It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
As the former captain of Shinsengumi's tenth division Sanosuke Harada had seen his fair share of battlefields, but this; this wasn't a battle.
It was slaughter.
He had no choice but to watch his fellow warriors fall like they were fragile dolls of cloth. To say they were outnumbered was laughable: enemies kept coming at them like a tidal wave washing away anyone who faltered. Sanosuke had not paused to breathe for hours, his Su-Yari spear always in motion.
He could feel the sweat, slick and already cold on his neck and chest, rolling down the contours of his back. He couldn't keep this up for long.
Sanosuke once again glanced around after slaying another foe. He had lost Shinpachi in the midst of the battle and while the brutish samurai usually could hold his own this was no normal battle.
When they left the Shinsengumi they had vowed with no words that they would find a cause to fight for. Though they had known each other for years upon years Sanosuke still couldn't figure out what his comrade truly sought. Clearly it was different from his own lackluster dreams.
The brief moment of taking his eyes off the battle proved to be disastrous. Sanosuke barely avoided the tip of a blade slicing through the air, so very close to driving into his stomach.
It was very much against his will, when the mass of enemies pushed him further backwards, into the thick of the forest.
Out of all the assignments he had been given this had to be the dumbest.
From the vantage point in the tree, Shiranui Kyo could observe the useless battle from above. He had little sympathy for humans and their pathetic wars, but even he could see the unfairness of the carnage below him.
Though they were a bunch of dumb guard dogs, at least the Shinsengumi fought with a resemblance of honor. This was just distasteful.
Shiranui's thoughts were disturbed when someone broke through the bushes underneath the tree he had stationed himself in. The flash of red hair and the glint of a spear told him all he had to know. His brows shot upward as Sanosuke Harada of the Shinsengum stepped into the clearing.
Out of all humans this man had always unnerved Shiranui the most. While a worthwhile opponent the captain also seemed to have a smile glued to his face. He had always found himself equally pissed off and weirded out by the truthfulness of that smile. The redhaired warrior seemed to carry his heart, pinned to his chest for anyone to touch and ruin. It frustrated Shiranui to no end. Foolish humans…
Harada however were not smiling at the moment. It was clear he was fighting a loosing battle when more soldiers ran closer. But Harada straightened his back readying himself for one final battle as they surrounded him.
Shiranui was not sure what made him decide, but he unsheathed his guns and let himself drop to the ground.
"Well isn't this a surprise… And here I thought I would have to travel far for a fight."
Sanosuke shouldn't have been surprised. He always showed up in the most peculiar situations. Even so he couldn't stop the confusion from showing on his face.
"Shiranui Kyo."
The demon in front of him grinned his eyes glowing with challenge. Sanosuke may have been momentarily distracted because a stray soldier suddenly charged from behind. A deafening bang from Shiranui's gun made quick work of the soldier, but Sanosuke found himself bent out of shape. The demon warrior only grinned mockingly.
"That's twice I saved your ass Sanosuke Harada. You Shinsengumi dogs sure are pathetic, huh?"
The remark had its usual bark, but it brought a smile to Sanosuke's face. As more enemies charged he lifted his spear, a new will to fight surging through him.
"Truce." Shiranui only laughed sarcastically and nodded.
And that's how they ended up back to back fighting hordes of soldiers in the clearing. And if Sanosuke had found fighting against Shiranui liberating, fighting with him was in another league.
They felt like a pair of duel weapons – one an extension of the other. At times their backs would touch and Sanosuke could feel the other man's beating heart. It steadied him somehow, to know that even a demon could get out of breath.
Not after long they were surrounded by bodies and no life seemed to be left.
Finally Sanosuke lowered his spear in what felt like forever. His entire body protested against him, but he stood up straight looking to the other warrior. "I need to find my comrade, Shinpachi."
Shiranui nodded with no snide comment as he followed.
It seemed entirely too peaceful in stark contrast to before as they trekked through the forest. Sanosuke used the time to watch his new temporary comrade. Shiranui had fascinated him ever since he first laid eyes on the demon, and whenever they crossed paths they ended up in fights. But fighting with him had been different. It had been less survival and more… fun.
Shiranui suddenly turned his head clashing gazes with him. "Watcha lookin' at?"
Perhaps it was the adrenaline from the battle before, but whatever it was it made Sanosuke answer truthfully: "You, obviously."
Clearly not expecting the answer the darkhaired demon scoffed and looked away.
After a couple of minutes of silent walking Shiranui broke the silence again. "You left the Shinsengumi, yeah? What's up with that?"
Sanosuke couldn't find it in himself to lie. "We had different paths is all." He shrugged but it wasn't enough for his demon companion.
"If you don't fight for them anymore, then what do you fight for now? Was all that honor bullshit just a load of crap?"
It was too quick that Sanosuke looked away for it to be natural. Annoyingly his face had heated up. His reason for fighting had always been the same; had always been embarrassing. The other man looked shocked by this reaction. "What is it? Tell me."
Ah to hell with it, Sanosuke thought steeling himself for ridicule.
"I fight for a future Shiranui Kyo. I fight for my country too, for what I believe in, but when all of this is over, I want a simple life. I want to settle down peacefully with a spouse and children."
Sanosuke's ears still felt warm when he looked at Shiranui but the demon did not laugh. Instead he looked thoughtful; troubled even.
"Always knew you were a wimp."
This comment drew laughter from Sanosukes lips and for a moment he thought that things weren't so bad after all.
But then soldiers burst through the trees and the calm was gone.
Only this time their eyes glowed manically against the green backdrop. Furies, Sanosuke thought readying his weapon.
It didn't take long for them to be surrounded and the sheer mass of the fury soldiers were overwhelming. Sanosuke fought, swung and parried, but whenever a soldier was struck down, he got up again with that unsettling laugh.
It may have been because of the chaos or the sheer number of them, that Sanosuke didn't realize another fury was behind him before it was too late.
The sound of a wet gasp dragged Shiranui out of his battle rage. He didn't think much of it until the person beside him fell to his knees. It was then he saw Haradas wide disbelieving eyes.
When he saw the blade stabbed clean through the other mans abdomen.
Shiranui was hot and cold at the same time, unlike anything he had ever felt. He knew that his hair and eyes must have changed and horns would be peeking through the hair at the top of his head. He didn't bear it in mind though as he ferociously slayed the disgusting fakes like the vermin they were.
When silence had settled, Shiranui hurried towards the other man having no idea what to do. Harada had managed to lean against a nearby tree, still clutching the blade imbedded in his gut. Shiranui knew there was no coming back from that. It was something he saw in the other mans dull eyes and weak posture.
Fragile these humans. So weak and… Breakable. And if Shiranui had just left the other man perhaps he would still live. Perhaps it wouldn't feel like this.
He crouched near Harada unsure of what to do. Helpless in a way that he despised.
"You are dying." He said, voice betraying nothing of what he felt.
The redhaired man smiled, lips already pale with death. "You don't say…" He choked on something, blood, bile or tears Shiranui didn't know.
Only Harada's ragged breathing filled the deafening silence of the forest. He breathed in with effort. "Did I-" another wet choking sound. "-Did I fight with honor?"
Something was holding Shiranui's voice back but he forced the word out. "Yes."
The red haired samurai finally relaxed against the tree, exhaling softly. He laughed again the sound breathy and weak. When he looked into the demons eyes, his own were delirious with pain.
"The future… That I talked about…" His voice caught and Shiranui leaned closer to listen.
Sanosuke Harada looked almost wistful when he uttered his last words:
"Wouldn't it have been interesting, if it included you, Shiranui Kyo…"
When the light in those golden eyes dimmed the restraint on Shiranui broke. He nodded swallowing thickly before leaning closer pressing his lips against the other warriors cold forehead.
Something tight had lodged itself in his chest like he had been wearing what he had inside for all to see.
"And what a future what would have been, Sanosuke Harada."