CHAPTER 8
July 1868
...
Spring ended, and summer began.
The battle between the old government forces and the Imperial Army moved to Aizu.
The rumors said that the fighting was intense.
Although he hadn't healed completely, Hijikata decided to leave Nikko as soon as he was well enough to march.
The trip was long on foot, but without any problems.
Eventually, we arrived at Shirakawa Castle, on of the main rally points for our troops.
At last, we had caught up with the main body of the Shinsengumi.
Saito was there to greet us the moment we arrived at the castle.
"Chief Hijikata… I'm grateful to see you alive."
As good as it was to see Saito, he seemed somewhat worse for wear.
Battle after pitched battle had taken its toll on his body.
Hijikata smiled.
"Glad to see you're all right too. I hear you did well."
Then he frowned and rubbed his hand at his forehead.
"...But if you could stop calling me 'Chief"…"
He looked Saito straight in the eye.
"I'm not the chief, and gods willing I never will be. I'd be terrible. Kondou is the only chief of the Shinsengumi."
Saito met his gaze without blinking.
"I do not intend to correct myself. It is your job to unify the Shinsengumi."
There was something odd about Saito's tone.
Hijikata seemed to sense it too, and I could see him preparing to ask when Saito continued, his voice calm and measured.
"Chief Kondou has passed away."
"What…?"
I suddenly felt sick.
Hijikata only stared at Saito, his eyes suddenly wide.
I didn't want to believe what I'd just heard was true. Perhaps Saito had been...confused.
"The only person who can rise to the position of Chief is you, Hijikata."
He was qualified, certainly-both by position and action. But…
"I-Is...is Kondou really…?"
My voice shook as I spoke.
How could he say such a thing and then just move on? If Kondou was really dead, didn't that deserve a moment or two?
Saito glanced at me.
"…Kondou is…"
He then glanced over at Hijikata, his eyes asking whether or not he should continue.
"Tell me what happened, Saito."
Hijikata's voice was clipped and tight.
Saito held his gaze for a moment longer, then nodded.
"We have been told that at the end of April, Chief Kondou was…beheaded at the Itabashi execution site."
I swallowed.
He hadn't even been give the chance to retain his honor and take his own life. He'd simply been beheaded, like a common criminal.
Perhaps Hijikata had expected that…
"Hrm. Didn't even let him kill himself…"
His voice was controlled and unsurprised, but…
Deep within his eyes, I could see a bottomless, yawning despair.
Whatever facade he might erect, Kondou's death had been a blow straight to his heart. He would not recover from it easily.
Later that night, Heisuke and Sanan came to visit Hijikata.
As members of the Fury Corps, they had been resting when we arrived in the afternoon.
Sanan glanced up from where he was resting.
"Your arrival has the castle in something of an uproar. It woke me somewhat earlier than usual."
His smile was unreadable, but Heisuke's emotions were not so difficult to determine.
"I heard you got hurt pretty bad, Hijikata. Didn't think we'd see you again so soon."
Hijikata gave him a bitter smile.
"Well, I couldn't just sit on my ass once I heard there were battles happening all over the place."
He sounded calm and relaxed enough, but I knew he wasn't that way on the inside.
I'd felt depressed ever since we learned that Kondou had passed away, but that was nothing compared to what Hijikata had to be feeling.
Sanan glanced at Hijikata then back to Heisuke.
"We should be on our way, then. Our work begins at night, after all."
Heisuke nodded.
They were halfway to the door when Hijikata spoke.
Oh, yeah. Heisuke, you think you could tell Saito to come by?"
Heisuke turned back a bit startled.
"Huh? Uh, sure… I'll go do that right now."
He cocked an eyebrow in question, but when no further explanation seemed forthcoming he simply nodded.
"Hijikata, you only just got here. You really should rest tonight."
He gave Hijikata a quick grin, then turned and left.
With Heisuke and Sanan gone, the room fell into a somewhat awkward silence.
Hijikata hadn't told me to leave, but it seemed unlikely that he would start talking to me either.
"Um…"
I'd opened my mouth to speak in a desperate attempt to break the silence, when the door slid open and Saito stepped in.
Without even waiting for him to sit, Hijikata began to speak.
"From now on, I'll be commanding from the front line."
I nearly shrieked.
"What?!"
If we were to be fighting on the front line, the violence would be intense. Hijikata still hadn't fully healed… Was he healthy enough to put himself in that kind of danger?
"Do you intend to die in battle?"
Saito's face betrayed no emotion.
"…No, I won't go out that easy. You've been out there. Only right for the chief to take that burden off you, right?"
The chief heading to the front line would raise morale, that was certain, but…
Hijikata was the core of the Shinsengumi. If he died, they would collapse.
"You raise an excellent point, sir," Saito said, calmly. "If you mean to take my place, however…"
The air suddenly felt thick as Saito's hand fell to his sword.
"…I must first ask that you defeat me. If you cannot best me, then only death awaits you on the front lines."
My eyes went wide.
"Saito?!"
But Hijikata only shook his head and smiled.
"Heh. Getting a little full of yourself without me around to put you in your place?"
His mouth twisted into a grin as his sword slid from its scabbard.
"Hijikata, not you too!"
They didn't mean to kill one another of course, but…
"Please, stop this! You're friends! You shouldn't be fighting each other!"
Hijikata turned his eyes to me, and they were as cold as ice.
"You. Shut up, and stay out of this."
"Hijikata…"
He wasn't going to listen to me; that much was clear. All I could do was be silent and watch.
They stood for several long seconds unmoving.
Then, in the same moment, they both exploded into motion.
Swords collided.
They struggled for a moment, swords grinding, until-
"What?!"
Hijikata was thrown back to sprawl across the floor.
Even only partially healed, he still had far greater strength than a human, and he wasn't the sort of person to have gone easy on Saito.
Saito's hair had gone white and his eyes blood red.
He wouldn't…
"This war is not so easy that you might rush to the front line without your full strength."
I blinked, finding this sight hard to digest.
"Saito…"
There was no doubt that Saito was a fury.
"Did you drink the Water of Life…?"
His eyes flicked to mine.
"Don't you worry yourself with me. I made my own decision."
"…"
I didn't know what to say.
The simple fact that Saito had become a fury said more about the battles he'd been fighting then words ever could.
His crimson gaze returned to Hijikata.
"I understand why it is that you wish to fight. That is why I cannot allow you to."
There was a calm finality to Saito's voice as he slid his sword back into its scabbard.
"Perhaps you would be able to forget your pain in the midst of battle… But I can't afford to let you do that. You cannot be permitted to turn a blind eye to our problems."
Hijikata slowly put his own sword away, then stood silently, looking into Saito's eyes.
"Because…I'm the chief now?"
Saito's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Because you're the one who can unify the Shinsengumi."
He sighed.
"Leave the front line to us. You, Hijikata, should remain here and plan out our strategies."
Hijikata's eyes narrowed.
"Fine. The front line's yours till my wounds heal."
Saito gave him an almost imperceptible smile.
"Thank you."
Then he turned to face me.
"Um…yes?"
"I leave Hijikata in your care. Don't let him out of your sight until he's healthy again."
"…Right!"
I nodded and gave Saito what I hoped was a reassuring smile.
He inclined his head to me, turned to Hijikata to bow, and then left.
As soon as he was gone, Hijikata's face darkened and his brows drew together.
"So Saito thinks I need a babysitter, huh?"
I frowned at him.
"He's just worried about you. That's all."
I didn't really know how effective of a, well, babysitter I could be, but Saito had put his trust in me. I had to at least give it my best shot.
"I know you're anxious to get back into battle, but you need to rest, all right?"
He gave a bitter laugh, then suddenly stopped.
"Gah-?!"
He clapped a hand to his stomach in pain.
"Hijikata?!"
He started to shake, and his hair and eyes changed color. The bloodlust had taken hold of him and he began to moan in pain.
"Hijikata, um…"
I moved toward him, and I saw in his eyes that he already understood.
I tugged at my collar, loosening it like it'd done before.
He bent toward me, and I felt a sharp pain on my neck.
"…"
I stayed as still as I could. His hot breath panted across my neck, but as he drank it slowly began to calm and I felt relief wash over me.
If I could take away even a little of his pain this way, then I wanted to do so.
Eventually, he pulled back. There was pain on his face, but not from the bloodlust.
"This can't go on forever…"
"Huh…?"
His mouth twitched up into a sour half-smile.
"You. Me. This war. …Everything…"
"Hijikata…"
His eyes were distant, and he didn't even seem to hear me.
I couldn't find the words to describe it, but something felt…strange. Wrong.
By the time Hijikata's injuries had fully healed, it was nearly mid-August.
Battle still raged across the Aizu Domain, but little by little the advantage seemed to be moving to the Imperial Army. Our troops were being driven into a corner.
Then one day, Shimada burst into the room, gasping for breath.
"I've got news from Otori!"
Immediately, all eyes were on him. News from Otori meant that something serious had happened.
"He said we're going to mount a counterattack in Sendai."
Sendai was the leader of the Northern Alliance.
In other words, they were allies to the Aizu, as well as the troops loyal to the former shogunate.
Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the Aizu men on the front line fell to the Imperial Army, so the leaders of our army had decided to gather all their forces in Sendai to stage a strong counterattack.
"Our navy has already escaped Edo, and is headed north via ship."
Hijikata appeared amused by this.
"Ballsy plan he's got there."
He smiled.
"Might as well bet all our men on one big counterattack instead of waiting for them to get hacked to pieces, huh?"
Excitement glittered in Hijikata's eyes. Apparently he approved of Otori's plan.
Sanan glanced at Hijikata.
"Then I will go to Sendai first. We should establish a stronghold for when the main body of men arrives."
"You…?"
True, someone had to go first, at the very least to establish a base for the Shinsengumi.
We'd also likely need to pay our respects to the leaders of the Northern Alliance.
"It just seems a little dangerous to have our representative be from the Fury Corps…"
Sanan gave me a smile.
"I'm from Sendai, you know. I have some connections there. I think I would be the best choice for our advance guard, so to speak."
When he continued, it was in a voice barely above a whisper.
"There's…something else that's been bothering me as well."
"...Bothering you?"
He nodded and smiled, but it seemed that was all he'd tell me.
What could be bothering him…?
"But...Sanan," started Heisuke, who also appeared unsure about this plan. "You're supposed to be dead, aren't you? Seems like that could be an…issue."
He was right. When Sanan drank the Water of Life and became a fury, the Shinsengumi had announced to the world that he was dead.
But Sanan only continued smiling.
"A minor detail, easily dealt with."
"…"
True, Sanan had something of a silver tongue. I had no doubt he could talk his way out of awkward questions about his death.
Shimada spoke next.
"Well, in that case, Sanan probably is the best choice."
He didn't seem entirely comfortable with it, but there was no denying the intelligence of Sanan's argument.
Hijikata, however seemed completely appalled by the idea.
"No, the Fury Corps isn't cut out for that. You still can't stand to be up during the day."
Hijikata himself was proof that wasn't entirely true, and his refusal therefore seemed somewhat half-hearted.
"It's difficult, certainly, but not impossible. I don't see any reason to just follow behind the rest of the army, and I'd be glad to push myself for this."
I didn't doubt Sanan's ability to do what he said, but I did question the validity of his motives.
Hijikata and Sanan stared at one another, silent.
Shimada, not wanting another fight to break out said, "There's, ah, more to his message."
He coughed awkwardly.
"Otori will be leading Denshu Company to Bonari Pass, in hopes of stopping the enemy advance. I believe he means to buy time so that our allies can head toward Sendai, but…"
Heisuke seemed suddenly concerned.
"Isn't Bonari Pass the front line right now?"
His brows drew together.
"I understand what Otori's trying to do, but I don't think it's going to be that easy to buy time."
I shared Heisuke's concerns: could Otori's troops really hold back the far more powerful Imperial Army?
Hijikata sighed.
"If we want Otori to come back alive, we need to send some reinforcements with him to Bonari Pass."
He frowned.
Sanan scowled.
"I disagree. If we are to win at Sendai, we must arrive there at full strength, fresh, and ready for battle."
Heisuke suddenly turned on him.
"But if we don't send someone to reinforce him at the pass, we're just abandoning Aizu to the Imperial Army."
Hijikata said nothing.
The Shinsengumi owed much to the Aizu Domain, but if he was to be victorious in Sendai, then the Shinsengumi had to depart. All of it.
It was not an easy decision to make.
"I will remain with the Aizu."
"What…?"
Until that moment, Saito had been silent. When he spoke, I almost jumped.
"When my life ends, I want to be able to look back on it and say that I was true to myself and fought for my beliefs. Without the patronage of the Aizu Domain, the Sinsengumi would never have become what it is. I could not abandon them now and keep my honor. I wish to stand with them until the end comes to claim us both."
For once, it seemed Saito's personal convictions were not entirely in line with the Shinsengumi's. He spoke with the same calm conviction as always; it was clear he would not be swayed.
"I will go to Bonari Pass. Hijikata, please take the rest of our men to Sendai."
"Saito, you-"
Hijikata had barely opened his mouth before Sanan cut him off.
"Then I'll go prepare to depart. The early bird get the worm, yes?"
Before giving Hijikata a chance to reply, he stood and left the room.
Heisuke didn't seem particularly happy about how things had turned out, but after a moment of furious thought he stood up as well.
"Well, I guess I'll head out with Sanan. I don't really want to let him out of my sight, you know."
He gave a sort of lopsided grin.
Hijikata nodded.
"Yeah… That's probably smart."
His face was grim.
Still trying to digest that we were losing yet another of our friends I glanced at Heisuke with a sad smile.
"Be careful, Heisuke."
"Hey, it's me!"
He gave me a kind smile and wink, and then dashed out the door and after Sanan.
Hijikata then turned to Shimada.
"I need you to go tell Otori and the Aizu what we've decided."
"Understood, sir. I'll be off as soon as I can."
He bowed, and left.
Saito turned once again to face Hijikata. Whether or not he'd been waiting until the room emptied to do so, I wasn't sure.
"Hijikata, please survive."
His eyes were serious.
"In the Shinsengumi, you and Kondou have laid out the path of the true samurai."
Even when they were slandered and despised by the people of Kyoto, or when the shogunate had begun to capitulate to the Imperial Army, they had never bent, never compromised what they stood for.
"Our standard of truth is a banner for all true warriors. The Shinsengumi represents all samurai. We lead the way."
In every warrior's soul was honor, dedication, and loyalty; in the Shinsengumi those values were made flesh. There could be no retreat.
Saito and Hijikata looked at one another silently for a moment.
"As a man that made the Shinsengumi into what it has become, it must be your duty, Hijikata, to carry that standard."
Hijikata sighed and flashed a bitter smile at his friend.
"You make it sound so easy."
His smile widened.
"I'll promise you this, though: I'll stick around till either the Shinsengumi's dead, or I am."
Saito bowed.
"Thank you, Chief."
Then he turned to me.
"I leave Hijikata in you care."
So few words, but with such great emotion behind them…
"Right. We'll be fine…"
I nodded.
"After all…"
I grinned.
"I don't think Hijikata could die even if someone killed him."
Saito's eyes widened in surprise.
"I've seen him on the verge of death lots of times, but he always pulls through… Don't worry about him. He'll fight with the Shinsengumi forever. So…"
I set my jaw and looked Saito straight in the eye.
"Please don't die, Saito."
The battle at Bonari Pass was sure to be an intense one. Many men would lose their lives.
But there was a tremendous difference between going into battle prepared to die, and going into battle expecting to die.
Hijikata sighed and gave me an unusually kind smile.
"I won't die even if I get killed? That's quite a statement, kid."
He let out a quiet snort of laughter.
He then turned back to his dear friend.
"If you've got time to worry about me, maybe you oughta be worrying about yourself too, Saito."
He said it as a joke, but there was no mistaking the underlying sincerity.
Saito looked at us both for a moment, then his face wrinkled in a soft smile.
"I won't die easily either. After all, I will be fighting in the name of the Shinsengumi."
He turned his eyes to me.
Thank you for your kind gesture."
I accompanied Hijikata to Sendai.
Concerned about Saito, Hijikata left Shimada with him in Aizu. Perhaps the two of them would be able to overcome the dangers that Saito would have been unable to alone.
Leaving Saito and Shimada turned out to be much more difficult than I had imagined. I spent so much time with them…
All I could do was pray that they would survive, and that we would meet again some day.
As September began, the cold autumn wind blew down on the main body of the Shinsengumi as they arrived in Sendai.
The trip had been easy enough, but upon our arrival we encountered a new problem: Sanan and the Fury Corps were nowhere to be found.
Heisuke, too, was incommunicado.
From the villagers in Sendai, we heard disturbing rumors that murder had been on the rise in recent days.
We scarcely wanted to think about it, but…it hardly seemed like it could be coincidence.
Upon reaching Sendai Castle, we were greeted by a man in western garb. As soon as he laid eyes on Hijikata his face split in a grin.
"Long time no see, Hijikata."
Hijikata nodded and gave the man a friendly smile.
"I'm glad to see you're doing well, Enomoto."
The man was Takeaki Enomoto.
He had been the shogunate navy's second in command.
When Edo had surrendered to the Imperial Army without a fight, he had taken his flagship Kaiyomaru, captured eight more battleships, and left.
He'd taken his new fleet to Sendai and arrived before we had.
A saddened look washed over his features.
"Have you already heard about Kondou?"
Hijikata only nodded.
"I apologize for having been unable to help. Our country has lost a truly great man."
Even I could tell the Enomoto's grief was real. It was a small moment, perhaps, but it was easy to see from it that Enomoto was a good man.
Hijikata sighed and then graced the man with another kind smile.
"He would've been happy to hear you say that."
He then gave a short, melancholy laugh, but his eyes were peaceful.
"But he wouldn't want us to stand around crying about him. He'd want us to get to work. Can you give me a rundown of the situation in Sendai?"
Enomoto gave him a bitter smile.
"You're right, Hijikata. Unfortunately, the news isn't very good."
I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach.
"To begin with, there's something wrong at Sendai Castle. I'm not sure what they're thinking… I've requested an audience, but haven't received a response."
To ignore an official request was an odd response for someone like Enomoto to receive from a domain.
"There's a suspicious group of men running around Sendai. …Well, there are rumors, at least."
I blinked, suddenly worried.
"Suspicious…? How?"
"Well, there have been more murders here lately. And the rumors say some of the murderers ran back here to the castle…"
"…"
Suspicious men running amok in Sendai, possibly murdering civilians… Sanan and the Fury Corps unreachable…
It wasn't difficult to put two and two together. Hijikata and I looked at one another. There was no doubt that we were thinking the same thing.
"Whatever the case, if this continues, we won't be able to take action. Perhaps if we could arrest these murderers, and restore peace in this area…"
Hijikata's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Enomoto… Think maybe you could leave the murders to me?"
Enomoto opened his mouth to protest, but something in Hijikata's gaze made him change his mind, and he closed his mouth again thoughtfully.
"All right. I'll leave this one to you. No more questions from me."
"Um…"
I spoke up just as Enomoto turned to go. There was something I had to ask…
"Have you heard anything about Okita…?"
Enomoto had been in Edo long after we'd left. Perhaps…
…But he shook his head.
"Okita… One of the incredible Shinsengumi captains, right? No, unfortunately I haven't heard anything."
My shoulders slumped as I lowered my gaze to the ground.
"Oh…"
However, I quickly looked back up.
"Well, thank you anyway…"
He smiled and shook his head.
"No, my apologies that I didn't have better news for you."
I bowed politely, and he smiled and walked away.
"…"
Enomoto was a kind, candid man. I had a feeling he was well-liked by his men, and he seemed to get along well with Hijikata.
I confess I felt rather relieved.
…But not entirely, however. The dark cloud above our heads had merely lightened, not lifted.
I glanced at Hijikata and spoke in a quiet voice.
"…Do you think Sanan is the one killing people?"
His face was drawn.
"Can't say. You heard the same things I did. No way to know for sure, but… If he is… I'll have to kill him."
"Hijikata…"
His mouth tightened into a line.
"He got pretty freaked out when he heard where a fury's power comes from. Might be he's pretty depressed right now. Maybe crazy."
I frowned.
"True…"
It certainly seemed likely that Sanan was responsible for the murders, but I hoped with all my heart that he wasn't.
If the truth turned out to be different, then I didn't doubt Hijikata would kill him without hesitation, whether he wanted to or not.
His expression softened.
"Strange things are afoot in Sendai, Chizuru. We can't be careless. I'd like to know what Heisuke's up to, but our priority is figuring out what's behind these murders. Got it?"
I nodded.
There were plenty of questions I wanted to ask him, but he had other things on his mind. It wasn't the time.
The following day, Hijikata began his investigation.
I tried to convince him that his body needed rest, not the stress of a murder investigation; I might as well have tried to lift a horse.
That was how I found myself lounging around our rooms while Hijikata went off on round with the rest of the soldiers.
I was so engaged when an unexpected visitor arrived.
"Heisuke?!"
Perhaps it was only from being up and about during the day, but he looked especially pale.
"Where's Hijikata?!"
"He's off doing rounds at the castle…"
Heisuke was clearly upset about somethin, but he paused for a moment to rein himself back in.
He frowned.
"Ah… Well, can you give him a message for me?"
I nodded.
"Hijikata's been very worried about you guys. We couldn't get a hold of you…"
He sighed and closed his eyes.
"…I figured as much…"
He shook his head in apology and frustration, but he was still clearly Heisuke.
There was no way he was out murdering people.
"Can you tell me what's going on…?"
He nodded vigorously.
"Yeah. I can tell you everything that's happened since we got to Sendai. Just make sure you pass it on to Hijikata."
"All right…"
He took a calming breath and then began.
"Sendai Castle isn't being cooperative. Chances are they're being pressured somehow by the Imperial Army. At least, that's my guess. So we looked around a little more, and while we were doing that we found out that Kodo's actually in Sendai."
"What?!"
My father had been forced to do research on the furies by the rebels before war broke out, or at least that's what we'd thought.
But…now he was here, in Sendai?
Heisuke frowned, seeming suddenly nervous.
"Yeah… And…uh…Kodo seems to be leading a unit of furies in the Imperial Army."
He'd grown suddenly awkward, possibly because he realized this news wasn't exactly pleasant for me.
"Well, we figured we couldn't just let that slide, so we started watching their furies, seeing where they were going and stuff…"
"…And?"
"Well, I… I saw Sanan meet with Kodo."
"What…?"
Heisuke explained that Sanan had told him they'd be more likely to get spotted if they moved together and had gone off on his own.
Some time after they'd split up, Heisuke had seen Sanan meeting with my father.
"I…don't know what Sanan's up to."
It was certainly possible that Sanan could learn what was really going on by speaking with my father, but…
If there was an entire unit of furies under my father's command, then meeting with him under false pretenses seemed awfully dangerous.
Like charging into an enemy line alone…
"You mean you'd like him to talk to you if he's going to go do something dangerous?"
Heisuke frowned.
"No, see, it wasn't just once or twice. He's been meeting with Kodo a lot, and if I bring it up, he just dodges the question. He doesn't act like he's got any plans to contact the rest of the Shinsengumi. I just didn't know what to do… I heard Hijikata was in Sendai, so I snuck away and came here."
It was the middle of the day, which meant Sanan was probably still sleeping. Heisuke was clearly suffering from being out with the sun, but the opportunity had been too good to miss.
"That must have been hard on you…"
I'd just let my eyes fall to the floor, not sure what else to say, when several strange men suddenly leapt into the room.
"What?!"
Without even bothering to speak, they lunged at Heisuke, swords already out and shining.
"He dodged the attack easily, drawing his own sword as he moved.
With a snarl, Heisuke struck out at one of the men before he had a chance to recover.
"Gyaaaaaaah!"
The man staggered back, blood pouring from his arm.
But even as I watched, the wound closed and the blood stopped.
"Furies?!"
Heisuke's eyes shot to me.
"Run, Chizuru!"
But then, just as I turned-
"Hold on… There's no need for that."
"What…?"
The voice was…familiar. Very familiar.
I slowly turned toward it.
My eyes shot wide open.
"Father…?!"
The men who'd attacked Heisuke didn't seem to see this as a sign that they should stop, and they continued to advance on Heisuke, swords glittering.
Although he was clearly their superior in regard to swordsmanship, he was outnumbered and the daylight had weakened him: he moved more slowly and his strikes weren't as sure.
The men my father had brought, however, showed no indication of being similarly affected.
My father gave them a proud smile.
"Aren't they wonderful? Furies no longer restrained by the cycles of day and night."
If what he said was true, they had indeed been improved, but I could hardly say that I saw them as "wonderful".
I turned on him with angry eyes.
"Father, please! Stop them!"
His eyes widened as if he's only just remembered and he looked over to Heisuke with a smile.
"Ah yes, I don't know how to thank you. Without you, it would have taken me much longer to find my daughter."
Heisuke glared at him.
"You followed me!"
He spat out through gritted teeth.
My father ignored him and turned back to me. His voice was soft.
"I've come to get you. At last, we'll be able to restore our clan."
"Clan…? You mean the Yukimura?"
He smiled and nodded.
"With these superior furies, restoring the glory of our clan with be child's play."
He was talking nonsense.
…Or perhaps I simply didn't want to understand.
"You're planning to use furies to restore the Yukimura lineage to power?"
"Yes I am. I've done all of this for you."
I stood stunned for a moment, then shook my head.
I can't go with you, Father. I don't want glory if it comes from violence."
I gave him a shaky smile hoping that it might help him accept my refusal.
Instead, he walked closer.
I tried to back away, but there were furies blocking my way.
A pained look flashed in his eyes.
"You've been with the Shinsengumi for too long. They've corrupted you."
"What? No!"
I hadn't changed… He had.
Heisuke's sudden cry broke into my thoughts.
"Goddammit! Get off me, you bastards!"
He'd managed to keep the furies at bay with his sword, but we were both completely surrounded.
"Father…"
"If we just sit down and talk this through, I'm sure you'd understand."
"I-!"
Then he drove his fist into my stomach.
Stars leapt up before my eyes, the world went dim, and I slipped into unconsciousness.
When I awoke, I was in a room I didn't recognize.
"Where… Where am I?"
My words had been more for myself than anything, as I didn't expect an answer, but to my surprise a familiar voice spoke from behind me.
"You're in Sendai Castle."
I turned around, my eyes widening.
"Sanan…?"
And next to him was my father.
"What's going on?"
Not particularly specific, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.
"I met with Kodo secretly here in Sendai, and we've agreed to work together in order to do research on the furies."
"Then…you're working with the Imperial Army now?"
Sanan gave a strained smile.
"Is that what you think…? Interesting… Well, perhaps that is true."
His smile became teasing.
"…"
My father looked at me, concerned.
"How are you feeling, Chizuru? I tried not to hit you too hard…"
"Oh…"
It was a sick parody of kindness, but there was something in his tone that reminded me of the father I remembered…
I hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"Yeah… I'm okay."
He had kidnapped me, true, but he hadn't tied me up or shackled me in any way. That was unexpected.
Perhaps…
Sanan seemed to know what I was thinking and glanced at the doorway.
"I wouldn't suggest attempting to escape. We could make that…difficult."
"Okay…"
So long as Sanan and my father were in the room, then escape was hopeless.
"In any even… It was reckless of you to bring her here, Kodo."
Sanan's face was bitter as he looked at my father.
"Hijikata is no fool. He may well be on to our plan."
My father's brow furrowed.
"You were the one who told me that if I wanted to know where my daughter was, all I had to do was follow Toudou to the Shinsengumi."
Sanan sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yes, I did, but I never suggested we ought to kidnap her."
He opened his eyes again and his expression softened.
"Well, what's done is done. No point arguing about it. We need to be thinking about what this could mean, and plan for it."
My father smiled and relaxed.
"You needn't worry about the future."
His eyes were narrow, and his voice confident.
"I'm sure the furies I left to deal with young Toudou will return to the castle soon."
I just about choked on my gasp.
"What?! What did they do to Heisuke?!"
…But I already knew the answer.
If he let Heisuke go, the first thing he would do would be to tell Hijikata everything, and then the jig would be up.
"I doubt he survived. After all, I did bring quite a few of them."
Heisuke was an excellent swordsman and a fury, but…
The furies my father had brought didn't seem to have any trouble in sunlight…
Heisuke, on the other hand, had looked pale and weakened.
"…"
I felt my heart clench with worry, then suddenly-
"Really? C'mon, why you gotta just assume I'm dead? Hurts my feelings…"
I cried out with joy.
"Heisuke?!"
And behind him…
"Chizuru, you alright?"
He spared me a quick, concerned glance, then his eyes flicked back to Sanan and Kodo.
"I'm fine!"
I nodded vigorously, and Hijikata let out a short snort of laughter.
My father stared, seeming to lose his nerve.
"What?! But my furies are better…! How could you have destroyed them all?!"
Hijikata gave him a wry smile.
"Better? If you say so, old man, but if you wanna take out the Shinsengumi you'll need about ten times what you sent."
My father seemed now at a loss for words.
Sanan, however, seemed completely unruffled by their appearance.
"Ah… I figured you'd show up here soon… You didn't bring any of the men, though… Well, I suspected you wouldn't. Still, doesn't it seem rather reckless for the two of you to just charge headlong into unknown enemy territory?"
Hijikata leveled his cold, piercing glare at Sanan and when he spoke his voice was as frigid as frozen steel.
"Explain. Why didn't you contact us?"
Sanan's face fell just a little bit.
"There's nothing for you in Sendai. The Northern Alliance plans to leave the war."
I blinked.
"What…?"
The Sendai Domain, the leader of the alliance, was trying to avoid the war.
It his almost like a physical blow.
Sanan continued.
"They heard about all the losses in Aizu… Perhaps they got scared."
At that point, my father seemed to decide that there was little point to keeping anything more hidden.
"I was given orders by the Imperial Army to come to Sendai. They told me to take the castle with my furies, and completely annihilate the Nothern Alliance. But that's not what I wanted to do. I can't agree with their ideology or politics, and at any rate the Sendai were already preparing to flee. A little pressure, and I was able to keep them from doing anything."
Sanan nodded as if to confirm what my father said. He then turned back to Hijikata.
"We found common ground in our distaste for the Imperial Army, and decided to seize Sendai ourselves. In return for not attacking the castle directly, Kodo was given tacit consent to remain by the domain. That allowed us to increase our furies in number."
I frowned and stared pleadingly at my father.
"Does this mean you're on the side of the former shogunate's army?"
He gave me a warm smile.
"I'm on your side, Chizuru. I have no intention of taking part in mankind's disputes. Let us bring retribution to the humans who destroyed our clan. We will forge a new kingdom with our own hands."
"Father…"
So he meant to declare war against all of mankind then? No…not even for my father would I do such a thing.
But before I could answer, a whole crowd of men poured into the room.
"Ah, they seem to have noticed the intruders."
There was still a smile playing about Sanan's face.
"Not only does this castle hold the furies of the Imperial Army, but also the Shinsengumi's Fury Corps."
Then we would have to contend not only with our own furies, but also with my father's much more dangerous improved ones.
"All of the furies that exist in this country are gathered in this castle. They are a force powerful enough to overcome even the newest western firearms of the Imperial Army."
That they were powerful, I had no doubt.
But in their eyes I saw only madness; the mindless hunger and lust for blood of an animal starved too long.
There was no humanity there.
My father smiled proudly at me.
"Please give us your help, Chizuru. We need you to lead us. You must command these furies and restore your demon clan."
"Father…"
I…
I didn't care about restoring the Yukimura clan.
I didn't want to create more furies so that blood could drive them mad.
I didn't want to see any more people suffer.
"Father… You're wrong."
His eyes went wide.
But I pushed on.
"Building a kingdom on the corpses of others isn't right! Human or demon, every life is precious!"
His mouth gave in shock.
Sanan turned to Hijikata.
"I believe Kodo was saying that he'd be willing to assist the Shinsengumi. So what do you think, Hijikata? Would you like to lead this army of furies against the Imperial Army?"
Hijikata's reply was immediate and certain.
"You know the answer."
Hijikata had been opposed to the furies from the beginning, and had never approved of Sanan;s research into them after my father's disappearance.
I doubted he'd changed his mind about them.
Sanan sighed.
"Very well…"
He drew his sword slowly from its scabbard.
"Sanan?!"
Did he mean to attack his own friend?!
I stiffened, but Hijikata didn't move toward his own blade. He remained still, coolly contemplating Sanan.
Almost as if someone had dumped paint on it, Sanan's hair slowly changed to white.
He raised his sword-
"Gyaaaaaaaah!"
A single cut and the fury was dead.
"All a fury exists for is battle, and now we've taken that away from them…"
Sanan's mouth twisted into a sad smile as he looked down at the man he'd just killed.
"The least I can do for them is let them die here, in battle."
The room fell silent.
Then it exploded in noise-the enraged battle cries of the furies; the click and rattle of swords being drawn.
"Heisuke-"
"I know!"
Heisuke dropped into a fighting stance and slipped his hand around the hilt of his sword. His hair turned white.
"Sanan, this is way too badass for an old guy like you! Why didn't you tell us?!"
"Well, as they say, to fool your enemies you must first fool your friends."
Their faces split into grins as their swords whistled and sparked, fury after fury falling before them.
"Besides, doesn't the hero's right-hand man make the best villain?"
Hijikata responded with a bark of wry laughter, and drew his own sword in a flash of silver light as his hair turned white as well.
"Still means the hero gets stuck cleaning up the damn mess."
As their three swords spun and hissed through the air, blood gushed and splattered, painting the walls of Sendai Castle a deep red.
They looked like three gods of death, drowning their foes in a sea of blood.
"…"
I noticed that my mouth had gone dry, and my hands had begun to shake.
"Then…everything you told me was a lie…?"
My father seemed…deflated.
"You said you wanted to do more research on the furies in the kingdom of demons… Why, Sanan?"
Sanan looked over at him sword in hand, spattered with blood.
"I saw the end…"
He gave a sad chuckle.
"I was trying to discover a way for furies to live past their…limits. Learning who short our lifespan has made me impatient. If I wanted to continue my research, then I would have to dirty my hands…"
He frowned, disappointed in himself.
Every suspicious thing he had done had been in service of a single goal: saving his fellow furies.
"The furies have no future. You know that as well as I, Kodo."
It was the truth, but it hit like a physical blow.
"No matter how resistant you make them to sunlight, they will push themselves too hard, and their lifespans will shrink and the bloodlust will drive them mad."
My father simply stood there, dumbstruck.
Sanan had confirmed the truth we'd all suspected: there was no way to save the furies.
"We are a mistake; a failed experiment. Furies are not something that should exist on this Earth. Let's end this."
"…"
Sanan's true intentions had left me surprised and shocked, as had his admission that the furies were a failure.
Was he right? Could they never be saved? Had all hope been lost?
I let my mind drift for just a moment, and then saw a shadow move out of the corner of my eye-
"Ah-!"
"Graaaaaah!"
Suddenly there was a fury only feet from me, his eyes red and mad with bloodlust.
I reached for my sword-
I was a little too late.
Before my hand had even touched the hilt of my sword, I saw the fury's blad sweeping down toward me-
"Huh?"
There was blood, but it wasn't mine.
No cuts on my body…
Someone had protected me-
"Father?!"
I reached for him as he fell.
The fury pulled back for another swing, one that would likely be the end of both of us-
Then it froze, gurgled oddly, and slid neatly in half, a blade glistening in the center.
The owner of that blade, his face twisted by an emotion I couldn't place, snarled at the corpse as it fell.
"Turn your back on us in a fight, will you? Idiot!"
Hijikata's eyes shifted up, to my father's wound, and I saw his face twitch. Immediately, he moved closer and turned his back to us, sword held at the ready.
My father's weak voice brought my attention back to him.
"Chizuru… Are you…all right?"
It was an effort for him to speak.
The wound he'd taken was undoubtedly a fatal one.
I wanted to scream, but I tried to force a smile to my face.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine. I'm not hurt at all."
Despite my best efforts, my voice shook and cracked.
He looked so...peaceful.
"Our research was…a failure. I…I knew there was no future. For the furies…"
"Father…"
"But I couldn't…give it up. I wanted to bring back your clan… Your family…"
Ever since I'd been young, my father had always tried to do what was best for me. Even now, in his own way, he was still trying…
"It…it seems my fate is to die with the furies. I have… I have done something terrible…"
His voice was getting weaker.
"This is…for the best. Please, Chizuru…don't…cry…"
"…"
I said nothing; I only nodded.
Were I to open my mouth and speak, then the tears would never stop.
He gave me one last smile, sighed, and was gone.
"…"
After what seemed like an eternity, I looked up.
The battle was over. Except for Heisuke, Sanan, and Hijikata, not a single fury was left alive.
Sanan gave a pained smile.
"Kind of a waste, isn't it? That many furies could have been awfully useful…"
I blinked. Had he just made a joke?
Sanan frowned and faced Hijikata.
"The Shinsengumi's lost a lot of it's fighting strength. Do you think we can win the next battle?"
His mouth tightened in concern, but Hijikata replied with a smile.
"You don't win battles by thinking you'll lose them."
Heisuke gave him a smug smile.
"Well, you don't win just by thinking you'll win either."
He then snorted with laughter, then coughed to cover it up.
It was true: The Shinsengumi had lost a lot of furies, but their unity had grown stronger. That was something, at least.
…Or so I wanted to think.
"G-Gaagh!"
A sudden burst of pain wiped the grin from Heisuke's face. Sanan, too, had doubled over in agony. Was it the bloodlust?!
Sanan glanced up with a grim frown.
"Looks like we've…reached our limit."
His voice was oddly calm; almost distant.
"Limit…?"
I gasped.
Had they…had they used up the last of their life?
Heisuke saw my eyes go wide, and gave me an awkward sort of laugh.
"Well, we were some of the first furies."
He was right… They'd been in more battles as furies than anyone else, and all of the strength and healing they'd enjoyed had eaten away at their futures until there was nothing left.
Hijikata looked down, his jaw set.
"Did you know…?"
Sanan smiled.
"What warrior doesn't know his own body?"
His legs suddenly shook violently, and he crumpled to the floor.
Hijikata dropped to his knees and took both of their hands in his own.
Sanan looked up at him with a sad smile.
"I know we have…not always seen eye to eye, but I have always been proud to be a member of the Shinsengumi."
His voice was growing quiet.
Hijikata gave a strained smile of his own.
"You think I didn't figure that out? Any idiot could see you'd do anything for the Shinsengumi."
He was doing his best to act tough, so that Heisuke and Sanan wouldn't worry, but it wasn't easy for him.
"Looks like we're in the lead this time," said Heisuke. "Don't be in too much of a hurry to catch up though, all right?"
Heisuke grinned and tried to keep his tone light, although his voice was starting to fade too. Hijikata gave him a short nod.
"I'm having a hard time buying that 'yes'. You're a little too short-tempered to keep a promise like that…"
Hijikata smiled grimly.
"Shut it, you little brat. You really think I'm gonna take that kind of crap from you?"
Heisuke's face relaxed as Hijikata snarled back at him.
…He'd done that on purpose.
Sanan glanced back at his chief and long time friend.
"You must go north."
He could barely speak now.
"Kodo said that he used water from the northeast when he was refining the Water of Life."
Then…perhaps there was still hope! Perhaps something from the north could repair the damage done to the bodies of the furies.
Heisuke frowned.
"Hijikata… Don't…don't lose sight of what's important, all right? Being reckless doesn't work out so well…"
His voice had grown rough and raspy.
I saw Hijikata's knuckles whiten as he tightened his grip…
But with a sound like sand pouring over a stone, their hands crumbled into ash, and in moments they were no more.
"Hijikata…"
He didn't answer.
He only stared, silent, at the twin piles of ash that sat where his friends had been only moments before.
I felt somehow that he was crying.
There were no tears in his eyes, of course, but even so…somehow he was crying.
I didn't know how long we sat there before he stood up.
"Let's go."
"Okay…"
His voice was curt and clipped, but when he turned to look at me his eyes went suddenly wide and he turned away, uncomfortable.
"Hey, no crying."
I nodded, and tried to stop, but it was no good.
No matter how much I wiped at them, the tears wouldn't stop. In one day-in one hour!-I'd been forced to say goodbye to Heisuke, Sanan, and the father I hadn't seen for more than a year…
They following day Hijikata and Enomoto visited Sendai Castle once again.
Their intent was to discern the leanings of the Northern Alliance, specifically in regard to fighting the Imperial Army.
But it was just as Sanan had said…
News of the losses in Aizu had paralyzed the Sendai leadership with fear, and they were scrambling to make some sort of deal with the Imperial Army.
Enomoto argued that they should give up on the Sendai and move further north.
We also learned that Yoshinobu had already made a deal with the new government, and was currently under house arrest.
That wasn't enough for the new government, however. Satsuma, Choshu, and their allies were still working to take everthing that belonged to the shogun.
Enomoto had made it quite clear that he didn't care for how they were doing things. He argued for founding a new country for those who were being oppressed by the Imperial Army.
That was a decision that would have to be postponed, however, at least until the end of the battle at Bonari Pass. Once that was finished, Otori's men would arrive in Sendai.
After the army was whole again, they'd make their decision.
I heard talk that we might leave the mainland to regroup elsewhere, and asked Hijikata about it.
"Are you going to go to Ezo?"
Ezo was a large island north of Sendai, at least a day's boat ride across the sea.
"Maybe."
He shrugged.
"The Shinsengumi Works for the shogun and the shogunate. That hasn't changed."
"The Shinsengumi shows others the way, right?"
I nodded. Hijikata smiled.
"If the Shinsengumi is something fighting men can believe in, then I'm sure Kondou's happy."
The ideals that Kondou and Hijikata had fought so hard for had been taken to heart by many soldiers and samurai.
Had Kondou still been alive, I had no doubt he would have been pleased.
"Well, that's one more reason not to die, then."
It was a burden on him, undoubtedly, but Hijikata had seen many of his friends lay down their lives for the Shinsengumi and what it represented.
Knowing what it had meant to them, he couldn't allow himself to die.
"As long as men believe in what we stand for, I can't let the Shinsengumi die."
"That's right."
The doubt that I'd seen in him weeks before was gone. He had accepted his place at the head of the Shinsengumi.
Seeing him so at peace made me feel the same.
Hijikata smiled.
"…I have to protect the Shinsengumi."
"Yes…you do."
He looked over at me, his gaze warm.
I felt…good. Just being next to him was enough to make me feel like everything was right with the world.
A few days later, the men we'd left in Aizu finally reached Sendai.
Unfortunately, bad news came with them.
"Saito has fallen in battle."
Shimada struggled with his next words.
"His last words were 'Leave the rest to Hijikata'…"
His jaw was tight with emotion as he spoke. Hijikata had left him in Aizu to watch after Saito. He probably felt especially responsible for the other man's death.
"…"
I bit my lip until it almost bled, trying desperately to keep the tears from my eyes. It didn't seem fair to cry in front of him.
Hijikata gave his friend a pained smile.
"Sorry I put you through that, Shimada. I'm just glad you made it back alive."
He clapped the other man gently on the shoulder, but it was his words that made Shimada's eyes go wide.
"Th-Thank you! …Sir!"
Heisuke and Sanan had died in Sendai, and now Saito had died in Aizu.
Hijikata was the only fury left among the Shinsengumi.
"It's been hard already, but I'm pretty sure things are gonna get worse."
He looked down for a moment as he spoke.
"You've all fought enough."
Shimada set his jaw and looked back at Hijikata.
"I've already given my life to the Shinsengumi, it just hasn't taken it yet. We'll follow you to the end of the world, sir."
The rest of the men nodded and mumbled in agreement.
"We want to fight as the Shinsengumi. We want to fight for the justice we believe in."
Shimada's words brought to mind what Saito had said to me the last time I'd seen him.
The Shinsengumi was united in body and mind.
I felt a great happiness welling up in me and suddenly I couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears spilled forth.
Hijikata gave them a bitter smile.
"…Idiots."
He twisted his face into a sneer, but there was no hiding the warmth in his eyes as he looked out over the men.
Every one of them respected him.
They knew the coming battle would not be an easy one, but there was no doubt in their minds: their place was with Hijikata, and the Shinsengumi.
October came.
The Sendai Domain was moving closer and closer to submitting to the Imperial Army, and it was getting more and more dangerous for us to stay.
Even Otori agreed that we should leave.
Ultimately, it was decided that the Shinsengumi would head to Ezo with Enomoto's fleet.
We left Sendai and headed into the forest.
We'd almost arrived at the rendezvous when Hijikata suddenly stopped and turned to me.
"Chizuru, I want you to stay here."
"What?"
His words stopped me in my tracks.
"…There's gonna be a lot of fighting. You should get away from that. There's no reason for you to stick with us anymore, right?"
"No, there is!"
It came out somewhat louder than I'd intended.
There was no legitimate reason for me to accompany Hijikata and the Shinsengumi, true, but…
I wanted to stay by his side…
"…Kazama'll probably be coming after me soon, but I can take him. You don't need to worry about that."
"No, that's not it!"
Once again I found myself nearly yelling.
"I don't want to stay just because I need you to protect me from Kazama!"
Hijikata sighed and looked away for a moment. When his eyes came back to me, they were cold and quiet. Almost…sad.
"I can't make you happy."
…What?
My eyes went wide.
When I spoke, my voice shook.
"I don't need to be happy. All I want to do is to fight alongside the Shinsengumi. I want to follow the same path you do."
I didn't care what my position might be, so long as I could stay at Hijikata's side.
"Please. I'll do whatever you tell me to."
He gave me a twisted half-smile and crossed his arms.
Finally he sighed and shrugged, defeated.
"Well, I'm touched you feel that way, but I want you to be happy."
"Hijikata…"
He wasn't just saying that to make me feel better; I could feel the sincerity behind his words.
I was happy to know he cared, but…
"Here are your orders, from the Chief of the Shinsengumi."
He looked me in the eye, his voice flat and cold.
"You would impede the function of the Shinsengumi, and will therefore not accompany us to Ezo. You're a woman, and you deserve to have your own life. I can't let us tie you down anymore."
It wasn't a shove; it was barely a gentle tap, but I felt as if I'd been punched.
"No! This isn't what I want-!"
I cried out to him, my voice shaking, but his back was to me and he showed no sign that he heard.
"Hijikata!"
He walked away from me and didn't stop. He didn't even turn to look back at me…
"Hijikata…"
I stood there, stunned. It felt as if the very ground I stood on had begun to crumble beneath me. Despair filled my heart until I though it would shatter, and tears began to pour from my eyes.
"Um…Yukimura…"
I heard a quiet voice behind me, and turned to see who it was.
"Otori…"
"I heard everything."
Otori and his men were marching with us to meet Enomoto's fleet.
I'd heard that he'd been in some of the fiercest battles in Aizu, and they'd changed him. He seemed stronger now, like a samurai.
"I apologize for eavesdropping, but there didn't seem to be a good moment to admit I was here."
He coughed awkwardly, then handed me a small, white piece of cloth.
"What's this…?"
"It's called a, ah, handkerchief. They use them in the west. I thought you could use it to dry your tears…"
"…"
I hesitated for a moment, but it was embarrassing to stand in from of him covered in tears, so I took it.
He waited until I had calmed down some before he began to speak again.
"You want to stay with Hijikata, I take it?"
I nodded.
"Then…will you wait for us? Until we've settled down in Ezo."
"What…?"
"Once we're settled in, I can send for you. I mean, I can hardly leave a crying girl here alone!"
He smiled.
"Otori…"
"Oh, you needn't thank me."
He dismissed my protest with a good-natured wave of his hand.
"Once you get to Ezo, I'll assign you to Hijikata. It won't be easy work, but at least you'll be with him."
(OMG! *starts to sob quietly* TTnTT)