Disclaimer: The usual.

Chapter 23: Rogue Shinobi

Ryouma placed the already dying flowers on the new grave. They would have been fresh if he hadn't found himself chased by Oki's former patrol round the city. He prodded the faded stalks to coax more life into them. Then he gave up and let them droop limply.

Well, Oki, never thought I'd be giving you flowers, Ryouma sat down beside the tombstone. Hope you like wildflowers picked from the roadside. I'm kinda broke at the moment.

Captain Harada was passing by the cemetery on his routine patrol when he caught sight of a familiarly weird hat. It's the wanted Sakamoto. With a roar, he ordered his men to arrest Sakamoto. Dammit! Ryouma dodged the spear Harada threw at him. It chipped Okita's tombstone.

"Stop! You're under arrest!" I've really got no time for this! I promised my sugar-plum I'll be home for dinner! Ryouma did not wait to exchange any further pleasantries. He fled, trampling the flowers he had brought into the earth. When Hijitaka next visits Souji's grave, he will be totally outraged by the mess he sees.

Why does it have to be the dullest blade in the Choshu? Tomiyo's a blithering idiot. It's only his amazing luck that he's survived this long. Umeko clicked her tongue as she spotted the motley mob of ronin coming their way. Tomiyo will take over the restaurant from her. With his appalling lack of good sense, it will be a matter of time before they get the attention of the Shinsengumi.

"Kikujo, I want you to prepare an escape route for the girls," Umeko said in a low tone. During a Miburou raid, innocent bystanders often got hurt. Kikujo received the order but did not betray any emotion as she sorted the month's accounts.

Umeko smiled. A semi-retired shinobi, Kikujo has proven her worth and loyalty on many occasions since she came last fall. It's a pity she couldn't leave Umeya without a proper caretaker. She had every intention of continuing the business once the storm blows over. Afterwards, she'll ask Ryouma to get her and Saya rooms elsewhere until they can leave for Nagasaki.

Tomiyo-baka. Kikujo seethed under her outer calm. Another old fool like Okina, maybe worse. Okina has to be senile to even suggest her sixteen-year-old brother head the Oniwabanshu in Edo. To make matters worse, Aoshi-otouto had readily accepted. Don't they know he's too young and inexperienced despite his abilities?

Okina bettered her in a fight that should have been to the death. Smarting from defeat, she packed her belongings and left Edo. On her way out of the city, she met Aoshi, her half-brother. Born a decade apart and raised by different guardians, they had never been close to start with...

"Neesan, you're really leaving. Guess I wouldn't be seeing you about." Her scrawny brother didn't even bother to look her in the face. He was busy skipping stones.

"Of course not, you're too weak to live that long," she left him with those spiteful words.

Was it envy as she was every bit as skilled as him? Or concern for Aoshi's welfare? She hasn't heard any news of him since... She penned down the date on the page. The fourteenth. She sneezed heartily as Tsuki-hime padded up to her. Apologizing, Suzu caught the cat and carried it away to her great relief.

"You're intending to raid Umeya? But there's no one but women and children there!" Yamanami exclaimed as Hijitaka outlined his plan. It was late. Most of Kyoto would be sleeping. Hotaru reported earlier that Kondo still burned with the wound-fever. Tetsu was at his bedside. In Kondo's absence, Hijitaka naturally assumed leadership. He took a puff on his pipe before replying.

"I admire your concern for the innocent, San-nan, but there're reports of Choushu supporters meeting there. Fact is one of the waitresses has been identified as a shinobi and a very dangerous one. In addition, the lady who runs the place is a known sympathizer. We'll just bring them in for questioning..."

Yamanami winced at the word 'questioning'. "You mean interrogation?" He looked at his feet.

"Hell, San-nan! Stop acting naïve! You know full well women can be just as dangerous, even if they don't use swords. Many of the best shinobis are women!" Ayu-nee. Her memory popped into both their minds.

"San-nan, if you wish, I'll leave the questioning of the women and children to you," Hijitaka relented. The last thing Ayu-nee or Souji would have wanted was for innocent women and children to get hurt. Hopefully, if a raid was necessary, they wouldn't try to escape. The Miburou never took kindly to escape attempts.

Susumu knocked at the door. He has more bad news. A large number of rebels have gathered at the restaurant. There has been a shipment of weapons headed for the place. The die has been cast. Grimly, Hijitaka immediately gave the order to prepare for a raid.

Going past Kondo's room, he saw his page nodding off to sleep by Kondo's bedside. Ichimura-kun, you sit this one out. He left without waking the lad.

At Umeya, Suzu was awakened by loud bangs and crashes. He dressed and came out to find Tomiyo supervising the unloading of large crates of weapons. He silently cursed the old fool. There's no way the neighbors will miss that racket.

"Little brother," Kikujo was up in her very brief night clothes. Can't she wear something more decent? "Get the girls out quick. The Miburou are coming...." She was serious. There were a few girls yet to find alternative lodgings. Before he could reply, shouts sounded, followed by the loud clash of steel...

A lone shinobi in the shadows watched as the Miburou closed in. Hopefully, Kikujo saw the warning he left for her. He is fond of her although they often fought. Well, she's a knockout beauty who isn't shy about flaunting her assets, Okina grinned. He would've recommended her as assistant leader, but everyone knows the Shinomori siblings never got along.

He's done his part. It's up to her luck and skill now. Okina silently disappeared into the night. One day, when all this over, he'd open a small inn in this beautiful city... Wonder if Kikujo will like to work for him?

Author's notes:

More of Ryouma, at poor Okita's expense (heh heh). Honestly, R.I.P. Okita-sama...

A peek into Aoshi's family life through his elder sister. Late cameo by Okina.

BTW, Kikujo's nightwear is an early model of Misao-chan's houseclothes. And Tomiyo-san's an idiot. Katsura should consider spring-cleaning...seriously.