The samurai and the vow to the moon

Chapter 13

The day after the skirmish at Ikeda. I've been sent into town to run some errands.

- Extra. Extra. Read all about it. After last night's incident at Ikeda, the head of the Aizu clan, Matsudaira Katamori, offers a reward to the Shinsengumi, a news writer yells.

- What, I ask.

- Huh. Says here the Shinsengumi rounded up a band of criminals, who were planning to burn down the palace, a villager says.

- Excuse me, I'll take one copy, please, I say. I quickly pay, and scan the page.

- Everything that happened last night. It's all written here, I say in my head.

- Not only that. The Shinsengumi also caught a group of extortionists, and had them arrested, a merchant says.

- That's right. The Shinsengumi are the only thing keeping this town safe from crime, I say.

- You know, I watched them as they were leaving. They looked so fine in their matching sky-blue coats, a lady says. Somehow, it seems like public opinion is starting to turn in the Shinsensgumi's favor.

- The seeds they worked so hard to sow are finally beginning to blossom, I say in my head. Bursting with joy, I tuck the newsletter under my arm, and hurry back to base.

Just outside the front gates, I see a small girl holding a huge white radish.

- Everything okay, I ask.

- This is for those nice Shinsengumi men, the girl says.

- You want me to bring this radish to the Shinsengumi, I ask.

- Yeah. My mom said it was okay to take it to them. To say thanks for saving our town, the girl says.

- Well, thank you very much, I say. I watch the little girl as she goes, and then happily proceed to Toshizo's room, carrying the radish.

- Toshizo, I say happily.

- What are you so excited about, he asks.

- Here, this is for us, I say. I pass him the radish, and he accepts it with a look of reservation.

- I sent you to town to buy medicinal packets, not a huge radish, he says.

- Oh, yeah. I have those too, I say. I hand him the small packets, which he'll use to hold his powdered medicine.

- So what's this, he asks.

- A big radish, I say.

- I can see that, he says.

- Oh, a little girl gave it to me. She wanted to bring it to the Shinsengumi, as a way of saying thanks for protecting the people of the town, I say.

- Aw, Kondo says. Kondo is just on his way out somewhere, when he pokes his head in.

- That is one huge radish. We should all eat it for dinner tonight, Kondo says.

- I think so too. Safe travels, I say happily. I watch Kondo as he goes on his way.

- I also brought back a copy of the latest newsletter, I say. Toshizo seems eager to read it.

- News travels fast, I see, he says.

- So you already knew about the reward, I ask.

- I did, he says.

- The townsfolk were all stunned by the mention of the Aizu lord's name in print. Thanks to this, they're finally going to realize the truth about the Shinsengumi, I say.