Section 5: At Midnight, Drenched by the Rain

...

...Where's Harada?

He went around to block their escape route from the rear... We can't afford to fail this time, after all.

So, who do we kill first?

...Serizawa. If the others end up escaping, fine, but not him.

We have to bring him down here and now.

All right then, Saito and I will attack from the right. Hijikata, Okita, you two go in from the front.

...Understood.

Let's go!

So you've come at last.

I've been waiting forever for you to show up, Hijikata.

Care for a drink first?

...We can't have you throwing the Shinsengumi into disarray anymore, Serizawa.

I'm afraid you have to die.

Oho. So you've come to kill me, huh?

Did Kondou send you?

...He had nothing to do with it. This was my call.

The Shinsengumi doesn't need two commanders.

We must become a unified force, under Commander Kondou's leadership.

Hahahaha! That's the funniest thing I've heard in ages. You should take that act on the road.

What? You think a bunch of peasants like you could've found real work as public servants without me?

Surely you haven't forgotten who it was that lead you country bumpkin samurai after you parted ways with Kiyokawa...

...and introduced you to the Aizu clan when you were stuck in the capital, stopped in your tracks?

...

Well done, Mr. Serizawa. I should've known you'd never leave yourself open.

Huh. And here I thought you were supposed to be sleeping off a bad drunk.

Good grief. So restless.

Quiet, children. The grown-ups are talking.

...

Tch...

This is exactly my point, Hijikata.

Souji... Saito... None of these soldiers have any ambition.

They don't have the resolve to carry the weight of a nation, nor the ideals to tear one down.

So someone else has got to lead them somewhere they can be of use. Don't you agree?

That's not your role, Serizawa.

Well, negotiations have failed, it seems. I do so hate dealing with unreasonable sorts.

It's over, Mr. Serizawa. Say your prayers.

Heh. And here I thought you were one of the smarter ones, Yamanami.

Say my prayers, huh?

Don't be ridiculous. If anyone here should be saying their prayers...

It's all of you!

Senpai, if something doesn't change soon, these rice crops aren't going to survive...

？！

Indeed...

Do you happen to have any idea where Serizawa's base could be?

Hmm. Well, since that lady he was with called herself "Iyo," I'm guessing they're at my old shrine.

Then what are we waiting for!?

We need to go help my sister right now!

Unfortunately, there's so much Dark Blight oozing from my shrine that we can't even get close.

Dammit...

What's the problem? Can't you just use that kidou power you're so good at to blow it all away?

Maybe if I was in my prime, but I don't think I could manage it while I'm still off my game.

Hah. Some legend you turned out to be.

Hey! Who said you could drink more, Okada!?

You can't just live on sake! You need rice, too!

What are you, my mom!? Leave me alone!

Ugh, will you two keep it down? It's too hot for this nonsense.

Himiko, some of the villagers are here to see you.

Me? What for?

Lady Himiko, this harsh, endless sunlight has been killing our crops.

Could you please make it rain?

Are you idiots or something? The gods decide if it rains.

You can't just make it rain whenever you feel like it.

Ordinarily, you'd be right.

Sure thing. Just give me a moment.

？！

Th-thank you so much!

Can you really make it rain?

Hmm. Good question...

...

？！

Um, is there a reason she just fell asleep like that?

She may appear to be sleeping, but this is what happens whenever Sister receives a divine prophecy.

Of course, this kind of fortune-telling isn't great for her image, so she used to only do it in her shrine's inner sanctum.

...

...!

I've got it! Let's all go hang out at the beach tomorrow!

Huh!? But I thought this was about making it rain.

Don't worry about it. In fact, worrying would be counterproductive, since you have to look forward to this as much as possible for it to work.

What the hell are you talking about!? We don't have time to play at the beach!

Yes, yes, I know how it sounds, but let's just leave it at that for today.

Wh-what do you think this is all about, Senpai?

？！

All right then, I'm gonna get back to looking into the haniwa.

Yes, I think I'll do the same.

...

I'm going to get more sake.

(Sigh)... Fine, Okada. Knock yourself out.

In that case, I think I'll join you.

Fine! You can go ahead and knock yourself out too!

Senpai, look! It's raining!

So it is...

？！

Damn. I figured as much, but still...

What's going on? How did this happen?

Sister has always had terrible luck when it comes to important events getting interrupted by rain.

Especially when those plans were meant to be fun.

So you're saying she's like the ultimate rain magnet?

The more I look forward to something, the more it's guaranteed to be rained out.

Being able to make it rain might sound like a cool priestess power, but the reality of it kind of sucks. (Sigh...)

It's raining! It's raining! Lady Himiko really did it!

Oh, thank goodness! Thank goodness!

It's wonderful seeing everyone so happy.

My, my, this IS impressive. I see the queen of Yamataikoku really lives up to the legend.

Yup. And we've got the sopping wet clothes to prove it.

On a different note, we found another shrine with a haniwa lurking about.

Why don't we talk about that more inside, where it's not raining buckets?

This time, we found just a single haniwa hiding out deep in the woods.

There was one weird thing about it, though. In all the time we watched it, it never once moved. At all.

Outstanding! This haniwa will be the perfect outlet to vent all my anger about not getting to go to the beach!

Well, no time like the present.

Hmm. Still no Okada, huh?

I guess we'll just have to go without him, Senpai.

？！

Well? Come on, get going already.

We've got to figure out what to do about that Dark Blight, or we'll never be able to reach Sister.

Please, allow Lord Nobukatsu and me to handle this.

Then I'll stay here.

There's no telling when those bastards might come back.

In fact, this should be the perfect opportunity to recruit some able-bodied villagers and make them into soldiers.

Good idea.

A small army of villager soldiers led by Lord Kenshin would be a tremendous asset for us.

Well, Saito, shall we get going?

...Sure thing.

Why you...! You're just a damn haniwa! Don't you try to resist us!

All right men, surround it and cut it down!

RRRAAAHHH!

Master, it looks like that haniwa...

...is fighting those Shinsengumi imposters!

That's weird. I swear it didn't move at all when we were watching it.

Dammit! What's with this thing!? All right men, fall back for now!

Look, Senpai! That haniwa managed to repel those Dark Shinsengumi forces all by itself!

RAAAH!

Uh-oh. I think it spotted us!

For some reason, this feels like the scariest haniwa yet!

Here it comes!

RRRAAAAAAHHH!!!

Mr. Hijikata!

Well, that explains why it was attacking us so recklessly.

At any rate, I'm glad to see him back to his old self.

You mean you guys know this guy, too? He looks kind of scary.

...You. What are you doing over there?

Me? If anything, Mr. Hijikata, you're the one who

Not you, Okita! Behind you!

Huh!?

Masterfully done as always, Okita.

But I'm afraid it wasn't enough this time!

Master!?

Hate to break it to you, shield girl, but you're too late.

Sorry 'bout this, Fujimaru! Nothing personal!

？！

Why you...!

Ha! So you've finally shown your true colors, Wolves of Mibu!

Izo!? Oh, never mind that now! Master, get behind me! Quick!

...When'd you figure it out, Izo?

Oh, like I'd ever be dumb enough to trust a wolf to begin with.

That said, you do have a weird style of swordplay, don't you?

I don't know what school it's from, but I can't read its forms at all.

I could say the same to you, Mr. Monkey See, Monkey Do.

Still, maybe I should've been taking you more seriously.

Heh. I might not have a perfect track record, but I've never once messed up an escort mission.

Mr. Yamanami... Mr. Saito... How could you do this!?

You. What do you think you're doing?

Hello, Hijikata. Long time no see.

I never expected to run into you again.

Enough. Answer the question. What do you think you're doing?

Why, we're just following the commander's orders.

...Commander Serizawa's, that is.

Did you say...Serizawa!?

Looks like this is as far as we go, Saito. Let's get out of here.

Hey, at least we did what we came here to do.

Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

What indeed...

Well, look at you.

？！

All right, let's take our leave. Pardon me, Saito.

Ugh, I hate this part.

Hraaaaaah!!!

...Damn, they got away.

Are you okay, Master!?

...I can't believe Yamanami and Saito were actually...

？！

...

Oh? Where'd Lady Kagetora go?

Beats me. Maybe she went to get some more booze or something?

I still can't believe my sister ever had a hard time against her.

I see. I suppose she does not look nearly so formidable as she truly is.

But from what I've seen, I believe her when she says she was known as a god of war.

...Hmph.

...

...Hey, tortoise. When's this rain going to stop?

I'm afraid I can't say. You'd have to ask Sister about that.

Sister, huh...

Say, is it true your sister used to be a queen?

'Cause she sure doesn't look like one to me.

Haha. Given how my sister typically conducts herself, I can hardly blame you for thinking that way.

But you can't blame her for that, either. She never wished to be a queen, after all.

What are you talking about?

Long ago, the only way the people here had to survive was hunting and gathering.

They could only live their lives the best they could, never knowing if their next meal would be their last.

But one day, rice made its way here from a foreign land.

In time, we learned to grow it ourselves, and starvation became far less of a concern.

In one fell swoop, our nation had become a land of plenty.

...What do you think happened next?

What do you mean? Isn't that basically a happy ending?

Hardly. The instant we had all we needed and perhaps a bit more, people began to fight amongst themselves.

But...why?

A degree of abundance created the haves and the have-nots.

Those who had rice began to dominate those who didn't, and in time, the people of the different regions of this land were fighting each other for control of it.

But, then...that's no different than it was in my time...

I'm sure.

From everything I've heard, it sounds like there was constant war in your time too, Lord Nobukatsu.

Perhaps this is just human nature.

Still, in time, our people grew tired of war.

They wanted salvationan arbiter with divine power who could bring an end to conflict.

And my sister fit the bill.

...

She once told me in confidence that she had heard voices from somewhere far away ever since she was little...

...and that these voices told her all sorts of things.

Things like tomorrow's weather, developments in the war... It was as though she could see the future itself.

Still, she never told anyone besides me about these things, and we continued to live our lives happily.

But then, one day, during a particularly dry year, I foolishly told other villagers about Sister's power.

...

And before I knew what was happening, the people were worshiping her as a queen.

I can't blame them. Sister's prophecies were truly miraculous.

As long as people did what she told them, whether it pertained to war or natural disaster, things always worked out.

Without everyone worshiping Sister, this land may never have become whole again.

And so, thanks to her, Yamataikoku became a peaceful kingdom, free of strife and conflict.

A peaceful kingdom, free of strife and conflict...?

Indeed. At first, I thought that everything had worked out for the best.

But then, one day, I saw Sister praying alone in her shrine's inner sanctum, and I had a thought.

...Well? What was it?

"What have I done?"

...!

After becoming queen, Sister was treated as a living deity.

In practice, she was kept at arm's length from everyone else, and used as a tool for delivering prophecies.

Before, she used to spend her days happily playing outside with me. Now, she was no more than a pillar upon which the entire land of Yamataikoku depended for support.

Why'd she agree to that!? Why didn't she just quit if she didn't like it!?

I said something similar to her once.

But in response, she only smiled and said:

As long as everyone's happy, that's all that matters.

And that was all she would say about it.

What the hell!? That's just like

It's my fault my sister stopped being a person and became an object of worship.

Perhaps it's divine punishment that I've become a tortoise.

...Why are you telling me all this?

Haha, I suppose I've been rambling a bit, hm?

Still, since it sounds as though you have a great big sister yourself, Lord Nobukatsu...

...I couldn't help but want to share some of my experiences as a fellow younger brother in a similar position.

Hmph. Don't you lump me in with the likes of you.

My sister's just amazing in every way. And unlike with you and your sister, there's nothing I can do to be useful to Sister at all.

She's perfectly fine all on her own.

Now, now, I know that's not true.

After all, siblings are supposed to help one another.

...!

...The rain seems to have stopped. Perhaps that means Sister and the others will return shortly.

...

An earthquake!?

Lord Nobukatsu, outside! Quick!

What the...!?

The black haze nearby is...clearing up...