A/N: Thank you for following and favourite my story, it just makes me happy. But reviews had always made me inspired to write. So hope to get it some more ;))
I don't own anything, except the story. Hakuouki and the characters own by Idea Factory, and the CG belongs to Yone Kazuki. Well.. I do edited a little of title.
Warnings: Grammars error, typos, OOC-ness, cursed words, sucky battle scene
Cataclysm of Nights
Chapter 2
The breeze blown around her slow and softly, her high pony-tailed hair danced around with them as she could hear some laughter, and giggling somewhere. When she fluttered her eyes in multiple, she realized she's been in a very peaceful and quiet village, where it is much more different than humans' ones.
She knew this place
This place is where she once lived in safe and peaceful world, where they filled with happiness, joy, and laugh around her. She was so happy and being loved by them. Being loved by her cousins.. being loved by her uncles and aunties.. being loved by her neighbor.. being loved by her parents..
And being loved by.. someone that was once to be such a very important one in the whole world.
She remembered she was once wreathing a flower to make it a crown and put it on that important person's head in playfully.. she remembered she'd never separated with that important person for a whole lifetime as much as she can remembered.. she remembered when she'll cry, that important person would always be there and tried it best to comfort her.
That important person is…
One day, her peaceful of life suddenly had been stolen.
Ocean-blue sky turned into in a deep dark red color. Her village suddenly attacking with bombs, and guns. Their laughter and giggling fading away, becoming panic and doom, as the village began to burn down slowly. Fire flashing around her, and trapping her as if she's nowhere to run anymore.
Her parent was nowhere to be found. She was standing there, holding her kodachi, and cried once more. Villagers were nowhere to be found as well. She was expecting that she's the only one that would slowly dying later like them.
But Demon God saved her life
That important person suddenly pulled her arm quickly, intending to run and leave the village together, escaping their death from the attackers.
Tears suddenly fell down on her cheeks as she looked back to her village as it starting to become fade and small slowly.. she knew there'll be no happiness.. joy.. and being loved anymore. The laughter and giggling would never comes back.. the villagers she's known would no longer be there.
They were all die
"Damn them…" that important person mumbled under his breathes as they kept running into the woods. His voice was very familiar, yet, she somehow could felt this is her very first time hearing his voice. For a moment then, she realized that person is… crying too. She couldn't see that person's tear on his face, yet she just knew. "All we ever wanted was to live in peace… But I guess the humans couldn't even let us have that."
His words were like a knife to her, kept stabbing inside of her word by word, as if that important person knew their peaceful of life would never comes back anymore. He had known this would've been happening.
Humans… have they really causing this? Have they're the one that destroying everything? Stealing their happiness and laughter away?
"Damn it.. I hate them.. I hate them…!" he kept chanting over and over as if he wants to make sure that it was unforgivable for what the humans had done to them.
…I hate them.
..Chizuru?
Slowly, she could felt anger and hatred for humans now. She now knew why her father intended to burnt down Edo so badly when he needs her help. She now knew of his sufferings now. How could she betray him all this time? Why hadn't she'd just sided with him instead of protecting the innocent humans? Weren't the humans are the one that killed innocent villagers in her village since the beginning? Men, women, children, everyone?!
I hate them…
Hey Chizuru!
She never knows what it feels like to lose something much more important. She didn't know her families have been suffering all this time. What would they think of her when she sided with the humans? Would they hate her? For betraying them? Everything looked so confused somehow and she didn't know which is right and which is wrong…
I hated them…
I hated them…
I hated them…
She joined chanting along those words with that important person, as it was foolish of her for siding along with those murders. It was foolish of her for not helping along with her father to burn down Edo together..
And it was foolish of her for believing humans are good…
Chizuru wake up!
Everything started to fade in black as the familiar voice yelled at her with a very concern and worried tone.
As the nightmare suddenly stopped, the next thing she knew is Kazama was holding her both arms as if he was intending to wake up her up gentle and carefully. His face looked almost like he was exhausting. This is her very first time seeing him looked concerned for her very much.
Was he worried about her a lot…?
"You seemed to have a nightmare." Kazama spoke with a very gentle tone. "Is something wrong?"
She looked confused of him slightly. Why would he worry of her, anyway? Her nightmare doesn't really have to do with him, so why would he need to know about it? Faced away from him and looked down on the ground, whispering softly, making sure just the two of them can hear.
"It's.. it's nothing."
Kazama looked at her for quite awhile now, obviously couldn't believed of what she said just now. She is, after all just crying while sleeping. She even mumbling some strange words in which he couldn't able to understand much and now she said it's nothing?
"Don't lie to me." Kazama tried his best not to growl(although he really did), "It's useless lying to me and do you expecting that everything's fine?"
She didn't know why would he need to force her to explain everything of what the nightmare that's been haunted her just now. She doubted that he could understand of the Yukimura's suffering. So why would he need to know when it got nothing to do with him?
She could felt anger and hatred inside her chest for this man in front of her. Similar as she felt for the humans that murdered her family.
"It's got nothing to do with you!" The brunette finally released her anger towards the blonde-haired man that's been hidden deep inside of her chest, and she was regretful for saying out loud. Especially yelled at him even though he was actually worried about her. Slowly, she put her palm of hands on her lips, guilty of what she spoke just now.
Kazama looked at her with wide eyes, even wider than saucer one, letting his hands go from her arms, surprised of her yelling just now. This was his first time hearing her yell in so much anger. It was very unlike the brunette. What kind of dreamt she had just now that could make her angry towards him?
Was it has to do with the Shinsengumi?
Was she dreaming of Hijikata and the others had been killed by the arrogant Oni's hand, and letting her dying in despair slowly? He didn't know what kind of nightmare Chizuru got just now but he can tell that it's obviously has to do with him.
"Ah.. n-no, Kazama-san," she murmured softly, feeling regretful what she spoke a moment ago. "I-I don't mean to say that. It's just-"
Before she could finished it, her heart suddenly stopped as Kazama stood up and leaving Chizuru from the tent, returning back to the log to lighten up the fire once more. She knew it's her fault for yelling at him. It wasn't his fault that she had this kind of dreams.. he was concerning about her very much. And the brunette should've told him everything just now. But she doubt that he would listening to him now.
Maybe.. maybe he would forget after this and everything's turned back to normal…. right?
However, what was she's expecting for would never happened.
For a whole journey then, Kazama hasn't spoke to Chizuru at all. He even didn't take any glanced on her; to make sure she's ready to leave. Usually, he talked with Amagiri of what plan they need to do and go when they took a rest someplace safe. Even if the Demon of West clan talked with the brunette, he would've ended up commanding her what she needed to do, after then he leaves her as if he didn't want to hear any complaint from hers.
It's a bit disturbing for Chizuru lately. Well, yes, maybe it's her fault, and she's the one that need to apologize to him first. Then again, how would she need to apologize to him when he kept avoiding her as if he actually couldn't forgive her for what she did that night?
On their journey, the threesomes of Onis haven't arrived in town or city yet. Despite they've finally get out from the forest, yet, they're still further from the city/town.
After for some time now, Amagiri noticed Kazama's strange behavior. The red-headed Oni had never seen the arrogant Oni can be… moody for quite long time now. Usually, his moody would disappear about a few hours or maybe a day. But now, the Demon of the West clan still in a 'foul' mood without any particular reason.
Amagiri took a glanced on his-so-called-Master that he's been loyal to him as much as he can remembered, then his head turned to Chizuru, where she followed the red-headed Oni behind instead with the arrogant Oni. The Yukimura girl has been walking while looking down on the ground, and there's a very disappointing expression on her face as if she'd done such a very regretfully for both of them.
By looking of their behavior, there's something going on between them in which, he can't tell what's going on. So the only way to fix everything is Chizuru needs to do something to Kazama and vice versa.
A few days had passed then, Chizuru and Kazama still hadn't been get along pretty well… the brunette could felt a bit uncomfortable around with that man, so she ended up walking together with Amagiri instead, in which the red-headed Oni didn't complaint for anything. And just like Senhime said, Amagiri is a very nice demon despite he was once to be one of Satsuma-han and followed along with Kazama to kidnap her. Although he can be a bit scary sometimes, yet he has a very calm aura around him.
No wonder the Princess of Yase taken an interest in him
Chizuru remembered how she was a bit worried for her best friend because how friendly she is toward with Amagiri. But every time the Princess describes about the red-headed Oni, Chizuru can see such a very gentle expression on her honey-brown orbs, as if she's been known for Amagiri for quite a long time now although they're rarely seeing each other that's the problem.
It took a while then that the threesomes of Onis finally arrived to the city, Aizu. From what she's learnt from Kazama, Aizu had finally surrendered to the Imperial Army, and as for the Shinsengumi of whereabouts… they're neither no longer in Aizu nor Shirakawa Castle anymore.
The Shinsengumi were no longer in Aizu anymore..
What would she's gonna do now…?
"Amagiri, go and find someplace to stay and information of the Shinsengumi's whereabouts." Kazama ordered to the calm red-headed Oni.
Without any complaint, Amagiri bowed slightly, "As you wish. And what do you intend to do, Kazama-sama?"
The blonde-haired Oni looked elsewhere, avoiding looked at his blue orbs. "…I have some business to do. It won't take long."
"I understand." At that, Amagiri bowed once more to take a leave, and there's between the Demon of the West clan and Chizuru once more.
Nervously, she blurted out without knowing it, "U-Um…"
"If you need to complain over something, go with Amagiri. I do not want to waste my time talking that isn't very important much," Kazama cut her sentences, and there's a cold and heartless tone in his voice. Before she could say anything, Kazama had already left.
It hurts her a little of those words he spoke just now. Then again, it's obviously that he'd still mad about last night. As much as she was rather going with Amagiri, it's actually a good time for apologizing for the arrogant Oni. The tasks to find the information of the Shinsengumi's whereabouts have been entrusted to the red-headed Oni, right?
Without hesitated, Chizuru ended up following Kazama silently, still isn't a good place to apologize to the arrogant Oni. As they walked quietly in the forest, the brunette took a glanced around the forest, feeling a bit.. familiar of this place somehow. And the trees around them seemed welcoming them as well.
Where are they..?
"..We're here." Kazama whispered all of a sudden in a very soft and quiet tone one.
The brunette didn't realize until now that night has finally come, the sunset went down at the end of the horizon. Although it's a bit dark, yet the Moon lightens up around them to make sure they could've known where they are.
"Where.. is this place?" Chizuru murmured softly, didn't knew where the arrogant Oni took her just now.
The place seemed to have abandoning for a very long time now, and the broken houses seemed to have burnt down for like decades now. The air was very familiar, yet she can't remembered since when have she'll able to breathe such a familiar sense for such a long time..
"This place.. it used to be peaceful back then," she whispered softly, and then, her expression suddenly changed into puzzled and confusion.
How could've she's known of this place anyway? Have she's gone here before she met the Shinsengumi? As much as she can remembered the brunette and her father have never gone to the vacation as further as Aizu before. So… why would this place looked familiar to her.
Unless…
"Kazama-san, where is this place?"
Kazama remained quiet only, the brunette couldn't tell what kind of expression the Demon of the West clan used right now. It doesn't look like he'd still mad about last night. But somehow, she can tell that there's a very…. soft and gentle expression on his face.
A few moments then, Kazama uncorked the sake that he'd bought in shop from Aizu, pour down it onto the ground of his feet, as the liquid starting to shine on the moonlight. As the brunette watched the sake showered down on it, her almond-brown eyes laid on the crimson one, and there's no cold or sarcastic expression he had on his face.
"Kazama… san?"
Chizuru called his name very softly, she wondered why would this man suddenly came to the abandon place? Had he known this place before? Why it somehow really familiar to her?
The Demon of the West clan finally spoke very gently, as he still poured down the sake until it empty: "This is.. where the Demons of the East clan were once lived."
"Demons of the East?"
The moment she heard that, she now knew what the arrogant Oni meant. As she faced to the abandon houses once more, her memories starting to come back as she saw the houses suddenly burnt down like that nightmare before.
Slowly, she held her head with her hand to endure the pain she had just now, everything has finally comes back now. But not all of it has been recovered yet.
Kazama looked at Chizuru in confused because of her behavior, but ignored it, and continued once more, "This is Yukimura Village. You lived here since you were born."
"Since I was.."she trailed off, faced to the blonde-haired Oni once more, then back to the abandon place again.
It makes sense just now.
No wonder she felt very familiar of the ruins the moment she arrived into the woods along with Kazama. No wonder her memory regained back slowly, as well as she could sees the village was in fire in her vision just now.
What happened to her family?
The brunette knew how they died thanks to the nightmare that came to her a few days ago. But why would the humans suddenly attacking them? What does that important person meant by they can't let her family have peacefulness? Do humans have always been selfish, proud, and starting the wars on purpose for the sake of money, power and reputation just like Kazama had described of them about?
Were good people still exist actually..?
She knew the Shinsengumi were exceptional, but..
What if, they've been acting all this time? What if, they would kill her like they once gave a threat for the first time they've met like Kazama predicted of?
..She didn't know.
She felt confused.
Finally, Chizuru faced to the Demon of the West clan, needed to find an answer.
"Kazama-san, what happened to my family..?"
He'd told to Amagiri that he has some business to do before he'll go and find the information of the Shinsegumi's whereabouts. Is this the business that he was talking about? Does this business really something to do with her? What happened then if she didn't follows him since the beginning?
Kazama turned his head to hers, answered her question what he knew of the Yukimura family's fate.
"Satsuma-han, Choshuu-han, Tosa-han, and the other of western domains wanted to wield the power of the demons against the shogunate. They knew that the Kazama and Shiranui would fulfill their long-held debt, but they wanted more, which is, the demons from East." He explained everything carefully each word by word. "However, your clan did not feel it was appropriate for them to be involved in human arguments, and from the information I've found, they declined. The humans then have given them a threat when your family refused to join the war. And… you knew now what happened then."
"…They were destroyed." Chizuru completed his word, Kazama nodded only.
So the nightmare wasn't just an ordinary dream, after all. That village in her dream was where she lived before she's been adopted by Kodou. That village in her dream was where she had peaceful, happiness, joy, and being loved… everything has been stolen by the humans.
How could they murder her family?! Why can't they live in peaceful and harmony without entering some wars? Is it possible to let humans and demons lived together…?
As Kazama was about to leave from ruins to meet up with the red-headed Oni, Chizuru remembered that she had to apologize to him about that night. Despite Kazama was no longer angry of her about that, yet, she'd still regretful for yelling at him.
Following her instinct, Chizuru pulled his sleeve; the arrogant Oni looked at her in confused.
"K-Kazama-san, there's something I need to tell you. About.. about the nightmare." She murmured softly, hoping the arrogant Oni could let her listening to the brunette. With a very a long quiet then, Chizuru continued; telling him everything of what happened to her and to her family back then before she's been adopted by Kodou. Where she lived very peaceful one, being loved by everyone, happiness and laughter was everywhere. She was really happy back then.
…Until humans came and starting to attack her village with bombs, and guns. Blood was everywhere. Fire danced gracefully and trapping her family in her village. The brunette and that important person were the only survivors. No one's survived. They died in the burning village.
"So you remember.."
"We didn't want to fight. We just want to live in peace.. but the humans came anyway. " She remembered every detail of her dream that night. Finally, her memory of her past has regained back. But not all of it had been recovered yet. She'd still didn't know who's this important person of hers. Has she known him somewhere? "They killed everyone… we hadn't done anything! They killed us for wars and their pride! Parents, children…. Everyone! They killed them all! They murdered an entire village! I… I can't even make sense of my own feelings! " she could felt herself crying as she remembered they died being shot, and cut by the humans with her own eyes.
They killed everyone
And no one alive
Kazama remained quiet, gazed down the ruins once more, as the brunette continued sobbing and whimpering.
"Do you hate humanity for killing your parents now?"
"I, I…," tears still falling down on her cheeks like a waterfall. Kazama continued then, "Demons are not meant to involve themselves in humankind's affairs. Your clan stood by their honor, and chose not to join the war. …I admire your clan very much." His voice was very soft at the last sentence.
The brunette wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, watched the ruins along with the Demon of the West clan. Chizuru faced him with surprised of his sudden question:
"Do you still want to reunite with the Shinsengumi?"
"Eh…?"
"You now know there's no humans are good and fight for the pride like you've always expected. Like you've think of for the Shinsengumi. They were all now looking for the graves to die. Do you still want to reunite with them again? Even after all the humans had killed your family?"
"I…," she paused for a moment, looked down on the ground then. "Even if it was unforgivable what they've done to my family, the Shinsengumi.. is the only family I had now. I believed in them. And they'd still fight for the sake of their pride."
The arrogant Oni looked down on her, expected the brunette would say that in the end.
How disappointing, Chizuru. I would've expecting you could understand our suffering.
The couple of Onis looked around the places, looking where the voice comes from. Footstep suddenly appeared behind her as she could hear the broken twig that's just been stepped on just now.
When she turned behind her, the person in front of her was very familiar. There's no doubt of it.
Nagumo Kaoru
She had met her for the second times before she's been separated from the Shinsengumi.
However, her appearance looked very different now.
From what she remembered, Kaoru was wearing a very beautiful kimono that she'd just thought that it was impossible to win of her beauty. But now it's already been replacing by a black jacket and pants. Her hair that she's been tied up now has cut in short, reach to her neck.
But instead of calling 'she', it was much more like…
..He
"K-Kaoru..?," Chizuru called her in surprised. "What are you doing here? Why are you dress like that?"
"This is my true self. I'm sorry for lying about my sex." The black-haired boy spoke in a apologetically, then faced to the Demon of the West clan with a wide grin, Kazama's expression changed into grim. "Thank you for bringing my little sister back in safely. Now that your mission finally ends, it seems that it's time for you to find out of the Shinsengumi's fate on your own now, ne?"
"Li-little sister?!," Chizuru exclaimed in both surprised and shocked. What does he meant by that? It's true that both of them were almost look alike. But she didn't know that she had a real brother all this time.
"Let me explain to you, Chizuru," Kaoru began. "Now that you've realized what happened to our family's horrible fate, you were taken in by Kodou, and I was taken in by the Nagumo family from Tosa-han. We've been separated back then."
So what Kazama said was true after all. Kodou was not her real father in the end…
"Why don't you take a closer look at my katana and your kodachi?" he said, as he unsheathed his sword from his waist. "My Daisuren is the companion of your own, Shotsuren. They were separated along with us…"
As much as she tried to deny herself, what he said just now was true as well. The faces.. the swords… it's been proof that both of them were brother and sister. Same bloodline.
"But there's no need to be sad. I am here with you in the future." Kaoru spoke with a very soft tone although she'd still could felt it gave her shivered down in her spine, as the raven-haired boy held out his hand.
She was hesitating, still couldn't believed this boy in front of her was really her brother.
The next thing she knew, the Demon of the West clan moved in front of her, Kaoru raised his eyebrow in confused.
"Why are you still here?" he questioned. "Are you trying to interfere our brother and sister reuniting?"
"As the Head Demon of the West clan, Kazama Chikage," the blonde-haired Oni unsheathed his katana, "..it is my duty to kill down the Rasetsu's existence, as well as the creator."
Kaoru gritted his teeth tightly, expecting from the arrogant Oni, grabbed the hilt of his sword tightly, ready to attack him.
Without hesitated, Chizuru kept herself away from their battle, watching the demons fought to each other. Both of them were very fast, Chizuru can't tell whose sword was swinging but Kazama hadn't made any move yet. Instead, he blocked in every Kaoru's attack in lazily, as if he played around with the boy.
The moment Kaoru went backward, Kazama had prepared himself to block for the boy's next move.
However…
"What?!" The Demon of the West clan cursed under his breathed as Kaoru suddenly disappeared the moment he jumped above the sky.
As the brunette looking for Kaoru as well, the next thing she knew, Kaoru appeared in front of her out of nowhere, with golden orbs, filled of so much hatred in there, and it was her very first time seeing Kaoru in Oni form.
Before Chizuru was about to unsheathe her kodachi, her world suddenly turned into darkness as the hilt of Kaoru's sword hit the left side of her stomach, in which she ended up losing her conscious, falling her body on Kaoru's right shoulder.
Kaoru turned around and gave a wide grinned once more on his face, blocking Kazama's attack as he swing his katana on him.
"You bastard!," Kazama hissed. "You drank the Ochimizu?!"
"Isn't it great? Now I can do anything!" Kaoru said satisfiedly, pushed his katana harder on the arrogant Oni's despite it's a bit difficult while he's holding the brunette.
Filled with anger and blood starting to boil, his crimson-bloody orbs turned into golden as well, and his hair instantly turned into white as he turned into Oni form.
About to swing once more, Kaoru avoided the Demon of the West clan attacked this time, snapped his finger, as the Rasetsus that he'd created came forth from the sky, using them to get away from the arrogant Oni.
As Kazama was about to chase Kaoru away, the Rasetsus blocking him, which anger him more, and the only think he hears is Kaoru's manically laughter.
Gritting his teeth as Kaoru's appearance suddenly became further and smaller, swinging his sword wider to finish down on the fake demons.
"Get out of my way!"
A/N: Welp that's the end of it. Review and tell me what you think of the story. Some of the scripts I followed it in Kazama's route, Okita's route and Movie 2.
Please I would like to apologize once more for my grammars error and suck battle scene.
To my reviewers
oxCuteKataraox
Glad you like the story and I agree with you, there should've some more interactions in his route. But you can always watch Hakuouki: Stories of the Shinsengumi, Kazama's Memories of Love from youtube. They're more like a prequel of his route if you don't have PS3. However, rumors said that, Hakuouki Shinkai, a new Hakuouki otome games that Kazama's route may possiblity be change from previous and make it longer this time which is, I'm really excited about it even though I don't have PS Vita yet and it'll take a lot of time to release in English XP