Yay, next chapter! Last time we met a young Oni named Rina and there was some cute HijikataxChizuru fluff….sort of. In case any of you were wondering, Hijikata did get mad at me for that and chased me around for an hour with that damn katana of his until I called my guardian cat Serafina, who may or may not appear in one of my fanfictions, and he ended up in a bush. Yeah…he isn't the happiest samurai right now…
Hijikata: *glaring at me*
Me: If you keep your face like that, it will freeze.
Hijikata: *still glaring*
Me: *sighs* Saito, please do the disclaimer.
Saito: Reika does not own anything but her characters.
Heisuke: Enjoy!
EDIT 12/08/12: Changed Yukiko's last name to Hayashi due to the fact I have THREE girls with their last names starting with an S, Aya's name will also be changed.
Chapter 6: Woman of Ice Yukiko
Hijikata sat peacefully at his desk, working on paperwork. It was quiet except for the sound of rustling paper when his door was slid open, Rina stood there panting. Hijikata put his brush down.
"Rina, what is it?" He asked.
"It's Chizuru-nee-chan, she-"She didn't even finish before he ran out the door and headed down the hallway towards the girls' room. He opened the door to see Chizuru thrashing around in her sleep; he moved quickly and silently over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, shaking her gently.
"Chizuru!" He whispered. The girl's eyes flew open, brown orbs met his violet ones and she sat up, nearly missing his forehead.
"W-What happened?" She stuttered, feeling a bit dizzy. Her dream….oh god had she been thrashing? She turned red at the thought, a few months after the incident she had trouble sleeping, haunted by her nightmares and her father and brother had to calm her down with tea. The dreams had disappeared, but now it seemed they had returned.
"You were thrashing….a bad dream?" Hijikata asked, worry hidden in his voice. Chizuru….she had looked so frightened, so small when she looked at him.
"Y-Yeah….I used to have them a lot a year ago but they died down after a few months. Now it seems they've returned." He raised an eyebrow.
"They? You've had more?" She nodded.
"One more, the first night I came….they're more like memories."
"I won't pry, I have no reason to know your past if you don't want me to." Chizuru smiled.
"Arigato Hijikata-san." The door slid open, and in came the other members of the Shinsengumi, minus Inoue, Yamasaki and Shimada. They blinked at the sight of Chizuru and Hijikata so close, and the fact Chizuru was slightly damp from sweating in her sleep. Okita smirked.
"Hijikata-san, I had no idea you were a bad boy, and in front of poor Rina-chan too." Chizuru flushed while Hijikata glared. Rina looked at Okita with a confused expression.
"Souji! Don't go getting ideas like that!" He barked.
"Yes, Rina doesn't need to become tainted by men like you." Saito said.
"Yea-Hey, wait a minute! Why were you looking at me when you said that!" Harada yelled.
"Excuse me." The men standing by the door moved away as Inoue-san moved past them with a tray in his hands. He kneeled next to Chizuru and held out the cup for her.
Tea….? Her eyes widened as she smelled the familiar aroma, memories of her father and mother whirled through her mind, of how they would comfort her when she'd get scared.
"Do you not like tea?" Heisuke asked. Chizuru shook her head and took it with a smile.
"No just….that's how my parents comfort me when I got scared." She said as she sipped the tea.
"Thank you." She said. This feeling she got….it was warm, something she hadn't felt since the incident….
"Well, we should probably let you go back to bed. Good night girls." Harada said as he grabbed Heisuke by his collar and dragged him out, his protests echoing. Saito and Inoue-san bowed and headed out after them, followed by Okita who waved. Hijikata was the last to leave.
"Good night, be safe. " He said as he got up.
"You too." The girls replied in unison. Rina climbed under the covers as did Chizuru and both fell asleep, Chizuru did not have the same dream again.
"Rina, be careful and watch where you're going!" Chizuru called as the young girl dashed through the marketplace. Okita chuckled.
"You sound like her mother." He teased. Chizuru glared at him.
"Well, if she wouldn't run off, I wouldn't worry." She stated. Okita laughed as Chizuru ran off to get Rina. A female voice made him turn.
"Leave me alone." A young woman, around twenty, with long icy blue hair that fell to her waist, bright green eyes, and wore a dark blue kimono with elegant designs and a gold obi tied around her waist was standing in the middle of a group of men.
"You're pretty cute you know. Do you…offer services?" One of the men said with a seductive smile. She glared.
"Go away, you men are disgusting slime." She hissed as she turned away. The leader grabbed her wrist as she tried to leave.
"Let me go!" The man grinned.
"Now, how about you be a nice girl and-"
"Hey, she said let her go." Okita said as he walked over. The leader dropped the woman's wrist and walked over to stand in front of him.
"Whatcha going do about it?" The leader asked as he and his men drew their swords. Okita smirked and moved quickly to the left, taking out the two men who were standing by the woman. She blinked at his speed, he wasn't like her but he was still fast. He moved out of the way of an incoming sword and blocked it; he then slashed the man in the chest. The only one left was the leader, whose hands were shaking as he clutched his katana at the fact his men were so easily taken out.
"Bastard!" He roared as he charged. Okita easily blocked the attack and stabbed the leader in the chest. The leader fell to the ground and Okita cleaned his sword, and then sheathed it as he turned to the woman.
"Arigato." She said as she bowed.
"Nah, it was nothing. You should really be more careful, Kyoto's streets aren't exactly the safest for women." The woman raised her eyebrow.
"I'll keep that in mind." Chizuru's voice rang out, shocked.
"Yuki-chan!" Okita and the woman turned to see Chizuru and Rina. Chizuru was staring at the woman in shock.
"Chizuru-sama?" The woman asked.
"Yuki-chan, what are you doing here?" Chizuru asked. Okita raised an eyebrow.
"You two know each other?" Chizuru nodded.
"Hai, this is Yukiko Hayashi, she is a friend of mine." Yukiko raised an eyebrow at her, but she sent her a look that said "Don't tell him".
"Well, it's nice to meet you Yuki-chan. I'm Okita Souji and that little girl is Rina Suzuki." Rina pouted.
"I'm not little!" She exclaimed. Okita smirked as he walked up to her and placed his hand on her head, much to her disdain.
"You're small, which is the same thing as little." He said. She glared at him.
"S-So Yuki-chan, what are you doing in Kyoto?" Chizuru was shocked to see her here; she was sure everyone had perished….
"Well, I was just in Osaka and I decided to come to Kyoto to stay here for a while."
"Do you have a place to stay?" Chizuru asked.
"No. I was thinking of staying in the streets." Yukiko said.
"Ah, that won't do at all. You'll stay with us." Okita stated.
"Okita-san, won't Hijikata-san be mad if you just invite someone to stay with us?" Chizuru asked.
"Nah, he won't mind."
"SOUJI! WHY WOULD YOU INVITE SOMEONE TO STAY WITH US?!" Hijikata exclaimed. Chizuru and Rina sweatdropped as they had the same thought.
You said he wouldn't mind….
"Now come on Commander, would you really let a young woman sleep on the streets where she could easily be robbed or assaulted?" Okita asked.
"Ugh really Souji…." Hijikata sighed. Yukiko got up and bowed.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you; I will be on my way."
"No, Souji is right; we cannot allow a young woman to stay on the streets. You will stay with Rina and Chizuru in their room." Yukiko bowed lower.
"Arigato." She said.
"I'm Hijikata Toshizo and the man who rescued you is Okita Souji. You'll meet the other members later." Hijikata said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Yukiko said as she bowed.
"Yuki-nee-chan, I'll show you our room!" Rina exclaimed as she grabbed Yukiko's hand and pulled her out of the room with Chizuru shaking her head as she followed them.
"Souji, what's your real reason for taking Hayashi-san in?" Hijikata asked as soon as the girls had left the room.
"Hayashi-san said she was an old friend of Chizuru's, but what friend addresses her friend as sama?" Okita asked.
"So you suspect she's a servant of Chizuru's?"
"Yes." Okita replied. Hijikata glared.
"Souji….you're not planning on trying to get info on Chizuru's past are you?"
"Maybe…" Hijikata sighed.
"If Chizuru wants to tell us about her past, she will. She probably has a good reason for not telling us." He said. Okita sighed as he got up.
"Whatever you say." He opened the door and left the room. Hijikata couldn't help but wonder, what was Chizuru's past? He knew about her father but what about her mother? Did she have siblings?
Just what are you hiding Chizuru….?
"Thanks for helping with dinner Yuki-chan." Chizuru said. She, Yukiko and Rina (somewhat) had decided to tackle dinner. Chizuru was cooking the rice, Yukiko was chopping the vegetables and Rina did odd jobs to help both. Yukiko gave her a small smile.
"No problem, it's the least I can do after the Bakumatsu took me in."
"Hey what smells so-Chizuru-chan, Rina-chan who's this?" Heisuke asked as he walked in the kitchen with Harada. Yukiko looked up.
"This is Yukiko Hayashi; she's a friend of mine." Chizuru replied. Yukiko bowed.
"It's nice to meet you."
"Hi, I'm Heisuke Toudou; this is Harada Sanosuke." Heisuke said as he pointed to his companion. Harada grinned as he walked over to Rina and ruffled her hair. It had become his favorite pastime to tease and annoy Rina on her size, almost as much as he enjoyed annoying Heisuke.
"Hey shorty, how's a going?" Rina glared at him.
"I'm not short!"
"You're shorter than Heisuke, which says something." He teased.
"HEY!" Heisuke exclaimed. Chizuru shook her head, laughing.
"Yukimura-kun, Rina-chan, why are you cooking dinner?" Inoue-san asked as he walked in with Yamazaki.
"You guys took us in so this is a chance for us to repay you." Chizuru replied.
"Yeah so shoo!" Rina said as she began pushing the guys out. A few hours later they were seated in the dining room and eating dinner.
"Wow! This is amazing! You guys can cook dinner anytime!" Heisuke exclaimed.
"Thank you!" Chizuru giggled. Yukiko looked at her shocked, Chizuru had never giggled, and she had always been stoic and serious. Had these men changed her?
"Hey we smelled food." Okita said as he, Yamazaki, and Saito strolled in.
"Ah Hajime-kun, Yamazaki, this is Yukiko Hayashi, Chizuru's old friend. Yuki-chan, this is Saito Hajime and Susumu Yamazaki." Heisuke said. Saito bowed.
"A pleasure to meet you." Yukiko bowed back.
"Same to you." Saito sat down. Yamazaki gave her a nod.
"Always the silent one eh?" Heisuke asked. The doors opened to reveal Shimada and Hijikata.
"Chizuru-chan, Rina-chan and Yuki-chan cooked dinner Hijikata-san." Heisuke explained. Hijikata narrowed his eyes at the three.
"You girls didn't have to cook dinner." Rina pouted.
"You took us in Hijikata-nee-chan, so we can't just live here without helping out."
"Yes, I want to be helpful." Chizuru said. Yukiko nodded.
"I agree, let us handle dinner and the cleaning Hijikata-san." Hijikata sighed.
"You girls….fine." Chizuru and Yukiko smiled while Rina began jumping up and down before Chizuru pulled her down.
"Now, let's not let this dinner go to waste!" Hijikata exclaimed. The group ate their meal in moderate peace, with occasional arguing between Heisuke and Harada.
This is honestly, one of my favorite stories to write. Anyways so what exactly is Yukiko's true relationship to Chizuru? And what will happen next?
Yukiko: Thank you for having me Reika-san *bows*
Me: No problem Yuki-chan.
Saito: Please review *bows*