148

 

148.  Triggered Monsters

 

Azuka and Hijikata sat facing each other on floor cushions in the living room portion of the vice-commander's chamber. After searching both Hijikata's quarters and the annexed room that had become Azuka's bedroom, and failing to find any sign of an intruder, they had moved back to their original conversation, which quickly developed into a lengthy, arduous argument that had continued for the past several hours. Breakfast time had come and gone, and their stomachs were clearly empty, but the emotional fire that burned between them greatly superseded any urges of hunger.

 

Over the past few weeks, Hijikata felt that he had gone above and beyond to show the empress kindness and understanding. He had given her the finest furnishings in the small antechamber connected to his own and ensured her that she would be able to stay hidden from detection so long as she kept her aura discrete. He brought her food, clothing, and whatever else she desired, for he truly was eager to please her. But it never seemed to be enough. In the end, Azuka only wanted one thing – true, unbridled freedom, despite him telling her time and time again that it was the only thing he simply could not allow.

 

Since the moment she arrived, Hijikata had vehemently refused to let her leave the room, explaining in great detail multiple times that it was for her own safety. He promised that she would be able to meet with the shogunate and the other Shinsengumi captains in time, once he dealt with the dissent within the ranks, but that wasn't enough to convince her. And so, as she grew more and more impatient, Hijikata grew more and more desperate, and his promises became more and more insane. Just this morning, Hijikata offered her the head of his most trusted subordinate – Yamazaki Susumu, the man who he ordered to kill her father, despite knowing deep down in her heart that she didn't care, and that Hijikata would never be able to go through with such a grisly task in the first place. If anything, it was a testament to just how unwilling she was to compromise with him.

 

"I came here to create peace," Azuka said, perhaps for the millionth time. This time, however, she went a step further. "I could tell from the beginning that you were attracted to me, that you wanted to make me yours somehow...and I simply thought that if it would allow me to save people, if not my homeland, then I'd try to utilize that as best I could."

 

Hijikata seethed, although he was not entirely shocked. "And after all the time we've spent together, you still don’t trust me one bit? You don’t feel any sort of calm in my presence?"

 

"Correct," Azuka replied flatly. "Every time you deny me some form of freedom, I despise you all the more."

 

Hijikata slammed his fist down on the tatami mat and grit his teeth in frustration. "What will it take to convince you, Azuka? I'm not trying to insult you or demean you...it doesn't matter how strong you are. You can't take an entire government on at once. You need to trust me. We need to work together, or we won't be able to accomplish anything."

 

"Then let me work together with you," Azuka said. "Let me accompany you to a meeting with Sasuke Fukunaga. We're on the same page regarding them, aren't we? If you're truly planning to drain the government of its toxins, or however you phrased it earlier, then let's start there."

 

Hijikata swallowed and remained silent for a moment as he prepared a response. From the start, he'd never been keen on borrowing foreign aid in order to become stronger, while Ito and Koga practically licked the feet of their technologically-advanced benefactors. Kondo gradually got onboard with it as well, since it would help to keep the people of Neo-Edo satisfied and happy. In the long run, he accepted it as a necessary evil, just like the unholy trinity of Ito Kashitaro, Yamanami Keisuke, and Takeda Kanryusai – arrogant elitists who now served as key members of the Shinsengumi war machine.

 

"It wouldn't help anything," he insisted in the end. "We need to do something about Ito first. We still need to give the Shinsengumi a new enemy to focus on in order to pull them away from the Royal Guard, like we first spoke about. The question is who? Sacchu, in the south? Instead of arguing like this, we should be coming up with a concrete plan."

 

"If you can come up with a plan that doesn't involve me sitting and waiting here while you do all the work, I'd love to hear it," Azuka replied quickly.

 

Hijikata stared into her beautiful eyes and seethed. As much as she irritated him, there was seemingly nothing she could do – yet – to make him hate her. "Isn't there anything I can do to prove that I truly care about you? That I value and respect who you are?"

 

He watched her stare back at him, and almost thought he started to see a glimmer of sympathy resonate in her eyes. Then, he heard a soft knock on his door, followed by a shrouded mutter.

 

"Yamazaki reporting in. I bring news, sir."

 

Hijikata sighed, glanced at Azuka just to make sure she hadn't moved from her seat, then went over to the door. "What is it?"

 

"Fifteen minutes ago, Ito Kashitaro ordered a manhunt on a foreigner who allegedly attacked him en route to the Masuya teahouse with Koga Suzunosuke."

 

Hijikata watched Azuka frown as he did the same. "Go on."

 

"Kondo received the report while he was on the way to the infirmary in order to investigate a separate foreign invasion. Present with him were Yamanami Keisuke, Okita Soji, Nagakura Shinpachi, Saito Hajime, and Inoue Genzaburo. Ito pressured him to send as many troops as possible to the city in order to track down the assailant."

 

"And what did Kondo say?"

 

"I'm not sure, sir. I was already on my way to come see you regarding the infirmary incident when I was informed of this new one by Okita Soji."

 

"That foreigner could be from the Royal Guard." Hijikata sighed, as he glanced back at Azuka. "I don't see how they could've gotten all the way into the city undetected, though."

 

"Considering the new portals in the market," Yamazaki ventured, "the Iga clan could have easily warped them out of our dimension and then back through our public gates into Neo-Edo."

 

"If they think they can beat us in our own city..." Hijikata curled his fists. "It doesn't matter. All we need to do is make sure that Kondo does not obey him. Have him go to the infirmary instead."

 

"Sir?"

 

"Ito has no right to order the entire squad around, and especially not the man he serves," Toshizo spoke calmly. "If we let Kondo do Ito's bidding, we may as well hand him the entire Shinsengumi on a silver platter. I bet he's salivating right now, waiting for the perfect chance to steal the reins for himself. Soji and the others can go, but Kondo must not be allowed to take part in Ito's manhunt in any way."

 

"Understood, sir." Yamazaki nodded. "Shall we follow him there?"

 

"No," Azuka answered in a loud voice, as she stood up from her seat and pulled out her wooden blade from her hips. "Not all of us."

 

Yamazaki remained silent while Hijikata turned around and gave Azuka an irritated glare. He had allowed her to keep her treasured blade on her person in order to build trust, and as a sign of respect to a fellow warrior. Azuka stepped forward without a speck of fear on her face, and Hijikata cursed himself for being such a fool.

 

"Open the door, Hijikata," she said in a cold voice. "I want what you promised me this morning."

 

Hijikata froze. He'd done his best to keep the two separated during the days since their return, but ever since the incident this morning, everything seemed to have gone out of whack. And now, Yamazaki had appeared at his door without exercising any sort of caution, despite the fact that it wasn't time for one of their scheduled meetings. Considering how he spent most of his waking hours plotting on how best to keep control of all the people and ongoing events around him, it was humiliating.

 

"Stand down, Empress," Hijikata said, as he rose to his own feet and extended two open hands. "There is no need to do this now."

 

But Hijikata's shock only heightened as he heard the door behind him open. Yamazaki pushed it to the side with ease and stared up at the empress from his kneeling position on the ground. Darkness bubbled around him, and his face was as calm as ever.

 

"If I may sir," Yamazaki said plainly. "I beg to differ."

 

Sweat rolled down Hijikata's face

 

*************

 

as Vance listened listened to Cliff repeat his question.

 

"Well, Vance?" Cliff shifted his weight over to his right leg impatiently as the two continued to stand in the ruins of the devastated Takeda factory. "Do you know where Eden is, or not?"

 

Stay calm, Vance thought frantically, while Cliff's eyes grew more and more suspicious. I'll let him yell at me all he wants afterwards. First I just need to make sure he sends that friend of his to go meet up with everyone back at the tanks.

 

"Sorry, I'm just really nervous about everyone back in town," Vance jittered. "Look, do me a favor and send that Mixam guy to check up on them, and then we can take our time and discuss everything."

 

"Fine." Cliff tapped his arm, activating a glowing node that was faintly visible below the metallic finish. "Mixam? It's Cliff. Yeah, I'm fine. I found Vance here. We've gotten into a bit of a mess, and he has some friends back in town that he's worried about, so would you mind checking up on them in the meantime?"

 

Vance watched Cliff's eyes carefully.

 

"Yes, I'm sorry for the extra work, and asking you to do a favor for me like this, but it would really mean a lot – what? Where are they? Um..." Cliff looked to Vance.

 

"The big building across the bridge," Vance answered. "Inside, there's some medical room with a bunch of Regeneration Tanks, that's where they should be. They're all foreigners."

 

Cliff repeated what Vance said. "Yes, I realize there may be some problems getting inside, but I figured that wouldn't be much of a problem for you. Yes, I know, I know. I'm sorry. We should be back soon."

 

"Tell him to bring them out here to meet us if he can," Vance said. "The city's dangerous."

 

Cliff let out a frustrated grunt and covered up the microphone. "Vance, you don't understand how hard it is to ask this man to be cooperative... Just, trust me on this one." Cliff finished explaining the mission to Mixam as diplomatically as possible, and after a few moments, the glowing dot on his arm faded. "He said he'll go find them. Now will you tell me what's going on?"

 

He's going to find out eventually. Vance took a deep breath. There's no getting around this.

 

"The Zodiacs took Eden," Vance said plainly. "And I wasn't able to get her back."

 

Cliff's metallic fist twitched, and for a moment it seemed like he was going throw a punch. The Albavitrean ignited his psynergy in response, but Cliff stopped himself.

 

"You had the grit to tell me." Cliff grimaced, as he pulled his arm back. "So that's as far as I'll go."

"I'm sorry." Vance shook his head. "Cliff, it was a mess. It was like I made one mistake, and then I could never recover. Things just kept getting out of hand. I kept screwing up, day after day..."

 

"Did you?" Cliff growled, crossing his arms. "What happened, exactly?"

 

"It happened right after the tournament," Vance said. "One of the Zodiacs – Grayson attacked us, and not even Averyl could hold him off. He punched a hole through my stomach and captured Eden somehow...afterwards, Averyl and I went to take out the rest of the Dark Zodiacs, but I couldn't get to her. I saw her, Cliff...and she shook her head at me, telling me she was sorry. And that's the last I ever saw of her."

 

Cliff took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to say, Vance. You probably won't believe this, but you two were the only thing that gave me solace while I was recuperating. I was sure that as long as you two were together, no matter what happened in the tournament, you'd be able to protect one another. You'd be alright without me – and that helped me feel like it was okay to focus on myself."

 

Discomfort bled into Vance's mind, and he just stood there, awkwardly looking away.

 

"I was in love with Eden..." Cliff went on. "And I still am. I know she doesn't love me back that way, and I'm okay with that now. But there hasn't been a day that's gone by, Vance, when I haven't thought of her face, imagined her, and hoped that she was safe and happy. It's never going to change – seeing that girl smile is always going to fill me with an indescribable feeling of joy."

 

"Her smile..." Vance echoed weakly, as his eyes widened, and he furrowed his brow.

 

"What about you, Vance?" Cliff asked hoarsely. "How often do you remember her?"

 

Vance tried to conjure up an image in his mind, but for some reason, nothing appeared. All he remembered now was the glowing, inhuman specter he'd seen in Pandemonium, and the way she'd shaken her head so slowly. He could remember the things she had said to him, and his own feelings, but that was all.

 

I... I can't remember her face...

 

Instead, he could clearly recall the pale face of Wendy Caskett, smiling sweetly and warmly as she always did.

 

While Eden was missing, and Cliff was recovering, I was in bed with Wendy. Did I give up? Did I betray Eden? If Cliff found out about all this...what would he do?

 

"What are you thinking about?" Cliff noticed the panic on Vance's face. "Say something, dammit!"

 

"No." Vance shook his head. "Honestly, I have no idea what Grayson did to her, or where he's taken her. Not even Averyl knows. I had no choice but to trust that she was strong enough to survive on her own."

 

"What? She's still just a teenager!" Cliff screamed. "How–"

 

"She's more than that, Cliff," Vance wasted no time in cutting the man off. "You know that just as well as me. And besides...she saw me, too, in Pandemonium. She could have stayed with me, but she chose to move on. Maybe she knew I wouldn't be of any help. Maybe she was trying to protect me from something – how the hell should I know?"

 

"You really need to ask yourself that?" Cliff threw up his arms. "Come on, Vance. I know that something happened between you two. Do you love her or not? If you do, then you'd never have to ask yourself anything like that."

 

"What the hell?" Vance took another deep breath, trying to shrug off the shakiness he felt creeping up into his voice. "I know I'm not perfect, Cliff, but what was I supposed to do? So much has happened over the past month, I haven't even been able to sit down and–"

 

"I risked my life during the tournament trying to protect you two!" Cliff blared.

 

"You think I didn't risk mine?!" Vance shouted back. "I nearly died fighting Saffron, and then Grayson punched a fucking hole in my stomach! I don't regret a single second of it. I just–"

 

"I thought you'd changed, Vance," Cliff said coldly. "I thought you'd matured, and that's why I trusted you. But now I see that you're still the selfish, poor-me brat I met back in that bed in Despair. Deep down, you never think of anyone but yourself!"

Frustration rippled through Vance, and his aura flared. "What?! Is that really what you think of me?!"

 

But Cliff ignored his question and went on. "I really hope someday you realize how good you have it, Vance. She chose you for a reason. You have someone to love...someone to protect! A lot of people would give everything to be in your shoes right now."

 

Contrary to how cool and composed Cliff had been during his entrance, he now sounded like a raving lunatic. Vance stared at him with wide, incredulous eyes, wondering if it really was the same man who'd taught him so much.

 

Is this what love does to people?

Now, it was Cliff's turn to blaze his aura as he prepared for another tirade. "I can't believe

 

*************

 

you let him go off on his own!" Wendy screamed, as she wrung the collar of Frank's robe. "What were you thinking?!"

 

"Hey, come on, there's no need for that." Frank remained calm as he wriggled himself away. "He went to destroy Grayson's factory, and besides, I've seen how strong he is. I believe in him."

 

Wendy, Frank, Bruce, and Madeleine stood within the Regeneration Tank room, now clad in black, olive, orange, and yellow robes they'd found in a storage bin in the back. Wendy had chosen a dark yukata had a large purple spider emblazoned on the back, purely for aesthetic reasons, while Frank had chosen the plainest one he could find: a light brown yukata decorated with a bamboo pattern. Bruce found himself a loose, comfortable white training gi, while Madeleine had picked out an orange jinbei with small white daffodils on it, since it just happened to be her size. The absence of Winslow was painfully obvious, but the four still had yet to make a single comment about what had happened back in Houston.

Madeleine hopped a few times, testing the comfort of her new attire. "So, how long has Vance been gone for?"

 

"It's been about two and a half hours now," Frank said. "Judging from my watch."

 

"Vance may have sounded confident," Bruce said, "but he doesn't know shit about that factory – in fact, no one does. Grayson never told us about it, just like he never told us about all the other crap he's been up to!" Bruce growled, flames leaping over his skin. "All I know is that Yamato's a warring nation, and it's filled with psychos."

 

"He was the only one who could resist Grayson's power," Frank said, addressing Bruce with wary eyes. "You all saw it. If only Grayson hadn't gotten control of Ed..."

 

Bruce shook his head. "I thought he was like an older brother to me. How could I have been so stupid? Now that I think back, he must have been lying to my face, every moment of every day. And none of us can even stand up to him now. What are we supposed to do? Just wait until Vance gets back from blowing up that factory, then go back to Earth to get our asses kicked again?"

 

"We need to go catch up with Vance," Wendy insisted. "I trust him more than anyone I know, but that isn't the point. Strength isn't enough to keep someone safe, especially when you're in a foreign–"

 

"Freeze!" a voice cried out, as the doors to the infirmary were thrown open from the outside. This cry was followed by the sounds of stomping as brawny Yamatoans in topknots dashed inside. Kondo pushed himself to the front with dignified initiative, as two swords of different lengths bounced at his waist.

 

"Ugh!" Okita shouted as he hopped up from the rear end of the crowd and spotted that only four foreigners remained. "Yamazaki was right...Vance went to town already!"

 

"Who are you talking about?" Saito murmured from his side.

 

"Don't worry about it," Okita sighed. "Look, I'll go into town with Yamanami and Inoue. Can I trust you and Nagakura to make sure the commander doesn't do anything stupid?"

 

"Of course," Saito responded casually, as he gave a signal for his own men to march forward. "You can leave this to us."

 

"Thanks!" Okita grinned as he trotted off. "See ya later!"

 

"Foreigners!" Kondo barked sternly from the front of the crowd. "For what reasons have you intruded upon our headquarters? Name yourselves and answer clearly and honestly, or you will regret it!"

 

"Wait, please," Frank held his hands up and tried to speak in the friendliest tone he could muster. "We were let in here by one of your own men, a young man named Okita Soji. He helped us and gave us permission to use these. Really, we mean you no harm."

 

"Soji?" Kondo raised an eyebrow, followed by his voice. "Is Soji here?"

 

"He just left for town, with Inoue in tow," Saito replied, as he and Nagakura also moved to the front of the mob. "But regardless of what Soji may have done earlier this morning, he seemed convinced that the man who attacked Ito in town was part of this group."

 

"You..." Frank's eyes went wide as he focused in on Saito. "You're the guy who stepped out of that portal in Bakersfield..."

 

Saito smirked. "Have we met before? I'm sorry, but I just have such trouble telling foreigners apart..."

 

"We can question them any time we like," Nagakura spoke at last, with a deep, composed voice. "Let us first detain them so we may prevent them from causing any more problems. Obedience is bred from bondage."

 

"No one's getting detained here," Wendy spoke defiantly, as she stomped a sandaled foot out in front of Frank. "I don't care who you are – get out of our way, right now!"

 

"You heard the lady," Bruce chimed in as he moved up to stand next to her. "We didn't mean to disturb anything, and now we'd like to leave. So cut it with all the 'tude! You aren't scaring anyone."

 

"Wait, you two!" Frank whispered from behind. "Those guys look like they're dying to find a reason to cut someone up. We need to be careful if we want to diffuse this..."

 

"Frank, they just said they wanted to detain us," Madeleine said in between a yawn as she sat down next to a tank. "Besides, they don't seem so strong. Might as well take another breather while Wendy and Bruce deal with them."

 

"You aren't going to help?!" Frank shouted, waving an arm at the lazy girl. "Geez, I'm starting to feel like I'm the crazy one here..."

 

Saito shifted over to Kondo. "Sir, they're clearly plotting something..."

 

"You were warned, foreigners, and you were also given a chance to name yourselves," Kondo announced, as he unsheathed his blades with both hands. "But I see that you have chosen the path of war – and so, war is what you shall receive. I am Kondo Isami, commander of the Shinsengumi, and you are now our prisoners!"

Next: The Amaranthine Orexis