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Chapter 11: Dumb Luck

It was growing late. The man quickened his step. Yamanami was returning to the barracks when he stopped to buy Okita's favorite cakes. They've been ignoring him lately...He was pleasantly surprised to see Okita standing by the deserted road.

"Souji-chan! I bought your favorite..." The moonlight glinted off the crimson-smeared blade in Okita's hand. "What happened?" The street was empty besides the two of them. The silence which followed was deafening. Okita's eyes were cold as he spoke.

"Guess what, Yamanami-san, that Hotaru's real good at running, but I'm sure I got her..." Yamanami's mind reeled. Is this a bad dream? Then he saw the crumpled pile of the earlier victim. "Souji! Are you responsible for this?" The assassin approached him slowly. He means it. Yamanami gripped his sword hilt shakily.

"Souji, what's got into you? What will Toshi say?" He received an ugly laugh in reply. "Hijitaka? He'd tell you, when you meet up in the afterlife! I'm not your precious Souji-chan, old man. Cutting down unarmed civilians and those sentries is not really entertaining."

Yamanami dodged as the blade sliced the air above his head. He's good. Yamanami drew his sword. The cakes were trampled to the dirt in the fight.

Kondo was roused from his sleep by an urgent message from the Seventh Patrol. They had happened upon the aftermath of an attack on Okita and Yamanami. The latter is so badly wounded the doctors weren't sure he'd live. Okita was fortunate to have escaped unhurt. The assailants have yet to be found. Kondo hurried to his friend's bedside.

Yamanami was unconscious. A thrust which should have killed him had been deflected by his abacus. Kondo regarded the nicked abacus with disbelief. San-nan must have had someone watching out for him. Okita excused himself with an angry look on his face.

"Hotaru-san?" Susumu recognized her as Suzu brought in the lamp. Kitsune ordered the youngster to bring bandages and hot water. "Suzu, you can go sleep now. You, come help me." Susumu looked away as the older woman pulled the bloodied kimono off her patient's shoulders to expose the ugly wound.

"Wash your hands then hold her wound together!" He obeyed. It was pointless to argue with Kitsune-sensei. The wound was deep and they needed to work quickly. Thankfully, the girl was unconscious. If she should awake during the surgery and start thrashing about, they'll, no he'd have to hold her. That's why Kitsune-sensei wanted him helping instead of the kid.

She stitched the gaping wound silently and swiftly. The boy Susumu has grown since she last saw him. He seemed much older. No doubt Ayumu's death had affected him. Hopefully, he had her resolve and will to move on with his life. Loss, death, they're unavoidable. Kitsune sighed as she put in the final stitches.

Hotaru had remained unconscious throughout but her pulse was steady. "You've twisted your ankle. Let's take a look at it," Kitsune turned her attention to Susumu. She sat him down on the mats. "Afterwards, I'll get you a clean yutaka."

"Arigato, sensei, I must be going back..." Yamazaki Susumu fell asleep from sheer exhaustion where he sat leaning against the wall. Kitsune shook her head. Like his sister, he often failed to observe his own limits. After draping a blanket across him, she went to sit by the girl's bedside. His employers shouldn't be too worried about him yet. They took long enough to worry about Ayumu... Hopefully, Susumu will wise up and quit.

Kojirou awoke to find Saizou nuzzling him. He picked up the piglet. Suzu was still asleep although the sun was shining on him. Kitsu-dono was nowhere to be seen. He became aware of another person in the room. A woman? Her hair hung disheveled about a very familiar face. Kojirou tiptoed over.

Ayu-nee? No, Ayu-nee's dead. Kojirou felt a stab of sorrow. "Buhi!" Saizou leapt out of his master's arms and onto the sleeping shinobi. Susumu awoke with a start, drew his kunai and dropped it in disbelief. He stared at Kojirou for several minutes before finding his voice again.

"Okita-san?! What are you doing here?" He gripped Kojirou by the shoulders. The young man stared back blankly. "You know who I am?" Kojirou got the words out slowly. If this woman, or man, held the answer to his lost identity...

"Easy on him, Susumu. He got a nasty knock to the head," Kitsune yawned. "Doesn't even know his own name...He isn't your Okita. Saw the damned First Patrol and their captain prowling about two nights ago. And Kojirou here was lying ill in this room then. Jeez, they're a pack of common criminals." Kitsune hated the Miburou.

It must be a case of mistaken identity. Susumu let go of Kojirou. Then he noticed the little piglet butting his ankles. "Saizou?" The pig leapt into Kojirou's arms the way he did only with Okita.

Hotaru awoke to find herself in an unfamiliar room. She limped painfully to the door and saw... "Okita-sama! It's really Okita-sama!"

Author's notes:

Thanks for the reviews. BTW, Hijitaka & Saitou should be returning to Kyoto real soon...