Megumi looked up as the doors opened. A small boy, no older than eight years, was roughly shoved into her prison. He scrambled to escape, only to have the guards close the door on his face. Then he turned, his eyes widening at the sight of Megumi, who was just as surprised to see him.
"Yuuta-chan?"
"Megumi-sensei?"
She had seen Jiro's grandson several times since Jiro had been visiting the clinic. But why was he here? Did he have any idea what kind of actions his grandfather was responsible for?
"What are you doing here, Yuuta-chan? Where's your grandfather?" Megumi asked gently.
The boy looked away sadly. "Ren said that Ojii-san is going away...and he's never coming back..."
"What?"
"Ojii-san can't come back..." Yuuta curled into a ball on the floor, obviously miserable.
"Come here, Yuuta-chan," Megumi instructed gently but firmly.
The boy obliged, lying down beside her. Megumi had him lay his head on her lap. He looked exhausted. And he probably hadn't eaten much over the last few days. She stroked his hair, the sensation apparently lulling him to sleep.
Silence filled the room. She hadn't known how much time had passed.
"Ren...is my brother...and...leader of this group," her patient said quietly.
Her head moved up to see him struggle to a sitting position.
Megumi sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm not understanding any of this...Jiro-san...Yuuta-chan..."
"Everyone has a dark secret, Takani-san," the man responded. "Sometimes people find out about them and try to manipulate..."
"So...you're saying that..." Megumi glanced at the sleeping boy. "He...really did make that...substance?"
Her patient picked up on her subtle cue. "A long time ago, yes. He was poor, nearly starving...so he sold it. We've been using it for the last six years..."
"Your organization?" she asked for clarification.
"Yes."
"And what is that, exactly?"
"We do not call ourselves anything. We much prefer to remain anonymous."
Megumi sighed. "But you have an individual name."
"Correct. My name is Fukai." He stared at the ceiling. "Days ago...we were running out of the substance...and Ren told Jiro to make more. When Jiro refused, Ren told some of our comrades to take Yuuta as incentive...but...we had forgotten about Jiro's resourcefulness...and he found us. We tried to keep him at bay, but everything happened so fast...and I got poisoned..."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"
Her patient swallowed fiercely. "It has to stop, Takani-san. During the wars years ago, Ren and I lost our entire family. Our parents...our grandparents...our siblings...even relatives in distant cities...our uncles...aunts...our entire family was eliminated."
"And the thirty warriors who died thanks to the poison?" she whispered.
"They were all responsible for killing our family in some form," he responded softly. "Ren and I...we lost everything...Ren...refused to let go of the past...so we spent years trying to get revenge...and we heard about Jiro's poison...Ren...Ren thought it would be more fitting to let them suffer a painful death as opposed to the slice of a sword. He and I...were never skilled in fighting to begin with..."
"That still doesn't excuse what you've done," Megumi scolded.
His eyes burned with shame. "I know. When...When Ren realized what had happened, he demanded Jiro find a cure...toyed with Jiro's mind...and forced Yuuta to drink water laced with the poison."
"But Yuuta-chan was never poisoned," Megumi concluded. "Ren...never poisoned him..."
"Right. We had seen Jiro's friend investigate...he made several inquiries at different houses...and he visited you frequently...so Ren decided to poison Shinomori Aoshi in the hopes that you would be able to cure him." He lowered his head. "I was going through so much agony...and I would hear Ren's discussions...I knew exactly what was going on..."
It had taken Fukai another twenty minutes to explain everything, from the letter listing ingredients to her kidnapping at the embassy. In spite of his illness, he had heard everything. While he lay, suffering, Ren had come to him explaining his plans with fierce promises of recovery.
"Ren and I...were wrong...Ren for being unable to let go...and letting his anger consume him...and...myself for allowing his goal to influence me..." Fukai whispered. Then he looked up. "Takani-san...earlier...Jiro went to fight Shinomori Aoshi..."
Megumi took a deep breath. "No..." Aoshi...He...He has to be careful...He isn't at full strength...
***
Kei finished wrapping Jiro's shoulder.
"What now?" Jiro asked hoarsely.
"You have several bruises, some will take longer to heal than others," Kei announced. "But you'll be better in about a month."
Jiro lowered his eyes. "Kei-sensei...I...I never meant..."
As if anticipating the speech, the young doctor's eyes dimmed, and he turned away. "While I understand what you are going through...I don't think I could ever forgive you for what you have done. As soon as Ayu is finished with your paperwork...I don't want you near this clinic again."
Even after all his explanation, he was still seen as evil. His behavior was unacceptable. Jiro swallowed fiercely. "I...I understand..."
Kei took in a deep breath as he finished cleaning up.
"Kei-sensei?"
"Nani?"
"Ren...plans to kill Megumi-sensei once she's outweighed her usefulness," Jiro said quietly. "And anyone else who knows about him..."
Kei's arms tightened. "W...When?" he rasped.
"As soon as Fukai is feeling strong enough, I suppose." Jiro whispered.
Kei's eyes shut close. So that was it. He wasn't going to see his sister ever again. "How could you do this?" Kei sank to the chair. "How would your family feel about all of this?! They'd rather starve than aid you in becoming a murderer, no matter how little involvement you've had!"
"I have lived with that regret for nearly ten years," Jiro said emphatically. "Because of what I have done, I have brought dishonor to my family. I'm aware of my crimes, Sensei. But-"
"And Shinomori-san..." Kei whispered. "He only became involved because of you...He would have never been in Aizu if it weren't for you...Megumi-chan would never have been kidnapped if it weren't-"
"He'll find her," Jiro assured firmly. At Kei's skeptical expression, he added. "He will."
"I don't-"
"Kei-sensei...you have to be strong for both of their sakes," Jiro insisted.
The young doctor looked out the window. Shinomori-san...I pray you'll reach my sister in time...I can't lose her again...
***
Aoshi paused to catch his breath, bracing himself against a tree trunk. His entire body was aching due to his fight with Jiro. The old man had done more damage than he first thought. Aoshi took a deep breath, his fingers clinging to the brace behind him, as he looked at the sky, with pale streaks of orange. The sun was slowly fading, soon to be replaced by the night sky.
Takani-sensei...Megumi, he thought. His jaw tightened, and he pushed himself away from the tree.
He'd do everything he could to bring her back. Her brother was waiting.
***
"Wait! Where are you going?" Megumi demanded as several men escorted Fukai out of the shed.
They were all dressed in gray. Megumi realized how few of them formed the group. There were about five men standing at the entrance.
"I'd like to thank you, Takani Megumi, for all your help," one man spoke up from beneath a gray mask. "Now that you have done what you were supposed to..."
Megumi's eyes widened in horror as two restrained both her and Yuuta. The men appeared to be pouring some type of substance at the entrance and along the front wall of the shed.
"What are you doing?!" Megumi shouted.
"Megumi-sensei?!" Yuuta cried out in a panicked voice.
"Ren..." Fukai protested. "Don't...they're innocent. She saved my life. How can you-?"
The one who had spoken to Megumi raised a hand to indicate silence. Fukai stared at his brother in shock.
One man ran from the woods up to the entrance, breathing heavily. "Ren-sama..."
Ren turned. "Yes?"
"Jiro lost to Shinomori Aoshi."
Megumi's head snapped up.
"But Jiro did inflict damage...I put him to sleep but I didn't have enough to take care of Shinomori. Shinomori is probably on my trail...he could be here any minute...Possibly with the police..."
Irritation crossed over Ren's eyes. "We're leaving now." He turned and quickly mounted his horse. "Let's go..."
Aoshi...Megumi felt a lump in her throat. Any further thoughts were interrupted as she and Yuuta were thrown against the back wall. As soon as she was able to stand up, she grabbed Yuuta's hand and hurried forward, only to stop abruptly as one of the men threw down a match. Flames shot to the ceiling as the doors closed.
"Megumi-sensei!!!" Yuuta cried frantically, clutching the side of her leg.
Her heart pounded rapidly. Smoke quickly began to fill the small space. She covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, shielding the young boy with her slender frame, her eyes tearing as heat flicked over their bodies.
***
A distinct sound could be heard in the late afternoon sky.
Aoshi hurried forward, his eyes widening at the sight of black smoke. A small house and underground shed built against it had been set on fire...the flames stretching to the heavens.
He could hear a high-pitched scream emerge from the structure. The house? The shed? Aoshi headed towards the house, jumping back as burning timber fell at his feet, setting the grass on fire.
"Megumi!" he called out as loud as he could, hoping that she could hear him above the flames.
A very faint response entered his ears.
He shouted her name again. A faint reply, which sounded much very like her voice, came from the shed. He rushed over and stepped as close to the entrance as he could. From the corner of his eye, he could see a well at the back of the house.
Moving quickly, he began to fill the two pails by the well with water. Just before he managed to fill the second one, he heard crackling...as if the structure was breaking. His head snapped up the moment several large beams fell directly into the shed causing the flames to dance higher.
No...
Wincing at the pain the action caused, he lifted the water towards the shed and attempted to extinguish the flames. It wouldn't be easy, but he had to at least try...
It had taken a lot of work. It was dark outside by the time he had finished. And he was practically dead on his feet. The fire seemed much smaller now, and it was only occupying the opposite side of the house burning the remaining wood, leaving a pile of charred stone.
There was no way she could have survived. But he needed to see for himself.
On his knees, Aoshi pulled the burned wood off where the shed entrance once was. It only seemed to reveal more layers of what had formed the house. He closed his eyes, trying to draw strength.
The sound of horse hooves entered his ears. But he sensed no battle aura. Aoshi turned to see five policemen on horseback approach the area.
One on the lead horse, apparently the head of the small unit, jumped off.
"Are you Shinomori Aoshi?"
Staring at the shed and house, Aoshi nodded.
"We received some information from Takani Kei and Kurihana Jiro that you would be here looking for Takani-san's younger sister and Kurihana-san's grandson..." The police officer examined the structure as his men scrambled to put the flames out.
"She was here...but..." Aoshi said quietly.
The man seemed to know what he was going to say. "I'm sorry, Shinomori-san..." the police officer said sadly.
Aoshi stood up and proceeded to walk into the woods, in the direction of the main road that led to Aizu.
No...I should be sorry...Aoshi thought.
Clenching his jaw, he drew his kodachi and blindly sliced to his right, causing a tree to tilt and fall over directly in his path. He didn't even flinch as leaves and twigs went flying, the sound echoing into the night.
The police officers had gasped in shocked, but they didn't lecture him for his sudden action.
Drained and exhausted, Aoshi climbed over the tree trunk and proceeded to walk away from the site, his head lowered.
What was he going to tell Megumi's brother?
"Yuuta-chan?"
"Megumi-sensei?"
She had seen Jiro's grandson several times since Jiro had been visiting the clinic. But why was he here? Did he have any idea what kind of actions his grandfather was responsible for?
"What are you doing here, Yuuta-chan? Where's your grandfather?" Megumi asked gently.
The boy looked away sadly. "Ren said that Ojii-san is going away...and he's never coming back..."
"What?"
"Ojii-san can't come back..." Yuuta curled into a ball on the floor, obviously miserable.
"Come here, Yuuta-chan," Megumi instructed gently but firmly.
The boy obliged, lying down beside her. Megumi had him lay his head on her lap. He looked exhausted. And he probably hadn't eaten much over the last few days. She stroked his hair, the sensation apparently lulling him to sleep.
Silence filled the room. She hadn't known how much time had passed.
"Ren...is my brother...and...leader of this group," her patient said quietly.
Her head moved up to see him struggle to a sitting position.
Megumi sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm not understanding any of this...Jiro-san...Yuuta-chan..."
"Everyone has a dark secret, Takani-san," the man responded. "Sometimes people find out about them and try to manipulate..."
"So...you're saying that..." Megumi glanced at the sleeping boy. "He...really did make that...substance?"
Her patient picked up on her subtle cue. "A long time ago, yes. He was poor, nearly starving...so he sold it. We've been using it for the last six years..."
"Your organization?" she asked for clarification.
"Yes."
"And what is that, exactly?"
"We do not call ourselves anything. We much prefer to remain anonymous."
Megumi sighed. "But you have an individual name."
"Correct. My name is Fukai." He stared at the ceiling. "Days ago...we were running out of the substance...and Ren told Jiro to make more. When Jiro refused, Ren told some of our comrades to take Yuuta as incentive...but...we had forgotten about Jiro's resourcefulness...and he found us. We tried to keep him at bay, but everything happened so fast...and I got poisoned..."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"
Her patient swallowed fiercely. "It has to stop, Takani-san. During the wars years ago, Ren and I lost our entire family. Our parents...our grandparents...our siblings...even relatives in distant cities...our uncles...aunts...our entire family was eliminated."
"And the thirty warriors who died thanks to the poison?" she whispered.
"They were all responsible for killing our family in some form," he responded softly. "Ren and I...we lost everything...Ren...refused to let go of the past...so we spent years trying to get revenge...and we heard about Jiro's poison...Ren...Ren thought it would be more fitting to let them suffer a painful death as opposed to the slice of a sword. He and I...were never skilled in fighting to begin with..."
"That still doesn't excuse what you've done," Megumi scolded.
His eyes burned with shame. "I know. When...When Ren realized what had happened, he demanded Jiro find a cure...toyed with Jiro's mind...and forced Yuuta to drink water laced with the poison."
"But Yuuta-chan was never poisoned," Megumi concluded. "Ren...never poisoned him..."
"Right. We had seen Jiro's friend investigate...he made several inquiries at different houses...and he visited you frequently...so Ren decided to poison Shinomori Aoshi in the hopes that you would be able to cure him." He lowered his head. "I was going through so much agony...and I would hear Ren's discussions...I knew exactly what was going on..."
It had taken Fukai another twenty minutes to explain everything, from the letter listing ingredients to her kidnapping at the embassy. In spite of his illness, he had heard everything. While he lay, suffering, Ren had come to him explaining his plans with fierce promises of recovery.
"Ren and I...were wrong...Ren for being unable to let go...and letting his anger consume him...and...myself for allowing his goal to influence me..." Fukai whispered. Then he looked up. "Takani-san...earlier...Jiro went to fight Shinomori Aoshi..."
Megumi took a deep breath. "No..." Aoshi...He...He has to be careful...He isn't at full strength...
***
Kei finished wrapping Jiro's shoulder.
"What now?" Jiro asked hoarsely.
"You have several bruises, some will take longer to heal than others," Kei announced. "But you'll be better in about a month."
Jiro lowered his eyes. "Kei-sensei...I...I never meant..."
As if anticipating the speech, the young doctor's eyes dimmed, and he turned away. "While I understand what you are going through...I don't think I could ever forgive you for what you have done. As soon as Ayu is finished with your paperwork...I don't want you near this clinic again."
Even after all his explanation, he was still seen as evil. His behavior was unacceptable. Jiro swallowed fiercely. "I...I understand..."
Kei took in a deep breath as he finished cleaning up.
"Kei-sensei?"
"Nani?"
"Ren...plans to kill Megumi-sensei once she's outweighed her usefulness," Jiro said quietly. "And anyone else who knows about him..."
Kei's arms tightened. "W...When?" he rasped.
"As soon as Fukai is feeling strong enough, I suppose." Jiro whispered.
Kei's eyes shut close. So that was it. He wasn't going to see his sister ever again. "How could you do this?" Kei sank to the chair. "How would your family feel about all of this?! They'd rather starve than aid you in becoming a murderer, no matter how little involvement you've had!"
"I have lived with that regret for nearly ten years," Jiro said emphatically. "Because of what I have done, I have brought dishonor to my family. I'm aware of my crimes, Sensei. But-"
"And Shinomori-san..." Kei whispered. "He only became involved because of you...He would have never been in Aizu if it weren't for you...Megumi-chan would never have been kidnapped if it weren't-"
"He'll find her," Jiro assured firmly. At Kei's skeptical expression, he added. "He will."
"I don't-"
"Kei-sensei...you have to be strong for both of their sakes," Jiro insisted.
The young doctor looked out the window. Shinomori-san...I pray you'll reach my sister in time...I can't lose her again...
***
Aoshi paused to catch his breath, bracing himself against a tree trunk. His entire body was aching due to his fight with Jiro. The old man had done more damage than he first thought. Aoshi took a deep breath, his fingers clinging to the brace behind him, as he looked at the sky, with pale streaks of orange. The sun was slowly fading, soon to be replaced by the night sky.
Takani-sensei...Megumi, he thought. His jaw tightened, and he pushed himself away from the tree.
He'd do everything he could to bring her back. Her brother was waiting.
***
"Wait! Where are you going?" Megumi demanded as several men escorted Fukai out of the shed.
They were all dressed in gray. Megumi realized how few of them formed the group. There were about five men standing at the entrance.
"I'd like to thank you, Takani Megumi, for all your help," one man spoke up from beneath a gray mask. "Now that you have done what you were supposed to..."
Megumi's eyes widened in horror as two restrained both her and Yuuta. The men appeared to be pouring some type of substance at the entrance and along the front wall of the shed.
"What are you doing?!" Megumi shouted.
"Megumi-sensei?!" Yuuta cried out in a panicked voice.
"Ren..." Fukai protested. "Don't...they're innocent. She saved my life. How can you-?"
The one who had spoken to Megumi raised a hand to indicate silence. Fukai stared at his brother in shock.
One man ran from the woods up to the entrance, breathing heavily. "Ren-sama..."
Ren turned. "Yes?"
"Jiro lost to Shinomori Aoshi."
Megumi's head snapped up.
"But Jiro did inflict damage...I put him to sleep but I didn't have enough to take care of Shinomori. Shinomori is probably on my trail...he could be here any minute...Possibly with the police..."
Irritation crossed over Ren's eyes. "We're leaving now." He turned and quickly mounted his horse. "Let's go..."
Aoshi...Megumi felt a lump in her throat. Any further thoughts were interrupted as she and Yuuta were thrown against the back wall. As soon as she was able to stand up, she grabbed Yuuta's hand and hurried forward, only to stop abruptly as one of the men threw down a match. Flames shot to the ceiling as the doors closed.
"Megumi-sensei!!!" Yuuta cried frantically, clutching the side of her leg.
Her heart pounded rapidly. Smoke quickly began to fill the small space. She covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve, shielding the young boy with her slender frame, her eyes tearing as heat flicked over their bodies.
***
A distinct sound could be heard in the late afternoon sky.
Aoshi hurried forward, his eyes widening at the sight of black smoke. A small house and underground shed built against it had been set on fire...the flames stretching to the heavens.
He could hear a high-pitched scream emerge from the structure. The house? The shed? Aoshi headed towards the house, jumping back as burning timber fell at his feet, setting the grass on fire.
"Megumi!" he called out as loud as he could, hoping that she could hear him above the flames.
A very faint response entered his ears.
He shouted her name again. A faint reply, which sounded much very like her voice, came from the shed. He rushed over and stepped as close to the entrance as he could. From the corner of his eye, he could see a well at the back of the house.
Moving quickly, he began to fill the two pails by the well with water. Just before he managed to fill the second one, he heard crackling...as if the structure was breaking. His head snapped up the moment several large beams fell directly into the shed causing the flames to dance higher.
No...
Wincing at the pain the action caused, he lifted the water towards the shed and attempted to extinguish the flames. It wouldn't be easy, but he had to at least try...
It had taken a lot of work. It was dark outside by the time he had finished. And he was practically dead on his feet. The fire seemed much smaller now, and it was only occupying the opposite side of the house burning the remaining wood, leaving a pile of charred stone.
There was no way she could have survived. But he needed to see for himself.
On his knees, Aoshi pulled the burned wood off where the shed entrance once was. It only seemed to reveal more layers of what had formed the house. He closed his eyes, trying to draw strength.
The sound of horse hooves entered his ears. But he sensed no battle aura. Aoshi turned to see five policemen on horseback approach the area.
One on the lead horse, apparently the head of the small unit, jumped off.
"Are you Shinomori Aoshi?"
Staring at the shed and house, Aoshi nodded.
"We received some information from Takani Kei and Kurihana Jiro that you would be here looking for Takani-san's younger sister and Kurihana-san's grandson..." The police officer examined the structure as his men scrambled to put the flames out.
"She was here...but..." Aoshi said quietly.
The man seemed to know what he was going to say. "I'm sorry, Shinomori-san..." the police officer said sadly.
Aoshi stood up and proceeded to walk into the woods, in the direction of the main road that led to Aizu.
No...I should be sorry...Aoshi thought.
Clenching his jaw, he drew his kodachi and blindly sliced to his right, causing a tree to tilt and fall over directly in his path. He didn't even flinch as leaves and twigs went flying, the sound echoing into the night.
The police officers had gasped in shocked, but they didn't lecture him for his sudden action.
Drained and exhausted, Aoshi climbed over the tree trunk and proceeded to walk away from the site, his head lowered.
What was he going to tell Megumi's brother?