yuubegin

Her parents scurried around the dojo, party lanterns decorating the large training room. Four generations were in that room, four generations lived under that roof, and generations before them trained and lived under the same ancient roof. The oldest of the generations were already seated, smoking from long pipes as children of the youngest generation chatter in high excited voices. Food is brought in and set down on newly cleaned floors, sake for the adults and spiced water for the children.
Hitoshizuku beams. "She will be 6 today, growing up so quickly."
Mizore smiles, embracing her warmly. "Hai, she is growing up to be as beautiful as her mother."
"And as strong willed as her father."
Noise is heard outside, the sound of footsteps approaching."Quickly everyone, stay quiet and hide!" Voices rush around as lanterns are dimmed, the children covering their mouths to keep from giggling, the women doing final touches with the food, the men getting everyone organized. The room hushes finally as the footsteps start to climb up, then stop. Mizore looks to Hitoshizuku, a worried look crossing his face. The footsteps rush, hordes of sandals beating against the ground, shadows charging through the walls as attack cries are echoed by women screaming.

~~~~

"Oniisan! .....Oniisan!! Matte!!" She hurries after her brother, half-dragging the bucket of rice behind her.
"Yuu-cha’....can't you run any faster?? We'll be late for dinner!" Her brother frowns, knowing that they are late getting back for the party. "Hurry up Yuu-chan!"
"Oniisan...I hurrying..." She moves her small legs as quickly as they can go to catch up.
Her brother stops at the edge of the garden. He stands dumbfounded. Yuu-chan catches up to him and drops the basket to the ground, panting. "Oniisan...doushitan desuka?" Then she hears it.

~~~~

The two siblings run towards the house, the sounds of screaming and blades slicing through flesh audioable. The sounds of metal hitting metal ring out as the brother reaches the steps to the dojo, bounding up. The boy stops though as Yuu-chan reaches the bottom steps, looking up just in time to have her brother's blood splattered across her face by a swordman with red hair.
The young man's fiery dark eyes gaze down at Yuu-chan's shivering figure. He raises his sword for the child, and the girl screams. The air around him ripples, becoming denser, the air changing into water around the youth. "What the hell?" The water comes crashing down around the red haired warrior and he stands breathing hard, gasping for air which is only now filling his lungs. Yuu-chan had not moved, still standing, her amber eyes locked on the young killer, a darkness forming behind her amber eyes.
A quick blur of white, blue, and metal moves towards the red haired youth, not quick enough though to hit him. Yuu-chan blinks the darkness back as the young warrior has blocked the strike of a taller man, his eyes thin and calm, black bangs streaming down before his face. The two exchange blows, Yuu-chan's eyes barely able to keep up with the speed of the attacks.
The two stand across from each other and the young warrior realizes that the sounds of fighting have picked up as one of his warriors comes flying through the window of the dojo, followed by a man with the face and eyes of a child. "Saitou, are you having problems with that youth again?" The man called Saitou mearly grins darkly. "Okita, this red haired cat has very few lives left". With that, Saitou attacks the youth swiftly with a charge, leading with his left side first. The red haired warrior doesn't have time to gasp as his shotou comes between his side and Saitou's katana.

~~~~

Yuu-chan cries out and the three turn to see the small child in the arms of man, the wound at his side dripping down, a tanto blade at the child's throat. Thunder is heard off in the distance as raindrops start making soft beats on the rooftop, then quicken as the shower turns into a heavy rain. The man shouts to the red haired youth, his eyes filled with the insanity brought on from knowing death was hunting him. "Himura, get out of here now...the targets have been eliminated." "Takin, we all need to get back, there is more to do." "Himura, I am dead as it is...leave now! I'll take care of these Shogunate dogs!" Battousai nods once and runs past his friend and the child.
Saitou glares to Takin, Okita an unreadable face, Yuu-chan whimpering in Takin's arms as he smiles triumphantly at the two Shinsengumi. "The Tanigawa family will end this night!" The blade sinks into the flesh on the child’s neck and she lets out a horrific scream, the rain seeming to change direction, beating down on Takin, lightning hitting the top of the dojo. He drops the child in shock and the girl spins, her amber eyes dark as the rain swirls around him. The two Shinsengumi, normally showing no emotion, now wear startled faces, the looks turning to amazement as the rain wraps around Takin like a serpent, his screams muted by the gurgling of water.

~~~~

Harada Sanosuke looks down at the child huddled in Okita Souji's lap, her small hands clutching the sleeves of his kimono, his eyes looking her over. "We can't take her in...she's...she's a child! Shinsengumi wa komoriyaku janai!"
Saitou Hajime is leaned up against the wall, his arms folded idly across his chest. "She is the last of the Tanigawa family. Her family has been councilmen with the Shogunate for generations. They were some of our strongest supporters." Okita nods in agreement. The two do not tell the others of the strange occurrence with the weather for fear of what the other Shinsengumi might do to the child.
"I think we should keep her...if anything she'll make excellent bait to bring the Ishin's within our grasps," Itou Kashitarou suggests. Okita huffs. "Really Itou, would you really risk a Tanigawa child's life to get the Battousai assassin out?" Itou mumbles. "It was a suggestion".
"Minasan, mo ii!" Hijikata Toshizo walks into the meeting room within the Shinsengumi's headquarters. He kneels down, lifting Yuu-chan's head up, studying her eyes. Yuu watches him, her eyes sad and scared but still putting up a strong facade. "Okita, she has seemed to take a liking to you...you will be responsible for her training." Okita's eyes widen a bit, then he nods. "Hai". Hijikata smiles softly to Yuu. "Namae wa?”
Her lips quiver a bit. "Tanigawa.....Tanigawa Yuudachi..."