First Encounter: Hajime Saito
Scenario: After shopping for groceries, you are ambushed by bandits. Though you defend yourself, you almost come to harm. Just as your ankle is about to be sliced open, he rescues you.
While at the marketplace, I once heard rumors in the village that told of a group called the Shinsengumi. What I understood from all the talk was that they did heroic things but the villagers still despised them. I, on the other hand, could only see them as being and doing good.
One, hot afternoon, I am headed home after shopping when I am taken upon by bandits. They smile greedily at me, but that doesn't dishearten me one bit.
"C'mon, little missy" one of them leers, smiling devilishly at me. "Stay quiet, and we might just spare your life." I shake my head resolutely in defiance.
"I will not go with you" I respond, holding my head high. They grow angry and draw their weapons. I smirk at their show of courage; such foolish males.
As they lunge towards me, I whip out my hand pistol and shoot rapid-fire at them, bringing them all down. There is blood on the ground, but they're only fatally wounded, not dead.
"That'll teach you to mess with me" I hiss at them as I return the gun to the folds of my clothing. Picking up my basket, I turn to leave when one of them grabs my ankle. I let out a small scream as I trip and fall to my hands and knees.
I can hear the bandits dragging their bodies towards me as I attempt to stand. At the sound of a blade being scraped across dirt, I grit my teeth in determination, refusing to allow them the honor of scarring my body.
Just as I prepare myself for the feeling of cold steel against my skin, the sound of metal against metal fills the air. I look up in time to see a mysterious stranger throw himself in front of me, holding a sword in his left hand and blocking the bandit's blade with it.
"Hurry and get out of the way!" He commands, fighting to hold his ground. I nod, then scramble to the side as the wounded, staggering bandit and my apparent knight-in-shining-armour begin to duel. I check my gun to make sure that it's still loaded, then shoot. The bandit falls to the ground, dead.
"Thank you for your assistance" I say, nodding gratefully at the stranger. He nods back in acknowledgement.
"Well done. You have good aim." I smile at his rather blunt compliment as I tuck the pistol away.
"So, you're part of the Shinsengumi?" He pauses as he is about to slide his sword back into its sheath.
"You could tell?" He looks at me, an unreadable expression on his face.
I nod. "Yeah. You were there when I needed help the most, and your skills are far superior to those that I have seen. I could only assume that you were one of them."
"You speak highly of us. That's a nice change."
I shrug matter-of-factly. "I only speak the truth." A long silence drags on, and I begin to feel uncomfortable.
"Well, I guess I should be -"
"Wait."
"Hm?"
"What's your name?" His voice is still a bit cold, and slightly commanding, but I can detect genuine friendliness in it as well. I smile amiably at him.
"My name is (y/full name). And yours?"
"Hajime Saito."
"It's nice to make your acquaintance."
"Do you belong to any samurai clan?" I shake my head.
"No; I'm a completely independent civilian, so I learned how to defend myself."
"Have you ever considered joining anyone?" I shake my head again.
"Not really, though I really do admire the Shinsengumi, such as yourself." He smiles vaguely.
"Then how would you like to become a full-fledged member of the Shinsengumi?"
I stop to think for a moment before responding. "I'd love to."
The reason I made the reader's character calm, collected, and courageous is because I feel that Saito would get along with someone who could match his skill, and that if she were a bit warmer than he was, she'd be able to melt his cold exterior.
This is the end of the "First Encounter" canons. If you have a character request (such as Yamazaki or Chikage) for a "First Encounter", please either state it in a review or PM me.