Here's the second chapter of Heisuke's route in Hakuoki... (And round two of the Hakuoki Drinking Game... *looks down* ...and the strangest team-up in this blogs history...) (And more asinine references, gags and breaking out into song from these two...) [simultaneous] Begin! (Begin!) (*facepalm*) [/simultaneous]
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 Five-
February 1868
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'The Shinsengumi was given a hatamoto mansion in Edo to use as their headquarters. For the last several days, however, most of the leaders had been out. Since Kondou was still recovering from his gunshot wound, Hijikata had taken his place for the time being, and was out conferring with the shogunate nearly every day. Okita's condition had not improved, and he remained apart from the Shinsengumi, in Doctor Matsumoto's care.'
(Oh yeah, Okita the TB factory...) (Monster!)
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Harada and Nagakura spent most of their time in Yoshiwara. It seemed like they were trying to forget about something. With so many people doing whatever they pleased, it seemed especially unfair that the Fury Corps was kept locked up in the headquarters, unable to go outside. It couldn't be helped, of course. Still, I wondered if they were upset about it...'
Heisuke...
'So far they'd stayed peaceful and remained in their quarters, but I didn't know how long that might last. Perhaps I was just being paranoid, but I couldn't shake that feeling of uneasiness...'
(Enough with all that prologue shit, on with the actual game!)
'I was busying myself with some thing or another one day when Sanan appeared.'
*sigh* Yeah, what do you want? (You got any glazed dounuts?) (Monster, no quoting Albuquerque either!)
Keisuke Sanan: "Ah, Yukimura. Do you have a moment?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Sure."
Keisuke Sanan: "I hope this won't seem rude, but seeing as we are in Edo, I was hoping you might take me to your home."
Oh, right. But still... Why?
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...what?"
Keisuke Sanan: "Perhaps I should have said 'Kodo's clinic'? My hope is that he may have left some of his research on the furies there."
(So, searching for Rakshasa lore...) (It's "Fury"! Not "Rakshasa"!) Knock it off you two...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh..."
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'My father had been researching the Water of Life. Perhaps we would find something useful. Maybe we'd even find something that we could use to suppress the bloodlust, or possibly even make the furies human again...'
(Yeah, yeah, Heisuke and his monster angst... *takes a drink*) But he isn't even here! (Still took that drink. *puts on sunglasses* Deal with it.)
Keisuke Sanan: "What do you say, Yukimura? Will you consider my request?"
'I didn't want to turn him down--after all, discoveries about furies could certainly benefit him--but I wasn't sure what his real intentions were anymore. He'd been acting...strange.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...I-I need Hijikata's permission to leave the headquarters, so I don't think it's a good idea..."
Keisuke Sanan: "I'm sure he would give you permission for this, but he's in meeting every day. Who knows when you might get a chance to speak with him? If your father did leave something behind that can help us improve or control the furies, then don't you think Hijikata would want us to find it as soon as possible?"
'He made a good point.'
Maybe, but it'd still be a good idea to actually check with Hijikata rather than assume if he's okay with it or not.
'I watched Heisuke suffer every day; there was very little I wouldn't do to help him. It wasn't that I didn't want to return to my old home, I just don't want to go with Sanan. His eyes thinned slightly.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Is something the matter? Is there something on your mind?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um, well..."
Heisuke Todou: "You're just too embarrassed to admit you've been away fro so long that you think you might not be able to find your house."
Heisuke! (Shimohi has a better sense of direction than that, but that works as a good excuse; so we're going with that.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Well? Am I right, Shimohi?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke! H-How long have you been there?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Hm? Oh, not too long..."
'He grinned and winked at me, then turned to Sanan.'
Heisuke Toudou: "So Sanan, you mind if I tag along?"
I certainly won't mind... (Of course you wouldn't...) Akurei? You have a problem with this? (No, not really, anymore...)
Keisuke Sanan: "Tag along...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I was at Kodo's clinic just the other day. I can probably get us there a lot quicker than Shimohi."
'Right, I'd asked Heisuke to check in at my house when he went to Edo all those months ago to recruit new soldiers. That was far from "just the other day," but perhaps he'd felt Sanan didn't really need to know just how many days had passed.'
(Indeed...)
Keisuke Sanan: "I see... Well then, perhaps it would be best for you to join us."
Heisuke Toudou: "Just leave it to me. Well, maybe not the searching part. I don't really read much, so I'll leave that part to Shimohi."
That's just perfect! (Shimohi here does read... A lot!)
'He gave me a friendly, confident pat on the back and I blushed.'
(Later at...)
Keisuke Sanan: "This is Kodo's clinic? Rather impressive, considering he worked alone."
'I hadn't seen it in years, and yet my old home still welcomed me back. There was a scratch on the wall from a prank I'd played on my father, and a childish drawing that I'd made on another wall one day when I was especially bored.'
(Was it of the Pansy and I...? We'll just say it was of the Pansy and I.)
'The warmth of nostalgia crept through my body as I looked around at the only home I'd ever known.'
(Except the Shimohi we know has lived in several different homes growing up.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Thank you for coming with me, Heisuke. I'm sorry you had to go to all this trouble..."
Heisuke Toudou: "Aah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. I mean, if there is something here that can help the furies, that's definitely something that interests me. Besides..."
'And here his voice dropped until only I could hear it as his eyes flicked to Sanan's receeding back. Just as I'd thought, he was suspicious of Sanan as well.'
(Later inside the clinic...)
'My father's room was filled with western books on anatomy and medicine, and bottles of medicinal plants and pills filled all the shelves. It was undoubtedly a treasure trove to anyone with some knowledge of medicine, but the books and medicines had meant little to me as a child, and I'd often found myself in trouble for touching or moving them.'
Although I can see why, some medical compounds can be either dangerous in exactly the wrong amount or only helpful in specific amounts...
Heisuke Toudou: "All right, where do we start? I had a quick look around last time, but I wasn't looking for books and stuff back then."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um..."
Heisuke Toudou: "What? Something wrong, Shimohi?"
Well, it's just...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Did you go into...my room?"
(And find the porn?) (Monster!) Okay, Niyagi has a point. But that'd worry would only be valid if this was "Modern" Shimohi rather than this alternate "Past version" Shimohi.
Heisuke Toudou: "Wh-What!? N-No, I didn't! I mean, how would I even know which one is yours?!"
Keisuke Sanan: "There'll be plenty of time to flirt later. For now, if you see anything that mentions furies, please bring it over here. I'll look through it."
Of course, that's assuming my father hasn't encoded it in some way to make it look like either a Travel Log or a Cookbook or something...
Keisuke Sanan: "Even books on human anatomy would be useful. Or anything about improving physical strength or tissue regeneration..."
'I nodded, and went off to look through the piles of books and papers my father had left behind. My thoughts drifted to the past...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "It seemed like he was in here treating someone every day... I wonder where he is right now..."
'His soft smile floated up from my memories, and I felt tears spring to my eyes. I quickly rubbed a hand across my face, embarrassed, but there was so much here to remind me of him. Sometimes it seemed almost as if he was just about to walk through the door..'
(I'm going to take a drink if that literally happens.) And a door just opened.
Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"
Princess Sen: "It's been too long! ...Ah, well, no, I suppose not... No matter! How are you, Shimohi?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "S-Sen?! What are you doing here?"
'I'd nearly fallen over in surprise when she appeared, and my heart was only starting to beat again.'
(Bless it! No drink for me...)
'Sen just smiled.'
Princess Sen: "Whatever do you mean? Did I not say we would see you in Edo? I suspected you'd come here, so I thought I'd wait. I see you've brought young master Toudou and...Sanan, was it?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, Thanks for what you did the other day. You really saved our asses."
Keisuke Sanan: "You are the girl who claims to be a demon, I believe? What is your business here?"
'Sen smiled and greeted both Heisuke and Sanan with a nod, then turned to me.'
Princess Sen: "Before we speak of anything else, I fear I have done you wrong."
Huh? How?
'Suddenly, she bowed deeply...to me!'
Princess Sen: "I must apologize for my behavior at our last meeting. My words called into question the quality of your heritage, and perhaps even of your character. I am so very sorry..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-What?! But you said those things to save me!"
'Sen's speech to Kazama had clearly been calculated to showcase herself as the preferable option at the cost of my own reputation.'
...which I'd prefer to being forced to be the wife of that terrible, awful, despicable man.
'Taking offense at that, however, was the furthest thing from my mind. The sevice she had done me far outweighed any slight. I was far more concerned for Sen, and the promise she had made with Kazama for my sake.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'm more worried about you, Sen. You made some pretty serious promises to Kazama about...um..."
Princess Sen: "You mean the bit about bearing his child?"
Yeah... That's the part I didn't want to say out loud...
Princess Sen: "Well, I have been getting rather lonely! Ha... No, In truth this is a choice that will benefit my clan first, and myself second."
'She gave a strained laugh, and went on to explain that demons were rare, and women even more so. For that reason, demon women were expected to produce demon children from strong bloodlines. Kazama wasn't a pleasant man, but his blood was pure.'
*gags* Dang it... (Let me guess, reading a specific part of this book series left a bad taste in your mouth when saying the word "pure", right?) ...Hit. Nail. Head. (Thought so.)
Princess Sen: "In truth, I'd been dodging this duty for some time. Now seems as good a time to fulfill my obligation as any. Kazama is from a powerful clan, his blood is pure, and his lineage is excellent."
Shimohi Yukimura: "B-But you don't even love him..."
(And...There's those "modern sensibilities" sneaking in.)
Princess Sen: "True. But I want to keep our race alive, as does he. In a sense, this agreement is mutually beneficial."
'Arranged marriages weren't uncommon for humans, and it appeared demons were no different.'
(At least for the demons in this 'verse.) Not really for your type of demons, Akurei?
'As a princess of her clan, Sen was unlikely to be allowed to marry for love. If it hadn't been Kazama, it would have been some other man, likely as much of a stranger. But even so, I couldn't help but feel bad for my friend. She smiled.'
Princess Sen: "...If you feel sad for me then please, let the man you choose be a man you love. For my sake."
(Well, it seems now you have even more of a reason than before to hook up with Heisuke in this "'verse" as you call it.)
Princess Sen: "It matters little if he is demon, human, or...something else, so long as you love him."
And I do. (Among a bunch of other people!) It's not like I can love more than one person in an ethical manner. (*facepalm*)
'I saw her eyes look past me toward Heisuke and Sanan.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Sen..."
'I wasn't sure what to say, so I just looked down at my fidgeting hands.'
Princess Sen: "Oh come now, don't be like that! After all, I have not come here for the sole reason of lecturing you on love!"
Then why are you here?
Princess Sen: "Kimigiku has investigated the furies."
Heisuke Toudou: "What?"
'Suddenly the air changed. Heisuke and Sanan both looked up, and I could feel their interest like a fire at my back.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Did...did you learn anything? About the furies? Or perhaps about the Water of Life?"
Princess Sen: "Indeed we have. Before they came to you, the shogunate conducted fury experiments of their own, with undiluted Water of Life. I thought perhaps you should know the outcome of those experiments."
(I just hope those were double-blind experiments with a clear control group, otherwise they'll be scientificly worthless.) (...) (Pansy, I'm just saying that for Shimohi since there's no way someone like her past incarnation would know anything about that in this time period.)
'My stomach twitched.'
Princess Sen: "The Water of Life has a certain connection to the demon race, but not, necessarily, to you and I. You see, it was the blood of demons from the west--from France."
Holy crap! (Oh, yeah, you're modern incarnation has some French ancestry.)
Heisuke Toudou: "...Wait, you're telling me there are demons outside of Japan?"
(Duh! Proof of that is talking right now!)
Princess Sen: "Yes and no. There are creatures that are much like is in some ways, and quite different from us in others. They have the same strength and healing abilities that we do, but while these western demons suffer from bloodlust and feel weak under the sun's rays, we Japanese demons do not."
(Yeah... I'm thinking these "western demons" are actually what most would call "vampires". Especially given that in some bits of vampire lore, drinking vampire blood makes you a vampire yourself.) (...) (Yes, I'm speaking for Shimohi again.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Then...the weaknesses the furies have aren't the result of some mistake, we just inherited them from the western demons?"
That's exactly what it sounds like.
Keisuke Sanan: "This is fascinating... So this demon blood is what allows the Water of Life to give such god-like power to humans?"
Princess Sen: "God-like? Don't be ridiculous. You do not understand the consequences of forcing demonic power into a human shell."
'She sighed heavily and shook her head. I got the impression that it wasn't Sanan's ignorance that disturbed her, but his interest. Whatever news she had for use was not good, but Sanan seemed oblivious. Heisuke, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed the same things I had. His eyes flicked to mine for a split second before going back to Sen.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...What do you mean by that? Is there more than just being weak during the day and going crazy for blood?"
Princess Sen: "As you know, furies share the same regeneration and strength as demons, but the original body of the fury is still human."
Keisuke Sanan: "Cut to the chase, woman. What are you getting at?"
Dude, she has a name you know! (Isn't that kind of hypocritical to call Sanan out like that?) I'll use his name again when he stops acting like an asshole.
Princess Sen: "...A human body is different from a demon's. The demonic power the Water of Life grants is too much for it. Every time a fury heals their wounds, or using their newfound strength, they chip away at their lives."
'...What?'
Is that really supposed to sound like what I think it did? (I'm mostly thinking... Yes.)
'I didn't understand what she was trying to say.'
(Dang, there's some lost sync there. Sorry...)
Heisuke Toudou: "Chip away...?"
'I barely even heard him. My ears were buzzing, and my entire body felt suddenly cold. If Sen meant what I thought she did... When I spoke, my voice shook.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Th-Then...Heisuke and Sanan..."
Princess Sen: "..."
(Get on with it!) (That's two dollars for the jar!)
Princess Sen: "...During the experiments the shogunate conducted, each of the men turned to furies used up the...life...they had, and turned to ash. Without exception."
'To ash.'
(Yes, "To ash. And I'm not talking about the dubs name for Satoshi!")
Shimohi Yukimura: "No...that's not possible..."
"That's impossible!" ("Search your heart, you know it to be true.") (*facepalm* Now a Star Wars quote...)
Heisuke Toudou: "What're you saying?! You mean Sanan and I are just gonna die soon?"
Princess Sen: "...You needn't believe me if you don't care to, but remember that I warned you. If you do not wish to unduly shorten your lifespan, refrain from the use of your fury powers."
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, your 'warning' is very much appreciated."
'Sanan's voice dripped with sarcasm. Sen turned to me.'
Princess Sen: "I intend to have Kimigiku investigate this matter further. Might I inquire as to where you are staying just now?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh... Well, we're using one of the hatamoto mansions as our headquarters at the moment. If you ask someone to take you to the Shinsengumi headquarters, I'm sure they'll know the way."
Princess Sen: "I see. Well then, if I should discover anything of import, I shall be sure to visit you there. Well, um... Nevermind. Until we meet again, then!"
'She seemed unsure how to end the conversation, so she smiled, bowed slightly, and then turned and left.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...guys?"
'They didn't look good. I suspected I didn't look much better. Sen's story had been a shock to all of us.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, we may not have found anything useful here, but we did learn how to cure the bloodlust, hm?"
Really? (I'm sure the gist of that is that the bloodlust was a feature, not a bug.)
'He spat the words and turned to leave as well.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Where are you going?"
Wait, is the "cure" to make more Water of Life, but using Japanese demon blood rather than, apparently, French demon blood? (I'm thinking that'll be a "yes".)
Keisuke Sanan: "...Back to the mansion. There's nothing else for me here, and I would like to gather my thoughts."
'Heisuke and I were alone then, our only companion an awkward silence. I knew if we talked, our conversation would immediately turn to Sen's revelation, and the thought of Heisuke's face as he considered his own demise was too painful for words.'
(Aside from the words you're using right now.)
'At least he spoke.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...C'mon Shimohi, why're you looking so spooked? After all, we did learn something. That's good, right?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Aren't you scared...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, a little, but I can't say I haven't benefited from becoming a fury. Hardly seems fair to complain now. Besides, so long as I don't go crazy with this stiff, I should be able to live a little longer, right? Just need to lay off the super-strength and regeneration. Easy."
'But even as he spoke them I could tell that Heisuke didn't believe a word he'd said.'
But I wouldn't be surprised if he was at least half trying to convince himself it's true...
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Since it had started, the war had only grown more intense. Without his fury powers, Heisuke would likely have died. If he stopped, he would die. If he didn't stop, he would die. Every road led to death...'
(Dude, all "roads" lead to death eventually. It's the one inevitability in life, aside from taxes.)
'He looked up at the sky and laughed, a hollow dead sound. Before I'd even realized it, I heard myself speak.'
-You don't have to act tough.-
-It'll be all right.-
Heisuke, you know I'll love you no matter what, right? You don't have to act tough for me...
Shimohi Yukimura: "You don't have to act tough, Heisuke..."
Heisuke Toudou: "What're you talking about? I'm not acting..."
[sarcasm] Right... [/sarcasm] I know a Stepford smile when I see one.
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yes you are! Just watching you try to smile hurts..."
'I grabbed hold of his sleeves and turned him to face me. The color had drained from his face, except for a few mottled patches on his cheeks, and his movements were stiff and jerky. I could hardly blame him... Death is much more frightening when you can see it coming.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I know I can't really do anything for you, but please promise me that you'll tell me when you're having a hard time. I don't want you putting on an act for my sake."
(Shimohi! That's the "I'm useless" angst again... *takes a drink*)
'My voice dropped to a mumble by the end, and I found myself staring at the floor. Heisuke laughed.'
(And... Flower point get!)
Heisuke Toudou: "Thanks, Shimohi. I donno if I can keep that promise, though... You know me, I'm a show-off. I always gotta act tough in front of the girl I l--I mean, in front of you. That's just what guys do, right?"
...I heard what was omitted "...in front of the girl I love." And while, yeah, guys have a culturally-bound tendency to do that. I'd say it's more manly to not care if you look weak or not.
Heisuke Toudou: "And besides, I know I'd die before I'd let something happen to you. So...I don't think I can really make that promise."
*LOL* I'm fine with doing one's best and forgiving the slip-ups in this case...
'...Oh, Heisuke... Even after learning he'd probably die long before his time, he was still trying his best to look cool.'
(And mostly succeeding. *thumb up* Nice!)
'It was hard for me to fault him, though, because whenever he smiled it was like the rain stopped and the sun peeked through the clouds.'
And the petrichor wafting though the air... Yeah, that's nice... ("Petrichor"?) (That's figuratively "the smell of rain".)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke... You're such an idiot."
...In the most endearing sense of the word possible.
Heisuke Toudou: "Heh. Well, maybe I am. ...And look, don't think you can't do anything for me, all right? Just having you around makes me happy enough. So...thanks. Again."
'No matter how he might be feeling, Heisuke would always have a smile for me. That was just the sort of man he was.'
(Just...)
'The cold February air hit us the moment we stepped outside.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Aren't you cold?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Hm? Oh, no, I'm all right. Isn't winter almost over? It should be spring soon..."
And remember folks, "There are no cicadas in spring!" (*facefault*) (Pansy, why did you fall?) (I DON'T KNOW.) Indeed, usually you don't use expressions like this... (Aside from the "facepalm".) ...Aside from the facepalm, while making a reference to a web animated series I think needs more love. (...why me...?)
'Only a year ago, we'd been dealing with the events surrounding the creation of the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb. In just a single year, so much had happened...'
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, you're right. It's almost spring... Hey...Shimohi? I was thinking about what Sen said earlier..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh?"
Which thing Sen talked about earlier?
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, she said that if we use our fury powers a lot, then we'll turn into ash, but that's not the case then why hasn't something happened to Sanan yet?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "I hadn't thought of that..."
Maybe the dilution of the Water of Life dampens the "ash effect" so that it doesn't happen so quickly...?
'It had been a while since Sanan had become a fury. Three years, in fact, if I was doing the math right. During that time, he'd fought in plenty of battles, and used his fury strength and healing countless times, but he hadn't turned to ash or even shown signs of suffering from the bloodlust...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Then you think maybe Sen got something wrong?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I donno about that... I was just thinking, maybe he does get the bloodlust, but--"
Well, he did attack me twice in an attempt to drink my blood...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke?! What's wrong?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Argh...!"
Oh shit! This doesn't look good! (Indeed, even the background music's gone... As humans might say, "creepy".)
'He was bent double with pain, and a sudden sweat was already beginning to give his skin a sickly shine. When he swallowed, it was clearly with great effort, and I could hear pain in every breath he drew. I had seen him like this before...'
Heisuke Toudou: "H-Heh... What're the chances...?"
'I knew what I had to do...'
-Give him blood.-
-Give him medicine.-
-Make him endure it.-
*sigh* I know what I have to do here... (And I'm going to take a drink for that "giving of blood"...)
'I pulled out my sword and drew it across my arm.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah! ...Here, Heisuke. Drink this!"
'The pain had brought Heisuke to his knees, so when he reached up to take my hand I was struck with the sudden realization that he looked like a man begging a priest for forgiveness.'
(...or the members of the Embryon tribe trying to keep their Atma under control in Quantum Devil Saga. Or at least how Shimohi imagined that scene where Sera saved the Embryon tribe from their first spat of bloodlust...)
'I felt his lips touch my wrist--'
(And I'm taking that drink! *takes drink*)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ow..."
'His tongue felt strange against the wound on my arm, and my first instinct was to pull away. ...But I didn't. If this was all it took to take away his pain, then a little discomfort on my part was nothing. He drank ravenously, and tiny droplets of fresh blood trickled down his lips and chin. At last he seemed to have had his fill, and he sat back, his eyes clearer than they had been before. Had the bloodlust passed...?'
(I sure hope so...)
Heisuke Toudou: "Man... Not again... Sorry about that, Shimohi."
Ah, don't worry about it.
Shimohi Yukimura: Oh, it's not a problem at all! I'll heal right up. If this makes you hurt less, then I'll do it as many times as I have to."
Heisuke Toudou: "...You're not real bright, are you? Even if it heals it still hurts."
(*looks up* *LOL* First you say he's an idiot, and now he says "you're not real bright". You two are practically made for each other!) ...Akurei, dude, not funny... (But it IS funny! Funny as heaven that is! *LOL*) *sigh* ...
'Yes, it did hurt, but a quick cut on my arm was an easy price to pay if it would end the heart-wrenching agony Heisuke suffered under the influence of the bloodlust. I thought about telling him, but decided a smile would suffice.'
(And...)
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Several days passed. The Shinsengumi was renamed the Kouyou Regulatory Company in an attempt to disguise themselves from the Imperial Army, and sent to secure the area surrounding Koufu Castle. Kondou returned, along with the new orders, after his long absence. The Fury Corps was held back in the interest of continued secrecy, but nearly everyone else was ordered to depart for Koufu.'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'Something in the air told me that this would be like Toba-Fushimi, and that worried me. Only a few days after the Kouyou Regulatory Company was "formed" and ordered to Koufu, Hijikata called for Heisuke and myself. He looked slightly haggard, and more stern than usual.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "It's gonna be rough for Kondou, but this's a battle we won't win."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-What? But it hasn't even started! How can you be so sure?"
'I knew Hijikata said very little without carefully considering it first, but this was something of a shock.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Calm down, Shimohi. If Hijikata thinks so, then he's probably right."
Toshizo Hijikata: "...Yeah. Kondou wasn't at Toba-Fushimi. This still thinks we can win if we get in close, regardless of how powerful their funs are. It's...not that easy."
'Kondou's courage and--if we were to be honest, recklessness--had helped inspire the Shinsengumi in the past, but this was a different sort of enemy from any they'd fought before. For a moment I was back at Toba-Fushimi, the air thick with deadly bullets. I shivered.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "B-But...if you already know you're going to lose, why are you going?!"
Toshizo Hijikata: "You know Kondou. You really think he'd back down from a Efight? Ever? No. Most I can do is try and limit our casualties."
(And we have a text error. Which is merely being reproduced here. Most likely that should read "You really think he'd back down from a fight?")
Toshizo Hijikata: "Which is why you're here. I want you two to prepare for our counterattack. Work with Matsumoto and gather up as many guns and as much ammo as you can."
'Such an order was nothing strange of Heisuke, but it was rare for Hijikata to directly order me to do anything that didn't involve tea.'
Which is a nice change of pace. I like it!
'Perhaps it was nothing more than an indication of how desperate our situation was, and yet...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um...Hijikata? Are you sure you want me to stay here? I'm not supposed to go with the Regulatory Company?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Why send you to a battle we know we're going to lose? No. Safer to stay here. ...Well, maybe not as safe as I'd like."
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey, c'mon. I'm gonna be here, and a bunch of the other guys. You're hurting my feelings, Commander."
'He grinned, but Hijikata just shook his head. There was no trace of a smile there--indeed, his frown deepened even further.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Not doubting you, Heisuke. ...Have you heard about the killer who's running around Edo? I saw one of his victims. The body was cut up so bad we couldn't even identify it."
You thinking what I'm thinking? (...That this is the work of Sanan?) (Wait? You're not going to do some inane "Pinky and the Brain" reference?) Not this time. There's a time and a place for silly stuff and the same for serious business. This is a time for the latter. (But thanks for lampshading that for us!) (*headdesk* ...Why me...?)
'I didn't know about Heisuke, but I'd certainly heard the rumors. The killer didn't care if his victims were men or women; old or young. Still, as frightening as he was, it didn't seem very likely that a killer would try to attack the Shinsengumi headquarters.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "That remind you of anything? Another dead guy back in Kyoto, maybe?"
Yes.
Heisuke Toudou: "Oh shit... You mean Sanan...?"
(D-Did Heisuke read our minds or something?) Nah, most likely he just came to the same conclusion we did on his own.
Toshizo Hijikata: "Yeah. It's a little too close for comfort."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh!"
'Back in Kyoto, Sanan and his team of furies had spent most of their time chasing down or killing ronin. Once, they'd cut a man almost literally to ribbons. I hadn't seen it,b ut the descriptions I'd overheard had been sickening. If these Edo killings were similar...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "B-But it's not ronin this time! These people are just...people! Do you really think Sanan could...could..."
(Yes. Kill innocents like that.) (That was rather blunt.) Yeah, yeah, brutal honesty is one of Akurei's "things"...
Toshizo Hijikata: "I'm not saying anything yet, but you should be prepared for the worst. ...And don't tell Sanan any of this. Heisuke, while I'm gone I want you keeping an eye on Sanan. ...And her, too."
Heisuke Toudou: "Right. On it."
'The next day the mansion felt strangely empty. Only myself, Heisuke, and the Fury Corps remained.'
(And...)
'Several days later, Heisuke and I were on our way back from a meeting with Doctor Matsumoto. Hijikata had set the wheels in motion before he left, so our task had been relatively easy. Sanan, however, was still a concern. So far he hadn't done anything to merit suspicion, and I was beginning to think that perhaps Hijikata had been overthinking things.'
(Well, that is something you do yourself on occasions.) (Oh yeah, Shimohi's "Overthinking Things" posts...)
'We were nearly back to the mansion when Heisuke held out a hand to stop me.'
Looks like something dangerous is afoot...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Oh? Is something wrong?"
(That's kind of the implication here...)
Hesuke Toudou: "Shhh..."
(As in "said danger could hear us"...)
'I strained my ears, but heard nothing. No clang of swords, no men screaming in pain.'
(You've got a stalker! You've got a stalker! You do! I don't! You're gonna die! And I can sleep at night!) (Monster! That was uncalled for!)
'In fact, it was quiet. Very quiet.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't hear anything..."
Heisuke Toudou: "Exactly. It's too quiet. Something's wrong."
Dun... (Dun...) [simultaneous] Dun! (Dun!) [/simultaneous] (*facepalm* Both of you are nuts...)
'Of course! Even with most of the Shinsengumi gone to Koufu Castle, the mansion was never this quiet. During the day, perhaps, when all the furies were asleep, but at night we should have heard one or two conversations. Tonight, there was nothing. It didn't take us long to determine that the mansion was completely empty.'
(Shortly...)
'We ran outside and into the vacant streets of nighttime Edo.'
(Which will someday be renamed "Tokyo"...)
'With the Imperial Army still on the march, and the more recent rumors of vicious killings in the city, it wasn't surprising to find no one on the street at night.'
(Yeah, this is like Christmas in London in the 'Verse of Doctor Who...)
Heisuke Toudou: "Damnit... Hijikata told me to keep an eye on Sanan!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "It's not your fault, Heisuke. Even you can't watch him all the time."
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, I guess you're right... Still, we've gotta find him as soon as possible!"
Right!
'We had no real evidence to suggest why Sanan and the Fury Corps had disappeared, but it wasn't difficult to guess. My hopes that we might be wrong were shattered by a scream.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke! Over there!"
'A pair of men stood, several yards away, each with a glistening sword in his hand. Lying at their feet was a young girl, face-down in a pool of blood.'
Heisuke Toudou" "You bastards!"
(Interesting choice of words, Heisuke.) Enough about that, we all know Heisuke's the heroic type... (Of bastard.) Yeah...that...
'Heisuke leapt toward them like the wind, his sword already out. His sword bit deep into one man's side, then swong around to carve a deep red line through the other's legs. No human could have survived his attack.'
(Then again, these aren't humans we're dealing with.)
'...No human.'
(Yeah, that was the key word there.)
'I watched as the two men stood, unconcerned with their mortal wounds, and felt my stomach drop.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Furies?! Then they're..."
'Even as I spoke, their wounds closed and the turned to run. Before Heisuke could begin to give chase, I heard the whisper of metal passing through flesh. One of the furies froze, twitched, and...split. Standing behind him, glaring out at us through the spray of blood, was a demon.'
Oh no... (Not this asshole again...) (Do you really think it's Daemon again?)
Chikage Kazama: "Hmph. Not worth my time..."
HEY BITCHES! [simultaneous] *gestures toward Chikage and Daemon* See! (*gestures toward Chikage and Daemon* See!) [/simultaneous] (Yeeeaaahh! What do you want? And we're out of every kind of cheese and dounut imaginable, and even a few non-existent types.) (That's one more dollar for the jar.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Kazama?!"
'I ran to the girl and turned her over to check for a pulse.'
(I highly doubt you're going to find one...)
'There was none.'
(Told ya.)
'I pursed my lips and took a quick, deep breath before turning to look at Kazama.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Why are you here?"
And if it's your usual reason, the answer is still... (As it's always been.) ..."No way! Go away and go fuck yourself!"
Chikage Kazama: "I could ask you the same. ...Now, could you tell your pet Shinsengumi to stop adding to my problems by releasing their disguisting creatures into the streets?"
'Heisuke rolled the dead fury over with a shove of his foot and grimanced. He was one of ours.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, this was one of our guys, I donno though..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Do you think Sanan did this?"
(*shakes magic eight-ball* ..."All sources say "Yes".) (Where did you get that?) (Hammerspace. Where else do I get these random objects? The Internet?)
'Our worst fears were proving to be true, and neither Heisuke nor I was pleased about it. He frowned, and rubbed his hand across his chin in thought.'
Chikage Kazama: "What do you mean? Are you saying you didn't command this filth to go forth and murder?"
... What?! ...For once, your avatar made a correct guess. (Dude, that IS really strange...)
'Heisuke looked at Kazama for several long moments, weighing his options. At last he sighed.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...No. The man who's in charge of them is the man you leads our Fury Corps. It's looking like he thinks he can just do whatever he wants while the chief's out of town."
(As the saying going, "When the cat's away, the mice will play.")
Chikage Kazama: "Pathetic. But then, what can one expect from farmers and peasants? You can't even control your own men."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
'As maddening as his attitude was, his words struck home.'
(Dude... That was...) ...an "Armor Piercing Question". Yeah! Oh yeah! Chikage and I were right! You bitches are absolutely WRONG! Dude! You just had a point. THAT! WAS! ALL! Gods above and below! And you wonder why we hate you so much...
'Kazama considered us for a few seconds before continuing.'
Chikage Kazama: "...Fine. Tell me where I can find the so-called leader of these creatures."
Heisuke Toudou: "Why? Don't tell me you're planning on helping us..."
[simultaneous] What!? What!? [/simultaneous] Jinx! (You owe Shimohi a Dew!) Huh? (As in a "Mountain Dew".) That's not what I mean! Why do this whole "Jinx" shit with me but ignore it when it's you and your imaginary friends!? 'Cause...Reasons.
Chikage Kazama: "I'm not here to wipe your collective asses, but soemthing has to be done or eventually the Satsuma will catch wind of it and demand I deal with the problem. Less work for me if I destroy the root cause now."
'Then...he did intend to help us...?'
...In the most tsundere way possible. No! No, no, no! I do NOT work with bitches as equals! I COMMAND bitches, not WORK WITH THEM!
'I stared at Kazama, but he only smirked back at me.'
Chikage Kazama: "And besides... Seeing these fakes running around makes me sick."
(And... That's another one! *takes drink*) What are you doing? ...And drinking for that matter? Oh, Akurei's just... (...Playing the Hakuoki Drinking Game motherfucker! ...Oh, and this isn't real blood. It's just an amazing imitation of, altough still not as good as, the real deal.) Th-This bitch really is a... ("Monster", yeah. Aside from the profanity there, I agree with that. Hence why I keep calling her "Monster" all the time.)
'Heisuke frowned, none too pleased about having Kazama around, but there was no denying the demon's skill.'
I agree with Heisuke about the opinion of the dude, yet I also can't deny the asshole has amazing sword skills...
'The three of us searched the city, but found no more of the Shinsengumi's furies.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I can't find them anywhere. There are a lot of 'em, and the streets are practically empty. I donno where they all went..."
Chikage Kazama: "Have you considered that perhaps you are merely a terrible investigator? Clearly I should have conducted this search on my own. No doubt I would have found them already..."
*spits* Little beta male... Dude! No need to do that kind of petty sniping here!
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, well, I didn't ask you to stick around. You wanna go off and find them on your own? Fine by me! And go ant get stuffed while you're at it!
*LOL* (...If this was Australia, this would be as improbable...) (If not impossible.) ...as when I keep telling you to, "Go fuck yourself"! Wha...? (*facepalm* In Australia, "stuffed" is slang for "being pregnant".) You three... *slaps Daemon* ...are a bunch of violent psychopatic sickos! Dude, I'm going to slap you everytime you attempt to compare us to female dogs! So, If I were you, I'd drop that habit altogether.
Shimohi Yukimura: "C-Calm down you guys! We still have to find Sanan!"
... (...) (...) ... ...Yeah, that is the biggest priority right now.
'With their history, it wasn't surprising Kazama and Heisuke would have trouble getting along, but the level of tension between them was getting so high it was difficult to breathe.'
What!? The social conflict between Daemon and I are somehow affecting my past incarnation?! I'm so sorry about that! Uh... Hey! That's just a strange coincidence you... *ji...* Hey, I didn't call you that! Don't stare at me! ...Much better... Thank...you... (Kind of hard to set aside that kind of well deserved hatred at this point.) (*clears throat* Eventually...)
'Their bickering continued in the form of under-the-breath insults and mutterings until we returned to the Shinsengumi mansion.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Guys, over there! Is that...Sanan and Sen?!"
Chikage Kazama: "What? Why would a demon princess have anything to do with a fake?"
(Another one down the hatch! *takes drink*) *sigh* What's the "Drinking game rule" that's prompting this? (It's the "Kazama talks about the furies being fakes" rule. It's worth one drink.)
'Had Sen come to see me? I froze, stunned.'
Keisuke Sanan: "*Indistinct speech*"
(What!? Speak up! We can't comprehend what you're saying right now!)
Princess Sen: "*Insidtinct angry reply*"
Uh... I'm thinking Sen might need some help, soon if not right now.
'I was too far away to hear what they were saying, but it sounded as if they were arguing... Just as I began wondering what they could be arguing about, Sanan suddenly leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Sen.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"
Heisuke Toudou: "What in the--?!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't..."
'Now they were...kissing?!'
Then again, maybe "it's not what it looks like", as you might say... ...I can only hope so.
'I glanced over at Heisuke. He looked just as confused, and more than a little disgusted. Clearly, neither of us knew what to make of the strange scene before us, but this was clear... The fear and hate in Sen's eyes left no doubt that this was not a romanic encounter.'
Okay, time to break this up! (Yeah!) Seriously!? We're going to interrupt Sanan's conquest? [simultaneous] YES! (YES!) [/simultaneous]
Princess Sen: "*Gasp* Argh...!"
'She collapsed to the floor, and as she lifted her head I saw something red fall from her lips. Was that...blood?'
(I'm going to hazard a guess and say, "Yes.")
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh my, I didn't expect to see you here. Have you come to witness her last moments before she becomes a fury?"
Wait! What!?
Heisuke Toudou: "No... Sanan, don't tell me you made her drink the Water of Life?!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "What?!"
(Then again, I have no idea what sort of effect Strange Youth Water will have on an actual demon...) (It's called "Water of Life"!) What?! Oh, it's just that Akurei and Niyagi have this ongoing argument over the translation of several words and "Ochimizu" is one of them. Should one go with a more literal translantion? Resulting in "Strange Youth Water"? Or should one use a bit of a cultural translation with a result of "Water of Life"? ...Nerds. (How DARE you! I! Am! Not! A! NERD!)
Keisuke Sanan: "No, of course not. I've no need for that any longer! Anyone who drinks my blood will become a fury under my command!"
(You mean "Rakshasa"?) (No! It's "Fury"!) ...And "Rasetsu" is another one of those words. But, either way, the traits of these "humans with demon powers"... Yeah, kind of resemble vampires more than anything else.
Keisuke Sanan: "I am no longer a normal fury. I have drunk blood with no thought as to whether it was right or wrong, and it has granted me new strength! I have been chosen!"
'His voice shook just slightly with unmistakable tremor of ecstatic madness. I didn't know how much of what he said was true, but...'
Princess Sen: "...Aah..."
'There was no denying that Sen was in pain!'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Sanan! Why did you do this to Sen?!"
(If it turns out to be "for science" I'm draining my cup!) What?! Oh, Akurei also makes drinking bets with herself sometimes. Typically, if her prediction comes true, her "penalty" is usually to drink whatever's left in her cup.
Keisuke Sanan: "Isn't that obvious? She is to be the glorious leader of a kingdom of furies! In name, at least. A demon who has been overcome by the blood of a fury... She will symbolize the fate of all demons!"
Chikage Kazama: "Enough..."
'His voice was a low growl.'
Chikage Kazama: "Enough of this bullshit!"
Yeah! Unhand Chikage's bitch right now! Dude, while I'd rather not see the birth of a vampric demon army... *slaps Daemon again* ...I'll NOT have you disrespect Sen like that!
'His voice tore through the air with the naked fury of a bolt of lightning.'
Chikage Kazama: "You...you filth! You disgusting animal! How dare you even touch a pure-blooded demon!"
'Kazama's kands twisted into white-knuckled fists.'
Chikage Kazama: "You are nothing! A fake! I'll tear you to pieces and scatter them to the four winds!"
(And... That's another drink! *takes a drink*)
'Both men launched themselves forward with a roar. I could feel the rage coming off of Kazama in waves, like heat from a fire. I wanted nothing more than to run and hide where he would never find me.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, you're awfully angry, aren't you? He he he... I think you'll probably kill me if I don't do something. ...So do something, Princess Fury! Kill them!"
Princess Sen: "I...will never...yield to the likes of you!"
(Yeah! Demonic pride and willpower represent!)
'Her hair was soaked with sweat and her face was pale and waxy. A hand clawed desperately at her chest, but Sen's eyes were full of fury, and fixed inmmovably on Sanan. The pain she was in looked nigh-unbearable. Just looking at her made my own heart ache in sympathy. Sanan could never be forgiven for this!'
Keisuke Sanan: "Ah... You've remained conscious, I see. Well, that will make your inevitable defeat much more satifsfying. I suppose I should have known a demon princess would be somewhat more resilient. Not like this rabble..."
'He gestued carelessly with one hand, and more furies than I could count crept from the shadows. They appeared on the roof of the mansion, from behind walls, through windows...everywhere.'
(Bless... It's like what Cartman thinks of hippies... Wait, do these vampires sparkle?) ... If they do, Akurei's counting that as an excuse to kill them all.
Heisuke Toudou: "The Fury Corps!"
Keisuke Sanan: "It looks as if I'll have to wait a bit longer before my demon princess is ready to become a fury bride."
(Or, more like "vampire bride"!) Shut up with the vampire jokes! (Sorry, but I keep telling those two to stop doing those silly and stupid jokes and references, but they keep doing it no matter how many times I demand they stop...)
Heisuke Toudou: "You're going to run away?! Damnit! Move it, jerks!"
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh, that's pointless you know. They won't listen to you. The won't listen to anyone. ...Well, anyone but me."
Akurei...? (Oh, right... What with all the "vampire" stuff and now what with him saying "muda", we might as well call him "Dio Brando" by now.) Who I hate just as much as you, Daemon.
'Their faces showed neither the mindless hunger of bloodlust, nor the set expressions of warriors. Instead, there was...nothing.'
So... (They're "Zombies"? Yeah, we thought that was Keisuke Sanan, but it was HIM! Dio! The whole time!)
'Flat, un-focused eyes stared back at Heisuke with no more emotion than they might show for a stone. Sanan grinned and giggled to himself, while Kazama growled and ground his teeth.'
Chikage Kazama: "Your laugh is annoying!"
(Just wait 'till he bends over backward and screams "WRY!!!") *sigh* *headdesk* (Welcome to my world...)
Chikage Kazama: "Your pathetic creations won't stop me. I doubt they'll even slow me down! Soon, you'll feel my sword in your throat!"
Keisuke Sanan: "He he he he. I'd love to see you try..."
'Sen had gone nearly limp from exhaustion. Sanan picked her up with a single hand and took a step back. The wall of furies closed in front of them, and they disappeared from view.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, I look forward to our encounter, in the kingdom of furies."
Chikage Kazama: "Damnit... Get out of my way, filth!"
'I started to run after them, but stopped myself. Anything I did would only make things more difficult for Heisuke and Kazama.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Shimohi, stay here!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "B-But Sen is--!"
If there's a good reason for it, I'll stay. So, what's the reason?
'Then the fight began, and Sanan's laughter and my voice were both drowned out by the sound of sword on sword. Sen!'
NO!!! Damn it! Why do you care about just about anyone else BUT ME!? Because you've been acting like an asshole around me for so long that you pretty much ARE an "Asshole". And I don't like assholes... (Like Dr. Muraki. Or the aforementioned Dio Brando. Heck, we can even add Chikage Kazama to that list.)
'I knew it lasted barely minutes, but when the battle finally ended I felt as if it had been hours since we'd seen Sanan and Sen.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
'The ground was littered with dead furies. Heisuke's shoulders drooped, and Kamaza slammed his fist into a wall over and over, cursing with each blow.'
(*looks up* I think they got the last two sylabuls of "Kazama" mixed up in that one sentence.)
Chikage Kazama: "Damn that fake! How dare he outwit me!"
(Yeah, that was a typing error up there.)
Heisuke Toudou: "...He said something about a kingdom up north. What the hell was that about?!"
"The north"? What I heard was an announcement of Sanan's ambiton to lead a nation of Rakshasa/Furies/Vampires/whatever. [simultaneous] ([sarcasm] Way to be non-commital about the translation debate... [/sarcasm]) ([sarcasm] Way to be non-commital about the translation debate... [/sarcasm]) [/simultaneous] See what I mean! You three don't pull a "Jinx" on each other! If we did, it'd be kind of pointless since the three of us use the same "pool" of money. That's our main "reason".
'I too wonderd what Sanan was planning, and what he would do with Sen...'
(Yeah, Shimohi, Heisuke has a point. Your past incarnation isn't too bright.) It sounds like Sanan's planning on becoming ruler of his own nation and he'll force Sen to have his children.
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Sen..."
'For the time being, though, all I could do was pray that she was safe.'
----------------------------------------------------------
And that was the the beginning of what Akurei billed as "The strangest team-up in the history of this blog". In other words: Akurei, Niyagi and I actually working together with Daemon Spearmeister of all people. (*facepalm* You really need to find the latest note on how much you and Akurei owe the reference jar...)
Monty Python Reference Jar
Akurei: $60
Shimohi: $32
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