Oct.9: The Kite, Evening
After leaving the shack, Okita-sensei suggested that we return to his dojo to better attend to Shura's wounds and while that was quite a solid idea, there were other problems with following it through. Such as I too was being followed and neither even knew about it yet. So on top of Shura's problems, I was mixing mine own in here as well.

I gave Okita-sensei some quick response and through the doubtful look he agreed. I could tell that he knew there was another reason and had stored his questions for later use. So the question came up again as we traversed through the forest, where to take the injured woman? I thought of the answer immediately after the question… where better to hide from the criminals and ruffians, than in the place that breeds and gives life to them?

Yoshiwara was a world where Okita-sensei and I could maneuver through and I was sure Shura could as well. We moved through the dark alleyways and behind buildings ease and unnoticed. We walked into each shadow carefully and made a slow procession through the buildings. I was pulling from experience from my Bakumatsu days and a glance at Okita-sensei told me he was doing the same.

Yet no matter how much we wandered we were still without a place to head to and Shura was looking worse, though she never once complained. In whispers and small pauses we deliberated a plan. I suggested that we move towards the Red Lilly, but half way through my suggestion, I remembered that Mayu-san was gone along with my connections to the teahouse. Okita-sensei then had us move towards the Cotton in search of his friend Miyuki-san. Yet that true proved fruitless, as the woman was not there, according to Okita-sensei.

We were at a loss, tired, and hungry when we happened to pass by another teahouse that Shura recognized. She knew the owner, a Yukishiro, and that he had extended some kindness to her in the past. It was a long shot but Okita-sensei went towards the front, while I waited with Shura behind the building. The two of us remained quite in a shadow, tucked away from view, as we waited for acceptance or rejection from the owner.

Minutes felt like hours and I could feel Shura become tenser in my arms as each one passed by. Finally, the back door of the teahouse swung open, revealing Okita-sensei accompanied by a small woman with a pointed look. I was not sure what the samurai had told her but she led us to a small room far from view of the other guests. I suppose two men and an injured woman was bad for business so we were placed in a room away from other's curiousness. I could hardly thank her enough.

Though Shura inquired about Yukishiro the woman merely rattled off that she would have fresh bandages and food brought to us before leaving, the question unanswered. I set the dark haired woman on the bed, taking care to not upset her wounds, and checking that the bandages held back the blood for now.

Through my steady work pace, I ask what I am sure was both on mine and Okita-sensei's mind, "Who is after you, Shura-san?"

((Permission to open the Kite & use of Kibagami-san granted by player. Direction of Shura and OKita granted by respective players.))