* * * * * *
The Assault
* * *
"It's still your turn," Ikamatsu gently reminded Katsura.
"Oh," Katsura Kogoro started, jerking himself from his thoughts. Turning his gaze from the window, he looked across the chess table at the concerned and ever-faithful Ikamatsu. He glanced at the chess piece in his hand. "Oh, gomen," he apologized to Ikamatsu. He took a quick look at the table before him before arbitrarily setting the piece down on a square.
"What's wrong?" she asked him softly, ignoring his move. "That's the third time you have drifted off."
Katsura sighed, gazing out the window into the night once more. "So dark... starless, again. Something is... wrong." He turned to face the inquiring look of Ikamatsu. "No more chess for today. Good night, Ikamtasu." Kasura slowly stood up and started for the door.
"Katsura-san-"
"I'm all right," he turned to her kindly. "I think I'll take a walk in the garden."
Ikamatsu stared worriedly as he left.
* * *
Outside the compound, under the cover of a starless and moonless night, a small group of blue-jacketed men silently drew near the front gate. Their dark figures swiftly took up positions behind bushes, scouting the guarded area. Suddenly, the lead man lifted his hand, motioning the others to approach the gate.
The start of the assault began.
* * *
Ikamatsu kneeled at the table, slowly picking up the chess pieces and carefully placing them in a box. She sighed. Katsura had been so withdrawn lately. What was with him? What had happened? Was is because the Bakafu were cracking down on the Ishin Shishi's? Or maybe because the Shinsengumi were attacking their people again? Ikamatsu sighed again. Everything had changed ever since the deaths of Kategai and Iezuka, ever since Himura had returned.
"Ikamatsu-san."
The surprised geisha gasped, visibly jumping. She looked up, her train of thoughts interrupted, but quickly relaxed. "Oh, Itegai-san," she spoke to the samurai standing in the doorway.
The stout man gave the startled woman an odd look, but chose not to voice his question. "Ikamatsu-san, where is Katsura-san?" he finally asked.
"In the garden," Ikamatsu said sadly.
This time, Itegai did speak his mind. "Ikamatsu-san, you seem uneasy."
Ikamatsu looked at Itegai, Katsura's most trusted advisor. Itegai had held that position ever since Kategai, Itegai's brother, was killed by the Bakafu. He could be trusted. "I don't know," Ikamatsu gazed down at the table. "Kyoto... the times are so dark."
"Ikamatsu-san, you are safe here." Itegai tried to reassure the woman. "We have a very reliable spy in the Shinsengumi. She would tell us what the Miburo wolves were about to do almost before they knew themselves."
"I know." Ikamatsu simply said, hesitating before stating her main concern. "Katsura-san is not himself," she quietly stated.
Itegai thought for a moment before answering. "Katsura-san is just thinking. We are all always learning about life, about death that comes to all of us," he finally said.
"You sound confused yourself," Ikamatsu stated. Itegai blinked in embarrassment. She looked him straight in the eye. "How do you know this is the right direction? This horrible bloodshed?" she questioned.
"The katana will herald a new era," Itegai asserted. "Peace will come when the Bakafu falls."
Ikamatsu looked out the window, but managed a faint smile. "I hope you are right, Itegai-san."
* * *
Outside that window, on the other side of the outer wall, throats of the guards were silently slitted in the dark night. Soon, the job was done. The Shinsengumi group was not an elite task force for nothing. They gathered around a bush near the front entrance.
"Saitoh-san, Katagi-kun, go around the right side of the compound," the lead man quietly commanded the men standing around him. "Nagakura-san and Harada-kun, you two will circle the left. Look through the windows. When you find Katsura, do anything to cut him down. No one else matters."
"Toshi-san," Okita spoke.
"You will wait with me at the front door." Hijikata quickly told Okita. He looked at the other men again. "In ten minutes, if we don't here anything developments coming from you four, Okita-kun and I will knock on the front door, pretending to be following a lead. The Ishin rebels will either try to hid Katsura or try to steal him away. When they are distracted by us in the front entrance, you four will try to find Katsura. Even if you don't, by then, Kondou-san would have already led the other men to surround and ambush the compound. Either way, we will win. Did I miss anything?"
"Toshi-san," Okita spoke up again. Everyone turned to face Okita. "What if the hitokiri appears?"
Saitoh interrupted Hijikata's reply. "Then we'll simply kill him."
* * *
Katsura stood in his garden, staring back at his compound. Something was wrong. He usually could faintly hear the guards walking outside.
"Itegai," he spoke quietly to the man next to him.
"What is is, Katsura-san?"
"Go tell them to check on the guards." Katsura strained his eyes to try to perceive into the dark night, but did not succeed in making anything out. "It's unusually quiet," he said, still gazing into the distance.
"Yes sir." Itegai strode toward the house.
* * *
"Toshi-san, it's been ten minutes," Okita looked out from the bush where the two had been hiding. "I suppose they couldn't see Katsura from the outside."
Hijikata nodded, slowly standing up. "Then we'll just have to flush him out." The two powerful men, with their katanas swinging waist side, strode toward the front door.
* * *
When Itegai heard the knock, he suddenly was worried. Why hadn't the guards of the front gate notified them? When he saw one of the several samurai guarding the compound approach the front entrance, Itegai stopped him. "I'll get that," he called. "Stay behind me."
Itegai swung open the door, and his heart jumped. Before him stood the infamously cruel commander Hijikata Toshizo, as well as the well known powerful first captain of the Shinsengumi, Okita Souji. Experience, however, had taught Itegai how to react to pressure, and the man quickly composed himself. Nevertheless, he did not recover fast enough for the quick eyes of the Shinsengumi leaders.
"We have come to see Katsura Kogoro," Hijikata stated, not bothering to introduce himself. "Give him up, now."
"Sir, I do not know what you are talking ab-" Itegai was violently pushed aside by the much taller Hijikata-san. Itegai did not draw his katana; he knew these two men were better than him, and he needed to live to save Katsura. Hijikata approached the fallen Itegai and kicked him in the head. Itegai slumped over, unconscious.
"Hmph," Hijikata said. "What a worthless man. But we might be about to get information from him after this night is over." Hijikata looked over Okita. The other Shinsengumi, too, had quickly put an Ishin Shishi, the samurai guard, to sleep.
"We must hurry," Okita told Hijikata, looking up from his handiwork. "They must have already heard the noise." Hijikata nodded, and they stormed down the compound.
* * *
The Battousai heard the noise as he approached the compound. As he rushed through the open gate, he smelled blood. Blood from the dead guards. The hitokiri feared the worst. No. He could not be too late.
He would save Katsura, whatever the cost.
* * *
Bakafu= the Shogunate government, which the rebel Ishin Shishis (which Kenshin and Katsura were a part of) overthrew much later on.
Miburo Wolves = Shinsengumi
Let's see, to make this more understandable, let me tell you some real members of the Shinsengumi (Please correct me if some of the spellings are slightly off; this is from memory):
Commander: Kondou Isamai
Vice Commander: Hijikata Toshizou (character base of Aoshi) (Okita calls him Toshi)
First Captain: Okita Souji (character base of Soujirou)
Second Captain: Nagakura Shinpachi
Third Captain: Saitou Hajime (character base someone in rk... can't remember...)
Tenth Captain: Harada Sanosuke (can you guess who?)
Character base only means that the personalities are similar; abilities may a different matter.
R&R, please? Gomen for the long update, I really just didn't know what I wanted to write; I knew none of the characters could die, but I still had to pit them together somehow. Just here, listening to my fav rk song (no, it's not sobakasu) Wars of the Last Wolves: got the Shinsengumi mood going *does a little dance*
Oh, wow, I'm looking at my rantings in my last chappie. A sugar high when down: not a good combo. lol *deep breath* All right, here goes:
Koe760-san: Yay! I said that I might start writing this again, so I did! Um, yeah, the other fic was a fluke, just sorta ignore it ^_; I couldn't think of what to write for this story. But now, I sorta have an idea... Go update your fic!
Hitokiri-san(-san?): Haven't talked to you in a while, but maybe you'll see this. Anyway, thanx for being my first supporter. And update your fic, too... now!
PraiseDivineMercy-san: Thanks for reading! It means a lot to me. Oh, in that last chapter, it wasn't Hondo who reported to Kenshin but the Shinsengumi spy. Gomen gomen, I should have been more clear... ^_;
Espi-san: Glad you like this! Yup, the plot is becoming rather too thick for me to stir, but I'm plodding through. M. Cheesecake :d lol
Omniko-san: Yup, Okita's the best! Hmmm... I want to imbed some subtle romance, but still dunno how I can pull it off *scratches head*
Nikka4-san: Thank you for reading. I suppose you saw my reviews in Changes in Friendship... isn't it sweet? Long live Okita-kun!
Silverpen-san: I must say, I was deeply touched by your review; weeks after I updated, you managed to find the story among the proliferation of rk fics. I deeply thank you for your encouragement! And nope, don't worry, no blatant romance from me^_^
KenshinFreak-san: Thank you for reading! Well, I dunno about research, but I did read like everything on Mibu no Ookami's site several months ago^; You'd like to see Kaoru? Hmmm... well, the REAL Kaoru is age 3 right now in Tokyo, but if you would like, a cameo of her into Reiji or Ayumi?? I dunno... *strains brain* I wonder what others think?
The Assault
* * *
"It's still your turn," Ikamatsu gently reminded Katsura.
"Oh," Katsura Kogoro started, jerking himself from his thoughts. Turning his gaze from the window, he looked across the chess table at the concerned and ever-faithful Ikamatsu. He glanced at the chess piece in his hand. "Oh, gomen," he apologized to Ikamatsu. He took a quick look at the table before him before arbitrarily setting the piece down on a square.
"What's wrong?" she asked him softly, ignoring his move. "That's the third time you have drifted off."
Katsura sighed, gazing out the window into the night once more. "So dark... starless, again. Something is... wrong." He turned to face the inquiring look of Ikamatsu. "No more chess for today. Good night, Ikamtasu." Kasura slowly stood up and started for the door.
"Katsura-san-"
"I'm all right," he turned to her kindly. "I think I'll take a walk in the garden."
Ikamatsu stared worriedly as he left.
* * *
Outside the compound, under the cover of a starless and moonless night, a small group of blue-jacketed men silently drew near the front gate. Their dark figures swiftly took up positions behind bushes, scouting the guarded area. Suddenly, the lead man lifted his hand, motioning the others to approach the gate.
The start of the assault began.
* * *
Ikamatsu kneeled at the table, slowly picking up the chess pieces and carefully placing them in a box. She sighed. Katsura had been so withdrawn lately. What was with him? What had happened? Was is because the Bakafu were cracking down on the Ishin Shishi's? Or maybe because the Shinsengumi were attacking their people again? Ikamatsu sighed again. Everything had changed ever since the deaths of Kategai and Iezuka, ever since Himura had returned.
"Ikamatsu-san."
The surprised geisha gasped, visibly jumping. She looked up, her train of thoughts interrupted, but quickly relaxed. "Oh, Itegai-san," she spoke to the samurai standing in the doorway.
The stout man gave the startled woman an odd look, but chose not to voice his question. "Ikamatsu-san, where is Katsura-san?" he finally asked.
"In the garden," Ikamatsu said sadly.
This time, Itegai did speak his mind. "Ikamatsu-san, you seem uneasy."
Ikamatsu looked at Itegai, Katsura's most trusted advisor. Itegai had held that position ever since Kategai, Itegai's brother, was killed by the Bakafu. He could be trusted. "I don't know," Ikamatsu gazed down at the table. "Kyoto... the times are so dark."
"Ikamatsu-san, you are safe here." Itegai tried to reassure the woman. "We have a very reliable spy in the Shinsengumi. She would tell us what the Miburo wolves were about to do almost before they knew themselves."
"I know." Ikamatsu simply said, hesitating before stating her main concern. "Katsura-san is not himself," she quietly stated.
Itegai thought for a moment before answering. "Katsura-san is just thinking. We are all always learning about life, about death that comes to all of us," he finally said.
"You sound confused yourself," Ikamatsu stated. Itegai blinked in embarrassment. She looked him straight in the eye. "How do you know this is the right direction? This horrible bloodshed?" she questioned.
"The katana will herald a new era," Itegai asserted. "Peace will come when the Bakafu falls."
Ikamatsu looked out the window, but managed a faint smile. "I hope you are right, Itegai-san."
* * *
Outside that window, on the other side of the outer wall, throats of the guards were silently slitted in the dark night. Soon, the job was done. The Shinsengumi group was not an elite task force for nothing. They gathered around a bush near the front entrance.
"Saitoh-san, Katagi-kun, go around the right side of the compound," the lead man quietly commanded the men standing around him. "Nagakura-san and Harada-kun, you two will circle the left. Look through the windows. When you find Katsura, do anything to cut him down. No one else matters."
"Toshi-san," Okita spoke.
"You will wait with me at the front door." Hijikata quickly told Okita. He looked at the other men again. "In ten minutes, if we don't here anything developments coming from you four, Okita-kun and I will knock on the front door, pretending to be following a lead. The Ishin rebels will either try to hid Katsura or try to steal him away. When they are distracted by us in the front entrance, you four will try to find Katsura. Even if you don't, by then, Kondou-san would have already led the other men to surround and ambush the compound. Either way, we will win. Did I miss anything?"
"Toshi-san," Okita spoke up again. Everyone turned to face Okita. "What if the hitokiri appears?"
Saitoh interrupted Hijikata's reply. "Then we'll simply kill him."
* * *
Katsura stood in his garden, staring back at his compound. Something was wrong. He usually could faintly hear the guards walking outside.
"Itegai," he spoke quietly to the man next to him.
"What is is, Katsura-san?"
"Go tell them to check on the guards." Katsura strained his eyes to try to perceive into the dark night, but did not succeed in making anything out. "It's unusually quiet," he said, still gazing into the distance.
"Yes sir." Itegai strode toward the house.
* * *
"Toshi-san, it's been ten minutes," Okita looked out from the bush where the two had been hiding. "I suppose they couldn't see Katsura from the outside."
Hijikata nodded, slowly standing up. "Then we'll just have to flush him out." The two powerful men, with their katanas swinging waist side, strode toward the front door.
* * *
When Itegai heard the knock, he suddenly was worried. Why hadn't the guards of the front gate notified them? When he saw one of the several samurai guarding the compound approach the front entrance, Itegai stopped him. "I'll get that," he called. "Stay behind me."
Itegai swung open the door, and his heart jumped. Before him stood the infamously cruel commander Hijikata Toshizo, as well as the well known powerful first captain of the Shinsengumi, Okita Souji. Experience, however, had taught Itegai how to react to pressure, and the man quickly composed himself. Nevertheless, he did not recover fast enough for the quick eyes of the Shinsengumi leaders.
"We have come to see Katsura Kogoro," Hijikata stated, not bothering to introduce himself. "Give him up, now."
"Sir, I do not know what you are talking ab-" Itegai was violently pushed aside by the much taller Hijikata-san. Itegai did not draw his katana; he knew these two men were better than him, and he needed to live to save Katsura. Hijikata approached the fallen Itegai and kicked him in the head. Itegai slumped over, unconscious.
"Hmph," Hijikata said. "What a worthless man. But we might be about to get information from him after this night is over." Hijikata looked over Okita. The other Shinsengumi, too, had quickly put an Ishin Shishi, the samurai guard, to sleep.
"We must hurry," Okita told Hijikata, looking up from his handiwork. "They must have already heard the noise." Hijikata nodded, and they stormed down the compound.
* * *
The Battousai heard the noise as he approached the compound. As he rushed through the open gate, he smelled blood. Blood from the dead guards. The hitokiri feared the worst. No. He could not be too late.
He would save Katsura, whatever the cost.
* * *
Bakafu= the Shogunate government, which the rebel Ishin Shishis (which Kenshin and Katsura were a part of) overthrew much later on.
Miburo Wolves = Shinsengumi
Let's see, to make this more understandable, let me tell you some real members of the Shinsengumi (Please correct me if some of the spellings are slightly off; this is from memory):
Commander: Kondou Isamai
Vice Commander: Hijikata Toshizou (character base of Aoshi) (Okita calls him Toshi)
First Captain: Okita Souji (character base of Soujirou)
Second Captain: Nagakura Shinpachi
Third Captain: Saitou Hajime (character base someone in rk... can't remember...)
Tenth Captain: Harada Sanosuke (can you guess who?)
Character base only means that the personalities are similar; abilities may a different matter.
R&R, please? Gomen for the long update, I really just didn't know what I wanted to write; I knew none of the characters could die, but I still had to pit them together somehow. Just here, listening to my fav rk song (no, it's not sobakasu) Wars of the Last Wolves: got the Shinsengumi mood going *does a little dance*
Oh, wow, I'm looking at my rantings in my last chappie. A sugar high when down: not a good combo. lol *deep breath* All right, here goes:
Koe760-san: Yay! I said that I might start writing this again, so I did! Um, yeah, the other fic was a fluke, just sorta ignore it ^_; I couldn't think of what to write for this story. But now, I sorta have an idea... Go update your fic!
Hitokiri-san(-san?): Haven't talked to you in a while, but maybe you'll see this. Anyway, thanx for being my first supporter. And update your fic, too... now!
PraiseDivineMercy-san: Thanks for reading! It means a lot to me. Oh, in that last chapter, it wasn't Hondo who reported to Kenshin but the Shinsengumi spy. Gomen gomen, I should have been more clear... ^_;
Espi-san: Glad you like this! Yup, the plot is becoming rather too thick for me to stir, but I'm plodding through. M. Cheesecake :d lol
Omniko-san: Yup, Okita's the best! Hmmm... I want to imbed some subtle romance, but still dunno how I can pull it off *scratches head*
Nikka4-san: Thank you for reading. I suppose you saw my reviews in Changes in Friendship... isn't it sweet? Long live Okita-kun!
Silverpen-san: I must say, I was deeply touched by your review; weeks after I updated, you managed to find the story among the proliferation of rk fics. I deeply thank you for your encouragement! And nope, don't worry, no blatant romance from me^_^
KenshinFreak-san: Thank you for reading! Well, I dunno about research, but I did read like everything on Mibu no Ookami's site several months ago^; You'd like to see Kaoru? Hmmm... well, the REAL Kaoru is age 3 right now in Tokyo, but if you would like, a cameo of her into Reiji or Ayumi?? I dunno... *strains brain* I wonder what others think?