Magic and Reality
Chapter 3
I woke up at the sounds of birds humming softly through the gentle breeze. Kondou-san was up as well, gathering the supplies left from last night into a bag, tying it and throwing it over his right shoulder.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Shadona-chan!" He greeted me.
" Ohayo gozaimasu, Kondou-san" I replied with a yawn. He chuckled and handed a rice ball. I thanked him and began to eat, it might look small, but it was enough for me to keep me going.
We started our journey to the Shinsengumi; I wondered when would the swords' effects take me over completely, but for now I had to focus on getting to the Shinsengumi in one piece.
We entered a small village and asked people if they knew anything about where the Shinsengumi might be, some were clueless to what we were asking, but I've found one person who knew, a girl, younger than me, with brown hair and dressed in a beautiful kimono.
" Do you know where the Shinsengumi might be?" I asked her.
" Yes, I've heard that their leader was injured and taken to an outpost not far from here, to the west to treat his injuries. I believe you'll find them there." She said and I thanked her, leaving her to find Kondou-san. I spotted him talking to a man.
" Kondou-san, I've found out where they are." I said
" That's great, Shadona-chan, where are they?" He asked me.
" They are in an outpost not far from here, to the west, a girl said their leader was injured and had to be treated immediately." I replied and Kondou-san became shocked.
" Did she tell you anything else?" He asked
"No, that's all." I answered. He nodded and started running towards the village's outskirts to the west, I ran after him and so we ran all the way to the nearest outpost. It took us two days, with breaks of eating and resting, but finally we arrived.
The outpost looked like a town, we walked through it; I looked at everything around me, since this is the first time I've ever visited Japan and everything seemed new to me. We decided to stay at an inn and go out at night to find where the Shinsengumi were staying. We sat down at a table, it was lunch, and we ate some fish with rice, after we just stayed and talked more about me.
" So from where are you, Shadona-chan?" He asked me.
" I'm from Europe, Romania. Have you ever heard of it? " I asked him.
" No, I'm sorry." He replied.
" No need to , it's a small country, but people are hard-working and proud, always ready to help the one in need. I can't say we are the riches, or that we have lots of political power or influence, but I don't believe that to be something very important, after all it's the people that make a nation, they are its heart and soul, not the laws or wars they've won or lost." I said looking at my nails.
" I agree, Shadona-chan." He replied ending the subject seeing me a little sad talking about it. We talked more about random things, until night came.
We walked out and separated to cover more ground. I ended up going through some narrowed alleys and I heard someone yelling.
"WHY? WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HIM?" Yelled a person. Then silence. I could hear the man scream again and went closer to investigate. It seems that someone was angry with another man, because he couldn't save someone. I raised an eyebrow starting to feel emotionless at these things. The swords' effects are starting.
" Could he be referring to Kondou-san?" I asked myself. " Perhaps, I should make an appearance, then and stop this mess, after I'll get Kondou here." I made my plan and let my presence be known to the two men. They glared at me and I smiled. The brown haired man let the other one go and approached me with his sword drawn, but I held up a hand to stop him.
" Before you do anything rash, I'll like to know what happened." I told them, the brown haired man glared at me with even more hatred and I started to glare as well.
" None of your business." He said angry. The black haired man came up to him.
" Souji, you need to rest. You can't be out here in your condition." Said the man.
" And why shouldn't I? Kondou-san sacrificed his life for what?" Souji asked glaring at the other man." For what Hijikata-san?"
" For this war, for the victory of the war he-" I cut off Hijikata's words.
" He is here trying to find you." I ended his sentence. They looked at me like I was stupid.
" What did you say? How dare you mock Kondou-san like that?" Souji asked me glaring even harder at me.
" If you don't believe me, wait here and I'll bring him, give me a few minutes and WE will be back." I told them and ran away to find Kondou-san. Thank God no one was on the streets and I spotted him easily, I ran up to him.
" Kondou-san, I've found them, follow me please." I told him and guided him towards the Shinsengumi's hideout. Once there he appeared before the two men, who stared at him speechless and shocked. He smiled at them and told them to head inside. We all went in and sat down, each eager to hear what had happened.
"Kondou-san… how... How are you alive?" Asked Souji still shocked.
" You have to thank Shadona-chan here, she saved my life, by taking on the entire Choushu camp." He said gesturing at me. I was sitting in a corner listening to the conversation and heard someone getting up and walking towards me, then a hug. Souji was hugging me, after he tried to kill me.
"Thank you…. thank you so much for saving Kondou-san's life." He whispered with closed eyes, like he was about to cry.
" It was my pleasure." I answered. He pulled away and smiled at me, I smiled back.
" Yes, thank you for saving the captains life, Shadona-san. I am forever in your debt." Hijikata said bowing.
" No need for that, I simply did what had to be done… after all I couldn't let him die like that, now could I?" I said. They nodded and we talked about how things have been.
" So… you're saying that this New Government Army is trying to… input a different approach of politics and thus wants to eliminate the Shogunate to achieve this?" I asked them.
" Yes, right now Saitou-san is heading for Aizu." Hijikata said
"Very well, we shall stay here until your wounds would heal and then make our way to Aizu and Souji, in your condition you should remain here, to get better." Kondou-san said.
" But Kondou-san…!" He wanted to say, but the captain didn't let him. Souji just glared at the floor and nodded. I was confused as to what could Souji possibly have.
" Are you ill or something?" I asked him.
" Yes. He caught a cold and can't get rid of it." Answered Hijikata.
" What kind of cold to be exact?" I asked
" Tuberculosis." Souji said looking sad at the floor in front of him and so did Hijikata and Kondou.
" I can cure you, or at least make you feel better, you see from where I come from, we have a medicine against this virus, if you want I'll be more than happy to help you." I offered and saw his eyes lit up, hope shining in them again.
" If you do this I'll be forever in your service, please… help me get rid of this tuberculosis… so I can help Kondou-san as well. " Souji almost pleaded me.
" OK. We'll start with you resting, while I go and get the ingredients to prepare the medicine, OK? " I said. He nodded and smiled at me. Kondou and Hijikata exchanged a smile and Hijikata offered to help me look for them.
" OK, let's go." I said and we both walked out of the house.
" We need to get some honey." I told him.
" Then we need to come tomorrow morning and ask in the market." He said. I nodded and we went back inside.
I asked Kondou-san where is Souji's room, but Hijikata said he would take me there. We went upstairs and walked the long corridor until the end.
" Here it is." He said and left me. I opened the door to see Souji asleep. I smiled and went in, he was sweating, not a good signs.
" I wonder what these swords can do? Could they heal a person of a disease?" I asked myself. I took out one of them and placed it on the ground, when it started to pulsate a baby blue light. I touched the sword and my hand turned the light went into my hand and the sword stopped shining. I looked at my hand astonished, but deciding that there was nothing else I could do, except to trust the sword, I placed my hand on Souji's chest, he began to breath deeply and to struggle slightly, but after a few moments he calmed down. The light faded away and I noticed that Souji wasn't sweating anymore. I smiled, grabbed my sword, kissed Souji's forehead and went out, on the roof where I fell asleep.
