji comes to play so they created a small place where they could all stay at their recreational time. Right now, he doesn't feel like seeing his brother and it's a perfect hiding spot when he wants to be left alone.
Why is he so eager to protect? Why is he eager just to learn everything?
"He is just a child, Soujiro!!" He can see blearily amid his tears the silhouette of his mother trying to hold his father's fist, clutching what seems to be a thick belt. "He does not know what he is doing!"
Memories, that fateful night he and Kenji "escaped" for the Osaka trip. It haunts him, things he doesn't want to remember.
"Let me go Misao!" he can hear his father's furious voice, "He let us worry, and what he did was wrong. He needs to be taught a lesson!"
Nothing is wrong if he recall being severely punished for his deed. That they made everyone worried for the night. His father rarely gets mad and when he did get mad, he knows he deserves a punishment.
But why does it keep on recurring, those voices. Those images all in his head?
"He is my son!"
"And also mine!"
"I am never beaten if I do wrongly as a child, Soujiro!" she tries to finally grasp the belt away from his fist, "Don't treat him like what they did to you at the past!"
His father's eyes, took a deadly flame of blue.
"Never talk about my past!" he screamed, and losing control for a minute, he lashed Misao who fell backwards and hard to the floor.
It's where he witnessed, for the first time, his father raised a hand his mother. But there is something else that scared him afterwards, something that filled him with guilt and fear that he carries, until now, that no one knows that he had seen.
His mother let out a pained cry and his father stumbled into shock as he realized what he has done: Misao, clutching her belly and beneath her legs trickled the deep pool of crimson that become spontaneous that it spills to the floor and stained her kimono. "Soujiro!!! ….the baby!!" she cried, "…the baby!!"
"Iya!!"
From that point, everything became a whirling confusion. His father, dropped everything and rushes to his mother, frantic and shaking as he tries to scoop her up and carry her downstairs, staining his hands and clothing with the same crimson stain, then he calls for help, one of his Oni guardian's cover his innocent eyes and carried him hastily outside. Tenshi could be seen crying, who seems to be have awaken from his sleep because of the commotion.
"Omasu, take Tenshi outside, quick." He can hear his great-grandpa Okina's voice, and felt his arms carrying him, "I'll look after Shiro," the old man said, looking at Shiro assumingly. "Don't worry now, your okaasan will going to be okay."
He is young, full of shock and very afraid for he cannot put the words what happened and what he has done. Confused, he starts to cry in chorus along with his younger brother as he huddled to Okina's bosom. "Hush now, it will be all alright. Is there anything you have seen that made you scared?"
"No." he replied weakly between sobs,
He lied.
"I promise otousan not to go out without permission anymore..."
But not what he wants to say, he saw that his mother got hurt. Hurt because of him. Hadn't he got his otousan angry this shouldn't all happen? It's his entire fault.
"Your otousan is deeply worried for your safety." Okina spoke, "he never experienced this as a child, so he is making the best for the two of you."
"I hope okaachan is okay…"
"Your okaasan is a strong woman, she will be okay."
Is she?
There are still strong vivid flashbacks he could still recall, right after the confusion. When he and Tenshi were prepared to bed, and the grown-ups are all downstairs talking at his okaasan's room…he sneaked out and try to listen to what they are conversing. He waited for the doctor to leave the room.
"I don't mean it Misao, I'm sorry. It's…"
"No one is blaming you for what happened, Soujiro." He could hear great- grandfather's voice, "What happened has happened, we all know that it isn't intentional."
"It's my fault Sou-chan; …" his mother calls his father that way, if she wants to say something intimate and serious to him.
"... I shouldn't have brought about the topic intentionally. I couldn't be so tactless." His mother, he could hear his mother is okay…yes indeed his mother is strong, but he could note a small tone of cracking in her voice. "…so even how much I regret it…its not going to come back…" she looked up, also noticing the equal look of hurt and guilt in her husband's eyes. "It's supposed to be a baby girl, Soujiro…" and she wept, knowing well how much Soujiro would like to have a baby daughter for an addition to the family.
I'm supposed to have a sister…as he listen through the screened door, If he just haven't got everyone upset, if he just haven't get his otousan upset…this wouldn't happen.
"You are supposed to be in bed." The sudden deep tone of voice nearly made him jump out from where he was eavesdropping. Aoshi-san has arrived and was just behind him. Okina and the other's stood up noticing that Shiro was indeed there behind the screen door listening to them. Okina opened the door, "How long have you been there Shiro?"
He didn't answer, he just ran away outside. "Shiro!!" Okina cried out, "I think he is listening to us all this time! Aoshi, how long had he been there?"
"I just came. It seems he had been sitting there by sometime."
"I'll get him." Soujiro stood up with a heavy sigh, "I know where he will go. It's at the tree house."
Apparently, it took them all night to convince him to come down the tree house. Shiro never spoke what happened he heard or what he feels that night and so is everyone else, but somehow his otousan understands and never brings out the topic, but noticed that Shiro became even more stubborn and determined to learn the way of the sword.
"I want to be the strongest!" the words he always used to say as a child…
"It's not always being the strongest Shiro…"
"I want to be the strongest, it's because I want to protect…I don't want to see anyone getting hurt because of me…" he whispered to himself, now his thoughts back to the present. His head is starting to throb, probably because of trying to forcibly recall all those memories.
"Aniki! There you are!" Tenshi exclaimed out loud, his face bleating out by the small entrance that made Shiro fall back from where he was leaning on. Not amused, he stared sharply to his twin, which seems like looking to his own reflection only with long hair. "Don't give me that look, I know were you go every time you get upset and its no big secret to everyone." Tenshi implied, as he crawls inside the tree house and sat in front of his brother. "Look Shiro, it's very important that we go down now and quickly…"
"Remember the Osaka trip incident?"
"Yeah, I told otousan and you became angry to me for telling, and you didn't talk to me the whole week." Tenshi replied and looked at his twin quizzically; it's no time to bring up some childhood moments. But Shiro rarely opens up with anyone, and so he tries to listen.
"Not that you baka. Do you know that okaasan is also actually pregnant at that time?"
"She was?"
"You didn't know?"
"No." Tenshi said, "Why are you telling me these? And if okaasan is indeed pregnant what ha…"
"Miscarried." Shiro whispered, "Okaasan tried to stop otousan from punishing me and accidentally got hurt in the process, she lost her baby. And it's supposed to be a baby girl. Our sister."
Silence
"You never told me about that, Shiro..." Tenshi finally said, "Are you saying you are blaming yourself for what happened all these years?"
"Then why would I devote myself trying to be a good swordsman? Do you know why I'm so insanely jealous when I learned you knew the Heaven Sword technique? Otousan seems not to trust me, as if he is afraid I'm going to disappoint him again."
"Then it only means you should strive harder, eventually he would see that you are trying your best" Tenshi said. "…and you don't have to be miffed that I also know how to handle the sword. It is also taught in the way of ninjistu."
The two looked at each other and laughed, at least the heavy air seems lifted for now. "So Tenshi, what are you about to tell me awhile ago?"
Tenshi quickly narrated that their parents left off to Kyoto upon receiving the news that Kenji's sister is being held for ransom, and not to tell Kenji about the incident and let him stay at the residence for a week, but he overheard everything and now he already ran away. "WHAT!!! Why didn't you stop him?"
"It's dark, Aniki…I can't be so sure. Do you think we had to follow them to Kyoto and tell them?" he called out, following suit to his brother who quickly leaped out the tree house upon hearing the news. "But then again, Kenji might have just run back to his place…"
"Kenji wouldn't do that Tenshi; he will look for his sister. I know him." Shiro replied, pacing about inside the house and preparing things, he took out his wooden sword and starts changing his clothes. He tosses some clothes to Tenshi. "He knows well he won't be permitted to look for her even if he talked to his otousan,"
"So what are we going to do? Tell them the news at Kyoto?" Tenshi asked doubtfully, as if thinking twice if he is going to change. Even their clothing is identical. "Yes, we are going to Kyoto. We must learn who also took Hotaru." Looking at the half-dressed Tenshi, he noted, "…and don't you just stand there! Prepare your things if you want us to be there by this night!"
"I don't know Kenji does actually have a sister, how come you know?" Tenshi still persisted continued, but followed the order to start preparing his things. "Otousan said she had always been a sickly child so I don't get too see her much."
"Hotaru has always been a sickly child," Shiro replied, echoing the same statement his father said, while stuffing the final material in his small duffel bag. "She was always kept to a closed room at Himura-san's residence; I came in to that room once by accident while I was goofing around Kenji when we are kids." He paused, "No one is allowed to see her much because she happens to be sensitive and physically weak, but she insisted on seeing other people so Kenji sometimes drag me to see her to make her happy."
"I can't recall seeing her though," Tenshi remarked, "but she does know about everyone, right?"
"Yeah, she knows about Otousan and Okaasan as family friends," Shiro looked to his brother, "And also she knows we are twins, Kenji always tell her about us. I know you got to see her couple of times, but I think you can't recall THAT pretty well."
Tenshi mock punched his brother by the shoulder. "Why don't we just go to Kyoto now, shall we?"
"Great. Aoshi-san is assigned to watch over us, we can't get out this easily." Tenshi sighed, whether their okaasan and otousan is up to something important and the brothers want to go out some where else, Aoshi resumes authority and does not let them just go anywhere else that easy. He had a sharp keen sense and he can feel if the two are to tiptoe out of the residence. Sometimes Shiro resented having ninjas for relatives, they sense everything. But he suddenly got an idea, "Remember the cap I use to wear when I go trekking to Kyoto every afternoon?" he said to his twin,
"Yeah," Tenshi recalled. "It's a funny western beret type cap, okaasan takes a liking in buying western goods like those." Then he looked up, "Why what's your plan?"
"I got two caps; you wear one of them so it could hide your long hair." Shiro grinned broadly, "We are going to trick Aoshi-san to just seeing just me."
==================================================
"Where do you think you are going?" Aoshi spoke; he is meditating by outside with his eyes closed and his back facing the porch, which is the only way exit. "Years of hard training pays well that I don't have to see you to know where you are going somewhere. Whatever it is, the answer is no."
"I forgot some of my things at the temple, Aoshi-san. I'm just going to get them back." Shiro said, tilting his cap. Aoshi knew that the Shiro had a weird habit of wearing his funny cap from time to time and also leaving his things carelessly anywhere after practice, so he didn't became suspicious. "As only you will allow me to walk you through the temple's door," he stoically replied, "just to make sure that you are not up to something."
"Hai."
Eventually, Shiro's plan starts to work. As Aoshi never left his eyes on Shiro whom he followed through the temple's entrance, Tenshi slipped off the dojo's only exist…and as instructed by his older twin, take a rough shortcut route where there is a secret entrance behind the temple. No one know that there is a back route though, it happens that Shiro created that path alongside with Kenji some few years back when they happen to try hide from their boring house chores. Wearing his brother's spare cap to hide his high-pony tailed long hair and having the same identical clothes, Tenshi signaled his brother behind one of the Buddha statues to indicate his presence, and also making sure that Aoshi wasn't looking. Shiro reacted by stalling Aoshi, and told Tenshi to move when he would eventually "distracts" him.
But Shiro's plan for a distraction didn't come easy, to make sure that his very perceptive Aoshi-san will get all his attention, he "trips" down the stairs below the temple entrance, and rolls down several steps (which is from temple to ground…ouch!) enough to follow him downstairs like crazy. Tenshi can barely open his eyes when he heard the thuds and ouches from his aniki as he finally slips outside the bushes at the temple's front. Some plan he had, he sighed.
Aoshi seems more annoyed than concerned and it shows in his face as he eventually catches Shiro who was just about to hit his head in the last few steps. "Are you trying to commit suicide or something? Next time be very careful, I don't want Misao to worry if anything else happens to you." Shiro was still all swelled and pained from the bumps and scratches he sustained from the little accident he created that he just nodded mutely to indicate he understand. "Now go down, before anything ELSE would happen like that again."
Limping with his one foot and holding the small of his aching back at the other side, Shiro continued a few steps until he reached ground, and shouted. "Aoshi-san! I think I forgot my cap! It might have fallen and I need to get it back!"
"It's just a cap, you get it tomorrow morning." Aoshi mumbled, wondering what such importance for such piece of material.
"But it will get dirty, I need to get it!" As Shiro echoed his voice, Tenshi slowly crept from the bushes from the temple and slowly near the shrubs by the stairs.
"Not at your state young man, I'll get it myself."
Tenshi quickly dove back to the bushes as Aoshi-san turned around to go upstairs and look for the cap, "matte! Wait! I know where it fell down; I'll go look for it myself!" Shiro shouted. This boy is very stubborn just like his mother… Aoshi then turned his back around, much to Tenshi's relief. Then the crucial switch to slip out the residence is put into motion, Shiro pretended to go among the trees and bushes (to avoid the stairs, having "fallen" down there few minutes ago.. obviously making Aoshi worry less.) when in fact he has just stayed put so he can wait for his twin to come down. Tenshi shall emerge a few minutes from the bushes from the higher ground, pretending to be Shiro having found the cap. From that point, Aoshi would let him go down stairs and will follow him shortly after "contemplating" a few minutes by the temple surroundings, which he usually do. With knowing Shiro still bruised from the fall he won't think the youth will attempt to go so far.
"I got it Aoshi-san!" Tenshi emerged, putting the cap firmly around his head. "Its okay now, we can go downstairs."
"Good, now go downstairs… I will follow shortly."
Tenshi pretended to limp all the way downstairs, and reached at his twin soon enough. Shiro made a short chuckle and nudges his twin as they make their escape, "That's excellent! Aoshi-san seems not to notice the difference!"
"Aniki, that's some stupid plan. Having you roll down the ground just to distract Aoshi-san?"
Shiro rubbed his sore neck and glared at his brother, "AND what do you suggest? It wasn't easy tricking someone that knows you for 17 years." Then cursing silently him as his side smarts with an attempt to swing the duffel bag to his other arm.
"I agree. But it is still a stupid plan to roll away down the temple; you could have mis-located your neck."
"But we finally made one successful attempt to slip off from Aoshi-san."
The two looked at each other, and then let out a restrain chuckle that sounds like a snort that finally escalates to a full blown laughter. They are now miles away from the dojo and it seems that the only thing they have to worry is how to get to Kyoto for the night. "Okaasan used to take us to a train near here when we are kids, it makes the trip here from Edo fast enough to make us reach there in less than an hour." Tenshi said, pointing out at the alley. "We could reach there to catch the last full ride if we take a shortcut." The twins having known the street of Edo quite well, leaped from fences and climb at walls, also jumping off at some rooftops to get at their destination. The clamoring voices of disgruntled and awakened neighbors followed a few minutes later.
"Is Okina there? Anyone?" One of the few town neighbors called out, they are about a group of five people…all residences near to Okina's home. One of the Oniwabanshu's opened the entrance, obviously looking annoyed at the sight of them so late in the evening.
"Master Okina is very sick, just come back tomorrow. And its 11 am…everyone is trying to get some sleep here." Rubbing her eyes, the oni member still notice that the neighbors just won't go away. "We are also trying to get some sleep, but I think it's his twin great-grandson's that has been keeping us up this hour!" One of the neighbors called out angrily. "Those kids need discipline!"
"That's impossible! The boys are always under Master Aoshi's watch." said another Oni member who had also woke up because of the commotion. "It's not that easy for them just to slip away pass by him."
"Then we want to talk to Aoshi!"
Before the neighbors could create more noise, Aoshi have already come down from the temple and reached the dojo's entrance, and the crowd suddenly toned down their noises to whispers and hushing sounds, very relieved to see him. "What's going on here? Aren't they supposed to be sleeping at their homes?"
"Master Aoshi, the neighbors are complaining about the Misao's boys." One of the oni members replied. "It's what keeping them up here demanding for some answers."
Then it would be seem countless, Aoshi thought. Every time Shiro and Tenshi are together they get themselves to trouble. It seems a part of every week routine that one or two of the neighbors would complain, like for example at one incident that a neighbor's pet cat lost all it's fur when Shiro accidentally mixed some of the herbs that the oni's keep in safety and he tried to put it on the cat as a shampoo or when one of the neighbors find that their clothes having poison ivy in them when Tenshi mistakenly threw it in a laundry water.
"The boys are with me, if you have more complaints I'll bring them here."
"Are you sure?" One of the residents called out, "they happen to run over our rooftops causing a commotion to anyone who is asleep at the whole neighborhood!"
"When is exactly did they did it?" Aoshi starts to sound suspicious, it's no way Misao's sons will try to slip off him…especially that Shiro had clumsily rolled down all the way from the temple, Tenshi is staying inside the dojo and probably fast asleep.
Or is he? Aoshi nearly forgot that Tenshi also has his brother's stubbornness in things but he didn't show it much openly and loud like Shiro does. He can sense something is wrong.
"Go and check if Tenshi is up to his room." He motioned one of the oni's. "Tell him I want to talk with him and his brother." After a quick bow, the oni rushed to Tenshi's room. Aoshi turned back to the neighbors, "…and what exactly around what time have you people heard of the commotion?"
"Just an hour ago."
"Master Aoshi!" the oni member called out, "Tenshi isn't in his room!"
"How about Shiro?"
"No sight of him either!" the other oni member gasped, "we checked everything, they are not at the practicing hall too and they even took their clothes, their rooms are empty!" Ignoring the rest of the clamoring voices, Aoshi quickly rushed to the temple area, with the other oni's curiously following his pace. If Tenshi have gotten away, the other oni members would easy realize it…and he saw Shiro with his own eyes tumbled down… It took them in matter of minutes to realized what happened, One of the oni's spot a secret entrance by the temple that no one knew and probably one of the boy's created it, and two, Aoshi noticed that a cap has been lying down the steps to the temple…that Shiro might have dropped down when he fall at the steps. So it means that it isn't Shiro he had seen come out of the bushes…it might have been Tenshi disguised as Shiro! The two look very much alike, minus the long hair and Tenshi could easily achieved his brother's look by just tucking it in the cap.
"Omasu, how many of this western type caps did Misao brought?"
"Does it matter, Master Aoshi?
"Just answer me..." he said with a sharp blue stare, "how many caps did Misao bought that look like these?'
"Two." Omasu replied, "She brought one for each twin."
"Achooo!!!" Shiro sneezed; it's either he is catching a cold or that someone had just remembered him. The two are just few feet near the station, and even at such late time they noticed that a crowd is still there near the departure and ticket area, most of them foreign traders on the way to another destination. "Aniki, one of us how to go and buy the tickets, we can still catch up." Noting his older brother still sneezing spontaneously, "Why don't you get you use your cap?"
"Yeah, okay…" Shiro grumbled and reached inside his kimono…he usually hides it at his left side, and it wasn't there. He checked the other side, and same thing. "Darn, I think I dropped it!"
"Are you sure? We had already run many miles…"
"No, I could have dropped it at the temple! It might have slipped off when I fall down!"
"Nani?!" Tenshi exclaimed, "If Aoshi-san sees it he'll become suspicious and look for us!" But Shiro wasn't listening, he is looking behind Tenshi and his expression seems to turn white. "There is no time to look, Aniki!"
"That's not it," Shiro whispered. "Just…Don't turn around…" It's Aoshi, Shiro could tell the broad trench coat from a distance, with him are the rest of the Oniwabanshu's who seem to have been robbed of their sleep. They are looking and asking people around the station, each of them taking a separate direction. Tenshi does not have to wonder why Aoshi knew where they are going.
"This would be the last line for the trip!" One of the train conductors echoed. Shiro looked and it seems that they are not going to make it, for they are a couple of lines behind. They had to either break in the line or slip in the train without a ticket before Aoshi sees them. He had to think of something fast, but that would seem to be his brother's line of specialty.
"Tenshi, just think of a bright idea so we can get in the last ride." He spoke, "It must be quick, before Aoshi-san or any of the…" But something caught Shiro's eye that stalled him for awhile, there is a spider that fell down to Tenshi's cap…and like their okaasan, Tenshi is deathly afraid of spiders that he would instantly forget everything and scream.
"Is there something wrong, Aniki?"
"Umm…no, your cap is fine…just leaving it there…"
"What's with my cap? Is something on it? " Shiro made a wide NO expression as Tenshi attempts to fix it, and he watched the spider glide down the cap to Tenshi's nose. "Just don't scream Tenshi…don't..."
The first of the two Oni's come out at the south east direction and approached Aoshi; the twins are not there they said. Now he had to wait for the last two who checked the southwest direction.
"Ayaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Aoshi heard a scream, coming from the northwest direction. He looked around, and he saw a youth scraping a cap off… "G-get that thing away from me!!" shouting and stomping on which seem to be a crawling insect at the ground. Pulling the cap off, it spills forth a long high pony-tailed black hair.
"Spiders." Aoshi said, when it come to realization who the screaming youth is, Obviously it is only Tenshi who had inherit the trait of freaking out spiders like Misao, and probably the only boy in Japan who's deathly afraid of them. He signaled the rest of the Oni's to go ahead with him as they made haste to the northwest direction.
"Great! Now they have seen us!" Shiro groaned, looking at his shaken brother"…look, we have to think of a plan to get ahead to Kyoto before they catch up with us!"
It's practically no use asking Tenshi right now, he lost all his logical senses with just a mere presence of that crawling insect. So Shiro have to improvised a plan himself, "I think I got it," he said,
But whatever plan Shiro had in mind, Tenshi feared that such idea isn't a good idea… "Gomen, but this is going to hurt…" and before Tenshi knew it, he was fisted by his brother to the face to render him unconscious and then carried him by the back so they could get to the train immediately. Shiro could hear the rest of the Oniwabanshu's voices nearing.
"He knocked his brother down, is he really THAT desperate to go to the train?" One of the oni's called out to Aoshi who replied without unwavering his focus to the two, "Yes, he have to do that to stop Tenshi for acting hysterical."
"Hysterical?"
"Don't you hear awhile ago that he is screaming about a spider on his head? If you want to knock sense in to him there is no choice but to hit him at the face."
"I see..."
Ugh, I have to move fast…Shiro mumbled, dragging his unconscious sibling along him as he ran past the furious crowd and trying to camouflage with them. It would be easy for Aoshi-san to follow him since he is the only one looking very much in a hurry, and he is getting the creeps for the prominent trench coat is growing more and more clearer to his view. If they get caught, it would be a ban for them the whole month to go anywhere and the usual intensive martial arts training as a discipline and punishment for them. And the biggest punishment is that Aoshi-san would be disciplining them instead of their okaasan. And with the stone-cold look that his Aoshi-san have it would be really no mercy.
The train made a loud blowing sound, and the steam comes out of its chute and the wheels made screeching moving sounds…its already time to go and the crowd became more intense and bustling to get into the last ride, and Shiro have to think of something to get to the train. He look at the train and it has an impossibility to squeeze in the crowd plus the security per door, at the other side Aoshi-san and the rest of the Oniwabanshu's are nearing in an alarming phase. Think Shiro think…!!! He said to himself, and then he looked down the floor…
"He is trapped," Aoshi said, "there is no way he could escape with such a big crowd and the security at the train." But as soon as he made the remark, Shiro dropped down the view, "He dropped himself down the floor!" One of the Oni's called out, "he is going to crawl down so we can't see him!"
Aoshi's patience is running off, "then go ahead and look for him, he wouldn't get that far!"
Actually I'm going to roll…Shiro said to him after overhearing them, as he rolled down to the other pavement that leads directly to the rail. Once there, he crept underneath the train. He is going to hold tight below the pipes and iron supports below them, but since he can't just grip there alongside with his still unconscious twin for a long time, so he quickly improvised by hurriedly pulling out one of those blankets he packed in his duffel bag and bound them in certain section where they could both lie and clutch at any support they have in case it might gave way.
"All aboard!! This is the last trip to Kyoto!"
Aoshi furiously phased with his group enough to get close among the crowd at the train, and get his hands at the two stubborn boys as soon as they show up. But the train security prevented them getting any nearer. "I'm sorry sir, but from this point it's off limits."
"I want to check if there are two boys who could possibly slip in."
"There are a lot of young men here, sir."
"There are two of them, they are two Japanese youths," Aoshi noted, since the whole crowd is full of European people it would be easy for them to get spotted. "…they are both identical looking, but one of them has a long-tied hair."
"We'll check inside, sir." The conductor said,
Shiro hold his breath underneath as the train conductors did their last routine in checking to every passenger. From below he could see Aoshi- san's feet and the rest of the Oniwabanshu's. It seems they are stalling the ride, as Shiro can make out at the tone of their voices as they talk to the train authorities. But he don't have to wait for long, since the trip has to be really on time to make it's final stop for the day. "I'm sorry sir; there are no youths with that description aboard the train."
"It seems we lost them, Master Aoshi."
"What shall we do? Do we have to tell Master Okina about the incident?"
"No. We just have to let them go for now…"
"But Master, what about Misao? If she learns that they…"
"I said, just let them."
It seems a sign of defeat to Aoshi, and he just looked wearily as the train moved on towards outside the station to Kyoto. Those two had grown into shrewd young men and it seems his age is catching on him. He found the other cap lying down the station, and picking it up he told everyone to go home and get a good night rest. "They are grown young men; they will eventually know how to get home…."