Chapter 2 : Weaving Strands

Captain Okita Souji of the famous Shinsengumi First Troop was bored. From his second-story vantagepoint, he could look down on all the people thronging the street outside the Shinsengumi headquarters, as they enjoyed the beautiful autumn morning. It was one of those cloudless, picture-perfect sunny days. And here he was trapped inside his office listening to his accountant drone on about inventories.

He swallowed a regretful sigh. Ever since he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he was more acutely aware of the passing sands of time, of how little time he had left to enjoy life. That brought a small ironic smile to his lips. It was funny how the thought of his own mortality had never crossed his mind. Being protector of the capital city Kyoto, especially during civil unrest time such as now, was surely more likely to claim his life than the slow illness. Yet he did not truly believe that. Maybe, like all young people, he too thought that he would live forever.

With an effort, he brought himself back to reality. As a Captain of the Shinsengumi unit, his duty did not just involve the physical fighting, but also the tactics, long-term planning, logistics and administrative duties. Boring, but essential to his men. Still, even he had a limit as to how long he could listen to a monologue of inventories and budgets.

His idle thought was interrupted by a knock on the office door. "Come in," he called out cheerfully, trying to mask undue glee at any kind of interruption. One of the secretaries peeked in timidly. "Takei Fujita-san is here to see you, Okita-san."

"Ah, yes. Arigatou, Mitsukake-san. Send him in please." He made a mental note to try and make the young woman more comfortable with him. She seemed so timid around him, probably intimidated by his reputation. Fame had too many detractors as far as he was concerned.

"I am very sorry, Honda-san, but I sent the man waiting outside to gather some urgent information. Perhaps we could continue this another time?"

"Of course, Okita-san," the man murmured, pushing his glasses up and quietly withdrawing without another word. At least the man was perceptive.

The door opened again to admit a thin man in his thirties, with non-descript face and neat bland clothing. He was the kind of man that people would pass in the street without even noticing. Perfect for an Oniwabanshu omnitsu. The man bowed respectfully to Okita.

"So, how did it go?" Okita asked quietly, his mind now fully alert and focused on his job.

"Hai. As you ordered, after obtaining the man’s resting place, I went for a visit late last night, around three in the morning. I regret to say that although I’d taken utmost precautions, he still managed to take me by surprise. That led me to believe that he was expecting me."

"Oh?" Okita rubbed his smooth chin thoughtfully. "So he *was* trying to attract attention with that stunt at the restaurant."

"Hai. He also sent you a message." Okita’s eyebrows rose slightly at that. "He asked you to meet him tonight around the same time as my visit, at the clearing near White Fox Shrine west of the city, to continue some ‘unfinished business’."

"Hoo, interesting," Okita remarked with a mild smile.

"He’s gunning for you, Okita-kun," a new voice sounded from the door that opened to admit a tall, thin man in early twenties, dressed in the formal white and blue of Shinsengumi. The man walked into the room with an arrogant saunter, a smirk adorning his sharp face.

"Saitou-san, haven’t seen you in a while, my friend," Okita greeted the newcomer warmly while the omnitsu turned and bowed.

Captain Saitou Hajime of the Third Troop of Shinsengumi casually hooked a chair with his ankle and seated himself. "I’ve heard of your exploits lately, all the way from Edo. What? You’ve been losing your touch? Can’t you handle a few rag-tag band of rabid dogs?"

Okita, accustomed to his friend’s acid tongue merely smiled and turned back to the omnitsu, "Is there anything else you need to report to me?"

"No, sir."

"Very well then, you are excused. You have done well, it is not your fault Hitokiri Battousai was lying in wait for you. Please send my thanks and regards to your Okashira."

With a final bow, the Oniwabanshu omnitsu left the room as quietly as he had come in.

Saitou raised a laconic eyebrow, "You’ve always been too soft-hearted. He failed, and you praise and console him. Me, I don’t have time for baby-sitting."

Okita laughed softly, "It really is not his fault, Saitou-san. The Oniwabanshu are the best at what they do. Their failure only confirmed to me what Battousai is really up to."

Saitou leaned forward to take the cup of tea Okita had forgotten on the table. "Are you going then?" he asked as he sipped the tea.

The other Captain was silent for a moment, turning to gaze out the window at the autumn morning outside. Saitou waited patiently. Finally, Okita turned back to Saitou and smiled his characteristic warm smile.

"Of course."

Saitou continued to sip his tea, his unreadable eyes focused on Okita. "Need any help?"

Okita shook his head, "You are still officially on leave. I can’t possibly take any time from your well-deserved rest."

Saitou snorted, "Most of the other captains are going to be busy tonight, thanks to those fool rumors of a riot. I heard Mitsukake-san said that except for your First Troop and mine, the rest will be busy guarding the high official’s places. Although having us there so blatantly completely defeats the purpose - those anarchists will simply choose another day to do it."

"I know Saitou-san. But the orders came from high above, there is no way Kondou-san can refuse."

"Hah, the moment even the slightest risk is posed to their precious properties, they panic and pull all security forces to protect themselves. We’re becoming little more than their

personal bodyguards. In the meantime, we’re not even doing what’s supposed to be our job - patrolling the streets."

Okita said nothing. Saitou replaced the cup on the table and continued, "Tell you what, I’ll take care of a little business first, then I’ll come around the time you take off and supervise the night guard duty. You go and have fun. Or don’t you trust me?"

Okita laughed, "Of course I trust you. All right, if you insist. I do feel safer with you here, although I think your dedication to your work is a bit too much. Live a little, Saitou."

"*You’re* telling me," Saitou murmured with a small smirk.

Okita’s smile was tinted with just the barest hint of sadness.

***

Later, after nightfall, another meeting took place in a small, rickety hut huddled in a run-down section of Kyoto. Its interior was pitch-black in the shadows, voices barely above the sigh of the wind drifted unheard in the abandoned shelter. The occupants of the hut had made sure no one was close enough to overhear.

"All preparations are complete, Katsura-san, Ieda-san. Himura Battousai had contacted the Shinsengumi; the duel was tonight, close to dawn. We will be informed when he leave. Okita Souji has not called on any of the other Shinsengumi captains to replace him."

"Good. That concludes our part. Will it do, Ieda-san?"

The voice was an old, garrulous bass. "Hmmph. Fine. The riots I have ordered will start around midnight. It’s quite easy to stir up those from the poorer sections, and there are many roshis who are itching to vent their frustration. I told our men to direct the disturbances near the officials’ houses. I don’t think they could actually damage them, but fires and looting in nearby houses will do. Those cowards would never let any of their security go, the Shinsengumi are as good as tied there."

"Oh, by the way, tonight is as good an opportunity as any for attacks on the gaijins. I’ve told others to burn some of the establishments. If they are forced to let go of some of the security, it would be to the gaijin-dogs’ places. It will be to our advantage."

"... yes. It is."

"Hai, Katsura-san. However, one thing has changed - Saitou Hajime arrived back from Edo yesterday."

"..."

"He will be... dealt with. Concentrate on your own task, and be prepared to move faster."

"Should we inform Battousai?"

"No, he has enough to occupy him."

"Or maybe, not enough."

"What do you mean, Ieda-san ?"

" ... he thinks too much."

"We have been over this. He is too valuable to waste."

"He blames himself for his victims, and that incident with his wife... I am not sure how reliable he still is."

"You saw how he protected our people during the ambushes. Rest assured, he will never give anything but his best for the movement, he is that kind of person. But he may not be that forgiving with himself."

"You are saying..."

".... I’d be happier if he could be allowed a little time to rest before the next mission. I don’t want him to push himself over the limit, he does that too often lately for my liking."

"Hopefully, this operation will give us all some breathing space. You hear that, young man? Do *not* fail us."

A smile in the dark. "Hai, Ieda-san."

***

On the night of the duel, the full moon was half-obscured by rain clouds, the weather having taken a turn for the worse. The abandoned White Fox Shrine was a mass of dark shadows half-hidden among the thick copse of trees. The long grass growing in the open area beside the shrine rippled like velvet in the cold night breeze. The only sound present was an eerie rustling of wind passing through leaves. A slight figure stood unmoving in the center of the clearing, waiting.

A barely audible crack of breaking branch caused him to tense, his right hand tightening on the hilt of his katana. Another man moved out of the wood into the half-light of the moon, his short ponytail swept by the wind into his neat bangs, the white and blue pattern of his haori proclaiming his identity to the waiting person.

He stepped into the circle of the clearing and stopped a few yards from his opponent. Resting his hand loosely on the hilt of his sword, he greeted the man in front of him with a friendly smile, "Kombanwa, Himura-san. I did not expect to see you so soon, after four days ago."

The red-haired young man stared back at the Shinsengumi Captain coldly, his face expressionless. "I don’t like unfinished business, Okita Souji. And I have yet to repay you for that cut you gave me last time. "

"Ah, so this is personal? Not Ishin Shishi business?"

"Killing you fits both personal and group obligation. Therefore... " The young man’s eyes seemed to shine with cold fire and he crouched down in battou-jutsu stance, "you must die."

It was certainly direct. Okita remembered the last time he had seen the Battousai’s sword draw. Shinsengumi’s blood had darkened the earth on their last encounter. Since then, he had spent countless nights thinking of ways to counter the deadly fast draw. Now he was going to risk his life on his conclusion. Still calmly smiling, Okita Souji slowly drew his katana out of the sheath and leveled it towards his opponent. "We shall see."

For a moment, the two figures were as still as statues, then both of them exploded into motion. Himura Battousai’s long hair streamed behind him as he dashed towards Okita Souji - his katana a cold arc of lightning, a dragon’s claw flashing to rend its enemy’s body to shreds. Almost at the same time, Okita Souji leapt backward and swung his katana in front of his chest, supported by the saya in a diagonal cross. He braced for the impact...

The loud, jarring sound of tempered steel clashing together rang harshly in the clearing, two figures merged into one for a timeless instant, then quickly leapt apart.

The shorter samurai straightened himself and brought his gleaming katana level to his face, the darkness in his eyes mirroring the dark stain on the blade’s pristine length. "First blood is mine, Okita Souji."

On the ground between them, a saya lay in two broken half. Okita Souji stood hunched slightly, a long clean gash across his chest, darkening around the edges. The wound was not deep, but it stung. He had partially blocked the strike with the saya’s support, but he had underestimated the fierce strength of the attack. Or perhaps, the will of the man driving the attack.

It was not a mistake that he would repeat.

He gripped his katana with both hands, his eyes beginning to burn with battle-lust a twin to his opponent’s. "Only the last blood matters, Himura Battousai."

Once again, the clearing was filled with the clashing sounds of the dance of death.

***

Back in Kyoto...

Saitou ran as fast as he could, not wasting his breath on curses. His blue and white tunic was spattered with red stains, none of them his own. The three men who had dared to ambush him were no match for him and they had paid for it with their lives. But he had a horrible suspicion that they had gotten what they were after - time. He was late. He hoped nothing would happen, but his pessimist side scoffed at that thought.

By this time, most of them should have left the building. Let’s hope the rest are smart enough to stay put.

***

On the rooftops, another dark figure nimbly sped among the shadows of Kyoto. But unlike the previous night’s omnitsu, this one seemed almost to melt into the darkness, passing within hearing distance of the nightwatch guards without them sensing anything amiss. Soon, it halted a block away from a large two-floor structure, the dark eyes behind the facemask it wore seeming to dissect the headquarters for Kyoto’s Shinsengumi.

***

Notes :

1. ‘Kondou-san’ is Kondou Isami, Captain (Sou-chou) of the Shinsengumi (the whole of Shinsengumi, not just the troops captain).

2. ‘roshis’ are masterless samurai.

3. Okay, okay, in real history Okita Souji was most probably closer friends with the Captain and Vice-Captain of Shinsengumi, not Saitou Hajime who joined in later. But for the purpose of this fic, can we just imagine that they are good friends? I’m not feeling up to including Kondou Isami and Hijikata Toshizo in details, I’m already feeling overwhelmed as it is now. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then good, don’t worry about it ^_^.

On to Chapter 3 : Under the Blood Moon

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