Chapter 10- The Benizakura Part 1
Takechi said, "To think such a thing were possible..."
"It's pink" said Matako.
"SHINSUKE-SAN IS A WISE MAN TO COME TO ME! HE WILL NOT REGRET HIS DECISION TO USE THE BENIZAKURA!"
The voice was from the male swordsmith behind the two. The Kiheitai made note of this man's strange habit of consistently speaking in an outside voice.
Matako said, "Takechi-senpai, I can't stand him anymore. Can we please leave now?"
"Allow me to look at it just one more time." he said. Takechi leaned forward to gaze at the glass tank in front of him. The tank was filled with water being fed to it from various pipes. Inside was a pillar- the top half split from the bottom. A sword was bound between the stones. Like the lighting of the tank, it was a luminescent pink.
Takasugi stood outside of the Kiheitai headquarters. His mind was cut off from the world around him. He was reminiscing about his past failure.
I miscalculated. I of all people should have known the threat he imposed. I wonder if it was a chance meeting or if fate has pitted you against me? Which is it Gintoki?
Many months had passed since the incident at the festival. Takasugi had already gathered his advantages for the next assault. The greatest of which was the proposed alliance with the Harusame. Bansai would handle the negotiations two days from now.
Takasugi had unhesitatingly decided to give the pirates the heads of Gintoki and Katsura. Both were comrades of his during the Joui war. All three trained under the same teacher. Both had a part in the attacking of a Harusame warship shortly before the festival.
The fact that he was betraying his once close friends didn't bother Takasugi in the slightest. He had cut off those bonds the day the world took his teacher from him. That day he heard a voice he was unfamiliar with. It asked for something he had never realized he desired. It asked for the deaths of every last resident of Edo. Each one was under the same system, a system which had taken everything from him. He couldn't stand seeing Edo move forward while it forgot its own cowardice. For the sake of comfort, it had surrendered to the Amanto. The years of bloodshed and sacrifice had been traded for oppression. It made him sick.
"I… just want to destroy it." he said. A small fragment of his mind had slipped out.
Matako looked attentively at him from behind. His words sounded pained to her. They were filled with spite and the desire for revenge. But what struck her the most was his need to admit it. She wondered as she always would what had caused Shinsuke to desire Edo's destruction. No, this was only partially correct. While this was the object of his attention, this wasn't enough for him. He spoke of Japan and the rest of the world as if he intended the entire planet to one day experience the same fate. But she could only wonder as things were. The man she served had revealed nothing about himself. The only information on him was his participation in the original Kiheitai. This was enough for Matako to piece together his hatred with the betrayal of the Joui militia.
The world seemed inadequate to Matako as well. She had been indifferent to it most of her life. But this had changed once Takasugi recruited her. When she looked at the city, Kijima saw more than a crushed nation trying to rebuild itself. She saw Edo as a place that could become something else entirely. She didn't yet know what it was, whether it would be a paradise or a graveyard. All she knew was that it was only possible with Shinsuke Takasugi.
At last Matako said, "Shinsuke-sama…" She spoke with the utmost sincerity. She longed to hold him in his vulnerable moment.
"I'm here for you." she said.
Matako hoped her words would reach him. She still firmly believed that time was all he needed return her affection. He was aloof as always, but she had begun to feel she could approach him. She wasn't afraid to be herself in front of him. Takasugi never seemed to mind, or at least, it didn't interest him. In the back of her mind she feared this. She feared the only thing Takasugi cared for was obtaining his goal. Matako deterred this thought as she would whenever it afflicted her. This was the first time Takasugi had opened up to her after all. It was proof enough to her that his attention was within reach. Once she had it, he might consider a relationship with her. Matako didn't believe that something as childish as true love would come of it. She didn't expect Takasugi to either. To her, such a love was no more than the pretty words of poets.
Matako heard footsteps drawing nearer from behind. She keenly recognized them to be Okada's. He walked past her and Takasugi. Tied to the belt of his kimono was the Benizakura sword. Sheathed it seemed no different than any other katana. But the scabbard kept the deadly secret of the Benizakura at bay.
The five greatest of the Kiheitai were soon gathered. A ship was waiting for them that would take them directly over Edo. Here they could orchestrate far above the Shinsengumi. They would be just one of many ships present in the skies.
At the stroke of midnight they stood beneath the full moon. Clouds scattered from its presence. The stars hid from it.
Matako sat atop a metal crate overlooking the others. Takasugi was in high spirits tonight. The moonlight bathed him in its splendor, revealing an excited grin beneath his straw hat. He was not alone. Everyone around him was filled with anticipation. It was time to bring the Bakufu government to an end.
"I wish you all the best of luck." said Takechi.
Matako said, "There's no need to worry Senpai."
Bansai said, "If anything happens, I'll be the one to deal with it."
"Let's go. It's time to begin… our legend." said Takechi.
Nizou remained silent. His hand hadn't left the grip of his sword since Takasugi had given it to him. Takasugi had intended to use the prototype on one of the less valuable samurai, a loyalist aware of the risk. However Okada had insisted on being the test subject.
He was itching now to try it out on a worthy samurai. The noisy swordsmith had boasted of the killer intent he had sealed into it. He called it a demon sword who bestowed ill luck on both the wielder and its adversaries. He spoke of how the sword itself was alive and how it thirsted for blood. It was a blade only the swordsmith's family knew how to create. The Benizakura was a bio-mechanical parasite that inhabited a blade. But it would latch onto the owner as well given time. The smith had insisted this was perfectly safe.
Nevertheless, he also admitted he had yet to fully test it. Okada was given permission to test it on some Bakufu officers. The sword had proved addicting so far. It gave his body a sense of power like nothing before. Its cold energy was flowing through him now and demanding more death. He was more than wiling to oblige.
"It's almost time." said Matako, "Where the hell is Okada?"
Takechi said, "I'm sure he's well aware of our schedule."
"Shinsuke-sama won't be pleased with this." she said.
Okada had vanished the very night they had first embarked. Takasugi had been preoccupied overseeing the production of the Benizakura. Even after learning of Nizou's absence, Shinsuke left the matter silent. It would be inconvenient if the Shinsengumi linked Nizou's actions to the Kiheitai. They may search his ships for inspection. The matter was safe since no one outside of the Kiheitai knew of Okada's relation to them. Shinsuke would let him run loose for now. The long term partnership with the Benizakura would expose any lethal side effects.
"I hope you haven't done anything foolish Nizou" said Takasugi. He gazed at the black thunderclouds that were gathering up ahead. By morning, they would completely cover Edo.
It's almost nightfall.
Author's Note: Thank you for your continued support guys. I love reading all your reviews! ^_^ As you can see, these next several chapters will be retelling the Benizakura, many parts from Matako's perspective of things.
