Title: Mibu no Monogatari A Mibu Story - Shieikan Chapter 3
Series: Peacemaker Kurogane/Shinsengumi Imon Peacemaker
Although it is listed as a PMK fic, it's a historical fan fiction with a combination of elements from PMK, Shinsengumi, and other literature with an interpretation leaning towards that seen in PMK. Also, this is FICTION, which means that it's not necessarily true.
Rating: PG-13 Mild-language and implied sexual situations
Disclaimer: The characters by no means belong to me--they are who they are, but if they must be credited, they would most resemble Nanae Kurono's creations.
Summary: Continuation of the story in which nine year-old Okita Soujirou comes to the Shieikan dojo as a servant (page). After meeting Hijikata and Kondou Isami, how will his life change? May cover events up to almost the beginning of SI Peacemaker manga/anime.
Okita Mitsu was airing out the guest room that she and her husband Rintarou shared when she heard some shuffling noises, the sound of awkward fumbling followed by cursing and a jarring clatter of broken porcelain. She stood up and peeked into a crack between the shogi doors that divided the adjacent rooms. The young master Kondou Isami was sucking on a cut finger while pushing aside some furniture and browsing through various trinkets in the dresser. It was a curious sight, and Mitsu tried hard to stifle a giggle. Finally, she cleared her throat and knocked tentatively on the door.
"Who's there?" Isami whirled around, and nearly knocked off another shelf containing an old tea set.
Mitsu chuckled, and slid open the door. "Need any help?"
"I'm alright." Isami replied awkwardly, quite surprised to see her at the doorway.
"Are you looking for something? Let me help you."
"Well...uh...it's not really anything..." Isami looked away, somewhat embarrassed as he surveyed the mess at his feet. He stooped down to pick up pieces of broken porcelain, but Mitsu's hand reached out and stopped his.
"No, let me do it. You have a cut on your finger."
Isami backed away slowly and carefully sat down as Mitsu quickly and efficiently swept up the pieces of porcelain and tucked them away safely to be disposed. He couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance between Mitsu and her brother--not only did they share the same lustrous violet hair and lavendar eyes, there was also an inherent grace that belied the way they moved. Mitsu was a very attractive young woman, and she was also roughly the same age as Isami. He had heard that she married at the age of 14 in order to support her brother after their father's death. He quickly turned his face away when she seemed to notice that he had been looking at her.
"Young master, what happened to your face?"
"Oh, this! I got in trouble with mother again." Isami laughed nervously, then sighed. "I sometimes get the impression that she dislikes me."
"But you are her son after all. I don't think she can bear a grudge against you for long."
"Mother is a stubborn woman. When she's made up her mind, there's almost no way to change it. That's right--I was wondering where Toshi put some of his medicine. I could use some right now."
"Was that what you were fumbling around for?" Mitsu's sharp eyes spotted a small dark chest that lay half-buried beneath some of Hijikata's luggage in the corner. "Would that be it?"
"You have good eyes, Mitsu-san." Isami thanked her, and opened up the medicine chest. Mitsu fetched a basin of water and a clean towel, and she dissolved the fine powder into the water, made up a poultice, and applied it to the swell on Isami's face.
"Isami-san," Mitsu began, "Is it alright if I request a favor of you?"
"If it's within my ability to fulfill, yes please."
"Tomorrow morning, Rintarou and I are leaving to head back to Hino. Mother is waiting for us--she is still sick in bed, and we sent Soujirou here because we cannot afford to pay for her medicine and still care for him. Isami-san, please take care of my little brother. I cannot come to see him for a while, so it will be difficult for him to be away from his family for so long. He is my only precious little brother, but I know that I can trust you."
"Mitsu-san, you can rest assured. To me, little Soujirou is like a younger brother already. But I'm sad to hear that you are leaving. I wish that you can both stay. Tomorrow morning, I'll send the best doctor we know in Edo to go with you."
Mitsu smiled and her eyes glazed with the beginnings of tears. "Thank you, Isami-san. You will truly become a greater man than your father someday."
"Soujirou! Wake up wake up, sleepyhead!"
Mitsu pulled the covers off of her sleeping brother. The boy mumbled something and turned over onto his belly.
"If you don't get up right now, I'm going to tickle you!!"
"Ane-ue," Soujirou mumbled sleepily, "Just a little bit--"
Mitsu flexed her fingers, then grabbed her younger brother by the ribs and Soujirou squirmed and nearly jumped up, trying hard not to laugh.
"I was getting up already," he protested sleepily.
"If you don't hurry up, Fude-san will scold you again for being late. Then you won't be able to see me off now, will you?"
Soujirou blinked, instantly awake. "Ane-ue, you're leaving already?"
"Yes, and I'm hurt that you won't even say goodbye to me." She pouted. Then the smile returned to her face. "Well, hurry up and get dressed."
Soujirou climbed out of bed, and even though he hurriedly got dressed and washed his face, inside he felt almost as if his heart had been squeezed. He had known already that his sister couldn't stay with him for long, but he had hoped that the day would not come so soon. During breakfast, he had fallen strangely silent. Usually, he and his sister would be joking together at the table until Fude came and told them to stop laughing. Isami noticed the change in the mood, and tried to lighten the atmosphere.
"Hey Soujirou! Let me show you something that the Miyagawa family is known for!"
Mitsu's ears perked up, and she quipped in cheerfully, "What, what?"
Rintarou smiled. "Mitsu, you didn't know? Ka-chan can fit an entire fist inside his mouth."
"Oh my goodness! It's true?"
"Here, a bean bun." Rintarou offered. Soujirou watched wide-eyed as Isami stuffed bun after bun into his mouth. He could not help but laugh when Isami coughed and spilled pieces of bun into his lap. Mitsu giggled and offered a towel to wipe up.
"Isami-san, thank you." Mitsu smiled.
After breakfast, Rintarou loaded the mule with the last pieces of luggage, and the entire dojo gathered at the entrance to see them off. Mitsu knelt down and hugged Soujirou tightly.
"Soujirou, be a good boy and listen to what Isami-san tells you. I will come visit again in a few years to see how much you've grown, and maybe then, I will stay here longer."
"Ane-ue, will mother be alright?"
Mitsu's eyes softened. "Don't worry. The best doctor in Edo is coming along with us to see mother. You just worry about staying out of trouble."
Soujirou bit back the urge to cry when his sister released him. He could still smell the familiar scent of her kimono--the smell of plum blossoms she always wore. However, he had promised somebody that he wouldn't cry anymore. Mitsu and Rintarou led the mule out the gate, while the Kondou family, servants, and students wished them well. Mitsu turned around and waved once at Soujirou before the gates closed off any view of her.
Even after the servants returned to their work, Soujirou stood staring at the closed gates, as if Mitsu would push it open and smile at him again. Isami walked up to the little boy and placed a hand on Soujirou's shoulder. He noticed that the child had not moved from the spot.
"Isami-san," the younger boy began, his violet eyes still fixed on the door, "Crying won't do any good, will it?"
Isami's eyes widened for a moment, realizing what was happening in the child's mind.
"No, at times like this, it's okay to cry."
Suddenly, the small pale face buried itself into the folds of his yukata, and small hands clutched tightly at the fabric. A quiet choking sound escaped from the boy's throat, and he could feel the fabric beginning to pool with moisture. He wrapped his arms protective against the small thin body, and held it close to him until the sobbing finally died down.
"So, what have you to say this time, boy?"
Fude had her arms crossed over her chest and Soujirou could almost hear her tapping her foot impatiently beneath her kimono. She had found the boy sullen-faced in the rear courtyard instead of waiting attentively in the kitchen for her orders. Her patience was nearing the end of its string, and she even considered giving the boy a good thrashing to come to his senses. Suddenly, Soujirou fell on his knees in front of her, and his forehead touched the ground at her feet.
"Fude-sama, I am willing to accept any punishment for my tardiness."
His voice was steady, no longer quivering with fear, and he did not even twitch as she took a step closer. Fude was a bit surprised. She had expected the boy to cower, turn tail, and run away like he usually did.
"Very well. As a lesson to you to be punctual next time, I have drawn up a list of chores for you to do. If I catch you slacking off on your duties, you will have to answer to a 100 spankings, and no less. Do you understand?"
"Hai."
The boy remained bowed until she kicked at him to get up and start on the chores. Soujirou quickly rushed to his duties, and in a way he was relieved to be kept busy. And so for the rest of the morning, he was busy running about helping the servants prepare lunch, washing the dishes, serving tea, sweeping out the rooms and dusting the ceilings, and doing laundry.
By late afternoon, he had finally hung up the last piece of laundry to dry, and sat back, exhausted, with a sigh. Hijikata Toshizou was actually nearby, around the corner of where the laundry was hung up, and he heard the sigh. He put down his knife which he had been using to whittle at a tree branch, and turned to see the boy lying on his back in the grass. Soujirou turned his head when he heard the sound of foosteps.
"Hijikata-san!"
"Oi kid. Don't lie on the ground like that."
Soujirou sat up, and drew his knees up to his chest. He noticed Hijikata looking him up and down, a furrow starting to form between his brow. He simply stared back innocently at Hijikata until he noticed the irritation break out over the young man's face.
"Well, get up and come with me if you have nothing better to do."
Puzzled but curious, the young boy followed after Hijikata, his ponytail bobbing as he struggled to keep up with the older boy's longer strides. Hijikata stopped just behind the main dojo, then turned around and held out the branch he had been whittling to the younger boy. It was a tree branch that had been cut so that it had two flat surfaces, and was just the perfect length to be a wooden sword for a child Soujirou's size.
"Take it," Hijikata ordered, and Soujirou took the sword from him, looking at it closely. Suddenly, the boy started to giggle, and Hijikata frowned with impatience. "What's so funny?"
"It looks like a sword alright, but it's crooked."
"Oh, shut up! I don't have a sword your size, so it will do for now."
Hijikata picked up his own wooden sword which had been lying against the wall, and gripped it, with his body aligned sideways to the boy.
"Souji, hold it out in front of you like this."
The young boy nodded, and tried his best to wrap his small hands around the sword the same way Hijikata held his.
"Right thumb a little higher. Now just do what I'm doing." Hijikata demonstrated a few practice swings, and Soujirou tried his best to imitate him.
"Hijikata-san, why don't you train at the dojo?"
Hijikata stopped swinging and stared at the boy. He looked almost thoughtful for a moment, but then the expression on his face hardened, and he barked back sharply.
"Don't just stand there. Come at me with all you've got!"
End of Chapter 3
TBC
Notes: I realized that everything I intended to squeeze into this chapter wouldn't fit, so some of it will have to go to the next chapter. Also, I made slight revisions of details in Chapter 2. I have done some more research, but no matter how much research I do, it's never enough. ; Also, I want to start an acknowledgement section to thank and credit people who have been helpful along the way or encouraging me on this story. For next time: will Hijikata ever give his reasons for not practicing at the Shieikan dojo? What happens to Souji's life after Hijikata leaves Shieikan as well? Look forward to the next chapter.