Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 13

After the meeting, Amagiri and I had parted ways. I had thanked him and he made sure it would be okay if he answered any questions Kazama might ask about the meeting I had.

I came back and went to my room. I noticed immediately that Mei was missing. She usually went to bed by now, but the others must be letting her stay up. I go and track them down so I could share the good news.

"Answer me!" I hear Hijikata's voice boom. I don't think before I take off I that direction.

"What's happening?" I ask throwing open the door. It takes me a second to analyze the situation. Everyone on one side of the room, Mei crying on the other side, against the wall.

"What's wrong?" I ask more softly.

"Hijikata caught Mei drinking saké in the room. He's trying to talk to her now." Saké... The blood.

"Do you have the bottle?" I ask immediately.

"No, she ran and hid it when I caught her." Hijikata grunts. I look back to Mei with sorrowful eyes.

She was ashamed.

"Mei..." I said sympathetically as she cried harder. I immediately advance to her but Hijikata catches my arm.

"She has done wrong. You cannot let your feelings blind you from what she's done." I shake him off.

"Sakura, maybe you should rethink it a little before you go comforting her." Souji tries when everyone looks to him to stop me. I ignore humans wrap Mei in my arms.

I pick her up and let her bury her cries in my chest, making my heart squeeze. I shush her and stroke her hair comfortingly. "I understand she's in pain with her mother and now she attacked you but-" Hijikata begins, causing rage to flood in me.

"Shut up!" I shout at him, startling all of them. Even Mei jumps a little. "I'm gonna put you to bed in a little bit. Can I put you to sleep?" I ask so softly and gently, significantly contrasting to my tone, not even a second ago.

She wordlessly stretches her neck to one side giving me access as she continued to cry. "I'll take care of this. Don't worry, it'll be alright." I whisper, with a kiss to her temple.

I began to rub in the pressure point, humming 'Sakura, Sakura' in her ear. Her cries slowly begin to die down until I hear a deep breath. I gently put her down where she was before.

"Sakura-" Hijikata begins angrily until I whirl around and slap him. It cracks across the room, silencing everyone.

"I know he was scolding her harshly but Toshie was just-" Kondou begins.

"Are you guys idiots!? Do you know how much you just humiliated her!? How much you just hurt her!?" I yell at them.

"Sakura, you cannot defend her just because you feel bad-"

"You're so stupid! She's a fury! She was eating!" I yell at them. They all freeze and I laugh humorlessly at their realization. "I've told you before that furies need blood to survive. She eats privately so all of you wouldn't look at her like she was disgusting. I put them in saké bottles so I can keep them hidden in my room without it looking too suspicious."

"I- I didn't-"

"Really? Well that doesn't matter because the damage is done. She wasn't crying because she was ashamed of drinking saké, she was crying because she's ashamed of what she is! Do you know how much that hurts her? She's so insecure about it that when I walked in when she was eating she stopped. That's most likely why she had to feed again tonight." They all look at her with regret.

"We really didn't think that. We were just caught up from the bottle and she wouldn't answer our questions so we just assumed that naturally." I roll my eyes picking Mei up.

"Wait... What kind of blood does she drink?" Sannan asks.

"Seriously!?" He nods. "Animal but I put a little of mine in it so it doesn't taste terrible." I finally say.

"Where do you get that from? Do you hunt it or...?" Heisuke asks confused.

"From the butcher." I say it like he's stupid.

"Sorry, I just wanted to know." Sannan says.

"Apologize tomorrow but don't make it too big of a deal or you'll embarrass her. And absolutely do not say she can feed in front of you guys or you'll make her feel awkward.  Understood?"

"Yes, but why didn't you tell us about this?"

"I would've at least thought Sannan would've drawn the conclusion. Idiots, but why didn't you knock in the first place?" I ask Hijikata.

"I..." His cheeks redden. "I forgot to because I was in a rush." He says making my eye twitch with rage.

"Mostly she feeds after lunch. But knock either way so we can avoid this happening again. Goodnight." I say slamming the door.

~~~

In the morning it takes some time of crying and a promise to take her out to get her out of bed and come to breakfast that I make. I take my spot next to Souji as she walks up to stand before Hijikata.

"Mei..." Hijikata begins.

"No." She's taking my advice. "I know you're sorry but..." She slams her hand down on his face, face palming him. I choke on my laugh as I covered my mouth so I wouldn't interrupt. Souji notices though and pats my shoulder trying to keep in his own snickers.

"Sakura says I can't beat you up but if you do this again..." She grins maliciously with wide, crazed eyes. "I'll make sure no one can recognize you ever again." She says in a threatening voice that makes everyone freeze.

"I-I understand." Hijikata says gulping.

"Yay! Did I do it right?" She cheers looking to me. Everyone looks to me.

"Perfect." I laugh and she takes her seat with the guys as usual.

"Are you sure she should be learning that?" Hijikata mumbles.

"Hey, it's only right she gets justice. And plus that was really funny." I laugh. He just grumbles. I feel two pairs of eyes on my now bare arm. Kondou and Souji.

"Oh I forgot... I have good news." I say looking up. Everyone looks at me and notices my bare arm. "They're leaving. The contract isn't over but I will only see them for training or if I summon them, using these." I say, pointing to the bracelets. "In return they can summon me."

"How?" Kondou asks while Souji narrows his eyes.

"Our clan's blood has special properties. They put their blood into the bracelet that links us. When one dies their bracelet will burn." I say looking to Souji who held his bracelet. "But I can summon them if necessary."

"That's good." They nod as I pick at one of the buttons.

"Why-" I feel my blood begin to boil.

'Sakura, it's Minori. You need to come quick, it's Fuyu.'

"I'm sorry, everyone, I have to go." I say softly, focusing on his voice.

"Sakura-" They begin but I'm already gone.

~~~

I'm in the forest and I hear him yelling. Minori immediately grabs my hand and we go to him. He's screaming and yelling.

"What happened?" I ask dodging a tree branch.

"We were speaking about the remaining pure bloodlines and he loses himself at Yukimura. He finally pieced it together. He found out Takeo is alive." He says holding up the torn bracelet I had given Fuyu. I take it.

"The others?"

"It wasn't safe so they're staying back. He's too powerful for us to take on without a loss. We can't afford that." I nod.

"Let me have some time with him. Keep from sight or sound." He nods.

"Bring him back." He says and I nod, going into the clearing.