Author's Note:
Thank you to everyone for your insightful reviews and questions. I know it was all a bit intense. Looking back, there are one or two places I could have elaborated slightly. I may yet do so, but for now I'd like to move forward...
AsthaRen - I hear you. Mea culpa. "To whom much is given, much will be required."
My Oni regret is that I have but one chapter to lay down for my story. (A terrible misquote of Nathan Hale and no disrespect intended.)
Because I had to cut this off somewhere, Chizuru does not appear in this chapter - hence my regret that I could only post the one chapter. There are some specific reasons for Chizuru not being around that will be made clear later.
I look forward to your thoughts on the most detailed chapter to-date re the Trials and Gifts. The first few paragraphs are almost like a prologue, so bear with me.
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Chapter 22 – The Trials and the Gifts, Part III
Amagiri's patience was a by-word among the Oni. However, even he was finding Kazama's restless irritability since leaving Kyoto to be wearing. Consequently, he had left Kazama prowling about their quarters that evening while he went for a walk in the nearby forest. Kazama had been almost amused when the taller man had said where he was going.
"It's your own fault if I'm not good company, Amagiri," he had pointed out dryly.
His bodyguard and long-time companion agreed without protest. It was his fault that Kazama had not seen the mysterious female pureblood before they left Kyoto, and he was prepared to live with the consequences – to a point. Right now, they both needed time to themselves.
At least they were lodged separately from the humans in their own small guest house, on the orders of Saigō Takamori, a samurai and arguably the leading military commander of the considerable Satsuma forces. It was Satsuma that held the oath of the Kazama clan and through them the vassal clans such as Amagiri.
In reality, it was of very little interest to Kazama Chikage who they served as long as the service extinguished the oath given by the Western Oni to Satsuma and certain other hans after the great battle two hundred and sixty years ago that established the Tokugawa shoguns. Kazama, like most Oni, wanted as little as possible to do with humans, and with good reason. Amagiri had felt the same way until his unsettling meeting with Saitō of the Shinsengumi and subsequent discussion with Sen-hime.
At some point he was going to have to lay his thoughts and inferences before Kazama, but first he needed to decide what advice he was prepared to give and how far he would go to see it followed. He felt perilously close to abandoning the beliefs and strictures of a lifetime and he wasn't quite sure what had changed his mind.
Amagiri wished, not for the first time, that he had Sen-hime's rare gift for sensing – even communicating – over distances. He would have liked to know whether Saitō-taichō was feeling the after-effects of Kazama's Testing Ritual and whether his Gifts were manifesting further. He hoped that neither the man nor the Oni girl had been seriously harmed by Kazama's intervention.
He looked up at the starlit summer sky, and saw that the moon was beginning its slow ascent. It was at that moment that he heard Sen-hime's call:
"If you can come without Chikage get here fast."
Not that there were words, but the images were unmistakable. Especially the one at the end:
"He's dying."
Automatically, Amagiri turned, still absorbing that last urgent message. Sure enough, Kazama was almost beside him already. His speed was considered extraordinary, even among the Oni. And it wasn't surprising that he'd heard Sen-hime's call, even if he couldn't make out the content.
"I take it that was Osen-chan," he drawled, blond hair a little ruffled but otherwise as collected as ever.
"Yes. She wants me to come."
"Why?"
"She didn't want me to tell you."
"Hmm."
Kazama frowned, but he was clearly considering letting Amagiri return to Kyoto. Arrogant and stubborn he might be, but he believed strongly in family ties and tradition. He would only refuse the Princess' request for a good reason, which – although most people wouldn't believe it – did not include simple personal annoyance. Also, Sen-hime did not use the rarest of her Gifts lightly, since it was fatiguing as well as the equivalent of a beacon to anyone with any sensitivity to power near the recipient.
"Does it have to do with the Oni girl?"
"Not that I know of."
The blond demon huffed out an irritated sigh.
"Meaning maybe, but it doesn't relate to her directly. The Shinsengumi perhaps?"
People occasionally told Amagiri that he was too controlled. That was because they didn't have to contend with Kazama's quick mind and demanding temper on a regular basis. Since he was used to both, not a flicker of reaction showed on his face or in his emotions. Kazama eyed him sideways and shrugged.
"Very well. You may go. If it affects our clans you'll have to tell me about it when you return. I'll expect you back within one week. After all, you're the one who keeps pointing out that we have obligations here. And wasn't there something about you being my bodyguard?"
Amagiri bowed, ignoring the jibes.
"I will convey your regards to Sen-hime, Kazama-sama."
"Oh just go. I'll try to be good."
With an amused smirk and another sideways glance from his sharp red eyes, the Lord of the Western Clans strolled away.
Hijikata was not happy to have intruders inside the compound, especially tonight. At this moment, he was indifferent to the fact that both were women, one very beautiful and the other barely more than a girl. Besides, the tall woman appeared to be a bodyguard of some sort, which suggested trouble.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded, brows drawn together over cold purple eyes. Kondō or Sannan probably would have been more polite, but Sannan likely would have agreed with the basic sentiment.
Kimigiku shifted automatically into a more defensive position, eyes narrowing.
"It's alright, Kimigiku. Let me speak with Hijikata-fukuchō."
Hijikata noted that while the girl took a step sideways, so that she could see him better around her companion, she wisely remained outside easy reach of his blade.
"Your man – Saitō-taichō – is dangerously ill. If you will let me explain the situation, I can help him before it is too late."
"Really," said Hijikata in tones of flat disbelief.
Sen looked at him with compassionate eyes. She gently tested the outer walls of his mind and found suspicion, anger and deep concern. Hmm. He might not actually believe that she could help, but he hoped she could. She could work with that.
"Yes. He greatly overextended his powers before he was ready and now he is suffering the backlash. It is compounded by the fact that he had no idea what he was doing in the first place and did not actually have the full physical resources to do what he evidently did."
Sen didn't make the mistake of trying anything direct against his mental defenses. It wasn't worth even the slightest risk that he might notice.
"Actually, we're not entirely sure how he managed it at all," Sen continued conversationally, but in a serious tone. "We'll have to worry about that later. In the short term, if one of my kind does not help him very soon then he will burn himself out and die."
"He may be facing a death sentence anyway," said Hijikata harshly, before realizing that he had no business saying such a thing to this… princess.
"I understand that, but why not worry about that later too? He can hardly cut himself open if he's already dead."
The girl's words were strangely at odds with her kind, reassuring tone. Even though he knew what she was doing, Hijikata found himself wanting to agree with her that she made a good point. As sometimes happened to him, the absurdity of the situation got the better of him and a slight smile twitched at the corners of his lips. He put it down to fatigue.
"So basically, since we may have to order him to die, we should let two complete strangers take unknown actions with unknown effects to save his life? I'm not sure I like your logic."
Sen nodded understandingly, feeling a great deal of sympathy for the man. On the other hand, now that she was closer, her concern for the indigo-haired swordsman was growing. It was going to be a near thing, and impossible unless Amagiri arrived soon enough.
"I see that you have a sense of humour, Fukuchō, which I can only admire under the circumstances. However, in all seriousness, will you let me pass? Your young captain's situation is so grave that I cannot help him from here, especially with one as formidable as you standing in my way. I will even command my bodyguard to stand down and wait outside this room if you will give me your personal guarantee that neither of us will be harmed by you or your men."
Hijikata's face lost all traces of humour, but he abruptly sheathed his katana and nodded tiredly.
"Fine. You have my personal word of honour that neither of you will be harmed if your – shinobi is it? – remains outside. I still don't know who you are, and I didn't miss your reference to your "kind" earlier either. But I'd like some explanations and right now you're only person who thinks they have any. All bets are off, of course, if you or your companion threaten us or give me cause to believe that you're an active threat." He paused. "We'll wait until my medic arrives, though."
"As you wish. I hope for your captain's sake that he doesn't delay. Are you sure that you wish him present for this?"
Hijikata shook his head, his expression somewhat satiric.
"No. But I want his opinion on Saitō's condition to see if you're right. After that he can wait out here with your bodyguard."
In fact, Nagakura ran up with Yamazaki right at that moment. Both men stopped short at the sight of the unusual delegation, and for a moment nobody moved. Before Sen could get impatient, however, Hijikata made quick introductions.
"Sen-hime, Second Division Captain Nagakura and our medic, Yamazaki. Nagakura, this is Princess Sen and her bodyguard. Sen-hime, Yamazaki and I are going to check on Saitō. Wait here with our other guest. Everyone has agreed to behave themselves."
Nagakura nodded his comprehension. As he turned to Sen's companion, however, his blue eyes brightened and he inclined his head politely.
"Konnichiwa, I'm Nagakura Shinpachi, Captain of the Second Division. May I ask your name?"
Hijikata ignored the by-play and ushered Sen into Saitō's room. Yamazaki followed, closing the door behind him. He had the strangest feeling that he'd seen the taller woman before, but he'd have to let his mind sort that one out later.
Sen's lips compressed into an unusually thin line when she observed the man lying on the tatami. She assumed there'd simply been no time to set up a futon. Saitō was deathly pale and sweating profusely; his hair hung in damp tendrils around his face and neck and his clothing clung to his body. His eyes were not quite closed, but the lids fluttered wildly as though he were in the middle of some strange nightmare. From time to time, he would shake uncontrollably. His was evidently in pain, but his teeth were clenched tightly together and he was almost perfectly silent. It was eerie.
"Well," demanded Hijikata, "what's wrong with him?"
Yamazaki had touched Saitō's forehead only briefly and was now taking the man's pulse, looking grim. Sen closed her eyes, but did not allow herself to go too far into her trance state. Much as she wanted to trust Hijikata-san's word, it would be unwise and unfair to her own people to take too many chances.
"His temperature and heart rate are out of control," said Yamazaki, tone neutral but expression telling a different story. "We need to get him cooled down immediately and dosed with willow-bark but…"
The medic's eyes slid for a moment to Sen and then over to Hijikata who just made a "go on" motion with one hand.
"It's extreme. I'm afraid of either seizures or cardiac arrest or both, likely within the hour."
Sen's less obvious examination led her to the same basic conclusion, except that she had a better idea of the cause. It was quite incredible to watch his body, mind and spirit try to cope, but heart-rending. Her eyes opened again.
"Trust me now or let him die," she said briefly to Hijikata, every inch the daughter of a lineage as impressive as any Imperial princess. "Once I start you'll risk injuring me if you try to stop me."
Arms crossed, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed to slits, Hijikata stared first at Saitō then back at the unknown girl. A fleeting thought crossed his mind that for some reason she reminded him of Yukimura.
"Do what you have to," he ground out – to Sen, rather than Yamazaki.
The medic looked surprised but relieved. He would have shouldered the responsibility if necessary, but he hadn't wanted it. Sen, on the other hand, just looked relieved.
"Please send my shinobi to me. And it would be better if your other captain, Harada-san, weren't alone right now. Also, anything we can do to help this one physically will improve his chances, so – Yamazaki-san? – could you fetch the cold water right away please? No medicine."
Sen hurried to sit beside Saitō and took one of his hands, ignoring the heat and the rivulets of sweat that ran down the trembling wrist. A moment later, Hijikata thought he saw a vague bluish haze hovering around the labouring body. He resisted the urge to countermand his last order – the one giving a total stranger the right to make critical decisions concerning one of his men. Instead, he gave Sen a curt nod, shot Yamazaki a look that sent the man scrambling to his feet and slid open the door.
Shinpachi was definitely standing closer to the lovely shinobi than he had been, but he looked up alertly when the door opened. Kimigiku waited only for Hijikata and Yamazaki to be out of the way before she walked in to sit at her mistress' side. Hijikata closed the door behind her. He wondered how the shinobi had known to go in.
"Nagakura, tell Sannan-san that I'm delayed helping Yamazaki with Saitō. I'll come by as soon as possible. Then go see how Harada is doing and stay with him for a while. If he doesn't want company tell him it's an order."
"Yes, Vice Commander." Shinpachi hesitated, but one look at his superior's face told him that suggesting a bottle of sake for Sano wasn't going to go over well just yet. That had been a pretty ugly scene earlier, though. He just hoped that Saitō would be okay. It would just be such a stupid waste otherwise, when it was so obvious the man had been out of his mind… And Chizuru? What about her? She was such a nice kid. Although apparently she didn't seem like such a kid to Saitō, which was just weird.
He found himself standing in front of Sannan's door and shook his head. There was a lot to think about. At least he could find out how Sano was doing once he delivered Hijikata's message. He wondered, though, who was looking after Chizuru.
Hijikata returned to the room as soon as Yamazaki and Nagakura hurried off on their respective errands. Sen-hime – he was getting more used to the whole princess thing, he realized – was still in the same place. The shinobi, however, was calmly stripping off Saitō's kimono; the white scarf and sash already lay neatly on the ground beside her. Hijikata had taken off the head-guard and haori earlier, just before the man had collapsed completely.
"Oi! Matte! What are you doing? Or at least let me do that..."
"Better yet, help me," said Kimigiku acidly. "Between us we can handle him more gently and preserve a certain amount of modesty." She shot a look at Sen-hime that suggested strong disapproval.
"Is there any choice?"
"No," Sen said patiently, as though she'd already had this discussion. "He must be as close to naked as possible. Ordinarily this Ritual would be undertaken by the closest family or friends of the same sex. Unfortunately, the situation is unique and there's no time. I can't bring my clan into this, it would be too dangerous for all concerned – you, them, and Saitō-san. The closest help I can trust is still almost an hour away and we have to keep your captain alive until then."
Resigned, Hijikata helped the irritated shinobi undress Saitō, trying not to blush on behalf of the defenceless man. He had no difficulty treating Kimigiku as just another soldier, but a sixteen-year-old princess dressed in a pretty kimono was more of a challenge. Sen-hime did demurely close her eyes, but only after an amused glance at her two unhappy assistants.
The blue light continued to coalesce above and around Saitō, now illuminating pale scars drawn along the hard planes of muscle on his upper chest and abdomen. One or two were ragged, likely from cuts that should have been stitched and hadn't healed as well; a number were on the arms and shoulders. Hijikata took some comfort in the fact that most of the scarring seemed to be quite old. He wondered for a moment how many wounds Saitō had taken while running the Shinsengumi's most unpleasant and dangerous errands – the ones that Hijikata assigned to him because he was completely reliable, frighteningly competent, and never talked.
"Can you tell me what the hell is going on now?" Hijikata demanded as soon as he and Kimigiku were done and had, as Kimigiku had put it, preserved a certain amount of modesty.
As Hijikata knew the captain to be a very modest man, he didn't think Saitō would agree, but laying the sweat-soaked black kimono loosely across his lower mid-section was the most that Sen would permit. She also said that there was no point in getting out the futon and the shinobi had agreed. Yet another odd thing to add to the list.
"One moment, Hijikata-san."
In response to an unseen signal, Kimigiku went to the door, slid it open and spoke with Yamazaki. She took the water from him – two full pails – and turned to Hijikata.
"Could you tell your, ah, medic that you don't require his services at present? He won't take my word on it."
"I should hope not," snapped Hijikata. "Yamazaki, please wait outside. I may need you to relay messages."
"Yes, Fukuchō."
The door closed again.
"About those explanations?" Hijikata persisted. "And he is a medic."
Kimigiku handed him a pail and a clean cloth, presumably provided by the ever-efficient Yamazaki.
"Work while we're talking. Right now my lady is balancing a great deal of power on behalf of Saitō-san. We need to see if we can help get the fever down. And your medic is also a – shall we say, gatherer of information."
"I am trying – very patiently – to gather information myself right now. I have not been noticeably successful."
"This would be easier," said Sen softly, "if you could refrain from arguing. I really don't need to deal with more uncontrolled emotion right now."
Kimigiku was immediately apologetic.
"Gomenasai deshita, Sen-hime."
"That's alright, Kimigiku. Hijikata-san, I'll start with the basics."
Hijikata nodded, pausing for a moment to see if Saitō was doing any better. It seemed to him that the trembling and pain had diminished a little.
"Yes, you're right; he is in less danger now." Sen spoke in a slightly dreamy voice.
Hijikata glared at her.
"Can you read my mind?"
"Only a little. Your defenses are really quite good, for a… human. But we are physically proximate and working toward the same goal, therefore it is easier for me to understand your more important surface thoughts."
"Go on." He wasn't happy, but he wanted to hear what she had to say.
"What I am going to tell you is information that we are not allowed to share with humans on pain of death. I believe you are familiar with this concept, Oni no Fukuchō?"
There was a sound suspiciously like a snort from Kimigiku and Hijikata looked at Sen-hime with an expression between annoyance and respect.
"I understand it, Princess."
"Then you will appreciate the consequences of agreeing to take on the burden of this information."
"How will you prohibit me from sharing what you tell me?" He was genuinely intrigued, although extremely wary.
"You'll find out. So, the main point is that we are not human – obviously – we are Oni."
"Real ones," murmured Kimigiku, with a challenging look at Hijikata.
"Ah. Well, I guess that will teach me to doubt Saitō. He only lies under orders, though he does it well. When he described what he had seen I told him that you must be yōkai. He didn't disagree, but he knew I was being sarcastic."
"We are not yōkai. Those are supernatural beings – they don't exist in this world."
"I though Oni were just a kind of yōkai – an evil and powerful kind, if I remember my childhood tales correctly."
"We aren't evil – not as a race – and we aren't yōkai. Shall I continue?" The princess' tone was unusually sharp, and Hijikata suddenly felt like he was being childish.
"Gomenasai. This is a little hard to take in. Please go on."
"Young Oni grow into their powers over time. Once they are considered ready, they face three challenges: the Trial of Body, the Trial of Mind and the Trial of Soul. As with humans, different Oni are better at different things. We associate certain talents, called Gifts, with each of the Trials. Every Oni will be at least competent with the basic Gifts associated with each of the Trials – that is required to pass the Trials. For example, the ability to heal wounds quickly is associated with the Trial of Body and so is exceptional speed and stamina."
The Vice Commander stirred restlessly. He was obviously preoccupied with something, but eventually he spoke.
"With all due respect, Sen-hime, not only does this sound fantastical, but I fail to see how it explains what has been going on around here."
The princess took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked at her silent shinobi and then at the unconscious man. Gently, she stroked the back of the sinewy hand she had been holding all along, like a mother reassuring a suffering child – and herself.
"The girl you took in. She is an Oni, what we call a pureblood, but she doesn't know it. It appears that somebody masked her nature from us for many years. Now she is coming into some of her greater powers, which is appropriate for her age, but without any guidance or teaching and without passing the Trials. She appears to be an extraordinarily powerful empath, among other things, and just her presence is having a direct effect on all of you."
The Vice Commander, brows lowered in thought rather than anger, tried to imagine what it would mean if it were all true.
"So all those times, recently, when we've seemed to feel what she was feeling – that was all coming from her? And again tonight when she was afraid?"
"Ah… well you see, that's where this gets really complicated."
Sen-hime smiled at Hijikata, but the usual lightness was missing for once. He felt a shiver of apprehension as some of the truth began to dawn on him.
"It is incredibly rare – impossible supposedly – for a human to sense Oni thoughts or feelings, or react to any magic associated with the Trial of Soul, which deals only with the essence – the core – of being an Oni."
Hijikata rocked back, eyes widening with shocked dismay.
"But… I was watching them. They almost all noticed – felt something – before the raid on the Ikedaya. Saitō and Harada the most – yes – but Sōji, Shinpachi, Heisuke…"
There was a long pause, but the princess waited for him to finish.
"… me?"
Hijikata sat perfectly still staring at the cloth in his hands. Eventually he looked over at Sen, but the young woman had her eyes closed, a narrow furrow creasing her brow. Kimigiku, who had continued tending to Saitō, responded to his unspoken question.
"It may not seem like it, but she has been expending quite a bit of power for almost the last hour, stabilizing Saitō-san. She will need a break soon."
"Kimigiku… I know my parents, my family – we all do – this just isn't possible."
The woman smiled faintly.
"Well, that's why the Princess said that this situation is unique. You are – or many of you are – at least part Oni. Just one would be rare - we do keep track. Which means your bloodlines likely go back a very long way and must have somehow melded with other Oni bloodlines over centuries. It is just barely possible that the combination of extraordinary bloodlines and the girl's strong Gift caused your latent abilities to manifest. So now, instead of just being powerful humans, you are developing as part-Oni. That is Amagiri's theory, I think."
Seeing Hijikata's blank look, she clarified:
"Amagiri fought your men at the Ikedaya, although he did not want to. A big man, red hair and blue eyes."
"Saitō told me about him. Hmm… if I ask every question I want to ask we won't get anywhere. So let me get this straight first: if Yukimura hadn't found us, or we her, then none of this would have happened? We would have remained just… very talented humans?"
But the shinobi didn't answer. She looked as shocked as he had a few minutes before. Sen-hime had opened her eyes again and appeared to be just as stunned.
"You said Yukimura?" Sen whispered.
Hijikata nodded warily.
"What is her first name?" Sen had gently laid Saitō's hand on his bare breast, her own hand tucked around the fingers.
The Vice Commander, still sorting a vast amount of information, didn't answer at once. He wasn't even sure if he should answer. But somebody else did.
"Chizuru…" the voice came out cracked and dry, but recognizable. "Yukimura Chizuru."
The dark blue eyes opened and unerringly found Hijikata's face.
"Fukuchō... why did you leave her alone?"
A/Note: I was tempted to call this chapter "The Oni of Mibu"...
Thank you for reading. Back soon! So many questions...