Chapter Two: Trouble arises in the 3rd year of Bunkyuu
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! That's encouraging!! Gomen ne, Sachiko-chan! Saitou should make an entrance later on, but according to what I've read, he didn't know the Shinsengumi at this point in history. Don't worry, I love Saitou too, therefore he will make an appearance ^_^ Oh! And Mica-chan, he didn't have TB in chapter one. I read somewhere that Okita had the measles when he was like. twenty or something. nineteen or twenty. @_@ Anna-chan said he had no immune system. Lol ^_^ *grumbles* And I STILL can't believe I got mangas 8 and 9 when Okita's in the 7th one. (gomen. random.) Also, Mica-chan, you're the one that wrote the "Drops of Blood and Fellowship?!?!? That's really good!!!!!! Gomen. I can't use email, so I have to ramble on stuff like this..
Okita's illness passed and he was up and around, too soon, according to Kondou, but the elder man let him do as he wished. The seasons were turning and the leaves had fallen to the ground. The continued to turn as the snow drifts began to swirl around the dojo and pile on the slightly went dirt. It was the beginning of the 3rd year of Bunkyuu, and things were beginning to swirl into chaos, just as Hijikata had said. People were, as he said, frightened of the foreigners and their large black ships. The discussions around the dojo of such affairs increased when Harada showed up with news of the roshis gathering in Kyoto and forming up armies. "They've gathered under Bakufu samurai there and they're holding kenjutsu matches to see who will be in their armies," Harada explained as he stared into his cup of sake. His eyes met Kondou's. "I thought you might be interested." Kondou nodded, running the stories through his mind. "We might be needed there," he answered slowly. His dark eyes met his wife's and she smiled before turning away. He stood and led her out of the room. "Would you leave Tamako?" she asked. Kondou sighed. "I fear what Hijikata believes will become truth, and that my country will need me." Akiko nodded. "Then go for your country. Will you leave the dojo for your brother?" "Hai. Nii-san will take good care of it." He paused. "And of you and Tamako-chan." "You'll come back, won't you? To see your daughter?" "I'll do my best. I want to see you both." Akiko smiled. "Then I'm sure you will."
Kondou had gathered their small group of seven men together and they were off for Kyoto as soon as they could. "What exactly will we do when we get there?" Okita asked. "Probably go through some sort of testing," Yamanami answered. Okita grinned. "We'll be in for sure if it's a simple kenjutsu match!" "I hope you're right, Souji-kun," the elder man answered. He turned his attention to Kondou. "Do you think they will put us all in the same area to fight?" "I would think so," Kondou answered. "I've never been to Kyoto," Okita mused. "What's it like?" "Lots of people," Harada answered, looking back to where the youth was walking. "Lots of violence now." "So we'll protect the people, ne?" Okita asked. Inoue smiled. "We'll do our best, Souji, but we can't save the whole town, just the seven of us." The dark eyed youth nodded, sinking back and thinking. It would take them a couple of days to reach Kyoto. He could hardly wait.
The seven men from the Shieikan dojo fit in well with the other six roshis under a man named Kiyokawa Hachirou. Okita found several men that he learned quickly to get along with and some that he kept his distance from. One of the men that he wanted to stay away from was Kiyokawa himself. The youth had an uneasy feeling about the man, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was causing it. All he knew was that something was going to happen, and it would involve Kiyokawa. The sound of swords clashing echoed around the camp and dark blue eyes watched from their owner's place on a porch. The men that had become known as the "Kyoto Defenders" were set to leave Kyoto the next week for Yokohama, but the reason was unknown to the youngest member. Okita stood from his spot and unsheathed his sword. "Ne, Hijikata- san? Would you care for a challenge?" he asked with a smile. Hijikata kept his strait face, but his eyes showed a hint of a smile at the boy. "So that you can show off your own talents, Okita?" The youth continued to smile. "Not at all. Talents mean nothing if I do not keep my skills sharp, ne?" He had noticed in the past few weeks that to the elder men, who had once called him "Souji-kun," he was now "Okita." It was a sign that they treated him as an equal out on the real battlefields that they would be facing. "Hai." Hijikata unsheathed his sword as well. The two swords met in a clash of metal, and were taken apart as quickly as they met. The two men fell back and came at each other again and again, stopping the other from using too lengthy of an attack. "You've really improved, even since last time, Okita." "Arigatou, Hijikata-san." They came in, crossing swords. Okita smiled and drew back, lining up his attack. He came forward with such a rush of speed that the elder man could not follow. The youth pulled his attack so that it didn't hurt his friend, but left a line across the shoulders of his gi and then placed the tip of the katana near his neck. Hijikata dropped his weapon low, in surrender. "You really have improved." Okita smiled, bowing slightly. They parted ways, the younger man making his way toward the inn. He past by the open area in the front of the inn and saw Kiyokawa speaking with some men that he did not recognize. The term "Ishin Shishis" came up in the conversation, and the youth's ears perked. "You've got yourself quite a group here. They'll follow your orders to burn the settlement down in Yokohama?" one of the men was asking. Kiyokawa nodded. "Hai. They are blindly loyal to me. It was not difficult making the Shogun think I was working for the Bakufu movement. Fools." "So you will leave next week?" Kiyokawa smirked. "You will have everyone against the Shogun after this, if all goes to plan." "The people will think they are hypocrites. First the Shogun says to let the gaijins in, and then he burns down one of their settlements. What an interesting scene." Okita paled as he was hearing this. He had to tell Kondou and Hijikata. He had to get to them as quickly as possible. He had to. He looked up, and up, to see a large man standing to what had been his back before he turned, gun pointed at him. "Why don't you step out there a ways?" The man's voice caught Kiyokawa's attention and he looked over, spotting both the youth and the man with the gun. His eyes narrowed. "Okita Souji." "Kiyokawa-san," the young man acknowledged. "Would there be a reason you were listening in to my conversation, Okita-san?" Okita smiled slightly. "I don't think that part of it matters unless I heard wrong." The elder man's eyes narrowed more. "I don't like not being able to trust the men under me." "And I don't like not being able to trust the men above me. If you'll excuse me, Kiyokawa-san, I would like to go work on some of my training." "I don't think so." He turned to the man with the gun. "Do away with him in such a way that his. friends. won't trace him back to me." Okita's mind went into full readiness for a battle, but he knew he couldn't face this man now. It wasn't that he physically could not do it. He was probably faster than the man with the gun, but it would do him no good if no one believed him on what he heard. Option B, escape. That sounded like the best option. The youth ducked down, getting away from the larger man's grasp. He waited for the moment, then dodged the slow gun's bullet, and then took off down the hall. He used the doorframe to swing around and run down the porch, jumping over the railing at the end and running for the practice area. "Hijikata-san!" he called out. The elder man looked up to see the youth running and Kiyokawa's guards hot on his heals. "Okita?" The youth stopped. "Kiyokawa's fighting for the Ishin Shishis!" "Eh?" Hijikata managed, staring at the youth before him. "Slow down. What do you mean?" "I mean-" "Yamate!" the men called, rushing at Okita with their sword drawn. They did not slow as they came on him. The blue eyed man pulled his sword, not sure quite what to do. He parried against them as they thrust awkwardly at him. He heard Hijikata's sword cling against another one, and he glanced over. Okita felt a rush of white-hot pain as the blade bit into his side. He avoided any serious injury with his quick movements, but his opponent had drawn blood. "What the hell is this?!" Hijikata demanded, and the fight came to an abrupt halt. There was something about Hijikata Toshizou that when he screamed at you, you stopped what you were doing and cowered. "I. Kiyokawa-san said.." "I'll speak with Kiyokawa-san. You three.. Get out." The three swordsmen, if that's what they could be called, backed away and turned to leave. Okita looked up at Hijikata. "Arigatou. I didn't want to fight them." he attempted to explain. "What was this about Kiyokawa working for the Ishin Shishis?" "I overheard him! I was walking through the hallway in the inn, and I heard him talking. He said that the trip to Yokohama is something for the Ishin Shishis. He's going to have us burn down a gaijin settlement." Hijikata glared down at the ground, thinking. "Come with me. We're going to go talk to Kondou."
It had been a good hour since Kondou had disappeared into an office to speak with Matsudaira Katamori, the Daimyo of Aizu. The youth sitting outside of it brushed his hand across the bandages that wrapped his side. The wound had been minor, due to his speed. He sighed heavily. "Kondou will be out shortly." Okita looked up at Hijikata and smiled. "Hai. I know." "They'll need to talk to you." "That's why I am here." Hijikata nodded his understanding, and turned his eyes out the window to the sinking sun. The shoji opened and Kondou stepped out. "Okita?" "Hai?" "Come in." "Hai." The youth followed his friend and mentor into the office. Matsudaira looked up from his place and looked strait into the young man's eyes. "What did you hear?" Okita explained what he had heard in detail, watching the daimyo's every move, his every expression change. After he finished, the elderly man stood and started out of the office. The youth wasn't sure what to do, but followed Kondou. "We should go back to the inn," Kondou said. "I think Matsudaira-san believed you." Okita nodded. "Yoshi."
Late that night, Okita woke to hear someone at his door. He looked up, and saw Kondou slipping quietly into his room. "He's dead." "Eh?" "Kiyokawa. The Shogunate sent someone in to assassinate him tonight." "That was quick." "Hai." "What will we do now?" Kondou sat next to the boy, brows drawn together in thought. "I will do what I can for the Shogun. It is the least I can do for letting myself be drawn away from my beliefs." "It wasn't your fault." "I should have seen through his tricks." "So now we will do what?" "Form a new group. We should do something to protect Japan, and the Shogunate." "I'll stay with you, Kondou-san." "Domo arigatou gozaimasu." "Doutashimashte." "I'll see who wants to go and who wants to stay with me tomorrow. Matsudaira and I spoke of this yesterday in brief." Okita nodded, taking it all in. "How does that wound feel?" "Oh. It was hardly a scratch. It'll be all right." "Yoshi. Sleep, Souji-kun. Tomorrow will be an interesting day for us. It'll be the first day we really fight for the Shogunate." "I look forward to it." "As do I," Kondou said as he started out of the room. "As do I."
A/N: Yes, I know these chapters are short compared to how I usually write, but that's just how they are turning out. Gomen ne! It's really late for me and I'm tired, so I'm hitting the sack and sleeping till noon tomorrow. ^_^ I wanted to thank ya'll for the reviews. I really do appreciate them. They help me write. If I see that people are enjoying in thus far, I want to please them by getting the next chapter out as quickly as I can, so do give me feedback! Also, if you see something that I've got historically incorrect and you know that for sure, please tell me in a review. I may have not caught it, or I may have simply needed to twist it for the plot's sake. Like this hole chaotic thing with Okita finding out that Kiyokawa was against them. I REALLY doubt that's how it happened, but this IS an Okita-centered fic! So go ahead and tell me if you see something wrong. It may be a mistake, and it may not, but I'd like to know. Domo arigatou! TBC
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! That's encouraging!! Gomen ne, Sachiko-chan! Saitou should make an entrance later on, but according to what I've read, he didn't know the Shinsengumi at this point in history. Don't worry, I love Saitou too, therefore he will make an appearance ^_^ Oh! And Mica-chan, he didn't have TB in chapter one. I read somewhere that Okita had the measles when he was like. twenty or something. nineteen or twenty. @_@ Anna-chan said he had no immune system. Lol ^_^ *grumbles* And I STILL can't believe I got mangas 8 and 9 when Okita's in the 7th one. (gomen. random.) Also, Mica-chan, you're the one that wrote the "Drops of Blood and Fellowship?!?!? That's really good!!!!!! Gomen. I can't use email, so I have to ramble on stuff like this..
Okita's illness passed and he was up and around, too soon, according to Kondou, but the elder man let him do as he wished. The seasons were turning and the leaves had fallen to the ground. The continued to turn as the snow drifts began to swirl around the dojo and pile on the slightly went dirt. It was the beginning of the 3rd year of Bunkyuu, and things were beginning to swirl into chaos, just as Hijikata had said. People were, as he said, frightened of the foreigners and their large black ships. The discussions around the dojo of such affairs increased when Harada showed up with news of the roshis gathering in Kyoto and forming up armies. "They've gathered under Bakufu samurai there and they're holding kenjutsu matches to see who will be in their armies," Harada explained as he stared into his cup of sake. His eyes met Kondou's. "I thought you might be interested." Kondou nodded, running the stories through his mind. "We might be needed there," he answered slowly. His dark eyes met his wife's and she smiled before turning away. He stood and led her out of the room. "Would you leave Tamako?" she asked. Kondou sighed. "I fear what Hijikata believes will become truth, and that my country will need me." Akiko nodded. "Then go for your country. Will you leave the dojo for your brother?" "Hai. Nii-san will take good care of it." He paused. "And of you and Tamako-chan." "You'll come back, won't you? To see your daughter?" "I'll do my best. I want to see you both." Akiko smiled. "Then I'm sure you will."
Kondou had gathered their small group of seven men together and they were off for Kyoto as soon as they could. "What exactly will we do when we get there?" Okita asked. "Probably go through some sort of testing," Yamanami answered. Okita grinned. "We'll be in for sure if it's a simple kenjutsu match!" "I hope you're right, Souji-kun," the elder man answered. He turned his attention to Kondou. "Do you think they will put us all in the same area to fight?" "I would think so," Kondou answered. "I've never been to Kyoto," Okita mused. "What's it like?" "Lots of people," Harada answered, looking back to where the youth was walking. "Lots of violence now." "So we'll protect the people, ne?" Okita asked. Inoue smiled. "We'll do our best, Souji, but we can't save the whole town, just the seven of us." The dark eyed youth nodded, sinking back and thinking. It would take them a couple of days to reach Kyoto. He could hardly wait.
The seven men from the Shieikan dojo fit in well with the other six roshis under a man named Kiyokawa Hachirou. Okita found several men that he learned quickly to get along with and some that he kept his distance from. One of the men that he wanted to stay away from was Kiyokawa himself. The youth had an uneasy feeling about the man, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was causing it. All he knew was that something was going to happen, and it would involve Kiyokawa. The sound of swords clashing echoed around the camp and dark blue eyes watched from their owner's place on a porch. The men that had become known as the "Kyoto Defenders" were set to leave Kyoto the next week for Yokohama, but the reason was unknown to the youngest member. Okita stood from his spot and unsheathed his sword. "Ne, Hijikata- san? Would you care for a challenge?" he asked with a smile. Hijikata kept his strait face, but his eyes showed a hint of a smile at the boy. "So that you can show off your own talents, Okita?" The youth continued to smile. "Not at all. Talents mean nothing if I do not keep my skills sharp, ne?" He had noticed in the past few weeks that to the elder men, who had once called him "Souji-kun," he was now "Okita." It was a sign that they treated him as an equal out on the real battlefields that they would be facing. "Hai." Hijikata unsheathed his sword as well. The two swords met in a clash of metal, and were taken apart as quickly as they met. The two men fell back and came at each other again and again, stopping the other from using too lengthy of an attack. "You've really improved, even since last time, Okita." "Arigatou, Hijikata-san." They came in, crossing swords. Okita smiled and drew back, lining up his attack. He came forward with such a rush of speed that the elder man could not follow. The youth pulled his attack so that it didn't hurt his friend, but left a line across the shoulders of his gi and then placed the tip of the katana near his neck. Hijikata dropped his weapon low, in surrender. "You really have improved." Okita smiled, bowing slightly. They parted ways, the younger man making his way toward the inn. He past by the open area in the front of the inn and saw Kiyokawa speaking with some men that he did not recognize. The term "Ishin Shishis" came up in the conversation, and the youth's ears perked. "You've got yourself quite a group here. They'll follow your orders to burn the settlement down in Yokohama?" one of the men was asking. Kiyokawa nodded. "Hai. They are blindly loyal to me. It was not difficult making the Shogun think I was working for the Bakufu movement. Fools." "So you will leave next week?" Kiyokawa smirked. "You will have everyone against the Shogun after this, if all goes to plan." "The people will think they are hypocrites. First the Shogun says to let the gaijins in, and then he burns down one of their settlements. What an interesting scene." Okita paled as he was hearing this. He had to tell Kondou and Hijikata. He had to get to them as quickly as possible. He had to. He looked up, and up, to see a large man standing to what had been his back before he turned, gun pointed at him. "Why don't you step out there a ways?" The man's voice caught Kiyokawa's attention and he looked over, spotting both the youth and the man with the gun. His eyes narrowed. "Okita Souji." "Kiyokawa-san," the young man acknowledged. "Would there be a reason you were listening in to my conversation, Okita-san?" Okita smiled slightly. "I don't think that part of it matters unless I heard wrong." The elder man's eyes narrowed more. "I don't like not being able to trust the men under me." "And I don't like not being able to trust the men above me. If you'll excuse me, Kiyokawa-san, I would like to go work on some of my training." "I don't think so." He turned to the man with the gun. "Do away with him in such a way that his. friends. won't trace him back to me." Okita's mind went into full readiness for a battle, but he knew he couldn't face this man now. It wasn't that he physically could not do it. He was probably faster than the man with the gun, but it would do him no good if no one believed him on what he heard. Option B, escape. That sounded like the best option. The youth ducked down, getting away from the larger man's grasp. He waited for the moment, then dodged the slow gun's bullet, and then took off down the hall. He used the doorframe to swing around and run down the porch, jumping over the railing at the end and running for the practice area. "Hijikata-san!" he called out. The elder man looked up to see the youth running and Kiyokawa's guards hot on his heals. "Okita?" The youth stopped. "Kiyokawa's fighting for the Ishin Shishis!" "Eh?" Hijikata managed, staring at the youth before him. "Slow down. What do you mean?" "I mean-" "Yamate!" the men called, rushing at Okita with their sword drawn. They did not slow as they came on him. The blue eyed man pulled his sword, not sure quite what to do. He parried against them as they thrust awkwardly at him. He heard Hijikata's sword cling against another one, and he glanced over. Okita felt a rush of white-hot pain as the blade bit into his side. He avoided any serious injury with his quick movements, but his opponent had drawn blood. "What the hell is this?!" Hijikata demanded, and the fight came to an abrupt halt. There was something about Hijikata Toshizou that when he screamed at you, you stopped what you were doing and cowered. "I. Kiyokawa-san said.." "I'll speak with Kiyokawa-san. You three.. Get out." The three swordsmen, if that's what they could be called, backed away and turned to leave. Okita looked up at Hijikata. "Arigatou. I didn't want to fight them." he attempted to explain. "What was this about Kiyokawa working for the Ishin Shishis?" "I overheard him! I was walking through the hallway in the inn, and I heard him talking. He said that the trip to Yokohama is something for the Ishin Shishis. He's going to have us burn down a gaijin settlement." Hijikata glared down at the ground, thinking. "Come with me. We're going to go talk to Kondou."
It had been a good hour since Kondou had disappeared into an office to speak with Matsudaira Katamori, the Daimyo of Aizu. The youth sitting outside of it brushed his hand across the bandages that wrapped his side. The wound had been minor, due to his speed. He sighed heavily. "Kondou will be out shortly." Okita looked up at Hijikata and smiled. "Hai. I know." "They'll need to talk to you." "That's why I am here." Hijikata nodded his understanding, and turned his eyes out the window to the sinking sun. The shoji opened and Kondou stepped out. "Okita?" "Hai?" "Come in." "Hai." The youth followed his friend and mentor into the office. Matsudaira looked up from his place and looked strait into the young man's eyes. "What did you hear?" Okita explained what he had heard in detail, watching the daimyo's every move, his every expression change. After he finished, the elderly man stood and started out of the office. The youth wasn't sure what to do, but followed Kondou. "We should go back to the inn," Kondou said. "I think Matsudaira-san believed you." Okita nodded. "Yoshi."
Late that night, Okita woke to hear someone at his door. He looked up, and saw Kondou slipping quietly into his room. "He's dead." "Eh?" "Kiyokawa. The Shogunate sent someone in to assassinate him tonight." "That was quick." "Hai." "What will we do now?" Kondou sat next to the boy, brows drawn together in thought. "I will do what I can for the Shogun. It is the least I can do for letting myself be drawn away from my beliefs." "It wasn't your fault." "I should have seen through his tricks." "So now we will do what?" "Form a new group. We should do something to protect Japan, and the Shogunate." "I'll stay with you, Kondou-san." "Domo arigatou gozaimasu." "Doutashimashte." "I'll see who wants to go and who wants to stay with me tomorrow. Matsudaira and I spoke of this yesterday in brief." Okita nodded, taking it all in. "How does that wound feel?" "Oh. It was hardly a scratch. It'll be all right." "Yoshi. Sleep, Souji-kun. Tomorrow will be an interesting day for us. It'll be the first day we really fight for the Shogunate." "I look forward to it." "As do I," Kondou said as he started out of the room. "As do I."
A/N: Yes, I know these chapters are short compared to how I usually write, but that's just how they are turning out. Gomen ne! It's really late for me and I'm tired, so I'm hitting the sack and sleeping till noon tomorrow. ^_^ I wanted to thank ya'll for the reviews. I really do appreciate them. They help me write. If I see that people are enjoying in thus far, I want to please them by getting the next chapter out as quickly as I can, so do give me feedback! Also, if you see something that I've got historically incorrect and you know that for sure, please tell me in a review. I may have not caught it, or I may have simply needed to twist it for the plot's sake. Like this hole chaotic thing with Okita finding out that Kiyokawa was against them. I REALLY doubt that's how it happened, but this IS an Okita-centered fic! So go ahead and tell me if you see something wrong. It may be a mistake, and it may not, but I'd like to know. Domo arigatou! TBC