Chapter-2

*Aizu Military Headquarters, carrying along with them their sparring swords for the demonstration. Everyone could feel Kondou's excitement, he had been dreaming of this day for some time. As they entered the large headquarters, something caught their eye. The woman most of them had met was standing with herdog at her side, speaking with the man Serizawa had initially approached about their organization being taken in andfunded by the Aizu. The man noticed them and happily greeted them as he stepped towards them, however all eyes were staring at the girl who slowly lagged behind. In silence she bowed to them, the dog stopping at her heel and sitting as she did. "I did not know you were inviting pigs to this demonstration." Serizawa had a deadly tone in his voice and Kondou was about to step in to calm him down. But, the girl spoke up first.

"I am simply here as an escort."

"Don't be silly, Ida-chan, you have become quite popular during your time here. You are as much as a guest as those you travel with." The Aizu man happily said, surprising the Roshigumi. "I should introduce you, this is our newly acquired police force, the Roshigumi. Serizawa-san, Kondou-san, and Niimi-san are the commanders." He pointed out the men and Ida bowed to each.

"I have had the honour to meet Serizawa-san and Kondou-san already." Ida smiled. "I am excited to see your demonstration today. I don't get to see much of the skills of the samurai due to my travels."

Serizawa was getting irritated, the smirk she wore when she looked at him told him she was just playing nice. "You have some nerve, rat."

"Serizawa-san, I ask you to watch your tone." The Aizu representative said.

"No, it's fine, Hiroshi-san. I understand his distaste to my presence." Ida glanced at everyone behind him and smiled at two tall men, one with red hair and another with brown hair that were more curious than weary. "We were here waiting for you..." Ida said, looking around, looking to the man beside her to remind him of what they were meant to do.

"Ah, yes," Hiroshi said, getting back on track, "We'll show you to where the demonstration will be held." He turned to start walking with Ida but noticed someone he knew further back in the group and asked Ida to lead the way. Ida walked silently, Ninja looking up and whining at her every once in a while to see why she was so quiet.

"It's nothing, Ninja, don't worry about it."This peaked Harada's interest and he spoke up.

"Is that your pet?"

"Pet? I wouldn't really call him that." Ida glanced behind her to see the red head moving forward more. She smiled as she looked down at Ninja who was trotting beside her. "He's my friend. We have each other backs and we've trusted each other through everything we've been through so far."

"Shouldn't you say that about the people you fight with?" Serizawa chuckled.

"Men have flickering loyalties. The minute they notice the men they trusted are no longer winning they jump sides. I don't have to worry about that with Ninja."

"My, my, Ida-chan, speaking politics to our guests?" Hiroshi laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"Sorry," Ida chuckled. "Sometimes it can't be helped." Ninja barked at her, stopping as he looked forward, Ida and everyone with her seeing Sir Alcock with some other western men. She narrowed her eyes as she knelt down to her companion."You've made your point, Ninja, give it a rest."

"Come, I'll introduce you to the Lieutenant General." Hiroshi cleared his throat. Ida stood, watching the men walking into the area designated and prepared for the demonstration. Surprisingly, the redhead that asked about Ninja stopped for a moment.

"My name is Harada Sanosuke," he smiled.

"Ida," she smiled back.

"I've never seen a relationship with an animal like the one you have. It's quite interesting."

"I don't think it any different as a relationship with a person." Ida said, glancing at Ninja who appeared to be hoping to let out of his heel."Fine, aus."She laughed and the dog started jumping around. "You have to keep working at it. Giving and taking when appropriate."

Before the redhead could reply, a brunette popped his head out with an annoying tone "Sano, come on."

"Yea, yea. You're sticking around right?" Harada asked the girl.

"Of course." She smiled, letting them walk in without her.

"You're getting awfully friendly, Sano." Shinpachi commented, raising an eyebrow.

"No need to look into it. I was just curious." Sano chuckled, standing to attention with the rest of his comrades.

"Lieutenant General, thank you for the opportunity to demonstrate our skills to you and your command." Kondou bowed, the men behind him following quickly. "I promise you will not be disappointed."

"Thank you for agreeing to come on such short notice." The man smiled. "We have some artists from England that were interested in painting our samurai so I had seen it as a great opportunity." That caused everyone to understand why there were foreigners in the audience. "However, it seems we are missing someone." The general said curiously. "Hiroshi, Ida was with you. Where did she run off to?"

Hiroshi was quiet for a moment, unsure of where she had gone. Then Sano spoke up, "My Lord, I believe she is letting her companion get out some energy."

"Ahh, right. Well, she should arrive by the time we are ready to start." He smiled. Everyone started moving to their seats and the Roshigumi captains went off to one side, Heisuke and Hijikata setting up for the first match. Silently, Ida slipped in with Ninja, smiling in apology to the General as she stood at attention, facing Heisuke's back.

"May the game…begin!" Ida watched with curiosity as the pair, each confident in their own ways, fought to impress their new lord. Ida had to keep in a small laugh as the young boy had a bruise forming on his face already by the end of the match, with Hijikata making his way to a seat beside Kondou. The next two to come out looked like an obvious win to Ida, the brunette was taller and looked to be in better shape. But then Ida noticed something that was not in the first pair, the indigo haired man was standing in a left-handed stance. From the time she had been in Japan, she had never seen a left-handed they force right-handed fighting onto people here?It would be a significant disadvantage for the brunette if that was the case, as he would not have had the practice like he would with right-handed opponents. At first, they seemed equally matched, but then out of no where, the slighter fighter displayed movement that Ida had never seen before. She knew it was impressive when everyone but the Roshigumi were shocked about it. Then, finally, the last pair came out, the General not missing the smirk that Ida gave the younger male as she stood behind the opponent. As they began fighting, Ida saw something, the younger male she had run into at Shimbara had a very different stance than the others she had seen. Raising an arm as the training blade rested on it, Ida watched in awe at the strike that the opponent missed. It was a flamboyant strike but she knew it wasn't conventional.

"I must say, Kondou-san, you fighters are impressive." The general said, a smile on his face.

"Ah, thank you, sir." He bowed, Hijikata following along.

"I would like to see how this foreigner fights." Serizawa said, catching the attention of everyone, including the captains that were off hiding. Ida glanced at him, her face straight and showing no emotion.

"Careful what you wish for, Serizawa-san." Hiroshi chuckled, everyone looking at the girl stare the burly samurai down with an unreadable look. Her black eyes daring him to push to her to agree.

"Does she carry around that sword for decoration or can she actually use it?" Niimi said, the men around him looked worried. He was starting to cross a line.

"Ida," the Lieutenant General called her, "Do you have your training sword close by?"

"No, sir, it is back at the compound."

"She is more than welcome to use ours." Kondou said, nervously smiling at the girl that was walking up to them.

"Or,"an English voice said, causing everyone to look to see Sir Alcock stepping forward, pushing past the captains who had just fought."Ida can show you her general fighting skills along with her control of that animal."He said, Ida glaring at him and the translator speaking to see what the group thought.

"Why not?" The General said happily, Ida looking down to Ninja who was looking at her, confused about what was going on. "Ida-chan, if you don't mind?"

"Of course," she sighed, bowing before getting someone's attention as she walked away. "Can you get the training stuff and reward bag for him?" She asked him, "It's just on the other side of the tent there." The second Ninja heard training, he started jumping around like a child. Ida smiled and totally forgot the people she was around. Calling Ninja away from the border, she askedhim to stay, bark and growl to set the standard for what Ida was looking for. It was helping her figure out what she could try doing. However, the men sitting thought it was part of the demonstration and thought it was interesting how to dog immediately knew what she was looking for. "Okay, I think we are good to go." Ida said, tossing Ninja a piece of meat and grabbing the harness.

"Go? What do you mean?" Hijikata questioned, leaning forward.

"As in start the demonstration. I just wanted to get him ready for it." Ida said, her eyes not leaving the buckles that she needed to do up. Taking the long lead and clipping it to the back of the harness, Ida looked up remembering she had no one to be the decoy. "I'll need someone's help." She looked to the group, seeing the men look at her worried. "It's fine, you might just end up with a bruise." They saw she was being honest but still did not come forward because she was not saying what would happen.

"Fine," Serizawa stepped forward, intrigued.

"Thank you, sir." She bowed and walked with him to the other end of the arena. She asked him to confirm the arm he would rather use and started to explain with simple and, purposefully, vague instructions."All I need you to do is to stand here, this arm with the padding out front," she said as she slide it on. "Keep this part over your hand, that's important, and hit the padding with this." She produced a stick, that looked like it had been frayed, from behind her. "Is that alright?"

"Yes."

Ida smiled as she walked back to an eager Ninja and looked behind her, "Oh, and try to be as menacing as , Pass Auf,"she commanded the dog, the animal immediately standing and keeping his gaze on the target in front of him. "When you are ready, Serizawa-san!" It took him a moment but he started yelling and hitting his arm like she had asked him."Ninja, Gib Laut,"immediately the dog started barking, echoing in the open arena and causing everyone to flinch the first time."Voraus,"Ida said, causing the dog to start trying to get to Serizawa. "Keep the arm high," she ordered the samurai, smirking when he saw a flash of realization hit him."Ninja, voraus,"she encouraged the dog again, the barks getting faster and more violent."Fass!"Ida let the harness go and Ninja went charging towards Serizawa, Ida following slowly behind. When Ninja bit hard onto the sleeve, the force pushed Serizawa on his back."Gut, Ninja, gut."Ida encouraged as she got closer, the crowd surprised as the dog shook Serizawa's arm like it was trying to tear it apart. "Slide your arm out," Serizawa didn't need to be told twice and quickly did, Ninja looking like a puppy with his first toy as he happily trotted away with his prize.

"It took out Serizawa-san…" someone commented in disbelief. Ida was ignoring them and congratulating Ninja with food. "It has so much power."

"Has it ever attacked you, Ida-chan?"

"Never."

"Not even on accident?"

"Never. He knows we protect each other. If he attacked me, it would mean he wouldn't get to go to the mountains or rivers anymore." Ida laughed, patting Ninja on the head as he looked for her to do more."Not yet buddy, later."She spoke to him.

"So the mutt can fight but what about its owner?" Serizawa said, seeming to have gotten over his shock.

"I have it all organized."Sir Alcock said, stepping forward with a mix of English and Japanese men with wooden weapons.

"That's not a very fair fight." Sannan whispered as he stood with the rest of the Roshigumi captains. They watched as Ida got Ninja to lay down off to the side and to stay in place. She turned to some of the men at the curtain to ask them to get some water for him as well until they returned to the compound. Returning to the group Ida looked confused as she noticed no one had an extra training sword.

"Her task," the translator started saying, "it to take them all out starting without a weapon."

"What?" Everyone asked.

"It's survival of the fittest," Serizawa said.

"But still…" Kondou started, even Hijikata agreed she had a slim chance of winning. Ida sighed as she started removing her weapons that were hiding throughout her uniform. Four daggers and two pistols were placed to the side. "Why not go against Toshi?" Kondou quickly said. "A traditional samurai vs a traditional European?" Kondou glanced past Hijikata, knowing that he wanted nothing to do with it. Everyone waited for the Lieutenant General to answer and he thought about it closely.

"Please, Hijikata-san. If you don't mind."

"Not at all, sir." The male bowed as he came into the arena, Ida seeing Sir Alcock gritting his teeth as his plan had gone to waste. He had probably wanted the opportunity to see her get beaten down, possibly to show the native fighters would think her weak. Despite this he stuck around, wanting to see what would happen. After all, having been brought up as a child with slaves in the home, this sight used to be something regular for him. It had been entertainment.

"I'm afraid I won't be much of a match for you," Ida said, taking a training weapon from one of the men.

"Are you asking me to go easy on you?"

"Of course not."

"Ready?" The referee asked, Hijikata nodding and Ida hesitated before doing it herself. "Start!"

Hijikata tapped her sword with his and pushed back, Ida remembering his start to his match, he had waited for his opponent to strike first. Everyone could see her gears turning and took note that she was holding the weapon with one hand, with her left hand.

"You're thinking too much," Hijikata said, bringing the sword to his side like he had done he trying to help me?Ida took a breath and relaxed a little, but she didn't know what to do. Observing him, she noticed her opponent shift his weight onto his back 's going to push he did, with a strong step forward and striking from above. Ida gripped the sword with both hands and blocked the strike, sliding out of the way to try and get a hit in. She aimed for his side but he easily blocked it, allowing Hijikata to easily move to another over head strike. Ida almost missed the block and didn't expect the forward ****** towards her face that she had to duck to evade. Ida attempted to copy Hijikata's forward ****** but he moved out of the way and the two regrouped as they stood, facing one another again. Ida set herself into her back leg, this time starting the attack with an attempt at Hijikata's side, which he blocked. The skilled sword wrapped around her, causing her to drive her sword between the small space. Pushing his sword away, Ida tried to move out of the way. Something felt off and she instinctively tried to protect her back but a pain rung through her spine.

"Hit!" She hissed as she hunched over, eying Hijikata waiting for her to stand again.I have a long way to go…Ida thought. Surprisingly, when she got to her feet, her opponent had an impressed look on his face and gave a steady bow. Ida followed, after all, she was nowhere near the skill he had. The styles were quite different but there was some overlap. But her European skills with a Japanese sword showed her flaws. Even more surprising to her, some of the Aizu and Roshigumi were impressed and wanted to speak with her more but she excused herself quickly.

"I need to feed Ninja." She said, calling him as she picked up her things and disappeared behind the curtain.

Darkness fell over the Lieutenant General Headquarters, the Roshigumi having been invited by the Aizu to attend a dinner in celebration of their skills and officially welcome them. Everyone was speaking about how excited they were in the collaboration of the new force with the Aizu, surprised that they were once just a small dojo in Edo. A few made comments about Ida, a combination of 'oddly beautiful for a Blackwoman' and 'scary like they had heard from the western tales.' Kondou slightly frowned, thinking that the girl should have just been judged by her skills. "What's wrong Kondou-san?" Hijikata asked. "You look concerned."

"I just feel bad for that girl, is all."

"She's a westerner. It's natural that people won't trust her." Before Kondou could say anything else, Hijikata continued. "I know you like to give people the benefit of the doubt, Kondou-san. But, we both know what these foreigners are like. We have to be careful."

Kondou gave a sad smile before nodding, "I guess your right." They were happily drinking like the rest of the group, and it was around this time that Ida was walking around the compound to try and tire herself out. As she walked towards the building the Roshigumi was in, Ida came across a small stream that reminded her of her parents. Ninja immediately started playing in the water, causing her to giggle as she watched.

There was a lullaby her mom used to sing her, one that came from her dad's side of the family. After slavery was abolished in the colonies, it was common for the men to get jobsworking on the whaling and fishing boats. Even before they were shipped from their homes in Africa, the stories told of the great acts men had done on the ocean to provide for their families. When the men returned, they always spoke of a song that was sung by sirens to try and get their ships close to the shores. Ida didn't really think about the song before, but in the moment she couldn't help herself but hum the song. She hadn't felt this home sick ever since she strangely arrived in England. But now, Ida was trying to navigate through unchartered land, in a time and place she never truly understood.

Hijikata and Saito, deciding that they needed some fresh air, walked onto the porch of the building. Getting away from the noise and bustle of the drinkers. The two froze, noticing the girl and the noisy room they had just left was silencing the song she sang. They took quiet steps towards her, and soon they were able to hear her perfectly.

Upon one summer's morning

I carelessly did stray

Down by the Walls of Whapping

where I met a sailor gay

Conversing with a young lass, who seemed to be in pain,

saying 'William, when you go i fear,you'llne'rbe seen again'

His hair it does in ringlets hang

his eyes as black as sloes,

may happiness attend him

wherever he may go

From Tower Hill to Blackwall, Iwill wander weap and moan,

all for my Jolly Sailor bold, until he does return

My father is a merchant

the truth Iwill now tell

and in great London City

in opulence doth well

Hisfortune does exceed 300,000 pounds in gold

and he frowns upon his daughter because she loves a sailor bold

Come all you pretty fair maids,

whoever you may be

who love a Jolly Sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea

While up aloft in storm or gale

From me his absence mourn,

and firmly pray arrive the day

he home will safe return

My name it is Maria, a merchant's daughter fair,

and Ihave left my parents and three thousand pounds a year

My heart is pierced by Cupid,

I disdain all glittering gold,

there is nothing that can console me, but my Jolly Sailor Bold.

"It's a shame she is not Japanese," Saito commented, sighing as he turned to walk back into the hall. Hijikata thought about the statement for a moment, realizing that he had thought the same thing, not considering that he could possibly make an exception. However, still curious, he started walking over to the girl, finding the Lieutenant General had already gotten there and had asked her about the song.

"The maids used to sing that song," Ida lied, looking over at Ninja as he happily yipped at a small fish.

"At your parents home?"

"N-No, sir, at the home of Lord Milton. The patron of Sir Alcock."

"Then what of your parents?" Hijikata watched with incredible interest, the Lieutenant glancing tohim when he asked the question but doing nothing to make his presence known.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them in some time." Her voice was sad, something that threw off both men. Hijikata stepped forward, his steps on the gravel causing Ida to look behind her and bow to the man.

"Hijikata-san, I must commend you again for your great performance today."

"Thank you, sir." Hijikata said, bowing before looking to Ida to see she was different from when he had first seen her. Much more docile and seemed to be defensive instead of willing to attack.

"I am honoured to have sparred with someone of your skill." Ida said, bowing again, her voice quiet. "It's an experience I don't think I will be able to have again." She stood tall and smiled, Hijikata not able to hold in the small one that showed on his face.

"You're very different, than the foreigners I have met in the past." He said, unable to hide his curiosity.

"Have you ever met a black woman from the colonies?"

"N-No, I haven't."

Ida smirked, a small laugh leaving her lips. "That's probably why. Excuse me, I should be going." Ida bowed before calling Ninja. Neither man could comment about anything that was said and she walked to her lodgings for the night, having some new thoughts about everything going on*.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***