Author's Note:

I expect to be updating more regularly again now. I also plan to return to my usual custom of responding to all reviews (except those on Anon/Guest, since I can't).

As usual, there is a great deal going on in this chapter, setting the stage for the resolution of certain storylines over the next little while.

Thank you to all my readers, please know that your support is much appreciated. In particular, I'd like to thank:

shell1331, danceswithseatbelts, sabina-san, scintillaofmyself, 14phantom, poivronrouge, doodlethewhiteraven, canadiangaap, Eliza1369, and nakigaoyuu

- your wonderful reviews to chapter 71 were insightful, funny and encouraging! Merci à toutes (tous)!

Please be assured that this story continues to be my greatest joy to write. I've missed it very much over the last two weeks. It's a relief to be back, and there's still so many interesting points and plots to explore.

I'd also like to say hello and welcome to Mikipeach (QueenGurako~tumblr) who has recently picked up the story and to Guest (who has reached chapter 40)(and by the way, Guest, if/when I ever go back to tidy up here and there, I will take your advice, and that of others, and make it clearer who is speaking. That's something I have tried to improve in more recent chapters.)

Happy reading! ... well... despite all the blood and bodies

~ImpracticalOni

PS: I love writing Hijikata's snarkier comments. He's just so cool.

Chapter 72—Homecoming

[I] - Left Behind

After Osen-chan, Chiharu-chan, Kichirō-kun and Hajime had left, Chizuru had stood motionless for several minutes, staring out through the front garden toward the road with unseeing eyes. She had the same prickle of unease as she'd had the night of the raid on the Ikedaya Inn, and it was taking a great deal of resolve not to run off down the laneway after her husband. Oddly, the thought that they were well and truly married helped a little, and gave her the courage to finally turn toward Kimigiku-san, who was clearly at least as worried about Osen-chan as Chizuru was about Hajime.

The shinobi wore an expression that made Chizuru blink—a mixture of fury and despair that was at once frightening and heartbreaking. Ever-practical, Chizuru drew a deep breath, and forced herself to smile.

"It seems that we aren't wanted," she said, keeping her voice neutral. "What do you think that we can do, Kimigiku-san?"

The tall woman beside her immediately glanced down at her. Her expression remained forbidding, but a tiny part of her usual humour returned.

"Were you expressly forbidden to go, Chizuru-sama?"

"Yes," Chizuru said sadly. "At least… Hajime said that he wouldn't allow me within a mile of the estate."

"Hmm. Well, that's convenient, because I'm not allowed within a mile of the estate boundary either. I had to swear an oath to that effect when Yukishima-sama banished me."

Deep brown eyes and angry—or anguished—purple eyes met, and an understanding was reached immediately.

"I'll go change," said Chizuru.

"I'll help you, and then I'll let Amagiri know that we're going out."

Chizuru looked concerned.

"I… I think Amagiri-san might forbid me to leave the house," she said hesitantly.

"He can't," replied Kimigiku firmly. "Besides, although I am very worried about Sen, because I think she's underestimating the situation badly, you have been left in my care and Amagiri knows that I will protect you with my life if necessary."

When Chizuru still looked anxious—although she did accompany Kimigiku into the house as quickly as her woman's kimono would allow her—Kimigiku stopped her and took both her hands.

"Chizuru-sama…" she said to the younger woman, clasping the small fingers tightly. "You are one of the princesses of the Oni, in accordance with the old ways. Sen-hime is your guardian only until you pass your final trial and can claim your position as Lady of the East. I am coming to respect your husband more than I expected, but he is your vassal, as are the Shiranui. You need to remember these things and have more confidence."

Chizuru had reddened, but she nodded.

"I'll try, Kimigiku-san," she promised. As they moved quickly along the corridor, however, Kimigiku heard Chizuru murmur: "But, all the same, I don't want to upset Hajime."

"I know, little one. For what it's worth, I'm not sure that I'd want to upset him either, anymore. In this case, however, I'm quite certain that although he doesn't want you involved, he agrees with me that he and Kichirō-kun may not be enough protection for the Princess and Chiharu-sama. So I was thinking that we should make sure that my message—and Saitō-sama's—actually reached and was understood by Harada-san."

Chizuru brightened visibly at this suggestion. She was rapidly doing up her hair into a boy's high ponytail, while Kimigiku removed her kimono and obi.

"That's a very good idea! I expect that Harada-san will want to help, don't you?"

"Probably," Kimigiku said dryly. "Though the gods only know what Vice Commander Hijikata will say. I expect it will be something vulgar."

Chizuru laughed, and blushed slightly.

"You finish up here," Kimigiku said. "I'll let Amagiri know we're going."

"Um, Kimigiku?"

"Yes?" The other woman paused in the bedroom doorway and looked back over her shoulder.

"You're just going to mention that we'll try to see Harada-san? And maybe Hijikata-san?"

"Alright. He won't believe me though. Try not to worry about it, Chizuru-sama. It will be fine."

With that, the shinobi hurried off and Chizuru went back to dressing. She had to admit that the boys' clothes were a great deal easier to move in than the woman's kimono. Still… It had been nice to wear something pretty for Hajime. Chizuru stared at herself in the mirror for a moment and then squared her shoulders. She might not be as beautiful and wise as Chiharu-chan, or as… as wonderful as Osen-chan, but Hajime had picked her, and he thought that she was pretty and brave. Kimigiku-san was right; she needed to have more confidence.

[II] - Unexpected Odds

Kichirō had quickly discovered that Mamoru-kun was not going to stay put easily. The younger boy put up a frenzied struggle when Kichirō tackled him, changing almost instantly to Oni form and attacking with fangs, claws and even horns. However, although Kichirō didn't yet have his brother's power, he was the Heir-designate to the Kazama clan, and strong for a boy who had not yet passed his Third Trial. Moreover, his training in of all the Oni Gifts in which he had shown promise had been thorough. Consequently, when he lost patience with Mamoru-kun's screaming attempts to dislodge him, he ended the process by knocking the other boy out cold.

When he sat back, panting a little, he felt strangely content. He'd never been allowed or able to fight like that before—both Chikage-sama and Amagiri were far out of his league for now, and he wasn't allowed to train so violently with Kenshin. It was exhilarating.

All had been well, in fact—if not positively boring—when the two strange figures had come running towards him from the general direction of the other side of the house. At a distance, they looked like Oni, but something felt very, very wrong. Kichirō immediately rose and fetched his sword, suddenly wishing that Saitō-sama had given him more instructions. The truth was that he'd been hearing the sounds of battle from within, although the fight had either ended or moved farther into the house, because he couldn't seem to hear anything now.

The strange not-quite-Oni had red eyes, and a slightly crazed look that made Kichirō shiver, as he instinctively planted himself between the newcomers and the helpless Mamoru-kun. When both of them drew short swords, he knew that this could be a very challenging fight.

"Who are you?!" he demanded, as they rushed at him.

"You have injured Mamoru-sama! I will kill you!" shouted one of them, a lithe, taller woman with her white hair tied back in a low pony-tail.

"What have you done?!" cried the other, who was suddenly holding shuriken in his off hand.

It dawned on Kichirō that his opponents were probably not a threat to the unconscious Mamoru-kun and he began a strategic retreat toward the dojo, in order to have some kind of wall at his back. He managed to avoid the first of the two shuriken that whistled toward him, but the second one snagged his left leg. There was a burning sensation, and he noticed with concern that although the small wound was healing, it was healing very slowly.

He leapt lightly up the shallow flight of stairs to the dojo, but then had to defend himself in earnest. Whoever and whatever these people were, they weren't full Oni, but they were obviously well trained. Moreover, their auras made his senses jangle slightly. With an effort—because it had been a very strange day and this was his third fight—he calmed his thoughts and his breathing, and concentrated on keeping his enemies from getting around him. All three combatants were silent, now, so that the only noise was the ring of steel on steel.

This battle seemed (and likely was) far longer than the one against Mamoru-kun, and Kichirō kept having to push back incipient panic. The graze on his leg still ached, and although he had done some damage to his opponents, they healed almost instantly, just like full Oni. Of course, Kichirō's wounds, which were minor, all healed as well (with the one exception), although not quite as quickly as they would when he had completed all three Trials.

Kichirō had never been more grateful for his brother's harsh training and Amagiri's insistence on continuous physical conditioning. He might not actually be killing his opponents—although by this time he'd injured them grievously enough!—but he was holding his own. Worried for the fate of his companions, and especially his sister, he called as loudly as he could (and mentally as well): "Saitō-sama! Where are you?"

Just as his first cry faded, a man came running at full-speed around the side of the house, katana drawn and flashing in the sun. Kichirō's heart sank when he recognized the black hair and distinctive purple eyes of the Yukishima family, but a moment later he almost took a shortsword in the belly when he froze briefly in utter surprise. He parried the blow, barely, and then the man reached them, sword moving as an extension of himself.

"Hijikata-san?!"

Kichirō watched in disbelief as first one, and then the second of his attackers dropped dead at his feet. For some reason, it hadn't occurred to him to use single-strike, lethal blows. It was also debatable whether he'd had the chance. The Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi looked very grim, and was panting heavily, but he appeared to be uninjured. He also appeared not to have lost his slightly sarcastic sense of humour.

"Well… I'm not… Saitō, but I'll have… to do." Hijikata flicked his blade clear of excess blood and crouched down to examine the dead bodies, eyes narrowed.

To Kichirō's horror—although the indifferent practicality also impressed him—the Vice Commander wiped his blade on the bottom of the shirt of one of the strange attackers before standing up. Then he glanced swiftly around, sheathed his katana, and addressed Kichirō in clipped tones.

"Who are these people?" he demanded. "Do you know them?"

The boy shook his head numbly. For some reason, the bodies were now rapidly shifting to their human forms. The one with the hole in its heart wasn't so bad, but Kichirō felt nauseated by the fact that the woman's head lay two feet from her body. With her dark hair and lifeless, pale violet eyes, she looked quite similar to Mamoru-kun. Kichirō looked over in near-panic, and was intensely relieved to find that his charge hadn't moved.

"Ah, arigatou gozaimasu, Hijikata-san," he said, with a quick bow. "Um, I don't know these two, but that's Mamoru-kun in the grass. Saitō-sama told me to keep him here and not to kill him."

Hijikata-san still looked very grim, but Kichirō thought that he sensed some amusement.

"And?"

"He is not dead," Kichirō hastened to assure him. "At least, I didn't kill him. But I had to knock him out. Just as well, since those two attacked me just afterwards."

He looked anxiously at the Shinsegumi Vice Commander, who was nodding, but looking back toward the house. Kichirō noticed that the back door was hanging off its hinges from when either Saitō-sama or Hideo-sama had raced inside.

"Is everything alright Hijikata-san? How did you get here—not that I'm ungrateful!"

"I think so and I'm not sure; I haven't been into the house." Hijikata eyed the boy appraisingly, and then shrugged. It was a mess up at the house, or so he'd been told by a reliable source, but presumably Kichirō could cope with bloodshed. The other boy was a bigger problem. "From what I've been told, Yukishima-sama, her husband and her brother are all dead. Is he the heir?" The limp, dark-haired bundle in the grass looked very young.

When Kichirō didn't answer, Hijikata glanced sharply at him. The kid looked like he was about to faint from shock.

"A-All of them, Hijikata-san? E-even Yukishima Hideo-sama? Did… Did Saitō-sama kill all of them?"

Hijikata took a moment to study Kichirō. He tended to forget that with all the inbreeding, the Oni were all closely related to each other. Also, Kichirō could handle a sword extremely well—after all, so had Sōji at the same age—but he'd been raised in isolation to a great extent, not to mention in the belief that the Oni were near-untouchable as a race. Now he was facing slaughter on an unprecedented scale, and he thought that Saitō might be responsible.

"I don't think Saitō killed them all," he answered, forcing himself to smile slightly. Although I suspect he may have tried, he thought to himself. "That would be a bit far-fetched, even for him." The kid thinks Saitō's scary enough as it is…

"But they're all dead." It came out as a flat statement, so Hijikata left it alone.

"I need to get inside," Hijikata told Kichirō. "But we can't leave this boy here. Can you carry him, or are you hurt?"

Kichirō stiffened his spine. Carrying his cousin—well, second-cousin, really—would be a little awkward, but Kichirō was tall for his age.

"I can carry Mamoru-kun, Hijikata-san. I have only one slight injury." He gestured at his leg. "It may have been poisoned, since it's healing slowly. But it's already almost better."

"Okay, get—Mamoru?—and follow me." Hijikata took a few steps toward the broken back door. "You'll have to put your sword away," he told Kichirō, keeping a straight face for the boy's sake.

The sword was sheathed without comment or further cleaning—Kichirō obviously couldn't bring himself to deal with the pathetic bodies of the two unknown furies, for some reason. Maybe he knew who they were, now that they were in human form. Even Hijikata had to admit that the woman's features were eerily similar to his own, and even closer to those of the boy lying in the grass, whose eyes were probably also purple. It occurred to him that the dead woman was probably a part-Oni, a bastard child like himself, or Yamazaki—or even a child of a legitimate union, if the father had been unable to find an Oni wife. Hijikata shook his head clear of imaginings. Whatever made Kichirō uneasy around the bodies, and whatever else he might be thinking, he picked up his cousin without difficulty, though awkwardly—like a man carrying his bride rather than a man shouldering another man's weight across his shoulders.

"He is still unconscious, Hijikata-san," Kichirō said uncertainly, when he reached the waiting Vice Commander. "But… he is crying."

Hijikata let out breath. "Nothing we can do about it now. Let's go." He drew his sword and started once again toward the house.

"Hai."

Together, they made their way through the back door and into the kitchen of the Yukishima family home. The stench of blood and bodies caused Kichirō to recoil even as they approached, but although his face was milk-white under his golden hair, the expression in his ruby-coloured eyes and the set of his jaw told Hijikata that the boy was determined to see things through; furthermore, the young Oni would not appreciate any solicitous remarks.

They looked around the kitchen briefly before moving onward, following a clear trail of bodies toward the front of the house, from which they could finally hear voices.

"Saitō-sama killed all of these warriors," Kichirō observed at one point, surprising Hijikata, who had been thinking the same thing.

"How do you know?" the Vice Commander asked bluntly.

"Saitō-sama… tested my skills before we entered Yase. He is left-handed and the wounds match his style. Also, Hideo-sama did not carry a sword."

Hijikata nodded sharply, registered the sound of Harada's and Nagakura's voices in the next room, and gestured for Kichirō to follow. He was impressed with the boy: this stately home was a charnel house, a bloody shambles that would cause many hardened fighters to swallow back bile, let alone a fifteen-year-old who was related to the family whose bodies lay at the center of the chaos.

They continued into the main reception room in silence, Kichirō trailing in Hijikata's wake still carrying the unconscious Yukishima Mamoru.

[III] - The Shinobi and the Vice Commander

Chizuru and Kimigiku had met Hijikata-san not far from the Shinsengumi headquarters. It was not a coincidence that they had found him so easily: Kimigiku had convinced Chizuru to test her Oni powers as they walked, and with Kimigiku's assistance Chizuru had eventually sensed the presence that she identified as the Vice Commander. Kimigiku, who had been helping Chizuru to maintain her focus while hurrying through the busy streets, had been amused to discover that the girl still deeply admired Hijikata-san, and had managed to retain a rather idealized image of the man despite everything that she must have seen during more than half a year with the Shinsengumi. Kimigiku was glad, for Chizuru's sake that Saitō-san did not appear to be a particularly jealous man. As loyal as he might be to the Vice Commander, Kimigiku doubted that the young captain's personal vision of Hijikata-san included fluttering hair or falling sakura blossoms.

Of course, unless Saitō-san was a great deal less perceptive than Kimigiku gave him credit for, it would be abundantly clear to him—as it was to Kimigiku—that Chizuru was deeply in love with her new husband. Since this shining devotion was currently intense enough to evoke sad memories for the shinobi, Kimigiku had been relieved when Hijikata-san had turned out to be precisely where Chizuru had sensed him to be, so that Kimigiku could withdraw entirely from the young woman's mind.

The Vice Commander had worn his usual daunting frown, but Kimigiku had thought that he was secretly pleased to see them. When Kimigiku had raised an eyebrow at what she deemed to be an unnecessarily brusque greeting, he had given her a rueful smile that had provided further insight into why more than a few of the women of southern Kyoto had surprisingly romantic views of the formidable Hijikata-san.

"I'm surprised that Saitō would have agreed to let you anywhere near a potential confrontation of this kind," Hijikata had said bluntly to Chizuru, after his tacit almost-apology to Kimigiku.

Chizuru had flushed, but had been less discomposed than Kimigiku had expected.

"He didn't," she said truthfully, "but I wanted to be closer than Osen-chan's house, and Saitō-san had mentioned a distance of a mile, so—"

"I understand," Hijikata had interrupted crisply. "And no doubt you wanted to be available to Sen-hime should there be trouble, Kimigiku-san. Were you looking for me?"

"Yes," Kimigiku had responded at once. "Either you or Harada-san. Saitō-san and Kichirō-kun may be enough protection for Sen-hime and Chiharu-sama, but I have grave doubts."

Chizuru had nodded her head emphatically in agreement. When Hijikata-san had glanced at her she'd said rather shyly:

"It's like the feeling I had before the Ikedaya, Hijikata-san, but more definite. I am certain that the meeting with Yukishima-sama will not go as Osen-chan wishes."

"Well, then we are all bound on the same errand, more or less. At Saitō's request—and yours, Kimigiku-san—I gave permission for Harada and Nagakura to leave their patrols at just about the current time, in order to be available to assist Saitō in the southeast of the city. Unfortunately, I now have to recall them—and likely Saitō as well—as rumours have reached us that Chōshu forces have been seen surprisingly close to the Emperor's Palace. The Shinsengumi could receive word to mobilize at any time."

Kimigiku had frowned, and Chizuru had been visibly concerned. She had been less disappointed with the news of Saitō-san's recall than Kimigiku had expected, however. The shinobi could only assume that the Heir-apparent to the Duchies of the East was firmly convinced that she would be allowed to stay with her husband wherever he was sent. Aloud, Kimigiku had conveyed her understanding of Hijikata-san's mission, and had suggested that they travel together.

"I'm not sure that either you or Harada-san would be able reach Sen-hime without me in any event," Kimigiku had explained, as the three of them made their way south-east toward Yase. "The area is heavily warded to discourage unauthorized intruders, especially humans."

Hijikata-san had looked at her curiously.

"Why ask for help when you didn't think we could give it," he'd asked, with surprisingly little heat.

"I'd hoped to guide you, and I felt that Sen-hime should learn to rely on her allies," Kimigiku had replied. "Also, I was under the impression that Harada-san would want to help. I hadn't expected you to allow Nagakura-san to join him."

Hijikata had looked less than pleased by her response, but had asked no other questions. Well aware that he had been uncomfortable with her use of the term "allies", Kimigiku had let things stand and had focused on finding Harada-san.

Eventually, they had found the joint patrol unit, if not the two captains. Hijikata-san, who seemed to have no difficulty treating Kimigiku as though she were a colleague, rather than a woman, had signaled her to stop, which she had. Consequently, they'd watched the Shinsengumi warriors approach without drawing attention to themselves. Chizuru had been confused, but willing to do as she was told.

Kimigiku had understood almost immediately why Hijikata-san had wanted to check on the joint unit: he was evaluating how the two sub-captains were interacting with each other and the men. Despite the urgency of her errand, Kimigiku was intrigued. The Shinsengumi had become a much higher priority for her than before, after all. Today, she could read mounting tension between the man commanding the unit and the man acting as his lieutenant. To Kimigiku's Oni perceptions, the acting commander was clearly marked as one of Saitō-san's men. In fact, she was reasonably sure that she would have known as much even without the subtle traces of Saitō-san's now familiar imprint on the man's dim, human aura. The second man she didn't know at all; he was superficially handsome, but Kimigiku had dealt with enough jealous, ambitious men to recognize and dismiss this one at a glance.

As the patrol walked slowly by, the gist of the debate had become clear: Takeda-san, the subordinate officer, had been suggesting that he return to the Shinsengumi compound to "update Kondō-san" on the level of unrest that the unit had encountered in the city; Magoshi-san, the acting commander, was refusing the request. Kimigiku had almost smiled, recognizing the cool, flat tones as the echoes of another man's style. Beside her, Hijikata-san had shared her mild amusement.

"Magoshi's a good man and Takeda's trouble, but clever. I suppose you're thinking that Magoshi's got Saitō's fingerprints all over him?"

"Something like that," Kimigiku had admitted. "And the man Takeda is repellent. The kind of man to treat his superiors with far more care than his inferiors, even though it is ultimately a short-sighted tactic."

"I'd rather not comment. Excuse me."

Hijikata-san had stepped forward, calling to the two vice-captains. A short time later, one soldier had been sent back to headquarters with information for Kondō-san and Sannan-san, as well as the message that the Vice Commander might be delayed, and Magoshi-san and Takeda-san had been sent on their way with instructions to complete an abbreviated patrol. Hijikata-san had made a point of ensuring that Takeda-san did not overhear his final instructions to the man returning immediately to the Shinsengumi compound; the ambitious vice-captain would have been curious to know why the Vice Commander was sending Yamazaki-san to a private residence on the other side of the city.

After that, they had traveled more or less directly to the point where the trees encircling the hidden village of Yase began. Even as Kimigiku had conducted the other two into the woods, her apprehension had increased significantly. Although it was true that Kimigiku was barred from approaching within a mile of her ancestral estate, Shizuka-hime had insisted that she be able to travel to Yase itself. Therefore, she could use the main path to Yase and walk and live within its walled confines, despite her mother's proscription. It was never quite comfortable, however, and she knew exactly when she had reached the one mile point because the mental discomfort became noticeable.

"I will wait here with Chizuru-sama," Kimigiku announced, touching the young woman lightly on the shoulder. "You may be able to go into the village without me, Vice Commander, I'm not sure. Assuming that your officers Harada and Nagakura got this far, I have no idea where they are."

Even as Hijikata-san was debating his options, Kimigiku had staggered, face suddenly as white as it was when she wore her professional make-up. Chizuru was immediately at her side, while Hijikata drew his sword.

"It's her sister," Chizuru told him, her voice tight with anxiety and unshed tears. "Something terrible is happening. Or has happened. I can't tell which."

Silently, Hijikata-san had run on down the path toward the village; unfortunately, he had returned almost as soon as he'd gotten out of sight. Kimigiku, who was leaning against a tree with one hand to her head, gave him a shrug.

"Only Sen-hime can give permission for people to travel freely in the forest of Yase. I suppose that we will have to wait."

Hijikata-san had frowned, irritated, but he did not demand that either Kimigiku or Chizuru go farther into the forest. Although Kimigiku could, if necessary, enter Yase, Chizuru could not, unless she broke her promise to Saitō. Fortunately, it had been a short wait. Just a few minutes later, Kimigiku had staggered away from the tree on which she had been leaning, eyes wild; she would have fallen heavily but for Hijikata-san's quick hand under her arm.

"What the hell is going on?!" Hijikata demanded, looking from the distraught shinobi to Chizuru.

Kimigiku didn't answer, but Chizuru scrubbed tears away from her eyes and looked pleadingly at Hijikata-san. She had to swallow once or twice to make sound come out.

"There's been fighting, and a lot of deaths, and, and I think—no, Kimigiku-san knows—that Yukishima-sama is dead. We need to go now!"

"Sen-hime is calling for me," Kimigiku managed, hurrying up the path, face very pale but suddenly very composed. "And she says that Saitō-san already knows that Chizuru-sama is here, so she might as well come too. And… dear gods… Chiharu is badly injured."

Kimigiku raced up the path far faster than Chizuru or Hijikata-san could manage; quite aside from lacking Kimigiku's Oni speed, they did not know the path has she did. When they finally caught up to her, she apologized distractedly, but guided them across the village square as quickly as they could follow and then through the guest door in the massive front gates. Once within the Yukishima estate, however, she hesitated, realizing with sudden shock that she had not visited her home in over ten years. Hijikata-san did not allow her to forget her purpose, however.

"Where do we go? Gods this place is huge!"

Very, very faintly, Kimigiku could hear the sound of blades from around the side of the house.

"Go down that path, Vice Commander; it leads to the rear courtyard and the dojo. Somebody is fighting with swords in that direction; it could be your men. I must go to Sen-chan. Come, Chizuru-sama!"

Kimigiku grasped Chizuru's hand and started running again, pulling the panting girl in her wake. Hijikata spent only an instant cursing the godsdamned, high-and-mighty, goat-fucking Oni (and all their politics) and decided to go where Kimigiku—probably some fucking long-lost cousin not-that-she's-lost—had directed him. As soon as he, too, could make out the clash of blades, he increased his pace, drawing his katana as he ran.

[IV] Oni and Shinsengumi

The room reeked of blood and death, offending his sharp Oni senses. It was reducing his usual ability to exclude such extraneous factors and get on with needed tasks. Such as ensuring that Nagakura had dealt with the rasetsu (who had been surprisingly effective during the middle of the day); and checking on Sen-hime and Chiharu-sama; and finding out whether Kichirō-kun had been able to restrain the youngest of the Yukishima clan (probably—the Kazama were arrogant, not incompetent). Not to mention dealing with Yukishima Chikame-sama, who might or might not be the next Lady of the Yukishima. He doubted that she was fit for the task, but that was not his problem.

Wearily, Saitō pushed his hair out of his eyes with the back of a blood-stained hand. He was aching more than he'd realized from his battle with the former Yukishima-sama, and he had a raging headache. Despite everything else that needed to be done, he took a moment to close Hideo-sama's eyes and pay a short, silent tribute to Amagiri's uncle. He could sense Harada watching him closely, and shifted back to human form, wincing from the shallow, but ugly gash over his ribs. It made the transformation very difficult, and gave him an appreciation for Amagiri's endurance after being savaged by Kazama with the Dōjigiri. Mind you, Yukishima Masaru—he would not dignify the man with any honorific—had managed a great deal of harm even after taking at least one brutal blow from Sen-hime's demon-slaying weapon.

"Saitō." Harada's tone was curt.

"I know."

Feeling strangely winded, Saitō rose and crossed the room quickly to where Sen-hime was still trying to staunch the blood from Chiharu-sama's deep shoulder-wound. Both women were covered in blood, although Saitō was aware that nobody was as drenched in the stuff as he was. His thoughts went unbidden to Chizuru, who had never taken a single life, let alone the—what?—twenty or more than he had taken in the past half hour alone. Ironic that he had not killed a single one of the Yukishima.

He suddenly realized that Chizuru was nearby—certainly within a mile of the house. He felt a moment's flickering anger, and then decided that she would not have come alone and she had likely waited for the fighting to be over before approaching the house. He wanted to believe in her promises, even those that were only implied.

Nagakura was cleaning his blade as Saitō knelt beside Sen-hime. The muscular swordsman looked as energetic and healthy as ever, despite his clash with four reasonably well-trained furies. Saitō felt sharp, sky blue eyes boring into him but ignored them; Nagakura's questions would have to wait. The man was probably re-evaluating Saitō's threat level now that he'd seen him fighting in full Oni form. Still, it was reassuring to have him there.

Even as he knelt to one side of Sen-hime—and judging from the startled look she gave him he really was drenched in gore—Harada was speaking rapidly to her.

"Even if you're not hurt—which I don't buy—let me hang on to Chiharu-sama. I'm surprisingly experienced with knife and sword wounds, you know? Trust me. Besides, don't you have to check on Kimigiku-san's sister? She's why you were here in the first place, right?"

Sen-hime was holding up well, in Saitō's opinion, but she was also tremendously upset over Chiharu's injury, which was unproductive but not surprising. After all, the wound had been taken in her defense. Once again, Saitō silently saluted Kazama Chiharu-sama's courage in protecting Sen-hime. In this instance, the Kazama clan had done everything that honour and affection had demanded of them.

"Chizuru will be here shortly, Sen-hime," Saitō told the anguished princess. "She will help Chiharu-sama. I agree with Harada that we should ensure that Yukishima Chikame-sama is only unconscious and not injured. Also, I left Kichirō-kun guarding Mamoru-kun outside, behind the house; I would like to verify that he is safe."

Even as Sen was struggling to shift Chiharu-sama to Harada as gently as possible, Harada called over to Nagakura:

"Saitō's heading out back, Shinpachi—is it all clear now? You didn't let the bad guys hurt you too badly, did you?"

"Yeah, very funny Sano. All clear, though I can see that Saitō didn't bother much with finesse on his way here. Looks like he killed everything that moved other than these last four."

Saitō rose, leaving Harada to provide a moment of comfort to the princess before she had to move on to her next task. He had seen the lines around Sen-hime's eyes and mouth ease slightly, and suspected that Harada was already speaking privately with the young ruler of the Oni.

Before Saitō could take more than a step, however, Kimigiku-san rushed into the room, with Chizuru trailing anxiously behind her. The shinobi faltered as she crossed the threshold, visibly recoiling from the devastation. Since Saitō had assumed that Sen-hime had already contacted the shinobi, he could only guess that the princess had failed—or been unable—to convey the horror of the scene. To be fair, aside from the smashed furniture and blood-soaked tatami, the bodies of Kimigiku's mother, father and decapitated uncle lay starkly visible in the strong sunlight, amidst several others who had probably been known to her. Her twin sister lay in a crumpled heap not far from where she stood, and while she was breathing, her emaciated face and thin hands told their own unhappy story.

Despite his compassion for the woman who was now the eldest of the Yukishima ruling family, Saitō's eyes had gone directly to his wife, who looked very young and small standing in the wide doorway to the Yukishima reception room. She met his gaze squarely, and somehow it felt as though he was whole again, blood-stained hands and blood-drenched clothing and all. For a moment he was poised between terrible fear—of losing Chizuru—and incredible gratitude—that Chizuru had chosen him. Embarrassed by such strong and fanciful emotions, he felt his features still into an expressionless mask. Fortunately, Chizuru knew him a great deal better now than she had even a few days before, and after another, rather wavering smile, she forced herself forward to draw Kimigiku-san into the room.

Although she moved like a woman in a trance, Kimigiku-san knelt at Chikame-sama's side and took her hands. As soon as Chizuru was sure that the woman's attention was fixed on her sister, she hastened toward Sen-hime, face knitting in concentration as she tried to evaluate the severity of Chiharu-sama's injuries. Reluctantly, Saitō walked over to Nagakura, who greeted him with an ironic "good morning" and raised eyebrows. Before Saitō could decide what to say—if anything—two figures approached at a rapid pace from the corridor that led to the kitchen area.

It was an indescribable relief to Saitō to see Hijikata-san's stern face and sardonic purple eyes, and behind him Kichirō-kun's slender form, especially since the boy was carrying an apparently undamaged and mercifully unconscious Mamoru-kun. Hijikata-san paused once he was closer, his eyes going from Nagakura's quizzical expression and alert stance to Saitō's wooden features and gory clothing.

"Busy morning? I found Kichirō out back with a couple of blood-thirsty types, if you know what I mean."

Both captains nodded, and Hijikata looked past them into the room. His eyes widened despite himself.

"Gods, Saitō, did you have to wreck the place?"

Saitō, feeling more himself than he had in several hours—if not days—responded immediately:

"As you ordered, Vice Commander, I managed not to get myself killed."

[END]

A/Note: Thank you for reading! Please stay tuned for the next chapter...