Author's Note:

Many of you have asked about Kazama Chikage: How will he react to Chizuru's growing attachment to the Shinsengumi and to Saitou in particular? How will he perceive Amagiri's actions? Or Sen's? Or his sister's? What will he do now?

Welcome to the first part of "The Storm".

I am very grateful to the following readers for their support and encouragement after the last chapter(s):

14Phantom (yes, #HEADSWILLROLL)
Shell1331 (thank you for the reassurance that the story still retained its intensity and humour in a relatively "action-less" chapter)

DancesWithSeatbelts (aside from your continuing kind words, thank you for your comments on overall structure and pacing - so good to know it's working)
NyaPowa (thank you again for coining the term "Oni hormones", because that's just it - poor Saitou!; and as always for your encouragement even when you're busy!)

Eliz1369 (okay, I laughed so much at your concluding comments - Heisuke the mummy was priceless!; also it gives me immense satisfaction to know that you've gone back to previous chapters and can now see various hints and notes about the future are in there right from the start - you made my day, honestly)
nakigaoyuu (I'm glad that you were worried for Amagiri, and rightly so: there is a very good chance that he could die without Sen's involvement, because Chikage is a little tense at the best of times and he is currently enraged)

ScintillaOfMyself (thank you especially for the Suzuka - Dumbledore comparison, there's quite a lot in that now that you mention it - a certain not-quite-relateable ruthlessness, among other things)
Sabina-san (thank you for always noticing my Hijikata moments!; he's in such a difficult position and he's a complicated guy - but he's way too smart not to have a great sense of humour - well, buried in there somewhere at least!)

Apologies to anyone that I have missed over the last couple of weeks with either PMs or thank yous here: I'm still sick and it's annoying.

A sincere thank you to all my readers - knowing that you are out there and reading is really amazing! Especially when I consider how this story has grown...

Finally: I appreciate all the kind feedback I received on Chapter 60 and the wedding night. It was a challenge for me and your response was much appreciated.

Arigatou gozaimasu!

~ ImpracticalOni

Quote:

...

Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.

Well don't go around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

Don't come around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

-Bad Moon Rising, Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR) (final verse); previous verses in Chapters 29 & 30 (also posted below)

Chapter 62 – The Storm, Part I

[I] - The Voice of Rage and Ruin

Amagiri completed the last mile of his journey without the use of magic. The storm had been fierce, but his rare talent for Fast Travel had allowed him to move through it virtually unimpeded. He had kept his mind carefully focussed on his journey; there was no point in further speculation on the confrontation to come.

They could each sense the other now, he knew. In a way it was a relief to scan ahead of him and sense exactly what he had expected: betrayal, rage and grief. He supposed that the last part would have surprised the Shinsengumi, but they had not lived their entire lives knowing that the last days of their race were upon them and that—somehow—they had to find a way out. Until he had seen Saitō survive the Trial of Body, Amagiri would have agreed with the man waiting for him that redeeming the Oni through any association with the human race was pure fantasy. Although… really his beliefs had been shaken by what he had seen during that very first meeting in the brutal heat of the Ikedaya Inn.

It was still raining when he got close enough to make out Kazama Chikage, outlined against the first hint of a very grey dawn. He was standing at the top of a shallow ridge, with trees sloping away on either side; Amagiri sensed nobody else nearby. With grim humour, the red-haired Oni appreciated the way the weather contributed to the stark, unwelcoming expression on his lord's face. Just within sword's reach, he dropped to his knees on the damp earth, and bowed—an unusually formal greeting between them, even for Amagiri.

"Report. Then tell me why I shouldn't kill you now." Kazama's voice was as deeply resonant as ever, but he had never turned that particular bitter, frozen tone on Amagiri before. Amagiri recognized it as the end of trust, and it grieved him.

"Kazama-sama. When you used Soul Magic on the girl at the meeting place in Kyoto—at the Ikedaya Inn—the boy behind you was caught in it. He was already more than half-Oni, and the magic caused him to attempt to transform further."

"Not possible, I would have noticed." The cold look and tone did not change, but there was a faint—very faint—sense of surprise.

Amagiri waited patiently. This interview was Kazama's to dictate. Ruby eyes stared down at him, and he felt the warning prickles that told him that death could be very close indeed. Finally, Kazama indicated that he was to continue.

"He had formed an attachment to the girl. The evening of the day we left Kyoto, he thought she was in danger and used one of the Oni Gifts to rush to her assistance. This caused a power overload, since he had not yet passed the Trial of Body. He was in a high fever and dying when Sen called me; she wanted to see if, together, we could help him survive the Trial."

"Why?"

"She did not say, Kazama-sama."

"Well, we can both guess. She probably blamed me for the problem and felt responsible. Show me your hands."

The problem with Kazama, thought Amagiri, wordlessly stripping off his gloves, was that he was exceptionally intelligent, although sometimes unwise. Amagiri held out his unmarked hands, feeling strangely exposed. Kazama was one of the few who would understand what it meant that the scarring of almost two decades was suddenly healed.

"Hnh." This time the surprise was easier to read, although still insignificant compared to the poised rage. "So the wolf cub survived? How remarkable. Continue. Having saved his worthless life and given him the power to be of some danger to our people, what did you do next?"

"Sen-hime asked me to stay in Kyoto in order to ensure that he would survive the physical transformation. I acquiesced. I asked to see the girl before I left the Shinsengumi compound."

"And?" Such a simple question; such a loaded question.

"Somebody, likely Kimigiku-san, had helped her to change to her Oni form. She gave her name as Yukimura Chizuru."

With a hiss, Kazama's sword was out. Amagiri felt sudden fear—fear deeper than he'd felt in years. He suppressed it with an effort, knowing that it would neither help him nor save him.

The sword in Kazama's hand was one of the Kazama clan's treasures, stolen by and retrieved from the humans long ago: the Dōjigiri or "Demon Cutter". It had been created by an Oni smith working for the Kazama family at about the time when Suzuka-gozen was consolidating her rule as the first Princess of the Oni. The smith was known as Yasutsuna, and it was said that he would do anything for the sake of advancing his swordsmith-craft. Even human books on swords referred to him, because he was not above working with humans, simply because they fought so frequently that he felt they allowed his ability "greater scope", in his own words.

All this being said, if Kazama had drawn the Dōjigiri, then he intended to use it; therefore, any damage inflicted on Amagiri would either be fatal or take much, much longer to heal. Kazama kept the sword with him in some mystic way known only to those confirmed as Lord or Heir-apparent of the Kazama clan, but it was never supposed to be drawn except to kill or to punish. It was in the nature of the sword that it couldn't be left unblooded once drawn. Amagiri regarded Kazama sombrely.

"Of what am I accused?"

"We'll find out. At the very least, of withholding critical information about my wife once you had it. But you also prevented me from seeing her sooner—before she passed the Trial of Body. Whatever the reason for that particular interference, the damage to the clan is likely to be incalculable."

"Am I allowed to offer a defence?"

"I haven't decided. Continue your report."

Amagiri bowed again.

"At the request of Sen-hime, I assisted the part-Oni to control some of his skills. He showed considerable aptitude, far greater than anything I've seen before. At the same time, Sen-hime and Kimigiku-san conducted a review of the other Shinsengumi. The Princess claimed to have been unaware that there were part-Oni in Kyoto." Kazama snorted at this, but Amagiri continued. "There was at least one other part-Oni who had gained partial control of his Gifts without passing the Trial of Body. Later, Kimigiku-san disclosed written evidence that several of the Shinsengumi leaders were the illegitimate children of Shiranui Toshio-sama."

Most people would have commented or exclaimed at this point, but Kazama just waited, the Dōjigiri held loosely and yet—because this was Kazama—poised to strike. The Soul magic within it sang to Amagiri's senses of blood, pain and power. The fittings of the hilt were silver. To even hold the blade caused a certain amount of discomfort to the wielder, if the wielder were an Oni.

"Specifically, the written evidence indicates that Hijikata-fukuchō, Saitō-taichō, and the shinobi Yamazaki are sons of Shiranui-sama. Their mothers were each chosen for having some Oni lineage of their own."

"Which of them has set his hands on my bride? And which is the man with the spear?"

Of course he hadn't forgotten; Kazama rarely forgot things that caught his attention. When he'd tried to see Yukimura-sama at the Shinsengumi compound, he'd seen them all, briefly, before leaving in haste in order to keep his word to Amagiri. He probably already had a good idea of the answers to his questions.

"Saitō-taichō was married last night to Yukimura-sama. Harada-taichō is the spearman."

The sword flickered out, marking Amagiri's cheek with a bloody "x". It hurt a great deal more than a normal cut, and Amagiri recognized that the Soul Magic fused into the sword was laced with silver. The weapon had without a doubt been created for killing Oni, not humans. Amagiri didn't flinch. He had endured this once before. He simply noticed more about the sword now because his own abilities had improved. On the other hand, he doubted that a simple marking would end the matter this time as it had the last time. Not with Yukimura Chizuru married to a man who owed his life to Amagiri Kyūju.

"What did Sen says of the spearman? What is his lineage?"

"She does not know or would not tell me. She would only say that he's clearly part-Oni and will be powerful, but that his aura is not quite the same as the others'."

"Are there any other part-Oni in that collection of ruffians?"

"None that have been confirmed. But Shiranui Kyō and I believe that at least three other captains are part-Oni: Okita-san, Nagakura-san and Tōdō-san. I am reasonably certain that the Deputy Commander, Sannan-san, also has some Oni blood; however, he has tainted himself by association in working with Yukimura Kōdō to develop and administer the ochimizu."

"I will deal with the rasetsu and the one who has dragged them into darkness. We will now address the matter of your betrayal of your oaths to safeguard my well-being and the well-being of the Kazama clan."

Amagiri waited, blood still welling and trickling slowly down his cheek.

"First," said Kazama, "you said that they were not only betrothed but… wedded." The darkness in his voice deepened. "Is that correct?"

"Yes, Kazama-sama."

"Were you a party to this marriage?"

"Yes, Kazama-sama."

A second bloody "x" joined the first, this time on Armagiri's throat, and more dangerous than the last. Amagiri didn't move.

"And did my beloved cousin, the Princess of the Oni, take complete leave of her senses and allow this travesty even though neither had passed the Three Trials?"

"Yukimura-sama had passed all but the Trial of Mind, which will be very dangerous to her. Sen-hime allowed the marriage only because Saitō-san passed all Three Trials prior to the marriage and conclusively demonstrated an appropriate bloodline."

There was a flicker of uncertainty on Kazama's face suddenly, and genuine puzzlement.

"How is that possible? He is at best a half-breed and illegitimate at that."

"I do not know, Kazama-sama. However, both the documents in the possession of the Okikurune, written by Saitō-san's Oni father, Shiranui-sama, and the blood rite conducted by Sen-hime, confirmed a direct blood connection to the main line of the Sakurai, the Lost Clan of the East. The Trial of Mind fully confirmed this lineage and it is clear that Saitō-san is descended directly from the last Lord of the Sakurai. Moreover, Saitō-san now appears to be fully Oni by any perception of our magic. And… he wears the four-pointed crown."

Amagiri knew what was coming, but this time the wounds were considerably larger and deeper and the bloody "x" was across his chest, above the heart. This time he knew he had flinched. Tattered material blew in the wind and was soaked with blood and rain in moments. It was becoming an effort to remain kneeling upright.

"How dare you call this creature an Oni, Amagiri! How dare you plead his case to me, however carefully! No matter what happens, no matter what he does, he will always be part-human; and he will no doubt betray us eventually, whether for greed or for pride or even for loyalty to his own kind. At what cost his small moment of triumph—and yours?! Our whole race will suffer by your decision to give him not only power but the Yukimura Heir to as his bride!"

"Sen-hime has named him Lord of the Sakurai, Kazama-sama. And his Trial of Mind clearly showed that he was the Heir."

"How?"

"Because he took upon him the living memories of the Sakurai, Kazama-sama, and the whole pain of their history as well as his own. Neither of us has ever seen a Trial of Mind taken on by an Heir! It was a brutal thing... Neither the Kazama nor the Amagiri dealt with the Sakurai with honour!"

"How DARE you say such things!" Kazama Chikage was beside himself with anger. Dully, Amagiri knew that the anger was fuelled by fear and grief, but for the moment his lord's rage was incandescent and eclipsed all else. "My father told me that the soldier-dogs of the Yukimura were so prejudiced against the Kazama, and so fearful for their own position, that they behaved with dishonour rather than allow a peaceful wedding between the ruling clans of the East and West!"

The next devastating blow carved an "x" into Amagiri's right arm, just below the elbow. There was an audible crunch, as the force of the rapid blows snapped even Amagiri's heavy bones. It was surprising, Amagiri thought weakly, that the limb hadn't been severed. He grasped the shattered limb with his good left hand, blood running between his fingers. He wasn't going to be able to stay conscious for much longer, between the blood loss and the magic and the silver.

"Who conducted these Trials, Amagiri? Who witnessed this vile marriage?"

Swaying, eyes closed now in desperation, Amagiri forced out the answers:

"I conducted the Trials. There were… witnesses… to the Trial of Mind. The marriage… of Sakurai-sama to Yukimura-sama… was witnessed… by Sen-hime of the Okikurune, Amagiri Kyūju of the Amagiri, and… Kazama Kichirō of the Kazama."

Kazama stared in disbelief at Amagiri. Then there was a wordless howl, and even as Amagiri forced his eyes open, he felt himself dragged upward, the movement creating a symphony of pain across his wounds.

"How?" Blazing scarlet eyes burned into him. And yet… he wasn't dead. That was something.

"Chiharu and Kichirō… are in Kyoto, Chikage… not my doing... Chiharu... said… they were sent… by Suzuka Gozen."

Kazama opened his hands, and Amagiri slumped to the ground, fighting to stay conscious; incredibly, reflexes and immensely strong legs kept him from falling sideways. Strangely, Kazama was kneeling in front of him now. And… he felt somebody else nearby. The person—the Oni—must have been strongly shielded earlier.

"Amagiri Kyūju," said Kazama, sounding terribly tired, "I had hoped, very much, that I was wrong. That I had somehow… misread the signs. You have been my mentor, my protector… I still don't understand what you have done. Nobody else could have done it! Sen didn't have the experience, or the physical strength, did she? That's why she needed you, wasn't it? But what made you turn from your loyalty and embrace the crack-brained, mystical whimsy of the Okikurune?"

"Why is my brother here?" Amagiri asked in return. "Why is Hideaki with you?" For some reason, his wounds were paining him slightly less, although they still bled.

Behind Kazama, who was at eye-level with his erstwhile vassal, stood a slightly younger, marginally smaller version of Amagiri, dressed much like him in dark hakama and black haori. His vivid red hair was cut short, like Kazama's, but his sky-blue eyes and stern expression were almost identical to his elder brother's.

"I would never take action without a witness," said Kazama, expressionlessly. "Also, if he is to replace you as Heir, then he should be present for this to understand why. Coincidentally, he was on his way to me with a message from your father."

"Ah." That, at least, made some sense, Amagiri thought. Well, the first part did. The second made no sense at all, since the other Oni were supposed to completely avoid outside contacts.

"I suppose that you were going to let me know as well?" It was a young woman's voice, familiar except that, like Kazama's it was distorted by icy anger.

"Ah, cousin, how nice of you to join us." Kazama's tone seemed calm, but everyone present knew that he was barely containing his rage.

Amagiri could sense Sen's mind. She had obviously decided that it was worth the effort to communicate with Kazama. He should have known that she wouldn't stay out of it, even though he had declined her assistance. He still felt that he had been correct that her presence would only inflame things. But it was unavoidable now in any event.

The warped nature of the Dōjigiri would make the area much easier to pinpoint for her. Also, unlike her call for assistance of a few days ago, this was no spur-of-the-moment impulse; she would be at home, using the talismans of the Princess of the Oni to boost her own significant Gift to contact those sworn to her –as Kazama Chikage was, and through him, Amagiri himself.

"Are you out of your mind, Chikage?!"

"I could ask the same question. But I won't. Instead, I will leave it up to you whether you want to go even further down this road of destruction you have chosen and countermand my decision to remove Amagiri Kyūju from his position as Heir. It is my judgment, as Lord of the Western Clans, that he has forsworn his oaths to me personally and endangered my clan. Alternately, you can confirm my decision, and ratify my recommendation to you that Amagiri Hideaki should be appointed in his place."

Sen-hime seemed more composed than Chikage, mused Amagiri, who felt oddly detached from the proceedings. Of course, she was not dealing with the bitter grief that Chikage must be feeling, to lose both promised bride and trusted vassal all at once. On the whole, though, he was glad that Sen-hime was there. Kazama wasn't likely to kill him now. He just hoped that the Princess of the Oni would have the good sense to not to start a fight—or a civil war—over the matter.

In fact, Sen had come to same conclusion, as incensed as she was to see the near-fatal damage done to Amagiri, which showed clearly through the sight provided by augmented Soul magic. Hijikata-san had anticipated the magnitude of the danger better than she had, which was a little mortifying. As he and Harada-san were leaving, politely refusing her offer of hospitality for the night, he had told her:

"Forgive my bluntness, Sen-hime, but I will tell you what I told Amagiri-san several days ago: If I were Kazama, I'd kill him. I don't know your people well enough to judge, maybe, but there it is."

The last blows, over the heart, had not killed Amagiri—at least not yet. But if the wounds went untreated there would be a problem. She was already anticipating an irate Saitō-san, because she had started drawing some energy from the (currently) sleeping Chizuru-chan to aid Amagiri; Sen had no illusions that the girl's closely-attuned husband wouldn't notice—not if what she'd learned of the Sakurai was true.

Fortunately, she had prepared herself carefully for this confrontation, and had already made her decisions. Only Amagiri Hideaki's presence was a surprise to her. Despite being much closer to her in age than Amagiri Kyūju, she didn't know him especially well, since only the rulers and their Heirs travelled much. They had met and spoken on a few occasions, but that was the extent of it. Chiharu and Kichirō probably knew him much better, of course.

"I will accept your decisions, Kazama Chikage-sama, on two conditions." She ignored his sneer for the sake of her most urgent goals. "First, I wish you to release Amagiri Kyūju from your service and from any oaths to you or your clan. Although I do not make it a condition, I ask that you do not dishonour his clan by naming him a traitor, any more than you have already done through the punishment already inflicted."

"Continue," growled Kazama, who had risen from his knees. He had not resheathed the sword, and kept his glowing ruby eyes focussed on Amagiri Kyūju at his feet.

"Second, you must swear not to pursue any further punishment, or any personal vendetta, against Amagiri Kyūuju now or in the future for his alleged crimes of the past week."

"You wish him to live," Kazama replied coldly. "Very well. But I will have his right hand for his alleged treachery—in particular for involving my own Heir and sister—and I do not wish him to be any further associated with my clan or those who owe allegiance to me. Also, since it appears that he no longer holds the same revulsion for human-kind that he once did, I will give his life and honour—such as it is—into the keeping of his new, human protégé, whom you have named Lord of the Sakurai of the Eastern Clans."

Sen was unable to repress a flicker of dismay at the first part for its cruelty and a flare of anger at the second part for its arrogant insubordination. Kazama's lips twitched into a cold, humourless smile.

"Princess of the Oni," he said with unconcealed bitterness, "I will do your bidding in this matter of Amagiri Kyūju's life, and I will publicly honour your appointment of the Sakurai Lord to the extent necessary. For the sake of not starting a war that will destroy our people. But that is acceptable only if we agree that Amagiri Kyūju is to blame for what has happened where Yukimura Chizuru-sama is concerned. Otherwise—if I must blame you, who are my liege lady—then you force me to either acknowledge certain decisions that are unacceptable to me, or you force me to conclude that you are, perhaps, unfit for your position."

Amagiri heard it all, but distantly. On the whole, he thought that Kazama's position was unassailable. It was unfortunate that Kazama was in the wrong, but he had not had enough time or opportunity to come to the understanding that Amagiri had about the potential of Saitō-san and perhaps Harada-san and Hijikata-san. And to find out that his beloved sister and younger brother were with Sen-hime, and had witnessed the marriage, would be a terrible blow to Chikage… He would alternate between fear for their safety and a feeling of abandonment.

After what felt like a long time, but probably wasn't, Amagiri heard Sen-hime's reply, her image and voice clear in his head.

"Very well, Kazama-sama. Amagiri Kyūju will bear the blame for having conspired to keep Yukimura-sama from you, despite knowing of the previous betrothal bond, and for colluding in her marriage to another. You have determined the physical punishment for these crimes. In addition, his clan status will be forfeit, and his life and honour will be given into the keeping of Sakurai Hajime-sama to do with as Sakurai-sama chooses. However, you will obey my wishes as follows: You will ensure that Amagiri Kyūju survives the physical punishment that you have decreed for his betrayal. You will release him from all existing oaths to you, or to your clan, or to any of the Western Clans. Beyond this, you promise to pursue no personal or clan vendetta against Amagiri Kyūju, or any further punishment in the matters related to the marriage of Yukimura Chizuru-sama. As a corollary to Amagiri Kyūju's loss of status, I will ratify the appointment of Amagiri Hideaki as Heir to the Amagiri clan, with your approval or his father's, the next time that Amagiri Hideaki presents himself at my court in Kyoto. Are we in agreement?"

"I agree to the stated terms," Kazama said simply. His voice was devoid of emotion, and Amagiri knew that his face would be as well. He knew his lord's—his former lord's—moods and thoughts very well.

"I witness the terms," said Kimigiku's voice across the mental link, her image briefly visible as she touched Sen's shoulder.

"I witness the terms," said Hideaki impassively.

Amagiri found it strange, really. After all, Kazama and Hideaki were about the same age and he had trained them both. They would deal well together, and Hideaki would follow Kazama's orders implicitly. On the other hand, it meant that nobody would restrain Chikage-sama's more rash actions.

"I will place Kyūju in a spare room to await your courier," Kazama said to Sen.

"Very well."

Kazama turned to Amagiri and assumed his Oni form. Sen and Hideaki did the same. They would all witness the final punishment and then see to the rest of the terms of the agreement. Amagiri found that the burning silver wounds made it very difficult to change—which was no doubt intended—and was forced to stay in human form.

"One moment," Sen said suddenly. "There is somebody else here who should witness this. I thought it would not be long…"

Kazama shrugged, and only long association allowed Amagiri to see that under his haughty indifference there was a combination of pain and interest.

"Certainly; let us see your so-called lordling."

Amagiri sighed. He would have preferred to spare Saitō this, especially on the morning after his wedding, but such was life. He had already begun to realize that the mitigating factor allowing him to remain conscious and not delirious with pain had the same feel to it as Yukimura-sama's healing, which suggested that Sen-hime was borrowing power from the young bride.

Less than a minute later, Saitō stood beside Sen-hime, his hand on her shoulder, golden eyes very bright and easily as cold and hard as Kazama's; his long hair fell over his shoulders and down his back in some disarray. He was dressed only in his plain black kimono, obviously thrown on in haste and as hastily belted with a white sash. A sheathed sword was in the sash on his right.

There was a very tense pause, as the men—both in Oni form—studied each other. Even half-dead, Amagiri could sense how easily this encounter could go terribly wrong for everyone concerned. He wished again that Sen-hime or Kimigiku had kept Saitō away. Amazingly, neither man spoke, although Saitō was not quite as impassive as usual when he took in Amagiri's condition. For his part, Kazama appeared disdainful, even at the sight of an obvious Oni looking back at him, slighter and younger maybe, but clearly a clan head.

"May I proceed, Princess?" Kazama demanded, after a minute of matching stares with Saitō.

"Yes," Sen replied curtly, her tone belied by her face, which expressed only sadness.

Amagiri somehow managed not to blackout as his badly injured arm was moved to one side—by his brother, he realized. Hideaki stared into his eyes, and the pain faded a little, as Hideaki took some of it on himself, a trick that Amagiri had shown him just a few years before. At almost the exact same moment, they each said in the other's mind: Be brave, brother.

Then there was a blur of motion, a brutal, devastating pain, and Amagiri's right hand was cut neatly from his damaged arm. Interestingly, this wound didn't bleed. It made no sense, so Amagiri had to think that it was either a delusion—after all, it was a little surprising he was still conscious—or that Kazama had invoked some kind of specialized magic with the blow. Probably the latter, he decided, closing his eyes against the strong desire to throw up.

"He's yours now, Sakurai," Kazama was saying. If he had said anything else, Amagiri had missed it.

Amagiri prayed that Saitō wouldn't react to the insulting lack of honorific. He just wanted this over with.

"I am most fortunate, Kazama-sama," Saitō responded coolly. "What arrangements have you made?"

The man's grave calm did surprise Kazama a little, although nothing showed on his face. Amagiri sighed inwardly for him; he hoped that Hideaki would give Kazama-sama the support he would need in the coming days.

"Amagiri Hideaki-san will stabilize all the wounds that require it," Kazama said carelessly, as though he didn't care that he had mutilated the man who had been his companion and mentor since before his father's death. "After that, he can bring your bondsman partway to you."

"Very well," Saitō acknowledged. "I will meet Amagiri Hideaki-san at a place and time that you decide with Sen-hime." Saitō lifted his hand from Sen-hime's shoulder and disappeared from the conversation.

Strangely, however, Amagiri felt Saitō's presence return not long after, even as Hideaki lowered him to the ground and methodically began tending the terrible wounds on Amagiri's chest and arm. Amagiri realized that the wounds on his neck and face had already stopped bleeding, for some reason.

I will come for you as quickly as I am able, he heard in his mind, in Saitō's flat tones. Chizuru has done what she can for now and must rest. There was a note of finality in that last part that Amagiri found amusing. Do not waste your energy telling me to send somebody else, Saitō added. The mental voice was gone before Amagiri could frame a response.

"I can take him to a nearby shelter to get him dry and properly bandaged, Kazama-sama," Hideaki said—to Kazama, evidently. Amagiri no longer sensed another presence, in person or otherwise.

"Do what you need to do," came the brusque return. "Remember that you must be back here and ready to travel by tomorrow morning at the latest."

"Yes, Kazama-sama."

Amagiri heard the faintest sigh from Kazama Chikage, and then the familiar, powerful presence was gone. It was, he thought, the bitterest wound he had been dealt: this ugly, painful, wordless parting from a man he had tried to serve loyally for ten years.

It bothered him a little that he wasn't more ashamed of the dishonour that he had brought on himself by staying to look after Saitō instead of returning immediately to Kazama with word of Yukimura-sama. He realized after some thought that it was because the dishonour was not real to him; he had followed Sen-hime's wishes, and she had the right to command him. This dishonour was mostly a matter of politics. What bothered him personally was that it left Kazama vulnerable and alone. Despite everything, Amagiri had great respect for Kazama's abilities and sense of duty; he was far from perfect, but Kazama truly wanted what was best for his family and the Oni. Amagiri could only hope that at some point Kazama and Sen-hime would be able to work together to save the Oni as a whole. Dimly, only half-acknowledged because he still didn't quite believe in the mysterious Suzuka-hime, he had a feeling that somebody else was working ruthlessly toward that particular goal already. Perhaps his particular fate had been unavoidable.

[II] - Husband and Wife

Saitō had returned to their chambers braced for a fight, changing back to human form as he went and carrying the scabbarded sword because it was not securely attached to his sash. The situation was almost as far from ideal as he could imagine—although at least he was married to Chizuru and Amagiri was not dead. But he had hoped to be allowed to spend more than a few—a very few—precious hours with his adored wife before rushing off toward an unknown destination and an imperfectly understood situation that could easily be a trap. His loathing for Kazama was almost unbearable, but Kimigiku had told him to be polite at all costs and he had followed her instructions implicitly; it had been a very near thing, especially in his imperfectly-controlled Oni form.

Chizuru met him at the door of their bedroom and Saitō's cheeks flushed at seeing her only in her yukata. Her tousled hair and bare legs, and the scents that lingered in the room, were vivid reminders of what had passed between them a very short time ago, and he was entirely unable to resist pulling her close to him and kissing her already bruised lips. Fortunately, since he suddenly seemed to lack any control whatsoever—the sword had already slipped from his grasp—Chizuru put her hand on his lips and said:

"You have to let me go with you."

The opening salvo of the expected… disagreement… brought him back to his senses, although his body still struggled against him and he found himself unable to prevent his hand from caressing the curve of her waist and hip. He felt a responding tremor from her and almost completely lost focus. Somehow, he ground out his answer:

"No. It is too dangerous and you will slow me down."

"I can help. He was near death, Hajime."

For a moment, their minds were united in despising Kazama's cruelty—though Saitō's thoughts were distinctly more practical and violent. In fact, it was the sense of Chizuru's dismay at glimpsing his intentions that brought him fully to his senses. The truth was that Chizuru intoxicated him more than ever before. Away from her, he might be more rational now than he had been for the past few days, the desperate longing partly sated, but around her it was still difficult to focus. Still... standing in her arms, in their bedroom, with Chizuru only half-dressed and still carrying the scent of their time together, was likely a more difficult challenge to his control than he would usually face. Or so he hoped.

"Will you obey me if I tell you not to go?" Saitō asked bluntly, focussing on the upturned face and trying to ignore everything else.

"Yes, H-Hajime. But I think that you should let me. If I can help Amagiri-san then not only can we make him more comfortable sooner, but getting him to safety will be much easier."

Saitō frowned down at her, thinking rapidly.

"I wonder why I never get to have you to myself?" he asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

Chizuru blinked at him and then blushed.

"Um, well, it would be nice to… to have more time… but…"

Saitō put a finger over her lips.

"Never mind."

He studied her, trying to express how totally unsuitable he found himself, first as a lover and now as a husband. Their one date—which hadn't even been a proper date—had been interrupted by thugs intent on murdering him; and their wedding night—which had lasted a bare four hours, if that—had been disturbed when he had been jolted from his happy contemplation of his sleeping wife by the sudden awareness that somebody was drawing power from her, followed by the touch of Kimigiku's thoughts on his mind explaining the emergency. It was all very frustrating and not at all what Chizuru deserved.

"Let's get washed up and dressed and I'll think about it," was what he actually said.

"Okay!"

She gave him the loving, confiding smile that moved him more than anything else, and he prevented her from going by asking:

"But first—and I should have already asked—are you… alright?" He knew that he was turning red, but this was too important to miss.

She stared at him, blinking, and then blushed in turn.

"Oh-oh yes, Hajime! I am, um, very well." Then she blushed even more, as the implications of her emphatic response seemed to occur to her.

Saitō just nodded, unwilling to risk embarrassing either of them further.

"You may go first, Chizuru, while I tidy things here," he said.

Chizuru looked distressed. "Oh no Hajime, that wouldn't be right at all!"

Saitō blinked at her, and then accepted that she was correct. Well, he wouldn't take very long, after all, and there wasn't really much to tidy.

Not long afterward—he had to commend his wife's efficiency, although he deplored the fact that she had put on her boys' clothing—they were sitting in the main room of the suite, and Chizuru was pouring him tea while he ate a freshly prepared bowl of rice and egg. Saitō was feeling rather bemused, but apparently a servant had brought the tea and food—although he couldn't say when, which alarmed him a little.

Chizuru sighed as she watched him eat between small mouthfuls of her own breakfast. When he looked at her, she looked down with a wistful smile and only reluctantly explained:

"O-oh, it is nothing, I promise, it's just that I… would have liked to make everything for you today myself."

Saitō paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. It was extremely disconcerting how these small, very ordinary things seemed to affect him the most. He recognized—as he had even before their hasty marriage—that it was going to take far more courage to love Chizuru, without locking her away from the world, than to do anything else he had ever attempted.

Once again unable to express his actual thoughts, he merely nodded, finished his food, and drained his cup of tea.

"I really have to go, Chizuru. I would prefer it if you would stay here, with Kimigiku-san and Sen-hime."

Chizuru seemed to droop. "I will remain here, Hajime."

They walked down the long hallway from their temporary quarters in silence, but hand-in-hand, even though that was against custom. Saitō had his own swords in his belt; he would not use the others for anything other than ceremony, at least for now and probably for the foreseeable future. Just before they reached the door to the main reception room, Saitō stopped and laid his forehead gently against Chizuru's.

"I love you, my wife."

He felt, as much as heard, her wordless hum of acknowledgment in response. It felt good to know that she was his.

Shortly afterward, they were sitting opposite Sen-hime and Kimigiku-san, both of whom looked very grave. Neither of them approved of Chizuru's clothing.

"You aren't going out into this rain?" demanded Sen, frowning. "Saitō-san—surely you do not expect her to go with you?"

Saitō, who had been expecting Sen-hime to support his wife's request to accompany him, breathed a small sigh of relief.

"No, Sen-hime. I will leave my wife in your care while I am gone."

Both women appeared to be relieved at this, and Chizuru couldn't quite mask her disappointment.

"It is not that we doubt your ability, Chizuru-chan," Sen said immediately. "But you must understand two things. First, everything we have done and are doing will come to nothing if we cannot keep you safe. And second, Amagiri-san will be upset if he sees you risking yourself for him—partly for the same reason and partly out of pride. Try to understand his perspective."

"I will try," Chizuru promised, but it was evident that she was still hurt.

"Sometimes it requires more courage to stay behind and wait, than to rush off to give aid," Kimigiku told her gently. "Also, if you accompany your husband," the shinobi smiled when she saw how Chizuru's eyes widened at that word, "then he will be dividing his attention unnecessarily. It is difficult to guard two at once; one person must always have priority, and Saitō-san's first priority will always be you."

Seeing that Chizuru understood, and was becoming unnecessarily ashamed of her behaviour, Sen added:

"We know that you just want to go so that you can help Amagiri sooner. We can only ask you to trust those who have known him longer to know what his own preference would be."

Chizuru nodded firmly at this. "Alright, Osen-chan."

As if this were some kind of signal, everyone rose to their feet and walked out to the front door, with Kimigiku giving Saitō instructions on where to meet Amagiri Hideaki and how to deal with him. Saitō listened intently to her directions and instructions, but said very little.

Chizuru smiled fondly at her husband's profile, even though she knew that he wouldn't always appreciate open displays of affection. It was comforting to see him dressed as usual, and as impassive and calmly competent as usual. Unfortunately, however, even as she watched him incline his head to Kimigiku-san on some final point, her mind wandered to how he had looked the night before, naked and flushed above her. Those memories, while infinitely precious, were also intensely private, and she blushed red to her ears, conscious of Kimigiku's instant amusement and Osen-chan's vivid curiosity. She was glad to hurry out onto the porch, where the wind was still blowing hard enough to cool her cheeks with spatters of rain.

"We'll be watching for you," Sen promised Saitō. "Once you're close enough, Kimigiku will be able to assist you."

This confused Chizuru, because she would have preferred Kimigiku to be going with Saitō—that is, Hajime—but she didn't want to embarrass herself or her husband by asking further.

"We'll look after your wife," Kimigiku told the young captain, her voice serious, but a twinkle in her purple eyes. "And if your Commander comes to call, we'll say all that is proper."

Both women turned to Chizuru, who was trying not to look anxious.

Saitō hesitated, and then took her hands. "It will be fine, Chizuru."

"Yes, Hajime." Chizuru made her voice as firm as possible. "I will see you soon."

Saitō gave her the barely visible smile that was defined more by a softening in his deep blue eyes than anything else, and she had to force herself not to bury herself against his chest. In her mind, she heard:

I know, dear one, but I don't want to embarrass myself in front of a warrior like Kimigiku-san.

Saitō moved briskly off the porch as soon as he heard his wife's suppressed choke of laughter. He wasn't especially comfortable being… silly… but if it made Chizuru laugh then he could make the effort—when it was necessary.

[III] - Brothers

It had taken some time to make Amagiri fit for any kind of travel, but once out of the rain and wind, and able to lie comfortably on soft blankets, the elder brother had been able to concentrate on stabilizing his shocked systems—including his mind—and the younger brother had been able to better address the problem of splinting and securing the shattered arm. The problem, as both brothers had to silently concede, was that neither of them had more than a limited knowledge of wounds that did not heal at least in part on their own. They were both practical, intelligent men, however, and on the whole they managed quite well.

They spoke very little, and not at all about what had led to the elder brother to lose his place within the clan. Amagiri could tell that his younger brother was concerned for him, but also deeply shocked by what he had done. Kazama and Hideaki were childhood friends, and Hideaki admired Kazama to an extent that Sen-hime would find truly deplorable. Their youngest brother, Hinatsu, did not know Kazama as well, but he and Hideaki were very close, so it was safe to assume that the two shared similar views. Of course, they had also tended to idolize their eldest brother, although he was very different from the brashly open and compelling Kazama-sama; Amagiri was saddened to know that he was unlikely to have much contact with his younger brothers in the future.

Unless the world changed. There was always that hope. As the pain eased, mostly through his own discipline, partially through Hideaki's attention to his arm, Amagiri began to realize just how bad his situation was. It gave him more insight into how Kimigiku must have felt when she had been stripped of her honour and name and exiled from her clan. Maybe now they would be able to repair the friendship that had smashed to pieces ten years ago over his refusal to see her sister after Kenshin had been born. Or maybe not. A lot of bitter words had been spoken by Kimiko—as she had been—and no words at all had been spoken by Amagiri.

It occurred to Amagiri to wonder what name he would take now. He had not yet formally been refused the use of his clan name, but he had no doubt that his father would see to it soon enough. And for now, Sen-hime would undoubtedly take him into her home. Except… no, he was forgetting. He saw and ignored his brother's startled look when he laughed softly to himself at the realization that it was up to Saitō to decide what happened to him next. Then he sobered immediately, because the truth was that he did not like humans very much, and he truly wasn't certain what Saitō would think of the current situation. After all, Amagiri tended to think of Saitō as an Oni—that had been a necessary mental shift in order to be of any real use to the young captain—but Saitō's identity had been very much attached to being a member of the Shinsengumi.

"What is Sakurai-sama like, Kyūju-san?" Hideaki asked, almost in echo to his thoughts.

Amagiri almost told him that Kazama would not appreciate him asking such a question, but that was unfair. Kazama had said that he would publicly recognize Sakurai-sama—in fact, he had to unless and until he was ready to start the civil war that they had so narrowly averted an hour before. And that meant that it was appropriate for the new Heir-apparent to the Amagiri clan to want to know about him.

"You saw him?"

"Yes. He looks rather slight, but his presence and control seemed appropriate to his rank. I would say that his appearance was somewhat untidy, but I understand that he was summoned rather hastily. His manner was in no way slovenly."

Amagiri surveyed his younger brother appraisingly. He would do well, if Kazama didn't lead him wholly astray. He was slightly amused by the fact that Hideaki had answered him exactly as he would have in the past—like a student asked by a teacher to analyze a given situation.

"That is a fair impression of him," Amagiri responded at last. "He is stronger than he looks, his control is impressive, and usually he is exceptionally neat in his appearance. He was summoned, as you put it, from his wedding night. As it was long after midnight when he and his bride retired to their rooms, I expect he was somewhat inconvenienced."

Hideaki blinked and then reddened slightly. His next question caught Amagiri off-guard:

"Will he treat you fairly?"

"I… yes, probably. Why?"

"Because he is human. Even if he successfully completed the Trials—unless I have misunderstood—all of his ties are to humans."

Amagiri lay in silence, annoyed at himself for having asked the question 'why'. Hideaki was correct. Saitō had strong and compelling ties to a human authority—he'd wondered about it himself. At the same time, he could not imagine Saitō abusing the power that he had been given. He had been inside the man's head; it was foolish—and cowardly—of him to pretend not to know Saitō Hajime. A reaction born of shock, not reality.

"Sakurai-sama will treat me fairly. What he will do, exactly, I do not know. He has hardly had long to consider his options."

"That is true." Hideaki knelt down beside Amagiri. "I have dried your clothes reasonably well. Are you ready to stand? We need to move soon."

Amagiri agreed, and between them, he was soon standing and partially dressed. His shirt, which was torn and bloodied in any event, had been sacrificed for bandages. His coat, with the exception of the right arm, wasn't in bad shape and his brother helped him to put it on. The real question, of course, was whether he could Fast Travel, given the amount of energy he had used just to get himself stabilized to this point. As long as Hideaki was confident, however, it would probably be good enough.

"I am ready," he told his brother.

Together, they stepped out into the gusting wind and fitful rain, and vanished from sight.

[IV] - The Second Messenger

Alone in his room, after snarling at the human guards who were watching the outer walls, Kazama Chikage paced restlessly, consumed alternately by rage, grief and jealousy. Nagumo Kaoru, who had reluctantly given up the idea of directly influencing somebody as dangerous as the Lord of the Western Clans, would have been delighted to know how sincerely the Oni lord hated Saitō Hajime of the Shinsengumi at that moment—and the jealousy, in particular, would have pleased him immensely. However, Kaoru was not privy to Kazama's inner thoughts on that particular morning.

Shiranui Kyō, arriving at the enclave just before noon, cloaked in illusion to avoid notice, immediately decided to speak with Kazama later in the day—preferably much later. He suspected that he knew why Kazama was so badly out of temper, and he wanted no piece of something so dangerous.

Decision made, he strolled away to find somewhere to get lunch and a drink.

[END]

A/Note: Thank you for reading. The title to part I, above, is from the full song lyrics (below):

I see a bad moon rising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin'.
I see bad times today.

Don't go around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

I hear hurricanes a blowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

Well don't go around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.

Well don't go around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.

Don't come around tonight,
Well it's bound to take your life,
There's a bad moon on the rise.