It was night time at the Dojo, Karou was asleep, and everyone was in bed. But, Karou woke up the sound of horses outside the Dojo walls. She heard knocking and men.
Karou forced herself outside, as she walked to the Dojo gate. She slowly opened the door, to find that the police man that had frequently come to see Kenshin was standing there. "I am sorry, but Kenshin isn't here," she said, rubbing her eyes.
"This is not for Kenshin, we have gotten a telegram from Kyoto, requesting that you and your family be brought there immediately. A medical emergency." He said, adjusting his glasses.
Karou went white, "Is Okina okay?" she asked. The officer looked at her, "Okina is fine, it is Aoshi Shinnomori that is in trouble." He answered. "Hold on, let me get everyone," she said, not willing to hear anymore.
When she turned around, Sano was standing at the entry way of the Dojo. He turned, to go get Yahiko, and Karou went to get Kenji and Misao.
Misao wasn't taking the news lightly. She cried on the way out of the Dojo, and clung to Karou and Sano in the horse drawn carriage they had provided for them.
They dropped Kenji off at Magoumi's house, so she could take care of him. After this, it was a long tense ride to Kyoto. Misao fell asleep against Karou, and Yahiko was long since awake. So the remainder of the trip, Sanosuke and Karou talked.
The carriage came to a sudden stop. And the police officer opened a door. "Time to get on the train," he said. Sano gulped. Karou carried Misao, and Sano woke Yahiko up.
"Sano, I don't get it, why would they wake us up at this hour to go to Kyoto? Don't you think it's a little strange?" Yahiko asked, Sano looked at him, and ruffled his hair. "Its supposed to be, something is wrong with Aoshi, and we were supposed to be taken to Kyoto." He said.
The train doors shut. Sano tensed up, looking down at his feet so not to be affected by the scenery that flashed by, he had hated the train, ever since they put it in eight years ago. He thought that it was a death trap, so he was terrified of the train.
Yahiko was asleep again, but he was nervous, the last time there had been a medical emergency this important, Kenshin was almost dead, this was after his fight with Shishio. So he was nervous for Aoshi...
Karou worried not only for Aoshi, but for Misao. She was constantly looking at Misao, hoping she would still be asleep. But in Karou's heart, she was worried about Kenshin.
Misao was asleep, but dreaming of Aoshi, about the Times when he was leader of the Oni Gang, and Hanya would play with her, and Aoshi would give her dolls. And she shook in her sleep, not with sadness but with fear. Fear that she wouldn't see Aoshi again, fear that she'd be alone again.
The group sat mesmerized by their thoughts, unaware of how fast the train was going. After just an hour, they were in Kyoto, and another carriage was waiting for them.
