Play 47: An Ideal Answer

The pain in my throat woke me up almost abruptly.

I coughed, struggling to get up, and groaned inwardly when I felt that familiar throbbing at the back of my head. I must had lost control of my powers or something, but when I glanced around me, I noticed that I was in Souji's room.

"Uh," I started, my voice cracking, and had to clear my throat. "What just happened?"

Souji looked up from cleaning his sword, and smiled. "You're finally awake. You caused a huge commotion outside before you fainted."

I got up to my feet to see what he meant, and almost choked from astonishment when I saw how the pathway ended up. It was like a tornado had just came and destroyed everything in its path. Trees were snapped off, their branches in pieces, and patches of soil and stones were ripped off the ground as they were all over the area. I gulped, disbelieving that I had so much strength in me, and turned back to Souji.

"Are you sure?"

He chuckled, getting up from the floor and strapping his swords to his side. "Yes, I'm sure."

Seemed like I needed to step up and do something about my uncontrollable powers before it started to get worse. I made a mental note to talk to the twins when they got back from their long search. As I was pondering over this, I vaguely recalled screaming his name.

"Hey, did you hear what I screamed...?" I asked slowly and hesitantly.

Souji just smiled, tilting his head to the side as if he didn't understand what I was saying--but I knew. He definitely heard it. He definitely heard me screaming for him!

I wanted to dig a hole in the ground and hide my head in when Souji moved towards the door. I frowned before gripping his arm firmly.

"Hey, you can't go. You're still sick." I tried to brush that thought of Souji weakening because of tuberculosis.

Souji looked at me as if I grew a second head. "Nobody came to get me, so I figured I'd go out on my own."

I glared at him. "You're an idiot--there's a reason why the others didn't come and get you!" I almost hit him at the back of his head, but I didn't dare--well, partially because he was a sick person--and also my feelings for him.

"I wasn't real happy about being told to stay here, but it looks like I'll get to have some fun after all--" Souji stopped, coughing violently as he hunched forward in pain. Worried, I patted his back, trying to comfort his pain. When Souji straightened, I winced at the sight of the blood in his palm as my heart ached.

"You should stay here," I tried to persuade him. "The other men are helping out already--"

"I can still fight!" Souji burst out. "I'm not useless yet, you know."

Tears filled my eyes as I watched him wipe the blood away from his lips. Souji was fighting a losing battle with his illness, and I couldn't help but feel so worthless--all I could do was to stay by his side. I didn't know the right words to comfort a dying person too--what was I supposed to say? I was afraid of opening my mouth, afraid that I would say something wrong and worsened the situation.

I bit my bottom lip as I held back my tears. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, but my muscles were not working. I am so worthless--maybe I should really go with Sen after all.

Just as I thought it, a familiar voice spoke in the dim lights from the candles. "It's not nice to brush aside someone who's worried about you."

I gasped. Kaoru! I couldn't believe my eyes. She wasn't wearing that elegant kimono, but dressed in a darker shade of clothes, clothes for a man in battle. Her beautiful black hair was cut short so that it now hung a few inches above her shoulders.

"This is my true self," Kaoru said as my mouth opened and closed like a fish. "I apologise for lying about my sex, but I had a good reason to."

Wait, so Kaoru was actually a boy!? I still couldn't believe it. Souji scoffed beside me.

"So, you're a guy, huh. Interesting." He didn't seem very surprised at that sight, so I thought he knew from the start. He really did have a good eye for such things for my gender was also exposed by him in the first place.

"I kept my true self hidden for only one reason--the same reason I've come here tonight." Kaoru's eyes shifted to me coldly, and I shivered involuntarily. "I'm here to save my sister."

"Sister...?" I pointed at myself uncertainly. Did he fall and hit his head just now? I didn't think I would have a brother, or any sibling--in this era, at least.

He nodded. "To be exact, my sister's replacement." His smile was unsettling. "You, Jun."

"I...you..." I stammered, and he sighed.

"I realize this is rather confusing to you. Let me explain." Kaoru sighed. "When Chizuru and my family refused to help overthrow the shogunate and was destroyed, she was taken in my Koudou-san, and I was taken in by the Nagumo family from the Tosa Domain. We were separated."

So...Koudou wasn't Chizuru's father all along? My mind was whirling. I had thought that Koudou was just hiding the fact that he and Chizuru were demons--but it seemed like there was more.

Kaoru pulled out his sword at his waist and waved it in my face. "Perhaps my sword will convince you, then." I recognised that familiar-looking sheath--it looked just like my--no, Chizuru's short sword. My hand automatically touched the sword at my hip and he continued. "My Daltsuren is the companion of Chizuru's Shotsuren."

Speechless, I stared at Kaoru's face--that face which eerily looked exactly like Chizuru, though I had only seen her portrait.

"So you're a demon too?" Souji finally spoke breaking the slience. I was so engrossed in my own thoughts that I almost forgotten that he was in the room with us.

"Yes, I am. You seem awfully calm, Okita-san."

"Should I get excited?" Souji's lip twitched. "None of this is really my problem."

I looked down at the ground, my heart sinking. Of course Souji didn't really care--I knew it in my heart, but that response was too cold and hurtful. Did he really think nothing of me? I shook my head. Now was not the time to be thinking about my feelings for Souji.

"Can I ask you something though? Seeing as you're a demon," Souji continued as if he never noticed the expression on my face. "Do you just plan to use her, just like Kazama does?"

"No, that's not my intent," Kaoru replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief. "Can I ask you a question in return?" He smiled gently, but there was something almost sinister to it. "What would you have done if I said yes? Would you have tried to stop me, with that broken body?"

I glanced back down to the floor, almost scared to hear Souji's answer, and I was right.

"No, you're free to take her. I don't care what either of you are up to." Souji's face was expressionless, his voice cold. I turned away, feeling tears coming back again. I was nothing but probably a nuisance to Souji--he would be elated if Kaoru took me away from him. As much as I wished for a different answer, Souji was Souji. He only cared about the Shinsengumi and Kondou's wellbeing, never me.

"Now, will you get out of my way?" Souji's eyes narrowed.

"No, I will not. you can't fight anyone right now." To my shock, Kaoru stopped Souji.

I knew Souji would not listen, and he unsheathed his sword, his eyes burning. "Like hell I can't!"

Kaoru's eyes immediately turned threatening. "You're awfully determined, aren't you? very well...here." I thought he would pull out his own sword, but instead he retrieved a small bottle from his pocket, shaking its contents at us.

"That--" I stared in bewilderment. "Where did you get it?"

"Koudou-san gave it to me." The answer was not what I expected, and I stumbled backwards. Wasn't Koudou supposed to be a nice, kind father who didn't dare to hurt a fly? Maybe the sole fact that he created that Water Of Life was a sign that he wasn't all that innocent.

"This is..." Souji's arms fell to his sides, and he stared at the transparent glass bottle as if in a trance. I looked at Kaoru and then back at Souji, a bad feeling surging in my chest. If I knew Souji, he would be tempted to take that solution, for the sake of the Shinsengumi. If I didn't stop him, I knew Souji would end up like those crazy monsters, thirsty for blood and death.