Important information: The protagonist of this story is versatile in the sense that she can be an OC/you, if you choose to save this story and replace the name with whatever you want, or if you are a Chizuru fan, you can leave her as she is and still get your OkiChi fix.

TK: One of the first scenes of this chapter is both Okita and Chizuru's point of view. I tried sticking to one or the other, but there were some things that I wanted to elaborate on both sides. There was too much swapping back and forth to do page breaks between PoV change, so in the end I basically said screw it and put both points of view together. Hopefully it's not too jarring.

[Okita x Protagonist – AU. "You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty."]

2019 UPDATE: This chapter has been edited and revised, but the events remain mostly unchanged from the original version.

Dynasty Girl

TK Grimm

Chapter Eleven:

Enchanting Empress

The majority of Chizuru's wounds were in the form of scrapes and bruises, but the gash on her left side required several stiches to seal. She was ordered to stay in bed for the most part, because the risk of her reopening the wound and bleeding out was apparently quite high. Kondou was more than happy to give her time off, though, and Chizuru was grateful.

"You're quickly becoming one of my regulars, Yukimura-kun," said Yamazaki Susumu. He was a fair-skinned man with narrow violet eyes. His unruly brown hair was cut short save for a low, thin ponytail at the base of his neck that traveled down his back.

Yamazaki was the son of an acupuncturist and a medic in the Shinsengumi. Known to only the officers (lieutenants, captains and the like), he was also a member of the Watch—a spy. He often worked alongside Lieutenant Shimada of the Second Division in those duties, when they were required.

Chizuru sheepishly kept her eyes on her lap. "I'm sorry, Yamazaki-san. I don't mean to cause so much trouble for you."

"It's alright," Yamazaki replied. He was a serious sort, very by the book, but he had a kinder, more awkward side to him that sometimes showed its face. "Are you sure you don't have any wounds on your chest? I should at least take a look, perhaps apply an ointment for the bruising—"

"No!" Chizuru said quickly. She blushed and tried again. "I mean—that's alright. I'm okay, really. I never refuse your help, you know that. If I was hurt there, I'd definitely let you know. Really, it's just the wound in my side that needed tending…"

Yamazaki had a little frown on his face, but he nodded anyway. "You don't seem to be too worse for wear, so I'll accept that, but…" He glanced around, seeming to check if anyone was nearby or listening. Satisfied that the conversation was private, he leaned a little closer to Chizuru and quietly asked, "Yukimura-kun… do you have a scar or a birthmark on your chest that you don't want others to see? I assure you that I am a professional, and I won't breathe a word of it to anyone. I'm just trying to help you."

Chizuru's eyes widened. A quick denial jumped in her throat, and she was about to say it, to tell Yamazaki that she didn't have anything like that, but she stopped. This was actually a golden opportunity to keep Yamazaki away from the truth—that she hid her chest from him because she was a girl.

Instead, she laughed nervously and pretended to look embarrassed, which wasn't hard, because she most certainly was a bit humiliated. "Err—you caught me. I actually have a really embarrassing birthmark on my chest that I don't want anybody to see. But I promise I'm not hurt there! So don't tell anyone… okay?"

Yamazaki relaxed almost instantly. He offered her a small, sympathetic smile and said, "I understand. I won't say anything, and if you do get hurt there, I will be very discrete in treating your injury."

Chizuru bowed her head. "I appreciate it." Even if she didn't believe him. If Yamazaki of all people found out she was a girl, he would most certainly tell Hijikata. There was no one Yamazaki admired more than Hijikata Toshizo.

【新選組】

Okita visited her that night, after she'd been patched up. He sat beside her futon and crossed his legs. His two swords were placed on the floor at his side. "I'm starting to think we should just reserve this spot in the infirmary for you, since you seem to spend so much time here."

Chizuru gave a soft laugh at her own expense. "Yeah, I guess so."

She was having a hard time looking away from him. She'd come so close to losing him that day. For a while, she genuinely thought he was dead. That feeling of heartbroken emptiness was a pain so raw it left her feeble and weak-willed for a while. Part of her worried she'd wake up from a dream and discover he actually was dead.

As if he could sense her thoughts, Okita smirked and said, "Come on… what's with that face? You didn't actually think that brat could kill me, did you?"

They both knew the answer, but Chizuru was grateful for Okita's arrogant humor. It brought about a strange sense of normalcy that she found comforting. "No," she said honestly. "I knew you were stronger than Kaoru. But he's tricky. When I saw your katana, I… I just…"

"You lost yourself out there," said Okita. The smile faded from his face. "When you thought I was dead." He saw a flash in his mind, the image clearer when he blinked. He saw Chizuru strike down those three Choshu samurai in the start of the battle. The hollow, broken look on her face was something he never wanted to see again.

"You saw me?" she asked. He'd briefly mentioned it after killing Kaoru, but Chizuru hadn't pieced it together until that moment. "You were watching—"

"Kaoru got to me first," he admitted, his expression darkening. "I was working on my escape when you started fighting them." Okita tried to clear the foul mood from his countenance, but he couldn't manage to fully relax. "Maybe you can explain something to me, Chizuru-chan."

She furrowed her brow. "Explain…?"

Okita's green eyes met hers. "What am I to you? Your captain? Your mentor? Your friend?" Chizuru's eyes grew wide, but Okita kept talking. "You've seen what I am. Killing is part of my nature. I'm a sword for Kondou-san and the Shinsengumi. There's hardly anything human in me. I'm probably just as bad as Kaoru and those other freaks working with the Choshu."

"That's not true!" she interrupted. She couldn't listen to him talk about himself like that. "You're not a monster. Just because you're good at fighting doesn't mean killing is in your nature. Since joining the Shinsengumi, I've learned there are many reasons why men draw their swords. Their pride, their masters, or even just for the sake of violence.

"But you're different," Chizuru went on. "Every time you draw your sword, you're drawing it to fight for Kondou-san or to protect something that's important to you. Your motivations come from love and affection. It's like Bushido. If Kondou-san is makoto, or sincerity, then you are jin—benevolence. Compassion, Okita-san."

It was a rare moment in which Okita was caught completely off-guard. "Jin?" he asked. Of each of the seven tenets of Bushido, he never would have pegged himself to be jin.

Chizuru felt her face heating up, but she nodded and attempted to explain. "Well, remember when we talked about how the Shinsengumi has makoto on their banner? I was thinking about the tenets of Bushido, and how makoto fits Kondou-san perfectly. I think jin fits you, Okita-sensei. You never draw your sword for yourself—you draw it for the ones you love. You're kind, and I've learned so much from you these past few months. You're not a monster at all. You're a good man."

Had it been anyone else calling him a 'good man' or comparing him to the virtue of jin, Okita would have laughed in their face. But Chizuru was so open and earnest. She meant every word she said. He was already off-guard, but now he was completely thrown for a loop, both stricken and dumbfounded by her words alone. She'd seen him for what he was, the good and the bad (mostly the bad), but she still thought he was a good man…

Okita braced his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands. It was a gesture of stress and disbelief, his fingers ensnared between locks of reddish-brown hair. "Do you even know what you're saying?"

Chizuru reached out to him, and gently, she pulled his hand down from his face. Her touch was soft like feathers, but her skin felt warm against his. She held his hand in both of hers and leaned down so she could look him in the eyes, as his gaze was still lowered. "I never say anything I don't mean," she said honestly.

"I know," he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. Okita's gaze became unfocused, lost in his thoughts. "…For a while… I thought you were going to die, too."

Chizuru's heart pounded in her chest. She almost dared not ask, but she couldn't help it. The question slipped past her lips before she could stop it. "Were you… worried about me?"

Okita seemed hesitant to answer. "…I almost didn't make it in time." Such a solemn, self-deprecating expression didn't belong on Okita's face. He was someone you always wanted to see smiling or grinning at some joke.

Hoping to lighten Okita's mood, Chizuru smiled a little playfully and said, "You did, though. Impeccable timing, Captain."

It worked, and Okita relaxed, finally returning her smile. "I guess I'll forgive you this time, but if you make me worry like that again, I'll probably kill you."

Chizuru giggled at the sentiment. "Yes, sir."

"By the way…" Okita shot a sideways glance at her, his lips turned up in amusement. "You were pretty cool out there, Chizuru-chan. They're going to have even more stories about the 'Shinigami' now."

Chizuru blushed and gave a short, soft laugh. "Not as many as they have of Okita Souji, trust me."

He smiled again, indulging her that comment, and then his expression lit up as he remembered something. Okita reached into the pocket of his sleeve and withdrew a white piece of paper folded into an origami flower. It was a bit crumpled and worn, but it was still distinguishable. Okita held it out to her. "Did you lose this?"

Chizuru's eyes widened at the sight of it. "My flower—I was looking all over for that. Where did you find it?"

Okita placed the folded origami into Chizuru's hand. "Kaoru had it."

The answer made Chizuru scrunch up her face. "Why would Kaoru have it?"

Rather than answer her, Okita changed the direction of the conversation. "Why did you keep that thing after all this time?"

Chizuru looked down at the flower and carefully tried to smooth out the wrinkles on one of the petals. It was a nice distraction so she wouldn't have to look Okita in the eyes. "Well, I… you gave it to me. I've never been given a flower before…. It made me feel like a real girl." Her face flushed. "I-I mean, I always have to pretend to be a man and do manly things with the other guys. But with you… like when you gave me this flower… or when you helped me in the bath… that's when I really feel like a girl."

The tips of his fingers started to feel a bit numb. Okita pressed his hands to the floor behind him, leaning back with a façade of calm amusement. "Careful, Chizuru-chan. Keep saying things like that, and I'm going to think you've fallen for me."

Her breath hitched in her throat, and Chizuru's eyes shot toward Okita. The words were on the tip of her tongue. She was suddenly gripped by the strongest desire to blurt out her feelings that she'd ever felt—but also by a crippling fear that locked the words down.

"And even if that was the case," Okita said when Chizuru couldn't speak, "…I'm no good for you."

Something inside her shattered, and a heavy weight fell upon her shoulders, pushing her far, far down in the depths of her own despair. Amidst the pieces of her broken heart, Chizuru murmured a quiet, "You're wrong." She lowered her gaze down to the origami flower in her hands. "Okita-sensei… you just don't see what I see."

Okita made a quiet, "Heh," and then stood up. He adjusted his swords at his waist before glancing down at Chizuru. "Luckily, this is all hypothetical. Right, Chizuru-chan? Because I know being a samurai means more to you than being a woman."

Being a samurai means I can stay with you.

Chizuru lowered her gaze, unsure of what to say except, "Yes, sir."

【新選組】

Given where his stress levels had been recently, Hijikata was fairly certain he was going to have gray hair by the time he hit thirty-five. While Kondou was the driving force behind the Shinsengumi, Hijikata arguably had more on his plate. It was a burden he was willing to take, though, because Kondou was his closest, most treasured friend. If taking on more duties and making the difficult decisions made things easier on Kondou, then Hijikata resigned himself to his fate.

That did not, however, include keeping secrets for cross-dressing girls trying to play samurai. Why Hijikata still had not said anything to anyone was a mystery even to him. Part of him believed it was because he owed Yukimura his life, and Hijikata's personal honor would not let him betray her. Another part of him, if he was being particularly honest, said that he liked Yukimura, and he didn't want her to die.

Perhaps, if he kept quiet, they would end the war, and he could dismiss her honorably since the call of active duty would be over. That silver lining faded considerably when Nagumo Kaoru attacked and had Yukimura beaten to a bloody pulp. She'd managed to defeat them, it was true, but Hijikata couldn't overlook the fact that Yukimura had been within an inch of death herself. If Souji hadn't been there…

No, this was no good. She couldn't stay here. Hijikata had to send her home. But how could he do that without revealing her? By law, she would have to be executed. In the privacy of his thoughts, Hijikata could admit that he didn't want her to die. So he had to figure out a way to dismiss her or send her home without revealing her identity.

When he couldn't think of anything for several days, Hijikata knew there was one other choice: Souji. He'd been watching Souji interact with Yukimura for a while now, and he knew Souji had to care about her, at least a little. Surely he wouldn't want Yukimura to stay in the Shinsengumi. He'd want her to go home, too. Perhaps, if they put their heads together, they could think of something.

Then again, having a conversation of any sort with Souji was on the top list of Hijikata's least favorite things to do. It was a battle of tempers and passive-aggressive remarks, and generally speaking, there was no real winner.

Hijikata found Souji in the inner courtyard. The young captain was lounging leisurely on the veranda just above a couple of short wooden steps that led into the garden. His hands were folded behind his head as a makeshift pillow, and his eyes were closed in relaxation.

"Souji," Hijikata said. "We need to talk."

Green eyes opened, and the unmistakable flash of annoyance crossed Souji's face. It was quickly replaced with a half-assed smile and a sarcastic comment. "That sounds awfully serious, Hijikata-san. Your tone alone makes me not want to listen to you."

Hijikata closed his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh through his nose. When he opened them, he looked down at Souji, his face set in displeasure. "How long are you going to keep lying for Yukimura?"

Souji still refused to sit up and take the conversation seriously. "Lying for him? I don't know what you're talking about, Hijikata-san."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Hijikata said lowly. Souji's attitude always grated on his nerves, and his stress levels were high enough already. "Yukimura is a woman."

For a brief moment, there was a flicker of something on Souji's face, but it was gone instantly. It could have never been there in the first place. Souji cracked open an eye and smirked at Hijikata. "You know, it's probably not a good thing that Hijikata-san is seeing Yukimura as a girl. Maybe you should take your own advice and get laid."

"My what—"

Souji opened both his eyes and put on an expression of false innocence. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just repeating what you said back at Edo-Cho, about how men need to sleep with women every once in a while. It's okay, Hijikata-san; I'm sure Kondou-san won't judge you too much when I tell him you said that."

Hijikata's slack-jawed expression of shock was short lived, for it was soon replaced with dark frustration. "I didn't say that, and you know it, Souji! And quit trying to distract me! We're talking about Yukimura!"

"You're not attracted to him, are you?" Souji taunted. "I'll warn you ahead of time—he's not into shudo. Why don't you try asking Yamazaki instead? He practically worships the ground you walk on already." He punctuated that statement with a scowl, but it was no secret Souji and Yamazaki were frequently at odds with each other.

Borderline furious, Hijikata gripped the front of Souji's clothing in his hands and pulled him up a bit. His violet eyes glared with the promise of swift retribution should Souji continue to dodge the subject like he was. "She's a woman," he said, not giving Souji the chance to deflect it any further.

Souji pressed his lips together in a thin line as all traces of amusement drained from his face. It was a battle of glares between both of them, and the silence was somehow deafening. When Souji spoke, his voice bore no trace of humor. "What do you want me to do, Hijikata-san? Kill her? Order one of the Shinsengumi's best soldiers to commit seppuku?"

Hijikata was gripping the fabric of Souji's clothes so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. It seemed as if his hands were shaking, or maybe it was his imagination, but his anger made it hard to form his thoughts into words. "Best soldiers? Is that all you're seeing here? You kept that girl around because you think she's useful?"

"She's an asset to Kondou-san," said Souji. His face was set in a bland expression, but his green eyes were guarded and revealed nothing to Hijikata. "What's the big deal, Hijikata-san? If she's useful, make use of her. There's no reason to kill her."

"That's not all this is about, Souji!" Hijikata snapped. He looked ready to throttle Souji, but something held him back. An image flashed through his mind, back at the Battle of Edo-Cho. He saw Souji looking down at Yukimura with that worried expression. Souji just didn't show that face to anyone, let alone some girl. "Why did you keep her secret? You've been lying to everyone—for her! Don't feed me your bullshit; it's not just because she's useful!"

"What is it you want me to say, Hijikata-san?" Souji said, his voice practically jeering. "Tell me so I can get this conversation over with already."

His temper had finally snapped, and Hijikata did something he'd wanted to do for years. He pulled back his fist and slammed it straight into Souji's face. It caught both of them by surprise, and afterward, they stared at each other in muted shock.

Souji brought his hand up and touched his lip. When he pulled back, there was a small trace of blood. His gaze darkened, and a rather menacing smile spread over his face. "Well," he said. "You've been waiting to do that for a long time, haven't you? Tell me, how did it feel? Did you get off on hitting me?"

Hijikata felt the urge to punch him again, his fist trembling with rage. He held himself back, though, because he knew it wouldn't do any good, and Kondou would never forgive him. Instead, he took a deep, calming breath, but it did little to soothe his anger.

"You selfish brat," he murmured, which surprised Souji. "You hide her secret from everyone in the Shinsengumi—from Kondou-san. You shove a sword into her hands and lead her into battle—what the fuck do you think is going to happen? That she's going to come out of this war unscathed? Look at what that freak did to her at the Kuze Shrine!"

Kaoru's physical appearance (white hair, gold eyes, horns) had caused quite a stir among the men who'd seen it. It confirmed their fears that the Choshu army had allied itself with monsters. Many of the men in the troops had similar sentiments with Hijikata—repulsion.

Those words seemed to have an effect on Souji. The dark expression on his face receded, leaving a blank, almost numb look in its place. "If you reveal her secret, she's dead anyway. Are you going to tell someone, Hijikata-san? Will you reveal her and order me to kill her?"

Hijikata hadn't been prepared for the question, though he supposed he should have been. His words were caught in his throat, and it took visible effort to force through a single syllable. When he did, it came out as, "…No."

Souji's green eyes snapped to his, and he repeated, "…No?"

Hijikata finally released his grip on Souji's clothes. He slumped back to where he was sitting on the floor. One hand ensnared his bangs while the other propped him up, braced against the wooden floor. "No, I'm not going to reveal her. But she can't stay here, Souji."

For once, Souji didn't say anything. When Hijikata lowered his hand to look Souji in the eyes, he saw the conflicted expression on the young man's face. It was a rare thing for Hijikata's heart to soften when it came to Souji. Things were usually so verbally acidic between them that real feelings tended to get brushed under the rug and forgotten in the wake of insults and arguments. But there was genuine affection there, deep down. Seeing the look on Souji's face, Hijikata realized that Souji did know what Hijikata meant about Yukimura's safety and well-being, and that maybe, just maybe, he'd been struggling with that for longer than anyone knew.

"She's lasted this long because she's been lucky," said Hijikata. "She's an impressive fighter, but she's still just a girl. We've got to send her home."

"I've tried," said Souji. He turned his head away from Hijikata and instead stared out at the courtyard. "She wants to be here. She has no concern about her own safety. She won't go home."

"Why?" Hijikata asked. "The life of a samurai is no place for a woman. She can't want this."

"She does."

Hijikata scoured his mind, searching for everything he knew about Yukimura. Now that he knew she was a woman, it was harder to think of the lieutenant as the same person. Suddenly, all those deeds and all that progress seemed like someone else, not this girl they were discussing the fate of. But when he was able to rationalize in his mind that yes, that was her, he realized her enthusiasm all this time had been genuine. She did want to be there. But… her devotion, her loyalty… her concern for Souji when he was injured at the Ikedaya…

"Is she in love with you?" Hijikata asked. It was blunt, even for him.

He'd expected Souji to sputter indignantly or even refuse, but to his surprise, Souji exhaled a long sigh from his nose. He must've considered that possibility as well. "What difference does that make?"

"If she's in love with you, then you can make her leave," said Hijikata. The idea was brilliant, really, and he had to give himself credit for it. "Give her what she wants. Then she won't have any reason to keep fighting. She'll be out of danger. Marriage doesn't have to be about love, and with her family name, she's not a bad choice." He paused, narrowing his eyes in scrutiny. "…Assuming that's what you want." Fear spread over Hijikata's face. "Wait, you're not in love with her, too, are you?"

Souji let out a derisive snort. He stood up on the veranda and stretched his arms over his head lazily. "Hijikata-san shouldn't ask such stupid questions." When he lowered his arms, he gazed straight ahead for a moment and murmured, "I have nothing to offer her. I've devoted my life to Kondou-san and the Shinsengumi."

Hijikata disagreed, but he wasn't about to touch that facet of Souji's personality with a ten foot pole. Instead, he said, "She can't keep fighting. She made it out this time, but next time, she really could die."

"I know," said Souji, looking ready to walk away. "I'll take care of it."

【新選組】

It came as a relief when Chizuru recovered enough from her wounds to be up and about again. A few weeks had gone by since the incident at the Kuze Shrine. While she still had to be wary about the wound in her side, the rest consisted of scrapes and bruises, leaving her no worse for wear in the long run.

During her off-duty hours, Chizuru was browsing the marketplace of Kyoto for something to eat when she came upon an interesting sight. There was a group of three ronin closing in on a young girl in a beautifully elaborate kimono. She had long, reddish-brown hair like Okita, and her hair ornaments paired with her exquisite silks made it clear she was someone important. It was likely that she was the daughter of an important samurai or government official.

The leader of the group was a short, stocky man with messy black hair and a bit of scruff on his face that looked as if he hadn't shaved in a couple of days. It wasn't a common look, so it made him stand out. He was middle-aged and at least a decade older than the two goons flanking him, both with long faces and similar noses that made them look like a pair of brothers.

"We're samurai working with Serizawa Kamo," said the leader of the bunch. "I'm practically his right hand man, Ishinobu Kyusuke." He was the same height as the girl he was harassing, but he tilted his head back so he could sneer down at her with a condescending smile. He was probably full of shit, too, because the 'right hand man' of Serizawa was unlikely to leave his side. "You should be honored we're inviting you to have a couple drinks with us."

The civilians in the marketplace were all watching the abuse from a distance. It always bothered Chizuru how no one ever seemed to step in during those types of situations. Then again, she supposed there wasn't much normal people could do without any training in defending themselves. Still, it wasn't right to just stand back and watch, either.

"I will not keep company with ruffians like you!" the girl said. She was surprisingly brave. Chizuru couldn't help but be in a little awe of her.

That being said, the girl was unarmed. She looked pretty tiny and frail. Chizuru couldn't just stand back and do nothing. Even though she would be outnumbered, she had confidence in her skill. She'd been sparring against Shinsengumi Captains for months. Three dirty samurai working for Serizawa (that lecherous drunkard she recalled encountering at the Sumiya with Ryunosuke) didn't intimidate her.

The fact that the average samurai didn't have counter-attacks for her sneaky, cheating style of combat put a few more points in her favor, too.

Chizuru made up her mind. She walked past the growing crowd and into the center, standing between the girl and the three samurai. She put on her best no-nonsense expression and made sure to rest her hand on the hilt of her sword. "Enough," said Chizuru. "Leave her alone."

The men looked Chizuru up and down. She didn't look like much, but the Shinsengumi blues tended to give most people pause. The uniform had gotten pretty infamous since its inception. The two in the back predictably hesitated, but the stocky leader didn't seem to be as bothered by it.

"Step aside, boy," he said, his voice laced with arrogance. "We're just talking to this girl. It's none of your business."

"I'm making it my business," Chizuru replied. "As a member of the Shinsengumi, I believe in slaying evil immediately. Samurai who deviate from the Code of Bushido are to commit honorable suicide. You three are testing my patience by making a mockery of that ideal. I suggest you walk away now before things get out of hand."

Chizuru wrapped her fingers around the sheath of her sword just below the guard. Her right hand hovered nearby, ready to draw at a moment's notice. Truthfully, she had no intention of drawing her katana. That wasn't the combat style she'd worked so hard on with Captain Okita. But it was still a threatening gesture, which was the point.

"You brat," snarled one of the brothers.

The other drew his sword. "Let's teach this kid a lesson, boss."

Ishinobu seemed to agree with his men, for he drew his sword as well, eyeing Chizuru suspiciously. She kept her eyes on her opponents, particularly the leader, analyzing him the way he was analyzing her. He made a gesture, and the two brothers raised their swords and charged.

As soon as the first one came into range, Chizuru ducked and stepped to the side. She stuck out her foot a half-second later, and the first man stumbled to the ground and landed on his face. The old wound in her left side from Kaoru's blade stung, for it wasn't completely healed. It took a great effort not to hold her hand over the wound, but she did wince.

No one seemed to notice. The second brother swung his katana surprisingly quickly, and Chizuru pushed up her own blade by the sheath so the hilt of the sword slammed into his throat. He fell backward and choked as he lay on the ground.

The one who'd tripped was back up now and charged Chizuru from behind. His attack was predictable, so she twisted to the side and then slammed her foot into his back. Paired with the momentum of his own sprint, the thug fell forward and landed on a heap on top of his brother. Sure, Chizuru's arms weren't as strong as a man's—but let it not be said that a woman can't kick.

He rolled off his brother and crawled backward with fear in his eyes. "That face—Sh-Shinigami...!"

Apparently, seeing her take down both of his men without even trying was enough to give Ishinobu pause. He looked a lot less cocky now, and his eyes darted back and forth between his goons and Chizuru, who still hadn't even drawn her sword. He narrowed his eyes and glowered at her. "I won't forget this, kid. Serizawa-san will hear about this! He's not an enemy you want to make!"

"I'm told I'm not the best enemy either," Chizuru warned. "Now get out of here."

They didn't need to be told twice. The three of them took off, scrambling through the crowds with injured bodies and prides. Chizuru, on the other hand, was just relieved the encounter hadn't escalated. While Serizawa had seemed formidable in the short encounter she had with him, the men he surrounded himself with were not.

Now that the commotion had past, a lot of people in the crowd were returning to whatever they'd been doing previously, before the spectacle. Chizuru turned back to the girl, and found her watching with a curious smile. It wasn't the frightened damsel Chizuru had been expecting, by any means.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

The girl giggled into the back of her hand and then looked at Chizuru fondly. "I thank you. Of course, I could have handled that myself, but what you did was really amazing. My name is Sen," she added with a friendly bow. "Will you please give me yours?"

"Yukimura Mafuyu," Chizuru replied.

"Mafuyu-kun, huh?" Sen asked. She had a bit of a mysterious expression on her face, and it was hard to get a solid reading on her. "Well, I'd like to thank you properly. Would it be alright if I treated you to some dango?"

Reminded of her stomach rumblings, Chizuru couldn't help but nod. "Okay, thank you."

"Great!" Sen said happily. "Follow me."

There was something strange about Sen. Chizuru couldn't quite figure it out, but Sen definitely wasn't a normal girl. She had this magnetizing quality about her that drew you in. Natural charisma seemed to come off her in waves. She probably had no trouble making friends and winning people over.

Sen ordered two plates of dango and shared them both with Chizuru. The two sat in a secluded corner of the small shop where they could look out the window at the passersby. Just as Chizuru was starting to relax, Sen dropped a conversational bomb on her.

"You must be really skilled to defeat them without drawing your weapon," Sen told her. "I've never seen a girl fight like that before."

So caught off her guard was she that Chizuru didn't even have a response prepared. She gaped at Sen, horrified and transfixed, and was completely mute.

Sen brought a finger to her lips with an apologetic smile. "Oops," she giggled. "Was that supposed to be a secret?" A thousand protests made their way to Chizuru's lips, but before she could utter any of them, Sen quickly held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I'm kidding, sorry, just relax. I won't say anything, I promise. Please don't get mad."

Chizuru snapped her mouth shut, but she stared at Sen with obvious trepidation. There was a brief hesitation in which Sen was likely trying to figure out if Chizuru was going to make a run for it. When she found her voice once more, Chizuru asked, "…How did you know?" If something was wrong with her disguise, she had to fix it immediately.

"I could just tell," said Sen. "The way you move, your voice, your face…" She finished her statement with a casual shrug. "I give you my word, I won't say anything. I owe you, after all. Okay?"

Hesitantly, Chizuru nodded. "…Alright."

"So where did you learn to fight like that?" Sen asked. "You were very quick." She was very lively and animated—and quite pretty, too. Her kimono was pink and yellow and full of silken flower patterns.

"My father used to teach me when I was younger," Chizuru said. "I would practice against my childhood friend, and the rest I learned after joining the Shinsengumi."

"That's really impressive!" Sen said. When Chizuru started to blush, Sen's smile widened. "Don't be embarrassed. I genuinely think it's amazing! More girls should be like you. You're an inspiration!"

"I wouldn't go that far…" Chizuru said. "Most of the time, I'm just lucky. And it helps that my fighting style is based on being faster than my opponent and cheating to win. No one really expects you to fight dirty, especially if you're wearing one of these," she punctuated the sentence by gesturing to her asagi-iro uniform. "If you think about it," she went on, "no one really has any proper counters for my fighting style because it's something only I use." Captain Saito had a similar advantage with his left-handedness, though his skill with a blade left Chizuru in the dust.

Sen took a sip of her tea. "I still think it's impressive! We have a female empress but we can't have women in the army? That's silly. If they want to fight and show an aptitude for the training, I say let them."

"Good luck changing the laws," Chizuru said warily. "Speaking of the empress, is it weird having the same name as her?" Maybe the question was rude, but Chizuru couldn't help but ask. She'd been curious about it since Sen gave her name.

The other girl took no offense, though, and laughed it off. "Not really. I hardly notice it." Sen seemed less inclined to talk about herself, though, and more interested in Chizuru. "So how do you keep your identity a secret? Aren't you worried someone will find out and expose you?"

Chizuru shifted a little uncomfortably in her seat. "Um, I guess so… I'm not going to lie, it's not easy. And I've had a few close calls…"

"I fear I would be quite terrified, were I in your place," Sen admitted. Even her wording was elegant. Chizuru wondered what Sen's family name was, and why she hadn't given it out when they introduced themselves.

"I guess," Chizuru replied, unsure of what else to say.

"I'm sorry if this seems weird," said Sen. Her smile had lessened a bit, and she averted her gaze away from Chizuru's. "I don't mean to come on so strongly. The truth is, I don't have any friends my age. I'm from a prominent family, so people tend to treat me differently. Most of them are trying to appease me. It's really rare for me to find someone I can be real with. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I like you, and I feel like I can be myself around you."

Chizuru had some experience with being from a noble family. While hers wasn't perhaps as well off as Sen's seemed to be, it was enough that Chizuru knew it was harder for highborn girls to make friends, as they were generally treated differently from their peers. Chizuru wondered if Sen suffered a similar fate as a daughter of an even better family than the Yukimura Clan. Maybe Sen was lonely. Before she knew it, Chizuru found herself sympathizing with this girl without even knowing her very well. Her previous assumption that Sen had tons of friends was completely mislead.

Wanting to reassure her, Chizuru leaned down to catch Sen's fallen gaze and smiled. "I've had fun, too. It's always great to make a new friend."

Sen's eyes lit up like the stars. "I'm glad. I hope we'll meet again someday."

【新選組】

Chizuru enjoyed her three day break in Shimabara every month. When she stayed in Kosuzu's room, she got to let her hair down and wear a simple kimono. She got to be a girl again. It was something she didn't care much for previously, but after being with the Shinsengumi for so many months, she started to find a new appreciation for it.

Occasionally, however, there were interruptions. Kosuzu was a full-fledged geiko, and she was developing a clientele in Shimabara. Sometimes, that meant that customers asked for her. While Chizuru had paid for Kosuzu's room for the full three days (she didn't have much else to spend her stipend on, after all), sometimes things still happened.

"Kosuzu-chan," came a female voice from outside the door.

The door didn't open, but Kosuzu answered it anyway. "Yes, Ruka-chan?"

Ruka was a maiko and spent most of her days in practice. Chizuru had met her a handful of times. She was a nice girl, but she was often busy and overworked. Her meek personality frequently led to her being an errand girl for the other women who worked and lived at the Sumiya.

"A young man is asking to come up here and see you," Ruka said from behind the door.

"I'm with a customer right now, Ruka-chan," Kosuzu said patiently. She was never rude to Ruka. Chizuru suspected Kosuzu felt a little sorry for the girl. "You'll have to tell him to wait."

"I explained that, but he's being very insistent. He says he knows Mafuyu-han, too."

A rather exasperated smile slid into Chizuru's face. "It's probably Ryunosuke-kun. You know he's not one for manners."

Kosuzu giggled at that. "You're probably right. Go find some hakama and I'll stall him."

"Okay."

Kosuzu stepped out of the room and slid the door closed behind her. If the guest was Ryunosuke, then Chizuru had to get back into her male disguise before he saw her. She didn't look very masculine right now. Her breasts weren't even bound. Chizuru knew Kosuzu would stall enough time for her, though, and she would make an announcement before coming into the room, so she didn't have to worry too much.

Spotting a pair of folded hakama in the closet, Chizuru withdrew them and slid one of her feet through the pant legs. Just as she was about to put her other one through, the room door slid open without any warning. Chizuru yelped and dove for the nearest folding screen in the corner of the room. As soon as she was hidden behind it, she poked her head around to glare at the person who dared intrude.

It wasn't Ryunosuke. It was Okita. He was grinning, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter, as he closed the door behind him. "It's alright; you don't have to change."

With an angry huff, Chizuru discarded the hakama on the floor and strode out from the safety of the partition wall. "Okita-sensei!" she scolded. "What are you doing here? You can't just barge into a room here without announcing yourself first! What, were you raised by wolves?"

Okita tilted his head. "Is that a Shinsengumi pun?"

"No, it is not!"

He chuckled a bit and stepped away from the door. "Relax. I'm just messing with you. I was trying to be sneaky, coming in here without anyone seeing me. But if you'd rather I announce my presence outside first so everyone in Shimabara can hear that you've got another man coming into your room, that's your call."

"…I hate it when you make sense," said Chizuru. She shifted the fabric of her kimono a bit since it had come a bit askew in her haste to find men's clothing. Okita crossed the distance between them, however, stopping her before she could pull up the sleeve that had fallen off-shoulder. His hand lingered on the fabric by the trim of the kimono. "…Okita-sensei?"

"I don't get to see you like this very often," he quietly commented. His gaze drifted over her, from her hair to her clothing and back up to her face. There was something off in his tone, something that didn't sound quite right. Like he was bothered by something.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He didn't answer her right away. "I asked Kosuzu-chan to give me a few minutes. I needed to talk to you." Okita's eyes met hers, and she felt a sudden sense of dread. "You need to leave the Shinsengumi. We can have you honorably discharged, and no one will ever know you're a woman."

His words hit her hard. It was like a rush of cold water that had her paralyzed for a moment. Chizuru stared at him, stunned that he would even suggest such a thing. "But I… I don't want to go. I want to stay in the Shinsengumi."

"It's too dangerous," he said. "What happened with Kaoru—"

"—was a lapse in judgment!" Chizuru interrupted. Her heart started to race in terror. "It won't happen again, I swear! Please don't send me away, Okita-sensei! I want to stay and fight at your side!"

Okita folded his arms across his chest. He looked at Chizuru with a rare, serious expression. "Is that why you're still here? To stay with me?"

Blood rushed to her face, but Okita would spot a lie a mile away, so she had to tell the truth. "That's part of it," she said honestly. "But also—"

Before she could say anything else, Okita cut her off. "Then marry me."

If his previous words had surprised her, that sudden proposal gave Chizuru the shock of her life. She nearly lost her balance and staggered on the spot, her jaw falling open to gape at her captain in sheer disbelief. "Wh…what?"

"Marry me," Okita repeated. There wasn't a trace of a smile on his face. He looked completely serious. Tired and stressed, perhaps, but most definitely serious. "If that is what you want… if that is what will make you happy, then marry me and leave the Shinsengumi."

Her face was burning, tears welled up in her eyes, but all were mild in the wake of her embarrassed rage in her heart. Chizuru angrily slapped Okita's hand away, off of her shoulder, and stepped back away from him. "That's not funny, Okita-sensei!"

"I'm not joking," he said.

"I know, and it's awful of you!" she snapped. He wasn't asking her to marry him because he loved her, and she knew it. Marriage wasn't about love, especially not to their caste. No, he was asking her to marry him to get her out of the Shinsengumi—to get her out of danger. "How dare you! You have no right—don't say such things to me just to make me go away! If you truly don't want me around, you don't have to dangle things like that in my face! That is just—just—cruel and heartless!"

Clearly taken aback, Okita stared at Chizuru at a bit of a loss. He hadn't expected her to react that way, but after the initial shock, he seemed to understand. He was quiet, watching her furiously wipe away her tears before they could fall. Finally, he said, "Why, Chizuru-chan? Why is that cruel?"

There was no use hiding it. She was too emotionally exhausted to even muster up the willpower to attempt to hide it. Instead, she huffed and refused to look at him, still wiping at her eyes. "You know the answer to that."

"I want to hear you say it."

Chizuru stubbornly refused to open her mouth.

Okita glanced over at the door. It hadn't opened. Wherever Kosuzu was, she hadn't interrupted them. His green eyes wandered back over to Chizuru. When Okita reached out, he surprised her by taking her hand. He backed up slowly, leading her with him. When his back touched the wall, he slid down to the floor and sat.

She felt his hand upon her wrist, and she yelped when he gave a downward tug. Chizuru landed haphazardly in Okita's lap with her hands pressed against his chest. His red kimono was parted down the center, causing her fingers to land on his bare skin. Her eyes lingered there for a moment before gliding up his skin until they landed on his lips. White noise filled her mind as she zoned out, and even for a hundred million ryou, she could not begin to describe what she was thinking.

His fingers caressed the side of her face, lightly brushing a few strands of hair out of her eyes. "You couldn't see me that day," he said quietly. "When Kaoru attacked you. When you were a step from getting yourself killed." Okita's gaze grew distant, as if he were seeing something far, far away. "I've never felt more terrified in my entire life."

"Oki… Souji-san," she murmured, which drew his gaze instantly up to hers. "Please don't say those things to me… don't marry me to send me away. I can't… I can't live like that. I can't sit in an empty house every day hoping that you manage to come home alive. I need to fight at your side, to walk next to you instead of behind you, to stay with you…"

Souji pulled Chizuru close, holding her to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. His brow pinched as she shut his eyes tight. "Just… give me a minute," he said. He had his own assortment of emotions to sort through. "I just… needed to hold you. I couldn't help myself. I don't… really understand it."

Chizuru's heart beat loudly against her chest. Once she was over her initial shock, she brought her hands up Souji's back and held onto him with similar fervor. "I can't leave the Shinsengumi," she told him. "We'll figure it out. We're in this together. Everything's going to be okay."

Souji let out a single, breathy laugh of disbelief. "You're ridiculous." He pulled back from her a little, but he kept her sitting against him in his lap. One arm wrapped around her waist and the other smoothed a rumpled corner of her kimono on her shoulder. His fingers traced along the skin exposed there. There was a small bump, a scar left behind from when she was shot in the Battle of Edo-Cho. "I'm not going to let that happen again."

His serious tone was so sudden that it brought Chizuru's attention away from the pounding of her heart. "Hm?"

"What happened with Kaoru," Souji clarified. "I will protect you. It's my fault you want to stay with the Shinsengumi. I have to keep you safe."

"It's not your fault," Chizuru said. "I choose to stay in the Shinsengumi. And… and I have an obligation to Kondou-san and the rest of them. I signed up for this, I want to win the war, and I want to help you push Kondou-san to the top. So please… don't send me away. Please don't abandon me."

The word struck a chord with him, almost making him recoil. Souji resisted the urge and closed his eyes. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against Chizuru's shoulder. She blushed, grateful that he couldn't see it. She heard him say, "I won't abandon you. I can't… Not when I know what that feels like."

She opened her mouth, but no words came out at first. Everything died on the tip of her tongue except for, "…Souji-san…?"

"If it wasn't for Kondou-san…" Souji trailed off.

He didn't need to finish. Chizuru understood. He'd been abandoned by someone he trusted and loved, probably his family, and Kondou took him in, saving him. Chizuru's admiration for Kondou soared.

"You can stay…" Souji said, bringing the subject back to what it was before, "…but I want you to rely on me more. You need someone who is… strong and capable. I'm pretty stubborn, though, so I could be that for you… I could…," his voice trailed off somewhat shakily, and he pulled back so he could meet Chizuru's gaze.

"Well… I'm not giving up," said Chizuru, "because I'm stubborn, too. I want to stay with you, for as long as you'll let me."

Souji drew nearer to Chizuru with a small smile of exasperation and fondness. His hand slid up from her shoulder to her neck. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You can still back out now."

She didn't have to think twice. "I'm sure."

He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers. In an instant, Chizuru felt all the air leave her lungs while her body lit up on fire. Souji was shaking, battling demons he'd been facing off against for all his life. Hoping to soothe him, Chizuru closed her eyes and ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. She'd never been kissed before, especially not like this, and it was both sweet and exhilarating at the same time.

When they parted for air, their faces lingered close together, their breaths shallow and mingled. Chizuru took hold of Souji's shaking hand between both of hers. Her warm breath grazed over their skin for a moment before he used his other hand to tilt her chin toward him. He kissed her again and again, breathless like a dying man. Every motion, every touch was desperate and full of longing.

All doubts were erased from her mind. She knew where her heart lay. Kosuzu had been right all along, and Chizuru was a fool for not believing her. And Souji… perhaps on some level, Souji had known for a while, too.

She knew he cared. She trusted him. He kept her secret, he protected her, saved her. In the short amount of time she'd known him, he'd become her world.

The future looked grim… but at least they would face it together.

【新選組】

TK: The conversation between Souji and Hijikata in this chapter was heavily inspired and influenced by hineko, who gave me many brilliant ideas for the scene (to the point where it was hard to choose which one to use). I wrote it quite a while ago actually and kept putting it off because plot things kept coming up in the story. Hineko is a wonderful writer for our beloved fandom who writes some fantastic Kondou, Okita, Hijikata family-esque scenes, and without her this chapter would have taken far longer.

Next Chapter: "Shogun Summons" - In which the Shinsengumi are deployed to the front lines and our heroine is reunited with Sen.