Betraying Your Own Kind
Chapter One
A stage was set in which I was to perform upon, the duties that were expected of me. Expectations I hadn't even agreed upon, and here I was bound, gagged and hiding in the headquarters of the Shinsengumi. The moon was out high in the sky, most of the members would be out patrolling right about now, and the rest would already be asleep waiting for their shift to start. Or that's what we had learned from watching the group these past few weeks. We being the ones who had raised me since an early age, and had taught me everything I knew about fighting. Yet it made me wonder if they intended to use me, for just bait even when training me to be the best among them. As I lay on the ground rope tightly gripping my body, while the white cloth that had been previously been covered in chloroform still held the musky scent of the drug. I couldn't help but feel this cold sense of betrayal, along with shame at not seeing this wash over me. And yet without my sword and still weak from the drug, I couldn't do much other than glare. At least Kazama had allowed me that luxury, I thought bitterly as I watched him with frosty blue eyes.
"You've served your purpose Kaji, I'm no longer in need of your services." his cold voice spoken suddenly, resonating that deep tone, I'd come accustom to over the years. At first I wasn't sure what the statement meant, other than he'd be leaving me behind here. That was until I saw the blond male go for his sword, the weapon making an eerie clicking noise confirming his own words. I shot two a frantic look at both Kyuujuu and Shiranui, but they were looking off somewhere else. It was at that moment I knew I wouldn't get any sympathy from them, not even Kyuujuu who was usually the pacifist who didn't want any trouble, unless forced into the position to. I fought the best I could to rub the rope, against the ground in hopes of snagging a rock so that at least my arms would be free. My eyes settled onto Kazama who was showing no mercy, his blade free from its sheath and now coming down in a swinging arc, just before it pierced my abdomen.
The force of the blow drew the very air out of me, and I knew the moment the blade at pierced flesh that this was the end. For the blond oni struck to kill, and nothing less than that. Moments flashed before my eyes pain wracking every corner of my body, as I fought for the air that I was denied. All around me a pool of crimson was forming, my head spinning till I could see nothing but a blur. So this was how it was to end, being betrayed by men who were like brothers to me huh? As my life ebbed away pushing me to the afterlife, a coldness settled over my heart .. Part of me vowed to get revenge somehow.
Saito's POV
It was close to midnight when my squad arrived back at headquarters, everyone was tired and ready for sleep. I was no exception but as a squad leader it was unacceptable to show this on my face. As we neared the gates, a dark shadow caught my eye. Whatever it was I didn't feel that it would be anything welcoming. Even the air held this ominous presence that felt heavy making it almost hard to breathe. As we neared closer my suspensions were confirmed, there lying by the large double doors was a young girl. She'd be tied up with rope, her wrists were rested high against her back, painfully so. Her ankles were bound as well, so tightly that any means of escape possible. A katana laid near her side, judging by the way it rested against her, free of blood it must belong to her. This however was the least of her troubles, for she'd been stabbed brutally in the stomach, blood was all around staining her clothes and the ground beneath her. Almost instantly the frantic hushed whispered started, as to why the girl would have been here. It must be a ploy from the Choushuu to make the Shinsengumi look bad, by having a dead woman outside the gates. It was a petty trick but not entirely a harebrained one either.
She was young for her age perhaps no more than seventeen or eighteen, her long raven hair was covered with dirt, and her pale skin plastered with blood and no telling her what else. Whatever the case the girl could not stay here, it would only make things look bad. I knew my superiors wouldn't like her inside the headquarters, because of the conflicts that would arise, but it was better than having the girl left outside for others to find. Leaning down I scooped up the girl in my arms, holding close against my chest regardless of the blood staining my clothes. "Captain what are you doing?" one of my men asked with surprise reigning all over his face. Instead of answering I turned my back to them, just as the double doors were opening up, and the next shift coming out.
It was Sanosuke who met us at the gates, he was filling in for Kondo tonight. Our eyes met as he instantly spotted me with the girl in my arms, and the condition she was in. "What are you doing with that girl? If the vice captain see's you, he'll flip his lid?" Sanosuke exclaimed looking unsettled by the girl before him. It was only natural that he would feel this way, even I was slightly if not all the way surprised by the matter. Although I had my suspensions it did not mean I was entirely up to date on the matter. "She was left outside of our gates, a present from the Choushuu no doubt." I stated before moving passed the surprised spear wielder, and the rest of the squad members who were just as baffled. Sanosuke wasn't stupid he'd figure out, what I meant even if it took him a few moments. Moving into the corridor that was darkened at this time of night, I headed in the direction of the said vice captain's room. The matter would need to be reported and dealt with, before word got around town despite our attempts to keep everything related to the girl a secret. In all honesty I doubted the girl was still alive, and if she was then it would be a miracle if she survived.
The raven haired girl was still warm in my arms, even still there was no mistaking, the coldness that was sweeping over her. It was only moments later that I arrived at Hijikata's room; it was obvious enough that he was in his room, by the dim light that was glowing inside. "I have returned from my patrolling all areas are secure." I informed through the bedroom door. "However we have a slight problem." I announced. My answer to my problem was the door sliding open and the vice captain himself a tall samurai with proud features that were stone like even in the face of a problem met mine. "I have a feeling this one is going to be a colorful conversation. Bring her in and we'll fetch someone to heal her, if possible." the vice captain stated with a sigh, as he moved aside allowing me access to his private quarters.
Normal POV
A harsh intake of breath had me gasping out from the way it hurt to breath, as air entered my body. An instant later my eyes bolting open revealing the frosty blue hue that was filled with confusion and pain. I had no idea where I was other than the fact that I appeared to be in some kind of bedroom. The events of what I was doing yesterday, or a time period before that had escaped me. It was then that I had come to realize, that other than my own name I knew nothing about who I was, or what my purpose was! The sudden recognize of not knowing yourself was awful, the mere notion made my heart ache, and my head spin. The fact of having no idea where I was, only added to the problem of not knowing who I was. For all I knew I could be in the bedroom of some stranger, who had taken me in when they learned I was wounded. Which lead to question after question as to why I was wounded in the first place? Just as everything started to overwhelm me at once, the sliding doors opened to reveal a giant of a man.
Everything about him radiated coldness from his long brunette hair, to his dark violet eyes and strong muscled body. From the look on his face it appeared, that he was anger his eyes all but scowling from across the room at me. "Woman who are you? And why were you laying half dead in front of our head quarters?" the man asked getting straight to the point. "Heh that's what I would like to know." I thought quietly to myself, as I met his gaze not intimidated by the air of authority around this man. "Toshi you can't go in there she's naked!" another voice sounded throughout the room, an older voice at that exclaimed. Say what? I thought my eyes widening as I peaked down at the covers, that had fallen off me when I raised myself up. Sure enough there wasn't a stitch of clothing on my body, the only thing that covered me was a tight bandage around my stomach, where the apparent wound was. The man otherwise known as Toshi didn't look the least bit phased, he was only concerned with who I was, and what I had been doing almost dead.
With knowing this I grabbed the cloth blanket, and pulled it up over myself, careful not to brush it against the bandage. "I have no clue who I am, or why I am wounded." I stated speaking for the first time, my voice wavering from the embarrassment of having been exposed to this man. It was about that time Toshi turned, and was already talking to an older looking man with lighter brown spiky locks, from the distance I could tell that he was a kind rational man. It was hard not to think that as he argued his case, with the brute of the man who had just waltzed into the room, demanding answers I did not have. "It matters not to me if she's clothed or not. The girl was outside our quarters, for all we know she could have agreed to be bait." Toshi insisted looking none too happy, to be trifling with this man. 'Oh yes because being wounded is so fun, who wouldn't agree to act as bait?' I thought bitterly to myself. I wasn't for sure if that was what happened, but I seemed like a logical enough girl. Normally the logical thing was not to allow yourself to be used as a pawn, especially not willingly.
"There's also the chance that she didn't agree either, and was forced!" the older man insisted. He was a stubborn old bull I'd give him that, he must be the brunette's superior with the way he was standing up to Toshi. From what I gathered this didn't mean that Toshi welcomed the stubbornness either. "She didn't act as bait willingly, there are signs of a struggle on her body." A smooth voice with a quiet edge filled the room. That's when I realized that there was another man in the room, with both Toshi and the older man. His features were pale yet mysterious as was the blue black hair, he wore tied in a loose pony tail. He was dressed in a navy kimono that looked baggy, hiding any evidence of what he looked like underneath his clothing. What was more he was so silent that I hadn't realized, he was even in the room. "Saito you're in here too, thank the heavens for that! Go on explain yourself so we can rest Toshi's mind." the man stated sliding the door closed behind him, as both he and Toshi came further into the room. "The healer reported that her wrists were rubbed raw, as were her ankles. She tried to put up a struggle, before she was nearly gutted." the mysterious man stated bluntly.
Right to the point eh? I couldn't help but grimace at the statement, at the notion of myself being gutted. Obviously it was true, yet I wasn't quite ready hear it. "Furthermore she appears to be suffering from memory loss. Until she regains her memories, she will not be useful." Saito added his eyes not directly looking at anyone as he spoke. By this news Toshi didn't seem too pleased with the notion of not getting the information he wanted. I noticed this from the way, his face became darker as frustration settled in. If the imprudent man thought that he was going to keep me, just so he could force me to remember, what I desperately wanted to myself, he had another thing coming. "Fetch me my clothing and I will be on my way." I declared suddenly interrupting before anyone else decided to have they're say. It was bad enough I had let myself get wounded, the feeling was foreign somewhere deep down it fit, that it disgraced me to be wounded like this. "Until your memories come back, you aren't going anywhere." Toshi stated as he looked no more happier, than I was with the current situation.
"You will be our serving girl, when you wounds are fully healed. There and when you gain your memories, will depend on if we have to kill you or not." He went on a smirk gracing his lips that made him look like some kind of demon. Oh goody it looked like I could have the honor, of being in the dark for a while, until someone else knows if I'm worthy of living or not! I thought sarcastically as I glared back at the man, who met my glare with tenfold. Whatever I had been doing before I was wounded, surely I must have screwed up somewhere along the way. Because now I was in a demon's house, knowing nothing of all the things I very well needed to know. This may not go so good, the words echoing in my brain as some foreign emotion welled up inside of me.