Kiss Of Snow

by Swanna

To make Kondo a great samurai was Hijikata's goal in life. His simple world became complicated on the night he met a pureblood demoness, Asuna who came from a realm devoid of feelings. As she was granted the permission to stay with the Shinsengumi, he soon discovered this icy cold demoness who initially knew nothing of emotions was actually very capable of passion {A Vampires Tale}

10. Chapter 10: Ikeda Inn - Part One

Disclaimer: I do not own Hakuoki. This amazing anime was created by Asuka Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Mitsutoshi Ogura. I only created my Shinohara and some side characters.

Editor / Beta Reader: Waffle (Thank you)

Rated Teen for violence, blood, coarse language and / or sexually suggestive scenes (rating may change to Mature in the future as story progresses, readers have been advised).

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Kiss Of Snow

By: Swanna

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Chapter 10: Ikeda Inn - Part One

The line of men at the Shinsengumi headquarters flowed endlessly in the final hours leading up to the raids. Everyone was busy making last preparations before they finally departed. Even though it was only a short while since they marched out, it felt like an eternity to Chizuru while simultaneously feeling like an instant. Everything that happened during the day became a blur. The hardest part for her was to sit around at the end of the night not knowing if everyone would return safely, or if there would be faces she'd possibly never see again.

It was hard.

No, they are all strong and skilled warriors, she told herself with certainty. They would all return safe and sound.

Her mind involuntarily reverted to the scene this afternoon. She'd handed Harada a safety charm that she had obtained from a nearby shrine at the crack of dawn. He'd seemed happy to receive it from her. It was definitely not an expensive gift, but it was first real gift she had ever given him.

By the time they'd realized Okita had been watching their private moment, it was already too late. Okita had teased her mercilessly, enjoying every second of her embarrassment. When she was put on the spot and asked why other Captains didn't get the same treatment, she'd explained that she didn't have enough money to buy a charm for everyone.

And that was the truth.

She was already provided with food and shelter in exchange for work in the household. There was no income as the Shinsengumi barely managed to make ends meet. Unfortunately that explanation had failed to stop Okita from tormenting her, but Harada stepped in to her rescue as usual.

"Don't worry, Yukimura-kun. No harm will befall them and they will return safely," Sannan reassured her gently, causing her train of thought to cease.

She gave a weak smile in response, which was the best that she could do under the circumstances. "I know."

Her smile soon faded as Yamazaki, a loyal Shinsengumi member under Okita's command rushed into the room. His expression was grim and his entire body was tense. "We confirmed that the Ikeda Inn is the correct hideout."

"What should we do now, Sannan-san?" Chizuru asked somewhat breathlessly even to her own ears.

"And apparently the Aizu Clan hasn't made a move yet," Yamazaki added.

Chizuru wasn't familiar with the political relationship between Aizu Clan and the Shinsengumi. She only knew that the domain was supposed to be the Shinsengumi's ally, but they were not treated as such. Ultimately the Shinsengumi would be forced to fight their own battle and defend their own cause.

Sannan frowned. "Kondou-san only has a handful of men with him. Considering the odds, there is a chance they'd come out on the losing end of the fight. We must inform Hijikata so that they can combine forces to subdue the Choshu soldiers together."

"Sannan-san, allow me to be the messenger and bring the news to Hijikata-san!" Chizuru volunteered ardently, not at all concerned about her own safety and security.

Since her stay with the Shinsengumi, the men had softened her hardships and shielded her from danger. It was time to repay the debt and make herself useful. She felt compelled to assist the Shinsengumi at any cost, even if she had to put her life in jeopardy.

"It would be too dangerous for you to go by yourself. I will go with you," Yamazaki offered.

"It'd be a good idea to send two messengers instead of one, in case something happens on the road," Sannan analyzed logically. "Unfortunately I cannot leave my post here, otherwise I'd head over to Ikeda Inn myself and lend a hand. I'm counting on you two."

Although the turmoil made it difficult for Chizuru to focus her thoughts, a sudden flash of inspiration came to her. She knew the exact person who could help. Without a word she burst out of the room and hurried towards the South Wing, ignoring the concerned calls of her name.

She found Shinohara standing in the garden in the dark while watching the luminous moon above her.

"Shin-Shinohara-san," Chizuru started, taking a moment to catch her breath. "We need your help."

There was a pause when she turned to stare at Chizuru, waiting for her explanation.

"The Shinsengumi are out to make an arrest of the Choshu spies tonight, and they split in to two groups in order to cover both possible hideouts. We've confirmed that the Ikeda Inn is the correct location, and Kondou-san may be outnumbered and surrounded by enemies. I need to go and notify Hijikata-san immediately. In the meantime, will you please go and help Kondou-san?"

"You want me to lend the humans my strength in their war?" Shinohara narrowed her eyes and spoke in a low voice, as if she was offended by the preposterous request. "And just why would I want to do that?"

"I know it's a lot to ask of you but we really need your help, Shinohara-san. Please," Chizuru pleaded desperately, even though she knew time was of the essence. Every second she spent standing here would put Kondou and his Captains in further danger.

"This is not my battle and their safety is none of my concern," she stated with an icy calmness.

The cold words were so softly spoken that at first Chizuru didn't grasp their significance, but when she did, panic rose again in her throat. "H-how could you say that especially when Kondou-san has been nothing but kind and attentive to you…?"

Her indifferent attitude towards Kondou and others who interacted with her on a regular basis was completely nonsensical and shocking to Chizuru. Hadn't she shown compassion when other members were being mistreated by Sannan? How could she be so uncaring and nonchalant about the situation when their lives were on the line? There was no way Shinohara could be this unfeeling...Chizuru refused to believe it.

"Say what you will but I don't owe them anything, and I'm not going to fight for them," she repeated stubbornly.

Chizuru's hands balled into fists as the anger and disappointment inside her grew hot and irrepressible. She had really thought that Shinohara wasn't as cold and as impassive as Harada had claimed her to be.

But she was wrong, very wrong.

"Then I will go by myself," Chizuru said as she spun around to leave.

"And what do you think you can achieve by getting yourself involved?" Shinohara's shrewd question stopped her in her tracks. It was at that moment that Yamazaki finally caught up to her and appeared by her side in the gloom. "You can't even protect yourself, how do you expect to help them?"

"I'm not going to stay here doing nothing. I'd rather be there with them even if it means putting my life at risk!"

And she wanted to be by his side. She needed to be by his side and to make sure he was safe. There was still so much she wanted to tell him, to show him.

"Why do you care so much about them? As much as you'd like to deny it, you must know that you're different from them."

For one heart-stopping moment, Chizuru became speechless. This was the second time that she felt like Shinohara had discovered her secret. If her secret was revealed, then a great many other secrets stood to be discovered. The mere thought made her tremble.

"Yukimura-kun has everything to do with them because she sees herself as part of the Shinsengumi," Yamazaki intercepted and leapt to her defense. "She is willing to put herself in danger to save our people and to support our cause."

Shinohara's eyes stared piercingly at them, cold as steel. "Your cause? In the end, aren't you men only fighting each other for power? Is that the cause you truly believe is worth supporting?"

Yamazaki chose to ignore the heated political debate and turned to Chizuru. "Yukimura-kun, there's no time to waste. We must move now and inform Hijikata-san about the location."

Chizuru nodded in agreement and they were ready to hit the trail to find Hijikata. But she decided to turn to Shinohara one last time.

"I know nothing about politics and warfare, but I know that the Shinsengumi are trying their best every day to do the right thing. Each of them have their own dreams to fulfill and tonight, they only want to protect the city from harm. Far more innocent lives would have been lost if it wasn't for the Shinsengumi's intervention," said Chizuru with fragile yet determined smile. "So yes, I think it's a cause worth supporting."

With that being said, she and Yamazaki quickly turned and ran away. Just as expected, Shinohara didn't follow.

X X X

Kazama stared out from the second-story window at the Ikeda Inn, which overlooked the sedated streets of Kyoto. At times he reveled in simple things such as looking out a window at the tranquil scenery. Back home he enjoyed the view of the beautiful lake, as the reflection of the autumn leaves in the water enhanced the beauty of the scene. Had the moon been full, the view he had now would have been worthy of this quaint little town. But tonight it was dull and gray, the sky full of clouds, and everything was quiet.

As the darkness of the night set in, the last breath of the wind died away. There was complete calm, without even enough of a breeze to stir the candle flame in the room.

The stillness would've made a mortal nervous. It was the kind of calm that sometimes came before a storm.

"Kazama."

He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "What is it, Amagiri?"

The red-haired demon came to stand behind him, while Kazama remained seated by the window sill. "Are we really breaking into the palace to abduct the Emperor tonight?"

Amagiri was not only a trustable confidant, he was also a respectable servant who'd accompanied Kazama through the most tumultuous times with no objections. Not to mention his inborn strength as a pureblooded demon made him a worthwhile addition to their coalition. On many occasions Kazama didn't mind sharing his ideology and insight with him, provided that there would be no change or risk of deviation to his plans. At times he would even depend on Amagiri's natural calmness and patience to balance his impulsive nature.

"What's the matter? Are you having cold feet?" Kazama asked in a mocking note.

Amagiri chose to ignore the mockery. "Regardless of how much we feel indebted to the Satsuma Domain, we shouldn't be subjecting ourselves to something so demeaning."

"Only we could enter and leave the palace unnoticed. Using our demonic abilities to subdue the Emperor would guarantee success for the Satsuma Domain," Kazama gave a nonchalant answer as his fingers touched the wooden frame of the window, luxuriating in the kiss of coldness. It wasn't a pleasure task to be sure and if he didn't feel he had a debt to pay, he wouldn't be going either. "That is if the Choshu fools can carry out their part of the plan without messing up first."

At the same time he watched dispassionately as a small group of men dressed in blue haori gathered by the front entrance, waiting for the signal to break down the door and rush in.

"We are the Shinsengumi, retainers from the Aizu Domain! And by imperial decree, you are all under arrest!" A man announced in the loudest voice he could command from the entrance. "Resist and you'll be killed without mercy!"

Among the groans and grunts of the men, the clatter of swords unsheathing and battle cries could be heard. Soon followed by the clash of weapons and the thud of bodies slamming against the hard wood floor. Through the chaos of the battle, Kazama remained motionless.

"Are we not going to assist them?" Amagiri asked, showing some concern for the Choshu men.

"We're here for the Satsuma only. We have no reason to fight for the Choshu Domain as they've done nothing for us. We will let them fight it out."

If the Choshu managed to win the battle, then Kazama would keep his words and deliver the Emperor to the Satsuma Domain. They would then secure supremacy in their political war, and his debt would be repaid. But if the so-called Shinsengumi came out as the victors by mere chance, then Kazama wouldn't need to disgrace himself and participate in a lowly tactic like abduction to win a war.

It seemed to him that it would be a win-win situation regardless of the outcome resulting from this battle.

It didn't take long before Kazama heard approaching footsteps along the corridor outside of the room. The door was slid wide open and he could feel two pairs of eyes peering in at them. Two young men barged in with swords at the ready. He felt the swelling excitement running through his veins as he always relished a good sword fight. He only hoped that these two mortals would be worth his time and last long enough to liven things up for him.

X X X

Asuna crouched in the dark shadows on a nearby rooftop, silently watching as the pair rushed through the alleyway. She wasn't sure what made her have a change of heart at the last minute.

Takeda had often told her that sometimes a change of heart or a change of character could be influenced by others around the individuals. However, people had the ability to take control of their decisions in life regardless of their past. Asuna didn't agree with him, especially about the matters of belief. She may have chosen not to execute her vengeance upon the mortals responsible for killing her family, but she would never forgive them. Years had passed and her grief and pain were still acute. She continued to live and do what she'd promised her father she would do…to carry on the bloodline of the Shinohara. She would rather die than to aid humans in their wars against one another.

In their mad lust for pleasure, their race for prosperity and their greed for power, men would be willing to trample down their nemesis, yet it would still never be enough for them to stop. Mortal desires and greed were insatiable and never-ending. Asuna wanted no part of that.

But the young demoness's unshaken determination elicited robust reactions from her. Chizuru had a spine. She was willing to defend the Shinsengumi and stand between the crossfire of two armies. Though she was also someone who acted extremely imprudently, for not even knowing her own limits. The limits of her abilities and of her responsibilities. She would only succeed in becoming the men's burden if she were harmed in any way. The mortals may care for her now, and it may only be because they were living in the dark about her true nature. If she revealed her identity to them now, would she still be able to hold their interest tomorrow? And would she ever tell them the truth?

As Asuna leapt from roof to roof like a drifting phantom, moving gracefully undetected, Chizuru and Yamazaki were alarmed at the sight of a group of armed men.

"What business do you have at the Shinsengumi's headquarters?" Yamazaki inquired with caution, stepping directly in front of Chizuru as the crowd came nearer.

His question was met with the sounds of multiple blades being drawn at once, followed by the stampede of feet as the men charged at them. Wrenching his own sword from its scabbard, Yamazaki instructed Chizuru to move back and sank into a defensive posture as steel clashed with steel. But the fight was an uneven one as he was severely outnumbered by a group of seven aggressive men.

When Asuna was halfway to them, she jumped down from the rooftop and landed between Yamazaki and the men. As soon as she landed, she slashed her drawn sword at one of the assailants, slicing open his neck. The man cried out, dropping his weapon and kneeling on the ground while trying to stop the flow of blood from his neck. But the blood continued to seep from the fatal wound, and within seconds, he collapsed flat on his face.

Asuna turned to the other men who stopped in horror. Their eyes and mouths open wide in shock, transfixed at the grisly sight. "You can walk out of here now or you can die like him."

They glanced at each other and then at the unmoving body before them. Some set their weapons on the ground while others were already racing down the path where they came from, retreating hastily.

The instant the men were out of sight, Asuna turned to Chizuru, who hadn't even brought out her blade. "Is your kodachi intended for decoration only?"

"Shinohara-san," she began with a hopeful smile. "I thought you wouldn't come."

"And I still haven't changed my mind about aiding them in their fight," Asuna stated as she watched the young demoness's features crumble. "But I'm willing to escort you and keep you safe until you reach Hijikata."

"In that case, I should head over to Ikeda Inn and help Kondou-san while you deliver the message to Hijikata-san," Yamazaki suggested quickly, more than ready to adjust to the sudden change in plans.

Chizuru nodded, complying. "Please be safe, Yamazaki-san."

With that, he sprinted into the darkness and ran as fast as he could along the path towards their left. Chizuru then turned to look at her again. "Despite what you said, Shinohara-san, I still want to thank you for coming."

"Is Harada Sanosuke the reason why you're so adamant in helping the Shinsengumi?" That was a thought that entertained her.

The question was so unexpected and direct that it startled Chizuru, and she was at a loss for words.

"I…I'm not doing this because of Harada-san. I only want everyone to return safely," she fidgeted uncomfortably.

There was a long silence. Chizuru continued to shift under her stare and Asuna didn't miss a single, tiny movement. Even Asuna could tell she was lying no matter how hard she tried to sound sincere.

"You're not a very good liar," she commented indifferently and started walking off. It was a surprise that the mortals hadn't figured Chizuru out by now.

"Shinohara-san…"

Asuna turned to the young demoness who seemed to be rooted firmly to the ground. "Don't you have a message to deliver to someone?"

Chizuru shook herself out of her musings and scurried off with renewed vigor and hope in her steps, as she hurried to catch up to Asuna.

X X X

AUTHOR NOTE:

Surprise!

I've been getting so many lovely reviews since I posted the last chapter 3 days ago and as I mentioned to you guys, your kind words are totally motivating me to write, write and write! So here I am, with a new chapter up again!

I know, I'm a bit evil to leave you guys with a cliffhanger but this chapter was longer than I expected and I still have a few more scenes to go. So I decided to do two parts of the Ikeda Inn event instead. Hopefully if work isn't too busy then I should be able to update this weekend *crossing fingers*.

I want to give a special thanks to Lucysunshine, Angeblueeyes21, athens09, reader chan, Lily, Hanami Flower, Kanyeet, ImpracticalDemon and all the Guests for your amazing reviews and your endless support since I came back from my hiatus. I honestly feel like I'm not just continuing my writing for my own satisfaction, but I'm also writing for your enjoyment.

Just the other day I was telling my friend how we as writers don't get paid for doing this and it's more or less a hobby. Readers' reviews and their show of support is our payment for our efforts. And I'm so grateful that you guys are showering me with love and appreciation. I will definitely keep up with my writing!

Happy 2019, everyone! I will see you in the next chapter!