Previously:

"So, we'll stick with the Imperials and advance along with them until June, then we can break ahead and find Chizuru and Hijikata-san," Sumiko said, sitting on a barrel.

"And you intend to offer your services as doctor to give us an excuse to be here," Kazama added.

"Yes, and you can offer to fight for them or scout ahead," she said. "Please be careful if you do. I know oni have amazing healing abilities, but..."

"You're concerned for me?" Kazama said, pleased she felt for him.

"Of course," Sumiko said. "I know you're strong, but I also know how dangerous bullets and explosives can be."

"I know that, too. Don't worry, I won't forget my promise," Kazama reassured her. "I won't die and leave you behind." Sumiko smiled.

"I know," she said.

Chapter 63: The Pale, Dreamlike Sakura

"Charge!" a young man of the ex-bakufu forces shouted as he led his men in a rush attack against the enemy. "Follow me!"

"What?!" Hijikata said, startled. "Cover for Takigawa's division!" he immediately ordered the riflemen, who wasted no time carrying out his order.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

"URRAAAHHHH!!!" Takigawa and his men roared as their swords clashed with the enemy's and bullets whizzed past their heads to find their targets. Despite their rash actions, or maybe because of them, they somehow managed to overwhelm the enemy to achieve victory.

"We did it!" Takigawa said, feeling very pleased with himself and with the men who fought beside him, as they walked over to regroup with Hijikata. "We were so overbearing that it made 'em lose their nerve!"

"Takigawa!" Hijikata called sternly, stopping them in their tracks. "What the hell were you doing?!" he demanded with a frown, his brow deeply furrowed with his sharp eyes narrowed in a glare. "You gave me a heart attack." He let his expression lighten a little. "But you did good out there," he praised them.

Takigawa smiled and laughed, feeling relieved. "I was confident that you would back us up, Hijikata-san."

"You little—! Don't let this go to your head," Hijikata scolded him lightly, laughing along with them.

"We're winning one skirmish after the next!" one of the men from Takigawa's division exclaimed excitedly.

"We did it! Our formation in Futamata is invincible!" one of Hijikata's men agreed.

"We'll never lose as long as we've got the Army Minister with us!" another added cheerfully. Even though everyone was tired and worn out and dirty from fighting, they were all in high spirits thanks to their success. The low light of the sunset was warm on their faces.

Chizuru hated to interrupt, but she knew she had to. "Hijikata-san, a messenger from headquarters is here to see you," she informed him. Hijikata's expression fell and became serious again as he turned to look at the messenger and frowned. He could tell from the look on the other man's face that he hadn't come to them bearing good news.

—∞—

Chizuru busied herself by assisting with repacking and organizing their supplies while they waited for Hijikata to return and announce their group's next course of action. It had grown dark, and she could hear an owl hooting nearby.

"Chizuru," Hijikata said, getting her attention.

"Yes?" Chizuru asked, turning to face him. His expression was grave.

"Prepare to retreat," he told her in a calm, quiet voice despite his frustration, even though he was so obviously disappointed.

"We're preparing to retreat?" she asked, concerned. It was something of a shock since they had been doing so well.

"Yeah," Hijikata confirmed as he looked away and the crease in his brow deepened. "They broke through Ootori-san at Matsumae Pass. Although we're still unscathed, we won't be able to return to Hakodate if they cut off our retreat," he explained grimly.

"Is that right...?" Chizuru said reluctantly, disappointed on his behalf, as well as for everyone else who had fought so hard. It was a shame, but if they didn't pull back, then they would all become sitting ducks. "And here everyone worked so hard. It's a pity, isn't it?"

"!" Hijikata winced and clutched at his heart as he suddenly fell to his knees, grimacing and gritting his teeth, bent over in pain. His eyes widened as they glowed rasetsu red. His hair turned white, too, and he began panting, taking deep breaths to try to calm himself as sweat dripped from his face.

"Hang in there, Hijikata-san!" Chizuru urged him anxiously, immediately moving to check on him. "Are you okay?" she asked, kneeling in front of him.

"It looks like my body is gettin' worse for wear," Hijikata replied ruefully, attempting a smile for her so she wouldn't worry. "I hope it holds up... just a little longer."

"Don't..." Chizuru said, her eyes shining with the threat of tears, because she wasn't fooled. "Please don't say, 'just a little longer'!" She didn't want him to die at all! Chizuru quickly turned around and loosened her necktie, unbuttoning the top of her shirt so she could lower it to expose her neck and shoulders. Hijikata's red eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Please drink some," she urged him calmly without hesitation.

Hijikata furrowed his brow in frustration. Did she know what she was asking?

Chizuru reached up and pulled her ponytail aside. "Please. I will be okay," she reassured him, praying he would be too. Hijikata stared at her in awe with his brow still furrowed. He gritted his teeth and gently placed a hand on her shoulder as he moved closer to take her up on her generous, selfless offer. He absolutely hated the idea of hurting her, but as he was now, he was in no fit state to command, and he couldn't continue to protect her and lead his men if he was this incapacitated by his pain and desire for blood.

"I'm so sorry," he told her gravely, drawing his sword. Very carefully, he made a small, shallow cut in the crook of her shoulder, trying to be as gentle as possible. Chizuru inhaled a small, sharp breath but didn't flinch or pull away from him. He reached around with one hand to hold hers while he used the other to hold her shoulder. She was relieved to feel his lips against her skin, and she smiled as he drank her blood. She reached her free hand up to touch his wrist. He would be alright now. Even as she thought this, his hair and eyes had already begun to return to normal.

—∞—

It was awkward for Sumiko to be the only woman onboard the ship, but fortunately word had spread of how fearsome Kazama was, so no one dared to give Sumiko any trouble by trying something stupid. They found a routine that suited everyone. When it was time for the men to change, she would stand in a corner and stare at the wall until they had finished changing. Then Kazama would come over to her and hold up a sheet for her to change behind while she remained in the corner for privacy.

"No peeking," Sumiko reminded Kazama, keeping an eye on him while she changed.

"Why not? It's all going to be mine anyway," Kazama said with a smirk, though he kept his eyes to himself, as she asked.

"Could you please not talk about me like I'm an object," Sumiko asked, unimpressed. "Besides, it'll spoil the surprise on our wedding night if you see me now. Don't you like surprises?"

"In this case, I wouldn't mind having it spoiled," Kazama said.

"Okay. You can look now," Sumiko said as she finished up. Kazama looked at her and saw with no small amount of disappointment that she was fully dressed. "I wonder what's for breakfast this morning?" she said as he set the sheet aside, and they started walking. "I bet it's rice gruel again."

"I miss your cooking," Kazama said.

"I do, too," Sumiko said, sighing. Unfortunately, they were going to be on the ship for a while.

—∞—

May 1, 1869

Hijikata-san left Futama Pass and returned to Goryokaku. He visited Benten Fortress, where he was reunited with Ootori-san, Shimada-san, and the members of the Shinsengumi.

"Long time no see, Commander Hijikata!" Shimada greeted his superior as he approached him and the group of men he was speaking to.

"Oh, Shimada! I'm glad you're well," Hijikata said sincerely with a mild smile as he turned to face him. Shimada was surprised by how calm he seemed despite the setbacks they had suffered. He seemed to have relaxed his strictness a little. They both turned their attention to Ootori-san as he walked over to join them.

"Hijikata-kun, Matsumae Pass fell due to my own lacking. I'm sorry," Ootori apologized grimly with deep regret. If not for his failure...

"Breaking up our forces was a bad idea," Hijikata said mildly, closing the distance between them. "It wasn't your fault." He could tell both men were surprised by his reaction, but it was what he really thought. Arguing about it now wouldn't do them any good. There was no need to create more tension when they were already on edge between a rock and a hard place. He could feel somehow that the end was drawing near, and that one way or another, for better or worse, the war would come to a close soon. "Oh, I heard a group called the Mikuni Division just joined forces with us. That means there are still some who haven't forsaken us."

"Hijikata-kun..." Ootori said, surprised. The kind expression on his face made him look so different from the stern demon commander he had met the first day they were introduced to each other. But this change wasn't a sign of weakness. If anything, Hijikata seemed to have acquired more courage of a different kind since the last time they met.

"Whining won't get anything done," Hijikata said calmly. "We should add them to our ranks and focus our forces on the fortress and Goryokaku."

"Yes, we should," Otori agreed, feeling more at ease thanks to the other man's quiet confidence.

"Please leave Benden Fortress to us!" Shimada said determinedly, clenching his fist. "As long as the will behind the Shinsengumi's flag of truth still burns, we will continue to fight along your side, Commander Hijikata!"

"Watch it!" Hijikata cautioned him wryly. "Don't forget that Ootori-san is the commanding officer in charge of this fortress."

"Th-That goes without saying, but..." Shimada said awkwardly, not wanting to offend Ootori-san, but still desiring to show his support of the Shinsengumi.

"No, this time I will raise the Shinsengumi's flag," Ootori stated resolutely, surprising Hijikata. "Problem solved, right? If we fight with the Shinsengumi's standard flying, I get the feeling that the warrior spirit we believe in will not falter and we will be able to persevere in battle.

"Heh. The Minister of the Army is acting superstitious?" Hijikata asked with a small smile. "You gotta keep it together, Ootori-san." He held his hand out to him. "Protect Benten Fortress." Ootori's eyes widened slightly in recognition and surprise when he realized Hijikata intended to shake his hand, remembering how adversely the Shinsengumi commander's first reaction to the foreign gesture had been in the past. Hijikata was acknowledging him as an equal. Ootori smiled too and reached out to take his hand, shaking it. "Yeah!" he agreed, determine to live up to those expectations.

Chizuru was staring out at the light of the sunset dancing on the bay from the ramparts while she waited for Hijikata when Shimada called out as he approached her.

"Yukimura-kun!"

"Shimada-san!" Chizuru said, surprised, as she turned to face him.

"Hey, I'm glad to see you're doing well," he told her.

"Same for you," she replied with a smile, glad to see he was all right and uninjured.

"But honestly, to think that the former Demon Vice Commander would be so beloved by his men," Shimada remarked with a smile as they turned to glance in his direction, watching the way the men had gathered around Hijikata and were chatting excitedly to him. "Hijikata-san has certainly changed."

"!" Chizuru was a little taken aback by the scene when she saw the wan expression on Hijikata's face and sensed he was hiding something behind his smile. He seemed tired somehow in a way she couldn't quite put her finger on, and it worried her.

—∞—

Tensions grew with each passing day.

May 6, 1869.

They were suddenly thrown into a naval battle. The Imperial Army's warships charged Hakodate's bay.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Sumiko covered her ears to protect them from the loud sounds of warfare that had traveled down even to the room where she and Kazama had been asked to wait (to keep them out of the way) once it became apparent they were about to engage the enemy. As neither of them were trained to man the ship's guns and cannons, and both were more skilled with swords than with handguns, they were of little use in a naval battle, unless the ship was boarded.

"What's going to happen?" Kazama asked Sumiko when she lowered her hands for a moment, moving close to speak right next to her ear.

"This is the Battle of Miyako Bay," she replied. "The battle was—is—a daring but desperate attempt by the Republic of Ezo forces to neutralize the powerful Kōtetsu. I don't remember the exact details, but they'll have sent three ships: Kaiten, Banryu, and Takao. I know the ships will encounter bad weather, and Banryu will become separated and return to Ezo without joining the battle. Oh, that's right! Kaiten is going to ram Kōtetsu, and then Kōtetsu will be boarded."

"Boarded?" Kazama asked. It was to be the first case of an abordage (boarding) maneuver in Japan, so it was understandable that he didn't know what it was.

"It's a common tactic in the West," Sumiko said. "Fighters from one ship cross over from their ship to an enemy's ship and fight them in an attempt to seize and possibly destroy the vessel. But I think that will only happen to the Kōtetsu."

"I see. So there's really nothing we can do here," Kazama said. Sitting around waiting while others fought was frustrating.

—∞—

The former Bakufu army's warships put up a good fight, but they were outnumbered. They were left with no choice but to rely on the infantry.

In the aftermath of the battle, Sumiko assisted in caring for the wounded on their ship, and the men began to appreciate her skill.

—∞—

"The Shinsengumi appeared months ago and occupied the Seventh Creek. As you said, it's only a matter of time before the fortress at Goryokaku falls. Are you sure that man will still be alive when we get there?" Kazama asked Sumiko.

"Hijikata-san won't let himself be killed that easily. Especially if Chizuru is with him," she replied.

"Soon, this boat will arrive at Nanaehama. After that, then you may do as you like," Kazama said.

The boat pulled into the harbor and they took a small boat to row to shore. They could hear the shouts of men and the sounds of battle in the distance as they drew closer.

"Quickly!" one of the imperial soldiers shouted as he hurried his men to unload themselves from the boat, so he could lead them to join the war as reinforcements.

Kazama hopped out of the boat and held his hands out to take Sumiko's heavy tansu first, because she was worried about its more fragile contents getting knocked around too hard, and then helped her down onto dry land.

"Thanks," Sumiko said. She wanted to move to pick up her tansu, but he kept his grip on her.

"Hijikata is the last rasetsu. By all rights I should kill him, but that wasn't the promise I made, fortunately for you and Yukimura Chizuru. I need only finish settling our duel. But I may end up killing him in the process. Knowing this, do you still want to go?" Kazama asked. She may not get the chance to save him. Sumiko took his hand and held it in hers while she looked him in the eye.

"It's especially because I know this that I want to go," she said with determination. "I don't want Hijikata-san to die, for Chizuru's sake and because he's my friend. But I don't want you to die either. You promised me you wouldn't die before me, remember?"

"I remember. An Oni always keeps his word," he reassured her. She smiled at him and moved to pick up her tansu. Kazama wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Don't go if you don't want to suffer," he whispered lowly in her ear. "Even if he doesn't die by my hand, his time is running out. His life could still be taken by the ochimizu. He may disintegrate right in front of you. I don't want to cause you pain. I know you're a strong woman, but I don't enjoy seeing you hurt." Sumiko closed her eyes and placed her hand on his wrist.

"Thank you... but I... need to go," Sumiko said, determined. "I'll regret it more if don't. I can't abandon Chizuru. I won't give up on them. I'd never forgive myself if I didn't do everything in my power to help them." Kazama released his hold on her and let her go. She turned around to face him with a sad but strong expression on her face. Kazama lowered his head as he held her face in his hands and kissed her. He smiled as he rested his forehead against hers, reminded of why he fell for her. His smile curled into a smirk when he saw the endearing expression that was on her face.

"W-what are you doing...?" she asked him with flushed cheeks, caught off guard and feeling a little embarrassed that he had done something like that out in public where anyone could stare at them. In fact, some of the other people around them were, even though they should be getting ready for the coming battle.

"Just reminding you that you're mine," he replied making her blush deepen.

"Geez! You're not still jealous of Hijikata-san are you?" she asked with a small frown, pouting slightly. "I told you, you don't have to worry about that. I may have loved him first, but you're going to be my last love, aside from our kids... so cut it out! Quit looking at me like that!" she scolded him, hitting him lightly in the arm when she saw the huge grin on his face, now beet red. "Come on! If we don't get a move on, it really will be too late, you know...!" she huffed, pulled on her tansu and got a good grip on the straps as she turned abruptly on her heel, and started leaving without him. Kazama caught up to her with ease and put his arm around her, still grinning proudly as his fingers brushed against her soft hair.