Red Wolf--Chapter 3: Clash of Wolves' Blades
Author: Hakubi
Disclaimer: Y'all should know this by now. I don't own RK!
Review Responses:
Before I respond to anything, I will say this: Saitou will appear in this chapter! The first bit is the last part of Eimi/Usankusai fluff that I will ever write in this story.
Danne: The language of Rurouni Kenshin was modernized a bit to make it understandable. Thank you for the comment, though, goofball.
Child-of-draco: I had every intention of making Tokio out of the ordinary. Where would the fun be if I didn't put my own brand on her? And not only that, I have had this idea for three years, and my ideas of her have shifted a lot in that time.
Lt.soniablade: I did wonder why no one created a C2 for Tokio/Saitou fics. Who knows? But then, even if they did, I probably wouldn't know about it 'cuz I'm so lazy!
Sala: Will do!
Dew-Drop Viper: ((bows)) Yayness! People like my story!
Gabby(hyatt: I'm not sure if Tomoe will make an appearance. It's rare enough that I look into Kenshin's mind, let alone that of his wife. But yes, I am trying to make it like the manga in that when it hits the beginning of RK that it will be the 11th year of the Meiji instead of the 10th.
To all: Thank you for reading! I am very appreciative of all who take time out of their (sometimes?) busy lives to read this junk that I write because I, in fact, have absolutely no semblance of a social life.
(By the way, the portrayal of Okita that I use in this chapter is borrowed from Peacemaker Kurogane. I love the way he acts in there! And Nagakura too. They're both spinoffs of the Peacemaker versions.)
And I would also like to thank Angrybee for inspiring me on Eimi's lack of a name. Were it not for her character Nakenashi from Hajime and Tokio, I would not have come up with such a wonderful plot line.
"Why the hell did you send us on that mission if you knew so damned well that Kenshin wouldn't be there?" Eimi's voice, while dripping with rage and malice, was soft and hoarse.
"I wanted to test you; to see if you would actually go up against your own brother. If you are truly prepared to fight for the shogunate, you must be able to fight anyone, whether they are lover, friend, or even, as it is in your case, your brother. I knew Battousai was in the north, with his partner, the hitokiri Yayoi. Now enough of your foolishness. Go to bed and get some rest. You have been recruited into the Shinsengumi under their third captain." Kojuurou snapped.
"Fine, Tousan." Eimi spat the last word, and left without bowing.
"Kojuurou-sama, was that really necessary?" Kazuki knelt with his face close to the floor, keeping his eyes diverted from the older man.
"Yes. It was necessary. I have a feeling your father called her Eimi for more than just the fact that she looked like my wife." Kojuurou told him, frowning.
"Rebellious as the first woman who carried her name." Kazuki murmured. "Just as Mother told me."
Eimi practically ripped the shoji from its track as she forced it open, and almost called for a guard upon noticing Usankusai stretched out on their futon. Remembering her encounter after the first night they had spent together, she thought better of it and leaned her swords up against the wall. She flopped down next to him in an ungraceful heap, snuggling up against his side in an indication that she wanted to be held.
He did nothing, and Eimi looked up. "Usankusai?" She shook him. "Usankusai?" His eyes were shut, and his breathing was slow and even. He was asleep.
Eimi pouted. "Lazy ass. How is it that you managed to get out of the mission?"
Finally, Usankusai wrapped his arms around his lover, deeply inhaling the scent of her hair. "It's because I don't have a sibling who's an Ishin Shishi. You do."
"What about your older brother, Makoto? I thought you said he worked for the rebels." Eimi rested her head on Usankusai's chest, tracing odd little patterns on his shirt with her index finger.
"He does. But I bear no love for him, and he bears none for me." The blonde ninja idly ran his fingers through Eimi's hair, the fiery strands sliding like silk through his hand. "…Something's troubling you."
"I've been reassigned."
"What's so bad about that? I'm sure that you'll be able to come back." Usankusai replied.
"I have my doubts. I've been recruited into the Shinsengumi." Eimi told him.
"Which squad? I would hope it's the first; I've heard the captain is rather childish and you could most likely convince him that you need to come back here every once in awhile." He looked down at her.
Eimi shook her head. "Third squad…under Captain Yamaguchi Saitou, the one they call Mibu's Wolf."
His grip suddenly tightened, then slackened as though his bones had become water. He said nothing for the next several minutes, as if pondering something. All of a sudden, he shot Eimi a leering grin, and she found herself pinned to the futon.
"We shall just have to spend this night as best we can, then, won't we?" Usankusai whispered, sending a shiver down Eimi's back.
Just before dawn-
Eimi looked over her shoulder at Usankusai, who slept lightly next to her, then closed her eyes, concentrating.
Tokio? Tokio, are you there? If you are, please speak to me.
I'm here, Eimi. What is it that you need?
Once again, Eimi found herself in the black void that surrounded her when Tokio was present.
Are you sure that I should be so quick to give Usankusai up when I meet and possibly allow Hajime to fall for me?
Usankusai is not the man for you. You are destined to be with Hajime. The thread on your finger proves it. (1)
The thread on my finger, huh? If it's tied to Usankusai, I swear I will never forgive you.
Look at where it leads, Eimi. It doesn't connect to Usankusai.
Tokio picked up the shimmering crimson thread that was looped loosely around Eimi's little finger, and gave it a soft tug, as though searching for the other end. A face appeared at the end of the thread that was trailing off into the darkness; the same face that had appeared in the vision Eimi had received before.
He seems so cold…And Usankusai is any less so? Even should you remain with him, he will betray you. He is like his name; Untrustworthy.
How would you know?
I was in love with him before I was betrothed to Hiroaki. He claimed to have felt the same, but I caught him in an afternoon tryst with one of his many lovers. If you are at all intelligent, Eimi, then you will do what I am pushing towards and willingly go to Hajime.
And how do you even know this man? Don't tell me you were in love with him too?
No. She laughed, bells tinkling in her voice. I was never in love with Hajime. The only person I loved after Usankusai was Hiroaki, even if it was only a friendly affection.
That doesn't clear up how you would know Saitou at all, other than you would have heard of him.
He is Hiroaki's younger brother. I saw him, and had a vision of you. That's when I knew that we were connected, or would be, through the sharing of a name. You're connected to my mother, too.
Eimi was silent for a moment.
But…I have no desire to give Usankusai up.
If you don't…here. This is what will happen. But be warned; this is the last time I will be able to show you your future.
Tokio held out her hands, kneeling to capture some of the darkness in her slender hands. Her eyes drifted shut, and slowly, rhythmically, an image began to form. Usankusai lay in the cool grass, in an unfamiliar place. He was asleep, and his arms were wrapped possessively around something. The image sacrificed some of its focus for a broader view, and showed the object, or person, rather, that Usankusai was cradling. It was a lithe young woman, with pale silver hair covering her like a shroud.
Words were exchanged. Eimi watched the woman's lips move in response to things that Usankusai had said to her, only the previous night.
Do you see now, Tokio? You cannot deny this; I can only show what will happen.
Shinsengumi Headquarters, Kyoto- Next Morning -
'It seems strange,' Nagakura decided, 'that a teenager, a woman at that, should be so blessed with the talents of murder.'
He chuckled, raising a hand to mask the slip.
"A gaggle." Okita suddenly whispered.
Nagakura raised an eyebrow, glancing over at his dark-haired comrade, whose dark ponytail was waving back and forth, as the man swayed from side to side.
"They're like a gaggle of geese, waiting for their heads to be chopped off." Okita giggled, grinning widely.
"All but that girl, Eimi. She is guarded against an attack." He replied.
'I would think that, since she knows what she is throwing herself into, she would be more concerned with gaining a sizeable dowry from Kojuurou-san than becoming a member of the Shinsengumi, Tokio.' Nagakura glanced upwards, where Tokio was resting upside down on a roof beam.
"She's too stubborn." Tokio dropped, looping ghostly arms about Nagakura's neck.
'You may wish to hide yourself before she sees you.'
Where would the fun in that be?
'Just go. I have no desire to be attacked.'
You're no fun, Naga-kun.
"May I ask where Captain Yamaguchi may be, Nagakura-san?" Kojuurou shifted his weight to his left foot; the carefree leer that Okita was currently directing at his person unnerving him.
"He went to retrieve Matsudaira-sama. He should be back shortly." Nagakura replied.
Okita, in a random bout of semi-seriousness, turned his head towards the building. "OH KANASHII-CHAN! COULD YOU PLEASE BRING TEA FOR OUR GUESTS?"
"Hai, Okita-san!" A woman's voice, tinkling with an underlying tone of bells, replied. "Would you like me to bring it outside, or would you rather I serve it in one of the rooms?"
"Outside, if you please." Okita resumed the swaying motion, humming contently to himself as he waited.
'Is he really supposed to be the Lotus Blade? The one who marks his dead with lotus flowers?' Eimi readied herself to take a step back, waiting for the man to attack. 'I guess…it would make some sense…after all, this guy is obviously insane.'
'He is the Lotus Blade.'
'Since when do you appear out of nowhere, Tokio?'
Since I feel like it, Eimi.
That sounded almost unsurprisingly childish, especially coming from you.
What would you care?
Someone's testy today. What'd you do, wake up on the wrong side of the Spirit World?
Would you stop with the wisecracks already!
Fine. Grumpy.
You…! You witch!
Ooh, I've heard lots worse than that, Tokio-chan! You'll have to do much, much worse than that.
Ooh! You! Fine!
The spirit crossed her arms and disappeared, but not before blowing a very loud raspberry in Eimi's ear.
Gross.
The creak of boards under near-silent feet became the final signal that someone was indeed standing on the engawa. "Okita-san, the tea is ready. And, Katsu-chan would like to speak with you when Saitou-san arrives. It's apparently important."
Okita bowed his head with no shame. "She's not pregnant again, is she?"
"You'll have to ask her for yourself, Okita-san. She would not tell me because she knows how your mind works." Kanashii replied.
'She's pretty mouthy for a servant.' Eimi glanced offhandedly at the woman.
Red hair, and bright blue…
Eimi swallowed the rising scream before it could leap from her throat, and a calloused hand gripped her sword.
About to speak, Eimi was beaten to it by Kojuurou, who smiled at the woman kneeling next to the two Shinsengumi captains.
"Kanashii-chan, it's been a long time. How have you been?"
"Quite well, Kojuurou-sama. I bore a son to my husband this past winter, and…" For the first time, Kanashii noticed Eimi. "Oh…gods."
"It's been awhile, Kanashii-neechan." Eimi grinned.
"I'm seeing things…" Kanashii closed her eyes, and gripped the tray she had been holding since the beginning of the conversation.
Eimi collapsed. "You and your superstitions, Kanashii-neechan! I didn't die! I was caught by slave traders after Shinta and I were separated from you!"
Suspicions of ghosts were forgotten, and Eimi was enveloped in a hug.
"Kanashii-neechan---air! I need air!" Eimi whimpered.
"---Oh! I'm so sorry!" Kanashii pulled back, and allowed Eimi to stand. "I'm sorry, Hi-"
"It's Eimi now. I haven't gone by our surname in years." Eimi smoothed out her gi.
"Gomen nasai…Eimi-chan. It's just that…it's been so long, and I didn't believe you were still alive." Kanashii recoiled further, and tears welled up beneath her eyelids. "Okita-san, what ever are you laughing at?"
Okita was curled up on the engawa, clutched in the claws of a fit of giggles. Tears streamed down his slender face, and he kicked his feet up in the air like a small child being tickled. "Gomen nasai, Kanashii-chan. I just can't see you with a violent sibling!"
"You absolutely can NOT be the Lotus Blade. You're absolutely insane!" Eimi snapped.
Okita sat up, straightening his posture. "Whether you like it or not, Eimi-san, I am the Lotus Blade."
"Whatever, buddy." Eimi ran her thumb along the hilt of her sword, feeling the groove already forming there from her use of it.
"Such a foul temper for a Himura. It doesn't fit your family, Eimi-san." Okita teased.
"Would you stop with the 'Eimi-san' bullshit! Kami-sama, you're annoying!" Eimi snapped.
The outburst of temper sent Okita into fits of laughter once more, the tears running down his face. At that moment, Eimi could not see why it was that he was laughing at her, nor did she care.
She became more concerned with the fact that another woman had emerged from the cluster of buildings, her eyes dull and witless. A fake smile was plastered on bright pink lips, and dark lashes framed those dull eyes. A small roll of fat surrounded her midriff, evident even through the tightly bound obi.
'She can't be what I think she is. If she…no, I refuse to believe that Tokio would lie to me.' Eimi stiffened her back, straightening her spine as she did so.
"Yamaguchi-san has returned!" A young guard called out.
It would have been wonderful to say that Eimi fell in love with Yamaguchi Hajime the second that she saw him in person. But since it was not a fairy tale, such things could not be said. Kojuurou bowed to Matsudaira Katamori as he stepped down from his horse, and everyone in sight of him followed the example.
His rounded glasses slid down his nose, and gravity forced his topknot into a rather strange angle upon his head. "You honor us with your presence, Matsudaira-sama. I am grateful you took the time to test my daughter."
"She will have a mock duel with Captain Yamaguchi. I don't believe it fair to place her against Captain Okita when I have no idea of what her skill level is." Matsudaira replied. "Where is she?"
"I am Takagi Eimi, Matsudaira-sama. I am the one you came for." Eimi drew in a ragged breath. Please don't say no just because I am a woman.
Dojo, Shinsengumi Headquarters –
"Choose whichever one is to your liking, Eimi-san." Okita told her.
Eimi nodded in acknowledgement, and ran her eyes over the wooden blades hanging upon the wall. She found one similar to her own sword, and tested the weight in her hand before she passed her real blade to Kanashii, satisfied.
"You are ready, Eimi-san?" Kanashii questioned, her eyes pleading with her sister to reconsider.
The only recognition Eimi gave was a slight inclination of her chin, and she tucked the wooden blade close to her hip beneath her obi. Captain Yamaguchi had long since made his own choice, and was standing at the opposite end of the floor.
"I would prefer to have this battle finished by nightfall."
"Forgive me, Captain Yamaguchi." Eimi bowed, giving a slight hint of mockery to her movement, but not enough to be noticed. "I haven't dueled anyone in quite sometime outside of battle."
The man did nothing in response but to hold his bokken out in front of him, ready for seemingly anything that could possibly come his way. Getting into her own stance, Eimi was suddenly curious what it would be like to be held in the arms of Yamaguchi Hajime.
'His arms are like steel…and most likely comforting.' Upon realizing her thought, Eimi was glad that she had the self-control to keep the blood from rising to stain her cheeks. 'Damn you, Tokio!'
"Begin!" Matsudaira called.
Hajime's POV
The girl was fast, to say the least. At least as fast as Okita; possibly even more so than the Shinsengumi captain, depending on how far she had taken her mastery. But what seemed the most surprising to him was not the nagging fact that she was a woman, but the fact that she was almost eerily similar to one Hitokiri Battousai. Right down to the bright amber which covered over the natural emerald of her eyes.
Her looks were similar, and so were her basic movements, but…
They weren't the same. There was a fluidity in her movements, a certain grace that her male counterpart didn't have.
But that didn't matter. Her final thrust was coming and all he would have to do would be to sidestep it and…
Normal POV
"I win." Eimi held the bokken loosely, the cool wood resting against Hajime's neck in the imitation of a deathblow. 'Did I really win?'