RK: And here's chapter 3! I can't believe I'm updating this rather than post the 4th chapter of my ongoing story in fictionpress. Meh, it was all thanks to my adoration for KazaSen that I'm doing this ahaha. But I gotta give Kyouko some background as the story progresses since she will have a big part in her nii-san's lovelife hoho. So please, bear with me while the purely romantic scenes take a backseat for now.
"W-What are y-you doing here..?" the girl queried as if she saw someone came back from the dead, her lips trembling slightly.
Only the ragged breaths of Hijikata and the sound of gunshots could be heard as the world halted from spinning. Harada is battling with that gun-wielding oni then. Both siblings maintained their fighting position, the girl was still gripping her katana, alert and ready to counter any attack. On the other hand, however, he could definitely see that there was the tiniest bit of change from her bastard of a brother's stance. Kazama seemed more relaxed than when he was clashing swords with Hijikata.
"I should be the one asking you that, Kyouko."
He wanted to just shove the girl away and continue his unfinished business with the blond demon; but he couldn't miss this rare opportunity. This was the first time that he, and all of the present captains including Chizuru, would know and see what kind of relationship the two had as siblings. While Kyouko had easily divulged how she came wandering in Kyoto and met the old owner of the dango shop that was caught up in flames nine days ago, she had never revealed any information regarding her damned brother in the past week—when it was actually the real reason why they had decided to let her stay.
…well, part of it was compassion (mostly from Kondo-san and the baka trio) and he would be lying if he didn't say that he felt pity at least, for the girl. She had lost everything in a blink of an eye thanks to that inferno. Some of his men were immediately sent to the location to investigate if it was arson or simply an accident that turned into disaster. Chizuru's friend—what was her name again? Sen, was it?—together with another female, perhaps the same age as him, brought Kyouko to the Shinsengumi headquarters just hours after the fire incident.
Demanding to see Chizuru, Sen and her tall companion steadied the stunned girl who can barely stand due to the shock and trauma. The soldier assigned at the gates had quickly informed him and Yamanami Keisuke about it; then both men accompanied the missing doctor's daughter to meet her friends outside the main entrance. Sen had asked, no, pleaded, that they take the blonde in even just for the night, explaining that no inn accepted lodgers at the moment.
Hijikata knew why of course. If the incident was indeed arson, any innkeeper would be wise not to let people rent rooms until the culprit is found. They would be involved in the questioning if suddenly, the culprit was arrested in their establishment; more importantly since it was the Shinsengumi conducting the investigation. And no one had ever wanted to get involved with them, all thanks to Serizawa Kamo.
One night wouldn't hurt anyone, plus, she's a friend of Chizuru…so why not? Acquiescing to the little lady's request, they led the shaken Kyouko to Chizuru's room. He and Sannan had shared just one meaningful look and he knew—Sannan knew as well. It was apparent that the girl was connected to the arrogant oni whom they had fought several nights ago. Leaving the blonde with Chizuru, the two went to see Kondo for a brief discussion. After informing him (who felt extremely sorry for the poor girl), the chief had decided to deal with her in the morning together with the others.
True to his words, Kyouko was summoned in the common room after breakfast and was surrounded by the three high-ranking officers and all the unit captains. He was certain that it was a bit of a déjà vu for Chizuru—except the blonde wasn't bound by her wrists like the former during her own interrogation. Hijikata didn't stop their chief from the introductions this time and instantly went for the kill. "What is your connection with Kazama Chikage?"
Chizuru's eyes became big as saucers as his query hanged in the ambience. In return, the vice commander arched a brow at her. How could she not know? The hair, the eyes..? The resemblance was very obvious at first glance. Then again, Chizuru was just too trusting and truth be told, it was her greatest weakness.
What Hijikata couldn't comprehend however, was how his captains were also shocked by this—specifically Heisuke and Shinpachi who both shouted, "HAAAAH?"
…ugh, idiots. Didn't they realize how similar they looked?
"He's my older brother." The girl seemed to be still in a daze due to her traumatic experience. Heh, the bastard has an *imouto then.. It was apparent that she would mindlessly answer every question thrown at her. "I see. Your friend told us that you have no place to stay last night and I'm assuming, still none, correct? What's your plan?" She merely shrugged and as expected of the ever-kind Kondo Isami, he offered her to stay with them until she could find one. "W-Wait a second, Kond—"
"Hijikata-kun, a word?" He was suddenly cut off by Sannan and he followed the bespectacled man outside and shut the paper doors behind them, hearing Kondo-san's voice reassuring the girl that "Toshi may be like that but he's a good man. Everything will be alright."
"Well, spill it out. One more minute and we won't be able to change Kondo-san's mind. I mean, I pity the girl too but.. So far, our only knowledge of her is that she's Chizuru's friend and that oni bastard's sister." Hijikata paused, looking sideways then returned his gaze on him; his frown deepening.
"Think about it, Sannan-san! If that Kazama finds her here, he'll have another reason to wreak havoc. Not that I'm frightened by him of course, but—" Much to his chagrin, Sannan decided to cut him off again.
"Hijikata-kun, learning about the enemy is very essential. And Kazama-san is allegedly with the Satsuma, yes? Both Yukimura-kun and Okita-kun had encountered him in Ikedaya if I'm not mistaken. Given that, the sister might give us crucial information regarding our foes. Furthermore, it can be the other way around and she might be able to prevent Kazama-san from wreaking havoc here, as you said."
"I don't see any reason why she'd voluntarily do the second one. Care to explain further?"
"It is obvious that Yukimura-kun and the girl are very close.. or else their other friend, Sen-san, won't entrust the girl to her. Right now, Kazama-san proves to be dangerous for Yukimura-kun. And if she's a genuine friend, she wouldn't want to put the latter's life in danger, more so if her older brother is the one to cause harm, would she? "
He looked at the calm man incredulously but took his statement into account. "So, you're suggesting that we let her stay here.. You sound so sure about this, Sannan-san."
"The decision still rests upon your hands. Kondo-san trusts your better judgment as I do. But if the odds are in our favor, then I think that it's truly a risk worth taking."
"Fine. The girl will stay here for the time being and we would extract information from her. However, we must be wary of her actions for she may not turn out what she appeared to be."
Forcing himself to stand, Hijikata willed his previous thoughts away and chided himself for not sensing that the tension in the air had thickened. So, their sibling relationship is strained.. Kazama was probably getting impatient with his sister's silence and walked towards her, his sword placed back on his waist. What? Is he going to slap her?!
Like hell, I'm gonna let that happen!
Ignoring the ache pulsating throughout his entire body, he pulled Kyouko into his chest and locked her between his strong arms; his katana drawn towards her brother who had ceased from taking another stride.
"Hijikata-san..!" protested the girl.
Kazama drew his blade once more and narrowed his eyes at him, his Oni powers swirling around them as he transformed into his real form.
"Remove your filthy self from my sister. Now."
Gone was his sun-colored mane, bleached by locks of pure white; his horns protruding, his ruby eyes replaced by twin gold shields. And before making a retaliation at his insult, Kazama was in front of him in a blur. He supposed his hands moved to parry his attack from pure instinct alone for there was no way that he could see him charge.
"Tch."
Hijikata realized that the reason why his arms were still intact after blocking the blond oni's katana with his own was because Kyouko was also gripping the handle; she had instantly held fast onto the edge when her brother had attacked. His instincts didn't save him from that blow, Kyouko did.
Out of nowhere, the red-haired oni whom he recalled as Amagiri, suddenly appeared beside Kazama.
"Kyujuu-niisan..?!" cried the girl. In a blink of an eye, the gun-wielding oni also showed up, lips curling upwards as he pointed his pistols at them. "Yo. Long-time no see, Kyouko-chan.."
"K-Kyo-niisan! You, too..?!"
His captains were quick to move, sprinting towards them in a heartbeat. Saito and Souji were at their right, ready to counter Amagiri in case he charges; at their left stood Shinpachi, grinning widely at the dark blue-haired oni. Sanosuke swiftly ran to the scene as well; his right arm was bleeding profusely but his smirk matched that of Shinpachi's. "We're not done yet, Shiranui."
The pistol-user snorted. "You sure you can still fight, Harada?"
With haste, amethyst eyes trailed their way to where Chizuru was. She was behind Heisuke, who was tightly clutching his sword, smiling like a boy finally released by his mother to play outside. Finally, he dragged his stare at Kazama again, who had reverted back to his normal appearance. "The Yukimura girl knows but a fraction of her real heritage. But you, Kyouko.. You are fully aware that our kind has nothing to do with these scums yet it would seem that you have sought their protection."
She motioned for Hijikata to release her and he did. Two pairs of crimson orbs, one unreadable and one frightened, stared at each other. "You have tarnished the name of Kazama enough. You're a disgrace to the clan for involving yourself with lowly humans who are blinded by their pathetic ambition." Kazama practically spat the last sentence.
Even so, Hijikata could visibly see that the expression he wore contradicted his words—except for the mocking directed at the Shinsengumi, that is. But of course. No matter how sick and heartless this guy is, she's still his imouto. Nevertheless..
Glancing at Kyouko, he watched her head lower in humiliation, losing the supposedly staring battle she and her brother had. She was evidently trying her hardest not to shed a single tear. Hijikata knew that he shouldn't cross the line but what Kazama had told her was downright excruciating. Just then, Kyouko's head snapped back up, the fear in her eyes still eminent but was now mixed with abhorrence.
"Didn't I already shame the Kazama clan due to my…ha! What was it? Repugnant, tainted blood?! Thus, I left for good. And my name is Miyazaki Kyouko now! What do you want more?! I may have told you before, Chikage-nii, no, Kazama-san, that I can never hate you even if you despise me for being a half-blood.. but don't you dare insult these men!" her voice was laced with every ounce of pain she felt and yet, she hadn't cried.
"I, for one, admire the Shinsengumi for their bravery and how they're all willing to sacrifice everything to reach their goal. And they don't give a damn about my blood or any other crap about me, unlike my own kind.."
"Enough! You and the Yukimura girl are coming with us," was his guttural response. This was Hijikata's cue to interpose. "Not a chance, you bastard. You'll have to go through me, first."
"And all of us before you get to the ladies!" shouted Shinpachi. Kyouko snorted at him before facing her brother once more. "Killing me is necessary if that's what you want, Kazama-san."
"K-Kyouko-chan..! No, please!" It was apparent that Chizuru couldn't take it any longer and finally mustered the strength to speak.
"There's no point in ending your own sister's life, Kazama. What do you plan to do?" Amagiri's voice was inaudible but since he was the nearest among everyone, Hijikata heard him still. However, his archrival suddenly vanished and when he returned, Kyouko was by his side, his fingers wrapped around her wrist. "Wh-Wha—?! Let go of her!" Without much thinking, he lunged forward but Kyouko looked at him with pleading eyes and screamed, "No! Don't come near us, Hijikata-san!"
Kazama paid no attention to him as he yanked her wrist, forcing her to look at him. "I'll be back for the Yukimura girl. In the meantime, Kyouko.. we're going home."
With speed challenging that of her brother's, she quickly pulled her katana with her free hand and sliced his forearm; liberating herself in order to dash back to Hijikata's side. "The last thing I wanted to do is to go back! Like I said, you'll have to kill me first!"
The wound she made closed effortlessly and Kazama's cold stare was upon her again. "Don't force me to do something we both wouldn't like, little sister.."
"SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN! I HATE YOU!"
Kazama's eyes widened as her voice continued to ring in everyone's ears. It took a few seconds before his typical unreadable expression crawled back on his countenance. "Then, I have no business with you."
Similar to what had happened before, he vanished into thin air, followed by Amagiri right after giving them a quick bow.
"Hey, Kyouko-chan! You don't hate your Kyo-niisan too, do you?" The pistol-user remained but seeing that Kyouko wouldn't speak, he offered her an unnecessary pout as he disappeared as well. Silence ruled over and surprisingly, Saito was the one who broke it. "Sano, it would be best to get Yamazaki now. Your bullet-wound hasn't stopped bleeding."
That statement stirred everyone to go back to their senses. Shinpachi went over to Chizuru; he and Heisuke accompanied the girl to her room. Sanosuke was about to go as well when Kyouko uttered, "Harada-san, may I see your arm?"
Souji, who was closest to Kyouko, patted her head and snatched her blade, putting it back on its sheath tied around her waist. Hijikata, currently being assisted by Saito—obviously, he and Harada were the only ones who got physically hurt—was reminded of the fact that Kyouko had actually saved his life. He didn't have the strength left to think of a proper way to thank her; but he could at least praise her for her act of valor in the meantime. "You've done well, Kyouko. You should go get some rest too."
At last, a smile made its way to her exhausted visage and she walked back to the direction of the sleeping quarters with Souji tailing behind her. Hijikata thought that she must be extremely tired but then she ran to catch up to Sanosuke.
"Kyouko-chan?" he said as his amber gaze turned to their vice commander. Hijikata grunted but went over to them, followed by Saito. Much to their confusion, the blonde reached out and placed an open palm centimeters above the 10th division Captain's wounded arm. Out of the blue, a warm glow emanated from said palm and when she removed it, Sanosuke's arm was completely devoid of the wound—even the blood was gone.
"What the..?" Hijikata was the first to shake the minor shock and was going to ask Kyouko how the hell that happened when she lost consciousness and fell onto Sanosuke's chest. "Oi, Kyouko?!"
The following day, Kyouko still hadn't woken up. The unit captains went in and out of her room to check on her but Chizuru had never left her alone; not for more than two hours. She merely prepared the meals for the men but positioned herself back in front of her sleeping friend as soon as her tasks were completed.
It was already dusk when her friend's eyes finally fluttered open, revealing weary crimson irises. "Kyouko-chan, you're awake!" Chizuru spun in her heels to go outside and get something for her to eat but the blonde held onto the end of her hakama. "Ch-Chizuru-chan.. Don't tell anyone that I regained consciousness. I need to see Sen-chan.. Please.."
"I-I see.. But first we—"
"Please.."
When she knelt back down, Kyouko abruptly stood to change clothes. She glanced at her friend and beamed sheepishly. Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough for Chizuru. "Can't it wait until tomorrow? You're still unwell, so quit pretending you aren't."
Sighing heavily, she tied her long blonde hair into a loose bun and regarded Chizuru with a melancholic expression. "I need to see her now. Don't worry about me, Chizuru-chan. I may be just half an oni but I still can handle myself."
Standing up as well, Chizuru placed both her dainty hands to her hips to appear intimidating—despite being an inch shorter than her. "No, I'm coming with you. We're going to Shimabara together."
She had no idea why the blonde started laughing; her eyes crinkled and it made her look all cute and girly. It's ridiculous that I didn't notice their resemblance at first sight but somehow.. I still can't believe that she's Kazama-san's sister after all. Kyouko halted her mirth but one look at Chizuru and she was chortling again. "Um.. what's so funny?"
One nimble finger was raised, pointing at her. "You! You sound like Nagakura-san when you said that. Try removing all the seriousness and it would appear like you were mimicking him when talking to Heisuke-kun."
"And here I am so worried for you.." Chizuru giggled despite herself. The two girls quietly slipped outside the Shinsengumi headquarters as a lone figure stood at the front gates, his arms crossed and a smirk dancing across his feline features. "Now where are those two going?
*Imouto – little sister.
RK: Yep, Kyouko's a half-blood. I hope I didn't make a lot of grammar mistakes, misspelled words, etc. due to sleeplessness. The need to sleep is pulling my every being but I've fought its seduction just to finish this ahaha. There would be more chapters that would dwell on Kyouko and Chikage's past but rest assured, the KazaSen moments are just around the corner.
I'll be back to edit this (if there are indeed grammatical errors) as soon as I indulged myself with some shut-eye. Reviews are very, very, very much appreciated so please leave some.
(Updated 03/18/17)
