Chiyeko has admired the Shinsengumi ever since she first heard of them. So when a trip to Kyoto goes wrong and causes her to cross paths with her heroes multiple times, how will she react?
This trip to Kyoto throws the peaceful life of Chiyeko into...
{My condition was deteriorating. The Water of Life was slowly transforming me into a fury and I was beginning to feel the effects. It became painful to be awake during the day so I had begun to adapt my sleeping schedule like Heisuke's. Even the slightest scent of blood set my nerves on edge. Still, I didn't have a craving for blood. That was something.}
"...Hmm...?" Night already...? My body's aching and I feel like I've barely slept...I tried to sit up, but my arms and legs were bound tightly together, restricting me from moving as such. "Huh!?" I looked down with wide eyes, completely bewildered by my predicament. Why the heck am I tied up?! I looked around and realised I wasn't in the room I had fallen asleep in. The room wasn't familiar to me in the slightest. Where am I?! Whoever had tied me up, they'd done it quite well. I wriggled around in the futon, trying to free myself. Unfortunately, all I ended up doing was twisting the blankets around me. Fear and panic took root in my brain and I began to tremble. Iie! You can't show them you're scared! I managed to calm myself down and looked down at myself again. I tried moving my fingers, yet the ropes bound even those to my body. I cursed under my breath, but my thoughts were interrupted by the door sliding open. The person who walked in was none other than: "Kioshi!" "I see you're finally awake. You furies really don't like sunlight. I put you out in the sun while you were asleep, you know. You tossed and turned like your life depended on it" He chuckled. That explains why my body is sore. My shoulders shook from anger and I glared strongly at Kioshi.
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"You're a coward Kioshi, kidnapping me while I was asleep" I spat out at him. "You know something? I'm getting sick of you calling me a coward Chiyeko" He smirked and took out a dagger causing me to shiver involuntarily. "I'm real sick of hearing that from your mouth" He smirked before straddling me and raising the small blade. "Please don't!" He pushed the dagger into my stomach and I cried out as it pierced through my skin. The small blade felt hot in my abdomen. "Agh...!" He continued to push the dagger until it was buried up to the hilt in my stomach. "That looks like it hurts" I glared at him as blood rose up my throat and I spat it out. I did my best to ignore the pain and try and get some answers. "...W-Why am I here Kioshi?" "You're here because I brought you here, duh" "You know that's not what I meant!" "Does it matter why I brought you here?" "I suppose not since Heisuke's gonna kick your ass and rescue me regardless" "Oh Chiyeko, that's what I'm counting on" "...Nani?" "Wait and see. I can guarantee that it'll be an emotional tornado for you" He smirked before suddenly, collapsing by my side. Behind him I saw my lover with a worried expression on his face. "Chiyeko! Daijōbu?! Did he hurt you?!" I didn't have to answer as he saw the dagger still stabbed into my stomach. "That bastard...!" Heisuke flipped his sword around so the blade was facing me and the ropes around my arms, torso, and legs were swiftly cut. "Gomen, this is gonna hurt" He pulled out the dagger earning a cry of pain from me. He then wrapped bandages around my wound. "Aren't you glad I brought these with me" "Y-Yeah..." I saw a shadow behind Heisuke as he prepared to slice through the rest of the ropes. "Heisuke look out!" I warned and he rolled out of the way, just as the man's sword came down. It landed in the floor in front of me, very close to my face. I gulped as I stared at the silver blade in front of me. Heisuke yelled before kicking the man away from me. "Who the hell are you!?" "Someone Kioshi hired, suspecting that you'd knock him out upon arriving. My job is to keep you busy" "Well, I'm about to make your job a whole lot harder" Heisuke stated with a determined expression before the two of them locked swords. I could now sit up as the ropes around my arms and legs had been cut. My wrists and ankles, however, had been left bound, leaving me unable to stand up. I watched as Heisuke began to overpower the man. Yeah Heisuke, you the man! My encouraging thoughts were cut short by Kioshi stirring next to me. Damn, I need to get away from him! I tried my best to roll away from him, but as soon as he regained consciousness he quickly caught me. "Ah ah ah. We can't have the guest of honour leaving before the main event" "Screw you! Let me go!" "Chiyeko?!" Heisuke became distracted, which gave his opponent an advantage. "I thought you were making my job harder?" The man's blade sliced across Heisuke's left shoulder, Heisuke cried out as the sword cut him, but the wound quickly healed. Kioshi put me down and tied a piece of rope around a support beam before tying that rope to the rope around my wrists. "Now the test can begin" "Test? What do you mean 'test'?" "You'll find out very soon. I will say this though: Good luck" He walked around the room while addressing the man he had hired. "You can stop now, your payment is waiting in the back. Don't forget to do the last thing you promised me on your way out" "Sure thing Kioshi" The man sheathed his sword after kicking Heisuke away from him. "That was for earlier kid" He then walked out of the room. Kioshi finished his walk around the room and now stood opposite Heisuke. "Give me one good reason I should fight you instead of running out of here with Chiyeko?" Heisuke glared at him as his grip around his sword tightened. "Well if you did do that then I'd have to make sure you didn't make it back to your headquarters" "How do I know you're not bluffing?" "I'm sure you're willing to stake your own life, but are you willing to stake your girl over there's life on the fact that I could be bluffing?" Heisuke said nothing. "Because I'd obviously have no problem with that since I want her dead, but I figure you actually do care about that pathetic monster" I flinched at the word 'monster'. "Don't you dare call her that! Chiyeko is NOT a monster!" Kioshi's insult towards me caused Heisuke to spring into action. "Looks like I hit a nerve" He smirked. "Just damare!!" Heisuke's sword clanged against Kioshi's with great force. Be careful Heisuke...As I watched them exchange blows anxiously, an ear-splitting detonation tore through the abandoned household. The wood of the building creaked and I could smell something burning. "What was that...?!" Heisuke flicked his gaze around the room, looking for the source of the sound. Suddenly, fire quickly spread throughout the building and in mere moments the roar of it was deafening. "*Cough* *cough* Fire...!?" I questioned fearfully. The flames began to lick at the walls of the common room. Black smoke poured into the room, rough and irritating in my throat. The flames leapt to the dry wood and paper of the door and then to the flammable mats covering the floor. Almost immediately the room was plunged into nigh-unbearable heat, yet neither man lowered his sword. "Trying to distract me, eh? Well that won't work. I'm taking you down" Heisuke continued his fight with Kioshi. For some reason, my body began to tremble. I was absolutely terrified and I didn't know why. All I knew was that I wanted away from this fire as soon as possible. "H-Heisuke we have to go!" "I'm afraid he's a little busy right now" Kioshi smirked at me. With a crackling roar, a section of ceiling collapsed to the floor. "Whoa!" Heisuke quickly jumped back, but stumbled in the process. "Now you're mine" "Gaah!!" Kioshi's sword cut deeply across his back. "Heisuke! *cough*" "That the best...you got?" He refused to give up. "Heisuke please! We have to go!" I tried to convey urgency with my tone, but he wouldn't listen. The flames leapt out towards me, as if they were hands trying to grab me and never let go. Tears escaped my eyes as I shouted: "Heisuke I want to leave right now! I'm begging you to leave Kioshi alone!" "I-Iie, I can't...!" Another section of ceiling fell, but this time it was close to me. It fell right in front of me and I sobbed as I backed away from the flames. I was petrified by the fire, just like I was at the magistrate's office. "Chiyeko!" "You really should pay more attention to your opponent instead of your girlfriend" Kioshi's sword tore through Heisuke's right shoulder. He screamed as his sword tumbled from his grasp. "Agh!" "Heisuke iie!" He quickly retrieved his sword and defended himself as best he could, but with the slowly healing wound to his shoulder, it was proving difficult. A third section of the ceiling fell down, this time it was near Kioshi. He quickly jumped back to avoid it and sighed. "This place is coming apart and I'll be in danger if I stay any longer. Oh well, I guess the fun's over for me" He sheathed his sword and looked across the flaming wreckage at me with an evil smile. "But the fun's just beginning for you. Have fun burning" With that sneer, he disappeared. "H-Heisuke...are you alright?!" I tried to run to him, but the ropes binding me to the beam were in perfect condition. It was like magic was protecting the rope from burning. Are you fucking kidding me?! "Fine...I'll be...fine...gah...!" Heisuke collapsed. "H-Heisuke! Daijōbu?!" He didn't respond. "H-Heisuke!" I cried out. I coughed as I looked around in alarm. The fire had grown more intense and I was beginning to sweat in earnest. I coughed out blood and looked down to see the bandages wrapped around my midsection were a dark red. Suddenly, my vision began to blur. Iie...I can't pass out now...if we don't get out soon we'll burn to death...It didn't matter how much I willed myself to stay conscious. The pain, fear, heat and smoke put too great a strain on my body and I soon found myself surrounded by darkness. Everything around me was fading fast, but before it faded completely I heard a voice; "You're safe now Chiyeko..." Then, I lost consciousness.
