Hakuouki: Change of Fate

Confessions

HijiKata POV

The night on the compound had passed sleeplessly and slowly, yet the dawn and the day's tasks came too quickly. Hijikata had skipped breakfast that morning, staying in his room to contemplate the previous night's findings. He replayed the flash of light and the girl thrown from it over and over in his head. He scrutinized every last detail until he had exhausted himself on the subject. Despite all of his reflection, he was no closer to answers than he was the previous night.

Hijikata sighed and got himself ready to go to the main hall. Everyone had agreed to meet after breakfast to figure out what they were going to do with the captive they took in the night before. On his way, he checked in on Souji. He was lounging on the back wall staring up at the ceiling, clearly bored. The girl was lying face down on the floor, sleeping soundlessly. Her ginger curls fell in abundance over her face and down her shoulders, obscuring most of her bare skin not covered by the blanket.

"Don't tell me you're worried about her too, commander?" Souji accused playfully. "You're the third person to come check on her this morning."

"Third?"

"Sannan came to make sure she hadn't started a fever, Harada checked if I was being nice to her, and now you're here. Why are you here, Hijikata?"

"None of your damn business!" Hijikata growled.

He was unnecessarily defensive. He had only come in to see if the girl was going to wake up anytime soon. Souji was skilled at getting a reaction out of anyone, even him.

"Has she stirred at all this morning?" The vice commander finally asked.

"Yeah, she's been twitching and moaning a little over the past hour. I can't imagine she feels all that great after last night."

Hijikata nodded. "When she does wake up, bring her straight to the main hall for questioning."

Hijikata didn't wait for Souji's smartass reply. He turned and exited the room quietly, closing the door behind him. Hijikata was one of the last men to enter the main hall. He took his place to the left of Kondo and waited for Heisuke and Nagakura to arrive. They burst into the room, shenanigans already in full swing. Nagakura was teasing the young captain about being too short to reach something in the kitchen while preparing breakfast that morning. Heisuke, being the hothead he was, took the bait and was yelling indignant profanities at his comrade loud enough to wake the entire compound.

"Cut it out, Nagakura!" Hijikata growled, "and for God's sake, Heisuke, lower your voice."

The two took their place next to Harada, who, under normal circumstances, would have taken part in Nagakura's silent tormenting of Heisuke. This morning, however, he appeared to be zoned out. Hijikata was well aware of Harada's soft spot for a damsel in distress and hoped it wouldn't get in the way of his objectivity in the situation. Something wasn't right with their prisoner, and they had to determine if she was a threat.

"Hijikata," Sannan poked his head around the commander, his eyes full of concern. "I was up late last night reviewing this journal that we frond with the girl. It's all in a foreign language, but I've determined it to be some sort of research journal. Some of the formulas here look very similar to ones I've seen in Kodo's work."

Higikata's mood darkened. "Do you think she came here in search of the rasetsu?"

"Doubtful, but we won't know for sure until we hear what she has to say. Yamazaki confirmed that these are dates on the top of the pages here; they're all from over one hundred years into the future. He thinks he can find us a translator who will work with us discreetly."