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Chapter 5: Caged Birds

January, 1864

"They're keeping us in here like a couple of caged birds…" Sumiko remarked with a heavy sigh as she put the brush she'd been writing with down and laid back in the floor. It had already been a few weeks since that night when they were first brought to the headquarters, and it was decided they would stay there for 'protection', but for all intents and purposes they may as well have been under house arrest. In fact, they probably were…

Chizuru let out a sigh of her own as she stood up and crossed the room to open the window. She was tired of staring at the same four walls.

"It's cold." She said, shivering, when the fresh, cold air wafted over her.

"Take care not to get sick." Sumiko chided her lightly, coming over to place Chizuru's haori over her shoulders. Chizuru smiled softly.

"You're just like a mother, Sumiko-san."

"Can we stick to big sister?" Sumiko asked, smiling wryly. "I know I'm not a teenager like you, but I'm only twenty-four, you know. That's still considered really young where I'm from." Chizuru smiled again and looked down as she began to absentmindedly run her fingers over the hilt of her sword. Even though they had only known each other for two years, the two girls had become very close, like sisters. It might seem strange to think this way, but Sumiko was closest thing Chizuru had ever known to a mother.

Sumiko glanced down at the sword at the younger girl's waist, and placed a hand over the hilt of the one at her own side, remembering the day they had their belongings returned to them.

«« Flashback««

"The Shinsengumi is responsible for your safekeeping." Hijikata said as they sat before him and San'nan-san. "However, because you're girls, we can't just let you roam around headquarters. That's why you'll continue to dress as men."

"Hai." The two girls replied obediently.

"Even if it weren't your intent, the presence of two women would disrupt order within the troop." San'nan explained.

"Then, what should we…?" Chizuru started to ask, not wanting to be a bother.

"You don't have to do anything." Hijikata told her.

"But we're guests here. Shouldn't we do something to earn our keep?" Sumiko asked. "Though I'm a woman, I'm also a doctor. I primarily specialize in treating animals, but I've been learning how to treat people from Koudou-san. I could be of some help."

"No." Hijikata said firmly. "We'll prepare a room for you, and you'll stay in there."

"Huh? Weren't these girls supposed to be somebody's servant?" Okita asked.

"Idiot! Try to keep your mouth shut, Souji!" Hijikata snapped before coughing to clear his throat. "Also…" He said, smiling slightly, as he picked up Chizuru's short sword and held it out to her.

"Ah!" Chizuru gasped.

"This is rather important, yes? No man would be caught wandering around without one." He said, returning it to her.

"Thank you very much." Chizuru said, smiling, as she held the precious sword close. Sumiko smiled, glad to see her looking so happy.

"And this is for you." Hijikata said, surprising Sumiko when he held up another sword. "I take it you know how to use one?" Saito said her movements that night in the alley hadn't been those of an amateur.

"Yes." She said, accepting the sword. From the look of the hilt, it was the same sword she had almost been stabbed with when they were attacked by that crazy rogue Shinsengumi member. "My father taught me." She said, smiling softly, as she thought of him.

««End Flashback««

"Still," Chizuru said, bring her back out of her reverie, "I wonder when we'll be able to go looking for my father? Maybe we'll remained locked up like this for good…"

"I'd say that's up to your conviction, wouldn't you?" Okita's voice said from somewhere to their lower left.

"Heh?" Chizuru said, blinking, as they leaned further out the window and saw that Okita was sitting on the porch just outside their window. "Ehh!?" Chizuru exclaimed, reeling back in surprise. "O-Okita-san, what are you…?"

"Oh, so that's where you were." Sumiko remarked calmly, sweat-dropping. Once again, she hadn't detected his presence until too late. These guys were more like ninja than samurai…

"Huh? Did you not notice?" Okita asked. "Come this time of day, I'm the one in charge of watching you." He reminded them.

'Come to think of it… people have been watching us…' Chizuru thought. She had almost forgotten about it. "Does that mean you heard everything we said?" She asked.

"Hm?" Okita said with feigned innocence, smiling like the cat that ate the canary.

'He definitely heard us…' Both girls thought simultaneously. Sumiko simply deadpanned while Chizuru looked troubled to discover he had been eaves dropping, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Tonight's dinner has been prepared." Saito announced, causing them to glance over in the opposite direction. "Are you about ready?" He asked, standing calmly on the porch while holding two trays of food.

"Saito-san! Um, Saito-san, you've been there this whole time?" Chizuru asked tentatively. Saito nodded.

'Freaking ninja-samurais…' Sumiko thought, slightly chagrined. She hadn't noticed him either.

"Hey there!" Heisuke called out as he approached them. "It's feedin' time." He told Saito.

"I have work to do. You go ahead and eat." Saito replied calmly.

"Hijikata-san's order was to not take our eyes off of these two for even a moment." Okita said.

"Then we should just let them eat with us, right?" Heisuke suggested.

"Huh?" Chizuru said, surprised.

"We were ordered not to let them leave the room." Saito said.

"Where's the harm?" Heisuke asked. "Hijikata-san's gone off to Osaka."

"That's right." Okita said thoughtfully. "I'm tired of just watching these two eat." He took the trays from Saito and handed them to Heisuke.

"Huh? What're you giving this to me for?" Heisuke asked.

"You're the one who brought it up." Okita replied. "Well, let's go." He said, walking off.

"Huh? Um…" Chizuru said hesitantly, leaning out the window, while Sumiko wasted no time in opening the door and stepping out into the fresh air.

"Ah, it feels good to be outside again!" Sumiko said, stretching. "Come on, Chizuru, what are you waiting for? Let's go eat!"

—∞—

"You took your time!" Shinpachi exclaimed impatiently when they reached their destination. His stomach growled loudly. "What are you guys gonna do about the growls my stomach are makin'?"

"I'm sorry. It's our fault." Chizuru apologized humbly as they entered the room.

"What are they doing here?" Sano asked, surprised to see the two girls out of their room.

"What, you got a problem with it?" Heisuke retorted challengingly.

"Nah, that ain't it." Shinpachi said with a wry grin. "Food tastes better when eaten together, right?"

"Look, quit just standin' there. Have a seat." Sano said as they both scooted aside to let the girls have their cushions.

"Thank you." Sumiko said as both girls bowed.

"My apologies." Chizuru said politely.

"Okay, there." Heisuke said, setting their trays down in front of the cushions.

"Thank you very much, Toudou-san." Chizuru said.

"Yeah, but enough of that 'Toudou-san'." He said. "Everyone calls me 'Heisuke', so I'm fine with that."

"In that case, feel free to call me 'Sumiko'." Sumiko replied with a polite smile, returning the favor.

"B-But…" Chizuru said, looking a little embarrassed. Wasn't that too intimate for someone they barely knew?

"It looks like we're about the same age, so it's better anyways." He added. "And I'll just call you 'Chizuru'."

"So, Heisuke-kun, then..." Chizuru said a bit shyly, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, that's good." He said, smiling in approval. "Okay, Chizuru, Sumiko, nice to 'meet' you again."

"Yes." They said, smiling.

Sano and Shinpachi smiled. Yep. It was definitely nice to have some girls around for a change.

"Thank you for this meal." Saito said, picking up his chopsticks, as the girls took their seats in between the two of them.

"Still, tonight's dinner looks a little stingy, as always." Shinpachi said. "Therefore…" Without warning his chopsticks swooped down and plucked a chunk of meat from Heisuke's fish.

"Hey, Shinpatsu! Why do you always go after my food?" Heisuke demanded, chagrined.

"Hahahaha! It's all about body size." Shinpachi said, grinning. "Guys with bigger bodies need more to eat."

"Well, I'm still a growing boy, so I gotta eat more!" Heisuke said, aiming for Shinpachi's fish.

"Too slow!" Shinpachi taunted him, swooping the whole fish up out of harm's way with his chopsticks before Heisuke's could touch it. "Hwomp!" He shoved the fish into his mouth, taking off the head with one bite, smiling as he chewed.

"You're eating it as is!?" Heisuke asked incredulously. "At least spit out the bones! That's disgusting." Shinpachi exhaled as he finished chewing. All that was left was the tail fins.

"Want this?" He asked Heisuke, smirking.

"No, I don't!" Heisuke retorted tartly.

"It's like this every time." Sano said as the two men continued to argue in the background. "Sorry for all the ruckus." He told the girls.

"Not all." Chizuru said, smiling. "Everyone eating together, being lively, is fun."

"Pfft! Yeah, this is how it should be." Sumiko laughed, grinning, as she watched Heisuke and Shinpachi's antics. "It reminds me of whenever my mother used to make a hotpot. She'd set out on the table, and my father and I would battle each other to see who could get the most meat, until she got fed up and scolded us for making a mess."

"You finally smiled." Sano said, causing them to glance back at him. Most of their smiles had been somewhat strained since they came here, but these were genuinely happy. "You two should always smile like that. We aren't gonna do you no wrong." He reassured them with a smile of his own. The two girls exchanged a glance.

"Okay." They said, nodding. Chizuru smiled softly.

'I may have misunderstood the Shinsengumi somewhat.' Sumiko thought as the door slid open to reveal a troubled looking Inoue-san.

"Can I have a minute, everyone?" He asked. "We have received a message from Hijikata, who is in Osaka." He announced with the letter in his hand. "It seems that, in the course of his duties, San'nan-san incurred great injury.

"Eh?" They all gasped with concern.

"And? How is San'nan-san?" Shinpachi asked anxiously.

"The letter said his wounds are deep, but the injury is to his left arm." Inoue informed them regretfully. "It will be difficult for him to hold a sword, but his life is not in danger."

"Oh, good." Chizuru said, sighing with relief, while Sumiko frowned slightly.

"It ain't good!" Heisuke said shortly.

"Huh?" Chizuru said, confused.

"A sword cannot be easily wielded with one arm." Saito explained. "San'nan-san may never hold a blade again."

"And even if he can, his reflexes will probably never be the same." Sumiko added with regret on San'nan-san's behalf.

"!" Chizuru gasped, appalled, now that she realized the gravity of the situation.

"Now then, I have something to discuss with Kondo-san." Inoue said, excusing himself, as he closed the door and left.

"If it comes down to it, all we can do is have him take the medicine or something, huh?" Okita said somberly.

'Medicine?' Sumiko thought, furrowing her brow slightly. If they really had a medicine capable of saving San'nan-san's arm, then why did Okita look and sound like he was talking about a death sentence.

"Don't talk foolishness." Shinpachi said grimly. "We can't have a higher-up as one of the Shinsengumi."

"Huh?" Chizuru said as both girls furrowed their brows in confusion.

"Isn't San'nan-san the Shinsengumi's deputy commander?" Sumiko asked.

"Uh, well…" Shinpachi said, realizing too late that he had probably said too much.

"You've got it wrong." Heisuke said. "The word Shinsengumi means 'newly selected corps', right? For the Shinsengumi we're talkin' about, the 'sen' part means—"

"Heisuke!!" Sano shouted sternly, cutting him off, as he launched himself at the younger man and sent him flying with a mean right hook.

"Ah! Heisuke-kun!" Chizuru screamed as both girls were startled by the sudden and violent outburst. Shinpachi held an arm out to stop Sumiko when she started to move to help him.

"Ow…" Heisuke groaned in pain as he held a hand to his aching jaw.

"That's going too far, Sano!" Shinpachi said. "Try thinking of Heisuke, and the girls as well." Sano exhaled and the tension left his shoulders as he calmed down and realized Shinpachi was right.

"I-I'm sorry." Sano apologized to Heisuke.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too." Heisuke said, still holding his cheek. It felt like it was starting to swell up. "But… Jeez, Sano-san, you're quick to take a swing."

"Chizuru-chan. Sumiko-chan. This just now was the limit of what you're allowed to hear." Shinpachi said gravely. "I'm sure you're curious, but I want you to ask nothing more."

"But…!" Chizuru started to object, when Sumiko placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head, silently telling her to let it go for now. It obviously wasn't safe for them to know too much.

"The 'Shinsengumi' Heisuke mentioned… are some pretty pitiful children." Okita said solemnly.

'What in the world… is going on here…?' Sumiko wondered, furrowing her brow in concern and confusion. Just what did they get themselves into…?