Subject: [RKFF] Tracy Lim's One More Ishin: The Early Days II
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1998 23:38:47 -0500
From: RobinKloster <santiger@internetpro.net>
To: rkfanfics@makelist.com

tracy514@hotmail.com

DISCLAIMER: All Rurouni Kenshin characters are copyrighted Watsuki
Nobuhiro/Shueisha/Fuji TV. No money is being made out of this, so please
do not sue. I'm not worth the trouble anyway.

WARNING: Spoilers from vol. 17 regarding Yumi's past.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Courtesans in Japan were not really a despicable
occupation, neither were all of them uncouth -- real GENUINE courtesans
were often very intelligent girls, talented at playing the samisen,
dances and other fine arts. Sometimes wives were even on good terms with
their husbands' favorite courtesans since they kept their husbands
happy. And Tayu's, the highest class of courtesans, were much respected.
Starting from the Tokugawa Shogunate, all the teahouses and courtesans
were licensed and registered with the government, and were situated in a
special area in the major cities. Of these, the most famous was the
Yoshiwara in Edo. Courtesans were not allowed to go out of the "pleasure
quarters", only high-ranking courtesans (like Tayu's), accompanied by
their personal maids, were allowed to go to their clients' residences
when called. And Tayu's got to SELECT their clients - she wouldn't
simply grant any Tom and Dick an audience. Records have shown that even
some important officials had to be on the waiting list for years before
he got to see the Tayu. Wow.

One more thing. There is absolutely NOTHING explicit in this fic! None!
Even if it *is* about a high-ranking courtesan...

Now that this writer is done with her babblings... on with the story.

_____________________________________________________________________

One More Ishin: The Early Days
by Tracy Lim
4th August, 1998

PART II: SHISHIO AND YUMI

        Yumi checked her make-up and hairdo in the mirror meticulously,
as her
little maid knelt meekly nearby, anxious as to her senior's reactions
regarding her skills in setting up a good hairstyle.
        "Hmmm. Kiku-chan."
        "H-hai, Yumi-sama?"
        The young girl winced inwardly. Yumi-sama was THE Tayu at the
Green
Lotus Teahouse, and her fame spread all through the Yoshiwara and Edo.
Why, even men from Kyoto flocked to Edo just to seek audience of the
beautiful, intelligent, talented, proud Komagata Yumi. All the trainees
went green with envy when it was announced that Kiku was to receive the
much coverted status of Yumi's personal maid, or in other words, her
trainee. And since then, Kiku worked hard, really hard, to learn
everything her mentor had to teach her. A strict, good teacher, Yumi
taught and care for her student well. For the thousandth time, Kiku gave
her thanks to the gods for endowing her with such good luck.
        But then, she *was* still a trainee, and there was still much to
learn
about. As Yumi continued to point out her mistakes, Kiku listened
attentively. Yumi *was* strict and not one to approve of sloppiness
regarding details, but that didn't mean that she was unkind. In fact,
though she may be proud and haughty in choosing her clients, she was the
kindest among the more senior courtesans to the younger girls. She even
took it upon herself to act as an elder sister to all the other
courtesans, helping the administrator of the teahouse to sort out petty
fights among the girls, listening to her sisters' problems and
complaints, advising them, scolding them in a friendly way, instilling
in them the pride which all courtesans should have: ==They live in the
Willow World, where everything is simply impermanent. As such, they as
the inhabitants of this Willow World, have the responsibility of
bringing some joy, if only to lightening slightly the burdens of
mortals.== Why, on a couple of occasions when two of the girls spent
their days sobbing because the owner of the teahouse refused to let
their clients buy out their contract, Yumi-sama even talked to the owner
personally and convinced him to release their contracts, so that they
could be with the men they loved!
        "...now don't forget what I told you again, Kiku-chan."
        "Hai, Yumi-sama, I won't. Thank you for your kind critiques."
        Yumi nodded her approval at the girl's manners and cast a look
at the
clock. "Heavens! Is it this late already? You may go have your dinner
now, Kiku-chan. Don't bother to get my meal, I don't have the appetite
just yet."
        "Nani? Yumi-sama, are you feeling all right?" Kiku asked
anxiously.
        "Thank you for your concern, dear child, but I'm perfectly all
right.
I'm just a bit tired, that's all," Yumi smiled at the girl. "You may go
now."
        Kiku bowed her thanks and went out of the room. Her young
forehead was
furrowed. (Strange,) she thought. (Yumi-sama doesn't seem herself
lately. She tries to hide it and acts as she normally would, but I do
believe something's bothering her... I wonder what? It's certainly not a
man; no man is good enough for Yumi-san...)

        Yumi looked out of the window and heaved a sigh. How could she
not be
bothered? It's true that she didn't chose this path by herself in the
beginning. All her family had were four walls surrounding them. Then one
day when she was barely eight years old, a fortyish woman came to their
house and offered to buy their daughter - her - with what seemed to them
to be a tremendous amount of money. The woman promised that Yumi had the
makings of a truly magnificent courtesan, and her parents shouldn't
stand in her destiny. Her parents promptly gave her away.
        The training was hard. She was groomed carefully, and made to
take
lessons in dancing, singing, playing the samisen, literature,
tea-making, handling the clients and ensuring that they were satisfied.
She cried often in the beginning, but after a kind courtesan told her of
their responsibility in the Willow World, Yumi vowed silently to herself
that she would learn her trade well. She had nowhere to run to now. So
at least, she must do herself proud if not anyone else.
        Yumi soaked up everything her seniors had to teach her like a
sponge,
listening carefully to their conversations to pick up hints and tips.
She even learned from the girls' petty little fights, so that she knew
how to avoid such unhappy episodes, and at times, even helped to clear
up the fights before they developed into something more serious, by ways
of her seemingly innocent words and actions. Her mentor recognised the
intelligence in her, and happy that she finally had a worthy student,
passed on everything she knew to Yumi. Not just her own experiences of
the trade, but all her knowledge on life, people and the world. Yumi was
encouraged to think analytically and to read widely, so that she would
be able to conduct an intelligent conversation with customers from every
walk of life. She received her very own client for the first time when
she was 14, and since then, her fame simply took off.
        Word soon spread that Komagata Yumi of the Green Lotus teahouse,
besides being a beauty, had a sweet voice, pleasant smile and nice
manners. And gosh! could she hold an interesting conversation! She's so
widely read, you can talk to her about *anything* at all! She's actually
*intelligent*! All in all, Komagata Yumi was THE courtesan to ask for at
the Green Lotus!
        Yumi was promoted to Tayu when she was twenty, a young age even
in the
trade. She was proud of what she had achieved, and contented that she
earned every bit of it through her own hard work. She took pride in her
profession, and although there may be some who look down on the likes of
them and called them sluts, she knew very well that she and her sisters
were certainly not what those people call them. Yumi knew exactly what
she was, and was contented. Even when the Tokugawa Bakufu was
overthrown, she was unfazed. After all, this *was* the Willow World
where nothing remained permanent, remember? She reminded her sisters of
that fact, giving them the spirit to continue their work.
        Until the damned episode happened. She gnashed her teeth in
silent
frustration as she recalled it, her eyes burning with hatred for the
so-called "upholders of human rights", the Meiji government. Oh-ho, so
the courtesans were not even comparable to horses and cows and beasts,
eh? Slaves, since they were still human beings, should at the very least
be given their freedom as it was their natural right, but not so for
courtesans. So courtesans did not even qualify as human beings with
feelings, needs and "natural-rights", they were simply lowly lifeforms
whose function was to keep the bastards happy, eh? To save its own face
and dignity in the face of critiques from Peru, the Meiji government
condemned Yumi's kind - the perfect sacrifice - as the easy way out.
Some great government this was.
        Yumi never thought that her world would be crushed like this.
All her
ideals, faith, dignity, everything that she held on to, were simply
crashed to nothing overnight. Not even HUMANS. She felt only weariness
for the battles during the stormy Bakumatsu times, praying day after day
that the samurais would get their battles over with, and leave the
commoners in peace to continue their everyday life. When the Shogun
finally surrendered, she thought with naive relief that it all ended.
And *then*, barely five years into the Meiji era, they condemned the
inhabitants of the Willow World.
        Balling her little hands into fists, she tried to smother the
anger
which was slowly rising inside her. (Calm down, Yumi, calm down.) She
kept telling herself. (It won't do at all to let the others to see you
losing control. It's bad enough for all of us. They don't need to have
you moping around all day and getting everyone more depressed than they
already are.)
        She moved over to the window which faced a back alley, opening
it to
let the cool night breeze caress her face. From her room which was on
the second floor of the Green Lotus, the Yoshiwara was seen as a hubbub
bustling with bright activity. Dusk was the time when the Yoshiwara
truly came to life, with colourful lanterns lighting up the walks and
buildings, calling out to prospective clients. Shutting her eyes, she
heaved a little sigh as she felt her rage diminishing. (That's it, girl,
remember who you are, you're Komagata Yumi of the Green Lotus. You DON'T
get all ruffled up this easily...)
        She relaxed and opened her eyes. And saw the pair of wild eyes
looking
at her at barely a few inches away.
        Her instinct taking over, she started to scream, but a strong
hand
clapped itself over her mouth and silenced her. "Be quiet now, girl, and
maybe I won't hurt you. I'm not too keen to raise a hell by spilling
blood right now."
        (Oh my god it's some bandit, somebody please help me quick he'll
kill
me...) she thought wildly as the man climbed into the room through the
window and dragged her into the room, sliding the windows closed with
one free hand after him. He spoke again in that low, urgent, raspy
voice.
        "Don't you dare make any noise or let on that I'm here, you hear
me,
girl? I can kill you anytime I want, bear that in mind. I said that I'm
not too keen to spill any blood right now, but if the need should
arise..."
        Yumi nodded frantically as the man's hard eyes bored menacingly
into
her own. (My god,) she thought as she suddenly noticed the white clothes
under the cloak. (He's wrapped in bandages from head to toe... a burn
victim...?)
        To be sure, her uninvited visitor was all swathed in white
clothes,
exposing only his nostrils, parched lips, and those sharp, bright eyes
which seemed to emanate an awe-strucking aura.
        Rapid footsteps resounded from the corridor. The intruder
cursed. "Take
care of that. And remember what I told you." He released her and in a
quick motion, hid himself in one of the closets in the room. Yumi barely
had time to gather her wits before Kiku opened the sliding door, panting
a little.
        "Yumi-sama! Did anything happened? I thought I heard a scream!"
        Yumi blinked at Kiku for a few moments, feigning surprise to buy
herself time to calm down, and to make sure that her voice would be
steady before she spoke.
        "Scream? Why I believe it must have come from the streets
outside. I
opened the window for a short while just now, and I think I did hear a
scream." (Well it doesn't sound very convincing, but it'll have to do.)
Yumi prayed that the distraught girl wouldn't notice her slightly
dishevelled countenance.
        Kiku heaved a sigh of relief, tears suddenly welling up in her
eyes.
        "Oh thank god... I thought... I thought something happened to
you,
Yumi-sama... Matsuyama-san just told us that a dangerous criminal had
escaped to these parts, the police are searching for him in all the
teahouses right now, and I thought... I thought..."
        Yumi felt herself softening towards the girl, despite the fact
that she
had just had a nasty shock. Dear, dear Kiku-chan, so young, yet so kind
and caring. Holding out a hand to Kiku, she motioned for her to come
into the room. The younger girl complied, and to her suprise, felt
herself being gently pulled nearer to Yumi.
        "It's all right, Kiku-chan, nothing's happened to me. I'm all
right.
Don't mar your young face with all that tears now, all right?"
        Yumi spoke to her in soothing tones and brushed away her tears.
Kiku
nodded several times, biting her lower lip to stop herself crying.
        "Hai, Yumi-sama... thank you..."
        Yumi smiled. "Good girl. Now you'd better return to the others.
They
will be worried if you don't go back quickly."
        Kiku hesitated. "But Yumi-sama..."
        "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll be practising on my
samisen.
Go on."
        Convinced at last, Kiku took leave of her for the second time
that
night. Yumi started playing lightly so that the younger girl wouldn't
further suspect anything. As her footsteps faded away, the bandaged man
caming out of his hiding place.
        "You didn't tell the girl that I was here, did you?" He asked
her in a
low voice. Yumi shot him a cool glance.
        "She's my trainee. Do you honestly expect me NOT to console the
distraught girl?" She continued to play, the clear, crisp melody
drowning their low voices, so that no one could hear them.
        He chuckled quietly. "My, you're one with a sharp tongue and
pluck."
        "And you're one with tremendous courage to be having a light
discussion
with a courtesan when there's officials hunting for you outside, good
sir."
        "Yep, you're certainly one with a sharp tongue. The famous
Komagata
Yumi of the Green Lotus, so I heard the girl called you?"
        "The same," she acknowledged coolly.
        The man looked at her with interested eyes, a cold smile on his
lips.
"Well? Aren't you going to ask me who I am and what I've done?"
        "What do I care about the outside world? You can be the
legendary
Hitokiri Battousai everyone's talking about for all I care."
        To her surprise, he froze momentarily at her words. She looked
hard at
him. "...don't tell me you really *are* the Hitokiri Battsousai?..."
        "No. Thank the gods, no, I'm not him. But I'm... *was* related
to his
job."
        "Then would you please leave at once. Just get yourself out of
my sight
as quickly as the gods permit it. I'm sick of you Ishin Shishi's. Kill
me if you want to, I'm sick of living in this world which you fools are
ruling anyway."
        The man swathed in bandages looked at her in surprise. "Why the
sudden
vehemence?"
        "You dare to ask *me* about your own doings? I don't ever
remember
categorising human beings as beasts to be a commendable act for a
samurai, Mr Ishin Shishi."
        Her intruder suddenly stooped down and held her chin firmly with
his
forefinger and thumb, bringing her face closer to his.
        "I think you've got your facts very wrong, my dear Komagata-san.
If I
were with the Shishi's, do you think I would be hunted down by the
police now?"
        She blinked. It's true, she'd forgotten that. "Then who..."
        "See? It would save a lot of misunderstandings if you asked that
question earlier," He gave her a feral grin. "Not that I'd really answer
that, except for explaining I'm against those Meiji pigheads, of course.
But I guess a mere courtesan wouldn't really understand all that."
        "Don't treat me as if I have no brain. I'm human, too, you
know," she
retorted coldly. He stared at her defiant, beautiful face. (My,) he
thought, (I've heard a lot about the Tayu. But I never expected her to
be this beautiful. This fiery and brilliant.)
        "And in any case, I think it's hardly advisable for you to
remain here
any much longer. You heard what Kiku said, the police are searching for
you already. The Green Lotus will be searched any minute now." Yumi
continued. To her surprise, the man simply sat down and stretched
himself leisurely.
        "Well? I thought fugitives like you should be formulating escape
plans
now, instead of making yourself comfortable in a Tayu's room?!"
        "Quit bombarding me with questions. That's my problem, not
yours. Not
that it's a problem at all. I'm simply waiting for my subordinate to
make a move." He suddenly flashed a somewhat crazed, insane grin at her.
"I don't rightly know why on earth I've let you seen and heard so much
of me and not killed you yet; neither do I know why I'm telling you
this, but get this: *I'll crush those good-for-nothing Meiji pigs and
take Japan for myself.*"
        Yumi stopped playing her samisen from shock. She tried to make
some
reaction, but couldn't. And the man just continued looking straight at
her, smiling.
        (...He can't be serious... he must be some insane man. Maybe
that's why
the police are after him, because he's a deranged and dangerous man.)
She thought to herself.
        (Yet why... why can't I seriously believe that? Why do I
actually find
myself BELIEVING him? Taking over Japan? That's impossible! He's crazy!)
        Yumi's pulse quickened. (But the way he looks at me... the
confident
way in which he smiles, as if nothing in the world, not even the Gods,
can stand in his way... Why do I have the feeling that this man can make
the impossible happen? Why does my heart race? Why do find myself so
excited by a madman's ramblings?)
        From the streets, a shrill whistle suddenly sounded, and the
rallying
shouts of policemen were heard, followed by a general din of babbling
noices. The Bandaged Man, as Yumi had now christened him, nodded,
satisfied. "Ah. That's my cue now."
        He slid open the window by a bare half-inch, mumbling as if to
inform
Yumi of the situation outside. "Now let me guess. Hmmm. Apparently some
customers were found dead in the teahouse north from here. Seems that
the blood is still fresh, so the despicable murderer must be on loose
somewhere north. Mm-hmm, so they think the murderer has escaped through
the Northern Gate of the Yoshiwara. All the police force are now
directed to go after the escaped criminal. And now..."
        A clear whistle, not unlike the warble of some nightbird,
floated up to
the window. The Bandaged Man opened the window wider and looked out.
"Ah, there you are, Soujiro. How's the look of things?" The person under
the window replied something, and the Bandaged Man nodded in approval
after getting the satisfactory answer. "Very good work. We'll go now."
With that, he started to climb over the window sill.
        "WAIT!" Yumi suddenly burst out. Surprised, her visitor stared
at her,
his eyes narrowing in apprehension. "Don't even *think* of raising an
alarm now. Or maybe I should kill you as you begged me to..." Suiting
his action to his words, he put his right hand on his katana.
        "No, not that. Take me with you."
        The Bandaged Man was totally stupefied. "WHAT?" He asked
incredulously,
not believing his own ears.
        Yumi couldn't completely understand what she was thinking of
either.
She had spoken totally instinctively. "Take me with you," Feeling a bit
dazed, she repeated her request. "You said you want to overthrow the
Meiji government. I hate them, too, may they be hurled into the deepest
depths of Hell, never to return! Please, let me go with you."
        He gave a smothered guffaw, not daring to raise his voice. "Look
you
stupid woman, I don't have time for this... do you want to be killed
that desperately?"
        "If you really wanted to kill me, why didn't you do so when you
first
set eyes on me?" The man blinked. Yumi was taken aback at her own
audacity. Then, she understood why she was saying these words to this
madman. As a Tayu of the highest degree, all the men she had ever come
across treated her with the utmost courtesy to try to secure themselves
a proper meeting with her, their polite, restrained, soft words and
manners almost prompting her to doubt their musculinity. But this man...
she had just realised that the man talked to her without quite mincing
his words, even after he knew that she was the celebrated Tayu. He
treated her like any other woman - like a *real* human being...
        She took a step towards the man. "Take me with you. I don't know
anything about martial arts, politics or warfaring, but please, let me
be by your side throughout your crusade."
        She approached the frozen man until they were nearly abreast.
Taking a
deep breath, Yumi finally admitted the reason for her extraordinary
behaviour out loud. "Because I know that you're no madman. I know that
you are perfectly capable of what you said. I believe that you are the
true Lord of this nation and of this Era. Please, take me with you."
        The Bandaged Man stared at her defiant, determined face. A few
strands
of stray hair, which came undone when she struggled against him earlier,
trailed by the side of her face until they stopped by her red lips. Her
eyes were bright, showing total faith in him.
        (She's right,) he realised. (I can't begin to believe this...
Why
didn't I kill her at the very beginning? And only Devil knows why I told
her so much about myself. Lord, she's so beautiful... so fiery...)
        Outside in the back alley, his subordinate called out to him
urgently.
There was no one in the back alley just yet, but should anyone look out
of a window... he knew his master wouldn't exactly approve of creating
another disturbance right now, he was planning on a quiet escapade while
the police force concentrated on the incident at the other teahouse.
        Yumi felt as if an eternity must have passed as they stood there
in the
room, staring at each other, each waiting for the other to make a
further move. Suddenly, the Bandaged Man bent down and kissed her,
holding her lips with his own. At that moment, Yumi knew that she was
going to follow this man whom she barely knew until the day she die.
        "Hold on a moment," she told him quickly when he finally
released her.
She removed a golden brooch from her hair and placed it on a table. A
piece of paper which was quickly scribbled on was placed next to the
brooch. The Bandaged Man read in silence over Yumi's shoulder as she
wrote in soft, flourishing strokes. (Dear Kiku-chan,) the short message
read, (Please don't worry about me. I'm leaving with the man of my
heart. May this brooch bring perpetual luck and happiness to you, my
sweet Chrysanthemum. Your loving sister, Komagata Yumi.)
        When everything was in order, he took Yumi in his arms and
jumped out
the window, landing nimbly in the deserted back alley, where a black
horse and a smiling young boy were waiting. The boy held the horse's
reins in one hand and a katana in the other. Yumi's eyes widened at the
sight of a mere child. She was expecting some sinister character with
bulging muscles, criss-crossing scars and tattered clothes.
        "Ara?! Shishio-san, who's the lady? It'll be really crowded and
hard on
the horse." The boy asked with a happy smile.
        "She's with us from now on, Soujiro." The Bandaged Man answered
as he
hauled Yumi up after he had mounted, and finally gave Soujiro a hand as
the boy jumped on the horse behind him.
        "As for her name..." he continued as he set the horse to a quick
gallop
towards the East Gate of the Yoshiwara. "I don't believe we've been
properly introduced. Shishio Makoto, former Choshu Hitokiri, future
ruler of Japan."
        "Komagata Yumi, former Tayu of the Green Lotus."
        "Seta Soujiro, former ... ahhhh... I'm afraid I'm a nobody,
right,
Shishio-san?"
        The man called Shishio laughed heartily as they charged towards
the
Gate, dispersing the panicking crowd like a knife cutting through
butter. "Don't worry, Soujiro. Though you may be nothing in the past,
you'll become a great warrior, inferior to me only."
        They were already outside the Yoshiwara now. Yumi casted a last
glance
at her home for the last 13 years, the Willow World she knew and loved.
(Goodbye, Kiku-chan, my dear sisters... may the Buddha endow you with
eternal bliss... I may be galloping headlong into Hell right now, but
this is my choice, and I have no regrets. From this moment ownwards, my
master will be this Shishio Makoto alone...)

END PART II

(Author's note: Does the term "Bandaged Man" sound reminiscent of
shadowy figures from the X-Files? ^_^)

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