Rich Blood
Chapter 3 - The Sword Speaks For Itself
I followed behind the men as they led in the front. Looking at the three of the men that had stood out to me in an odd way I had quickly learnt there names, Heisuke was the one with the long hair. He was known as the youngest and the most foolish of them all, making him easier to get along with.
Suzu gripped on to my shirt as we approached the large house, Sano turned around flashing me a smile. "Here we are," he said. Crossing his arms over his revealing chest, he looked behind with a light smirk.
"Things are sure to get interesting." He gave me a ghost smile before turning to take me inside, I titled my head at what he had said. Heisuke noticed Suzu and gave him a ear-splitting grin. Causing him to smile big.
"What's your name?" He asked, Suzu blushed a bit looking at me, I gave him a light smile with a happy nod. "Suzu." Heisuke grinned bigger, "cool name. I never heard of it." I smiled as Suzu felt a bit more comfortable.
"Is he your little brother?" Heisuke asked looking up at me, seeing the look in his eyes caught me off guard. Suzu glared at Heisuke as he wrapped his arms tightly around my leg, "no she's my wife." I smiled at this, causing Heisuke eyes to widen in the process.
"Well, Suzu. There are a lot of men in this house so you better expect a lot of riots for her." Suzu frowned at this, Heisuke looked up at me again, sighing lowly he gave me a grin.
"Well I am going to take you inside, introduce to some of the people here, but I will say they might be a little scary at first." I raised an eyebrow as Suzu tugged on my clothing I looked down at him, "are you leaving me?" He frowned.
I smiled and bent to him, "no, but I heard there are some children around here to play with." His face brightened with a smile, "can I play with them?" I smiled running my hand through his hair softly. "Of course you can just be careful." He nodded, pecking my cheek before running off to the kids in the distance.
"I wonder if the men I had seen the other night are here." I looked around, Heisuke turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "Men?" I nodded, "last night I had run into what you would call Rasetsu, I had helped saved a man I was named Y-" Heiskue cut me off with wide eyes.
"Yukigo. . . ." He whispered, I nodded. He immediately grabbed my hand, taking me threw a few corners until he roughly opened a door.
"Ah, Heisuke." A man spoke as he sat on the top left side of the row, he gave a kind smile as he noticed me but stopped short. "You." I watched as another man got up and pointed to me, he had long dark hair tied up, great another problem.
I watched him get up, taking me by the collar. Lifting me on the ground as his eyes narrowed at me, "you ran away, last night." He claimed as he looked at me.
"I wouldn't call it running away, but rather trying to take a kid home." I watched as the man with spiky hair get up, "Hijikata, please put him down." He gritted his teeth as he placed me down, he glared at me as he sat down.
Fixing my collar, I looked at the men who looked shocked, "this boy saved Yukigo, last night." The reddish-brown haired man claimed, he stood up I watched his hand on his blade. "He saw it, he knows everything." I breathed out as all the eyes were directed to me.
"I think it's better if we kill him." The reddish haired man said, "but yet he saved Yukigo." Spoke the purple haired man, Sano stepped forward. "I brought him here, to add him to our forces, I think he has good sword skills."
Watching as they looked amongst themselves, "I am only came here because I was offered something." I narrowed my eyes at Sano, "and that is?" The man that had said that had dark brown hair, that was shoulder length, he spoke with gentle eyes.
"Help with finding my older brother." Hijikata raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms to look at me. "Your older brother?" The man with spiky hair spoke, I nodded. "Yes, Ren Yukimura." I suddenly watched as the looks of men locked with mine.
"Ren, he was one of our soldiers here. Also one of the doctors." The man with spiky hair spoke,"would you mind telling us more about this man, Yukimura-Kun." Hijikata looked to the man with spiky hair.
"Thinking a little girl would do this." The spiky haired man nodded, but stopped short. Looking towards me, "a girl?" I nodded, gesturing to my clothing.
"In order to look for my brother I had to dress like a man, therefore I could carry my sword." The man with the green bandana looked at me with wide eyes, "there's no proof." I raised an eyebrow looking to him, "proof?" He nodded.
"I do wear about 3-4 layers on this," I said. "That is very rude, I am sorry for the things they have said." I quickly learned their names,the man with the spiky hair was Isami Kondou, he was the commander.
The man with the long hair held in a ponytail was Toshizo Hijikata, the vice commander. The man with reddish brown hair was Souji Okita, the captain of the first division. The daunting purple haired man named Hajime Saito, he is the team leader of the third division.
I was starting to under the men as I learned their names, Shinpachi Nagakura, I found him indeed handsome, but watch caught my eyes were his muscles, he is the team leader for the second division. Heisuke Toudou, I found him handsome with the light smile of his as the shocking eyes that made me dream hopelessly of him he looked to be around my age which had made it easier to talk to him, he is the team leader for the eight division.
Sanosuke Harada, you could tell he is the flirt from the beginning, he is the team leader for the tenth division. Finally was the soft spoken Sannan Keisuke, who is the secretary-general.
"Considering your older brother has formidable sword skills and knowledgeable with medicine, I would say that he has passed his skills down to you." Isami spoke, his hand under his chin as he looked at me. I breathed out carefully, "I would say they are somewhat decent." He smiled at this.
"Well then, why not see how your skills are with Saito?" The men gasped at this, the handsome purple haired man looked at me through his hair. "Heisuke, Souji. Take her to the field and examine her skills." I watched as Heisuke looked at Isami with wide eyes.
"Why him?" Isami smiled lightly looking at me, "I am just testing the waters, seeing if she can handle him." Minutes later I was taken with the three men, my eyes wandering the halls as I looked at the beautiful garden.
I had seen Suzu in the distance, smiling as he chased the other children around. I looked at him happily, though I had taken care of him for a few days it had felt as if he was my little brother. I enjoyed this feeling.
"Don't worry, Saito will goes easy on you." I looked at Heisuke, as he watched me the shocking blue eyes,nearly making me sigh as I looked at him. Getting closer to the field we turned a corner, I watched as the space was larger, it was in the middle of hallways.
"Looks like were here." Souji spoke, I watched as he took a seat on the floor along with Heisuke as I made my way on to the field. Saito had stood across, with a straight face I watched his beading eyes watch my every movement.
"Ready when you are." I took a deep breath putting a hand to my sword as I looked at him, "please do not hold back." He looked to Souji and a wide eyed Heisuke, when Souji gave his approving look, he then turned to me with a determined look.
Within the second I could hear the movement of his hand as he swiped towards me, I dodged to the side as I quickly knocked it away with my sword, watching as it fell I gripped his wrist as I bent my back and threw him over my shoulder.
I quickly sheathed my sword, I looked over to the shocked Saito and place my hand out, he took it nervously as he got up. He blushed as he looked down to retrieve his sword, I looked to the two shocked men.
"I-I honestly, don't know what to say." Souji spoke, I sighed as I heard the footsteps. "Sakura!" I turned to the voice, seeing Suzu along with Sano, he jumped into my arms as I smiled at him. "I missed you." He pulled back saying with a smile. I laughed lightly as he pecked me on my cheek, "you only been away from me for a hour." He frowned crossing his arms.
"Still." He mumbled, "so how did she do?" Sano asked, I could overhear their loud voices so it was no surprise that I was eavesdropping on them. "She disarmed Saito." Heisuke spoke, shock in his voice. "No way." Sano spoke, Souji nodded.
"Looks like she might be more than a handful for us."
"I have brought you your dinner." Saito knocked the door, he held one tray in his hand as Souji brought another one along, "here you go Suzu." Souji gave him a smile as Suzu eagerly took the plate.
Me and Suzu had decided to sit outside our room, getting the beautiful sight of the sunlight along with the sparkling water that ran along, noticing as we were sitting and eating that Saito and Souji had sat there as well, watching us.
Suzu had no problem, but I did. "Eh? You guys haven't gone for dinner yet." Heisuke spoke, his arms behind his head as he looked at Saito and Souji. "Nope, we are in charge of watching Yukimura-Kun." Souji pointed towards me.
"Hey, why not bring her with us." Souji raised an eyebrow looking at his fellow member, "to the dinner room?" Heisuke nodded, looking over to me flashing me a light smile. "Hijikata went to Osaka, so it's okay." Souji turned to me.
"Get your trays we are going to have dinner with the others."
"Huh? What is she doing here?" Shinpachi asked his eyebrows raised, "what is she not allowed here?" Heisuke spoke looking at his friend. "N-No, I mean it is better to eat food together with everyone right." Sano moved over for me making space.
Heisuke gently placed the food down, "thank you, Heisuke." He looked at me and smiled. "No problem, Chizuru." I watched as another plate was set to my left, beside Sano. He raised an eyebrow as he looked at the plate, Suzu came running in to his spot.
I sat down, beside Suzu who ate his food rather quickly, mid way through eating my food. I watched as Suzu looked down to his food hearing his belly grumble he looked over to me, I sighed smiling at him. I broke half of my fish giving it to him.
"Ah, thank you, Sakura." I smiled at him again, "you should smile more." Sano spoke with a light gaze, I raised a eyebrow looking at him, "it seems more like you." I breathed out looking ahead.
"You know we aren't as bad as we seem." He gave me a smile yet again. I faced my food looking at it. "Everyone there has been a emergency." I looked up to see Genzaburou, he had a urgent look on his face as he clutched a letter to his chest.
"Sannan has been hurt badly."
