Sonokanashimi Kurushimi Wo
"Then I'm Content Just Being a Demon"
Written by: Me~ Akuma-Chibi~ JadeFoxxx~ Devil-Babe-911~ Tono~ Tamaki~ Uh...and if you can think of any other names for me, their fine too...^_^;
Summary: Sent spiraling into a time not her own, Kagome happens to be in the wrong place at the right time, to get pulled into another adventure. Both she and the young Chizuru are taken to the Shinsengumi Headquarters after a short battle in a dark alley. What futures, what destinies...await these two girls', when thrown into a world of blood, battle and betrayal? Well...it can't be that bad, at least the men are cute~!
Anime: InuYasha/Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan
Pairings: Kagome/Hijikata – Chizuru/Souji
Genre: Romance/Angst/Historical Drama
Rated: M for Mature content
WARNING(s): Character Death(s)
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Chapter Three
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Year 1862
December of the Third Year of the Bunkyu Era
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Chizuru sat across from Kagome silently; Kagome watched her quietly, watching her curiously, and for the life of her, she couldn't fathom what was going through that girls head.
'She doesn't have any reason to believe me when I told her they wouldn't kill us. She is probably running scenarios through her mind.' Kagome sighed, "Live it, laugh it, photograph it. Gotta sink it, pink it...don't rinky dink it. It's the best day, happy day, every way you drink it in. Life is good, smile cause you should. When the sun comes up, then the rain falls down. It's all good, no reason to frown. Gotta chance it, dance it, swing it all around."
"What's that?"
"An annoying song my brother got stuck in my head. It's maddening, but I like the words."
"..." Chizuru looked at the screen door and stood up. "I'm going to get out of here. They aren't guarding our door; it's the perfect chance to escape!"
Kagome smiled, thinking over the many times she'd been kidnapped and had thought similar things. "Yeah...good luck with that."
"You aren't going to try and escape too?" She asked, standing by the door.
"Nah," Kagome laid back on the tatami mats, placing her arms behind her head and laying her legs out straight before crossing her feet. "I'm content here. Besides, it's a lot safer here than it is out there, or did you forget...you were almost killed last night."
She frowned, "Of course not!" She sighed, "I just can't stay here waiting patiently for death," She slid the door open and left.
"..." Kagome smiled, sitting up, she stood and walked to the door, walking out, she watched the girl quietly slink down the hall when someone tapped her on the shoulder. Without turning, "Hijikata-San has come in time to catch a runaway?" she asked.
"Hm, go back to the others." He ordered, knowing full well that she would listen.
"Right!"
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Kagome walked down the wood floor, around a corner and past some screen doors before stopping in front of one. "Excuse me," She opened the door and bowed, "Hijikata-San requested my return. I hope no one minds."
"Not at all!" Shinpachi grinned, "You can sit with us," He said, patting the spot next to him.
Kagome laughed, "I'll keep to the spot I sat in a little while ago. I'm still trying to keep my head on my shoulders, remember?"
He pouted, "You don't really believe he's going to kill you."
"No, I don't. I'm fairly certain that he trusts me to some account, otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed me to come here on my own by mere order." She smiled, "I'm happy, knowing that he believes I'll listen."
"Un..." They stared at her and Kondou was about to say something when the door opened and Chizuru and Hijikata walked in.
"So...you didn't get too far...did you." It wasn't a question, Kagome smiled.
"..." Chizuru sighed, "Why didn't you tell me that he'd be able to catch me?" She asked as she sat down next to Kagome.
"Would you have listened?"
"..."
"Enough of that; you said you had something you needed to do."
"...yes..." She looked down carefully at her knees in thought. "It happened half a year ago."
'So it's story time,'
"My father told me that he would be leaving for Kyoto for a while for his work, a month or two." She looked up and stared, lost in her memories before continuing. "He promised to write as much as possible, so that I wouldn't worry. He also told me that Matsumoto-Sensei would be there if I ever needed anything." She smiled, "Father kept his promise and sent me letter's, and they came almost everyday, faster than I could respond. However...I don't know what happened, but they suddenly just came to a halt for an entire month."
Kagome frowned, she herself never found out what had happened to her father, it wasn't a pleasant feeling.
"Matsumoto-Sensei wasn't in town, so I couldn't count on him to help me. I couldn't just stand around waiting for something that was never coming. So...I came all the way here to Kyoto, hoping that maybe...maybe I could find something, anything, about my father. However, I didn't know where to find him, or where to start looking. Then I got lost, and those rogue warriors ganged up on me and...Kagome-San, Okita-San, Saitou-San...they saved me..."
"You came all the way from Edo?" Kagome asked, "You are such a brave child."
Chizuru blushed, "Not nearly as brave as you."
"It must have been rough," Kondou added in agreement to Kagome's comment.
"That also explains why a young lady, such as yourself, is disguised as a boy."
Kagome could see it, the gears in everyone's head turning as Hijikata's words floated weightlessly in the air.
Kondou nodded, "Mm, mm," His eyes suddenly snapped open. "What?" He looked to Chizuru, "He's a she!"
Shinpachi and Heisuke shot forward a bit in suprise.
"You're a chick?"
"No way!"
Kagome laughed, 'It seems that Saitou-San, Okita-San, Hijikata-San and I are the only ones who knew.' She smiled, "Go figure, only those involved in the incident last night knew."
"EH? Saitou and Souji knew too?" Shinpachi stared at the two.
"But it was so obvious,"
Kagome watched Kondou apologize profusely to Chizuru.
"I guess...but we don't have any proof."
"Throw a girl into a room with a group of men and all you've got are wolves and fresh meat." She whispered to herself, but of course, Hijikata and Saitou heard her.
"By proof you mean...?"
"Haahaa! Then how about we have her strip?"
Kagome smiled, "How crude and fundamentally simpleminded you men are." She looked Sannosuke in the eyes, the twinkle was met with her own, "Would it not be best to just take her off to a separate room and examine her that way? Save her the embarrassment of stripping before so many men."
"EH!" Chizuru looked at her in horror.
"HAHA!" Sannosuke smiled, "I like the way you think!"
"No, enough of that! It's unacceptable! I won't allow anything of the sort to take place while I'm captain of the Shinsengumi! Completely unacceptable!"
Sannan smiled, "Please, Kondou-San, calm yourself down."
"Yeah, but...you know..."
"They were kidding," Hijikata stared at Kagome curiously, "I think,"
Kagome merely smiled back at him, 'Of course, but still, I'm becoming playful around them.' She sighed, 'I need to sober up.'
Hijikata watched her eyes make the change from playful to serious, but said nothing.
"You said you are Yukimura Chizuru...correct?" Sannan asked politely.
"Ah, yes," Chizuru answered.
"Your father wouldn't happen to be Yukimura Koudou, the doctor of Western Medicine, would he?"
Chizuru took in a breath, "Do you know my father?"
Kagome smiled, 'There really are no coincidences, only fetters of fate. Isn't that right...Midoriko...'
'You should pay attention to what is being said, it may be important.'
'Right, right, sorry.'
"Just how much do you know?" Hijikata asked.
Kagome had missed what Kondou had said, but he hadn't contributed too much information since her arrival, only showing his concern for them.
"Know what?"
Hijikata scoffed, "Don't play dumb, I'm referring to your father, Koudou-San."
"What do you mean? Has something happened to my father?"
"There was a fire at the clinic he worked at about a month ago." Saitou said.
'Oh my,' Kagome felt the change in the girls aura, dimming painfully in color to a dull shade of pink, far from it's earlier soft petal pink.
Saitou continued, "We haven't been able to find him since then."
'Why are they looking for him...I wonder,'
"Although we aren't sure why, we haven't been able to find his corpse...we can only assume he's alive. It's highly likely that he's gotten mixed up in something."
'Kagome, look...'
'Hmm?'
'Everyone's auras, aside from yours and the girls','
Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated, 'Their hiding something...from the girl. What are they hiding?'
'It's possible that it has something to do with those demonic beastlike men,'
'From last night,'
"We are currently searching for Koudou-San ourselves. If you are willing to forget everything you saw last night, then we will look after you until we are able to find Koudou-San." Hijikata explained.
'It benefits them...I'm sure...'
Kondou smiled, "Don't worry! We'll be sure to find your dad!"
"Thank you so much!" Chizuru bowed.
"Isn't it nice? We don't have to kill you...for now."
"Y-yeah."
Kagome let her eyes fall, 'Why are the Shinsengumi...searching for a doctor of Western Medicine? As well, what were up with those men from last night, that they want Chizuru, to forget about?'
"Well, we'll have to be nicer to you now that we know you're a girl!"
"Shinpachi-San's always nice to the ladies." Heisuke commented, "But it's too soon to welcome her or her friend with open arms."
"Whatever!" Shinpachi smiled, "Everyone's gonna get excited now that we have the grace of two young ladies to brighten up the headquarters."
Kagome cleared her throat, softly, catching the attention of everyone. She opened her eyes and looked to Hijikata who seemed to know what she was thinking.
"We haven't discussed your reasons for staying, if any at all. Chizuru had reasons to escape, you didn't even try."
"I had no reason to escape, since I trusted you enough with my life. I knew you had no plans to kill us, so I wasn't about to leave when it's so cold outside. I'm not exactly dressed for winter fun." She mentally laughed 'It was warm in the Feudal Era, talk about a change in era...even the seasons are all weird.'
"So do you wish to remain here as well?"
"I do, actually. Mind you, I have a few reasons I want to stay."
"...do any of them involve fighting?" Hijikata asked.
"...One reason does...maybe two."
"Go on."
"I want to watch over Chizuru-Chan, until you have found her father. No offense, but all of you men, and then Chizuru, I would feel more comfortable with her having another female to talk to. My second reason, as you may have guessed, is to remain here and help out in the Shinsengumi, in anyway that I can. If that means taking up arms for the country I love, then I would gladly lay my life down for it. Lastly, I'm a great cook, as well as a medic, I can at least be helpful to you and your men by cooking for all of you and seeing to your wounds. With Chizuru being the daughter of a doctor, I'm positive that she can help me out too."
'You aren't going to mention your priestess abilities?'
'No...Believe it or not, people in these later eras don't always believe in healing powers and erecting mystical barriers.'
'Oh...I see.'
"That's fine, but if you are to help in future battles, you will follow the orders given to you by the one who takes you in."
"Takes me in?"
Sannan smiled, "We can't treat the two of you like one of our soldiers,"
Hijikata looked at the two, "We just need to make them someone's attendant; how about Kondou-San or Sannan-San?"
"Come now, Hijikata-San." Souji smiled, "It was your idea, so you get to follow through with it."
Kagome tried hard to keep a straight face at Hijikata's look of betrayal.
Kondou smiled, "Ah, I'd trust them with Toshi!"
"Huh?"
'Their ganging up on him.'
"There you have it, Hijikata-Kun. Please take good care of them."
"Go, Lieutenant! You're so responsible!"
"Yeah! This is great!"
"Y-you jerks..."
"I agree, it is his fault that both of us are here, but don't you think, having to deal with one female is hard enough...two is just cruel."
Kondou thought it over and smiled kindly at Kagome, "I think that would be fine then. I'll take one under," He turned to Hijikata, "But since you brought them back, you should take full responsibility of anything they need!"
He sighed, "Right,"
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1863
January of the Fourth Year of the Bunkyu Era
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'Somehow, after an hour of Kondou-San and Hijikata-San going through different needs, Hijikata-San was finally placed with me...and Chizuru-Chan was placed under Kondou-San dependability. However, in the end, Kondou-San kind of got Okita-San to watch over her; kind of how Saitou-San watched over me. The difference...?'
"Damn,"
"Hm?" Souji who was sitting outside while Chizuru stood next to him, stared curiously at Saitou who was walking around the corner. "Hahah! You lost her again, Hajime-Kun?"
"Che," He moved to Souji's side and leaned against the beam. "She say's it's to keep her in shape, her ability to stay hidden."
"It works best when people are actually searching for you though."
He glanced up at a tree branch and stared, "But that would encourage your game,"
Kagome smiled, "It could be worse. I could be running about starting fights with everyone." She laughed, hooking her legs over the branch and letting herself swing backwards. Saitou made to move forward, thinking she was going to fall, but watched her swing from side to side. He moved to her side, leaning against the trunk of the tree. "When is Hijikata-Dono coming back?"
"Dono?"
"Hm?" She looked at Souji in her upside-down position, "What?"
"Uh...nothing, I guess."
"He's taking care of something with Sannan-San; we don't know when he'll be back."
Kagome frowned, 'I'm bored,' She stared at her black Hakama's and white Haori with light lavender petals in a gentle breeze pattern on her sleeves. She was bare foot, more accurately, her sandals had fallen off when she began swinging back and forth. "Wah...S-Saitou-San..."
He looked over and watched her carefully, "Hm?"
"...I think I'm going to fall..." And she did. He was quick to catch her, but it still didn't help her dizzy spell.
"Why did you fall?"
"Because...I forgot to sit up...I got lost in thought and my blood started rushing to my head and I got dizzy." She tried laughing it off but instead, chose to sit on the ground against the tree. "I don't like sitting in one place and doing nothing. I have a playful son that usually keeps me on my feet, now I have to wait quietly doing nothing." She was talking to herself, but they were listening. "I guess I could practice my swords...nothing better to do..." She smiled, "Saitou-San, would you train with me?"
"..."
That's how it was, for a month and a half, she and Chizuru had been relatively bored, waiting with nothing to do.
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Me: So, there's chapter three! Please Read and Review! SANKYU! ^_^''
