Phoe-chan: Sleep! Get some rest. Your body can't take that much strain. If
you continue, you'd be just like Kenshin. No, I don't mean swordsmanship,
he died at the end, right?
Nikka: The best leader! Bwahahahahahahaha!!!
April-san: oh, I mean they would all. Hehehehehehehehe...
KasumiDestruction: Yeah, twits! (hey, I like the sound of that! Twit twit twit).
***
It was already noontime and Okita and his troop went into a restaurant to eat. They were just given their allowances for that day to cover all the necessary expenses. With one round around their district over, Soushi decided - over a rumble of stomachs and unheard complains from the members - that it was time to have their lunch.
They took one of the most secluded areas in the restaurant and were attended to by four waitresses, each with full attention. Soushi wondered why and his unasked question was answered by a man who sat across another; probably a newcomer in town, just as he was.
"It's the Shinsengumi. They are like the police of the shogun." The man said in a low voice barely audible to Soushi, "They can do whatever they want, even bully you, and they will get away with it with laughter plastered in their faces."
Soushi almost choked at the reputation their group made to people. He couldn't believe it! [Is that true? I don't believe it, but if it is tru, I'm going to change it, somehow. I'm not going to let any of my members disgrace the pride of this group. We stand for the right of the Daimyo who are in their positions.] He shook of his train of thoughts as his food was set before him by a smiling waitress. As he looked at her, he noticed the smile was forceful. He paid it no mind and gave her a genuine smile.
The sudden action of the captain held her aback. They were not known for such a kind and understanding smile. This was unexpected from a Shinsengumi member.
"Captain," one of the members called out and Soushi's smile left the waitress as he faced the other man. "I forgot to tell you that Masanobu- sama wishes to talk to you after we finish our nightly scouting. Forgive me from not telling you earlier." The man bowed his head as he asked for forgiveness.
"Tanabe-san, you don't have to ask for forgiveness," Soushi replied, his smile unwavering, "The important thing is you told me before it is too late. Besides, we all have a lot in our heads so it's quite understandable if we forget."
The waitress suddenly jumped back. She was not expecting a youth his age, as she realized staring at him, to be a member of the elite force. Her sudden action, though was not because of that, but because he was a captain! She stepped back a few paces with her tray held up protectively covering her mouth. Her expression was torn halfway between fear and disbelief.
An old mate in the dojo who sat beside him nudged him at his side and cleared his throat meaningfully. The youth stared at him in askance and the elder darted his eyes at the waitress and stifled a chortle. Soushi looked at the direction where the other darted his eyes and his mouth hung open. "Akai! Don't think of those things! Of course not and quit that." He felt his face heat up.
"All right," Akai responded still finding Soushi's expression amusing. "I'm sorry, captain. I'll quit."
Two men strode in the building and stared at the Shinsengumi warily. A pair of daisho at their waists and the way they had walked in told the 1st troop captain that they knew how to handle swords well. [Ishinshishi.] Soushi thought as they strode to a table. His instincts told them that they were and was glad for it for no other member in his troop showed signs that the men who just walked in were their enemies. [At least they're not causing trouble...yet.]
At that certain instant, Soushi's attention was divided in two and it nearly split his head. On one hand, he kept an eye on the two men while pretending not to for any words that may be a plot against the government or anything of the sort, and on the other hand he watched his men closely for any move that might tear down more the already ton down reputation of the Shinsengumi. With a quick decision, seeing that the others had finished and the bill paid, he stood up. "Let's go."
The voice was stunningly commanding for a smiling face and the Ishinshishi was immediately puzzled on the voice that spoke since all of them stood up without hesitation at the same time the voice called out. They knew it had to be the captain who called it out, but, who? Certainly it was not the 'smiling boy.' Or so they thought.
The waitress who had her eyes locked on Soushi had no doubt thought he wasn't like the rest and liked him...in a certain way. She blushed as she realized she had her eyes still on him in a dreamy state and giggled as she realized that the other women who worked there had the same look.
She suddenly snapped back to reality as the Ishinshishi members called to her. "Yes?" she asked after she ran toward them.
"Do you know the captain of that squad?" one of the men asked; his face as hard as stone.
"T-the boy with the smiling face, sir." The waitress said with a quivering voice.
"Are you sure?" the other man asked with a death glare trailing at the group thinking that one of them had noticed who the two of them were. "He seems too young for the position."
"I am sure, sir," the waitress said, "The others called him captain. I was stunned, myself, sir. I thought he was too young as well."
"Do you, by any chance, know his name?" the other asked again.
"I wasn't able to catch it, sir." She admitted, "They kept on calling him captain and by no other name. It seems that they have great respect for the boy."
"Ronins," the man mused, "some older, and still giving that much respect to a boy? What does he have? Even some veterans couldn't get that much respect. Thank you, miss." With a wave of the hand, he dismissed her. "This is some news to tell Katsura-san."
The other man agreed with barely a nod while considering his own musings about Soushi.
***
Night fell and the 1st troop Shinsen was about ready to go back to the Shieikan when their road was suddenly blocked by a handful of men. "Ishinshishi," Okita muttered and laid his left hand on his daito.
"I've heard the rumor and I've seen it, but I still don't believe it." One of them said, probably their leader, "A boy who is captain of the Shinsengumi. This ought to be an interesting battle."
The others murmured among themselves as if agreeing with their leader.
"I bid you," Soushi began, "let us pass. We do not wish bloodshed now, but if you insist..." he flicked his sheathed katana without any sign of tensing up. It was there again, that void that had filled him the night before. It wlled up, overwhelming everything; emotion, reason, thought...
Nikka: The best leader! Bwahahahahahahaha!!!
April-san: oh, I mean they would all. Hehehehehehehehe...
KasumiDestruction: Yeah, twits! (hey, I like the sound of that! Twit twit twit).
***
It was already noontime and Okita and his troop went into a restaurant to eat. They were just given their allowances for that day to cover all the necessary expenses. With one round around their district over, Soushi decided - over a rumble of stomachs and unheard complains from the members - that it was time to have their lunch.
They took one of the most secluded areas in the restaurant and were attended to by four waitresses, each with full attention. Soushi wondered why and his unasked question was answered by a man who sat across another; probably a newcomer in town, just as he was.
"It's the Shinsengumi. They are like the police of the shogun." The man said in a low voice barely audible to Soushi, "They can do whatever they want, even bully you, and they will get away with it with laughter plastered in their faces."
Soushi almost choked at the reputation their group made to people. He couldn't believe it! [Is that true? I don't believe it, but if it is tru, I'm going to change it, somehow. I'm not going to let any of my members disgrace the pride of this group. We stand for the right of the Daimyo who are in their positions.] He shook of his train of thoughts as his food was set before him by a smiling waitress. As he looked at her, he noticed the smile was forceful. He paid it no mind and gave her a genuine smile.
The sudden action of the captain held her aback. They were not known for such a kind and understanding smile. This was unexpected from a Shinsengumi member.
"Captain," one of the members called out and Soushi's smile left the waitress as he faced the other man. "I forgot to tell you that Masanobu- sama wishes to talk to you after we finish our nightly scouting. Forgive me from not telling you earlier." The man bowed his head as he asked for forgiveness.
"Tanabe-san, you don't have to ask for forgiveness," Soushi replied, his smile unwavering, "The important thing is you told me before it is too late. Besides, we all have a lot in our heads so it's quite understandable if we forget."
The waitress suddenly jumped back. She was not expecting a youth his age, as she realized staring at him, to be a member of the elite force. Her sudden action, though was not because of that, but because he was a captain! She stepped back a few paces with her tray held up protectively covering her mouth. Her expression was torn halfway between fear and disbelief.
An old mate in the dojo who sat beside him nudged him at his side and cleared his throat meaningfully. The youth stared at him in askance and the elder darted his eyes at the waitress and stifled a chortle. Soushi looked at the direction where the other darted his eyes and his mouth hung open. "Akai! Don't think of those things! Of course not and quit that." He felt his face heat up.
"All right," Akai responded still finding Soushi's expression amusing. "I'm sorry, captain. I'll quit."
Two men strode in the building and stared at the Shinsengumi warily. A pair of daisho at their waists and the way they had walked in told the 1st troop captain that they knew how to handle swords well. [Ishinshishi.] Soushi thought as they strode to a table. His instincts told them that they were and was glad for it for no other member in his troop showed signs that the men who just walked in were their enemies. [At least they're not causing trouble...yet.]
At that certain instant, Soushi's attention was divided in two and it nearly split his head. On one hand, he kept an eye on the two men while pretending not to for any words that may be a plot against the government or anything of the sort, and on the other hand he watched his men closely for any move that might tear down more the already ton down reputation of the Shinsengumi. With a quick decision, seeing that the others had finished and the bill paid, he stood up. "Let's go."
The voice was stunningly commanding for a smiling face and the Ishinshishi was immediately puzzled on the voice that spoke since all of them stood up without hesitation at the same time the voice called out. They knew it had to be the captain who called it out, but, who? Certainly it was not the 'smiling boy.' Or so they thought.
The waitress who had her eyes locked on Soushi had no doubt thought he wasn't like the rest and liked him...in a certain way. She blushed as she realized she had her eyes still on him in a dreamy state and giggled as she realized that the other women who worked there had the same look.
She suddenly snapped back to reality as the Ishinshishi members called to her. "Yes?" she asked after she ran toward them.
"Do you know the captain of that squad?" one of the men asked; his face as hard as stone.
"T-the boy with the smiling face, sir." The waitress said with a quivering voice.
"Are you sure?" the other man asked with a death glare trailing at the group thinking that one of them had noticed who the two of them were. "He seems too young for the position."
"I am sure, sir," the waitress said, "The others called him captain. I was stunned, myself, sir. I thought he was too young as well."
"Do you, by any chance, know his name?" the other asked again.
"I wasn't able to catch it, sir." She admitted, "They kept on calling him captain and by no other name. It seems that they have great respect for the boy."
"Ronins," the man mused, "some older, and still giving that much respect to a boy? What does he have? Even some veterans couldn't get that much respect. Thank you, miss." With a wave of the hand, he dismissed her. "This is some news to tell Katsura-san."
The other man agreed with barely a nod while considering his own musings about Soushi.
***
Night fell and the 1st troop Shinsen was about ready to go back to the Shieikan when their road was suddenly blocked by a handful of men. "Ishinshishi," Okita muttered and laid his left hand on his daito.
"I've heard the rumor and I've seen it, but I still don't believe it." One of them said, probably their leader, "A boy who is captain of the Shinsengumi. This ought to be an interesting battle."
The others murmured among themselves as if agreeing with their leader.
"I bid you," Soushi began, "let us pass. We do not wish bloodshed now, but if you insist..." he flicked his sheathed katana without any sign of tensing up. It was there again, that void that had filled him the night before. It wlled up, overwhelming everything; emotion, reason, thought...