HAKUOUKI: Back in Time

Chapter 13

~Why not listen to music while you read?~

The crackling sound of a gunshot tore through the morning air, and in a distance I heard the shouting of men and the clang of metal. The fighting had begun.

The captains looked at one another an nodded. "Time we left."

While I was standing, "Stop! What do you think you're doing?! We were ordered to stay here!"

During our lengthy march the day before, I'd never seen Hijikata mad. He had left the yelling to Nagakura mostly and stayed patient when it was time to speak with the army officials. But this time...Perhaps he had finally had enough.

"I'm sorry, I thought your job here was to protect the imperial estate, but I guess you would rather just sit around all day. We are here because we are supposed to help if those Choshus attack! Tell me, what are the Choshu doing right now?!"

"B-But we haven't received any orders-"

Hijikata was in no mood for excuses. "If you got any pride in your job, then forget your goddamn orders and move!"

Without even waiting for a response, Hijikata spun around and walked of, fuming.

"Where are we going?" I asked in a whisper.

Saito with his lips in a tight line answered. "To the enemy, which in this case means Hamaguri Gate. The battle at the gate is likely to be an intense one. You had best prepare yourself."

Its going to be intense? The thought of seeing an actual battle with people slaughtering each other made my stomach churn and do somersaults.

"All right." I answered.

Hijikata's fury seemed to have roused the Aizu soldiers as well, and they followed the Shinsengumi to Hamaguri Gate. Before long, we had arrived.

I had expected a pitched battle, with hundreds of men locked in combat with one another, but what we found was something else entirely. The gate itself was marked with bullet holes and everywhere dead and dying soldiers littered the ground. The acrid stink of fire arms hung in the air.

The sight made my already churning stomach to be twisted and churned even more. I had to look away or else I swear I would vomit.

The enemy wasn't present, so in conclusion, we had arrived to late; the battle was already over. After a moment of stunned silence, several of our men were dispatched to determine what happened.

Kondou sighed. "What are the Choshu thinking? They've raided the imperial state."

"How can the claim to be an imperialist domain?"

Kondou simply nodded.

The Choshu had defined themselves as among those who revered the emperor, and yet they would attack his home? It didn't make sense to me either. I was pondering what motive they might have had when Saito returned.

"It appears the Choshu attacked Hamaguri in the early morning but were repelled by the combined forces of the Aizu and Satsuma."

The forces standing against them had been too much for the Choshu, and they had been forced into retreat.

I saw the corner of Hijikata's mouth curl up into a grin. "So, the Satsuma is helping Aizu now, are they? Times sure are changing."

That's right. They Satsuma and Aizu Domains hadn't been on the best of terms. In fact, teh Satsuma were largely nationally, much like the Choshu. Unlike the Choshu, however, they had gone to war with a foreign force at one point, and suffered a devastating loss.

"There are still some of those Choshu guys fighting at Kuge Gate."

Hijikata's expression changed as he considered Harada's words but before he could open his mouth to speak, Yamazaki appeared.

"Commander, we believe the men who led this raid are headed for Mount Ten'nou."

Although Kondou was nominated as the head of the Shinsengumi, I had learned from the men that everyone. including Kondou himself, generally deffered to Hijikata on most decisions. This was no exception and I could see that all the eyes were on him. He was silent for a few moments, and then I saw his mouth curve in a small smile.

"Well, looks like we have got our work cut out for us, boys."

A ripple of dry laughter ran through the men, and I could feel the excitement in the air.

"Sanosuke. Take your men to Kuge Gate and deal with the Choshu."

"Sure thing, boss."

"Saito, Yamazaki, I want you to figure out the situation is here. I want you to hold Hamaguri Gate."

"As you wish."

"Your job is a tough one, Chief. I want you to go talk to the Aizu idiots."

Kondou tilted his head to the side quizzically.

"Some of them are headed for Ten'nou but some of them are just gonna run around and cause trouble. If we are gonna go after them, then we will need to leave Kyoto, and you are the only one who can get us those papers."

I didn't really get it but Chizuru explained to me that the Choshu we on the run, but they could still do some damage as the fled. Pursuing them would take us outside of Kyoto, but the Shinsengumi's jurisdiction didn't extend that far. If we wanted to go after them, we would need to get permission from the Military Commissioner, and that meant the Aizu.

"I see, If the chief of the Shinsengumi goes to speak with then, then the Military Commissioner's office will have to listen to what we say." Kondou said finally getting Hijikata's decision.

"Gen, I want you to go with him. Somebody has to keep an eye on our chief. Make sure he doesn't go crazy, alright?"

"Of course. I'll do my best, Commander."

"The rest of you are going with me to Ten'nou. As for you two.."

He looked directly at us.

"You can't go with Kondou, but other than that, it's up to you."