The Gion Festival came quickly that year. Tomoe was already there for almost a month. Miryu and Kenshin had already adjusted well to her strange bearing and expressions, although there were a few times when Battousai lost his head and freaked on her…
Still, after the assignment on Tsubasa Hanako, Miryu began declaring herself openly to her victims, letting them cower in fear when they thought that she was the ghost of her mother before she slashed them into pieces using the Ku-Zu-Ryu-Sen technique.
"Looks like Battouryu is stepping out of Battousai's shadow" the ones among the Ishin-Ishishi said when they heard about the sudden change in Miryu's tactics. The unlucky ones that she overhead them saying these words, that is. All of them received death-glares from her, which gave them traumatic nightmares every night on end.
"Miryu, is anything wrong?" Tomoe asked when she saw the girl looking only at her Sake cup. She was always eagerly downing the rice-wine, but now, she did not touch even the first cup. Her sapphire eyes appeared to be filled with a hesitant and confused expression that did not exist in them, until that day.
"Nothing, Tomoe one-san" Miryu answered, reverting to her usual, chirpy smile, her sapphire eyes shimmering in their usual, playful light. "I just spaced out, that's all. The assignments are being harder to deal with now, if you know what I mean" Damn that Tsubasa Hanako, why did she have to reveal everything the hard way? She asked herself angrily, why can't she just leave me alone?
Tomoe still did not buy it. But, her suspicions were cut short when Kenshin joined them. "I thought I told you ladies not to wait for me" he said, as he saw only Sake between the two of them. Still, he could not decide whether he hated or loved Tomoe. Her company was intoxicating to him, although he did not know in what way it was.
"We did not" Miryu answered as a waiter brought their ramen to their table. There was even a bowl for Kenshin. "We ordered for you"
Kenshin just shrugged off Miryu's answer. She could be so literal at times, and headstrong, and sarcastic too. Come to think of it, she was exactly like their Shishou albeit in appearance, age, gender and the tendency to call him an idiot, but that may come in the future.
After their meal, aid by Miryu, Kenshin bought them another round of Sake. By then, the crowds of spectators were already gathering before the restaurant, all waiting of the Gion Festival celebrations to start.
Tomoe saw their katana at their sides, as if always preparing for an attack. She knew that they might kill her if she asked the question that she was about to ask… but she had to. "Do you both still intend to keep on killing like this?"
"We kill to pave a new way for a new age where everyone is born equal" Miryu said, "Where women and men have the same rights, where one can be born as a son of a farmer and has the ability to rise to a high-ranking position in the government respected by only his wisdom and intelligence to gain such a position"
"Likewise, we fight to protect those weaker than others. But, before peace can come, war must arrive first" Kenshin added. "In conclusion, we fight for peace and democracy, no more, no less"
"Then what about all those lives you took?" Tomoe asked, in slight anger that the two teenaged hitokiri did not understand her point. "They also had their own families to protect and love, if you killed them, will their efforts not be in vain?"
"Only fools who seek to oppress those weaker than them should die, this is Miryu and I believe in Tenchu. Their deeds will not go unpunished"
"So you seek to judge one's right to live? Is this Tenchu?"
Miryu was silent. She did not want to talk about her beliefs about the war and her vengeance towards the Bakufu. Then, a terribly suffocating silence ensued, which made Miryu tense in expression.
"The two of you, follow me!" Iizuka exclaimed when he opened the shoji door that lead to the room where the three-some were having their meal.
"What happened, Iizuka-san?" Miryu asked, quickly grabbing her katana.
"Katsura-san is in danger!"
"Which way?" Kenshin asked, subconsciously taking hold of Tomoe's hand as well.
"Kanarachi Sanjo" he replied, "In the Ikeda House. The Shinsen-Gumi will be there, be careful"