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 Seven-
September 1868
(Hey! This is Shimohi's birth month!) (Maybe this is a good sign...)
'The first thing I noticed as we entered the town that afternoon was how eerily silent it was. It was the middle of the day, but the streets were practically empty. Even those who did brave them were as silent as the grave--the wind made more noise than any human.'
(*snickers* Interesting that the game mentioned "the grave"...) (Okay, can you stop with this "vampire" thing? Even I'm getting annoyed by this!)
'The lack of activity made it easier for us to move about unseen, but... It hardly seemed fitting for a city founded and ruled by the legendary Date family. If it was this dire and ominous in the daylight, I wondered, what would it be like at night?'
(Worse than spending five, or seven nights, at Freddy Fazbears Pizza.)
'Sendai at night was like the lair of a fantastical villain.'
Welcome! Ladies, gentlemen, and variations thereof... To the home of your average straw misogynist!
'Sanan's fury soldiers ruled the town with a fist made of iron and drenched in blood. Terrified of the voracious bloodlust of the furies, the citizens barricaded themselves in their houses when night fell. With doors shut and lights extinguished, Sendai felt like a ghost town. We saw shapes moving in the shadows, but there was no mistaking them for human.'
(I bet that it's only because they looked more interesting.)
'It was like we'd stumbled into a nightmare.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "It's like the whole town is dead..."
Heisuke Toudou: "Do you really think Sanan did all this...?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Is this what he wants his kingdom of furies to be like?"
'Until we'd arrived in Sendai, I'd hoped that we might be able to convince Sanan to stop and abandon his insane plans.'
I'm thinking it's more like he's insane at this point.
'But as I looked around at the dead, empty tomb he'd created, I knew that could never happen. The town was massive, and yet our footsteps were the only sound.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "There's nobody here..."
Heisuke Toudou: "It makes it easier for us to sneak around, but this is just crazy..."
'We stood still and listened, desperate for any sign of life.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "...?"
Who... (Or "What".) ...is it?
'With our own silenced, I heard footsteps behind us. I turned... There stood a creature who looked human, save for the twisted, hungry grin on its face. It raised a sword--'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Look out, Shimohi!"
'The creature gurgled as Heisuke's blade struck it, and some of the monster's blood splattered onto his cheeks. It had barely even collapsed to the ground when suddenly the city exploded with motion. Drawn by the spilt blood, human figures appeared from every shadow. ...But they were not human.'
(They're furies.) (They're rakshasa... Who act a heck of a lot like vampires.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Furies. They've found us. Should we fight?"
(I know our Shimohi would say, "Yes"...I think. This one though...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "No, that's hopeless! There's thousands of them!"
Oh, didn't mention anything about how many of them there were.
Heisuke Toudou: "...Yeah, you're right. We should retreat--Damnit, they're already here!"
'A fury leapt at us then fell back, dead, Heisuke's blade sliding out of its heart.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Okay, there aren't too many of them. We should be able to get...away..."
I'm sensing there's some sort of obstacle in the way...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"
... (Shimohi...?) Yeah, Heisuke still looks hot with white hair and red eyes... (I thought that only applied to...) Nope, women can also be distracted by the sexy. (That's because both are humans...)
'The bloodlust? Now?!'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Just hang on, all right?!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah...I know... Gaddamnit! This isn't...the time...!"
'His face was stretched with agony, and the color was beginning to drain from it. I was ready to fight in his place if I had to, but I was hardly skilled with a sword. Better to--There! An empty house!'
Shimohi Yukimura: "C'mon, Heisuke! This way!"
Hurry!
'We ran in, and I slammed the door shut behind us. He slumped to the floor, panting.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Are you okay?!"
(Ask a stupid question...)
Heisuke Toudou: "Gah...augh..."
'I peered out through the crack between the door and its frame. The furies seemed to have given up on us, and were instead advancing toward the bodies of their fallen comrades.'
(Ah... The wonders of cannibalism...)
'My stomach turned, and I took my eye away from the crack. It seemed we were safe, for the moment, but the was no time to waste.'
-Give him blood.-
-Give him medicine.-
-Make him endure it.-
(*sigh* ...By this point, we all know what you're going to do...)
'I pressed my sword against my arm until I felt the skin part.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke..."
'There was no need to say anything else. He lowered his head to my arm and began to drink, as if we'd been doing it for years.'
(*snickers* ...the game said "doing it"...) *facepalm* You know what it meant...
'His tongue gently touched the skin around my wound, and the dull pain made me feel as if we were connected somehow.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...Thanks."
You're welcome. Still... (Drinking of Shimohi's blood! *takes a drink*) (You're still playing that stupid drinking game?)
Shimohi Yukimura: "You don't need to thank me."
'This, I realized, was why I'd come. Heisuke was my friend, and if he needed my help I would always be there to give it to him.'
(Oh snap!) (...This doesn't look good for your romantic prospects.)
'Even in that dead, haunted city, for a moment I felt warm, happy, and safe, and the cut on my arm barely hurt.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I'll gladly give you my blood any time you need it. All you have to do is ask."
"My voice..." (And blood.) "...is yours. So let my heart carry the beat!" (...Did you really have to quote a Vocaloid song here?) ([sarcasm] What do you think. [/sarcasm])
'Time passed, and eventually Heisuke's breathing returned to normal.'
Heisuke Toudou: "You..."
Oh no! This is the melencholy music...
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Hm?"
Heisuke Toudou: "You saved me again, huh..."
Aw, it was nothing much...
Heisuke Toudou: "...Thanks."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Saved you? I don't think I really did anything..."
Heisuke Toudou: "No, you've saved me a bunch of times. Even before I became a fury..."
'He sat down next to me and gazed off into the distance, at something I couldn't see.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...I've been thinking a lot lately. Like, how should I live my life, now that I'm some kinda blood-thirsty monster, you know?"
(Heisuke's "I'm a monster" angst! *takes a drink*)
Shimohi Yukimura: "You're not a monster."
(Yeah, that "honor" belongs to this...thing. *points to Akurei*) (Aw... Thanks for the compliment.)
Heisuke Toudou: "...That's sweet of you, but we both know what I am. Still, I'm all right with being a monster if it gives me the power to protect you. I'm a fury. This body's just like all those guys I just killed out there, but there's one thing I've got that they don't."
(A girlfriend?) A significant other? (*points at Shimohi*) [simultaneous] Oh! Aw... (Oh! Aw...) [/simultaneous]
'I looked at him quizzically. What one thing? He gave me a gentle smile.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I have you."
(Knew it.)
'It wasn't fair. How could his smile be so perfect and gentle and bright?'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke... If you say stuff like that, you're going to make me think you...um...you..."
...like me like I like you...? (That's a lot of "likes" there.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I do. Furies go crazy without blood, right? I'd go crazy..."
'He reached for my hand.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...without you."
'My heart swelled.'
Heisuke Toudou: "It's taken me awhile to realize how I feel about you, but... You've always been there for me. Whatever happens, I want to be there for you. So...I'm hoping we can...you know...be together."
Yeah... (*facepalm*) Akurei...? (No, it's not like I disapprove of this like I once did, it's just that... You keep getting distracted so often it's not even funny anymore!)
'I had now words to hell him how I felt: "Yes" would have been far to small to encompass all my emotions. So I tried something else...I kissed him.'
[simultaneous] (YES!!!) (YES!!!) [/simultaneous] (Finally!) (*sigh* ...It's about time.)
'He returned my advance with equal passion, and for that moment nothing else mattered.'
... (...) (...) ...yay! [simultaneous] (*facefault*) (*facefault*) [/simultaneous] (Wow... The intensity of Shimohi's emotions grew so great that it looped back to a Fluttershy "yay".)
'His hair brushed against my cheek, tickling it. He nibbled gently at my lips and I shivered. Though neither of us spoke, we knew: We loved each other.'
[simultaneous] Aw... (Aw...) (Aw...) [/simultaneous]
'Heisuke wrapped his arms around my back, and as he did I could feel them shake.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "...You can hold me tighter. I won't break. And I'm not going anywhere. So please, don't be shy."
'He was silent for a moment, and then, almost desperately, he embraced me. He didn't know when the bloodlust might cause him to lose his sanity, or when he might use up his lifeforce and turn to ash. He was scared, but...so was I. I couldn't bear to think of our time together being cut short by his... His death.'
(*sigh*...) But, that happens to everyone eventually... Death that is. (...) Which is why one should enjoy life while we still have it, while doing our best to make sure others can enjoy their lives as well along the way...
'But there was nothing to say, not then, so I returned his embrace. I wanted him to feel our hearts beating as one. Together, we could face the world. When I was scared and confused, Heisuke would lead the way, and when he was likewise, I would take the reins.'
(And then...)
'Some time later, we found ourselves hiding in a small copse of trees facing the gates of Sendai Castle. Nearby we could see several soldiers--likely furies--on patrol in front of it.'
'Encyclopedia updated.'
'The impregnable castle constructed many years ago by the legendary Date Masamune now played host to a villain.'
Heisuke Toudou: "All right how should we deal with this... It looks like they've only got two guards right now..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um, Heisuke...? Are you really just going to walk in the front door?"
(Well, "Sometimes you just gotta do something stupid to get results!") (*facepalm*)
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey, c'mon, you make it sound like I haven't thought it through! I have a plan, you know?"
Hope it's better than the one the guild "PALS FOR LIFE" came up with...
Shimohi Yukimura: "R-Really? Oh...okay..."
Heisuke Toudou: "You know how Sanan thinks, right? I figure he'd guard the back door rather than the front."
'That seemed reasonable enough... After our...encounter earlier, Heisuke seemed to be acting more and more like himself, while I had developed a sudden and extreme inability to look directly at his face without blushing furiously.'
(Oooo...) (Yeah, most definitely a crush.)
Heisuke Toudou: "You listening, Shimohi? Sanan's always been good at out-thinking people, so I figure he might not be expecting something so straightforward."
(Ah, going for the "too dumb to fool" approach...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Okay, but don't you think we should find Kimigiku first? She said she was going to find a way in..."
'No sooner had I spoken then we heard the sound of footsteps nearby. Heisuke and I spun around to see not Kazama or Kimigiku, but...'
(Let me guess, Sanan..?)
???: "He he he... Excellent insight, Toudou. You almost know me better than I know myself."
Akurei, that sounds like Sanan's voice...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah!"
Keisuke Sanan: "Then again, I might say the same about myself and you. I though you might try and enter this way, so I came to have a look around...and it seems I was right!"
(*looks up* Speaking of being right... I knew it!)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Sanan..."
Keisuke Sanan: "Indeed I am. Shame we haven't seen one another in so long."
'He was wearing western clothes now, but even so his smile still looked the same as it always had. In fact, nearly everything about him looked just the same as I remembered it... Except for the dark, sickening dread he seemed to exude from every pore.'
Keisuke Sanan: "You've come all this way to see my castle? I confess, I'm surprised to see both of you, I only expected Toudou..."
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, you get both of us. She's not going anywhere."
Buck yeah! (You thinking that you and Heisuke here could be a battle couple?)
Heisuke Toudou: "And calling somebody else's castle yours? You sure you're not counting your chickens before they hatch, Sanan?"
Indeed, I'm thinking we're going to be the rock that trips you up and causes those eggs to crack! (...Shimohi, that's from the story about why you shouldn't "put all your eggs in one basket".)
Keisuke Sanan: "Well, perhaps not all mine. I would say...at least ninety percent. This is where my country will begin to take shape."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Country... Sanan, you're can't still be thinking of founding a kingdom of furies!"
'Sanan looked up at Sendai Castle. Darkness had turned it into a massive, ominous monolith, frowning down on the city at its feet in grim judgement.'
(At least this one doesn't hover and all that other freaky shit.)
'I remembered the furies roaming the streets in search of blood, and how even during the day the city seemed dead. Did Sanan mean to extend that misery and ugliness to the rest of the domain? To the rest of the country...?'
"Sounds like it", and... ("Not if you have anything to say about it?" Well, that depends upon if you made enough good choices up to this point.)
'The thought made me shudder.'
Heisuke Toudou: "And what, you'll be the emperor of this new country? That doesn't sound like you, Sanan."
Keisuke Sanan: "He he he... As I said, Toudou, you know me well. But I've already told you, haven't I? The ruler of my country will be the fury princess. Well, the nominal ruler, at any rate."
That just tells me that you are going to be the ruler; just, technically, "behind the scenes".
Shimohi Yukimura: "No... Sen would never agree to that!"
Keisuke Sanan: "Not now, perhaps, but she'll come under my sway eventually. They all do. I've been feeding her my blood for some time now."
You... YOU BASTARD! No offence to Heisuke, mind you. I was talking about the "despicable person" definition of the word.
Heisuke Toudou: "You're not gonna let me talk you out of this, are you...?"
I'm thinking he went past that point about a year ago...
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I'll just have to stop you, then. This world doesn't need a country full of furies!"
Indeed, I've imagined a world similar to that before and it was a gothic dystopia.
'Heisuke reached for his sword, but instead of dawing his own Sanan hung his head. The sadness that showed on his face was all the more terrifying for being genuine.'
(Let me guess, he's going to cry "Category traitor" isn't he?) Are you going to drink if you're right again? (Bless straight!)
Keisuke Sanan: "...We fought together in the Shinsengumi once, and we both became furies there. You and I are almost brothers, in a sense..."
And...?
Keisuke Sanan: "...How is it that we have come to see things so differently?"
...Because both of you are still individuals with your own thoughts and opinions...?
'His eyes narrowed, and he took a step foraward, like a snake closing in on its next meal.'
Keisuke Sanan: "I thought surely you would see the light and follow me, but no... Why? Why did you change?"
(I'm counting that! *takes a drink*)
Keiske Sanan: "Was it because of her? Did Yukimura do this to you? Has she twisted your mind? Made you to think it was better to be human?"
(Dude, even the Shimohi you're talking about isn't human. She's a demon!)
Heisuke Toudou: "No, Sanan. The only person who changed..."
Omae da! (...What?) (Shimohi pretty much said "...is you!" in a rather informal, and therefore possibly insulting, fashion.)
Heisuke Toudou: "...was you!"
... (On second thought "...anta ahou no Keisuke da!" is more insulting than what our Shimohi said.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Don't worry, Shimohi. I'm not gonna let him lay a finger on you."
Shimohi Yukimura: "I believe in you!"
(Like he believes in the Shimohi that believes...) (No! No Gurren Lagann references either!) It's "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann". (WHO CARES!) I do.
'Heisuke's words made me feel invincible. They took a few quick steps back and glared at one another, their hands tightening on their swords. But before their fight could begin in earnest, a sudden commotion broke out at the castle gates.'
(Okay, I'm taking bets as to who's going to show up this time!) *sigh* ...My money's on Chikage and Daemon... (I'm hoping it's Princess Sen.) (And I'm betting on Kimigiku. If two are right, we both get an even split of the Internets we're betting.) The usual over nine thousand? (The usual over nine thousand.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "What...?"
'A soldier dashed out and begin looking around frantically for someone... Was he looking for Sanan?'
*facepalm* Mixing your past and present term verbs... That should've read "A soldier dashed out and began looking around frantically for someone..."
Keisuke Sanan: "*Sigh* It would appear my princess is being...fussy. Again. ...I have no choice."
'He scowled and took a step away from us.'
Heisuke Toudou: "What, running away? C'mon, Sanan!"
Keisuke Sanan: "I will deal with you later. Just now I have more pressing things to attend to than the two of you."
'He spun on his heel and strode off.'
I would've programmed "He spun on his heels and strode off." But, maybe, that's just me...
'Heisuke and I looked at one another, suprised.'
Indeed, we're suprised as well... (No one won the bet...)
Heisuke Toudou: "What just happened...?"
It looks like our genre savvy...ness is beginning to fail us.
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't know, but... I wonder if Sen is all right?"
'Still, the way he'd talked about her suggested she was not only alive, but still herself.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...Well, we should probably follow him. You felt it too, right? He's bad news. We can't let a guy like that run loose."
Indeed, he's reminding me too much of an ex-friend...
'He made a good point, but the castle gates were still heavily guarded.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I wanna be a badass and just run in there like a one-man army, but even I know that's nuts."
So, Heisuke has more sense than Leeroy Jenkins... (Not really that much of a standard in "sense" if you ask me.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yeah... And if Sanan was telling the truth, then there are who-knows-how-many furies in there. Maybe hundreds..."
???: "...You're correct, there are a great many furies inside. Besides, if you go in the front, all my hard work will go to waste."
That sounds like Kimigiku's voice...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kimigiku!"
Bingo! (...Was his name-o!) More like "her" name-o! (Whatever! Let's...) (NO!!!) (...get on with it.) (Now that's two more dollars for the jar...)
'She smiled at me in acknowledgement, but it was clear we had no time for a happy reunion. She gestured for us to follow, and began to walk.'
Kimigiku: "Please, this way. I've found a secret passage that leads into the castle."
'Whoever had built the secret passage had disguised it as a dried-up well. It looked perfectly innocent to any passerby, and even peering down into it didn't reveal a passage at the bottom.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Wow... They really have things like this?"
Kimigiku: "This castle was built during the Warring States period. Most castles built then had a lot of secret passages, as a last-ditch escape plan, or for getting out of a seige."
Yeah... *hands Akurei a note* (...Speaking of which, Shimohi would like to recommend Extra Credit's side series "Extra History". "Which does a good job talking about the Sengoku Jidai, or "Warring States period" as this game puts in, while being entertaining at once." Okay, are we done plugging for this web series already!?) Akurei, nobody paid us to do that. I just like the series, that's all.
Heisuke Toudou: "Interesting... I wonder if there's, like, hidden treasure in there too? I mean, I know this isn't the time, but still... Wouldn't that be sweet?"
Yeah, that would be "sweet"! ([sarcasm] Yeah... [/sarcasm]) (...There's a reason Shimohi fell for this guy, this just justifies it a bit more.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "I donno, that doesn't seem very likely..."
...but it still would be "sweet" if it were true.
Kimigiku: "I woulnd't be so sure. I've heard rumors..."
Is Narly somewhere around here...?
Kimigiku: "Some say that when Date Masamune built this castle, he hid away a fortune, in case of an emergency. Of course, no one's ever found it. It might well be just a myth."
'It did seem a little bit too fantastic to be real, but Kimigiku wasn't one for idle gossip. Perhaps...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "If there is a fortune in there somewhere, and Sanan gets his hands on it..."
...It. Would be...the worst. (The worst...what?)
Heisuke Toudou: "Then this whole thing is going to go from bad to worse. We have to hurry."
'...Would we find Sen and Sanan in there?'
...Would we find this rumored "treasure"? (And would this Let's Play actually end soon!?) (Find out next time! On the next episode of Dragonball...) (NO! No references to Dragonball Z, or any related series for that matter!)
'I swallowed silently, steeled myself, and ran after Heisuke and Kimigiku.'
(And then...)
'For several long minutes we trekked through a series of labyrinthine passages until at last we found ourselves beneath a floor inside the castle. One of the floorboards was clearly designed to be removed to allow access.'
Kimigiku: "From here on in, we will be in enemy territory. Do not lower your guard."
I thought we were in "enemy territory" already since entering the domain, period... But, we get your point.
'We climbed up from the secret passage and into a hallway, but the castle seemed almost darker than the underground tunnel had been. It felt different than any other castle I'd ever been to. Most large government buildings were filled with the sound and presence of other people. Here, there was only the stench of blood.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke... Are you all right?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Don't sweat it. I'm feeling a little crummy, but now's not the time for that. Look."
Heisuke, did you have to use the word "crummy" in this context? (Huh?) ("Ashes to ashes, dust to dust"...and that kind of shit.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ugh..."
'The corpses of more furies than I could count were strewn across the floor in front of us. It looked as if someone had passed through here already, and killed every single one of them.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I wonder... Nah, there's only one guy who could've done this."
And I'd rather not run into him or his, unbeknowst to him, companion either...
'We followed the trail of corpses deeper into the castle, until at last we found its creator in the act of killing yet another fury.'
Akurei, if this is Chikage and Daemon, I'm gonna need that drink of yours... (The entire glass?) The entire glass.
Chikage Kazama: "...You."
HEY...! *drinks Akurei's entire glass of fake blood* ...What was that about? I needed a fucking drink. That's "what"!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kazama?! You went in before us?"
Chikage Kazama: "Yes. The furies don't pose much of a challenge, but killing them is...tedious. I decided to enter covertly. Coming in though the front gate would have been foolish."
(Oh snap!) What? I'd...rather not say.
'He looked at Heisuke with just the hint of a grin--enough to make me think he had been listening as Heisuke and I discussed whether or not to go through the front gate.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I think I liked you better when you were trying to kill me."
OOOoooo...! (O snap...! Again!)
'They were at each other throats already, but there was still something reassuring about having someone as deadly as Kazama on our side when we finally faced Sanan.'
Yet another grammar mistake...again? "They were at each others throats already..." Figures that some Japanese garbage like this would get the English language wrong. Dude, not funny!
'We started moving again, with Kimigiku leading the way. We must have checked over a dozen doors and empty rooms before we found it.'
The Holy Grail? (NO! Now I have to charge you two dollars for the jar, Shimohi!) What? (These two over here keep making references to a specific, weird, British comedy show and it's movie spin-offs. So, like some offices keep a "swear jar"...) (Just look below for what show the Pansy's talking about.)
'It was a beautiful, extravagant door, but when we opened it a wave of darkness poured out. Beyond it was a hall, and at the far end hung a cloud of death and malevolence. In that could I could see Sen and Sanan. He was kissing her, just as he'd done one the night we had last seen her.'
Kimigiku: "My lady! Get away from her, you filthy peasant!"
Keisuke Sanan: "Peasant? That's rather harsh. I'll be in control of your master soon enough. You ought to pay me the proper respect."
'As he drew back from Sen, blood trickled from the corner of his mough. He wiped it away casually, and bowed.'
Chikage Kazama: "As deluded as ever! A true demon would never submit to a fake like you!"
(I'm going to need a refill. And...that calls for a drink! *takes said drink*)
Keisuke Sanan: "How many times must I explain? 'Fake' is such a harsh word. I am a demon now, like those in the west. ...No, I have become even more than that. A true fury."
More like "a true vamprie". Am I right, Akurei? (Kind of, yeah...)
Heisuke Toudou: "What do you mean, a 'true' fury? A fury's a monster, simple as that."
Keisuke Sanan: "Ah, such a simplistic view. Yes, not everyone can become a true fury... Most become little more than mindless, thirsty mouths. But the two of you, perhaps, could become true furies. Would that...interest you?"
Nope! (Fuck no!) (In your dreams!) [sarcasm] I'd rather become a...FEMINIST! [/sarcasm]
Chikage Kazama: "Me, a demon, become a fury? You might as well ask a tiger if it would prefer to be a housecat."
Kimigiku: "...You can spout all the nonsense you like, just return my lady to me."
'Kazama reached for his sword, and Sanan shifted his glance to Heisuke.'
Keisuke Sanan: "We've spoken about this already, but I'll ask you again... Would you consider my offer, Toudou?"
I'm thinking the answer is, "No."
Keisuke Sanan: "You're much like me. We've seen the same things. If you continue to drink blood, I've no doubt you could reach my level as well.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke isn't like you!"
Yeah, past incarnation! Indeed, Heisuke's much different than YOU!
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh? And how so? If he hadn't been drinking blood, then perhaps that statement might have some merit... But you would never have lasted this long without drinking at least a little blood, would you Toudou?"
Heisuke Toudou: "I..."
'He looked at me, and I nodded.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I don't kill people for their blood. I never have. I've only ever drunk blood from one person, and only because they offered. That's all I'll ever do. So yeah, I'm not like you."
Fuck yeah! In your FACE, Sanan!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke..."
'I could see in Sanan's eyes the moment he realized that the time for talk was over.'
(Time to crack some skulls!) That's not in any way lady... (Ah, shut the fuck up about that already! I'm not a lady, so I don't act like one! Simple as that.)
Keisuke Sanan: "That's unfortunate. I thought you especially, Toudou, might see reason. But I suppose it can't be helped. I will continue to kill for my blood. You needn't do so, because you will die here."
'The blood of so many victims had given Sanan a dark aura, more frightening than any other fury. Indeed, he was even more terrifying than Kazama... Heisuke leapt forward--'
Heisuke Toudou: "Take this!"
'His sword flew in a beautiful, shining arc that looked like the last waning quarter of a silver moon.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Your speed and power are both quite impressive. Just what one would expect from the captain of the Shinsengumi's 8th Division. ...Sandly, however, you still fight like a human."
'He reached up with one hand to grab Heisuke's sword.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Ah...!"
'The blade dove into the flesh of his hand and continued up his arm until it came to rest at the elbow.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Wh-What?! I can't pull it out!"
'With Heisuke's sword still lodged in the bone, Sanan's arm began to heal, more rapidly than I'd ever seen a fury heal before.'
Keisuke Sanan: "A wound is only temporary. This is how a fury fights. You were reborn as something much more than human, but you make no effort ot cultivate that power! To study it; to understand it! You have shunned it, and that is why you will lose!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Gah!"
Oh no, this isn't looking so good...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke!"
'The impact of Sanan's blwo knocked Heisuke's hand from his sword, and sent him tumbling across the floor. As Sanan took a step towards his former companion, a voice echoed out of the darkness behind him, and he stopped.'
Chikage Kazama: "Then you lose because of your inattentiveness, fake."
(And, another drink bites the dust! *takes a drink*)
'In Kazama's arms was Sen's limp body.'
Keisuke Sanan: "I see... You took advantage of my distraction during Toudou's attack to save the princess. Excellent teamwork."
Chikage Kazama: "Teamwork? Ha. He made himself a nuisance to you, and I took advantage of his pigheadedness."
Yeah...! Don't. Say. Another...word. And why should I listen to you! Do you want me to rapid-fire punch you into a garbage truck again? Where in the hell are you going to get a garbage truck!? (*clears throat* Remember, hammerspace master here.)
Kimigiku: "My lady! I'm glad to see you safe..."
'She smiled, and moved toward Sen and Kazama. Thank goodness Sen was all right...'
I don't think... (That use of an ellipsis is a good sign...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Wait..."
'Something seemed off. Why didn't Sanan look worried...?'
Keisuke Sanan: "He he he he..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Could it... No! Kazama! Get away from Sen!"
Chikage Kazama: "What do you--"
Too late. (Not that you two didn't deserve this.)
'Sen's eyes snapped open. ...And blood splattered across her face.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kazama?!"
'With a sickening we scrape, Sen drew her sword from Kazama's stomach and he collapsed into a rapidly-growing pool of his own blood. She turned to Sanan and smiled.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Oh my, it looks as if the princess is a fury at last. Then...that must mean that the blood of a fury is superior to that of a demon."
Chikage Kazama: "Urgh..."
DAMN IT! Why did this sort of thing have to happen...AGAIN!? Karma. (..."Bitch"!)
Keisuke Sanan: "Please, Kazama, what is it like to be such a base creature? If demons are so superior, how did I bend the princess to my will? And why are you dying?"
Chikage Kazama: "Y-You...!"
'Kazama's wound was too large and too dire for even a demon to heal quickly or easily. He screamed with anger and frustration.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I think it's a little early for you to be gloating, Sanan."
'He laughed, and pointed....'
Heisuke Toudou: "It's not over yet."
'...to Sen, and I rushed to her side.'
(I hope you're not going to end up nearly dying like those times on the so called "sinking ship"...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Sen!"
Princess Sen: "...Oh...?"
Kimigiku: "Princess!"
Princess Sen: "...Kimi...? ...Shimohi...?"
'She heard us! As we drew closer, Sen licked absently at the blood on her palm then twitched and look up at us, surprised.'
Language errors again... "...then twitched and looked up at us..."
'Her demon and fury halves seemed to be wrestling with one another, and her breath was heavy and rough. Sen's eyes went wide, and she threw up her hands.'
Princess Sen: "No! Stay away from me! I...I might kill you! Both of you!"
'What was I to do? Kazama would have certainly killed her--better dead than a slave, in his mind. But Heisuke...'
Heisuke Toudou: "...Do whatever you think's right. If she kills you, though, I'm gonna hate her forever. Just don't give me a reason to do that, all right?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Okay!"
'I stepped forward, buoyed by his words, but Kimigiku stopped me.'
Kimigiku: "You can't! She cannot control herself! If you get too close, she would no doubt kill even you! I will take her life so that she might die an honorable princess of demons, even though it may cost me my own."
Shimohi Yukimura: "No Kimigiku, I can't let you do that. Sen might be a demon princess, but more importantly, she's my friend. I can't let a friend die."
A true friend, that is... Anyway; I know you're in there somewhere, Sen!
Kimigiku: "...!"
'Kimigiku was right about one thing: I might very well get killed. As Sen watched me draw closer to her, she began to shake.'
Princess Sen: "I-I..."
Keisuke Sanan: "Damnit... What are you doing, Princess Sen?!"
Princess Sen: "Ugh...aaaaagh!"
'Sanan's words lifted her body like a puppet. Her sword leapt forward--'
[simultaneous] (Shi-Shimohi!) (Shi-Shimohi!) [/simultaneous]
'...And buried itself In Kimigiku, as she dove in front of me!'
Princess Sen: "...K-Kimi...?"
...Ki-Kimi...Kimigiku...? NO!!!
Shimohi Yukimura: "Why?!"
[simultaneous] (To prevent Sen from killing you!) (To prevent Sen from killing you!) [/simultaneous] (...Dumbass.)
Kimigiku: "Why...? Shouldn't I be asking you? Just as reckless as my lady..."
'Her wound wasn't a moral one, but it was still serious! She coughed violently, and drops of blood splattered to the ground. I repeated my question, but she only smiled.'
Kimigiku: "My lady is well-loved by her people, but she is a princess of a clan that is already very small. She has many adoring subjects, but...no true friends. Perhaps your birth is the reason, but... You were the only person to still call her a friend after you learned who...and what...she was."
The "demon" part or the "princess" part? (If not both... *sigh* *facepalm* ...Shimohi, you can be so... "Classless" sometimes.) Oh! A pun on a word that can mean either "without manners" or "without rank", or in my case "without caring about rank". Nice! *gives a thumbs up* (...That didn't sound like a complement to me.)
'She collapsed, the last of her energy spent. Sen caught her, and though she was still breathing heavily, I could see reason in her eyes again.'
Princess Sen: "I'm sorry...Kimi..."
Keisuke Sanan: "Unbelievable... Simple words should not be enough to break my conditioning! ...Unless... Yes, after consuming demon blood...Kazama and Kimigiku... Yes, there can be no other explanation."
'Sen's recovery seemed to be making Sanan act even stranger, almost as if the madness that had left her had returned to its creator...'
Chikage Kazama: "Hmph... How it happened is irrelevant. What matters is that your vaunted fury blood has failed. Again."
Keisuke Sanan: "Silence! The blood of a true fury is more powerful--more pure!--than any other. It cannon lose!"
'His voice was an angry, wavering snarl. He spat at Kazama and turned to me and Sen, his eyes wide and wild.'
Keisuke Sanan: "...Fine. No matter. If it is her connections to other that have allowed Princess Sen to hold onto her sanity..."
So, even you admit that...whatever you are, tends toward the "insane" end of things. ...Yeah, you failed a few too many SAN checks.
Keisuke Sanan: "...I will simply kill everyone here. I will kill those she loves, and those who lover her, until there is nothing for her to see but furies!"
(Well, the Pansy and I have a vested interest in making sure THAT never happens.)
Keisuke Sanan: "And if, for some unforeseeable reason, that should fail... I will still have you, Yukimura. Yes, you could make a fury princess as well!"
Grammar, game! "Yes, you could make a good fury princess as well!" (But isn't there a chance that it'd fail because you couldn't kill Chikage but you did, for some reason, kill Shimohi...?) (I can't believe I'm saying this but... WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU TWO!? Sanan just declared an intent to do EXACTLY what Chikage tried to do earlier!) Oh, right Akurei. Got kind of distracted there. I'm going to make sure neither of those "fates" ever happen! (That's the Shimohi I know!)
'He sounded more mad with every word he spoke. I doubted even he knew what he was doing any more. Sanan took a step forward--'
(Is this going to have a good result...?) (...Or a bad one?) Let's see...
'And suddenly, Heisuke stood before him.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Let's leave living people out of this, huh Sanan? You and I, though, we died a long time ago. How about we settle it, dead man to dead man."
Keisuke Sanan: "People?! You call these demons people!?"
Yes. (...Quite progressive of you. Most would call my...) Or, in this game, our... (...kind "Monsters". Looking at you, Pansy. Then again, I don't really consider it offensive. Demons, at least the kind of demon I am, are destructive, murderous, sociopaths. But using that as an excuse to say we don't deserve to live? That I consider offensive!) Kind of a bit of moral myopia there but, otherwise, I see your point.
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah. Especially, Shimohi. Demon or not, she's the most important person in my life!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke..."
'Even in the middle of all that blood, fear, and death, his words made me feel...happy.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I'm gonna take care of Sanan."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Yeah..."
Heisuke Toudou: "So you just sit tight here and trust me, all right? Long as I got you, I know I can't lose."
Yeah, there's no way "we" could lose!
'Then their battle began. Both men had been in the Shinsengumi since its early days, and they'd often sparred against one another for practice. Heisuke was strong and skilled, but Sanan was his senior, and often won through sheer benefit of experience. It seemed that much hadn't changed.'
Key word here "seemed"...
'Sanan's sword sunk into Heisuke's chest.'
(Or...not...)
Keisuke Sanan: "He he he...ah ha ha ha! There is nothing more pathetic than an empty boast!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Ah..."
'He left his blade buried in Heisuke's chest, and turned to grin at me triumphantly. When I said nothing, he frowned.'
Seriously, this dude's reminding me way too much like that ex-friend...
Keisuke Sanan: "Your face... I don't like it. Aren't you sad that Toudou is dead?"
That's the thing, Heisuke's... ("Not dead yet!") "He can dance and he can sing!" [simultaneous] "He is not dead yet!" ("He is not dead yet!") [/simultaneous] (*facepalm* *sigh* Although I'm guessing you two are doing this for "call back" purposes...) (See the second post of this Let's Play for more details.) (...still, I have to charge both of you two dollars for that Monty Python and the Holy Grail musical reference.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
(Yes...?)
Shimohi Yukimura: "I...I trust him."
Keisuke Sanan: "Hmph. Rather foolish to trust a dead man. If only my words were as effective a means of control as my blood, you could see the truth."
'I ignored him and closed my eyes.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I can hear it..."
'If I listened very closely, it was there... The sound of Heisuke's heartbeat, that I'd heard when I held him.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Fine. Time to die, Yukimura."
[simultaneous] (No!) (No!) [/simultaneous]
'He pulled at his sword, preparing to strike me down--But it wouldn't budge. Just as Sanan had trapped Heisuke's sword earlier, so Heisuke had now done the same to him.'
(Turnabout's fair game.)
Keisuke Sanan: "What is this!?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yaaaah!"
'As Sanan turned to see what happened, Heisuke moved. The tip of his sword flew across the floor, throwing up sparks as it went. He was aiming for Sanan's heart.'
Of course, one of the two "fury" weaknesses. A strike to the heart or decapitation. (Or silver weaponry, don't forget about that one!) (I don't recall hearing of that at all.) Most likely, that's from an alternate route...
'The other man tried to throw up his left arm to guard against the attack, but it only twitched. With only a whisper of flesh against steel, the sword pierced Sanan's heart.'
[simultaneous] Yeah!!! (Yeah!!!) [/simultaneous]
'Blood poured out, running down his chest like a thick, red river, and splattering to the floor like hundreds of dark crimson cherry blossoms.'
Kind of reminds me of... (The subtitle of the original PSP incarnation of this game, in English of course, "Demon of the fleeting blossom"?)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke! That was too reckless!"
...But at least it worked. (And that's what counts.)
'I ran forward and threw my arms around him, squeezing tight to make sure he was there, and alive.'
Yes! (We got the good ending! We got the good ending!) At least, I think we did...
Heisuke Toudou: "Aaah! Ow ow ow! I just got stabbed, you know! Gentle!"
*LOL* ...Okay, point taken.
'Well, he could put up wit it, I thought. This was his punishment for making me worry.'
Keisuke Sanan: "I cannot believe...you feigned death, and turned my own technique against me. You reject your fury powers, only to use them in such a way...?"
(Like I said, turnabout's fair game.)
Heisuke Toudou: "I didn't reject anything. Human, fury, demon... I'll be whatever I have to be to protect her."
'He shrugged, then paused.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I want to ask you something..."
My past incarnation or Sanan?
Keisuke Sanan: "Yes? Well, do it. I hope I might be able to answer..."
Heisuke Toudou: "My last strike... Sanan, you could've stopped it, but you didn't."
Keisuke Sanan: "...No. I couldn't have. When I remembered that I was a human...my left arm refused to move."
Oh, right, that was the arm that was disabled before he became a "Rakshasa"...
'The arm that had been injured all those years ago, and forced Sanan to face a life where he would never be able to wield a sword again. Its loss had driven him to drink the Water of Life.'
Keisuke Sanan: "Ha... I gained the power to manipulate others, but in the end I couldn't manipulate myself... Pathetic."
'He smiled one last, mocking smile... And then he was gone.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "It...it looks like everyone's all right."
'With Sanan's death, Sen seemed to be completely free of his influence and was helping Kimigiku limp along.'
Well, vampire lore usually says that when the master vampire's dead, those that that vampire sired are free...
'As for Kazama...'
Oh yeah, Daemon didn't really say much after Kazama got stabbed. (Probably in too much pain to say much of anything.) Thank goodness...
Heisuke Toudou: "You need a hand there?"
Chikage Kazama: "No, thank you, I do recall how to walk. Who the hell to do think I am?"
Not a member of Team Dai-Gurren, that's for sure. *facepalm* Why must you spout such inane references!? (Well, that's one point I agree with you on...)
'...He still had enough energy to talk back.'
Then, the two of you are fine. (Yeah, Shimohi here means "both" Chikage and Daemon.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I guess that's that, huh Shimohi?"
Yeah, pretty much.
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Yeah."
'Sanan was defeated, and his nightmare of a country of furies was ended forever.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "But..."
'We were no closer to learning how we might prolong Heisuke's lifespan then we had been before. He must have guessed what I was thinking, because he smiled and gave my shoulder a friendly squeeze.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey, don't worry about it. We'll figure something out. So long as you stick with me, I probably won't go crazy."
(Unless you count "crazy in love" that is.)
Heisuke Toudou: "...And if I do, I'm sure someone'll come and take care of me. Maybe Kazama? I bet he'd love to kill me."
Chikage Kazama: "Ugh. Don't flatter yourself. Far more important things than hunting down a single fury command my attention."
*snickers* ...OOOooo...! (Bow-chicka-wow-wow!) ([sarcasm] Yeah, real mature of you two... [/sarcasm])
'He grimaced, and then turned to me. When he spoke, his voice was barely above a murmur.'
Chikage Kazama: "Kodo used water from the hometown of the Yukimura family to create the Water of Life."
'...What?'
Indeed, "What?"
Chikage Kazama: "Perhaps that water would have some sort of...effect on a fury."
Well, there's only one way to find out, then again...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kazama... Why are you telling me this?"
Chikage Kazama: You misunderstand. Let me say it plainly: People like you do not belong in the city. Your life would be better spent in the countryside."
Princess Sen: "What he actually means to say is that he intends to let you go, even though one of you is a fury. Sadly he is not honest enough to say it in so many words."
Wait! What? We could've had TWO bitches rather than just...! *slaps Daemon* No, I haven't forgotten that earlier promise.
'Kazama turned his back to leave, but he had taken only a few steps when Heisuke called out to him.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey, Kazama!"
Chikage Kazama: "What is it you want? Be quick. I haven't got all day."
Heisuke Toudou: "Man, you never change... Fine. I'm only gonna say this once, so pay attention. You, uh, didn't have to tell us that, so..."
Yeah...?
Heisuke Toudou: "...Thanks."
Huh?
Chikage Kazama: "Ah, I'm sorry I didn't catch that. Could you...?"
'Kazama and Heisuke glared at one another while the rest of us laughed.'
Kimigiku: "Shimohi, what are you going to do now? Will you go back home, as Kazama suggested?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "I will, and Heisuke's coming with me, although he might not know that yet."
Princess Sen: "I see. Well, I shall have to pay you a visit some day, and see the house where a demon and a fury live together..."
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Wait!? There's a "Final Chaper"!? (I guess there's going to be one more post in this...) (But first, jar balancing time.)
Monty Python Reference Jar
Akurei: $66
Shimohi: $36
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