Midnight was on the roof; listening to the talking going on in the room below her. Being an eavesdropper was easy for a cat; which she was thankful for. The men below her were currently conversing about Itou's arrival and how very skillful he was. She shuddered every time this Itou man spoke.
'Could he get anymore girly?'
Itou then started to butter up Hijikata and Sannan before Midnight heard Chizuru enter the room; things went quiet at her arrival. Not too long after that Midnight heard the door slid open again. She trotted over to the side of the roof, peered down and saw Chizuru walking out. The girl sat down by a basin of water and started submerging the used bottles in it. Midnight felt the air chill; her throat felt like it was closing; a sign something was going to happen. She watched as the girl continued her job; completely oblivious of the shadow that loomed over her figure.
"Hey, you." It spoke; Chizuru sat up quickly and looked at her visitor.
She hesitated in her response, but swallowed and answered the man standing in front of her. "How...May I help you?"
"I'm wondering why someone like you would be here." He told her; red lights went off in Midnights head; it seemed their newest recruit just figured out the Shinsengumi's little secret or he was just being too damn curios. The feline quickly jumped down and ran towards the duo. She heard the door behind her open slowly; watching the scene, but not moving as she was.
"Huh?" Chizuru inquired; confusion written all over her face.
Itou walked towards her, "You're not a soldier, are you?" He moved in on her in a threatening manner. Chizuru took two steps back when he took one forward. She grew nervous; right when Itou cornered her a cat and a sword entered view.
The sword cut the air where Itou once was; said man having enough experience to dodge the blade before it took his head off. He also he avoided the claws that swiped at his legs from behind. Itou regarded the man in front of him; his right eye watched a cat come strutting up from behind him; it's eyes glowed in an unusual way, but it vanished before he could figure out what it looked like exactly.
"Okita-San! Midnight!" Chizuru yelled out.
Itou blinked. The smile on his face sill present; he looked at the end of the sword that was still pointed directly at him. A red rose was balanced perfectly on the tip of the sword. Souji moved the blade closer to Itou offering the flower to him.
"A place for men is not a place for flowers, but as you've graced us with your presence Itou-San; I thought I'd give you something for the eyes." Souji said.
Itou picked the flower up off the blade and Souji retracted his blade, but didn't sheath it. Itou stared at the flower appreciating its beauty, "My, how beautiful. But isn't the sword a little too rough for this task?" Itou questioned.
Souji smirked; his eyes narrowing in amusement, "Controlled violence is one of the Tennen Rishin-Ryuu principles." With that Souji snapped his sword back into its sheath.
"You, hurry back and clear the rest of the dishes." Souji gave the girl a look that spoke volumes. Chizuru bowed and hurriedly ran off. Midnight watched her and once she was out of sight; she went back to glaring at Itou.
"Thank you for the flower, Okita-San." Itou thanked Souji and walked back to the room; as he passed by Souji and Midnight he whispered in the aforementioned man's ear.
"A cat also has no place in a place of men, does it not?" After he said that he left the man and cat alone.
Souji turned around; his face smiling, but his eyes spoke of death while Midnight's fur stood on edge. This Itou man was trouble and both loved the challenge of a hard kill.
"I foresee a continued rise in the number of troops we have. We need to find a new base as soon as we can." Kondou spoke.
Inside the meeting room everyone was present; a map of the compound was placed in front of them.
"It must be hard for our troops to sleep so tightly packed together." Shinpachi said.
"However, it won't be easy to find a place willing to take in the Shinsengumi. So do you have any ideas?" Souji spoke up from where he and Midnight were seated on his left.
Kondou coughed into his hand sheepishly, "If we did, we wouldn't need to discuss it."
"Nishi-Honganji Temple." Hijikata answered. Once those words left his mouth all heads snapped to look at him in shock.
"Nishi-Honganji Temple was the first Choushu safe house. They won't agree to take us in."
Sannan voiced his opinion on the matter, but Hijikata was quick to retort.
"That does not matter. The Choushu have always engaged in illegal activities under the guise of the temples and monks." He glared at the wall. "If it comes down to it; we'll force them to agree."
Sannan was shocked beyond belief, "Aren't you ashamed to employ force to coerce monks?"
"Well, there is that. I agree with Sannan-San." Shinpachi said in agreement.
"While Toshi's points are valid, Sannan's opinion also needs to be considered." Kondou commented.
"Isn't Nishi-Honganji a nice place?" Kondou looked at him. "I've done some research as well and it seems a most suitable place for a barracks." Itou pulled something out of his kimono and slid it across the floor for all to see.
"As Hijikata-Kun has said, once we have a foothold in the temple; we can also defend against the Choushu." Itou finished.
"Indeed, the Choushu will lose a valuable safe house." Saito commented.
"Well, the monks won't be too pleased, but it would definitely be the best place to run operations." Sano agreed as well.
Shinpachi looked downcast, "I'm not too sure..." he agreed with Sannan that it may not be the best idea.
Kondou frowned; he rested his chin on his hand as he mulled everything said over. Before he could speak Sannan interrupted him.
"But if we act dishonorably; I fear there will be a downside to it!"
"Sannan-San is, as always, a man given to deep thoughts." Itou interrupted. "But to achieve great things we need to be bold and fearless in our planning. Still, I can understand why you are so cautious."
"Cautious?" Sannan questioned.
"I believe your left arm cannot be used?" Itou inquired. Midnight's ears folded back, the fur on her back rose along with her temper, and the others went rigid with disbelief.
Itou unaware or he simply didn't care continued. "Even if you can't be a swordsman; I'm sure that your intellect and talents in strategy will be an asset."
Midnight rose up at the jab towards Sannan and lunged at him. Souji was quick to grab her by her scruff and hold her down. She hissed and yowled at the man that insulted Sannan; the man simply smiled cockily at the feline and then looked back to Sannan; ignoring her. Seeing him ignore her; made her feel as if she was a useless speck of dust that he could just rub off and it made her see red. Her claws extended and her eyes began to glow. Souji tightened his hold and leaned down to whisper to her.
"Midnight calm down, your losing control and we wouldn't want the others to know our little secret, now would we?" Hearing his words she calmed herself down.
'Now's not the time to show them, they're not ready yet.' Even though she was clam on the outside; on the inside she was a burning inferno. All the men watched the supposedly calm feline for a sign of her letting lose again. Itou was the only one not looking worried; a smirk was present on his face. He was clearly enjoying the scene he was witnessing.
Hijikata's voice rose above the commotion. "What did you mean by those words, Itou-San?" Though he wasn't yelling the tone demanded answers and for anyone within earshot to shut up and listen.
"As you said, Sannan-San is a fine scholar. But we, the Shinsengumi, value him as a swordsman!" Hijikata was losing his own hold on his anger.
Sannan though happy to hear those words had to be honest and face the truth of the situation. "Hijikata-Kun, my arm is..." He gripped his left arm.
"Ah, forgive my uncourteous words. Of course I too will be overjoyed when your arm has recovered." Itou said behind his hand; smirk still present. Glares from around the room hit Itou's figure. Souji who still held Midnight down with his hands went to lift them up; deciding just to let her kill him, but Saito's stares on his head made him tighten his hold and rethink his decision with a sigh.
"Well, there are many different opinions, but for the moment let's stick with Nishi-Honganji as planned." Kondou stated still shaken by the commotion. After that was said Sannan left the room.
"With the arrival of the elite it's time for the old guard to step down." He said forlornly to Chizuru who stood outside the door; obviously over hearing what went on and couldn't strengthen the courage to step into the room. With a heavy sigh Sannan walked away; his posture sluggish and sad.
"Poor Sannan-San. Many of our members have been avoiding him lately." Sano commented aloud.
He was currently outside with other captains; all present were thinking on Sannan's injury and how it changed him from who they knew and who they don't know.
Chizuru stood beside Shinpachi; utterly confused, but had some knowledge on why everyone was like this. From what she heard things hadn't gone so well with Itou-San and Sannan-San. She gave a questioning look at Sano. "Avoiding?"
"Well, he always wears that expression of his when he speaks to people." Shinpanchi answered her.
"They're all intimidated and afraid to get close to him." Sano continued.
"He was calm and gentle; at least on the surface." Shinpachi followed; Chizuru looked crestfallen.
"But inside, he's totally black." Sano stated.
"Yeah, black as night!" Shinpachi finished before both him and Sano started laughing, Chizuru could only blink at them.
"It'd be unbearable to not crack jokes." Chizuru turned to the voice beside her; Souji was sitting on the steps his sword cradled against his left shoulder.
"Talking about that Itou fellow; his words alone piss me off." Sano growled out softly.
"Trying to make an impression? Or does he really look down on everyone else?" Shinpachi inquired.
Souji stared hard at the ground, "I don't like him either, though I concede that he's well-versed in sword play." He said grudgingly.
"Annoying." Hijikata commented; speaking up for the first time.
"So, Hijikata-San, Send him away and tell him we don't need people like him." Souji told him.
"I don't think Kondou-San will agree to that. He respects Itou-San very much." Hijikata answered back.
"How useless. Isn't being nasty the duty of the demonic vice-captain?" Souji jabbed Hijikata using the officer's pet name for the man; to rile him up.
Hijikata's eye twitched successfully taking the bait. "Well Souji, you're welcome to the job."
Souji laughed at the mere thought of him taking the job. He knew, as did the others, they'd have less members if Souji took over. "No thanks. It's too much trouble." After he said that he sighed heavily losing his cheerfulness.
"Saito-San not able to deal with Itou-San either?" Chizuru asked the only male that hadn't given an opinion on the subject.
"It's this diversity of opinions that demonstrates the size of our organization, but if the variety of opinions is too large it may very well tear us apart from within." Saito said honestly.
Midnight sat in front of a yard full of cats; night had come and it was time for the meeting. Half were watching her, while the other half were playing around. Midnight thumbed her tail twice on the floor calling for the yard to be quiet; at once all of their eyes were upon her awaiting her words.
'The reason I called you here today was rather simple. I asked a few of you to keep an eye out on some rather troublesome problems. I wish to tell you all exactly why I am asking this of you and to also tell you to be aware that in future events I might ask all of you to help with lookout or in worse case become a shield.
I am not nor will I ever ask you to lay your lives down for humans. I know the variety of opinions in the matter of even helping those that destroyed us. But these men...Are different. They are so much more different from those that killed us, those that forced us away from our home and forced us into hiding.
So I will ask now. Will you help me protect these men for selfish reasons of my own? I will tell you now if you do not wish to be a part of this; go now I will not blame nor hate you for it.'
Midnight waited for the grass to become visible, but no such thing happened, instead all cats raised their heads and thumbed their tails three times signifying that they were all willing to be her servants; taking and doing anything she asked of them.
Hatred still lingered in their hearts for the humans, but no such hatred could ever stop them from helping their princess; their Midnight. If these humans meant the world to her and if they truly were different then maybe with their help humans and oni's could once again live together in peace.
Midnight's heart swelled with pride and happiness; to think all of them willingly helping her selfish desires. She couldn't be happier then she was at that moment.
"Sannan-San!" She heard a yell from somewhere within the compound. Midnight's happiness quickly dissipated and turned into dread and fear. That voice was Chizuru's and if she was yelling Sannan's name that must mean...No!
'Everyone leave, I will contact you some other time!'
At the command all felines scattered; some looked back at Midnight only to see her half way across the yard making her way to the source of the scream. Midnight hurried. She slipped and tumbled a few times down the halls; her body rammed against a wall she had slid into. She shook herself out of her stupor upon seeing the door open; she rushed in only to stop in her tracks.
Sannan was kneeling on the floor clutching his throat while Chizuru knelt over him repeatedly calling out to him. Midnight spotted a vile with a small amount of red liquid seeping out. Her heart dropped, her ears went back and she cautiously walked towards the two. Then it happened; Sannan's hair began to turn white and Midnight ran forward hissing.
Chizuru grew even more worried when she heard the hissing sound, but it did not come from Sannan it came from the feline that was running towards her.
"Huh? M-Midnight!?" Chizuru stammered.
The cat skidded in front of her; forcing the girl to move back, but it was too late. Sannan grabbed Chizuru by her neck pushing her to the floor; holding her down. Midnight stared in shock as Sannan rose slowly putting more pressure into his hold on the girls neck; Chizuru helplessly tried to pry his hands away with no success.
Midnight couldn't take it any longer; the girl would be killed right in front of her and even though she didn't want to admit she had gotten use to her, but between her and Sannan it was a hard decision. She needed to act and do it fast. Her energy flared up and soon black fire surrounded her. The flames grew more intense with the power that flowed through her veins and out into her fire which grew even fiercer. Chizuru felt the heat, but it didn't burn her; only caressed her skin.
Midnight closed her eyes and concentrated; hoping she didn't hurt Sannan more then she needed too. She opened her eyes and at once the black flames shot towards him. They circled his hand around Chizuru's throat while the other flames grabbed his left arm and neck; all at once they erupted. The force caused Sannan's body to fly backwards into the wall.
Sannan groaned in pain; his blood red eyes struggled to stay open. His vision blurred the figure of Midnight with Chizuru next to her coughing; the flames retreated into Midnights body and just as his eyes closed he whispered.
"What...Are...You?"
Enjoy review and comment I would appreciate it! Love ya'lls