Author's note: It seemed like all the cool kids were updating or posting new stories so I figured I'd tag along and try to join the party. Hi cool kids!
Chapter 4: emotional weakness
"Shinpachiiiiiii!"
The short redheaded captain snorted and woke up, blinking disconcertedly. He thought he had just heard somebody wailing his name. Before he had time to wonder if he'd only dreamed it, the door snapped open and Heisuke came flying into the room, tears streaming down his face.
"Hei- " Shinpachi started to say, but was cut off as the younger captain fell to his knees at the edge of the futon and buried his tear-streaked face against Shinpachi's chest.
"It's so horrible, it's so awful, I can't even comprehend it, can't even imagine it," Heisuke sobbed deliriously, clenching Shinpachi's blanket in his fists and oozing snot all over the place.
Shinpachi put his hands on Heisuke's shoulders and pushed himself into a sitting position. "Hey man, calm down! What's going on?"
"It's the end of the Shinsengumi! It's all over, it's all gone to hell now! Oh, Shinpachiiii!"
"Heisuke, what happened?" Shinpachi asked, alarmed.
Heisuke looked up, sniffling. He wiped his nose on Shinpachi's blanket and took a shaky breath. "I went to check on the girl, the one we found last night. But Souji's room was empty, and then I saw that Hijikata's room had been completely trashed- a whole wall had been torn down- and there was blood all over the floor- and then I saw a body out in the yard- and- and- I didn't look too close but I'm sure it's HIJIKATA!"
Shinpachi shook his head, trying to make sense of this information. "What are you saying?" he asked his friend.
"Don't you get it?" Heisuke practically shrieked. "Hijikata's been KILLED!"
"WHAT!" Sano bellowed from the next room. There was a clatter, a crash, the sound of ripping fabric, and then Sano came charging through the door, spear in hand, his yukata torn apart, revealing his bulky chest and shoulders. "Did you just say that Hijikata's dead? Killed dead? This means WAR!"
"Goodness, you're all up early," commented a gentle voice from the hall. Sano looked over his shoulder as Souji appeared in the doorway, glancing coolly at each of the three troublemakers in the room: the growling furious one, the wide-eyed shocked one, and the sniffling distraught one. Souji smiled calmly. "Would anyone like to explain what all the fuss is about?" he asked.
For a moment no one spoke, and then Sano let out a deep breath. His rage dissolved into pity and he placed a strong hand on Souji's shoulder. "You might want to sit down, man," he said gravely.
"Ok," Souji said, kneeling gracefully on the tatami. Sano swallowed and sat down next to him. He looked deep into Souji's round, violet eyes.
"Oh, man, Souji, I don't know how to tell you this, so I guess I'll just say it. Vice commander Hijikata… is dead!"
Before Souji could react, Sano wrapped him up in a bear hug and was sobbing into his shoulder and Heisuke was sobbing into Shinpachi's stomach.
"I know it feels like you can't go on, but you HAVE to!" Sano declared, bawling. "It's what he would have wanted!" Sano shut his eyes tightly, practically smothering Souji with his big arms. "O great vice commander Hijikata, you were mostly a jerk, but you shall be avenged!" Sano shouted.
"Ahem," Souji spoke up, carefully extracting himself from Sanosuke's embrace. "But are you by chance referring to the fact that Hijikatasan is laying on the ground in the yard?"
"Yeah," Heisuke sniffled. "I saw him there just a few minutes ago."
Souji smiled. "I think we should go take a second look," he said.
The four young captains crowded around, curiously peering down at the fallen vice commander. Sano was still gripping his spear, and Heisuke still had tears in his eyes.
"His skin's so white," Sano observed gruffly. "He must be dead. And that means WAR!"
Souji rolled his eyes. "Shh," he said, putting a finger over his lips.
"No, he's breathing," Shinpachi realized, his eyes wide. "He's alive! He's… asleep!"
"Indeed," Souji said. "Now, let's get out of here before he wakes up!" Smiling, he led the dumbfounded trio around to the kitchen, where breakfast was waiting for them all on a tray held by none other than the beautiful mysterious girl!
She blinked solemnly as the trio stared at her, open-mouthed. When no one said anything she put down the tray and then bowed politely to the three of them. "I apologize for the trouble," she said in a tiny, very feminine voice.
"D- don't mention it," Shinpachi breathed. In the daylight, she seemed twice as lovely. The three of them were transfixed.
She straightened and her dark eyes went directly to Heisuke. She studied him coldly for a minute, her face expressionless. Heisuke blushed.
"I see," the girl said softly, and continued in short, delicate sentences, her tone impossible to interpret: "It wasn't a dream. I made a mistake last night. You look similar to my dead fiancé. But you aren't him. Forgive my behavior. I was drunk."
"Well," Heisuke said, gulping. "Uh, that's ok, really, I… uh..."
Shinpachi elbowed him in annoyance and looked up reverently at the girl's perfect white face. "We're all deeply grieved to hear of your loss," he said solemnly. "Your fiancé must have been a good man."
"Yes, he was," the girl said emotionlessly. "We were childhood sweethearts. He was slain in the streets of this city. He was here to win my favor by proving himself in the service of the Tokugawa bakufu."
"oh," the trio said in unison, awed. What a story! What a tragic, typical story of the bloody times they lived in. Heisuke, Souji and Shinpachi all heaved a small regretful sigh, imagining the sorrow and the suffering of the graceful, solemn young woman before them.
"Sooo…" Sano grumbled, breaking everyone out of their reverie. "Can we eat now? And why aren't we worried about Hijikata snoozing in the middle of the yard?"
The men sat down and Tomoe served them their breakfast. "I'll explain," Souji said, picking up his teacup and sipping from it. "You see, your young lady friend here nearly had an unwelcome visitor last night."
"No way!" Shinpachi gasped, his eyes growing ridiculously huge in his round, childish face.
"You mean…. Vice commander Hijikata?" Heisuke asked in a strangled whisper.
"The one and only," Souji nodded. "He came barging over in the middle of the night and demanded that I give her up."
"My god," Heisuke gasped, appalled. "What makes him think he has the right?"
Souji shrugged sadly and Sano scratched the back of his head, mulling it over. "Well," the big man said at last, chewing with his mouth open. "He is the demon vice commander, remember? And he's pretty much famous for having any girl he wants, right?"
"Yeah," Shinpachi said, folding his arms inside his sleeves and gazing into his teacup pensively. "Ever since Serizawa got chopped, Hijikata's definitely been the alpha male in this pack of wolves, so to speak. But I'm wondering how he knew she was there. I mean, we didn't tell anybody except you, Souji. So how'd he find out about her?"
They all exchanged puzzled glances. Heisuke blanched, and then turned pink and started to sweat. "Do you think… do you think Hijikatasan might have a supernatural ability to sense girls? Kind of like Saitou and his ghosts?"
"Hah," Sano snorted. "I don't think it's anything 'supernatural'. He probably just smelled her." He picked up his bowl and held it over his face to shovel the rest of his breakfast into his mouth. When he put the bowl down again, he found everyone, including the girl, gaping at him.
"Smelled her?" Shinpachi asked incredulously. "You think Hijikata woke up in the middle of the night and went running over to Souji's room because he smelled that a girl was hiding in there? Sano, what in the- "
"Well shit, I don't know- it's possible, isn't it? I mean, I think she smells pretty good, don't you?" Sano asked.
"Anyway," Heisuke said worriedly. "Souji, if I'm understanding this correctly, you actually had to fight Hijikatasan last night to keep him from taking this young woman."
"Not really," Souji said, smiling a little guiltily and sipping his tea. "I only had to give him a little bump on the side of the head. It wasn't a 'fight', it was… a prompt dissuasion."
Heisuke shook his head. "Man, Souji, you're something else," he said. "When I saw the knocked-down wall and the blood all over the floor, I thought there'd been a full-blown battle last night."
"Knocked-down wall and blood all over the floor?" Souji repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean the mess your 'prompt dissuasion' left in Hijikatasan's room," Heisuke said.
Souji lowered his eyebrows.
Meanwhile, out in the yard, the demon vice commander awoke. Warm sunshine poured from the eastern sky. Birds were singing. Hijikata felt remarkably well-rested. And he was going to have to execute the captain of the first squad. There wasn't a doubt in his mind. It had to be done and there was no way around it. No matter how much you love a dog, if it turns on you, you have to put it down. Souji wasn't a dog, but he was out of control. He'd finally gone crazy. And so the boy would have to be put down. Executed. Killed. It had to be done.
Slowly Hijikata sat up, his heart heavy. He felt a slight throb from the lump on the side of his head, and frowned. And kept frowning. And clenched his eyes shut and bit his lower lip- which started to tremble anyway- it had to be done- he had to kill Souji- damn it, Souji! The usually-suppressed creative side of Hijikata's brain suddenly conjured up an image of a severed head resting in a puddle of blood, its expression oddly calm with cheerfully closed eyes and a ridiculously cute smile, and Hijikata's shoulders shuddered. The vice commander dropped his face into his hands and made a sound that was probably almost a sob.
"Hijikata fukuchou," rasped a voice behind him.
Instantly Hijikata was on his feet. "What?" he snarled, furious that he'd almost been caught in a moment of emotional weakness. He spun around, shoulders thrust back and one fist poised imperiously on his hip.
To his surprise, at least twenty ninjas were kneeling in formation right there in the yard. The one at the front looked up and spoke in an ominous hiss. "I'm glad you're alright, sir. With your approval, we'll move in, eliminate the renegade, and extract our operative."
Hijikata recognized the hissing voice. "You!" he exclaimed. "You're the Yaminobu from last night!"
"Yes sir. I have gathered reinforcements for the task at hand," he or she hissed. "Do we have your permission to proceed with the operation?"
"Wait," Hijikata said. "You're here to reclaim some girl that you're using as a spy against the Choshu Ishin-shishi?"
"Correct."
Hijikata surveyed the ranks of ninjas. "And you need twenty people to help you with that?" he asked incredulously.
"Well, there's also the matter of the maverick captain. The one who attacked you last night," the lead ninja hissed.
"Oh," Hijikata said, and swallowed. "Right. I want to be sure he's captured alive. Is he still on the premises?"
The Yaminobu nodded once. "Sir, it appears he's taken the girl and three other captains to the kitchen area. It's not clear if they're his hostages or his co-conspirators. Shall we begin the siege?"
"The siege?" Hijikata repeated. "You're going to lay siege to the kitchen?"
"Standard operating procedure, sir," the ninja explained.
"Grr," Hijikata growled. "This is insane. Fine! Do whatever you need to do. I want that miserable woman off my property!"
"Hauh," the Yaminobu huffed, as all twenty-odd ninjas vanished in a blur of black.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, the reason that Souji's expression had just turned serious had less to do with the fact that he was worried about whose blood Heisuke had seen on Hijikata's floor, and more to do with the fact that he suddenly felt that they were all in danger. "Shinpachisan," he said, his voice quiet and icy.
"I sense it too," Shinpachi said quickly, automatically reaching for his sword, which of course, was not there, since he was still in his pajamas. "Damn it! We're surrounded."
Souji scanned the room. Tomoe looked up as if awaiting instruction. "Sanosan, you're the only one with a weapon, so please look after the girl," Souji said, somber and businesslike. Sano nodded and started to get to his feet—
"Watch out!" Shinpachi cried, but it was too late. At least a dozen ninjas burst into the room- through the doors and windows and dropping down from the ceiling and several even popped up through the floorboards. They were all bristling with weapons and before Sano had time to blink at least four of them had tackled him and tied him up with wire. Souji gritted his teeth and threw himself at the nearest invader, easily overwhelming the ninja and depriving him of the short sword strapped across his back. In the same instant, Heisuke tackled Tomoe, crouching down with her beside the stove and wrapping his arms around her protectively. With Heisuke's body on one side of her and the wall of the bulky stove on the other, she was actually in a fairly safe position. Souji and Shinpachi both acknowledged that the girl was protected, and then nodded to each other, recognizing that they were both prepared to fight. Shinpachi had also managed, in just barely a second, to borrow a weapon from one of the invaders. He and Souji turned and stepped backwards so that they were back-to-back.
"Rraargh!" the already-tied-up Sanosuke growled, preventing an uncomfortable silence from settling over the scene. "Come on, guys! You can take 'em!" he roared encouragingly, and then, unintelligibly, as a ninja wrestled a gag into his mouth and tied it firmly around his head. "Gnhngrnhmrn!" Sano cursed through the gag, furious.
Hijikata stepped through the doorway. "Surrender," he commanded in his scariest voice.
Souji frowned at the vice commander, took another look at the ninjas crouched and perched all over the room, and then lowered his sword. He blinked several times, looking more puzzled with each blink. "Something doesn't add up," he muttered at last. "Hijikatasan, what's this all about?"
"Why are you sheltering that girl?" Hijikata demanded.
"I told you! She was drunk; she needed shelter," Souji said.
"And I told YOU to hand her over, but you disobeyed me."
"So you called in an entire army of ninjas?" Souji asked in disbelief.
"No, he called them in." Hijikata pointed to one of the ninjas, who, to Souji, looked identical to all the other ninjas.
"Who bled all over the floor in your room?" Souji asked.
"Yamazaki did," Hijikata said.
Shinpachi gave a relieved smile and also lowered his sword. "Oh, I think I understand now," the little redhead said. "Yamazaki told Hijikata about the girl. Hijikata was mad at Yamazaki for letting us get away with sneaking her in here, and so Hijikata beat the hell out of him before going over to Souji's room."
"But that doesn't explain the army of ninjas," Heisuke spoke up uncertainly.
"I did not beat the hell out of Yamazaki!" Hijikata yelled, fists clenched. "The girl was on her way to infiltrate a key Choshu hideout when you bunch of idiots interfered." He pointed to the ninja again. "Then this guy showed up in the middle of the night, threw Yamazaki through my wall, and told me that you all had kidnapped his 'operative' and stashed her in Souji's room. He asked me to give her back to him. But when I went to go get her," he glared at Souji-- "you finally lost your mind and decided to commit treason."
Souji's eyes grew very round. He stared at Hijikata for a moment, and then his face broke out into a huge smile as a faint pink hue appeared across his cheeks. "Oh!" he said brightly, and then laughed. "So that's why you came for her!" he exclaimed, unable to stop laughing. No one else seemed to think it was funny. At the word 'treason', Sano, Shinpachi, and Heisuke had all turned pale.
"You have gone crazy after all," Hijikata muttered grimly, drawing his sword. "But that's no excuse. You've committed treason and you won't be spared the consequences." His steely gaze was locked onto the merrily laughing captain. "I'll just get it over with," the vice commander whispered, almost to himself. He stepped forward menacingly.
"wait," called a soft voice. Tomoe stood up, and everyone looked at her. She stepped past Heisuke, the ninjas, and the still-giggling Souji, and stood before Hijikata. She bowed deeply from the waist, and when she finally looked up, her expression was completely unreadable. Hijikata felt slightly unnerved by the coolness of beauty. "Hijikatasan." She said softly. "I apologize for the inconvenience I have caused. But if Captain Okita committed treason, it was for my sake," she said quietly. "Therefore, I will accept his punishment."
"The punishment's death," Hijikata told her gruffly, glaring down at the cause of the recent mayhem. Tomoe merely gazed up at him, her eyes cold and deep, like pools of ink used to write sad poems. Hijikata blinked disconcertedly. Where had that thought come from? Maybe Souji had thumped him in the head a little too hard.
"That's unacceptable," the lead Yaminobu spoke up. "Sorry, Hijikatasan. You can't kill her. She's non-expendable."
"Just take her and go!" Hijikata growled.
Tomoe's expression was as solemn as stone. "Not yet," she said to the vice commander. "I'm not leaving until you give me your word that you won't kill Captain Okita. I refuse to live with the dishonor of having Captain Okita killed for something that was my fault."
"God, if she kills herself it'll ruin everything," the head Yaminobu rasped. "Hijikatasan, will you please cooperate? Give her your word so we can get out of here."
"Your word as a samurai," Tomoe added.
"Fine," Hijikata grumbled, "I swear I won't kill Okita for committing treason on your behalf."
Tomoe bowed again, and then, rather anti-climactically, she walked out the door and into the sunlight, followed by all the ninjas.
Once they were gone, Hijikata took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then he pressed the heel of his palm to his forehead, and said in a low growl, "Souji, it's not funny."
Souji was still in the process of stifling his giggles. He grinned brilliantly. "Yes it is!" he insisted.
"This time, I was really going to kill you," Hijikata informed him.
"Aw, come on, Hijikatasan. You weren't going to kill ME," Souji said cheerfully.
Without another word, Hijikata turned and trudged out the door, scowling.
Heisuke looked at Souji solemnly. "Dude, I think he was really going to kill you," he said.
"Nah," Souji said with a carefree smile. "He needs me." His eyes glimmered briefly as he realized that he'd just confessed pretty much his whole reason for living to the three troublemakers. But a quick glance at their faces confirmed that they were oblivious to the profundity of his statement, so he cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Anyway, the next time you all take it upon yourselves to rescue a beautiful girl, perhaps you should check first to make sure you aren't subverting the plans of any armies of ninjas out there."
"Uh, sure thing," Shinpachi said, doing his best to untwist the wires that were still restraining Sanosuke.
"She didn't even say goodbye," Heisuke realized, his voice cracking. "Last night she- she said she loved me, and this morning she just left without a glance! How could anyone be so heartless, so cold?"
"Heisuke, you're hopeless," Shinpachi said, exasperated.
"The whole world is hopeless," Heisuke replied mournfully. "Doomed and hopeless!"
"Yes, yes, we know." Shinpachi sounded bored. "You feel like you've been dumped again so you're going to try and kill yourself, right?" He was struggling with those wires. Sano winced and murmbled something rude-sounding into the gag, glaring ferociously at Heisuke. "I think Sano's mad at you," Shinpachi added unhelpfully.
Another A/N: I struggled with this chapter, possibly because I finished writing it six hundred miles away from where I started writing it. But the next chapter was written all in one place, and is almost typed! It should be up in a day or two. Thanks for the reviews- you guys are awesome!
