"Shishio has an ironclad ship that may be headed for Tokyo." Saito crushed the butt of his cigarette into the dirt.
Kenshin's first thought was to stop the ship from attacking; the government must not fall to an assassin. "I'll be back in a few minutes, do you have a carriage?"
"It will be ready by the time you get back."
Kenshin ran to the Aoi-Ya knowing that Okina wouldn't have to be told what to do.
"We didn't know about his ironclad, the Rengoku, until early this morning. Do you know what he's planning to do with it?"
"Attack Tokyo."
"Repeating history. I suggest you take Shirojo with you down river past Suita."
"Great idea, Gramps! The submersible will be able to intercept the ship! We can take care of Kyoto, no problem. Shishio's Ten Swords along with any other minions he sends will fail. The problem with repeating history is assuming the same ending will happen again. The Oniwabanshu will ensure a different outcome! If my beloved Aoshi is in the delta area then this whole mess with Shishio will be over in no time! I hope he shows up soon." She ran off to send more messages to Toyonaka, Suita and Otsu.
"It is an honor to work with you, sir."
"There's a carriage waiting at the police station." Kenshin took off at a pace that left the young ninja hard pressed to keep up. He gave the driver their destination while Shirojo informed Saito of their altered plans "We're headed downriver past Suita to intercept the ironclad in a submersible, Lieutenant."
Once the carriage passed the busiest streets, the driver snapped the reigns and four horses were off at a full gallop. They had a lot of ground to cover before sunset and Saito was scowling at the possibility that they may be too late. "Won't the Oniwabanshu need you in Kyoto?"
"No sir, I'm to pilot the watercraft so the three of you can board the ship, we've already begun making some preparations for Shishio Mokoto's Ten Swords."
Shishio ordered his ship into the mouth of the river. Yumi held his arm watching the sunset while he faced Kyoto. Setting fire to the city was his personal vengeance; she was only interested in seeing the current government fall.
The whole city will be ablaze by midnight and he gripped a telescope in his other hand so he won't miss the expected orange glow signaling the time to weigh anchor and head for Tokyo. In less than twenty-four hours his vision for Japan will replace ineffectual imperial rule.
The Oniwabanshu's watercraft was waiting for them by the docks. Saito and Kenshin spotted the steam from Shishio's ironclad farther downriver as they climbed into the submersible. Shirojo had no trouble getting them to the ship without being noticed just under the water's surface. Saito and Kenshin climbed up a maintenance access ladder.
Sano grabbed the bottom rung with his left hand when a thought occurred to him. Futae No Kiwami, a rapid double punch technique broke rocks and the bars on his cell so he wondered what it would do to a ship. He stretched as far to the right as possible striking the side of Rengoku at the water line. Anji taught him that trick, but didn't say it broke more than bones and rocks. Sano didn't use the grenades that Tsunan gave him.
Kenshin and Sano put their backs to each other in between the two Armstrong cannons and the main mast, yet only a few attacked them. Most of the men dove overboard while one of Shishio's men took control of the Gatling gun. Kenshin instantly crouched looking for the quickest way to take the man's back while staying out of his line of fire.
The ship began to list dangerously by the time Kenshin rolled to the other side of the masthead. The last man saw Battosai crouched on the deck in his line of fire, abandoned the gun and dove over the rail.
Sano was a bit surprised that there weren't bodies all over the deck considering the hundreds of bullet holes from a Gatling gun. He didn't get a chance to fight anyone and began yelling in frustration at the survivors floating away.
"Shut up, idiot. His Ten Swords weren't on this ship; they've probably spent the past few hours setting fire to Kyoto."
Sano looked up into the dark although it was too far away to see if it burned or not. "Who's protecting the city?"
Shirojo heard the last bit of their conversation and recited the list "The police, the Oniwabanshu and some of the clan from Osaka. The woman that patrols the market isn't usually out this late, but I wouldn't put it past her."
"The woman the cops were talking about? Do you know her?" Sano was curious about the 'Kenjutsu Princess' and wished she would've come back to the cell block just once.
"I don't know her name, but I've seen her. She has a thick ponytail halfway down her back, blue eyes and she wields a shinai better than most men."
Kenshin cursed.
"Sae! I'm so glad you're alright! Most of the stores and restaurants are still closed, weren't you up half the night to make sure no one set fire to your restaurant? We found a fire and I was attacked by one of Shishio's men, sorry we couldn't make it all the way over here to check your place. We saw a woman and a kid who were also out on patrol and they had taken a looter to the police station which is kinda why we're here. This is Himura Kenshin and that's Sagara Sanosuke and they're looking for the two that we saw last night. So, have you seen a blue-eyed woman who normally wears boy's clothes with her hair in a tail that goes half way down her back? Shojiro said she's been patrolling the market in the evenings, but I was hoping you'd know where to find her now."
Sae giggled "It's been a week since I've seen you Misao and I was beginning to miss you." Sae nodded a greeting to the men. "If you're looking for Kaoru, she's around back washing the blood out of her clothes."
Kenshin stalked toward the door murmuring "Excuse me," as an afterthought. He stopped short when he saw her squatting in front of a bucket wearing a threadbare Yukata. Kaoru's hair was loose and still a little damp from a resent bath. Her wide-eyed surprise quickly became a delighted grin and she rose to greet him trying to close the top of her sleeping yukata a little more.
"Kenshin!"
Her grin faltered when he didn't move or even greet her. Why was he looking at her chest and shoulders? Couldn't he tell she wasn't hurt?
"Are you angry with me?"
"You ought to have stayed in Tokyo."
"This is my only chance to do something important, to make a difference using my father's sword style." She was rather proud of herself for finding a way to become stronger while protecting women and children.
"You have to come here to do that?" He snatched the bloodstained gi out of her hands to emphasize his point.
"Tokyo isn't under attack."
"It could have been."
Kenshin squatted in front of the bucket of soapy water to watch her from a better angle while she hung a kimono on one of the bamboo poles; her movements didn't seem to be hindered by an injury and she wasn't wrapped in bandages. He began scrubbing the blood out of her gi. The cloth strips she used to bind her torso were almost clean when a random memory hit.
Kaoru's wrists were bound in front of her as she sat in a very small shrine. She didn't say anything even though she wasn't gagged. Kurogasa took a drag from his cigarette and said she was under his Shin-no-Ippo with her lungs frozen and only had about two more minutes to live. Kenshin attacked with no success so he dropped into his battojutsu stance. Kaoru didn't find the will to break free of Kurogasa's Shin-no-Ippo until Kenshin raised his sword to take the man's head.
She wasn't breathing before she yelled…not until the reversed blade was flipped for a death blow. If he'd kept the sharp edge on the wrong side…the stupid woman suffocating to death with no will to fight for her life. No, not her! But to keep him from murdering an enemy…she freed herself in a heartbeat for that!
"I didn't think you were speaking from personal experience when you said you didn't have to be between me and my enemy to be killed."
"Don't be stupid. Wait, are you getting your memories back?"
"Three battles, they seem to define our relationship."
Until then Kaoru had hoped that Kenshin would eventually get his memories back and everything would be the way it was. To her their relationship – friendship – was defined by trips to the market, meals, laundry, sunsets... Of course Battosai would define their relationship by fights.
"Which fights do you remember?"
"You drew the attention of corrupt police officers away from me and yelled unneeded warnings in front of a crowd then you stood between Yahiko and a Yakuza swordsman with only the handle of a shinai. Now you were tied up in a small shrine yet broke Udo Jin-E's Shin-no-Ippo just to keep me from killing him." Kenshin lowered his voice "I take it you don't like these memories."
Kaoru dropped her eyes to the side, "No, they're not my favorites."
Kenshin watched her go inside confused by her response. To him they represented her staunch loyalty and bravery. So why did she leave instead of challenging him again or at least telling him what they meant to her?
He concentrated on his duel with Udo Jin-E as he rinsed her gi and binding. The fragment of memory expanded until he remembered laughing as he ran from Kaoru, keeping just out of her reach while she berated him for ruining her favorite ribbon. Was that really him? Is that the sound of his laugher? Were these memories of Kaoru the most important to him or the most recent?
Ripping paper caught his attention as Kenshin headed toward the Shirobeko's dining hall. Sano's serious tone made him pause by the doorway.
"Do you want him seeing this?"
"The Kenshingumi is back together so the poster isn't needed anymore, besides her drawing sucks."
Kenshingumi? Team Kenshin? When and how did that foolishness happen? He wasn't going to ask them.
Sano and Misao were sitting at one of the dining tables close to the door listening to Yahiko. "Too bad you guys weren't here last night when Shishio's men were trying to set fire to the city. We patrolled the neighborhood and market looking for arsonists, but only found a looter and some guy that was beat up."
"Anyway it's over now." Sano took a fish bone off his plate and began chewing on the head.
"Shishio is still a threat." Misao hit her palm with a fist to make her point. "He's hired the strongest swordsmen he could find and taken over whole villages. He massacres all who oppose him; everyone will live in fear of their own shadow as long as he lives."
"His Ten Swords failed to raze Kyoto so they're defeated." Yahiko didn't want to believe Misao.
"Shishio will not stop until he's dead." Kenshin sounded grim.
Sano leaned forward "You have a way of reasoning with people."
"No, I've only tried to reason with one man. I speak with my blade."
"Good thing it's a sakabato." Kaoru approached Kenshin "I'm sorry for my behavior earlier; I forgot how difficult this must be for you."
Misao was amazed at this woman who showed up out of nowhere and spoke to a sullen Battosai like they were friends. She looked from the surly red-head to her…blue eyes. It was the woman they were looking for! Misao grinned and insisted that they all stay at the Aoi-Ya.
Yahiko was just as enthusiastic about staying with the group of ninjas that they saw last night; he ran off to pack his clothes before Kaoru answered yes.
Their whispered conversation on the way to the Aoi-Ya was confined to events of the past three weeks; nothing more difficult than Kaoru's ferry ride with Yahiko or more taxing than Kenshin sharing a campfire with Misao. She told him about the petty thief at the market, not the armed looter. He let her know about his training with Hiko instead of a double hanging in Shingetsu that left a boy orphaned.
He wanted to ask a few other questions, although not with everyone else around. As soon as Kaoru entered her room Kenshin thanked Misao for inviting Kaoru and Yahiko while practically closing the door on her. Kaoru was a little startled by his behavior, but didn't protest when he led her to the farthest corner of the room.
"Why did Sano and Yahiko act like that?"
"We normally either walk side by side or you walk behind me."
"Side by side?" No way would he ever walk behind a woman.
"Only if we're talking or if you want to put a hand on my shoulder to keep from getting separated in a crowd."
"What is Kenshingumi?"
"That's Yahiko's term for those who fight by your side."
"Sano and Yahiko?"
"Please don't say it like that Kenshin. Yahiko admires your strength and skill; he was so proud when you let him go with you and Sano to rescue Megumi."
"I'm no one to be admired."
"The Kenshin we know is greatly respected by a number of people."
A woman knocked on the door "Sorry for the interruption, but there's a message from Saito for you, Battosai-san. Okina also wants to speak with you if you care to join us for dinner."
Shishio's lair was the six-gated shrine on Mount Hiei that Kenshin, Saito and Sano were going to attack just before midnight.
Kenshin and Okina expected Shishio to send all or some of his Swords to attack the city again like he did last night. Kurojo, the largest of the Oniwabanshu, had joined Shishio's ranks as a spy until their leader Shinomori Aoshi, allied himself with their enemy. He let them know that the Okashira was a traitor and that Shishio's lair was well defended with traps.
Misao looked stricken and ran toward the Okashira's office. Omime and Masugami followed close behind to keep her from doing something rash. Okina didn't look thrilled by the news either.
"Kenshin, you fought Aoshi five months ago and challenged him to a rematch. He wants your title as most powerful for the comrades who died protecting him."
"He knows your style and favorite moves. Aoshi knocked you down with a kodachi sword."
Okina and Yahiko described Aoshi's double kodachi and the strengths and weakness of his 'dance of the wheeling sword'. Yahiko told him which moves he used to defeat him then Okina covered his martial art skills.
"Misao came back dressed in the Okashira uniform and sat with Kaoru. "I am Okashira now to replace that traitor." She pounded her chest with a fist "If Aoshi attacks show no mercy, he chose to be our enemy." Her words were strong, but Misao's face showed her heartbreak. Her spirit was gone.
"I won't kill him."
Kaoru was grinning from ear to ear as she put an arm around the new self-proclaimed Okashira. "It will be alright, you'll see."
Later Kaoru passed Kenshin in the hallway. "Dr. Takani Shitago gave this ointment to me while I was at his clinic; it stops bleeding so you may need it. Thank you for not killing Aoshi-san."
Kaoru turned away to yell at Yahiko who needed rest before his turn at guard duty. Kenshin wasn't surprised by the rude response or the brief clash of wood on bamboo that followed. Nor was he surprised when a sullen Yahiko headed for the stairs with a large bump on his head. He heard that the boy's shinai had once protected Tsubame from a group of armed thugs and Kenshin wished he could have seen that since the boy's shinai didn't protect him from Kaoru very well.
The only part Mokoto allowed Yumi to play in this battle was to guide the three men through the convoluted maze of traps built to keep their enemies out. So Yumi was pacing back and forth missing the sunset to make sure that their enemies got to Mokoto safe and sound. He didn't let her participate in his battles unless the job was safe. She didn't want to be safe, she wanted to be useful! By the time Saito, Kenshin and Sano showed up she was irritated with her assignment and frustrated at how to change it.
"I've led you passed the traps designed to kill and you cannot go back the way you came. That being understood, I'll let you in on a little secret." She knew Mokoto wanted to make this announcement himself, so Yumi decided it was the best way to get back at him for not letting her really help. "You will only fight against Anji, Usui and Sojiro. Henya, Kamatari, Iwanbo, Saizuchi and Fuji are all in Kyoto preparing to attack your friends at the Aoi-Ya.
Sano didn't hesitate to throw a grenade toward the last bridge they crossed. Everyone ducked as bits of wood, smoldering pieces of rope and shrapnel flew by overhead. Saito let the idiotic rooster-head know exactly what he thought of him and his parents.
"Hey, I just made an exit. Now we can go back."
"Sano, we're not going back to the Aoi-Ya."
"What about the Oniwabanshu and the little Miss?"
"We have to defeat Shishio and they can take care of themselves."
"Are you sure about this?"
"Are you going to tell her that we let Shishio go because she can't defend herself?"
"I just wasted a grenade, didn't I?"
"You're an idiot."