Matters of the Heart pt. 7 A Strange Foreigner
Dazzling morning sunlight fluttered through the sliding paper door. Megumi stirred. Her bleary eyes opened and reached across the futon finding Okita's empty space. She let out a cough opening up her nemaki and watched purple blossoming blemishes slowly bloom on her chest. She sighed. The door opened. Quickly, she shut her nemaki. Okita knelt just outside her door a tray of tea cups and a teapot beside him. A small white square rested near the teapot.
"I've brought tea," Okita said smiling. "And some medicine."
"Medicine?" she questioned. "What for?"
He continued smiling.
"For you," he answered. "It's an old Hijikata recipe. It's suppose it cure coughs and stop fatigue. I asked him to make it especially for you."
A larger grin lit up his face. He unwrapped a corner of the small square and prepared to pour the white powder in the teapot filled with steaming tea. Oh, Okita, she thought as she smiled a small smile.
"But I don't need it," she replied. "I'm fine."
Her hand charmed the small parcel out of his fingers. She stood headed for the small trashcan sitting in the corner of her room. Okita snatched her hand. A grim look darkened his face.
"Don't lie to me," he whispered worriedly. "I see how you are when you come back from Shimabara. You're always tired. Feverish. You're a bit pale... And you're thinner than what you used to be."
She lowered her head her eyes hidden by her black hair. Megumi turned to him a small, sad smile on her face.
"Heh," she chuckled nervously. "I didn't think anyone noticed.. But I'm fine. It's only a small cold. I'm not sick."
Okita sighed.
"Please," he pleaded with a puppy-eyed look. "Just this once?"
Megumi chuckled.
"All right," she replied kneeling and pouring the white powder into the teapot. "Just this once."
He smiled and began pouring hot tea into the cups. They drank. A bitter taste flooded her mouth.
"Ugh," she groaned. "This is awful."
He chuckled sipping his cup.
"True, but they say medicine is good if it's bitter on the tongue," he smiled.
She smiled back.
"Yes.. I can tell it's working," she replied.
Okita smiled temporarily feeling his worries slip away with the bitter wash of tea.
"Seishin-san," Ayumu began. "I've got some breakfast."
As Ayumu set down the tray, he pounced on her squeezing the air out of her lungs in a crushing hug.
"Thank you, Ayumu-cchhaann!" he cried nuzzling her. "I was getting hungry!"
Ayumu giggled.
"Well you're very welcome," she replied wrapping an arm around him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get cooking for the rest of the men."
Seishin nodded and pecked her cheek. Smiling, Ayumu stood and padded out the door headed for the kitchen to make morning meals. He continued eating contently.
He crept around the bushes his black dreadlocks catching in the leaves and branches. He hummed an anthem from his dark colored lips. His head popped out hearing a familiar voice. Ooh! It's Okita-kun! He grinned. He continued staring.
Okita's light blue uniform swished and fluttered as he padded through the walkways headed for her room. She walked out carrying a small folded bundle in her hands.
"Megumi-chan," Okita called out trotting up. ".. Are you leaving now?"
She turned to him smiling a small sad smile. The cherry blossom hairpin in her hair jingled as the silver beads collided.
"Hai.." she replied lowering her head. "I'm off early.. And.. I've gotten no cases.. So.. Are you still on duty?"
He smiled nodding. He placed a kiss on her cheek. She blushed.
"Just be careful ne?" he asked.
She nodded a small smile coming to her lips.
"Ooh!" a voice suddenly cried out. "What a cute little couple you make! When did you meet her, Okita-kun!"
They turned. A tall man dressed in a white kimono and a black haori with a cowboy hat stood before them. His gray pants blew in the breeze. His black dreadlocks blew in the breeze littered with leaves from the bushes. Dark circle sunglasses hid his eyes. Okita glared a cold smirk coming to his face.
"Thank you, Sakamoto Ryoma" he replied the cold look still shining in his eyes. "You do realize I'm still on duty don't you?"
He placed two fingers in his lips and blew. A loud screeching whistle echoed through the compound. The men came running surrounding the dread-locked man. Sakamoto winked as he pulled out a shining silver pistol. Okita gently pushed Megumi behind him still glaring. Sakamoto pointed his gun and spun around slowly taking aim. A shot rang out. A solider fell to the ground clutching his leg.
Okita growled. Another shot rang out. Megumi jumped dropping her smoking bundle as hair ornaments, torn pieces of a silk kimono, and brushes went flying.
Shots continued ringing. Soldiers fell crying out in pain. Quickly, Megumi rushed into her room grabbing a few supplies. She pushed past Okita and made her way to a wounded solider.
"Megumi-san! No!" Okita cried.
As she knelt beside a soldier, she stopped. A cold pistol barrel pressed against her temple. Slowly, she turned staring frightened down the dark chute. Sakamoto waved his finger. Okita pulled out his sword. He let out a quiet growl.
"Get away from her!" he cried.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," he chided grinning. "You shouldn't do that, Pretty Lady. Okita wouldn't want to see your pretty hairpin covered in blood... Ah well.. I must be going!"
He leaped up to the high wall and turned back.
"Tell the Dragon Boy and Iron Boy I said 'Hi'!" he grinned jumping down to the other side.
"After him!" Okita cried. "Don't worry about his gun! Just go!"
The other soldiers rushed out after him. Okita rushed to her side.
"Daijoubu ka!" he questioned frantically.
"H-hai," she replied shakily. "Just a bit shaken."
He nodded helping her to her feet. She smiled shuddering nervously in his arms.
"All right!" she commanded. "Those who can stand on their own help the wounded in my office! I'll take care of all of you there."
The wounded soldiers nodded as they stood and slowly made their way to her office. Megumi walked to her blown open bundle. She sighed. Fix the boys. Then go to Shimabara, she thought sighing another sigh. At least I get to go there a little later.
She trudged into the barracks her sickly pale skin standing out in the dark night. Megumi wiped the sweat off her burning forehead. She let out a loud harsh cough.
"Oi!" Nagakura cried out gleefully. "Megumi-chan! We were looking for you!"
"Yea," Harada grinned.
Todou nodded.
"We were hoping you'd come out to dinner with us," the third Joker added.
She turned to them feeling her head start to spin. The three blurry figures seemed to speak in a foreign tongue. A strange foreigner stepped up to her.
"Hey.." Harada began worriedly. "Are you all right? You look feverish.."
She groaned suddenly feeling her legs being cut out from under her by an invisible axe. Harada rushed to her side and caught her.
"Megumi-chan!" Nagakura and Todou cried.
"Get a doctor!" Harada commanded. "Tell the commanders!"
Nagakura nodded and ran off.
Laughter echoed through the small room as Okita, Hijikata, Yamanami, and Kondou sipped their sake. Hijikata blew out a long puff of smoke from his opium pipe. Suddenly, the door slid open slamming hard into the stopper. Outside, Nagakura stood panting. The turned.
"GET A DOCTOR!" he cried frantically.
Kondou laughed.
"But Megumi-san is a doctor!" he grinned making the others chuckle.
Nagakura groaned.
"That's why we need the doctor! She's sick!" he exclaimed.
Immediately, the laughter stopped.
Megumi! Okita's mind raced. Quickly, he stood and rushed out of the room.
"Megumi!" Okita called out worriedly.
Kondou gulped.
"I'll go get Matsumoto!" he worried heading out the door hurriedly making his way into town.
Hijikata and Yamanami rushed after Okita.
She laid on the tatami floor wrapped in a blanket. Ayumu knelt beside her barely conscious form as she wrung out a small rag the cold water drizzling back into the bowl. Folding the rag, Ayumu placed it gently on Megumi's scorching head. She stirred. Gently, Seishin cradled her head and placed a small cup of water to her lips.
"Drink," he whispered as her mouth opened slightly.
Cool water slid down her throat only to be spat out with a slew of coughs. Okita slid to a stop just outside the open sliding door.
"MEGUMI!" he cried rushing in and sitting at her side.
"Shh," Ayumu hushed. "I'd say she needs rest."
Okita nodded. The Jokers sat around her as Hijikata and Yamanami walked inside. Slowly, men gathered hearing the commotion. Tetsunosuke walked in rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Tatsunosuke followed.
"Nani? What's going on?" Tetsunosuke asked rubbing his eyes.
"Oh it's nothing," Ayumu smiled. "Megumi has just come down with a slight fever."
Then, tall and with a shaggy beard and a monocle, he walked in.
"Now, now!" he began. "What's all this commotion about?"
"Ah! Matsumoto-san!" Ayumu greeted smiling. "She's right here. She's just got a small fever of sorts."
Matsumoto nodded. He sat beside her and pried open a barely conscious eye. She groaned. Hm.. He thought worriedly quickly pulling her kimono open. Purple splotches littered her chest. She groaned again. Matsumoto turned to the others worriedly.
"Tell me..." he said. "Has this woman been to Shimabara lately?"
"Nah," Nagakura replied waving his hand nonchalantly. "Megumi would never go there! She's a good woman!"
Todou and Harada nodded. Other nods murmurs came from around the room. Worriedly, Okita looked away. He leaned in close and tapped the doctor's shoulder.
"She works there sometimes," he whispered. "Please don't tell. She's really embarrassed about it."
"Megumi-san," he began. "How many men did you serve today?"
She groaned as he lifted her head gently.
"Too many too count," she murmured laying her head back down on her pillow.
Matsumoto nodded. He remained silent. He turned toward the others.
"Could all the people in this room leave except for Okita?" he asked.
The others nodded and slowly filed out of the room. Matsumoto sighed.
"It's just as I thought," he said softly. "It's the new disease running rampant in Shimabara. We don't know much about it, but I mimics other diseases and is passed on to others when one has too much sex. There is no cure yet. We haven't found one. I'm afraid..."
He trailed off. He sighed.
"Megumi-san will die."