"Hey! Old man are you still in here?" the girl asked as she slid open the door and crept in to the old farm house. The place was in shambles and looked as though a typhoon had swept through. In the corner of the house she saw the old man shivering in the corner. There was blood stained all over the walls and in his arms was a little old lady.
"Old man! What happened?" She rushed over to his side.
"A-Akahara? Is that you?" he stammered for he was unable to see very well anymore. "It's terrible its just as I said. They're out there somewhere…I came home and my…wife…" Tears burst from his eyes and Akahara could've cried with him.
"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner…" Up until now Akahara just thought he was a crazy old man seeing shadows and that it was just wolves who slaughtered his herds. As the leader of the Deeper Red, she failed him.
"Don't worry, old man…" she reassured him. "I'll stay with you for the night and make sure whoever did this… pays for it."
The old man ignored her and continued to murmur psychobabble.
The warmth of the wind caressed her neck on that warm summer night. She sat high on the old man's house and as she looked up at the moon, she had to admit that there was a romantic feel in the air. For once in her life the wolf did not beckon for her to come, so Akahara enjoyed the peace as long as it could last.
"It feels wrong to be at this much peace, when I'm supposed to be getting revenge. I'm so stupid…"
Eventually she would have to return to Kyoto and explain to her men why she suddenly disappeared and then why she wanted them to disband forever.
Laid down completely relaxed on the house and continuously looked up at the starry sky, that's when she heard the movement of a demon. Akahara jolted up in excitement and looked down at the soft blades of grass that were blowing the opposite way of the wind.
'It's fast…too fast…' Akahara jumped down from the house and landed in the grass with out grace for she wanted to be heard. Then there was a loud crash inside the house. She quickly ran inside and it was only a haunting man before her eyes.
He was a tall man with white long hair and glowing red eyes. He had the old man in the palm of his hands and was sucking the blood right from his neck.
"Ne, what kind of demon are you?" But she didn't wait for a reply and unsheathed her sword aiming for the arms. The creature swung the old man right in front of her blade, but Akahara pressed forward and her sword went through the old man and the demon.
The demon had a stunned look in his eyes like he did not expect her to press through. Then he dropped the man when Akahara removed her sword.
"May your soul find rest…" she muttered to the old man, then looked up to the demon and saw it looked more human now and extremely handsome.
'He looks like…one of my people…' she thought.
The demon mustered up the last of it's strength and vanished in thin air like a true demon.
For the moment Akahara knew that the conflict was other but something told her that she'd be seeing that demon again. She grabbed a fire light in the house and as she walked out laid it down on the steps to set the house on fire.
"So much for a romantic night." she sighed and looked up at the moon. "Then again the night isn't over, is it?"
Akahara had followed the path back to Kyoto and returned to the inn where her men were staying for the time being. As soon as she walked in they all jumped up in attention. Asking silent questions in their heads all looking low in moral. Only one of them was brave enough to say anything to their superior and was only because he was like her brother.
"Kuma Akahara, where were you all this time? Why do you always disappear at important times."
"Yes Kensuke I know, I know. I'm an irresponsible leader who deserves to die for leading these men and making them warriors."
Kensuke noticed a slur in her speech which made him believe that she was drunken.
"Everyone follow me!" she yelled. They gathered they're belongings swords and all. That night Akahara could smell the blood shed in the air of Kyoto and good men were dying. Which lead her to the place where the Shinsengumi were battling the Choushuu. Akahara and her team were still at a distance from the fight.
"How did you know the battle was here?" Kensuke wondered.
"Rumors…and feelings…Kenosuke they're out numbered, I know by the honor of my father that he'd never ignore a battle like this. I know today was when the Deeper Red was to disband forever but…Kenosuke let's just do this as our last gift to society."
"Akahara this is none of our business!" He said shaking her a bit by the shoulders. But she gave him a feigned look.
"Listen everyone!" she yelled addressing her team of men. "Today is gonna be our last day together! I love you all like brothers, but you are no warriors, the true warriors died that fateful day in the name of the Deeper Red. Now my final request is for you to take the spirit of true warriors and fight this very night in assistance of the Shinsengumi!"
All the men looked at her in confusion, they did not know whether to be insulted or elated.
"Please don't prove to be cowards! There are noble men in their fighting for a future, you have no future. You lost it all, everything! Those men, they fight threaten to burn Kyoto down! Do you want the same fate that was bestowed upon you upon them?"
They shook their heads no, for no one should undergo the pain of losing everything to war.
"Grab your swords brave men…the time is near…When you walk in pretend as though you are a dead man walking, have no fear and tell no one who you are only that you've come to help." she calmly said. "Let's go!"
"Yes!" they all said in unison. Kuma ordered her second in charge to ready them in the back of the building as she spoke once again with Kensuke.
"Kuma do you really believe that those group of men can assist the Shinsengumi?" he asked.
"Does it matter anymore? At least they will die a noble death. Come Kensuke." she said alluringly.
Akahara rushed in to the building like a demon, with Kensuke trailing behind her. She saw the chaos and her men courageously fighting along side the Shinsengumi, some who were thoroughly surprised by the sudden appearance of aid. The three Shinsengumi were on the steps fighting but surrounded on both sides.
Akahara crept up from behind, not using her sword she took out her three-sectioned staff and with one swing crushed the skulls of three men on the ground below.
Before her was a Shinsengumi with long brown hair that was in a ponytail, who she couldn't help but notice his cuteness and wink at him with flirtatious intent, leaving him highly confused and flushed.
'Where'd she come from?' Heisuke thought when suddenly he saw an enemy come from behind her.
"Watch out!" he yelled. But enemy was already sliced in half by a muscular man with short brown hair. Through the blood Akahara saw another handsome face who amidst the battle smiled generously at her. Heisuke was overwhelmed with curiosity and wanted to know who this girl with silver hair was. Higher up from the steps Okita called for him to come on so they could check out the upper floor, taking advantage of the uncalled for back up.
"Are you okay?" the man who saved her life asked."
"Yea. thanks!" she nodded to her savior, finding it hard to stay focused on the battle. 'Dammit! Leave it to me to be distracted this easily.'
"Focus you idiot!" she heard Kensuke yell from across the room, where the other steps were. He was helping out someone she recognized amongst the Shinsengumi all too well. Kondou-san.
"Shut up and fight yourself!" she yelled back then focused on the battle ahead of her as she fought side by side with who she realized must have been Shinpachi.
"Who are you?" Shinpachi asked finding the presence of a woman on the battle field awkward.
"Just the leader of a small militia." she replied giving him a sly smile as she took out more men.
Battle seemed to go on longer than Akahara expected, and she presumed most of her men, except for Kensuke, had died already.
"They just keep coming!" she screamed in frustration. She looked over to see Shinpachi sitting on the steps panting like a dog. Akahara walked over to him and wrapped a wound that was on his hand.
Finally more Shinsengumi arrived from the front and behind the building and a feeling of relief overwhelmed her. The end was near. She looked around and saw Kondou-san fighting by himself and went to help him. That was when she realized Kensuke was no where to found. No longer did she feel his presence in the room, but then spotted him in a corner bleeding out.
"Kensuke!" she screamed rushing to his side. He was unconscious, or so it seemed, as she shook him he didn't move, but he was still breathing. Panic was beginning to set in as her own brother was dying before her eyes. She dropped her guard and held him in her arms.
Suddenly she felt a pang in her side and realized a sword had been thrusted in to her. Then it was pulled out of her. She looked up and saw it was the same white haired demon from the old man's house. Once again he disappeared like lightening.
"Seriously…?" she muttered before losing all consciousness.
Sorry if its not romance enough yet D: im working on that part lol