The Republic of Ezo and the Seinan Wars

If the Republic of Ezo ever came to fruition… If Enamoto and Hijikata were succesful, I would’ve considered it a new home. A crude form of democracy… But democracy nonetheless founded in part with the ideals held by the Shinsengumi. Not Aku Soku Zan as everyone had wanted to brand us during the time… But of Makoto which came from the soils of Tama. But it ended miserably… The dream… I had not even finished part of the Hakodate war after being captured… And Hijikata himself died up north mysteriously… They say he charged through enemy lines but… I doubt that… Unless he was fed up with the fighting and wanted to follow Kondou to death. But no that is not like him. He is not foolish that way, which only means he was assasinated. It had always bothered me but I had no hard proof and as time wore on, the details became more obscure. My wish to avenge his death slowly died just like the sharpness of my sword diminished. Not because of loss of skill but because of lost determination. That is why I had consented to live in Aomori half dead.
But living in Aomori had opened my eyes, that Japan eventhough not exactly the same dream is something important. That justice must be served so that people like her can continue on living. There is evil in every regime whether it be from the Bakufu or from the Meiji. Which is why I decided to move on and strip my mind of those which I deemed unnecessary. Vengeance. Money. Status. They are all moot.
With the advent of the Seinan war, I had already told Tokio I was going. I didn’t ask for her permission. She of all people knew she could not stop me, though I don’t know if she knew the reasons why. Maybe she even questioned it, after all the battle was against the Meiji… And an uprising of the Samurai class led by Saigo Takamori nonetheless. Isn’t it quite ironic? To fight against those who were Samurai when I myself was steadfastly claiming to it back in the Bakumatsu? No… The time of the samurai class has passed and the only thing I held back then were the ideals of Bushidou and loyalty to the Shinsengumi who kept me. The Seinan war lasted for six months… A fight of guns and swords… And just like in the Bakumatsu those weilding a sword lost against our cannons and rifles. Under Okubo Toshimichi we were able to win and I shed no tear for those Samurai for maybe they were also trying to find peace in death. Their time had come and Shidou states that a man must recognize and accept the time of his death honorably. I was doing them a favor and keeping true to protect the life I know now. I failed back then but I refuse to fail now.