The next day, Miura decided to organize a banquet at Tenma-ya with friends from the Bakufu. He invited me and my three men team. I wasn't a fool enough to believe that this invitation was genuine though. He probably thought that it could be dangerous to have a party and that four men to protect him were better than one. Cautious by nature, I asked four more men to join for this banquet. There were two many Bakufu officials to take a risk. Miura didn't invite Chizuru and I was glad for it since she could have been put in danger and I asked her to stay in the room, where she was safe.
The banquet was very luxurious with a lot of refined food and the sake was also of great quality. Miura made things in big, with geiko entertaining his guests, music... He was so calm, relax and joyful... Who could guess he was a wanted man for the Tosa ?
While everyone was enjoying themselves, my men and I were alert. And luckily we were since the shoji of the main door exploded in splinters of wood and torn shreds of paper. A man rushed in with a sword, aiming at Miura sitting next to me. Without getting up, benefiting of all the practice of my movements in kisa, i cut him open. I don't even think he got the chance to see my blade coming his way before blood started pouring from his abdomen. He was able to reach Miura though who was wounded on his cheek and nose but the cut wasn't deep. It would only leave a scar.
The surprise over, everyone stood up and unsheathed their sword as more men entered from the broken shoji like a wave.
« Turn off the lights ! » i shouted.
Shinsengumi were used to fight in the dark and I had good hopes that the Tosa weren't. Plunged in the dark, the chaos was everywhere. We were outnumbered but as I expected, the Tosa were in difficulty in the obscurity while my men were at ease. My blade was swinging mercilessly at the enemies, fighting three adversaries at the same time. I saw from the corner of my eye another man coming in my back but i couldn't avoid his blow without giving an opening to the ones in front of me. I was fucked. Just as i thought the katana would enter my flesh, i saw Katsunoshin catch the enemy, hugging him firmly to save my life. Although heroic, his action left him defenseless and he fell on the ground, wounded or dead. I had no time to check on him.
« Someone take care of Katsunoshin, now ! Take him to Chizuru upstairs ! » i shouted, hoping that the wound wasn't too deep.
After a few minutes, the fight was over and we put the lights back. Miura had fled upstairs as soon as he could and Katsunoshin was still breathing on the ground. Two men carried him upstairs for Chizuru to help him and i checked all the rampage around. Luckily, the only dead men were Tosa's and appart from Katsunoshin, no one was wounded. When they sensed that they were overpowered, the remaining Tosa men fled without honor, leaving their fallen comrades behind. I kneeled next to a wounded enemy and since he was too hurt to be saved, i apologized before shortening his suffering.
« Kumichô. » said one of my men, coming back from upstairs. « I think there's a problem. »
« Is Katsunoshin too badly hurt ? » i asked. « Can't Chizuru do something ? »
« Hum... Yukimura... She's not there... » he said, avoiding my gaze.
I caught his kimono and forced him to look me in the eyes.
« What do you mean, she's not there ? » i asked calmly although my blood was boiling.
« She's not upstairs, Kumichô. I checked everywhere... But the window's open... »
« Keep an eye on Miura. » i ordered.
I rushed outside in the frozen wind of this november night but I wasn't cold. The blood in my veins was boiling and pumping as I ran, looking for her.
« Chizuru ! » i shouted.
« Hajime ! » i heard coming from my left and i ran even faster, making my legs burn.
I found her, gripped by a woman forcing her down the street and running with three other men. I kept running and unsheathed at the last moment, getting rid of the three men in seconds. The woman, realizing her escort was dead, stopped running probably in an attempt to escape my wrath and turned to face me.
It was Chizuru. Holding Chizuru.
I stopped in shock. The roundness of their faces, their nose, their big hazel eyes. They were like twins. If Chizuru wasn't wearing the kimono I offered her and wasn't trying to escape the grip of the other woman, I was pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to tell them apart.
« Saito Hajime. » said the woman with a voice a bit deeper than Chizuru's « This doesn't concern you. Walk away. »
It was so uncanny. Having Chizuru's face speaking to me but without Chizuru's voice. I lowered my body and put my hand on my katana, ready.
« I'm afraid it does concern me. Release Chizuru at once. » i answered calmly.
« I've been asked to bring her back. » she continued with a half smile.
« That is unfortunate. »
Chizuru was still wiggling, trying to get the grip on her hand loosen.
« Hajime ! » she called.
« Chizuru is going to rebuild the Yukimura clan. She's too valuable to let her continue to play with the Shinsengumi. We've been able to find an arrangement with Kazama Chikage for her. »
« No ! » yelled Chizuru « Let me go !!! Kaoru ! »
Kaoru... So this is the woman who gave a hard time to Harada with the notice board. I understood now why he asked all these questions to Chizuru.
« So you're a demon too. » i said.
« Let go of me ! » cried Chizuru « I'm not going ! I'm not going ! »
« Release her. Final warning. » i said in my firm toneless voice.
Chizuru was crying and yelling, frightened at the only idea to be brought to Kazama. Her eyes were filled with terror as she was still trying to free herself but Kaoru had more strength and the grip wasn't loosening.
« Calm down, Chizuru. » said Kaoru with a gentle smile « Kazama will be good to you if you're obedient. The Yukimura clan will be rebuilt thanks to you with me at its head. »
« LET ME GO !!! » yelled Chizuru and Kaoru got ejected on a nearby wall, releasing her.
I looked in shock as I saw Chizuru's hair turning white and her kanzashi fall, releasing all her immaculate hair that started floating around her as if she was underwater.
A Rasetsu ?! Did Sannan...
Her eyes turned golden just like i saw it frequently during our embraces and two horns grew on her forehead, proud. Her face wasn't expressing fear anymore but a furious anger. She unsheathed her kodachi and got in front of Kaoru at a speed I wouldn't have thought she could have. Kaoru opened wide eyes, the blade on her neck.
Not a Rasetsu... An Oni... A Goddess of Wrath...
« I won't go. » she said in a furious commanding voice, her long white hair still floating around her « You can tell Kazama Chikage that next time he tries to get to us, we'll kill him. »
Kaoru nodded in fear and ran away as quickly as her feet could carry her. I stayed in my fighting stance, not knowing if getting close to Chizuru now would be a good idea. I was a better swordsman but... She was...
« Hajime... » she whispered and she turned to me.
Her expression was full of love and relief and I ran to her as she collapsed on the ground.
« Chizuru ! » i shouted « are you unhurt ?! »
« Hajime ! » she whispered again, throwing her arms around me and nesting her head in my neck.
I held her until she pushed me away, her scared expression back, looking at her white hairs.
« Hajime ! » she cried « My... My hair ! »
« I don't think it's the main problem, here. » i muttered, studying her features.
« What do you mean ?! » she asked, terrified, putting her hands on her cheeks, nose and... forehead...
« Chizuru... You've got... Horns... » i said as her hands discovered the two pointy mounds on her face.
« No... No... No, No, No, No, No, No... » she kept repeating, touching them with the tip of her fingers.
I kept silent, letting her ajust with the idea of having horns getting out of her forehead. Her golden eyes started crying. It was the first time I could see them that long.
« Hajime ! » she cried « I don't know how to turn back ! I don't even know if I can ! I'm a monster ! »
« You are no monster. » i said firmly « it is impressive, I grant you, but we are going to figure something out. »
I took off my scarf and wrapped it around her head to hide her hair and the horns before i lifted her up, carrying her back to the Tenma-ya.
« Can you pretend to be unconscious ? You eyes could provoke quite a commotion amongst the men. » i asked.
She nodded and closed her golden eyes. The street was dark once more. I was amazed everytime how her eyes could lit even the most obscure places. I carried her back to the inn where my men had finished to secure the area.
« Kumichô ! » said Tetsuya, concerned « is Yukimura alright ?! »
« She got hit on the head but nothing that wouldn't heal. I'll get her back to our room. » i said in my toneless voice « How is Katsunoshin ? »
« He'll be a cripple but he'll survive. I performed the first aid and we were waiting for the return of Yukimura but if she can't attend to him, we'll bring him to Yamazaki. »
« Please do. » i said and i walked up the stairs to put Chizuru to safety.