Disclaimer: I am so sorry that this has been so long. Gomen Nasai. Though many of you might think that this is going to be the last chapter I assure you that there will be a chapter ten and so on and so forth. Just a little run-down, I haven't watched the OVAs so I'm just winging it from what I think that the battle of Toba Fushimi should have been like, but then I went on the internet and found out it was completely different from what I thought it was. So for my plot purposes I'm going to stick with my version of the battle of Toba Fushimi. Hee Hee sometimes you have to have a little information. Well I don't own any of the characters except for Raiden and Sajin Kousotsu, Hageshii and Zephon Meiyo, and Korosu Iikagen. Arigato I hope that you enjoy. Now on with the story.
Chapter 9: End Game Part 1
3 years later. . .
Saitou woke up and carefully got out of his futon. It had been a rough night; he had kept on tossing and turning but just couldn't get to sleep.
"Hn, never figured I'd get bored of sleeping." Saitou muttered to himself/
"Maybe it isn't that you're bored but you're excited." A voice cut through the darkness.
"Okita why are you up at this hour you should be resting." Saitou muttered as he scrambled around for a candle and match.
"Here you go." Okita said as he handed Saitou a match and candle.
Saitou soundlessly took the match, lit it and held it up to the candle until it also caught on fire. Saitou stared at the flame for a moment before looking at Okita's face.
"Like I said before you should be in bed." Saitou repeated.
"But can't you feel the excitement in the air it's like static, alive with an unknown excitement." Okita said completely ignoring Saitou's comment.
"Yes there is a certain excitement in the air, something big will happen." Saitou agreed, "But that doesn't matter right now, you've been really sick as of late and so must return to your tent." Saitou chided.
"Tch, I feel fine Saitou." Okita said but soon after he said that Okita doubled over as a coughing spasm came on. Okita put his hands up to his mouth to muffle the coughing, and when it was all over he balled them into fists and quickly put them down to his sides.
Saitou however grabbed one of Okita's hands, pried it open and pointed at the blood on Okita's hand.
"I wouldn't call this 'fine'," Saitou stated, "and plus you left blood on your face."
Okita wiped the blood away with a sleeve and asked, "How long have you known?"
"Quite a while actually it's not hard to miss you constantly coughing, disappearing for weeks on end, blood on your Shinsengumi uniform even when we haven't been in a battle yet, plus not to mention your pale face." Saitou said.
"Oh, I should have known you would figure it out, you were always sharper then most of the other Shinsengumi captains." Okita said.
Okita then looked back at Saitou and smiled, "Just don't go telling anybody about this."
Saitou rolled his eyes, "You think I would go and blab about something like this, I respect other people's privacy, " Saitou stated, "plus I would have done it a long time ago anyway."
"Glad to hear it." Okita said as he smirked.
"Why are you here anyway?" Saitou asked.
Okita just smirked.
Saitou got his answer.
"OKITA!" Hijikata "Where are you!"
"Let me guess you pulled a prank on Hijikata, you sly dog." Saitou said in a manner that was almost foreign to him, his lips twisting upward into an amused smirk.
"Okita where are you, when I get my hands on you you're going to be dead meat!" Hijikata yelled even louder.
"Hm should I, I wonder." Saitou muttered out loud to himself.
Okita's smirk faded a little as he realized what Saitou was thinking.
"Hey Hijikata I think I found the man you were looking for." Saitou called from inside his tent.
Okita froze as he heard Hijikata's enraged footsteps get closer.
"Saitou why did you have to do that?" Okita hissed.
Saitou didn't answer, instead he held the tent flap open for Hijikata. Saitou's little amused grin turned into somewhat of a sneer as he saw why Hijikata was so mad. Okita had painted Hijikata's face with make-up. Hijikata's whole face and forehead was white with red circles on his cheeks.
"Okita explain this!" Hijikata shouted furiously pointing to his painted face.
Okita burst out laughing and tried to speak.
"You look very beautiful in make-up Hijikata." Okita chuckled as he got his laughing under control.
"I don't appreciate this, not one bit." Hijikata said fuming.
"Well if you don't like it why don't you just wash it off?" Okita asked still chuckling.
"Oh I tried that already, it won't come off." Hijikata stated through clenched teeth.
"Oops, me mistake, I think I used paint, sorry." Okita said in a playful tone.
"Oh you'll think sorry when I get my hands on you." Hijikata said really irked by Okita's new revelation.
"As much as I'd love to see you two go at it I don't want to get involved more then I already am; how about you kill Okita outside Hijikata." Saitou stated clearly bored by the vice-commander's child-like behavior.
"Oh it would be my pleasure." Hijikata stated.
Saitou then looked at Okita, Okita just shrugged but wouldn't step outside of Saitou's tent.
"Here Hijikata let me help you." And with that Saitou steppe behind Okita and began to push him towards the tent flap.
"Ok, ok I get the point." And so Okita left with Hijikata following suit.
In a loud voice so everybody could hear, Okita said, "Oh and by the way Hijikata, if you want to get that paint off your face you're going to want to scrub really hard."
"This must have ticked Hijikata off for Saitou could here Okita chuckling and footsteps running everywhere.
"Okita is going to be dead once he's caught."
Instead of going back to sleep like he should have, Saitou stayed up staring at the candle flame once more.
'This flame and I, we are alike in some ways.' Saitou thought with a smirk. 'We may seem tame on the outside but on the inside there is a raging monster that can't be controlled. We may seem harmless but once that monster breaks out enemies beware.' Saitou thought to himself.
'I am like this flame, though it is small, calm and inviting all that can change in an instant and be replaced with a torrent of flames.' Saitou thought to himself again.
"I don't really know why I'm comparing myself to this flame; I guess I'm just really bored." Saitou muttered as he stifled a yawn.
"Well I guess I should try and get some sleep for Okita was right, there is a certain excitement in the air. I can't afford to be tired." So with that Saitou slipped back into his futon. When he had blown out the candle his tent was once more plunged in darkness.
Saitou awoke to the sound of footsteps making their way to his tent. Saitou was up before the footsteps stopped by his tent. Saitou saw the face of Hijikata peek through the tent flap.
"Saitou all captains are to meet Kondou right now so hurry up." Hijikata snapped.
Saitou smirked for Hijikata was still mad from what Okita did to him earlier. It also appeared that Hijikata had gotten the paint off but at the price of scrubbing his face off. Saitou could tell that because his face was all red with some pladces where there were some patches of skin missing. Saitou could hear Hijikata muttering to himself as he left.
". . . rotten Okita, I'm just glad that I got it off before the whole camp saw."
Saitou quickly changed into his Shinsengumi uniform and followed suit after Hijikata soon catching up to him.
"You sure get dressed fast." Hijikata stated with a startled yet bemused look chasing away his angry scalding look.
"I don't like being late." Saitou simply said.
"Ah, I see." Hijikata said forgetting the incident of the early morning, or he would have completely forgotten had he not seen Okita's smiling face.
"Now that we are all here and accounted for we can get straight to business." Kondou said in a no-nonsense tone.
Hijikata made his way towards the front of the room. He bowed to Kondou who in turn returned the bow.
"I've gathered information pertaining the Ishins." Hijikata stated, "It looks like they want to finish this infernal war."
"Word was sent to us by carrier pigeon that the Ishins want to finish the war at Toba Fushimi." Kondou said interrupting Hijikata, "We will meet them there soon, make sure everybody in your squads are well rested."
Saitou and Okita glanced in each other's directions; so this is why there was such excitement in the air. The war was going to be finished at Toba Fushimi; one side would win while the other lost. A lot was riding on this final battle, a lot that would change Japan forever.
"Troops get ready we are going to Toba Fushimi to finish the final battle." Korosu commanded his Ishin troops.
A soldier dying to ask a question blurted out "When do we march?"
Korosu, who was looking in the opposite direction, snapped his head around and stared while, announcing "We will march in an hour, we will leave out tents here and only bring enough food and water for the march."
"Hijikata please get the Shinsengumi ready to march." Kondou said as he finished some paperwork. Hijikata bowed and exited the tent. Kondou could hear Hijikata yelling for all of the troops to assemble. Hijikata came back in.
"The Shinsengumi is now assembled and ready sir."
"Good." Kondou stated as he got up out of his chair. Both Hijikata and he walked to the front of the Shinsengumi army.
"As soon as I am done talking to you, the Shinsengumi, we will then march for Toba Fushimi." Kondou announced.
The Shinsengumi were silent as they waited for Kondou to continue, several soldiers shuffled nervously around as the momentary silence seemed to build up pressure.
Kondou finally broke the silence. "This battle is very important; it will be the battle that decides the fate of Japan. Fight like the Wolves of Mibu, fight with all your should for we don't want to Ishins to win and change Japan." Kondou announced.
"We will fight until all the Ishin scum are killed." A soldier yelled.
Kondou shook his head, "Though your thoughts are noble, we don't need to kill every single Ishin, we will only fight until we have won."
Kondou then changed subjects "Everybody get into your squads. Captains of the squads take the front. We now march to finish the battle of Toba Fushimi," and in a quieter voice so only Hijikata could hear, "and to our fates."
Hijikata looked at Kondou. 'Does he really think that we can't win?'
"We are now read to leave." Battousai said when he found Korosu.
"Good." Korosu said with his back toward Battousai.
Battousai was about ready to leave when Korosu turned around.
"Get Raiden and bring him to me." Korosu said.
Battousai bowed stiffly and left.
Raiden's tent. . .
"Raiden, Korosu wants you." Battousai said from outside the tent. Both Raiden and Sajin looked at each other.
"Sajin you get ready for travel and I'll see what Korosu wants." Raiden said coldly. Sajin obediently followed what his brother told him to do. While Sajin was getting ready Raiden stepped out of the tent.
"Follow me." Battousai said as he made his way back to Korosu's tent. Raiden soundlessly followed.
Korosu's tent
"Korosu here he is." Battousai said from inside the tent.
"Good you may leave now." Korosu said indicating, with his pointer finger, the flap of the tent. Battousai left without a word.
Before Korosu could say anything Raiden got right to the point.
"What do you want Korosu?" Raiden asked with unhidden fury.
Korosu smiled and said, "I know that you've been wanting to get at Saitou for quite some time, now is your chance." Raiden just nodded acknowledgment. Korosu continued. "When the battle starts you are to go for Saitou and Sajin will go for Okita. You are both to kill them; they have become a thorn in my side."
Korosu then abruptly stopped talking. 'Is it just me or does it feel like someone is listening in?' Korosu thought to himself not knowing he was actually feeling someone's ki; Battousai.
"If you are done now I will take my leave." Raiden said coldly.
Korosu nodded smiling. For once he want' angry with Raiden's attitude. This little
change made Raiden a little uneasy, but whatever uneasiness he felt he didn't show.
Battousai listened in on Korosu's conversation, what he heard he didn't like.
'I must tell Raiden the truth.' Battousai looked down and started fiddling with something in his hands.
Battousai then slid away from the tent and back to the main troops when he felt Raiden's angry ki start making its way towards the tent flap.
"I'll make sure that nobody dies needlessly." Battousai muttered to himself. A good ten minutes later after Battousai joined the main troops Raiden and Korosu joined up with them as well.
Korosu took his place up in the front. "We leave for Toba Fushimi now." And with that the Ishins were off to the final battle at Toba Fushimi.
"I hope I get to see my son again." Hageshii muttered to himself as they marched towards Toba Fushimi.
"Don't worry you will." Said a voice right next to him.
Hageshii looked to his right he could see who was talking to him he only saw a few strands of hair. Hageshii looked down and saw what seemed like a man with a boyish complexion. This man despite his boyish looks was actually quite handsome. He had his hair too short to put into a topknot but long enough it looked a little shaggy. The man had bangs almost like Saitou except instead of four bangs it was just two. The face complextion was also an exact duplicate of Saitou's; almond-shaped face with narrow eyes that were dark, cobalt blue instead of golden.
Hageshii hissed when realization dawned on him, this wan no man this was his son.
"What are you doing here Zephon?" Hageshii hissed.
The boy calmly looked up at his father, "I wanted to see you, I didn't want to wait until after the war was over." Zephon said.
"After the war I would have seen you again Zephon." Hageshii chided.
Zephon calmly looked into Hageshii's miss-matched eyes, "Father didn't you ever for once think that you might not be coming home I couldn't take that chance I had to come see you." Zephon replied coolly.
"Ok, ok but as soon as we make it to the trees that surround Toba Fushimi I want you to hide, I don't want to you to be killed." Hageshii said roughly.
"But father. . ." Zephon pouted he couldn't finish when Hageshii interrupted "Don't 'but father' me you are only eleven and too young to be fighting."
"Ok." Zephon said while sulking a little.
Hageshii couldn't help but chuckle, "you scared me for a second anyway."
"Why is that?" Zephon asked his boyish tantrum giving way to a more matter of fact tone.
"Well, you've been taking care of the house and doing manly jobs for about four years; I had thought that you had already become a man and left your boyhood back in Kyoto." Hageshii stated.
"No father, I may have gotten more mature but I haven't lost my boyish nature." Zephon said with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
Hageshii chuckled at his boy's clever answer. Then he heard someone on the left side say, "What's going on here?"
Hageshii about turned to his left when Okita's face came into view.
"Don't worry I won't tell anybody anything." Okita said.
"Okita you must really stop sneaking up on people." Hageshii said, sighing in relief.
We are coming up to the trees you should come up onto the outside of the squad." Okita said pointing for Zephon to come to him. Zephon silently stepped to the outside.
"When I tell you to you are to climb up one of the trees and stay there until the battle is over. Then you can come down." Okita instructed Zephon, "Is that clear?"
Zephon just nodded. As they were getting closer Okita nudged Zephon, "Go, now we are almost to the battle field. I don't want you killed just because someone thought you were a deserter."
Zephon silently complied and made for a tree. When nobody was looking he climbed up a tree that he thought would give him a good view of the battle. Soon after all the troops made it to Toba Fushimi Okita pulled Hageshi aside.
"Don't worry, your boy is safely up a tree nobody saw him and he won't get killed by the enemy."
"Thank you." Hageshii quietly said before making his way back to where he was; the very end of the third line of the first squad.
All noises from both the forest and troops seemed to cease when Kondou started to talk.
"We will now be ready and wait for anything they might try to ambush us."
"Sir if I might be so bold as to suggest, maybe we shouldn't have all our troops out here." Saitou suggested.
Kondou took his advice, "You speak with wisdom, for we would be as sitting ducks if we were to have all troops out here, I want the first, third, seventh and tenth squads to hide themselves among the trees and when you are needed I will signal you." Kondou commanded.
The captains of the Seventh and Tenth squads both bowed and followed their troops into the forest to watch and wait until they were needed, but Saitou and Okita didn't' move an inch.
"You heard Kondou, get going." Hijikata chided the tall third captain and boyish first captain.
Okita just shook his head, "Kondou-sama, I think you should have you're most powerful troops here on the battle ground first."
Kondou walked up to Okita and kindly explained to him his changed plans. "I need you and Saitou to take you're troops into the forest, it is part of my plan please trust me Okita."
After hearing those words both Saitou and Okita bowed and motioned for their troops to follow suit after the Seventh and Tenth.
"Battousai I want you to slip behind their troops and pick them off one by one." Korosu said.
Battousai nodded and slipped to the back of the Ishin troops. To the first soldier Korosu saw he motioned for that soldier to come to him.
"Yes Korosu sir?" the soldier asked.
"What is your name soldier?" Korosu asked.
"My name is Kurai Heishi, sir." Kurai stated in an excited tone.
"Well Kurai I need you to spy on the Shinsengumi, see what they are doing." Korosu said placidly.
"Korosu sir you don't need to do that I've already taken the liberty and scouted the area." A tall man with black hair tied back into a topknot said.
"And who are you?" Korosu asked his anger flaring.
"Makoto Shishio." Shishio stated defiantly.
"Ah." Korosu said his anger ebbing away and being replaced with a smirk, "I thought you only worked in the shadows."
"I decided to lend you a hand in this battle." Shishio stated arrogantly.
"I see," Korosu said having completely forgotten about Kurai, "so what do you have to report?"
"It seems like Kondou is playing little Mr. Sneaky man because he had the First, Third, Seventh, and Tenth squadrons hide among the trees.
"Ah so he thinks his and get the upper hand does he, well with both Battousai and you helping us we shall surely win." Korosu said his smirk turning into a sneer.
"I think that I shall do some more spying." Shishio said and with that he left camp. Korosu just shrugged. A minute later he realized that Kurai was still there.
"You," Korosu said to Kurai, "go and get Battousai we have some changes in plans to do, oh and bring him to my tent." Kurai quickly bowed and went off to find the red-haired assassin, ten minutes later he took Battousai to Korosu's tent.
"I'm here." Battousai said from outside the tent.
"Come in Battousai, come in." Korosu said quietly.
What is taking them so long I thought they were going to be here?" Hijikata said impatiently.
"Be patient Hijikata and have the people that are hiding among the trees disperse so they are not so close together, and after that make sure that the bridges are thoroughly defended." Kondou said, but as soon as he said that he heard a crash from the trees.
"It looks like they are here now." Hijikata said not bothering to mask his enthusiasm.
"That is where the reserve troops are," Kondou said "Hurry rally together the Second and Fourth troops so we can help them. Hijikata you still with the remaining troops.
"Darn they didn't take more, but the diversion is still working for now Kondou is going to help his other troops." Korosu said.
"But sir Hijikata is still there." Korosu's Vice-commander stated.
"He can be taken down very easily," Korosu stated, "once Kondou realizes that is it only Battousai and Shishio reeking havoc on his hidden troops it will be too late."
Battousai flitted from tree to tree, ground to tree cutting down Shinsengumi.
'These men don't know how to fight they clump together and make it an easy target for me to hit them.'
He was lost in his thoughts until he noticed someone helping to cut down Shinsengumi. Battousai didn't think much of it until he noticed a shock of white hair. 'Raiden he must be going after Saitou.'