minutemen | 6 ❀ Summer Citadel

6 ❀ Summer Citadel

Beach. Everyone has been working so hard lately so why not take a break and enjoy the beach? You can make sand castles, play in the water, and there are even umbrellas for those who'd rather just relax in the shade. There's a nice row of water melons ready to be smashed later in the day and when the sun goes down, that's when the sparklers come out.
Suffering. It's the hottest time of the year and the citadel doesn't have central air conditioning. The few air conditions that were installed have given up on life after being used so much and now, we really have to make do with what we can while the Konnosuke try to fix it. There's a limited number of fans, plenty of ice cream to go around, and the citadel should be built to circulate air, right? ... Right?!
Spooks. In Japan, summer is a time for horror. Gather around the camp fire and hear some spooky ghost stories or maybe head out into the woods just outside the citadel for a good ol' fashioned test of courage. It's all good, harmless fun! Of course, with so many spirits gathered in one place, what's to say a stray or curious outsider spirit won't join the mix...
Rain. Summer is also known for sudden and torrential downpours of rain. The clouds always seem to grown and darken suddenly and the next thing you know, it's raining sheets and the ground is shaking from thunder. Once it starts, it never seems to stop. Maybe you were caught out in the rain or maybe this is day 7 stuck inside.
Other! It's summer and there are tons of things to do. Go to the general store and stock up on ice cream, wake up in the middle of the night uncomfortable with heat, or run around screaming because cicadas are dying and flying at your face.

[ Such a good uchigatana. You’re a credit to your class, Captain. Yagen obligingly lets him catch up, until they’re both matched in pace. But he does scratch his chin thoughtfully at that question. ]

I wouldn’t say I have, but this is a bit like scouting for enemy troops, so…

[ He’s used to the encroaching darkness, claustrophobia, limitless potentials for enemy ambush in every nook and shadow, as well as the eerie silence of the evening, broken up by the occasional chirping of cicadas. ]

You’d better watch your step, Izuminokami.

Hmmm, when you put it that way... I can really see it. But instead of our enemies we're looking out for spirits and ghouls that might try and surprise us.

[ He frowned thoughtfully, keeping the flashlight in front of them as they walked. The further they got away from their home, the darker it seemed to get. Right now it wasn't all that bad, but...he knew his night vision wasn't as great as Yagen's. ]

I'll be fine. I doubt there really is much in these woods, it's all just tricks to bother your mind and--

[ His head whips around when he hears a sudden rustle of leaves. ]

[ “Surprise us,” he says, like the spirits and ghouls around here aren’t up to something even worse…

But Yagen merely pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose—an unconscious gesture meant to hide a smile that shouldn’t be there. His brothers and Nikkari have really outdone themselves tonight? ]

And what, Izuminokami?

[ He speaks in an undertone, trying to move down the path in the direction of that strange rustling, which seems to grow louder and louder… ]

[ H-hey! Don't just walk off without him, Yagen! He quickly sticks to Yagen's side with a frown on his face. Flashlight up and moving through the trees and bushes as if trying to find the source. ]

And sword warriors like us won't fall so easily to suck tricks.

[ Ahem... ]

[ Yagen huffs and pouts, looking a little insulted at whatever Kanesada had been implying. Even though he’s fully aware that Kanesada means well… ]

Of course they’re only tricks, Izuminokami. We’re perfectly sa—

[ His sentence is cut off abruptly as, with a startled cry, Yagen slips into a cunningly hidden pitfall trap, vanishing out of Izuminokami’s sight as if the shadows around them had swallowed him whole. ]

[ ...! ]

Yagen? Yagen?!

[ The panic already starts to set in when he looks around with his flashlight and he doesn't see a thing. ]

Shit... where could he have gone..? Yagen?!

[ Cupping his mouth a little, he makes his shouting louder. ]

Down here.

[ It’s said with a feeble groan, but should Kanesada follow that voice with the beam of his flashlight, he’ll find a nearby patch of disturbed foliage opening up to a dark, gaping hole. Yagen’s kneeling at the bottom of it, clutching at a scuffed knee as though it might be injured. ]

…Sorry. That was careless of me.

[ it takes him a moment to follow the voice and the groaning when he finally spots what appears to be a hole in the ground. One might try to find something to help him out, but not Kanesada. Nope, instead he kicks away more of the foliage before jumping right down after him. ]

Yagen..!

[ He lands with a loud thump, and hopefully not on top of the other sword. ]

Oi!

[ Yagen scoots away at Kanesada’s entry, completely dumbfounded by this turn of events. This is terrible; they’re going way off script!!! ]

You weren’t supposed to—I mean, Izuminokami! What did you do that for?!

[ He fumbles with his flashlight when he lands and tries to search out Yagen's legs. ]

I couldn't just stand up there while you were in pain. You might have more wounds that even you are unaware of. This was a long fall after all!

[ He’s actually fine, if a tad dirty. Not that he’ll admit as much, though. There’s no need to spoil the game just because he’d failed to account for Izuminokami being a fucking impulsive idiot— ]

I—I’m the doctor here, remember?

[ Right, getting his bearings now. ]

There was no need for you to go this far. Now who’s going to help us out?

[ Oh... right. They were kind of a ways down now weren’t they... hmmm

He frowned thoughtfully as he walked to the edge of the wall to feel the dirt. It might be difficult but... ]

How good is your climbing?

[ He untied his hair only to tie it up a bit higher so it was out of his way and began digging his nails into the walls of this pitfall.]

[ A part of him wonders if maybe he should’ve let Horikawa handle this one, but Horikawa’s too smart and would only spoil all the scares they’d worked so hard to build up. But creating some sense of isolation and urgency in Kanesada has clearly backfired on them. Hmm… ]

I’m—

[ Should he just give up the charade? Should he let Izuminokami play the hero? Decisions, decisions… ]

I’m injured, remember? I’ll only hold you back—

What...? Nonsense! We are comrades and you could never hold me back!

[ His focus was now on Yagen as he was crouching down to the ground again. He felt like this was his fault. If he had been paying better attention, leading them correctly, Yagen wouldn't have hurt himself! Now it was up to him to get them out of here, but if Yagen was hurt, would he really be able to climb up properly with him on his back?

He frowned and fell silent, trying to come up with some kind of plan. ]

[ …Ugh, this overwhelming charisma. Yagen feels himself sweating, and he wonders if it’s just from the summer heat.

In a tight voice, full of emotion that he’s trying very hard to restrain: ]

Then…Then I’ll leave myself in your care, Izuminokami.

[ He really has no choice here!! ]

Maybe if you just carry me on your back, I can…I can at least hold the flashlight for you.

[ Or something. B-Baka!! ]

Ah...! That's actually a great idea. If you're holding the flashlight, it'll be easier to hold onto you.

[ He gently holds out the flashlight to Yagen, figuring his night seeing was a lot better than his, and when he grabs for it, Izuminokami quickly pulls him up onto his back and stands up tall. ]

You know... even this is sort of an adventure.

[ Yagen takes that flashlight with a sigh, allowing himself to be manhandled by Kanesada if it means that they’ll at least get out of here and go on with the rest of this spooky obstacle course. As promised, he holds the beam steady, shining it toward anything Kanesada needs to grab hold of. Can an uchigatana scale a wall as well as a tantou can? Guess they’re about to find out. ]

Do you think so? I think it’s kind of embarrassing to drop into a hole before we even find anything scary out here.

[ It’s almost cowardly, even… Even if Izuminokami had been kind of cool to impulsively leap to the rescue like that… ]

Maybe, but...

[ He tilts his head a little so he could look back at Yagen in this darkness. Honestly he couldn't even tell if Yagen could see his face even if his night seeing was far better. Still, he gives him a warm expression. ]

I think any warrior who can fall like so and still keep a straight face is still something to be proud of.

[ He's seen you suture yourself and still go out to fight more, Yagen! }

[ Hey!! Recycling his joke isn’t very humerus!!! ]

Honestly…

[ Kanesada might be able to catch a glimpse of Yagen’s face as an eye twitches with irritation. Somehow hearing that from the man seems both cool and infuriating.

Flatly: ]

Focus on your climbing. We can’t have you injured out here, too.

[ Listen! As one of the youngest swords, if he doesn't do something to look cool, what else does he have?? ]

I can just hear that barking laughter of Mutsunokami already.

[ He let out a soft groan as he turned his focus to the hole's wall again. Using his strength and nails to dig into the dirt to make enough of an indent to hopefuly start being able to climb out. ]

He would never let me hear the end of it.

[ Hey, Yagen may be a brat, but he’s a Sengoku-era brat, and therefore allowed to judge him. ]

You must’ve heard his screams of terror earlier on.

[ And he’d been looking forward to hearing Izuminokami’s as well…what a pain. ]

So you had better be careful and—what was that?

[ Somewhere above them—a rustling noise? Is it someone coming over to help? From somewhere in the darkness above them a pair of glowing eyes emerges, followed by a low growl. Yagen quickly swings the flashlight beam in its direction, only narrowly missing it as it leaps for them, knocking the flashlight out of his hands as it brushes past them into the pit below.

The sound of cicadas grow ever louder in the dark. ]

[ shit....!

Izuminokami quickly looked over his shoulder as if he might get a glimpse of what just came after them. But with its movements... it can't be anything good! He had to get Yagen out of here and fast! ]

Did you catch... what that was?

[ He tries to keep his voice even, but there were a few cracks in his tone, his hands moving quicker to scale this wall. ]

[ Yagen’s voice drops to a low murmur: ]

No. And keep your eyes above us.

[ He hears the thunk of the flashlight dropping far below them (and boy…does it sound like such a long way down now…). Unfortunately, the thing dropped at an angle where the beam’s facing away from them, illuminating some dark corner of the pit they’re still trying to escape.

And unfortunately for Izuminokami, this whole ordeal is a signal that the game is still afoot. ]

Are you…all right, Izuminokami? Any injuries?

I'm fine.... I'm fine. I was just startled a little.

[ He frowned a little, trying to ignore the sounds from below. Why did it seem like this hole was even deeper than he originally thought it was?! }

We'll get out of here and get to safety, don't worry.

[ Although without the flashlight now... ]

[ The hole is fine. ~~It was made for him.~~ ]

And how do you intend to fight something that you can’t see?

[ Knowing Kanesada, he can already guess at the answer. ]

Because if you intend to charge into the woods recklessly with whatever it is out there…

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