Disclaimer: The usual.
Will Hotaru's plan succeed? Maybe...
Chapter 10: Secret Plots
"Okita-sama… I'm sorry about earlier…" Hotaru purposefully stepped into the men's changing room. She was oblivious to Saitou and Hijikata's presence behind her target. Girl, this is a men's changing room…
"I know you're Okita-san. Tetsu-kun told me…" Damn that loudmouth brat, Hijikata slapped his brow as Okita gaped in shock. "Let me help you…" Hotaru was advancing towards Souji. Catching his look of dismay, she added, "Don't you think I'm pretty enough?"
Souji struggled for a diplomatic reply. Failing to find one, he did something that caught everyone by surprise. "Hotaru-san, it's me, not you. I'm gay. I'm not interested in women." Then to drive home his words, he pounced on the unsuspecting Toshi and gave him a passionate lip-lock. "Meet my boyfriend."
"Merciful Buddha!" Saitou exclaimed. Don't tell me the Trio was right all this time! Hotaru gave a horrified squeak and fled the scene. Hearing Hotaru's footfalls die away, Souji released Toshi.
"Prince Episode 12. You should quit smoking, Toshi. Those cigarettes give you bad breath." Toshi touched his tingling lips. It was an act but still…
"I better go before they miss Kichi…" Blushing furiously, Okita left. Hijikata was too stunned to reply.
Tetsu was carrying a load of clean bedding to the storage closet as Aunt Makoto had ordered when he saw Okita. "Okita-san…" A pair of arms reached out and yanked him into a walkway off the main corridor. It was Yamazaki Susumu this time. The spiky-haired young man glowered at the redhead.
"Don't you ever learn, pup?"
"I'm not a pup! Are you guys gonna let Okita…"
"Listen! We'll keep a careful watch on Okita. Trust us." Saitou had informed the young man of Okita's mission. Susumu forced the boy to promise not to interfere with Okita's mission on the pain of death.
Toudou Heisuke was thinking he had failed to attain his goal of scoring with a woman when he chanced on a tearful Hotaru in a corridor. "Why is it all the bishonens are gay? Stupid Okita!" Yahoo, girl in a vulnerable state. Looks like Toudou Heisuke's gonna score.
"Miss, hanky?" He offered her his handkerchief and was glad when she accepted it.
Sano was looking for Heisuke when he saw him talking with Hotaru. The giant smiled and walked off. If Heisuke can score, Sano can try his luck with Ayu-nee. Hopefully he wouldn't get all clumsy and tongue-tied this time. She should be back from the bath by now…
It was getting dark and a light of shower of snow was falling. A worried Akesato hurried out with a thick winter jacket for Yamanami. Her father watched her go with a smile. Harada thanked Ayu-nee for her cold cream. It had greatly reduced the redness on his face from his allergy.
Heisuke was, er, busy consoling a despondent Hotaru. It was Suzu and Tetsu who were stuck with washing the dinner dishes. "Hey, Suzu, where's the ladder?" Tetsu asked as a crazy notion occurred to him. "In the broom closet… hey!" Tetsu ran off. Tetsu-baka, you skiver! Suzu cursed heartily under his breath.
Keep a watch on Okita-san, eh? Tetsu thought over his plan. It wouldn't be interfering…
There was a low space between the second floor guest room ceiling and roof. Aunt Makoto had sent them up to investigate the source of a foul odor a few days back. Suzu had pleaded a tummy-ache. Tetsu was the one to muck about in the crawl space and find that dead crow. He had thrown up his lunch afterwards.
Tetsu now propped up the ladder and climbed it into the crawl space. On his belly, Tetsu inched his way along in the dark.
Yamazaki was hurrying to a meeting with Saitou and Hijikata in the latter's room. This was his chance to redeem himself after the disaster at the soba store. He was surprised to see Tokio there as well. "Susumu, did you bring your laptop?" The young man nodded. He had protected his laptop from Typhoon Yoko earlier by holding it in his arms and hiding in the closet.
"Good," Hijitkata watched as Yamazaki switched on the machine. It was the latest model capable of surfing the net wirelessly from even the remotest places. "I've contacted HQ. Kichi has escaped and has taken to Highway 12. Okita mentioned the Imperial Guard, Mibu Temple and children…"
Susumu quickly keyed in the search commands. He had brought his laptop hoping to while away his time with a bit of online gaming. A spot of Shogun X never hurt, except when he gets trashed by Wolf of Mibu. He never expected it would come in so useful. Before the search result came back…
"Kami! The Snow Festival. The royal family and top shogunate officials will be there for the grand opening of the new temple hall next week at the festival," Tokio exclaimed. "A bomb attack on the same scale as at the Edo subway will cause massive casualties."
"Kio, they may not use a bomb. And why are you so sure about the Snow Festival?"
"If they want to cause widespread panic and wipe out half the government, they will. And unlike you guys, Ayu-nee and the girls were planning on taking leave on that date to see the royals' kimonos." Women are from Venus, men are from Mars. What can be so fascinating about the kimonos the royal consorts wear? Saitou shook his head.
Hijikata pictured the aftermath of a bomb at the opening ceremony. The place will be packed with children and their parents eager to catch a glimpse of the Japanese royalty. Not a pretty sight. Given the timetable set for the opening, Maro and his people will go into hiding soon…
They must act.
Hijikata had a very bad feeling. Could they organize the vacationing officers into a reasonable force to be reckoned with? Maro's lackeys might be armed. Then there was the onsen staff and other innocent guests to consider… Kami! He was starting to sound like San-nan.
Okita tiptoed into Master Maro's room. The man had actually left his room for dinner. He was pleased to note that he had left the door ajar. Papers littered the tabletop. He recognized a blueprint of the Mibu temple complex. Red crosses marked the plan. There was a brochure on the upcoming Snow Festival.
An arm slipped around Souji's slender waist and pulled him close. Okita looked up into the face of the cult leader. Damn! He had been too engrossed studying the photographs that he did not hear the man returning.
"Kichi-chan, I never expected you to actually come to my room…" A hand stroked his hair.
"Er, don't we have to meet the others…"
"I say we postpone our meeting…" Eager hands started tearing open his yutaka. Okita gasped and pulled away quickly. "Get off me!" He fell and struck his head against the table edge. "Kichi!"
Running footsteps sounded along the corridor and the door burst open. Another Kichi stood in the doorway. "Moron…" he panted.
Author's Notes:
Upped the danger factor again. Now Okita's cover's definitely blown. Suggestions how to rescue Okita?