Oyasumi nasai

Chapter 1

Finally a PMK story from me, PMKnut :D please read, enjoy, review ^^

"Tetsu!" shouted Tatsu, running after him.

"I'm late! Can't stop, Mr. Hijikata'll kill me if I'm late again!"

"But – the shopping! Why do I have to carry your groceries?"

"They're not for me! And they're supplies, not groceries!" Testu shouted back before disappeared round a corner. Tatsu, never fond of physical activity, gave up the chase. He sighed and absent-mindedly peered into the bag he was carrying. The brothers had just visited the market from which they had purchased an assortment of items. These included several different kinds of tealeaves, some honey and many different herbs which, frankly, smelled disgusting.

"What is all this stuff for anyway?" Tatsu muttered to himself as he followed his brother back to Headquarters.

On arriving, Tatsu was greeted by the cute face of Saya, Tetsu's beloved. "Oh, hey Saya! Did you see which way Tetsu went?" Tatsu asked, glancing round for him. Saya smiled and nodded. She knelt down and, using the thin stick she carried, wrote a message in the soil: 'He went to Mr. Hijikata's room.' "Oh, I see. Thank you!" He smiled at her and headed round to find Tetsu.

"Where are my supplies, boy?" Mr. Hijikata's voice bellowed through the courtyard.

"Tatsu's got them!" Tetsu's voice replied. Tatsu found himself speeding up his gait: there was not telling what Mr. Hijikata would do when he was in a bad mood. He arrived quickly and handed the bag to the vice-commander who immediately examined the contents.

"Did you get everything on my list?" both brothers nodded and, when Mr. Hijikata had turned away, breathed a sigh of relief. Tatsu went off to do some work while Tetsu stayed with the vice-commander who was crushing the supplies together in a bowl

"So – how is he?" Tetsu asked. Mr. Hijikata continued what he was doing but stopped to sigh and say

"No change. Get some hot water." Tetsu obeyed.

When he returned, carrying a cup of hot water, there was a bowl of powdered medicine waiting to be taken. Tetsu handed Mr. Hijikata the cup and watched as he added a pinch of the powdery medicine to it. "Souji?" Hijikata said softly. Tetsu looked ahead to see a shadowed figure lying in bed. He watched Mr. Hijikata gently shake the figure's shoulder until it woke. "Souji, medicine." Mr. Hijikata's voice was barely more than a whisper now as he propped the figure up into a sitting position. Testu saw its long hair flow down its back as it hunched over to cough. Mr. Hijikata lifted its head back and put the cup to its lips. The figure drank the medicine noiselessly

"T-thank you." it managed. "Tetsunoske?"

"Yes, Mr. Okita?" asked Tetsu, crawling up beside the figure

"Lovely and warm. Thank you." the man coughed again, more violently this time. Testu noticed Mr. Hijikata tensed when ever Mr. Okita coughed.

"Go and help Tatsu, Testu." ordered Mr. Hijikata. Tetsu nodded and, bedding the two men good bye, disappeared. "How are you feeling, Souji?"

"Better..."

"You don't have to lie to me, Souji. I know this medicine only lessens the coughing, it doesn't heal you or even make you feel better."

"Then why ask?" Souji smiled weakly. Mr Hijikata smiled back and gave Souji's shoulders a light hug, trying not to look stupid. Souji put a shaky hand on the man's strong arms and sighed

"Thank you..."

"I'm trying to find you a healer but, with the base infiltration, most are unwilling to trust us." Mr Hijikata shook his head

"Don't worry...I'm fine. I–" Souji coughed in his hand. Mr Hijiakta saw, to his horror, that there was a small spatter of scarlet in Souji's palm.

"S-Souji! Blood? How long have you been coughing up blood?" he demanded, grabbing Souji's wrist, staring at the crimson. Souji did not answer. He looked up Hijikata with a strange expression "W-what?" Then, without warning, Souji fell backwards, almost gracefully. His head hit Mr Hijikata's lap, his eyes closed and a thin crimson stream coming from his mouth "Souji? Souji! Are you ok? Can you hear me? Souji!"

T.T poor Souji! It kills me to write this… Review please :)

PMKnut xx