Isshin knocked on the door and waited for the person inside to let him come in. There was a slight grunt so Isshin figured it was an invitation. He opened the sliding door and pushed his small cart inside.
"I have come to-"
Takuma looked up from mending a wound and Isshin bristled a little. He took in the loyal servant he had left behind. He was grown now, looking so much like a man, but looking every bit as dangerous as someone who uses Jaakuna as a normal blade should.
"Can I help you?"
"I came to ask for sake orders? The emperor likes to know how much sake to have brought up during dinner."
"Sake orders? Why, are we being limited in our amount of alcohol? Or is it just me?" he said with a look at Isshin with a lift of his eyebrow.
Isshin hid his smile well. "You seem to have caught me."
"You're afraid that I'll go crazy again and try and beat the hell out of you again."
"Oh no, I believe you've gotten that all out of your system, Katanoya-san."
"Then answer my question, servant: is the whole clan being limited or just me?"
"Neither."
Takuma frowned at Isshin and then leaned back on his hands. Isshin saw all the scars from fighting as they glistened off of his friend's skin.
"Why are you staring at me like that? I didn't ask for you to come and I definitely don't appreciate you pulling a stunt like that with my limit on sake. I should just cut you up right now."
Isshin made a face when he realized that there was a bandage around Takuma's hand.
"Did you cut your hand?"
Takuma looked at it. "No."
"So... how is it that you and the other kid can use Jaakuna at the same time?" Takuma glared at him as Isshin watched silently. "I mean, Jaakuna is technically a one person blade."
"We switch off on it. I don't like you coming in here snooping around, servant."
Isshin shrugged. "I'm sorry that my curiosity angers you. You used to not be so angry."
"You don't know me or anything about my past. I suggest you get out of here before I run you through, whelp."
Isshin headed back out but stopped before he left the room.
"You never did answer my question, Katanoya-san."
"What question?"
"From the other night when you flayed my back."
"I don't remember you asking me anything."
"I had asked you if I got everything that I deserved."
Takuma frowned. "I gave you a nod."
"You were in too much shock over your own actions by then. I'm asking you now, as a man in front of a man: did I get everything I deserved?"
They stared at each other and Takuma clenched his fist over his knees.
"No." He gave Isshin the most evil glare he had ever been given. "You deserved worse."
"And why is that?" he asked calmly.
Takuma looked like he snapped out of a trance and looked at Isshin innocently.
"What?"
"Don't worry about it, Katanoya-san. I'll see you tonight."
He hummed and walked away as Takuma wondered what was going on between him and this servant. He didn't understand why he had so much resentment for a servant he didn't even know...

*******************

Kisola was walking in the gardens when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She gasped and then put her hand on her chest.
"Oh, it's just you, Shintoe-sama. What brings you out here?"
"I've come to gather some herbs. You seem quite skittish today, my dear; may I inquire why?"
"I've discovered a lot of information that I don't really know what to do with. It's... quite unnerving."
"Would you like a calming agent to put in your tea?"
"No, I'm not really in need of a calming agent... I just... I don't know."
"Here." Shintoe handed Kisola a small flower. "This is chamomile. It has calming agents in it. It won't make you fall asleep or anything, but I think you'll like the soothing effects of it. Oh, and here. Take this as well." She said, handing Kisola a spiky looking leaf.
"What will this do?"
"You can stick this in oil and heat it up to get a nice smell in the air. I think you'll enjoy it."
"Thank you, Shintoe-sama."
"Anytime dear... By the by, have you had any odd symptoms as of late? You know you're supposed to have an exam every month but you haven't come and seen me."
Kisola gave a nervous chuckle. "Um... I just haven't had the time."
"For three months?" Kisola swallowed hard. "If there's anything wrong with you, dear, I will understand. If you can't trust me then who can you trust?"
"Of course... Thank you for the herbs, Shintoe-sama."
She left the garden and ran into the castle. She breathed in deeply but it seemed as if her nervousness picked up and she couldn't contain herself. She picked up her skirts and ran towards her room but she slammed straight into someone and fell backwards. She cursed under her breath for falling again when she sat up and gasped.
"T-T-Takuma-san!"
"What the hell's your hurry, kid?" he grumbled, sitting up.
"I-I'm so sorry. I just..."
"What's got you so nervous for?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're glowing. Satuya glows when he's nervous."
Kisola looked at her hand and gasped again, trying to hide her hands. Takuma stood up and held out a hand to her.
"Get up off the floor. You'll get your kimonos dirty."
She held out her hand and tried to keep her nerves at bay but ended up glowing even more. Takuma pulled her up and wiped down her clothes from the floor.
"Between you and that servant, I'm not having a good day."
"Oh. I'm... I'm sorry."
"It's not like it's your fault you're a klutz."
Kisola's glowing subsided as anger replaced her nervousness.
"What is your problem? Are you always this cranky?"
"So I've been told."
Kisola looked him over, taking in the scars all over his body. Despite the scars, she felt like she knew him from somewhere.
"I know you from somewhere. I could have sworn I've seen you before."
"I'm the owner of Jaakuna, so I'm sure you've heard of me."
"No... no it's different."
Kisola leaned back to look up at him and Takuma put his arm out to make sure she didn't fall over.
"What the hell are you-"
He looked down at her as she looked up and he let go of her, making her fall to the ground again. He pointed at her.
"What's your father's name?"
"My... my father?"
"Tell me his name."
Kisola licked her lips. "Tsume Benitone."
Takuma's eyes seemed to turn murderous. "And where is he? Why are you serving as a ward of the emperor? Where is your father?"
"I... I don't know. I only know what Isshin-san has told me about him. He said I was given to the emperor by my father and he told Isshin-san to watch over me. I haven't seen my father in years." She turned her head at him. "But if I did know, I wouldn't tell you, Chi Kaibutsu."
Takuma glanced at her angrily. "Don't test me, girl."
He walked off and Kisola breathed out. Things were just going downhill every time she turned around.

***************************

"You shouldn't be in here."
Satuya gasped as an older woman walked into the small room. He smiled sheepishly.
"I'm sorry. I was just wandering the castle and came upon a door that led down here. This place is pretty interesting."
"Yes, this is an apothecary room."
"I see..."
"Did you need something then?"
"No, I... um... it doesn't smell like an apothecary room."
Shintoe blinked at him. "What do you mean?"
"Well, an apothecary usually smells like herbs but this place smells like... chemicals. Like you're doing something more on the lines of alchemy."
"It's a fine line between them."
"Oh."
"You can smell the difference between the two? How odd..."
"I've always had a good nose about it. I just thought it was an interesting touch for the medicine woman of the emperor to be dabbling in alchemy as well."
"The emperor is the emperor for a reason and can do whatever he likes in regards to having an herbalist or an alchemist at his bidding. And if someone happens to fit both of those roles, then the better. It is not for a visitor, such as yourself, to question his decisions."
"You're right. I may have been out of line."
"Your curious nature may not be for the better of you, young Satuya." She reached out ot him and touched where his eye patch was. "Dear me, what happened to your eye?"
"An accident. I can't see out of it so I just keep it covered."
"An accident?"
"A sword injury."
Shintoe nodded and then looked at his hand.
"And your hand?"
"The same. I'm surprised you don't know who I am by now. They call me Akarui Kaibutsu."
"Ah, yes, the Light Monster and dual wielder of Jaakuna. How is it that you two can wield the blade? It's only made for one person."
"That's something I guess you'll have to figure out for yourself. Sorry about the intrusion."
Shintoe watched him leave and lifted an eyebrow at him.

********************************

Isshin was making his rounds for doing laundry and knocked on Natomi's panel door. He slid it open and Isshin smiled.
"Do you have anything you need to be washed?"
"Come in here."
Isshin left the basket outside and walked into the room. Natomi closed the door and then turned to Isshin. He grabbed him and hugged him close.
"I've missed you, Tsume."
Tsume smiled and hugged him back. "She just couldn't keep it to herself, could she?"
"It wasn't her fault. I was pretty much on the trail anyway." He held him out at arm's length. "God, you've grown."
"That's what happens."
Natomi rustled his hair. "Still a little smart ass as well." Tsume smiled as Natomi turned serious. "He took Inoue and my father."
"When I heard you all were coming I had a feeling he had attacked the clan."
"What happened? Why are you going by the name Isshin? Why doesn't your own daughter know who you are?"
"Lots of questions for me, lots of questions for you. Like why the hell is my son a dual wielder of Jaakuna?" he snarled, glaring at Natomi.
"When you answer us, we'll answer you."
"My question has a little more bearing than what's going on with me. My son looks like he's going to murder a village anytime soon and from the rumors I've heard, he has! What the hell happened to him?"
"I knew it."
The two turned as Takuma entered the room, drawing Jaakuna from its sheath.
"I knew there was something weird going on with you. Why I hated you, why I wanted to see you hurt so badly. If not for you, I wouldn't have gotten into all of the problems I had. If I hadn't been loyal to you-"
"Takuma, stop. Do you even know what that thing is doing to you?"
"Oh, I'm perfectly aware of what it does and I'm perfectly aware of what I want it to do to you. Test your ninja skills, Tsum-ahhh!"
Takuma fell to the floor as Chekome stood over him.
"We'll say it's all a dream and that he misheard us. When we get him back to his room, I want answers, Tsume. You owe the both of us an explanation and in return we will give you our explanation. Natomi, help me."
Natomi grabbed Takuma and headed out of the door.
"Meet me in my room on the servant's floor. I can talk freely there."
They nodded and Isshin sighed, going back to his basket. He stood up and turned, gasping.
"Kisola."