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.

[ 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…

Theres more to surveillance than eye sight. If I'm quiet enough I could hear anyone approaching as well...!

[ Although charging is what he was intending on doing... oops. ]

Look. What's important is getting you out of here.

[ Quit making him feel guilty about setting you up for a prank here, dammit! ]

I’m not sure you can be quiet enough…

[ Ouch, Yagen..! Don't dig into his pride too deeply there! ]

I can be plenty quiet when the situation calls for it!

[ He does love you, Izuminokami, but— ]

Could you say that a bit louder? I don’t think they can hear you.

[ He was about to argue back, but instead a tiny bit of a flustered sound slipped out. It wouldn't do any good to be arguing right now! How would he take Yagen to safety otherwise!

But man did the other swords know just what to say to get reactions out of him... ]

I think I see the top of the hole now...

[ huff. puff. ]

[ How brave and noble…but honestly, Izuminokami, he can’t help it if you’re just too easy… ]

Good.

[ He knows there will be nothing up there, at least. That attack earlier had just been the teaser, and Yagen must lead Kanesan further into parts unknown… ]

I must say I’m impressed at how energetic you are in spite of things, Izuminokami. You might triumph just yet.

[ He grunts a little at that comment as he finally reaches the top of the hole, pulling himself out of it as carefully as possible. ]

What do you mean I just might? I'm made of tougher material than that.

Being tough doesn’t matter in this kind of test.

[ He gets what Kanesada means, but it wouldn’t hurt to leave a gentle reminder. In any case, now that they’re out of that hole and their only source of light, it seems like it’ll be up to Yagen to help navigate, before Kanesada starts charging ahead and knocking him against some low-hanging tree branch, or something. ]

You’ll have to know where you’re going first, in which case…I see a path over there, to the left of you.

[ It looks totally inconspicuous even if it promises to lead them even deeper into the forest and back to the Citadel. Which is totally still a feasible option if Izuminokami feels like giving up, just saying… ]

[ . . . The left huh. Kanesada lost track of which direction they even came from after being in that hole and moving around so much. He'd have to take Yagen's word for it, but... this way just seemed so... eerie in a way.

But no matter, he had to prove he could handle this, so he gives his reply in the form of a soft sound and starts heading left, keeping a tighter hold on Yagen, just in case... ]

I never realized how these woods looked different at night...

Do you find this scarier than all the places we’ve been deployed to?

[ He can’t resist riling him up a little still. ]

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