Hakuouki: Dragon Circles in Quiet Summer

Chapter 28

~~Sakura's POV~~

I wake up alone and get dressed. I'm late for breakfast so I head down there, rubbing my head. "Saitou... Why did you let me drink?" I groan as I sat down in my spot. I open my eyes and there's an awkward silence.

"Sakura, we just heard what you did." Shinpachi grins, chuckling.

"Yeah, you got drunk and kept yelling. I heard it but Sannan said it was just you trying to be funny." Mei says.

"Sakura, it seems you don't remember." Sannan says with a small chuckle.

"What? What did I do? My head is so scrambled." I ask worriedly.

"Well you sorta did your usual personality change from nervous and then childish..." Sano says with a cough. I look closer.

"All of you cut your hair!? Even you Saitou!?" I ask incredulous as I go over to Saitou to touch is short hair making him redden. "Well it looks really good. You're all are pretty handsome that you could probably get wives by today." I laugh and everyone fidgets.

"Yeah... Funny how you said all that like last nigh." Souji says chuckling.

"Wait, why did all of you just..." I think on my words on what could cause this then dig in my brain to see what I had done. A flush rises to my cheeks. I scramble back into the wall with a gasp when I remember some small parts. I cover my mouth. "I can't believe I did that..." I say astonished by what I did.

"Well... It was more like saké did it." Souji says jokingly but I shake my head hard, still covering my mouth and looking at the floor.

"No, no, no. I can't believe I did that... Saitou! Why did you let me drink!?" I yell at him.

"You said you would go to Shimabarra if I didn't let you." He says and I bite my lip anxiously.

"Agh! This is horrible!" I cover my face with my hands.

"Master says stop freaking out." Souji says making me snap up. Everyone laughs.

"Shut up Souji!" I feel my cheeks burning.

"What did you do?" Mei asks.

"Sakura was acting like a cute cat." Souji says smirking.

"Really? I like cats but how do you act like one? Do you just say meow and purr?" Mei asks curiously and I shrink. Everyone else laughs.

"No more questions! Mei, you will never get drunk and if you do I'll knock you out so hard that you'll forget your own name. Drinking is vary, vary, vary bad." I say making her nod as she shrank in fear.

"Yes, drinking is bad, and Sakura is a horrible drunk." Souji says and I punch his shoulder.

"Ow... Master says kiss it better. But I guess you'll just l-" I tackle him and pin him to the ground, sitting on his upper chest.

"Stop doing that." I growl.

"Meow." He says making my eyes widen.

"Souji... If you say another word I will hurt you." I say making him laugh.

"How did you get so drunk from one bottle? You didn't even finish it." Saitou asks curiously.

"That was a vary strong kind I made on accident. I must've mixed up the jugs..." I say shaking my head. "I'm really sorry about how I acted yesterday and for cutting your hair." I say trying not to flush.

"We understand." Saitou says.

"Y-yeah, you were drunk." Heisuke says.

"It's funny seeing you like that. Totally opposite from usual." Sano says.

"Try not to be a cat ever again." Hijikata says blowing out a breath.

"Not if I can help it." I say.

~~~

I summoned Fuyu who came without hesitation. He immediately hugged me when he saw I was alright. "Fuyu, can I ask for two favors?" He nods.

"I wanna talk to Amagiri and Kazama. And... I want the Tatsumaru sword." His eyes widen.

"You know what that means, right?"

"Yes." I say.

"Shizuka Tatsumaru, is that who you'll be? My sister? Head of the Tatsumaru clan?" I nod and look into his eyes.

"I am Shizuka Sakura Tatsumaru, head of the Tatsumaru clan, your sister." He pulls me in a tight hug. "But I'm still gonna be their protector. Their guardian." He grins.

"I know. But your finally being who you are." I snort and flick his head.

"Shut up and I just realized I have one more favor." He raises an eyebrow. "You know where my old house in Edo is, right?" He tenses up.

"What's this about?"

"I need you to go to my room and get the chest. It's not that big but please get it. And I have the key. It has a few things I wanna remember." I give him a unsure grin.

"Alright." He says and I hug him before he goes.

"I'm sorry that I'm getting you like this but thank you for being there. I love you, brother." He freezes but hugs me back.

"I love you, sister." He gives me a squeeze before disappearing. And almost instantly, Amagiri and Kazama were in front of me. I smirk.

"Come on, I wanna talk to you two." I say nothing more as I go to my room.

"So what do I say to my beloved betrothed?" He freezes for a moment.

"So you've figured it out." He smirks. I shrug.

"Honestly, I found out when I asked you about it. I knew you two were hiding something and then everything fell into place. Incidentally I found out just as I was captured just outside your house." They both look at me with shock.

"Are you saying you were captured while outside my house? Not even a minuet away?" I nod.

"My brother is vary powerful. If that doesn't prove it, he actually caught me by surprise. I couldn't even react by the time he knocked me out." I remind myself to keep myself under control. "But don't say anything because I guess you would only get hurt in the end so I'm glad you didn't notice." They're speechless. "Yeah I only wanted to let you know, that I know what was going on. And to say I wanted Amagiri to help train me when I get the family sword back." I look to him who is taken aback.

"But wouldn't it be best for your own-"

"No, if your clan once served mine and trained mine like Ryou did with me then you are the only one I want to teach me. Well maybe Souji but your the only one who counts for demon credits. Understand?"

"I might but I still believe-"

"Amagiri, you don't understand at all. I need to get stronger and train. Only you can do that because I'm trusting that to you. You couldn't imagine what kind of horror I felt when I died over and over again. And all I could do was beg and plead until he knocked me out. And the things I saw when I was dead haunt me now more than ever. They say I'm weak so I need to get stronger. You should know that after the childhood I have had that pain and torture mean nothing to me... I thought that up until the point he choked me with salt and cherry blossoms and rubbed it in every cut he made. Until he killed me, waited for me to arise again and then repeat it again. Routines like that never leave you, they scar you, and that's what breaks them, us, everyone. The routine. So now I'm telling you, Amagiri, that you will make me stronger, and train me until I tell you to stop. I didn't get a choice and you won't either. And if you try to refuse... I won't give you that option. Just know that whatever free will you had is gone because I will stop it all until you make me stronger. Only then, will you belong to your own self."

Both of them are staring wide eyed at me and I smirk. "This is how you end up when your stripped of everything. Security, faith... Pride. I thought I had none until he took it away. So you see..." I laugh. "There's no compromising with me. I will get what I want and no one can stop me. For once, I'll make sure to take it all for myself." I laugh again, smiling wide.