Chapter 14

Saya headed downstairs to the living room where her parents were. They look up at her. "Oh Saya, Suzu-kun call just now. He wanted to see you," he mother spoke first. "You mustn't make your fiance wait," her father added. She turn away without saying anything and headed for the door. The two bodyguards by the door open it for her. She head down to the limo that was already waiting for her. Saya got into the limousine without saying anything. She look at nothing in particular through the close window. When the limo came a stop, she got out and headed for the door. The maid let her in and lead her to room. Suzu was waiting for her with his two cat-like twins, Natsuki and Tsumori by his side. The door closes after her entry.

"Why did you kill them?" she broke into an outburst. Suzu smirk, "It was necessary for me to do so. As far as I know, Tetsu is already on his way back to who he really is before."

Saya make a pain expression, "Why can't you give up on Tetsu-kun? He's not who he was back in the past. He's Tetsu-kun of this era. No matter how much you force him, he won't be the same Tetsu that you know!" her tears were falling by now. Suzu wasn't smirking anymore and was looking at the little black cat on his laps. "I know," he answered with a bit of sadness, "he's not the Tetsu that I know, but he is still the Tetsu that was once my best friend … and enemy. That's why I can not just let him go. Not until the day he fulfill his promise to me."

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Tetsu look up at the tree branch when he heard a mew. He look at the black kitten and gave a little smile. The kitten mew again and jump into Tetsu's arms. He chuckle a bit and held the kitten a bit. This kitten remind me a bit of Suzu… he stop his thoughts and kick it out of his head. He stroke the kitten's back and hum a little lullaby his mother use to hum for him when he couldn't sleep or have a bad dream. Tears made it's way to his eyes, but he quickly wipe it away. There's no point of crying over something he decided to let go.

Just then, Susumu came into the room. He stare at the black cat. "Where did the cat come from?" he asked. Tetsu grin, "He climb in through the window. He seem to like me. See?" He show Susumu that the kitten wouldn't let go of his shirt. Susumu was about to pat the kitten's head when it hiss in alert. He withdrawal his hand, "It seem he doesn't like me."

"I guess," Tetsu replied looking at the kitten in his arms. Okita-san poke his head through the open door, "Tetsu-kun, time for our training again. Oh!" he notice the kitten. He jump into the room, "What a cute kitten?"

"He came through the window, and it seems to take a liking to Ichimura," Susumu explained. Okita-san look at the kitten, "Hmmm, but you really can't keep a cat here. Hijikata-san doesn't like animals in the house."

"Not to worry, I don't plan on keeping it," Tetsu explained, "I was just playing with it a bit." He let the kitten on the branch again and it jump down onto the ground. They watch as it ran away and disappear through an alley. He turn back to Okita-san, "Let's go train!"

"Now Tetsu-kun, remember, don't let down your guard. I'll attack this time at any angles. Here I come!" Okita-san disappear from view. He's fast… incredibly fast! He close his eyes and concentrate. If I can just sense his energy, I will be able to detect him. He feel the energy around him. He sense three other that were standing in watch, namely Hijikata-san, Susumu, and Kondou-san. Then he sense another energy, one other energy that was coming from behind him. The energy stop and strike. Tetsu swirl around to the back of the energy and strike. The energy was a bit faster and manage to dodge. It jump out of his strike and landed a few feet away.

Tetsu was determined to win this fight and that means not giving up. He concentrate on that energy and dash toward it. He feel like he was flying, and before the energy could react, he strike. The bamboo sword flew out of the energy's hand. He point the sword at the unarm energy and open his eyes with a smile. "I win," Tetsu said happily. Okita-san sigh in disbelief but with a smile, "You really beat me. If it were a real sword fight, I would probably had lost my arm. When did you learn to do that? Just yesterday you couldn't even do the basic of sword fighting? And besides, that technique is like… I forgot what the name is call. Anyway, good job!" He patted his head.

"That was the Ghost Whisper isn't it?" Hijikata-san asked Kondou-san. Kondou-san nodded, "It is, but how did Tetsu-kun learn to use it. That move shouldn't have been written down in any book."

"Why not?" Susumu asked.

"It's a technique created for killing." Hijikata-san answered.

"Is that why it's call Ghost whisper?" he asked looking at Hijikata-san.

Hijikata-san shook his head, "The reason it was call Ghost whisper is because the creator of that move was able to sense the presence of a ghost. His name was Saito Hajime to be exact. Because of his six sense, he was able to sense energy from the dead. From what I know, Saito Hajime taught one other person of this move, but later known to have died at an early age of 16 to 17."

Susumu turn toward Tetsu who was laughing happily with Okita-san. A technique use for killing huh?… he thought as Tetsu approach.

"Susumu!" he said out load, "Did you see that? I beat Okita-san!"

"Don't be so happy until you can actually kill him," Hijikata-san added.

The laughter die down and Tetsu glare at Hijikata-san with a smirk, "I won't back down easily!" Hijikata-san smirk as well and put a cigarette to his mouth, "We'll see who had the last word."

That night he had the happiest dream in the last three days in his new household. He was wearing the Shinsengumi uniform that was tie back to fit him and his face was bandage around his right ear and around his nose. The room he was kneeling down in was cover and blood here and there. There were two people beside him. Hijikata-san was kneeling down beside him with Okita-san in his arms. He put a hand on top of Tetsu's head, "That's good enough as my page." He see himself blush a bit with happiness even though he tried to hide it. The next part of the dream was a bit disturbing.

He was standing next to a headless body in a pool of blood. He look at the body sadly and pull out the sword that was next to the body. He put it in it's cask and ran back inside. When morning comes, he was standing near an alley while the Shinsengumi walk back to head quarter. "Aren't you going back with everyone?" someone asked him. He turn around, "Susumu. Heh," he scratch the back of his head, "I'm still not use to wearing the uniform after all. Maybe I will go back with them." Susumu smile softly at him, "Ichimura, I think you're pretty strong out there." Tetsu blush a bit and grin, "What? Say it again!" he said sarcastically. Susumu threw a few kunai knife at his feet, "Hurry up and get out of here already!" he shouted angrily.

He smile as he slept through the night.