« Hey ! Hajime ! Look ! » yelled Haruhi, running my way.
I turned to her and she presented her open hands to me, containing a little origami crane. I took the little bird between my fingers to look at it.
« Harada-san taught me how to do. » she explained with a wide smile « it's pretty, isn't it ? » I nodded and gave it back to her with a small smile « No ! It's for you ! Sano... Harada-san says that it brings luck so you should keep it. »
My smile grew a bit bigger, happy that she thought about doing it for me.
« Thank you, Haruhi. » I said « I will treasure it. »
She blushed and danced on her feet « Oh, it's just a paper crane, you know... You don't have to... »
« I will regardless. » I replied and she threw her arms around me, holding tight, before parting almost immediately.
« Look, there is something else ! » she said, taking a sheet of paper out of her sleeve. « Sai-To Haru-hi ! »
She showed me the kanji on her sheet of paper. I could see that she wrote it herself. So she was learning kanji too, now ? Soon, she'll be able to read properly.
« Good. » i said « the movements of your brush are assured. This kanji is wrong though. » I frowned, pointing at the Hi of Haru-Hi.
« Really ?! » she said, disappointed, looking back at her paper « Harada-san said it was okay... »
« It says Haruhi but your name is summer princess, not summer day or summer sun. It's what your mother chose. » i explained.
« Hum... » she frowned « But I don't know the kanji for princess yet... It's not fair, your name's easier... It's the first kanji I learned ! I'll ask Harada-san about the princess kanji after your meeting ! » she said, her smile back.
« Alright. » i nodded.
« I'll make some tea ! » she smiled, running to the kitchen.
I watched her go away. She was reminding me of Chizuru more everyday. A little less shy though but always eager to help. She was still punished and she didn't have the right to sword train but I was planing on releasing her soon. She was making a lot of efforts and deserved a reward.
I entered Hijikata-san's office for the meeting to find all the captains, even the Rasetsu ones, already there, but nothing could have prepared me to the news we got.
« Kondou-san has been shot. » said Hijikata-san with a glum face.
« What ?! » yelled Souji « what do you mean shot ?! »
« He got a bullet in the shoulder. » he explained.
« Where is he ?! » screamed Souji « let me see him ! »
« Shimada saved him and is currently taking him back to the Fushimi magistrate office but he won't be staying. We're sending him to Osaka to be taken in charge by Matsumoto-sensei. We don't know yet if his shoulder could recover. » he paused and we all stayed silent, knowing what that could imply « Souji, you're going too. »
« What do you mean ? » he asked, puzzled.
« You're too ill to fight and the shogunate army is nearly here. The city is going to change into a battlefield. You're going to Osaka with Kondou. »
I saw Souji grit his teeth, conflicted between his duty as Sword of The Shinsengumi, his declining health and his volition to be with Kondou-san.
« Okay... I'm going... » he surrendered and shrugged « but it's only to protect Kondou-san. I'm not trusting any of you to do it properly. Better that I'm the one taking care of it. »
« Good » said Hijikata-san with a small smile, probably expecting more protestations from Souji, before furrowing his brows again. « The Shogunate troops are soon to be here. They are planning on impressing the Satcho with a massive force in two strategical points. The troops will be dispatched in two different armies, one in Toba and one in Fushimi. We have been ordered to join the Fushimi army. Everyone will prepare their bags in the morning. We are leaving for the Fushimi magistrate office. »
So now, here we were. The war was finally upon us after years of gathering intels and small altercations, arresting imperialists rebels and executing traitors. Now the battlefield of the west was moving to Kyoto.
« There is something else. » said Sannan, looking at Chizuru with a smile.
He took little vials out of his sleeve. I saw it before, in Sannan's hand the night Chizuru tried to stop him, on Takeda's corpse when I killed him... I carried it for months when I was tailed...
« Ochimizu... » said Harada with wide eyes.
« Take your junk back, Sannan ! No way we're drinking that shit ! » yelled Nagakura.
I stayed silent, looking at Chizuru who was standing next to Sannan, silent. Did she really became a defensor of the Ochimizu ? I could hardly believe it. Haruhi chose this moment to enter with the tea but she sensed that the atmosphere was tensed. She gave some to everyone and exited the room politely. As soon as she was gone, the conversation resumed.
« My point isn't to force you. » said Sannan like he was speaking to disobedient children « but I'd rather have you have one on you in case of emergency. What you do or don't do with it will be your own choice. »
I nodded and was the first to take a vial, followed by Inoue and the rest of the captains except Souji and Nagakura. Even Hijikata-san took one.
« You're insane. » said Nagakura to Sannan « You're all insane ! This shit is worse than death itself. I'd rather die a warrior than live a monster. I'm out of here. »
He got away, furious, and slammed the shoji on his way out. Toudou seemed on the verge of crying, probably hurt deeply by his friend's words. After a pause, Souji turned to Sannan with a smile.
« Can it cure me ? » he asked.
« We can't know for sure. » replied Sannan « but I do not think it can. We tried it on illnesses on volunteers but it didn't seem to work. »
« I see... » replied Souji with a sad smile « thanks for your honesty. »
« I repeat that the choice of using it will be yours. I just offer the possibility. » continued Sannan for the rest of us. « But with Saito-sensei's help, we've been able to find a medecine for the bloodlust. It's not one hundred percent effective yet but at least I can say that it's working well on myself and the rest of the corp. Heisuke can confirm. »
« That medecine helped me during an episode of bloodlust. » said Toudou with a serious expression « Chizuru-chan is working a lot on it with Sannan and I have full confidence that they will find a cure or a treatment. »
« I will give the medecine to all of you who have chosen to take the vial » added Chizuru « If you can avoid becoming Rasetsu, it's better... but if you make the choice, it will be a great help. »
She came to distribute little bags of powder to us all. We each had five and I unfolded one of them to look at this medecine. The powder was as crimson as the Ochimizu and I could easily decipher what the main ingredient was. I bowed to the vice commander and exited the room, since there was nothing else to discuss but Chizuru ran after me.
« Hajime ! » she yelled.
I turned to her and stopped walking. If she wanted to talk to me then, I was all ears.
« Why did you left like this ? Are you upset ? » she asked me, concerned.
I got the medecine out of my sleeve to put it in front of her eyes.
« This is made with your blood. » i said as a simple assessment.
« Y... Yeah, it's true but... » she replied, blushing « it helps them. Truely ! Have you seen the change in Sannan ? He doesn't look hungry all the time anymore... »
Because he feasts on your blood. Can't you see how obscene it is to give this to me ? A serum that can change me into a monster and a medecine made with the blood of the person I love the most ?
« Toudou knows ? » i asked her coldly.
« No... » she blushed, avoiding my gaze « apart from Sannan and myself, no one does... »
« Chizuru » i asked eventually in my toneless voice « would you rather have me taking the Ochimizu if I were condemned to die ? »
I don't know why I asked her but in this instant, I needed to know what were her feelings about it.
« I... I don't know... » she confessed « I've asked myself that question before. I don't want you to die but the life of a Rasetsu isn't life. I don't think there is a good choice but... I don't think that you should take it. I see how Sannan and Heisuke struggle everyday with their bloodlust. I don't want this for you... It's... It's like a curse... Still, I don't want you to die either. »
« I see. » i nodded.
« Are you mad ? » she asked in a shy voice « about the medecine... »
« What is done, is done. » i said, masking my true emotions « being angry wouldn't change anything. »
« But you are. » she stated.
« I am. » i confirmed.
If she had been able to see it then there was no point in lying to her. But that didn't mean that I was willing to go on with this conversation. I knew she wouldn't stop her researchs whatever I could say anyway.
« Are you going to Osaka ? » i asked her, changing the subject.
« We need a doctor on the battlefield. I'm staying. » she said with volition burning in her eyes.
I didn't like that either, having her on the battlefield, but I knew that her mind was made up on this subject as well and that it was only logical. Whatever my feelings for her were, we still needed to have a doctor. I saw Souji from afar and took the opportunity to leave.
« I have to talk to Souji. » i said and I went his way without even waiting for an answer. He served me his usual grin when he saw me approaching.
« That was a meeting rich in events, wasn't it Hajime-kun ? » he chuckled as if the subject wasn't sinister.
« I need to ask you a favor, Souji. » i replied in my toneless voice.
« What could you want from a dying man ? » he asked with a smirk.
« Take Haruhi to Osaka. »
He opened wide eyes before serving me another smile but this one wasn't wry like the ones he used to make. It was a genuine, caring smile full of understanding.
« Count on me. » he said « I'll look after her and Kondou-san. »
« Maybe she'll look after you both. » i replied.
« Probably » he chuckled « She'll be safe with us. Chizuru isn't going ? »
« No. » i said coldly to close the conversation on that particular point.
« Hajime ! »
Speaking of the devil, Haruhi was running my way again with another sheet of paper.
« Look ! It's good this time ! Haru-hi, spring princess ! »
I passed my hand in her hair with a smile and crouched in front of her.
« Haruhi, prepare your bag. We're moving to Fushimi and in a few days, you're going to Osaka. » i said calmly.
« What do you mean ? » she asked with wide eyes « You're not coming ? »
« My duty commands me to stay here. »
« Then I'm not going either ! » she protested, shaking her head.
« Come on Haru-chan ! It'll be fun ! » tried Souji with a big smile « We are going together and with Kondou-san too. »
She looked at Souji then at me again and grabbed my kimono with her little hands.
« I don't want to leave you... » she started crying and I brought her to my arms.
« I'll see you soon. You are a Saito and a Saito always do its duty with honor. I will do mine, Chizuru will do hers and you will do yours. Can I trust you for taking care of Souji and Kondou-san ? » i asked her in my toneless voice. She nodded and wiped her tears. « Good. Now go and prepare your bag. »
I watched her go until she was out of sight and I turned to Souji one last time.
« Something happens to her and you're dead. » i threatened him.
« I'm already dead. » he shrugged.
« You will wish for it if I come for you. » i continued as coldly.
« Normally the death threats are kinda my thing. » he chuckled « but I promise you I'll keep her safe. »
« Good. » I replied and I went back to my room. I needed to pack too if we were to leave in the morning for Fushimi.
Author note : calm before storm ! We're nearly finished with this particular arc ! Can't avoid Toba-Fushimi forever LoL.
Also, last chapter will be another QA, you can post your questions in comments if you are interested !