Disclaimer: I do not own PMK or RRK.

Chapter 19: Dilemma

You do realize that she'll get hurt either way...

Suzu pushed Kenshin's words out of his mind. Saya has nothing to do with it! Battousai has left Kyoto with Katsura on one of his business trips. Umeko is still asleep, as is Ryouma. He could hear his loud snores coming from her room. Saya peered at him from the kitchen as he wore his sandals.

Saya, please don't...The girl darted back into the kitchen to Suzu's relief. Tying on his scarf, he strode purposefully out of Umeya. Towards the old house where he had defied Yoshida's orders to kill Tetsu, and later compounded his mistake by trying to protect the redhead. Yoshida had used the switch on him when they got back to the wood yard.

The blows on his back did not hurt as much the look of disappointment in his master's eyes. To make matters worse, Tetsu had participated in the raid on Ikeda-ya where Yoshida was killed...Some friend! No, Tetsu is his enemy, always was, always will be. If Suzu hadn't been so preoccupied with his thoughts, he would have heard the clicking of Saya's geta as she trailed him at a safe distance.

"Suzu, we really don't have to do this," Tetsu was already there. Over the past two days, the young page has been thinking hard. Does Saya love Suzu? If so...The last thing Tetsu wanted was Saya's tears. Okita-san loved Hotaru-san, yet he let her go...Can Tetsu do the same?

"Draw your sword." The reply was terse. Tetsu unsheathed his twin swords grimly. So it has come to this...Saya watched from behind the fence. Will Tetsu win? Will Suzu win? She realized she did not want either of them to be hurt.

He's even better than I thought. Tetsu blocked Suzu's blade. Their blades clashed in a deadly dance of thrusts, slashes and parries. They were evenly matched. Suzu managed to slash Tetsu's arm. Tetsu bit back a curse as the blood flowed.

"Tetsu?" Tatsu searched the compound franticly to no avail. Was he too late? His brother was the only family he had left. "Tetsu!" He ran into the kitchen. Please let him be there...He found a very surprised Hotaru preparing breakfast.

"Tetsu? I haven't seen him since last night..." Hotaru tried to recall when she had last seen Tetsu. "Oh no!" Tatsu exclaimed. "He's gone to duel with that Suzu boy." Suzu's master was the same man who had killed their parents...Tatsu buried his head in his hands. Where is Tetsu? Then he thought of the abandoned house—

Leaping to his feet, he ran for the gate. "Tatsu! I'm going with you!" Tatsu looked over his shoulder and was relieved to see Susumu close behind him. "You're not that good in a fight," the shinobi said as they sped out through the gate.

They were fighting up against the house. The overhanging eave fell as the supporting pole was slashed. Tetsu instinctively raised his arm to protect himself from the falling straw. Seeing an opening, Suzu zoomed in for the kill. A sharp pain in his side. Suzu became aware of blood staining his clothes. Suzu turned and was shocked to see a very frightened Saya holding her bloodied dagger. She dropped it.

"Tetsu!" Hearing the approaching footsteps, he grabbed Saya's arm and ran out of the yard. Tetsu was left stunned and half-blinded by the moldy straw. It was in this sorry state that Tatsu and Susumu found him.

Suzu winced as Saya cleaned his wound. The point of the dagger had just grazed his side. She hadn't meant to hurt him ...but she had to save Tetsu. Please don't...Her eyes pleaded as they met his. I don't want to see either of you hurt, Tetsu or you.

"Saya, please leave." Saya timidly left his room. Sensei, what do I do now? Suzu closed his eyes. I can't do it...I still can't... The memory of Yoshida had been his pillar of strength in his darkest hours in the brothel. Somehow, he had endured and lived. His sensei wanted him to live. That's why he sent Suzu for help with the full knowledge Katsura and his men were out.

Now it was different. It wasn't just Tetsu and him. Saya's in it now. Either way, she gets hurt. Will letting Tetsu live be betraying his sensei again? He was struggling with himself when Umeko called.

Saya tried to act normal as she opened the store. Her mind was in turmoil. Why? Should she have stayed with Tetsu? Was he badly hurt? Ryouma returned from his morning stroll, thankfully, without the routine angry patrol on his heels. He learnt of the planned duel from Kenshin. Too bad they had failed to stop it.

"Don't worry, Saya-chan," he patted her on the head. "Iron Boy's fine. I just saw Dragon Boy and him walking back to the Miburou compound." Poor gal, he thought. Hopefully, his little sugar plum has a plan...

"Nagasaki?" Umeko nodded. If everything works out, she will be in Nagasaki with Saya. They'll open another restaurant... Strange, she was beginning to think of that child as her own. Her late husband never gave her any. "Sugar-plum, you're walking out on me..." Ryouma whined. Suzu was puzzled. This has nothing to do with him...

"Then come with us," Umeko retorted. "And you, too, Suzu." She had spoken with Katsura. Things will only get worse in Kyoto. He has given her his blessings to leave the city. Suzu shook his head without speaking and left. Stubborn boy! Umeko clicked her tongue.

"I still got some unfinished business in town, honey-plum..." Ryouma pouted like a spoilt child. "I promise to join you there as soon as this is over..."

As soon as it's over? Umeko sighed. She prayed her brother and Kenshin will survive the coming storm. And her Ryouma too.

Sensei, what should I do? Suzu asked as he gazed out of his window. The stars were silent as they shone down on the city with its many conspiracies and plots. Someone once told him that the stars foretold the fates of men. Had he made the right choice in deciding to stay?

Author's notes:

Saya to leave again? Er, the duel's a bit of an anticlimax. Thanks for staying so far.Stay tuned, ya!