It's been a while so

Disclaimer: I own almost nothing and are therefore not claiming any of it as mine this is purely for entertaining the fans!

CHAPTER 3-2

July 1867

"I should go to sleep."
…As if chiding myself would help.
My mind was wide awake. I wasn't falling asleep any time soon.
But why? I was nervous, certainly, and I'd trained earlier that day, but neither of those was anything new.
I needed to get to sleep soon, or I'd oversleep in the morning, and that would be embarrassing.
As I forced my eyes shut for the thousandth time, I heard the door to my room slide open.
"Are you awake?"
"Y-Yes!"
The voice outside belonged to Hijikata. I scrambled to my feet.
"What is it?"
"You have a visitor."
A visitor…? Who would come to visit me?
"You'll see. Hurry up."
"R-Right!"

…
I shuffled down the hallway after him, and burst into the common room.
Kondou, Okita, Harada, Nagakura… All of the top men in the Shinsengumi were there, and so was someone else…
"Hello, Chizuru! How are you doing?"
"Sen?!"
My visitor was Sen?!
We'd met in Kyoto proper some time ago. She was near my age, but had a unique and overwhelming personality, which had allowed her to see right through my disguise.
But…why had she come to the Shinsengumi?
Only then did I notice a beautiful woman dressed as a ninja seated next to Sen.
Sen noticed me look at her.
"Oh, yes. She is with me. My bodyguard, one might say."
Bodyguard? That answered nothing, and only prompted more questions.
The captains kept silent, content to simply observe our conversation. Whatever was about to transpire, it seemed they intended to leave the decision to me.
"So, um, Sen… Why are you here?"
She smiled.
"I've come to take you."
That had not been on the short list I'd begun to compile of reasons Sen had sought my company in the middle of the night. A quick glance around the room revealed that it had not been on anyone else's either.
"Um… Pardon? I don't understand what you're saying…"
"No, what you don't understand is the situation. But you needn't worry. You do trust me, don't you?"
I certainly didn't suspect her of anything untoward, but…
"There's no time. We must make preparations to leave immediately."
Silent until that moment, the woman at Sen's elbow finally spoke.
"Wait, wait, hold on. Why should I go with you?"
"Yeah, that's a damn good question!" snapped Nagakura. "You just barge in here, ask to see her, and spring this on us!"
He narrowed his eyes.
"I think it's about time you told us what the hell's going on here!"
"Please, Sen."
I didn't let my gaze waver from her eyes.
"…Yes, I do suppose you have a point. Very well. I shall start at the beginning."
She cast her gaze around the room; this explanation was not simply for my benefit.
"You are familiar with Kazama, yes? I hear you have crossed swords with him once or twice."
Hijikata narrowed his eyes at her.
"How'd you know that?"
Sen frowned.
"Oh, ah, well, I hear of most things that happen in Kyoto. Eventually."
The Commander smiled.
"Hnn. You're something like Kazama and his punks, aren't you?"
Sen furrowed her brows in irritation.
"I would rather prefer not to be associated with his ilk, but yes, in a sense you are correct."
His smile vanished.
"…Fine. You were talking about Kazama."
"He showed up at Ikedaya, Hamaguri, and Nijo," explained Harada. "He's got something to do with Satsuma and Choshu, doesn't he?"
Okita folded his arms.
"Well, most of the time it seemed more like he was there for his own reasons, not any kind of domain politics."
Hijikata sighed.
"Either way, he's an enemy of the Shinsengumi."
"Then you are also aware that he is pursuing your lady friend here?"
Sen gestured at me for the captains' benefit, then fixed me with a level stare.
What was going on? This was getting stranger and stranger, and I was starting to think I didn't really want to know the rest of the story.
After quietly listening, Kondou finally spoke.
"We are aware of that. we are also aware that Kazama and his compatriots call themselves demons-not that we're inclined to believe such a claim, of course."
Sanan glanced at him.
"Regardless, we must consider it. They have demonstrated several times that they have strength and skill beyond any human."
Okita, of course, laughed.
"Ha! Heh heh… Guess you'd know, huh Sanan?"

The room grew slightly more uncomfortable.
I didn't think Okita had meant to offend with his remarks, but…
"So, um, go on Sen…"
"Ah, then you know they are demons. Excellent. That will save me some time, then. I am not a human either. I am also a demon."
A demon?!
Sen was a demon?!
I am, in fact, a princess. Princess Sen."
With that, she gave us an elegant bow, exactly like what one might expect from a princess.
"I come from a family of ninja who have served Princess Sen and her family for generations."
Hijikata smirked.
"I'd wondered why you were being so friendly. You were gathering information on the Shinsengumi."
"I have no idea what you mean."
She tilted her head to the side politely, and met Hijikata's glare with an innocent smile.
Nagakura's eye went wide.
"You know her?!"
Harada rolled his eyes.
"Move your eyes up about six inches, Shinpachi. That's Kimigiku. She's, uh, dressed a little different from when we met her at Shimabara, but that's her face all right."
"What?!"
Nagakura nearly fell over in shock.
After recovering, he made a great show of staring pointedly at Kimigiku's face. For his effort, he received a smile identical to the one Hijikata had received.
"We demons have lived in this country since… Well, since a very long time ago. The top officials in the shogunate, and in many of the domains, already know of us."
It was still something of a shock, but after meeting Kazama and his companions, it was somewhat easier to accept Sen's explanation as the truth.
Most demons had no interest in human matters, and preferred to be left alone, to go about their own affairs in peace. However, humans in positions of power saw that they might achieve great things with the assistance of demons, and so demanded that assistance."
"And…did the demons obey?"
"Many did not. They felt they had no obligation to involve themselves in human affairs. Human ambition meant nothing to them. But when they refused, the human lords were furious. They sent out great armies to destroy the villages of the demons."
"How horrible…"
"The demon clans scattered across the country and were, perforce, sent into hiding."
"No longer isolated in their own communities, demons began to mate with humans. These days, there are few demons who can a pure bloodline."
"And I assume Kazama is one of these?" asked Kondou.
Sen nodded.
"Currently, the largest pureblood family in the west is the Kazama, who have the support of the Satsuma Domain. The head of that family you have already met: Chikage Kazama."
"Chikage Kazama…"
"In the east, the largest family is the Yukimura."
"What?!"
"I had heard the Yukimura family had been destroyed, but it would seem there is a survivor. That survivor is her."
She turned her eyes to me.
"Chizuru, the blood that runs in your veins is pure and strong. I sense great power from you."
"No way…I…but…"
"No, you are very much a demon. i apologize, but there it is."
The finality of her words brought a cold silence to the room.
I had no desire to believe her story, but the more I thought back to events that had seemed utterly nonsensical, the more it made sense.
Now I knew why Kazama was after me, and why I'd always healed so much more quickly than anyone else.
Sen turned back to the others.
"If Chizuru is indeed the descendant of a pureblooded demon, then Kazama's desire for her is clear. Should two purebloods mate, they will produce an even more powerful demon."
Kondou glanced at me and frowned before returning his attention to Sen.
"Ah… So he wants her for his bride."
"After a fashion, yes. Kazama will definitely return for her. Thus far he has been content to toy with you, but I cannot guess how much longer that may last. Should he devote all of his formidable abilities to this task, I do not think you will be able to protect her. Even the Shinsengumi cannot stand against the true power of a demon."
Nagakura was clearly offended.
"Whoa there, Princess. You don't think that's going a bit far?"
Harada agreed with him.
"Shinpachi's right. You aren't givin' us enough credit."
Sen's expression softened.
"The only reason you are still alive is because Kazama and his companions have not turned their full strength on you."
Sanan gave a snide smile.
"Then let them. I should dearly like to see the power of a true demon."
"Sanan!"
Kazama and his friends had already demonstrated incredible strength: Even the captains of the Shinsengumi had been easily brushed that was not even the full extent of their strength, then a battle to the death against one of them would be…
Hijikata had been quiet for the most part but now he spoke.
"Let me be clear, lady. We're the Shinsengumi. The Wolves of Mibu. We're not going to piss ourselves over a demon or two."
Okita nodded.
"Very true. Besides, we've got the Demon himself in command, don't we?"
Hijikata rolled his eyes.
"Always have to have the last word, don't you?"
Sen gave the Commander an apologetic look.
"I understand how you feel, but… You must realize that these men are unlike any other foe you have faced before. That is why I must ask you to leave Chizuru to us. In our car, her chances of survival will be much higher."
Nagakura narrowed his eyes at her, clearly fed up.
"Hey, give us a chance all right? Are you trying to say we can't protect her?"
"Besides, what do you mean 'chances'?" said Harada, his expression only slightly friendlier than his friend's. "If you can't guarantee her safety, I don't see why we should hand her over to you."
Okita stared at Sen for a moment.
"Look, lady, you're not part of the Shinsengumi, so I'd appreciate it if you could keep your nose out of our business, all right?"
They had made it quite clear that they weren't interested in Sen's offer. Perhaps they'd been a little harsh, but I couldn't deny the warm feeling of being part of a family who was unwilling to let me go.
Kimigiku glanced at the Commander.
"What about you, Hijikata? You've acknowledged Kazama's strength. Surely you must at least consider the Princess's offer. Please, give Chizuru to us."
His eyes narrowed if irritation.
"That's different."
Kimigiku's smile froze.
"I don't know how strong our enemy really is, but that doesn't change the fact that we'll protect her, in the name of the Shinsengumi."
He turned to Sen.
"Besides, you're a demon, too. Why should we trust you?"
Kimigiku furrowed her brows in anger.
"Do you know who you're speaking to? Princess Sen is a descendant of Suzuka Gozen-"
"Kimigiku, please. That is not necessary."
Her tone was calm and friendly, but it left no room for argument.
"I agree with Hijikata," said Sanan. "She should stay here, with the Shinsengumi."
Kimigiku glared at him, but said nothing.
Sen frowned.
"I see. This is a problem, then. There is no way I can convince you?"
Kondou had remained silent for most of the discussion, his arms folded in thought, but at last he spoke.
"…Yukimura. What do you have to say about this?"
"Me? Um… Well, I…uh…"
He smiled.
"I see. It must be difficult to discuss with an audience. You ought to speak with Princess Sen, alone."
Hijikata's eyes went wide at these words.
"What the hell, Kondou!"
He wasn't the only one to object; most of the room rose up in protest.
Sanan frowned.
"There should be at least one witness. The princess may take Kimigiku as well, of course."
Kondou shook his head.
"No, that's not necessary."
He swept his gaze across the room.
"Yukimura has shown herself to be reasonable. I've no doubt she won't do anything foolish."
He gave me a sweet smile.
"Am I correct, Yukimura?"
"Of course. I would never betray you. Any of you."
Okita gave a sheepish smile.
"Well, if Kondou says so…"
His words spoke for the rest of them as well.
They might not like it, but Kondou was the chief. What he said, went.
Sanan, however was a bit more reluctant to agree.
"You won't steal her away the moment the two of you are alone, will you?"
Sen smiled at him.
"You needn't worry. I am not like Kazama."
I turned to Sanan as well.
"I'll be fine. Sen isn't a bad person."
"Why thank you, Chizuru."
She smiled.

…
A few moments later, we found ourselves alone in my room.
"I know I've given you a terrible amount of things to think on this evening, and I'm awfully sorry."
Now that we were alone, she was less formal: This was the Sen I had met in Kyoto, all those months ago.
"No, it's all right. …I'm sorry about, you know, them. They said some pretty mean things."
"Well, that's to be expected I fear. I was asking rather a lot of them, and frightfully suddenly. Not many humans would accept the existence of demons so readily. But enough of that! On to business. What do you say to my offer? Have you thought on it?"
I had indeed.
If Sen had come to me when I'd first arrived in Kyoto, I might well have taken her up on her hospitality.
But now…
She frowned when I didn't answer right away.
"The Shinsengumi seems to believe that it can protect you. Though I do not doubt their dedication, I confess I do doubt their ability."

Perhaps what she said was true.
To stand against demons would be no mean feat.
The Shinsengumi was powerful, and skilled. I'd seen them face overwhelming odds and emerge victorious, but always those odds had been only human.
The strength of even a single demon was something great and terrible; of that, there was no doubt. We had all seen so firsthand, and some had even lost their lives to that strength.
Even the captains had nearly fallen before them.
I glanced up at Sen who was smiling warmly at me.
"Will you come with us, then? It is dangerous for you to remain with the Shinsengumi."
"Sen…"
Her eyes were serious, but warm and honest. Whatever else she might be, her concern for me was real.
"Thank you, Sen, but…"
I hesitated.
"Is there a reason you wish to stay?"
"…Yeah."
"Oh my… One of those gentlemen, perhaps?"
"Wh-What?!"
Her question had been entirely innocent, although it had caught me off-guard. I couldn't possibly lie to her…
"Yeah."
I nodded, and did my best to look confident.
"…I see."
She smiled.
"Well, I shan't ask who, but I can certainly understand your dilemma. That being the case, I couldn't possibly tell you to leave."

…
"Thank you for waiting."
The common room was just as we'd left it, and every head swiveled to look at Sen and me as we stepped back in.
It didn't look as though they'd tried to kill each other in our absence, which was something of a relief.
Kondou was the first to speak.
"Have you reached a decision?"
Before I could speak, Sen stepped forward.
"After some discussion, we have decided to leave things as they are."
"Sen…"
She bowed deeply to the captains.
Kimigiku gave her charge a hesitant look.
"Are you sure, Your Highness?"
"Quite. For now, I believe it is of utmost importance to prioritize Chizuru's desire."
"Very well," said Kondou, giving them both a kind smile. "The Shinsengumi accepts responsibility for her well-being."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than all the captains rushed toward me.
"Just relax and leave it all to me!" said Nagakura happily.
Harada rolled his eyes but smiled.
"Oh, I'm sure Shinpachi'll give you all sorts of other things to worry about. Still, glad to have you around."
Okita folded his arms and smirked at me.
"What kind of girl would want to stay here?"
Hijikata gave a kind smile of his own.
"This doesn't make you some kind of special guest. You get the same treatment you always have."
"Right. Thank you, all of you, for letting me stay!"
Sen took my hands in hers, and let her eyes rest on mine.
"Do be careful. And remember, I am on your side."
"Thank you, Sen."
She gave me one last warm smile, and then Sen and Kimigiku were gone.

…
"*Sigh*"
Once again, sleep refused to come.
My mind worked furiously, turning over everything Sen had told me; examining it from every angle.
I was a demon.
Not only that, but I was the head of a pureblooded demon clan that had been nearly destroyed, and my heritage was the reason Kazama had developed such an interest in me.
"Gosh…"
I had decided to stay with the Shinsengumi, but was that really the best idea? Should I have left instead?
I'd wanted to stay, of course, and I didn't really think leaving was a reasonable choice, but…
What if I'd made a mistake?

It wasn't an easy question to answer.
The relentless flow of thought had at last begun to subside when I heard noise erupt from outside.
Roars and shouts of battle, accompanied by the sound of steel against steel echoed through the night.
"I'm sorry for bothering you so late, but this is an emergency!"
There was someone just outside my door…Shimada?
"Y-Yes?!"
The word was barely out of my mouth when the door snapped open and Shimada stepped into my room. His eyes darted back and forth nervously, and his body was tense.
"Has something happened?"
He nodded.
"The demons have attacked us. Here."
"What?!"
I leapt for the door, but he threw out an arm to stop me, and his eyes met mine.
"They're after you, which means you need to stay here."
"B-But-!"
I was the reason they'd come here! How could I justify sitting on my hands while others fought my battles for me? I didn't know what to do…
"I have to go, Shimada."
"I can't let you do that!"
I gave him a level stare.
"Those demons are here for me. If anyone gets hurt… Maybe they'll listen to me. That's why they're here, right? What if I can convince them to leave peacefully?"
He still wouldn't budge.
"Please, I'm begging you! Let me go!"
Shimada's brow furrowed, and his mouth drew into a tight line, but at last he sighed and shook his head.
"Fine. I was told to protect you though, so if you're going then so am I."

…
We ran out of the house and then I paused momentarily, unsure of where to go.
"This wa-Grraagh!"
One moment Shimada was there, and the next he wasn't.
He flew several yards through the air, then landed hard on the ground, slid another few feet and lay still.
"Shimada?!"
I froze.
"Just where do you think you're going?"
That cold, flat voice… Chikage Kazama?!
In the same instant that I recognized his voice, I felt his arm snake around my neck, pulling me toward him.
"Urgh!"
I struggled, but his grip was as immovable as steel.
"Let me go!"
"Hmph. What sort of business do you have with false demons, hmm?"
His voice was like a cold breath in my ear, and I could almost hear a sneer in his tone.
"No matter how much you give to these humans, they will betray you. You've seen those abominations they've created, haven't you? What could you possibly hope to gain from them?"
"I…"
I was at a loss for words.
The creation of the furies was hardly something I approved of, but I wasn't part of the Shinsengumi. What right did I have to criticize their actions?
Especially when the very concoction that allowed them to create their "false demons" had been created by my father.
"Breaking into out headquarters, huh? Takes balls, but that fun's over now, pal."
"Hey! Let her go!"
Tears nearly sprung to my eyes.
"Hijikata! Harada!"
Behind them, I could see Yamazaki and several of the other Shinsengumi soldiers.
Some men were missing, though… Had they been injured by the demons? Perhaps even…killed?
Kazama sneered at them all.
"You fools have no idea of her worth. She is most valuable when used by a fitting partner."
Harada appeared disgusted.
"If you're that into her, then just bring her flowers and stuff, like a normal guy. This stuff is just creepy."
The Shinsengumi had surrounded Kazama by now, but his grip on me hadn't wavered for even a moment.
"She's worthless to you as a hostage." said Hijikata.
Kazama smirked at him.
"I have no intention of using her as such. She is my goal here, not a hostage. The rest of you are simply obstacles."
The ring of men around him began to draw in. I could feel the tension build, like a rope being pulled taut. Soon it would reach its breaking point. What was I going to do?
Kazama had a good hole on me from behind, but he hadn't bothered to restrain my arms. Perhaps he'd simply thought that there was nothing I could do, or that I wouldn't dare to attack him.
…Or perhaps he thought that even if I did, he'd have no difficulty dealing with my attacks.
I wasn't foolish enough to think I might actually beat him in a fight, but at least I could try and defend myself! I'd let the Shinsengumi deal with my problems on their own long enough!
"Yah!"
I jerked my kodachi out of its scabbard and swung it at him.
Before it could even reach him, Kazama's hand shot out to grab my sword arm, stopping me as surely as if I'd hit a wall.
"Hnng!"
His hand slid to my wrist, and he twisted viciously.
It was strong enough that I thought for a moment my bones would break. With a cry, my sword flew from my fingers.
"Pointless. You thought you'd actually hit me?"
"No, but I will!"
"What?!"
My aborted attack had distracted Kazama for only a split second, but that was all the time Hijikata needed.
Within the space of a breath, he closed the distance between himself and my captor, the tip of his blade leaping toward Kazama's throat.
Dammit!"
Almost too quickly to see, he leaned out of the way, Hijikata's blade hissed through the air centimeters from his neck.
A lesser man-a human-would have been dead, and so for a moment Kazama's demon strength and reflexes were focused on the sword at his throat. That moment was enough time for me to break free.
"Ah!"
I felt a gentle, powerful arm curl around my body, catching and sheltering me at the same time.
"Hijikata…?"
"Thought you were supposed to stay in your room. You're a real pain, kid."
"I know, I'm sorry…"
He never looked away from Kazama as he spoke but his next words held a hint of relief.
"Still, you did good."
"…What?"
"Wouldn'ta had that opening without you. Good job."
Praise from Hijikata was…not something I was accustomed to. I opened my mouth to say…I wasn't sure what, when-
"The girl is mine. I will not give her to a mere human."
Kazama had recovered quickly from the attack, and his eyes smoldered with cold fury.
"Sorry, but I can't give her to you. The Shinsengumi's responsible for her now. We gave our word. No going back."
I felt his grip on me tighten as he spoke.
"Chizuru. You know you're a demon, yes? Then come. Join me."
"No! I'll never join you! I'm staying here! Now please…please leave!"
A look of annoyance gleamed over his features.
"…You would choose a simple human, then?"
"Ha! Aww, too bad, Kazama. Looks like you got dumped."
I hadn't even noticed Shiranui appear, but behind him I could see the Fury Corps, ready for battle.
At their head was Sanan.
"He he he… There you are. The Fury Corps will be your opponent."
"This is an excellent chance for you to witness our tremendous strength."
"…These men are fresh, ready to fight. What would you do?"
Amagiri, too, had betrayed no hint of his presence until he simply appeared.
"So? They could have a whole army of these chumps, and they wouldn't be a match for us. I say we take 'em apart."
His tongue flickered over his lips, and his grin was almost hungry.
"Ah hahahaha! Yes, do! Show us just how 'superior' you are!"
"This is a farce. We retreat."
With no further deliberation, they leapt over the wall to the street and were gone.
The Shinsengumi did not pursue them.
My body sagged with relief as the terrified energy of the last few minutes quickly ebbed away.
"All right. Won't see them again tonight."
The warmth of his arm lingered for a few moments after he'd let go of me.
"Um…Hijikata? Thank you…"
"Hey! What's the status of the injured?!"
"Oh…"
The moment he'd let go, he'd turned away to deal with his men. He hadn't even heard me.
His face was cold and hard; the face of the Demon of the Shinsengumi.
As the last of his warmth left me, I shivered in the cold night air.

…
It seemed like morning came altogether too early.
I sighed, splashed my face with cold water to clear my wits, and headed for the common room.
The captains and several other men were already there, including Inoue and Yamazaki.
"Good morning."
They nodded or mumbled return greetings, but their faces were universally dour after the night's events.
I heard Inoue and Yamazaki mention Shimada's name, and edged over to listen in on their conversation.
"How is he doing?" asked Inoue.
"The hit knocked him out," explained Yamazaki, "but aside from some bruises he seems to be fine. He'll be back on duty soon."
I sighed with relief, and felt some of the tension leave my neck. If Shimada had been seriously hurt guarding me…
"Oh, Chizuru. Shimada wanted to apologize to you for not doing a better job."
"What?! I'm the one who should be apologizing to him!"
I felt the conversation in the room ebb, and turned to see Kondou walk through the door.
he was usually calm and collected, but today his face was especially stern. Something was wrong…but what?
"Uh oh. What's happened? You've got a scary enough face to begin with, Kondou. now you're just terrifying."
Inoue glanced at me.
"Look, you're even scaring her."
"N-No, I'm not scared!"
I waved my hands desperately, and the men laughed.
Kondou turned to me, thought his expression remained unchanged.
"Sorry about that."
He gave me a tight grin, but then looked down, his face grim.
"Please, just tell us what happened. Is it bad?"
"Well, you'll find out soon enough, I suppose."
He wasn't just talking to me any more. The rest of the men moved closer to hear what he had to say.
"Nishi Hongwanji doesn't want the Shinsengumi here any more."
Yamazaki frowned.
"They're telling us to leave, you mean."
Kondou turned to him.
"Well, they didn't say that in so many words, but…yes."
"I had a feeling this day would come eventually," said Inoue, "but now that it's here… What should we do?"
The monks at the Nishi Hongwanji temple were imperialists, and allies of the Choshu. They'd never been fond of the Shinsengumi, but we'd decided to force our way into their temple anyway.
It was no surprise they wanted us out, but I'd finally begun to feel like the temple was my home… On a more practical level as well it was far more convenient for our work in Kyoto.
I was sure I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
"Still, this is awfully sudden," stated Yamazaki. "Do you think last night's incident triggered this?"
Kondou sighed.
"I don't have to think; I know. They don't want fighting on the temple grounds. I'm sure someone else has a hand in this too. The Choshu, maybe, or Satsuma."
The fight the night before had only happened because of me.
"I'm sorry… This is all my fault."
Kondou gave me a sad smile.
"Not true. We came to this temple and forced them to yield to our admittedly unreasonable demands."
Yamazaki grimaced.
"But what are we going to do? If we have to move, then we need to start looking for a new location."
"Actually, we don't. We'll be provided with a new site, courtesy of the Nishi Hongwanji temple."
At this Inoue smiled.
"That's awfully generous. They must really want us gone."
Kondou frowned, clearly not finding it amusing.
"Yes on both counts, which is why I decided to accept their offer. Things are going to get busy around here soon."

…
A plot of land was purchased and a new compound built, all paid for by the Nishi Hongwanji temple. It became the third headquarters of the Shinsengumi: the Fudodo Village location.
By the time summer came, the Shinsengumi had left Nishi Hongwanji, where they'd spent more than two years.