Hakuouki: Hitsuzen

The Last Battle of Harada Sanosuke

May 15, 1868

In response to how the Shogi Company barricaded themselves in the Kan'ei Temple in Ueno, the Imperial Army launched an attack, which led to a fierce battle.

SPLASH!

Sumiko and Sano ignored the water that splashed up as they ran through a puddle, rushing through the rain towards the battlefield.

«« Flashback ««

Sumiko had been sticking close to Sano-san, because according to history he was the next in line to die, and since he was all alone, she figured he could use some backup. They were taking shelter from the rain when they happened to overhear an important conversation.

"I heard the Imperial Army has finally launched an attack against that Shogi company holed up in the Kan'ei Temple," said one of the men standing close to them to a friend.

"!" Harada and Sumiko exchanged a glance and nodded. This was it. If there was a battle, it would be their best chance to find Koudou.

«« End Flashback««

Sumiko frowned slightly as she glanced at Sano out the corner of her eye. She knew they had to come to Ueno, but she was worried. This was where Harada Sanosuke was supposed to die. She shook her head and furrowed her brow with grim determination as she tightened her grip on the straps of the tansu on her back that contained the medical equipment she had retrieved from Koudou-san's clinic. She wasn't going to let that happen!

A chill went up Sumiko's spine as she and Sano halted abruptly. They furrowed their brows as they stared into the fog, waiting for the approaching enemy they had sensed. A whole line of glowing red eyes pierced the dense vapor. The rasetsus were coming.

"Looks like our hunch was right," Sano remarked grimly.

"Yeah," Sumiko agreed, frowning, as she quickly removed her tansu and hid it in some nearby bushes, where she thought it would be safe. She knew she would need it, but she couldn't fight as well while trying to lug it around. And shit was about to get real.

"I'm impressed you knew to come here," Shiranui commented as he appeared behind them, smirking. He had a bulging bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hmph. Weren't you the one who told us that Koudou-san had hooked up with Imperial Army radicals so he could get blood for his rasetsus, Shiranui?" Sano reminded the oni, slightly chagrined.

"Did I say that?" Shiranui asked innocently, causing Sumiko to sweat-drop.

"Yes," she deadpanned. "Which means they'll gather in search of blood after there's been a big battle."

"And since they stand out like sore thumbs, they can only move at night," Sano added with a smirk.

"You're pretty smart for a lug swingin' around that antique weapon," Shiranui complimented him. "But that ain't gonna do you a lick of good even if you thrust it into their hearts," he said, dropping his bag on the ground.

"Why not?" Sumiko asked as he squatted down beside it. "That's worked for us pretty well so far." Her eyes widened slightly when Shiranui opened the bag to reveal hundreds of bullets. That was some serious heat he was packing.

"Silver bullets?" Sano asked. Shiranui grinned deviously as he grabbed a fistful of the special bullets, letting some of them fall back into the bag.

"You've gotta come packin' some of these if you wanna exterminate those monsters," he said by way of explanation, loading his gun as the rasetsus drew closer. "I couldn't find hide nor hair of that geezer after what happened in Koufu, and now he finally shows himself."