(Well, Heisuke's now a...) Dude! Spoiler alert! What if people are just looking at my blog for the first time and haven't seen any of the previous posts! (...I don't think anyone regularly reads your blog. Don't worry about it. Oh, and, while we're not on Heisuke's route yet... Let's just get on with the Let's Play already...)
Warning!: This is based upon a game that's rated M for Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive (read 'Sexual') themes, and
Violence. If any of these things offend you, don't click on the link.
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-Chapter Three: Part Four-
December 1867
'Scarcely a month has passed since Aburano Koji. Saito and Heisuke had returned, but the Shinsengumi was hardly back to normal. A dark, tense atmosphere pervaded the compound. Many men had lost their lives in Kazama's attacks. Even more had been injured during the attack at Aburano Koji. Among them was Heisuke. Several of the rank-and-file soldiers had seen him mortally wounded. He had looked as if he would not survive.'
And he didn't... Sort of.
'Encyclopedia updated'
'For that reason, Heisuke was declared officially dead, and made a member of the Fury Corps.'
He's only dead on the books, that's all. (Operation: Saving General Heisuke succeeded... Sort of.) (We've kind of been saying "sort of" a lot lately...)
'Saito hand't been wounded, but many among the common soldiers began to call him a coward. To them, he had left the Shinsengumi to join Itou, then betrayed his new master when he sensed a change in fortunes.'
*sigh* We know he was actually being a double-agent. But everyone else, not so...
'I saw no reason why he shouldn't set them straight, and say that he had never truly left the Shinsengumi, but he claimed that he would rather stay silent than tarnish the honor of the commander and the chief who had ordered his actions.'
Point...
'As such, it was decided that Saito would leave the compound until tempers had been allowed to cool. He was sent to stay at Tenma in order to protect Kyutaro Miura, an official of the Kishu Domain.'
(Later at...)
'The quarters for the Fury Corps. Most of the furies had been killed during Kazama's attack, which left their quarters largely empty. The Fury Corps was frightening enough, but the thought of them disappearing was even more so. After all, some of the members of the Corps I knew very well.'
Keisuke-san and... Heisuke...
Keisuke Sanan: "Did you need something?"
Pardon the expression but, "Speak of the Devil"... (Don't worry, if this is the route we think it is, then I think it's oddly appropriate.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, Sanan..."
Keisuke Sanan: "As you can see, the Fury Corps is hardly at its best. I can't imagine there's anything here for you."
(We all know you're here to visit Heisuke.)
'His words were understandably tight and cold.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um, I was hoping to talk to Heisuke."
(Thought so.) *sigh* I'm that predictable, am I...? (Yes.)
Keisuke Sanan: "I see... You have interesting taste."
[simultaneous] (We know.) (We know.) [/simultaneous] (Shotacon.) Hey!
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm sorry for disturbing you at a time like this."
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, right now Heisuke and myself are the only men here who can carry on a conversation."
Thank goodness...
Keisuke Sanan: "Given the circumstances, I supposed I shouldn't be surprised that you'd rather talk to hi than me."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
Keisuke Sanan: "Very well. I'll go find him. You wait here."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Y-Yes. Thank you."
'He left me there for only a few moments before he returned with Heisuke, but those moments felt like an eternity. I felt as if the blood of the furies who had died that night hung in the air around me like a thick, wet cloud.'
(I think we need a dehumidifier in here.) (Monster!)
'So much blood had been shed... Even Heisuke's.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...Hey."
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm sorry to bother you..."
Heisuke Toudou: "It's no big deal. ...So why're you here?"
'I'd only come to see him, but now that I had, I didn't know what to say. He seemed to be feeling much the same. We stood there awkwardly for a while, like two strangers thrown into conversation for the first time.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um... I, uh, just wanted to see how you were feeling."
(Ah, awkward first love...) (Monster!) (I wasn't being sarcastic this time...again.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Oh, Um... Well, all my wounds have healed."
That's good news.
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, that's--"
'I caught myself before I said "good."'
(Well...) (It seems the game predicted what you'd say again...) "Sort of."
'The injury Heisuke had taken at Aburano Koji was not something he should have survived. Even my limited medical knowledge hadn't been needed to see that it was a mortal wound. The only reason he was speaking to me now was because the Water of Life had done its work.'
(Indeed.)
'He was healed, yes, but he'd become a fury in the process. "Good" hardly seemed like the right thing to say. I was at a lost for words, but I had decided to come and visit him, so I had to say something.'
"Something"! (*facepalm*)
'Now, I decided, wast the time to tell him what was in my heart.'
-I want to be with you.-
-I'm sorry.-
(Another obvious choice is presented before us.) I want to be with Heisuke. (Yeah, you've made it clear he's your choice of love interest for quite a while now.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...can I stay here with you for a while?"
'He opened his mouth to answer, but I felt a sudden surge of courage and plowed ahead.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "No, not just here. And not just for a while! I want to stay with you as long as I can! I'll leave if I ever get in your way! Can I?!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Uh..."
Well...?
'He blinked. My sudden boldness had clearly caught him off-guard. ...Silence stretched on for what seemed like forever.'
(Well... What's he going to say?)
'Just as I was about to summon up the courage to push further--'
Dang. (That doesn't sound good.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Heh...he he he... Ah hahahahahaha!"
...Huh?
Shimohi Yukimura: "What...?"
'As he laughed, all the gloom and tension seemed to dissolve and fade away.'
Well, that's good... I think...
Shimohi Yukimura: "What's so funny?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Oh, sorry. No, it's not that."
(Hey, more flower points!) (Hurray!)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, what is it?"
Indeed, what is it?
Heisuke Toudou: "I was just happy, that's all."
Yay!
Heisuke Toudou: "I don't really know if I'm alive or dead anymore."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
Heisuke Toudou: "But even if I haven't got that figured out yet, I do know for sure that I'm different. My injuries are all healed, and I can do all the stuff I used to, but my future seems a little bleak... I was kinda freaking out. All sorts of stuff just shaking around in my head, you know? But talking to you really cheered me up."
*sigh of relief* Thank goodness...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Really?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah. You're pretty amazing, Shimohi. Thanks."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, that's not really anything you should be thanking me for. Besides... You used to always cheer me up, too."
(Hurray!) (...!) (What, no sarcasm again! I'm just happy that Shimohi's happy. That's all.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah? Well, I think you cheered me up a little more."
'He laughed again. His face wasn't the face of a dead man--it was Heisuke's. The Heisuke I remembered.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Then... Can I stay with you?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, of course."
Hurray!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Good... Oh, and not just for a little while. As long as I don't get in the way, right?"
Heisuke Toudou: "I don't think I could ever think of you as being inn the way. So go ahead and stick around as long as you like."
...Thank you. With all my heart!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Really?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah. I think that'd probably cheer me up the most."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Thanks."
'If I could help him, even just a little bit, then I'd be happy.'
(So...)
'The night of the battle at Aburano Koji was a turning point for the Shinsengumi. For the men who didn't know the details, it was simply a battle against their former comrades, the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb. Those better informed knew that the situation with the Satsuma and Choshu domains had changed, and that the assassination of Ryoma Sakamoto had been part of a much larger plan.'
(Involving those asshole demons.)
'Only the heads of the Shinsengumi knew the whole story: the activities of the demons, and Heisuke's transformation into a fury. Such an important battle had stirred up the atmosphere in the compound, and for several days there were excited men everywhere, shouting and talking. Moments of silence were few and far between. I felt I would only be in the way if I was wandering around the grounds, so I did my best to stay in my room by myself.'
(Playing rock, paper, scissors, lizard, spock leagues the entire time.)
'When had everything gone so wrong? Why had all of this happened? I turned those question over and over in my mind, but found no answers.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Ah, thank goodness, you're here. If you'd gone out, I wouldn't have been able to look for you."
So... What do you need?
Shimohi Yukimura: "Sanan?! But...it's daytime! Are you sure you're all right?!"
Keisuke Sanan: "Yes, yes. I just had a revelation. I can't possibly stay in bed."
Okay... (What's your motherfucking epiphany?)
'His eyes glittered with...something, and even though he was smiling, I could feel the fingers of dread begin to poke at the base of my spine.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Well? Will you listen to my idea?"
Well... This isn't going to guarantee I'll go with whatever it is but... What is it?
'It didn't really seem like a question, but I nodded anyway.'
Keisuke Sanan: "You're a demon."
Yeah... So?
'The words were sudden and unexpected.'
Keisuke Sanan: "And as a demon, you are stronger, faster, and more resilient than ta human."
(As someone who's been a demon from birth, I can say the answers to those questions are "yes", "yes", and "yes"; in that order.)
Keisuke Sanan: "Demonic superiority was displayed quite clearly by those demons who attacked us just the other night."
Shimohi Yukimura: "What are you trying to say?"
Keisuke Sanan: "A demon possesses immense power."
And... Your point?
Keisuke Sanan: "It follows that the blood which flows through demon veins should be similarly powerful."
Hold it! Are you suggesting that... (Shimohi be something like a energy juice dispenser or something?) Nice save there.
Keisuke Sanan: "Perhaps it is even potent enough to completely counteract the madness of the furies."
(Yeah, that sounds like exactly what you're proposing.)
'I didn't know how the Water of Life worked, but Sanan's explanation seemed logical, even if it was a bit...manic.'
(Or rather, "nuttier than a fruit cake.")
Shimohi Yukimura: "How can you know that for sure?"
Keisuke Sanan: "Since before I became a fury, I've been researching how the Water of Life works. I know more about it than anyone else here. How could I be wrong, then?"
Well, it could be the result of confirmation bias or any other sort of logical fallacy...
Keisuke Sanan: "In any event, I believe it's worth testing. If I am correct... Oh, it would be wonderful! Your very existence could save the Fury Corps! ...No, the entire Shinsengumi!"
So... Is he asking me to be the Shinsengumi's Sera? (Digital or Quantum Devil Saga?) Latter. (Of course...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Wait..."
'Sanan's eyes had grown painfully sharp, and I almost thought I could hear the barest edge of madness to his voice.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Now..."
Dude! No! That just might kill me!
'Calmly and purposefully, he drew his sword from its scabbard. There was no madness or bloodlust to his movements, and that only made them all the more terrifying.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh, there's nothing to be afraid of. I'm not going to kill you or anything."
You sure about that...?
Keisuke Sanan: "I just want a small sample of your blood. That's all..."
I'm not sure you'd be able to take just that without ending up killing me instead!
'I took a step back...two...Sanan and his sword came closer. He lifted it, and the steel blade shimmered in the light. I closed my eyes.'
(What! No! What are you doing!?) (If Heisuke, or someone else in the Shinsengumi saves Shimohi now, I'm taking a drink!) (Of... What?) I doubt you'd want to remember if we told you.
Toshizo Hijikata: "What is this, Sanan?"
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh, Hijikata. Excellent timing. Please, give me a hand here."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Hi-Hijikata..."
'Hijikata walked slowly towards us, his hand drifting near the hilt of his sword. With calm purpose, he stepped between Sanan and I.'
(Well, that's a drink. *quaffs drink*)
Keisuke Sanan: "What are you doing? This could be a great breakthrough for the Shinsengumi."
Toshizo Hijikata: "This is the last time, Sanan. What are you doing?"
Keisuke Sanan: "I'm searching for a way to treat the madness of the furies. For the good of the Shinsengumi."
Toshizo Hijikata: "And that means you have to cut her?"
Keisuke Sanan: "I'm not going to kill her. I only need a little of her blood."
'The room was thick with tension, but I sensed no hatred from either Sanan or Hijikata.'
Keisuke Sanan: "...We've lost so many of the furies. Many of our human soldiers have fallen as well. If we are to effectively utilize the furies we have left, as well as the ones we are about to create, then we must find a way to temper their madness. If we abandon the furies and what they offer, then future battles will only become more difficult. More of our men will die."
(Well, that's going to happen eventually. Even the Rakshasa transformation's only going to prolong the inevitable...)
Keisuke Sanan: "Everything I do, I do for the Shinsengumi. I know you for an intelligent man, Hijikata. Surely you understand. And yet you won't allow Yukimura to share her blood?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "That's not what I mean."
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh?"
What?
'Encyclopedia updated.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Sanan, you are a colonel of the Shinsengumi. Are you really ready to break the Code? The Code says we don't fight each other, for any reason. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Keisuke Sanan: "Ah, of course. However, Yukimura is not, technically, a member of the Shinsengumi."
Ah... Sanan-san, I think you've missed the proverbial... ("Memo.") ...On that one.
Toshizo Hijikata: "Maybe not, but she's been here long enough. She might as well be."
Thank you, Hijikata-san!
Keisuke Sanan: "...Then I have no choice."
'With that Sanan sheathed his sword. Hijikata watched him closely, his own hand still near his sword.'
Keisuke Sanan: "I'll leave for now, then, but please consider what I've said."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Sure, but it won't change anything. Why should we cut her open and take her blood? Besides, even if I change my mind, Kondou will never let you do it."
Keisuke Sanan: "*Sigh* It's an easy decision for you and Kondou to make. You don't have the same...investment in this. Heisuke's a fury now too, though. This will affect him as well. So I encourage you to consider what's best for your friends when you make your decision."
'Those final words cut like a knife, deeper than anything he'd said before.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Can I say something?"
'Hijikata's voice was strained, as if he were pulling it up from somewhere deep within his soul.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Of course."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Your reasoning is correct. It always has been. But.. Sanan, tell me you aren't doing this because the bloodlust has taken your mind. Tell me that some sick desire to taste her blood isn't what's driving you to this. Can I trust you?"
Keisuke Sanan: "...Of course. My only concern is for the Shinsengumi. Goodbye then, Yukimura. We'll talk again..."
'He smiled and ducked out of the room.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "*Sigh*"
Thank goodness...
'Only after I'd heard his footsteps fade away down the hall did I begin to breathe again.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Hrm. ...You okay?"
'I saw him relax, almost imperceptibly, as he turned to look at me. The bowstring-tight tension of the moment before was gone.'
(Yeah...)
'...Or at least mostly gone.'
(Oh...)
Toshizo Hijikata: "Sorry about that."
Shimohi Yukimura: "No, thank you for helping me."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Nothing to thank me for."
Shimohi Yukimura: "But..."
'There was something I wanted to say to him; a question that had been on my mind for a while. For a moment, I thought perhaps now was the time to ask, but... No, I shut my mouth.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "What?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Uh, um..."
'Perhaps I was simply afraid of what his answer would be. Perhaps after hearing my question, he would no longer allow me to stay with the Shinsengumi... No, I couldn't stay with them forever. Nothing good would come of avoiding the issue. Best I simply face it. Still, I was afraid to ask.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "I don't have all day. If you have something to say, say it."
(But don't spray it.)
'I'd already drawn his attention, and apparently his ire. There was no point to backing out now.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um, why do you keep...protecting me like this?"
(Yeah, that's a very good question. Why?) (Wasn't it something about helping to find Shimohi's father? Well, in this universe anyway.)
Toshizo Hijikata: "Weren't you listening? That wasn't about you. It was about Sanan, and the Code. Besides, it's not like he was actually trying to kill you. At worst, I saved you a scratch."
Shimohi Yukimura: "No, I don't mean just now... I mean all the other times."
(The point I made previously still stands.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "When Kazama attacked us, everyone in the Shinsengumi put their lives on the line, for me! All he wanted was me. You could have just given me up, and he would have left you alone."
(Yeah... But don't forget about the power of manly pride!)
Toshizo Hijikata: "Kazama works for our enemies. That makes him our enemy. What sort of warrior doesn't fight his enemies?"
(Like I said, manly pride.)
'I had to admit, that died seem...reasonable.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Besides, you're Kodo's kid. If we want to find him, we need you. Didn't we talk about this when you got here?"
(See, told you!) I was just checking if that was still the case now!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes, but that was a long time ago. Things have changed. I don't think finding my father is going to be enough to resolve this situation anymore."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Look, we said we'd protect you, so we will. A samurai doesn't go back on his word. A man who breaks a promise just because something's changed isn't a man."
'Even I knew that he was only using my father as an excuse, but I had a feeling that if I pointed that out directly he'd get angry. Still, that he would make excuses like this, and let me stay, and keep me safe... I could only mean that Hijikata and the Shinsengumi had finally accepted me. That thought was like a ray of light, pushing away the doubt I'd felt only moments before. ...But I needed to be careful not to get carried away.'
(Blessed straight!)
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "All right, why'd you go quiet?"
'If they had accepted me, then I wanted to help. I wanted to do...something. Then again, what could I possibly do? I couldn't fight, I didn't have any special knowledge, aside from a little second-hand medicine...'
("Angsting about not being able to help more." That's cause for another drink!) (Monster!)
'I was more of a burden than an asset, if I was honest with myself.'
(It's too lengthy to say why but, another drink!)
'What was I going to do?'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
-I want to help.-
-I'll stay here.-
Uh... I'd mostly say... Help.
Toshizo Hijikata: "What? Is there something else?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "I want to help. Please, if there's anything, anything at all I can do..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Help?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
'Oh no. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He didn't look very happy.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um, because, ah..."
'Was he really mad...? I was starting to very much regret speaking up, so much so that I began to wish Sanan would come back, just to give Hijikata someone else to glare at.'
(Oh dear...)
'...No, that would have been bad, too. But what was I going to do? Give up? No, I'd come too far. If I backed down, then nothing would change. I couldn't be one of them if I just let them protect me all the time.'
(Besides, the Pansy's scary good at rock, paper, scissors lizard, spock at times...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Please. I just want to be useful. I'll do anything."
Toshizo Hijikata: "..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
'The silence stretched out so long I thought I was going to scream.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "...I suppose you would be more discreet than one of our boys."
'He spoke to himself, barely loud enough for me to hear.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Hijikata...?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Brush and paper."
Shimohi Yukimra: "Huh?"
As in "painting" or "writing"?
Toshizo Hijikata: "Bring me a brush and some paper. Yo do have that in here, don't you? Hurry."
Shimohi Yukimura: Y-Yes! Right away!"
'I scrambled across the room, grabbed a brush and paper, and handed them to Hijikata. He took them silently, still scowling, and quickly began to draw. ...A map?'
Shimohi Yukimura: "What is that?"
'He ignored me, and continued drawing.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "...You know Saito is at Tenma guading Miura, right?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes."
Toshizo Hijikata: "I want yo to take him something. Will you do that?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Do you think I can?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Yes. One of our boys would stand out too much. You're the best option I've got right now. Can I trust you with this?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes! Of course! ...Uh, sir!"
'I was thrilled to help of course, but I was even more ecstatic to be given a task specially suited to me.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "There. I drew you a map. Keep this and you shouldn't get lost."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Right. Thank you!"
'The map was pretty straightfoward, but I still barely know my way around Kyoto. Without it, I likely would have gotten lost.'
Normally, I'd have a great sense of direction but... (That wetware GPS needs to be updated regularly for areas you don't spend a significant time in.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "All right, I'm going!"
'I turned to leave, and only a concerted effort kept me from skipping toward the door.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Hold on, genius. Hard to deliver a message if you don't have one."
Shimohi Yukimura: "O-Oh..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "You're making me nervous, kid. You sure you can do this?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Y-Yes! Of course! I'll do a great job!"
Toshizo Hijikata: "...Here's a letter for Saito. Make sure you don't drop it, or...lose it somehow."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes, I'll be very careful. Is there anything you want me to tell him?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Everything I have to say is in that letter."
Let me guess, I'm not allowed to read it...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Understood. Then I'm off!"
'This time I wasn't able to fully subdue the urge to skip.'
Wee...!
Toshizo Hijikata: "...And there she goes... Hey! Yamazaki! Shimada!"
Susumu Yamazaki: "Yes, sir."
Kai Shimada: "Did you call?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "I sent Shimohi to take Saito a letter. Keep an eye on her, but don't let her see you. If anything happens, make sure she's okay."
Susumu Yamazaki: "Understood."
(Too bad I exist, now Shimohi could know anyway because I'm the sort of demon that can break narrative rules like that.)
Toshizo Hijikata: "Hopefully if something does happen it'll just be some idiots trying to get to Miura or something..."
(But, given Shimohi's luck, more likely it'll be Chikage and Daemon trying to make her their property again...)
Toshizo Hijikata: "There're some pretty dangerous guys after her, though. If the demons show up, just get her back here immediately."
(Nice to know you humans actually came up with a contingency plan for something like that.)
Toshizo Hijikata: "I don't care if you have to carry her like a sack of rice. Just make sure all three of you come back."
(I would've said "potatoes" but...) (Rice works better for this setting, so, fair enough.)
Kai Shimada: "Yes, sir. We're off."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah, get going."
(And, back with our protagonist...)
'I stuff the letter into my shirt, double-checked to make sure it wouldn't fall out, and then opened up the map.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "This is my chance. I have to do a good job!"
Otherwise, I'll be back to sitting around in my room... Bored...
Shimohi Yukimura: "According to this map... It looks like I have a ways to go. I'd better hurry, or it's going to be evening by the time I get there. I should run!"
'Even without the desire to arrive before evening, I likely would have run anyway: I was far too excited to walk!'
(Still, keep an eye out while you're getting there. Wouldn't want to be ambushed by Chikage and Daemon again.) Right, I'll keep that in mind...
'Thanks to Hijikata's map, I found my way to Tenma without incident, although evening had come by the time I arrived.'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'I'd been told earlier that Saito had taken a room under the name "Yamaguchi. After a short wait, the receptionist directed me to his room.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um, Sai--...Yamaguchi. Sorry to bother you."
([sarcasm] Great, you almost blew Saito's cover! [/sarcasm]) Sorry about that...
Hajime Saito: "Oh. You."
'One of his eyebrows shifted up fractionally in response to my presence. Although he'd likely been expecting the letter, I was somewhat less predictable, having only been assigned the task earlier that day.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm sorry you got someone as inexperienced as me."
Hajime Saito: "No, you misunderstand. I was only surprised."
*sigh of relief* Thank goodness...
Hijime Saito: "I expected to receive new orders soon, but I didn't think you'd be the one to deliver them."
Shimohi Yukimura: "R-Right. Well, I asked if there was anything I could do to help, and... This was it."
Hajime Saito: "Hm. Well, I can see his thinking. It's a good plan. One of our regulars would have drawn undue attention to this location. The captains are too recognizable and too valuable. New members might not be noticed, but how can we know where their true loyalties lie? You, on the other hand, can move unnoticed, and your loyalty is beyond question. Hijikata made an excellent choice."
Shimohi Yukimura: "O-Oh... Thank you."
Then again, it was the completely logical choice there...
'There was something very pleasant about being told I was trustworthy.'
Hajime Saito: "The letter?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh, of course..."
(Don't tell me you lost it...)
'I pulled out the letter and handed it over.'
(Thank goodness...)
'He tore it open and read it over quickly, then lit it on a nearby lantern and watched patiently until it was nothing more than ash.'
(Yeah, standard procedure with secret messages and all that.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...Saito?"
Hajime Saito: "Yamaguchi."
Dang it, I did it again! (More like, you actually did it this time.) *sigh* I know what you just said, Akurei, but just to be sure...
Shimohi Yukimura: "R-Right. Um...are you sure it was okay to...burn it?"
Hajime Saito: "I've read it. I know what it says. Why should I leave it intact to be intercepted?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh. Of course..."
Just as I... (We.) ...thought.
Hajime Saito: "Thank you for delivering this letter. Good work."
Shimohi Yukimura: Oh, well, just doing my job! No need for thanks."
'I certainly hadn't done anything very impressive--anyone could have done it--but it did feel nice to be thanked. After all, I had done just what was asked of me, and I hadn't messed anything up. I was rather proud of myself.'
(*slow clap* [sarcasm] Hurry, you did the task correctly like you were expected to. [/sarcasm])
'Now that the job was done, though, I wasn't quite sure what I should do next...'
-Return immediately.-
-Stay and talk.-
Nah, I'd rather see if I can see Heisuke again. [simultaneous] (Of course.) (Of course.) [/simultaneous]
'It occurred to me that Hijikata had hardly been in a sunny mood when he'd given me the letter. If I dawdled after delivering it, that mood was extremely unlikely to improve.'
(Good work ethics is also a good reason not to stick around.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "All right, I'm heading back. This took a bit longer than I'd expected, so I need to hurry."
Hajime Saito: "Of course. Be careful."
Also, hanging around with Saito-san longer than necessary could be considered cheating on Heisuke... (Later, back at headquarters...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "*Pant* *Pant* *Pant*"
'I went back the same way I'd come, but by the time I returned to the Shinsengumi compound, the sun had set completely. I hoped I wasn't too late. Hopefully Hijikata wouldn't be too mad...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm back."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Oh... Come in."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Right..."
'The moment I stepped in though the door, I could tell he was in a foul mood. The very air was heavy with it.'
Uh oh...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um, sorry..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "What, did you lose the letter? Or did you not even make it there? You got lost... I knew it."
No! No! Not at all!
Shimohi Yukimura: "No, of course no! I got there just fine, and I gave Saito the letter."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Good. Then why did you apologize just now?"
Because I was...late coming back? (*facepalm* You apologize too much...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh... Well, you looked really upset. I thought you were mad that I'd taken so long."
Toshizo Hijikata: "*Sigh*"
'As he sighed, I saw the tension in his shoulders ease just a little bit.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "No, I'm not mad at you."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh. Really?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "It may surprise you to learn that I have many other things to think about besides you."
Wha...?! Sorry about that, I didn't mean to sound so narcissistic...! (See what I mean...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes. Right. Did...something bad happen?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah. A lot of bad things. You know we've been having some trouble within the Shinsengumi, but things are starting to get dicey with the people up above us, too."
(*holds up Shimohi's bag of dice*) (Not that kind of "dicey"!) (That was supposed to be a joke, Pansy!)
Toshizo Hijikata: "You're practically one of us, so I might as well tell you. There're rumblings that something might happen to the shogunate. If the shogunate's position changes, then so does Aizu's position in Kyoto...and eventually that trickles down to us."
Shimohi Yukimura: "What's going to happen?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Well, unfortunately we won't know until it does. Course, it's not like me worrying about it is going to do anyone any good. I can make some educated guesses, and prepare the Shinsengumi for some things, but..."
You can't prepare for everything at once. (Exactly.)
'Perhaps it was because he'd never been so open with me before, but I'd never though about just how much Hijikata did for the Shinsengumi. The Shinsengumi's fate was his fate, and his decisions could steer it to glory or destruction. It was an unimaginably heavy burden to someone like me.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um... Is there anything else I can do to help?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "What, running off to Tenma wasn't enough for you?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "If you--no, if the Shinsengumi is in a rough spot, then... Please, I just want to help! I want to be useful!"
And NOT just be the freaking load there! (*sigh* *facepalm* But you ARE the load in this game!) Doesn't mean I like it!
'His scowl deepened, but he said nothing.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Please, Hijikata."
'I bowed down until all I could see was the floor.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Please, I'm begging you..."
'I bent down as far as I could. He had to.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "*Sigh* ...Damn."
'I heard him move, and felt something touch my chin. I opened my eyes to see his fingers under my chin, warm and dry. He lifted my face up until I was looking straight into his eyes. He was so close that I could feel his breath.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "You say you want to help."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Do you think it's wrong for you to think that?"
Huh?
Shimohi Yukimura: "...No."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Do you want this for selfish reasons?"
Does not wanting to be a waste of air and space count as "selfish"?
Shimohi Yukimura: "No... I mean, it's not like I want to make a name for myself, or something like that. You've all risked your lives to protect me, over and over. I just want to give you something back..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "...Then don't bow so easily. You believe you're right. Why should you bow if you think you're right?"
... (Shimohi, you know Hijikata-san has a point. You're a demon! "Let those fists fly free, with your hallowed vision and STAND PROUD!") (*facepalm* ...Did you seriously include another Jojo's Bizarre Adventure reference!?)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Y-Yes..."
Toshizo Hijikata: "If you believe something, then don't ever bow or yield. Hold your head high and walk tall. You won't win if you don't keep your eyes on the prize."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes."
'I looked back at him with all the composure I could muster.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I want to help. If there's anything I can do, please, let me do it."
Toshizo Hijikata: "Fine."
'He gave a quick smile, and returned to where he'd been sitting when I came in.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "If you want to help so much, go make me some tea."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes!"
Toshizo Hijikata: "The fate of the Shinsengumi rests on this tea. Don't screw it up."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes, sir! Leave it to me!"
(And... There's a flower point.) (The first one toward Mr. Hijikata.) But... (Don't worry, I believe Heisuke's still in the lead.)
'Unable to hide my smile, I leapt up and bounded out of the room. Just before I was out of earshot, I heard Hijikata mumble to himself...'
Toshizo Hijikata: "What's going to happen to us now..."
("All the steps we take, all the moves we make, all the pain at stake...") (No! No! Stop the music references right now! The fact that it's music from another video game doesn't help matters at all!)
'The Shinsengumi, once solid, now wavered. What would happen to them? What would happen to the Fury Corps? Men were forced to watch as their friends became the undead monsters known as furies... Was it any wonder that they found themselves conflicted, or that tempers began to rise?'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Several days later, the order was given to begin the Imperial Restoration. The emperor would be restored to power, and his court would once again rule the nation. The position of shogun would be abolished, and the Kyoto's Military and Judiciary Commissioner positions would be eliminated. All that the Shinsengumi had fought for and believed in was falling to pieces.'
(Well, as some human put it. "The only thing that never changes, is that nothing stays the same...") (That's not quite right but, I think you were thinking of a song...)
----------------------------------------------------
Next time on this Let's Play of Hakuouki... (We actually start Heisuke's route! See! There was nothing to worry about!)'Chapter 4'
'December 1867'
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