It's quite possible that Kaoru is still in danger, but nothing is definite. I couldn't be sure. Besides, we had agreed that I would trust her to take care of herself when the necessity arose. I shouldn't panic like this.
Oh but panicked I am. Saitoh's and Daisuke's words rang in my brain like a death knell. I could not ignore it. Someone is still out there who could do Kaoru harm. Her and Kyosuke, not that he matters as much to me as Kaoru does, not by a long shot, but dammit! He should be here, affording my Kaoru some kind of protection, however pathetic his help has been on several occasions.
I shouldn't have left her alone. I should have insisted that she come with me.
Oh calm down, Himura. She'll be fine.
Of course she'll be fine.
Finding out that Fukushima Banshio is still alive and well in spite of the fact that I thought he had been burnt to bits…what, is that supposed to be a good thing?!?!
This is not good, not good at all.
I just knew Banshio couldn't be trusted. I had a feeling that something was amiss that day we thought he was killed. Something was not right with him and I am mortally afraid that we will pay for my negligence. But how was I to know that he would come back from the dead? Who in their right mind would stage their own death, anyway?
Oh but that's the problem, isn't it? He might not be in his right mind. He might be an absolute loon, running around Japan, killing people.
Saitoh admitted he was guilty of the murders. He said he would plead guilty before the tribunal. He said he wanted to go out with a bang.
Did Saitoh somehow manipulate Banshio to finish the job should he fail to finish the rest of the Shikeigai off? Saitoh managed to do it with Ikue, why not another lunatic? Three lunatics in Edo?!?! What is this world coming to?
To top it all off, I'm having doubts about Saitoh's involvement in this case. Maybe he didn't do it after all…maybe…
But Saitoh said he was guilty!
Saitoh said…Saitoh said!
What did he say?
He said he was going to plead guilty. He said he'll go down for the murder of the Shikeigai "brats". He said he hated them and that they were traitors. He said…he'd rather be marked as a murderer of the Shikeigai than declared incompetent by the state…but he didn't say he killed them, did he? He didn't say he did it. He just said he'd declare he was guilty…
Oh my God, what is this? What is going on?
Rushing back to the dojo, my thoughts were in complete disarray.
I need to see Kaoru. I need to know she's safe.
Reaching the dojo in record time, I hurriedly stepped through the gate and I called out that I was home.
No one answered.
Thus began my frantic search.
Moving fast, I went through the entire house, and when I found no one, I went straight to the dojo.
Nothing.
Gathering my bearings, I searched my mind for remnants of our conversation this morning. Errands, she said. Things she had to do. And I had asked her to get the healing salve.
The clinic. I have to go to the clinic.
She could be there, if not then I could check Tae's.
Kaoru will be fine. Nothing bad has happened.
God, please let Kaoru be alright.
No one expects me to shadow Kaoru's every move, least of all her. It would even be fair to say that she will admonish me for being so over-protective.
So, why do I have this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach? Why this urgency to find her? Is this really the instinct I had honed through my years of experience, or am I just over-reacting?
"Is Kaoru here?" Were my first words when I arrived at the clinic.
"Ken-san!" Megumi exclaimed brightly when she saw me. "And how are you today? Have you come to see me?"
"Megumi-dono," I said patiently. "Forgive me, but this is important. Is Kaoru here?"
Her smile dwindled as she raised an eyebrow. "Kaoru was here about fifteen minutes ago. Why, is there something wrong?"
"Did she say where she was going?" I asked.
Megumi was now beginning to frown. "She said she was going straight home from here. She should be in the dojo by now."
She should, but she isn't.
It was quite possible that she had taken a detour and gone to Tae's. I should go to the Akebeko, just to check…just to make sure.
I must calm down. Nothing has happened to her.
Assuring Megumi that everything is fine, I thanked her and gave her a respectful bow before heading out of the clinic.
Just before I made my way to the crowded streets, an object on the ground caught my eye, and my heart gave a thump. With growing dread, I reached down, recognizing it the moment I saw the painted raccoon on the side of it. It was our jar of healing salve.
I took a deep breath to steady my nerves.
She could have dropped it by accident. It means nothing, really. She could have…
"Care for a round, young man?" Came a voice from not very far away.
I looked up and saw an old timer, sitting on a bench with a Go board in front of him. He had no opponent.
Distracted, I rose to full height. "I-I'm sorry, but I cannot right now…"
"Oh, but that jar isn't yours," said the old man with disapproval. "That belongs to the young lady who was going to humor this old man for a game of Go."
I stared at him for a moment.
It will not hurt to ask. I just have to make sure…
"You saw the woman who owns this?" I inquired.
"We were going to play a round," he said nodding, disappointment glazing his aged eyes. "That young lady was going to humor an old man and play Go with me."
He was definitely talking about Kaoru. For some reason, my stomach tightened at the strain in the man's wrinkled face.
"Grandfather, did you see where she was headed?" I asked him as calmly as I could.
"Said she was going to be in the clinic for a few minutes, and then right back out to humor this old man," he said. "But someone stopped her. Took her. Maybe he didn't want her to play Go."
I think I stopped breathing. "Who took her? Did you see his face? Did you--?"
"She called him Banshio," the old timer continued. "It didn't seem like she wanted to go with him."
Banshio. No…oh God.
"Where did they go? Can you point me in the direction they took?" The calm was gone, replaced by a raging fear that quickly sent my battle senses rising to the surface. "Please, it is of utmost importance…"
The old man raised his finger and pointed down one direction of the street. "Right about there. If you see her, can you tell her--"
"I will, grandfather. Thank you," I said hurriedly, taking the path he had directed me to.
I was about to take off in a run, uncertainty still bounding high when I heard a voice calling frantically from behind me.
It was Sano, but I barely stopped to wait for him. All I could think of was Kaoru, in the hands of yet another madman.
"Kenshin! Hey! Wait up!" Sano cried, catching up with me in a state of great flurry.
"Sano, I have no time for this," I told him, pushing through the crowd. "Kaoru's been--"
"News from the Oniwabanshu," he insisted on continuing. "And damn, Kenshin! You'll never believe what they found out…"
He held my arm firmly in his grip.
"Sano!" I yelled, trying to get away. "Let me go!"
Why is he keeping me like this? What could be so important that he is holding me captive?
He shoved a piece of paper in my face. "Read it," he ordered me.
I took the paper, just to get the whole thing over with.
"Sano, Kaoru has been kidnapped by Banshio," I told him with a growl.
"What? But the guy's dead!" He exclaimed.
"Or so we thought," I said, letting my eyes rove over the Oniwabanshu's report. "He took…" And my voice dwindled.
"Why the hell would he kidnap her? Shit, it doesn't matter! We gotta go find her!"
His rants were lost on me as soon as I read the contents of the paper.
When the words sank into my system, everything just suddenly came apart at the seams. All the certainty I've began to foster in the past twenty-four hours has crumbled to nothingness.
And suddenly, nothing made any sense any more.
THE SPY
Banshio unceremoniously threw me to the ground and I yelped as I skidded full-bodied on the gravel and soil.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I growled, scrambling to my feet to get away from him. "Why have you brought me here?" I demanded.
Well duh! To kill me, that's what!
Isolated riverbank, with the roar of the water loud enough to drown out a scream…if I do not put up a fight, he'd very cleanly succeed.
He glared at me, pulling out a sword. "By God! You very well deserve to die!"
Shit! Could he get any plainer than that?
My body demanded to be defended, and slowly, I began to take a familiar stance, positioning for the deadly dance that I constantly prayed would never have to be used. My kimono hampered me, but it hardly matters. All I needed were my hands.
"Go ahead," Banshio sneered, walking around me. "Use the Cat's Paw. See if I care. But you're done for. You hear me, Kamiya? It ain't gonna work. I'm ready for you."
"You're ready for nothing," I told him, my eyes following his figure.
"Tell me something Kaoru," Banshio said, drawing a line on the ground with the tip of the sword. "How did it feel?"
What is he talking about? "How does what feel?"
He shrugged. "Oh, to play judge and executioner."
What--? "Quit talking in metaphors, Banshio."
Banshio smirked and tapped his temple with a finger. "You're smart. Really smart. And Saitoh too! That was a stroke of brilliance."
"Stroke of brilliance?" I enunciated, feeling an overwhelming sense of annoyance. "What are you talking about?"
He frowned and advanced towards me.
I retreated, raising my hands. "Don't come near me. I'm warning you…"
"If it was you…why did you do it, Kaoru. Why?" He suddenly demanded from me.
My ire rose, and I could barely believe that I had to explain myself to a maniac. "What? Have Saitoh hauled off to jail? He's a killer Banshio! Or maybe we haven't quite cleared out the trash yet! How much did he pay you to do this? I'd at least like to know how much my life is worth in Sen!"
Rage came over his eyes, "You really are something, Kamiya. You will see this lie to the end, won't you?"
"What lie?!" I cried. "Banshio, where is this anger coming from? Did I hurt you in the past? Did Saitoh put you up to this?"
"I've had enough," he growled, bounding towards me.
My eyes narrowed into slits as he raised his sword, and I noticed at once that he did not know how to wield it. The angle of his strike was all wrong, and unless I was further from him, it would be the hilt, not the blade that would strike me.
I tensed, ready to immobilize him with the quick touch of my hand, but he tripped…
No, he didn't trip. I realized that a second later, because as he fell unconscious at my feet, sword clattering to the ground, I saw Kyosuke standing behind him, holding a stave of heavy wood.
At a loss for words, I stared at the scene before me in shock.
Kyosuke was panting, rage glistening from his eyes. "Was he going to kill you?" He growled, staring at Banshio's prone body, his grip still tight on his makeshift weapon.
Finally, I found my powers of speech. "Kyosuke? What are you doing here? How did you get here?"
Perhaps deciding that Banshio was incapacitated for sure, he tossed away his club and looked at me, tilting his head a bit to the side. "Was he going to kill you, Kaoru?"
"Hello!" I exclaimed, feeling the usual irritation he so seamlessly brought out in me more often than naught. "What did you think he was going to do?"
Kyosuke cocked a smile at me, picking up the sword. "Good thing I got here on time. It would have been a pity…"
A pity? "Pardon me for thinking so highly of myself Kyosuke, but I'd like to think that my death would have amounted to more than 'a pity.' God! Talk about understatements!" I said with a roll of my eyes.
He stared at me in thoughtful amusement. "Yes…you do think too highly of yourself, Kao-chan."
Ouch. "Whatever, Kyosuke," I muttered. "But the fact of the matter is, I think maybe you saved my life, so thanks. What on earth possessed you to come here? Missed me already? How sweet."
Kyosuke chuckled, lifting the blade to the light as he examined it. "In a manner of speaking…I took the next train to Edo, after yours. All roads lead to Edo…"
I took a moment to process his words. Why is he…? Why is he being so strange? "Where in heck did you get the money to buy yourself a train ticket, Kyosuke? I thought you said you were broke."
"Oh," he said casually. "I blackmailed the local fishmonger. I found out he was doing his neighbor's wife…"
"What?" I asked him. He's blackmailing people now? "Just to come here to Edo?"
"I wasn't always that broke, you know," he quipped, gesturing towards me with the blade of the sword and then letting it rest on his shoulder. "I used to have gobs of money."
Eh?
"Oh, I wasn't filthy rich or anything like that," he went on chattily. "I got my dues from the Ishinshishi. You know, like the rest of us did. The so-called 'payment' for our services. And then there's the guilt money I received from Yasushige, after I got out. I'm smart. Saved it all for a rainy day. Basically living in a shit-hole pottery work-shed while I made pots to feed my sorry ass, just so I can leave the rest of my money untouched. Good thing the rest of Japan is a sucker for fancy jars because the work turned out to be pretty lucrative, thus adding to my savings and…well, I really don’t want to go into the details. I'll bore you."
I fidgeted uneasily. Kyosuke was being really, really weird. "Kyosuke, what are you--?"
"This is just a spectacular production, isn't it? Brilliant, like Banshio said. Everything went according to plan. Just a matter of manipulation…then of course there's that lucky break with Daisuke…the son of a bitch actually decided to be the one to kick Saitoh out. Could you believe it?" He said with a laugh. "I hoped he would. He's been in the DIA for…what? Years! I tell you, I killed two birds with one stone getting Ikue to dispose of Miyori."
I took a step back, my eyes widening in disbelief. Is he…is he kidding?
Kyosuke kept the silly grin on his face as he went on. "But you know, I hadn't counted on Daisuke to actually go ahead and do something like reevaluate Saitoh, that's why I made sure with the death-letters, but heck! With Daisuke raring to discredit Saitoh, it's even better than having him convicted for murder! Could you imagine the dishonor Saitoh would have to face? Now I don't even have to wait for Saitoh's execution to kill you! I can dispose of you right now, thus quite possibly acquitting Saitoh of the murders because of it, and just let him live with the disgrace of being declared incompetent by the very government he was so much against! Sheer fucking poetic justice!"
My mind was in a whirl. I am not hearing this…I am not… "You're…insane…" I whispered.
He winced, sucking his breath through his teeth. "Funny…Yasushige said the same thing when he had me committed to the loony bin."
I swallowed the lump that had lodged itself into my throat. I had to buy some time. Dammit, I need time to figure out what to do! "Why?" I asked him. "Just tell me why, Kyosuke."
He scratched his chin. "Oh, lots of reasons. Because Yasushige's a dickhead, because Taka's a moron, because Miyori's a whore, because Saitoh's a brutal bastard, because Banshio's way too smart for his own good, and because you, oh dearest Kaoru, are the biggest coward in the face of this goddamn, piss-up-my-ass, wonderful country." Then he blinked, reverting his gaze to Banshio's prone body. "Which reminds me…do you have any idea how this brainiac over here figured out my robe-present? Damn! The son of a bitch really is fucking brilliant, isn't he? Staged his own death…making it look like I actually got him with that robe I sent him…"
A bragging psycho.
Good…I think. So he has a sword. I might be able to disarm him. If only I could lure him away from Banshio…
I began to casually inch towards the direction of the wooden club Kyosuke had used earlier. "So…Kyosuke…when did you plan all this? It's pretty elaborate."
He chuckled. "Have you ever been in one of those asylums, Kaoru? They'll put you in a room full of blabbering morons for hours on end, expecting you to amuse yourself while staring at the walls. You know that saying? The idle mind is the devil's playground? Well in there, the devil had a goddamn circus! Well, with me at least. The other inmates were just too stupid to be of any use to him. But that was fortunate, because that ditz Ikue was putty in my hands. I called myself Mibu's Wolf and it just tickled the hell out of her!"
I continued to speak, distracting him from figuring out my intentions. "So did the devil make you do it, Kyosuke?"
He scowled in disgust. "Are you stupid or something? That was just a figure of speech. Goddamn, Kaoru…I swear, you're a fucking moron. A coward and a moron."
Just a little bit more… "Right…a coward and a moron…" I muttered.
"And I say freeze," he told me calmly, placing the tip of the sword on Banshio's back.
Shit!
Standing still, I took a deep breath and spoke. "Kyosuke, now just calm down…please…"
He seemed confused by my words. "But I am calm. I'm in complete control, or will you dispute that?"
I shook my head. "No. You are in complete control. So just…please don't hurt him…"
"Hurt him? My dear Kaoru. I have no intention right now of hurting him. In fact, I'm planning to make this as quick and painless as possible."
To my utter horror, he plunged the blade right into Banshio's body.
Banshio gave a jerk, and then he groaned. Kyosuke pulled out the sword and was about to plunge it right into Banshio's spine when I gave an ear-splitting yell.
"NOOOO!!!!" I cried, diving for the club and throwing it right at Kyosuke's face.
Kyosuke dodged the projectile with his arm, the hard wood connecting with his wrist. He gave an angry growl as the sword slipped from his fingers, piercing the soil just beside Banshio's head.
I jumped and threw myself right into Kyosuke's midsection, struggling to pin him to the ground.
"Bitch! I'll see you dead!" Kyosuke howled in mindless wrath as he clutched at my throat.
Dammit! Everyone is stronger than I am!
Easily, Kyosuke flipped me over and he rolled me beneath him, grunting as he tried to hold me down and apply pressure points at the same time, which was altogether impossible since I was putting up one hell of a fight.
"Hold…still!" Kyosuke growled.
"Why the hell should I do that, huh?" I yelled, pushing myself up and sinking my teeth right on his neck.
He yowled and grabbed me by the head, using his strength to slam me back down to the ground.
I didn't have time to notice the pain, but then he grabbed my wrists and pinned me, staring into my eyes with growing fury.
Dizzy from the blow to my head, I peered at him. "Why…what have I done to you?"
"You sure have a tendency to forget, Kamiya," he said through grit teeth. "It's sad that I have to let you remember!"
He yanked my hand down and I felt him clamping it to his groin.
I gasped, resisting though my efforts were in vain. "Kyosuke! What are you--?"
"Feel anything, Kaoru?" He shrieked in my face, tiny drops of spittle hitting my cheek and eyelid.
Whimpering in disgust, I shook my head.
"Exactly…do you know how it is to be castrated at the age of fourteen? When your hormones are raging and then suddenly it just practically disappears?" He cried, shouting in my ear.
It was almost deafening, but his words spiked its way through my brain like a rain of knives. That first day he came to the dojo…I had kicked him, and he did not even flinch.
Castrated…who would do such a thing to him? Who would be so monstrous…?
"Saitoh…" I whispered, my voice edged with compassion.
"You remember that day, Kaoru?" He asked me, his tone hoarse with bitterness.
No…yes…that dream…
Reading recollection in my eyes, he sneered. "Oh yes you remember it. I asked for your help, or did you refuse to hear? You left me with him and he castrated me! Miyori, that whore! She watched it happen, said I deserved it! Then she married that filthy son of a bitch Daisuke. That was her mistake."
My eyes began to moisten, and I stoutly tried to stop them from flowing. "Kyosuke…" I said. "I tried…but Saitoh…I didn't know he was going to do that to you!"
"You were afraid!"
"Yes I was!" I cried. "I had just been raped by one of his men, Kyosuke! You know that no matter how many times they do that to us, the fear and the pain never wears off! And Saitoh…he'd just then decapitated that same man before my very eyes! His own trooper! How did you think I'd react when he told me to leave or else suffer his punishment? I was afraid!" I shrieked.
"Stupid excuses!"
"I'm sorry! I tried!"
"You will die for it."
He pushed himself off me and I hurried to get to my feet, but I felt him grab a fist full of my hair and ram his knee right into my gut.
It knocked the wind right out of me, and I collapsed to the ground, coughing and rasping for breath while his grasp in my tangled locks did not loosen.
My vision swam as my eyes watered, and I stubbornly ignored the sting of my roots as I feebly tried to pull free, but I could not get away. I couldn't even reach him from where I was. All I could do was gather my breath and attempt to pry his fingers from off my hair, but it was impossible to loosen his grip.
From the corner of my eye, I saw him pluck the sword from the earth.
Okay, think Kaoru. What do you do in a situation like this?
Relatively incapacitated and as close to impending death as I have ever gotten in years.
There were only two things to do in a situation such as this. Scream, and then pray that someone will hear you. So mustering what little breath I had recovered, I took a deep gulp of air and shrieked.
THE HITOKIRI
I turned sharply at the piercing cry and frantically followed the sound, leaving Sano behind me. He probably didn't hear it. The roar of the river was too loud, but I heard her, and I knew she needed me.
Pushing through the trees and foliage, I stumbled upon a clearing.
My eyes narrowed as I pushed forward on my feet, faster than I could remember.
Kaoru…if I'm even just a second too late…
I pulled out my sword, the sleek whisper of steel against sheathe in harmony with the movements of my body.
Our swords connected with a potent clangor, throwing him several feet away from her as the sword flew off his hand. I was so fast that I skidded to a stop, my heart thudding with adrenaline.
He fell with a distinct thump, then he groaned as he clumsily tried to get back on his feet.
"You…" I growled, glaring at him from where I stood.
I was still somewhat confused, admittedly so, but my battle aura was strong, and my mixed thoughts will not hamper my focus.
There was another body nearby, bleeding, but I could make out the rise and fall of his breath.
Kyosuke stood up, eyes blazing in passion. "Nice to see you again, Himura."
Kaoru gave a labored rasp and she pushed herself off the ground. "He did it…" she coughed. "He killed them all…"
Not taking my eyes off Kyosuke, I spoke to Kaoru. "Are you alright?"
"As well as you might expect, given the situation," she replied with some effort. "He's gone psycho…"
"Now, I know I couldn't possibly compete with your sword skill, Kenshin," Kyosuke said, grunting slightly from some pain that the strike afforded him. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. "So…I'll be smart."
To my surprise, he whirled and took off in a fast run, swiping at the fallen sword while in flight. He disappeared into the growth, the rustle of leaves and the crackle of twigs at his wake.
I was about to go after him when Kaoru held me firmly by the arm.
"No! It's too dangerous for you to go alone!" She said desperately. "The Shikeigai…we were taught to utilize trees and shadows. You cannot underestimate him."
"I will not let you be the one to fight him," I told her firmly.
"I know," she replied. "That's why we're going in there together."
Sano appeared, clumsily getting through the bushes. "Damn Jou-chan! Are you alright?"
"Stay here with Banshio," Kaoru said to him, already making her way to the direction Kyosuke took. "He needs medical attention."
"God! Did he try to kill you?" Sano asked.
She paused for a moment and then shook her head. "No. I thought he was going to, but now I know he had no such intentions."
She strode off, and I followed close behind her, leaving Sano to figure it out. Explanations would have to come later. Even I did not know exactly what was going on, but I had a pretty good idea.
Cautiously, we made our way into the patch of forest, sticking close to one another as we crept along.
"Kaoru, he's out of his mind," I said in a low voice. "The Oniwabanshu reports that Yasushige had been studying medicine in Aizu when he had Kyosuke committed to Kitakata no Anshouji. It was too farfetched at first, but now…I am assuming he is the 'wolf' Ikue-dono referred to?"
She nodded sullenly. "He's been playing us all along, used us in more ways we had thought, and now he's here to finish me off."
I had not known that my dislike for Kyosuke meant more than my slight jealousies. It did not occur to me then that my ki-senses were trying to tell me something, but regrettably, I had been distracted, by several things. My raging emotions for Kaoru…the way he managed to convince me that my contempt for him was nothing more than my dislike for his perverse and boorish manners…the way he seemed so bent on helping us to solve the case…it was all a deception, cloaking the truth and disguising the obvious. How could I have been so stupid?
He should not have been able to fool me! But he did, and now I had to reap the consequences of my carelessness.
When we reached a small clearing, shadowed by a canopy of towering branches and leaves, I froze. His ki…
Where before it was so insignificant to me, it now carried importance of the greatest magnitude. I remembered all too clearly my assessment of how Kaoru, Kyosuke and Banshio's skills differed when it came to spying.
Kaoru used innocence to gain the enemy's trust, Banshio used intrigue, and Kyosuke used feigned incompetence to earn the enemy's disregard for his presence…
Old habits die hard, particularly for Banshio and Kyosuke. I still do not know what Banshio's part is in all of this, but my assessment of the two men turned out to be more correct than I'd dreamed. Even Kaoru had somehow managed to employ her technique once or twice through out the case. Once when she applied her Delilah whiles on those two guards in Yokohama and a second time with Gen-ichi, as she had related to me on the train from Aizu.
"I have both of you where I want you," came Kyosuke's voice.
Kaoru and I froze in our tracks.
"Can you feel him, Kenshin? Where is he?" She asked me in a frantic whisper.
Kyosuke emerged too quickly for me to tell her, and I shoved her forcefully aside as I raised my sword.
Metal slammed against metal, and his weapon flipped out of his grasp, the blade biting into the trunk of a tree with a dull twang.
"Look out!" Kaoru cried.
His hands! He had baited me into a trap, and I whirled to butt him with the hilt of my sakabatou. I connected, but so did he, albeit awkwardly. I felt his fingers pressing three spots just below my shoulder, and in that instant, I felt my sword arm go limp while my right leg became barely strong enough to support my weight. I stumbled against a tree. No doubt, he had been planning to fully incapacitate me, but my deflection proved well enough to have sustained me.
I could still move, and with a bit more effort, I could surely put up a good fight, but Kyosuke retreated to the trees overhead, where I could not possibly get him.
"Stay here!" Kaoru said to me, sliding the hilt of my sakabatou into my left hand as I struggled. "Protect yourself if he comes down."
"No!" I told her, knowing that very instant that Kyosuke wanted her to follow him, where I could not intervene. "He will not come down. He knows he cannot defeat me, even like this. You are safer down here with me!"
"Yes, Kenshin," she said, pulling the other sword from where it had lodged itself. "But it has to end here, right now."
She then made two slits down the sides of her kimono, freeing her legs of restraint and affording her more agility. "I could not remove the pressure points he applied. It's the kind that wears off, but we can't wait that long. He has to be caught."
"Kaoru!" I told her as sternly as I could. "No," I said, trying to order her into giving in.
"I'm sorry, but I have to," she said, placing a kiss on my cheek before she took off into the trees, nimble as a cat.
I cried after her, and attempted to follow. With one weakened leg, it was difficult, but with my other arm and hand useless, it was futile, and all I could do was lumber clumsily through the bush, listening to the rustle of leaves overhead.
THE SPY
I crouched securely on a branch and it drooped slowly under my weight. The branch dipped with a soft creak, then it settled.
Looking from side to side, I clutched the sword firmly in my hand for a ready strike.
There was a snapping of wood to the right of me and I turned at the sound, watching as the leaves rustled to make way for Kyosuke's limber figure.
He smirked at me from where he was, balancing on a bough while he clung to a bushel of leaves for support. I could see a bruise forming on his cheek where Kenshin had caught him, the swell of the injury squeezing the eye above it practically shut. "You're so predictable."
"Don't think I don't know what you're doing," I told him, irritation apparent in my voice.
He chuckled. "You think you can beat me up here, but that's the problem with all of you. You all thought of me as an idiot, which I must admit is exactly how I wanted it to be."
I raised my sword and noticed with growing annoyance for myself that it was heavy, definitely not as light as a bokken. I hope I can handle it well in spite of the weight.
He jumped and flipped as I followed the arc of his leap above my head. He tangled his legs on a tree limb above me and made for the back of my head.
I dodged and dug my sword into a trunk, giving me leverage to spring myself up so I can deliver a kick to his head. He evaded my blow with uncanny speed and he caught my foot in his hands, twisting it by the ankle. To avoid a resulting sprain, I pushed off and spun with the direction of his rotation, wrenching my foot away from his grip and planting it firmly on another bough. I kicked and snapped a heavy stalk from a tree, sending it careening in his direction.
He growled as it caught him in the face and he swung up to find new purchase.
Springing on my legs, I made my attack, aiming to paralyze him while I reached for his vital points. He blocked every blow with accurate precision, knowing my intentions perhaps even before I did. He made a lunge for me, and I soared for a bamboo stalk, swerving my body around the pole and making my feet come in contact with his midsection.
Kyosuke fell back at the force of it, but he stayed alert in each step, finding a foothold where I thought he'd lose ground.
Alighting on a perch, I steadied myself and watched him come at me through the leaves. He jumped, grabbed a hanging vine and tried to knock me off my branch. I dodged then leapt for the sword. Acting fast, I chopped at his vine.
I heard him curse as he dropped to a lower limb awkwardly.
"Damn you, you bitch!" He cried, getting to his feet and climbing to another direction.
He disappeared behind a thicket of leaves and everything went silent.
I whirled on my place, searching for him and to anticipate his next move, giving me time to realize that my heart was beating incredibly fast, whether from fearful anticipation or battle rush, I could not tell.
I stayed alert, listening for any sign of his approach.
He came at me from behind, and I only had time to protect myself.
His body slammed into me, making me drop the sword as I toppled from my perch. I reached desperately for the collar of his gi. He was not the least bit pleased by the turn of events as I brought him down with me, and as we fell, he grabbed hold of a tree limb with both of his hands.
We hung there, immobile, at least twenty feet from the ground.
He grunted as my weight put a strain on his neck. "Dammit, why don't you just die!" He said to me.
"I don't go that easily!" I hissed, pulling myself up against him.
We both swung our legs to the find a foothold and hitch ourselves up. Realizing that the first one up would have full advantage over the other, it became a mad dash. I got to the top first and I jumped to get to my sword.
He followed with a growl.
As much as I'd hate to admit it, that growl gave me an intense chill. Saitoh wasn't the only wolf in town at that moment.
The feel of the hilt in my hand only gave me momentary relief and I yanked with a mighty heave, whirling in my place to face him.
My blade halted at his neck, but to my dismay, he had his fingers at the hollow of my throat.
We both froze in place.
A grin formed on his lips. "It comes down to this, Kaoru. Who's more willing to kill?"
I gulped. Not me.
Giving a shrill battle cry, I made a motion to push his hand away and I succeeded partly, but I had felt him apply pressure and instantly, my air passage was significantly altered.
Breathing hurt, but even then, I knew I could not let him get away.
Twisting my blade, I slashed it at his arm, and it actually surprised him. Blood blossomed on his sleeve.
With him thus shocked, I used my weight to push both of us off the tree.
THE HITOKIRI
I finally came upon them, just when they were breaking through the trees, hurtling to the ground.
They dropped with a loud thump, and Kyosuke lay unmoving. Knocked out by the fall or killed, I could not tell.
Kaoru was slumped over him, but she moved slightly, trembling in apparent pain.
I called to her, hobbling as fast as I could, using my sheathed sakabatou as a walking stick.
She pushed herself from off Kyosuke, but she stumbled flat on the ground, emitting choking sounds through her parted lips.
"Kaoru!" I said to her urgently, skidding to her side and lifting her partly from off the ground.
She looked up at me, her eyes pleading for help while she clutched desperately at the collar of my gi. She could hardly breathe.
Panic rose inside me as I held her. "Kaoru, show me what to do!"
She shook her head, unable to speak, touching the hollow of her throat. The strangled sound she made heightened my dread. Kyosuke had done something to her and I had no idea how to undo it.
Cat's Paw…
Banshio!
"Kaoru, I'll get help!" I told her, setting her down gently on the ground.
Pushing myself to my feet, I staggered as fast as I could back to the riverbank. There is no time. Kaoru will die and it's because there is nothing I could do to save her.
Oh god, please! Not like this!
I was moving too slow, I could not go any faster!
Something thrashed through the growth, and I practically sobbed in momentary relief upon seeing that it was Sano.
"Sano!" I cried desperately. "Banshio! Is he alive? Where is he?"
"Yeah, he's alive. I left him--"
"Get him, now! Hurry!"
"What--"
"Just go!" I yelled urgently.
He took off knowing that explanations would come later.
I went back to Kaoru, and by the time I got to her, her lips were turning a deathly blue. She was still alive, she was still wheezing as she tried to get more air into her system, but her fight was getting harder and harder to bear. I could see it by the droopy look in her eyes, and the way she had gone limp in my arms.
"Kaoru, hold on…" I whispered to her. "Please. Help is on the way…"
She feebly reached up with her hand, tugging at my face weakly.
It was like she wanted me to kiss her, but I realized in an instant that I could do something to help.
Bending down I placed my mouth over hers and helped her breathe.
I did not know if it was doing any good, I had no idea if I was doing her more harm, but anything was better than watching her die.
It felt like forever waiting for Sano to reappear, and Kaoru's breathing was growing weaker by the second. Her eyes closed.
"No!" I yelled, shaking her slightly. I frantically forced my breath into her, giving her great volumes of air. She was not breathing anymore. Oh gods! She's stopped breathing!
Sano suddenly rambled through the trees, Banshio leaning on him for support. His shirt was soaked with blood, and his face was lined with agony, but he was conscious, and though he could barely stand he seemed to have a firm grasp of his senses.
Banshio fell to Kaoru's side. "What are we looking at here?"
"She's not breathing!" I told Banshio. "Must have been a Cat's Paw…"
"Where was the pressure applied?" Banshio asked me, grabbing Kaoru from me.
I shook my head, trying to set my thoughts straight. "I don't know! Kaoru was holding her throat a while ago, as if to tell me…"
"Gihou Satsujinki," Banshio muttered.
Cutthroat technique…
"Help me turn her over," Banshio said to me. "Sano, get her to lean against you. I need a solid anchor."
Sano fell to his knees and Kaoru was draped over him, her forehead pressed to his shoulder.
Banshio pulled back his hand, then taking a deep breath, he darted his fingers to her nape. Banshio gave a howl as he connected, then he pulled back his hand, cradling it against himself.
But I hardly noticed his pain as Kaoru gave a loud, rasping gasp, as if a rush of air was making its way to her lungs.
"Kaoru!" I cried, pulling her off Sano.
She took agonized gulps of air, coughing, panting, and she clutched at her chest, mouth wide open at each spasm.
Sano and I held her, and I ran my hand on her back over and over to try to give her some measure of comfort.
"Jou-chan!" Sano exclaimed anxiously. He looked up at Banshio. "Is she going to be alright?"
Banshio nodded, his face contorted in discomfort. "Yeah. J-Just give her time to breathe…she'll make it."
"K-Kenshin…" Kaoru whimpered between gasps.
I hushed her, telling her to just relax and take her time.
She nodded wordlessly, but she lifted a finger to point at Kyosuke's sprawled unconscious form.
I nodded and looked at Sano. "Would you…?"
"I'm on it," Sano said, getting up.
"Here," Kaoru rasped, pulling her scarf from her disheveled hair. "Tie him…"
"Especially his hands," Banshio added.
Sano cocked a grin and took Kaoru's scarf, then he proceeded to do his work.
Unable to help myself, I gathered Kaoru in my arms and held her in a fierce embrace, kissing her forehead several times. Too close…it was too close.
I looked up and saw Banshio grinning.
"Thank you," I told him, closing my eyes and burying my nose in Kaoru's hair. "I owe you, Banshio-dono."
Banshio scoffed. "Once a samurai, always a samurai, aren't you Himura? Forget about it. Besides, tomorrow, Kaoru's going to get a splitting headache from my pressure point that'll last at least a couple of days."
Oro…then I shall have to take good care of her. I smiled and tightened my hold on Kaoru.
"Mou!" Kaoru whispered in my ear. "Kenshin, I'll be fine!"
"This unworthy one was so frightened," I murmured.
"And here I thought nothing could scare you," she joked, though there was still a slight catch on her breath.
I chuckled and lifted her face to press my forehead against hers. "My life without you? That terrifies me to no end."
She grinned. "You know what, weird as this may sound, I have to say that it's the most romantic thing a man has ever said to me in my entire life."
I didn't care if Banshio and Sano were there to see us. I kissed her right then. I had come so close to losing her, and the fear could only be soothed by her touch. It was my way of assuring myself that she was really alive, and that our lives thereafter would be continued together.
We were a picture of exhaustion. Banshio especially. Though his wounds have been mended by the local government physician, he still had on his bloodied shirt for lack of something else to wear, not to mention the splint and cast that bound his hand because he sprained the fingers he had used to save Kaoru. The doctor had demanded that he rest. His injuries, though not as bad as we thought at first, warranted sleep-medication, but Banshio had refused, going as far as threatening the good doctor with undeserved harm. I now know for a fact that Banshio would do no such thing as bite the so-called hand that healed him, but I was more inclined to respect Banshio’s need to see this case to the end.
Kaoru looked somewhat worn too. Her nape had been terribly bruised by Banshio's ministrations, and the physician had seen it fit to apply medicine to soothe the battered flesh, wrapping the injured area with a bandage to let the salve soak into her skin. Her ribs were a little sprained from the fall. Those injuries had been treated and bandaged as well, but after having to put up with Banshio’s bullying, the doctor decided to keep his medical-recommendations to a minimum. He did not seem up to risk being threatened by a woman.
As for me, I was only beginning to regain full use of my right extremities. As Kaoru had said, the pressure points Kyosuke had applied on me were the sort that had to wear off, which meant I was still a bit lopsided.
Sano was the only one among us who was in complete health, but the glazed look in his eyes spoke volumes of his own shock of the entire situation. I suspect it had to do with Kaoru almost dying today. I wondered myself if I would ever get over that.
Seated in the police station with all the rest of us, Kaoru's eyebrows knotted grimly as she stared at nothing in particular.
"He's completely insane," she muttered.
"And when did you figure that out?" Sano asked her with a crooked grin.
Kaoru was in no mood for any sort of amusement, and she promptly ignored Sano. "Banshio, I've been meaning to ask you…how did Kyosuke try to kill you?"
Banshio chuckled, smoke billowing from his mouth as he held a cigarette between his lips. "Ever heard of tunica molesta?"
I raised an eyebrow, so did Sano. This tuo-nika moru-esutsu-a…no doubt another one of those Shikeigai brainiac methods.
Kaoru nodded. "Sure. Flaming shirt, with sulfur, lime and highly combustible substances impregnated into the weave. Nero used them to burn Christians alive once upon a time in Rome."
Banshio cocked a grin. "An 'anonymous' donor sent me a robe that evening you first arrived in Yokohama. The little boy he paid to deliver it said it was for charity. The kid didn't see the face of the guy who paid him, so I couldn't really find out who had given me the robe. Now, I usually accept charity of any kind, but that robe reeked of sulfur and lime…"
Kaoru grimaced and looked at me with a disgusted expression on her face. "The robe in Kyosuke's room…remember that, Kenshin? The purple one with the yellow dragons? That's what smelled like rotting eggs and detergent when we walked into his room in Hoteru Kurei. Damn. I should have figured something was suspicious when I saw those books about Rome he had with him."
Banshio shrugged. "I hardly realized it at first, but then the odor was stifling, and it did occur to me later on that someone was trying to kill me. Someone who was smart enough to know how the tunica molesta works, someone who knew I was Shikeigai and someone who knew I liked my cigarettes…"
"And therefore burn yourself to a crisp with a single spark," Kaoru finished for him.
Something clicked in my brain and I gave Banshio a stern look. "Is that why you staged your own death, because you suspected that the killer had to be either Kyosuke or Kaoru?"
Banshio chuckled. "You're really smart, Himura. Yeah. It was either them or Saitoh. Dying by that robe was a difficult business though. If I wanted to convince the killer, I had to go up in flames. So…I grabbed a body from the local undertaker…"
Kaoru and Sano gasped at the same time, mouths dropping open in shock.
"You didn't!" Kaoru cried.
Banshio rolled his eyes around. "His family wouldn't have missed him. Heard he was a good for nothing sod…drank like a fish more times he was at sea."
Only a genius like Banshio would think of such brilliant metaphors while explaining his body-snatching escapades.
"I set up my house, you know, so I wouldn't burn anything else down," He continued. "Got Daisuke to help, you know, to make sure no one would get nosy and examine my so-called remains…"
"Daisuke?" I asked, blinking in surprise. "He was in Yokohama?"
"Well, sure," Banshio replied. "Who do you think was walking around in a blue sword-police uniform?"
"That was Daisuke?" Kaoru responded with astonishment. "Why would Daisuke do something like that?"
Banshio chuckled. "He said that if someone were to be suspected of the death, it might as well be Saitoh. He's really got hate issues with the wolf. He is, after all, convinced that Saitoh had killed his wife. Apart from that…well, Saitoh is indeed an abusive son of a bitch. Probably even worse by Miyori's stories."
"So he was trying to frame Saitoh?" Kaoru asked.
Banshio thought about it and gave a half shrug. "Well, only to that extent. Daisuke wanted to me to pin Saitoh for the Shikeigai deaths, but he basically wanted the evidence to be true. Besides, Kyosuke has already admitted to being behind those letters. So there, that's how things went as far as my death goes, and I've been working for Daisuke ever since."
I shook my head in disbelief. I knew there was something wrong with Banshio's death. It was too…what's the word? Controlled.
I looked at Banshio intently. "Were you the one who stole the journals from Kaoru's room?"
Banshio chuckled. "No. That wasn't me. Did Daisuke tell you I did it?"
"He thought you did," I replied.
"A valid assumption on his part," said Banshio. "I did, however, poison that guy you caught that night your dojo was attacked. Yeah, that was me. You were gonna surrender the warumono to the cops. I didn't want him forewarning Saitoh in case he really was the killer."
"Damn," Sano swore. "Is that guy ever going to wake up?"
"Well, yeah," Banshio replied casually. "It's only supposed to last for a week."
"One last question, Banshio," Kaoru said. "Why did you think it was me?"
I have been meaning to ask that question myself.
Banshio sighed and blushed in the process. "I…well, I didn't. This morning I visited Siatoh in his cell, pretending to be his lawyer's assistant. I don't think Saitoh really believed me, but he answered my questions anyway. After I interviewed him, I knew. I knew he didn't do it, even if he was saying he did, so it was either you or Kyosuke. You could say I was trying to bully you into telling the truth."
Hideaki Ashikaga, from the prison log-book. So it was he.
"Mou! Did it ever occur to you that Daisuke could very well have been a suspect based on your supposition that the killer had to know you were Shikegai and that you liked your cigarettes?"
Banshio smirked. "Well, sorta, but the guy…didn't have the makings of a spy killer. Oh, he's got brains in his head, but apart from his Tales of Genji stuff, he doesn't read much of anything else for leisure. He's kind of a straight arrow. He sticks to what's written and doesn't leave much room for free thought. That, and the fact that he helped me stage my death, gradually convinced me he didn't do any of it."
Kaoru frowned. "Still! You didn't have to be that rough on me during your 'interrogation'!"
Banshio gave Kaoru a lopsided glare. "Hey, I didn't really hurt you all that much, did I? But if I wanted to you admit anything I had to put some muscle into it. Besides," he continued. "You're not the one who got whacked on the head."
"And you're not the one who got a Gihou Satsukiji whammy," Kaoru shot back.
Banshio thought about it for a second then told Kaoru, "Point."
I smiled slightly. Their banter was pleasing, unlike the debates Kaoru had with Kyosuke. Apart from the fact that Banshio used more refined language, relatively, he was not one to give lewd and boorish comments. Definitely more likable, and thankfully more in control of his mental faculties.
"Himura-san," somebody suddenly said.
We all looked up at a Police Officer whom I recognized to be Uchino.
"The Detainee would like to speak to you," he continued.
This surprised me. "Oro! Which one?"
Uchino suddenly looked flustered by my question. "Er…that would be Tenshio-san. He said he will make no confessions until he's spoken to you."
Kyosuke? Why?
I stood up, shooting Kaoru a puzzled stare. She shrugged and gestured for me to go on ahead.
There was only one way to find out, and quietly, I followed Officer Uchino to where I could get the answers.
I was led to what I believed to be an interrogation room found somewhere at the back of the building. The place was solitary and confining, giving the impression of isolation, even more so than the prison cells.
As they closed me in with Kyosuke, I saw him seated at the corner on the floor, his arms and wrists shackled around his body so that he would be unable to use them. I imagine that Kaoru's instructions to the police that his hands were deadly prompted the way he had been bound. Strands of his hair fell haphazardly to his swollen face, and his eyes were lowered, like he was asleep.
"Kyosuke-san," I said to let him know I was there in case he hadn't realized it.
"Did I get them?" Kyosuke asked, not looking up. "Did I kill them?"
He's asking me about Kaoru and Banshio. I debated whether I should tell him the truth, and decided a second later that I would. I was in no mood to be merciful.
"No, you didn't," I replied.
He swore profusely, banging his head on the wall several times before he started howling out more curses, about how all his planning had gone to waste.
I frowned, anger rising in me. "You got the others, and Saitoh will fall under the hand of the DIA if not by the hand of the judiciary. Isn't that enough?"
He met my furious gaze with his own. "Enough? No, it's not enough!" He growled. "I was supposed to get rid of all of them! Every single one of them who conspired to make my life a living hell!"
"There was no such conspiracy, Kyosuke-san," I said to him emphatically. "Whatever happened to you was not their fault! And perhaps neither was it yours."
"Everything was going according to plan…" Kyosuke whispered. "Everything was perfect…if not for that damn braniac Banshio…"
It occurred to me that indeed Banshio was the reason the completion of his revenge was foiled. If Banshio hadn't lived, Kaoru would be dead as well…
"Tell me how it was supposed to go, Kyosuke-san," I said in a controlled voice, knowing full well that the police were listening in. I might as well make myself useful.
Tears began to stream down Kyosuke's face, but it was brought more from rage than regret, that much I can tell. "It was so perfect…back in Anshouji. I had it all worked out. I had Ikue do away with Miyori first…that whore."
I stayed silent, watching him in his misery.
Kyosuke grinned. "I loved that bitch."
Ikue or Miyori?
"And then she goes on and marries that Shinsen-gumi bastard," he continued. "Well, why wouldn't she? I literally didn't have the balls to be her man, ey? Women!" After which he spat in the corner.
My lip twitched in distaste, but I said nothing to interrupt him.
"It was her fault anyway that Saitoh knifed me. I realized that when I was in Anshouji. I realized a lot of things in that place. Maybe I ought to thank Yasushige for declaring me insane and putting me in that place. It opened my eyes. I saw how Daisuke could come in handy. That damn nerd works for the DIA, for God's sake! I sure as hell know Miyori had told him a lot of things about the Shikeigai and Saitoh. Daisuke just might bring up some sort of case against the wolf if I convinced him that the wolf had killed his wife. Of course, that was a long-shot, but heck, it was damn worth a try. Had to make sure I would put away Saitoh, though. An execution for murder sounded really good…so I convinced the monks and docs that I was well enough to be released. That was easy enough. I ain't really crazy, you know."
Again, my lip twitched.
Kyosuke continued. "I was the one who broke into Saitoh's office to get the imprint of his very personal seal. Yeah Himura, I lied to you about that one, but lying is easy. The Shikeigai taught me that. I had these letters ordering Gen-ichi and his gang to kill off everyone, including me, and I stamped Saitoh's seal on it. Brilliant, ne? I sent the letters one by one, paying off the mob without them knowing who I was. 'Course, before I sent those orders to kill Kaoru and me, I had to make sure you were on my side. You make a great bodyguard, Himura. The risk of getting killed by my own orders was pretty high, but I knew you'd look out for me, and the thing is…I ain't bad defending myself against them. I had to bait them with the journals, though. It was bait for you too. They'd go after me for the journals first, you'd save me and I'd have to tell you the truth about them. Then when we go looking for the journals ourselves, we'd find the letters, have Saitoh arrested, and he'd be convicted! The best part of it is, Saitoh's own investigations were making him more of a candidate for murder! And then there’s that darling Matsuhime who couldn’t keep her mouth shut about the other Shikeigai because she thought Saitoh to be a ‘man of principle.’ I was so excited when she told us she had revealed all of it to Saitoh!"
Ah. Thus the jump in his ki when Matsuhime told us about her revelations to Saitoh.
"I didn't know he'd bite with those insinuative notes I kept sending him, though."
"What insinuative notes, Kyosuke?" I asked.
Kyosuke cocked a smile. "Ask him. It's the reason he's been going around Japan."
I decided I would, when things have somewhat settled down. "Why do you hate the Shikeigai?" I asked him. "What was so terrible about them that you couldn't allow them to live?"
A chuckle rose from his throat. "Why? Let's see…Miyori betrayed me, getting me castrated in the process, Saitoh cut off my balls, Yasushige threw me into that hell with all the rest of the loonies after pretending to be my friend, Kaoru abandoned me when I needed her most, Taka…well, he was practice, basically. I had to know if Gen-ichi's gang could do him. I figured if I was going to get rid of my other Shikeigai friends, I might as well kill all of 'em off. You know, to make Saitoh look really bad? But in a way, I was pretty angry with Taka too. His family survived the Aizu fires. Mine didn't. But…I gotta admit. That's just an excuse. Yasushige said that the loss of my family was what triggered my so-called insanity. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't…they were all I had after all…"
Triggered would be the right word. I don't know much about derangement, but Kyosuke…he had to be insane from the very beginning. The events of his life only…worsened it.
"And Banshio?" I asked.
Kyosuke laughed. "Too smart. Had to get rid of him. You see, I was right wanting him dead. He spoiled everything…"
The precision of his planning chilled me.
I asked him if he was the one who delivered the journals to Daisuke.
"Who else?" Kyosuke snapped. "I could tell you had doubts about delivering the journals to him yourself. I couldn't risk it. I had to make sure that Saitoh would go down one way or another. No matter how smoothly things were going, there was still a possibility that Saitoh would get acquitted of the murders simply because he didn't do it. Besides, I preferred that Saitoh suffered by humiliation rather than by execution. It would be more painful for him that way. The beauty of it is…even with an acquittal, I doubt if Daisuke would believe Saitoh didn't kill Miyori."
"You're sick," I said.
"So I've been told," Kyosuke replied. "This isn't over, Himura. I'm coming for your precious Kaoru. They ain't gonna execute me. I'm insane! They'll just lock me up in another one of those asylums and one day, they'll let me go, thinking I'm cured. I'd have a brand new plan then."
As much as I was loathed in admitting it, his words rattled me. Kyosuke was right. He could always come back and finish his work. I cannot let that happen. I will have to make sure he stays in that asylum, wherever that is.
The door to the room opened and I took it to mean that the police had everything they needed.
Stepping out the room, I did not even give Kyosuke the courtesy of a proper good bye. I had no more words for him.
I remembered a conversation I had with him some time ago.
"Some closure. Just something that would tell me, once and for all, that I could leave my past behind me. Don't you feel that way, Himura?" he had said. Snippets of that same conversation began racing through my mind.
"And in the dreams I'd cry for help and no one comes, not for anything. It sucks when that happens in real life, don't it?"
Yes Kyosuke, it does.
"Makes you realize that we truly are alone surviving in this world…If you want something done, you gotta do it yourself…"
And so he has.
"You're kinda lucky to have a family, you know…"
I am. I am lucky to have family. I am blessed.
It is sad, that people like Kyosuke should suffer a hard life without one. Perhaps we're all a bit insane, but a lot of us do not have to bear it alone. Those who do are twice as strong as the rest of us. Those who lack the strength are pushed to the edge.
I do have some measure of pity for Kyosuke, but admittedly, only a little.
Go to the last chapter for the Epilogue…
Author's Notes (On Castration and other matters):
~~Castrations that occur during or after puberty, in some cases, does not obliterate a man's libido. Though a significant difference in sexual performance and drive will occur, there are cases where someone who has been castrated can still produce an erection and may even orgasm, though the loss of seminal fluid, or the decrease in the potency and quantity that testicles normally produce, may alter the sensations. Haphazard castrations (meaning one not performed by a skilled doctor) can result in two ways. One, the castration completely destroys the man's sexual drive, thus garnering him impotent. Two, the castration may have been performed so incompetently that parts of the testicle are left to give the man some sexual drive, but like I said, the changes to sensations/performance will radically change. Thus, Kyosuke's constant need to be assured by whores and his "two-minute" tendencies. I've summarized the stuff I've learned from various reading material, some of them clinica
~~The tunica molesta, or the Flaming Shirt, was indeed used by ancient Greeks and Romans to burn criminals alive. Being highly combustible cloths, the shirt can be ignited by a single spark of flame, even something so minute as the ember of a cigarette. Nero used these tunica molesta to burn Christians. What a nasty way to die.
~~Sulfur, especially when exposed to heat, smells a lot like rotten eggs. It smells disgusting. No wonder it's associated with the devil.
~~During the Bakumatsu, a great fire swept Aizu, burning miles of houses and killing families by the dozen. In this story, the fires killed Kyosuke's family, thus contributing to his lunacy.
