Disclaimer~ We don't own Hakuouki Shinsengumi Kitan, or anything relating to it. Zan nen desu ne?
Chapter Five
I Am Not a Kitten
Sano slid open the door to the main hall, as he stepped inside he nearly slipped on the wet floors. He looked down to find Asaji thoughtfully wiping down the wood with a saturated rag. He sniffed the air, taking in the strong, salty scent tickling his nose. "It smells good in here… Have you started dinner already? It's so early."
Asaji looked up, slightly frowning in confusion. "Ano… Sayo-sama might have, but… I've just been cleaning the floors."
Sano sniffed the air again. "I just saw her outside. " He pointed behind himself. "That smell is making my mouth water; I could sure go from some miso soup."
Asaji paused her cleaning and sat back in her heels, straightening her back. "It's funny that you mention miso soup, I smelt miso earlier too… Where could it be coming from?"
Sano sniffed the air a third time. "It's strong in here but… I smelt it on the deck outside also…" He watched as Asaji dipped her rag back into the bucket before beginning to run it along the floors once again. "Asaji… where did you get the soap?"
She looked down at her rag and frowned in thought. "I … don't remember. It was outside the house…"
"Anywhere near the kitchen?"
"Um… yes, but it was kind of by the supply shed, so I assumed that it was soap… Do you think…?"
Sano stepped closer and dipped his finger into the murky water. He raised his hand to his mouth, and placed the finger in his mouth. "A month's supply of miso… on the floors…" He placed a hand over his eyes.
Heisuke walked cheerfully in the room. "What's going on in here? Are you finished yet Asa-chan?"
"Oh no, no, no… It's going to be a while," Sano answered for her, sliding his hand off his face.
"What do you mean?"
Sano sighed. "Heisuke, go get a bucket of water and soap."
"But there's one right there…"
"Just go."
As Heisuke, slightly confused, bounded off to get another bucket, Asaji looked sadly at the ground. Her first chore and already she had messed up.
Sano watched her pitiful expression. "Okay, we'll try this again. No big deal, Asaji-chan, accidents happen." He stopped speaking as he realized his words were having no effect. "Hey, now that the house smells like it, everyone will be excited when dinner comes along." He smiled encouragingly.
Outside, Heisuke stood waiting for the bucket to be full. As he worked the well, lowering the rope down with muscular arms, the little scrap of paper he had been holding fluttered down from his robes. He picked it up and studied it for a moment.
XXX
A few days full of vigorous floor scrubbing later the girls sat in the gardens, moving on to a chore not as easily toyed with.
Sayo knelt in the dirt, not caring about the old worn robe she had wrapped tightly around herself. She stuck two fingers into the rich soil, filling the underneath of her finger nails with black earth. "Can you get me some water?" she asked Asaji who was kneeling close by, shovel in hand. "I think I saw a bucket over there… Do these guys ever take care of their plants? A cactus would die living here…"
As she spoke Hajime sat nearby, leaning up against the only tree in the gardens, shining his long sword. He was amused by Sayo's ranting, but was careful not to show any sign.
Asaji wiped her glistening forehead with a long draping sleeve. The sun was directly over head with no protection. Only small plants, herbs and flowers popped out from the ground, none of which were a good source of shade.
"I'm not sure, but I think they've got many more things to worry about than the state of their garden…" Asaji paused to look around. "I'll go find you that bucket."
As her sister wandered off, Sayo continued to poke around in the dirt, pulling weeds and dead leaves from among the live plants.
Asaji looked around, furrowing her brow; she saw no trace of the bucket her sister had claimed to have seen.
The Shinsengumi's loyal spy found himself walking towards the main entrance, tired and ready to rest a while before being sent out once again. Just as he thought he might be off duty, he spotted an intruder. A small girl he had never seen before was nosily poking around the courtyard.
"Let's see… if I was a bucket, where would I be hiding…?" Asaji peeked behind a conveniently placed bush. "No, no…"
The spy, Yamazaki Susumu, quickly formed to the shadows behind one of the wooden beams holding up the roof to the entrance. He watched Asaji with curiosity, ready to pull out a knife if needed.
"How about… this one?" Asaji persisted searching, coming close to the invisible man. She looked around a small shrub close to the front deck. "No not there either… maybe I should have asked Sayo-sama where she saw the bucket…"
Deciding she looked harmless enough, Yamazaki stepped out from his hiding spot and confronted her. "Who are you?"
Asaji jumped slightly, startled by his sudden appearance. "I'm … no anyone who is against you… unless you're against the Shinsengumi… in which case, I'd be in a lot of trouble, ne?" She paused her babbling as she noticed his black outfit. "You're … not a samurai, are you?"
Yamazaki narrowed his eyes. "That didn't answer my question. Who are you?"
"Matsumae Asaji." She bowed, nose almost touching her small feet. "I'm the new… resident here?"
"The Shinsengumi are not taking any new requites to my knowledge… Especially not females. Please, answer the question truthfully. I will take no hesitation in protecting the Shinsengumi's secrets."
"I…I did! ... I guess you could call me the maid? My sister and I are here with permission, I promise! Hijikata-sama said we could live here if we worked!"
Yamazaki slowly removed his hand from the knife he had reached for.
"I couldn't do much, anyway." Asaji pointed to her neatly tired obi. "I'm weapon-less, secret-less… And bucket-less..." She sighed with defeat.
"… I don't understand, bucket…less? What are you referring to?"
"Like a bucket…" Asaji tried to make bucket gesturers with her hands but failed. "For water, I think, Sayo-sama said… she's out in the garden right now…" She started to turn away but caught sight of Yamazaki internally debating whether or not to stop her. "If you come with me, Hajime-sama can tell you that I am allowed here."
Yamazaki didn't move, still debating whether or not he should let her go. Boldly, Asaji took hold of his arm and dragged him over to where her sister as still kneeling. "Come on!"
Sayo stood up at the sight of Asaji running towards her with a strange man. "Where'd you pick up this guy? I know I told you that you couldn't keep that kitten… but I didn't expect you to find a replacement…"
"I am not a kitten," Yamazaki defended.
Hajime, seeing the potential fight beginning to unfold stood up and walked calmly over to the three. "How did such a highly trained ninja become captured by such a tiny girl?"
"Tiny girl?" Asaji glared at him. "I'm not tiny…"
"I… was not sure of what to do. She seemed harmless, saying she was working here, so I allowed her to lead me," Yamazaki explained, bowing to the samurai. "My apologies."
"Well, you got lucky this time. This one is harmless… but you're susceptible to little girls."
"I don't recall insulting you… why do you persist on insulting me?" Asaji questioned, sticking out her lower lip.
"Asa-chan, please stop bothering Saito-san, you were a little girl the last time I checked." Sayo patted her sister on the head. "Now, where's that water?"
"I need to speak with Hijikata, but he wasn't in his quarters, have they gone out?" Yamazaki questioned.
"Yes, there has been a Choushuu threat coming up from Kantou, they won't be back until morning," Hajime explained.
"I see… and you are the only member here?"
"Yes, Hijikata thought that I would be able to handle both of them by myself."
Yamazaki glanced at the two girls who were trying their best to look innocent. "Why do you have to watch your maids?"
"Just in case they decide to run away."
"If I may ask," Sayo spoke pointedly at Hajime. "Who is this guy? He doesn't look like one of the Shinsengumi."
"I'm not… I'm a … friend."
Hajime nodded in confirmation.
"Right… I guess even murderers need friends, right?"
Hajime raised an eyebrow at Sayo's comment.
Sayo carefully lowered herself to the ground, turning her attention back to gardening. "Asa-chan, where's that water?"
"Oh! I couldn't find a bucket… I'm very sorry." Asaji took a low bow. "I'll go look for another one!"
The ninja sighed, looking down at the back of Asaji's bowed head. She seemed so helpless and the urge to intervene took over him. "I could go look for one for you, since you seem to be having trouble…"
"No, no, it's my fault I couldn't fine one… it's my responsibility!"
"It'd probably take me half the time to find one…"
"Is that a challenge?" Asaji looked up, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Yes," Yamazaki answered in a bored tone.
"Challenge accepted!"
As Asaji ran off to who knows where, Yamazaki turned around casually and picked up the bucket behind him, nearly resting against his heels.
"Was that there the whole time… Asaji!" Sayo called after her sister, resisting the urge to slap her palm to her forehead.
"Huh?" Asaji attempted to turn around while still running, and tripped on her long robes, colliding with the ground. "Itai…" She rubbed her head looking down at her now scuffed kimono. "I really should get one that's a little shorter…" She looked up and waved at her sister. "I'm okay!"
Hajime turned his head to Sayo. "Is she always this careless?"
She shrugged. "She's not carless… just…" The two of them looked over at Asaji who was now counting down from three, before realizing that did no good in getting her back into standing position.
"Okay all better!" Asaji ran back to the three, this time holding her robes up away from her feet. "Sorry about that…" She trailed off noticing the bucket Yamazaki was now holding out to her. "Oh, you found one?"
"It was right here." He pointed behind himself.
"Oh… Sorry, Sayo-sama… I'm just… useless…"
"Hush young one! Go fill this with water; I can see the plants shrivelling as we speak." She took the bucket from Yamazaki and forced it into her sister's hands.
"Are you going to stay Yamazaki? Or do you have other matters to attend to?" Hajime asked, itching to go back to his shady hideaway. He hoped the ninja would stay and relieve him of his careful watch.
"Yes Sayo-sama!" Asaji bowed and rushed off to the well.
Yamazaki turned to Sayo. "She said you're her sister… why does she call you 'sama' wouldn't 'Onee-san' suffice?"
"It's good she's polite. Obviously Sayo has trained her correctly," Hajime said.
"I don't like her calling me 'sama' but she insists. " Sayo laughed. "I guess old habits die hard…"
"What do you mean by 'old habits'?" Hajime questioned, the statement clearly peaking his interest.
"Oh… it's nothing." Sayo smiled to herself and turned back to the small patch of overgrown weeds.
Yamazaki and Hajime exchanged glances.
Asaji wandered back with the bucket, now full of cold water. She handed it to her sister who grabbed onto the handle, but somehow Asaji managed to get her small fingers tangled in a fashion that didn't let her release. Both girls ended up tripping over each other resulting in the bucket tipping over, spilling the gallon of water onto an unsuspecting Hajime.
Hajime didn't move, but stood there dripping onto the grass.
Yamazaki, too, failed to react and stood, holding back a yawn.
But on the other side of the incident, Sayo's eyes grew wide with terror. "I'm deeply sorry! Gomenasai! Please forgive me!" She bowed furiously, nearly kissing his feet.
Hajime merely grabbed the hem of his robe, and rang it out, forming a puddle on the ground before him.
Asaji picked up the bucket. "I'll… go get more water."
"Although my clothes are wet, this feels surprisingly refreshing with this weather," Hajime said coolly.
"It'll feel great until you have to try and wield your sword," Yamazaki pointed out.
Suddenly Yamazaki felt the sharpness of Hajime's sword at his neck without so much as a blink of an eye.
"Doesn't look like I'll have any problems." Hajime retracted his blade and sheathed it once again. He turned his efforts to Sayo who was still bowing at his feet, resting her head on her hands, back arched. "Please lift your head, it was a simple mistake," He spoke to her softly.
Hesitantly Sayo lifted her head to peer into his eyes.
"Don't let it happen again." As their eye's met, Hajime rang out his long sleeve, allowing a stream of water to run onto her head.
Back at the well, Asaji lifted the bucket from the water "Okay… this time I'll be sure to take my hand away… and I'll fill it not as full…" She carefully brought it back and set it on the ground in front of her sister, this time taking her hands off before another mistake could be made. She turned to Hajime who was still watching Sayo. "Hajime-sama… I'm very, very sorry… it was all my fault, so please don't blame my sister…"
"He already forgave her," Yamazaki said.
"Oh… well, please forgive me as well." She bowed.
"Enough playing, I must return to my hobbies." Hajime took this moment to venture back to his tree, slightly embarrassed by his long glance at Sayo.
Asaji took her place next to Sayo and the two continued with their chore. They wanted to forget this disturbance, and hoped they were truly forgiven. Yamazaki gracefully took a few steps back and perched himself on the porch, deciding he was in fact going to wait for Hijikata's return.
"If you don't mind me asking, where exactly are you from?" He inquired.
"I do mind you asking," Sayo said before her sister had the chance to speak.
Hajime who was still in listening distance answered his question. "Nagakura and Harada found them wandering the streets they… witnessed something they shouldn't have."
Yamazaki nodded in understanding. "What were you doing in the streets at night…? That doesn't seem like a usual place for young girls like you."
"Who are you calling young? I'm at least your age…" Sayo spoke, keeping her attention to the flower she was generously feeding water to.
"Hey, I'm just happy he didn't say I was small… and that you and I were grouped together." Asaji smiled proudly.
"I don't believe you could be any older than me," Yamazaki agreed.
"Sayo-sama is very wise for her years. But… maybe we should all exchange ages…" Asaji looked at her sister who shot her a disapproving glance. "Or not…"
"It's alright; I can make my own assumptions, and then clarify at a later date."
"How could you clarify your assumptions…?"
"I have my ways…"
"Yamazaki knows when to hold his tongue." Hajime began to ring out more of his robes.
"It's part of my position." Yamazaki nodded.
"It doesn't seem very apparent to me, for if he really knew when to hold his tongue, he'd have it in his hands right now," Sayo remarked.
"Perhaps I should leave… your captives don't seem very open to meeting new allies."
Hajime nodded in agreement.
"Allies? Who do you think you are?" Sayo questioned, becoming heated at the statement.
"By allies do you mean friends? Because we're always looking for new friends!" Asaji smiled cheerfully, oblivious to the reasoning behind her sister's actions.
"It seems your sister has a way of avoiding friendships… and allies." Yamazaki said, smugly.
"Wait, so allies and friends are different things?" Asaji paused thoughtfully.
Sayo put down the bucket and turned to her sister, speaking softly and kindly. "Allies are people you can trust to help you, and friends well… they're people you don't mind getting along with. Either way, I would not call any of the Shinsengumi nor people who associate themselves with them, friends, or allies."
"This is strange, hearing this from someone we've shown nothing but kindness and hospitality to…" Hajime said.
"Would you consider yourself a samurai, Saito-san?"
Hajime nodded slightly.
"Then you are no friend of ours."
Asaji opened her mouth to say something, but decided against it and continued to work on the garden. Though not apparent one hundred percent of the time, Asaji knew when she should keep to herself. And the tension filling the air was a sure sign.
"Well, hopefully these feelings will be slightly lessened after your time here," Hajime tried to dismiss the conversation, though his words were not entirely genuine. It had no effect on him whether or not these girls found comfort in his home.
"I feel as though I'm causing unnecessary problems… I think I will be taking my leave now." Yamazaki stood up in one fluid motion and took a swift bow. "It was… a pleasure meeting you both… I look forward to seeing you in the future without hostility." He took a last glance at the smiling Asaji before disappearing into the house.
Sayo stood up, wiping the water and sweat from her brow. "This looks good for today… Asa-chan, would you like to help me tend to the laundry?"
Translation Notes:
Miso - Fermented soybean paste
Obi - A thick sash tied around a kimono
Kantou - Eastern region
Itai - Ouch
Onee-san - Elder sister
Gomenasai - I'm very sorry