Chapter Three: The Beginnings of the Shinsengumi
A/n: I got my information for the majority of this chapter off of
This is an
EXCELENT sight in my opinion, and I found a great deal out about many of
the characters and quite a bit of the Shinsengumi's history.
Review Answers: (I'm just gonna start putting these at the beginning of
each chapter.) Hai, Mica-chan! Serizawa makes his appearance in this
chapter. I ran across a profile of his by accident and had now clue who he
was, so I read it. (The link up top. Really good profile!) I am going to
warn you that I'm not a fan of his. Not from what I've read. _ Just a
warning that he is not portrayed as a very nice guy in here (not that I saw
that he was. but maybe I just haven't read enough, ne? ^^)
Okita Souji had learned his lesson on listening to his instincts when it came to people. He had met several new and different kinds of people since the formation of the new group, now called the Shinsengumi. One of these men's names was Itou Kashitarou. He was the scholar of the group. A very sophisticated man whose views leaned toward the belief of "Shonno-Joi" or the belief to "revere the emperor, dispel the barbarians." This within itself made the young man stay away from him, though he noticed that many of the members listened intently when Itou spoke. Takeda Kanryuusai was one of the others that caught Okita's attention. He had been appointed the captain of the fifth squad, but the youth couldn't understand why. He was more of a strategist than a fighter. He practiced medicine, which did come in quite handy with the wounds that people would suffer on the battlefield to protect Kyoto and the Shogun. Okita had seen that he was a brownnoser when he first encountered him. The man seemed kind at first. He was polite to those above him, and even to those around him when his superiors were around, but the younger man had noticed the change in attitude when whoever was over him in rank left the area. The final man that had caught Okita's attention was Serizawa Kamo. This man had been picked up from a prison, sentenced to die, but released from his sentence when he said he would support the Bakufu on the battlefield. This was the man that the youth kept the closest eye on. He had noticed that he seemed to use his title as one of the Captains for his benefit. He was constantly at brothels and always seemed to be drinking. The drinking had never bothered Okita. He himself liked sake with his dinner, but Serizawa took it over the limit. This was shown when he would loose his temper in public, slaying people at random, then using his title to cover it up. The youth had gotten his first glimpse of why Kondou did not get along with Serizawa on their way to Kyoto the first time. A fire had broken out in the inn they were staying at, and Okita had seen Kondou take the blame for it. He had frowned, asking his friend what he thought could have possibly started it. "I have my suspicions," was all the elder man said. Okita later found out that it had been Serizawa, accompanied by the third and final of the top captains, Niimi Nishigi. This was when the youngest of the squads' captains began to watch Serizawa. He had no need to watch out for Niimi, simply because Kondou had found enough on him to order him to commit seppuku. The youth sighed as he leaned back and stared out of the window of his room in the inn. He smiled slightly, deep in thought. There was one time when Serizawa had been of a good deal of use. He and a small group set off for Osaka for some reason that Yamanami, who had been telling him the story, did not specify. (A/N: In other words this story caught my attention while I was researching and I had to add it in, but I didn't know EXACTLY why they went. ^_^) "We went to a wealthy dealer and Serizawa-san demanded money," Yamanami had said. "Quite a bit, actually. The door keeper thought we were threatening him for money and through us out, only giving us a small portion of what we had asked." "Eh? What did Serizawa-san do?" Okita had asked, listening intently. "Apparently the door keeper ran to the police (A/N: I'm not sure if that's exactly where he went, but it was something to that extent.) and they told him who we were." Yamanami smiled. "We were given the money." "Honto ni?" Okita asked, smiling. "Serizawa-san seemed to be good for something besides brawling all day." Yamanami frowned. "Ne, Souji-kun, you shouldn't be saying things like that. He is your superior as well." "I suppose." That had been a while ago, and Serizawa had sent in for the Shinsengumi's uniforms. Okita now sat on the window ledge, fingering the light blue material with a smile. He did have good taste in the uniforms, the youth was forced to admit.
The day was September 16. Okita had sat and listened amongst his friends and fellow Shinsengumi members as it was decided that Serizawa Kamo would die on that day for the trouble he had brought to their group. Dark blue eyes now surveyed the area. Kondou and Hijikata had thrown a party, and the youth watched their intended prey drink himself into a stupor. The young man frowned. "We'll go after him tonight," Hijikata told the captain of the first unit. Okita nodded. "Of course. He'll be too drunk to know what hit him." The youth took a deep breath, then exhaled, eyes still trained on the soon to be dead man. "Harada-san and Yamanami-san will come with us?" "Hai." "Kondou-san will have quite a load on him after this is said and done." "Hai." Okita smiled up at the taller man. Everything was set.
The cool night breeze ruffled Okita's long brown hair as he crept through the darkness. His blue eyes were trained on the house just in front of him and his comrades, who took up other sides. Yamanami would go around the back way, Hijikata to the front, Harada to the side, and he would go in on the side closest to Serizawa. He would strike first. The youth crept into the house, scrunching his nose in disgust once he walked in. When he laid eyes on the man, thoughts of all he had done in the past rushed through his mind. The sooner he did this, the better. They would be rid of him. He slid his sword from its sheath and saw the elder man's eyes slide open in the darkness. It took only a half of a second for Serizawa's sluggish mind to figure out what was going on, and he pulled his wakizashi, attempting to parry against Okita. The captain of the first squad let the normal smile disappear from his face, replaced to the closest thing he could muster to a frown. He had not expected the elder man to wake so quickly and be able to fight back, not that it mattered. Okita was one of the top swordsmen in the Shinsengumi. He could take a mostly drunk man such as Serizawa down in seconds. He pulled back, feeling the wakizashi scrape across his face lightly. As he reached his free hand up to wipe the blood away, his dark eyes caught sight of Hijikata entering. Okita's blade connected with Serizawa, making him stagger backward, and right into Hijikata's blade. The man dropped to the floor, dead. Hijikata's eyes locked with Okita's and the younger man smiled. "We should get going," Hijikata deadpanned as he turned to leave. He glanced back to see the younger man falling into step with him.
A/N: Yeah.. REALLY short chapter, but I kinda just wanted to get this out of the way. I hope I made it interesting and did I make it choppy? @_@ I hope not.. Tell me if I did! Onegai? _ Anyway, it was short, but it is the next chapter, ne? Aren't you proud I'm getting it out so fast? ^^
Okita Souji had learned his lesson on listening to his instincts when it came to people. He had met several new and different kinds of people since the formation of the new group, now called the Shinsengumi. One of these men's names was Itou Kashitarou. He was the scholar of the group. A very sophisticated man whose views leaned toward the belief of "Shonno-Joi" or the belief to "revere the emperor, dispel the barbarians." This within itself made the young man stay away from him, though he noticed that many of the members listened intently when Itou spoke. Takeda Kanryuusai was one of the others that caught Okita's attention. He had been appointed the captain of the fifth squad, but the youth couldn't understand why. He was more of a strategist than a fighter. He practiced medicine, which did come in quite handy with the wounds that people would suffer on the battlefield to protect Kyoto and the Shogun. Okita had seen that he was a brownnoser when he first encountered him. The man seemed kind at first. He was polite to those above him, and even to those around him when his superiors were around, but the younger man had noticed the change in attitude when whoever was over him in rank left the area. The final man that had caught Okita's attention was Serizawa Kamo. This man had been picked up from a prison, sentenced to die, but released from his sentence when he said he would support the Bakufu on the battlefield. This was the man that the youth kept the closest eye on. He had noticed that he seemed to use his title as one of the Captains for his benefit. He was constantly at brothels and always seemed to be drinking. The drinking had never bothered Okita. He himself liked sake with his dinner, but Serizawa took it over the limit. This was shown when he would loose his temper in public, slaying people at random, then using his title to cover it up. The youth had gotten his first glimpse of why Kondou did not get along with Serizawa on their way to Kyoto the first time. A fire had broken out in the inn they were staying at, and Okita had seen Kondou take the blame for it. He had frowned, asking his friend what he thought could have possibly started it. "I have my suspicions," was all the elder man said. Okita later found out that it had been Serizawa, accompanied by the third and final of the top captains, Niimi Nishigi. This was when the youngest of the squads' captains began to watch Serizawa. He had no need to watch out for Niimi, simply because Kondou had found enough on him to order him to commit seppuku. The youth sighed as he leaned back and stared out of the window of his room in the inn. He smiled slightly, deep in thought. There was one time when Serizawa had been of a good deal of use. He and a small group set off for Osaka for some reason that Yamanami, who had been telling him the story, did not specify. (A/N: In other words this story caught my attention while I was researching and I had to add it in, but I didn't know EXACTLY why they went. ^_^) "We went to a wealthy dealer and Serizawa-san demanded money," Yamanami had said. "Quite a bit, actually. The door keeper thought we were threatening him for money and through us out, only giving us a small portion of what we had asked." "Eh? What did Serizawa-san do?" Okita had asked, listening intently. "Apparently the door keeper ran to the police (A/N: I'm not sure if that's exactly where he went, but it was something to that extent.) and they told him who we were." Yamanami smiled. "We were given the money." "Honto ni?" Okita asked, smiling. "Serizawa-san seemed to be good for something besides brawling all day." Yamanami frowned. "Ne, Souji-kun, you shouldn't be saying things like that. He is your superior as well." "I suppose." That had been a while ago, and Serizawa had sent in for the Shinsengumi's uniforms. Okita now sat on the window ledge, fingering the light blue material with a smile. He did have good taste in the uniforms, the youth was forced to admit.
The day was September 16. Okita had sat and listened amongst his friends and fellow Shinsengumi members as it was decided that Serizawa Kamo would die on that day for the trouble he had brought to their group. Dark blue eyes now surveyed the area. Kondou and Hijikata had thrown a party, and the youth watched their intended prey drink himself into a stupor. The young man frowned. "We'll go after him tonight," Hijikata told the captain of the first unit. Okita nodded. "Of course. He'll be too drunk to know what hit him." The youth took a deep breath, then exhaled, eyes still trained on the soon to be dead man. "Harada-san and Yamanami-san will come with us?" "Hai." "Kondou-san will have quite a load on him after this is said and done." "Hai." Okita smiled up at the taller man. Everything was set.
The cool night breeze ruffled Okita's long brown hair as he crept through the darkness. His blue eyes were trained on the house just in front of him and his comrades, who took up other sides. Yamanami would go around the back way, Hijikata to the front, Harada to the side, and he would go in on the side closest to Serizawa. He would strike first. The youth crept into the house, scrunching his nose in disgust once he walked in. When he laid eyes on the man, thoughts of all he had done in the past rushed through his mind. The sooner he did this, the better. They would be rid of him. He slid his sword from its sheath and saw the elder man's eyes slide open in the darkness. It took only a half of a second for Serizawa's sluggish mind to figure out what was going on, and he pulled his wakizashi, attempting to parry against Okita. The captain of the first squad let the normal smile disappear from his face, replaced to the closest thing he could muster to a frown. He had not expected the elder man to wake so quickly and be able to fight back, not that it mattered. Okita was one of the top swordsmen in the Shinsengumi. He could take a mostly drunk man such as Serizawa down in seconds. He pulled back, feeling the wakizashi scrape across his face lightly. As he reached his free hand up to wipe the blood away, his dark eyes caught sight of Hijikata entering. Okita's blade connected with Serizawa, making him stagger backward, and right into Hijikata's blade. The man dropped to the floor, dead. Hijikata's eyes locked with Okita's and the younger man smiled. "We should get going," Hijikata deadpanned as he turned to leave. He glanced back to see the younger man falling into step with him.
A/N: Yeah.. REALLY short chapter, but I kinda just wanted to get this out of the way. I hope I made it interesting and did I make it choppy? @_@ I hope not.. Tell me if I did! Onegai? _ Anyway, it was short, but it is the next chapter, ne? Aren't you proud I'm getting it out so fast? ^^