Well, here's the first chapter...where finally we'll get to some decisions that could win the heart of a dude... (Yay!) (Aw man...) ...or get me and everyone else killed... (Yay!) (...you're horrible.) And these two live in my head.
(Also, you're kind of acting like an "inner protagonist" in this game.) Let's get on with the game already!
Warning!: This is based upon a game that's rated M for Blood, Drug
References, Strong Language, Suggestive (read 'Sexual') themes, and
Violence. If any of these things offend you, don't click on the link.
-Chapter One: Part One-
January 1864
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Hmm...?"
'Was it morning...?'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Umm..."
'What had happened to me...? ...Ah. Yes.' (You were held captive by a bunch of thugs.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Right."
'All at once, the events of the previous night rushed back. If only this was my room, I thought. They had tied me up quite well, so all I could do was wriggle around in the bed, twisting the blankets around me.' (Well, Shimohi's blankets in meatspace are arranged like a cooccon...)
'I wished--pointlessly, I knew--that I were back home, waking up on my warm futon.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "if only this were all a very strange nightmare..."
(Nope, her real nightmares are much stranger than that.) (*ji...*) (What!? Shimohi's playing an otome game, so referring to Shimohi as though Shimohi were female would be more than appropriate.)
'But it was not. I had met those men the night before, and they had taken me with them...'
'Encyclopedia updated'
'...To the headquarters of the Shinsengumi.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "What will happen to me now...?"
'I sighed, and lay down to await my fate. It was at that moment that the door slip open, and a kind-looking man stepped though.'
???: "I see you've woken up."
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'With a soft smile, he introduced himself as Inoue.'
Genzaburo Inoue: "I'm sorry we have to treat you this way... Hold on a moment. I'll loosen the ropes, all right?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
'His smile quirked as he removed my ropes, working quickly and skillfully. My wrists, however, were left bound.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...Thank you."
'I bowed, and he let out a short laugh.'
Genzaburo Inoue: "Now, if you'll follow me..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...?"
Genzaburo Inoue: "They've been discussing what to do with you since morning...For now, they've decided to hear exactly what it was you saw last night."
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Okay."
'I nodded, and did my best to stand up, my body still a bit unsteady after being tied up all night. The man who called himself Inoue was very polite and almost kind, but it was quite clear that I was to do as I was told. He must have been able to guess my thoughts, because he smiled at me and winked.'
Genzaburo Inoue: "You don't need to worry. I know they seem scary, but they're all really very nice."
([sarcasm] If you say so... [/sarcasm]) (Especially Okita, I mean, he's a real S.) (No, I won't allow you to say that.) Um...Akurei used the modern Japanese slang term for it so, no, you didn't interrupt her. (Besides, just how much are you going to confuse the versions of the members of the Shinsengumi in this game with those seen in other series?) (Whenever I can...for the lulz of course.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."
'I wasn't sure what to think of that. Even at home I'd heard rumors of the vicious Shinsengumi. They weren't pleasant rumors. It was hard to imagine that the people in charge of such an organization were...nice.' (Maybe in the sense of "Nice guys" rather that guys who are actually nice.) And now for a scene change...
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
'Inoue led me to a room and opened the door. I stepped inside, and found myself surrounded by the leaders of the Shinsengumi. Their eyes dug into me like so many knives. I froze, just past the threshold, and swallowed.' Sounds like I'm in trouble...
Souji Okita: "Good morning! I hope you slept well?"
Kind of hard to do that when you're tied up...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh...um..."
'Encyclopedia updated'
'I remembered him... Okita. Perhaps it was because I was surrounded by strange men, but it was somehow comforting to see a face I recognized. ...Even if it was the face of a rather frightening man who was almost certainly willing and able to kill me.' (Isn't he one of the possible love interests?) (Dead man walking!) (Huh? Why?) (You know...consumption.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Well, it wasn't particularly...comfortable."
'I chose my words carefully.' Well of course, the dude could kill you right here and there.
Souji Okita: "Really..."
'His face twisted sideways into a grin.'
Souji Okita: "Because when I went to have a look at you earlier, you didn't budge, no matter what I poked.
'...Wait...what?!' My thoughts exactly.
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Okita's grin widened as my face turned red. Saito rolled his eyes.'
Hajime Saito: "He's only teasing you. Souji didn't go anywhere near your room."
(Well, you have a hard enough time telling if people are teasing you in real life.)
'...Quite silent. I started at Okita. With his grin still playing about his face, he glanced over at Saito.'
Souji Okita: "Aah, I just wanted to see you squirm a little. Not very nice of you , Hajime, calling me out like that."
("You've been...") "Trolled!" ("You've been...") "Trolled!" ("You have probably been told.") *facepalm* "Don't reply to this guy..." ("...he is just getting a rise. Out of you!") *shrug* "Yes, it's true." ("You reply and that's his cue!") "To start trouble on the double..." (You both know this version of Okita has no facial hair!) (Aw man!)
'... ...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't think Saito did anything wrong. You, on the other hand..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Shut it. You sound like a bunch of kids."
'Encyclopedia updated'
'Hijikata's voice brooked no further insubordination. Okita shrugged and was silent, but the smile stayed in his eyes.'
???: "So Hijikata... This is your witness?"
'The man who spoke was... Well, he looked more like a boy than a man. I'd imagined the leaders of the Shinsengumi to be old--or at least middle-aged--men, but... They all looked quite young.' (Well, this is an otome game. The more eye-candy, the better.)
'...In fact, they looked rather like a group of young thugs...' (Well, you know what they say...)
???: "He's a real stick, huh? Just a kid..."
(Huh? Who's he talking about...oh right, the Sweet Polly Oliver over here.)
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'That was Toudou. On our way from my bed, Inoue had given me a brief description of the people I was about to meet. Supposedly, Toudou was the youngest captain in the Shinsengumi.'
???: "You're calling him a kid, Heisuke? That's rich."
I think that's called "The pot calling the kettle black".
'He chuckled as he spoke, but the way he looked at me suggested that there was little he missed, despite his humor.'
???: "Right you are. To anybody else, I'll bet the two of you just look like another pair of scrawny little brats."
'The man across from him nodded with brows drawn, as if he was quite serious about the subject.'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'However, I remembered Inoue telling me that two of the men in particular were...somewhat immature, to put it nicely. He had said the one with short air was Nagakura, and the other, with longer hair, was Harada.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Leave off, you grumpy old bastards."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "The hell I will, boy! You think you can get away with talking to us like that?!"
(Yo! Shinpachi, aren't you missing your glasses?) (Not only are you confusing people with Gintama characters...again...but this time one of the name's different!) (Well, you didn't point that out when I was joking about Okita.)
Sanosuke Harada: "Besides, I'm hardly mature enough to be called 'old.' Shinpachi, maybe, but...not me."
(*looks around* Where's Sagara?) (*incomprehensible angrish*)
Shinpachi Nagakura: "You son of a bitch... I thought we were friends!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Ha ha ha ha! C'mon, Shin! Would an adult get so worked up over something like that?"
'Their back-and-forth had the feel of a routine that long predated my arrival, but the couldn't quite hide the odd inquisitive glance in my direction.'
Well, that kind of reminds me a lot of you two, what with Niyagi usually calling out Akurei on her jerkass behavior and Akurei then taking that as a compliment, which then gets Niyagi more angry, which amuses Akurei more, and so on and so forth. (...) (That's kind of hard to argue against...because it's true.)
'I could sense something other than simple curiosity, though--a feeling of animosity, or resentment, perhaps. Despite their cheerful levity, they had not forgiven my presence among them. Suddenly, I wanted very much to go home. I wanted to leave that place, and never return.' (But if you do, then there's no plot!)
'My chest tightened, and I looked down at the floor, hoping that I might just wake up at home in my bed.' (Fat chance!)
???: "I apologize for all of this frightening behavior. Please, don't give them the pleasure of unsettling you."
(So, the Shinsengumi in this game are a group of trolls?) (Cool...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."
'His voice was calm and warm, and I felt myself relax, even if only a little.'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Are you serious? You're the scariest out of all of us, Sanan."
'There was the faintest trace of a smirk on Hijikata's lips. As he finished speaking, the rest of the men nodded solemnly in agreement. I found it hard to believe this man could be as scary as they all seemed to think...'
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh? How crude. I can understand their feelings, but that even our demon of a commander should think so..."
'The man called Sanan smiled as he spoke and leaned back, his reposte delivered. Hijikata said nothing, but his own smile did not leave his face.'
???: "You're lucky to have a friend like Sanan, Toshi."
'...Hijikata and Sanan had sounded so could when they'd spoken to one another, but not what I would have called 'friendly.' (I believe that's called "Vitriolic Best Buds".)
'Still, the man who had spoken had certainly sounded as though he thought they were friends.'
Isami Kondou: "Oh, my apologies. I haven't introduced myself. I am Isami Kondou, Chief of the Shinsengumi."
(So...you're the gorrila that's stalking Shinpachi's older sister?) (Like...I...said...THAT'S ONLY IN GINTAMA!!!)
'The most important ma in the Shinsengumi, then.'
Isami Kondou: "Toshi over there is the commander, and Sanan is our colonel."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Ah...Kondou? Why are you telling him all this?"
Isami Kondou: "Uh... Why, do you think it's a bad idea?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, unless you really think this kid needs to know all our secrets, maybe you should keep your mouth shut."
Heisuke Toudou: "Exactly! Why bother anyway? We don't owe this kid anything."
'Harada glanced over at Kondou and let out a bark of laughter.'
Sanosuke Harada: "True, but it's not like telling 'im will hurt us."
'Kondou had looked rather disappointed when Hijikata spoke, but he perked p at Harada's words. I'd scarcely known him for five minutes, but already I could see that he was well-liked by his men. He had that sort of charisma that simply drew you in. A man who was impossible to hate.'
Isami Kondou: "...Well, let's get back to the business at hand. Can you run through what happened last night?"
(Yeah, yeah, whatever, these ronin...) (He wasn't talking to you.)
'Kondou's glance moved to Saito, who gave a small nod and began to speak.'
Hajime Saito: "last night we were on patrol when we encountered some wandering ronin. They drew steel, so we fought. Some of our men subdued the ronin, but in doing so exposed their failure."
'As he finished, Saito turned to look at me. I swallowed an forced my mouth to open.'
Shimohi Yukumura: "I didn't see anything."
(And the prize for most blatant lie in this entire game goes to...)
'Hijikata softened a little at my response, but Saito remained expressionless and the smile on Okita's face didn't change.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Huh. You sure you didn't see anything?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes, I didn't see anything."
'I hoped that if I said it enough times, they might start to believe me.' (Oh dear Satan...now in-game Shimohi's the queen of de-Nile...)
Heisuke Toudou: "Really... Well, if that's true, then I don't see what the problem is."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hold on a minute. I thought Souji said you helped out some of our men or something..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "No! That's not true!"
(Well, you've been...) (Busted!)
'I glanced over at Okita, but his smile still hadn't changed. Whatever he was thinking was a mystery to me.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I was running away from the ronin...And then some people with Shinsengumi uniforms showed up...Really, they sort of rescued me."
(Well, that much is true...but leaves out the crazed rakshasa.) (Wait...what?!)
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Then that means you saw them slicing up those ronin, right?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um..."
(Well, this sounds bad...)
'I couldn't exactly deny that. ...But I knew that if I just shut up then, they'd know for sure that I was lying...'
(I knew it!) (That's just because you're part of Shimohi's mind, therefore you can read it.)
Sanosuke Harada: "So in other words, you actually saw everything. The whole ugly business."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
'I was completely at a loss.'
Sanosuke Harada: "You've got an honest heart. That's not really a bad thing, but..."
'I wasn't sure what to make of Harada's words. My presence had not been a good thing for the Shinsengumi. Would their next words be the ones that condemned me to death for being in the wrong place at the wrong time? My voice shook, but I knew I had to try.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I...I won't tell anyone! I promise!"
(Not sure that'll get you out alive...) (I know I've been joking about her getting killed before she can make a meaningful decision, but the makers of this game would have to be real trolls to do something like this to the people playing their games.)
Keisuke Sanan: "It seems unlikely this attack was mere chance. Then again, I have to reason to think you're an enemy either. Even if you do not intend to tell anyone, you could be captured, interrogated. I doubt you could withstand torture."
Shimohi Yukimura: "*Whimper*"
(Are you serious...) Well...that at least sounded like a threat to my life. (I can't believe that in-game Shimohi's such a coward!)
'His voice was still warm, but his words were cold, and I began to feel my chances at life slip away.'
Hajime Saito: "It's easy enough to stay quiet, but if someone should try to... coerce you, you've no reason to keep our secrets."
Souji Okita: "We don't have any kind of guarantee that you'll keep your word. It wouldn't be very smart to just let you go."
'They had a point, but...'
Souji Okita: "Let's just kill the kid. You want to keep someone quiet, that's the only sure way."
("Dead men tell no tales...") (What a sick way to make a reference to a Disney ride.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "B-But--!"
'I Looked desperately at Kondou, who gave Okita a reproving look.'
Isami Kondou: "Don't be so cold, Souji. What do we gain by murdering a civilian?"
(Possibly the most awesome chunky salsa dip ever!) (There's no such thing as nachos in Japan in this time period, so no unholy nachos for you!) (Aw man...)
'Okita's smile disappeared, and he looked down at the floor.'
Souji Okita: "Oh don't give me that look. I was just kidding."
([sarcasm] Right... [/sarcasm])
Hajime Saito: "Then perhaps it should have sounded like it."
(My point exactly.) (Wh-Why are you agreeing with the dude who tried to kill our dad!?) (Kenshin's not our father!) You keep telling yourself that... (What!? You're saying that too...?)
'Okita made an attempt at a derisive snort and looked intently at a wall, his face slightly red.'
Genzaburo Inoue: "But surely, there must be something we can do? After all, we're talking about a child..."
Keisuke Sanan: "I've no wish to kill him either, but we can't discount the chance that he could reveal information about us."
'Sanan paused for a moment, his brows furrowed, then turned to Hijikata.'
Keisuke Sanan: "I would like to hear the commander's opinion."
'With the responsibility of his position invoked, Hijikata had no choice. He sighed, and glanced around the room.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Last night we had to kill some men who broke the code. This kid was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Keisuke Sanan: "And I imagine you mean to say that's all there is to it?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, he probably saw something, but I doubt he really understands what it was."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Even so, this is serious. We have bigger things to think about. We have to keep this under wraps. If rumors get out that the soldiers of the Shinsengumi are thirsty for blood, that would be problematic."
(History has to say..."Too late for that.")
'Shinpachi's words made sense, and they all knew it. Hijikata's face looked grim.'
Sanosuke Harada: "I think Souji has a point. ...Still, I'll do whatever Hijikata and Kondou tell me to."
Heisuke Toudou: "I think we oughta let 'im go."
'Toudou looked troubled.'
Heisuke Toudou: "It's not like he knows why they went nuts, you know?"
(Ah, but that implies that there is a reason in the first place...)
'...Wait, what did he mean by that? To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it. Hijikata saw my eyes go wide, and I saw his narrow. They flicked to Toudou.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Shut it. Heisuke."
'No sooner were the words out of Hijikata's mouth than Toudou clapped both hands over his own.'
Souji Okita: "Uh oh. Well, this is going to make it even harder for us to just let you go..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "*Whimper*"
(What!? Are you suddenly a dog now? Or maybe I should say that you're acting like a literal...) (Don't you dare say it...) (...bitch.) (*incomprehensible angrish*)
Shinpachi Nagakura: "A man should always be ready to face death. You should make your peace with yours."
'A man...? ..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh!"
'They thought I was a boy.' (No shit Sherlock! Which other boy did you think they were referring to?) (Now I have to point out that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle hasn't even been born yet.)
'With everything else that had happened, I'd completely forgotten how I was dressed.'
Sanosuke Harada: "Very true. A brave death is always an option. When I was young, I committed honorable suicide."
Wait a minute, you're still alive, how does that even work!?
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Although it didn't really stick, did it Sano?"
'Their jokes were...barbaric...but they both broke into raucous laughter at them.'
Oh... That was supposed to be a joke... (Yes, you do still have trouble with that...)
'Saito did his best to ignore them.'
Hijime Saito: "Hijikata... Since we can't seem to reach a consensus, can I send the child back to his room?"
'As he spoke, Saito turned to look at me.'
Hajime Saito: "If you hear something you shouldn't while you're here, then we'll have no choice but to kill you."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"
'He was right. If I remained with them, then I could easily hear something I wasn't supposed to. I didn't think he'd mentioned it for my sake--only as a possible concern for the Shinsengumi--but I was still glad he'd brought it up.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "True. Can you take care of him?"
'Saito nodded.'
Keisuke Sanan: "I agree. There are too many careless men here."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "C'mon, Sanan... What're you looking at me for?"
(I think we all know exactly why.)
Sanosuke Harada: "That oughta be pretty obvious. We're in charge of being careless. Especially you, Heisuke."
Heisuke Toudou: "H-Hey! Back off! It was just a mistake, all right?"
'I could hear Toudou's voice rise as everyone turned to look at him. He looked at them for a bit, then turned to me and mumbled in a voice I could barely hear.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I...I'm sorry."
'...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
'I was still afraid that I was about to die, so I couldn't bring myself to tell him no harm had been done, but he looked as though he'd meant what he said, so I gave him an awkward nod. It was the most I could manage.'
Hajime Saito: "Shall we go?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "A-All right."
'Check the Record of Service'
(Well, if you say so. I don't really remember what that's all about.)
'After they had taken me back to my room, I sat there for a time, looking down at my bound hands.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Hmm.."
'The rumors I'd heard had said the Shinsengumi were cruel, vicious men, but they'd seemed much more human than that. Then again, even as I sat there they were deciding whether or not to kill me...'
(And that, human readers, is what's called "moral myopia.")
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't think they want to kill me, but... It seems like they think they might not have a choice."
'If I didn't defend myself somehow, I'd most likely be killed.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't know how I'm supposed to convince them, though..."
'However they might have felt about me, it was clear that their priority was the welfare of the Shinsengumi.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh...right..."
'They all still thought I was a boy. Perhaps if I told them I was a girl, they might reconsider...Or perhaps they wouldn't, or perhaps that would make my predicament worse somehow.'
(And now I'm going to anger any Japanese person who can read English with only two words... "Comfort Women!") (Is it your job to be as offensive as possible...) (Yes, yes it is.)
'I had no idea what I should do next.'
-Find a way to escape.-
-Attempt to explain my situation.-
Well, they did say if I tried to run, they'd kill me. So there's one choice that makes the most sense...
'I would tell them the truth. Perhaps if I did, they'd understand my predicament.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Perhaps they think I'm from Kyoto as well..."
'If I told them I'd only just arrived in Kyoto, the might lower their guard, or so I hoped. I didn't know anyone in Kyoto, and I'd only come to look for my father.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I haven't even told them I'm a girl."
'The rest, perhaps, could wait, but I felt that it might be wise to tell them I was a girl.'
(We'll see about that...)
'I took a deep breath, and then shouted as loud as I could.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "EXCUSE ME! Is anyone there!?"
'... ...After a few moments, the door slid open...And several faces appeared around the edges.'
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, you've got some balls, I'll give you that. We've got you locked up, but that doesn't stop you yelling for us."
'He looked a little...impresses.'
Shinpachi Nagakura: "All right, you called us. Here we are. Have you made up your mind about dying?"
'Well, he was right. I had called them over. I took a deep breath and spoke.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I want you to hear me out.'
Hijime Saito: "It is unlikely that we can sympathize with your situation. So long as you understand that... Say what you wish."
Shimohi Yukimura: "*Whimper*"
(That again...ugh...I'm beginning to regret encouraging Shimohi to act in character, this isn't like her at all...) (Yeah, she's more likely to stay silent when scared.)
'Saito's cold words were like a blow to my chest. The courage I'd built up rapidly began to ebb.' (Well, these men are scary after all...you sure these are the games love interests?)
Sanosuke Harada: "I sympathize with your awful luck. May you rest in peace."
Heisuke Toudou: "A man should know when to accept his fate."
'...They all spoke as if they'd already consigned me to death. It was time to make my choice. I...'
-Told them why I'd come to Kyoto.-
-Decided to tell them I wasn't a boy.-
-Gave up.-
Nope, I'm never giving up! (Besides, Shimohi did read the back of the box in the intro of the last post. So...)
'I turned to Saito. He was cold, but I hoped that meant he would hear reason as well.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm looking for someone. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in Kyoto. I only got there yesterday afternoon..."
'I chose my words as carefully as I could, but my heart was pounding furiously. Saito tilted his head, his eyes narrowed.'
Hajime Saito: "Then you are nothing more than a lone girl looking for someone to help you?"
(Okay, what was up with that flower effect?!) ... (Oh, right, you're acting in-character. I need to look up this shit myself...*reads the fucking manual* ...What the fucking heaven!? How could you betray Niyagi and my father like that...!) (Please stand by, we're experiencing...technical difficulties...) ("Technical difficulties" my ass! Shimohi here just 'earned' a love point for the guy who tried to kill our father!) (KENSHIN HIMURA IS NOT OUR FATHER!) (YOU KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT! But that doesn't stop it from being true!) Okay...enough of this already...
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yeah, well, Kyoto's not that safe for somebody wandering around on their own--wait... What?! A girl!?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "You...you figured it out?"
(*sigh* Apparently your disguise wasn't as good as you thought...and a Bridget has been dropped.)
Hajime Saito: "A careful look is all it takes. You dress like a man, but you act like a girl."
Heisuke Toudo: "Really...? Well, yeah, now that you mention it, I guess you did seem kinda girly..."
'Had I?' (No shit Sherlock!) (Why do you keep saying that when the character hasn't even been invented yet in this setting?)
'I wasn't really sure how I'd know either way, but Toudou seemed to think I'd been acting like a girl.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
'This revelation seemed to have taken Nagakura, on the other hand, entirely by surprise.'
Sanosuke Harada: "Struck dumb, eh Shinpachi? Well, makes sense I suppose. You don't exactly have a lot of experience with ladies."
(Maybe Shinpachi does need those glasses.) (Stop it with the Gintama jokes!)
'He'd opened his mouth to respond to Harada's jibe when Saito cut him off.'
Hajime Saito: "Let's go find Hijikata. You can explain yourself when we've got everyone together."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh. All right."
'He looked at me silently and nodded. I returned the gesture, unsure of what else I could do.' Latter...
'There I was, surrounded once again by the leaders of the Shinsengumi.'
Isami Kondou: "I did think you were rather pretty, but to think you were in fact a lady all this time..."
You had better not start start stalking me... (What!? Now Shimohi's doing those stupid references!) (Well, you did know this was likely to happen. Seeing as you gave the readers that warning in the intro to the last post.)
'Kondou was nodding his head solemnly, over and over, as if he were agreeing with a very intelligent suggestion.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Once you know she's a girl, she really doesn't look like a boy at all, does she?"
'Something about that seemed to impress Toudou.'
Genzaburo Inoue: "Then we bound a girl and left her for an entire night...? Oh dear."
Well, good thing everyone thought I was a guy at the time...otherwise... (I think we'd all rather not think about it.)
'He looked at me, his eyes concerned. Each of them took the news...differently.'
Shinpachi: Nagakura: "Well, 'she' claims to be a girl, but it's not like we have any actual proof, right?"
(Well, there's always grabbing her chest...) Akurei! (Wow, I'm surpised that it was Shimohi and not the Pansy who said that.) (Well, Shimohi is the type who doesn't like to be touched...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "P-Proof?!"
(Or as they say on the Internet, "Tits or GTFO".)
'Harada laughed. Nagakura grumbled to himself under his breath.'
Sanosuke Harada: "Proof? Really? Not obvious enough for ya, huh? All right, will you feel better if I strip her down?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Please, don't--"
(This game already has an M-rating as it is, we don't need it to be bumped up to AO.)
Isami Kondou: "No! You absolutely will not! Even suggesting such a thing is preposterous!"
(So, Kondou-san, you're White Knighting now?)
'Kondou shot up before I had even finished, his face bright red, but Harada's words hadn't had any malice behind them.'
Sanosuke Harada: "I just figured it was the quickest way to settle the question..."
'He shrugged, and settled back into his seat. Nagakura had crossed his arms, and his brows were knit.'
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well... If you really are a girl, then... Killing just feels kinda...wrong."
Although it works in my favor, I still feel the need to point out the double standard here.
Toshizo Hijikata: "It doesn't matter. If we have to kill her, she dies."
'Hijikata's words left no room for argument.' The the more reason to give a good reason for not killing me.
Keisuke Sanan: "Gender is irrelevant. Killing in general is wrong."
This guy's supposed to be the scariest one of them all? (I really think we should move out of Night Vale...)
Keisuke Sanan: "We were organized to protect the public good in the city of Kyoto. We would ill serve the public good by murdering civilians in cold blood."
Souji Okita: "Yeah, yeah. But if this girl, or boy, is a threat to the peace, that's a horse of a different color."
'He had that grin again.' (Is he trolling again?)
'The Shinsengumi didnt enjoy a shining reputation already. If rumors began to spread that their men were thirsty for blood, things weren't likely to go well for them. They wouldn't be able to operate in Kyoto, and with no one to protect the people, the city would eventually fall into chaos.' (But...I like chaos!) Not the kind of chaos that even people of the chaotic persuasion enjoy... (Says you...)
'I could see in their eyes that each one of them knew full well the consequences rash actions could have.'
Isami Kondou: "Well then, we need only determine if you are a threat. Will you tell us your side of the story?"
'I could feel all their eyes upon me. the room went quiet.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "My name is Shimohi Yukimura."
'I told them everything. How I lived in Edo. How I'd come to Kyoto to find my father...'
Isami Kondou: "Oh, then you're from Edo as well? And you came all the way to Kyoto to find your father?!"
'I could see emotion welling up in his eyes.'
Isami Kondou: "What business did your father have in Kyoto?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "My father is a doctor. His name is Kodo Yukimura, and he specializes in western medicine--"
(Now here's where the description on the back of the box comes into play!)
Toshizo Hijikata: "What?!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Huh...?"
'The moment my father's name crossed my lips, the atmosphere in the room changed.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh my... So the good doctor Kodo has a daughter?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "You know my father...?"
'I wasn't sure what the sudden silence meant, only that the revelation of my parentage had caused a pronounced change in their behavior. It was Saito who finally broke the silence.'
Hajime Saito: "The Shinsengumi is currently attempting to determine the whereabouts of Dr. Kodo Yukimura."
Shimohi Yukimura: "You're after my father?! Why!?"
Souji Okita: "Oh no, you've got us all wrong. We're not, uh, after him."
Shimohi Yukimura: Oh...I see."
'Tension that I hadn't noticed appear began to dissipate.'
Souji Okita: "He's a fellow supporter of the shogun, but... Well, he kind of disappeared a little while ago."
Hajime Saito: "There's a reasonable chance that the enemies of the shogun have identified him as a threat."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"
'My eyes went wide, but Saito kept talking as if I'd done nothing.'
Hajime Saito: "There is also a chance, of course, that he's still alive. Doctors trained in western medicine are valuable and rare."
'I wasn't sure what else to do, so I nodded. My heart pounded in my chest, threatening to burst out onto the floor.' (That would be a messy sight.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Father..."
'Was he safe?'
Keisuke Sanan: "But with you, we have a much better chance of finding the good doctor."
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Huh?"
'Sanan continued. Apparently my father only visited a small number of times. I understood then what he'd meant: It would be difficult for them to track down someone they barely knew.'
Keisuke Sanan: "You are his daughter, however. You ought to be able to recognize him no matter how he may have disguised himself, yes?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Yes. I could."
'I nodded as I spoke, and gave him what I hoped was a steady, reassuring smile.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, if she is his daughter, we can't really kill her, can we..."
'"...Which means more work for me," his eyes added. They narrowed as he looked down at me.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "If you swear you'll forget about what you saw last night, we'll look after you until you can find your father. Fair?"
Isami Kondou: "I promise that the Shinsengumi will do whatever they can to help you find Dr. Kodo!"
(Just so long as you don't stalk Shimohi, we'll be fine.) (*incomprehensible angrish*) (Now the shoe's on the other foot.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Th-Thank you so much!"
'I'd never imagined something like this! Not only had I survived, I'd found my first decent lead.' Hurray!
Souji Okita: "You must be pretty glad we won't be killing you, huh? ...Well, won't be killing you just now, at any rate."
(Breaking character for this one paraphrased song that's also a title drop for the post...) "I am not dead yet! I can dance and I can sing! I am not dead yet! I can do the highland fling! I am not dead yet! No need to go to bed! No need to call the doctor, 'cause I'm not dead yet!" (Now, I've heard this song before...but where...) ("She is not dead yet! That's what the geezer said! Oh she's not dead yet! That man is off his head! She is not yet dead! Put her back in bed! Keep her off the cart because she's not yet dead!") (Oh now I remember! That's a song from the musical version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail! Stop it right now! Both of you owe two more dollars to the reference jar!)
'He gave me that same wolfish grin. There was no denying that my situation was still less than desirable, but at that moment I didn't care.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes. I'm very glad."
'I'd been though a lot, but at last I'd found help, and where I'd never have expected it: the Shinsengumi.' (Well, you'd expect it if you're the player rather than the character. And speaking of not expecting things...) (Don't say it! Do you want to owe more money!?) (NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!) (So that's two dollars for Shimohi and seven for the Monster...)
'Kyoto hadn't been kind to me, even though I'd been there less than a day, but it looked as though my fortunes were taking a turn for the better. I still had a long way to go, and i had worries aplenty, but it was important to stay optimistic.'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
Isami Kondou: "Id prefer to place you in the custody of the Judiciary Commissioner or the Aizu rather than keep you in a house full of men, but..."
'Kondou let the sentence hang in the air, and looked at me, his arms folded. It was clear I had no choice but to stay with the Shinsengumi.'
Hajime Saito: "Should you require anything, you need only ask. We will do what we can to accommodate you."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."
'His expression didn't change, but his words were unexpectedly warm. I looked away from him awkwardly, but I still felt the heat rise in my cheeks.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Thank you..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "W-Well, I guess we'll have to be nicer to you now that we know you're a girl."
Heisuke Toudou: "You're always nice to the ladies, Shin. Sure didn't take long for you to change your tune once you figured out she was a girl though, huh?"
'Encyclopedia updated.'
Sanosuke Harada: "Ah, whatever. Having a lady here at headquarters is sure gonna brighten things up, huh?"
Just to make things clear, I'm not a new piece of decoration. I'm a person!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
'I wasn't entirely sure that would be the outcome.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Still, we can hardly treat her as one of our soldiers. Something else must be done with her."
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Toshizo Hijikata: "Then make her a page or something. You want an assistant, Kondou? How about you, Sanan?"
(Is that use of the word "page" a cultural translation or something?)
'He gave a small shrug. Whatever was done with me, it seemed he no longer cared.'
Souji Okita: "Oh, come on now, Hijikata. It's your idea, you can't just pawn her off on someone else."
Isame Kondou: "Ah, excellent! I believe we can trust Toshi with her!"
'Kondou's face split in a wide smile, and he slapped his leg in agreement.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, there you have it, Hijikata. I hope you'll take good care of her."
'Sanan's smile had more than a little of a mocking twist to it. ... ...'
Toshizo Hijikata: "...You sons of bitches."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
'As I watched their back-and-forth, some of my earlier relief began to ebb away... What was going to happen to me?'
--------------------------------------------
But that will have to wait 'till next time, see ya!
Monty Python Reference Jar
Akurei: $7
Shimohi: $2
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