A/N: My word that was difficult. My brain hurts! Sorry for the delay, I've been so busy I haven't been able to work on this story. Well, here's the 10th chapter for you! Only two more to go and...and an epilogue! I'm horrible! I'm going to kill my brain! Oh, well. Thank you all so much for the great reviews! Please read and send me more! REVIEWS ARE MY LIFE FORCE!

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Chapter 10 – To Tame the Wolves

The streets were lit with the glowing silver light of the moon, hovering high above in the night sky, as Battousai rode through the streets of Osaka. A ban of clouds hovering overhead concealed the moon behind their gloomy veil, eclipsing the path of light. Vending booths and inns rushed by in a blur, as he made his way through the town, swiftly cantering down the empty roads, the sound of the white horse's pounding hooves breaking an eerie silence.

Glancing around, he grew suspicious at the deafening quiet, the vacant roadways and the hush of darkness closing in around him. Normally the streets would still be occupied by several night-goers returning from inns and pleasure houses, but not tonight. A hushed wind whistled across the sandy road, kicking up a whirlwind of dust and fog, as he made his way to the outskirts.

His thoughts drifted, momentarily, to the raven-haired maiden he had left behind not too long ago. Sadness had drowned her spirit, the glowing smile had gone from her once joyful beauty, and he felt regret for leaving her in such a state. But this was no time for a lament.

It does not matter now. I have done the right thing. If I had stayed, she would be in danger. Leaving was the only option left. Soon she will understand...soon she will forget me.

Though the words formed, the swordsman could not help but look back for a single moment and wish good fortune to the woman he had grown to love. Suddenly, his attention turned to his fleeting steed, which had now slowed, and was violently leaping about in the thickening mist. The azure eyes grew white with agitation, the pink nose flaring and lips frothing with putrid foam. In a flash, he rose high upon his hind legs, throwing his head against the pull of the bit, and snorting with rage. As Battousai fought against the unruly beast, a flash of scarlet fire reflected by from its wild eye.

He turned round and saw an army of horsemen barreling towards him, the thunderous sound of a cavalry echoing through the alleyways. Clad in blue and white haori, white and red headbands flying behind them, and flags with the words: "Makoto" splashed in white, Battousai snarled as he realized who they were.

"Shinsengumi."

Digging his heels into the horse's sides, he urged Tsuki into a swift gallop and fled down the darkening streets. They pursued without question, flying through the mist and fog, crimson torches lighting their way. Battousai knew of their ways quite well as he glanced back several times, judging how many men were chasing after him. He counted at least thirty- five, perhaps forty, most on horseback, with a few archers and swordsmen trailing behind. They would try and run him down using tremendous force, thinking no one would be able to stand up to such numbers. Again, they had misjudged his abilities.

Battousai's amber eye caught sight of a bamboo thicket just beyond the edge of the road. He had gotten far enough out of the city to prevent any innocents from getting involved, if they hadn't heard the ruckus already. Swift enough to catch them off guard, he turned his steed off the path and dove into the bamboo, disappearing into the darkness. A clamor of halting beasts and angry shouts caused a smile to grace his solemn face. Though their reputation was good, the truth of the matter was, the Shinsengumi were nothing but dogs, pets of the Shogun and his ideals, unable to function individually, but coming at their opponents as a massive group. Only cowards fought in this manner, and it was this fact that amused the scarlet swordsman ever more.

Still, despite his disappointment, his pursuers soon were upon him again, blasting through the great thicket, knocking down stalks by the dozen. He urged his steed to press forward, leaping and ducking around the swaying grass poles, utilizing the exotic steed's athletic flexibility. The small brown ponies the Shinsengumi rode found much trouble gaining speed, and soon filtered away into the darkness, unable to keep up. Battousai smiled softly, assuring himself he had lost them, when suddenly a dozen horsemen appeared from the left, leaping out of the brush and into the long strip of clearing he had been galloping through. They came round swiftly, blocking the exit, drawing their swords and preparing to charge. Those who had lagged behind soon caught up with their fleeing enemy and enclosed around the single swordsman like a pack of hungry, snarling wolves. Their eyes glowed in the firelight that flickered upon their torches, silver swords glinting crimson, thirsty for blood.

"Stand down, Battousai! You are out-numbered," a man shouted from within the horde.

Battousai lowered his eyes and relaxed his hands, letting the leather reins fall across Tsuki's sweaty neck. He breathed slowly, feeling the pulsing movement of his horse's heaving sides. A brisk wind raged through the thicket, making the bamboo creak and moan in agony, their leaves breaking off in loud snaps and flickering wildly in the light of the torches. The men grew restless as a great aura settled over them, one of immense power and inhuman might. The swordsman remained motionless as the wind picked up, sending the cavalry horses into a nervous panic. Their eyes white with terror, the brown ponies reared up madly, knocking their riders off, and fleeing into the forest. Angry and confused, the Shinsengumi rallied up, one and all, swords drawn for ground-battle, facing a single swordsman and his white horse. They came closer, ever nearer to the silent youth, who sat calmly upon the back of his ghostly white horse, disdainfully unbothered by their growing threat.

"Enough waiting! Attack now!"

They came for him swiftly, swords arched into a horizontal stance and gleaming in the firelight. The radiance of the full moon suddenly broke the through the midnight clouds, blood red and burning with anticipation of the coming battle. Battousai felt it, and welcomed the delicious power, that had lain dormant within him, flow freely through his veins. His eyes glowed with a mad, demonic, amber glare as he drew his sword and began the slaughter.



Toshiki lay awake upon her futon, her eyes gazing off through the open window, staring at the face of the full moon. She thought her eyes were drained, but the tears kept flowing from them.

It seems as but a dream...the scarlet swordsman that came into my life is gone forever...I may never see him again.

Yet she could see him...every part of him. His very essence was etched into her heart and would never be eroded. No matter how many men she would encounter, no matter how many times she would feel their love, only one touched her very soul: the powerful aura of Battousai, the man she called Akai. Her gaze deepened as she saw in her thoughts his regal form, golden and glowing in the candlelight. His long red hair spilling over his shoulder, eyes aflame with amber lust. The smooth caress of his hands and the moistness of his lips sliding across her throat coursed through her like a flood of rapture. How could she have let him go? She vowed to be by his side forever, but in the instant that he left, she was powerless. What had happened to her determination, her never-ending and relentless quest for his love and attention? What had happened to the one power she possessed? How could she have let him go off to battle without her? He would only return to the mad hitokiri, unable to control his rage and thirst for blood. Then again, if she did go with him she would only be a burden. Her mind was so muddled that she balled her fists, tight enough for her fingernails to draw blood, and screamed into the futon like a child. What am I to do? What am I to do?

Suddenly the air grew still and the moon turned a bloody red in the sky. The sound of horses alerted her to the presence of someone at the front gates. She flew to the window, hoping, praying, that it might be her lover returning to her. What she hoped and what she saw, however, were as different as night and day. Amber torches lit up the streets in front of the mansion, just beyond the wall. What seemed to be an army stood before it, equipped with spears and swords, looking as if they'd barge inside at any moment. Her heart skipped, realizing the great danger looming before her. The threats Akai had warned her of were coming to pass.

She rose to her feet and threw open the fusuma. Stepping out into the hallway, she turned to race across the house and warn her father, when a cold hand stretched out, silencing her scream, and dragged her into the darkness. Eyes wide with terror, her arms flailing, Toshiki clawed at the hands, digging her nails into her attacker, and tried to fight him off.

"Calm down, you little cat," a familiar voice hissed, relaxing his grip around her mouth.

Toshiki turned her eyes upward and caught the chiseled features and dark eyes of her sword master. "Kaurousuke?" she gasped through his chilly fingers. "What's going on? Who are those men outside?"

"Be still, and lower your voice, unless you wish to be caught." Kaurousuke grasped her by the hand and crept over to the window.

The armed men had already come through the front gates and were now flooding the courtyard. An army of at least fifty began searching around for the inhabitants of the mansion, clad in blue and white haori and white bandanas. Toshiki noticed the garb and the white and red banners on their horses. They barged through the doors of the lower levels with a swift horizontal sword technique, and called for the lord of the estate to come out.

Toshiki gasped in horror as she realized who those terrible men were. She turned to her master and breathed, "It is the Shinsengumi!"

"What?" her master asked, confused at her sudden terror.

"The Shinsengumi, the army allied with the Shogun! They have come to take us away. They have come to kill us!"

"Child, do not raise your voice," he growled. "Why would you think such things? We have done nothing wrong."

"The swordsman, he told me such things would come upon us. It is because we are sided with the Emperor. Kokkaido's men must have told them of us, and sent this army to destroy us!"

"Toshiki, Kokkaido's men were vanquished. How can it be that they are at fault?"

"Because they too are his allies, the Shinsengumi are sided with him! They've followed our trail! The nightmare is coming to pass! Death is upon us!"

"Hush, you little ermine, do you wish for them to find us? They're searching the house! We must escape at once!"

Taking her by the hand, Kaurousuke fled down the wooden steps and headed for the rear exit. Servants fluttered through the hallways, crying and shouting in fright. Toshiki glanced around and halted, noticing her father's figure in the middle of the courtyard, standing amidst the army. A large samurai was glaring down at him as he pleaded for mercy upon his household. The soldier shouted something at his face, drew his sword and cut the daimyo down in an instant, dark blood staining the sand.

Toshiki's heart stopped. Her father had been slain, before her very eyes. He lay there dead amidst the growing noise and chaos.

"No...Otosan..." she sobbed, tears of pain and shock streaming down her cheeks. "Otosan!"

"I'm sorry, Toshiki," Kaurousuke sighed. "There was nothing we could do."

The tears came, and she wept bitterly at the great tragedy that had befallen her. Clenching her fists, she fought them off, as anger grew hot within her breast. Rage against those smug armed men, who laughed and jeered over her father's demise. She could feel a great ominous fury coursing through her. They would pay for their wrongdoing. They would die by her hand!

She lunged toward the courtyard, fighting her master's grip. He tried to hold onto her, but she angrily pried away from Kaurousuke and fled in the other direction toward the dojo. "No, stop!" he called after her. "You'll get yourself killed! Come back, Toshiki!"

She ignored his voice and continued on through the blinding chaos. Concealing herself in the darkness, she hopped off the walkway and burst into the dojo, frantically searching for her great weapon. She spotted it, the naginata, untouched and shining upon the golden stand.

She approached it and spoke aloud, "My father was taken from me before my very eyes. My house is filled with the enemy, and I am terrified beyond imagination. Yet...I shall not run away! Akai...lend me your strength to avenge my family, lend me your power to avenge my father's death!"

She took hold of the sleek blade and turned to face the enemy, hatred coursing through her veins, poisoning every tear that dripped from her amber streaked eyes. As she raced toward the exit, a great searing heat suddenly blazed from the doorway, pelting her to the ground. Flames snaked across the floor and through the walls, a bright amber radiance blinding her eyes, and paralyzing her breath. Coughing, she tried to escape, but a wall of fire, amber and glowing, blocked every passage, snarling around her like a dragon.

Terror-stricken, she clutched the naginata and cried out in a dreadful tone. Tears flowed from her eyes, evaporating from her cheeks as the heat came round, closing in to reduce her ashes. Her eyes, half-blinded by the smoke, gazed into the sliver of her last possession. She stroked the hot steel and opened her mouth to whisper the sweet sound of her lover's name, but her throat was frozen and thick with black fumes. Her eyes blurred, the light of the flames transforming into gold. She fell against the smoldering wooden floor planks, holding the naginata close to her heart, the image of her lover blazing in her mind.

Promise me...Akai...promise that you'll never forget me....

Never forget me...

I will never forget...