I own nothing but my OC.

Chapter 41: Call to Arms

"Oh, good. You're awake." Sumiko said when Okita finally opened his eyes again the day after they arrived at the Osaka Castle. Okita blinked in confusion as he took in his change of surroundings and tried to sit up. "Not so fast!" She scolded him, gently forcing him to lie back down.

"What happened?" He asked groggily. "Kondo-san… Chizuru…?"

"They're both fine." She reassured him with a smile before adopting a sterner expression. "And way better off than you! What the hell were you thinking, becoming a rasetsu!?"

"I was thinking it might cure my illness and let me kill the guys who shot Kondo-san." He replied frankly. "But as it turns out, the part about it being a cure was a lie."

"Well, duh." Sumiko deadpanned after a heavy sigh. "I could've told you that, if you had bothered to ask. The Ochimizu only enhances your body's natural ability to heal. The problem with your illness is that it's being caused by a really malignant bacteria that's taken up residence in your lungs. Until that's gone, you'll never get better. The only reason you can move around now is because the Ochimizu enabled your body to keep up with damage being caused by the bacteria better. I'm afraid all you did was prolong your own suffering…" She said regretfully. He was still dying, just at a much slower rate. "Where did you even get the stuff anyway? Because I know it wasn't from San'nan-san."

"Nagumo Kaoru paid me a visit." Okita replied, furrowing his brow as his expression darkened.

"Nagumo… you mean Chizuru's look-a-like?" Sumiko asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and you won the bet about his gender." Okita told her. "That kid came to my room one night several months ago, going on about how he was Chizuru's twin, and he gave me a vial Ochimizu claiming that he received it from Koudou-san, and that it would cure my illness… and then he showed up again tonight with those guys. It was him. He's the one who told them how to ambush Kondo-san!" He said angrily, clenching his fists, as he glared up at the ceiling. "Sumiko-san. You have to watch out for Chizuru-chan. That guy's determined to make his younger sister suffer."

Sumiko frowned and furrowed her brow as she closed her eyes. It figured… when it rained, it poured.

"Yeah, don't worry. Leave Chizuru to me. As soon as I feel comfortable doing so, I'll leave you and Kondo-san in Matsumoto-sensei's care and rush back to meet with her and the others." She said solemnly. "But, on a happier note, Kondo-san is also up and asking about you." She added with a sly smile. "He asked me to give you a good scolding for him for giving everyone a scare like that once you woke up."

"You wouldn't…" He said, narrowing his eyes as a feeling of dread began to creep over him.

"That's right! It's plenty of green onion, leek, and bak choi soup for you!" She said with a cheeky grin. Aside from the fact that she knew he hated them, they had the added benefit of being very nutritious.

"I'll kill you…" Okita muttered darkly as she got up to leave and prepare his punishment meal.

"That's a good attitude." She said smirking. "You should hate me more, curse me more, and detest me! Then you should take the power of that hatred and use it to survive in this rotten world!" She continued, quoting Gin-san from Gintama in his parody of Itachi from Naruto as she slipped out of the room, leaving behind a somewhat bewildered Okita, who didn't get the reference at all. Of course, the priceless expression on his face just made it all the more amusing for Sumiko.

—∞—

January, 1868

Conflict began between the former Bakufu army and the Satsuma and Choshu armies. It was what the world would call the Battle of Toba-Fushimi.

It was 15,000 former Bakufu army soldiers versus 5,000 Satcho soldiers. In sheer numbers, the former Bakufu army had a major advantage. However, faced with the modern weaponry of the Satcho forces, the former Bakufu army was utterly defeated. Because Kondo-san was still recuperating in Osaka after being taken there for treatment for the gunshot wound he'd received, Hijikata had assumed leadership of the Shinsengumi, and he had decided to attack the enemy's headquarters at Gokounomyia Shrine. It was just in time for this battle that Sumiko returned to the Shinsengumi as a medic. While she performed surgery on major wounds in the back, Chizuru helped take care of the soldiers being brought in with more minor wounds in the front.

"The bleeding has stopped." Chizuru informed the soldier whose arm she had just finished bandaging. "Please try to stay conscious." She gasped when she heard the sound of another great explosion in the distance where the other were still out fighting.

"Yukimura-kun. Are you all right?" Inoue asked as he walked over to check on her.

"I'm worried whether everyone will make it back safely." Chizuru replied quietly, bowing her head. Inoue placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Not to worry. They're warriors." He reassured her. "In the face of overwhelming odds, Nagakura-kun and Shimada-kun volunteered for the suicide corps. Harada-kun put his own life on the line to provide them with support… and Saito has headed for Ryu'un Temple to stop their cannons. They are all true warriors, a rarity in this modern world."

"True warriors?" Chizuru asked.

"That's right." Sumiko said as she walked up to them, wiping off her bloody hands. "Have faith, Chizuru. Believe in them. They'll be back." She added with a tired smile.

"Hai." Chizuru said as she and Inoue smiled.

"Vice-commander!" They heard Yamazaki gasp outside. "Are you all right?" The three of them exchanged a glance and immediately went to see what was up.

"Yamazaki. Tend to his wounds." Hijikata said as he walked up slowly, carefully supporting another injured man.

"Yes, sir." Yamazaki replied dutifully, taking the other man away from treatment.

"Hijikata-san!" Chizuru said as they came rushing over to see him. "You're bleeding!" She gasped in alarm when she saw the cut on the back of his hand.

"You need medical attention." Sumiko said, turning to go back and get some bandages and disinfectant.

"It's just a scratch." Hijikata said as he glanced down at his bleeding hand.

"Don't say 'just a scratch' when it's bleeding so profusely!" Sumiko snapped sternly. "You need to take better—!"

BOOM!

The whole ground shook and dust fell from the ceiling of the porch with the force of another explosion that wasn't too far away. It felt like they were getting closer.

"Dammit, they're really hitting us hard." Hijikata commented, furrowing his brow.

"Saito-san! Harada-san!" Chizuru gasped as they came limping up with what was left of their men.

"Vice-commander. I'm very sorry." Saito apologized humbly with regret. "Their gunfire was just too intense. We couldn't fight our way into Ryu'un Temple."

"I see." Hijikata said. He was disappointed, but he didn't blame Saito. They were being completely outgunned all around.

"Shinpachi!" Sano said, alarmed, when he didn't see his friend anywhere. "Has Shinpachi not returned yet!?" He asked anxiously.

"No." Inoue informed him regretfully. Sano furrowed his brow and looked down at the ground, clearly distressed by the news.

"Don't worry, Sano-san. Shinpachi-san's the kind of guy who won't die even if you kill him." Sumiko said, trying to reassure him. "He'll probably outlive us all."

"Yeah…" Sano replied quietly, not looking too convinced. Shinpachi and Shimada had gone on a suicide mission, after all.

–∞–

"The guns the Satcho army has have a frighteningly long rang." Saito reported once they had all gathered for a meeting after Sumiko and Chizuru finished dressing their wounds. "Even from great distances, one of every two shots is on target."

"What's more, they're placed up high, and aim for groups of us at a time." Sano added.

"Oh no! So, Nagakura-san and Shimada-san are…" Chizuru said sadly, glancing around at the others, hoping someone would correct her. Hijikata closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"Fine." Sumiko said firmly, surprising them. "They'll be fine! Just you watch. That muscle-head is too dumb to die."

"Sumiko-san…" Chizuru said.

"Yo!" A familiar called out, arriving right on cue. "We're back." Shinpachi said as he and Shimada leaned around the door to peek into the room at them.

"Welcome back." Sumiko greeted them with a smile, grateful for their timing.

"Nagakura-san! Shimada-san!" Chizuru exclaimed, amazed.

"Shinpachi!" Sano said, astonished.

"The heck? We ain't ghost." Shinpachi remarked upon seeing the stunned looks on everyone but Sumiko's faces. "We're not floatin' on air. We've still got out feet." He added, stepping out into full view to prove his point.

"Thank goodness!" Chizuru exclaimed while they all smiled and let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, that was a failure." Shinpachi said, sighing heavily as he and Shimada took a seat. "The enemy shot a hailstorm of gunfire at us. There's no way we could've fought our way into their headquarters. Thanks to that…" He clenched his fists. "Most of my men… were led to death." They paused for a brief moment of silence for the dead.

BOOM!

They all glanced outside at the sound of another explosion and noticed there were some wisps of black smoke creeping into the courtyard.

"It looks like the fire has spread." Shinpachi commented, furrowing his brow.

"Toshi-san." Inoue said as they all turned to glance back at Hijikata expectantly, waiting to hear his orders.

"This is no longer an era of swords and spears." Hijikata said as he picked up his own and held it in his hand. He was gripping it so tightly, the cut on his hand reopened, forming a crimson stain in the center of the white bandages. "We're retreating." He ordered, furrowing his brow. "But we haven't lost yet. They will definitely pay for this." He stated determinedly. "Once the sun goes down, we'll send out the Rasetsu Unit and change location. Also, dispatch someone to Yodo Castle to ask for support."

'Yodo castle!' Sumiko thought. The name rung a bell. 'Didn't they defect to the Imperial side…?' They were going to have to be careful about how they approached this…

"I'll go!" Chizuru immediately volunteered.

"Chizuru…" Sumiko said, furrowing her brow with concern.

"You?" Hijikata asked, also concerned.

"Everyone else is exhausted." Chizuru said seriously. "Please rest until it's time to move. I will go send word. Please let… Please let me do something, too!"

"If you're that determined, I'll go with you." Sumiko said with a sigh.

"You can't go. You're our main medic." Hijikata reminded her. "If something happens—"

"Hijikata-san. Do you know how many men have died on my operating table in the last hour alone? If I have to stay trapped back there any longer, I'll scream." Sumiko stated rigidly, frowning as she furrowed her brow at him. "I'm going with Chizuru."

"Sumiko-san…" Chizuru said sadly. That's right… Sumiko had been doing her best all alone back there, which also meant she had to watch the men she couldn't save die while she was all by herself…

"I'll go with them." Inoue said.

"Are you sure, Inoue-san?" Sumiko asked, concerned. She couldn't remember how or when he was supposed to die…

Inoue smiled and nodded.

"Very well." Hijikata relented. "We're counting on you."