[The way he says "No" is one of the most heartbreaking things Chizuru has ever witnessed. There's no way it can be easy to admit that - not with his men scattered out before them, knowing he's going to have to relive this as he makes the report to Hijikata. He is a man who prides himself on his strength, so retreating... retreating is difficult, and admitting it needs to be done, even more so.
She wishes there was something she could do. Perhaps she's clung to humanity too tightly - if she were fully trained in the use of her demonic speed and strength, if here healing capabilities were just a little better... could she have helped change the outcome of this? Maybe she would have been acknowledged as a warrior; maybe then it wouldn't hurt him to have her help. Maybe she could have wiped out all those men who had struck down the Second Division before they did so much as load their firearms.
But that's wishful thinking, and it isn't going to help anyone. It doesn't change the fact that while her bloodline is impressive, her mastery of the skills it provides her with is nonexistent.
She doesn't see how this is going to be alright, and while she would dearly love to believe that it will - she just can't. When she loosens her hold on his arm so that he can go, it strikes her that she's glad Shinpachi isn't offering her any empty words about everything being alright; it would feel like a lie, and this is awful enough already, she doesn't want to feel like he's lying to her on top of it all...
She takes off after him, feet pounding on the ground and her breathing somewhat labored - her stamina has gotten better since she became more active in the Shinsengumi's affairs but she's still hurt, and the wounds are still fresh and raw, even though they've started to heal; too much jostling could reopen them. But she can't lag behind. They have to make it back to headquarters, and it almost looks as though they will, but about halfway there a sharp pain shoots through her side and she doubles over in pain.]
Nagakura-san, I'm sorry, I need to--
[She looks up, expecting to see him, and she does. But there's something else between them - the silver of a sharp blade, and she blinks at it before following the blade to the hilt, the hilt to the hand holding it, and then all the way up to the wielder's face...
Her blood runs cold. Kazama.
She didn't even see or hear him coming, but he's appeared as if from nowhere and has his blade between her and Shinpachi as if to keep them separated. He sneers as he looks in the direction they've come from, then to Shinpachi, then the direction they're going to.]
So you turned tail and ran... [Chizuru starts to protest, but he dismisses it before she even has the chance to get the words out with a scoff.] Tch... I was right nothing from you. [One hand grabs her upper arm roughly - she lets out a gasp of pain because that was the location of one of the bullet wounds, and Kazama removes his hand only long enough to examine the blood on it that had soaked through her top.] Pathetic. Hurry back to your master, dog. I'll be taking her off your hands. [He grabs her again, this time by the lower arm so as to not aggravate her wound further, but Chizuru flinches at his touch and tries to tug her arm free. Predictably, it's no good.]
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She wishes there was something she could do. Perhaps she's clung to humanity too tightly - if she were fully trained in the use of her demonic speed and strength, if here healing capabilities were just a little better... could she have helped change the outcome of this? Maybe she would have been acknowledged as a warrior; maybe then it wouldn't hurt him to have her help. Maybe she could have wiped out all those men who had struck down the Second Division before they did so much as load their firearms.
But that's wishful thinking, and it isn't going to help anyone. It doesn't change the fact that while her bloodline is impressive, her mastery of the skills it provides her with is nonexistent.
She doesn't see how this is going to be alright, and while she would dearly love to believe that it will - she just can't. When she loosens her hold on his arm so that he can go, it strikes her that she's glad Shinpachi isn't offering her any empty words about everything being alright; it would feel like a lie, and this is awful enough already, she doesn't want to feel like he's lying to her on top of it all...
She takes off after him, feet pounding on the ground and her breathing somewhat labored - her stamina has gotten better since she became more active in the Shinsengumi's affairs but she's still hurt, and the wounds are still fresh and raw, even though they've started to heal; too much jostling could reopen them. But she can't lag behind. They have to make it back to headquarters, and it almost looks as though they will, but about halfway there a sharp pain shoots through her side and she doubles over in pain.]
Nagakura-san, I'm sorry, I need to--
[She looks up, expecting to see him, and she does. But there's something else between them - the silver of a sharp blade, and she blinks at it before following the blade to the hilt, the hilt to the hand holding it, and then all the way up to the wielder's face...
Her blood runs cold. Kazama.
She didn't even see or hear him coming, but he's appeared as if from nowhere and has his blade between her and Shinpachi as if to keep them separated. He sneers as he looks in the direction they've come from, then to Shinpachi, then the direction they're going to.]
So you turned tail and ran... [Chizuru starts to protest, but he dismisses it before she even has the chance to get the words out with a scoff.] Tch... I was right nothing from you. [One hand grabs her upper arm roughly - she lets out a gasp of pain because that was the location of one of the bullet wounds, and Kazama removes his hand only long enough to examine the blood on it that had soaked through her top.] Pathetic. Hurry back to your master, dog. I'll be taking her off your hands. [He grabs her again, this time by the lower arm so as to not aggravate her wound further, but Chizuru flinches at his touch and tries to tug her arm free. Predictably, it's no good.]
I'm not going anywhere with you..!