1 Text: [Chapter 23] Text: [Snare] 2 Text: [November 3, 1867 - Hijikata Toshizou returns from Edo (cuts off)] Text: [November 18, 1867 - Aburakouji Incident, Itou Kashi (cuts off)] Text: [November 19, 1867 - Toudou Heisuke (cuts off)] (aaaaand the same text repeats backwards in the next panel. I'm guessing this is Saitou's interesting little ability at work. I'm not gonna spoil what happens at Aburanokouji, lol.) Man: ...Saitou-taichou! Man: How have you been, Captain? Saitou: I've just recieved orders from the Kyokuchou for a mission at the Tenman-ya Inn. (Note: The Tenman-ya incident occured about 3 weeks after Aburanokouji. Some Shinsengumi were guarding an official and they got attacked by Ryoma's men. Saitou was wounded there.) Saitou: I want the Third Division on standby at headquarters. Men: Yes, sir. Saitou: ...... 3 SFX: *sneaking noise* Saitou: Did you have some business with me? Tetsu: Eeep!! Tetsu: I... uhh... Tetsu: Yeah, kind of... Tetsu: I know you were ordered to leave with Itou's group... Tetsu: And it you're business what you choose to do... Saitou: ...... Tetsu: But you should hear the stuff people are saying about you! Can't I set those assholes straight? Saitou: ...... 4 Tetsu: Okay, I know it's probably what you want 'cuz it's a secret mission and all... Testu: But the way they talk about you really pisses me off... Saitou: ..... Tetsu: I... uh... Tetsu: I just... Saitou: You just can't ignore it? Tetsu: ......yeah. Saitou: No, I understand what you mean. Tetsu: Huh? But I don't even know what I'm talking about... Tetsu: You sure you're okay, Saitou-san? Saitou: You don't... Saitou: Have to apologise... Saitou: For what you think. Tetsu: Huh!? Tetsu: But... Tetsu: Saitou-san, you're not a bad guy... Saitou: If you're always apologising... Saitou: Then... Saitou: You're always losing something... 5 Tetsu: Hmm... Tetsu: Sorry... Tetsu: That's... Tetsu: Not what I was expecting... Tetsu: I thought all that stuff would bother you, but... Tetsu: You don't have to worry about a thing! You've been away for eight months, but... Tetsu: This place is your home! We're like a family, right? Tetsu: Don't let those jerks get to you! Saitou: No, really... Saitou: I wasn't... Tetsu: I don't blame you for looking depressed!! Tetsu: But remember, "tomorrow is a new day!" Tetsu: So don't be so gloomy! Saitou: ...... 6 Tetsu: Maybe things will start looking up for that Itou guy, too! Tetsu: The Kyokuchou is gonna meet with him tomorrow! Maybe... Tetsu: Maybe they'll be friends again! Tetsu: And then Toudou can come home too! Text: [November 18, 1867 - The Aburakouji Incident.] 7 Text: [On the evening of the 18th, Itou Kashitarou was invited for a drink at the home of Kondou's mistress.] Text: [On the surface, it appeared to be a talk towards renewed relations between the Shinsengumi and the Goryoueji.] (If you've forgotten, Itou's group is called the Goryoueji, although sometimes you'll see them called the Koudaiji Party as well - the Goryoueji and the Shinsengumi were originally affiliated but obviously there was a bit of a falling out, lol, since Itou plotten to kill Kondou...) Text: [But the real goal of the party was...] 8 Text: [To make Itou too intoxicated to fight.] Itou: Ohohohoho.... ufufufufufu... *heart* Itou: I think I've had a little bit too much to drink... Itou: Ahahaha, oh no, it's been too long since I've had that much fun. Itou: Next time, we'll have to get all of the Shinsengumi and all of the Goryoueji together and have a big party... Kondou: Are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should spend the night... Itou: Ufufufufu, that's so like you, Kondou-san... Itou: You're such a good liar~ Kondou: .....ah... Itou: But sadly, I can't impose on you tonight. My cute little Goryoueji boys are waiting for me~ Text: [It grew late, past midnight, and Itou came to a crossroads.] 9 Itou: ~~~~~~~*whistling* Itou: ~~~~~~~*whistling* Itou: ~~~~~~~*whistling* Text: There, in the Aburakouji neighborhood of the seventh ward, the Shinsengumi were waiting for him. 10 Kondou: Itou Kashitarou... is he.... Kondou: ...dead? 11 Kondou: This sake was... too costly. Kondou: ...There's no way we can explain our sins away. Hijikata: Itou plotted against us first. Hijikata: We're all sinners here. We do what we have to do to survive. Hijikata: In situations like this, you have to forget samurai honor. Kondou: That's fine for you to say, Toshi... Kondou: But you talk too much when you know you're wrong. Kondou: You always... Hijikata: What? Hijikata: I always what? Kondou: Forget it, it's nothing. Kondou: I need a drink. Kondou: I need to get so drunk... Kondou: That I can't even think about this... 12 Souji: *COUGH COUGH COUGH* Souji: *COUGH COUGH COUGH* Souji: *COUGH COUGH* Souji: *cough cough* Susumu: Okita-san!! Susumu: Just hold on... Susumu: !! Souji: ...... Souji: Ah... ah... Souji: It's coming out... 13 Susumu: ...Just drink this hot water... Souji: Yamazaki-san. Souji: I'm fine, really. Souji: You don't have to stay with me. Susumu: No, I can't do that. I'm a doctor... Souji: I know, and that's why... Souji: You should be in the medical office. I'm sure that tonight... Souji: There will be a lot of wounded people. Susumu: I've been dreading this day... 14 Susumu: Here, there, everywhere... Susumu: It all reeks of blood. Assassin: Itou's assassination went exactly as planned. Assassin: I left his body at Aburakouji. Hijikata: Good. Now how will we make sure his Goryoueji comrades go there? Assassin: The local merchants have ties to the Koudaiji Party and report to them, so they even know when we get a new member. Assassin: It's very likely that the Goryoueji are already moving. Hijikata: Good. You've done very well. Hijikata: ...hm? Hijikata: What's wrong, Yokokura? Whatever it is, say it while you're here. Assassin: Well... 15 Assassin: [The surprise attack was a success and Itou was fatally wounded by the first blow from my spear... but he didn't die right away.] Assassin: [As I prepared to deliver the final blow, he moved to counter-attack me.] Kondou: That's just like him... Hijikata: Che... Hijikata: Goddamned Hokushin Ittou Ryuu philosophy... Hijikata: It's fine. You've done well, and you're dismissed. Assassin: Yes, sir. Kondou: ...I wonder if they'll come... Hijikata: They'll come. Hijikata: We left his body lying in the road. They'll come, exactly as we want them to. Kondou: Toshi... 16 Kondou: What about... you know who...? SFX: *purposeful walking* Goryoueji Guy: There's no one here... Goryoueji Guy: But this has to be the place... Young Guy: There, in the crossroads! Young Guy: In that palanquin...!? Pretty Guy: Itou-sensei!! Spiky Haired Guy: That's... really... spiky Haired Guy: Sensei! Pretty Guy: ...... Spiky Haired Guy: Sensei! Spiky Haired Guy: Itou-sensei!! 17 Ponytail Guy: Show yourselves. Ponytail Guy: If you're going to kill us, do it shamelessly. 18 Sano: As you wish. Sano: We're the Shinsengumi. Other Ponytail Guy: The motive of this attack is becoming clear... Other Ponytail Guy: Hiding your shadows under a bloody new moon... 19 Other Ponytail Guy: Tonight is a poor stage for your perverse idea of "fidelity"... Other Ponytail Guy: To leave a battered corpse in the street... Sano: "Corpse"...? Pretty Guy: Ah... ah... Pretty GUy: Itou-sensei... Pretty Guy: You told us that something like this would happen... Pretty Guy: But I... Pretty Guy: I never thought it would happen lke this... Shinpachi: .....? Pretty Guy: I... I never... 20 Pretty: ...Well this is going to be interesting. Shinpachi: !!? Shinsengumi Guys: What... when did they...? Shinsengumi Guys: Captain! We're surrounded!! Shinsengumi Guys: What...? 21 Sano: Damn it... there's more of them! Shinpachi: I can see that, Sano. They're rounin... Rounin: Muhahaha... Shinpachi: It looks as if they're just hired mercenaries. Sano: Break their circle and fight them one by one - concentrate on whatever guy is in front of you!! Shinsengumi Guy: But Captain... Sano: Unless you wanna die, you've gotta beat ten guys! Shinsengumi Guy: Yes, sir! Sano: Usually I like fighting against the odds, but I've got a bad feeling about this... oh well... Pretty Guy: Ah, I see! Pretty Guy: Well it's good that you don't care about the numbers! Pretty Guy: Unless you just want to turn tail and run away, you know~ Sano: WHAT!? Shinpachi: ...... 22 Sano: Why the hell do you want to kill us!? Shinpachi: [...!!?] Shinpachi: Sano... Sano: ? 23 Shinpachi: It's not us... Shinpachi: ..They... Shinpachi: They intend to destroy the Shinsengumi...!!! 24 Shinsengumi Guy: Kyokuchou! Shinsengumi Guy: They're shooting flaming arrows from somewhere...!! Shinsengumi Guy: Kondou-kyokuchou!! Kondou: Stop panicking, you fool!! Kondou: Wet your clothes and wake everyone!! Kondou: I want half of our men fighting the fire, and the other half assembled in the main hall and ready for battle!! Kondou: Just stay calm!! Shinsengumi Guys: They've got the whole base surrounded!! Hijikata: Get the sick and wounded to safety in the center of headquarters!! Hijikata: As for everyone else, get every man who can move equipped and ready to defend the compound!! Souji: *cough cough* Susumu: Can you stand, Okita-san? 25 Souji: The fighting... Souji: It's Itou's freinds coming for revenge, isn't it? Susumu: No... it seemed that way on the surface at first... Souji: ...... Susumu: Strange rounin have surrounded the headquarters. It's now apparent that this was all planned. Kondou: We already sent half our availible forces to Aburakouji! Kondou: There are already one hundred attackers... maybe if we called them back... Hijikata: We need reinforcements at Aburakouji. Hijikata: Kondou-san, you're needed here. Hijikata: If anything happens to me, you have to take care of everyone. 26 Souji: Hijikata-san, I'm going too... Hijikata: Souji! Susumu: Okita-san! In that condition, you can't! Susumu: We have to get you to safety...! Hijikata: Kondou-san... Yamazaki-kun... Hijikata: Let him do what he needs to do. 27 Shinsengumi Guy: Fukuchou! The fires are almost out!! Hijikata: The flaming arrows are less of a threat now, so more men can fight!! Hijikata: Defend the front gates with spears and guns! Shinsengumi Guy: Fukuchou!! Shinsengumi Guy: Ah.... Shinsengumi Guy: ...... Shinsengumi Guy: Ah... ahh... 28 Itou: Ooh, you look so surprised... it's cute... Itou: I wanted to see that face... Itou: So... Itou: I thought I'd let you try to kill me again~ Hijikata: ...Itou...!!