A/N Hey! I'm back! I actually had to cut this chapter in half cause it was so long! Hope you enjoy this, and kudos again to my awesome beta ImpracticalDemon. Y'all should check out her story Teachings of Demons, cause it's awesome!
Enjoy!
Chapter 4
When Hijikata and San'nan left for Osaka that day, Camilla had stared outside for a long time, conflicted. Wait, San'nan? I don't believe there was ever a San'nan that was of such high position in the Shinsengumi. How could I have not noticed until now? The fact that he sits with Hijikata and Kondo suggests that he is a fellow vice-commander, which means that he should be Yamanami Keisuke. What the hell?
She frowned, perplexed. First Yukimura Koudou, now San'nan instead of Yamanami? Something seems definitely wrong.
When San'nan and Hijikata returned with San'nan severely injured, Camilla realized that this history that she was living might not be the history she knew so well. Yamanami Keisuke was never so severely injured in her world's history. Maybe this world isn't the world I lived in? Her eyes widened, Maybe, when that son of a bitch sent me through time, he actually sent me to another world whose present time was my world's past. Then all these little changes… Would they add up to a big change?
Five weeks later, the two girls were allowed to do basic chores like cooking, cleaning and doing the laundry. Chizuru proved to be excellent at those, alleviating the burden of doing housework from all the captains' shoulders. On the other hand, the captains were soon disillusioned of the stereotype that all women were good at house chores. Camilla could cook and clean pretty well, but she was too rough with the laundry, often ending up with at least some ripped clothes.
"My yukata!" Heisuke cried out mournfully, staring at a tattered piece of clothing in his hands. He looked at Camilla, "Kawaru-chan, what did I ever do to you?"
"Ahh! Gomen! Gomen!" Camilla apologized hastily to him, bowing repeatedly. "I didn't mean to! It just ripped suddenly when I was washing it-"
"A yukata shouldn't able to be ripped so easily. How strong are you, Kawaru-chan?" Harada mused, laughing at Heisuke's misfortune.
Camilla blushed, "A-ano, gomenasai, Heisuke-kun! I'll make it up to you! I can try to mend your shirt-"
"Ah, it's okay, Kawaru-chan," Heisuke said hastily.
"You're so useless, we might have to kill you," Okita said, smirking as he walked into the yard. "At least Chizuru-chan can do all of the housework."
Camilla glared at him, "I can cook and clean! Not as well as Chizuru…. But I can fight! I can go with you guys on patrols or something if you really think I'm useless around here…"
Chizuru perked up, "Oh if Kawaru-chan is going outside, can I go too? To search for my father?"
"Your suggestions really are going to make me kill you," Okita said threateningly, as he lounged on the stairs.
Heisuke looked up, "Why can't they go with us? We already know Kawaru-chan can defend herself. She can protect Chizuru so we don't have to constantly watch her."
"I can fight with a sword!" Chizuru said forcefully, eager to make sure they didn't find her bothersome or useless. She didn't want to die.
The men looked at her intrigued. "Really now?" Heisuke asked, eyes wide.
"Yes! I trained a bit at a dojo back in Edo," Chizuru said.
Saito turned around from his training, and said to Chizuru, "Then how about I test you?"
"E-eh?" Chizuru turned around, startled. "I mean, hai! Arigato gozaimasu!" She bowed at her waist, the tip of her ponytail almost touching the ground. When she saw Saito looking at her expectantly, she blinked, "Now?"
Saito nodded slowly, "Yes, Yukimura." He stood there, in front of her, as if saying "Come at me!" Camilla grinned, restraining her laughter.
Chizuru's expression hardened, and she drew her sword, "Hai!"
After a moment of silence, Chizuru peered at the Third Division captain, "Ano, Saito-san… Why aren't you drawing your sword?"
"Attack me, Yukimura," Saito said coldly, tiny signs of impatience showing through.
"Eeehhhh?!" Chizuru cried out, "B-but… I could kill you!"
There was a long pause.
Heisuke, Harada and Nagakura doubled over in laughter, collapsing onto the floor with the force of their chuckles. Okita was also laughing, shouting over the ruckus, "Wow, Chizuru-chan, I didn't know you were that good!"
Flustered, Chizuru said defensively, "I just don't want to hurt Saito-san!"
"Chizuru-chan, I'm pretty sure Saito-san won't be killed by you," Camilla said through her laughter. "He is the Third Division captain of the Shinsengumi."
Chizuru looked at the older girl, asking for confirmation, "A-are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm very sure," Camilla said, amused.
Looking at Camilla dubiously, Chizuru set her feet apart, leaning forward in her fighting stance. "AHHH!" she shouted, charging forward.
What happened next, Camilla's eyes couldn't even follow. Somehow, Saito was able to draw his own sword in time to deflect and disarm Chizuru. Said girl's eyes were as wide as saucers, and she gaped at Saito, "E-ehhh?!"
"Whoever taught you was a good teacher. Your sword is unclouded," Saito said, in his own distant way.
Okita whistled, "Wow, Hajime-kun actually approved!"
Chizuru blinked with confusion, "Huh?"
"Now all we have to do is get Hijikata-san's approval," Heisuke said. He scratched the back of his neck. "That'll be harder to get, I suppose." He turned to look at Camilla with interest, "What about you, Kawaru-chan? Can you use a sword?"
"Um, well, I've learned a bit, but I'm not really good at it," Camilla admitted.
Heisuke tossed her a wooden sword, "Let's see how you do!"
Camilla yelped, catching it haphazardly. "Um, can I not go against Saito-san?"
The men laughed good-naturedly. "You can go against me!" Heisuke said eagerly, grabbing another wooden sword. Once they were both ready, Heisuke beckoned her forward. "Come on!"
She gulped, and charged him, raising her sword. It clashed against Heisuke's, and he pushed back, hard. Camilla grinned, letting her impressive, but abnormal, strength out. Heisuke's eyes widened, surprised, but with a deft twist of his wrist, her sword was pulled from her hands.
Camilla leapt back in astonishment, "Whoa, how'd you do that?"
"Kazama, you're strong and fast, but your posture and stance are atrocious," Saito told her bluntly.
Camilla flushed bright red, trying to ignore the irrational anger that rose up at his comment, even though it was true. She had always been too prideful, reluctant to admit her weaknesses. "Yeah…" she said, smiling demurely, pushing down her rage. "Could you maybe teach me then?"
"Sure! Well, if I have time," Heisuke volunteered immediately, eyes bright.
Harada set his large hand on Heisuke's head, "Heisuke, you sure you're good enough to be teaching them?"
Heisuke glared up at the older man, protesting loudly, "Hey! I might not be as good as Saito or Okita, but I can still hold my own pretty well!"
Harada, Heisuke and Nagakura bickered back and forth, walking away from the courtyard.
Saito looked at Camilla, gaze unreadable. She looked back at him, and said, "Don't worry, I'll look after Chizuru-chan if she needs it. You guys don't have to concern yourselves about her wellbeing."
"I still don't completely trust her," Okita admitted to Saito as they walked to Hijikata's room. "Chizuru-chan's too honest to be lying, and we also need her to help us find Yukimura Kodo. And let's be frank. Even if she did try to betray us, what could she do? Kazama Kawaru on the other hand…"
Saito nodded, "She is dangerous."
Standing in front of Hijikata's door, Saito knocked. "Vice-Commander?"
"Come in," Hijikata called out from inside, sounding stressed as usual. "Souji? Saito?"
"Yukimura and Kazama requested to go with us on our patrol rounds. Yukimura wants to search for her father, and Kazama volunteered to watch her," Saito informed him.
Hijikata frowned slightly, and asked the two captains, "What do you two think?"
"Kazama's devotion to Yukimura is authentic," Saito noted.
Okita nodded, "But Kawaru-chan's dangerous. She's abnormally fast and strong."
The vice-commander of the Shinsengumi rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "She seems to be honest about her origins and background. She's not so different from Heisuke. They're the same age, and already used to killing and battle," he mused. He set down his writing utensil, and said, "Yukimura and Kazama will go on patrol duty with Heisuke in two days."
Saito and Okita nodded, and the indigo-haired man said, "We'll let them know."
Camilla stood there, leaning against a pole and watching Chizuru do the laundry. She looked around, taking in the relaxed and generally happy atmosphere. Why does everything good always have to turn bad? These men… Why can't they be the ruthless and cold killing machines history depicted them to be? It'd be so much easier to hate them that way.
"Kawaru-chan? Are you okay?" Chizuru asked, blinking up at the older girl. "You seem troubled."
Camilla smiled softly, "No, I'm fine." She walked over, "Want me to help?"
"A-ano, that's okay, Kawaru-chan!" Chizuru said hastily, moving in front of the clothes as if she was trying to protect them from Camilla.
Camilla blinked, and then smiled sheepishly, "Oh, right, sorry. I'll just go sweep the other side of the building then."
"Yo, Chizuru-chan, Hijikata-san agreed to let you go on rounds with us, along with Kawaru-chan," Okita called out as he walked into view. Camilla turned, eyes wide. She hadn't actually thought they would let her out. "If either of you get in our way, we'll kill you."
The older girl resisted the urge to facepalm. He didn't need to add that last part in…
"You'll be joining Heisuke on his rounds in two days. Brush up on your swordplay, Kazama-kun," Saito told her.
Camilla inclined her head, "Hai! Arigato, Saito-san, Okita-san."
"Arigato gozaimasu!" Chizuru thanked them profusely, bowing at her waist.
"Ano, where can I get a sword?" Camilla asked, looking at Saito in question.
The indigo haired man looked at her steadily for a moment, before saying, "I will go ask Hijikata-san if I can take you into town to buy a sword." Without even waiting to hear her reply, he walked off in the direction to Hijikata's room.
Okita laughed, "That's Hajime-kun for you. Always eager to visit the sword market."
After receiving approval from Hijikata, Saito led Camilla outside of the Shinsengumi headquarters for the first time in a month or so. Even though his demeanor seemed calm and composed as always, the slight increase in his pace said otherwise.
"What type of sword would you feel more comfortable fighting with?" Saito asked, peering at all of the swords present eagerly. Well, as eagerly as Saito could ever seem.
Camilla rubbed her hands together, considering the question. "Ano, I'm not too sure… I don't really know too much about swords."
Saito stared at her, the slight twitch in his eyes the only indication of his acute horror. "The standard sword is the katana. Wielded in two hands, and for a person your size, the sword should probably be 2.34 shaku. How tall are you?"
"Five feet, five inches," Camilla answered, without thinking.
Saito blinked, "Feet?"
"Oh, sorry, America uses different measurement standards. Ano, one second, let me see," Camilla apologized. She thought hard for a moment, trying to convert feet into centimeters, "I think about 165 centimeters?"
"You are tall," the man noted. "Heisuke is about the same height."
Though she shouldn't have been so surprised, Camilla felt astonished. She was tall? Even though in America, there were plenty of people shorter than her, the average height for women was five feet five inches. She was solidly average. "Huh," she said, grinning. "I rather like Japan."
Saito glanced at her questioningly.
"I was always considered either average or short," Camilla explained, picking up a random katana that was 2.35 shaku. "American people are very tall." She tested out the katana, and looked at Saito. "Ano, this one is a bit heavy."
"Then find a lighter one," Saito said. "The simpler ones are usually lighter."
She noticed that he was glancing repeatedly at a sword that was put on display. "What is that?" she asked, pointing to it.
"That is a tachi," Saito answered, gazing at it with subtle longing. "The style is distinctly Goro Masamune's. He was Japan's best swordsmith. It should cost at least 100 ryo."
Camilla's eyes went wide, "Really? It cost me 100 ryo for two guns and 10 pounds of ammunition, which amount up to a lot of rounds."
"This sword is very special," Saito said harshly, as if offended by Camilla's comment. "It is worth a lot more than some gun."
Camilla gulped, "Ano, gomenasai, Saito-san. I didn't mean to discredit this sword."
She turned around, and grabbed a simple looking katana. She held it up, admiring the simplicity of it. "Look at this, Saito-san! It feels perfect in my hands!"
He looked at it, and nodded, voicing his approval, "A simple but strong sword."
They walked up to the shopkeeper. "Konnichiwa, I would like to buy this," Saito said politely, showing the man the sword.
"Oh, you picked that sword? It's been with us for decades," the man admitted. "No one seemed to like its simplicity, but I believe the simplest things are the best. Five ryo."
That's it? Camilla thought incredulously. What's up with the difference in price? She glanced at the money Saito was handing over. "That's my money right? You shouldn't pay for it."
Saito's lips turned up slightly, "You can pay me back later."
Camilla gaped at him, surprised by his change in attitude. "Eh? I mean, yessir!" she said, saluting him.
"Look, Chizuru!" Camilla said happily, showing off her new sword.
Heisuke peered at it. "It's really simple. But I guess it suits you. Unassuming but deadly."
"Unassuming, huh?" the girl mused aloud. She and Heisuke stood underneath the large eaves, examining her sword. Chizuru was walking by, holding the dried and folded laundry. "Sorry, Chizuru… I couldn't help you."
"It's okay, Kawaru-chan!" Chizuru said, smiling. "I don't mind. I like helping out."
Camilla smiled at her gratefully. "Heisuke-kun, let's spar! I want to test this out."
He laughed, blue eyes almost sparkling with delight. "Sure thing! Well, maybe with a bokken first? Oh, and we should go over your stance before Saito-san scolds us again."
After Chizuru dropped off the clothes she had folded, she joined Camilla and Heisuke in the training yard of the headquarters. Heisuke was standing close to Camilla, feet nudging her legs to shoulder width distance. "Here," he said quietly, moving her right hand higher up on the hilt. "Hold your arms down, don't bend your elbows. The sharp side of your blade should be facing your opponent."
Camilla restrained herself from shivering, feeling the warmth of Heisuke's body against her back. He should be nineteen, she thought idly. Only a year older than me. Such a young age to die… She stopped her train of thought abruptly, chastising herself. No, Camilla. No attachments to them. "Like this?" she asked, holding out her sword.
"Yeah, great!" Heisuke exclaimed with delight. "This is the basic stance for kenjutsu. There are other forms that you can learn, but the one I use is kenjutsu."
"Ano, what is that?" Camilla asked, feeling ignorant, an emotion she really didn't like.
He withdrew his arms, facing her. "Well, it's the most common one, for combat. There's iaijutsu, which Saito-san is most proficient at. It's a combative quick-draw technique that you saw him use on Chizuru-chan," he explained patiently.
"Can you teach me kenjutsu for now? If Saito-san has time, maybe I'll ask him to teach me the quick-draw," Camilla said solemnly. "I know a bit about kenjutsu, I think." She turned to Chizuru, "Hey, Chizuru-chan, come join us!"
Chizuru looked up, surprised, "A-ano, could I?"
"Yeah, of course," Heisuke welcomed her with a warm smile.
Her face brightened, shining like the sun. Camilla felt the stirrings of sisterly affection for the younger girl, who was so easily pleased. Chizuru ran over, pulling out her own sword.
