You Have to Be Willing to Understand
Disclaimer: I do not own Hakuouki Reimeiroku, any of the Hakuouki series, or any of the characters or Ibuki would have had a part in Hakuouki.
Chapter 2
The trip to Kyoto wasn't that bad. However, as soon as I got to Kyoto, the place was literally hell. The citizens still hated Shinsengumi but said that they were improving. I just hmphed and kept walking. I couldn't stand to think of how everyone was doing since I'd left. If they were better off, good for them. I didn't want to hear about it. I wandered the city for a few hours after I'd arrived and the sun was about to set.
Several people were going home in a rush saying something about monsters coming out in the night. I just walked down the street. I would have ran immediately but I couldn't. If only I hadn't run into the people I was trying to avoid. Heisuke's eyes had immediately widened when he recognized me and he tried to grab my hand with a smile on his face but I'd backed away from him. He looked hurt for a second before I finally gained sense and turned around, running as if my life depended on it. It probably did.
The Shinsengumi groups were everywhere I went. I had to hide in several alleys and ramen shops and by the end of the day, I had no idea what to do. I was so lost and confused and I didn't want to be brought back to the HQ where they'd surely kill me. Hijikata would make sure of that. I'd kept the events at the Shinsengumi a secret but that man was so paranoid, he'd kill me just to make sure.
I eventually settled in an alley and sat down on the ground, holding my head. "Why did I come back?" I choked out to myself. My question reverberated off the walls of the alley and looked around before exiting the alley. I looked up into the sky to see the bright moon. I allowed myself to just stand there, resting. Unfortunatly, my luck had run out. I looked to my right and my blood ran cold.
Something I thought I'd never have the displeasure to see again was standing there, bloodlust obvious in his eyes. It's white hair shifted slightly in the wind and I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach with all the air in my lungs forced out. No...I thought they'd quit that research! It nearly killed all of us! It saw me and lunged. My eyes narrowed and I drew my sword. I remembered where exactly to stab in order to kill it. The heart.
I sidestepped it's charge and brought my sword back, stabbing it straight through the chest. It slumped forward and fell with a sickening thunk. I shook the blood off of my blade and was about to sheath it when I heard footsteps running around the corner to my right. I looked back at the thing on the ground and sneered in disgust. They were testing on Shinsengumi members now?
I looked back up and saw two of my old friends standing there, eyes widened and mouths agape.
"Good afternoon Heisuke, Shinpachi." I greeted. There went all my plans. Now all I had to do was keep them from capturing me and maybe talk them up a bit. "This yours?" I asked them, gesturing to the demonic thing.
"R-Ryunosuke..." Heisuke muttered. I huffed irritably.
"Yay, you remember my name. Figured you'd forget after so long. After all, I was pretty expendable wasn't I? Just another face around the HQ." I was letting my emotions get the better of me but I couldn't help it. I wanted them to know the pain I went through after they'd tried to kill me even if I said this with such a cheerful tone which had become second nature to me after all these years of being nice to people.
"Ryunosuke, it wasn't like that! We had no choice and you know it!" Shinpachi told me and I narrowed my eyes.
"Let me know when Souji feels that way. Then I'll consider thinking you didn't want to kill me. Until then, goodbye!" I told them as I sheathed my sword and began walking away. I knew I was baiting them but I wanted to see if they'd actually draw their swords on me. I heard footsteps walk towards me and a hand was on my shoulder. My hand immediately went to my sword and they backed off. I turned around and glared at Heisuke.
"Good. Bye." I told him again but this time he grabbed my arm more forcefully. I growled slightly. "If you're planning on taking me back to the Shinsengumi, you should know I won't go without a fight. Don't start what you can't finish." I told him. His grip remained firm.
"Ibuki-kun, don't fight us. You'll only end up hurt. Just come peacefully." he told me and I chuckled dryly.
"Me? Hurt? You're not the only ones who've been working their ass off these past few years. You're talking to a trained Old Style Kendo swordsman of Master Level, best archer in the region, and a newly trained martial artist. Still think I'll get hurt?" I asked with a small smile when I saw the shock go over their faces. I was stretching it a bit, but I wanted them to know who they were dealing with. That was when Shinpachi drew his sword.
"Enough of this foolishness Ryunosuke. Come peacefully. It's two against one. Master Level or not, you're still beaten." he told me and I outright laughed.
"The style, Shinpachi! The style is what matters! I know yours and Heisuke's but you don't know mine. It's Old Style Kendo. The original. It's unpredictable..." I told him as I drew my sword. getting into stance. "And to think I willingly walked into this hell..." I muttered to myself as Shinpachi lunged at me. I easily parried his blow and left a cut on his cheek before he finally realized I moved. I smirked and stepped back, watching as he realized he had a shallow cut on his face.
"W-What the hell..." he muttered. I smiled at him.
"Like I said, don't start something you can't finish." I told him before I charged him. I left two more shallow cuts, one on his right forearm and left thigh, before slipping around his blade and standing behind him. "You're so slow!" I told him before hearing another sword get drawn. "Oh Heisuke, take Shinpachi's example. Is fighting me a good idea?" I asked him.
I wanted him to seriously think about it. I didn't want to hurt him too. Shinpachi was getting angry at this point but I shrugged and sheathed my sword before jumping on the roof of the nearest house. "Like I said. this is good bye. I may see you later. I'll be assisting the Shinsengumi from the sidelines." I told them with a smile before leaving.
...
Author's Note: I just want everyone to know that half the crap involving Old Style Kendo probably doesn't exist so don't quote me on it. I just needed a style that Ibuki could know that no one else knows so he'll have an advantage. The yumi is, however, real. I did my research. The samurai actually used to use the yumi just as often if not more often than their swords. Pretty awesome really. Oh! And I know next to NOTHING about martial arts so don't quote me on that either. Also, I'm sorry if this fanfic seems half-assed but I REALLY wanted to write it but I'm not in my best mindset. The rest of my fanfics are good but in my opinion, my style is extremely loose in this one. I'll try to improve but I don't know if I'll be able to with how this was already started.
