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Chapter 57: Reunion at Sendai

April 1868

Sumiko let out a sigh as she sat in the grass on the side of the road and stared up at the vast blue sky above her.

"Right about now… Saito-san should be in Aizu…" She thought aloud as she leaned back against her tansu, allowing herself to relax for a short break before resuming her long journey. The area she was currently seemed safe enough, and she hadn't run into any highway robbers for quite some time. After seeing off Sano and Shiranui, Sumiko had decided her next destination should be Sendai, in the Miyagi Prefecture. She knew for sure that Shinpachi, Saito, and Shimada were supposed to survive, so that only left her with the demon vice-commander to worry about. His appointment with death was set for the next summer, so at the moment her main concern was being able to meet up with Hijikata and Chizuru before they left for Ezo. Once the Republic of Ezo was set up, it would be difficult for her as an ordinary citizen to gain access to the island without solid proof of her connection to them. Sumiko furrowed her brow slightly as another thought occurred to her.

What about Heisuke and San'nan-san?

Technically, they should have both died already, according to history, but they were still alive and fighting as members of the Rasetsu Unit. She bit her lip and lowered her head. As rasetsus, they probably didn't have much longer to live… several months at the most.

"Damn it!" Sumiko cursed under her breath, clenching her fist around a handful of grass. She knew there was very little she could do for them. Like Okita, they were dying from something that was beyond her ability to heal. She could feel a tear threatening to form in her eye at the thought of the sadistic and cheeky swordsman. Okita… if he wasn't already dead, he soon would be. Since there was no way to save him, she hoped he would at least be able to get a chance to die on his own terms…

Sumiko quickly wiped her eyes and got back on her feet. She hoisted her tansu up onto her back again. No, she couldn't think about that now. She had to keep moving. There would be plenty of time for tears later; right now she still had a job to do. She needed to find Chizuru and Hijikata.

—∞—

September 1868

Hijikata and Chizuru arrived in Sendai with his troops. San'nan-san was supposed to have led the Rasetsu Unit to Sendai in advance, but they never received any reports from the Unit and lost contact with them. Hijikata was struggling with this predicament when Enomoto Takeaki, the second in command of the former Bakufu navy, came to pay him a visit shortly after their arrival.

"It's been a long time, Hijikata-kun." Enomoto greeted the former vice-commander of the Shinsengumi.

"I'm glad to see you're still the same, Enomoto-san." Hijikata said. "Stealing eight flagships from the Imperial Army… Your fearless feat astonishes me."

"Well, Hijikata-kun, you have done a commendable job yourself. I am sorry I lacked the power to save Kondo-san. We have lost a great man…" Enomoto said gravely, bowing his head, as the two men let a moment of silence pass out of respect for the fallen commander.

"Now, tell me." Hijikata spoke at length. "How are things in Sendai?" He hadn't had much time to take stock of the city's situation for himself yet.

"Actually," Enomoto said, raising his head to look Hijikata in the eye. "I haven't been able to speak with the Sendai daimyo. I've dropped by the castle several times, but they never give an 'aye' or 'nay' when I request an audience."

"Pardon me." Chizuru said softly, sliding open the door so she could serve them tea.

"And I've heard an outlandish rumor." Enomoto continued, knowing Chizuru could be trusted. "Supposedly there is a strange unit residing within the Sendai domain."

"A strange unit?" Hijikata asked.

"Murder has been rampant in the castle town. Rumor has it the murderers enter and leave the castle freely." Enomoto explained. A gasp escaped Chizuru's lips as she finished serving them. "The castle is eerily quiet. What could have happened in there?"

"Enomoto-san, could you let me handle these murder cases?" Hijikata asked calmly, keeping his poker face firmly in place. "Please continue with your efforts to see the daimyo."

"Sure." Enomoto agreed, relieved to have someone so reliable looking into it.

After seeing Enomoto off, Hijikata returned to the room, where Chizuru was collecting their empty tea cups.

"Um, about those murders…" Chizuru said hesitantly as he took a seat. "Do you think…?"

"I can't say anything while we're still in the speculation stage." Hijikata replied calmly.

"Hai." She said quietly.

"But if San'nan-san is the ringleader behind those murders, I will probably have to kill him." He stated grimly, furrowing his brow.

—∞—

Hijikata stopped and gazed up at the castle sitting high above the ramparts. It seemed to loom ominously over him and the rest of the town. Although many of the townspeople seemed too wary to speak to him directly of any of the incidents, in the last half of an hour, what he had heard only deepened his suspicions.

"I hope you're not planning to go in alone." A familiar voice stated matter-of-factly from only a couple behind him, causing Hijikata to whirl around to face its owner. His eyes widened in surprise as the young woman with the large tansu on her back tipped her straw hat at him.

"Long time no see, Hijikata-san." Sumiko greeted him with the hint of a smirk playing on her lips, unable to help the flicker of amusement she felt at the astonished expression on his face, despite the heavy circumstances surrounding their meeting.

"You… You escaped!? How did you get away?" Hijikata asked urgently as he placed his hands on her shoulders to make sure she was real, amazed to see her standing there so casually after all this time.

"I'll explain later." Sumiko told him, flashing a brief apologetic smile for making him worry, before adopting a more serious expression. "But, first, I have a very important question that needs to be answered: Where is Chizuru?"

—∞—

Chizuru was working on the laundry. She had just finished hanging up another kimono to dry on the line when Heisuke came running up.

"Chizuru!" He called out anxiously, skidding to a halt in front of the side gate.

"Heisuke-kun!?" Chizuru exclaimed, surprised by his sudden appearance. She was glad to see he was all right, but he was obviously very worried about something. He looked like he had run the whole way there.

"Where's Hijikata-san?" Heisuke asked, panting slightly.

"He's out right now. More importantly, what's kept you?" Chizuru asked as she approached him, concerned. "I was worried sick when we couldn't get ahold of you."

"Sorry. I couldn't really pull away from San'nan-san." Heisuke apologized, bowing his head. "See, San'nan-san may have gone over to the Imperial Army.

"What!?"

"He's been holding secret meetings with Koudou-san in Sendai Castle!"

Chizuru's eyes widened.

"T-Tou-sama is in the castle!?" She gasped.

"At any rate, I thought I should see what Hijikata-san thinks and slipped out, but…" Heisuke continued. "Keh!" He furrowed his brow and clicked his tongue in irritation as he hopped over the gate and positioned himself protectively in front of Chizuru as a small troop of rasetsus wearing Imperial Army uniforms marched up to confront them.

"These are enemy rasetsus. Get outta here, Chizuru!" Heisuke said urgently, drawing his sword.

"No, that will not be necessary." A familiar voice stated calmly.

"!" Heisuke and Chizuru gasped as the rasetsus parted to reveal her father.

"It's good to see you again, Chizuru." Koudou greeted his adopted daughter with a smile.

"Tou-sama!" Chizuru exclaimed.

"Koudou-san! Damn it!" Heisuke cursed, furrowing his brow. "You had someone follow me, didn't you?"

"Goodness. First Harada-kun and now you. The Shinsengumi can be most trying." Koudou remarked before turning his attention back to his daughter. "Chizuru, today I have come to bring you back. As long as we have these rasetsus, we can revive our clan's former glory." He stated confidently, spreading his arms. Unlike Sumiko, who had always had something of a rebellious streak in her, Chizuru was an obedient girl. As the daughter he had raised from a tender age, she would not be able to turn away from him so easily.

"So, you truly mean to use these rasetsus to revive the Yukimura clan?" Chizuru asked, appalled.

"Of course!" Koudou replied matter-of-factly, still confident that even if Chizuru had some misgivings about the details of his plan, she would be incapable of betraying him. "Now then, come along, Chizuru." Koudou said, holding his hand out to her with a kind smile on his face.

"No!" Chizuru said, furrowing her brow in disappointment as she took a step back. How could he ask her to be part of something so terrible with the same fatherly smile he always wore when calling out to her as a child? She loved her father, but this was cruel and unfair. "I cannot go with you, Tou-sama."

Koudou let out a sigh of irritation as he clenched his fist.

"You've spent too much time with Shinsengumi. It would seem they have poisoned you, too." He said. That was the only explanation. First Sumiko, and now even Chizuru… Althoug Sumiko had always been a bit headstrong, these country samurai were obviously a bad influence. They were really beginning to get on his last nerve. He raised his hand and gave the signal for his rasetsus to draw their swords before slipping away.

"Run for it, Chizuru." Heisuke said as he stepped forward to face them, and the first enemy rushed forth to clash swords with him. "Hurry!" He grunted as he kicked another enemy away while still holding the first at bay. "Agh!" He cried out in pain as the cloud that had been blocking the sun passed, and its blinding rays hit him with their full force. "Ugk!" He grimaced as he grit his teeth and tried to steel his nerves against the pain. The other rasetsus still seemed perfectly fine. That's right, unlike him, they could move around during the day without experiencing any pain or fatigue. Damn it, it looked like they really did have the advantage…! Two more rasetsus charged at him. "!" Heisuke managed to block them and grunted from the effort of pushing them back. "Damn it!" He cursed, wincing against the glare of the sun. "Guaah!"

"Heisuke-kun!" Chizuru cried out as the enemy rasetsus launched another attack, cutting him on his arm and leg. "Stop it, Tou-sama!" She pleaded anxiously, squeezing her eyes shut. She didn't see Koudou step out from behind the hanging laundry until it was too late. "H—mph!" Chizuru gasped in surprise as he clamped a chloroform-soaked cloth over her mouth and nose with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her to stop her futile attempt to struggle against him. The more she fought to get away, the more chloroform she inhaled. She was out within seconds.

"Chizuru!" Heisuke shouted in alarm when he saw her go limp in Koudou's arms. "Ng!" He quickly shoved his current attacker away and cut him down so he could run over to her, but then another enemy rasetsu ran up to block his way. "Chizuru!" Heisuke yelled, cutting him down.

But she couldn't hear him. Chizuru was out cold, and Heisuke soon found himself completely surrounded by enemies. Koudou was slipping away again.

"Chizuru!" Heisuke yelled as the enemy began to close in on him. "Kuh! Damn it!" He cursed his own helplessness in the situation. "Chizuruuuu!"

SLASH! SLICE!