The samurai and the vow to the moon

Chapter 11

When we get back to the base, I'm brought immediately to the main room. There, soldiers who have been injured in the blaze are clumsily trying to tend each other's wounds.

- They need proper first aid right away, I say. But as I rush to help them I feel someone snatch my hand. It's Toshizo.

- That won't be necessary, Toshizo says.

- But, I say.

- Listen to me, he says. His glare is sharp, and cold. It tells me not to let my guard down.

- The loss of any civilian life is something I can't tolerate. Even a stranger like you. Until we've cleaned up the ronin menace in town, you'll remain here, on base. But, you will have nothing to do with Shinsengumi affairs, Toshizo says.

- But I, I say. I can't come up with a response. Whatever closeness we had shared before, it is gone now. I feel it getting hard to breathe.

- Ahh. That hurts. Hajime, I think you're wrapping it too tightly, a soldier says.

- Sorry. I'm really not trained in treating injuries. Let me try again, Hajime says.

- Watching these men struggle, and being told there was nothing I could do about it, I say in my head. I prepare myself for the trouble I know I'll wind up in, and go to take over for Hajime.

- Let me handle this, I say. As Toshizo looks on with displeasure.

- I can't simply stand by and watch, when I know I could be helping these injured men. I don't care what you have to say about it. I'm going to give them the attention they need, I say. This isn't a personal issue. It is a medical one. I will not be stopped. I defy his orders, and go to apply first aid. Toshizo promptly leaves the room. Perhaps he is too angry to stay.

- Whoever is able, I need as much water from the well as you can bring. We need to cool these burns. Whoever's injured, stay here. Hajime, please go fill a bucket with water and bring it here as quickly as you can, I say.

- Understood, Hajime says. And so, with Hajime's help, I manage to treat all of the wounded soldiers.

The next morning. Sanosuke and a small group of soldiers return to base. In the wake of the fire, they went to survey the situation. A number of the men are carrying what looks like weapons.

- This doesn't bode well, Hajime says.

- Alert Kono and the others, Soji says. The reserve soldiers who were standing by match into the corridor.

- They caught the culprit, a soldier says.

- Someone from the Choshu, a soldier asks. Wondering what's going on, I peek inside too. And when I do, I see who they've apprehended.

- Masuya, I ask.

- He a friend of yours, Sansosuke asks. That's when Toshizo and Kondo arrives.

- Kondo, we found this one and a huge stockpile of weapons. For now, they're in the storehouse. It's locked up, and we have men standing guard, Sanosuke says.

- Hm. That should suffice for now

- He confess anything, Toshizo asks. Sanosuke shakes his head.

- Take him to the storehouse as well. I'll deal with him myself, Toshizo says.

- Get up, Sanosuke says.

- Ohh, wait. Let me explain, Masuya says.

- Oh, now you want to talk. Well, just wait for the demon deputy. He'll be more than happy to be your personal audience, Soji says. As Masuya is being hauled away, Toshizo and Kondo follow.