Disclaimer: I do not own Peacemaker Kurogane or Ruronin Kenshin.

A-chan: As I said, this is my version of it. Maybe they knew each other from the Bakumatsu era but never registered their civil marriage till the Meiji era. I mean, Saitou was summoned by his irate father-in-law over Tokio's health. As for Tsumoto's birth date, if you've read the companion fic, his age tallies with history. Will figure a way to get about this issue. Maybe their first child's a daughter?

M.Kasshoku: Yes, he's trapped.

Swirly: Yes, that personal ad is from Red aka Kenshin. They did make a promise to duel back in Issue 21 after the decoy incident. More on that duel coming up.

The showdown between Okita and Kenshin! Tetsu seeks Umeko's advice once again. And someone's been a bad boy in Shimabara.

New Kyoto Post

Working for a Brighter Future!

Issue 26

Moonlit Mystery at Kyoto Tower

Authorities were puzzled by reports of a duel by moonlight at Kyoto Tower late last night. Massive sword damage was found on the building but there was no sign of the swordsmen. As such, Kyoto Tower will be closed for renovations. Eyewitness reports describe the combatants as two relatively slight men, or women, one of whom has blood-red hair.

In an unrelated incident, Captain Okita Souji was the victim of what is suspected to be an attack although the leader of the first patrol insisted he had simply tripped and fallen. After excusing himself from his patrol to relieve himself, he failed to return. His patrol-mates later found him bloodied and semi-conscious in the bamboo forest behind Kyoto Tower. He murmured something about "the best duel in a long while".

Shinsengumi Vice-Chief Hijikata Toshizou has stated that the captain will be removed from active duty until he recovers. The We-Luv-Okita-sama club sends their wishes and prayers for Okita's speedy recovery.

In an unrelated incident, Ichimura Tetsunosuke, page to Shinsengumi Vice-chief Hijikata, was rescued by the same patrol near where Okita was found. The young man was found out cold in a pit that had been dug along the path leading to the tower. Who dug the pit? No one knows.

Late Night Brawl at Sake Shack!

2nd Captain Nagakura Shinpachi faced off the serial killer Battousai outside the Sake Shack after closing hours on last night. Shack owner Nagi reports that the duo crossed swords for a full five minutes before the Miburou took sick from his earlier sake binge. Battousai declared the match a stalemate and fled into the night, stating he had an appointment with a friend to keep.

Nagakura's large companion, Captain Harada was too soused to even stand. It was understood that both men have spent their after-patrol breaks drowning their sorrows at the bar ever since their former comrade Toudou Heisuke defected. Shinsengumi Chief Kondo has since ruled that all after-patrol breaks are to be spent in the barracks. Sake Shack owner Nagi was quoted as saying, "Good Buddha! How am I to keep the place going now?"

Shimabara First! Trouble Customer Banned

In an unprecedented move, several Shimabara teahouses banned a customer for reasons other than bad credit. The customer was known for his wild parties and being very generous with the tips. He is rumored to be heir to a vast fortune, with close ties to the late Choushu leader, Yoshida. We hereby clarify that there is NO way anyone closely associated with our respected Master Yoshida would behave in the manner this young man conducted himself.

"He seemed a decent guy, very generous… then he had some real freaky requests. I mean, those cats!" Hana, a waitress, was quoted. "Then he introduced us to his 'friend'. Yikes! I'm going to have nightmares for weeks! My good friend is very badly shaken. Her shamisen-playing is all off since then." Then she excuses herself to attend to a former Shinsengumi captain.

The teahouse owner speaks: "We in this profession have to deal with kinkiness… but this white-haired bastard takes the cake! Kami! Even my experienced girls are not up to his requests. I suggest he take his tastes to those Hiroshima brothels that he inherited from his equally perverted old man. However, we still welcome Itou-san and his other friends. Just don't bring any black cats or skulls. My girls cannot take any more of those."

Umeko's Kitchen:

I have to make some arrangements with Kitsu-dono in expectation of a funeral. Don't ask.

Dear Umeko,

I suspect my page, K, is on much closer terms than he should be with another young man. What is the proper way of going about this? I fear for his safety as this man is a bloodthirsty wolf. For crying out loud! He's Okita Souji! And I am a Choushu Ishin leader! My page has gone missing for a while…

- Worried

Dear Worrywart,

Don't worry. Okita's a nice guy off-duty and don't come back with the "you have bad taste in men" rebuke. Seriously, do you want to discipline Kenni for taking some poor orphans to watch a puppet show with a Miburou? And you should be aware that Kenni is fully capable of taking care of himself in a fight. If it is any comfort to you, the lads have made an appointment to duel in the samurai tradition.

Umeko

Dear Umeko,

I have this friend… I think he's been hanging out with a person who has some links to a certain anti-Shogunate group. I'm so confused! My friend is having a very bad cough, but I think he's gonna challenge this Battousai ALONE! Should I arrange for backup, and risk my friend's wrath? Anyhow, when I asked my boss, he simply ordered me to stop spouting nonsense or be prepared to be disciplined! (Discipline in his words mean execution). Is this my other, former friend's ploy to get at me? Man! I'm not making sense at all, am I?

- Iron Boy

Dear Iron Boy,

Yes, you've lost me towards the end. But relax a bit. If you're really concerned, follow your friend just in case. If your friend's a true samurai, he'll not be too pleased if you interfere in his duel. NEVER antagonize Hijikata Toshizou if you want to keep your head.

Yours, Umeko

WANTED!

Cook for Shinsengumi! Strict background checks will be carried out. Shinpachi's cooking stinks! Maybe that's why Heisuke and the others defected…

(Shinpachi: Hey! My cooking isn't THAT bad!)

Personal Ad:

Hei-kun, want you back with us. The trio's just not the same without you. Please, we still want you as our friend.

Shinpattsan and Sano (Tetsu… wouldn't Hijikata have us seppuku-ed for this? Sano, you want him back, dontcha?)

Missing Person:

My page, Himura Kenni, has gone missing. He is a redhead aged about 17. He is slight-built and a skilled swordsman. Please contact me c/o this paper.

Reply:

Kenni can be found at Kitsu-dono's place. Rest assured he is alive. He just took a bit too much sake and tumbled off a bridge the other night.

-- Sagara Souzou

Apology:

Sou, sorry about having to leave you behind at the forest. The two young ones who were to help Sagara with the cart went AWOL after being spooked by some fireflies. We needed to leave when your pack mates came around. Another thing, Sagara just informed me that his two charges 'trapped' one of your guys in a wolf-trap that night. Thank goodness they left out the stakes. - Kenni

EDITORIAL NOTICE

We will be moving to new offices in downtown Kyoto to expand our output. The printing press in our Umeya offices cannot cope with the increasing demand. We plead for your understanding of any delay in publication.

Author's Notes:

Okita vs Battousai. Draw. And that little match outside the Sake Shack. It was mentioned in the RK manga that Kenshin took on the top three wolves (Okita, Nagakura and Saitou) and all the matches ended in a draw.

Sagara acting as referee for a match? Maybe he's just in charge of getting the morgue cart. Poor Tetsu. Imagine getting into a booby trap set by two brats, Sano and Katsu. Er, never leave a pair of hyper-imaginative ten-year-olds with a morgue cart in a dark creepy forest.