I like this story so far... I'm sort of reading it to procrastinate doing real work... but when I get time I'll definately read further... I find your story compelling and your characterizations well realized :)

That was a great ending! I don't think it was predictable at all. At least it surprised me.

The bit about Chokichi being sold by her family reminded me of some stuff I'd read about the history, and I can't really blame her family. It could have been a choice between selling their daughter or having all their children die of starvation.

Great story!

I was going to cheer for the rescue of Chokichi but now I have to say "no!" Dratted mountains!

Aiee! This is excellent! (The fic, of course, not the situation.) I wonder, is the onsen town a real place?

On the bright side, if they survive this, the Bakufu soldiers will be cut off from them. Whether they'll be able to get back to civilization is another matter.

What a bastard Tomahizo is. Unfortunately, I can see that's going to have no effect on how much Kenshin is willing to put on the line to get him back to Katsura safely. It's a good thing Kenshin didn't dilly-dally on the way there, either, since a couple hours later and the Bakufu would've been there first! Eek! I wonder if Tomahizo knows something that the Bakufu need too, or if they're just out to silence him as soon as possible?

Hi Omasu! I'm reading this at last...

I love the visualness of this first chapter -- the way you describe the darkness and clouds that first night at the teahouse, and the morning sun and sparrows later on, and the details about the people. It's wonderfully vivid. The set-up is also great. I've come to the end of the chapter with that "oh no..." feeling. Onward...

-Heather

I liked the ending. It was very well thought out, and I loved Chokichi's character. And you are right, it's refreshing to see a few hints of the rurouni in the "Battousai" time. Anyway, loved it, and I want more like it.

Talking about divine justice, eh?

I definitely liked the ending. I'm glad that Kenshin could save the right person, the one who deserved it, even if it meant failing his real assignment – of course, the rebels still obtained the information they wanted, which was a relief. I didn't find it too predictable, because I expected a different, tragic twist, like the girl dying beneath the mud, wood and water, leaving the merchant as self-centered as ever, and the honorable hitokiri to silently mourn her fate.

The whole fic was entertaining and well written; your plot was short yet compelling. I felt very sorry for Chokichi during most chapters, and I enjoyed her eventual return to her village. Tomahizo, on the other hand, was absolutely repulsive, and I totally rejoiced when the gods – or fate – decided to punish him.

I actually found it quite ironic, how a cold-blooded assassin could be so much more human and compassionate than a so-called normal man who used to have a loving family...

It was a good story. Many thanks for sharing!

I was having a real hard time accepting that u'd let the "WHY?" slip through.. hehe.. caught up nicely though.. good read..

nice turn in the end!

Yay.. my fav ride.. earthquake shaken rope bridge with water wall surprise :P

hehe.. nice chapter here..

tempo rising.. lovely detail, as always and really fleshed out characters.. moremoremore?
..

hey.. hmm finally got around to this :)

does not disappoint in any way.. really looking forward to more of this..

glad you finished it was looking forward to it :) it was a sweet simple ending glad it wasn't one of thoes overly flashy one good ending looking forward to ur next one :)

Very nice ending. *applauds* You seem to know a lot about the lives of geisha, and it shows through this work. I also like how you always zoom in on nature and show Kenshin's connection to it, since nature it a very important part of Japanese culture. I originally thought that this story would be a bit longer, but I think you ended at a good spot. Keep writing!

~ZukoFlame