Chapter 5: halfway to saving the world
Souji sighed, and his serious expression lightened. "Well, that's done," he said, smiling at Tetsu. "Thank goodness."
"O- Okitasan," Tetsu stuttered, gaping at him. "I can't believe you actually got him to do that."
"What, reveal the location of Choshu han's leader?"
"No, not that- I can't believe you got him to smile. I can't believe you were able to influence him like that!" Tetsu stared up at the captain he idolized, his young mind reeling. Battousai, the Shinsengumi's dreaded nemesis, had just given captain Okita whatever he asked for without the slightest resistance. Had Okitasan asked for a cup of tea, Tetsu had no doubt that the hitokiri would have brought it before making his escape. Tetsu shuddered, haunted by the memory of Battousai's brief smile. Apparently there was no limit to the persuasive power lurking behind Okitasan's bright, innocent-seeming eyes. Tetsu frowned uncomfortably. "You know, Okitasan… you're kind of scary sometimes."
Souji chuckled. "Anyway," he said brightly, "Thanks for your help just now."
Tetsu's eyes grew wide… and then wider… and then they widened even further, making Souji worry that at any moment they might explode. "OH MY GOD!" Tetsu screamed, sounding a little bit like his brother. "You let him escape! And I HELPED you!"
"Calm down, calm down! There's nothing to worry about, Tetsukun!"
"But what about vice commander Hijikata?" Tetsu demanded in a panicked voice. "What about vice commander Hijikata's huge cousin !"
Souji laughed aloud, but the laugh turned into a cough. He covered his mouth and his eyes narrowed. At last he regained his breath and was able to speak.
"We all have a destiny, Tetsukun," he said with lethal serenity. "That young man has chosen his path, the same as I have, the same as you will, someday. His destiny may be to destroy this country, destroy himself… or perhaps his destiny lies beyond that. But no matter how horrible his fate may be, he's willing to throw himself towards it, holding nothing back- rushing headlong to meet whatever awaits him at the end of it all. I respect him for that, and… I feel like I can understand him."
"You understand everybody," Tetsu said. Souji smiled weakly.
"Hijikatasan and his 'huge' cousin were conspiring to take that boy away from his destiny. That's why I intervened and set him free," Souji explained.
"But… he'll kill our friends!" Tetsu exclaimed.
Souji's face replicated Battousai's pitiable smile. "Well, that may be our friends' destiny, after all. Understand?"
"NO!" Tetsu hollered. "What's the point of struggling in life if you can't change your fate? There's nothing brave or glorious about accepting how things are, saying 'it's meant to be'—that's an excuse for cowards, to avoid having to act, and take responsibility, which reminds me--" he paused to take a breath, and then continued at full speed, his eyes bugged out comically, their chestnut-orange irises shrunken in panic- "Why on earth did you have to set him free while I was the one who was supposed to be guarding him? How are you going to explain it? How will you save me from Hijikata's wrath? I don't believe in 'destiny' so I refuse to be incriminated here!"
"Ah, Tetsu," Souji said fondly, repressing a laugh. "You're not going to be blamed for this. I'll take care of everything. Just trust me, okay?"
Tetsu eyed him warily. "…Okay," he said at last, calming down. "All the same… maybe Ayunee has some out-of-town errands I could do… for the next week or so."
a short while later...
Souji staggered towards Hijikata's room, breathing raggedly and using a shinai like a cane. "Hiji- Hijikatasan," he called breathlessly. Instantly the door clattered open.
"Souji!" Hijikata said, horrified.
"Ah- ahem, keh, kofu kofu," Souji said, in what was possibly the worst-faked coughing fit ever.
Hijikata, of course, was completely fooled, and practically fell off the porch as he scrambled towards Souji, prepared to catch him should he collapse.
But Souji turned away, still breathing heavily. "Don't touch me, please," he said softly, and then stared blankly at the ground.
"Souji!" Hijikata repeated, blinking. "Are you alright? What happened?"
"Hijikatasan," Souji said in his most serious voice. "I… I'm sorry. I went to talk to the prisoner last night. I locked myself in the cell with him."
"Whatever possessed you to do something as stupid as that!" Hijikata shouted, clenching his fists.
Souji continued to stare lifelessly at the ground, hunched over the shinai.
"He's dangerous, Souji! You should have known better—no, no, I should have known better. I never should have let you-"
"Hijikatasan." Souji interrupted him, his voice as soft and broken as the crushed wing of a bird. "It was… successful… I got the information you wanted. Katsura's hiding at the Tsushima estate."
"I don't give a shit about Katsura!" Hijikata declared, trembling with rage. "What the hell have you done to yourself? Look at me! Tell me you're ok!"
Souji made another coughing noise that sounded suspiciously like a giggle. "I'm fine," he muttered, struggling to retain his composure. "But, ah… I was awake all night, so… I think I'll go get some rest now. Bye!"
Souji 'limped' back towards his own room, leaving Hijikata standing in the yard, completely at a loss. When he felt he was a safe distance away, Souji turned around. "Seriously, Hijikatasan!" he called out, only this time in a cheerful voice. "Tsushima han's estate. We should check it out!"
"Uh- right," Hijikata said, still not completely sure of what had just happened.
"And… what do you want to do about the prisoner?" Souji asked.
Hijikata grit his teeth. "You mean you left him alive?" he growled. "Ugh! I never want to see him again! Send somebody to tell my rotten cousin to come and pick him up. He's useless to us now that we know where his boss is hiding, and the Shinsengumi's not a nursery for other people's snotty undisciplined brats."
Souji beamed at him from across the yard. "Yes sir," he said, propping the shinai over his shoulder and strolling away. Hijikata frowned after him for a few seconds, realizing that he'd been severely duped… but as he was so relieved to know that Souji was actually ok, he couldn't find the energy to be angry.
Later that afternoon, a wave of sword ki swept the Shinsengumi headquarters like a gust of wind. Even the not-so-great swordsmen sensed, it, and stopped what they were doing to wonder where it came from. Saitou Hajime opened his eyes halfway.
"He's back," Saitou muttered disinterestedly, and closed his eyes again.
Tetsu opened the gate, and suddenly felt weak in the knees. Hijikata's scary cousin looked even taller and his shoulders looked even more massive in the daylight. Tetsu gulped. "W- welcome back, sir," he managed to say.
"Thanks," Hiko grumbled. "Where's Toshi?"
"Vice commander Hijikata is in his room, sir," Tetsu replied.
Without knocking, Hiko opened the door.
"Oh, it's you," Hijikata grunted, smoke rising from his pipe. Hiko glanced at Souji, who smiled and bowed his head slightly.
"Feh," Hiko said disdainfully. "Honestly, Toshi, the rumors about you and this guy…" Souji only smiled happily.
"Are you trying to offend me?" Hijikata asked. "Because, you've already managed that, what with your ridiculous display of sword ki, throwing it around as if you hoped to crack the roof tiles…"
"What? Display? If I wanted to crack the roof tiles, believe me, I would have done so." Hiko sneered at him arrogantly.
Hijikata sighed as if this was the most tedious encounter he had ever had to endure. "Yes. We all know you're the one-and-only master of the ancient dragon-wind-whatever style, congratulations, you're marvelous. But some of us do still try to live in the real world, so if you would be so kind, collect your miserable apprentice and leave us in peace."
"Peace?" Hiko said. "For you? Hah! That'll be the day. Anyway about my stupid student, just how much 'hospitality' have you shown him? I can't sense his ki from here. Is he conscious? And how badly injured- can he walk, or am I going to have to drag him? About how many of his bones did you break?"
"I haven't the slightest idea," Hijikata said. "Souji's been in charge of interrogating him and so forth."
Hiko turned to Souji with a look of disgust. "This character? Eck. Sounds traumatizing all right. I'll try not to imagine what that must have been like."
"Don't worry, Hikosan. I questioned him last night. I'm sure that by now, Himura Battousai has completely recovered," Souji said politely. "I'll take you to him now."
Hiko followed him out towards the shed.
"Aren't you guys supposed to be some kind of military police force?" Hiko asked, looking around the yard, where nearly everyone visible was lounging around in a yukata. Hiko frowned. "Don't you have uniforms or something?"
"Of course we do!" Souji said proudly. "We all have a light blue haori with white pointed stripes on the sleeves."
"Light blue? Well, that ' ll strike fear into their hearts! Who picked light blue ?"
"I did."
"Ugh. You'd think my cousin, if he really is a 'vice commander', could at least order all these boys to wear some pants."
Souji frowned, then turned around and decided to be cute. "But, Hikosan, wearing pants is such a hassle! As a good commander, Hijikatasan appreciates the efficiency and convenience of casual dress."
"That sounds pretty gay, all right," Hiko muttered. "I guess mom was right about him after all. Women must have a way of sensing that sort of thing."
"Why, I've never met Hijikatasan's aunt," Souji exclaimed. "She must be a quite a lady, to have raised such an impressive son."
"Frankly, she's one of those nosy hags you try to avoid inviting for the holidays. But I'll admit, the old lady still scares the hell out of me. And she'd absolutely kill ol' Toshi if she knew about you."
Souji frowned sadly for a moment, and then managed to look halfway annoyed. "Obviously you've made a few assumptions about my relationship with Hijikatasan," he said quietly. "And I'm surprised at your hostility in that direction. After all, Hikosan, your young apprentice is quite… 'attractive'. Are you sure your relationship with him is merely… professional?"
"WHAT!" Hiko shouted. "Just what are you implying? That boy is like a son to me!"
"A son you would permit to be tortured by his enemies?"
"Kid's gotta grow up sometime! 'Spare the rod and spoil the child', you know! Pain builds character!"
"I see… and now it becomes obvious why you're still afraid of your mother."
"Hmf," Hiko grunted. "She raised me right, as far as I'm concerned," he said. By now they were standing outside the shed.
"This is the place," Souji said.
"Are you sure he's not dead?" Hiko muttered.
"Positive."
"And you're sure he's in here?"
"Well, he ought to be. That's where he was locked up last night."
"All right. Stand back," Hiko commanded, drawing his katana. Souji felt his heart rate jump. Hiko had one of those swords that had ended enough lives to practically have a life of its own. It sang as it tasted the air, like a hawk announcing its hunger before the hunt. Having a sword like that could make a person crazy. Souji stared at the blade, fascinated.
"YOU WORTHLESS IDIOT!" Hiko bellowed, crouching slightly. "MAKING ME COME ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE TO RESCUE YOUR SORRY ASS FROM THIS BUNCH OF PANSIES!"
Souji winced, felt a gust of air nearly knock him down, and suddenly it was over. Where once had stood the prison shed, now there was a pile of rubble. Hiko was standing in the middle of it, about to put away his sword.
Souji could have sworn that the weapon gave a keen, thirsty moan of disappointment as it was put back to sleep in its sheath. Wide-eyed, Souji surveyed the damage. The building was gone, reduced to bite-sized bits. Was it really possible that in a split second the man had used a sword to create this kind of destruction? Souji gulped in disbelief.
"…He's not here," Hiko growled as the dust settled.
"What?" Souji said, sounding genuinely startled. "Are you sure he's not…just… buried in the debris?"
"I'm sure," Hiko said. "He must have escaped."
"Escaped? But he was locked in here last night!"
"That was the last time you saw him? Last night? Meaning he was left unguarded all day? UGH! By now the little shit is probably halfway to saving the world. So much for relying on the Shinsengumi! I'm disappointed. You're all pathetic!"
"Are you going to try to find him in the city?" Souji asked.
"No way. That's your problem now. My stupid student will come back to me on his own, if he knows what's good for him. Otherwise, he'll rot with the rest of the world. For now, I'll just wait and see what happens. Excuse me. I've got sake to drink."
Cape fluttering, Hiko make his way across the yard, leaving Souji abandoned at the site of the demolished shed.
Tetsu bowed to Hiko at the gate. "Thank you sir, and please visit us again," Tetsu said, hoping he sounded very official and page-like.
"No chance of that," Hiko snorted, and stalked off down the street. Tetsu watched him go, and felt a certain sense of awe for the man. He was a brilliant swordsman, even more so than Okitasan. He was also an arrogant asshole who was cooler than everyone else, even more so than Hijikatasan. And he had incredibly huge muscles. Wow. Tetsu was tempted to add the man to his already noteworthy list of role models, but ultimately decided against it. After all, the man's student had run off to join the Choshu scumbags who were trying to ruin the country, and the man wasn't doing anything to stop him.
That poor, politically confused Battousai! Tetsu felt sorry for him and wished he could see the hitokiri again to explain to him why the Choshu were the bad guys. He didn't know exactly what he'd say, but he was sure that he could convince the other little redhead to be one of the good guys. Maybe then he could even join the Shinsengumi, and then Tetsu would have somebody else his age to talk to!
Tetsu scowled, wondering for the thousandth time that day why Okitasan had allowed the young hitokiri to escape. It wasn't right! He was probably out there prowling the streets right now, looking for 'wolves' to kill. Tetsu replayed in his mind the events of that morning. It was insane- Okitasan had made the boy betray his boss in one breath and smile about it with the next. Okitasan was amazing! Tetsu grinned. Okitasan was a role model worth hanging on to. Tetsu wanted to be just like him… and suddenly he got an idea.
Author's note: ….and you're gonna have to wait until the next (final?) chapter to find out what Tetsu's idea is! Wuah huah huah. Next time: Battousai meets ANOTHER angsty bakumatsu boy, and kinda likes his scarfy fashion statement. Just kidding… maybe.