[Memory] Seventh
WHO: Yamazaki Susumu/Rain, (notpissedoff)
SENSES: Sound/Touch
SUMMARY: The Shinsengumi prepare for battle.
PERMISSIONS: Free for use
As the memory began, the feeling of the ground beneath him, cool and solid, was the first thing he became aware of. He was crouched down on one knee, a subordinate position, and there was fabric loosely draped around his neck - probably a scarf - and something tied across his forehead. Sound was the next sense that made itself apparent, as his sharp ears picked up low, indistinct voices around him that blended together into a faint background noise. There was the intermittent crackle of a small fire not far in front of him, and it was at this point that it occurred to Rain that he couldn't see or smell. No matter - he was speaking now. He needed to pay attention.
"They will strike early. We are trying to discover their meeting place, but have no leads as of yet." His tone was official and no-nonsense - this was clearly serious business. "This afternoon a runner with a sortie request was sent to Kurodani, in the Aizu han. No troops have answered the call as yet. The communications are most likely delayed."
"Souji." A rough voice that Rain recognized from previous memories came from directly in front of him - the vice commander. "How many soldiers do we have for sortie?"
"We have thirty-four." Okita, also right in front of him, answered.
Rain heard and felt himself continue. "According to Furutaka's confession, there are around forty roushi hidden in the city. Even if they aren't united, it's a large number." He paused for a brief second. "I believe we should wait until the appointed time for reinforcements to arrive."
We're preparing for battle...
"Thirty-four men?!!" a loud, brash-sounding voice exclaimed nearby, and there was the sound of heavy fabric being moved. "When did the number drop?! What are we, cowards?"
"Why are you yelling at the soldiers that are here?" a second unfamiliar voice piped up. "C'mon, man."
"Honestly?" That was a third unknown voice, this one sounding rather unimpressed. "If another Japanese man deserts because he's got a cold, I want him to stand here first and show me the place where his balls should be."
"Toudou-kun..." That was the second voice again, managing to sound both snide and amused at once. "Are you forgetting that Yamanami-san also caught a cold?"
'Toudou' responded in a chagrined voice. "Even if I die, never, ever tell Yamanami-san what I just said."
"So? What're we gonna do, vice commander?" The brash voice spoke up again, calmer now. "The guys are all riled up, having orders after being idle so long. The tenth squad is bursting at the seams. They're all short-tempered like me!" The amused voice laughed loudly at that.
"Let's go, Toshi." Yet another person Rain hadn't heard in any previous memories approached from the side. Again, there was the movement of heavy fabric, followed by a few footsteps. "Shinsengumi aren't patient. It's been a long while." The voice sounded good-natured and slightly older than most of the others... and it occurred to Rain that this was the first mention of the Shinsengumi that he'd heard for himself as opposed to learning about them through Okita.
The vice commander exhaled slowly. Rain wondered if he was smoking. "I was hoping you'd say that," he responded a moment later.
There was a beat of absolute silence, and then, "Ye... Yeah!!" The amused voice was positively ecstatic. "That's right! If we don't go, we're not Shinsengumi!"
The brash voice wasn't far behind, and was equally enthusiastic. "Now that that's decided, let's strike while the iron's hot! All right men, it's time to move out!" A loud shout, many voices in unison, rang out in response.
"Hang on! We need to explain the squad's duties!" amused-voice called out with a light laugh. "Get back here, Sano!"
"Whaaa?"
Rain heard someone step closer to where he still knelt, followed by the vice commander's voice speaking calmly. "Defense of headquarters will be left to the investigators."
"Yes, sir," he answered. He then felt himself stand and begin to walk away... but he hadn't taken more than three steps before he heard the vice commander speak again.
"Yamazaki-kun."
He stopped, and turned. "Yes, vice commander?"
"There's one more thing... I need from you."
SENSES: Sound/Touch
SUMMARY: The Shinsengumi prepare for battle.
PERMISSIONS: Free for use
As the memory began, the feeling of the ground beneath him, cool and solid, was the first thing he became aware of. He was crouched down on one knee, a subordinate position, and there was fabric loosely draped around his neck - probably a scarf - and something tied across his forehead. Sound was the next sense that made itself apparent, as his sharp ears picked up low, indistinct voices around him that blended together into a faint background noise. There was the intermittent crackle of a small fire not far in front of him, and it was at this point that it occurred to Rain that he couldn't see or smell. No matter - he was speaking now. He needed to pay attention.
"They will strike early. We are trying to discover their meeting place, but have no leads as of yet." His tone was official and no-nonsense - this was clearly serious business. "This afternoon a runner with a sortie request was sent to Kurodani, in the Aizu han. No troops have answered the call as yet. The communications are most likely delayed."
"Souji." A rough voice that Rain recognized from previous memories came from directly in front of him - the vice commander. "How many soldiers do we have for sortie?"
"We have thirty-four." Okita, also right in front of him, answered.
Rain heard and felt himself continue. "According to Furutaka's confession, there are around forty roushi hidden in the city. Even if they aren't united, it's a large number." He paused for a brief second. "I believe we should wait until the appointed time for reinforcements to arrive."
We're preparing for battle...
"Thirty-four men?!!" a loud, brash-sounding voice exclaimed nearby, and there was the sound of heavy fabric being moved. "When did the number drop?! What are we, cowards?"
"Why are you yelling at the soldiers that are here?" a second unfamiliar voice piped up. "C'mon, man."
"Honestly?" That was a third unknown voice, this one sounding rather unimpressed. "If another Japanese man deserts because he's got a cold, I want him to stand here first and show me the place where his balls should be."
"Toudou-kun..." That was the second voice again, managing to sound both snide and amused at once. "Are you forgetting that Yamanami-san also caught a cold?"
'Toudou' responded in a chagrined voice. "Even if I die, never, ever tell Yamanami-san what I just said."
"So? What're we gonna do, vice commander?" The brash voice spoke up again, calmer now. "The guys are all riled up, having orders after being idle so long. The tenth squad is bursting at the seams. They're all short-tempered like me!" The amused voice laughed loudly at that.
"Let's go, Toshi." Yet another person Rain hadn't heard in any previous memories approached from the side. Again, there was the movement of heavy fabric, followed by a few footsteps. "Shinsengumi aren't patient. It's been a long while." The voice sounded good-natured and slightly older than most of the others... and it occurred to Rain that this was the first mention of the Shinsengumi that he'd heard for himself as opposed to learning about them through Okita.
The vice commander exhaled slowly. Rain wondered if he was smoking. "I was hoping you'd say that," he responded a moment later.
There was a beat of absolute silence, and then, "Ye... Yeah!!" The amused voice was positively ecstatic. "That's right! If we don't go, we're not Shinsengumi!"
The brash voice wasn't far behind, and was equally enthusiastic. "Now that that's decided, let's strike while the iron's hot! All right men, it's time to move out!" A loud shout, many voices in unison, rang out in response.
"Hang on! We need to explain the squad's duties!" amused-voice called out with a light laugh. "Get back here, Sano!"
"Whaaa?"
Rain heard someone step closer to where he still knelt, followed by the vice commander's voice speaking calmly. "Defense of headquarters will be left to the investigators."
"Yes, sir," he answered. He then felt himself stand and begin to walk away... but he hadn't taken more than three steps before he heard the vice commander speak again.
"Yamazaki-kun."
He stopped, and turned. "Yes, vice commander?"
"There's one more thing... I need from you."