Visual Novelist: Hakuoki ~Memories of the Shinsengumi~ #3 - The Super Secret Corps.

And now, we find out what happens to me in this game next...

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 Two-
-Febuary 1864-
What, I missed the month...and the year last time it came up. And yes, the year noted seems strange to me... (That's because you mistok the year for 1863 rather than 1864, and yes, that has been fixed now.)

'I slid the door open, and a breath of cool morning air met me. Clumps of thick clouds trundled silently over the city, and unusually strong wind driving them along.'
(Okay, what's going to happen next?)

Shimohi Yukimura: "It's cold today..."

'I shivered a bit, and grabbed a jacket from near the door to wrap around myself. A week had passed since I'd begun living in the headquarters of the Shinsengumi. They allowed me to roam around the compound as I pleased, and I was given a room of my own. They weren't the best accommodations, but given that they'd very nearly murdered me instead, I thought it best not to complain.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Still..."

'I looked down at my feet on the cold floor and sighed.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Do I really need to dress like this all the time?"

'They'd given me a place to live, for the time being, but it hadn't been without conditions...' Flashback time...

Toshizo Hijikata: "The Shinsengumi will look after you, but we can't have a woman running around our headquarters."

'As he explained, if rumors were to spread that that the Shinsengumi were keeping a woman in their compound, tongues would begin to wag.'
(Okay, just what the heaven is that supposed to mean? *googles the statements meaning* So, pretty much... "If rumors were to spread about there being a woman in the Shisengumi compound, it would spawn more rumors." Got it.)

'It might even bring the people who were after my father to the Shinsengumi in search of me. Of course, they hadn't been able to determine whether or not he'd even been attacked. There were a great many questions left unanswered. We could ill-afford any reckless decisions. Or so Hijikata had told me.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "In other words, we need you to keep pretending to be a man. I doubt that's what you wanted to hear, but you do it or you're out on your ass. Clear?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Yes."

'His reasoning was sound. But perhaps more than that, I knew he was looking out not only for the Shinsengumi, but also for the safety of my father and myself. I didn't have a choice, of course, but knowing that made following his orders at least somewhat more palatable.'

Keisuke Sanan: "I doubt you would do so intentionally, but the presence of a woman could...ah...disrupt morale, so to speak."
In other words, most men can't control themselves. (Wow. I know this sounds strange coming from me...) (What? Because you're a woman?) (No, because I'm a demon and an unrepentant jackass, but, I'm feeling offended for all the guys out there.)

'His tone suggested he was joking, but it was clear that he was telling the truth as well.'

Keisuke Sanan: "For that reason, only we, the Shinsengumi's leadership, will know the truth of your situation."

'If word were to get out, there was no telling how fast rumors could spread, or where to. I had to stay a boy.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "All right then. What should I do while I'm here?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Nothing. You're gonna get a room, and you're gonna stay in it."
Souji Okita: "Really? I could have sworn we decided she was going to be someone's page..."

'...Hijikata turned toward Okita and his eyes narrowed.'

Toshizo Hijikata: "Souji... Keep your tongue in your mouth or I'll cut the fucking thing off."
(Wait, am I really hearing this...?) (Pansy, it's an M-rated game, it's motherfucking allowed!) And...back to the present.

'Before long, I'd been there for a week.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "I guess I don't have much of a choice...I'd prefer otherwise, or course, but I'll do what I have to."

'I wasn't quite sure what to make of it yet, but since I'd been dressing like a boy, I'd grown rather used to the feel of wearing pants, and of having the kodachi my father had given me always at my hip. He'd presented me with it when I was only a child, and impressed upon me at least some sense of its importance.'

'Supposedly, it had been in the Yukimura family for generations. As such, I was forced to take lessons in swordplay, so I knew which end was meant for the enemy, but...' Of course, "Stick them with the pointy end."

'I had never much cared for weapons. They hurt people, of course, but it was more than that, at least for me.' (Yeah, this isn't Shimohi. She's almost a weapon nut like Ruby Rose.)

'For as far back as I could remember, any wounds I suffered healed at an incredible rate. Small cuts would disappear overnight. As a child I'd thought nothing of it, but as I grew older I began to realize that I was not quite normal. When I asked my father, he told me that it was a gift from the gods, but that I should tell no one of it. I didn't tell anyone, of course. I was afraid they would treat me like a monster if they did.'
(Well, even if people did know of the Monster's true nature, she wouldn't care at all.) (And why should I, I am what I am.)

'Ever since then, I'd done my best not to get hurt. I stayed as far away from blades as I could, and before I realized it, I was rather afraid of them.' (Sort of how Shimohi aquired her vertigo years before the Pansy and I were born...except it seems that was due to acting becoming real.)

'Dressing as a man all the time was frustrating, as was carrying a sword, but it was my condition that worried me the most.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Still..."

'That wasn't the only thing on my mind. The rank-and-file soldiers had been treating me coldly.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm not just...imagining it, right...?"

'I'd heard having a private room was a rare privilege, even for the captains. For a child to appear out of nowhere, and be given better treatment than their own captains... I was little wonder the soldiers resented me.' (Well, at least I don't have to spell it out for you.)

Shimohi Yukimura: "True. I suppose I can't really blame them..."

'Also, quite simply, I felt bad. I was enjoying the hospitality, such as it was, of the Shinsengumi, and so I felt I should help them in some way, but I knew nothing of soldiers and their ways. There wasn't much opportunity to learn, either: Hijikata had instructed me to leave my room as little as possible. From time to time, the captains or other officers would send me on one errand or another, but I was nothing approaching a page. Most of the duties they gave me were things more suited for a maid than a soldier, and it made the rest of the men even more resentful, for what appeared to be special treatment.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "They're just...watching me."

'To make sure I kept my mouth shut, they took turns keeping watch over me. My mistakes could mean serious trouble for them, so they were doing their best to keep me away from the other soldiers.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Hmm..."
I'm getting rather bored right now.

'Then again, perhaps I was just a poor actor. Their soldiers almost never spoke to me, but when they did, it was difficult for me to act...manly. All too often, the captains had to step in to cover for me. Each time they did, it made it look as though I couldn't manage to speak for myself, and I felt even worse.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "If I'm really going to stay here, I'd like to be friends with at least some of them... But I can't exactly tell them the truth, can I?"

'Indeed I couldn't, and so I had no choice but to stay out of the way and keep to myself. It wasn't a pleasant existence, and I was beginning to feel depressed.'
And not to mention...bored...

Shimohi Yukimura: "If I'm supposed to stay out of the way, then I shouldn't be leaving my room, but..."

'I very much wanted to go look for my father. However, even after a week had passed, I was still not allowed to leave headquarters. I'd come to Kyoto in search of my father, but for the time being it seemed that search had been stopped in its tracks.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Hmm..."

'Perhaps, I though, I could talk to Hijikata. If he would give me permission to look for my father...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "...Oh no, that's right..."

'Hijikata had left on a trip to Osaka several days before. ... ...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Perhaps...I can sneak out while he's not here..."
Well, at least I won't be sitting here bored.

'...I wasn't sure what to do...'

-Stay put.-
-Talk to someone.-
-Search the compound.-
Well...if I'm going to be here for a while, might as well get to know the place. (Just hope that doesn't get you killed...)

'As I thought about it, I realized that I had no idea how the Shinsengumi compound was laid out. If I was to live there, I thought, then I ought to make an effort to learn.' One scene change later...

'I took a deep breath, gathered my courage, and stepped out of the room.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "There's on one here..."

'I looked around. The hall was utterly empty. Then again, I realized, since I'd snuck out of my room, it was probably for the best that no one had seen me. Still, I felt a little guilty about it.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Perhaps I should have just stayed in my room..."

'If I wandered around the compound, there was a good chance I'd see something I wasn't supposed to. I'd already stumbled onto one of the Shinsengumi's secrets the night I met them. I had no wish to do so again.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "I suppose it's better to know than to be ignorant, but..."

'I'd promised to forget what I'd seen that night.'
("If you see something, say nothing, and drink to forget.") (*groan* And now you're quoting the local community radio host...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "What should I do..."

'After some deliberation, I decided it was best to return to my room, but as I turned to walk back...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Huh?"

'From somewhere near the entrance I heard...something. Slowly, I looked around the corner. Walking toward the door, looking as if they would really prefer not to be seen, where Harada and Nagakura.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh!"

Shinpachi Nagakura: "What?!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Can I come with you?!"

'Maybe, if they let me go outside, I could finally start looking for my father.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, I don't really care, but... I don't think you're gonna have a lot of fun..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "H-Hey! No, you idiot, we can't take her! And you don't have the authority to give her permission to leave anyway!"

'He poked Harada in the chest as he spoke, but there was something also most nervous in his manner.'

Sanouske Harada: "Huh? Oh, right. We aren't supposed to let you out of the house, huh. They don't even let you out of you room without an escort?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."

'... ...' (Awkward...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, um... Where are you going, anyway?"

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Sanosuke Harada: "No, no changing the subject. ...Ah well, whatever. We're on our way to Shimabara, if you really want to know."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Shimabara?"

'The name was familiar...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Wait...thta's in the red-light district, isn't it?!"
(So that's what they're doing...) (Ew, that's gross. But still, why does SHE... *pointing to Shimohi* ...know it's a "red-light district"!?)

'Nagakura looked back and forth between us and sighed.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "C'mon, what're you doing, telling a girl the truth about us going to Shimabara..."
Sanosuke Harada: "You know me. I can't lie. Besides, it's not like we're going to be doing anything bad."
Well, so long as you rightfully pay her for her time and treat her with respect like you would any other human being, I don't see what's so wrong with that. ("I can't lie", huh...That reminds me of a certian song...) (No, you monster! Don't you...) ("I like big butts and I cannot lie!") ([sarcasm] Great...the Monster actually did it...[/sarcasm])

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Not you, maybe. You're just coming along to drink."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Nagakura...are you going for something other than the alcohol?"

'He made a face I couldn't interpret, and looked away. True, there were probably a lot of beautiful women in Shimabara. Someone like Harada who just went to drink was probably pretty rare.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "But...you're going in the afternoon?"
Sanosuke Harada: "Isn't that every man's dream?"

'Harada didn't seem terribly concerned about the appearance of impropriety.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, even so, I hardly think it's...good to be drinking in the afternoon..."

'Even if it was every man's dream, I still couldn't bring myself to condone it. Two of their captains drinking in the middle of the afternoon would hardly help the already-low public opinion of the Shinsengumi. ...Then again, it's not like it was really my business to care about how people thought of the Shinsengumi.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yeah, I see your point. It's not really proper to be screwing around so early in the day."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes."

'I did indeed find it inappropriate, but his emphasis on the qualifier worried me.'
(Understandable, I mean, it'd be hard to do their job if a ronin or two or three shows up while their drunk off their asses. But off the proverbial clock, maybe if they're not in uniform.)

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Kyoto's been really dangerous lately, though. We can't exactly go have our fun at night like normal people."

Shimohi Yukimura: "...True..."
Or as I would say, "Point."

Shinpachi Nagakura: "So to hell with how appropriate it is! A man's gotta live! We're gonna party whenever we feel like it!"
(You tell it Shinpachi-kun! "You gotta fight!") "For your right!" ("To par-ty!") (You do...know that's supposed to be a parody of those kinds of songs...right?) (Well, now we do...party pooper... Well, at least "This land is your land" is Shimohi's favorite "patriotic" song for pretty much the same reasons.) (Wait!? You mean that isn't a patriotic song?)

Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'...That didn't really seem...right. But even so, on some level, his absurd logic made sense. After all, everyone needs some time to relax, especially if they have the worries of the Shinsengumi. And if they worked at night, then when else would they go but the afternoon? I was still thinking on that when Toudou walked in.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Oh...Shimohi? Are you coming too?"
(Yo! Wazzup!)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, I still haven't been given permission to leave the house. I don't want Hijikata to get mad at me..."

'I shook my head and gave a little shrug. Toudou's face fell a little bit.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "So...You're going to Shimabara too then, Toudou?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Uh, well...yeah. Um, look, Shimohi... You don't have to call me Toudou, okay? It just feels kinda cold, you know?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um... Well, what should I call you then...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Just call me Heisuke. Everybody else does. After all, we're gonna be living together for quite a while."
Well...that's quite a bit...forward, if you ask me... (Well, he is one of your types. Besides, at least he's not Saito and he's legal! Hurray!) (And...you two are both just as depraved as ever.)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Is that really okay? I mean, I don't want to be rude..."

'He nodded enthusiastically.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "All right then...Heisuke."
Heisuke Toudou: "Right, there you go! So, whadda ya say we start over? Hello, Shimohi, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

'He gave me a short, friendly bow.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Okay! It's a pleasure to meet you too, Heisuke."

'It wasn't anything important, I knew, but something about the exchange made me feel happy. Whether or not he'd intended to, Heisuke had cheered me up.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "But... You're still going to Shimabara, then?"

'He opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure of what to say.'

Heisuke Toudou: "I'm not going there for the girls! I just wanna hang out with the guys, you know?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."
Well, that is completly understandable.

'The rest of the men treated him like a little brother, so it was easy to forget, but Toudou--Heisuke--was an adult. At any rate, I'd heard he could hold his liquor well enough. As I looked at his smile, I simply couldn't bring myself to try and stop him.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Well, maybe if you dressed up like a real woman that'd be enough eye candy to keep us out of trouble."
Huh...dudes...you do know there's a very good reason why I'm wearing mens clothing, right?

Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-What?!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, hell yeah! You'd be real cute. Once stuff settles down, you oughta start dressing like a girl again."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Y-You guys...! That's...that's... This is just so sudden!"
To say the least.

'I could feel my face turning bright red. For some reason it seemed embarrassing for them to suddenly start treating me like a girl, as if they'd only just remembered. Not sure what else to do, I gave them an awkward nod, and the beamed back at me.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "When I...get the chance, someday. All right?"
Well, my mother does have this beautiful yellow kimono at her place...

'Heisuke almost literally jumped for joy.'

Sanosuke Harada" "That's a promise, Shimohi. You better not forget it."
(And something tells me this is going to bite us in the ass later...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Okay..."

'I hardly needed them to tell me to dress like a woman again, once my life had calmed down a bit. I'd only promised to do something I would certainly have done anyway, so...why did I feel so embarrassed?'
(I would not be surprised if "objectification" has anything to do with it.)

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Look, Shimohi, you've gotta see our side here. We bust ass every day keeping Kyoto safe."
Shimohi Yukimura: "That's not a very convincing excuse..."
(Well, it sounds good to me.)

'Even as I said it, though, I knew that he was right. It was perfectly normal for boys to go have their fun in Shimabara. Besides, who was I to try to stop them from going in the first place? I certainly didn't have any authority. Going to the pleasure quarters in the broad daylight still seemed questionable to me, but if their superiors didn't mind...' (...then that's a sign of corruption.) (Our Moral Guardian, Right-wing, Fundamentalist "Christian", second flavor Eaglelander everyone.)

'I was a guest of the Shinssengumi, and it would hardly be polite for me to try and tell them what to do. But even so, they had gone out of their way to talk to me until I felt better about the situation. That alone told me that they were good men, with nothing to hide.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "All right."

'A part of me was jealous of them. I had no interest in going to Shimabara, of course, but I had no choice in the matter: I was confined to the compound. With their freedom, I could have gone to search for my father, but as it was, I could do nothing.'

Sanosuke Harada: "I'll bring you back something. What sort of food do you like?"

'Did he really think the city had nothing to offer me but food? Well, even if he did, I couldn't say I didn't want a little something from outside.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "All right then, I'd like some tangerines. Maybe we can eat them together tomorrow afternoon?"
(Wait, did Japan even have access to tangerines at the time? *looks at Wikipedia* I think they probably meant "Mikan".) (Only freaks who obesessively watch Japanamation would have even heard of that word.) *slap* (Ow! What was that for!?) (And...Shimohi finally slaps the Pansy.)

'Harada geve a single, short laugh and nodded.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Soon as Hijikata gives you permission to go out, we'll take you wherever you wanna go!"

'He certainly sounded as though he meant it at least.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, thank you. But Heisuke, you don't need to worry, all right? Even if you can't take me now, the intent is what matters. You cheered me up."

'He frowned quickly, but it was gone in a moment and he gave me a simple nod. Then, just as they were about to finally leave...'

Genzaburo Inoue: "And just where do you think you're going?"

'We all turned as one to see Inoue walking toward us.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Damnit... Just had to be Gen, huh...?"

'His voice was only loud enough for us to hear. Perhaps they did feel a bit guilty for going to Shimabara, I realized. I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for them.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...well, I'm not going anywhere but...ah..."

'...I had no idea what else to say!'

Heisuke Toudou: "Um, well, you know Gen! R-Right? We were going to go...train! Yeah, that's it!"
([sarcasm] Right... [/sarcasm])

'Heisuke quickly warmed to his excuse, as did Nagakura.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Y-Yeah, exactly! Like Heisuke said! I mean, it's such a nice day! The sun's out, the breeze is warm...
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
[sarcasm] Right... [/sarcasm] (That's most likely what Shimohi, the in-game character, is thinking.)

'To me, at least, the day felt rather cold, but perhaps Nagakura wasn't as sensitive to such things... I decided to keep my mouth shut. Inoue raised an eyebrow.'
(As in, "Is that so?")

Genzaburo Inoue: "My goodness, you're all so diligent! We train together so rarely these days. Might I join you?"
(...I can't tell if he actually believed that or not.)

'He looked honestly happy; pleased with the dedication of his fellows.'
(...So, he 'did' believe it. *facepalm*)

'...I...I didn't know what to say. Harada, Heisuke, and Nagakura all looked as though they'd just learned of a beloved pet's death.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...I'm...sorry...?"
Well, Heisuke came up with that excuse himself and the others just went along with it. It's just that it happened to backfire and there was no way I could've predicted that.

'To not somehow acknowledge what had just happened seemed...wrong, somehow. I had to say something. It was at that very moment that Heisuke spoke up.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Oh man, I'm sorry! I really wanted to go train with you guys, but I just remembered I already had plans for today!"

'...Plans?'
(What kind of...plans?)

Heisuke Toudou: "See, I already promised Shimohi that I'd give her a tour of our headquarters! ...Right?!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Uh..."

'It was news to me. Still when he looked at me with eyes like those of a sad puppy, I had no choice but to go along.'
A rather round-about way to accomplish what I originally set out of the room to do, but I'll take it! (Besides...those eyes... *watery-eyed squee*)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Y-Yes, that's right. Yes..."

'His eyes sparked, and he grabbed a hold of my hand and began to walk off. Heisuke had cheered me up earlier, after all... Perhaps this way, I'd be able to pay him back for that.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hold on there Heisuke, you really think you can--"

'Before he could even finish, Harada interrupted, a mischievious grin on his face.'

Sanosuke Harada: "I'd better come too, Shimohi. Make sure none of the guys give you any trouble."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Uh, well, okay, but..."
Genzaburo Inoue: "I see, I see. Well, Harada does have a point. I'll leave her in your care, then. All right Shinpachi, shall we go?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "I expected this from Heisuke, but you, Sano? I though you were better than that!"

'His knuckles had gone white, and he positively shook with anger.'

Sanosuke Harada: "Time to go!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Shin's got a bit of a short temper."

'Heisuke grabbed my hand, and Harada pushed me from behind, and soon we were moving away from the entrance at a rapid clip.' One scene change later...

'I could still hear Nagakura yelling, but the two men with me had begun to laugh, their eyes sparkling with mirth.' Yay!

'It was infectious, and I quickly found myself laughing along with them. Nagakura, on the other hand, had little cause for levity. I heard later that he and Inoue spent the rest of the day training, just the two of them. Nagakura's mouth was always in motion, and plenty that came out of it was none too nice, but underneath all that was a good man.' And back to the room.

'I watched shadows drift up my wall as the orange light of the sun painted my room the color of autumn leaves.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "How long am I going to do this...?"

'Solitude was proving detrimental to any sort of continued optimism. All my thoughts eventually turned dark and hopeless.' (So...can we do something else now?)

'It was depressing, but most of all it was frustrating. How could I let myself be discouraged so easily? Fairly easily, actually. I'd been swept up in a frightening world I didn't understand and couldn't possibly control.' And it's also boring to sit around in my room all day...without suffecient entertainment. (Too bad computers, the internet, and Minecraft don't exist yet...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "I can't possibly figure out what's happening to Father if I'm stuck here...Only Hijikata can give me permission to leave, and he's gone..."

'All I could do was wait. Lamenting things I couldn't change wouldn't improve my situation, and would arguable make it worse.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Hm..."

'Still, there was at least one thing I had to be thankful for.'
(The fact that your "not dead...") (Don't even get started with that! You already did that once this post!)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Al least they've all been nice to me..."

'I knew I couldn't trust the men of the Shinsengumi completely. They were, after all, men who could take life in the blink of an eye. It would be all way to easy for the next life they took to be mine.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "They're nice men, deep down...right?"
(And...someone did say something about Stockholm syndrome before...right?)

???: "Has anybody called you gullible yet?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah--!"
Who goes there!? (Did you just like that statement because it used the same exact words as the title of that book?!) (Yes, yes I did!)

'My voice froze in my throat. I turned slowly to find Okita standing behind me.'
(Well, at least he that wasn't Mr. Clean right behind you.) (You just had to mention Cards against Humanity again, did...oh wait, of course you're going to say "yes, I did have to".)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-What are you doing here?!"
Souji Okita: "Oh, you didn't notice me? Well, it's my turn to keep watch."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'Of course. I was under surveillance. Which meant...' (...that someone was slacking on the job when we stuck out of our room...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Did you hear everything I said...?"
Souji Okita: "Hm?"
(That was what you focused on!?) (Maybe it's you that has her priorites in the wrong place...)

'He said nothing, only smiled and blinked laconically.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'He'd heard me. He had definitely heard me! I wanted to scream, but before I could open my mouth Saito stepped out from behind the door.'

Hajime Saito: "I think that's enough fraternizing, Souji."

'...' (Not this asshole again...)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Were you here the whole time too?!"
Hajime Saito: "I arrived only moments ago."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, thank goodness..."

'I pressed my hand to my chest, in an effort to calm my pounding heart.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um, I'm sorry... For...for screaming like that..."
Hajime Saito: "It's nothing. And at any rate, it isn't as if you were saying anything that might cause trouble for you."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"

'Then...he had heard me?!'

Shimohi Yukimura: "T-True, I didn't say anything, um, bad, but still--!"

'It's embarrassing being caught talking to oneself! I was so embarrassed... Saito looked from me to Okita and back, and his brows drew together almost imperceptibly.'

Hajime Saito: "I came to tell you that dinner is ready, but... Have I interrupted something?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh! No! Nothing at all!"

'I shook my head emphatically.'

Hajime Saito: "I had intended to wait until you and Souji finished your discussion, but..."

'He let the words hang in the air, but his eyes said that he'd determined we'd continue forever if he didn't interrupt. I had opened my mouth to say...I'm not sure what, when--' Across the Pacific ocean, roughly one-hundred and thirty years later... ("Rattling on forever. No pause to take a breath! And I retain a morbid fear I'd lose all grace and tact, if I remain at any place they re-enact...") (Stop! Just stop this! You've already started singing a song from some obscure band during the Nonary game, you really don't have to sing another equally obscure song from the same band!)

'Heisuke shot though the door. The moment he saw us, however, his face fell.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What's going on here, Hajime? You and her buddies now?"
Hajime Saito: "My apologies. I was only here on business."
(You'd better!)

'Heisuke perked up at Saito's apology, and he gave the other man a quick grin.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Well, it's time to eat. Let's go! We don't hurry up, it's all gonna be gone!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Okay!"
At the "Dining hall"...I think...

Sanosuke Harada: "You're late."

'The moment we stepped into the dining hall, Nagakura and Harada looked up at us.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "You kids're late. Who's gonna answer to my crying stomach?"
Heisuke Toudou: "You mean 'growling,' Shin. Really, he's so simple sometimes..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "You guys oughta apologize to my stomach! He wanted to dig in, but I said, 'No, we've gotta wait for 'em.'"
Sanosuke Harada: "You're such a softie, Shin... All right guys, it's time to eat, and that means every man for himself."
(BANZAI!)

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Man, there's barely enough here to feed a kid, let alone a man. So I'll just have to...take yours! Survival of the fittest! This food is mine!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey! Why do you always steal my food?!"
*LOL*

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Ahahahaha! It's 'cause of the difference in size, kid! I got a bigger body. That means I need more food!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Well I'm still growing, old man, so I gotta eat more too!"
(So...it's a fight...over food...FOOD FIGHT!!!)

Sanosuke Harada: "Sorry you had to see this, Shimohi. They're always like this."
Not a problem, I though it was rather entertaining seeing them go at it like that.

Shimohi Yukimura: "I've, um, gotten used to it."
([sarcasm] Sure, take the polite way out of it... [/sarcasm] We might as well've had a box of popcorn on hand.)

Hajime Saito: "Is acceptance of such insanity not somewhat frightening? ...That food is mine."
(...) (...and now, the weather!)

Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh... Why aren't you taking anything?"
Souji Okita: "Yeah, I'm good. If I get too full then I start getting slow."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey! Wadda ya mean, 'slow'?! ...Ah whatever, I'm taking that!"
Souji Okita: "Go for it. So long as I got a little sake to sip, I'm good."
(Not a good idea for the old immune system there...)

Sanosuke Harada: "Then I guess I'm going with sake too."
Souji Okita: "Don't worry about being a freeloader or anything, Shimohi. Just eat your little heart out, okay?"
But what is there to be jelious about?

Shimohi Yukimura: "I...I know. I can't help but feel a little bad, though!"
Hajime Saito: "Well, if you let that get to you, you're gonna lose. You have to protect what's yours."
Shimohi Yukimura: "O-Okay!"

'...It was...actually rather fun to have dinner with such a strange group of men. I'd eaten alone for so long that to do so with others was frightening and exhilarating all at once.'

Sanosuke Harada: "See, there's that smile. You oughta do that more often. We aren't gonna hurt you."
Well, I'm still only going to smile if I feel like it. It's not like I have a moral obligation to look pretty for you.

Shimohi Yukimura: "Harada..."

'His mouth curled up into an honest smile of his own. Had I really looked so down? Perhaps they were all trying to cheer me up... I wasn't quite sure how to feel. There was a part of me that felt bad, while another part felt a certain amount of joy. The joy seemed to be winning out, however, and I was smiling to myself when Inoue stepped in from the hall.'

Genzaburo Inoue: "Gentlemen, do you have a moment?"

'As usual, his voice was warm, but in his eyes was a level solemnity I'd never seen before, at least during our thus far brief acquaintance. The warmth of the room disappeared almost immediately.'

Genzaburo Inoue: "I've just received word from Osaka. Sanan has been gravely injured in battle."
Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"

'They all went quiet. Inoue continued. Sanan had gone to investigate a report of several ronin harassing a cloth merchant. He'd managed to drive them off, but not before being wounded by the ronin.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Is he going to be all right?"
Genzaburo Inoue: "It wasn't his sword arm that was wounded. He's almost certain to survive, but wielding a blade will be...difficult for him."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, thank goodness..."

'I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, but it seemed that the rest of the room didn't share my relief.'
(Likely because they see it as a fate worse than death.)

Genzaburo Inoue: "He should be returning here in a few days. Now please, excuse me. I must speak with Kondou."

'He turned as he spoke, his last words delivered over his shoulder, and was gone. It was Saito who eventually broke the awkward silence.'

Hajime Saito: "A sword is not made to be carried in a single hand. If his injury is severe, he may never carry a blade again."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."

'At last, I understood. Yes, Sanan was alive. But without the ability to wield a sword... Sanan the man had survived the encounter with the ronin, but Sanan the warrior had not.'

Hajime Saito: "Fighting with a single hand would mean less strength behind his blows. Against an opponent of similar skill, he would almost certainly lose."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Of course..."

'Fighting with one hand would be fighting at half strength. Even a skilled warrior would have trouble. Okita sighed.'

Souji Okita: "If push comes to shove, he'll have to take it. I don't think Sanan's just going to give up."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Don't jinx him, Souji. It's gonna look bad if officers start joining the Corps.
Shimohi Yukimura: "Huh...?"
No, seriously, I'm curious about that as well.

'Wait... That didn't make any sense.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "But...what do you mean "Corps'? Isn't that the Shinsengumi?"
(Nope, they mean "The Rakshasa Corps".) (I still don't get what you're talking about.)

'I didn't understand... What was the "Corps" is it wasn't the Shinsengumi itself? But the way they'd said it, they couldn't have been referring to the Shinsengumi.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Well normally, yeah. You might call the Shinsengumi the 'Elite Volunteer Corps.' When we talk about "the Corps," though, we--"
(And he's about to say too much.) (Don't give us that, assuming you're correct, you just spelled it out yourself!)

Sanosuke Harada: "Heisuke!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Huh?!"

'Before I could move, Harada was on his feet and halfway across the room. I barely had time to gasp before he drove his fist into Heisuke.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Ow..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke! Are you all right?!"

'Nagakura sighed.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sano, you're overreacting. Heisuke, think before you open that damn mouth!"

'His eyes were cold and hard as he turned to look straight at me. It was clear that Heisuke had told me something he shouldn't have, but...what?'

Sanosuke Harada: "Sorry..."

'After a moment, Harada gave the younger man a curt nod of apology, and Heisuke responded with a quick, pained smile.'

Heisuke Toudou: "Nah, I should've been watching what I said. Still...Sano, you start throwin' there things around way too easily."

'His punch had hit with enough force to knock a lesser man out cold, but Heisuke seemed only slightly the worse for wear. It had never been clearer that I was not among normal people.'
(Trust me, I have not been among normal people ever since the day I was born...)

Shinpachi Nagakura: "That's all you're going to hear about this particular topic, Shimohi. I'm sure you're curious, but we can't tell you anything else, so don't ask."

'His voice was friendly enough, but his eyes gave his words a cold weight that made me feel almost uncomfortable.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "But..."

'How was I supposed to just drop it?'
Besides, Akurei here just spilled the beans for you guys. (And I still don't know that the Monster means by "Rakshasa"!)

'Encyclopedia updated.'

Souji Okita: "The Corps that Heisuke was talking about are men to be pitied."

'Okita's voice was flat; emotionless.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."

'His eyes were grim, and there was a sudden chill melancholy about him. I couldn't bring myself to say anything more. Thankfully, Nagakura stepped in to break the silence.'

Shinpachi Nagakura: "It's nothing you need to worry yourself about. You don't have to get all worked up."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."

'I was only a guest in their house, not a warrior of the Shinsengumi. I didn't need to know the truth behind whatever secrets the Shinsengumi kept. I'd known that from the beginning. ...That knowledge was little comfort, however.'

Hajime Saito: "Put it from your mind. Involving yourself in our affairs will only put you in greater danger."
(Indeed, do not involve yourself in this mess. It'll be for the best.)

'I bit my lip and kept silent. The wall between us was almost a physical thing, and it was far too large an obstacle for me to defeat easily.' (So...does that mean that you could easily end up not romancing someone enough to get a good ending?) Anyway, back at my room...

Shimohi Yukimura: "*Sigh*"

'I finished dinner in sad silence, excused myself, and returned to my room. I had a great deal to think about.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "The Shinsengumi...hm..."

'I knew of the Shinsengumi, of course. There name meant "Elite Volunteer Corps."'
(Uh, last Shimohi outside of this LP checked it was "Newly Selected Corps".)

'But this "Corps" they'd mentioned... It seemed to be something different.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "So Sanan is part of the Shinsengumi... But he shouldn't be part of the 'Corps'...?"

'They way they'd said it, it seemed as if this "Corps" was another entity, inside the Shinsengumi... ... ...'

Shimohi Yukimura: "Argh!"

'No! I wasn't supposed to think about those things! I was only going to get myself in trouble if I stuck my nose where it didn't belong.'
(And now, a list of other things you shouldn't think about: The Dog Park, the existance and hierarchy of Angels, the Shape in Grove Park, what the clouds are and how they work, the fact that you have just lost the game...)

'If I saw or heard the wrong thing, I could even end up dead.'

Shimohi Yukimura: "If I die, I'll have a hard time looking for my father..."
(No shit...) (No! You'll not say that again!)

'There were people who cared about me, and my death would no doubt sadden them. With that in mind, I did my best to put the day's events out of my head, and climbed onto my thin futon.'
--------------------------------------------
And that's another day done. (Just what will tomorrow bring...?)