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FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

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#50 [2004-03-23 18:34:34]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 8)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: "You kill all night, and now you've found yourself a woman?"
--the Kohagi-ya innkeeper, from "Rurouni Kenshin Tsuiokuhen".
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.

------

Chapter 8

July 5, 1864
"Are you sure this is alright, Yuki-han?" Midori whispered loudly.
With her sleeves tied back, the bottom of her kimono hitched up, and
her practice naginata slung over her shoulder, Midori looked like the
stereotypical image of the female samurai—caring for the home, but
ready to defend it as well.
"Of course, Midori-san. Now take your stance," replied Yuki. Grinning
confidently, she moved her wooden sword into chudan stance. Under the
rules of Tendo Ryuu, she was required as an instructor to assume the
role of uketachi, or "receiving sword", during one-on-one training,
allowing the student to learn the strengths and weaknesses of their
particular technique, whatever weapon of Tendo Ryuu's broad curriculum
they might be using.
Having taught intensive naginata every day for the last week and a
half, she'd quickly seen that Midori was the fastest learner, and had
made a point of practicing with her privately, very early in the
morning, in order to properly train her to be an assistant instructor.
Ironically, back in 2004, her assistant instructor had been one Inoue
Kyoko, a descendant of one of the more famous statesmen of Choshuu,
Inoue Kaoru. My, how times have changed…thought Yuki, as she watched
Midori slide her naginata to a ready stance.
This session was special. Here, they would be doing more than
training—they would actually spar, using the entire courtyard as their
`arena'. In doing so, Yuki wanted to test Midori on her skill, to see
how much she'd learned to exploit the weakness of the sword against
the naginata. Her grasping of this point was vital, especially because
if she ever had to defend herself, it would most likely be against a
sword.
Or a gun…said a voice in the back of Yuki's head. Scenes from the end
of the Bakumatsu flashed before her eyes, where thousands of samurai
loyal to the shogunate were mowed down by the thousands in the
desperate, pitched battles further north, starting from Nagaoka, to
Aizu, and all the way to the Goryokaku fort at Hakodate. Squeezing her
eyelids shut, she forced the visions out of her mind. Not yet…that's
not for another 5 years. Not yet…
"I'm ready, Yuki-han."
"Very well. Then please begin."
Midori nodded, and tightening her grip on the naginata, she took a
step forward. After what seemed like an eternity, Yuki stepped in.
"Toh!" Her kiai—the vocal projection of her force—was more muted than
usual. It was, after all, early, and she didn't want to wake anyone up
if she could help it.
"Ei!" Midori swept the cut, and dashed her naginata upward on Yuki's
sword, knocking it aside and moving around to continue the attack. She
was too slow, though, and Yuki had already come around and assumed
another chudan stance.
"Faster, Midori-san. Faster."
Midori closed her eyes, and brought the naginata back around to ready
position. She paused for a moment, staring Yuki down. Then suddenly,
she lunged forward, using too much force and not enough finesse.
Again, Yuki came around and assumed a chudan stance.
"Don't think, Midori-san. Just move."
Sighing in slight exasperation, Midori moved back into ready stance.
Sensing the change in her attitude, Yuki moved to a low gedan stance,
crouching a bit as she did so.
Without warning, Midori came toward her, almost drifting through the
air. Pointing the blade of the naginata downwards, she tried to come
in over the top of Yuki's defense, aiming straight for her chest. Yuki
watched the blade, mesmerized and utterly in amazement at how someone
could grasp naginata so quickly in this age. But where her mind
refused to work, her reflexes did, dashing her sword upwards at
Midori's naginata and knocking it out of one of her hands.
Midori bowed.
"Thank you, Yuki-han."
Yuki relaxed her grip on the sword, and bowed back.
"Thank you, Midori-san, for being such a willing student to an
unworthy teacher."
"No, I should—"
The guardsmen's voices cut her off.
"3rd Unit has arrived! 3rd Unit has arrived!"
Startled, Midori moved alongside Yuki. Lowering their weapons, they
bowed together as Saitou and the 3rd Unit passed through the gate.
Yuki immediately saw Hiro near the front of the unit, looking as
immersed as ever in his job. Their eyes met briefly, and he nodded to her.
So something was up. In the "code" they had developed over the last
two weeks, a silent nod of that sort meant Meet me behind the kitchen
tonight. We need to talk. The only other person who knew about this
was, naturally, Midori, without whose cooperation these secret
meetings could not take place.
"Midori-san?" Yuki asked. She didn't need to finish her
sentence—Midori had seen Hiro nod, and already knew.
"Yes, Yuki-san. You may."
**********
After what seemed like an agonizingly slow day, the time finally came
for their rendezvous.
"You alright?" asked Yuki, the moment Hiro arrived. "You look very
worried."
"You know why I'm worried," he said quietly. "Tomorrow night…it's the
night. There's a suspicion amongst the patrolmen of all the units that
something's about to happen, but as yet, everyone from Saitou-sama on
up is keeping quiet about it."
Yuki nodded. She knew very well that he was talking about the attack
on the Ikedaya, which was barely a day away. Having read many accounts
of that night, she knew about the kind of fighting that took
place—that there would have been so many fights going on at the same
time that the beams of the inn would be hacked to pieces, forcing its
demolition. Yuki also knew that even though Hiro had been fighting—and
sometimes killing—in the true classical style for about two weeks, he
was still thoroughly grounded in the 21st century martial style, which
was ultimately less aggressive in even its most `traditional' forms.
She worried, too, but tried not to think too much of that night.
"I know. We both know."
Hiro paused.
"Yuki. If I fall…" His voice trailed off gradually, as if he was
searching for the right words. "If I fall…what will you do?"
For a moment, there was silence, as Yuki's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Well…" she began with a chuckle, trying to keep her sense of humor
sharp, "Are you going to ask me to do what a true samurai's wife would
do, or what I would do?"
"We may come from that samurai background—and a noble samurai
background at that—but we are, ultimately, our own people, and not the
same as our ancestors. I know what a samurai's wife would do—I don't
need to be reminded. I want to know what you, Matsumae Yuki, the woman
I love, the woman I pledged to honor and care for with my life—I want
to know what you would do."
Yuki was utterly speechless—she hadn't expected him to ask such a
question. Silently, she wrapped her arms around Hiro and wept silently.
"Hiro…Hirotada-sama," she murmured, using his full name and honorific
for once. "Hirotada-sama…much as I love this period, and am somewhat
enjoying myself, you are the only one who makes it bearable in any
way. I don't mind doing small household things, but the way women are
treated, and the menial labor that they do in this time period—it's
utterly, totally miserable at times. If you were to fall…I would…slit
my throat and willingly follow you in death. Not because it is what a
samurai's wife would do, but because it is what I would do. I cannot
live without you. Not here—not ever."
"Shhhhh…" Hiro whispered, rocking her gently, back and forth, trying
his best to soothe her. "Yuki…if I fall at the Ikedaya tomorrow, know
that it I fall with your name on my lips. And…know that I will see you
soon after."
"Hirotada-sama…" Yuki clung to him, unable to rely on her own strength.
"And…I know I could get killed for saying this, but I'm going to say
it anyway. Since you're the one who led me to kirisuto-kyo," he added
quietly, being sure to use the 21st century word for `Christianity'
and not the 19th century kirishitan, which could cost him his head
under the anti-Christian laws of those days. "Since you're the one who
led me to kirisuto-kyo, please say a silent prayer for me."
"I will…" she murmured, burying her face in the folds of his haori.
"I love you, Hirotada-sama."
"I love you too, Yuki-dono," he replied, adding the honorific on her
own name, which he hadn't done since they'd first met each other. He
held her tightly, knowing that he might be holding her for the last time.
He moved her chin up, and looked at her deeply and longingly.
"Always remember I love you…even beyond death."
**********

[Next #58]

#58 [2004-03-24 18:29:41]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 9)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: Here we are at the Battle of the Ikeda-ya. It was obviously
bloody. Read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.

Chapter 9

July 6th, 1864

Dusk

The time had come for the departure to the Ikedaya. The entire
Shinsengumi was lined up in the courtyard, armored and ready to deploy.
Hiro waited impatiently. He knew what no one else did—and he was
beginning to struggle with himself. With the information he possessed,
he could very well change the course of history. If the information
was revealed what he knew to the right people, the Choshuu clan would
be utterly, totally crushed, and Hiro's family, the Tokugawa, would
never have been driven from power. The shogunate would be free to
pursue its systematic plans for Westernization at its own pace,
solidifying the support of all the great feudal domains of the north
and west, and then might turn its attention to the neighboring
countries. It might conquer China, as the Imperial forces had, or it
might decide to simply trade with it. And then as time went on, Japan
would probably send samurai and conscripts to the European war in
1918. And then there was World War II…that would not be the same,
either. Might not even happen at all. But there was something that
Hiro realized after all this-- if the shogunate survived, he himself
might not exist, and then…he might not have met Yuki, either…
The power of his clan, or his and Yuki's existence. Which was more
important? Which to—
Hijikata's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Attention!"
There was a wave of motion that passed through the Shinsengumi, and
then a tense, overwhelming silence. Hijikata nodded to Kondou, who
stepped forward. Unlike the blue and white haori that everyone else
wore, Kondou and Hijikata wore white and black ones, denoting their
rank. Kondou cleared his throat, and began.
"Rebel activity has peaked in Kyoto over the last month. Murders,
arson, ambushes…they're going all-out. Acting on good information and
evidence, tonight we are going to investigate the area of
Kawara-machi, on Third Street. Tonight is a pivotal night. In fact, it
is much like a game of shogi or go—we must seize the initiative, and
eliminate as many of them as we can. Captains Nagakura, Toudou, and
Okita will each accompany me, along with a few men from each of their
units. Also, the following men will accompany me personally: Shimada
Kai, Hayashi Nobutarou, Kondou Shuuhei, Ikeda Kotarou, Tokugawa
Hirotada, and Abe Juurou. All other captains and men, follow
Vice-Chief Hijikata. That is all."
Nods and grunts of approval rippled through the assembled crowd.
Okada, Hiro's friend, patted him on the shoulder.
"Congratulations, Tokugawa-kun! You're going to accompany the commander!"
Hiro managed to smile weakly, nodding his thanks. He looked over to
Saitou, who indicated Kondou with a tilt of his head, granting his
permission to go. Hiro bowed, and headed over to the commander.
"Ah, Tokugawa-kun, glad you could join us. Here, take this." Kondou
handed him a paper lantern with go-yo—"official business"—written on
it in big, black letters.
"Everyone here?" asked Okita, who came up just then with three men
from his unit.
Kondou looked around, counting the people in his group.
"Yes, it seems so."
Hiro tightened the strings of his chain-mail helmet, and took a deep
breath. At long last, it was time to move out. Suddenly, he saw a
familiar face out of the corner of his eye. Yuki, accompanied by the
other women, stood on either side of the gate, armed with naginata and
kodachi. While all the men were out, it would be their job to protect
the headquarters.
Hiro's gaze met with Yuki's for a moment. A lifetime of conversations
and an eternity of embraces seemed to be expressed in that one gaze.
After what felt like an eternity, the inevitable, dreaded order came.
"Move out!"
They each turned away, ready to do what had to be done.
*********
After about two hours of quiet yet meticulous searching in the
Kawara-machi district, they finally arrived. The Ikedaya, a small,
two-story inn, was right there before them. Aizu clan forces were
supposed to have joined them over an hour ago, but they hadn't shown
up. Kondou had ordered the lanterns put out for the sake of surprise,
in case this was where the rebels were meeting.
Hiro breathed deeply, and steeled himself for the battle that was
about to begin. Something his father had told him years ago suddenly
came back to him.
"Remember, son, the samurai treats death as an honored guest."
Death will certainly be a visitor tonight, Father, he thought, as
Okita, Nagakura, and Toudou's men moved around the building to close
off the escape routes. Hiro and the others who remained moved closer
to Kondou.
The commander gave a nod to them, and then strode confidently for the
door.
"Open up! Open up!"
A lantern came on, and soon a short, disheveled man answered the
door. He paused for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the ambient
light. Then he saw Kondou and the men around him, and more
importantly, their uniforms. His eyes went wide with shock.
"Hey! We're being searched! Get r—" Kondou's blade passed through his
neck, cutting him off.
"Move! Move! Move!" shouted Kondou, bounding up the stairs. Hiro,
Okita, and two others were right behind him, drawing their swords in
near-unison. They ran for the first room, where the single lantern
that had been on was suddenly extinguished. Kondou tore the sliding
door open.
About twenty men sat in the dark, many of them with their swords
already drawn.
Kondou spoke up, eager to at least try to get them to surrender.
"I am Kondou Isami, Commander of the Shinsengumi. We have this inn
surrounded. In the name of the Kyoto Military Commission and Lord
Matsudaira, I order you to surrender, or face the consequences."
They never want the easy way out, thought Hiro, as he moved to a
chudan stance. There was an awkward silence, as neither side seemed
willing to budge. Finally, one of the rebels moved. In the stillness
of the night, Hiro felt like time had no meaning, as he watched the
man slowly rise up and draw breath in for a kiai. Suddenly, though,
time snapped back to normal speed, and the man's kiai erupted across
the dead silence of the night.
"KYAA!"
Hiro's eyes widened in shock and horror as Kondou unleashed the full
force of his Tennen Rishin Ryuu training, slashing the man in half
across his chest. The rebels tensed, and suddenly, all of them fell on
Kondou and the others.
Now was not the time to think. Hiro parried the first incoming
strike, sweeping it aside with the usual grace of his Yagyu Shinkage
training. The man jumped back, and then returned, his eyes gleaming in
the moonlight that filtered in through the slats of the inn's high
windows. Hiro suddenly remembered that he couldn't be gracious. He had
to be lethal. Strengthening his grip, he allowed rage to flow through
him—pure, unabated, rage. He had felt this rage every time he read
about his family's fall from power—it was a burning, searing fire
unlike anything he'd ever known. When he first read of it in a history
book at school he'd wanted to torture and slowly kill every western
samurai he could get his hands on, but since they'd all been dead for
over a century, he did the next best thing—after returning home, he
set his textbook up on a bamboo stake and slashed it to pieces with a
kitchen knife. His parents punished him severely for using the knife,
but had understood his rage, advising Hiro to channel the energy into
his martial arts training, instead.
Now, though, he was there, in the midst of the fire and rain of blood
of those days. He was capable of satiating his burning desire for
retribution. At last, I will have vengeance, thought Hiro, as he swept
the man's sword and slashed upward across his chest with a
right-handed upward diagonal cut. At last…
"Miburo bastard! I'll kill you!" shouted another man, running at him
with his sword held in jodan position. Hiro slid into a countering
position, sword vertical to one side, and met the attack, shattering
his enemy's sword and then going into an upward slash across his chest.
"Worthless Choshuu scum! I'll kill you!"
On the other side of the room, Okita shouted at Kondou to get
downstairs—something about Toudou and Nagakura needing help. Hiro saw
Kondou race back down the stairs to the ground floor, where there
seemed to be sounds of even fiercer fighting.
Just then, about ten more rebels came in from the other rooms, armed
with swords and spears. Hiro, Okita, and the four other men still on
the floor backed in toward each other, tightening up their mutual defense.
Outnumbered five to one. Not a bad way to go down.
Okita stepped into the Tennen Rishin Ryuu's highly lethal hiraseigan
stance, ready to continue the attack. With a kiai, he launched himself
at the enemy again, while the others did the same.
On and on, they slashed left and right, cutting through the summer
night and the rain of blood. No matter how hard they fought, though,
the enemy's number didn't seem to dwindle at all. The only thing they
could do was fight to hold them off, hopefully until Hijikata's group
or the Aizu forces of the Military Commission arrived.
Hiro was lost, intoxicated in the crimson tide. He smiled
grotesquely, taking pleasure in his enemies' pain, remembering
accounts of the slaughter of the pro-Tokugawa domains in 1868,
especially that of the Aizu clan, who suffered until the 1920s as
"enemies of the Court". He recalled all that had happened, and took
pleasure in paying them back in advance for what they would later do.
Suddenly, the rebels knocked open the screen doors that led out onto
the small balcony, and jumped off onto the roofs of nearby buildings.
The Shinsengumi members pursued them, not wanting to let anyone get
away. Picking a target at random, Hiro went into a hiraseigan stance
himself, and ran, not paying any attention to his enemy's spear.
Closer and closer he came, on a collision course with both the man and
the spear. Just then, at nearly point-blank range, the man let go of
his spear and began to slump. Hiro still didn't pay any attention,
running the man through with his blade. Yanking it out, he noticed a
long, metal dagger protruding from the corpse's back. He looked up. A
man in black clothing and armor stood in front of him, and nodded in
approval.
"Next time, Tokugawa Hirotada-san, pay attention to the spear."
Hiro gasped. How did this man know who he was? Then he remembered—the
Shinsengumi had a spy at the Ikedaya incident: Yamazaki Susumu, the
head of the investigations division. It all made sense—no one else
would be snooping around in the dead of night in support of the
Shinsengumi's operations aside from Yamazaki.
"Oh, and look behind you," Yamazaki added, tossing another dagger
inches over Hiro's shoulder. Another rebel samurai slumped over and
fell, his sword passing barely a foot away from Hiro's neck as it
fell. By the time Hiro turned back around, Yamazaki was gone. Just
like a spy, too, Hiro thought for a moment, before turning back to the
matter at hand.
By now, the rebels were losing ground, and fleeing back into the inn.
Okita and the others once again gave chase, running back up and
leaping for the balcony.
Hiro picked out his last man, dashing toward him with his sword held
high. All the rage he'd felt, all the anger and resentment toward the
Choshuu clan and its historic aggression against his family—all of
those emotions seemed to radiate from his sword, charging the air with
a raging, uncontrollable energy. The rebel's sword started moving
upward, inch by inch, second by second, just as Hiro's sword swept
downward, inch by inch. There was a resounding clang of metal, and the
night was illuminated by sparks for a brief moment. Hiro laughed, a
maniacal, sickening laugh, as he saw his opponent's head fly off his
neck, sending a shower of blood flying everywhere. Feeling wetness on
his left shoulder, he paused to touch it, holding his hand in front of
his face and turning white at the realization that it was his own
warm, wine-red blood he was feeling.
"Tokugawa-san?" asked Okita. "Tokugawa-san? Are you alright?"
Hiro couldn't hear anything but the loud whooshing sound that
suddenly reverberated in his ears.
"Dirty Choshuu scum peasant dogs…Should've slaughtered you all when
we had the chance…"
His grip on the sword suddenly went slack, sending the blade
clattering to the blood-soaked floor mats. Remember, my son, if you
should ever be in any serious situation which merits the thought of
the next life, just remember one thing-- the samurai treats death as
an honored guest…the voice of his father reminded him, as did the
voices of all his ancestors, all the way back to Matsudaira Hirotada,
his namesake. Wanting to be a dutiful son and heir, he obeyed.
As he fell forward, he suddenly remembered one other thing—what he'd
said the night before.
Yuki… I will see you soon…

[Previous #50] [Next #59]

#59 [2004-03-24 18:55:27]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 10)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: There's a hospital scene-- people getting stitched up. If
that makes your stomach do the funky chicken, then read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.



Chapter 10

"Yuki-han! They're coming back!"
Midori pointed up the path to where a thin cluster of lanterns could
be seen, slowly approaching the gate of the headquarters. Yuki stared
at the shapes in the distance, squinting to try and figure out if it
was really them. She knew that the timing was right, and that they
were supposed to be back at any minute. But in Bakumatsu-era Kyoto, in
the dark, it was wrong to assume anything of any sort, especially that
a large crowd of people approaching the Yagi estate had to be none
other than the Shinsengumi. Just to be safe, Yuki lowered her naginata
into ready position.
"No one stands down until we're absolutely sure it's them," she ordered.
The others also moved their weapons to a ready stance. Leaning
forward, they strained their eyes in the darkness to try and make out
the faces of the approaching crowd of samurai. If it wasn't the
Shinsengumi, then they were resolved to do their best in standing
their ground, in order to do their part for the unit. If it was indeed
Choshuu samurai who were approaching, they would not be allowed to
pass easily, and would pay dearly for every inch of ground they took.
"Go-yo! Kyoto Military Commission! Official business!"
The repeated shout suddenly sent a wave of relief through the women
at the gate, making some of them relax the death-grip they had on
their naginata. So it was the Shinsengumi, back at last after a long
night of fighting. By Yuki's estimate, they had been out for about
seven hours—from around seven o'clock in the evening, to the current 2
AM. She'd known the Ikedaya incident was long, but no account of it
had prepared her for how long it actually was.
Eager to find Hiro, she ran up to the approaching samurai. Kondou,
Hijikata, Okita, and Saitou led the group in front, with Okita
carrying the Shinsengumi banner. Yuki noticed that they weren't
alone—there were a large number of Aizu samurai with them, as well,
clad in black haori and looking generally more well-groomed than their
Shinsengumi comrades.
Just as Yuki was about to ask someone for the location of the 3rd
Unit, she noticed several wounded Shinsengumi members being carried on
wooden stretchers. Moving smoothly alongside the stretcher bearers,
she looked over the wounded with a combination of visceral disgust and
irrepressible curiosity—she'd never seen people wounded by swords
before. The cuts seemed so clean, so surgically precise. This was a
testament not only to the skill of Japanese swordsmen, but also to the
razor-sharp edge of nearly any Japanese sword.
As she walked amongst the stretcher bearers, though, one of the
wounded suddenly caught her eye. She wasn't sure why, but something
was familiar about his height and build. He had a large gash on his
left shoulder, the red of his blood staining the sky blue color of his
overcoat. And his eyes…His eyes were looking straight up to the sky,
but were emptier than any she'd seen before…
Yuki's hand went to her mouth in shock.
"H…Hirotada-sama!"
He didn't move—just kept staring blankly at the night sky, deaf to
everything.
Yuki. If I fall…what will you do?
Yuki's eyes filled with silent tears as she remembered their
conversation-- his question and her response, both equally shocking
and yet, both were things that needed to be said.
"I would willingly follow you in death…" she whispered, repeating her
response of that day. Then she paused, and squeezed his hand, choking
back tears.
"Willingly…but you're not dead yet."
********
Hiro was alone—totally and utterly alone. He still wore his clothing
and battle gear from the attack, but he was by himself, walking in a
vast, open field of grass, stretching as far as his eyes could see.
Looking down at his shoulder, he found that there was a large blood
stain on his uniform, but that his shoulder didn't hurt anymore. He
sighed in relief.
I would willingly follow you in death. Willingly, but you're not dead
yet…came a familiar voice. His heart leapt.
"Yuki! Where are you?"
No answer.
"Yuki!"
Hiro walked around the open expanse, trying to find where his wife
could be, but to no avail. Exhausted, he sank down to the ground,
lying on his back and looking up at the sky.
Not dead yet…came Yuki's voice again.
"Not dead? Well then where am I? There certainly isn't this much
grass anywhere in Kyoto!"
He sighed in exhaustion, and closed his eyes.
"So what brings you here?" asked someone. Hiro's eyes flew open, and
he found himself looking into a face very similar to his own. His jaw
dropped at the realization that he was looking at his direct ancestor,
the fifteenth and final shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Moving to his
knees, he bowed in awe.
"Yoshinobu-sama!"
"Obviously," he answered, sitting down next to Hiro. "Now, I'll ask
again. You've got a war to fight, a wife to protect, and honor to
uphold," Yoshinobu paused, emphasizing each of the rest of his words.
"Why are you here?"
Hiro stared at his ancestor blankly.
"I…don't know. Really, Yoshinobu-sama. I don't."
Yoshinobu's dark eyebrows furrowed.
"Rise."
"Excuse me?"
"Rise."
Hiro shook his head in confusion. He wasn't sure what his ancestor
meant—rise? Rise where?
"I'll say it again. Rise."
Hiro shut his eyes. Whatever was going on, he didn't like it one bit.
The whole "talking to the ancestor" bit was really getting to be annoying.
"Idon'tunderstandwhyyou'retellingmetoriseIdon'tgetitIreallydon'tunders—"
His eyes flew open, seeing another familiar face.
"Shhh…lie down, Hirotada-sama. Please."
Hiro slowly eased himself back down onto the futon. Out of the corner
of his eye, he could see other men around him, similarly injured,
receiving treatment from the serving women and a tall, thin man whom
he recognized from one of his family's Bakumatsu photo albums as
Takani Ryuutarou, Lord Matsudaira Katamori's personal physician.
As with so many times in the past two weeks, Hiro's mental history
textbook opened and began to narrate itself. He recalled that after
the victory at the Ikedaya, some of the Aizu samurai had very quickly
brought word to the Military Commission and Lord Matsudaira about the
Shinsengumi's exceptional conduct in the battle. Thoroughly impressed,
the lord had immediately sent Doctor Takani to the Shinsengumi, to
help treat the wounded. Not only that, but the lord had also sent his
personal congratulations on the victory, as well as the promise of a
monetary reward for the unit's exceptional service. All this and more
was in store, but not just yet.
"Take it easy…"whispered Yuki. "You've been wounded in the shoulder,
Hirotada-sama."
"Yeah…" murmured Hiro. It still felt a bit awkward, hearing Yuki
address him with such overly dignified terms, but given her definite
shock, it wasn't entirely a surprise. If nothing else, it certainly
fit the era better, even if he did prefer a simple "Hiro-kun" from
her. `When in Rome…', as the Americans say, he thought to himself.
He looked over at his shoulder, which appeared to be tightly wrapped
in gauze.
"I know that…A Choshuu scumbag's blade passed right through it. It was
certainly the last thing he did, though."
Yuki took a moist cloth, and wiped Hiro's forehead, cleaning off the
cold sweat that had settled there during his period of unconsciousness.
"Doctor Takani stitched you up, but you're going to have to rest.
Please, just take it easy on yourself."
Hiro paused, taking a deep, steadying breath.
"What about Ikedaya? What happened?"
Yuki smiled, and gave him a quick kiss, quick enough not to be
noticed. Hiro smiled back at her, feeling a sort of healing that the
doctor could not provide, wash through his body, cleansing him of much
of his fatigue and agony, and leaving him with a gentle feeling of
warmth everywhere. He knew he needed to rest awhile, but he already
felt much, much better. Yuki leaned in close to him and whispered, so
low that only Hiro could hear.
"You know what happened, koishii. We won…"
********

[Previous #58] [Next #67]

#67 [2004-03-25 11:39:08]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 11)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: Hiro and Yuki are sitting in bed talking. Nothing major.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.

Chapter 11

July 15th

The night of chaos at the Ikedaya was slowly becoming a distant
memory. Life in Kyoto moved on as usual, but things were different for
the Shinsengumi. Gone were the days of their appellation by most as
"wolves". Since they had saved the city from almost certain
annihilation, they were still feared, but were now respected by many
more people than before—commoner, lord, and courtier alike. In the
wake of their success, Lord Matsudaira had personally sent a monetary
reward for the Shinsengumi's exceptional conduct, as had Emperor
Komei. It seemed as though the Shinsengumi was on the top of the
world, unshakeable in its sincerity to the Shogunate's cause and its
pursuit of public order in Kyoto.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the Shinsengumi headquarters, the
Yanagi-ya was silent, adrift in the morning calm. The sunlight,
stronger now that the sun had risen a bit above the horizon, filtered
in through the shutters, casting patterns of light and shadow on the
floor mats inside. Feeling the warmth on their faces, Hiro and Yuki
awoke from a deep peaceful sleep. They'd had a very, very good night
together, and the new day seemed wonderful and bright, full of new
memories to be made. There were other battles to be fought, but for
the time being, they could focus on loving again.
Slowly opening her eyes, Yuki pressed close against Hiro's body,
losing herself in his scent, happily drowning in the ecstasy of
feeling his bare skin against her own. Gently, she kissed the long,
dark red scar on his left shoulder, and traced its path with her
little finger.
"Good morning, Hirotada-sama," she murmured with a smile.
Hiro ran his fingers through her hair, which hung freely in dark,
glossy waves over her shoulders and back. Yuki's hair had a tendency
of growing rather fast. Hiro remembered that her hair was only
chin-length when they had arrived, but now, it reached down to her
shoulders. Her bangs had also grown longer and silkier. Hiro thought
it was cute when she would tuck them behind her ears every now and then.
"Good morning, koishii. I see that they're right when they say that
`kissing it will make it feel better'. And you know, you really don't
have to call me `-sama'."
She sighed deeply and passionately, hanging onto him as though he was
the only real thing in the world.
"I enjoy saying it," she said playfully, stroking his chin.
"To-ku-ga-wa Hi-ro-ta-da-sa-ma. It sounds different."
Hiro rolled his eyes. Their pillow talk could be very amusing, indeed.
"If you want to, then I guess that's alright."
A comforting silence followed.
"Neh, anata," whispered Yuki. "Is Kinmon really in four days?"
Hiro sighed. The Battle of Kinmon—Choshuu's attempted retaliation for
the loss at Ikedaya—was only four days away. He knew that at that very
moment, thousands of Choshuu samurai had left their home domain and
were marching across the Chugoku region, or sailing in vessels across
the Inland Sea, all bearing eastward toward Kyoto. At the same time,
several times that number of pro-Shogunate warriors were also
converging on Kyoto, from domains as near as Kuwana and Aizu to as
distant a region as Satsuma. In four days' time, they would meet at
Kinmon, the "forbidden" western gate of the Imperial palace. The
battle itself would only last a matter of hours, but would cause
untold ruin and destruction, consuming much of Kyoto in fire. The
Shogunate would win, but at that terrible price not only to its
soldiers but to the city as a whole—and just like before the Battle of
Ikedaya, Hiro wasn't sure if he'd survive. He couldn't avoid Yuki's
question, though.
"Yes. Kinmon, or Hamagurigomon, or whatever, happens in four days.
What's more, I go back to active duty tomorrow."
Yuki held his face in her hands, and smiled as courageously as she
could. She had to be strong, for his sake at least.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. You know that, right, Hirotada-sama? I got
through the night of the Ikedaya Incident in one piece, didn't I?"
Hiro embraced her tightly.
"Yes. And you saved me, too. Thank you again."
Yuki giggled.
"That was more Doctor Takani's handiwork than mine."
"All the same," he murmured. "Thank you. And I'll say it again—anata
ga watashinotaisetsuna takaramono. You are the most precious treasure
of my life."
Hiro caressed her face softly, and then brought her lips to his. They
kissed deeply, a kiss that tasted of the exhilaration of life and the
thrill of victory.
Suddenly someone knocked on the sliding door, interrupting their kiss
rather abruptly. Rolling out of bed, Hiro and Yuki quickly donned
their yukata. As Yuki hurriedly started folding the futon, Hiro walked
over to the door and opened it a crack.
"Harada-sama…Midori-san…"
Harada smiled broadly, giving Hiro a good-natured pat on the shoulder.
" `Morning, Lord Shogun! Hope you had a good night!" He indicated a
small stack of trays in Midori's arms. "Want to have breakfast together?"
Hiro glanced over his shoulder at Yuki, who had just finished folding
the futon and putting it in a corner. Opening the door the whole way,
he bowed curtly.
"We'd be honored, Harada-sama."
Harada turned to Midori, and nodded.
"Well then, Mi-chan."
Harada greeted Yuki, who by now had also come up to the door.
"Good morning, Yuki-san! You sure look…rested."
Yuki giggled happily.
"You could say that." She noticed that Midori was also there, and
smiled. "I see Midori-nee is here too."
Hiro scratched his chin in curiosity. This was a phrase he hadn't
heard before.
"Midori-nee?"
"Yeah! We've become quite close in the last few weeks, Hiro-sama!
Isn't that right, Midori-nee?"
"Sure is, Yu-chan," answered Midori, as she arranged the trays and
the food on them properly. Turning to Hiro, she gave a short bow.
"Hirotada-sama, your wife is amazing. Somehow she can relate to
anything, understand any circumstance. Not only is she a great cook,
she's also a great naginata teacher, as well. She's…beyond words."
Hiro allowed himself a small smile.
If you only knew why both of us know so much…
Harada elbowed Hiro with a laugh, interrupting his musings.
"Well, shall we?"
"Ah—yes, of course, Harada-sama."
They all sat down, and began eating at a leisurely pace, enjoying the
coolness of the room and the cheerful, bright sunlight coming in from
the outside. Taking a sip of sake, Harada tapped Hiro on the shoulder.
"Say, Tokugawa-kun, have you heard the rumors?"
Hiro knew that he was most probably referring to the impending battle,
but feigned ignorance, hoping to hear Harada's version of the rumor.
After all, he reasoned, history is more interesting when you hear a
different version of it.
"No…I've been out for most of the time since Ikedaya."
Harada started laughing so hard, he nearly choked on his sake.
"In more ways than one…but anyway, the rumor is that there's going to
be another battle soon. Kondou-sama said something yesterday morning
about getting spy reports that there are thousands of you-know-which
clan warriors marching here in droves, by land and by sea. The Chugoku
and Inland Sea are swarming with `em."
Continuing the act, Hiro faked shock—not entirely dishonestly, though,
as he was still worried about what the outcome would mean for him
personally.
"Really? You don't say…"
Midori pouted, and leaned against Harada's shoulder.
"Mou, Sano-kun, please talk about pleasant things. We're all off duty
here…"
Harada laughed pleasantly.
"Mi-chan, you're so adorable when you pout. Alright, we won't talk
business. For now, we'll just enjoy the food and the company."
Instinctively, Hiro raised his sake cup, and almost said Hear, hear in
English, which could've gotten him into deep trouble.
Harada and Midori looked at his sudden pause with a mix of confusion
and amusement.
"Is the sake too strong, Tokugawa-kun?" Harada asked, breaking the
silence.
Yuki looked at him in thinly veiled shock, fully aware of what was
going on in his head, and what had nearly come out of his mouth. The
two of them had received their college education abroad, in the United
States, and had picked up some American mannerisms as a result.
However, they were now in a situation where people of their station
had no logical business speaking English unless they were spies for
the Shogunate or the rebels. All Yuki could do was watch as Hiro
teetered on the brink of inadvertently ruining everything.
Gathering his wits about him, he laughed, and forcibly willed Japanese
to come out of his mouth.
"It's been awhile since I had sake—it tastes stronger than I
remembered. At any rate, I'll drink to what Midori-san said,
Harada-sama. To peace and calm. Beautiful and priceless, yet as
ephemeral as the falling cherry blossoms."
***********

[Previous #59] [Next #69]

#69 [2004-03-25 09:48:39]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 11)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: Hiro and Yuki just spent the entire night together. There
isn't really anything questionable in this story, unless the thought
of a married couple sitting in bed talking turns your stomach...(lol).
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.

Chapter 11

July 15th
The night of chaos at the Ikedaya was slowly becoming a distant
memory. Life in Kyoto moved on as usual, but things were different for
the Shinsengumi. Gone were the days of their appellation by most as
"wolves". Since they had saved the city from almost certain
annihilation, they were still feared, but were now respected by many
more people than before—commoner, lord, and courtier alike. In the
wake of their success, Lord Matsudaira had personally sent a monetary
reward for the Shinsengumi's exceptional conduct, as had Emperor
Komei. It seemed as though the Shinsengumi was on the top of the
world, unshakeable in its sincerity to the Shogunate's cause and its
pursuit of public order in Kyoto.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the Shinsengumi headquarters, the
Yanagi-ya was silent, adrift in the morning calm. The sunlight,
stronger now that the sun had risen a bit above the horizon, filtered
in through the shutters, casting patterns of light and shadow on the
floor mats inside. Feeling the warmth on their faces, Hiro and Yuki
awoke from a deep peaceful sleep. They'd had a very, very good night
together, and the new day seemed wonderful and bright, full of new
memories to be made. There were other battles to be fought, but for
the time being, they could focus on loving again.
Slowly opening her eyes, Yuki pressed close against Hiro's body,
losing herself in his scent, happily drowning in the ecstasy of
feeling his bare skin against her own. Gently, she kissed the long,
dark red scar on his left shoulder, and traced its path with her
little finger.
"Good morning, Hirotada-sama," she murmured with a smile.
Hiro ran his fingers through her hair, which hung freely in dark,
glossy waves over her shoulders and back. Yuki's hair had a tendency
of growing rather fast. Hiro remembered that her hair was only
chin-length when they had arrived, but now, it reached down to her
shoulders. Her bangs had also grown longer and silkier. Hiro thought
it was cute when she would tuck them behind her ears every now and then.
"Good morning, koishii. I see that they're right when they say that
`kissing it will make it feel better'. And you know, you really don't
have to call me `-sama'."
She sighed deeply and passionately, hanging onto him as though he was
the only real thing in the world.
"I enjoy saying it," she said playfully, stroking his chin.
"To-ku-ga-wa Hi-ro-ta-da-sa-ma. It sounds different."
Hiro rolled his eyes. Their pillow talk could be very amusing, indeed.
"If you want to, then I guess that's alright."
A comforting silence followed.
"Neh, anata," whispered Yuki. "Is Kinmon really in four days?"
Hiro sighed. The Battle of Kinmon—Choshuu's attempted retaliation for
the loss at Ikedaya—was only four days away. He knew that at that very
moment, thousands of Choshuu samurai had left their home domain and
were marching across the Chugoku region, or sailing in vessels across
the Inland Sea, all bearing eastward toward Kyoto. At the same time,
several times that number of pro-Shogunate warriors were also
converging on Kyoto, from domains as near as Kuwana and Aizu to as
distant a region as Satsuma. In four days' time, they would meet at
Kinmon, the "forbidden" western gate of the Imperial palace. The
battle itself would only last a matter of hours, but would cause
untold ruin and destruction, consuming much of Kyoto in fire. The
Shogunate would win, but at that terrible price not only to its
soldiers but to the city as a whole—and just like before the Battle of
Ikedaya, Hiro wasn't sure if he'd survive. He couldn't avoid Yuki's
question, though.
"Yes. Kinmon, or Hamagurigomon, or whatever, happens in four days.
What's more, I go back to active duty tomorrow."
Yuki held his face in her hands, and smiled as courageously as she
could. She had to be strong, for his sake at least.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. You know that, right, Hirotada-sama? I got
through the night of the Ikedaya Incident in one piece, didn't I?"
Hiro embraced her tightly.
"Yes. And you saved me, too. Thank you again."
Yuki giggled.
"That was more Doctor Takani's handiwork than mine."
"All the same," he murmured. "Thank you. And I'll say it again—anata
ga watashinotaisetsuna takaramono. You are the most precious treasure
of my life."
Hiro caressed her face softly, and then brought her lips to his. They
kissed deeply, a kiss that tasted of the exhilaration of life and the
thrill of victory.
Suddenly someone knocked on the sliding door, interrupting their kiss
rather abruptly. Rolling out of bed, Hiro and Yuki quickly donned
their yukata. As Yuki hurriedly started folding the futon, Hiro walked
over to the door and opened it a crack.
"Harada-sama…Midori-san…"
Harada smiled broadly, giving Hiro a good-natured pat on the shoulder.
" `Morning, Lord Shogun! Hope you had a good night!" He indicated a
small stack of trays in Midori's arms. "Want to have breakfast together?"
Hiro glanced over his shoulder at Yuki, who had just finished folding
the futon and putting it in a corner. Opening the door the whole way,
he bowed curtly.
"We'd be honored, Harada-sama."
Harada turned to Midori, and nodded.
"Well then, Mi-chan."
Harada greeted Yuki, who by now had also come up to the door.
"Good morning, Yuki-san! You sure look…rested."
Yuki giggled happily.
"You could say that." She noticed that Midori was also there, and
smiled. "I see Midori-nee is here too."
Hiro scratched his chin in curiosity. This was a phrase he hadn't
heard before.
"Midori-nee?"
"Yeah! We've become quite close in the last few weeks, Hiro-sama!
Isn't that right, Midori-nee?"
"Sure is, Yu-chan," answered Midori, as she arranged the trays and
the food on them properly. Turning to Hiro, she gave a short bow.
"Hirotada-sama, your wife is amazing. Somehow she can relate to
anything, understand any circumstance. Not only is she a great cook,
she's also a great naginata teacher, as well. She's…beyond words."
Hiro allowed himself a small smile.
If you only knew why both of us know so much…
Harada elbowed Hiro with a laugh, interrupting his musings.
"Well, shall we?"
"Ah—yes, of course, Harada-sama."
They all sat down, and began eating at a leisurely pace, enjoying the
coolness of the room and the cheerful, bright sunlight coming in from
the outside. Taking a sip of sake, Harada tapped Hiro on the shoulder.
"Say, Tokugawa-kun, have you heard the rumors?"
Hiro knew that he was most probably referring to the impending battle,
but feigned ignorance, hoping to hear Harada's version of the rumor.
After all, he reasoned, history is more interesting when you hear a
different version of it.
"No…I've been out for most of the time since Ikedaya."
Harada started laughing so hard, he nearly choked on his sake.
"In more ways than one…but anyway, the rumor is that there's going to
be another battle soon. Kondou-sama said something yesterday morning
about getting spy reports that there are thousands of you-know-which
clan warriors marching here in droves, by land and by sea. The Chugoku
and Inland Sea are swarming with `em."
Continuing the act, Hiro faked shock—not entirely dishonestly, though,
as he was still worried about what the outcome would mean for him
personally.
"Really? You don't say…"
Midori pouted, and leaned against Harada's shoulder.
"Mou, Sano-kun, please talk about pleasant things. We're all off duty
here…"
Harada laughed pleasantly.
"Mi-chan, you're so adorable when you pout. Alright, we won't talk
business. For now, we'll just enjoy the food and the company."
Instinctively, Hiro raised his sake cup, and almost said Hear, hear in
English, which could've gotten him into deep trouble.
Harada and Midori looked at his sudden pause with a mix of confusion
and amusement.
"Is the sake too strong, Tokugawa-kun?" Harada asked, breaking the
silence.
Yuki looked at him in thinly veiled shock, fully aware of what was
going on in his head, and what had nearly come out of his mouth. The
two of them had received their college education abroad, in the United
States, and had picked up some American mannerisms as a result.
However, they were now in a situation where people of their station
had no logical business speaking English unless they were spies for
the Shogunate or the rebels. All Yuki could do was watch as Hiro
teetered on the brink of inadvertently ruining everything.
Gathering his wits about him, he laughed, and forcibly willed Japanese
to come out of his mouth.
"It's been awhile since I had sake—it tastes stronger than I
remembered. At any rate, I'll drink to what Midori-san said,
Harada-sama. To peace and calm. Beautiful and priceless, yet as
ephemeral as the falling cherry blossoms."
***********

[Previous #67] [Next #73]

#73 [2004-03-26 09:04:49]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 12)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: The Battle of Kinmon is upon us. Graphic violence ensues.
Read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.
NOTE: Battle scene best read while listening to "DDevil" by System of
a Down, or "My Last Breath" by Evanescence.

Chapter 12

July 18

"Ah, Tokugawa-kun, good to see you. Please, have a seat."
Hiro bowed, and took his seat next to Saitou, facing Kondou and Hijikata.
"Thank you, Kondou-sama, Hijikata-sama."
Kondou nodded briskly, and pulled some papers out from a stack to his
right, laying them flat on the mats in front of him.
"No use in wasting time, so let's get straight to business, shall
we?" asked the commander briskly.
Hijikata and Saitou nodded their assent quietly. Kondou continued.
"I've spoken with the men who were upstairs with you at the Ikedaya.
From what they told me, I understand that you fought almost
unstoppably, getting cut repeatedly but not allowing your body to give
out until you were sure that the floor was secure. You even went out
onto the nearby roofs with Okita-san and chased some people who had
tried to escape."
"Well," said Hiro sheepishly, remembering his run-in with Yamazaki on
the roof, after he'd almost been impaled by a spear. "I really don't
remember much. It was all so dark."
Kondou nodded.
"Still, I believe that your conduct was exemplary. I've spoken with
Hijikata-san and Saitou-san, and with their approval, I'm going to
promote you to gochou—corporal." He handed the promotion papers to
Hiro, who accepted them with two bows, first a short bob of his head,
then a full bow all the way to the floor mats.
"Thank you so much, Kondou-sama. I am unworthy of such honor, but I
will do my utmost to deserve your trust."
Hiro was about to sit back up when Hijikata cleared his throat.
"If you'll stop being overly grateful, Corporal, there's something
else that Kondou-san wishes to say."
Slightly burning with rage, Hiro kept his gaze turned to the
floorboards. His gut reaction, had revealing his background been an
option, would've been to tear Hijikata apart for what he'd said.
Sucking up? Hiro was simply being respectful to Kondou, who was one of
his childhood heroes and whom he personally admired. Hijikata was
different for him. He had a grudging respect for the man, and
admiration for the effectiveness of his technique, but otherwise, he
couldn't stand him and felt that he deserved the nickname "Devil" one
hundred percent.
"Tokugawa-san," said Kondou, trying to sweep away the uneasy silence.
"After consultation, and much thought, I've come to a decision. I'm
going to allow your wife to fight alongside you tomorrow, as…a
personal attendant."
Hiro couldn't believe his ears. That wasn't supposed to be possible!
Then again…he realized that he and Yuki were changing history simply
by being there. Things could be different. They were.
"I…understand, Kondou-sama."
"Very good. She can obtain her weapons and armor at the same time
that you do. That's all. You're dismissed, Corporal Tokugawa."
Hiro gave a short bow.
"Understood. Thank you, Kondou-sama."
*********
July 19
Yuki tightened the strings of Hiro's helmet, deftly pulling at the
tough lacquered cords with nimble fingers. Giving the knot a tug, she
made sure that it was secure.
"You're set, Hiro-sama."
"Thanks, Yuki-chan. Are you ready?"
Looking herself over, she made sure that she was fully armed and
armored. Gauntlets, short sword, naginata, armored headband, and
breastplate—all present and accounted for. Since she was going to be
fighting, she also wore hakama, wide-legged trousers, over her kimono.
She nodded eagerly.
"Hai, gochou-sama. I'm ready."
Yuki still couldn't entirely believe it. Not only had Hiro been
promoted, but she was his personal attendant! The risk of battle still
remained, but Yuki felt a lot better, since she'd be with Hiro more
often. And beyond that…she was eager to help him in his quest for
retribution against Choshuu. Her own clan also suffered at the hands
of the rebels, and ended up seeing their domain torn apart by the last
great battle of the period, the Battle of Hakodate. Whatever path Hiro
chose to pursue, Yuki knew one thing—their minds and swords, as
always, were one.
There was an eerie silence among the forces arrayed around the
Imperial Palace. It seemed like just another day, but deep down
inside, everyone knew what was about to happen. Hiro and Yuki could
almost sense it, as well. The Choshuu samurai may not have come into
view yet, but they knew very well that they were there, and drawing
closer by the second. Behind Hiro and Yuki, the group of 3rd Unit
patrolmen under Hiro's command tensed. Swords already drawn, they
crouched behind a barricade, waiting for the order to charge.
Yuki tapped him on the shoulder. ""Hiro-sama…feel that?"
"Feel wha—" The words were left half-said in Hiro's mouth as the
once-faint war cry echoed from the streets west of the palace.
Oh dear God…Hiro mouthed. We are all so dead…
He turned to Yuki, and nodded.
"Get ready."
Nearby, the voices of the Aizu brigade commanders could be heard.
"Alright, boys!"
"Get ready! Here they come!"
"No prisoners!"
Hiro wasn't concerned with them. He just wanted to further his quest
for retribution and vengeance against the warriors of Choshuu.
From the surrounding streets and alleys, a seemingly huge force
suddenly materialized, brandishing every type of weapon
imaginable—from the standard katana to muzzle-loading muskets. An
agonizing, terrible eternity passed. Then they charged.
The Aizu forces wasted no time. Everywhere there was a musket unit,
the same command resounded.
"First line, fire!"
The thunder of gunfire echoed in the hot midsummer air. For a moment,
only the smell of spent ammunition and burning flesh hung in the air.
Hiro looked through the haze, hoping to see most of the enemy wiped
out, but in vain—they seemed not only to not have lost anyone, but
also to have multiplied in number. What was more, they weren't slowly
advancing anymore—they were running as fast as their legs could carry
them, charging the government positions. Before any member of the
government force—Aizu, Satsuma, Kuwana, Shinsengumi, or Mimawarigumi—
before any of them could move, the enemy closed the gap and was upon them.
Hiro was adrift, seemingly detached from the flow of time. His blade
slashed through the torso of the first Choshuu samurai, shattering
flesh and bone in a rapidly rising kesa-giri slash from the right hip
up to the left shoulder. For a moment, Hiro felt horror at what he
saw, a horror that nearly swallowed him whole.
Then he brought the past to mind. He remembered stories of the defeat
of the Tokugawa clan in battle at Toba-Fushimi, the slaughter at
Nagaoka, the burning, bullet-riddled banners at Tsuruga Castle in
Aizu, bearing his family's triple-hollyhock crest. He forced himself
to remember that these were the people who had done that-- these men
who marched under the banner of Mori, lord of Choshuu. And with no
effort at all he remembered the words of a middle-aged Emperor Meiji,
who after a lifetime of support for the Choshuu clan, said the words
that still made his blood boil:

Yesterday I was finally able to do something to show my gratitude to
Tokugawa Yoshinobu. I ought to be grateful; after all, I took the
country away from him!

It was in that instant that he made a critical decision. However
difficult, however dangerous, he had to put his knowledge to good use.
The past may have turned out one way, but he was able to change that.
Being in the past himself, there was no way that he could allow for
the same defeats and humiliation to happen a second time. He would
preserve his family's power and honor, no matter what the cost. The
Tokugawa Shogunate would survive—he would make absolutely sure of it.
Deftly rotating his sword back into position, he prepared to bring his
sword downwards and through another enemy again, when shots rang out.
At first he thought that it might be some Aizu riflemen firing at
will. When a couple of Mimawarigumi members went down near him, he
knew how wrong he was. Choshuu had been stockpiling guns, and now they
were using them. How obvious. How plainly, stupidly obvious.
He started to turn toward the direction of the shots, hoping to cut
down some gunners. His sword seemed to guide itself, progressing to
the more lethal techniques of the Yagyu Ryuu, slowly progressing
onward, foot by foot. Totally absorbed in his swordsmanship, Hiro
didn't see the enemy sword coming down toward his head until there was
a loud clanging noise. Glancing up for a moment, he saw the blade of a
naginata holding the sword back. In the instant before her grip
would've given way, he took advantage of the diversion and swept in
toward his opponent, cutting him down in a shower of blood.
"Yuki!"
"We're right behind you!"
There was no point in talking. All they had to do was fight. Eight of
the men who were assigned to Hiro fought their way forward, until they
were fighting back-to-back with him and Yuki. Try as they might, they
were held up, and couldn't find the source of the gunfire. One by one,
people were going down, helpless against the incoming bullets.
A whistling noise filled Hiro's ears. He had heard of such a noise
being heard by soldiers in World War II and Vietnam…now he knew
himself what it was like—a terrible, blinding white noise that he was
somehow numbed to. Hiro pointed his sword forward and ordered a
charge. Five people responded to him, led by Yuki. With a tremendous
battle cry, they threw everything into each cut, slash, and thrust,
trying to advance in the face of the never-ending go-for-broke spirit
of the Choshuu warriors.
Taking a lunge, Hiro prepared to follow, when he heard repeated
cracking noises ripping through the air like miniature thunderclaps.
His eyes widened in shock and frozen horror as he watched his five men
getting torn apart by shot after shot from the Choshuu guns, with Yuki
just behind them, her naginata ready to strike at anything in her way.
Yuki's words echoed through his mind.
If you were to fall…I would…slit my throat and willingly follow you in
death…
Yuki…he thought, holding his sword off to one side, and putting his
entire being into a dead run. Yuki…if you were to fall, I would commit
seppuku and follow you in death, as well. My life has no meaning
without you. Vengeance may be important, but you are even more
important. I love you…forever…
As he fell onto her, he closed his eyes and mentally said a prayer.

Great Lord, God whom my ancestors detested, Lord whom I have chosen to
follow— We are like grass before the Harvester. If it is Your will,
preserve us and let us survive this terrible bloodletting. If it is
not, let us pass from this world of grief and tears hand in hand…

[Previous #69] [Next #81]

#81 [2004-03-28 21:09:09]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 13)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: Nothing really. It's just that history starts to change here.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.

Chapter 13

For a long time there was nothing but silence and death hanging in the
air. Many buildings were destroyed, and many more were still burning.
In the distant foothills, the low, echoing rumble of gunfire meant the
battle was still raging, albeit in its final hours. The whistling
still raged on in Hiro's ears, until suddenly…
"Hiro-sama!"
His eyes flew open, and he remembered where he was, and more
precisely, whom he was lying on top of.
"Hiro-sama…I can't breathe…"
Hiro rolled off slowly, moving to a sitting position and helping Yuki
to her knees. She coughed a couple of times, and took several deep
breaths, before looking him in the eyes.
"Hiro-sama…thank you…"
Despite the restricted movement afforded to her by the armor, Yuki
straightened up and bowed with her forehead to the ground.
"Yuki…there was nothing else to be done. I—"
The sound of hoofbeats cut him off. Turning to the source of the
sound, they both went pale with shock. Lord Matsudaira Katamori, the
official shogunate representative in Kyoto, was slowly riding by,
surveying the damage with a mixed group of mounted retainers and foot
soldiers. Unable to control his gut instinct, Hiro looked the lord
straight in the eyes, not as the defiant low-rank Shinsengumi corporal
which he pretended to be, but as a member of the Tokugawa house, which
he was. He looked at Matsudaira honestly, as a kinsman.
The lord noticed, and rode closer. Yuki pulled Hiro down into the
lowest bow possible, noting what was happening with some degree of
horror. Even if Matsudaira was a kinsman, it was utterly inexcusable
for anyone of such a low rank, even a pretended low rank, to stare
such a high lord directly in the eyes.
They remained bowing, until the sound of hooves stopped directly in
front of them.
"You," said Matsudaira, addressing Hiro. "Look at me."
Slowly, Hiro looked up, straight into Matsudaira's eyes again.
"My lord."
"You're with Shinsengumi?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Your name?"
Hiro suddenly felt very weak. His name—that would give everything
away, especially to Lord Matsudaira. He would have to reveal
himself…Silently, he gritted his teeth, steeled his nerves, and looked
up again.
"Tokugawa. Tokugawa Hirotada, my lord."
Matsudaira's face went white as a sheet for a moment. Then he burst
out laughing.
"You can't honestly be serious. The battle must have gotten to you,
samurai. I'm feeling rather good today, so I'll excuse that. Now I ask
you again, what is your name? Try to be honest with me." The foot
soldiers tensed at this remark, their hands tight on the hilts of
their swords.
Not about to be intimidated, Hiro brought his ancestors to mind—on his
father's side, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun. On his
mother's side, Honda Tadakatsu, one of Ieyasu's chief captains. The
blood and spirit of those men and their progeny ran in him. He knew he
had nothing to fear.
"Tokugawa Hirotada, my lord."
Matsudaira sighed.
"I need some humor today. Alright, then, samurai, so you're Tokugawa.
Prove it."
"I am of the Mito house."
"Whose son?"
"Tokugawa Tadanobu and Honda Masako's eldest son."
Matsudaira snickered to himself.
"There are no such people in the Mito house. But go on."
"Our clan's swords bear our hollyhock crest, and are made by the
Yasutsugu. Our clan's official armorers are the Miochin."
"Anyone who knows their history could tell me that."
Hiro was desperate. He had to prove himself.
"Two of your lordship's direct retainers are named Sagawa Kanbei and
Nakano Heinai. Nakano Heinai has a wife by the name of Kouko, and two
daughters by the name of Takeko and Yuuko, who are reknowned for their
skill with the naginata."
Matsudaira nodded to his foot soldiers, who unsheathed their swords.
"I'm sorry, samurai, but I'm afraid I can't let you go. Whatever
spying you've been doing on my clan must end now. Thank you for
amusing me, though."
Hiro and Yuki stood up together. Gripping Yuki's hand firmly, he
looked Matsudaira in the eyes again, this time with the fiercest stare
that he could summon. There was no more pretense. Hiro was bent on
using the position of his family to full advantage. The Matsudaira
family of Aizu may have been relatives of the shogun, but they were
lower-ranking than Hiro's family, who were one of the main branches
from which the shogun was chosen.
"Many years ago, during the Age of the Country at war, when our common
ancestor Toshogu (Tokugawa Ieyasu) was still a child, his mother,
O-dai no Kata, was sent back to her brother Mizuno Nobutomo's castle.
She was accompanied by some of the samurai of Matsudaira Hirotada, who
is my namesake—"
"Again, anyone who has read history knows that, samurai. My patience
is wearing thin--"
"When they neared the castle, O-dai no Kata bade her husband's
samurai to leave. She said, `If you come with me, my brother will kill
you all. If that happens, then my son will forever despise his uncle.
As long as my son lives, I will never think of you Matsudaira men as
enemies. Since both my son and Nobutomo are related, sooner or later
our clans will make peace. But if you stay with me and get killed,
that will be utterly impossible.' Having understood what she said,
they let her proceed on her way alone."
Matsudaira's jaw dropped.
"How did you…?"
"As I said, my lord, I am who I am."
A look of utter confusion passed over Matsudaira's face. Finally, he
shook his head, and barked an order to his foot soldiers.
"Take their weapons. I don't want any trouble."
Looking at Hiro again, he nodded with a touch of contempt.
"I don't know how you know that, but I can assure you, if you're not
who you say you are, you can consider yourself utterly, without
question, dead. I assume this is your battlefield attendant?" he said,
pointing at Yuki.
"She is Matsumae Yuki, my wife and battlefield attendant."
"Strange, but very well. I'll allow her to remain with you. Now let's
get going."
********
Hiro and Yuki were quickly brought to Nijo Castle, the shogunate's
headquarters in Kyoto. After being given a bath and a change of
clothes, they had been shown to the antechamber before the main
audience hall, where, they were told, Lord Matsudaira would see the
two of them.
Kneeling alongside and slightly behind Hiro, Yuki was in awe. The
decorations and detail on the sliding doors and walls were quite
spectacular, as was the immaculate cleanliness of the tatami mats.
This life, the life of the upper class, was how Yuki had previously
imagined the past. And yet, having spent several weeks with
lower-ranking samurai and former peasants, she could no longer hold on
to that image. She looked at her fresh, light-green kimono, and
sighed, thinking of Midori and the other women back at Shinsengumi
headquarters, who wore clothing of coarse weave and went to tremendous
lengths and sacrifices to support the men of the group.
She turned her eyes toward Hiro. Dressed in a formal black kimono and
haori, and striped gray hakama, he looked resplendent and somehow
naturally commanding—worthy of someone of his rank and heritage. Since
he had yet to fully prove himself to Lord Matsudaira, the clothing
issued to him bore no family crest.
"His lordship will see you now," said an attendant, and moved forward
to slide open the doors.
Hiro nodded curtly. As the doors opened, he and Yuki bowed all the
way down to the floor mats, and then moved forward slowly using shiko,
a delicate process of sliding on the kneecaps. When they came before
the slightly raised platform where Lord Matsudaira sat, they bowed again.
Matsudaira gave a nod to the attendant, who left the room and slid
the doors shut.
"Good afternoon," said Matsudaira, with a slightly tired tone. "There
are things I'd rather be doing, believe me. But if I don't address
this immediately, it's not going to go away. You'll notice that I have
here my official secretary, who will write down any responses you give
and keep them on record. I remind you that should you be found to be
lying, I will not hesitate to take your head personally."
Hiro bowed again, and cleared his throat.
"My lord, before I begin, may I ask one indulgence?"
"What is it?"
"I ask that your lordship listen to every word I say, and then make
up your mind as to what to do with me and my wife."
Matsudaira grunted.
"Very well. Now begin."
"Yes, your lordship. As I said before, I am Tokugawa Hirotada, son of
Tokugawa Tadanobu of Mito and Honda Masako, daughter of Honda Masahiro
of Sunpu. I am descended from Lord Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Much as it may
sound like madness, I come from the future."
Matsudaira's face contorted, but being a man of his word, he kept silent.
"I do not know how I came here—I and my wife were blown here by what
I can only call a very fierce wind. But now that I am here, I must
tell your lordship that if you do not move quickly, the shogunate will
fall. The Tokugawa clan and many of its vassals will be stripped of
power and ruined. Lord Yoshinobu will be the last shogun, and will die
a heartbroken old man. Your own domain will suffer greatly—many will
die, the castle will be demolished, and your people will be exiled to
the Shimokita Peninsula in northern Honshu, where a great number of
them will die of starvation. Also, the shogunate has enemies not only
in Choshuu, but also in the Imperial Court, in the Satsuma domain, and
in the province of Tosa. And what's more, in my time, there are no
more samurai or domains. If your lordship would give me the
opportunity, I will tell you all that I know, so that you may work
toward the good of Japan, and for the preservation of our clan's name
and honor."
Hiro bowed to the floormats again.
"I am done, my lord. You may do with me as you please."
Matsudaira Katamori was silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke.
"I do not know what sort of person you are, nor if you are absolutely
telling the truth, but I will say this—if you are indeed an heir of
the Lord Yoshinobu, you certainly have his presence." He turned, and
nodded to his secretary, who finished his notes, and calmly bowed.
"Very well, waka-dono (young lord). The coming days will prove if
your words are indeed true. For the time being, I will allow you to
remain in this castle, and wear the hollyhock crest on your clothing.
The next time we meet, I expect a concrete example of something that
can be done to avert this catastrophe you speak of."
Hiro bowed.
"Thank you, Lord Matsudaira. I will not disappoint you."
Matsudaira nodded.
"Let us hope you don't, young Lord Tokugawa."
*********

[Previous #73] [Next #83]

#83 [2004-03-30 21:25:55]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

NOTE: Best read while listening to "We Have Forgotten", by Sixpence
None the Richer.

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 14)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: Bodily functions described. Read at your own risk.
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.


Chapter 14

Yuki awoke with a start and looked around her in utter confusion,
unsure of exactly where she was. Even though three weeks had passed,
it took a moment for her to remember that she was in her own room in
Nijo Castle, and not at in the servants' quarters at the Yagi estate
in Mibu. In the distance, she could hear the calling of the night
watch from the direction of the castle gate, which only confirmed her
suspicions. She was definitely in Nijo Castle. No question about it.
Sighing, she flopped back onto the futon, trying in vain to will
herself back to sleep. Over the last week or so, sleep was the one
thing that eluded her the most at night. Even though she'd never been
one for long naps, she'd suddenly become chronically tired. Now,
napping was pretty much all she did all day while Hiro was in his
meetings with Lord Matsudaira. Even when Hiro was around, Yuki found
herself almost always either lying down on her own or wanting to rest
with her head on his shoulder.
"Back in 2004, I'd always be training, but never be low on energy…why
am I suddenly sleeping so much?" she murmured, looking up at the ceiling.
Too restless to lie still, she got out of the bed and slowly moved
toward the cabinet by the window nearby. Careful not to make too much
noise, she opened the top drawer and took out a small box. Then,
moving with just as much silence, she went and lit the small floor
lantern next to her futon.
Opening the box, she gingerly removed the contents—a hand mirror,
decorated with a pattern of floating cherry blossoms on the back. Hiro
had gotten it for her approximately a week after their arrival at
Nijo, on one of their first nights `together' there, as a celebratory
present marking their good fortune and sincere hopes for a different,
brighter future.
Holding the mirror closely, she examined her reflection.
"Oh, just lovely…I really have put on weight…"
Indeed, her features had become fuller, rounder, and somewhat softer
in the time that she'd been at Nijo. Then again, it couldn't be
helped. Upperclass women back then weren't as physically active. Yuki
herself only got naginata practice done once a week, and spent most of
the rest of her time reading, writing poetry, arranging flowers,
eating, or sleeping. It was funny-- first she'd had too much to do
with the Shinsengumi, now she had too little to do. Life could be so
odd sometimes.
Sighing, she replaced the mirror in the box, and was about to take it
back to the cabinet, when she doubled over, feeling nature calling for
what was probably the fifth time that night.
"Umé!"
Almost instantly, one of the sliding doors opened, and in came a
short, bony woman, carrying a chamber pot. On first glance, one might
get the impression that she was frail, but her frame had a strength
that defied her years.
"Good thing I have night duty, milady! Nature seems to be calling
quite a bit today!" Cackling to herself, she placed the chamber pot on
the floor. Yuki hurried over, and, thankful that she hadn't tied her
sleeping kimono too tightly, undid it a bit, squatted down, and did
what needed to be done.
As she retightened her kimono, she turned to Umé.
"Umé…any idea why this is happening? It's most unnerving. I can't
sleep, I keep needing to go…and come to think of it," she said,
touching a hand to her breasts, "I've never felt this sore in my life!"
Umé rose slowly and deliberately, with the pot firmly held in both
hands, and looked straight at Yuki—a liberty allowed her only because
of years of loyal, devoted service to the Matsudaira family of Aizu.
The candlelight cast sharp patterns of light and shadow over her face,
bringing out the directness of her gaze. She may have been a servant,
but Yuki respected her and valued her advice.
"Lady Yuki-- may I be permitted to speak frankly?"
Used to frank speech all the time from 2004, Yuki nodded.
"You know you can be totally open and honest with me, Umé."
"Thank you, milady. As you know, I've served the ladies of the
Matsudaira and Tokugawa clans for over three decades. I think it's
pretty obvious what's going on. As for your seiri…?"
Yuki gasped. She was right. The lunar calendar had thrown off her
accustomed perception of time, but…
"It was late this month…"
Umé nodded, allowing herself a small smile. Her years of experience
had proved her right yet again. She gave Yuki a polite nod.
"Yes. You are with child, milady. Now if you will excuse me, I must
properly dispose of this…" She bowed as deeply as possible with the
pot in her hands, and moved away quickly, closing the sliding door as
she went.
Yuki stood transfixed, too stunned for words. So she was pregnant? A
baby…but this would change absolutely everything. Suddenly, she turned
and headed for the other sliding door, which led to Hiro's room,
almost opening it too loudly in her haste. Quietly, she crept over to
his futon, and knelt down, leaning in as close to his ear as she
possibly could.
"Hiro. Wake up, I need to talk to you."
No response. She gently shook him by the shoulders, trying not to
startle him too much.
"Pssst…Hiro…Earth to Lord Tokugawa…"
Suddenly, his eyes flew open, and he looked around somewhat nervously,
more wary of his surroundings now that he was an aide to Lord Matsudaira.
"Yuki! Wha…what's going on?"
"Shhh…" She lay down next to him, and silently put her arms around him.
"Hiro…you ready for this? You're going to be utterly shocked out of
your wits."
Hiro chuckled.
"Yuki, I've been altering history for nearly a month now—nothing
shocks me anymore."
"No…this'll really shock you. Ready?"
"Yeah…what is it, Yuki-chan?"
She kissed him on the cheek.
"We're going to have a baby."
Hiro pulled back a bit. He was somewhat shocked, and wasn't sure if
he'd heard Yuki's last statement correctly. He simply had to
double-check something as seemingly far-reaching in consequences as that.
"A baby?"
Yuki nodded enthusiastically.
"Really. No joke. You're going to be an otousan!"
"And you…you're going to be the kindest, sweetest, most wonderful
ka-chan any kid could ask for."
Hiro looked down at Yuki's abdomen, and gently placed his hand there,
imagining the new life that was forming there at that very moment. He
knew that a part of him was in there, merging with a part of Yuki,
forming something entirely unique and truly amazing. Forcing all other
thoughts aside, Hiro let the thoughts in his heart take precedence.
Feeling them too wonderful to hold in, he whispered to Yuki.
"Our child…" He couldn't help but smile broadly.
"Yes. Our child…" echoed Yuki. "Our firstborn…"
"At least…" he said, unable to suppress a chuckle, "we won't need to
worry about college tuition!"
"He'll tutored by his father, be raised in the best traditions of the
clan, following both the literary and the martial ways."
"Oh, I think she will be a great poet, archer, and halberdier, like
her mother. And she'll have her mother's eyes."
They brought their lips together, kissing slowly and passionately,
feeling the worries, bloodshed, politics, and intrigues of the age
recede far into the distance. Instead, the brightness and joy of life
once again surrounded them in its warm glow, as it had right after
they'd been married, shortly before their arrival in this period
"We'll see…" murmured Yuki. "We'll see."
Hiro kissed his wife on the forehead, and ran his fingers through her
hair softly. In the stillness of the night, with only the moonlight
shining through the windows, he gazed deeply at her, and found her to
be even more beautiful than ever.
"No matter what the coming months may bring, remember that I stand by
your side one hundred percent. You know you can count on me,
Yuki-chan. I love you..."
She buried her face in the folds of his kimono, breathing his scent in
deeply. It wasn't like when he was in the Shinsengumi. He didn't smell
like blood, bone and death anymore—he smelled like the Hiro she'd
married—mild sweat and cherry blossom perfume.
At last, things were right again.
"I love you too, Hiro…" she sighed. "Well get through…together"
**********

[Previous #81] [Next #84]

#84 [2004-04-03 21:07:10]

FIC: Jidai Monogatari, Original, Entire Shinsengumi, PG-13.

by shimazuryu

NOTE: Best read while listening to "Wars of the Last Wolves", from the
Rurouni Kenshin: Tsuiokuhen soundtrack, by Iwasaki Taku-- especially
when Hiro gets the "news" later on...

Title: Jidai Monogatari (Chapter 15)
Author: Shimazu Masayoshi
E-mail: patriot014@...
Source: Original
Main character(s): Entire Shinsengumi
General Rating: PG-13
Warning: Nothing really. No seriously-- nothing!
Disclaimer: This story is entirely mine, and is not based on anything.
You _may_ read it, but if you try to steal it, I will get the entire
Shinsengumi to descend on your head and Aku Soku Zan you mercilessly.
Thank you.


Chapter 15

Keio 1 (1865), January 22
"Ugh…Ono no Komachi's poetry is too sentimental…"
Yuki put down the book, feeling an enormous sense of melancholy wash
over her. Sighing, she leaned back onto the mats, and looked up, out
the open window into the winter sky.
"Ugh…the sky is too sentimental…"
Turning from the window, she looked down at her growing abdomen. The
period of constant queasiness early on in her pregnancy was long over,
replaced instead by a period of calm. Safe far within the walls of the
castle, the troubles of the age—even with Hiro's alterations to the
timeline—seemed far, far away. Being freed from most responsibilities,
she was actually able to afford herself the luxury of simply enjoying
everything that was happening to her, even with the emotional
rollercoaster that brought so many tears to her eyes. In recent weeks,
she'd very often sit and wonder about her unborn child, and this would
carry over into her conversations with Hiro—they would talk about
names, education, clothing, the ritual ceremonies that would
doubtlessly follow their child's birth. Most of all, Yuki looked
forward to holding the child in her arms. If things were still going
the way they were at the moment, Hiro would continue to be away for a
very long amount of the day. If Yuki had the child with her, she'd
always have a part of him nearby, and her mind would be at greater peace.
The sound of heavy footsteps suddenly brought her back into the
reality of the Bakumatsu period. Sitting up as quickly as she could,
she once again wiped her eyes dry, straightened out the folds of her
overcoat, and readied herself. Somehow, she knew that something major
had happened. A wry smile crept over her face as she thought to herself.
Must be mother's intuition…
Suddenly, the screen door opened, and in came Hiro with an armed
retainer. They appeared to be returning from a raid, and neither of
them had taken off their armor yet. Hiro was ecstatic and glowing.
Kneeling down next to Yuki, he took her hand in his.
"Yuki! Wonderful news! We raided the estates of the courtiers and
found evidence that incriminates Sanjou Sanetomi and Iwakura Tomomi,
as well as some people working with the radical samurai of Choshuu, in
a plot to poison Emperor Komei!"
Yuki sat silently for a moment, staring at Hiro listlessly. Suddenly,
she broke down in tears, leaning forward into Hiro's embrace.
"Aren't you…uh…glad?"
"Yes!" she said, through her uncontrollable tears. "Yes, I'm glad we
got them! I just…don't know why I'm crying!" She tried drying her eyes
with the sleeveless haori that Hiro wore over his armor, but to no avail.
"Yuki-chan…"
Hiro glanced over to his retainer and dismissed him. The man bowed,
and left, silently shutting the sliding door behind him.
"Yuki…daijoubu…naitemo ii desu wa…It's alright to cry…"
"You know what I really want right now?" she said, feeling the tears
suddenly stop.
"What do you need? Just say what it is, and I'll get it—no matter how
seemingly odd it might be."
"I really want some…root beer…"
Hiro held an armored hand up to his mouth, trying in vain to suppress
a laugh.
"A root beer?"
"Yes…a root beer, like what we used to drink in Philadelphia during
college…with crushed ice."
"Yuki-chan…"
"I know that there's no root beer yet. Nor is there crushed ice…at
least, not how we know it. I just…wish I were home!" She broke out in
tears again. "I want my parents here to help!"
"Yuki…you know that we're most probably stuck here. I know that it's
hard. But if there's anything from this time period that I can get for
you to make things even a little easier—even if it's as simple as a
flower from Yoshino Mountain or as odd as a performance by a fat,
bald-headed comedic storyteller from Osaka—then don't hesitate to tell
me. We have the means to have pretty much anything we wish now. If
there's anything…anything at all that I can do…"
"There are….two things you can do…"
"Anything. Name them."
"The best red miso soup you can get. These people down here don't know
how to make miso—they use the white type and all. Up north, where I
come from, we eat the red stuff. It just tastes better! In fact, my
mother used to make…" her voice trailed off, and tears formed in her
eyes again.
"Sssh. Just try to focus on the here and now. What's the other thing
you wanted?"
"Hiro-sama…you're always gone for so long. Nowadays we get even less
of chances to be together than we did when you were in the
Shinsengumi. I know you're wearing armor, but I would like very
much…for you to hold me…"
"Yuki-chan…I'm sorry…" murmured Hiro, and gently wrapped his arms
around her, holding her as close as he could in spite of the limited
movement offered to him by the armor.
"Forgive me…"
*********
The changes that Hiro made in the timeline were slow and gradual.
Having been an avid student of history, he was able to immediately
contribute to the arrest of several Choshuu rebels, but couldn't find
anyone major for a long time. The raid that caught Sanjou and Iwakura
was the first critical step toward changing history, because without
them, Emperor Komei would not be poisoned. Thus, a critical element
for the continuation of the Tokugawa government, the Imperial mandate,
was secured. However, things would not remain as simple as he thought.
Things were about to come utterly chaotic and undone, like a tapestry
with threads rapidly unwinding.
About a week after the raid that caught the two plotting noblemen,
Hiro was in his room, sleeping soundly after a particularly long
meeting with Lord Matsudaira where he expounded the need for rapid
acquisition of cannons and Gatling guns. Suddenly, the sound of
hurried footsteps startled him out of his deep, dreamless slumber.
"Lord Tokugawa! Lord Tokugawa!"
Slowly, Hiro drew himself up to a kneeling position. Rubbing his eyes
a couple times, he stretched in exhaustion and then finally responded.
"Enter."
The sliding door opened, and in came a young, disheveled retainer,
probably serving under Lord Matsudaira.
"It's terrible, sir. After the raid last week, Choshuu has…" the
samurai's voice trailed off suddenly, as if he truly feared what he
was about to tell Hiro.
"What? Out with it!"
"Choshuu secretly negotiated an alliance with the British awhile ago.
Last week's raid has thrown their lord into a rage, and he has openly
called in the support of the British, who even now have a fleet
sailing here from China and India!"
Hiro stared at the young man in shock. So this secret alliance was
concluded before the start of his alterations to the timeline…Once
again, he was painfully reminded of a fact first told to him by his
father, years ago: Historians don't write everything down. There are
unwritten parts of history which can very well be truly, utterly
terrifying…
"I…Impossible!"
"I fear not, my lord."
"And what action is Lord Matsudaira taking?"
"His lordship has sent an urgent letter to Edo, requesting that
Yoshinobu-sama come here immediately— as the regent for the shogun
Iemochi, he is best suited to assume command for the defense of the
realm and of the Tokugawa house, and to make that stand here. If
Choshuu and the British intend to strike us, they will strike us here.
In the meanwhile, Lord Matsudaira is also issuing orders for increased
recruitment by the Shinsengumi and Mimawarigumi. Lord Kondou and Lord
Sasaki will also be asked to present themselves here soon, in order
for Lord Matsudaira to explain the plans for the region's defense."
Hiro paused a moment.
"And what of guns?" he finally asked. "Has the Lord Matsudaira said
anything about guns?"
"I do not know, Lord Tokugawa. That is a subject which you would
probably do better to discuss directly with his lordship than with a
mere retainer."
"Understood. Does his lordship require my presence?"
The retainer nodded.
"Yes…he's about to hold a meeting with those of his chief retainers
who are here. He told me to summon you, and said that from now on,
when on duty, you should be fully armed and armored."
Hiro bowed.
"As his lordship wishes. Tell him that I shall join him shortly."
**********
Yuki awoke in a cold sweat.
Hiro…she thought. Hiro…
Slowly, she brought herself up to her feet, and shuffled over to the
sliding door.
"Psst…Hiro."
After not getting any response, she opened the door, and saw that he
was gone. Suddenly, though, the empty armor stand and sword rack
caught her eye.
"Ugh…gone again…"
The moonlight broke through the clouds, and cast its dim illumination
on a piece of paper which lay on the neatly folded futon, addressed
with a simple "Yuki". Slowly bending over, she picked it up and opened it.
My dearest—
Choshuu has openly declared hostilities, and has called in British
aid. Fleet now sailing in from China and India. Lord Yoshinobu coming
from Edo. Called to Lord Matsudaira's side, don't know when I'll be back.
Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.
--Hiro
Below the main body of the message, in small, barely visible letters,
was Hiro's favorite English quote from Thomas Paine's The American Crisis.
These are the times that try men's souls…
*********

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