Ki-heitai - The Strange Army
A few months later.
The water lapped gently against Kenko's hands as she stood in, in front of the basin, lost in thought. Frowning, she started absent-mindedly scrubbing her hands again.
The smell of blood… it won't come off…"Hey, Himura," Iizuka's voice broke through her thoughts, and she looked up. "What're you doin' here? It's the middle of the day. Anyway, Katsura-san (1) is looking for you." Sighing quietly, she lifted her hands up from the basin and followed the man out, rubbing them dry on her sleeves.
In the garden a young man stood, watching his lover feed the koi in the pond. Hearing footsteps approach, he smiled when he saw Iizuka with the young Himura behind him. Ikumatsu beside him also smiled, and called out to the girl. She looked up and forced a faint smile back as she fell in place next to the field-man.
"It's been a while, Himura," Katsura commented, stepping forward, "I've see you've grown again. Are you doing well?"
"Yes… I've been doing them in very well," was her blunt answer. Iizuka elbowed her slightly as Ikumatsu cleared her throat uncomfortably. Kenko's face went slightly blank, as she didn't understand what she had done. However, she still bowed slightly towards the older woman in reparation.
Katsura, however, didn't seem too troubled by her misunderstanding of his words. Instead, he was looking at her face. "Himura… when did you get that cut on your cheek? I never thought I'd see a mark on you."
Kenko lowered her head slightly. "I was careless… it won't happen again." She watched the koi swim under the water's surface as Katsura asked Iizuka about the incident in which it happened.
"It was one of Shigekura's bodyguards. Both are dead, along with the other guard."
Katsura nodded, then turned his attention back to the girl. "Himura," she looked up, "I actually have a favour to ask of you. There is a meeting to be held between myself, Miyabe, Toshiwara and other clan leaders to discuss the current situation that we are in. I would like it if you would come with me to this meeting."
Kenko shifted her weight to one foot, her dull grey eyes narrowing partially. "As your bodyguard, you mean?"
He took a moment to reply. "No… actually, I'd like you to come as an adjunct, an envoy if you will."
Iizuka and Ikumatsu's eyes both lit up. "Hey, kid," Iizuka said, "That's great! What an honour!"
The woman clapped her hands together. "Not only that, but your name could go down in history when the revolution is complete! Imagine, a woman's name being recorded as part of the force behind the Ishin Shishi…"
Iizuka looked back at her, smirking. "I'd doubt they'd use Himura's real name – they'd most likely put down 'Battousai'…"
Ikumatsu pouted her lips at him. "But she won't stand for that, and the men won't dare stand against her if the want to stay on the friendly side of her blade"
"I decline." The soft voice brought silence between the two quarrelers, and they stared down at the redhead. Kenko stood her ground against the group looking at her. "I am a hitokiri, Katsura-san. That's the only way I can serve you and Katagai-san. It's best if I keep to the shadows. Also, I'm not interested in history or honour – the only thing that matters to me is that the age where all can live in peace comes sooner than later. And the only way I can help that happen is by being a hitokiri." Bowing respectfully to the man and adding, "If that is all…" she turned around, walked past Iizuka and left the garden. As she left, she passed a large man who had been watching the proceedings, and ignored his questioning look.
Entering the garden, the man walked up to the others, a concerned look on his face. "That child… when did she become so… blunt?"
Iizuka rubbed the stubble on his chin. "I dunno… she's been acting strange these last few months… I thought she might show some interest when we dangled bait right in front of her eyes like that…"
"Bait? That's a nice portrayal of Katsura's generous offer that he came all this way to give." The larger man scoffed.
"Call it what you want, Katagai, that wasn't the point I was making."
Ikumatsu surprised all of them by speaking up. "It's true… that she's changed. She didn't used to be like that. When I first met her, her mind seemed as gentle as her heart. But now…"
"Now she may act strangely," Katsura agreed, still looking in the direction Kenko had left, "But her heart hasn't changed since when I first met her…"
A rainy day in the fields of Choushuu. On the flat ground, men are waiting to show their skills to the others. Upon a hill over viewing the scene, two men stand under the umbrella. The one holding the umbrella is Katsura, the other man is the same height, but is lankier. His name is Takasugi Shinsaku (2), and his wide mouth grins as his old friend asks him again why they were there.
"Why, Katsura, I thought you'd never ask. This," he spread his arms, "Is the Ki-heitai. The strength of the new era. Birth or status ultimately means nothing on the battlefield, and here it's the same. Anyone can join, as long as they have the ambition and strength."
"Well, Takasugi," Katsura sighed, surveying the scene with scrutinising eyes, "That may true. After 300 years of peace, they may be better than soft, old samurai. But can you be sure?"
Takasugi laughed. "These men are stronger than bullets, I assure you. They will not let us down." He paused as a small figure with red hair steps forward on the field, a small smiling forming on his face. He knew what this child could do – the men down there and the one next to him did not.
Katsura's eyes narrowed. "What is that child doing down there?
The thin man raised his eyebrow in amusement. "The 'ki' in 'Ki-heitai' is the same as the 'ki' in 'Ki-batsu' (3). Meet the chief phantom of our ghostly army – I think you'll be surprised."
"Hey, kid!" The child looked up as several men gazed down on her, smirking. "Are you planning on joining the Ki-heitai, eh?"
"Look," one laughed, pointing, "He even brought his own sword. Now that's cute."
The first speaker patted the child on her head and gestured to the log driven into the ground in front of them, wrapped in thick rope. "Give it a try, kid. If ya cut it in half, I'll give ya a ryo."
The child ignored the laughter as she stepped up to the log. After looking at it for a moment, she crouched slightly, scabbard in hand, katana ready to draw. She didn't notice the two men from the hill walking down to watch.
She narrowed her eyes, and in a split second the blade whipped out of the scabbard so fast the men didn't see it cut the log. But they did see the scabbard swing through to smash the top half to pieces. Standing up straight, she turne to the heckler, palm out.
"One ryo, thank you." Her high voice brought silence upon the wet fields.
Takasugi's smile widened as he looked at his friend's expression. "Heh, heh… the runt is impressive, isn't she?"
"She…" Katsura's eyes were glued on the child, her hand outstretched to the shocked men. "She… what was that…?"
"I'm pretty know you know what you just saw, with those wide eyes of yours." Takasugi replied, also watching the men now slowly fumbling for the promised money.
"But… she… a girl?" Katsura's mind was working overtime, thinking through ideas that were coming up.
"As a said before, Katsura, birth or status does not matter in the Ki-heitai. And it's not as if she's lacking in strength."
"Shinsaku," he faced his smirking friend, "I want to talk to the child. I want her to come with me to Kyoto."
The rain continued into the night. Inside Takasugi's home, Kenko was sitting in front of the two men who spoken to her after her performance, and had just finished eating a meal with them. One was Takasugi himself, whom she had met before. The other man was now looking at her with the same strange look in his eyes he had when she first met him.
"So, Kenko," his voice filled the room, "You're trained in Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu… I have heard of it, but I never knew it truly existed." Pausing, he started to pick up his sake cup, but put it back down. Continuing, he said, "May I ask you this – have you ever killed someone with it?"
Looking him in the eye, she answered negatively, an unknown feeling growing inside her.
"Would you be willing to?" Katsura's eyes held hers.
Looking away slightly, it took Kenko a moment before she answered. "I want to help bring the era of peace closer, so that all people can live in peace…" She looked back up at him, her violet eyes unsure.
Katsura smiled grimly. "I see. We're leaving for Kyoto first thing in the morning. Take a room upstairs and rest."
"So… she pleases you, Katsura?" Takasugi asked after she had left. When he nodded in response, he added, "You know, if you need someone to be a hitokiri that bad, you should do it yourself. When you were in Edo you were good enough to work your way up to the top of the Shindon Munnen School. Except for Sakamoto Ryouma of the Hokushin Ittori School, you never lost."
Katsura's face went serious. "If I were able to, trust me, I would. But… I'm the head of the Choushuu Ishin Shishi now."
"Ah," A look of understanding crossed Takasugi's face. "Of course. You're the Choushuu shrine at the Bakumatsu festival. No one will carry a shrine that's covered in blood." Looking down at his large hands, he paused a moment before added. "That girl is special. She was going to be a major part of my Ki-heitai, but I'll let you have her… on one condition." Glancing back at his friend to make sure he had his attention, he continued, "If this girl takes on the role of a hitokiri, her life will change forever. It would be hard on any person, but because of her gender, it will be even more so. She will drown in the violence of killing in the world of men. Her life and soul will be ruined and she will be driven into the jaws of death, just so your shrine may be clean. She will have no control over her life. If you are willing to let this happen to her, promise me that you will do everything to ensure you stay as clean and pure as she is now. Never draw your sword again, Katsura. That's all I ask."
Sighing, the man stood up, holding his sword loosely by his side. "I understand, Shinsaku. Don't think that I hadn't thought about that before I asked for her assistance. I'll work everyday to bring the Choushuu clan closer to our justice – from now on, I'll do so without a weapon."
"Promise me, Kogoro," Takasugi called out as he reached the door.
"You have my word. Today will mark the anniversary of the death of Katsura Kogoro the Swordsman."
He smiled. Reaching out for his koto, he concluded. "Good. You just concentrate on bring the Choushuu clan through the dying days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. I'll take care of the rest."
Katsura smiled. "Thank you, Shinsaku." He closed the door behind him, and went up to his room.
It had finally stopped raining. Sitting on the window's edge, the girl could hear the sounds of Takasugi's koto strike the night air. Reaching into the folds of her gi, she found the spinning toy she had managed to keep with her. Sighing, she looked out to the full moon that peered down on the fields, and probably the old hut that her Master was in. She was unsure of what the future held for her, but she hoped that soon she would finally be able to help the people who were suffering, despite what her Master had said…
"… That's was about a year ago now," Katsura concluded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Her body has grown, but her heart hasn't changed."
"You're right about the body-growing part," Iizuka murmured, "If she grows much more, it's gonna be hard for us to keep her identity secret…" He received a glare from Ikumatsu for his trouble.
Ignoring this, Katsura continued, "Maybe it's because she seemed so matured then that she doesn't seem so different now. In any case, she doesn't display any guilt or regret on her conscience. It's as if she's still the innocent child from a year ago."
"Then, she is lucky…" Katagai mused, but his face shared the same sombre expression Katsura and Ikumatsu held. Iizuka was the only one who wasn't sure what was wrong.
After seeing his puzzlement, Ikumatsu was the one who voiced their thoughts. "It's because she hasn't changed… that she's beginning to feel the terrible difference of being a hitokiri…"
Her lover nodded. "Part of Himura knows what she's been doing. Eventually, it will rise up… and consume her."
Notes:
(1) Katsura Kogoro – The young leader of the Choushuu Ishin Shishi, active as the leader of a substantial province. Also known as Takayoshi Kido, he later joined with Saigou Takamori and Satchou Doumei (Okubo Toshimichi) to bring about the downfall of the shogunate. One of the Ishin Triumvirate. Also Ikumatsu, his lover, was a real person, and ended up being his wife. When the part comes up, I'll put down the part from Encarta that mentions her.
(2) Takasugi Shinsaku – Essentially the second in command in Choushuu. A battle-loving man from the most active of the Choushuu factions, he succeeded in unifying the province in forming the Kihei-tai to topple the Bakufu. Unfortunately, he died (from natural causes) from before he saw his army win against the Bakufu forces during the final wars.
(3) 'Ki' – now, I used to think that the 'ki' that Takasugi is referring to is the kanji for 'cut', but i actually found out what kanji it was when i went to Japan. It's the kanji for 'strange/wonderful (for those who know their kanji, the radical is the kanji from'ookii'/'big' on top, with 'ka'/'good, right, possible' under it. kanji no. 1084) so kibatsu is 'strange/wonderful punishment' i guess. And also... the kanji for 'ki' in hitokiri (dunno the no., but the left is the radical of 'kuruma'/'cart/car', and the right is 'kin'/'axe(in this sense)') isn't the same as for 'to cut' (kanji no.36, 'nana'/seven' on the left, 'katana'/'blade' on the right) ... though they both mean similar things...
Translations:
Koi - a really big goldfish. You could call them carp, I suppose.
Koto - a Japanese sitar.
Gi – a kendo version of the kimono. When worn with hakama, the ends are tucked under.