CHAPTER 5: Mission 1: Chou the Sword Hand
Saito sat in a chair by his desk in his room. He was talking to Okita about the mission that night.
"No," Saito said curtly. "We are NOT entrusting this mission to that ahou." Okita sighed.
"We have to, Saito-san," he said. "Chou will know that we are us! He can recognize almost any member of the Shinsengumi by now."
"When is he supposedly coming out?" Saito asked.
"Eight," Okita replied. "And we should be at the shrine at 8:14 exactly. It'll take him that long to get there." Saito nodded.
"What about the Ishin Shishi or Oniwabanshuu? Are they accompanying us?" Saito asked. Okita shrugged.
"No idea. We think it's probable that they will, but there's no guarantee," Okita said. "But if we should entrust Sano-san with the responsibility of capturing Chou, we'll need as much backup as possible. Isn't that how you feel, Saito-san?" Saito nodded.
"Actually, I feel that we shouldn't even let the moron join us," Saito said. "He'll just get in the way! He's got no training whatsoever! Just forget about him. We can defeat Chou on our own! Chou's ego will never let him turn down a battle with one of us." Okita thought a minute.
"We don't have to let him do all of it. He can have him begin the fight and have someone better jump in before anything happens! What could go wrong?" Saito nodded silently. He hoped that it would work. There would be no better opportunity to apprehend a Demon of the Juppongatana. They couldn't afford to mess this one up.
Sano jerked awake. He was staring at a smooth white ceiling. Where was he? He sat up and everything came back to him. He was at the Shinsengumi base.
Well now I know that it's not a dream, Sano thought, rubbing his head. He yawned and stepped into his sneakers. He checked his watch. Almost eight. He'd slept for a long time. He yawned again. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Sano opened it and was met with Okita.
"Hello, Sano-san," Okita said. He was wearing a long blue jacket with white triangles at the bottom. It was the same as the one Sano had gotten, but smaller. Under it, there was a long sleeved gray shirt and darker gray pants with white stripes at the bottom. He was wearing sneakers with it. His fluffy brown hair was tied into a ponytail, and clipped to his belt was a sword.
"Hello, Okita-san," Sano yawned. "Is it time already?" Okita nodded.
"I came a little early so we could get you your weapons," Okita said. Sano perked up.
"Weapons?" he asked. Okita smiled and beckoned for Sano to follow. They walked out of the living quarters and down the silver tunnel to another room. Okita put in a password and the door opened, revealing a large room. It was also white, but hanging all over the wall were many different swords with many different sizes, shapes, and… colors?
"Why are the swords colored?" Sano asked. Okita grinned.
"Some of them have powers. The normal metal ones are the bare minimum—you use them to get rid of the weakest demons. The metallic yellow ones unleash a little energy—enough to win against the common demons. Usually newbies use those… but…" Okita took down a metallic blue sword and its sheath. "You'll use the third to strongest sword against Chou. We'll need to rely on the sword because you haven't had a speck of training yet. The strength of the sword also depends on the experience of the person wielding it." Sano took the sleek sheath from Okita's outstretched hand. He also took the handle of the smooth, gleaming katana in his other hand. Okita gave him a clip to put the sheath in. Sano took it and clipped it to his belt, then slid the sheath in. He fumbled a little with sheathing the sword. He hadn't ever sheathed a sword before. Okita gave a grin and walked out of the sword room, making sure to close the door behind him. Okita handed Sano a small gun, similar to the one Saito had used on Shishio that day at the Akabeko.
"This is to weaken the demon," Okita explained. "But it isn't very accurate. You'll only want to use it in close range or when the enemy is down." Sano took it and stuck it in his pocket. They headed for the elevator. There, they met up with Saito and a few other members of the Shinsengumi that Sano didn't know. They all boarded the elevator.
"You'll be luring Chou into a fight," Okita explained quietly to Sano in the elevator. Sano nodded, gulping. He didn't know if he was ready to fight a demon.
"What if… I…" Sano started, not wanting to think about it. Okita giggled.
"We'll be hiding around the place to back you up," Okita said. "It will only be one Demon, so you don't have anything to worry about." The elevator stopped. Everyone filed out and into the large concrete hall with granite floors. They walked straight to the door at the other end and Saito opened the door, letting people out.
"Saito, I didn't know you'd be—" Sano started, but Saito gave him an angry glare.
"You'll address me as Wolf, Zanza," Saito snapped. Sano glared back. He didn't have to be so harsh…
"Sorry, WOLF," Sano retorted. He hurried to catch up with Okita.
"Yeah, you have to remember to call us by our code names," Okita whispered, having heard the whole thing. "I'm Happy if you didn't know." As if to prove it, he gave a smile. Sano couldn't help but smile as well. The boy could make anyone happy if he tried.
Meanwhile, atop Mt. Hiei…
"You'd better get going, Chou," a man wrapped in bandages said to a man with tall, blonde hair. "You don't want to keep the Shinsengumi waiting." The man with the broom-like hair smiled.
"Yer right, Mister Shishio," Chou said in a southern accent. "But bein' against the entire Shinsengumi… I think I might need some back up." The bandaged man grinned.
"Don't worry, Chou," he said. "I'll send Anji the Destroyer to help you. Together, you should be fine." He gave a low laugh. "The Shinsengumi took away my old body… I think you two should thank them for me. And be sure to give my WARMEST regards to the leader of the third squad, Wolf…" Chou laughed.
"Any time, Mister Shishio…" Chou said. He turned to leave the room. "I'll be goin' now…" Shishio smiled.
"Wait," he said. "Could you get me dinner on your way? I would like a younger person, though. Their flesh is sweeter." Chou nodded.
"Anythin' else, sir?" Chou asked. Shishio shook his head.
"Don't blow it, Chou," Shishio said. "We need that sword. Not only for your collection, but the message on it. It tells of a gem that we can use to create chaos in Japan."
Sano pulled his jacket tighter around himself as he trudged through the snow. The group stopped at a long flight of stairs.
"Go to the top, Zanza," Saito commanded. "Chou should be there shortly." Sano stared.
"What about you guys?" he asked, shivering.
"Worry about yourself, Ahou," Saito snapped. "I suggest you get a move on. Chou won't hesitate to steal the sacred sword from the shrine so he can add that design to his collection of shapes his hands can take." Sano thought a minute.
"Okay," he said. "But you'd better be there…" He began the long walk up the stairs.
A small house in at the edge of the city…
A small boy was sitting outside a house, playing with the snow.
"Iori!! Come inside!!" a woman's voice called from inside the house. The boy looked up, then continued to play with the snow. Just then, a man with tall, broom-like hair passed the house. He spotted the boy. Just then, another man came out of the house to pick up the child. One of the broom-headed man's hands grew long and thin. It was in the shape of a sword's sheath. He hooked it onto the child's shirt and pulled the child away from his father's reach. The child's father looked in horror.
"My boss likes to eat people…" the man said. "So I think I'll take this child to 'im for dinner." The man gasped.
"NO! NOT IORI!!" he cried. Chou laughed and walked away, the child hanging from his hand. Unbeknownst to any of them, a pair of lavender eyes watched from the shadows.
Sano stood in the freezing cold air, waiting anxiously for his opponent to show. He leaned against the door frame of the shrine.
Maybe he won't come!! Sano thought happily. Maybe I'll be let off the hook! Maybe I won't have to risk my life for anything! Maybe I'll— His thoughts were stopped by a figure in the distance ascending the stairs.
"Oh great," Sano muttered. "Is that him?" The man stepped through the darkness. Sano could only make out his outline. It seemed that he had really tall hair… and a long something coming out of his hand with an object dangling from it. It was just then that Sano figured it out: the long thing WAS the man's hand. Sano made a face.
"Who're you?!" the man with tall hair called from the darkness. Sano stepped down from the shrine, walking slowly toward the man.
"I'm Sa—er… Zanza," Sano stammered. The man laughed.
"So you are," he said. "Well if you don' mind, I'll be goin' into the shrine…" Sano blocked his path.
"You're not going anywhere, Demon!" Sano said. "I'm… er… here to stop you?" Sano sweatdropped. That sounded so corny. The man stopped.
"Ah… yer of the Shinsengumi…" the man said. "Then I'm sure you already know that I'm Chou…" He took his long hand and swung it, flinging the object to a nearby tree. Sano heard the object start to cry. It was a child?! Sano pulled out his sword as gracefully as possible. It only half worked. He pulled it out so that it got slightly stuck halfway out. He had to pull harder to dislodge it.
"You're not as experienced as the rest of 'em, are ya?" Chou asked, changing his sheath hand into a sword. He swung it so it angled toward the ground. "Too bad you'll be facin' me." He gave a grin. Sano narrowed his eyes and gripped the hilt of he sword with both hands. He hadn't used a sword in his entire life, and now when his life depended on it… His thoughts were cut short when Chou ran forward yelling. Sano barely dodged the stab and jumped back cautiously. Chou transformed his other hand into another sword. He ran forward again. Sano raised his sword and knocked the first hand away, then clashing with the other. He pushed with all his might. Chou raised his other arm and delivered a shattering blow to Sano's head. Sano was tossed backward into the snow, leaving a red stain on the powdery white substance. He squeezed his eyes shut.
"Uhh…" Sano moaned, reaching up with his hand and feeling the deep cut on his forehead. He was thankful that the sword's force was cut by the awkward angle of the attack. He opened his eyes to see Chou standing over him, the tip of a blade pointing to Sano's nose. Sano gulped, groping around for his sword that he'd dropped. He found it easily, but Chou knocked the sword out of Sano's palm with his sword.
"Dead," Chou said, slashing toward Sano. He rolled to the side, getting slashed along his ribs. He stood up shakily, feeling warm blood running down his side. Sano was breathing heavily, each breath coming out with a raspy sound. He coughed, kneeling. Chou advanced on him slowly.
Where are you guys?! Sano asked himself as he backed up. Okita… Saito… where are you…? Anybody… please… His vision was blurring before him. He coughed again and collapsed onto his knees. Just then, a redheaded figure jumped in front of him, confronting Chou.
"You will not hurt him anymore, that you won't!" the figure said. And with that, Sano fell face first into the welcoming snow, losing consciousness.
"Wolf-san!! Look out!!" Okita yelled, just noticing the approaching demon.
Saito jumped back, dodging the punch. A big, muscular man with dark brown around his eyes and a bandanna jumped after him, slamming his other fist into Saito's stomach. Saito flew backwards into a tree, coughing blood. The man advanced.
"WOLF-SAN!!" Okita yelled, running over and taking a Hiratsuki stance. He sprang forward with incredible speed, hitting the man with his sword. The man stumbled backwards, grunting. Saito pulled himself up with his sword. He wiped the blood away. Okita jumped back to be next to Saito.
"Thanks," Saito muttered, raising his sword to a Gatotsu position. He glanced around. "Where're the others?" Okita shook his head.
"Anji knocked them all out," Okita said. "He sneaked up on them. That's why we couldn't hear them." Saito nodded.
"He sneaked up on us, too. That's why I didn't notice him… We'll have to check on them and the Ahou when we finish him," Saito said, blinking pain away. "I wonder if the Ishin Shishi are here… we could use their help right now…"
"I don't know, but I think that Zanza will need their help more then we do…" Okita said. He jumped up, attacking with his three-hit Hiratsuki. Anji dodged the first hit and the last. His shoulder was pierced and green goop oozed out. It was like the green stuff from Shishio's tentacles. Okita retreated and Saito charged in with the Gatotsu. He made contact with Anji's other shoulder. Anji stumbled, then brought both fists down on Saito's back. Saito let out a choke of pain and splashed into the snow, on the brink of unconsciousness. Okita gasped.
"H-ap-py…" Saito groaned attempting to stand but failing.
"Wolf-san!! You have to get up!!" Okita yelled. He charged in with a Hiratsuki to Anji's head, but Anji swung a powerful arm right into Okita's side. Okita flew off and smashed into the snow, slid across the ground, rolling a little, then stopping. He didn't move. Saito looked at Okita's limp form lying in the snow from where he was lying. He stood weakly, then ran forward, kicking up snow behind him. He used his last bit of strength to shove his katana into Anji's chest, then let go, leaving the katana sticking out. He fell to the snow a foot away from Anji's feet. Anji gave a groan of pain.
"You're good," he choked. "But I get the last laugh." Saito looked up at him, hardly able to move. Anji pitched forward, falling limp as he fell, and landed right on top of Saito, crushing him.
A young girl in a ninja outfit sprinted up the steps with her grandfather and the parents of the abducted child. She reached the top of the staircase before the other three and stopped to catch her breath.
"HIMURA!" she yelled to a red headed figure who was facing a broom-haired man. "Where are the Shinsengumi?!" The redhead looked her way.
"There's one behind me!!" the redhead called back. "Take care of him!!" He faced the broom head again.
"Chou… a Demon of the Juppongatana…" the girl gasped, staring at the broom headed man. Just then, the older man reached her.
"Misao," he panted to the girl. She looked at him.
"Gramps, what do we do?" Misao asked. The man looked over to the fallen member of the Shinsengumi.
"You'll go find the other members of the Shinsengumi. There must be more of them. I'm sure Himura will take care of Chou. I'll go see to the fallen one," the old man said, galloping across the snowy ground to Sano. Misao nodded and dashed off into the trees. The parents of the captured child just watched in horror.
"Are you awake?" the old man shook the limp Sano.
No answer.
"Hello!!"
Still no answer.
"I guess not…" the man said, feeling for a pulse on Sano's wrist. There was one. With much trouble, the old man lifted Sano into his arms and waddled over to the shrine where he lay him onto the wooden planks.
"So, you're the legendary Battousai," Chou said in his southern drawl. The redhead shook his head.
"No," he said. "I'm Kenshin Himura now. You may call me what you want, but I will never be the Battousai again." The man drew his sword.
"You're here to fight, eh?" Chou asked, waving his sword-like hand. Kenshin shook his head.
"No," he said. "I'm here to save Iori and that's all. But if you won't step aside… then… I'll have to fight you." Chou laughed.
"Battousai turnin' down a fight with a demon? Now that's unheard of!" Chou sniggered. "But if I should turn down this fight, Shishio'd kill me!! So I guess there ain't no way to avoid this battle." Kenshin drew his sword.
"I guess there isn't," Kenshin said.
Misao dashed along the powdered path, squinting through the darkness. It was the darkest time of night, and she could hardly see two feet in front of her. It was then that she tripped over a lump in the ground. She fell into the cold, soft snow, the front of her outfit caked with it.
"What was that?" she asked herself as she rolled over and sat up. She dug around in the snow to find what she had tripped over. It was a katana. Misao picked it up, flicking her long braid over her shoulder. She walked a little farther and found what appeared to be a young boy lying in the snow. She rolled him over. He was unconscious but, being a 'trained' member of the Undercover Oniwabanshuu, Misao recognized him instantly. He was Soushi Okita, leader of the first squad of the Shinsengumi. Misao quickly felt for a pulse on his wrist. She felt one and breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she walked over to a large shadow. It was Anji, a Juppongatana Demon. Misao was about to grab Okita and run, but she spotted a hand coming out from under the body.
"Someone… is under him!" she gasped. She thought hard. Misao knew that if she wouldn't stand a chance against a Demon of his caliber… and that if he woke up, he'd kill her without hesitation… but what if the person underneath was still alive? She needed to help. And Anji was knocked out… so… Misao grabbed onto one of his broad shoulders and shoved. The body hardly moved an inch. Misao braced herself and tried again. It moved a little more. Just then, Misao heard coughing behind her. She whirled around. It was Okita.
"Misao-dono," Okita coughed. "Where is Aoshi-san?" Misao stared at Okita.
"I… don't know. But Himura knows something about him and the others that he won't tell me! Hey, could you help me move this guy?" Misao jabbed a finger at Anji. Okita nodded.
"Why?" he asked, looking around. "Oh, have you seen Saito-san anywhere?" Misao shook her head.
"But there is someone under Anji," she said. "Do you have Demoncuffs?" Okita shook his head.
"We weren't planning on having Anji here, only Chou. We thought we could carry him back…" Okita said, placing his hands on Anji's back. "On three, one, two, three!!" They both shoved and slowly, Anji slid off. Saito was lying, soaked in green slop, underneath.
"Okita! It's Saito-san!!" Misao gasped. Okita kneeled and gently shook his friend.
"Saito-san! Please! Wake up!!" Okita said hoarsely. Saito gave a groan. Okita shook him a little harder. "Saito-san!!" Okita shook him some more. "Get up!" Okita looked up at Misao.
"What?" she asked. Okita shook his head.
"It's no use. He won't get up. He's really knocked out cold!" Okita said. Misao pushed Okita aside.
"WAKE UP YOU LAZY BUM!!!" Misao yelled, grabbing onto Saito's collar and pulling him up. She shook him roughly. Okita's eyes bugged out.
"Hey! Be careful!!" Okita said, grabbing Misao's shoulders and steering her away from Saito, who slumped back onto the floor. "He just got crushed by Anji!" Misao fumed some more, then calmed down.
"We have to get back to the other fight," Misao said. "Himura might need us…" Okita gave a small laugh.
"What are you talking about? Himura-san doesn't need our help. He'll finish off Chou in no time!" Okita said, giggling into his hands. "Sorry, Misao-dono. I didn't mean to laugh at you…" Misao stared at him. Just then, a hand clamped on her shoulder. She whirled around, quickly securing her kunai between her fingers. She was about to toss them, but Okita grabbed her arm. The kunai fell to the snow.
"LET GO!!" Misao yelled, trying to pull her arms out of Okita's grip. "I said LET GO!!!"
"Hold on!" Okita said, tightening his hold. "You're not being attacked!!" Misao looked up at her 'attacker' and found that it was Saito, holding his sword and dripping with demon goop.
"Who's this?" he growled. "Weasel?" Okita started giggling again while Misao started fuming.
"I knew you Shinsengumi guys were no good!! No good at all! I should've listened to Aoshi-sama and Gramps!! I should've known that you'd turn on us one day!!!" Misao shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at Saito. "You really are lazy bums!! I'd think that you two could easily defeat Anji!! You're supposed to be so strong! Wolves, they call you! You're more like puppies—" Saito's eyes flashed and he grabbed her, pinning her to a nearby tree. She gave a surprised whimper.
"Idiotic little girl!!" Saito snarled, giving her a warning glare. "You will never understand the Shinsengumi!" He dropped her to the snow without waiting for an answer and turned to pick up his katana. He started walking toward the shrine. Okita looked on after him, then ran to the shocked Misao and gave her his hand.
"Sorry about that," Okita said. "But next time, don't mess with Saito-san's pride…" He pulled her out of the snow. Misao scowled and dusted herself off.
"Humph," was all she said. Okita watched her for a little while, then turned away as well, following Saito's footsteps. Misao followed after him, keeping her distance from both of them.
A/N: Hey, everyone!! Betcha no one's actually reading this: I've been gone too long. I've been completely forgotten. But that's okay. Thanks for reading anyway.
REVIEW RESPONSES:
Tsuneari: Thanks for reviewing!! Glad you've got lots of time!! You're gonna need it!!
Miburo Kid: I don't think it's been a year… has it? And you haven't been offending or anything in any reviews… (I got a review from you apologizing…) All your encouragement has really helped me get updating again (I've been so lazy…).
Kairi7: Hi again. Nah, it's okay. I don't really care that you've been lazy. Me too!!
Shadic the Hedgehog, Author: Never seen you around in my stories… thanks for checking my stuff out!! Kenshin and Sano meet… sort of… in this chapter!!
AND THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READ AND DIDN'T LEAVE A REVIEW!!