Within A Grey Twilight

She could just leave it be, and plan on how to deal with them. Knowing that it was far too late to think of another method, and if Masaki had questions she will need to think of an answer. It was a terrible day for her, intending to just bring him out to rea.s.sure him but it seemed that it might not be so for long.

"Are you okay?"

She looked to him, a boy who was slightly taller than her. Lanky, and unlike what many thought of the Samurai. Holding his blade diagonally to his waist, a sign that he might be an officer despite his young age. Instead of waraji sandals, was a pair of black linen boots.

Masaki trailed behind him giving his sister a slight glance.

"I"m fine." Finding her standing without speaking a single world strange, although he will give her a glance more. At least to ensure that she was fine. This was a street on a better day, so why were they here? Kaede told her that they left such streets alone unless they were suspected of smuggling and selling people. Mostly women who were sold to brothels or geisha houses.

"She seems so, Hikaru-san." If she was as normal, he could validate it. Although it was rather pointless given the current situation. It made almost no sense too.

"I"m not here to arrest con artists." If anyone had seen what they wore in Okiban, it could not be mistaken. Perhaps he did not get a chance to look at the clan crest at the back. Even if this was a planer dress, it was still made of fine silk although lacking in any embroidery.

Either way she should thankful about it. He did not seem to notice anything, and even if he had he did not think too much on it.

"What are they?"

She might as well keep quiet about it. Putting her hand over his shoulder. "I"ll tell you that later."

"By the way, these fakes are so good they are almost real." She merely gave a nice smile. Before placing her hand on Masaki, who seemed to be perfectly happy not being addressed as the heir. Kagura didn"t even interfere, the moment she looked at her faces.

Internally, she was rejoicing. She gave a curt nod, before taking him away. Kagura was containing her own laughter by keeping her hat tilted down and her palm in her mouth. The position was still pretty obvious, although they could count themselves lucky. He wasn"t quite bright, or came to the thinking that they were the real deal. Not merely fakes.

Although just what were they doing here was the main question.

"May I ask something?" Keeping the question as polite as possible.

"Yes." He turned around at her inquiry. "What is it?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Investigating missing girls, the number of cases in this district rose astoundingly so something has to be done about it." Although unthinkable to suggest it to her in broad daylight, as many merely a.s.sumed her to be free of such worries. Then again, he thought her a peasant where such niceties will not be spared.

"It"s not entirely uncommon."

"How terrible." Although in most cases, many expect that the answer should be reversed.

"Well, the entire city is a mess and there is plenty of work cut out for us."

Which was the understatement while they were here, since f.u.kusei has seen much bloodshed. The city was thrown in chaos with the death of the Shogun, with mostly its rather unglamorous side being hidden for centuries. With recent changes to the Shogunate"s influence and power and the loss of the two clans who governed the darker side, it was not a doubt that these merely increased exponentially.

Although in recent times this didn"t even need as most girls were either sold off by their families or given willingly, due to their hardships in recent years. Although there were many who came unwilling, either as a way to pay off debts or abducted from families. She knew that many were held against their own will, and if they were lucky some were picked up as servants. Most came from peasant families in hope of more, much much more than what was cut out for them.

"I thought this place was a safe place." Masaki went up to him.

"It never was." Not that he was lying, except that back then it was much more under control than now. Where most of the city was left on its own, with no one to keep the balance of power in check. As he looked to the boy. "People were just better at managing it."

"Have I scared you?"

"No, it isn"t wrong to say that. I have been here before, so I know."

"He"s surprisingly innocent." Finding it the best to let him think that he was so, rather than suggest anything else.

"I found this." A man was thrown onto the ground. Behind was a much younger, a man who likely just came of age. Standing with broad shoulders, was a man who held his from one end to the other. She could guess that he was either born of a great family, or he was one of the heads of the Wariya. "Hikaru, I told you to get people to leave here. What on earth are you doing?"

Hikaru merely stood there not even moving at all. Pretending that he did not even exist. She could guess that he was his superior with the way he gave orders.

"Catch him! Use the rope I gave you." If anything she could guess that he was either stupid or not paying attention. She guessed the latter, as he seemed to not have bothered at the man who was lying just before him. As the other man gave a glare, and he went to pick him up.

"Don"t need to tell me that." Before he threw the rather portly man to the ground as well.

"Restrain him." Before the man merely got onto his feet, with Hikaru keeping a tight hold on his sleeves. Like a cat who had found his meal for the day. His superior

"Please spare me, I"m innocent." Before he simply stepped on his kimono, which was quite long. Without effort, the man was caught in a trap.

"You could be a G.o.d and I won"t release you." Before grabbing his other sleeve, while the man continue to struggle running away. Most of the townsfolk looked but none chose to intervene on his behalf. Clearly showing that no one liked him in any way, since most looked as though they were rather satisfied at his arrest.

"That"s something you don"t see everyday." Kagura only shot her a small glance. It definitely wasn"t, since a Samurai was making an embarra.s.sment of himself. Or rather two. One which seemed wanting to get him to obey and not going anywhere. Even as the boy seemed to acknowledge that he can"t just release the man. It was foolish to intervene since he still had it under control, and no one was objecting to

"Just restrain him you idiot." He finally snapped at Hikaru"s insubordination.

Before he let go of his foot. Although the man fell down again, with his face hitting the ground. Before he stepped aside letting the elder man do his job.

"Do I have to do everything myself?" He tied him up, pa.s.sing him to Hikaru. And giving the boy a nice glare which convinced him that he should take him.

"I"ll be coming later, make sure you keep a good watch on him." Before he turned to Sachiko as most of the crowd had simply left. Unlike the one before, she doubted she could fool his eyes if he was to suggest who she was.

"Sachiko-hime, am I right?" He was certain. She knew that by this point it was useless. Even if his partner seemed to find her otherwise. She could not deny it, at least not at this point.

"How do you know me?"

"Your haori. It has the crest of the Saitou clan." Although it wasn"t obvious, but she did not think many noticed. Since many of them simply left her alone, even as Kagura was more of her servant than her companion.

"Sharp. About your partner?"

"Good for nothing except battle and interrogation." Well, it did seem he had the entire situation within grasp. Though he was not a man who knew anything that could help in this matter.

"Then why is he here?"

"In case it gets out of hand." She couldn"t disagree with it. Even as everything seemed to ready. Masaki had stayed by Kagura"s side, who got him another stick of dango to appease him. "And you"re lucky, it"s not that he doesn"t pay attention it"s that he can"t be bothered in things he doesn"t find fun. Otherwise your secret is going out."

"Are you?"

"No." He was curt, even as she knew that he will not do so without a price. Something must give, she will come to that. Because she knew that no one will help her without any cost, without a reason at the very least.

She knew her father"s spies were still here. She knew that they still existed, and were not rooted out. It might be up to her to slowly find them back again or recruit once more. Those were the two options she was given at this point. Neither was perfect or good.

"I"m your father"s spy."

If anything, she was surprised at how easy it was. Or rather how fast he told her about it. Expecting him to only discreetly say it, even as his age all but made it doubtful.

"You"re a little too young."

"I only came in three years ago with the death of his previous spy." Even so, she had no way to confirm. There was one, even if it was flimsy. But she will have to make do.

"Have you met Kagura?"

He waved to her, she merely gave a small nod. "Enough to satisfy you."

Far from it, inside she still knew that all of this could faked with ease. Kaede was out of the question because she was never with them. Kagura as she knew was one in the longer term, with Suzumi asking to listen and trust her. There had to be a reason. Even if she knew there was no way to know, she simply will have to guard herself at all times.

"I can tell you some leads as to who is posing as your father."

"Only if agree to meet me, I don"t do this for free. And I"ll also try to get some of your father"s old contacts to meet with you." She knew that he was after a few things, either trying to gain money or something else. She could not even find out what, since he was a stranger. But to know who was behind this was too good an option to pa.s.s up.

"Where and when?"

"A week from now, since I know the house is all but abandoned." Even then, she knew that this was to his advantage. But she had time, time to know how to answer and what she could find about him. Time to get Suzumi a letter and back. Time to get herself as prepared as possible.

"Your name?"

"Ikeda Isamu." That was enough, Suzumi should be able to confirm just who he was. Before he left, without any greeting as though he had simply asked her a few questions. She merely went back, knowing what she had to do.