Hello world! It took me a loooot of time to get the new chapter out for you yet again, but it's finally here!
Enjoy!
The air smelled like summer. Shizuka breathed in deeply, a blissful smile appearing on her face. Refreshing breeze brought to her the scent of multiple flowers: roses, irises, lavender, and many others. After the quick showers which had happened throughout the last few days, the nature seemed to have taken over, adding even more colour, more aroma and more flavour to all her creations.
The sun was governing over the sky, its bright light illuminating the surroundings. From her spot under the tree, Shizuka observed as the rays were peeking through the branches, trying to find their way down in the labyrinth of green leaves. Shadows casted by the trees and bushes seemed to be dancing to the rhythm of a gentle wind.
Their new headquarters, Nishi Honganji, on top of being located in the centre of Kyoto, was larger and a lot better kept than Mibu Temple. Caring touch of the monks could be seen everywhere - in the clean yards, in skilfully trimmed bushes and in the impeccable condition of the living quarters. At the beginning the men were less than pleased with the intrusion of the Shinsengumi, but seeing the obstinance of the troops (especially Hijikata), they've gradually stopped resisting. The girl, as well as some of the captains she's spoken to about the matter, initially felt a little guilty, as their appearance seemed to have disrupted the peaceful atmosphere in the temple, but in the long run the advantages outweighed the downsides. The most important was that the excellent location of the place allowed Shinsengumi to be more on top of things, and ready to act immediately in case of any disturbances.
She was sitting on the grass for a longer while, the shelter under a large tree giving her much needed shadow and coolness. As Shizuka was relaxing, her ears caught a noise. She opened one eye lazily and noticed one of the divisions gathering in the distance. Looking closer she spotted Heisuke, who was pacing at the front of his group. She didn't think much of it at first, but her wandering thoughts soon offered her a certain memory, and she sprung to her feet with a silent curse. Shit, I was supposed to go with him!
The girl rushed towards the troops, but as she was making her way through the garden, she felt somebody's presence. Shizuka looked to her side and was met with Sannan's hazel eyes.
"Ah, Yukimura. Are you also enjoying this splendid weather? It is truly beautiful today," he said, reaching towards one of the flowery branches. She stopped and offered him a worried glance. Sannan was unnaturally pale and his breathing seemed to be too fast.
"Sannan-san, is it alright for you…" she trailed off unsurely.
"Summer time is quite taxing for me," he admitted, gazing at her. Then a little smile formed on his lips. "However I am willing to endure a little bit of strain for the sake of…". He didn't finish and returned to watching the little pink oleander flowers. She pressed her lips, the telling pause leaving her at loss for words. For a second she observed him, and her heart ached at the sight of his wistful expression.
He grabbed one of the thicker branches, and she almost jumped towards him, sure that it was one of his frequent dizzy spells. But as Shizuka stepped closer, something in his posture prevented her from reaching out to him. His hand tightened on the bark, his fingers almost leaving a mark on the surface. He was holding onto it as if his life depended on it. Shizuka realized that his struggle wasn't of physical kind, and backed away. The knowledge that she's unable to comfort him in any way stung her painfully. As she was leaving, something caught her attention. For the briefest of moments Sannan's eyes flashed bright red.
"Shizuka-chan, there you are!" Heisuke called out as he noticed the girl. She ran up to him with an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, I completely forgot." The younger man offered her a big grin and waved his hand.
"Eh, it's fine. We just gathered here," he assured, though she knew it was a big lie. She apologized one more time, and they finally left on the patrol.
Shizuka covered her face, trying to protect it from the intrusive rays of sun. The baby hair on her neck was sticking to her sweaty skin, and she sighed heavily, her discomfort gradually increasing. The breeze from earlier was gone, and they were left only with blazing sun.
"Ugh, it's so hot!" Heisuke whined.
"Tell me about it," she agreed right away while fanning her flushed cheeks to cool them. He glanced at her and once their eyes met, his face lit up with a happy smile.
"It feels like he haven't done this in quite a while, don't you think?" Heisuke spoke up. He's been away for the last few weeks, and her, Shinpachi, and Harada felt his absence the strongest.
"Now that you mention it… I think it's been at least two months since I've last gone out on a patrol with you."
Ever since Shizuka's learned that the information she was after was also the thing of interest for the Shinsengumi, she wasn't tagging along with the captains so often anymore. She knew that she had to focus her attention on the conversations that were taking place inside the headquarters, so continuing the "looking-for-other-survivors" charade seemed pointless. However, when Heisuke asked her this morning if she'd like to come along, she agreed right away. There was no special reason for that; it was simply because she wanted to chat with the younger man.
She turned to him curiously.
"So how was Edo? What were you up to?" she asked him, and Heisuke didn't need more encouragement. He began describing their travel, the inn they've stayed in, the sake he's drank, the food he's eaten, and many others. His monologue was so rich in details that it made her feel like she was in Edo with him, experiencing everything alongside. Seeing his excitement, she suppressed a chuckle.
"Okay, now I know that vegetables here are better than in Edo, and how rainy it was during your stay," Shizuka interrupted him, raising an eyebrow in amusement. He smiled bashfully, having realised how lengthy his report was.
"But why did you go there in the first place?" His smile fell slightly at the question and he looked away. The silly atmosphere from just a few moments ago turned awkward.
"I was, ah… accompanying Itou-san here and there. I'm not so sure myself what it was about, haha." Shizuka nodded in understanding and he breathed out in relief. The girl knew that he was in a tricky position, stuck between his mentor and his brothers in arms, and this predicament was really weighing down on him. She didn't want him to feel even more troubled, so she decided to stop prodding further.
They took a turn towards one of the more busy roads, and she was so absorbed in their light-hearted chat that she failed to notice another patrol emerging from the other end of the street. When she spotted it, her body immediately tensed. It was the first division. Okita's division.
After the incident with Sannan back in the winter, their relationship got a lot worse. Their interactions were scarce and marked by discomfort and awkwardness. Every time she saw him, the memory of his cold words was popping up in her head, making her unable to face him confidently. Even though other captains were nothing but tolerant and understanding of her, the words of one person were enough to undermine all the positives.
In those last months she was thinking about leaving the Shinsengumi more and more, but somehow it still remained in the sphere of plans only. Every time she was readying to act on it, something would happen. It was nothing grand - a funny conversation with Harada and Shinpachi, Kondou's warm smile addressed exclusively at her, or Hijikata's glare when she teased him. But those seemingly little things, something so insignificant, would shake her resolve, leaving her overwhelmed and lost. Deep inside she knew that she didn't want to leave. The feeling of bliss, of belonging, as brief as it usually was, was far too precious to give up on.
Okita served as a sort of remainder of what reality was, and once again, the mere sight of him brought about a wave of doubts and uncertainty. The moment he approached them she turned away, feigning interest in the nearby stalls.
"Everything good?" he asked Heisuke. As the younger man was answering, Souji's gaze drifted towards the girl. Shizuka knew that he was looking at her, but her eyes were stubbornly glued to the colourful fabrics and shiny accessories. What the hell is his problem? she wondered, feeling his intrusive stare with her entire body. Her discomfort was slowly but surely reaching its heights, and so was the need to call him out on his behaviour. Shizuka was bottling up a lot inside, so she was sure that any attempt at normal conversation would inevitably end in bombarding him with resentful comments and accusations, and she didn't want such an outcome.
But before she could even think of doing that, something gave her a pause. Okita's utterance was cut short by an attack of a violent cough. He's been coughing frequently in the last few months, but this one was different. It was more intense, seemed to have no end, and made him double up in pain. Unconsciously she turned around and just as she began rushing to his side, his words entered her mind like a strike of lighting. You're not one of us.
She froze mid-step, her hand stopping on its way towards him. Heisuke, oblivious to the entire situation, went up to Okita and put his hand on the man's shoulder.
"Hey, are you alright?" he asked, his brows furrowed in concern. Souji wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, which he hid in his sleeve right away, and looked at Heisuke with a dismissive smirk.
"I'm fine." He was focused on Todou, so she used this opportunity to steal a closer glance at him, and once she did her eyes widened in shock.
Ever since their talk, Shizuka was trying her best to avoid any longer interaction with the man. She would not even look him in the eye, and not talk to him unless it was necessary. Today was the first time in months she's got a proper look at him, and the difference was enormous. His face was sunken-in and thin, dark circles creating a striking contrast against the unnaturally pale skin. Okita's usual radiant gaze was nowhere to be found, the emerald hue of his eyes dimmed and bland. She scanned the rest of his body quickly only to discover that he's lost an alarming amount of weight. And he says he's fine? Bullshit.
"You don't look fine," Heisuke said, voicing Shizuka's thoughts.
"It's just a cold," he shrugged. Todou, just like Shizuka, didn't look convinced, but he nodded in agreement nonetheless. The girl looked away before Souji could notice her stare, her mind in chaos. What's wrong with him? It can't be a simple cold. He wouldn't lose so much weight. A sudden thought appeared in her head, but she pushed it away in anger. There's no way.
Just as Okita's division was about to move on, the three of them heard a loud voice. They turned around to see the commotion on the side of the street.
"Why don't you come with us then, young lady?" one of the men said in a tone that almost made Shizuka gag.
"You should make up for your mistake," the other added, his grip tightening on the girl's wrist.
"Please, let go of me, sir," she squeaked, but her voice was too timid, her resistance too weak to have any bigger effect on the ronin.
"What a bunch of assholes," Shizuka spat out and headed towards the group. She's only managed to take few steps before she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked up, and met Okita's eyes. The girl froze, close proximity catching her completely off guard. In the back of her mind, however, she kept making observations concerning his condition. His breathing was uneven and heavy. The pressure of his palm on her arm seemed feeble to her.
"Stay here," he told her quietly, and moved past her along with Heisuke. She followed closely behind, her eyes fixed on the first division captain's back.
"Let go of the lady," Todou said, his hand resting on the handle of his katana in a seemingly leisure gesture. But Shizuka knew his skill. He could unsheathe the sword in a flash.
The ronin spat down and turned around, clearly annoyed by the interruption, but the sight of the blue robes gave him a pause, the curse he was about to utter hanging at his mouth. He looked at the captains unpleasantly, but obeyed, letting go of the girl. She backed up immediately, massaging her bruised wrist. Then he and his comrades retreated, mumbling insults loudly enough for Shizuka to hear. She offered a deadly glare to each man.
"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" Heisuke asked politely, approaching the girl.
"No, I am fine. Thank you," she said, lowering her head in a show of gratitude. She looked up sheepishly, and Shizuka stared at her, shocked. For a second she thought that she was looking in the mirror. The girl looked identical, from the shape of her nose to the colour of her hair. Even their height was similar. The only difference between them was the eyes; while Shizuka had icy blue eyes, the stranger's pupils were like mahogany. Okita's gaze was wandering from one girl to another in surprise. He also noticed the uncanny resemblance, and instantly became suspicious.
"What is your name, young lady?" The girl glanced at him briefly before escaping from his intrusive stare, and bowed, her movements graceful despite the obvious nervousness.
"I am Nagumo Kaoru, nice to meet you." Okita returned the gesture, observing her closely. Shizuka was looking at him, not sure of what his motives were. There also seemed to be tension in the air, but she did not know the source if it.
"You look very alike," he said bluntly and watched for reaction. The girl's expression did not change and she smiled politely.
"Is that so." Oddly enough, she made sure to not spare even a glance in Shizuka's direction.
Heisuke, who was silent until now, stepped closer, his eyes darting between Shizuka and Nagumo.
"Seriously? I don't really see any resemblance," he spoke up. She was only slightly surprised that the younger man failed to notice how similar they were. She had to acknowledge that the eyes of a casual observer could be easily fooled by the foreground made of clothes and accessories.
Nagumo was wearing a stunning orange kimono, the pattern of ivory leaves and burgundy flowers hugging her waist and from there spreading to her legs and shoulders. Her hair was constricted in a simple, yet pretty bun. The sole hairpin adorning the bun was big and blinding, its sun-illuminated, golden surface accentuating the darkness of her locks. Nagumo's high status and wealth could even be deduced from the way she moved. Standing next to her, Shizuka was a picture of simplicity and modesty.
She glanced at the girl next to her again, but the impression from before hasn't weakened, even despite Heisuke's comments and her own observations. The similarities they shared were too great in number to be merely a coincidence.
Suddenly the dreadful sound of coughing appeared again, and all her suspicions and thoughts regarding Nagumo were instantly forgotten. She stared at Okita, whose attention was still on the stranger. The attack wasn't as severe as the last one, and he stopped coughing after just few seconds, but her heart still froze in worry nonetheless.
Nagumo used this moment of distraction to leave, mumbling some excuses for her abrupt goodbye. Okita looked like he wanted to follow her, but in that moment his second-in-command walked up to him. He begrudgingly gave up, and after offering Heisuke a little nod, he continued on with his division. Shizuka's eyes followed his retreating figure, her gaze searching for him even after he had disappeared in the crowd.
Some days later Shizuka was sweeping the courtyard. Her movements were completely ineffective as the wind kept throwing the dust she's gotten rid of back into its original place, but the girl was far too dazed to notice. Her thoughts kept going back to Souji and his poor condition. After the incident with the Nagumo girl she's been paying extra attention to the captain and also to how others treated him, and judging from their worried stares the men were all aware of the fact that his health was deteriorating. However, there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between all of them, including Okita himself. Everybody kept writing off his frequent coughing and weight loss as symptoms of a cold, a bizarre cold that for some reason hasn't left for few months now.
A heavy sigh escaped her mouth, and just then she noticed that the hand wielding the broom was motionless, most likely for a longer while now. She looked around and saw the omnipresent dust, more of it coming along with the wind, and threw the broom away in anger. She sat down on the steps, propping her face on the palms, and stared into distance listlessly. She was worried. She was very, very worried. Part of her was outraged about that fact, especially considering most of her interactions with Okita, and how he's treated her up until now. But the other, more predominant part couldn't care less. Those contradicting feelings, and concern for the first division captain were draining all her energy. She let out another helpless sigh.
"Shizuka-chan?" she heard after a longer while, the sound of her name rousing her from her reverie. Once she looked up she's met Harada's amber eyes, which currently were staring at her in worry. It probably wasn't the first time he's called out to me, she figured, and smiled apologetically.
"Sorry, I'm kind of out of it. You were saying?" His brows furrowed further, but he refrained from commenting on her obviously low spirits.
"Kondou-san wants us to gather in the common room," he said and the girl nodded in acknowledgement.
"Hm, okay. But what does it have to do with me? I'm…" Shizuka was about to say 'I'm not one of you', but she bit her tongue at the last second. She didn't want to sound pathetic. She escaped from Harada's intrusive gaze and fixed her eyes on the bushes in front of her. For a moment silence fell between them, and she knew that he was observing her, trying to find out the reason behind her gloominess.
Then a hand entered her field of vision. She glanced up, her eyes widened slightly, and saw something she could describe only as a 'Sano smile'. It was the sweetest, most gentle smile, and she was melting every time it'd appear.
"Actually, it does have to do with you. Kondou-san asked me to get you specifically." She stared at him in shock for few seconds, but there was no lie in his eyes.
"Me? Really?" she said, her voice whispery and unsure. Seeing her uncertainty, Sanosuke paused briefly, his expression growing pensive.
"Yeah, really. Get moving," he told her. He waved his outstretched palm and she grabbed it gingerly. Once he helped Shizuka on her feet, Harada put his hand between her shoulder blades and pushed gently, urging her to move forward. She looked over her shoulder with a confused frown.
"Hey, what's with the rush?"
"I was looking for you for a good while. Everybody's probably in the common room by now." He leaned towards her. "Waiting. For us." Though his face and tone was serious, the mischievous glint in his eye indicated that he does not really care about being late. Despite seeing the obvious phony she decided to play along, and gasped, feigning shock.
"Oh no! We must hurry then!" she exclaimed, making Harada snort at her exaggerated voice and grimace. Then he put on a similar panicked expression and turned to her.
"Otherwise Hijikata-san will kill us!" A smirk threatened to creep up on her face, but she suppressed it.
"Or worse…" Shizuka stepped closer to him as if she was frightened, her trembling hand grasping his forearm. "He will kill us, and then write a haiku about it," she whispered and shuddered. Harada pressed his lips together, and put his arm around her shoulders protectively.
"Stop! Even thinking about it is terrifying." She nodded vigorously and glanced up at him. They were looking at each other in silence for a moment, and then, simultaneously, broke out in a loud laugh. They kept laughing as they made their way down the corridor, their pace void of any hurry.
Harada opened the door to the common room and stepped to the side, letting Shizuka through first. They appeared in the middle of a heated debate, and Kondou clapped his hands upon seeing them.
"Ah, Yukimura, Sanosuke, there you are! Sit down, sit down," he said with a smile, so they made their way to the seats quickly. As she was sitting down, she locked eyes with Hijikata, and noticed his sour expression. Seeing his face instantly reminded her of her and Harada's jokes from a minute ago, and before she could stop herself a snort escaped her mouth. Seeing her grin, the vice commander's frown only deepened, a suspicion that he is the source of Shizuka's amusement clear on his face. She offered him a brilliant smile, making him scoff, and focused on Kondou.
They weren't as late as Harada was making it seem. The commander just began explaining why he's told everybody to gather.
"What I was about to say, we were informed that the shogun will be visiting the capital soon." A murmur spread across the room at the news, and she noticed that Kondou has paused his speech and looked around. Hijikata, having decided the take over, cleared his throat pointedly and the men fell silent.
"We received orders to guard the shogun once he arrives in Kyoto," he said. The captains reacted rather positively, and she smiled seeing their excitement. To be assigned as the shogun's personal guards was a great honour for the Shinsengumi, and she couldn't help but feel proud of them. Having lived with them for more than a year now, she knew all the ins and outs of their activities, and knew how hardworking they all were, so a recognition of such a caliber was long overdue and well-deserved.
A moment later, after he has finally managed to calm down the gathering, Hijikata went into details regarding their mission. According to Harada, Kondou really wanted her here, so she was listening very attentively, waiting for her name to come up in a discussion. But as the vice commander was presenting his plan (which was incredibly elaborate, and envisaged a role for every captain), she's heard a sound she's come to hate. Coughing. Her whole attention shifted onto Okita, Hijikata and his speech completely forgotten. This particular attack seemed to be quite severe, but the man was trying his hardest to suppress it, and she pressed her lips together seeing the restrained shaking of his body. But Shizuka wasn't the only one who's noticed Souji's struggle.
Hijikata's brows began to furrow halfway through the sentence, his eyes burning holes in Okita's face. The captain noticed the intense stare, but he acted oblivious. Then he gave the man one of his trademark smirks, and the vice commander gritted his teeth in exasperation. She's noticed this silent exchange, and had it not been for the concern for Okita's health, she'd find it hilarious. But for now she was thinking about one thing and one thing only - Souji's part in the mission. He can't go. He'd pass out from exhaustion for sure!
"Souji," Hijikata called out at once, and even though he was addressing Okita only, all eyes focused on him, everybody surprised by the sudden sternness of his voice. A little smile formed on Shizuka's lips. She knew what the vice commander was about to say, and delighted in the fact that they were thinking alike.
"You're staying at the headquarters," the man ordered. Okita's face darkened, the lingering smile gone from his lips, and he stared at Hijikata defiantly.
"I'm fine though," he protested, but his claim earned a scoff from the vice commander.
"Like hell you are." The girl noticed Okita's fists tighten, his strong grip crumpling the material of his hakama.
"I want to go. I can go," he answered.
"You're not going anywhere! You can't even get through one day without coughing your lungs out!" Hijikata roared, his cheeks reddening from anger. They looked at each other, and the vice commander's expression instantly changed.
"I said I'm fine already." Okita seemed calm, but when Shizuka stole a glance at him, she saw the anguish so heart-wrenching that it took her breath away for a moment, the relief she's felt just a second ago replaced by distress. He was doing his best to hide his feelings, but he could not put out the flame in his eyes. That little spark of desperation seemed to be growing along with the prolonging silence.
"You're staying. End of discussion," Hijikata said finally. Okita lowered his head, accepting the decision, but the vice commander didn't look satisfied with his win in the slightest. For a longer moment the common room was still and quiet, the tense mood affecting all gathered. Souji became weirdly numb, his eyes focused on one spot on the floor, and Shizuka looked away, unable to watch him any further. As she straightened up, her eyes met with Kondou's, and he offered her a smile. Seeing how sad and forced it was, she barely managed to smile back, and she was sure it was an attempt as measly as the commander's.
After a minute her gaze fell down to her hands, and as Hijikata resumed his talk she continued to stare blankly, her heart getting heavier with each passing second. She couldn't help but feel for Okita, but more than that, his expression was reminding her of somebody. He looks just like Sannan after he's returned from Osaka with that injury, she remembered. And Sannan-san… No, Okita doesn't need it. He'll be fine. She was trying to convince herself yet again, but lack of improvement in Okita's condition was gradually weakening her obstinacy and denial, what allowed anxiety and grim thoughts to take over.
Shizuka was brought back to reality by a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched upon the sudden touch. She glanced up and saw Shinpachi, his eyes widened in concern.
"Shizuka, you good?" he murmured, the grip on her arm tightening momentarily.
"Yeah, I'm fine." The man seemed doubtful, but he didn't argue. Then he pointed with his chin towards the commander, mouthing at her to pay attention. She nodded and turned to Kondou, who fortunately hasn't noticed her daze.
"Yukimura," he addressed her. His expression grew serious, the sorrow from before gone or well hidden. She remembered that Harada had brought her here at Kondou's instruction, and figured it must be the reason why he spoke up to her. She focused on him.
"Yes?"
"I would like you to help during the mission too," the man said and her eyes widened slightly. She didn't expect that in the least. "What do you think?" She stared at him for a moment, lost for words. The offer caught her completely off guard.
"You're going or not?" Hijikata barked impatiently. The exchange with Okita left him really angry, and Shizuka's hesitance seemed to have fuelled his irritation even further.
"Ah, I don't know if I would be of any help to you," she told Kondou, ignoring the vice commander's outburst. The uncertainty concerning her position in the Shinsengumi resurfaced, and she was scared to look at the commander.
"Of course you would!" he exclaimed, and she gazed at him, only to see a gentle and reassuring smile, a smile that she felt like was reserved solely for her. "Besides, you are one of us, so you should be a part of this honour as well." Those words made her freeze, and she only stared at Kondou in shock. Then she glanced around, gauging the reactions of other captains. Harada. Shinpachi and Todou were grinning encouragingly, Saito and Innoue also expressed their approval, though in a lot more reserved way. Even Hijikata nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Shizuka felt tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, ready to fall down any second. She covered her face quickly. One of… them. He said I'm one of them. The mixture of various feelings was so overwhelming that she needed a minute to calm her racing heart. She breathed in deeply, and raised her head, an uncertain smile creeping up onto her face.
"I will gladly help in any way I can," she said, offering Kondou a little bow.
"Great! Thank you, Yukimura," he beamed at her in response.
The meeting was slowly coming to an end, and now the men broke down into few groups and were discussing things between themselves. Shizuka was glancing around, a blissful warmth spreading through her body at the sight of the captains. And even though her confrontation with Okita was still at the back of her mind, the fact that most of them were so openly accepting of her made her feel amazing.
"Ah, it's such a shame that we are one man short now," Itou spoke up out of nowhere. He's been silent the entire time, only observing the discussion, what made everybody think that he'd spare them his remarks this time round. But the opportunity to cause disarray among the captains turned out to be too tempting for Itou to pass up on.
"I wish Sannan-san were alive to see this day. I am sure that despite being unable to participate properly, he would feel as honoured as you all do." The light atmosphere from just a moment ago turned tense in an instant. Kondou tried to save the situation, but he only managed to produce a nervous grunt. The rest of the men were quiet, and positively murderous. Shizuka glanced at Hijikata, and seeing his glare, she was glad it wasn't addressed at her. He looked like he was one second from bashing their military advisor's brains in with a bare fist.
After Itou's distasteful comment the mood was ruined, so the disaster of a meeting concluded in awkward haste. Hijikata stormed out of the common room, and Kondou followed him. The rest of the men also dispersed without saying much, and so did Shizuka. As she was making her way to her room, her ears caught faint noises in the distance. The curiosity got the better of her, so she made a slight detour and found herself on the corridor a little bit further away from her room. As she got closer, she recognised the muffled sounds as yelling. It's coming from Kondou-san's room.
"Kondou-san, I have had enough of that bastard."
"Toshi, please calm down. Itou-san is…" Kondou paused, struggling to find the right words. "It is true that he is a very… outspoken man, but I respect his insight and intelligence. And he has helped the Shinsengumi in so many ways." Shizuka heard a scoff and even though she could not see him, she was sure Hijikata's face was distorted in anger.
"Outspoken? He is a venomous snake, that's what he is!" Hijikata completely ignored the latter part of the commander's words and continued to complain about the hateful military advisor. "Kondou-san, please reconsider having him here. This man brings nothing but trouble."
"Toshi, you know that's not true." Kondou opposed. He was trying to convince Hijikata, but the man had none of that, and was deflecting each argument with perfect accuracy. His reasoning was clearly a result of careful and prolonged deliberation, and the chief had no way of countering any of the claims Hijikata's made, as they were all true.
"You are too lenient, Kondou-san," the vice commander said finally.
Shizuka adored Kondou, but she shared Hijikata's opinion on this particular issue. The commander was naturally trusting, and while it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, this unwavering faith in people would sometimes make him blind to others' faults. The situation with Itou was a great example of that.
The door opened and she backed up around the corner to avoid detection.
"Try to be more understanding, Toshi." The vice commander turned around at the words. Kondou offered him a pleading smile, but Hijikata's expression was unyielding.
"One day he will do something that the captains won't let him get away with," the man said, and there wasn't any shred of doubt in his voice. He really believed that Itou is bound to commit some unforgivable act sooner or later. "And I have no intention of interfering once that happens." Shizuka heard a sigh of defeat, and as much as she felt bad for Kondou, she was glad that someone finally told him the truth about the new military advisor.
The girl took few more quiet steps, and turned on her heel, heading towards her room. She entered the corridor where her quarters were, and almost died of heart attack as she ran into Hijikata. How did he get here before me? she wondered in shock. He was leaning against the wall leisurely, and once she came face to face with him he looked up at her wordlessly. It was clear that he was waiting for her.
"Uh, can I help you?" she spoke up since he made no effort to start the conversation himself.
"You'll be a messenger," the man said with no introduction, and she nodded half-heartedly. Yeah, I guess that's all I amount to. A messenger.
"Something wrong?" Hijikata asked, and hearing his tone, she glanced up quickly. He seemed to be almost waiting for her to say something wrong so that he could unleash hell on her. Damn, he really hates Itou. I've never seen him so pissed.
"No, everything's fine." Shizuka raised both her fists to show Hijikata her enthusiasm. "I'll do my best!" she exclaimed, and the man scoffed at the exaggerated gesture.
"Just do your job, kid." She looked at him obliviously.
"When have I not?"
"Oh, you already forgot getting scolded by Sannan? And what about Ikedaya? And don't even get me started on…" The girl noticed that their exchange helped Hijikata calm down, so she decided to let him have the upper hand this time.
"Fine, fine, I got it!" she shouted, making Hijikata smirk briefly. Then he cleared his throat and looked at her seriously.
"Listen to all commands," he instructed.
"Yes."
"Stay alert. If something happens, report right away. And if you can't report, alarm others."
"Yes."
""And listen to all commands."
"Yes," she whined in exasperation. "Can I go to my room now?"
"Dismissed," the man said and she breathed out happily. Shizuka offered the vice commander a little bow and passed by him towards her room.
"Oh, one more thing…" he spoke up again, and she grunted inaudibly. "It's not very polite to eavesdrop on other people's conversations." The girl stopped dead in her tracks, and looked over her shoulder in fear. She didn't expect that. Hijikata was glaring at her, a mixture of annoyance, entertainment and reprimand visible on his face, but she noted that he didn't seem truly angry.
"Ah, I wasn't really eavesdropping. I was going back to my room and just happened to hear you."
"Going back to your room? Your room's in the opposite direction, though," Hijikata deadpanned and she bit her lip nervously.
"A detour! I took a detour. The night was so pleasant I wanted to stay up a little longer."
"A detour, hm?" She nodded enthusiastically.
"Never heard a bigger nonsense. But I'll give you a pass." he stepped closer and she cowered under his stare. "Don't do it again."
"Understood," she answered. He was looking at her for few more seconds, and when she felt like he she's going to burn down under his glare, he turned to leave. She stood there for a moment, pondering whether she should push her luck with him any further. Can't get any worse, can it?
"Hijikata-san!" she called out, and he paused. "If you ever need help with, I don't know, getting rid of a body or something, you know where to find me." She heard a snort and grinned at his back. "I'm serious!"
"I'll remember that," he said, looking over his shoulder at her briefly. She could not see, but his face was stretched in an amused smile.
"This girl…" he murmured.
Few days later the day for their departure has come. The assigned soldiers have gathered near the entrance as soon as the sun rose, and quickly left the quarters. They were all led by Hijikata, and as they were making their way down the street, he kept reminding each group their task. Though his face was stern, he emanated confidence, his steps fast and sure.
Kondou with his own small troop was to arrive a little bit later, and be part of the official greeting of the shogun. Today the commander was the face of the Shinsengumi, while the rest of the soldiers served as limbs, working quietly in the shadows to make sure that nothing goes wrong. Shizuka also belonged to the undercover part of the troops.
Her role in the mission got extended compared to the Ikedaya affair. She was responsible for maintaining the contact between all divisions and supervising the change of soldiers' shifts. She was aware that in the end she was still a messenger, only an upgraded one, but Hijikata's perfect plan required a lot of work, making her way too busy to think about it any more.
She has spent entire afternoon on foot, making rounds around the castle and also from the castle to the headquarters, and before she realised night fell onto Kyoto. The moon was a barely visible line on the starry sky, and provided no light, what made this already dark night almost pitch black.
The girl was just about to reach the Great Eastern Gate. During the day it was nothing short of majestic. The entrance was made of dark wood, which contrasted beautifully with the numerous decorative carvings. The wealth of detail on those carvings was astonishing. One's eye would immediately be drawn to the vibrant play of colours, which were coming together into the shapes of different animals and plants. With its impressive size and magnificent detailing, the Gate was a true sight to behold.
As she was getting closer, a light breeze carried the smell of flowers all the way from the gardens, and she breathed in deeply, a little smile appearing on her face. Shizuka wasn't allowed further into the complex than Ninomaru Castle, meaning seeing the famous gardens was unfortunately off limits for her, but as the sweet aroma engulfed her nose, her mind offered a pretty satisfying image of the place.
She finally arrived at the Gate, and she noticed right away that it looked a lot different now. What looked grand and breath-taking during the day, with nightfall has become overwhelmingly eerie. She noted that for some reason the flame in most of the lanterns went out, and deepening darkness has merged the surroundings into a shapeless black void. The huge entrance loomed over menacingly, making Shizuka feel increasingly more uncomfortable. She channelled the powers into her eyes, and she could feel the surge of the energy within her travel to her pupils. In an instant she could see as well as during daytime.
Suddenly a shiver ran down her spine, her heightened senses warning her before she could even see the danger. She moved away from the gate, jumping to the opposite side of the street, and looked up alarmed. And surely enough, she spotted three man standing above, on the roof. The girl recognized the intruders right away, and her body froze in tension.
"So you have noticed us. I applaud your reflexes," one of the men spoke. Kazama Chikage.
And another chapter down! The things are starting to heat up, and it will only get more intense further down the road! Feel free to leave a comment, tell me what you think - it's very appreciated.
I can't tell you when exactly I'll publish the next chapter, but stay alert!
See you soon!