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 Six-
August 1868
'Just as Hijikata had predicted, the Kouyou Regulatory Company met with bitter defeat at Koufu Castle. Even after facing the deadly carnage of a modern gun battle, Kondou refused to change. This was the final straw for Harada and Nakakura, and after Koufu they turned their backs on the Shinsengumi. When had it begun? Bit by bit, the captains I'd met back in Kyoto were going away.'
(I suspect it started back when Okita contracted TB.)
'Following on the heels of their victory at Koufu, the Imperial Army spead their influence into Edo, driving the Shinsengumi north once again. Nagakura hadn Harada had left... Okita was still trying to fight off his desease... Inoue and Yamazaki had passed away...'
[simultaneous] Knew it. (Knew it.) [/simultaneous]
'But even the far north wasn't safe. We were surrounded, and Kondou was captured. Kondou had wished to commit honorable suicide when we were surrounded, but Hijikata convinced him to surrender instead, hoping that perhaps he could survive.'
("Mention of Seppuku." Drink time! *takes a drink*)
'With attention diverted by the chief's surrender, the rest of us were able to escape, but despite Hijikata's best efforts to have his sentence commuted or removed Kondou was executed.' Though the Shinsengumi had lost their chief and many of their comrades, the continued to push north under their new leader, Toshizo Hijikata. Perhaps they did it out of a desire to honor what their friends and companions had fought for, or perhaps because there was simply no other choice. Whatever the reason, it suited my intentions fine.'
To rescue Sen from Sanan's clutches! ("Fuck yeah! Coming again to save the motherfucking day, yeah!") (*facepalm*)
'The foremost concern on my mind and Heisuke's was the location of Sanan and, by extension, Sen. As we moved north, we hard frequent rumors of brutal murders like the ones we'd heard of in Kyoto and Edo. Men and women of all ages had been slaughtered indiscriminately, their bodies sliced to ribbons. From time to time, we actually came across these corpses ourselves. They confirmed that we were on Sanan's trail, but they were hardly a pleasant sight.'
Of course that wouldn't be a pleasant sight! (Then again... Could those corpses be used as "Unholy Spaghetti"?) (No, no, no, no! Absolutely not!)
'Eventually, our travels to us to the home of the Aizu clan.'
(Wait! Isn't Megumi from the Domain run by that clan? Oh... Satan help us all...)
'Aizu was a powerful domain in the northeast led by Katamori Mastudaira, a former Kyoto Military Commissioner. They were also one of the few domains the Shinsengumi counted among their allies. We spoke with them upon our arrival, and it was decided that the Shinsengumi would fight under Katamori Matsudaira in several battles to come.'
'Encyclopedia updated'
'We were given rooms in a house in the town surrounding Shirakawa Castle. Later that night, Hijikata sent for Heisuke and myself.'
(Oh, hey! It's the new European-style uniforms!)
Heisuke Toudou: "C'mon, don't you think these look kinda weird? They're tight in all the wrong places."
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
Actually... Heisuke looks kind of hot in that. ("Good looking Privates"? *LOL* Wink, wink...) (Don't you DARE finish that!) (Nudge... Nudge... *LOL* Say no more! Say no more! *LMAO* No seriously! I'm laughing so hard my ass might fall off!) (*headdesk* ...Jar...)
'For a moment, I didn't even recognize him.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...Hey, Shimohi. You listening?"
(Oh, literally "Distracted by the sexy"...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "..."
'The voice was the same, but his appearance was...different. Very different.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...Hey, Hijikata. Do I look funny?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "That matters? If we're going to be using guns, western clothes are better. ...Why are you asking me anyway?"
(Because Shimohi here's obviously too distracted by sexy Heisuke here to do anything other than stare at him.)
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, Shimohi seems to have gone into shock. I figured I must look pretty hideous."
Oh no! Quite the opposite!
'No, that wasn't it at all. Everyone had gotten new uniforms after coming to Aizu. No, this was because of Heisuke's hair. He'd always kept it long before, so to see him like this was something of a shock.'
I kind of have a thing for long-haired pretty boys, but short-haired ones are cool as well...
'Still, it wasn't all bad, In fact, it was almost...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Sexy."
(Damned Shit! Even your past incarnation agrees with you!)
Heisuke Toudou: "Hm? You say something?"
*blushes* Do you really want me to repeat that...?
'He grinned at me, and I blushed bright red.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "O-Oh no... Nothing. Nothing at all. It...um...it looks really good."
(That's the very least it can be described!)
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah? Well, if you think so, that's good enough for me."
(Well, if Heisuke's hair was sticking up a bit more, he'd resemble a "recent artstyle" version of Joseph Joestar...)
'He flashed me another grin, and then set to loosening this sleeves and cuffs in what I confess was a rather showy manner.'
Huh? Is Heisuke...? ("Doing a strip tease?" *LOL*)
'I kept sneaking glances at him out of the corner of my eye until Hijikata sighed exasperatedly.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Enough showing off. I called you here for a reason."
And I highly doubt it's just to show off the new uniforms.
Heisuke Toudou: "Oh, yeah. So what's up?"
Aside from the ceiling, of course.
'Encyclopedia updated.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "We've got a problem. ...Take a look at this. Letter from the Sendai to the Aizu."
'Heisuke and I took the letter and read it.'
Heisuke Toudou: "This is from Sendai to a bunch of domains..."
Ah so it's ancient spam... (Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam...) (Enough! You've already said enough to owe another dollar to the reference jar!)
Heisuke Toudou: "...'Why we must not yield to this new regime'...?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "So they're telling the other domains that the new government's pressuring them, but they aren't going to give in, and that we should all fight against the Imperial Army as long as we can?"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Close enough. The Sendai's made an alliance with the Aizu and the other northerns called the Great Northern Alliance. This letter is telling everyone to fight to the last man. They probably sent it to everyone in the alliance."
Heisuke Toudou: "...Hijikata, did you just bring us in here to show us a letter? I mean, maybe I'm missing something, but this sounds like good news for us."
'Hijikata frowned.'
And that looks like this isn't the case...
Toshizo Hijikata: "The letter is fine. Look at the end of it again."
Heisuke Toudou: "...'Therefore it is our duty as patriots to oppose this new'--"
'He froze, and I saw his eyes widen. The smile that had been playing about his face suddenly disappeared.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Wh-What's wrong, Heisuke?"
'When he spoke, it wasn't to me, and his voice sounded strangely hollow.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Signed, Keisuke Sanan, Retainer of the Sendai Domain."
Oh... That's the problem... ("You thought this was going to be an actual ally, but it was me! Dio!") (*headdesk*)
Shimohi Yukimura: "*Gasp*"
'Sanan, the man who'd abducted Sen and told us he meant to found an empire of furies in the north, was now an official in the service of the Sendai Domain.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Don't know what he did, but he must have managed to finagle his way into the Sendai higher-ups. The furies and Sanan are a problem we created. Now they're a problem we need to un-create."
In other words... ("They need to take responsibility for their actions.") Yeah, that.
Shimohi Yukimura: "I-I have to go, for Sen's sake, but..."
'Hijikata nodded.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "Yes. We're on the Aizu's payroll now. We can't just run off an do whatever without their say-so. ...And even if we did, the Shinsengumi heading into Sendai as an army might cause problems between the Aizu and Sendai."
'He didn't mention it, but we both know Hijikata had hurt his leg in battle earlier, and had placed Saito in temporary command of the Shinsengumi's front-line forces. We all wanted to stop Sanan, but the Shinsengumi was effectively immobilized. What were we going to do?'
... (What are you looking at me for?)
'Heisuke's bitter laughter made me look up.'
Heisuke Toudou: "I get it. You called me in here because you want me to go to Sendai. Right, Hijikata? As far as the rest of the world knows, Sanan and I are dead. Send a dead man after a dead man, huh?"
More like "legally dead", but who's really caring about this... (Aside from this pedantic nerd.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "You don't have to say it like that..."
'Lately Heisuke had become increasingly bitter when speaking of himself. I wasn't sure when exactly it had started, but I suspected it was around the time of Sen and Kimigiku's revelation about the source of a fury's powers.'
(The blood of French "Demons", but they're more like vampires than anything else.)
'A frown would darken his face whenever someone mentioned furies. It made me sad to see him that way...'
Toshizo Hijikata: "...It's all right, Shimohi. He can say what he wants. Doesn't change the fact that I'm ordering him to go take care of Sanan."
Yeah... "You make a mess, you clean it up."
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah, well, I've got a little unfinished business with that bastard anyway. Orders received, Commander. I'll be heading out as soon as possible."
(*LOL* Heisuke...! Aren't you "throwing bricks in glass houses" there?) Akurei, I've already said this, Heisuke's a "bastard" in the original sense of the word "a child born out of wedlock". Heisuke himself's referring to Sanan as a "bastard" in the more common sense of the word, a "despicable person", which he most certainly is... Along with Daemon. (I wonder... Is are his ears going to be burning or is he going to sneeze?) Or both...?
'He was suffering; anyone could see it. Every time the bloodlust took him, he was reminded once again of the fact that he was no longer human, and that his life would end all too soon. But this negative behavior was so unlike him...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke! Wait!"
Toshizo Hijikata: "Don't, Shimohi. Let him be."
'The commander's voice was calm, almost casual, but there was no mistaking his words for a request. His face was drawn, and his eyes were sunken and tired. The was was draining his spirit, and sending Heisuke to Sendai was yet another purden he would clearly rather not bear.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "...I can't send men from our fighting divisions. We can't spare them, and it might piss someone off. Heisuke's the only fury who's been publicly declared dead. He's my only choice."
Shimohi Yukimura: "There's really no other option?"
(I'm mostly thinking that, indeed, there isn't another option.)
Toshizo Hijikata: "You think I haven't looked for one? No. It's just him. Besides, he's probably the only man who might actually stand a chance against Sanan."
'He would be alone... He would go to Sendai alone, suffer the bloodlust alone, and fight Sanan alone.'
I'd rather not do that... (*sigh* Of course, Miss. "Loves to be in harms way" over here... Why do you have to try so hard to be an "Action Girl"?)
'Perhaps...he would die alone.'
Now I really don't want THAT to happen.
Shimohi Yukimura: "Please, let me go with him. I owe Sen. I have to save her. ...And I want to help save Heisuke, too."
'Hijikata stared at me, his eyes piercing and his face unreadable. I stared back with as much intensity as I could muster. At last, he let out a long sigh and shook his head.'
Oh... (That doesn't look good...)
Toshizo Hijikata: "We kept you locked up because we were trying to find Kodo, and we didn't want you finding out why. Not much point now. ...Hell, hasn't been much point for a while."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Then... I can go with Heisuke?"
Toshizo Hijikata: Yeah. Sorry about all this. Consider yourself free to leave whenever you want."
'I laughed, then caught myself. The thought of the could man we called the Demon apologizing for...anything...was just strangely amusing.'
Yeah, I can see that.
Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, I haven't really thought of myself as locked up here for a long time."
(Yeah... I recall one of us mentioned something about Stockholm Syndrome before...)
Shimohi Yukimura: "I did feel that way at first, but the longer I stayed, the more this placed started to be...well, home."
(Another typo. This time a "d" where it shouldn't be. As in, "...the more this place started to be...well, home.")
Toshizo Hijikata: "Feeling pretty frank, are we?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Perhaps it's the influence of the Shinsengumi."
Well, that is usually stuff you keep inside your mind rather than say out loud...
'Hijikata and I looked at one another for a moment, smiling. I hadn't seen him smile like that since Kondou passed away.'
More like "executed"... (Shimohi, why must you split hairs like this so often?)
'I stood up and moved toward the door. Just before I left, Hijikata spoke, his voice low.'
Toshizo Hijikata: "...Take care of Heisuke."
(Oh! That's another Drinking game rule right there! *takes drink*)
'I stepped through the door, and Hijikata was gone. Suddenly I felt very lonely.'
(Well, better find your beloved Heisuke then...)
'I made my way to Heisuke's room to find him leaning against the wall, his hand clasped to his chest.'
...You know that this means. (Yeah, another "blood donation" and another drink for me!) (*facepalm*)
'His hair was pure white.'
Which I still think looks hot.
Heisuke Toudou: "Argh...!"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke?!"
'It was the bloodlust!'
(Knew it!)
Heisuke Toudou: "Damnit... Again...!?"
'My hands were shaking but this had to be done! I was going with him. There was no backing out now!'
-Give him blood.-
-Give him medicine.-
-Make him endure it.-
("You know what you doing, take off every Zig" and all that. I'm going to be drinking soon...)
'I didn't hesitate. When I thought of how much pain he was in, I barely even felt the blade as it sliced neatly through my skin.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Here Heisuke, drink!"
Heisuke Toudou: "But..."
'He hesitated, trying desperately to look away from the blood slowly dripping down my arm.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "You have to! It'll all be for nothing if you die now!"
Heisuke Toudou: "You're...right...I can't die yet. Not until... Sorry...Shimohi."
I believe I've said this before but, It's okay. ("You're welcome" works as well.)
'Like an animal tending to a wound, he began to slowly lick the blood from my arm. The more he drank, the steadier his breathing became, I could see the pain fade from his face.'
(Finally! *takes a drink* To you, Shimohi, and Heisuke being together!) So, your turned your drinking game hit into a toast to Heisuke and I? (Isn't this strange...?) ..."Considering Akurei's original stance on the nature of love"? Yeah, I know.
'A part of me felt happy, then: He was suffring, true, but in some small way I had been able to help. When at least the pain had faded he spoke, his voice weak and hoarse.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Sorry for... Sorry. It...it helped. You staying here, I mean."
Shimohi Yukimura: "If it happens again, I don't want you to be afraid to ask me for help, okay? After all, I've decided to go to Sendai with you."
'I wanted to be by his side wherever he went--Sendai, or anywhere else. My mouth turned up in a smile as I looked at him, but the next words he said broke my heart.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...No. You have to stay here, Shimohi."
...Why?
Shimohi Yukimura: "What...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Here. You have to stay here."
'Hi hadn't misheard him.'
But still..."Why?"
'For a moment I was silent, and then anger and sadness swept over me like a storm.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Why?! If anyone should stay put, it should be you! Look at how much pain you're already in! If you do find Sanan, and fight him, you'll have to use your fury power, and...and then..."
Heisuke Toudou: "And what? I'll turn into ash? You really think that matters? I've been like this for a long time! I wouldn't be surprised if I crumbled into ash tomorrow!"
'There it was: The anxiety and fear that had hovered beneath the surface ever since he'd learned the truth of every fury's fate, given words at last. But it made him feel no better to finally speak them. If anything, it only hurt him more. His shoulders slumped, and he stared down at the floor.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...I can stop Sanan. I have to. Hell, I already died at Aburano Koji. It's already a miracle that I'm talking to you right now. I'm a dead man, so I might as well take Sanan with me when I go..."
-How can you say that?-
-Calm down.-
Still... (Hold it!) Akurei? (If you want the best ending here, don't quote Yu Narukami here.) ...fine.
Shimohi Yukimura: "How can you say that?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I'm gonna die no matter what I do, so I figure it's better to die fighting!"
(*sigh* ...Everyone's going to eventually die, no matter what they do. So Shimohi here figures it's better to live as long as one can. "No need to rush that inevitable appointment with death after all.") (Says the one who threatened suicide if forced to become someone's wife.) That was more like taking myself hostage!
Shimohi Yukimura: "You--!"
'The crack of my palm across his face echoed through the room.'
(OOOoooo...! So far the only person Shimohi, current or present, has slapped like that before is Daemon...) (I believe your term is "Anger born of worry".)
Heisuke Toudou: "...!"
'My hand burned where I'd struck him.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "...Uh..."
'My throat felt tight.'
I'm just hoping that doesn't end badly.
Shimohi Yukimura: "Heisuke, you're still alive..."
The only sense in which you are "dead" is on paper. And screw the paperwork, we have love!
'His head was facing to the side, where my blow had thrown it. The look on his face was one of shock.'
(So, did Shimohi here just pull of a "Bright Slap"?)
'I glared at him.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "...But you want to just give up on that?! Isn't your life worth anything to you? Aren't your friends worth anything to you? Why would you rather die?"
'Perhaps I could never really understand what Heisuke was going through, and my words were, in reality, callous and cruel.'
(Well, sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind...)
'But I couldn't bear to hear him talk about his own life as if it meant nothing.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "I... I don't want to lose you!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Shimohi...you..."
Shimohi Yukimura: "I don't...I don't want you to give up..."
'I could feel the tears streaming down my face, but I was past caring.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "There's got to be a way to...to heal you! To keep you from dying! We can find a way to be together!"
'For several long moments, he was silent.'
Heisuke Toudou: "We don't have time. I'm practically dead already. ...Why are you doing this? I've given up. It's over. Why can't you see that?"
(Because Shimohi is a stubborn woman here who can't help but screw destiny, especially if said "destiny" is horrible! And why a fate where you die like that's seen as "horrible" is because she LOVES you, bless it!)
Heisuke Toudou: "For all we know, my legs could turn into ash tomorrow."
For that same reason; for all we know, you could end up living several decades longer! (Okay, now you're kind of pushing your luck.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "Then I'll carry you..."
Heisuke Toudou: "And what happens when we try and grab onto our future, and my arms crumble away into nothing?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Then I'll do it for you!"
'I tried to smile, to reassure him... After a long silence, Heisuke turned to look at me, and his face was the gentle, friendly one I'd known for so long. Not even the Water of Life could take it away.'
Heisuke Toudou: I'm not still that much of a kid that I'm gonna start feeling better just 'cause someone tells me to, all right? And I don't really think there's any way to save a fury... But...I think I can believe in you, and you seem to think there's a way. I don't know when I might die..."
'He reached toward me, and I felt his hand delicately wipe the tears from my cheek. He smiled.'
(Flower point get!)
Heisuke Toudou: "...But I figure I can live a little longer. For you."
...yay. *squee* (And... That's our fan girl!)
'We left Shirakawa under the cover of night. The forest that separated the Aizu and Sendai Domains spread out before us, dark, thick, and foreign.'
(Maybe to you, but to said forest you're the foreign ones here.)
'There was no way for us to know just how much influence Sanan had managed to gain, but once we entered Sendai we would be in his territory. We'd decided it was best we try and enter unnoticed, but...'
Both of us failed our "move silently" checks...?
Chikage Kazama: "What are you doing here?"
HEY...! Fuck! Dude! We could say the same to you! I didn't even do anything yet! The operative word here being "yet".
Heisuke Toudou: "I could ask you the same thing."
'The tension between them was so high, each man was practically throwing off sparks.'
(*facepalm* ...Heisuke and Chikage aren't the only source of "tension" around here.)
Shimohi Yukimura: "U-Um...just calm down. Heisuke. And Kazama...you didn't come all this way just so you could snark at us, did you?"
Chikage Kazama: "...No, I did not. I came here to kill that vile imposter, and take back what is rightfully mine. You are correct that I have no time to play with you."
Yeah! I'm here to claim what's rightfully mine mysel... Do you really want to give me a reason to borrow Akurei's katana? DO YOU!? (In other news, Chikage calling Rakshasa fakes drinking game rule! *takes a drink*)
Heisuke Toudou: "Play? You arrogant piece of--"
Shimohi Yukimura: "Please, both of you, calm down! If we make too much noise, they're going to find us!"
'Nothing good would come of fighting each other, and both of them seemed to grudgingly accept it. There were fierce scowls all around, but their hands didn't touch their swords. ...There was no telling how long that awkward truce might last, though. I sighed.'
Heisuke Toudou: "...!"
(Not long at all it seems.)
Chikage Kazama: "...!"
'In the same instant, both men dropped into a fighting stance and unsheathed their swords.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "W-Wait, what are you--...doing?"
(Wait, is there a scorpion nearby or something?)
'The moment they'd drawn their swords, a man had materialized from the shadows behind each of them. Heisuke had stuck down the one behind Kazama, and Kazama the one behind Heisuke.'
(Close enough for government work.)
'Both men stepped back and re-sheathed their swords.'
Heisuke Toudou: "These must be Sana's furies..."
Indeed...
Heisuke Toudou: "...Whoa, what's wrong, Shimohi?"
Shimohi Yukimura: "O-Oh, I just...I thought that you two were actually about to fight each other."
Heisuke Toudou: "Well, I'm not gonna lie, I sure would love to fight this bastard. If those guys hadn't shown up, maybe I would have."
Indeed, sometimes I wish you really did burn to death in that incinerator, Daemon... Assuming you are the same Shimohi from that "Nonary Game", WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? YOU ALMOST KILLED ME! AT LEAST TWICE! (Why are you two screaming at each other?) ...Now I'm sounding like Karkat.
Chikage Kazama: "A fight? Please. It would have been a slaughter."
Heisuke Toudou: "Watch it."
Chikage Kazama: "Hm. It seems rather strange he would dispatch only two men. Perhaps these are only watchdogs placed at the border?"
???: "A keen insight, lord of the Kazama family."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kimigiku!"
Kimigiku: "I apologize. My skills do not tend toward direct combat, so I could only watch."
'She bowed deeply and, embarrassed, I guestured quickly for her to stand back up. There was something I wanted to tell her...'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Um... Kimigiku... About Sen..."
Kimigiku: "I know what happened. ...If only I had stayed by my lady's side..."
Chikage Kazama: "Even if you had, I doubt you would have been able to help."
For what reason, exactly?
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey man, don't be like that."
Yeah, what Heisuke said!
'Kimigiku and Sen were more than just a master and servant... They were friends. Perhaps Kazama's words were true, but they were also harsh.'
Kimigiku: "No, Toudou, it's all right. He is correct. I am quite aware that I would likely have been able to do nothing, had I been there... That is why I have been investigating the situation here, in Sendai, while I waited for you."
("For a thousand years, I've waited here for you...") "Waited every night..." [simultaneous] "For I thought you were the answer to my life!" ("For I thought you were the answer to my life!") [/simultaneous] (Will you two cut that out!)
Heisuke Toudou: "Then...you've already penetrated his defenses? What've you found out?"
Kimigiku: "Sanan has somehow won the favor of the lord of Sendai, and is increasing the number of fury soldiers under his command almost daily. They are all fanatically loyal to him."
(Which, indeed, points to "vampire".)
'Before Sanan had disappeared, he had told us that he intended to found a kingdom of furies. I hadn't believed him at the time, but if what Kimigiku was saying was true, then his twisted dream might be well on its way to becoming a reality. I shivered.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kimigiku... Do you know what happened to Sen? ...After Sanan took her..."
Kimigiku: "My lady has continued to resist the fury blood, and so he has confined her to Sendai Castle."
'I saw her fist tighten. Kazama's did the same.'
Chikage Kazama: Damnit... I doubt a true demon can be conqured by the blood of a fury, but... No reason to take a chance."
Does this count for the "Chikage calling...you know...fakes" rule apply here? (You know rule zero of all drinking games. "If you don't know if a rule applies, assume it does"! *takes a drink*) (...!) And before you say anything else, by "...you know..." I was NOT referring to "nuts". Did you just...!? (Yes, Shimohi made a reference to a Meta Kingdom Hearts fanfic. If you don't like it... *puts on sunglasses* Deal with it.)
Kimigiku: "I agree. We should move as soon as possible. I'll try and find a way into the castle and join you later--I work better alone."
Heisuke Toudou: "Sendai Castle, huh? Home of the lord of the Sendai Domain. It's gonna be well-defended..."
'I watched Kimigiku leave, my heart heavy with worry. There was no way to avoid it: We ould have to go to Sendai Castle. As I was trying to decide what we should do next, Kazama turned and began to walk into the forest.'
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kazama, where are you going? I think we should stick together..."
("Don't you know!? 'You never split the party'!") (Just stop it with those "musical numbers" already...)
Chikage Kazama: "Don't be ridiculous. We are after the same thing, so we have no reason to fight one another, but that does not mean we need to be friends."
Who said anything about "being friends"? Despite the fact that "Friendship is Magic"... YOU, Daemon, are the FARTHEST thing from being a friend... (None the less a "significant other".) ...ANYTHING can EVER BE! (And... You're starting to sound like Karkat again.)
'I wouldn't have expected anything else from him, but to hear it said was a little disheartening.'
...Wow. (Indeed, somehow, your own past incarnation's such a saint compared to "forgive but never forget" current you.)
'My shoulders slumped. Kazama glanced at me, then turned away to cough awkwardly.'
Chikage Kazama: "...I'll give you one piece of advice. If there's anything you want to do, do it now. Tomorrow night, at midnight, Amagiri will cause a...commontion at the far border. That should draw their attention, and leave Sendai Castle at least partially unguarded."
Shimohi Yukimura: "Kazama..."
'He'd had no reason to tell us that, but he'd chosen to anyway. My rational mind knew that he likely only saw us as a resource to be exploited, but... It still made me happy.'
(And... Your past incarnation's also hopelessly naive. *faceplam*)
Heisuke Toudou: "You're, uh, pretty well-prepared. Kinda expected you to just be the lone wolf type."
Chikage Kazama: "Unlike you, I am never unprepared."
Heisuke Toudou: "Just had to get the last word in, didn't you?"
Kind of sounded like that to me. You, on the other hand, never really prepare for anything. Dude! I do prepare for what I know about in advance, everything else I do an Indy ploy for. (Which is, pretty much, everyone in existence.)
'With one last sneer, Kazama turned and disappeared into the forest. Heisuke sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.'
Heisuke Toudou: "Damn... And I thought he was a pain in the ass when he was trying to kill us..."
So, either way he's... ("He's...an asshole!") (No! You shall stop this at once!) Oh, right, Niyagi here doesn't like us singing. Still, moving on...
Shimohi Yukimura: "Well, it's still kind of nice to have him on our side, right?"
Oh, my past incarnation is just so...so... ("Stupid"?) No, I was thinking more... "Naive".
'He grumbled in response, and we set off for the castle.'
------------
Next time, not just Chapter Seven of this game, but the final part of Heisuke's route looms... (*sigh* ...Will this Shimohi of ages past find true love?) (Or does this prove to be the start of Shimohi's eternal bad luck when it comes to happy endings?) (But, first, we have to deal with the reference jar...again.)
Monty Python Reference Jar
Akurei: $62
Shimohi: $32
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