Dimensions

Bargain

Hajime and Shun watched with quiet amusement as Chizuru came back to headquarters with her heart in her throat. She pulled them aside, telling them how she had been attacked by a group of people who claimed to be demons.

"You think it's them?" asked Hajime, glancing at Shun.

"Probably."

"You've met them before?" asked Chizuru, looking at Hajime.

"Did one of them have blond hair, red eyes, and a bad mouth? I think Shun ran into him during the Kinmon Rebellion too," said Hajime, leaning against the wall.

"That's the one," said Chizuru, waving a hand indignantly in the air. "He keeps indirectly calling me a demon. He said he'd be back for me." Her eyes misted over as she watched Souji stagger away. "Is he alright?"

Her voice was rather tight with worry and concern, and Hajime felt an overwhelming sense of pity.

"Have you taken a fancy to him?" asked Shun, as Chizuru shook her head, her eyes speaking differently.

"Don't," Hajime said softly. "You need to return to your own world and staying here will be useless. He's dying."

Chizuru whipped her head around to stare at him, her eyes slowly building panic as his words sunk in. "What?"

"Tuberculosis. That's what claimed his life," said Shun, looking away.

Chizuru dashed away after Souji. Hajime wondered if it was really okay to have torn the bandage off, but Chizuru needed to know what she was getting herself into.

That same night, they headed down to the city, wandering the streets. Hijikata told them the vampires—which he referred to as Rasetsu—were roaming the streets at night, wreaking havoc and murdering poor bystanders. He asked them to take them down, but to be careful. Saitou and Souji had been given the same assignment, and they had split up.

"My, my. An ambush," said Shun, stopping in the middle of the streets.

"Shun?" asked Hajime, before realizing they were being followed. They both pulled out their swords, as three people stepped out from the shadows.

"Kazama," said Hajime, his eyes quickly scanning the other two standing with him.

"Kyuujyu Amagiri," nodded the red-haired one. He spoke politely and seemed rather refined. Hajime recalled seeing him briefly in the Ikedaya Incident. "And this is Shiranui Kyo." He gestured to the blue-haired one who had his hair in a ponytail. His smile reminded Hajime of a feral dog.

Kazama eyed their swords. "We just want to talk," he said, holding Shun's gaze.

"I don't think there's a good place for tea around here," Shun responded dryly.

"There's a tavern down the street," offered Amagiri.

"No thank you," said Hajime, adjusting his grip on his sword. "Why don't you get to the point?"

"Where are you from?" asked Kazama, looking at Shun, his eyes dark. "I've searched, but no clan has ever heard of you before."

"We've travelled a long way," said Shun, blatantly avoiding the question.

"Travelled? Through what? Time? Space?" asked Amagiri. Shun and Hajime shared a look, as he continued. "We wouldn't consider it impossible. If demons can exist, then of course time and space can be bent."

"Dimensions," sighed Hajime, deciding there was no point hiding the facts.

"There's a way back," said Kazama. This caught Hajime's attention. The look in Kazama's eyes had Hajime thinking he was pleased the conversation was taking this direction. "There are stories, spells circulated among our clans."