KD's Notes of wisdom!: Well, I've decided to put Tears for Tomorrow on hold for a little while, since final's is coming up, and it's really turning into a huge dilemma for me, because I want to take it in two completely different romantic directions at once, but we all know that can't be done. So, I guess I'll have to change history again or something to get the other one in there, but, I WILL finish my first one before I start anything else.
This, on the other hand, was not 'just started'. This is the first part of the extensively long fanfic I've been working on for two years now, pretty much ever since I first got my hands on the second set of episodes, and Sanosuke's past was revealed! (in lacking-detail-vision!) I figured, "Hey! I think he needs more back story than that!" so, I set to work on an old… hell, I don't even remember what it was anymore. Anyway, here's the first chapter of my Sanosuke "Mega-fic"!
_____________________________
A Night to Remember
The young boy looked around nervously, unsure of what to think. They'd been called back to the camp to meet with, someone… "What was his name again?" the spiky haired youth wondered for the sixth time sense they'd met up with him. Well, whatever his name was, it really didn't matter, the only thing that really stood out about him was the fact that he was a high ranking officer in the army, and had news for the rebel group of farmers known as the Sekihoutai.
Walking into the camp, the young Sanosuke couldn't help but think that something was off, it was so quiet, and there were so few soldiers around. The officer said that it was because they were out on patrol and protecting the camp, though he didn't buy any of that, at least not really.
"If he's so influential, wouldn't he have more than just a pair of body guards at his side? It just seems off…" he thought, glancing up at his captain, who he had the privilege of walking beside. He could tell that his leader was troubled, but the boy didn't say anything, biting his lip to keep from making a fool of himself, shouting out outrageous claims like he had in the past. He didn't want to leave the group, like Katsu had to when he'd been injured in battle, the Sekihoutai was his life blood, all that mattered, and Captain Sagara was the center of the universe, what everything revolved around in empty space.
One of the men, seeing the boy's face scrunched up in thought, walked up behind him, tapping the back of his head lightly. As he turned, the man grinned down at chuckled out, "What's da matta kiddo, see anodah one of ya ghosts?" The group burst out into laughter, which was quickly silenced by a glare from the officer at the front of the line, motioning them in front of the man they'd been sent to see.
The Sekihoutai had taken some beatings over the past several weeks, their ranks diminished by those who had decided that a life of war was not to their liking, and had returned back to their farms. Sanosuke held no ill will towards them, though he questioned their bravery, except for Katsu, he'd had to go back, he'd been in such bad shape when they'd left him in Tokyo three weeks ago. The boy sighed, remembering his friend fondly, and it took his mind off the fear that continued to build in his heart, at least for a moment.
Katsu had been the only one his age that was in the Sekihoutai, a weapons expert if there ever was one. He was fantastic with firearms, and often had stayed up late into the night, repairing the guns that the rest of the group had managed to screw up in one way or another. They'd been pretty good friends, both admiring the strength of their captain, the mighty Sagara, the one thing that they knew they could follow to the day they died, if they had to. Katsu'd even taken that chance for him.
*********
"Look out Sanosuke!" he heard the shout, seconds before the shot of the gun slammed through his ears. He turned, watching the bullet speed towards his head. His eyes widened, and the whole world seemed to slow down. He couldn't move, only stare ahead, seeing the metal ball of death bearing down on him at an ungodly speed. Giving up, he closed his eyes, and waited for his death to come and take him, and whisk him away from this blood-stained country to Hell. Next thing he felt wasn't the cold steel of the bullet rending his flesh in half, but the warmth of another body, pushing him aside. He opened his eyes, turning his head just in time to see Katsu grab his shoulder as Sanosuke slammed down into the dirt of the battle field. His friend fell towards him, and he acted out of instinct, reaching out and catching the boy, who had a death grip on his shoulder, gritting his teeth against the pain.
"Katsu… why?" Sano asked his eyes wide as the battle ended. The world seemed to shrink, around them, their focus only on each other.
"B-because you would've died… I had to take," he winced sharply at this point, biting his lip to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs. Shutting his eyes, he tried to block out the pain, and continued, "take a chance that we'd both live… better than the chances that one of us would die for sure… yeah?"
Sano bit his lip as his eyes began to well with tears, and he nodded, pulling Katsu's head closer to him, trying to comfort his downed friend.
*********
"A few days later, we found out the wound had been infected, and we took him to a Tokyo Clinic. Some old coot named Genzai ran the place. There was a girl there too," he thought, remember the dark haired girl. She'd been crying at the time, something about an anniversary. Probably remembering a death, it was all too common nowadays, but that's what the Sekihoutai was working to end, and it seemed like the end was in sight, and the rebels would at last win, and the goal of ultimate freedom for all would finally be achieved.
Suddenly, his attention was grabbed by the officer who'd led them here made way for someone else. He was old, but not ancient, his wrinkles just beginning to show, grey hairs dominating his head.
"Shindou Tatewaki, I presume?" Captain Sagara said coolly, tossing his hair out of his eyes, and raising an eyebrow, directed towards the elder man, who nodded in reply.
"Captain Sagara, what an honor it is to meet the infamous leader of the Sekihoutai at long last," Tatewaki responded, a sarcastic laugh echoing behind the words as they rolled out. Sagara just stared back, unblinking.
"What news from the leaders?"
"All is well, no need to worry Sagara, the war is progressing well, and we are undoubtedly going to succeed, and crush the Imperialists. However, there is one factor that we have yet to take care of, one that could come back and hurt us after this is all said and done with."
As he rambled, Captain Sagara stared back, eyes narrowed. The sick feeling in Sanosuke's heart returned, and he knew that, somehow, his captain had already known what this, Shindou Tatewaki, was about to say.
The man chuckled, his eyes shrinking to small slits on his face, continuing. "You already know what it is, don't you Sagara."
"Indeed Tatewaki… I have a very good idea at least."
"You, the Sekihoutai, are that risk," he said, a dark smile crossing his face as the small group of farmers turned soldiers burst into conversation. "You go around proclaiming that ever one who joins with you shall be free, and have equal rights as citizens in New Japan. This must end, now."
"What are you talking about!" one soldier shouted, stepping forward. "We were offered land, citizenship, and equality when we joined at the very start! How can you come now and take that away from us you spineless pi-" Sagara cut him off by raising his hand. The man quieted, biting his lip, a little embarrassed at his outburst, and stepped back into line, hanging his head.
"What you mean to say is… you wish to silence us before we can get away and tell the other citizens that you lied to them, and now only wish for power, yes?" Sagara asked, turning his attention back to the old man, who was grinning wildly by this time.
"Very perceptive Sagara, your rank fits you well. Unfortunately, you are right; no one else will know what happened here tonight."
Sanosuke's eyes widened as Tatewaki snapped his fingers, and the tents were pulled down, revealing at least four dozen soldiers, armed with guns and swords, all aiming at the small group they had surrounded.
Shaking his head, Tatewaki looked up, smiling darkly as he mumbled, "Good bye, idealist fools…"
*********
Gunshots, everywhere! Sanosuke panicked, hearing the gunshots roaring behind him. As much as he wanted to look over his shoulder, he knew that was impossible, since the weight on his back also obstructed his view of anything that may have been going on behind him. He felt something warm splash against his open gi, and looked down, his eyes widening as he saw it was blood, and it wasn't just a single drop, but a whole stream, trickling quickly off of his captain's wounds. He'd been shot in at least five places, the uniform he wore long since ruined by the lifeblood which now gushed rapidly out of him.
"Hurry up Sanosuke!" he heard one of the soldiers in front of him shout, and was quick to respond, as tired as his body was. Captain Sagara wasn't obese, but to a young boy like Sanosuke, he may as well have weighed as much as a hundred swords. Half carrying, half dragging his wounded leader, he followed the other soldiers.
Two minutes later, the sounds of shouting and footsteps could be heard behind them. Growling, the two soldiers unsheathed their swords, shouting for Sanosuke to continue on, saying they would hold off the soldiers for as long as they could, and that he should get Sagara to safety. While Sanosuke would have loved to stay and fight, he knew that he had very little choice in the matter, and simply did as he was told. He'd not gone fifty paces, when he heard the firing of guns again, and the groans of dying men.
His leg was really beginning to hinder his progress, but he knew better than to look down at it. He'd not been able to escape the battle wound free, and knew that his leg was badly torn, but in time, it would heal.
"If I survive," he thought, gritting his teeth against the pain, and struggling forward.
He'd not made it very far, before the forest ended, and he found that he was trapped a good fifty feet above a roaring river. He glanced around wildly, hearing the footsteps of the followers behind him.
"There's no way to escape! We're going to all die here!" he thought, setting Captain Sagara onto the ground, and moving to attack, about to draw his sword from it's sheath. Then, he heard a croaked voice behind him, and turned.
"Sa-sanosuke…" Sagara groaned, panting heavily, looking down into the young boy's eyes. Sanosuke licked his lips, staring intently back up at his captain, awaiting orders.
"Get… out of here!" he shouted, and, using what little strength he had left, picked the boy up, turned, and tossed him over the cliff.
"Captain Sagara!" Sanosuke yelled as he fell from the cliff. For a moment, he could have sworn that he saw his captain smile weakly, then disappear.
*********
Sagara turned, glaring at the men who now surrounded him. "This is it then," he thought. "This is the part where the Sekihoutai end up a mere memory and our lives are rewritten by the victors of this war. At least…Sanosuke, be strong, don't seek vengeance, please…"
Knowing good and well the boy couldn't hear him, he weakly reached for his sword, satisfied that he could meet his end knowing that he'd done all he could to save his men.
"FIRE!" one of the soldiers shouted. The last thing Sagara heard was the sickening sound of iron, traveling at a tremendous speed, rending flesh and bone useless, and squelching through his own organs.
*********
Gunshots resounded from the cliff, throwing blood up into the air as they hit his captain. His eyes widened in shock, hardly believing it could be his captain, until he saw the red headband his beloved captain wore flutter, and, for a moment, he hoped.
Then, he slammed into the freezing water, and he was lost again. Tossed around for several minutes by the turbulent waters, he finally managed to grab a low branch, and pull himself to the shore. The bank was little more than rocks, eroded long ago by the rushing river. They stabbed painfully into his chest and hands, but he no longer cared.
"Captain…" he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry Captain. I failed you. DAMNIT!" he yelled at the top of his voice, which wasn't much, his body raked by sobs. "Why Captain, why did you save me? I was supposed to protect you, that's what they told me to do. But, you decided to save me instead. Damn it all," he whispered, falling into unconsciousness.
_____________________________
End notes: Hope you all enjoyed my first chapter… and I really haven't even gotten passed the first page. ^^; Most of this was edited in this evening, scanned for errors, critiqued, and passed along to you all, the readers. If you want what WASN'T added, um… take most of that last paragraph, and you've got the first little bit to my story! ^^; Yeah… LOTS of additions. Well, while you're here, why not review and tell me to get back to work on Tears for Tomorrow and to stop wasting my time on other projects! Ja!
-KD