(Yay! Hijikata's story finally begins! Sorry for making you all wait so long. Now I was told that I probably shouldn't be doing this story... But I figured how is this any different than the people who upload entire playthroughs on Youtube? Besides when it comes right down to it... Whether you're watching a game or reading about a game it doesn't change the fact that it's never quite as fun as playing it yourself. 'Cause when you play the game you get to immerse yourself in its world in a way you just can't do by watching or reading it. So do I think this'll stop people from buying it? No! It'll probably encourage them to buy it more. I myself own the anime, the psp game and the 3DS game. So just saying...^^)

CHAPTER 5

January 1868

HIJKATA

Upon arriving in Edo, we were forced to live in an inn originally meant for hatamoto. It was located in Shinagawa and was known as the Kama Inn.
Kondou's shoulder injury and Okita's tuberculosis were both being treated by Doctor Matsumoto at his home.
The Shinsengumi had lost at Toba-Fushimi, retreated from Osaka Castle, and were plagued by doubts as to the allegiance of the shogunate forces and Yoshinobu himself.
Things were hardly looking good, and the men were tense and worried.
"When's the chief getting back?" said one of the men. "He better not've run away just to save his ass like Yoshinobu."
"No way, he'd never do that…" said another.
Normally, such insubordination would have earned a harsh reprimand, if not more, but things had changed.
"Hey, you guys're talking too much," snapped Nagakura. "If you've got time to screw around, how 'bout you go sharpen your swords, huh?"
"Yes, sir! M-My apologies!"
It wasn't just the tempers of the rank-and-file soldiers that were fraying; Nagakura and the others seemed just as on-edge.
Harada watched the two men scurry off and sighed.
"...Well, I can see where they're coming from… As soon as war broke out, the man at the top was the first to run. That's pretty sad."
Nagakura sighed as well.
"Maybe, but I mean… What else would you expect? Wasn't the man a national loyalist from Mito? He probably just pissed himself once he saw the Satsuma-Choshu Alliance had the imperial battle standard. He can't look like much of a threat from their side of things."
Harada narrowed his eyes.
"Doesn't matter what your politics are. You turn your back on men who were willing to give their lives for you and there's only one thing you are: a son of a bitch. Those Choshu guys were just inches away from being utterly destroyed, but they risked their lives, didn't give up and they survived. Hell, they practically won. The shogunate, though… They gave up before they even got in a fight."
Nagakura looked sick.
"...So what's gonna happen now? Kondou's stuck in bed. Even if we wanted to go up against the Satsuma and the Choshu, swords can't compete with guns. We're screwed."
He sighed and let his shoulders slump.
So long as the men you lead are willing to fight, you can always raise morale, no matter what weapons they have. But Yoshinobu would rather run…
Then what were the Shinsengumi supposed to fight for?
What were they supposed to do?
"Future's looking pretty dark for us… Thinking about it's just making me depressed, though. Maybe we oughta head over to Yoshiwara…"
Nagakura gave a tired sigh and stretched.
As I looked around the inn, I remembered I hadn't seen Saito for a while.
I'd heard he'd taken the sick and injured to Doctor Matsumoto's, and he hadn't had time to return yet.
We had to win the next battle.
I knew they were all doing the best they could already, but… When I thought of the peaceful times we'd enjoyed back in Kyoto, they seemed so far away. Sometimes I wondered if they'd happened at all.
But there was on thing that worried me, above all else…

…
"...Um, Hijikata, I brought you some tea."
I knocked politely on the door, but he didn't respond.
"Hijikata, are you there…? I'm going to open the door…"
He was sitting in the back of the room at his desk, writing furiously.
He gave a heavy sigh.
From time to time he would pause and think for a few moments, then return to writing.
"Hijikata, I brought your tea."
"Leave it here."
He didn't even bother to turn around and acknowledge me, and his voice was distant and faint.
As I sat up from setting his tea down, I noticed that he was looking even worse than usual. His face was pale-almost blue-and there were tremendous dark shadows underneath his eyes.
Hijikata was a fury now…
Being awake and active during the day had to be tortuously difficult for him, but he'd continued to work at such a feverish pace I almost thought he was possessed.
"Well… I'll be going now. Don't push yourself too hard."
I had made it almost to the door, when we were interrupted.
"Are you here, Commander?"
Hijikata stopped and glanced toward the open doorway to find Shimada entering the room.
"Yes. What is it?"
Shimada furrowed his brows in worry.
"We were supposed to meet with that vassal today, you remember? Well, I just got word that he's going to give us the brush-off and go somewhere else."
Hijikata grunted.
"...No, we need to tak to him. I don't care how. If we can't, we're stuck. I'll go."
And with that he stormed out of the room.
He'd looked awful when I'd come in… I hoped he'd be all right.
Shimada seemed to have read my mind.
"God… Ever since we got to Edo, he's been working non-stop."
He mumbled under his breath, almost impressed, as Hijikata stalked out.
"He's been visiting some of the shogunate bigwigs, hoping to get support for a rematch against the rebels. The men are starting to wonder when he sleeps, or even if he sleeps."

I didn't find this impressive.
I knew it wasn't his intent, but Shimada's words hurt. Had Hijikata not been a fury, the the toll on his body would not have been so high.
"Shimada, are you okay? You look like you've lost a little weight too…"
He smiled at me but the smile seemed a bit sad.
"Ah, well… Ever since Yamazaki passed awy, I've got a lot more work to do. …But he left it to me, and I'll be damned if I dishonor his memory by messing it up. And after seeing how far the commander's pushing himself for us, it just wouldn't feel right if I just sat around all day, you know?"
"I suppose…"
I knew how Shimada felt, but he was in a position to actually contribute. There was nothing I could do for Hijikata…
The day he died, Inoue had told me that while I might not be much help to the Shinsengumi as a warrior, there were other ways that I might be of service.
I'd thought about that every day since Inoue and Yamazaki had died, but I had yet to think of what it was that I could do.
"Well, I've got plenty more to do, so I'll be on my way."
"Oh, yes, of course. Please be careful."
"Oh, right… I've heard there are a lot of killers out on the streets these days; creeps looking to test out their swords on a living body. So you probably shouldn't go out alone at night, all right?"
"Okay…"
Shimada nodded, then lifted himself heavily to his feet and left.

…
Later that night, I was waiting in the empty common room for the captains to return.
"Evening, Chizuru!"
"Oh, Heisuke. …Where's everyone else?"
"Shin and Sano took the men to Yoshiwara, and left me behind to house-sit."
He seemed very frustrated by this.
"Man… I'm not a servant, you know? They can't keep giving me this kinda bitch work… …Well, I guess it's cool they're acting like they always did. To me, I mean. Like nothing ever changed."
His laugh sounded small and lonely in the empty hall.
"Oh, that reminds me. Do you know where Sanan is? Did he go somewhere?"
"Yeah, I heard he's out on patrol."
"Patrol? But… We're not in Kyoto anymore… No one's asked us to keep the peace in Edo. Why's he still doing it?"
Heisuke looked away, his face solemn.
"…Sanan's been acting weird lately. Like, just today soon as the sun went down, he told me he was leaving on patrol. I asked if he wanted me to go with him, but he said he'd be fine on his own."
"Oh. Well, I heard that there have been a lot of killings at night recently. Maybe he went out to see if he could learn anything about that."
He might not have the same authority that he had in Kyoto, but the Shinsengumi still worked for the shogunate. Perhaps Sanan was simply trying to protect Edo, regardless of whether he'd been asked to or not.
Heisuke's eyes narrowed.
"…Well, if that's the deal, then good."
He didn't much sound like he thought it was, however.
"Oh! Hijikata! Welcome back."
"You're still up," he sighed as he entered the room and closed the door.
His face was still pale, but his tone was sharp.
As I watched, I realized that he was only barely standing. He shook just slightly as he moved, and I got the feeling that if he let his concentration slip even a little, he would simply collapse.
There was something wrong, but…what should I say?
"Um… Is there anything I can do to help?"
I knew what the answer would be, but I couldn't help asking.
"…No. Just stay put, and stop thinking about that."
Well, that was clear enough.
"Oh… I see."
Even though everyone else was working themselves to the bone, barely sleeping or eating, all I could do was sit around, useless.
Hijikata must have seen my face fall, because his frown changed and his brows drew together.
"Hey… Don't gimme that look."
"Oh! I-I'm sorry!"
The moment I said it I realized I'd only made things worse-an apology only made me sound more miserable.
No, that wasn't good at all! I needed to be more cheerful, or I'd just drag everyone else down with me. If I couldn't help, the least I could do was try not to hinder.
Hijikata sighed and closed his eyes.
He then glanced at me with a small smile.
"…You don't need to worry about us. Just…go make some tea, all right? Your tea isn't that bad, I guess."
"O-Okay! I'll be right back!"
I ran off to the kitchen, my mood much improved.

…
Heisuke smirked at his commander.
"Hijikata… You put up a good front, but you're really pretty easy on her."
Hijikata narrowed his eyes, huffed, and looked away.
"…Shut it."

…
"Here you go! I could only find some hard candy to go with the tea, but…"
"Fine," said Hijikata. "I have to get back to work as soon as I dring this anyway."
Heisuke frowned at him.
"Are you sure you're going to be all right? You're a fury now. You should be sleeping during the day and working at night."
Hijikata didn't answer. Instead he took a sip of his tea and sat in silence for a moment.
"When we were leaving Osaka Castle, Kondou said something to me."
He narrowed his eyes.
"He said that if he was the shogun, even if he'd only had two or three hundred men, he'd have locked himself in that castle and fought until he didn't have anyone left. Then he would've gutted himself, like an honorable warrior."
I didn't know how to respond to that.
Hijikata continued.
"I told him that it doesn't do anybody any good when the guy on top dies, and it's bad news for everyone on the bottom. I told him he was being to idealistic. …Now he's stuck in his bed, shot in the shoulder. He'd die for any one of us, and we all know it. Sure, I feel like shit, but that doesn't mean I get to rest."
He gave a weak grin.
"Gotta get things back in order begore he gets back."
There was a gleam in his eye-excitement at the thought of handing over a perfectly-functioning Shinsengumi to his master and friend.
If the rest of the men worried because they saw their chief laid low by a coward's bullet, Hijikata was buoyed by the simple fact that Kondou was alive, and that he had the courage to do what other leaders would not.

…
He finished his tea quickly, and returned to his room with only perfunctory thanks.
The day before, his light had stayed on late into the night. Today would likely be no different.
Heisuke glanced at me and frowned.
"I've got a bad feeling things are just gonna get worse from here on in. Hijikata's a fury, but it doesn't look like he's started to feel the bloodlust yet."
"…Bloodlust?"
Heisuke's grim expression deepened.
"When you become a fury, something happens to you, and… Well, sometimes, you really, really want to drink blood. Like, you need to. It hurts, and not like how it hurts when you get beat up during word practice. You want to die, just because that'll make the pain stop."
"Oh no!"
My hand leapt to my mouth involuntarily.
Hijikata alreadly looked terrible. If unbearable pain were suddenly added to his may burdens…
"Is there anyway to…do anything about it?"
Heisuke's eyes narrowed.
"Well, if you drink some blood, then it goes away almost immediately, but… Only for a while. And the longer you go, the more painful it gets. …At first, you only need a little blood to feel better, but after a while you need more, and pretty soon you soon you have to drink a whole lot of blood before it goes away."
I was at a loss for words.
A monster that could only survive by drinking human blood… It was like something out of a legend.
I glanced back a Heisuke.
"What about you, Heisuke…? Are you…um…drinking blood?"
His face twitched and he looked away.
"C'mon, don't ask me that."
He made some manner of excuse after that, then got up and left the common room, leaving me alone to think about Hijikata.
Was he really okay?
Had he already experienced the bloodlust Heisuke had told me about, but refused to tell anyone?
He couldn't have been in the throes of it when I saw him, but it was clear that sooner or later he would find himself in a great deal of pain.
He was doing so much for the Shinsengumi. I wanted to do something-anything!-to help ease that pain.
Wasn't there any way to supress that desire for blood?!
Then it came to me…my father!
He had been doing research on the furies. Perhaps he'd left something useful behind at my house. It was already too late to visit, so I resolved to go the next day, and see if I could find anything.

…
The following day, I left a note for anyone who wondered where I'd gone, and headed toward my old house in Edo.
Hijikata had left long before me to meet with several of the members of the shogunate.
No one had apparently visited the house in several years, and everything was covered in a thin layer of dust.
"Now, where would he keep his fury research… It must be somewhere hidden…"
I brushed some of the dust off a stack of documents, and opened them up. Each one was covered in barely-legible scribbling. It would take me forever to decipher them…
No, this was nothing compared to what the rest of the Shinsengumi went through. I had to do it!
"Shoot… I guess that wasn't it either…"
I sat back on the floor and sighed heavily.
How foolish I'd been to think I could just waltz into my house, find my father's secret documents, and solve a problem that had haunted the Shinsengumi for years.
…No. I couldn't give up.
I had to keep trying. Sooner or later, I'd find something.
Hijikata and Heisuke needed my help. I had to find something.
"Huh…"
As I flipped open a particularly thick sheaf of papers, a scrap fell out and landed on the floor.
It appeared to be some kind of…formula.
"Is this…about the furies?"
As I studied it, I realized what I'd found: The paper described a medicine that could suppress the bloodlust of a fury, and help keep them from losing control.
The idea of Hijikata or Heisuke losing control was frightening, but I read on.
It seemed that my father had returned to Edo just after I'd left for Kyoto. While he was in Edo, he'd mixed up the ingredients for the medicine.
I looked over the instructions. The ingredients he'd used were likely still in the warehouse. With his instructions, I should be able to mix it myself…
And with my father's medicine, I could save Hijikata, Heisuke, and Sanan!
I ran to the warehouse and got to work.

…
By the time I finished, night had already fallen.
I remembered what Shimada had told me about how many murders there'd been at night lately, and made sure to stick to busy streets as I made my way back to the Kama Inn.
"Oh!"
Just as I arrived, Sanan and Heisuke were leaving.
"Um, Sanan!"
"Oh? You're back rather late. It's dangerous out there, you know. You shouldn't be out at night all by yourself."
I frowned.
"I-I'm sorry… I menat to come back earlier but I was so busy and I just kind of lost track of time, and… A-Anyway! I've got something for you!"
I handed Sanan the medicine, which I'd wrapped in a small piece of paper.
"What's this?"
"It's medicine to suppress the fury bloodlust! I went back to my house today, and found instructions for how to make it! It should make the pain go away."
He didn't smile or say thanks… He just sighed.
He looked down at the paper I'd handed him, then back to me.
He then smiled and said, "…Thank you, but no. Your gesture is appreciated, but not needed."
I blinked at him.
"Huh? Wait, but… Without it you…"
His smile faded.
"You are not one of us, so to you the bloodlust might seem odd, or wrong. However, the more one tries to suppress it, the greater the pain becomes. Bit by bit, it will chip away at your sanity. …This medicine would be a minor reprieve; nothing more."
"B-But-!"
He seemed annoyed now as he turned away.
"Excuse me. I must leave for patrol. Good night."
"Ah-"
Before I could protest he was gone, walking briskly down the darkened street.
Without the medicine, what would Sanan do when the bloodlust came?
…Oh no!
I remembered what Kimigiku had said to us, back at the Fushimi magistrate's office…
"Then are you aware that the Shinsengumi's furies have been murdering people on the street to test their strength?"
No… It couldn't be.
It was the Shinsengumi's job to protect Kyoto and its citizens.
Surely Sanan wouldn't attack people on the street just to satisfy his thrist for blood…
"Hey, Chizuru. I'll take that."
I jumped at the sound of Heisuke's voice. I had nearly forgotten he was there.
He blinked at me and tried again.
"Can I have it?"
"Oh…yes, yes of course."
I handed him the packet Sanan had so recently refused.
He stuffed it into his pocket as he stared off down the street at Sanan's rapidly retreating back.
"I'm going to go on patrol with him. If he…if he does something weird, I'll stop him. So don't worry, all right?"
I was more transparent than I thought, it seemed.
"All right… I'm counting on you, Heisuke. Oh, right. Where's Hijikata? Is he back yet?"
"Yeah, he came back earlier in the evening, but he locked himself in his room and he hasn't poked his head out since."
I frowned.
"Oh. I'm going to go check on him then."
Heisuke and I said our quick goodbyes, and I made my way into the Kama Inn and up to Hijikata's room.

…
"Hijikata? Are you there? I've got something for you…"
Nothing. I was about to turn away, assuming he was asleep, when-
"G-Gaah!"
The voice was clearly in pain.
"H-Hijikata! I-I'm coming in!"
I threw the door open and ran into the room.
"Guh…gaah!"
He was bent over the top of his desk at the back of the room. Sweat poured down his face, and I could hear his teeth squeak horribly as he gritted them.
"H-Hijikata! Are you okay?!"
His hair had gone white and his eyes glowed red.
"You idiot. Just shut up."
"B-But-!"
"This'll pass…any time now… Don't get all worked up over nothing!"
He wrapped his arms around his shoulderes and squeezed until his knuckles turned white as he glared up at me.
His breaths came out in pants, and he shivered as if he had a fever.
It was Hijikata's personality to refuse to show any pain, or even any emotion at all-or at least to show as little as possible.
For him to be like this… The pain must have been unimaginable.
Was this the bloodlust that Heisuke had spoken of? What was I suppose to do?
If he drank the medicine my father had created for him, then the pain would surely go away, but Sanan had said it would only be a temporary solution.
Then…
Should I give him some of my blood?
Would Hijikata even want me to give him my blood?
What was I going to do?!
There was no time to waste.
It wasn't the best plan, perhaps, but I couldn't bear to see him in pain any longer.
And besides, at long last I would finally be useful!
I said nothing, and drew the Kodachi I kept at my waist.
Hijikata's eyes went wide.
"H-Hey… What the hell is this?!"
I slid my finger along the edge of the blade. I barely even felt it. A bead of thick blood formed over the cut.
"Please…drink my blood. It'll make you feel better, right?"
An ashamed look swam in his eyes.
"What the hell?!"
He looked down at the cut.
"I can't do that!"
His clothes were drenched in sweat, and he shook like a leaf in the wind.
I couldn't back down. This was my chance to do something for him; to make a difference.
But perhaps most importantly, I just couldn't watch him suffer any more.
I gave him a kind smile.
"Don't worry about me. Please…"
His eyes narrowed at me.
He said nothing.
Though he tried desperately not to, his eyes were drawn to my finger; to the thick, red blood that slowly beaded and dropped.
His teeth ground and his hands flexed, but he couldn't resist.
It was only moments before he gave in.
He closed his eyes and sighed.
"…You're an idiot. A girl shouldn't cut herself up. No man's gonna want to marry a girl covered in scars."
He then took my hand and licked the blood from my finger.
I felt the soft caress of his tongue as it ran the length of the cut, and then the soft pressure of his teeth and lips as he sucked gently, drawing a few more drops out and into his mouth.
"…I-I'll be fine. I'm a demon. I heal really fast."
He glanced up at me, an odd sort of anger in his eyes.
"Doesn't matter. Demon or not, you're still a girl."
His breathing had already begun to calm itself; through his hand on my wrist I could feel his shaking subsiding as well.
At last, I thought, I was able to be useful.
A few moments later, his hand slipped from my wrist. The cut on my finger had already healed.
"…I'm sorry for being so, um, forward…"
"No…"
He took a quiet breath and shook his head.
"This isn't the time to be pretending that I'm fine. I know that. If I want to make sure Kondou wins, then I don't have a choice. I have to become a monster."
I didn't know what to say to that. Absently, I touched my fingers to the wrist Hijikata had taken when he drank my blood.
I almost thought I could still feel his warmth there.

…
Even after the events of that night, Hijikata pushed himself just as hard as before, and visited the shogunate officials whenever he could find the time.
Eventually, his work began to pay off, and the Shinsengumi were given on of the hatamoto mansions to use as their headquarters.
I knew he had to be in miserable condition, between his demanding schedule and fury-related difficulties, but he was determined to give Kondou his war.
That thought alone seemed to sustain him and drive him forward.
Perhaps the gods took pity on him..

…
"My apologies for worrying you."
It was some time later that Kondou finally made an appearance, seemingly completely healed.
He frowned as he continued to speak.
"I never thought being kept away from the fighting for so long would be this frustrating. Had our foes forced their way in, I was prepared to fight them, no mater my condition… But I suppose that's beside the point now."
A small smile took the place of his frown as he addressed all the men in the room.
"I'm sure you're all wondering what's next. First, we'll head to Koufu. We've been ordered to ambush the Imperial Army."
His smile broadened.
"The shogunate's given us two cannons, a number of small arms, and funding."
As he began to lay out the details of the plan, I saw his eyes twinkle with excitement.
In anticipation of their success on this mission, Kondou and Hkijikata had both been given promotions.
Nagakura and Harada, however, seemed less than plased with this turn of events.
"Hey, Kondou," started Nakakura. "Who came up with the idea of having us guard Koufu?"
"It was Awanokami Katsu…" replied Kondou. "Why? Is that a problem?"
"I've heard a lot of rumors about this Katsu guy. And not good stuff. He's famous for being a pacifist. Why would somebody like that give us cannons, and money to go to war?"
Harada nodded in agreement.
"Besides," he started. "I've heard that the shogun himself is perfectly willing to just go along with whatever the New Government Army wants. You don't think Katsu feels the same way?"
Kondou frowned.
Then his eyes took on a hard look.
"Nagakura, Harada, these are direct orders from the shogunate. It's true that the shogun isn't publicly defying the New Government Army, but that's because his situation isn't ideal. However, if we can protect Koufu, then perhaps he'll think that the shogunate actually has a chance to win this war, and he'll put his full resources behind it. This isn't just a matter of winning or losing: The men in charge are recognizing our hard work by saying that we are a force skilled and dedicated enough to defend Koufu. Isn't our duty as warriors, then, to give all we can to this fight? Don't you agree, Nagakura?"
Nagakura narrowed his eyes at his long-time friend.
"…You're really gonna try and gloss over it like that? I'm a captain of the Shinsengumi, but I am not your retainer."
Kondou looked upset, but Harada spoke up before he could say anything.
"Hey, Saito, what's your take on all this?"
"I will do whatever the chief and the commander order to to do."
All eyes turned to Hijikata.
"Uh… Well, we should round up some more men if we're gonna go to war with the Imperial Army. If we do good at Koufu, I'm sure the shogunate'll send us some reinforcements. As far as Awanokami goes… Doesn't matter how much he hates war, I'm sure he know that sometimes you can't avoid it. I mean, if the shogunate loses, then him and all the rest of the vassals are out of a job. I don't think they want us to lose."
"Yeah," sighed Nagakura, "I guess you got a point."
He glanced at Kondou apologetically.
"Shall we head for the mountain near Koufu first," said Sanan, "and prepare for night raids?"
Hijikata thought for a moment.
He looked away.
"Fury Corps isn't going this time. You're staying here."
Sanan's eyes went wide, though, whether it was from shock-hurt-or anger-remained to be seen.
"…Why?"
Hijikata glanced back at him.
"If the shogun does send us reinforcements, I can't afford to let them see you. Besides, there are gonna be a lot more men at Koufu. You'll get spotted, and then what's the point of having a secret division?"
Sanan looked hurt by this.
"But…"
Heisuke placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, the war's just started. We shouldn't be in such a rush, Sanan."
I saw Hijikata and Heisuke exchange a quick look. They must have realized how Sana would react, and talked it over beforehand.
"All right then. Everyone, return to your rooms. We have some time before we leave, so make sure you get your arrairs in order."

…
That was that, and the captains departed to go brief their subordinates. Only Hijikata remained behind, to begin sifting through the massive stacks of paper and maps.
"Um… Hijikata, are you sure it'll be okay?"
"Hm? What will be okay?"
"This war is going to be difficult, isn't it? Wouldn't it have been better to take the fury corps along?"
"Oh. That."
He sighed, and set down the map he'd been studying.
"Remember when Sen warned us about the furies killing people?"
"Yes…"
"Well, I think it might have been Sanan."
"What?!"Corps is our trump card, but I can't have them murdering people in the streets to satisfy their bloodlust. During Toba-Fushimi, they used silver bullets on the Fury Corps, which made them essentially useless. Until we can figure out how to counteract the silver problem, I need to have Sanan stay here. Heisuke will…keep an eye on him. We also might need them to go collect arms for a counterattack."
"A counterattack…?"
Then he was even planning for a possible loss at Koufu?
"This next fight is going to be a big one. We probably shouldn't take you, but… If I leave you here, Kazama might decide to try and snatch you again. Leaving you in the company of the furies is a bad idea too. So I'm taking you with us, but you watch youself and you stay out of trouble. I tell you to jump, you say 'How high'. Got it?"
"Okay…"
I could feel a nervous know forming in my stomack, but Hijikata had a far greater case of nerves than I did.

…
It was morning on the day we left for Koufu.
"Everyone's up already…"
I looked around.
"Huh?"
The common room was full of men dressed in clothing I'd never seen before.
Nagakura was the first one to notice me gawking at everyone.
"Oh, hey Chizuru. You're up pretty early."
I blinked at him.
"Huh? Your…your clothes… Are you really Nagakura?! What are you wearing?!"
Saito, at this moment, cut in.
"The commander ordered us to dress in western clothing when going into battle from now on."
When I spotted Hijikata, I had to force my jaw to stay in place.
He didn't seem to notice me staring at him though.
"Our enemies will be wearing western clothing. Seems like we'd better too, if we want to win."
"Really…?"
This made no sense to me… Why would wearing different clothing help win a war?
My eyes wandered over Hijikata's clothing.
He was dressed predominately in black, and whatever his outfit was called gave him an elegant look…
It suited him well. He looked as handsome as an actor, and I couldn't help but admire him for a moment longer.
This time he noticed.
"Something wrong? …Am I wearing it wrong?"
"Hm? Oh. No. No, definitely not."
He gave me an odd sort of smile I barely noticed.
"You're strange."
I glanced at Kondou.
"Wait… Kondou's not wearing western clothes…"
Kondou glanced back at me and frowned.
"They're just so tight… And I can't stand walking in these…uh…I think they're called… 'shoes'? Besides, I just wouldn't feel like a real warrior in those things. I guess I'm being a little childish about it, but that's my right."
Hijikata gave him a kind smile.
"…You're fine. It's not like you'll be out on the front lines. You just have to act dignified for the troops. Your presence alone is enough to inspire the men."
Kondou quickly looked away.
"Really? You're going to make me blush…"
He then glanced at the rest of the men, a stern, authoritive looke in his eyes.
"Well, let's be off, then! To Koufu Castle!"

…
And thus the Shinsengumi took on the name "Kouyou Regulatory Company," and headed for Koufu by way of Hachioji.
On the way, Kondou split from the main group to visit his hometown.
Nagakura seemed quite annoyed by this.
"…Kondou still hasn't caught up yet? How long is he gonna sit around that inn getting drunk?"
Harada gave him his please-calm-down smile.
"Well, he probably hasn't been home in a while. Probably wants to show off how successful he's been. Not to mention I'm sure he wants to visit his wife and his daughter. He hasn't seen them in a long time."
Nagakura narrowed his eyes at his friend.
"Show off, huh… We're marching to war. You really think this is the time for that shit?"
Hijikata looked back over his shoulder at Nagakura and Harada.
"He's meeting with some possibel recruits."
He focused his cold stare, now, on Nagakura.
"What better way to get to know new soldiers than by sharing a drink with 'em, hm?"
Nagakura appeared to be struggling.
"Well, yeah, you got a point, but…"
Hijikata's eyes narrowed.
"If we'd gotten enough recruits before we left, Kondou wouldn't be out there right now."

Hijikata's words cut like a knife.
The Shinsengumi had made a name for themselves in Kyoto, true, but the shogunate was faced with a numerically superior force.
We no longer had the luxury of conducting interviews with potential candidates, and only taking the best: No, we had to offer money and alcohol to attract recruits.
Hijikata would have rather cut off his own arm than stoop that low, but he had no choice.
From seemingly nowhere, Saito approached us.
"Commander, there's something I need to tell you."
He had been sent on ahead to scout some time before, and had finally returned.
Hijikata flicked his eyes to him.
"What is it?"
Saito took a short breath, and seemed for a moment to be gathering himself for something unpleasant.
"It seems that the enemy has already conquered Koufu Castle."
"What?!" Hijikata gestured quickly to some of the soldiers behind him.
"We've got an urgent update on the situation. Go get the chief, now!"

…
It was some time before Kondou received the message and returned to the main body of soldiers.
That was long enough for news of the castle's fall to spread through the men, and many of them panicked.
Nearly three hundred of the men we'd left Edo with deserted, reducing our forces to a mere one hundred soldiers.
Nagakura and Harada adviced retreat, but Kondou decided that we would form up for battle, and fight until the bitter end.
Now that we had accepted weapons and money from the shogunate, he said, there could be no retreat.
I'll call in our reinforcements from Edo. We can't afford to lose this one. Tell the men that reinforcements will be arriving soon. We can't afford to have any more deserters."
Saito nodded.
"As you wish."
He then turned and jogged off toward the rest of the soldiers.
At last, Hijikata turned to look at me.
"Go back to Edo. This place is going to turn into a battlefield really soon, and you should be somewhere you'll be safe."
I shook my head.
"I'll stay here… I can't run away to somewhere safe while everyone else is off fighting. I'll stay here to protect Kondou until you get back."
Hijikata frowned.
"How? You can't swing a sword to save your life, and I don't think You've got the stones to kill a man. You're not a soldier."
That was about what I'd expected him to say, but I wasn't going to back down so easily.
"I-It's true that I'm not much good witha sword, but… I can still be his shield. Any small wounds will heal quickly enough."
His narrowed eyes softened a fraction.
"Why are you doing this? No one asked you to."
"I know I'm probably out of line… But I also know that we can't lose Kondou. Not now. I'm sick and tired of always being protected. I wan't to help! Please…"
I'd been with them long enough to know just how much Kondou meant to Hijikata-to all of the Shinsengumi.
If I went back to Edo, and Kondou died…
No. I refused to be the only person to escape unscathed.
Hijikata made an odd grunt noise.
He chewed his lif thoughtfully for a moment, his hard eyes never leaving my face.
At last, he sighed and spoke.
If you're really that serious about this, then I've got an order for you. As a member of the Shinsengumi."
"What?!" My eyebrows shot up.
I'd been with the Shinsengumi for a long time, but never before had he actually referred to me as one of them, let alone given me any sort of orders.
I'm assining you to Kondou, as his personal guard. You will remain at his side, and provide him with whatever assistance he might need."

"…And?"
Oops…
"Y-Yes! Sir!"
I straightened up and nodded vigorously.
"I, Chizuru Yukimura, will protect my chief, even if it means my li-"
Hijikata cut me off with a sharp look.
"There's one condition. You can't die."
"What…?"
That wasn't the sort of thing I expected to hear from a man like Hijikata.
"And don't do anything stupid, like being his shield, or whatever that bullshit was you were saying. I am not ordering you to die."
He gave me one last pointed look, and then turned to look toward Koufu Castle.
"If your enemy this time turns out to be a bunch of amateurs who're just hpoing to kiss some ass with the Imperial Army, then we might have a chance. If if turs out that they're more like the Satsuma or the Shoshu, though, then we're screwed."
He turned back to me.
"I'll try and get back as fast as I can, but if something happens before I do, I'm counting on you and Saito to make sure Kondou gets away clean."
His eyes narrowed further and for a moment I thought I saw concern shimmering on their surface.
"And none of this shild crap. You escape with him. Die, and I'll make sure you regret it, understood?"

I felt a cold sweat break out on my back as Hijikata's words sunk in.
I'd seen others fight for their lives in battle many times, but this would be the first time I'd actually joined the battle myself.
Would I really be able to protect Kondou?
Would it even be possible to evade our enemies and escape?
Perhaps Hijikata noticed my sudden fear, because he gave a short, bitter laugh.
"Hey, take out your sword."
"Huh?"
I fumbled with it for a moment, surprised at the strangeness of his request, ad finally pulled my sword from it's scabbard.
Hijikata pulled out his sword as well, in a sure, smooth motion.
Then he took his Izuminokami Kanesada, and tapped its blade against my own.
The clear tone they made drew goosebumps from my arms.
"…That's called kincho. It's what samurai do, when they swear an oath."
"Oh, really? Interesting…"
Hijikata smiled and continued.
"Well, I guess technically neither one of us is actually a samurai, so we're just going through the motions, I suppose."
"Why?"
He grinned now.
"Proof. I'll come back. And you'll survive too. That's the oath we just made. So you trust me, and you wait. And don't die."
His words were confident, and listening to him I felt as if they'd somehow made me stronger; more capable.
As someone who dreamt of being a true samurai, then that oath meant a great deal to him.
I had to follow through.
There could be no breaking this promise.
I looked up at him and smiled back.
"I understand. I will protect Kondou, and I will survive."
He had given me a chance to show that I was useful, and trusted me with an important task.
I would complete that task, no matter what.

…
Slowly, the Kouyou Regulatory Company found itself driven into a corner.
Kondou did his best to try and explain to them that he and his men were only there to protect the area around Koufu Castle, in hopes that this situation might be resolved without bloodshed.
…Unfortunately, one of the new recruits cried out that they were the Shinsengumi, and opened fire on the castle's defenders.
That was the spark that lit the powerder keg.
The bulk of our opponent's forces turned out to be men from the Tosa Domain who had been trained in western tactics and weapons.
Our guns were old and didn't have the range to match the Tosa's. It quickly became a hopeless battle.
Kondou had no choice to to retreat.
"We have to go, Kondou! If we don't go now, you'll be killed!"
He looked at me and then glanced at his men already fighting on the field.
"B-But my men are still fighting out there! We can't run away and leave them!"
I grabbed his hand.
"If you stay, then you'll just die too! Even if we lose this battle, Hijikata says that as long as you're safe, there's still hope. We can regroup, and fight back later!"
I tightened my grip and pulled him as hard as I could toward the road down the mountain.

He seemed to be struggling with the urge to break down.
Kondou looked across the battlefield at his own me: Hopelessly outnumbered; many already fallen.
I saw tears well up at the corners of his eyes.
He bowed deeply toward the men still engaged in battle just as Saito returned from the front line.
"Are you prepared for the retreat? Good. Let's go."
I turned to Saito, barely startled by his sudden appearance.
"Right!"
I glanced back at our Chief.
"Come on Kondou! We have to go!"
"R-Right…"

…
Saito and I took hold of him and ran into the forest to escape under cover of night.
"We'll be in Hachioji soon, Kondou. Hang in there."
"Right…"
Perhaps it was because I'd never seen him lose a battle before, but this was the first time I'd seen Kondou so…drained.
"I let so many men die…"
I placed a gentle hand on his arm.
"…There's no point in beating yourself up over that now. Like Hijikata said, we just don't have what it takes to beat an army with western weapons and tactics."
I might as well have kept my mouth shut, for all that my words seemed to reach him.
"Perhaps if someone else were the chief… Maybe they wouldn't have died…"
"Are you listening to me? I said-!"
"Hey… Who's out there?"
From the other side of the bushes, I heard a voice that didn't sound familiar.
I peeked out just long enough to catch sight of a uniform that wasn't ours.
"I know you heard me. Who are you?"
His voice had quickly taken on a dangerous edge.
"I'll buy you some time. Take the chief and escape."
"Thank you, Saito…"
I gave him a quick bow of thanks, and then tip-toed away, Kondou in tow.
We had to get down off the mountain as quickly as possible.
Just as I had finally managed to get Kondou moving at a decent pace, a shadow leapt out of the undergrowth to bar our way.
Amagiri.
"I had a feeling you might be here…"
"Ah!"
If he was here then Kazama was undoubtedly nearby.
Kondou placed a calm hand on my arm.
"Yukimura… Wasn't he with the Satsuma…?"
"Y-Yes…"
His eyes narrowed.
"Then we can no longer escape. …As a man, I wish to take responsibility for this war, and all the men I've lost. Will you ask him to assist me with my suicide?"
I blanched.
"Wh-What?! No! I can't let you die here! If you want to take responsibility for your loss, then you have to live, so that you can take your revenge in the next battle!"
Amagiri had remained silent for our short exchange, but now he spoke up.
"Yes, I serve the Satsuma Domain, but I have been given no orders regarding the Shinsengumi. My only business here is with the girl."
"It shouldn't have come as a surprise but, "Me?"
He nodded.
"Kazama is…vexed by you, and the young man Hijikata. He disregards the wishes of the domain, and does as he pleases, not as he is ordered. The Satsuma Domain is…troubled. However, we do not yet care to cut our ties with the Satsuma Domain."
Amagiri's eyes promised violence, and his body tightened, ready to make good on that promise.
He fell in to a fighting stance.
"For that reason, Chizuru Yukimura, you must die here."
"Ah!"
He had no weapon, but I knew just how powerful he was, even without one.
Had I bee carrying the finest sword ever made, he still could have ended my life easily.
Nonetheless, I would not be killed without a fight, no matter how futile that fight might prove to be.
I drew my sword and glanced back at Kondou.
"Kondou, go! This man is after me, and only me. You must escape!"
"B-But-!"
I tried my best at a kind smile.
"I'll be fine. I have a sword, and he has no weapons at all. Please, the Shinsengumi needs you! You can't abandon them!"
Kondou's mouth hung slack for a moment, struck speechless.
Then he shut it, set his jaw, and drew his sword.
"No."
He glanced at me then back to Amagiri.
"No matter the reason, an honorable warrior cannot run away and leave a woman to fight alone."
"Kondou, what are you saying?! I'm under orders from Hijikata! I have to protect you! Please!"
But he would not be swayed.
Kondou turned to face Amagiri.
"…I am the chief of a defeated army. My recklessness has sent many of my men to their deaths. But I can still give life to protect a woman. As a warrior-no, as a man-I can think of no better way to die."
"No!"
His face was calm and serene, and there was no hesitation in his eyes.
I'd seen that look before, on Inoue's face just before he died under Kazama's blade.
There would be no convincing him. His mind was made up.
When he spoke, his voice rang with determination.
"I am Isami Kondou, Chief of the Shinsengumi! Yaaaaaaah!"
His sword held high, he charged toward Amagiri.
"Nooooooooooo!"
He was going to die, just like Inoue had! I buried my face in my hands, overcome with despair and helplessness.
"You challenge me knowing that you cannot win, for the sake of someone who cannot defend themselves. Your actions are worth of respect."
Amagiri's hands rested calmly at his sides even as Kondou charged toward him…
"Hmph!"
At the last moment, he slid aside as if he were made of water.
He grasped Kondou's blade with his left hand, and drove his right into the other man's stomach.
"Gah-!"
As Kondou began to fall toward the ground, Amagiri flipped him around so that he landed on his back, hard.
"I've knocked most of the air out of him. He won't be able to move for a while."
He glanced down at Kondou, groaning on the ground, then turned his eyes to me.
"You are next, Chizuru Yukimura. Do not blame me for what I must do."
I took a deep breath and fixed my eyes on Amagiri's.
He had defeated Kondou with his bare hands…
Even with my sword, it was fookish to think I could beat him, I knew that.
But that didn't give me the right to turn tail and run just to save myself.
"…Your sword cries. I can see that you are terrified of death."
I choked back a rising whimper. I would NOT give him the satisfaction of seeing me scared.
But even so, he had seen right through me. I felt my throat tighten.
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
It came out as more of a scream of terror than a battle cry, but I charged toward him nonetheless.
With about as much effort as it took for him to breath, Amagiri sidestepped my attack.
"Ah!"
He'd dodged, but he hadn't counterattacked. I couldn't give up just because my first strike hadn't hit.
I lashed out again and again, but he bent and twisted away as if his body were made of water. None of my blows came even close to landing.
Then finally-
"Gah!"
I hadn't even seen his leg move until it slammed into my sword arm with the force of a cannonball.
My vision went white with pain, and my sword tumbled from my suddenly slack grip.
With a choked moan of agony, I slid to the ground.
…No! I had to get up!
My brain screamed at me to move, to pick up my sword and fight, but the roar of pain drowned it out.
"This battle is concluded. Do not fear. It will be quick. Then you will hurt no longer."
"Unnh!"
I ground my teeth in anger and pain even as I felt hot tears spring to my eyes.
I'm sorry Hijikata, I thought to myself. You told me to protect Kondou… You told me to survive…
But in the end, I couldn't do anything right.
I squeezed my eyes shut as the tears slid down my cheeks, and waited for the blow to fall.
"Giving up so easy? A real shinsengumi warrior doesn't stop fighting until they're dead. The only thing on your mind right now should be how you're going to out-think this chump."
That voice… It couldn't be!
My head shot up, just in time to see Hijikata leap through the air and land a sword-blow on Amagiri's arm.
"You!"
Hijikata glared at him.
"Only thought I'd be fighting the Imperial Army out here… Guess I'll be taking care of a demon, too."
He stood before us, his hair pure white.
His red eyes shone with desire for battle, and they were fixed on Amagiri.
"...Did your battle with Kazama teach you nothing?"
Amagiri's eyes widened in frustration.
"A fury is a mere echo of a true demon. No matter how powerful you may think yourself, you cannot defeat us."
"Never know till you try. You know, they say if you're trying to fight a swordsman barehanded, you have to be three times as good as he is."
Now Amagiri's eyes narrowed.
"I see… Only bloodshed will satisfy you. Very well. I shall be your opponent."
He gave Hijikata a short, polite bow, and dropped himself easily into a ready stance.
Hijikata's Izuminokami Kanesada flickered through the air, little more than a streak of silver.
"Hngh!"
Amagiri blocked with one hand, and dodged away from the flickering blade.
Hijikata seemed shocked by this.
"What?!"
Before Hijikata could react, Amagiri's foot drove itself into his stomach.
Hurk!"
Hijikata's face twisted in pain and he staggered back a step.
Perhaps it was his fury-born strength, or perhaps it was simply adrenaline, but he surged back and leapt toward Amagiri.
"Argh!"
His sword leapt forward to bury itself in Amagiri's chest. Blood spurted out, splashing across Hijikata's face.
"Eh?!"
He jerked back, pulling his sword free. No sooner was it out than the wound began to close.
"Right… You guys heal quick, don't you? So it's straight through the heart or not at all, huh. Guess it would be too easy otherwise."
His sword shone with fresh blood.
"I've got you figured, though. I know how you move. You're tough, but you're not impossible."
Drenched in blood, Hijikata looked more like a monster than a human being. His eyes were wide and hungry, and there was something terrifying and inhuman about his expression as he whipped his sword through the air.
"Guh!"
Amagiri leapt back, Hijikata's sword almost catching his fingers as he did so.
Jabs and parries; feints and counter feints… The battle flowed back and forth between them like a living thing, its changes moving too fast for any mortal eyes to track.
Neither man showed any sign of tiring, even as they dodged and attacked in ways that would have been unthinkable to any human.
Even in the middle of that maelstrom of death and violence, I could see Hijikata smiling.
The smell of blood hung heavy in the air, and his grin spoke of a fury's lust for death.
They leapt apart and regarded one another for several long moments before Amagiri spoke.
"I never imagined that a fury could match me in battle. You are...unexpected. This power of yours… What will you do with it?"
Hijikata blinked and then narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
His tone was a mixture of surprise and disdain.
"Protect those I care for. What other reason could there be for wanting power?"
Amagiri relaxed into a less threatening stance.
"Those you care for… Would you count the Tokugawa Shogunate among that number?"
Hijikata frowned a moment before his expression became unreadable.
"No… This is bigger than the shogunate. They don't even compare."
Amagiri said nothing and closed his eyes. What had gotten into him?
Why had he stopped fighting?
Then…this was the perfect time to strike! I reached down slowly and picked up the sword I'd dropped only minutes before.
I made to move forward, when a hand on my shoulder stopped me.
"Stay back."
I looked over my shoulder.
Saito!
I glanced back ahead.
"B-But Hijikata is going to-"
"That demon no longer thirsts for blood. This battle is over."
"What…?"
I hardly could believe that.
I turned back to Hijikata and the demon.
"Demons are not meant to involve themselves in the world of humans. Now that you have become a fury, you belong in the shadows as well."
Hijikata sheathed his sword.
"Yeah. I know that. I'm not interested in my name in the history books."
Amagiri nodded, as if in approval.
"Well, if you understand that, I shall leave the rest to you."
"…What?"
Hijikata stared at him in confusion.
"He is proud, even for a demon. If you have indeed humiliated him, I doubt he will ever forgive you. It is unlikely that you will defeat him… However, if there is something you wish to protect… Then please us the power you have been granted to do so."
Hijikata nodded but said nothing.
Though, in his own stoic way, he looked as confued as I felt.
Could Amagiri be trusted? What were his true intentions?
"There is… One more thing I must tell you. The power of the furies is not magic or a gift from the gods. Great strength, lightning speed, and mortal wounds that close themselves… This power was already within you, but had you stayed human you would have spent it in decades, not minutes. You are only borrowing these things."
I bit back a gasp.
My hands flew to my mouth.
By "borrowing," did he mean that when Hijikata used the speed and strength of a furry, he was picking away at his future-his life…?
Hijikata closed his eyes.
"So you're saying that every time I use that stuff, my life gets a little shorter?"
"Yes."
Amagiri nodded gravely, and Hijikata gave him a bitter smile.
"Heh. Well, makes sense. Seemed too good to be true. Guess It's only natural I'd have to trade something for this kind of power."
And with no greater protest than that bitter smile, Hijikata accepted the greated cost of becoming a fury.
The demon turned away, "Then I will be on my way."
"Hold on. I want to ask you something."
"And that is?" "You sure you want to let us get away? If you don't kill me now, I'm pretty sure I'll end up killing your pal Kazama."
Amagiri shrugged, his face impassive.
"If you defeat him, then that was all he amounted to. We demons are not sentimental."
Then, with a last polite not, he disappeared into the night.
His enemy gone at last, Hijikat slumped, and took a long, deep breath.
"Hi-Hijikata…are you all right?"
"Yeah. Fine. Where's Kondou?"
"Over here," called Saito.
Hijikata nodded, and ran over to the chief.
"Kondou, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

The chief looked as if he'd seen a ghost.
Hijikata stood before him, his white hair and rid eyes bright in the moonlight… A fury.
Kondou frowned with pained eyes.
"Toshi...you…"
"Oh…"
Hijikata started back and then looked away, almost guiltily.
Kondou stared at him for a moment before asking in a soft, stunned voice…
"Are you…a fury?"
"Uh...yeah. I didn't have a choice, all right? It was for the Shinsengumi."
For a moment he sounded very composed, but as I peered closer I realized that he was desperately avoiding Kondou's gaze.
He couldn't bear to look his friend in the eye.
We were silent for several moment, and when the first raindrop hit me, it took me by surprise.
"Oh… It's starting to rain. Look, we've got to get back to Edo and start reorganizing. We need to discuss our next move."
I noticed he was halfway speaking to me.
"Right. Come on Kondou, we have to hurry."
I turned, to make sure Kondou was following, but he simply stood there, as if he'd forgotten how to walk.
"Kondou?" I called gently. "Is something wrong…"
I regreted asking something so stupid.
It began to rain harder, and still Kondou didn't move.
Rain ran down his cheeks to his chin…or were they tears?
Finally he spoke.
"What…? What have I been doing…? Today I sent young men, men who trusted me, into battle. They died."
He turned to Hijikata.
"And I've made you, a man I've known for years, into a fury. A monster…"
Hijikata narrowed his eyes at his friend.
"Kondou… What is this? No one blames you. It doesn't matter how great of a tactician you are, swords can't beat guns."
A pained look came over his features.
"I made bad calls too, at Toba-Fushimi, and it got Gen and Yamazaki killed. Defeat is in the past. We can't change it now. What we can do is turn this around and win the next time. Right?"
His expression softened into a kind smile.
"Besides, I don't regret becoming a fury. Hell, I'm stronger and faster then I ever was, and I can use that to help you out. Nothing could make me happier than that."
Rain poured down their faces.
Surely it was my imagination, but for a moment, it almost looked as though Hijikata was crying.
Kondou stared at him for a long moment, then finally drew himself up.
"I apologize. I was being foolish. Forget what I said."
Something in his voice told me that even he didn't quite believe that.