The Quest of a Lifetime
(A Hakuouki : Hajime Saito and Chizuru Yukimura Fan Fiction)
Fan Fiction by: Animedaisuki
Chapter 4 : First Stop - Deadly Bridge
"We're here.", Chizuru signaled.
"Really?! I never thought it would be that easy! I mean, come on! We've easily reached our destination without even a single sweat.", Heisuke cheered and clapped in excitement.
Okita pushed Heisuke aside and said, "No you idiot. This isn't the Land of the Samurai yet. It's the deadly bridge that Chizuru was talking about!"
Heisuke was about to walk near the edge of the land when Chizuru stopped him, putting an arm in front of him.
"Don't come any closer. The edge might crack, it's gonna be a long way down.", Chizuru warned, emphasizing the 'long'.
Chizuru placed her arm down and pointed towards her left.
"There! That's the bridge."
They walked towards the bridge. The Shinsengumi captains looked at the bridge. It wasn't as bad as they all thought it would be. It was worse.
You could hardly call it a bridge. The bridge has only one side to hold on. Its width could hardly fit a single person.
"Alright! Let's cross!", Chizuru said enthusiastically.
"Chizuru! Wait, it's dangerous! Let's go by pair.", Harada declared.
Chizuru raised an eyebrow, "I'll be fine, this is the bridge that I crossed in going to Edo to find my dad."
Heisuke hid behind Saitou, "It doesn't look friendly…"
"Wait, no. We can't cross the bridge by pair. It could hardly fit a single person. We should cross one by one. Until the other crosses to the other side, only then the person next will cross. I don't think the bridge can hold more that two.", Chizuru stated.
The group stayed quiet for a while. Not knowing what to do.
"Eh…uh…Hijikata-san! You go first!", Shinpachi urged.
"Ha?! Why me?"
The Shinsengumi captains argued about who's going first. Chizuru, on the other hand, decided for herself that she'd be the one to cross first.
When the guys finally stopped their argument and debate, they looked over to Chizuru.
"Hey, Chizuru, who do you think will cross- eh?!", Heisuke looked around for Chizuru.
Saitou gritted his teeth and said, "She's already in the middle of the bridge."
The guys looked over to the bridge, and there she was.
"Chizuru!", Heisuke shouted. Saitou stepped forward to go after but Chizuru didn't let him.
"Saitou-san! There's no need to follow me. I'm fine. Please.", Chizuru called out.
Chizuru was tightly gripping the cord of the bridge and said, "Tch! When did the wind get so strong?! Damn bridge. Why did this bridge only has one handle anyway?"
Although Chizuru crossed the bridge before, she was quite unsure as to when did the wind get so strong. At any rate, when she was younger, balance was one of her best points. But the bridge won't let her do anything special, it kept on swaying, following the direction of the wind.
"Hijikata-san, she might get thrown down to the river below.", Saitou stated in worry.
"I'm sorry Saitou, we just have to trust her in this. We can't do anything."
Chizuru finally had it. 'Stupid wind, stupid bridge! Ugh!'
Chizuru gripped the bridge's cord and ran. When she was almost to the other side, a strong wind blew her off of her balance. Her grip on the cords loosened. There was nothing behind her to keep her from falling. She concentrated and reached for the wood that's under the bridge and held on to it.
'I can't hold on much longer. I have to think of another way. Tch! Ugh! Really?! I just have to slip…come on Chizuru, think!' Chizuru's hand started slipping.
"Oh no!"
"Chizuru!", The Shinsengumi captains screamed in alarm.
"I'm kinda alright! I'm down here!", Chizuru shouted.
"Does it look like you're kinda alright?! Oh Kami-sama Chizuru!", Shinpachi called.
Chizuru only has one option left, no, actually two. One, she uses her skills she got from training for years. Or number two, she lets go and plummet to her death. She chose option one since it's the best option she's got.
Keeping her grip on the wood, Chizuru swung her body forward and backward. When she knows her swing is powerful enough, she swung backward for the last time, let go of the wood, arched her body and did a backflip on air! She planted her feet on the bridge and she took a few more steps and reach the other side.
Chizuru sighed in relief.
The guys on the other side were dumbfounded but they decided to praise later and more bridge crossing. Heisuke came next, starting slowly, and slowly. When he reached the center. Heisuke looked down and what he saw scared him to death
"Gaahh! This is even worse! Th-th-there's a whirlpool forming under the bridge!", Heisuke screamed in terror.
"Heisuke-kun! Just keep moving! Don't look down!", Chizuru called out.
"Heisuke! You scaredy-cat!", Shinpachi shouted.
"How did he became a Shinsengumi captain again?", Okita asked.
"Will you guys shut up?! I'm trying to cross a bridge here!", Heisuke shouted.
'If I fall, it's gonna be my end! I-I don't know how to swim!', Heisuke thought. 'No! This isn't how I'll end my life! Let's go! Ugh!'
Heisuke crossed the other side safely. Much to his relief.
"Great job, Heisuke-kun!", Chizuru complemented.
"Great job, Heisuke-kun!", Chizuru complemented.
"Eh? You did better than me. Hey, how did you pull that off? It was amazing! But, uh, thanks.", Heisuke replied shyly. Scratching the back of his head.
Chizuru pondered on his question, "What do you mean?"
"You know, air flip thing!"
"Oh! Uhm, it was part of my training before."
"Oy! Watch and learn everyone! Let the man and expert show you all how to do it!", Shinpachi announced.
He crossed the bridge confidently, but when he got to the middle, his confidence got crushed. He was sweating so badly, he could feel his legs wobble.
"Shinpachi! What happened? I thought you're a man?", Okita smirked.
Shinpachi turned his head towards Okita's direction and said, "I'm afraid of heights!"
"Can someone remind me how that guy became part of the Shinsengumi?", Harada questioned.
Okita shrugged. "I don't even know anymore."
Shinpachi tried his best to focus.
Heisuke, who was already waiting on the other side, grinned proudly.
"Come on Shinpachi, don't be such a granny. Are you gonna let a boy beat a man like you just because you're afraid of heights? Ha! You really are an old-hag…", Heisuke encouraged, although it doesn't sound like it.
'Tch! Heisuke, that little bastard.', Shinpachi gritted his teeth. He inhaled sharply, and exhaled.
"Oy, oy, Heisuke, you're getting too cocky. Heh, this is just a groundless fear, right? Hmph! I'll cross this stupid bridge, no problem.", Shinpachi announced.
Heisuke replied with smirk, "Uh-huh. Show us what you got, old man!"
"I ain't no old man. I'm just in my mid 20's, how dare you call me old!", Shinpachi countered. "This is easy. I can do this!"
After a while, Shinpachi managed to walk farther, but then the wind started blowing hard.
"I can't do this!", Shinpachi shouted in fear.
Okita face-palmed as Hijikata shook his head in disappointment.
No one knows how Shinpachi mustered up his courage, the only thing they saw was him screaming in fear and running as fast as he can. When his feet touched the land on other side, Shinpachi resisted the urge to kiss the ground, thankful that he survived.
After Shinpachi, the others who followed, one after another, didn't have much problem crossing. When all of them finally reached the other side, they took a break for a while and sat down near the grassy fields.
"That bridge can really throw anyone overboard. Chizuru, you said you've crossed this bridge before right? Was the bridge this…bad already?", Hijikata asked, exhausted.
Chizuru recalled the last time she crossed the bridge, which was about three years ago.
"It wasn't as bad as it is now. Anyway, we should be on our way soon.", Chizuru replied.
The Shinsengumi captains all said the same thing, "Oh come on!", "We're going already?"
Chizuru smiled happily, "Yes. Now let's go!"
They continued walking. Then, Saitou decided to test her reaction to a question he's planning to ask for some time now, "Could it be that you're just excited to see a certain someone? Umm, Kaidou, was it? Yeah…"
The others stiffened, afraid that Chizuru might cry. Or worse, get angry. But Chizuru pouted a bit and said in a playful manner, "No I'm not! Wait, no. I am excited because it's been a while, and that's it. Nothing more."
It was an honest answer. As honest as she can be right now, Chizuru decided to drop the topic and kept walking.
"You know Chizuru, I don't mind walking from Kyoto to…wherever this place would be, as long as you promise that we'll be back home in one piece.", Okita reminded, smirking.
Chizuru smirked back, "I can't promise your safety during the whole journey. Although, I can promise that you will be able to return home cured from the Ochimizu."
"Alright, it's a deal."
They kept walking, with Chizuru in the lead. As they do, they inhaled the fresh air given out by the forest.
Suddenly, Chizuru stopped.
"Oy Chizuru, why'd you stop?", Shinpachi asked.
Chizuru placed her index finger on her chin. Removing it, she turned towards her companions, and declared, "Unfortunately there's something blocking the way…"