Riatsuka Yoake-an 18 year old girl that is a member of the Shinsengumi, she joined the Shinsengumi when she was only 13 and now she is a spy. She has brown eyes and short brown hair. She is 5'7" and mostly legs.
Introduction:
I was only 5 years old when my family abandones me.
I wasn't perfect nor unique in any sort.
By the time I was 13, I joined the Shinsengumi.
Of course, I was a watcher not a page...
Chapter 1: Stuck
It was the dead of night, Yamazaki and I were scouting the area. Now, I was 18 years old, slender, 5'7", and mostly legs. Though I dressed like a guy, honestly, I wasn't the feminine type. "...South quarters. nothing new." I muttered. "Good. We should head back." Yamazaki suggested. I nodded as we dashed across the rooftops. For a moment, I stopped instantly and sensed a presence that was close by. "What is it?" Yamazaki asked. "Someone is close by." I closed my eyes trying to focus. Yamazaki pulled out a kunai. "What the hell-I can't locate it." I gasped. "Shit. They must be out of your reach then. We must split up." Yamazaki said as he vanished. I ran over to the east quarters with a kunai in my hand.
"Who? Just who could've stopped me?!" I thought as I confronted the rogue ninja. "Show yourself." I ordered. The ninja turned to me with a cold stare. "Heh," she chuckled before she disappeared. "...What was that about?" I said aloud.
"Report." Hijikata ordered sternly. Hijikata seemed like a serious type of man. Hell, he could make me piss in my pants. "Sir, we've spotted a suspect...however, she got away." I frowned, "My skills of analyzing data has been detrimental to Yamazaki. I would gladly be punished." Hijikata sighed, "Yoake...second watcher in command, you did not fail me or Yamazaki. Please, go rest for the night. I will send someone for you in the afternoon." Hijikata said calmly. "Y-yes sir." I stood up a worried look on my face and left. "Sir, what do you think of Yoake's performance? He has been working hard to keep your approval." Yamazaki commented.
"That boy is a well-trained watcher. Souji will keep an eye on him." HIjikata blew a puff of smoke. "Uh sir, Yoake is actually a girl..." Yamazaki said in a cough. Hijikata didn't respond and glared at Yamazaki. "...This is just great. I guess we'll just wait for Yoake to speak." Hijikata thought as Yamazaki excused himself. "Does anyone know that Yoake is a woman?" he spoke quietly.
In the morning, I was taking a bath. It was only five in the morning and all the guys were sleeping. "Ah, I feel much better." I sighed in relief, "But Hijikata-san was not angry with me-that was new...I hope that I can cover my screw up somehow." "Oink!" A squeal came from behind. "Wha?" I turned my head to the left and something pounced on me. I stumbled in the water, but I controlled my balance. "Saizo?" I called out as I pulled the pig off of me. "Oink!" Saizo glared. "You got some nerve coming at me like that. Wait, you want to take a bath too?" I asked. Saizo gave me a happy snort and I carried Saizo in my arms.
For about an hour, I stayed in the bath then went back to bed. The last thing I could remember was sleeping in my bed with Saizo in my arms.
"Why do you guys want me to join?"...
"To help us of course. You are important to the Shinsengumi."....
"Wake up Yoake! Hijikata-san wants me to keep you company. " Souji said with a smile. I turned over away from Souji and grunted, "Day off...I'm sleeping." "Oh come now, you are free so we're going to the town for a stroll." Souji grabbed my foot and began dragging me across the floor. I held onto my pillow until Souji stopped. "...So this is what you look like under those manly clothes. You're a girl!" Souji snickered. "Bastard-of course I am!" I scolded in embarrassment. Souji kneeled down beside me with a serious look on his face. "So, does Hijikata-san know about this?" Souji questioned.
"Nope and I don't want anyone telling him." I said closing my robe. "Why not?" Souji asked as his eyes went back to normal, "You look cute Yo-chan!" "Shut up!" I almost shouted before I tilted my head, "Honestly...why do I put up with you?" "You hide yourself under those clothes that hide your true appearance. Everyone thinks of you as a guy." Souji commented. "And the guys wonder why you look like a chick in that thing." I retorted.
"Do you think so?" Souji questioned. "...No." I sighed as I felt something on my head. Souji had secretly placed Saizo on top of my head. "Saizo likes you a lot because you are a good person." Souji stated. "I think the opposite." I smiled sadly, "But I guess it is because of my 'inner demon'. I am a spy yet I usually analyze data pretty well. Though, the last few days, I've been screwing up." "I think you got it all wrong. You just need to be less stressed. Hijikata-san thinks that." Souji said concerned.
"Well, Hijikata-san thinks that I'm a guy-" I flared. "You should be more careful, and, may be you would prefer to be a part of a unit. Damn, he gives long fucking lectures..." I complained. Souji laughed hysterically. I felt better when he laughed like he did back then. We were only a few years a part. He was in his early 20s and I was only 18, but we still were dangerous. "Yoake-san." Souji placed a hand on my shoulder gently. "Fine, I'll come with you." I nagged. "Yay." Souji tackled me cheerfully. I felt Souji's cheek against mine. Saizo had a look on his face.
"Souji?" I muttered as Souji held me close. "Hm?" Souji turned to me. "Can you get off? I need to get into some clothes." I said trying to ignore this feeling. The disgusting desire of being useful only as a woman. Souji moved off of me and I headed for a shirt and pants. "So-where are we going again?" I asked as I was about to reach for my underwear, then I froze. "Somewhere. What is it?" Souji noticed me twitch. "I need to change..." I mumbled. "Okay then. I'll wait for you outside." Souji grabbed Saizo and walked out the room. I stripped off my clothing and placed my new clothes on. I left the room and Souji smiled.
"You look like a boy again. That's no fun." Souji frowned at the last sentence. "...Souji. I prefer to wear this attire." I crossed my arms. "Hey!" Shinpachi waved to us. He was one of the three jokers. "We're heading over to town. I got nothing else to do." I sighed. Souji chuckled and was trying to encourage me to say something about my secret. "...Well, have you heard about anything else?" Shinpachi asked. "No, not yet. Hijikata has given me a break so I'll be back to work soon." I said before I walked away. "He's been acting wierd lately." Shinpachi commented.
"Yes." Souji nodded.
The town was peaceful and nothing was new. "Oh, you have to come here!" Souji grabbed me by the hand and we ran into a store. I had a sweat drop on my head and glared at the sign. "Candy shop...what the fuck?" I thought twitching. "Come now, you should be fond of this place. Which one do you like?" Souji asked as he pointed over to the displays. "You wonder why I really do put up with you...hm, I do like chocolate. Uh, Hijikata told me that eating sweets would get me rattled." I said trying to resist temptation.
Souji kept nagging, "Hijikata-san will not be angry. Just once and it'll be our other little secret." "Go to hell..." I thought. "Souji, I don't want to go a-wall like the last time." I finished. Souji pused me closer to the chocolate stand. I clenched onto the grip of my sword. "Please..." Souji pleaded as he continued to shove me from behind. "I can't." I almost panicked with a nervous look on my face. Saizo tugged on Souji's sandal. "It seems that Saizo wants me to stop. Okay then." Souji spoke as I fell sweating nervously.
"Thank you Saizo." I smiled as Saizo jumped onto my head. The pig snorted in pride as I stood up slowly. "Fine, you'll get what you want and I'll pay." I sighed. "Huh?" I looked over my shoulder as a kid screamed in anger. "Tetsu-stop pestering them." The older brother ordered. The quarrel ended thereafter as we walked past the gate. "Souji, you're gonna make me sick." I complained as Souji pulled out a bone. "Lighten up." Souji retorted as Saizo acted like a bull. "Ready? Go!!" Souji threw the bone and it landed in someone's hair.
I gasped as Saizo leaped in the air, "Watch out-!" The second I shouted the two plunged into the water. Souji and I walked over to the two boys. "Sorry, is everything alright?" Souji questioned. "..." The boy in the water was silent as he took Souji's hand. Sitting on the bench, I held Saizo close making sure he wouldn't escape. "Now, have some tea." Souji suggested. "Thank you." The older brother smiled nervously. "Seems that Saizo needs to be a bit friendlier." I commented.
"The Shinsengumi were picking on you?" Souji questioned the boy. "...!" The boy moved away and turned around, "I want to join the Shinsengumi and defeat the genius swordsman Souji Okita. I'll send him sprawling!" "You mean crawling..." The older brother laughed. Everyone laughed for a moment and Souji stood. "There are many young members in the Shinsengumi. There is a boy who is one of the best watchers, no one even knows his true face, and many don't even think he has a true face." Souji spoke.
I felt ill knowing who "he" was. "Wow, I want to meet him!!" The boy cheered. "But-" "Hey I can recommend you! It'll be a better apology." Souji smiled. "Damn." I thought. "Uh," the older brother turned to me, "I'm sorry for Tetsu's behavior." "It's okay. He is only a boy. I was like that when I was a kid." I said calmly. Walking into the training hall, I headed over to the Vice Commander's room. Knocking on the door, Hijikata welcomed me with a content look on his face.
"You seemed tormented. What is it?" Hijikata questioned. I sat down to breathe-at least easier. "...Sir, I was wondering. Am I useless to you?" I stammered. Hijikata gave me a pat on the head. "No. You asked me the same question a few years ago..." Hijikata stated as I froze, "the look on your face is different now." I closed my eyes tring to regain control of my sanity, well, what was left of it. "I need to-" I started to speak until Yamazaki entered the room.
"Sir," Yamazaki addressed Hijikata. "What is that racket?" Hijikata asked. "Souji is sparring with a boy, Ichimura Tetsunosuke." Yamazaki answered. "Child, Souji will kill him." Hijikata grunted. "Uh, Vice Commander-" I said as Hijikata stood up. "Yoake, come with me. Souji will not stop unless you are there." Hijikata began walking down the hall. I ran after him, but stopped as Tetsu flew through the wall.
"...Souji is pissed." I thought as I ran towards Tetsu. Tetsu was bleeding from his face. "Tetsu..." I frowned as he seemed to be knocked out. "Yoake, please do not interfere. This battle is not over yet." Souji confronted me as his eyes were now narrow. "Souji, you've done enough." I said allowing my demon to take over. "Well, I will not harm you, but you will go down before me." Souji said before he struck his bamboo sword at me. "Heh...Okita." I called out Souji's name and he froze.
Hijikata confronted us silently. He faced me first with a serious look. "Souji-how many times have we been through this?" he questioned. "...Sorry." Souji apologized to me with a frown as his eyes changed back to normal. "You two are dismissed." Hijikata ordered. "Yes sir." I said as Souji and I excused ourselves. Walking down the quarters, we didn't speak. "Yoake-" Souji broke the silence causing me to stop walking. "Hm?" I replied. "I'm sorry..." Souji said sounding as if he did something wrong.
"Souji, I'm okay. This time no one was hurt. Besides, I wouldn't want to lose you to...well, you know." I chuckled as I stretched my arms. "She hides her emotions so well around others. Hajime did say that Yoake had three shadows lurking her and I can't read her eyes." Souji thought with a straight face. "Souji?" I questioned. "Yes?" he answered. "If I ever completely lose myself to the demon and no one can save me...kill me." I turned to Souji with a smile. Souji's facial expression worried me somewhat.
"You-are sure aout this?" he asked. "Yeah." I nodded. "Yoake, you aren't afraid to die?" Souji stood behind me this time. "I have suffered enough before I came here. Death will be painless." I walked away.