Megumi led Aoshi down a corridor of the clinic before opening a door. Aoshi let out a breath at the sight of folders and papers lined on shelves.
"Here are all the patients that have ever been treated...Several of the clinics in the nearby villages copied the information down on additional paper and gave the information to us for reference. Our files are incomplete, we lost many files during the fires and wars..."
His eyes surveyed the room. "I'll see what I can find here..." The room was very large, with shelves lining the walls, and several smaller bookcases lining the middle of the floor. A desk occupied a small amount of space against the wall.
"Everything is organized according to village and then family name..." Megumi explained. "Most of Aizu takes up the larger shelves...the nearby villages and outskirts take up the small shelves."
"Thank you," he responded, moving towards the first shelf. He took a breath. Research was never easy. But it was one of the things he was used to...as okashira and as a person. He was always eager to learn something new.
"Of course...general information on patients is gathered here..." Megumi pointed to three large books on a small shelf. Her eyes were lit with mischief. One could actually see the fox ears pop out of her head. "So this may be a good starting point...you can always look up the patient's information in the files if something here catches your eye..."
His lips twitched briefly.
Megumi arched her brows. "I believe you're halfway to making a smile, Shinomori-san. Try harder next time..."
He merely pulled the three books off the shelf, carrying them to the desk. "I'll research as fast as I can..."
As if he would leave before getting what he needed. Megumi waved her hand in dismissal. "I have patients to see...I'll return later and see how you're doing..."
"Thank you..."
Four hours later, and he was only halfway through the first book. Aoshi sat back, staring at the two blank pieces of paper and Western fountain pen Megumi had lent him. His neck muscles were slowly getting stiff and his eyes felt gritty. A glance outside the window facing the desk told him it was almost nightfall. A sharp knock filled the room.
"Come in," he called out.
The door opened. "Shinomori-san, I brought tea."
Megumi entered the room with a lamp in her hand and a tray balanced on her arm. She hung the lamp on a pole attached to the desk and set the tray off to the side.
Aoshi poured himself a cup of steaming liquid. He took a small sip. It was much stronger than Misao's tea, but no less in taste quality.
"It will help keep you awake...at least temporarily," Megumi spoke up, almost reading his mind. "You don't seem the type to enjoy coffee, which seems to keep many wide awake..."
"Thank you..."
"Any luck?" she pressed.
"No," he answered, exhaling a breath.
"I have three more patients coming...and assuming there are no more patients coming by, I can help you search..."
"Tend to your patients first, Takani-sensei," he said quietly. "I'll find something sooner or later..."
It was late evening when Megumi returned to the storage room. Many patients had come by last minute, feeling sick, had accidents...It was nearly eleven. Aoshi had been in the room for nearly twelve hours. His eyes were closed, his head tilted back as he slept, resting his head against the backrest. Megumi quietly picked up the tray of tea. Judging by the coolness of the pot, he had tea a long time ago. The cup clanged against the tray as she set it down. The instant she gritted her teeth for fear of disturbing him, his eyes flew open and he sat straight in his chair. She gasped in shock, the tray clattering to the floor.
His eyes narrowed a fraction. "Takani-sensei..."
She shook her head, traces of anxiety shimmering in her eyes. "Did you find anything?"
"No," he answered. She couldn't tell if he was frustrated.
Megumi glanced at the two books he still had to look through. "Shinomori-san...maybe you're looking for the answer in the wrong place..."
His eyes took on a look she couldn't name. "Only after I have read everything when I decide if I'm at the wrong place or not..."
Megumi sighed and she picked up the fallen tray and contents. "Kazumi-sensei...has offered to help me care for the clinic for tomorrow. He is a medical instructor at a school nearby. Since he will be here early morning, I can assist you in your research."
Aoshi nodded, his right hand reaching up to massage the back of his neck.
"Are you all right?" she asked, flicking her eyes in his direction.
He nodded.
"If your muscles are stiff, I have something to relax them," Megumi said.
Before he could reply, she moved, disappearing out of the room for several minutes. She returned with a jar and a towel.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'll fix more tea..."
When she left, Aoshi applied the cream then wiped his hands dry. It was a strange sensation. Warm and tingling. Yet strangely soothing.
When Megumi returned with a hot pot of tea and two cups, she found him leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed. Megumi settled in a chair, opening the second book which he had yet to look through. Megumi skimmed the first page, finding nothing. She glanced at him.
Poor man. Any other person would be frustrated at the point he had reached. But not him. He carried on, not showing his inner thoughts. She wondered how Misao could deal with such a difficult man. Megumi continued her reading.
Her eyes widened as she read a note which could prove helpful in his search. She reread it to make sure. "Shinomori-san?" she called, wondering if the mere sound of her voice would wake him.
"Nani?"
"What were the symptoms?"
He opened both eyes to stare at the ceiling. "Fever. Chills. Retching-"
"Extreme internal discomfort?" she finished.
Aoshi lifted his head, nodding once.
Megumi stood and began searching the shelves for a file. She pulled it off the shelf and planted it in front of him. "Start with this..."
He began reading the doctor's notes on the patient. Immediately, he began writing notes down. Megumi found another entry and began to search through that patient's file.
"These were nearly six years ago," Megumi mused as she began writing notes as well. "And from completely different parts of town..."
"Better than nothing at all," he murmured.
A glance at the clock told Aoshi it was nearly two hours past midnight. They had been working for several hours, Megumi especially. She had not taken a break since she joined him in the room. Complete with her patient care, she had to be exhausted. She was clearly a remarkable woman. She cared for her patients and friends with the same determination. No wonder the Kamiya dojo residents trusted her greatly.
Megumi sighed in relief, setting her pen down. "That's it...That's everyone..." Her fingers were tender from constant writing. Megumi used her other hand to massage the muscles.
Aoshi handed her the jar of cream she had given him earlier. "Here..."
"Thank you..."
She and Aoshi studied the lists of information.
"There's a pattern here," Megumi said softly.
Aoshi's gaze shot to hers.
"All these men...were either former samurai..." She pointed to several of her notes, indicating that the physicians had commented that the excessive scars on each patient were due to their lives prior to the Meiji era. "...or they were related to one..."
He had noticed the exact same thing. Within the past six years, nearly thirty people had passed away due to the symptoms. What was going on?
"Here are all the patients that have ever been treated...Several of the clinics in the nearby villages copied the information down on additional paper and gave the information to us for reference. Our files are incomplete, we lost many files during the fires and wars..."
His eyes surveyed the room. "I'll see what I can find here..." The room was very large, with shelves lining the walls, and several smaller bookcases lining the middle of the floor. A desk occupied a small amount of space against the wall.
"Everything is organized according to village and then family name..." Megumi explained. "Most of Aizu takes up the larger shelves...the nearby villages and outskirts take up the small shelves."
"Thank you," he responded, moving towards the first shelf. He took a breath. Research was never easy. But it was one of the things he was used to...as okashira and as a person. He was always eager to learn something new.
"Of course...general information on patients is gathered here..." Megumi pointed to three large books on a small shelf. Her eyes were lit with mischief. One could actually see the fox ears pop out of her head. "So this may be a good starting point...you can always look up the patient's information in the files if something here catches your eye..."
His lips twitched briefly.
Megumi arched her brows. "I believe you're halfway to making a smile, Shinomori-san. Try harder next time..."
He merely pulled the three books off the shelf, carrying them to the desk. "I'll research as fast as I can..."
As if he would leave before getting what he needed. Megumi waved her hand in dismissal. "I have patients to see...I'll return later and see how you're doing..."
"Thank you..."
Four hours later, and he was only halfway through the first book. Aoshi sat back, staring at the two blank pieces of paper and Western fountain pen Megumi had lent him. His neck muscles were slowly getting stiff and his eyes felt gritty. A glance outside the window facing the desk told him it was almost nightfall. A sharp knock filled the room.
"Come in," he called out.
The door opened. "Shinomori-san, I brought tea."
Megumi entered the room with a lamp in her hand and a tray balanced on her arm. She hung the lamp on a pole attached to the desk and set the tray off to the side.
Aoshi poured himself a cup of steaming liquid. He took a small sip. It was much stronger than Misao's tea, but no less in taste quality.
"It will help keep you awake...at least temporarily," Megumi spoke up, almost reading his mind. "You don't seem the type to enjoy coffee, which seems to keep many wide awake..."
"Thank you..."
"Any luck?" she pressed.
"No," he answered, exhaling a breath.
"I have three more patients coming...and assuming there are no more patients coming by, I can help you search..."
"Tend to your patients first, Takani-sensei," he said quietly. "I'll find something sooner or later..."
It was late evening when Megumi returned to the storage room. Many patients had come by last minute, feeling sick, had accidents...It was nearly eleven. Aoshi had been in the room for nearly twelve hours. His eyes were closed, his head tilted back as he slept, resting his head against the backrest. Megumi quietly picked up the tray of tea. Judging by the coolness of the pot, he had tea a long time ago. The cup clanged against the tray as she set it down. The instant she gritted her teeth for fear of disturbing him, his eyes flew open and he sat straight in his chair. She gasped in shock, the tray clattering to the floor.
His eyes narrowed a fraction. "Takani-sensei..."
She shook her head, traces of anxiety shimmering in her eyes. "Did you find anything?"
"No," he answered. She couldn't tell if he was frustrated.
Megumi glanced at the two books he still had to look through. "Shinomori-san...maybe you're looking for the answer in the wrong place..."
His eyes took on a look she couldn't name. "Only after I have read everything when I decide if I'm at the wrong place or not..."
Megumi sighed and she picked up the fallen tray and contents. "Kazumi-sensei...has offered to help me care for the clinic for tomorrow. He is a medical instructor at a school nearby. Since he will be here early morning, I can assist you in your research."
Aoshi nodded, his right hand reaching up to massage the back of his neck.
"Are you all right?" she asked, flicking her eyes in his direction.
He nodded.
"If your muscles are stiff, I have something to relax them," Megumi said.
Before he could reply, she moved, disappearing out of the room for several minutes. She returned with a jar and a towel.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'll fix more tea..."
When she left, Aoshi applied the cream then wiped his hands dry. It was a strange sensation. Warm and tingling. Yet strangely soothing.
When Megumi returned with a hot pot of tea and two cups, she found him leaning back in his chair, his eyes closed. Megumi settled in a chair, opening the second book which he had yet to look through. Megumi skimmed the first page, finding nothing. She glanced at him.
Poor man. Any other person would be frustrated at the point he had reached. But not him. He carried on, not showing his inner thoughts. She wondered how Misao could deal with such a difficult man. Megumi continued her reading.
Her eyes widened as she read a note which could prove helpful in his search. She reread it to make sure. "Shinomori-san?" she called, wondering if the mere sound of her voice would wake him.
"Nani?"
"What were the symptoms?"
He opened both eyes to stare at the ceiling. "Fever. Chills. Retching-"
"Extreme internal discomfort?" she finished.
Aoshi lifted his head, nodding once.
Megumi stood and began searching the shelves for a file. She pulled it off the shelf and planted it in front of him. "Start with this..."
He began reading the doctor's notes on the patient. Immediately, he began writing notes down. Megumi found another entry and began to search through that patient's file.
"These were nearly six years ago," Megumi mused as she began writing notes as well. "And from completely different parts of town..."
"Better than nothing at all," he murmured.
A glance at the clock told Aoshi it was nearly two hours past midnight. They had been working for several hours, Megumi especially. She had not taken a break since she joined him in the room. Complete with her patient care, she had to be exhausted. She was clearly a remarkable woman. She cared for her patients and friends with the same determination. No wonder the Kamiya dojo residents trusted her greatly.
Megumi sighed in relief, setting her pen down. "That's it...That's everyone..." Her fingers were tender from constant writing. Megumi used her other hand to massage the muscles.
Aoshi handed her the jar of cream she had given him earlier. "Here..."
"Thank you..."
She and Aoshi studied the lists of information.
"There's a pattern here," Megumi said softly.
Aoshi's gaze shot to hers.
"All these men...were either former samurai..." She pointed to several of her notes, indicating that the physicians had commented that the excessive scars on each patient were due to their lives prior to the Meiji era. "...or they were related to one..."
He had noticed the exact same thing. Within the past six years, nearly thirty people had passed away due to the symptoms. What was going on?