Between the Lines

14.

''Soon your body will undergo major changes," dr. Matsumoto spoke. "You will be stronger, your wounds will heal faster, you will feel better. "

The bald man sighed. You smiled at him.

"Please, go on," you urged him. You knew that being the Fury changed everything. You were just like Okita right now. The doctor nodded solemnly. Night before he found you right after Kaoru left. All you could say, that the flask wasn't your possession and you didn't drink it on your own. How could you explain the whole situation?

"You will be able to function only at night. For a while you'll still be able to see the sun, but not for long. Keep in mind that you will be weak, tired and sleepy, at some point it'll even be painful" he took deep breath. "After some time you'll start feeling bloodlust."

"Bloodlust?" you frowned. You didn't hear anything about it. Okita hadn't told you anything about bloodlust.

"Yes. Moreover, the Furies don't live long. They are superior in strength and stamina, but not for a long period of time."

You blinked. Your stomach twisted.

"The Water of life does not heal illnesses, it only postpones them. It also causes infertility. We still don't know how to undo the transformation... Yukimura was still working on the Water of life when he went missing. "

You sat silent staring at the floor. Your thoughts were in chaos trying to comprehend dr. Matsumoto's words. Water of life doesn't heal illnesses, it causes bloodlust, it kills. What good came from using it? Why was it even created?

'The Corps,' you remembered. Okita was transferred to the division called the Corps. He said, it was for soldiers like him. The Furies. Did it mean the Shinsengumi created them? From normal people no less? You couldn't imagine such a kind man as Kondou doing such terrific thing. And what dr. Matsumoto said? Yukimura. Was it possible that it was the missing father of Chizuru? Perhaps that's why they let her stay with the Shinsengumi.

Now you were one of them, one of the Furies. Just like Okita. But did it mean he experienced the bloodlust? Perhaps he did, maybe even the night when you stopped him. Maybe even earlier. His tuberculosis... it was still inside him. It still could kill him. Even thinking about it hurt.

"I'll leave you now. Your wound is good, just use these medications I gave you and everything will be fine," dr. Matsumoto stood up and gave you a pat on shoulder. You smiled weakly and bowed.

You didn't have strength to move from the spot. Servants came with dinner, you didn't touch the food. You decided to go to the garden, under the cherry tree was your mother's grave. You stood before large tree. You prayed before the tombstone as the wind run through your hair.

"Mother, what should I do?" you asked. Only silence replied. "You told me to live a life worth living. Did I do well? I didn't want to be sold like a cow. Was running away good decision? All I ever did was running away. One person told me I was bratty princess," your voice trembled a little at thought of Okita. You shook your head. "You know, I went to Kyoto. You told me it was beautiful city. It is, it really it. Though lately it's total chaos."