HAKUOUKI: Back in Time

Chapter 9

~Why not listen to music while you read?~

"Man, you two are the definition of stoic and reasonable. Souji, on the other hand..." Nagakura says.

It didn't look like Nagakura was going to let Okita get away without thoroughly rubbing his face in his mistake. I really can't let this go on.

"It was my fault." Chizuru says before I can say something. "Some ronin were causing trouble so Haruna and I tried to get out of the way..."

"We got separated from Okita in the crowd, and we made the mistake of not going right back to him. Before I realized what was going on,  in front of Masu's someone shouted how we were with the Shinsengumi-" I say before getting cut off.

"But who was tasked with looking after you?" Sanan questions while glaring at us. "The captain of the 1st Division can't even keep track of a single charge. Is this the best the Shinsengumi can do?"

When I had first met him, Sanan had been nice, if a little quiet. After his injury, however...It was as if he'd become an entirel different man.

"I told them they could go. They were following orders." Hijikata defends as he walks through the door.

"If you're here, that means you're done interrogating Furutaka, right?" 

"They're going to wait for a day when the wind picks up, then set Kyoto on fire and kidnap the emperor while everyone else is losing their pants. So they say, at least."

I remember this part. Should I tell them? What if I alter history or something? I'll just stay quiet and see how things play out.

"Burn down the city? Those Choshu guys are crazier than I thought." Nagakura says in astonishment.

"So they just want to kidnap the emperor? Seems a little contradictory for a bunch of guys who call themselves imperialists." Heisuke says.

"Whatever their reason, we can hardly ignore their plans." Saito says seriously.

"They're probably meeting tonight. We need to get ready to move out." 

"Understood commander."

Hijikata then turned to Chizuru. "We did get some information on Kodou. Apparently he visited Masu's with some men from Choshu."

What? I thought he was with the Shogun. It seems Chizuru was shocked as well.

Preparations for the raid began immediately. Within moments, the compound was a beehive  of activity, with soldiers and officers running back and forth. The tension was thick enough to cut with a dull knife, and I found it affecting me, despite my best efforts.

The encounter at Masu's had created problems for them and I feel really bad but this happened in history right? They went on a raid, didn't they?

"We don't have enough men. Kondou only has ten soldiers to fight."

"Hijikata and I have twenty four. Man, half our guys are out with stomachaches. Not really a laughing matter, eh Saito."

"Um excuse me?" I say peeking my head out from our room. "Are you perhaps going to Ikedaya and Shikoku?"

"Yeah, how did you know that?" asked Harada.

"They will be at Ikedaya. I remember learning this at school so..." I say before trailing off.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Saito asks staring at me coldly.

"If they aren't at Ikedaya...then you can dispose of me." I say boldly.

What am I saying? Why am I risking my life for this?! I am going to pay big time!

Harada and Saito seemed shocked with my answer.

"Hey, you don't need to bet your life on this." Harada says

"That's right. Don't try to throw your life away." Saito agrees. With my head down, I nod and go back into my room.

I'm stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I say to myself while slapping my cheeks before Chizuru stops me. 

"Lets go find a way to help." She says to me while smiling, and with an nod we leave our room. 

We bump in to Kondou and explain the situation to him. And somehow after that we became messengers and accompanied Kondou to Ikedaya.

Hour of the Dog-

After we arrived at Ikedaya, Chizuru  was sent off on several short errands while I stood by Saito. Oh, its just so awkward now...

"It looks like we hit the jackpot here." Nagakaura says while smiling.

"I knew they'd be here. After all, they've met at Ikedaya before." Okita agrees with that wolfish grin of his.

Hour of the Boar- 

I looked up at the sky. The moon had moved a good part of its way across the sky since we'd arrived at the Ikedaya Inn.

"Damn-it... It's getting pretty late."

"What do you want us to do, Kondou. It'd be pretty lame if we just sat here all night and did nothing." Okita says. 

The chief had been quiet for the last several hours, but when Okita spoke, he stood up.

"Can you two stay away from the Inn? Things are going to get dangerous. That place is full of rebel soldiers. We don't intend to allow them escape, but better safe than sorry."

And with that he gave us a smile before running in the inn.

The yells of men and the clang of swords filled the air, rolling out through the doors and windows of the inn. I could hear feet pound upstairs, the screams of men dying, the wet thud of bodies dropping to the floor. 

"Okita! Are you okay?!"

"Heisuke! Stay with me!"

That was it. Chizuru and I decided to split. I would go in the building and Chizuru would run to Shikoku and get Hijikata. I knew a little self defense so I would be okay right?

Rushing into the building, I decide to look for Okita. We had caused trouble for him during the afternoon patrols but he never called us out for it. It only seemed fair that I try to return the favor in someway.

Somehow, I made it upstairs without too much of a problem and finally, I spotted him. Only feet from me was Okita, locked in battle with a ronin. I felt my stomach lurch. The cold ringing sound of steel tore through the air, and their blades flashed, lines of light in the darkness.

"This is the best you can manage?" The strange ronin's eyes narrowed, and his mouth curved into a smug smile.

"Well, I think that's about enough of that. It's time I was off. Try and follow, and you won't get any mercy from me."

"Sorry pal, but I can't do that. You're our enemy, so you've gotta die." Okita said before he launched himself at the ronin.

Just then behind Okita was a ronin.

 "Okita! Behind you!" And without even bothering to look at me, Okita spun around to face the ronin and slashed the man.

The smell of blood was getting to me. It brought memories I did not want to remember. 

"You would turn your back at me? You fool." The ronin's sword whipped through the air. Okita caught each blow as best as he could but, a particular strike from the above was too much for him to encounter, and he stumbled.

"Argh!"