The Demon's Lifeline

(鬼の命脈 Oni no Meimyaku), also known as The Devil's Existence, is the sixth episode of the anime Hakuōki: Shinsengumi Kitan (Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: The Tale of the Shinsengumi). It aired on May 9, 2010.
==Plot==
The episode begins from the same place where the previous one ended: Sannan has turned into Rasetsu after drinking Ochimizu and is suffocating Chizuru. At first he seems to have lost his reason but he quickly regains control of his mind and actions and admits that this experiment has resulted in a failure. Chizuru tries to make sure he is alright, but he brushes her off and decides to die of her hand instead. He asks her to kill him, but when she refuses, he forces her to draw the sword and pierce through his heart, even though she keeps struggling. Eventually, other Shinsengumi captains run into the room just in time to stop Sannan. They restrain him, and Chizuru loses consciousness. Hijikata orders Shinpachi to take control over the Maekawa estate (where Sannan will be kept with other Rasetsu later on) and Sano to look after the Yagi estate and make sure nobody approaches Sannan's current room. He also orders Saitou to stay in the garden for the same reason (to keep Itou's men away in particular), and Okita offers to stay with Sannan and wait for him to come back to his senses (remembering his promise to kill Sannan if he was to fail and turn into a bloodthirsty monster). Hijikata also announces that the night will decide what happens to Sannan.
When Chizuru wakes up, she realizes she is in Hijikata's room. He opens the door and greets her with the same cold eyes he once showed her in Snowflake Capital demanding explanation. Chizuru tells him the whole story from the beginning - how she decided to fetch some medicine for Sannan, how she saw him leave and followed him, and how they both returned to his room where he showed her Ochimizu, revealed that her father worked on it under a secret order from Bakufu, and what magical properties the liquid has. Hijikata confirms all the new information Chizuru has received and adds that only the top commanders of the Shinsengumi know this secret. Now that Chizuru has learnt about it as well, she is going to be under very close watch and shall be killed in case of any suspicious activity from her side.
Returning back to his softer self, Hijikata confesses that Sannan has been like an older brother to him, he calls him a genius and a very skilled warrior whom the Shinsengumi cannot do without therefore must not lose. Chizuru reassures him that Sannan will be okay, and Hijikata gives her a warm smile. 
Next morning, Sano, Shinpachi, Saitou, Hijikata and Kondou are in the dining room while Chizuru is serving them tea. The atmosphere is very tense because everyone is worried, when Okita and Inoue join the room with smiles on their faces, and Souji announces that Sannan is doing better. Everyone instantly relaxes, and Shinpachi asks whether it means that Sannan has survived the transition, but Inoue explains that it will only be possible to tell after he wakes up.
Itou joins the room, and Souji starts coughing. Itou notices the uneasiness and tries to enquire whether it is related to the disturbance the previous night. The Shinsengumi members exchange glances trying to work out what to say to him without giving out the truth, and decide to rely on Saitou as a very eloquent speaker. Saitou confirms that there have been issues and that the headquarters are yet to go back to normal; however, the Shinsengumi did not wish to trouble Itou with this, thus they are requesting to assess the situation and inform Itou in the evening. This polite and respectful explanation seems to suffice, and Itou leaves making everyone sigh in relief. Hijikata points out that fooling Itou is not going to be easy as it will be obvious that something is wrong when all the Shinsengumi commanders are present except Sannan. Others acknowledge this as a problem, and Kondou asks Toshi what to do about it. 
Later Kondou, Hijikata and Okita visit Sannan in his room. He informs them that he is doing better but his life has changed drastically as he is no longer human. Kondou assures him that what matters is that he is alive, however, Sannan suggests keeping it a secret and announce him dead instead. He also answers Souji's question and confirms that Ochimizu has healed his injured arm. He plans to experiment with the medicine further and create a new Shinsengumi division. Hijikata claims that in order to hide Sannan from Itou, much bigger headquarters are required and the move is vital.
There is a time skip in the next scene, and Chizuru explains that 6 months later the Shinsengumi has forcibly relocated to Nishi Hongan-ji Temple.
July 3, 1865
Shortly after the headquarters have moved, Heisuke returns from Edo. He and Chizuru go on a street patrol where they meet Okita. Both groups of the Shinsengumi combine and continue patrolling together. Souji casually reveals that the Shogun is coming to visit the city and that it is the reason for everyone to be anxious, especially Kondou. Suddenly, Souji starts coughing making everyone concerned when he notices a girl in a kimono being surrounded and harassed by two samurai, who keep claiming that she should spare some time to spend with them since they are Imperial patriots. Okita stands up and interferes threatening them, they see the blue haori (the Shinsengumi blue cape), get intimidated and run away with promises to come back one day. The girl thanks Okita and introduces herself as Kaoru Nagumo. Souji looks at her for a second and then pushes Chizuru to stand next to her pointing out the incredible resemblance. Heisuke denies that and says they do not look alike at all. Kaoru expresses her deep gratitude, bows and promises to repay Souji some time later, and Heisuke assumes that it is a sign she liked him. However, Souji teases him by saying that if this is how it looks to him, he will never surpass Sano (apparently on the romantic field).
Kondou gathers everyone in the main hall to officially announce the arrival of the 14th Shogun, Iemochi Tokugawa. The Shinsengumi have received orders to provide him with protection until he reaches Nijo Castle. Everyone cheers, and Hijikata explains that given the Ikedaya incident and the Kinmon Rebellion, the authorities have acknowledged the Shinsengumi's achievements. Itou expresses his sadness in regards to having lost Sannan, and Kondou changes the topic. Hijikata suggests that Souji is left at the headquarters due to his poor health and constant coughing, and Heisuke requests to stay back for the same reason. Chizuru is invited to join the operation.
During the night, Chizuru is helping out by delivering messages when she gets ambushed by Kazama, Amagiri and Shiranui. They claim that Chizuru is from an old demon bloodline which is evident due to her surname, her short sword and her fast regeneration (that Kazama and Amagiri witnessed in the fight with Hijikata earlier). They also inform her that female demons are precious, and that they are taking her with them without asking for consent. However, Kazama offers her his hand and invites her to join them willingly. 
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Category:Episodes
Category:Season 1