Disclaimer: I don't own any elements of Hakuouki. This story is written for pleasure, not for profit.


A Friend Like You

Chapter 14

"New Additions"

By Lady Yomi


Autumn, November 25, 1863.

"Don't make a mess on the floor when you come in!" grunted old Yumiko from inside the Okiya. "The mat isn't on the floor for decoration's sake!"

"Oh! I, I'm so sorry!" Kondou stopped dead in his tracks and Hijikata crashed face-first into his back. They entered in line after noticing that they couldn't pass through the front door at the same time, apologizing for their rain-dripping uniforms before the fed-up gaze of the housemistress.

"Now, now!" she scolded them. "Apologies won't dry up the water any faster. What do you want here?"

"What a welcome..." Hijikata looked around. It was noon but the room was dark and quiet, completely different from the way it looked during busy working hours. "Did you close early?"

"Our artists need to rest at some point, or do you want them to work day and night non-stop?"

"Can't they take turns? The 'Red Heron' girls have gotten lazy."

"Anyway!" Kondou stepped between the two of them with a conciliatory smile on his face, eager to prevent a new fight from breaking out between the old woman and his Vice-Commander. "We came to talk to the resident tayu about the success of our rescue mission. Is she available?"

"Only if you booked an appointment. You aren't a frequent visitor, so you may be unfamiliar with the establishment's rules."

"W, well... I don't actually remember if I did." He looked over his shoulder to address his companion. "Toshi! Did you request an interview with Ba-san?"

"No."

"W, what do you mean, no?!"

"The Shinsengumi has no need to ask for permission to demand payment for our services."

"Oh, come on!" Kondou ran his hand over his face, whispering to keep Yumiko from hearing his complaints: "What was so hard about booking the appointment? If you didn't know how to write the letter, you might as well have asked Sannan-san to do it!"

"How could I not know how to write a letter?" He laughed under his breath, raising his voice to reiterate his opinion to the geiko: "I didn't book the appointment because the Shinsengumi has no need to ask for permission to demand payment for our services."

The hostess opened her mouth to protest against what she considered an impertinent affront, but was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Ba Makoto; who descended the wooden stairs with her characteristic elegance as she announced: "The shogunate's retainers are always welcome in our humble home. If you wish to visit me, I will gladly grant it."

"Blessed Daimyo!" Kondou muttered, overcome with emotion. "Look, Toshi, it's a real tayu!" He smiled at her as a small child would, ecstatic at the object of his admiration. The courtesans and their gold-embroidered attire belonged to Kyoto's imperial nobility, an exclusive world that seemed unearthly to a simple Edo farmer. Kondou grew up listening to fables about the beauty, wisdom, and legendary skills of Yoshino, a tayu who lived in the seventeenth century, and Ba's appearance plunged him into a sea of childish fantasies that prevented him from concealing his enthusiasm.


"That was excellent! What a wonderful performance!" Kondou exclaimed, clapping from his seat in the little room where Ba had just treated them to a display of her musical expertise. "I've never seen anyone play the shakuhachi so well before!" He pointed to the flute with his index finger, ignoring the jaded look Hijikata shot him from the adjacent seat. "Do we... have to pay you for this, don't we?"

"Of course not, Kondou-san," Ba denied in the tayu dialect and her red lips arched into a placid smile as she explained: "This is a gift to thank you for finding Kosuzu and Kohana-chan."

"It better be a symbolic payment," Hijikata said with folded arms, "because the troops don't eat music."

"Toshi!" Kondou scolded him with wide eyes, dumbfounded at his best friend's bad manners.

"The Shinsengumi should consider themselves fortunate to receive compensation for their services," Ba explained without the smile fading from her face, "especially considering the appalling state in which they delivered Kohana-chan back to us."

"W, we're well aware of that, dearest Ba-san!" Kondou nodded with an energetic bow that glued his forehead to the ground. "Tani-san was severely reprimanded for injuring her left arm with that spear strike!"

"I'm aware that detentions possess an inescapably violent nature, but I think I was extremely specific when I said you were to bring them back unharmed to the Okiya. Kohana-chan won't be able to perform for several weeks thanks to the unsightly sling the doctor placed on her arm, which you can understand is a colossal financial loss to our modest business."

Hijikata held his nose ridge, inwardly cursing Tani and his stupid outbursts of anger. After a few seconds of reflection, he straightened his back and sighed as he accepted the cup the tayu offered him. "I know these are hard times to get by," he admitted, "but the Shinsengumi cannot forgo the payment we were promised just because we failed to meet the specifics of your request. We recovered the maikos and we'll be compensated for it."

"Hijikata-san is the owner of an admirable amount of confidence," Ba conceded as she extended the other cup to Kondou. "The problem is, even if Kohana-chan had come out unscathed from the affair, the Okiya had to spend all its funds on the refunds demanded by the customers who attended our leading maiko's failed show." Hijikata started to protest, but Ba continued: "However, I can propose an alternative gratification that will benefit your respectable association."

"An... alternative gratification?" Kondou blinked slowly. "Please feel free to formulate it. The Vice-Commander and I will be happy to hear it." Hijikata huffed at that, but Kondou didn't hear him since he was bowing again, almost spilling the cup of tea he had just placed on the floor.

"Kohana-chan was the one who organized the escape, so she must be watched more closely than her accomplice. My intention is to have our friends from the Shinsengumi handle that task."

"What?" Hijikata laughed in disbelief and pulled the cup from his lips to ask: "You ask us to guard her when you refuse to pay the rescue? Let me remind you that our group does not do charity work."

"Please, Toshi, maybe we should-"

"Oh, but I remember it perfectly!" Ba pressed her palms together, fingers spread in front of her chest, and smiled kindly at her guests; though Hijikata noticed an unmistakable hint of cunning in her gray eyes. "Re-housing Kohana-chan in the headquarters would go a long way toward improving the Shinsengumi's reputation. It's a pity that the opinion of the people of Kyoto has been influenced by circumstances such as Serizawa-san's excessive passion, Ibuki-san's defection and subsequent kidnapping of two innocent young girls, and also Tani-san's recent attack; a situation that has prevented the festivities organized to celebrate the success of your meritorious mission."

"And how do you think Kohana-chan's presence would change their perception of us?" Kondou said after briefly gesturing to Hijikata to be quiet, since his complaints started to rise in tone as soon as he heard the word "re-housing".

"Kohana-chan has already completed her training to be a geiko, so we decided to hold her erikae; the celebration that marks the beginning of her grade passage. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the event could be held at the Yagi house? I bet the sectors of the population that are dissatisfied with the shogunate's foreign trade policies would look favorably on the Shinsengumi's efforts to preserve our cultural values."

"Wow, you are a very intelligent woman, Ba-san!" Kondou nodded, taking a quick sip from his teacup with a lively laugh. "Maybe this will get the Choshu, Satsuma, and Tosa to approve of our actions and give us a break! Heaven knows we need to sweeten them up as soon as possible!"

"We didn't come here to discuss political matters with a geiko," Hijikata said with a serious frown.

"I'm a tayu, distinguished master."

"Whatever!" He folded his arms. "We can fulfill our duty without anyone's help."

"Wait, Toshi." Kondou put a hand in front of his face, causing the Vice-Commander to grit his teeth in exasperation. "I think Ba-san is right. The shogunate wasn't built on its own, but with the cooperation of all those who longed for peace. The Most Reverend Tokugawa Ieyasu-dono could have executed his enemies' rulers after winning the war, but he chose to turn them into daimyo to assist him in the difficult task of ruling." He clutched his shoulder affectionately as he concluded: "Dialoguing isn't a sign of weakness, but of greatness!"

Hijikata gave a long sigh, unable to oppose Kondou's laudable idealism. After all, that characteristic of his personality was what inspired him to become the Demon Vice-Commander and help him accomplish his dream of becoming a samurai. "For God's sake, Kat-chan," he whispered in a pleading tone of voice. "What the hell are we going to do with another woman in the headquarters?"

"I'm sure Chizuru-chan will appreciate the company," Kondou replied in the same volume, giving him a wink before bowing again to his hostess. "Alright! You can count on us, Ba-san! I promise we'll guard Kohana-chan and make sure her erikae will be a success!"

"I'll put all my hopes on the Shinsengumi, Kondou-san." Ba returned the bow and the many ornaments in her hair produced a metallic tinged music as she stood up. "I have a feeling it will be an unforgettable event."


Okita and Kohana exchanged looks of shock and spite as they passed each other in the inner courtyard of the Yagi family home. Kohana was escorted to her room by Saito Hajime, who was carrying her belongings in a huge cloth bundle. The Shinsengumi's new female resident averted her face to avoid greeting the man she blamed for all her misfortunes. She was convinced that Okita Souji had played a part in helping his companions capture her, probably by pointing them in the direction she had fled or the attire she wore when she did so.

Men who broke their promises were the ones she disliked the most, and that was a lot coming from a girl used to dealing with drunks and scoundrels of all kinds.

"Do you know what is expected of me in this place?" Kohana asked as she and Saito stopped in front of the sliding door. It was two o'clock in the afternoon and the sky was still pouring water, so she shook her umbrella over the garden plants so as not to wet the inside of the house; grimacing in disgust when she noticed that Okita was still watching her with a similar expression on his face, leaning against the wall behind his back with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"I don't know, Furukawa-san, but someone will come to tell you soon."

"And do you know what happened to Ibuki-san?" She straightened up, her countenance tense with worry. "Don't tell me that you forced him to follow that barbaric code of yours. If he was forced to cut out his stomach, I swear that-"

"What I know is that you don't want to get involved in the affairs of the Shinsengumi." Saito placed the package inside the room. "The less you see and the less you ask, the more likely it is that you'll enjoy a peaceful stay."

"I don't intend to enjoy a peaceful stay, but to regain my freedom. I didn't run away from the Okiya to become a slave of the Wolves of Mibu." Saito ignored her statement and proceeded to leave the room, so Kohana protested again: "Why did you let Kosuzu-chan go back home? Didn't we run away together? My punishment shouldn't be any different! Why do I have to stay here?!"

However, her questions fell on deaf ears. Saito closed the door and walked away as if the room was completely empty, causing Kohana to tear off the brooch that adorned her obi and throw it on the floor in a fit of rage. The sudden movement of her shoulder blades brought a sharp pain to her injured arm, forcing her to kneel on the dirty skirt of her kimono. She clutched the sling with her opposite hand and cursed through clenched teeth in frustration, unable to hold back the hot tears that ran down her cheeks.

Damned were Okita, Sanjuro, Ba-san, and the father who dragged her into the world! Damned were all those who refused to let her fly! She sobbed bitterly and cradled herself in an attempt to comfort herself when her troubled mind reminded her that she still had an ace up her sleeve, but that it consisted of irreversible actions such as disfiguring her face, severing her arms and legs or, finally, sticking one of her hair ornaments into her neck and putting an end to her pitiful suffering.

Kohana didn't want to die, but she didn't want to live either; especially if it meant facing such a grim punishment as becoming the Shinsengumi's new private attraction. The Red Heron was a suffocating environment, yes, but Yumiko and Ba's efficient kenban watched over the safety of their protégés, as well as that of the maikos and shikomis under their care, a guarantee she wouldn't have in the lair of the Shogun's dogs.

Why on earth was she being held at headquarters? Although she didn't rule out the possibility of being caught after her escape, she never believed that she would be prevented from returning to the Okiya. Why did Ba-san decide to get rid of her and pass up the chance to further exploit her to increase the establishment's income? Kohana was neither the first nor the last runaway maiko at Shimabara and she knew that such actions only increased the popularity of the performers who were brought back home after a failed escape attempt.

She pressed her eyelids together, moistened by the tears that flowed like pearls from her eyes, as she realized that she had jumped out of the frying pan to fall straight into the merciless fire of the Demon Vice-Commander and his infamous hellish troops.

It was then that the sliding door opened wide and a beam of light broke into the dark room, illuminating her despair-stricken face.

"I can't believe you're crying." Okita rolled his eyes without letting go of the door's edges. "So it turns out that besides being a coward, you're also a crybaby."

Kohana sat up awkwardly upon recognizing him, rubbing her eyes with the sleeve wrapped around her healthy arm until her skin complained with a nagging sting that colored her cheeks a similar shade to her swollen, reddened eyes. "I'm not crying."

"And on top of that, because of Hajime-kun," he sneered with a grin laden with malice as he dropped his arms next to his body. "Chizuru-chan endured him putting his sword to her neck without complaining, but you're whining because he refused to give you the information you wanted. It may take you a while to get it, Kohana-chan, but your cheap maiko tricks won't work on people like us."

"It wasn't a cheap maiko trick, I have a right to know why I'm being held here."

"Rights? Oh." Okita folded his arms and tapped his chin with the index finger of his right hand, heading to the center of the room with a nonchalant gait. "See, that's the problem, you still don't realize that you committed a crime by running away from the Okiya. From what I heard, your owner refused to pay for our services and that's why we're stuck with you."

"Ba-san refused to pay?" Surprise overrode her previous angst and anger at Okita's presence. "Why?"

"No idea, but we can't release you given your fugitive status and your outstanding debt to the Okiya, so you'll have to get used to our way of life and stop crying like a spoiled brat every time you're denied a whim."

"Why are you telling me this?" Kohana frowned, averting her eyes to avoid sending him to hell.

"Remember how you treated me like a pervert and threatened to jump out of the Okiya's window if I came near you?" He paused briefly. "After you escaped, I understood that you knew there was a tarp waiting for you at the bottom, so you pretended to be frightened to buy time while you sought to appeal to my sympathy and convince me not to come after you." Kohana fell silent, but the way she pursed her lips was enough to confirm his suspicions. "I'd have to be an idiot to take the tears of Kyoto's greatest actress seriously. I'm not filling you in on your status to comfort you, but to make you drop the act and spit out the reason why you were carrying Serizawa's damn fan." He pulled the mentioned weapon out of his haori as he concluded: "I bet you would've attacked me if I got in your way, huh?"

"Just because I know how to defend myself doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to challenge a Shinsengumi captain."

"Smart girl, but what about Tani?" He smiled with macabre pleasure as he pointed to his lower lip. "Your fan gave him a nice scar. If it were up to me I would've sent him to meet his ancestors long ago, but the decision-makers wanted him to be captain, so why should I believe you?"

"You don't have to believe me." Kohana clenched her fists and stared at the ground. "Truth is, I don't know what I would've done if you'd tried to stop me. What happened with Sanjuro-san... it was an act of desperation. I didn't even think, I just... reacted and that was it."

Okita arched his eyebrows, surprised by her sudden honesty. He walked to the other end of the room and subjected her to a deep visual scrutiny before asking: "How did you get the fan?"

"I remember seeing you with the group Serizawa-san used to take to the Okiya." She tilted her face to look at him over her shoulder. "Were you friends?"

"Answer what I asked you."

Kohana sighed, closing her eyes with visible exhaustion as she explained: "Serizawa-san was a lover of imperial culture and traditional values, so he held the profession of maikos and geikos in high esteem. He... was a great poet and artist, but his love for our country wasn't enough to improve his bad temper and what I suspect was an incurable disease that pushed him to drink." She turned to face him. "I pray for Serizawa-san to rest in peace, though I don't mourn his death. He won't commit further misdeeds with which to shame his true self and the ideals he professed in the next world."

Okita smiled with a mixture of irony and disbelief. "Is that why you're in love with Ibuki?"

"What?"

"It's obvious that he appreciates the bastard who enslaved him for a year and you seem to be just as blind as he is."

"Ibuki-san and I are just friends. Besides, he's the guy Kosuzu-chan likes."

"The other maiko?"

"Yes, that's why I asked about his whereabouts." She arched her eyebrows as she added: "Are my feelings part of the interrogation or do you want to know if I'm single?"

"Shut up, you don't ask the questions here." He pocketed the fan again with his eyebrows furrowed over his closed eyes, clicking his tongue at the prisoner's audacity. How could she even think of insinuating such nonsense? He quirked his lips as he realized it was typical of a maiko to evade personal questions with flirtatious or witty excuses.

"But I still want to know something else, Okita-san."

"Did Tani hit your head as well as your arm? I said you don't do the-"

"Did you help Sanjuro-san find me?"

Okita grimaced, determined to deny her the answer but unable to resist the chance to mock Tani's incompetence. "Fortunately for you, I wasn't ordered to pursue you and so you got to enjoy the three days of freedom that Tani granted you. Had I been in charge, I would've arrested you before the sun of the first morning rose."

"Wow..." Kohana pouted, puzzled. "I was convinced otherwise, but it's nice to know that Mibu Wolves keep their promises."

"What are you talking about?"

"You said you wouldn't follow me unless you were ordered to, and you kept your word." She bowed deeply as she muttered: "Thank you."

Okita froze, vacillating between being moved or embarrassed by the gesture. Finally, discomfort won the duel and he resolutely withdrew from the room; causing Kohana to feel even more confused than he was as she watched him disappear into the rain that poured down on the Yagi's inner courtyard.


Saito led Ibuki to Hijikata's office after he regained consciousness. The prisoner gulped when he was greeted by the hardened face of the Vice-Commander, who visually inspected him while he signed some documents on the table that served as a desk. "This is the first time I interrogate a corpse."

"Wait! I, I... can explain it, Hijikata-san!" He dropped to his knees before him, pressing his palms to the floor in a desperate attempt to beg for forgiveness.

"No, you can't." Hijikata shook his head. "Heisuke will have to, since he was the one who claimed that you died during Serizawa's assassination."

"What? N, no! Heisuke-san must've got confused! There was a lot of blood and also several of those creepy creatures scattered in the garden! Maybe... he thought I died along with them!"

"That doesn't make sense, Heisuke said he checked the corpse to verify its identity before burying it. It's obvious he helped you escape and he'll pay for lying to his superiors." He rolled his eyes as he muttered: "I can't believe he thought he'd cheat us by cutting your hair."

"Oh, no, you see...!" Ibuki smiled nervously and pointed a trembling finger at his head. "I actually sold my ponytail to pay the rent on that hideous shack you found us in!" The hairs on his arms stood on end as Hijikata pushed the document aside to pay him his undivided attention.

"I didn't summon you here to discuss your defection from the Shinsengumi. Tell me, what were the missing maikos doing on your property?"

"Huh, it's just that..." Ibuki scratched the back of his neck and bit his lower lip. "Well, you see... I was just trying to-"

"Quickly," he interrupted him, his jaw tense with impatience. "I know you're going to lie so don't waste time crafting your alibi."

"Lie? No, of course not! I... confess I was the one who kidnapped them from the Okiya!"

"What?" Hijikata grimaced, perplexed by the unexpected confession. "You say you deprived them of their freedom?"

"That's right!" Ibuki raised his chin to conceal the panic that caused him an uncontainable access of nausea. "I wanted... to enjoy my freedom in the company of Shimabara's best maikos, so don't take too long to p, punish me accordingly, Hijikata-san!"

Hijikata turned his head softly to the right to fix his gaze on Saito, who was guarding the accused with his usual seriousness. "That's what happened, Saito-san?"

Ibuki turned pale. "W, wait a damn minute! Are you saying Saito-san is aware of everything that happened?!"

"Of course, it's his job to know. I ordered him to keep an eye on the rest of the Okiya workers after Kohana's disappearance and it didn't take him long to identify the accomplice who went to the city's outskirts to meet her leader. The only thing we didn't expect was that you were the one who escorted her to that place. Had you been smarter, you would've taken a boat back home."

"But if he was aware of our hideout then why did he wait for that madman Tani to capture us?! Why couldn't he do it himself and stop that guy from giving us a beating?! Kosuzu-chan and Kohana-san didn't deserve to be treated like criminals!"

"And that's how a kidnapper talks?" Hijikata gave a sly smile. "You aren't fooling anyone, you brat. Why do you want to take the blame for what happened? Do you even know how we punish kidnappers? The only payoff you'll get is that Kyoto's citizens will remember your face after we expose your head on a pike."

"P, please, Hijikata-san! You know that, should I prove myself guilty of kidnapping them, then they could resume their careers without their reputations being harmed by this stupid incident! My punishment... would allow them to keep on climbing the ranks without anyone being able to oppose their will!"

Saito's voice sounded as light as a wind breeze when he finally decided to take the word: "And why are you so sure... that they wish to follow that career path?"

"I, it's not that I'm sure, I just think it's the best course of action! I don't want that old bastard woman who controls the Okiya to throw them out on the street!"

"Why does that matter to you?" Hijikata shook his head. "You always prided yourself on being a selfish jerk, but you were willing to be executed just so they could keep their social position."

"Maybe I don't need to be so individualistic, huh?" Ibuki scratched his head, struggling to hide the blush that came to his cheeks. "Anyone would do the same in my place, Kosuzu-chan is a kind girl who doesn't deserve to suffer like this."

"I'm not a proponent of executing altruistic people, and you, Saito-san? Do you think you'll be able to train this punk to become something close to a warrior?"

"It wouldn't be a problem if he's willing to learn."

"W, WAIT A MINUTE!" Ibuki recoiled so fast that he hit his head against one of the standing lamps, letting out a high-pitched yelp from the impact. "Do you think I'm crazy enough to go back to the Shinsengumi?!"

"You would be insane not to accept, since you'd be executed this very afternoon." Hijikata shrugged. "It's not like you have the right to set any conditions given your status as a deserter and all."

"P, please listen to me, Hijikata-san!" Ibuki pursed his lips when he felt numerous beads of sweat start to slide down his forehead. He couldn't let his nerves get the better of him in a situation as delicate as that, so he breathed in and out several times before explaining: "I can't be... part of your ranks after what you did to Serizawa-san! The way you betrayed him... was a terrifying thing to witness!"

"Serizawa-san got what he deserved." Hijikata frowned. "Even if he hadn't drunk the Ochimizu the shogunate would've ordered his execution at a moment's notice, your master went too far with the whole assaulting upstanding citizens and setting fire to their businesses. Don't let the irrational attachment you feel for him blind you to the evils he committed."

"I know his behavior wasn't the best, but he saved my life and I think it's... awful that he left this world in such a violent way."

"If you kill by the sword, you die by the sword, boy. It's time for you to get used to the idea that carrying a weapon in your waist opens you up to becoming someone else's prey."

Saito took the word when the prisoner fell into a long silence; immersed in a tension that was completely understandable to Saito, a man who greatly respected Kondou for helping him escape an unfair imprisonment in the past: "Tani Sanjuro has become a problem that is on its way to wreaking the same kind of havoc that Serizawa-san's presence brought to the group."

"What does that have to do with me?" Ibuki replied, his face hardened with resentment.

"He came close to stabbing Kohana-san just because he got annoyed at her for carrying his enemy's fan. His attitude doesn't align with the values of Bushido."

"I still don't get why Tani's behavioral problems have anything to do with me returning to the Shinsengumi."

"Tani is too unstable to be a captain," Hijikata chimed in. "I asked Saito not to detain the maikos to see how Tani would proceed and, seeing how he behaved like a neurotic baboon in heat, I decided to replace him with you."

"W, what are you saying?" Ibuki's eyes widened. "Are you going to... demote him?!"

"I'd actually prefer to have him executed, but I don't have enough grounds to do so yet." He smiled arrogantly as he added: "The best I can do now is to take away the command power at his disposal, but I must replace him with a swordsman capable of leading the seventh division. You have a lot to learn, Ibuki, so I'll wait for Saito-san to confirm that you're ready to take his place."

"It's just that... damn it! Not only do you want me to return to the Shinsengumi but also be willing to become captain?! That's... absolutely insane!"

"You know you weren't strong enough to defend those girls," Saito sentenced sternly. "Had you not dropped out of the training I was providing you with before you ran away from the headquarters, rest assured that guy wouldn't have been able to touch a single hair on their heads."

"Are you saying it's my fault they were captured?!"

"I'm saying that the best way for Kosuzu-san not to suffer is for you to become a shield that keeps her away from anyone who intends to hurt her."

"I..." Ibuki bit his lower lip. "I want her to fulfill her dreams, more than anything in the world! Kosuzu-chan deserves a better destiny and I... I'm willing to do my best to help her achieve it!"

"Then stop acting like a crybaby and come back to our ranks," sighed Hijikata, massaging his forehead due to how fed up he was with such negotiations. Sannan used to handle diplomatic talks, but his injured arm had him in a foul mood. "You want to become strong enough to protect that brat and I need an excuse to strip Tani Sanjuro of his captain's duties."

Ibuki took a deep breath, aware that joining the Shinsengumi could not only provide him with the money to buy Kosuzu's freedom, but also give him the necessary combat skills to forcibly remove her from the Okiya should things go sour before he could raise the requested amount. "All right, Hijikata-san," he stated with a bow laden with resolution, "I accept your proposal to join the Shinsengumi."

"Good." His Vice-Commander nodded with both firmness and approval as he ordered: "Get out and don't come back to my office until you can wield a katana."


"Hey, Saito-san," Ibuki asked as he followed his teacher through the Yagi's inner courtyard. He covered his head with his hands to avoid getting his hair wet when he remembered that its short length meant he wouldn't have as much trouble drying it, so he lowered his arms and wrinkled his nose when the water splashed onto his face. "You said earlier that Tani's behavior didn't align with the values of Bushido. Doesn't the Shinsengumi execute members who break the warrior's code? Because if so, Hijikata-san already has sufficient grounds to kick him to the other world."

"I said that his attitude didn't align with the teachings of Bushido, not that he broke the code."

"Well, if you ask me, I think Bushido is absolute bullshit." He instantly regretted his words when he received the sternest look he had ever seen in Saito's eyes, so he hastened to take it back with a nervous smile: "I, I mean! Bushido isn't absolute bullshit, of course not, but... the way they interpret it here? How could he not break the warrior's code after insulting and trying to stab an innocent girl? That... was far from honorable!"

"They resisted the arrest and contempt is a fair reason to employ violence."

"But Tani is an instructor of both Tyokushin Ryu and Taneda Houzouin Ryu styles. Shouldn't he consider the gap in strength between his prisoners and himself before acting? Exceeding as he did should be enough to break the code."

"The laws aren't that specific, Ibuki-san." Saito paused halfway across the garden to contemplate the raindrops slipping on the lustrous leaf of a camellia bush. "Most only cover the general aspects and leave the details to be interpreted as the judge sees fit. I... joined the Shinsengumi after experiencing those kinds of loopholes firsthand."

"Oh, yeah. The guys said you're hiding from justice or something."

"I thought the government had my back and I acted under the mandate of honor, but they ruled in favor of the loser and I was charged with murder. If it wasn't for Kondou-san's kindness... well, I doubt things would have turned out well for me."

"Wow, Saito-san, that sounds like a real pain."

"The Shinsengumi can be both a blessing and a curse, it all depends on how well you play your cards." He turned to give him an imperceptible smile. "If you work hard you'll rise high enough to protect your loved ones. The sword wielded to defend is mightier than the one that serves the selfish desires of those who seek to wrong their adversaries."

"That came out great!" Ibuki smiled back. "Like something out of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'!"

Saito let his jaw drop a span and looked at Ibuki as if he had floated down from the sky. "Do you know that book, Ibuki-san?"

"Of course! I come from a good home, I'm not a bumpkin like Hijikata-san," he joked, backtracking when the Demon Vice-Commander's wrathful face came to his mind: "B, but don't let him know I said that!"

"I won't." Saito urged him to take shelter from the rain under the wooden eaves that covered the adjoining corridors. "What's your favorite part, Ibuki-san?"

"My favorite? The Battle of Red Cliffs, of course! That Cao Cao bastard was a devil in sheep's clothing!"

"Oh, that's the favorite episode of many readers." Saito nodded with his eyes fixed on the courtyard. "I prefer Guan Yu's death, having the ruler executed by someone he trusted is as frustrating as it is fascinating to read."

"Well... it's not a bad episode. Especially since old Cao Cao dies of a brain tumor after Guan Yu's execution."

"I take it Cao Cao isn't your favorite character."

"Ha! That filthy corrupt geezer isn't anyone's favorite!" His laughter was cut short by the sudden steel that landed inches from his throat. Ibuki stifled a scream as he discovered that Okita Souji was at the other end of the sharp katana that threatened to pierce his larynx.

"I never thought the river would bring you home, Ibuki-kun..." he muttered with an affection that contrasted with the murderousness of his gaze. "I'd kill you if I didn't wonder what was the reason why Hajime-kun didn't do it before."

"Put the sword down, Souji," Saito ordered. "The Vice-Commander spared his life."

"This coward thinks he can just walk in and out of the Shinsengumi as if it were a fishing club?"

"He's under my tutelage. Besides, if you knew the reason for his re-entry you'd be happy to welcome him back."

"Don't presume to know me, Hajime-kun, I'm anything but predictable." He clicked his tongue before putting his katana back in its sheath. "If I let him live it's because I feel like it and that's it."

Ibuki let out a sigh of relief, hiding discreetly behind his teacher in case Okita changed his mind.

"And why did they let him come back?" The newcomer didn't bother to take cover from the rain under the eaves. Saito noticed he was soaked and in a foul mood, but he couldn't figure out why. "Does Hijikata need someone to write his poems for him?"

"I'll tell you later, Souji, it's a delicate matter and anyone could listen to us here."

"Bah, that good-for-nothing Ibuki knows it and I don't... How nice! In no time, I'll end up sweeping the entrance together with Chizuru-chan!"

"Don't be so touchy, I bet you'll be pleased with the Vice-Commander's idea."

"What would've pleased me was to slit that fool Ibuki's throat, but... no way, only those with the name Tani can do what they want in this place." Okita rolled his eyes and walked off toward the kitchen.

"Wow..." Ibuki watched him until he disappeared into the house. "Does he hate Tani too? Hmm, I wonder how he kept him from killing him. Maybe I should ask him to teach me his tricks, I'm sick of having nightmares where Okita turns me into a pincushion."

Saito walked forward down the hallway, indifferent to the odd encounter with his best friend. "Follow me, Ibuki-san, I'll show you the common dormitory where the troops sleep."

"H, hey!" Ibuki hurried to catch up with him. "That's great, Saito-san, but...!"

"But?"

"When will I be able to go to the Okiya to visit Kosuzu-chan? Or Kohana-san! I heard that Tani hurt her arm when she was trying to protect Kosuzu-chan and I'd like to apologize for being a complete inept."

"I don't know the date when you'll be allowed to leave the headquarters, but Kohana-san is captive here so maybe you'll be able to see her later."

"Captive...? Ibuki paused to inspect the surroundings. "W, why? Where is she?"

"I'll take you to her room tomorrow. She asked for you so she'll be glad to see you."

"Oh! That's a relief!" He pouted as he muttered: "The poor girl must feel pretty lonely without Kosuzu-chan, they've known each other since they were kids and have been through a lot of difficult things together. Why on earth would they split them up?"

"Probably to prevent them from planning another escape together."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Ibuki smiled wistfully as he resumed walking. "Never underestimate the power of childhood friends, huh? Who knows how far I'd have come if I'd had the support of someone like that!"

"You won't have to depend on such fickle things as friendship once you've mastered the art of the sword," Saito corrected him with a taciturn expression on his face. "The warrior's path is lonely, but fruitful."

"How can something that forces you to isolate yourself from the world be fruitful? You can't protect friends who aren't even there to support you!"

"You'll understand it when you grow up."

"Huh... of course, Saito-san." Ibuki kept his head low without daring to say anything else, as embarrassed as he was aware of how much he needed to learn about his master's philosophy of life. The samurai's path had just opened like a cherry blossom before him; sublime, but fleeting.


Author's note:

Chapter fourteen lesson: If you're depressed or stuck in a mess, don't turn to Souji for encouragement (you might do fine with Saito if you mention the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" but refrain from quoting "The Power of Friendship" and similar literary tropes, haha).

Jokes aside, I hope you enjoyed reading about how Kohana and Ibuki became the newest additions to the Shinsengumi (Hijikata's fixation with sentencing Tani Sanjuro to seppuku is practically a subplot at this point). Thanks as always for providing me with your kind feedback on the fic! ;)