Author's Note:

I received many kind reviews and comments after the last chapter and wasn't able to respond to very many of you. I truly regret this, and can only hope that you will continue to send your thoughts and encouragement my way anyway!

I'd like to at least acknowledge the following people:

Guest (I'm so sorry the app won't provide your userID-it would be great if I could write to you!); Anon (so glad you're out there!); Shell1331; Sabina-san; StariChanx (thank you for touching base!); PoivronRouge (merci! j'espère que l'histoire continue à te plaire); NyaPowa (et merci à toi aussi!; I will write back, I promise, just need to catch up on sleep); nakigaoyuu; 14Phantom (still a little slower than it would be without that pesky RL, but here it is!)

Also thank you to Danceswithseatbelts for giving me the courage to actually let more smutty material see the light of day.

For some reason, I ended up writing a rather steamy scene for the newlyweds instead of just the devious plotting and planning I had in mind. I'm not quite sure what happened. (Ahem!) As before, I've separated this chapter into an M-rated and a T-rated edition.

Thank you to all my readers-it is truly encouraging to know that you're out there. \(^u^)/

~ImpracticalOni

Chapter 69 – Evaluations (M-Rated Content Removed)

[I] - Health Evaluation

Saitō had fetched Yamazaki with surprisingly little difficulty. Harada's mental communication had been less easy to make out than when they had been beside each other, but when Sen-hime had—very reluctantly—woken him with a light touch on his mind, he had discovered that the other captain was patrolling outside Shimabara, some ways from the house. Harada's ability to contact Sen-hime from such a distance had shown a significant degree of control on the other captain's part, in Saitō's view. On the other hand, when Saitō had made his way to the front of the house, where Sen-hime had been waiting for him, her bright eyes and slight smile had suggested that Harada had found a way to combine duty and inclination.

He had found the Vice Commander in attendance on Yamazaki. Sen-hime or Kimigiku-san would have found the tableau rather interesting, since for all the differences, there were also subtle similarities between the three half-brothers. Hijikata-san had obviously been writing; however, it was also clear that he had been waiting for Saitō, since he had been rising even as the younger man slid unobtrusively into the room. Saitō was surprised that Hijikata-san had not reached for his sword—after all, he had been moving at speed and should have been very hard to sense.

"I would like the Oni to evaluate his condition," Hijikata had said, without preliminary. He did not mention the possible assassination attempt at all.

"Hai." Saitō had already been reviewing what he could sense from Yamazaki, using—clumsily, no doubt—the basic Gift of Soul that Amagiri had shown him. He hadn't really understood the soft colours of what his teacher had called the "aura"—there hadn't been time to learn what they meant—but something in the pattern had made him uneasy. Hijikata-san had obviously felt the same way:

"I'm worried that our damned spy did more than just throw Yamazaki off the roof. What do you think?"

"You may be right, Vice Commander."

"It is possible," Yamazaki had agreed from his futon. His voice had been thin and exhausted.

"Are there any risks in transporting you?" Saitō had asked him.

"Not that I can determine, Saitō-san. Also, although the fever began suddenly—or seemed to—it does not seem to be worsening now. Or not quickly. "

Saitō had waited to see if the Vice Commander had any other instructions for him, but apart from an injunction not to be seen, Hijikata-san had said very little. It was as if he had been trying to keep their interaction to a bare minimum.

Now, almost three hours later, Saitō guided his wife up the stairs to the room where he had left Yamazaki in the care of Sen-hime and Chiharu-sama. There had been no sign of Kimigiku-san, but Saitō had decided that it was not his business to inquire.

"Come in," called Sen-hime, when Chizuru asked for admittance.

Saitō followed Chizuru into the room, saw that all appeared to be as he had left it, and closed the door behind him. He felt alert and rested; the two hours of sleep that he had gotten after his return had been beneficial. He had been unsure whether to leave Yamazaki with the two Oni women, but it seemed to him that Sen-hime, at least, had been nothing but trustworthy so far.

"Konbanwa, Chizuru-chan, Saitō-sama," murmured Chiharu. She was sitting facing the door, opposite Sen-hime. "Yamazaki-san is doing well, as you can both see for yourselves."

Saitō couldn't see any difference, but chose not to leave his place by the door. The space around the bed was crowded enough with all three women now studying the unfortunate occupant. Saitō had to suppress a rare smile when he realized that Yamazaki was awake and, not surprisingly, embarrassed.

"Haru-chan and I have just been speaking with Yamazaki-san," commented Sen, with a rather mischievous look. "He agrees that the fever is lower and his head aches less. His bruises all seem to have faded, including the one on his head. What is interesting, however, is that he appears to be healing himself in some fashion, which would explain the exhaustion. To be honest, I can't account for it except that his aura as an Oni is more defined now than it was on the one other occasion that he was on my property before."

"There is one anomaly that I would like to show you, Saitō-sama," said Chiharu softly. "I mean both of you," she added, smiling at Chizuru.

At Saitō's nod, she guided Chizuru through the steps to use Soul magic to see Yamazaki's aura. Saitō discovered that it was far more rapid for him now, and it made him frown internally, because it told him that Chizuru really was weaker than she should be because she had not passed the Trial of Mind. In reality, Chizuru had the greater potential for Soul magic.

It was strange to see the colours hovering around each of the others, and a bit disorienting. It took him a moment to focus on Yamazaki's much more muted outline.

"That is very strange," Chizuru said, bending forward over Yamazaki in a way she never would have done had she not been absorbed in her task. "Look, Hajime, it's almost as if it's woven here…"

Saitō, who was paying attention to the others, saw that the young women each registered a reaction to Chizuru's use of his first name: Sen-hime seemed both pleased and wistful; Chiharu-sama revealed little other than the fact that she had noticed. Aloud, he said:

"You mean that one point where the colours somehow meld together?"

"Yes," Chiharu said. "But Chizuru-chan's description is more accurate: the energies are woven, almost knotted together. It appears to be deliberate and if so, speaks of a significant Gift in melding several magics at once—Body and Soul primarily, but with coercion tied in. I've never seen anything like it; the only thing that is somewhat similar is way that Chizuru-chan melds Soul and Body magic in using her Gift of healing."

Saitō didn't miss the way Chiharu-sama's eyes flicked to his for a moment. It seemed like a warning, somehow. Since Sen-hime reached out for Chizuru's hand at the same time, it suggested to him that whatever they were thinking wasn't good news for her. Chizuru herself was still studying Yamazaki's aura, which was making the medic-shinobi more and more uncomfortable. Saitō was sympathetic to the other man's embarrassment, but it was well down on his priority list at the moment.

"I can almost see what it's doing," Chizuru said just then, sounding rather pleased.

Sen-hime smiled encouragingly. She obviously—to Saitō—changed what she had been about to say.

"Let me help you visualize the aura more clearly then. Maybe you can advise us how to untangle it."

Saitō disliked the idea of anyone—even somebody who appeared to be a friend—somehow meddling in Chizuru's head, but he recognized the need to let it go. If his lips thinned a little, only Chiharu noticed.

After that, there were discussions between all three young women. Yamazaki kept his eyes closed for the most part. He still had a fever, and periodically Chiharu-sama would cool his forehead and then wipe sweat from his face and neck. Saitō suspected that the other man had refused to strip out of his shirt, which was foolish, but very understandable. He wondered if Chiharu-sama had ever performed such a mundane task. Even if she had, it surely wouldn't have been for a human or an unknown and untried part-Oni. To be fair, though, she didn't seem to mind, and appeared simply concerned and perhaps a little intrigued by the puzzle posed by Yamazaki's strange symptoms and abilities.

On the whole, Saitō was inclined to extend a small measure of trust toward Kazama's sister, if only by necessity. Saitō had serious issues with the Lord of the Western Clans, but his younger siblings didn't seem particularly infected with their elder brother's arrogance or prejudices. They were still rather intolerant of humans, but so were Amagiri and Sen-hime, in different ways and to different degrees. Both brother and sister were a little naïve, as well; there was no denying that they had been very much sheltered and took certain things for granted. At the same time, they had come at great personal effort and discomfort to pass along a message to their cousin, Sen-hime. Also, Chiharu-sama was apparently a strong and skilled master of Oni magic, which argued for a disciplined turn of mind.

At some point about an hour later, Sen-hime cautiously summed up their findings to Saitō. She seemed to have decided that since Yamazaki was a half-brother, the new Sakurai lord could take responsibility for him where Oni matters were concerned. Until Hijikata-san is able to do so, she had added a little cryptically, although apparently only to Saitō and Chiharu-sama. Saitō saw the young blond woman turn a sharp look on Sen-hime, to which the princess returned a faint smile.

"If Chizuru-chan's intuition is correct—and it does align with our observations—then Yamazaki-san is in some danger of being forced into an unprepared Trial of the Body. However, thanks to Chizuru-chan's skills and with my and Haru-chan's help, we think that we have greatly reduced the danger. Essentially, our unknown Oni spy—he must be Oni—has tied Yamazaki-san into an unavoidable healing cycle. Self-healing requires an Oni physiology; therefore, the magic is set up so that with each attempt to self-heal, Yamazaki-san's body is attempting to shift form on a small level. The fever and pain are likely symptomatic of this cycle of forced healing leading to a forced small-scale shifting. Fortunately, Chizuru-chan was able to… to lessen the effects. First, by ensuring that Yamazaki-san is fully healed of physical injuries. Second, by loosening the imposed tie between the compulsion to self-heal and the Soul and Body components. Oh, and fortunately, Haru-chan was able to reduce the effect of the compulsion itself, although…"

"A compulsion to heal, to the point of risking one's life as a whole, would be beyond the Western Clans, in my opinion," said Chiharu, when Sen turned to her. "We have no ability to heal others, as far as I know, and therefore it would be difficult to fashion a spell like this one, which appears to begin with such a Gift. Unfortunately, Chizuru-chan has nobody to guide her in the more sophisticated use of her Gift of healing; consequently, she can only go as far as intuition takes her, and that is limited since she still does not have formal training in using any of the Gifts. This means that even between all three of us we have been unable to fully lift the spell."

Chizuru was troubled, as well she might be. This time the implication was too obvious to miss. The culprit in this, and in the previous attack on Shiranui-san, was most likely a member of her own Oni clan.

"Do you think that Kōdō-sensei might have done this?" she asked, upset but firmly in control of her voice.

"Well… based on Yamazaki-san's description of the spy that seems unlikely. Unless they are acting in concert, which is possible. This is very precise magic, however, and it is most likely to have been imposed by contact." Sen-hime squeezed Chizuru's hand. "I know it's awful to think about, but it might be your brother, you know. If you are alive, he may be as well."

Chizuru looked around for Saitō, but he was already at her side.

"It will be fine, Chizuru," he told her firmly. "Whether or not it is your brother, we will find him and… learn more about him." He narrowly avoided saying "deal with him", which he knew that the others would condemn and would hardly comfort Chizuru. Personally, he thought that things would likely end badly for the unknown Yukimura, if that's what he was; however, more information was needed.

Sen-hime had tactfully withdrawn a little when Saitō had knelt beside his wife, and she spoke instead to Yamazaki.

"How do you feel now, Yamazaki-san?"

There was short pause, and then the shinobi carefully sat up.

"My head has finally stopped hurting," he said cautiously. Then he remembered his company. "I am much better, Sen-hime, Kazama-sama, uh… Yukimura-san. Just very tired and thirsty. Konbanwa, Saitō-san."

Sen-hime allowed him to finish tugging his shirt straighter, then handed him a cup.

"Did you notice the spy using anything that could be considered magic?" Saitō asked Yamazaki. It didn't seem likely, but Saitō took very little for granted.

"Yes, taichō."

Saitō preserved his expression without difficulty, but he was pleased to see that Sen-hime and her cousin looked rather impressed. Chizuru, beside him, was curious, but slightly distracted.

"Go on, Yamazaki."

"With apologies to Sen-hime and Kazama-sama, I would prefer to explain matters to you alone, Saitō-san."

The shinobi reddened—sitting in rumpled clothes on a futon with his hair a tangled mess did not help his confidence—but Sen-hime was already rising. After a brief hesitation, Chiharu-sama rose as well. Chizuru glanced at Saitō, and he nodded reluctantly. He disliked having her out of his sight when he knew she was upset, but Sen-hime was more likely to say the right things than he was anyway.

Once the three women had left, Saitō indicated that Yamazaki should take the opportunity to tidy himself and look after any personal needs. They were very close in age, he reflected wryly. Shiranui-sama must have conducted his affairs either at the same time or in some haste. For a brief moment, Saitō felt an unexpected irritation with his father for having so little respect for his mother. However, there was nothing that he could do to change the situation in any useful way. Moreover, he was still suspicious of Suzuka Gozen's part in Shiranui Toshio's amorous adventures.

Saitō realized with a start that Yamazaki was waiting for him in order to begin. Apparently he still wasn't quite as settled into his married state as he had hoped. There was still an excess of emotion in his reflections. It had seemed as though he was becoming clearer-headed again, but perhaps he still had some ways to go.

"Go ahead, Yamazaki."

"Yes, Saitō-san. I have been able to sense… energy patterns… more and more over the last few days. Consequently, I noticed the spy using some kind of force against Okita-san in the battle in the alleyway below. I grappled with the boy hoping to assist Okita-san, and it is possible that he—the spy—was able to use his magic against me at that time. I should perhaps mention that the Commander himself asked me to join him and the other leaders after dinner this evening, in order to give a full report of the incident. Unfortunately, I was not in perfect health at the time, and I believe that my explanation was less than coherent. Hijikata-fukuchō was forced to assist me back to my quarters."

The Third Division Captain studied Yamazaki for a moment.

"Are you feeling well enough to give me a full report now?"

"Hai."

Saitō nodded for him to begin, and listened in silence as Yamazaki told him everything that he had noticed over the past several days, from Chizuru's healing ability to the spy's apparent effect on others. He was simultaneously impressed with his former pupil and concerned about how openly Yamazaki had spoken of his new abilities in front of everyone. It was just one more problem for the Shinsengumi: could they still trust their formerly incorruptible spy? For that matter, could they trust their Third Division Captain?

"Shitsurei shimasu," Chizuru said politely at the door, breaking into his thoughts.

"Come in."

Chizuru entered, closed the door softly behind her, and smiled at Saitō and Yamazaki.

"Saitō-san," she said, "Kimigiku-san has returned and wishes to know whether Yamazaki-san will be staying here tonight. Also, now that I see him again, I believe that Yamazaki-san needs to rest."

Saitō was momentarily taken aback, and then had to repress yet another smile. His shy little wife was telling him, in the gentlest way, that he should let Yamazaki go to bed before he fell over. She shouldn't have had to, but it was very easy to fall into old habits with Yamazaki. Still that was no real excuse; he should have noticed Yamazaki's fatigue for himself.

Chizuru knelt demurely by the door, unobtrusive and yet somehow unyielding. It occurred to him, belatedly, that she might want her husband to get some sleep as well. Or at least to come to bed? The thought escaped his control and he had to fight to keep the tell-tale blush off his cheeks.

"You are right, Chizuru," he said. He hoped he sounded as calm as she had. "And there is no need to be so formal under these circumstances." Although maybe he shouldn't have said that; it tended to distract him when she used his given name. He hurriedly cleared his throat. "Yamazaki. It would be better if you could return to the compound, wouldn't it?"

"Aa," agreed Yamazaki, stoically resigning himself to the trip. It would certainly be easier to avoid talk if he could spend the balance of the night in his room recovering from his supposed concussion. He was feeling a great deal better than he had, just tired.

"We will leave shortly," Saitō told him. "I will speak with Kimigiku-san. I expect she wishes to talk to me?"

The question was directed at Chizuru, who nodded. In the end, Kimigiku-san was satisfied that Yamazaki was well enough, and Saitō was competent enough, for the return to the Shinsengumi compound. Neither Saitō nor Chizuru asked where the Oni woman had gone, and Chizuru never did find out. Saitō discovered later, through Yamazaki, that it had been a surprisingly quiet night for the patrols, but that a number of Kyoto's male citizens had apparently vanished. As the Shinsengumi's medic had explained to the Third Division Captain, it had been strangely coincidental that so many of the missing had been men known for beating their wives or mistresses. The Shinsengumi's Inspectors were still looking into those disappearances that involved more prominent or wealthy men living within the Shinsengumi's jurisdiction. So far, they had turned up no leads, and no bodies.

[II] - Performance Evaluation, Part I

This time, when Saitō returned from the Shinsengumi compound, he found Chizuru sitting in the front room with fresh tea. Her dark hair lay loose against her thin white sleeping yukata, and he felt an irrational—or perhaps entirely justified—annoyance that the tea prevented him from simply taking her to bed with him, whether to sleep or otherwise. However, he couldn't ignore the tea.

"Yamazaki is well," he told Chizuru, taking the cup that she was holding out to him. "You have worked your usual wonders."

"I am glad for that," Chizuru said. "Although wonders seems like a very strong word, to me."

They each sipped their tea, Saitō uneasily conscious that his patience was eroding much faster than usual, and Chizuru evidently mulling over some piece of unpleasant news.

"You could just tell me," Saitō suggested at last.

Chizuru flushed, and her free hand reached for his. He was starting to get used to her instinct to touch him when she was troubled.

"Osen-chan and Haru-chan are going to visit Yukishima-sama tomorrow morning," she blurted out. "And Kimigiku is very upset about it. She said that no matter what Osen-chan orders, she will only stay away as long as you are nearby keeping an eye on things and waiting for them to come back out of the estate. She also said that there was no way that you would let me help, because you had more sense than that. Um… I think you can see how it went."

Saitō set down his empty cup and wrapped his arms tightly around his wife. The rain was rustling down through the leaves outside, and the room was dim despite the lamps that Chizuru had lit. Up close, he could see that she was pale and a little shaken.

"Kimigiku-san is correct. I will not allow you to go within a mile of that place or that woman. The risk is unacceptable."

"But Hajime! What about Osen-chan? She can't bring Kimigiku with her! And I don't think that Yukishima-sama likes Osen-chan very much. She sounds like a very—" Chizuru hesitated, apparently seeking a word.

Saitō waited, more patient now that he knew the extent of the problem. To be fair, he needed to think it over himself. It seemed like a useful way to gather information; however, he shared Kimigiku-san's concerns for Sen-hime's safety.

"She must be stopped," Saitō commented, when Chizuru evidently couldn't decide on a word that was sufficiently negative without being unnecessarily condemning. "You can't think well of them both, you know. Either Kimigiku-san and Amagiri are lying, or Yukishima-sama is possibly mad and certainly cruel."

"Yes, Hajime," murmured Chizuru, looking sad. "But couldn't somebody else stop her? Or maybe if she came here, then I could help her."

"That is not going to happen."

"But—"

"No." When Chizuru stiffened in his arms, he rose and set her on her feet. He desperately didn't want to argue. "What of Amagiri? He needs every chance to rest and heal. He is my responsibility—our responsibility. Would you bring his enemy here? She is the head of her clan and dangerous. Chizuru, think a little."

Chizuru winced at the reproof.

"B-but, you're considering challenging her by yourself. Hajime… I wish you wouldn't."

He stared down into her eyes. "Why not?"

"You could be killed."

"That is always possible. But it is not necessarily probable. I thought you had faith in me? Be brave for me, then."

Chizuru bowed slightly, her eyes downcast.

"Yes, Hajime. And I won't go with Osen-chan and Haru-chan either."

"Thank you."

"Maybe I'm feeling more worried than usual because of the news about my… my brother. Gomenasai, Hajime."

Saitō eyed her warily. Was she angry? Upset? Unhappy?

"You do not need to apologize, Chizuru."

"Since I can't do anything else, I could at least be a better wife and let you go to bed." There was the tiniest of pauses and then Chizuru added: "But I want to be more useful!"

"Without you, Yamazaki would be in considerable difficulty. Heisuke might be dead, along with two of Harada's best men. And I would be alone." He hadn't really meant to say the last part, and he reddened because it sounded so pathetic.

"I'll stop being so selfish, Hajime, I promise," Chizuru told him earnestly. "I'll stay safe now and learn to use my abilities as quickly as I can so that I can defend myself better in the future."

Her husband tested her words for hidden pitfalls—had he missed anything? He relaxed slightly when her expression remained resolute and her eyes stayed fixed on his face instead of the floor.

"So now we can get some sleep?" he asked cautiously.

"Now we can go to bed," Chizuru corrected him. "I've gotten lots of sleep, and you don't seem to need much."

"My demanding wife." Saitō was entranced. He felt his control slip and let it go without regret.

Chizuru blushed, but managed to keep her eyes from wavering.

"Um, yes? A-although that's not a very nice way to put it, Hajime."

Saitō took her face in both hands and kissed her with bruising force on the lips.

*** Sexual content removed ***

"I hope we can get a few hours of sleep this time," Saitō commented, as he tucked Chizuru into the futon and lay down beside her—after arranging his swords, of course.

"You sound smug," Chizuru murmured sleepily. She sensed silent laughter behind her.

A little, agreed a whisper in her mind.

[III] - Performance Evaluation, Part II

The day of the fateful visit to Yukishima-sama dawned bright and clear, and very warm. Fortunately, the Oni were largely impervious to either hot or cold temperatures.

Kimigiku helped Sen to dress in glowering silence, which Sen affected not to notice. Not surprisingly, the young princess was relieved when her cousin came in to ask for assistance with her own semi-formal wear. For one thing, Kimigiku couldn't be as disapproving with Haru-chan as with Sen, and for another, since Sen and Haru-chan had very different colouring, the shinobi enjoyed the challenge of dressing the older girl and selecting appropriate ornaments, which alleviated some of her bad mood.

Nevertheless, it was a sombre group that met mid-morning by the front door. Even Kichirō was present. Unfortunately, although at some point before breakfast his sister had finally explained to him that Sakurai-sama—Saitō-san to the humans—had not caused Amagiri any harm, his wariness where the indigo-haired swordsman was concerned hadn't greatly abated. Chiharu had not felt equal to explaining what had actually happened between Saitō-san, Amagiri and Chikage, and Kichirō was understandably irritated. For his part, Saitō was successfully masking his uneasiness around Kichirō, but even Chizuru's partiality couldn't blind her to the fact that his features had settled into an uncompromising reserve.

Saitō and Chizuru had eaten a quiet breakfast together, both of them feeling slightly self-conscious about the night before. Fortunately, that shyness had mostly gone by the time they exchanged a private kiss prior to leaving their rooms to join the others. Chizuru had concealed her apprehension with moderate success, and had managed to be the only person of the group other than Chiharu to present at least the appearance of serenity. Kichirō regarded her with manifest admiration as she stood near her husband, which caused Sen to turn away to hide a laugh, and might or might not have contributed to Saitō's expression (or lack thereof). Even Amagiri, whose face rivalled Saitō's for general impassivity, seemed momentarily amused.

Amagiri seemed significantly better than he had been the day before. He had agreed without protest to Saitō's request that Kimigiku and Chizuru examine his wounds, noting that even the deepest cut, across his chest, had unaccountably closed over and was no longer bleeding, which was a considerable improvement. Saitō could not account for the fact that the big Oni seemed to find this funny, for some reason. Amagiri didn't speak of the missing hand, and Saitō didn't ask.

As Sen-hime and Chiharu-sama stepped into the high clogs that would allow them to keep their long kimonos from the worst of the dust, Saitō surprised the others by turning to Kichirō with a request:

"Would you come with me this morning, Kichirō-kun? It would be better for there to be two of us to escort the princess and your sister. Also, I understand that Chiharu-sama is under your protection while she is in Kyoto."

Kichirō looked a little startled, as did Chiharu, but Chizuru smiled warmly and Amagiri nodded approvingly. Kimigiku continued to frown, but said nothing.

"I think that's an excellent plan," said Sen, who had considered the idea earlier but given it up in the face of the principals' continued wariness. She wondered why Saitō-san had changed his mind, and decided that he must be doing it to please Chizuru. For the third or fourth time that morning she had to banish laughing amber eyes from her mind; resolutely, she focussed her considerable energy on planning for the meeting ahead.

With an attention to rank that commended itself to Amagiri and Kimigiku, Saitō assisted Sen-hime to descend the shallow stairs to the front garden path. Those who didn't know him well found his parting from his new bride rather lacking—just a few murmured words—but only Kichirō didn't immediately suspect that a much warmer exchange had taken place out of the sight of prying eyes.

When they reached the road, they found Sen-hime's manservant waiting with two chairs for the ladies. Sen-hime had already explained to her guests that they would take the chairs across the south end of Kyoto and then leave them, ostensibly to pay a visit on a friend, but actually to take the forest path into the village of Yase.

"The path cannot be used by those who do not have permission to enter the heart of my domain," Sen had told them. "Fortunately, I am the one who grants and revokes the permission. To be honest, most Oni are granted permission as soon as they are presented to the Princess of the Oni, and it's rarely revoked. We'll send a note to my uncle, to let him know that we'll have lunch with him at mid-day, and then we'll go straight to the Yukishima estate, which borders the southeastern boundary of the village."

They reached the house of the "friend", who turned out to be another part-Oni servant of Sen-hime's, and the carriages were dismissed. The servant, an older woman who had been with Sen-hime when she was a child, bowed deeply to the princess and almost as deeply to Kazama-sama and Kazama Chiharu-sama. Saitō-san was introduced as an acquaintance of Amagiri-san's and accorded a polite bow, which Saitō returned. He looked very much like the warrior that he was, and the woman concluded that he was some favoured part-Oni protegée travelling with Kichirō-sama and Chiharu-sama, although the hair reminded her more of the Shiranui.

Saitō and Kichirō had not spoken much as they had walked through Kyoto. This was partly because Saitō was keeping an uneasy eye on their surroundings, while Kichirō was staring around in interest at all the people, and partly because even Kichirō was responsible enough to watch over his sister's conveyance as they walked, which put him at some distance from the intimidating Shinsengumi captain.

Once in the forest, however, Kichirō became less interested in his surroundings, and less worried about his sister. Saitō, of course, was just as cautious as before, but when Sen-hime took her cousin's arm and gave Saitō a meaningful look, he dropped back behind the two women to speak with Kichirō. He had been instructed by Chizuru to be nice to the boy, to make up for almost strangling him. When he explained that of course he had planned to resolve things appropriately, she had laughed at him. He still wasn't sure why.

It was Kichirō who opened the conversation. Something had been bothering him throughout most of the trip. Specifically, he had noticed that Saitō carried his swords on his right hip, not his left like most warriors.

"Ah… Saitō-sama?" he said diffidently, taking Saitō's willingness to walk beside him as an invitation to speak.

"Yes?"

"Do you usually fight left-handed?"

"Aa."

This was not a promising response, but Kichirō was intrigued.

"Hijikata-san told me that he trains all of his captains to know how to face left-handed opponents."

Saitō was caught off-guard, although his expression didn't waver. After a moment's cogitation, he said:

"Did you attempt to fight left-handed against the Vice Commander?"

The boy's patent embarrassment answered the question for him. Saitō eyed him rather grimly.

"He agreed to a match with you and you chose not to use your full skill?" Somehow, the uninflected statement conveyed disapproval.

"It was… a mistake," muttered Kichirō. "I have apologized to Hijikata-san."

Saitō sensed that he was not accomplishing what his wife had intended. He wished that he could explain to her how difficult it was not to hate Kichirō-kun on looks alone, but the truth was that he disliked the reaction himself—it represented an illogical and exploitable weakness.

"It was not my intent to criticize, Kichirō-kun. The Vice Commander does not need me to speak for him." Except with Sōji, Saitō added to himself, and even then it is not really worth it.

Just for a moment, Saitō wished that he were back in the compound practising with Sōji. The other man was abrasive and often annoying, but Saitō had rarely let it bother him. He valued Sōji's skill and knew that the respect was returned. Until quite recently they had been evenly matched, although Saitō had won most of their bouts simply because he so rarely lost focus. The other man was outstanding against real enemies, however, and was perhaps the more truly gifted swordsman. It was difficult to say. Saitō lacked Sōji killing instinct; Sōji lacked Saitō's detachment. Together, they had never been beaten.

Kichirō drew Saitō away from his thoughts.

"Hijikata-san is an exceptional swordsman, isn't he?"

"Yes," agreed Saitō, "but he is even more powerful in battle than he is in practice. In the Shinsengumi, it is more important to win, and to stay alive, than it is to observe every form of a particular ryu."

"Are all the captains of the Shinsengumi great swordsmen like Hijikata-san?" Kichirō asked, his curiosity overcoming good manners. "I mean, other than Harada-san, since he uses a spear."

Saitō reflected on the question.

"Most of the captains are outstanding swordsmen," he said at last. Then, in an effort to steer the conversation toward something more neutral—and more intrinsically interesting—than an assessment of capabilities of the Shinsengumi officers, he asked: "Do you like swords?"

Apparently, he had finally found the right question. As they walked rather slowly in the wake of the two elegant ladies ahead of them, Saitō was at first surprised and then gratified to discover somebody who might appreciate swords as much as he did, or Sōji did. Hijikata-san appreciated swords, of course, but he rarely had time to discuss them.

Saitō listened with interest as Kichirō-kun expounded on various smiths, techniques, and schools, ancient, old and new. The boy found Saitō's questions and comments so apt that he eventually forgot some of his dignity and entered into a debate about the probable origin of an especially famous blade with such ardour that Chiharu-sama turned around to make sure that he wasn't offending or boring Saitō. The look of concern on his sister's face made Kichirō recollect himself, but before he could become flustered, Sen-hime also stopped, saying:

"Don't worry, Haru-chan. From what I've heard, Saitō-san is rather enthusiastic about swords." The princess smiled at Saitō, who could only bow politely and agree.

It suddenly occurred to Saitō to worry about what Harada might have told Sen-hime about him. Within the Shinsengumi, the spearman had been known to joke that Saitō could ignore sake, entertainment, fine food and even finer women without a blink, but could be reduced to near-imbecility by some ancient piece of tortured metal.

"I am interested in swords," he said calmly to Kichirō. "And it seems that you must have had either good teachers or excellent books to know so much about them."

Kichirō-kun shot his sister a triumphant look, but he acquiesced to Saitō's suggestion that they wait to finish their discussion until after the princess and Lady Chiharu had been seen indoors. Saitō felt that Chizuru and Hijikata-san with be pleased with how he had handled things, and turned his full attention back to his surroundings.

The village palisade came into view shortly afterward. Sen-hime had seen it many times before, of course, and her cousins had been there at least two or three times, but Saitō found it disconcerting to find an entire village so close to Kyoto—practically on its outskirts—that he knew nothing about. There were no guards at the gate, but Sen-hime looked all of her guests over with care before they entered. She paid particular attention to Saitō, but appeared to be satisfied with what she saw.

"Haru-chan, what do you think?"

Chiharu-sama also scrutinized Saitō, which he found very unlike her usual polite, refined behaviour.

"Sumimasen deshita, Saitō-sama," Chiharu said after a moment. "Either Osen-chan or I should have explained what we were doing." The quick look she gave her younger cousin suggested that she knew perfectly well who to blame for the oversight.

"Oh well, Haru-chan," Sen said airily, "Saitō-san is used to it I expect. Kimigiku tells me that he is quite admired by certain young ladies in town, although he is a heartbreaker and has never taken the slightest hint offered."

Saitō waited for one of them to explain their actions. He had been a little embarrassed, until he had realized that Sen-hime was nervous. That was reasonable, he allowed. She was going into battle with an unknown but possibly formidable foe.

"Osen-chan told me that your aura wouldn't give you away to any spies or just general busybodies we run into. On the whole, I believe that she is correct. You have nowhere near the presence that I've seen recently. Kichirō could do well to learn that trick."

Saitō reflected to himself that it seemed highly unlikely that any male Kazama could or would avoid manifesting a powerful aura. Of course, he preferred not to think about the Kazama as a clan; it made it difficult to maintain his tranquil aura and mask his presence.

"Let us go, then. We will give you up to an hour inside the estate, and then come to the door to fetch you if you haven't left already. If we are unable to locate you easily, Kichirō will fetch Kimigiku."

Sen-hime looked a little taken aback by Saitō's serious expression, but Chiharu nodded. Kichirō looked upset.

"What if you need me to help you, Saitou-sama?" he asked, a little icily.

"There is nobody else to send for assistance who can move quickly enough," the indigo-haired captain replied calmly. "And I believe that I am currently better equipped to survive until help arrives than you are."

Kichirō hesitated, for the first time clearly worried about his sister. He didn't even know why he was worried about her, but he trusted his instincts and the strange dynamics he'd been feeling.

Saitō broke the silence a few seconds later.

"There is an easy way to resolve this," he said, eyes scanning for a location with a little more space. "Kichirō-kun has a duty to protect his sister, and Sen-hime, and he has never faced me. His concern is logical. If he is stronger than I am, then I should be the one to fetch assistance in the case of emergency."

"You're going to fight?" demanded Sen.

"Of course," murmured Chiharu, who was beginning to get a better sense for Saitō's way of thinking. "It really is perfectly logical, Osen-chan."

Kichirō looked suddenly very uncertain. In Oni politics one never challenged an accepted clan head to a fight. It was considered very, very bad manners and was usually fatal, according to the records. On the other hand, Saitō-sama appeared to be quite unemotional about it.

"I suggest a fight to first blood or first disarm," noted Saitō, waiting for Kichirō to join him.

"Ah, Saitō-san," said Sen, recovering from her surprise. "You should know that among our people, a challenge to a clan lord's ability is considered very serious. I assume that you do not intend any actual harm to Kichirō?"

Saitō frowned. He had forgotten the problem of status. Among the Shinsengumi, and likely most of the ruffians in Kyoto, his name and person were known. And it was true. No mere soldier would approach a captain and demand to test his ability. It would be a terrible breach of authority.

"The mistake was mine," he said curtly. "I will not harm Kichirō. But we must know each other's skill. The test is necessary so that I know Kichirō's ability."

Sen-hime nodded decisively. "Then that's settled. Kichirō, are you ready?"

Chiharu could tell that Kichirō was not looking as confident as he usually did before a bout. He was no doubt factoring in that Sen-hime was clearly worried about him and not Saitō-sama.

"Come at me when you are ready," ordered Saitō briefly. He drew his katana and thought of when he had tested Chizuru, but he did not reverse the blade. Kichirō was fifteen, and Saitō had been fighting serious matches at that age. The boy was also a pureblood Oni trained by Kazama Chikage.

It was strange to wait for an opponent with his sword already drawn. Saitō usually favoured a one-handed quick-draw that began with the katana sheathed. Unfortunately, he truly had no idea of Kichirō's skill. Starting with his sword drawn meant a greater range of options for avoiding major injuries on either side.

Kichirō paused for a moment to steady himself and then took up an attack stance. Saitō noted that he wielded his katana one-handed, which made sense for a person with Oni strength.

"I come!" called the boy, obviously determined to do nothing underhanded.

He moved with flashing speed, sure-footed and strong, nerves forgotten in the joy of his favourite activity. Heisuke or Sōji would understand that grin, thought Saitō, discovering that he did have a little time to gauge this opponent. He loves this. Saitō avoided the quick lunge, seeking to preserve his blade. He waited patiently for an opening, making sure to keep moving, and staying on the defensive. Whenever he had to parry Kichirō's blade away, he avoided catching the blows against the edge of his katana, because of the strength behind the boy's swings.

Once Saitō had evaluated Kichirō's ability—very good to excellent—he side-stepped yet another blow, but this time his blade traced a thin line of red across the side of the boy's neck. A little shocked by how suddenly the fight had ended, but very well trained, Kichirō lowered his weapon, conceding. The cut closed immediately.

There was a moment of silence. Then Kichirō and Saitō bowed to each other, and Kichirō took a deep breath.

"Saitō-sama," he said earnestly. "Hijikata-san said that if I truly wished to improve, then I should train with you. I should not have questioned his advice. If you have any time while we are in Kyoto, I would be very grateful if you would teach me."

He bowed again, his long blond hair brilliant in the sunlight. Saitō just stared at him, completely taken aback. Hijikata-san would know what to say, he thought, a little wildly. Fortunately, good manners came to his rescue.

"If there is time, then I would be pleased to train with you, Kichirō-kun," he said at last. He turned to Sen-hime and Chiharu-sama. The former seemed to be evaluating the latter's reaction. That was understandable, given what he understood of the political and cultural differences between the two factions. However, it was time to move on.

"Are we ready to go now?" asked Sen in friendly tones, as if two of her party had not just been fighting each other at superhuman speeds. She looked satisfied with whatever she'd read into her cousin's expression and thoughtful silence.

"Yes, Princess," acknowledged Saitō. "Please lead on."

Without further ado, and in the profound hope that nobody else had witnessed Saitō's second duel as an Oni, Sen led them into the Oni village of Yase, the original home of Suzuka Gozen, First Lady of Yase and Kyoto.

[END]

A/Note: See you all again soon I hope! Reviews and comments are always most welcome. Thank you for reading!

Note 2: As there has been some concern about Kimigiku's implied activities, I'd like to reassure readers that I rarely write characters OOC without a reason. Stay tuned!