Visual Novelist: Hakuoki ~Memories of the Shinsengumi~ #5 - The Battlefield of Honor!

(So...hurray! You've caught the attention of a guy that's NOT Hajime Saito!) Then again, I'm not sure if said guys will recover from that battle or not...

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 1: Part Four-

-August 1864-

'After the fight at the inn, I was able to leave the compound much more often. I suppose after what I'd done, Hijikata thought I'd earned a little more trust. I didn't feel like I'd done anything that extraordinary, but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. On this particular day, I was out on patrol with Harada and the 10th Division.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Excuse me...Harada? The Shinsengumi is not patrolling day and night, right? But...what exactly is it that you do?"

'Most of the men in the Shinsengumi were intimidating, death-dealing titans, but Harada was a rare exception: warm and friendly.'
(Titans!? I guess it's time to break out the 3D Maneuver Gear!) (Not THAT kind of titan!)

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, I guess we do just about everything. Obviously we arrest people who decide they want to test out their swords on the townsfolk, and we go after people who steal or don't pay for their food. Sometimes we break up fights..."
(Hence why I refereed to you guys as police back in the first post.)

Shimohi Yukimura: "People who don't pay for their food...?"
The "Jaywalking" in "Arson , Murder, and Jaywalking."

Sanosuke Harada: "And then there's those chumps who think they'll make a living leaning on the merchants... We take care of all of that."

'It wasn't really the answer I'd expected. Most of the stuff they did wasn't nearly as...dramatic as I'd thought. As I thought back, I remembered how excited they'd all been when they were preparing for the raid on the Ikeda Inn. Now I understood why. What they'd done at the inn was a good deal more intense than their day-to-day work. A little further down the road a couple men in Shinsengumi blues were waving at us.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Nagakura!"

'Our separate rounds had brought us to the same spot.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey there, Shimohi! You find anything about your dad?"

'I shook my head.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "No, nothing today..."
That lead at Masu's was a dead end and I didn't find anything else...

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Aw c'mon, cheer up! There's always tomorrow, right?"

Shimohi Yukimura: "Yeah...yeah! You're right!"
I'll find a lead somewhere, some...when. Even if it kills me! (Hopefully not literally...)

There was something contagious about his optimism.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, Shinpachi? You find anything exciting?"

Shinpachi Nagakura: "No, nothing in particular, but... Well, all of the people on the street are acting...busy, you know?"
Doing...what? (Oooooh! *LOL*) (You're acting like almost every single comment is dirty...)

'I hadn't noticed it before, but...he was right. They were acting strange, almost nervous.'
(That's just how most people act when they know the fuzz is nearby.)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Yeah... It looks like they're getting ready to move."

'Harada nodded.'

Sanosuke Harada: "You think maybe they're worried about getting caught in the middle of a war?"
([sarcasm] Of course not... [/sarcasm] Do you really think people will stick around it a future war zone!?)

Shimohi Yukimura: "...What?"
(Do you really have to go for obfuscating stupidity here...) Well, it is the best way to make sure people underestimate you...

'War? There wasn't a war, was there?'
(You were saying.) ...No commnet.

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Oh, you didn't hear? Well, those Choshu bastards are showing up around Kyoto again. That's why we've got extra watches these days."

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, we did give 'em bit of a bloody nose at Ikeda. I can't imagine they'll just stand around with some of their guys in the ground."

'Were the Choshu going to try something again? The Shinsengumi were doing their best to keep order in Kyoto. In fact, they'd saved the city from the rebellious plans of the Choshu once before, with their victory at Ikeda Inn. But even after all they'd done, the people of Kyoto looked at the Shinsengumi with fear and distrust, and plenty of them still sided with the Choshu. The Shinsengumi were better regarded now than they had before Ikeda, but even so... I told Nagakura as much, but he only laughed.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Not much we can do about that. Kyoto hates the shogun."
(Those in power are not liked, despite how much good they do for them...) Well... You have a point. Hey! That shutdown you're doing isn't helping your cause one bit!

Sanosuke Harada: "It doesn't matter anyway. We just do our job. The Choshu attack Kyoto, we drive 'em back. Simple."
(Just like a tower defense game...)

'They accepted their situation and never complained. I had a good deal of respect for Harada and Nagakura.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "If they don't back off soon, we're probably gonna be getting new orders all the way from the top."
(And you guys "started from the bottom down here!") (Y-You just made a reference to a rap song!) (It's not that "that" never happened before.)

'For the Shinsengumi, the top meant the Aizu Domain.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "It's that serious, huh?"
(Duh!)

'Harada gave a bark of laughter and nodded.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, chances like this only come around every so often. Who knows when the next one'll be? You wanna join us?"
Uh... what exactly do you asking I "join you" for? (Maybe for the next raid? That'll be cool!)

Shimohi Yukimura:: "What?!"

'Join?! Did he mean for me to join the Shinsengumi, and march to war with them? I couldn't imagine joining them would be as simple as saying "Yes, Please."'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."

'Besides, it seemed rather inappropriate for me to ask to participate just so that I might satisfy my curiosity. Still... I did want very much to be helpful in some way.' Well, there was that page gig mentioned a while back...

'Could I, perhaps, do something like what I'd done at the Ikeda Inn...?' (That could be a possibility...) (You just want to see Shimohi in a military uniform...no! That's gross!)

'Even if I could, though, I was terribly frightened of being anywhere near a battle.'
(Pu...) Hold it right there! You're indirectly insulting cats everywhere!

'On the other hand, the men who'd been injured at Ikeda were still out of commission...' Oh dear, what should I do...?

Shimohi Yukimura: "I..."

-...want to come.-
-...will stay behind.-
(Well, like you said you'd rather be interested and in danger than bored and safe...)

'My mind was made up. I looked at Harada and nodded.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "I want to help."
(So... You're helping our father's enemies...) (It seems I have to remind you that Kenshin Himura isn't, in fact, our father.) Well, you keep telling yourself that... But, actually he is. Long story...

'Several days later...' (Hey, for once Shimohi didn't need to add that in!)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Excuse me."

'Carefully, I lifted the serving platter with it's tea for the captains, and made my way to the common room. It had taken me longer than it should have to make the tea, so I was a little worried some of it had gotten cold.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Thanks, Shimohi. Man... It's almost like you're our servant or something."

'...' Is it just be, or did that sound like a back-handed compliment...?

'I wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that, so I stayed silent as I handed out the tea.'

Genzaburo Inoue: "Thank you, Yukimura. I feel bad asking you to do this..."

Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, it's nothing. After all, you're always looking out for me."

'And besides, I felt much better when I had something to do; it kept me from feeling too much like a freeloader.' Besides... Rock, Paper, Scissors... (...Lizard, Spock...) ...competitions between Akurei and Niyagi get dull after the forty-second time... (I see what you did there!)

'Okita took a sip of his tea, and a mild grimace flickered across his face.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um... is it too bitter?"
(I highly doubt that. I think it's the consumption... in which case, why're you even out here!? Are you trying to get everyone else infected!?)

'He shook his head.'

Souji Okita: "No, the taste is fine, but it could stand to be hotter. ...Then again, I suppose this sort of tea fits you."

'...' Okay, especially coming from Okita, that's most definitely a back-handed compliment.

Shimohi Yukimura: "Sorry..."

'There was a second or two of silence before the door flew open and Kondou strode in, a wide grin across his face.'

Isami Kondou: "The Shinsengumi has received an official request from the Aizu Domain. All avaliable soldiers are to begin preparations to move out immediately!"

'The room broke out into cheers.'

Isami Kondou: "It seems the Aizu have finally noticed all the hard work we've been doing, men."
(Nope, most likely, you're being trolled.)

'He looked just as happy with the news as the rest of them. Apparently, getting orders directly from the Aizu Domain was an occasion for some excitement. Hijikata, however, was the lone exception.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "We don't have time for this shit. Stop patting each other on the back and get moving! We need to go now!"
(He's got a point. *puts on Drill Sargeant Nasty hat* Move! Move! Move! Get yer asses in line!)

'He went on to explain that the soldiers of the Choshu had already spent some time preparing for their own attack.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "So they only realize there might be a problem when the Choshu are ready to attack Kyoto? This is bullshit..."
(Damn straight that is bullshit!)

'Hijikata certainly seemed unhappy about the direction things had gone, and I could understand--at least to some extent--how he felt. If the Aizu had asked for help earlier, thent he Shinsegumi would have had much more time to prepare.'

Keisuke Sanan: "Okita and Toudou, you will remain here, at the compound. I doubt you find this a welcome order, but, well, neither do I."

'He rubbed his left arm absently, and looked away.'

Keisuke Sanan: "Your injuries keep you from active duty, as does mine."

'...' Unfortunately, he does have a point...

'I didn't think there was any chance that hadn't made Heisuke and Okita feel at least a little guilty, but...'

Souji Okita: "Hey, I'm completely healed. I might not be 100 percent yet, but I'm not bleeding or anything."
(At least on the outside...in your lungs however...)

'He acted almost as if he hadn't heard Sanan at all.'

Heisuke Toudou: "You're making a big deal out of nothing! This's just a scratch! Kondou's being a wuss."

'Perhaps they were so used to Sanan feeling sorry for himself that they had simply ignored his comment. Perhaps it was time I learned to do the same...'

Sanosuke Harada: "You sure about that? Last night the pain had you crying like a baby before you took your medicine."
(I see...being all "Internet Tough Guy"-like even before the Internet existed...)

Heisuke Toudou: "You son of a bitch! Why you gotta rat me out?! Is there even a heart in there, you old bastard?"

'It seemed Heisuke's injury hadn't healed quite as much as he'd claimed.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Maybe, maybe not, but you know I'm telling the truth."

Heisuke Toudou: "...Yeah, well, you don't have to say it in front of a girl, you know?"
Actually, I consider it braver to admit something like that and risk getting mocked by your friends, then to hide it.

'He glanced sideways at me.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh... Don't worry about me. Everybody gets hurt."
(Exactly!)

'His bangs hid the scar rather well, but it still looked painful. There was a moment of silence, and then Nagakura spoke.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Oh yeah... Shimohi, you said you wanted to go with us if we got called in, right? You still up for that?"

Shimohi Yukimura: "Uh..."

'Yes, I had said that, hadn't I...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Well...um..."

'I knew it couldn't be so simple as just asking to go.'

Isami Kondou: "Ah, yes. Well, I see no reason why not. After all, it isn't often that one is given such an opportunity."
Good point there. (Agreed.) (The two of you are practically bloodthirsty yourselves.) That more describes Akurei, I'm more into this for the adventure.

Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"

'I hadn't expected Kondou to agree so easily.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Whoa. Well, you sure got lucky, Shimohi. Make sure you do us proud, all right?"
Right Heisuke! I'll do my best!

Shimohi Yukimura: "Do us proud?!"

'Hijikata glanced at me and sighed.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "We can't promise you won't get hurt, or worse. You should stay here."

Keisuke Sanan: "Do you wish to place undue burden on the Shinsengumi? War is not something one does to ease one's boredom."
(You two hear that!) (Yeah, yeah, whatever...) Clearly Akurei doesn't care about what you or Sanan says...

'His cold smile was anything but comforting.'

Hajime Saito: "Colonel Sanan, I can take that to mean that so long as she is not a burden, she is free to accompany us?"

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...?"

'I blinked. Saito, standing up for me?' (Are you sure we didn't land in the Twilight Zone or anything like that?)

'Sanan seemed nearly as surprised as I was.'

Keisuke Sanan: "You can't be saying you're actually in favor of bringing her along..."
And yet...

'Saito simply shrugged.'

Hajime Saito: "She was an asset at Ikeda. I only intended to point out that, judged by her actions, she has hardly proven a 'burden' thus far."

'...' (Wow...just...wow... Okay, maybe he can qualify as a worthy opponent...)

'I could feel heat rising in my cheeks. Never in a million years would I have imagined that Saito might have a word of praise for me.' I mean it's just THAT unlikely...

Isami Kondou: "Excellent! I will take full responsibility for your inclusion. That is, of course, if you still wish to participate."

Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um..."

'Sanan still didn't seem convinced. I looked around the room, until my eyes met Okita's.'

Souji Okita: "Do whatever you want to do, so long as you understand that we're going to a battle, not a party."
(Does a "raiding party" count?!) (*ji...*) ("They're about to organize a raiding party!")

"..." *sigh* *hands a note to Niyagi.* (Huh? "In the original song the line goes, "They're about to organize a searching party.")

'It looked like I wasn't about to get any help from Okita. In fact, he didn't seem to care one way or the other.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Well..."

'Perhaps I'd be able to help them out, like I had during the Battle of Ikeda Inn... I nodded.' (Excellent...) (Now you're intentionally sounding like Mr. Burns...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes, I would like to participate."

'After that, everything was a blur.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

'As quickly as we could, we prepared for battle, and marched to the Fushimi magistrate's office. There were a number of the Kyoto Judiciary Commissioner's men gathered there as well, in preparation for battle with the Choshu. Walking proudly in front of the men, Kondou approached the government official standing near the gate.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Isami Kondou: "We, the Shinsengumi, are reporting as requested by Lord Katamori Matsudaira, the Lieutenant-General of the Aizu."

'Katamori Matsudaira was the lord of the Aizu Domain, and also the Kyoto Military Commissioner, which made him a very important person. His name would have been immediately recognized. The man standing near the gate looked slightly taken aback at the mention of the Shinsengumi.'

Official: "You were told to report here...? But we received no such orders..."
(See what I mean about you guys getting trolled...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "What?"
I'm mostly surprised that they actually did that.

'No, that didn't make any sense...' Why go out of your way to mess with members of your own army?

'Perhaps sensing my confusion, Saito leaned over and whispered under his breath.'

Hajime Saito: "If they haven't received notice of our orders, the lines of communication are likely in disarray. We can assume, therefore, that this conflict has become rather chaotic."
(Yay! I like chaos!)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Chaotic..."

'I did my best to keep my own voice at a whisper.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Do you mean the Choshu is overpowering the shogunate's forces?"
Hajime Saito: "Not necessarily. However, I do suspect that the enemy is doing well."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'The Judiciary Commissioner supposedly answered to the Military Commissioner, but the Military Commissioner's office was controlled by the Aizu Domain, and the Kuwana Domain controlled the Judiciary Commissioner's office. I didn't fully understand the relationships between the different domains, but so far as I knew the Aizu and Kuwana had never been on very good terms with one another.' So... how are they supposed to work together, exactly?

'In other words, the situation we had found ourselves in was less than desirable.'

Isami Kondou: "Nonetheless, our assistance has been formally requested! If you could only speak to your supervi--"

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Official: "It wouldn't make a difference. Now get out of here. We have no use for Mibu's wolves!"
(Wo-Wolves!?) (Yeah, got a problem with wolves?) (Well, for one thing: THEY EAT SHEEP!) (Oh yeah, what with Christians comparing themselves to sheep and all that. Quite fitting actually...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"

'How terrible... And after they'd asked for the Shinsengumi's help... I felt Harada's hand on my shoulder and turned to look up at him.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Forget about him. This isn't anything to get worked up about. We get this sorta crap all the time."
Shimohi Yukimura: "But..."

'I wasn't truly a member of the Shinsengumi, but even so...' (You kind of feel like an honorary member...?!)

'It was...galling.'

Sanosuke Harada: "If we throw a fit here, then we might hurt Aizu's reputation. You get it?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."

'The Kuwana would only need to complain that the Shinsengumi hadn't showed them proper respect to make trouble for the Aizu.'

Hajime Saito: "There's nothing we can do here, Chief. We should leave the magistrate alone and meet up with the Aizu Domain's men on our own."

'Kondou nodded in agreement, but his frown didn't fade.'

Isami Kondou: "Yes...I agree. That is our only choice. We must look for an officer of the Military Commissioner."

'And with that, the Shinsengumi set off to find the soldiers of the Aizu Domain.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

'Night had fallen by the time we arrived at Kujo Beach. After we left the Fushimi Magistrate, we made for the Aizu manor. Once we arrived, we related our encounter at the magistrate's office and asked for new orders. The manor offical we met with directed us to go to Kujo Beach, which we did. However...'

Aizu Soldier: "What? The Shinsengumi is to join us? We've received no such order. I apologize, but could you go speak to the commander at the manor--"

'Nagakura had, apparently, had enough.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "What the hell?! He was the one who told us to come here, goddamnit!"
(And I thought endlessly loopy transfers during a phone call was annoying enough...)

Shinpachi Nagakura: "You wanna fuck us, fine, but you're gonna be disobeying a direct order from your superior, pal! You really wanna do that?!"

'The man opened and closed his mouth a few time, then fell silent. Kondou did his best to keep his voice neutral, but there was no hiding the grin that had spread across most of his face.'

Isami Kondou: "I would like to speak to your commanding officer, if I might. Do you think you might be able to take me to him?"
And then...

'At last, after a great deal of trouble, we were allowed to remain with the troops at Kujo Beach. The chief and the captains left the rest of us to go speak to the Aizu commanders. The returned some time later, looking tired and drained. Inoue, who'd gone with them, also wore a bitter sort of half smile.'

Genzaburo Inoue: "Well, it would seem that the men stationed here are the reserves, and not the main force of thier army."
(Well, whatever, if the main force gets into trouble; we can rush in there and be the Big Damn Heroes!)

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Genzaburo Inoue: Their main force has been committed to the defense of Hamaguri Gate."

'I felt my eyes go wide.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "You mean they're treating the Shinsengumi like...reserves?"

'If the reserves weren't called into battle, then the Shinsengumi would never be given a chance to show their worth.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Then why the hell'd they send a message acting like this was some sort of emergency?"
Maybe to make sure we show up as soon as possible just in case an emergency does happen? (*eyes blinking in surprise* You're playing devil's advocate for the trolls...?)

Hajime Saito: "We can't predict what might happen. We may be called upon to rush into battle. There is little else we can do, for now."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Then all we can do is wait..."
(And play Rock, Paper, Scissors...) (...Lizard, Spock!) *sigh* Fine...3, 2, 1, shoot! ...

'There was a chance we'd be called to action during the night, and so the men chose to stay awake, ready to move.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Just let us know if you need to rest a bit, Shimohi. You're always welcome to sleep on my lap."
Wha-What!? (Oooh... Sanosuke's hitting on ya...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, no, I'm fine."

'Harada laoughed as I shook my head. It wouldn't be fair if I was the only one who slept. The men had to remain awake and ready to act all night.' (Too bad Mt. Dew... the pop, not the moonshine nickname, or energy drinks don't exist yet.)

'At first, I was far too anxious, but by dawn I was sound asleep.' (Failed the Fortitude save...)

'All around me, however, the men had kept a constant vigil all though the night. Even as I drifted in and out of sleep, I'd seen them standing or sitting nearby, alert and watchful.' (Well, that was rather honorable of them.)

'The sun had risen and I'd finally woken up when it happened.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"
That sounded like a gunshot...

'The crack of a gunshot tore through the morning air, and in the distance I heard the shouting of men and the clang of metal. The fighting had begun. The captains looked at one another and nodded.'

Hajime Saito: "Time we left."

'I stared at him for a moment, perhaps not yet fully awake, until I understood what he was saying.' (Ah, only semi-lucid I see...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Right!"

'With a quick nod, I stood up and made ready to move, when--' (The Fire Nation...) (No! You're not going to do an Avatar: The Last Airbender joke here!)

Aizu Soldier: "Stop! What do you think you're doing?! We were ordered to stay here!"
Really...?! (Not The Fire Nation but rather yet another one of these...)

'...During our lengthy march the day before, I'd never seen Hijikata mad. He'd left the yelling to Nagakura mostly, and stayed patient when it was time to speak with army officials. But this time... Perhaps he had finally had enough.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm sorry, I thought your job here was to protect the imperial estate, but I guess you'd rather just sit around all day. We're here because we're supposed to help if those Choshu assholes attack! Tell, me, what are the Choshu doing, right now?!"
(Attacking! So now we kick some ass and chew bubble gum, and bubble gum hasn't even been invented yet!)

Aizu Soldier: "B-But we haven't received any orders--"
(So you're actually waiting for a fucking written invitation!?)

'Hijikata was in no mood for excuses.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "If you've got any kind of pride in your job, then forget your goddamn orders and move!"
("I'M A MOTHERFUCKING T-REX!!!" Your previous argument is invalid!) That has got to be one of the most random things I've ever heard... (Besides, you're not a Tyrannosaurus Rex!)

Aizu Soldier: "Rrrgg..."

'Without even waiting for a response, Hijikata spun around and stalked off, fuming.' (Yeah... I like this dude, he's cool.) (You're only saying that because a nickname of his involves the word "demon".)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-Where are we going...?"
(To the battlefield of honor! Duh!)

'I didn't dare raise my voice above a whisper. Saito's eyes flicked down to me for a moment and his mouth thinned almost imperceptibly.'

Hajime Saito: "To the enemy, which in this case means Hamaguri Gate."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Hamaguri Gate..."
(And...now you're doing parrot exposition. Well, Solid Snake does this kind of thing as well...)

Hajime Saito: "The battle at the gate is likely to be an intense one. You had best prepare yourself."
Shimohi Yukimura: "All right..."

'Hijikata's fury seemed to have roused the Aizu soldiers as well, and they followed the Shinsengumi to the Hamaguri Gate. Before long, we'd arrived.'

Shimohi Yukimura: What...?"

'I'd expected a pitched battle, with hundreds of men locked in combat with one another, but what we found was something else entirely. The gate itself was pockmarked with scores of bullets, and everywhere dead and dying soldiers littered the ground.' (I know this is a concept from a far away culture but, this looks to be a fine Morrigan's harvest...)

'The acrid stink of firearms hung in the air. What I didn't see, however, was the enemy. It seemed that we had arrived too late; the battle was already over.' (Aw man... We missed the party...) (More like, you missed getting killed.)

'After a moment of stunned silence, several of our men were dispatched to determine what had happened. Kondou sighed.'

Isami Kondou: "What are the Choshu thinking? They've raided the imperial estate..."

Genzaburo Inoue: "How can they claim to be an imperialist domain...?"

'Kondou simply nodded. The Choshu had defined themselves as among those who revered the emperor, and yet they would attack his home?' (Well, maybe this is second attempt to capture the emperor?)

'It didn't make sense to me either. I was pondering what motive they might have had when Saito returned.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Hajime Saito: "It appears the Choshu attacked Hamaguri in the early morning, but were repelled by the combined forces of the Aizu and Satsuma."

'The forces standing against them had been too much for the Choshu, and they'd been forced into retreat. I saw the corner of Hijikata's mouth curl up into a grin.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "So, Satsuma is helping Aizu now, are they? Times sure are changing."

'Right... The Satsuma and Aizu Domains hadn't been on the best of terms. In fact, the Satsume were largely nationalistic, much like the Choshu. Unlike the Choshu, however, they'd gone to war with a foreign force at one point, and suffered a devastating loss. Father had told me that after that, Satsuma had begun to reconsider their nationalistic stance...'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Sanosuke Harada: "There's still some of those Choshu bastards fighting over at Kuge Gate."

'Hijikata's expression changed as he considered Harada's words, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Yamazaki appeared.' Woh, that's a Stealth Hi/Bye if I'd ever seen one...

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Susumu Yamazaki: "Commander, we believe the men who led this raid are headed for Mount Ten'nou."

'Although Kondou was nominally the head of the Shinsengumi, I'd learned from the men that everyone, including Kondou himself, generally deferred to Hijikata on most decisions.' (So Hijikata's the Shadow Head of the group...)

'This was no exception, and I could see that all eyes were on him. He was silent for a few moments, and then I saw his mouth curve in a small smile.' (Indeed the game is actually not playing any background music at all here.) And it sounds like Hijikata's about to say something cool...

Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, looks like we've got our work cut out for us, boys."

'A ripple of dry laughter ran though the men, and I could feel their excitement in the air.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "Sanosuke. Take your men to Kuge Gate to deal with those Choshu bastards."

Sanosuke Harada: "Sure thing, boss."

Toshizo Hijikata: "Saito, Yamazaki, I want you to figure out what the situation is here. I want you to hold Hamaguri Gate."
Hajime Saito: "As you wish."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Your job's a tough one, Chief. I want you to go talk to the Aizu bigwigs."

'Kondou tilted his head to the sky quizzically.'

Toshizo Hijikata: Some of those bastards are headed for Ten'nou, but some of 'em are just gonna run around and cause trouble. If we're gonna go after them, then we'll need to leave Kyoto, and you're the only one who can get us those papers."

'Of course.' Paperwork is paperwork and needs to be done, no matter how boring or annoying it is...

'The Choshu were on the run now, but they could still do some damage as they fled. Pursuing them would take us outside of Kyoto, but the Shinsengumi's jurisdiction didn't extend that far. If we wanted to go after them, we'd need to get permission from the Military Commissioner, and that meant the Aizu.'

Isami Kondou: "I see. If the chief of the Shinsengumi goes to speak with them, then the Military Commissioner's office will have to listen to what we have to say."

'After what we'd gone through the day before, I didn't imagine Kondou's task would be an easy one. Still... If anyone other than Kondou went, not only would the Aizu be unlikely to grant their request, there was a good chance the Shinsengumi representative wouldn't even be heard.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "Gen, I want you to go with him. Somebody has to keep an eye on our chief. Make sure he doesn't go crazy, all right?"
(Ah, the old Cloudcuckoolanders minder...) (I know, right!) Huh... We're ALL a bit strange here...

Genzaburo Inoue: "Of course, I'll do my best, Commander."

'Another laugh ran through the soldiers, and Kondou's mouth twisted into a wry sort of grin. Perhaps he chose not to deny it because he knew hi might go a little crazy.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "The rest of you are coming with me to Ten'nou. As for you..."
I think he's most likely talking to me...

'He looked directly at me.' I knew it!

'I wasn't a warrior, and I didn't have any political skill or connections either. Hijikata didn't know what to do with me. Suddenly, I felt very much like dead weight.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "...You can't go with Kondou, but other than that, it's up to you."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh. All right."

'It hadn't occurred to me until that moment, but he was right. Kondou was going to meet with the leaders of Aizu. If I went with him without wearing the Shinsengumi blues, then I'd be a difficult thing to explain.' (Did you just describe yourself as "a thing"...!?)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."

'Hijikata would be pursuing the leaders of the Choshu attack toward Ten'nou Mountain. Saito would be staying at Hamaguri Gate to protect it and to gather information. Harada and his men would be going to Kuge Gate to stop the attack on the imperial estate. The question was...where would I go?

-To Mount Ten'nou.-
-To Hamaguri Gate.-
-To Kuge Gate.-
Well...let's see... (Hijikata's cool!) (Again, that's because of that nickname as the "demon commander".) (Saito will attack our father...) (Mr. Himura is not our father!) You keep telling yourself that... (Not to mention that, in a way, Sanosuke already tried to flirt with you...) Okay, I think this calls for a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors... (...Lizard, Spock!) Yeah, that. 3, 2, 1, shoot! (*Rock*) (*Scissors*) Rock smashes Scissors, Niyagi wins! 3, 2, 1, shoot! (*Scissors*) (*Paper*) Scissors cuts Paper, Niyagi wins again! 3, 2, 1, shoot! (*Paper*) (*Paper*) Tie! That means we go to Kuge Gate!

'I decided to accompany Harada to the Kuge Gate. When we arrived, it was immediately clear that the fight had not been so decisive as the one a Hamaguri. The Judiciary Commissioner's men, who had moved to Kuge from Hamaguri, were still engaged with a number of Choshu soldiers who refused to yield.'

Sanosuke Harada: "You should probably stay here, Shimohi. It's going to be pretty dangerous out there."

'Before I could even respond, he was off; the rest of the Shinsengumi thundering into the battle behind him.'

Sanosuke Harada: "If you want to get to the imperial estate, you're gonna have to get through us first!"
You do realize there's a chance that... (...some of the Choshu soldiers will take that as a challenge, and then accept it.)

'Even in the middle of battle, the little twist of a grin at the corner of Harada's mouth never wavered.'

Choshu Soldier: "Damnit! Is that the Shinsengumi?!"
Sanosuke Harada: "Damn right it is! If any of you are looking for a quick, glorious death, then come at me!"
(Oh my... *looks up* I think he's practically DARING them to accept that challenge!) ([sarcasm] No... you think... [/sarcasm])

Choshu Soldier: "Bastard!"

'War cries rose up from both sides, and battle was joined.' (Since when did this turn into a game of Scion?)

'This time, however, the force defending the imperial estate had the Shinsengumi on their side. The battle did not last long.'

Choshu Soldier: "Is this the best we can do?!"

'A great moan of pain went up from the soldiers of the Choshu.'

Officer: "Don't let them escape! After them!"

'The officers of the Judiciary Commissioner shouted to their men, who slowly began to advance. They had scarcely begun to move, however, when the man cover the Choshu escape turned and faced them.'

???: "I hope you feel honored, boys! It looks like I'm going to be playing with you for a bit!"
(Oh my...) (That's an interesting-looking enemy...) Maybe it's the sleeveless shirt and the one detached sleeve?

'There was a flash of silver, and a sound like the crack of thunder filled the air.' And that... (...would be another gunshot...which is likely the source of both the bullet holes back at that other gate and that sound we heard earlier.)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-What was that?!"

'The officer who'd just given the order to pursue let out an agonizing scream and collapsed to the ground. He lay there, quite still, and a pool of blood slowly began to form beneath him. That was when I realized what the flash of silver had been: the weapon called the "pistol".' (Are you sure that's...it was invented in the 16th century?! Okay, never mind...)

'I'd never seen one before, but I'd heard of them. They were cylinders of metal that used explosive power to fire small metal balls. Pistols were small, one-handed versions of this type of weapon, which was known as a "gun."' (And the elite mobile suits tend to be called "Gundams" because they kind of act like "dam keeping the fire of guns at bay"...in a way...and know you know!) "And knowing's half the battle!" (And this unknown dude here quite accurately demonstrated what the other half is.)

'As we stood there, I realized that it had likely been this very gun that had scarred Hamaguri Gate.' (I knew it!)

???: "What's that? Did the sound of my pistol scare you?"
(Okay, THAT is...what!? That gear's not farby as well!?)

'He looked pointedly at the remaining officials, his mouth drawn open in a toothy grin.' Does it count as a "slasher smile" if he doesn't have a bladed weapon?

'I didn't think it was his pistol that kept them at a distance, however... It was the man himself. He was clearly outnumbered, but looked no more concerned than if he were facing no enemies at all. It was clear to everyone present that he was no normal man.' (Indeed, I don't think he's even human.) (Takes one to know one!) (Exactly!) (Huh...?)

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, it sure is nice of you to play with us, but... Don't you think it's a little unfair if you're the only one with a gun?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Harada?!"

'Harada moved a few steps closer to the stranger.'

???: "Really? Nah... Seems fair to me. Besides, you've got that big old pigsticker yourself."
(Well, all's fair in love and war, and this is war motherfuckers!)

'Both men grinned a challenge to one another. Almost too fast to see, the point of Harada's spear swept through the air, toward the stranger--Who leaned out of the way at the last moment.'

???: "Well, you seem to be spoiling for a fight. Seriously, though... Who charges a man holding a gun?"
Sanosuke Harada: "Using a toy to try and keep others at a distance is pathetic for a warrior and for a man. Wouldn't you agree?"
(Given the fact that he's using it right now...I'd say "No.")

'The stranger grinned.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

???: I'm Kyo Shiranui, or Mr. Shiranui to you. You may introduce yourself as well."
Sanosuke Harada: "I'm Sanosuke Harada, the captain of the Shinsengumi's 10th Division."

'They seemed to see one another not so much as enemies, but more as opponents. The air between them was tense, but I felt no evil intent from either of them.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'But... What should I do?'

-Get rid of Shiranui.-
-Cheer for Harada.-
(Well, I know you're not a fan of the Neutral Female trope. Besides, you already said your usual strategy is to get rid of the attackers first before healing...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um!"
Sanosuke Harada: "Shimohi, what are you--"

'If I was honest with myself, I was terrified. This strange man was very dangerous, but Harada had seen something in him, so perhaps he would hear me out. I didn't let Harada finish.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Mr. Shiranui...right? Could you...leave now?"
(*facepalm*) That wasn't what I meant to do!

Kyo Shiranui: "Huh? What the hell, kid. If you're trying to screw with me, I'll end you right here."

'I felt a cold bead of sweat roll down my spine. This, I thought, must be how a frog feels when it catches the eye of a snake. But I'd opened my mouth: There was no going back now.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um, well, all of the Choshu soldiers have run away."
(Just like the Knights of the Round Table...) (And that's another two dollars for the reference jar!)

'Although he hadn't said anything, he'd clearly been serving as a sort of rear guard for the Choshu during their retreat. Now that they were gone...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "If they're gone, do you still have a reason to fight?"
(Well, he could just be a blood knight...) (Like you!) (Well...yeah.)

'His eyebrows went up, and he looked at me more closely: with surprise and...something else.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "O-Our job is to protect the imperial estate. If you still insist on d-drawing your gun, um..."
(Don't have any ideas for a threat you can follow through with, huh...)

'He let out an exasperated sigh, and--'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"

'...Put his gun back in his holster.' (Well, that's step one done.)

Kyo Shiranui: "You've got balls kid, I'll give you that. I'm feeling good about meeting new people today. Don't let this go to your head, though. Next time I won't go easy on you, or on Harada here."

'As casually as he could, Harada had moved to place himself in between me and Shiranui.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Fine by me. I've already got plenty of friends, but I could use a good enemy. Let's just save the fun for later, shall we?"
Kyo Shiranui: "Maybe this time, but I'm not the kinda guy who like to enjoy the anticipation, if you know what I mean."
(Wink-wink, nudge-nudge...) So...your not the only one who saw...yeah... (And that's another dollar for the jar. Besides, your rotten brains are in the gutter again!)

'And with a raucous laugh, he was gone. Harada headed off in the direction Shiranui had gone for a few hundred feet, then returned once he was sure the man had actually left.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'I'd finally allowed myself to begin to relax when Harada gave me a short tap on the head.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Be more careful."
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Okay."

'He hadn't said much, but even those few words had been enough to let me know that he'd been worried about me.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Thank you. Sorry for...um..."

'Harada looked at me for a moment before he spoke.'

Sanosuke Harada: "No, I think you did the right thing. After all, none of our guys got hurt, right?"
(And...there's more of those flowers.) (Are you actually trying to build a harem of dudes?!) Honestly, those were total coincidences. ([sarcasm] Right... Whatever you say... [/sarcasm])

Sanosuke Harada: "Besides, the commander's orders were to fight off the Choshu if they showed up. It's not our job to track them down."
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Right..."
*Looks up* He's right.

'He looked...sad.'

Sanosuke Harada: "...If they run now, they'll only feel worse."
Shimohi Yukimura: "What?"
(As in "they'll feel like a bunch of cowards.")

'But even as I asked, I realized what he meant. The men who'd fled had come all the way from Choshu, just for this battle. Now they'd lost. How could they return home in disgrace? Their choice to turn and run meant they had nowhere to return to now.'
(My point, exactly!) Indeed.

Sanosuke Harada: "I've got a feeling we haven't seen the last of that Shiranui guy."

'I didn't say it, but I felt the same.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "...I hope we don't."
(Nah, I'm with Sanosuke here.)

'Harada was one of the captains of the Shinsengumi. So long as Shiranui was allied with the Choshu, there was no doubt that they would only meet as enemies.'

Sanosuke Harada: "He did manage to dodge my spear... I guess he'll be a challenging opponent. Still, my job's to fight my enemies. That's what I'll do."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Harada..."

'There was no mistaking the resolve in his voice. I was sure that the man called Shiranui would no doubt prove a dangerous foe, but... There was something in the smile Harada gave me then that made me feel at ease. With the battle at Kuge Gate finally at an end, the men who remained began to clean up. I  helped as best as I could, moving rubble and tending to the wounded, glad that the battle was finally over.' Back at town...

'Encyclopedia updated.'

'The Choshu extremists' attempted attack on the imperial estate eventually came to be known as the Hamaguri Rebellion. Although the Shinsengumi were called to action, their efforts were stymied, and they found little in the way of glory. Communication with their superiors had been poor at best, and they spent much of the battle waiting with the reserves. When the Shinsengumi did finally enter the battle, they found several strange opponents awaiting them:' (Something tells me that background music isn't supposed to mean "tragic end", although to you it sounds like it...)

'Encyclopedia updated.'

'Chikage Kazama, the man who had defeated Okita at Ikeda, claimed to be from the Satsuma Domain during his encounter with Hijikata.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

'Kyuju Amagiri, the man who had shattered Heisuke's head-guard at Ikeda, also claimed membership in the Satsuma.' So that's that man's name...

'They had also met Kyo Shiranui, who'd fought alongside men from Choshu... Whoever they were, it was clear they were not allies of the Shinsengumi. Indeed, it seemed they could easily become some of it's greatest enemies. If they were to meet in open battle, the casualties would be severe. By the time the battle was over, the commanders of the Choshu attack had been killed in the fighting or taken their own lives. There were some soldiers, however, who escaped, setting Kyoto ablaze as the fled.' Literally or figuratively?

'By some terrible misfortune, the wind that day blew from the north and fanned the flames, reducing the southern end of the imperial estate to ash.' So, that was literally...

'As a result of the Choshu attack, many imperial nationalist were executed. After everything had been sorted out, the Shinsengumi were at last given permission to patrol outside of Kyoto, from Osaka to Hyogo. No sooner had they been given permission than they set to work, rounding up unruly ronin and defending the public good.'

'Encyclopedia updated.'

'With the Hamaguri Rebellion over, the Choshu were branded as traitors for attacking the estate. From then on, they were acknowledged enemies of the court.'
------------------------------------
Well, now we at least know the names of the bad guys here... (Well... I believe they're a bit like me...) (What? Are you implying that they're somehow demons?) (Oh, Shimohi, as a matter of fact, your character...) All right! That's enough of the spoilers! (There's some more business to take care of: The reference jar total.)

Monty Python Reference Jar
Akurei: $17
Shimohi: $5