Sorry for taking so long in writing a new chapter but I've been blocked about how to continue the story also I thought people had lost interest but to my surprise people kept reviewing and asking for more.…anyways I hope you enjoy and continue to review which I really appreciate…
"Dammit Soujiro!" The loud yell was heard throughout the courtyard.
"I'm sorry…" A small voice was heard apologizing before small steps were heard scurrying away.
"You know Toshi, you shouldn't make a child cry." His friend walked in with a small smirk on his face.
"You know Yamanami that this has nothing to do you with you?" Toshi grumbled back as he looked down at his soaked yukata.
"I assume at your age you know how to use the bathroom…" His friend commented back, smirk still plastered on his face.
Toshi finally glared at his childhood friend before grumbling again under his breath about brats and spilled tea.
"You know Toshi, you weren't that great of a paige yourself, as I recall." He friend said taking off his glasses and rubbing them softly on his yukata.
"Get Out!" Toshi growled.
"Fine, fine… just to let you know though Kondo should be bringing in new recruits soon." Yamanami looked out towards the open shoji, "He looked really upset by the way." He commented before receiving another glare from his friend before he left.
Toshi looked down at the wet rice paper sprawled all over the low table then at himself again. "Damn you as well Yamanami." He stated before getting up and heading outside to the courtyard.
" I don't want to go back!" His voice screamed at him. "but all I do is disappoint him and mess up…what I'm I suppose to do." Tears were on the verge of falling from the bright violet eyes, but he wouldn't cry, he couldn't cry. The more he thought about going back there, the more he wanted to cry, but the tears refused to fall.
Throwing his head back he looked up at the sky. "I can see the sky" He thought to himself.
"Soujiro!" He heard a voice call from behind him.
Quickly he turns to see a still wet Hijikata and a sour look on his face.
"Y-Yes, Mr. Hijikata?" Soujiro small form turned around completely to face him.
"Listen, I'm sorry…" He began but little Soujiro didn't allow him to finish.
"I'm sorry!" Soujiro interrupted. "I was curious, I wanted to see what you we're writing about and the tea slipped…I didn't mean to…"
"Soujiro," Toshi began again.
"I-I just wanted to see, I don't know how to write myself so I just wanted to see how you wrote and…Sorry." Soujiro continued.
"Soujiro" Toshi said more firmly.
"Just don't send me back!" Soujiro yelled all of a sudden.
Toshi froze for a moment. "Don't send you back where?" He asked stepping closer to the now shaking boy.
"Back to her…" He answered back softly.
"Back to Shimabara?" He asked coming to a stop in front of the violet haired boy.
Soujiro nodded, and kept his eyes to the floor as he felt the man come closer.
"Why would I send you back there." Hijikata asked his voice hard.
"B-because all I do is make you mad at me, and I mess up a lot, and spill things on you…so why would you want me around?" Soujiro answered his voice soft.
"Come on." Toshi finally said after a few minutes.
"Where?" Soujiro's head quickly shot up in surprise.
Toshi stretched out his hand and patted the silky head of hair affectionately. " I would never send you back there, Soujiro." Toshi stated softly. "Now come on."
They walked across the courtyard and to the front of a closed shoji. Toshi pulled the shoji opened and it revealed a kneeling Yamanami who sat looking surprised at the outburst.
"Toshi, Soujiro, how can I help you?" He asked looking at the smiling Soujiro and answering with a smile of his own.
"I want you to teach him how to read and write." Toshi answered briskly.
Soujiro looked up at Toshi with a surprised look before glancing at Yamanami questioningly.
"Of course Toshi, it would be my pleasure." Yamanami answered back, hiding a wider smile.
"You want me to read and write Mr. Hijikata?" Soujiro questioned him.
"Now you won't have to hang over my shoulder and spill tea on me." Toshi stated seriously.
Soujiro blushed slightly. "Thank You Mr. Hijikata." He bowed slightly. "And you too Mr. Yamanami for accepting." This time he bowed toward the kneeling man.
"Again it's my pleasure." Yamanami answered.
"So when do we start." Soujiro asked excitedly.
"Right now, well that is unless Toshi has some other things for you to do." Yamanami stated looking at Soujiro then Toshi.
"Do you need me to do something for you Mr. Hijikata, maybe get you more tea?" Soujiro asked happily.
"No, no that's fine you can stay here and begin your lessons." Toshi stated sputtering a little at the mention of more tea.
"Well then I guess we should get started." Yamanami stated smiling at the violet haired boy.
"What will you teach me first?" Soujiro asked excitedly.
At that Toshi turned to leave, but felt small arms wrap themselves around him from behind.
"Thank you again Mr. Hijikata." He heard Soujiro mumble into the small of his back before he the young boy pulled himself away and take a seat in front of Yamanami.
Toshi smiled a little to himself and left.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed as he sat there and listen to Yamanami speak and watching the strokes of his brush for the different letters, he sat there patiently and studied the graceful strokes before he copied onto his own rice paper.
"Very good Soujiro, the way I see it you learn quickly if you practice hard enough and study in a couple of months you should be as fluent as Toshi or I." Yamanami praised with a smile.
"I can't wait to start writing, maybe I'll be as good as Mr. Hijikata." Soujiro said looking up at the bifocal man with a bright smile.
After a few minutes of silence noise could be heard just outside of the shoji.
"what's going on?" Little Soujiro asked.
"It's probably the Kondo with the new recruits." Yamanami answered back. "Would you like to go see?"
Soujiro nodded eagerly and followed his new teacher out into the courtyard. As they made it outside they noticed the men that were lined across on the other side. Soujiro's violet eyes ran across all of the men that line up. Some we're rugged looking and tough, scars lined there faces, while others looked like they wouldn't hurt flies.
"Are these really the new recruits?" Soujiro asked looked up at Yamanami.
"Yes there are, they come from all villages around for a chance to join the Shinsengumi." He answered also looking at the new members.
"Can we get a closer look?" Soujiro asked excited.
"Yes, just for a little we still have more to go over." Yamanami stated.
Soujiro nodded eagerly before running ahead toward the group of men.
"So Toshi what do you think?" Toshi heard his friends voice from behind him. He turned a little before nodding to his friend.
"Mr. Kondo!" He heard a small voice yell from behind. Both men turned to see the violet haired boy running toward them, smile plastered on his face.
"Ah, hello Soujiro." Kondo answered when the boy reached them.
"How was your trip? You were gone for a long time." Soujiro asked violet eyes trained on Kondo.
"Very well, Soujiro and how has being a paige worked out?" Kondo asked smile on his own face.
"Um, it's o.k. I guess…" Soujiro answered blushing.
"Has Toshi been giving you a hard time?" Kondo asked in a reprimanding tone.
"N-no, Mr. Kondo. Mr. Hijikata has been very nice to me, he even told Mr. Yamanami to teach me how to read and write." He said with bright violet eyes.
"That's very good Soujiro." Kondo said patting the young boys head.
" So Kondo, Toshi, what do you want us to now." Yamanami asked coming to stand next to his two friends.
"Well it has been a while since I've sparred." Toshi said with a small smirk.
"Yes, I haven't had a good spar in a while either, how about you Yamanami?" Kondo asked.
"Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to get in a little exercise before going back to work teaching Soujiro here." Yamanami stated.
"Can I watch?" Soujiro asked.
"No." Toshi answered quickly.
"Why not?" Soujiro asked with a pout.
"C'mon Toshi let him watch." Kondo argued.
"I must a agree with Toshi here, Kondo maybe he should go back to his room and study." Yamanami pushed.
"But I want to watch." Soujiro began again.
"No." Toshi answered again.
Soujiro looked up at Toshi with hurt violet eyes. Toshi quickly tried to avoid his gaze so he wouldn't have to look at the small child, before a heard a huff and the footsteps of the young boy fade away.
"I think he's mad at you." Kondo said watching the young boy disappear to the back of the large courtyard.
"C'mon." Toshi stated brushing off Kondo's comment. With a glance toward the direction of where little Soujiro disappeared off towards he turned and made his way to the new recruits.
Violet eyes popped open in surprise. He heard dozens of footsteps running just on the other side of his closed shoji. Sitting up on his mat he mad his way over and slowly opened the shoji just enough for a violet eyes to take in what was going on. Peeking through he saw as men ran across the courtyard swords in hand. Finally getting up he through opened the shoji and stepped out onto the walkway curious as to what all the commotion was about, that was when he had seen Toshi run by, sword already in hand and making his out of the compound, men following behind. He asked himself. "Did something happen?" He quickly followed them out of the compound with out being seen, staying close to the shadows. He moved quietly trying to keep up but as the men ran they began to get farther and father away from him.he thought fiercely.
He continued to run, breath coming harsh and panting, sweat rolled of his body. He heard the scream of men before he saw them. There they stood men with swords drawn attacking, stabbing, killing with a look Soujiro had never seen in anyone's eyes. He saw how they fell to the ground blood spewing out of there body's and the sound they made as they breathed in the last breath that they would ever take.
He backed away, the smell of blood and everything that was going on around him was to much the small boy as he tried to take in the scene going on around him.
His eyes searched for a way to get out, anyway to get away from the death that surrounded him. That's when his eyes fell on his teacher.Soujiro's eyes followed the pale hands the gripped the hilt of the sword, his continued up the sleek metal weapon, but as his eyes reached the tip of the sword it was no where to be found, the body that was impaled at the end of it had obscured any sign of the rest of the sword.
"Soujiro!" He heard a voice call him. His eyes looked away from the sword and up toward the person holding it, violet eyes quickly connected with his teacher's. Soujiro couldn't look anymore he quickly continued to back away, before he turned and ran. He had to get away, to get away from the smell of blood, and the screams of dying men. He ran not knowing where he was going all that he knew was that he had to get away. His violet eyes closed, trying to erase the images that ran through his head. But it seemed fate didn't want him to forget, as his body quickly slammed in to what he felt like was a brick wall. His body quickly jerked back from the force and hit the ground his eyes unwilling to open due to the sharp pain he felt running through his body.
It had happened so quickly. One minute they where sparring, then a few hour later they were being attacked. They had made it to the clearing when they had saw the fighting going on they had quickly jumped in. He thought this has his sword impaled another man. Yamanami's eyes quickly scanned the area looking to make sure his comrades were fairing well when his eyes landed on a familiar head of violet.
"Soujiro!" He quickly yelled toward the boy. "I completely forgot to tell him to stay behind God I forgot he was there at all." He voiced to himself.
The young boy quickly made eye contact but he saw the haunting look in the those violet depths before Soujiro turned and ran.
"Yamanami!" Hearing his name he quickly broke his thought just as a sword was coming down toward him, quickly he lifted his sword to block.
"Now is not the time to be entertained." He heard Toshi's voice a couple feet away.
"Soujiro." Yamanami yelled back to Toshi.
"What…about him?" Toshi asked busy defending himself form an oncoming attack.
"H-he's here!" Yamanami informed, his sword embedding itself into another man.
"What! Where?" Toshi's dark eyes searched frantically amidst the chaos searching for the violet haired boy.
"He ran Toshi," Yamanami answered .
"You must go find him." Kondo interrupted from where he fought.
Toshi quickly broke away from the fight disarming and killing anyone who got in his way.
"Be o.k." He told himself.He opened his eyes slowly the pain ebbing away little by little. The first thing he saw was a person's feet. His eyes followed all the way up the dark clad body before meeting dark eyes.
"Where do you think your going?" The voice asked.
Soujiro's body began to trembled as his eyes fell on the smirk of the man's dried lips.
"A pretty thing like you running around at night all alone. It's not safe." The man stated looking at the boy hungrily.
The boy slowly began to back away, he had seen that look on many men's faces and all he wanted to do was get away as fast as possible.
"Where you goin?" The man asked getting closer to the retreating boy.
Soujiro eyes looked around, trying to find any sign of an escape route, any sign of help but there was none.
The man once again he moved toward the child, this time ending down and snatching him up by his yukata.
"L-let me go!" Soujiro yelled, voice trembling. But his violet eyed held a twinkle of defiance as he stared into dark eyes.
"No I think I'll keep you." The man breathed huskily into his face.
Soujiro pleaded silently, eyes closed tight. When he heard a sickening wet noise come from the man that held him. Opening his eyes he was quickly dropped to the floor again, man falling on top of him. He looked at the man eyes completely vacant and absent.All of a sudden the body was moved away to reveal another dark eyed familiar man.
"Mr. Hijikata." Soujiro whispered disbelief. He took in the dark haired man's clothing, he could see dark marks which he knew had to be blood. It was the look in Toshi's eyes that scared him, the look of a demon. Unable to stare at those intense eyes any longer he looked down at himself and noticed that his own once white yukata was covered in dirt and now blood that he knew came from the lifeless man a few feet away.
"Soujiro!" A voice yelled from behind them. "Are you o.k.?" The voice called again.
Violet eyes trailed pass Toshi and to the two men running toward them both. Yamanami had reached the him first, Kondo standing next to Toshi.
"Are you o.k. Soujiro?" Yamanami asked, making sure there were no injuries to the boy.
Soujiro still did not answer, he continued to sit spaced out.
"Are you o.k. Toshi?" Kondo asked looking toward his friend. Toshi just nodded his eyes focused on the violet eyed boy who seemed lost and confused.
"Soujiro?" Yamanami called out softly.
Soujiro's eyes shot up to look at Yamanami with a look of recognition, as if he was looking at Yamanami for the first time.
"He's just in shock." Kondo stated looking down at the boy. Toshi still had not spoken.
"Come, Soujiro. Let's get you home." Yamanami said quietly. He went to pull the boy up off the ground but instead Soujiro pulled away and got up himself.
"I want to learn how to use a sword." Soujiro looking at Toshi in the eyes and walking away.
Again I want to apologize for taking so long, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
