“Betrayal By Blood”
Part 2

The stranger they saw was a tall, strong, clean-shaven man. He had short hair and his face had a very stoic look. “Who are you?” Kondo asks.

“That is none of your business. But if you want Nori Mutsu to remain alive, you shall stop pursuing her."

“What are you talking about? Who are you to tell us what we can or cannot do?!” Hijikata said.

“You do not want to make an enemy of me. They call me Oukami and they know me as the killer wolf that lurks in the night. Unlike any other killers you know, I am more efficient. If any of you dare cross my path, you will never live to tell about it. I am telling you now stop pursuing Nori Mutsu or you will endure the same punishment that Ayumu suffered.”

“How dare you speak of that! Do you realize who you are messing with?!” Susumu remarked, moving toward him has Hijikata raises his hand for him to stop.

“Just bear in mind the warning and value it,” Oukami said, looking at everyone with a glare of ferocity. The room got very tense and no one let their guard down. Everyone was scowling at the stranger. They were all like animals ready to pounce at any moment. “I will not fight you now.”

“What?! Are you too afraid of us?” Sanosuke grinned.

“Hmm… I do not play with dirty mutts, boy,” Oukami said turning and brushing his shoulder off as he grins. Sanosuke was about to attack him, but in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

“Where the hell did he go,” Sanosuke shouted, running out of the room followed by the others, looking around for him.

A few hours later as the sun was setting behind the hills a voice speaks to Oukami from the shadows, “Oukami, did you go to the Shinsengumi Headquarters as you were told?” The figure from the shadows says to him.

“Yes, I did as I was told, Master,” Oukami responds.

“And what was the out come of your visit you paid to them,” the shadow asks him.

“Hijikata will not let Nori Mutsu out of his grasp now, I made sure of it,” Oukami says.

“Good, the sooner we can get Miss Nori into the mist of the Shinsengumi, the faster we can bring them to their knees,” the shadow replies.

“Are you sure Nori Mutsu will be able to do what we need of her? She is blind to what we are doing.” Oukami says.

The figure laughs villainously, “The Shinsengumi trusts her fully. They know her to be an honest and truthful person they have never suspected her of any foul play. Using her to do this for us was the best plan I have put into effect. Not only will she do away with her sister, she will bring down the one that has caused all this as well…” the figure laughs again. “We will do away with many adversaries. Miss Nori was just happy to hear that we could help her pull her sister from the shadows... she wants nothing but revenge on her big sister for what she has done to the family name. So when she has done her part, we can dispose of them all as they have completed their usefulness.”

However, high in the trees next to their domain, a figure sat listening to what they had to say. “They are using my little sister, are they going to kill her as well? The Shinsengumi is their prime target and I am the target for my sister. This should get interesting,” The figure said, disappearing off into the darkness.

The next day the Shinsengumi still did not know what to do about food since they would not get an answer from Miss Nori for two more days.

“Tell me more about Miss Nori Mutsu’s sister and why have I not heard of her before?” asked Shinpachi.

Hijikata walks in on the conversation. “Why do you want to know?” he says.

“Because a new comer is in town and I have heard some rumors,” says Shinpachi.

“Well I know very little if anything. Her real name was Katana Nori Mutsu, she was an informally part of Shinsengumi, she left about five years ago, although I am not sure why. Katana was as deadly as she was beautiful, one of the best fighters around as well. She would come here to practice and get stronger... I guess in all reality you could say she was basically a member of the Shinsengumi.” Hijikata said.

“You had a thing for her! Didn’t you?!” Soji yelled in a teasing way at Hijikata. Tetsu and the rest of them just looked on as they yelled.

“I did not! She was my student nothing more!” Hijikata shot back at Soji.

“Fine say what you will” and with that Soji sat back down laughing.

Unknown to everyone someone was at the door during that whole conversation. “I seem to always overhear things at the wrong time. Well I hope they recognize me.” She said to herself as she knocked on the door; no one heard the knock except Tetsu. He looked around to see if anyone else noticed.

Seeing that they did not, Tetsu got up and went to open the door.“ Who in the world could it be? We are not expecting Miss Mutsu for 2 more days.” He opened the door to reveal a young woman with hair the color of blood and piercing gray eyes wearing a black kimono with 2 swords at her hip.

“May I come in or are you going to stare at me all day?” Katana said laughing at Tetsu.

“What? Oh yes! Please come in!” He said as he held open the door for her.

At that point, everyone stopped talking and looked at who Tetsu let in without permission. Hijikata almost looked as if he has seen a ghost, Soji smiled at her and everyone else just wanted to know who she was.

“Well thank you for the warm welcome, I have not seen you two in five years and you just stare?” Katana said with a hint of scorn in her voice directed at Hijikata and Soji.

“Why are you back...?” Soji asked to break the silence.

“To see if the offer of joining the Shinsengumi was still open?” She said smugly.

"Heh, same old Katana. You have not changed a bit you know." Soji says. Upon hearing this, Katana draws her sword to Soji's throat and manages to draw blood; the other men draw their swords to defend Soji from this stranger.

"But of course I am the same you see... I can still draw a sword on you without you having the chance to react!" Katana says laughing.

"Feh, you just caught me off guard!"

Hijikata smiles at the familiar scene thinking, “She really has not changed a bit. Both physically and behavior wise as well… still so reckless and bold....” “Put away your swords men she is safe.” Hijikata tells them.

As they walk into the dining area, they do not notice the figure outside who is hiding the trees.

"So you have come," Oukami whispers, “Master and Miss Nori will be glad to hear of this.”