Blossoms

Chapter Nine

Flashback
"Say Mama, say Mama. Cmon say Mama," Chizuru stares at our 9 month old daughter, a spoon of rice held in her hand as she begs the baby to call her. I sit beside her, laughing at Chizurus babbling resulting in a hard punch to hit my arm. "Listen, you won't be laughing when she's calling me and ignoring you," Chizuru pokes as she continues to feed our daughter. "Fine. Say Daddy." I ask the baby as she looks back at me, those Violet eyes killing me with adorableness. "Toshizo, she's a baby, not a soldier. You'll make her cry being all serious," Chizuru laughs, Lalia imitating her mother in laughing also. "What did you say?" I playfully tackle Chizuru to the ground as she screams with laughter, Lalia looking in k at the actions of supposed adults. "I said," Chizuru breathlessly pants,"Don't be so serious!" At that, I lift her up over one shoulder, her squeals echoing through our little home whilst I grab Lalia in my free arm, carrying my girls to our bed. I place my wife and child down gently, grabbing the blankets and cuddling up with them as we listen to the rain pelting on our roof, Chizuru in my arms as she rocked Lalia to sleep.
"They can't have went far," Saitos voice snapped me from my memory trip as he looks at me. "Snap out of it, Hijikata. We need to find out where they are," Okita barks as Heiskue coughs, his throat aching from continually calling Lalias Name. "I believe that they headed through the town," Yamazaki added only to pause at the presence of two demons advancing through our Shinsengumi Headquarters. "We mean no harm, we come with news of Ms.Hijikata and her child," Kyo slyly smiled as the words left his mouth. "Where's my family?" I shout, fury searing through my entire body as I refrain from killing him there and then. "They are in our custody. It's the best thing for them at this present time." Amagiri responded in a cool tone. "Hey, what's that suppose to mean? Here's safe!" Heiskue states in a hoarse voice. "Actually," hisses a Kazama Chikage emerging from thin air,"Its not." "If you so much as lay a finger on Chizuru or Lalias head I'll kill you," Shinpachi says in a low growl as his fist tightens. "As if I'd allow anyone to hurt those beauties,"sings Chikage, pushing his hair out of his face. "Chikage, please, is Chizuru and Lalia okay?" The worry wavering my voice as he looks at me, my face falling as I feel sickness coat me. "They are well. There has been a rise in demons attaching themselves to pregnant women, grooming them then, when they give birth, slaughtering the mother and baby in a summoning circle in order to give them eternal youth and wealth. I cannot risk Chizurus life so I have placed her into hiding for which I cannot tell you as I do not trust your men." "Chikage...Thankyou." I turn and walk to my room and lock the door behind me. I lay down and close my eyes, my heart breaking into smithereens as I give up. I only started getting my families life on track and there's bastards out there reckoning with it. Now I'm bloodthirsty. If I kill them, Chizuru and Lalia can return.
I unsheathed my blade as I stare at my reflection, one that I didn't even recognise due to its twisted expression.
I will get my family back, no matter the cost.