To those of you who read my Soul Eater fanfiction:

This story is NOT a Soul Eater Fanfiction, it's a Hakuoki fanfiction. It's about a different ruby eyed love interest, Kazama. I would still love it if you read this fanfiction, but I wanted to make sure no one was unpleasantly surprised after reading through a few chapters. I am working on another Soul Eater work, but it will take some time to develop. I usually don't post until the story is nearly finished, so please be patient.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hakuoki or any of it's characters.


CHAPTER 1 – Chizuru

"Left, Right, Left, Right," I mumbled as I trudged through the mud. I had been walking since the rendezvous with the Shogun 30 minutes prior; the monotony of the march causing me to grow pensive. What am I doing here, helping the Shinsengumi as they guard the grounds of Nijo castle? I felt helpless, and often utterly useless in the presence of the samurai. Yes, I had been training with them, my swordsmanship improving with the careful, albeit impatient, tutelage of Saito and Okita.

**Flashback**

"You need to get better in order for us to continue taking you on patrols. The streets are becoming increasingly dangerous. If you become a liability out there; I'll have to leave you to die or kill you myself. If you don't improve faster, Hijikata may confine you to the grounds." Okita pronounced to me with a smirk during training one day.

Saito, the ever serious and more patient of the two simply continued to adjust my swing with his Bokken. Occasionally poking and prodding my stance gently with the tip. "Your swing must be swift and natural, like the wind that strikes the trees. The trees bend to the wind, the wind does not bend to the trees. You are not following through enough. Remember, nothing can stop your sword but you."

**End Flashback**

I sighed. I no longer feared the Shinsengumi. They had taught me much, but I was confronted with their hostility and mistrust on a regular basis. Would they ever see me as one of them? Unlikely…

Suddenly, I snapped to full attention, something wasn't right. A chill ran down my spine. Looking around, I noticed there were no blue shirts in sight. Dread crept into my stomach as I looked up, "You!" I shouted.

"… So you've noticed us. Not too slow, then…" Chikage Kazama called into the darkness, his cool voice sounding as bored as ever.

"W-Why are you here?"

Kyo Shiranui stared at me condescendingly as he spoke, "Hey little girl, you oughta be asking yourself how we got here, not why! …It was pretty easy, you know. A little human wall doesn't mean shit to a demon."

"We are here for a specific purpose. That purpose is you, Chizuru Yukimura. We are here for you." Hearing my name fall from the lips of Kyuju Amagiri startled me; how did they know my name?

"I…I don't understand… A demon…? What do you mean? And why are you here for… No…no, you must be joking!" My legs started to tremble from the shock of their words. Trying to hide the tremor, I stood taller, facing off with Kazama's dangerous, ruby eyes as he chuckled with derision.

"…How can you ask what a demon is? Perhaps you're the one joking here. After all, you are one, just like us."

The shock that registered across my face tipped them off to my utter cluelessness. They no doubt thought me dimwitted as Amagiri continued, "Do your injuries heal quickly? Too quickly, perhaps?"

I blinked, still reeling from Kazama's statements, "W-what?" I stated dully.

"Do you heal from injuries faster than any human could?" Amagiri's impatience was evident in his statement, helping the words to better sink into my muddled mind.

"W-well I…" I trailed off, pursing my lips.

"What the hell? Maybe it'll be quicker if we just give her a demonstration." Shiranui snarked.

"Enough, Shiranui. I don't care if she admits it or not. We're here for a reason, and that hasn't changed." Kazama stated coolly. "Her family name is a demon's and she carries the Demon of the East's kodachi. That is evidence enough." Somehow his bored tone still managed to command the authority that brooked no argument, his oddly entrancing eyes staring me down. "Then again, it isn't as though we need your permission to kidnap you."

This man had nearly killed Okita with lazy indifference, how would I resist when he truly had a desire to take me? I could feel the inky blackness of fear as the emotion took hold of my entire body.

"Female demons are rare. Now, come with me…" he coaxed.

I looked down at my trembling hands. Had I learned nothing from my time as a captive with the Shinsengumi? They fought to the death, no matter the circumstances, perhaps I should have the courage to fight too.

I fixed my gaze on Kazama, trying to look defiant as I pulled my kodachi from its scabbard. I could not defeat these men, but maybe I could distract them long enough for help to arrive. Kazama smirked, a deep chuckle rising from his chest.

"You think you have any chance against me?" the arrogance of the statement only adding fuel to my fire. The fear began to burn towards anger. Anger that months had gone by with no new leads on my father, that I was turned into a glorified errand girl by men who refused to trust or value me in any way, that I was stuck in a city I didn't know and couldn't get to know as a result of my confinement.

Suddenly, a blade flickered through the night. Turning, I saw Saito and Harada. A hand pulled me back; a strong back appearing out of nowhere… Hijikata. They were here to save me, but I felt no relief. Why did I always need to be the damsel in distress? If what Kazama said was true, if I was a demon, couldn't I be strong enough to protect myself?

The anger burned hotter as I chastised myself and the world I lived in for enabling the weakness of women. As I felt the frustration and anger consume me, a growl erupted from my chest, and my world became suddenly brighter.

I looked up at Kazama, his smirk growing into a full grin. "I will not go with you." I stated forcefully, a new found strength pulsating through me.

"You're beautiful. This form suits you well." He sounded pleased, laughing lightly with genuine excitement. "I see you will be the good match I predicted."

Another growl erupted from my chest as someone touched my shoulder. I turned, sending daggers at whomever had broken my concentration; Yamazaki. His shock was evident, "Hijikata…" he mumbled with a squeak.

Hijikata briefly glanced my way, then turned the full force of his gaze and sword in my direction. "Yukimura-kun… what is this!?" he demanded.

"This is her true form as a demon; were you not aware?" Kazama mocked.

Hijikata's eyes narrowed, and it reminded me of the first night I met him. He was considering whether or not to kill me. He took a tentative step forward, sword held in a fighting stance.

Kazama gracefully leapt from the building, landing between Hijikata and me. It seemed a casual move at first glance, but Hijikata's surprised expression at his sudden appearance suggested otherwise. Perhaps this "demon form" allowed me to move faster too…?

"How dare you turn your sword on the future mother of my children. If you lay a single hand on her, I will slaughter every person in this castle." Kazama's malice and protectiveness surprised me. First he wants to kidnap me, then he wants to save me? The situation was making my mind spin.

I stepped back a few feet, trying to get my bearings, while the warriors on both sides stepped closer to each other. Amagiri and Saito were circling each other; Harada and Shiranui appeared to be bantering; and Kazama, Yamazaki, and Hijikata were alternating between looking at me and glaring at each other.

Fear started creeping back into my gut, making me feel like a trapped animal. If Kazama won, he would kidnap me. If Hijikata won, he would execute me for being a demon. I looked around; the gate was only 200 feet away, no other blue shirts in sight. I looked back at the battles, they had intensified during my moments of distraction, each pair exchanging rapid blows with the demons obviously maintaining the upper hand.

My new found power continued to pulse, and an overwhelming instinct to run slammed into me. I turned on my heel, sprinting off towards the gate as quickly as possible. I was already out into the street when I heard Hijikata and Kazama shouting after me in unison; they would likely give chase.

I turned down a narrow alley, weaving and bobbing amongst garbage and crates. I could hear nothing but the pounding of my heart. A feeling of being completely alive and free took hold as I sprinted faster through the streets of Kyoto, towards the safety of the forest and mountains on the outskirts. I could hide there until I had figured out what to do.

As I ran, the power coursing through my veins slowly ebbed. By the time I stopped to listen for pursuers, I had run several miles into the forest and could no longer see the city of Kyoto. Only the sound of cicadas and a far off owl could be heard. I plopped onto the ground, suddenly feeling dizzy as the power dissipated completely. Darkness swelled, and I passed out as it consumed me.