Todou "pay attention to me" Heisuke | 藤堂平助 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
devaluates) wrote2014-05-25 09:28 pm
devaluates) wrote2014-05-25 09:28 pm
Synodiporia App
P L A Y E R;
NAME: Teru
AGE: 24
PLAYER JOURNAL:wishuponthenightskes
TIMEZONE: EST
CONTACT: Plurk:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
wishuponthenightskies
OTHER CHARACTERS PLAYED: N/a
C H A R A C T E R;
NAME: Heisuke Todou
CANON: Hakuouki
POINT IN CANON: Hakuouki - Demon of the Fleeting Blossom; Chapter 6 (Heiuske's Route) - After he and Chizuru set off in persuit of Sannan
AGE: 24
APPEARANCE: Western Attire Eastern Attire
CANON HISTORY: The Wiki is t e r r i b l e so I have linked a few essential things to explain Heisuke's history below for your viewing and reading pleasure:
Let's Play Hakuouki Youtube Playlist, starting where Heisuke's route starts. Please note that this skips a couple chapters of the main story and purely shows Heisuke's route.
Let's Play Hakuouki Pretty much the same thing only in text/forum formatting instead of a series of videos
Historical Wikipedia Entry of Real Life Todou Heisuke - Important because a lot of things in Hakuouki are based upon real life historical fact and while the game might gloss over some, this can fill in the gaps!
CANON PERSONALITY: Heisuke is a sunny personality at first glance. He is often cheerful, energetic and always quick to smile. He is somewhat informal, only referring to those older than him with honorifics, save for Souji, whom he sticks to just the first name. He has a loud mouth when he wants to use it and he will use it. On the surface is a kid who is hotheaded and prone to stupid behavior that happens to nearly get him killed. Heisuke often times will get himself into a bad situation without thinking things through in the way another warrior might (judging the skill differences and reacting accordingly, etc.). A strong example is the Ikedaya Incident when Heisuke is facing off against a demon by the name of Amagiri who easily disables him by grabbing his blade with one hand and slamming his fist into Heisuke's forehead, resulting in the protector being cracked along with his forehead retaining a scar. In Sanosuke's route, it is remarked upon that while healing, Heisuke could be heard crying from how much pain he was in, despite receiving treatment for his injury. The two faced off again when Heisuke decided to no longer ally with the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb, which he had joined upon defecting from the Shinsengumi for a time at the behest of Itou Kashitaro, at Aburano Koji and fought the same demon. The result was that he only wound up even more fatally wounded to the point he nearly died and had to drink Ochimizu as a result. Being the youngest member of the Shinsengumi, his age shows in how he carries himself and how he acts around others. He won't admit that how he acts can be childish, even when having it pointed out to him by someone like Sanosuke or Shinpachi.
Heisuke's story arc is about making the decisions that are right for him versus honoring the wishes of those closest to him. He is often incredibly critical of himself and easily becomes discouraged. He says it best himself, "I think a lot about what I'm gonna do, but it seems like every time I make the wrong decision and then I regret it and just want to quit." All the pressure he puts on himself sometimes winds up in him being rash and resorting to drinking heavily. This, of course, only makes him feel worse and he winds up setting himself into a cycle of self hatred and regret. Usually he can bring himself out of this on his own, but often he needs the comforting words of another person to bring him out of his negative thoughts. Later on when Heisuke becomes a Rasetsu, his feelings turn from "I can't make the right choices" to "I'm a monster." He hates that he had been so afraid to die at Aburano Kouji that he'd chosen to drink the Water of life. At the same he acknowledges that if he hadn't, he wouldn't be able to be with his friends anymore - nor would he be there to protect Chizuru when she needs him. People like Chizuru and Sano are notably the best at dragging him out of these little funks.
A huge part of his back story itself is that, based upon real life historical fact, Heisuke is separated from his family because he is the illegitimate son of the Tsu Domain daimyo, Toudou Takayuki. Heisuke is given money by his family for a period of time, before being cut off temporarily. When the Shinsengumi begin to make a name for themselves, the money seems to be making it's way back to him until his "death" at Aburano Koji. Heisuke doesn't seem to dislike or like his family either way, but still it's obvious their neglect and lack of acknowledgement of him weighs on him. He and Chizuru even have a hear to heart about his feelings about them and about his life in general, at one point. Historically, his father's betrayal is of the Shinsengumi and subsequent shifting of sides to the Imperial Army is what decides the outcome of Toba-Fushimi, the war that became the major climax of the game.
His relationship with Chizuru is particularly close, his feelings somewhat one-sided depending on what route one plays from in the game, and it is obvious he has a bit of a crush on her right from the moment they start to get to know one another. Even before he found out she was a girl, having only met her while she was disguised as a boy for her safety and they had kidnapped her, he is easy going with her and friendly and it is obvious he has a bit of a sweet spot for her. Their conversations are always easy going and friendly and on several occasions Heisuke remarks that she's always saving him and making him feel happy. She makes the same assertions about him. Whenever he starts tearing himself down or expressing insecurities, she is there for him, though she isn't afraid to slap some sense into him if she needs to.
Heisuke tries his best to smile and put on a brave face, upon hearing from Sen about the fate that befalls all Rasetsu this is more amplified. He tries so hard to just push his own terrified feelings about dying down further and further until they crawl their way back up in that one moment, forever stuck in the back of his mind. After becoming a Rasetsu and finding out that they will all die and turn to ash in the end, using up their life force, Heisuke becomes more sullen than usual and can't get the thought out of his head that he will die. In a sense, when Hijikata orders him to go after Sannan upon his taken Sendai and kidnapping Sen, Heisuke is in a rush to just get it over with. He decides that he is a dead man, so why not? Though this is not the type of person he truly is.
Awkward and a little silly, the Shinsengumi are what really make him the happiest. He's said to Chizuru on at least one occasion that all he wants is to fool around with his friends and that he didn't see himself serving as a vassal or anything like that. Sanosuke Harada and Shinpachi Nagakura are very much the same. The three of them together - dubbed the 'Baka Trio' - get up to trouble and often times will drink and party until the wee hours. Sanosuke is one of the few people that Heisuke trusts to vent to, as he is a great listener. Shinpachi is someone that Heisuke likes to goof off with but at the same time he can get angry at him when provoked through teasing or by having his food stolen by the larger man. His small stature is something he takes personally and something Shinpachi capitalizes upon, when it comes to teasing Heisuke. Their departure from the Shinsengumi after their loss of Kofu castle begins the shift between Heisuke and the past he longed for - the time when everyone was carefree and things were good, something that drew Heisuke to the group in the first place. Though, by this point, Heisuke was so entrenched in the Corps and was also presumed to the public to be a dead man.
While Souji's personality tends to be rather terrifying (to Heisuke at least) and Saitou's quietness coming across as very cold, he gets along well with the two of them. Saitou and Souji and the "baka trio" (Heisuke, Sano and Shinpachi) often drink and have fun together, though Saitou will usually sit quietly more often than not. Heisuke and Souji aren't quite to the best friend level that he has with Sano and Shinpachi, but they are still incredibly close. The same is said of Saitou, though Heisuke is marginally closer to him in comparison to Souji. He and Saitou are actually the same age, despite their differing maturity levels, and because of this Heisuke can also relate to him for the fact that they are the youngest in the group. In contrast, Heisuke's relationship with Hijikata, their vice commander and resident bullshit taker, is a bit of a mix between a subordinate/superior relationship with some silliness mixed in. If Heisuke does something wrong, Hijikata is quick to scold him much to his discouragement. He seems to rile the vice commander up, but at the same time their relationship is solid as he backs up Hijikata at Sendai in his own route as well as others. He follows his orders without argument.
At Heisuke's canon point, his relationship with "Sannan" Keisuke Yamanami is rather strained. Sannan is becoming what Heisuke fears - a ravenous monster that wants only blood and will shed his sanity to get it. Heisuke worked in the Fury Corps when he became a Rasetsu early in the game, but other than that he keeps his distance from him and the other Rasetsu. He didn't want to see what was happening, almost as if looking into his own future, and before anyone realized it Sannan had fallen off the wagon. His kidnapping Sen after turning her into a rasetsu prompts investment on Heisuke's part to stop him, before he can hurt anyone else while trying to create his army and take over. He is the enemy "boss fight" of Heisuke's route. As for others like Inoue, Yamazaki, and Kondou, Heisuke doesn't dislike them but he does disagree with some of Kondou's ideals as Heisuke himself is an Imperialist and would rather not serve as some vassal beneath the Shogun. His philosophy in is much simpler than that, in that he'd rather just drink sake, maybe get into a few fights, and none of it mattered as long as he could goof off with his friends.
Despite his occasional pessimism and his loud mouth, Heisuke is one of those sweet and kind people that tends to dream a little. He is the type of guy who finds sense in doing something silly and random like putting together a tanabata tree (a little bamboo tree where you stick papers on it like ornaments that have wishes written on them) or chasing a duck to cook and eat it despite risking injury. He is clumsy and silly and easy to blush when faced with a cute and feminine looking girl, but also a reliable and steadfast friend and comrade when it matters.
POINT OF DEPARTURE: Original Universe
ABILITIES: Heisuke is a Rasetsu which is categorized in Hakuouki as a fake demon. In Hakuouki there are demons and humans and Rasetsu are what is created when one drinks Ochimizu or the Water of Life, a compound created from what can be assumed to be demon blood and whatever the magical water was at the Yukimura's family home that actually serves as an antidote to counteract the ochimizu's affects. Rasetsu have super human strength and speed and in actuality it is the above and beyond potential the Rasetsu would have been capable of naturally as a human. As a result of this change, their life is shortened drastically. Think of it as some sort of super serum - you get all the awesome strength and power but in the end you're feeding upon your own life as a result. Not only is that a consequence but a Rasetsu also risks going insane and incapable of rational human thought, only thinking of drinking blood and more blood. Demon blood is capable of lessening the progression into insanity at a much more drastic rate than human blood, though consuming blood does slow it down somewhat - as in the case of Sannan who drank all kinds of human blood but wasn't a full blown nutbag until late in Heisuke's route. Basically, Rasetsu are vampires minus the sparkles.
Rasetsu aside, Heisuke is a skilled swordsman in his own right and earned the rank of the 8th Division Captain as a show of that skill. He studied the Hokushin Itto-ryu style until he began practicing at Kondou Isami's Shieikan instead and this is how he met the other Shinsengumi.
INVENTORY; His clothes... and his wakizashi - Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, as well as his katana that he received after Ikedaya. Also maybe some medicine to counteract the blood lust?
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?
Nope I think that pretty much covers it...?
S A M P L E S;
FIRST PERSON: Oi, is anyone going to answer me on this thing? It's not like I wasn't busy doing something else, you know? Who's idea was it to bring me here?
[Cranky? Him? No, never! His next words are mumbled under his breath as he stares off to the side, bottom lip curled up in an angry pout.]
Jeez, how the hell am I supposed to get out of here anyway...
What's the point of sending a guy who's got no time left here? You're going to have to let me go eventually.
[Welp, Hijikata was going to have his ass for this one, that's for sure. He's officially failed his mission to track down Sannan and he can't find Chizuru anywhere. He'd ask if anyone has seen her but that would mean giving away her disguise to a potential enemy, not that it was a great one to begin with.]
THIRD PERSON:
Liminal Space Prompt #9
He was alone, wherever this place was. He still wasn't too clear on all this weird world jumping business, but he was starting to get a handle of it. The train cars were a little strange, having never seen anything like them before, but it was the sudden stench of death that hit his heightened senses that gave him pause.
"What in the hell is that...?" Of course he knew what it was. He might not be Souji or Hajime-kun but he knew the smell of death. He'd seen it, looked in its glazed over eyes and at its slackened pose. Looking around, he hopes there's someone at least here with him besides the dead. He wasn't afraid of death itself, but he felt uneasy being able to smell it so strongly. It was like a punch to the gut and made him want to cover his nose and mouth with his gloved hand to keep from being sick. His other hand rests on his sword hilt. These animal may have been dead for days but what if something was still out there? Maybe he'll get lucky and it's just someone who had been hunting? And yet they left perfectly good meat to rot. He couldn't eat these but if he found a stray animal himself - a duck or a rabbit, maybe - he was more than capable of catching it himself.
"Why waste perfectly good food anyway? Jeez." Shaking his head, he tries to put distance between him and the train cars, questioning if he should go back to the one that had lead him to this place to begin with. Street lights around him flickered as he moved through the strange graveyard, but he kept his feet moving. He needed to find Chizuru, to make sure she wasn't hurt or that Sannan and his rasetsu hadn't found her. They'd been with Hijikata hadn't they? Up until they had been ready to leave. Where was she now? How was he supposed to find his way back to her? Sighing dejectedly, he bites his lip from behind his hand. Worrying wouldn't do him any good and it wasn't as if she was completely incapable.
"She's smart so she'll be okay." He just had to keep telling himself that. Though, the more he walks around through the cemetary, the more he keeps thinking about how strange his life has been up until now, chaotic even. Sanosuke and Shinpachi were gone and Souji would probably die from his illness. The carefree days were gone and as much as he wished for them, wishing wouldn't get them back or him out of here.
"Chizuru? Where are you?" He whispers, trying to stay quiet but also audible so that she at least could hear him. His hand tightens on his sword hilt in case someone who was an enemy heard him. There was always that possibility and he wouldn't rule it out. It was just his luck that they got separated on his watch. Hijikata was going to kill him. All the same, he calls for her again, just as quiet, before tensing up at the sound of bushes rustling. He nearly jumps out of his skin when a cat pops out, hissing at him before darting away. Sighing, he swears under his breath, shaking his head as he runs his fingers through his hair. Where the hell was this place?
NAME: Teru
AGE: 24
PLAYER JOURNAL:
wishuponthenightskesTIMEZONE: EST
CONTACT: Plurk:
OTHER CHARACTERS PLAYED: N/a
C H A R A C T E R;
NAME: Heisuke Todou
CANON: Hakuouki
POINT IN CANON: Hakuouki - Demon of the Fleeting Blossom; Chapter 6 (Heiuske's Route) - After he and Chizuru set off in persuit of Sannan
AGE: 24
APPEARANCE: Western Attire Eastern Attire
CANON HISTORY: The Wiki is t e r r i b l e so I have linked a few essential things to explain Heisuke's history below for your viewing and reading pleasure:
Let's Play Hakuouki Youtube Playlist, starting where Heisuke's route starts. Please note that this skips a couple chapters of the main story and purely shows Heisuke's route.
Let's Play Hakuouki Pretty much the same thing only in text/forum formatting instead of a series of videos
Historical Wikipedia Entry of Real Life Todou Heisuke - Important because a lot of things in Hakuouki are based upon real life historical fact and while the game might gloss over some, this can fill in the gaps!
CANON PERSONALITY: Heisuke is a sunny personality at first glance. He is often cheerful, energetic and always quick to smile. He is somewhat informal, only referring to those older than him with honorifics, save for Souji, whom he sticks to just the first name. He has a loud mouth when he wants to use it and he will use it. On the surface is a kid who is hotheaded and prone to stupid behavior that happens to nearly get him killed. Heisuke often times will get himself into a bad situation without thinking things through in the way another warrior might (judging the skill differences and reacting accordingly, etc.). A strong example is the Ikedaya Incident when Heisuke is facing off against a demon by the name of Amagiri who easily disables him by grabbing his blade with one hand and slamming his fist into Heisuke's forehead, resulting in the protector being cracked along with his forehead retaining a scar. In Sanosuke's route, it is remarked upon that while healing, Heisuke could be heard crying from how much pain he was in, despite receiving treatment for his injury. The two faced off again when Heisuke decided to no longer ally with the Guardians of the Imperial Tomb, which he had joined upon defecting from the Shinsengumi for a time at the behest of Itou Kashitaro, at Aburano Koji and fought the same demon. The result was that he only wound up even more fatally wounded to the point he nearly died and had to drink Ochimizu as a result. Being the youngest member of the Shinsengumi, his age shows in how he carries himself and how he acts around others. He won't admit that how he acts can be childish, even when having it pointed out to him by someone like Sanosuke or Shinpachi.
Heisuke's story arc is about making the decisions that are right for him versus honoring the wishes of those closest to him. He is often incredibly critical of himself and easily becomes discouraged. He says it best himself, "I think a lot about what I'm gonna do, but it seems like every time I make the wrong decision and then I regret it and just want to quit." All the pressure he puts on himself sometimes winds up in him being rash and resorting to drinking heavily. This, of course, only makes him feel worse and he winds up setting himself into a cycle of self hatred and regret. Usually he can bring himself out of this on his own, but often he needs the comforting words of another person to bring him out of his negative thoughts. Later on when Heisuke becomes a Rasetsu, his feelings turn from "I can't make the right choices" to "I'm a monster." He hates that he had been so afraid to die at Aburano Kouji that he'd chosen to drink the Water of life. At the same he acknowledges that if he hadn't, he wouldn't be able to be with his friends anymore - nor would he be there to protect Chizuru when she needs him. People like Chizuru and Sano are notably the best at dragging him out of these little funks.
A huge part of his back story itself is that, based upon real life historical fact, Heisuke is separated from his family because he is the illegitimate son of the Tsu Domain daimyo, Toudou Takayuki. Heisuke is given money by his family for a period of time, before being cut off temporarily. When the Shinsengumi begin to make a name for themselves, the money seems to be making it's way back to him until his "death" at Aburano Koji. Heisuke doesn't seem to dislike or like his family either way, but still it's obvious their neglect and lack of acknowledgement of him weighs on him. He and Chizuru even have a hear to heart about his feelings about them and about his life in general, at one point. Historically, his father's betrayal is of the Shinsengumi and subsequent shifting of sides to the Imperial Army is what decides the outcome of Toba-Fushimi, the war that became the major climax of the game.
His relationship with Chizuru is particularly close, his feelings somewhat one-sided depending on what route one plays from in the game, and it is obvious he has a bit of a crush on her right from the moment they start to get to know one another. Even before he found out she was a girl, having only met her while she was disguised as a boy for her safety and they had kidnapped her, he is easy going with her and friendly and it is obvious he has a bit of a sweet spot for her. Their conversations are always easy going and friendly and on several occasions Heisuke remarks that she's always saving him and making him feel happy. She makes the same assertions about him. Whenever he starts tearing himself down or expressing insecurities, she is there for him, though she isn't afraid to slap some sense into him if she needs to.
Heisuke tries his best to smile and put on a brave face, upon hearing from Sen about the fate that befalls all Rasetsu this is more amplified. He tries so hard to just push his own terrified feelings about dying down further and further until they crawl their way back up in that one moment, forever stuck in the back of his mind. After becoming a Rasetsu and finding out that they will all die and turn to ash in the end, using up their life force, Heisuke becomes more sullen than usual and can't get the thought out of his head that he will die. In a sense, when Hijikata orders him to go after Sannan upon his taken Sendai and kidnapping Sen, Heisuke is in a rush to just get it over with. He decides that he is a dead man, so why not? Though this is not the type of person he truly is.
Awkward and a little silly, the Shinsengumi are what really make him the happiest. He's said to Chizuru on at least one occasion that all he wants is to fool around with his friends and that he didn't see himself serving as a vassal or anything like that. Sanosuke Harada and Shinpachi Nagakura are very much the same. The three of them together - dubbed the 'Baka Trio' - get up to trouble and often times will drink and party until the wee hours. Sanosuke is one of the few people that Heisuke trusts to vent to, as he is a great listener. Shinpachi is someone that Heisuke likes to goof off with but at the same time he can get angry at him when provoked through teasing or by having his food stolen by the larger man. His small stature is something he takes personally and something Shinpachi capitalizes upon, when it comes to teasing Heisuke. Their departure from the Shinsengumi after their loss of Kofu castle begins the shift between Heisuke and the past he longed for - the time when everyone was carefree and things were good, something that drew Heisuke to the group in the first place. Though, by this point, Heisuke was so entrenched in the Corps and was also presumed to the public to be a dead man.
While Souji's personality tends to be rather terrifying (to Heisuke at least) and Saitou's quietness coming across as very cold, he gets along well with the two of them. Saitou and Souji and the "baka trio" (Heisuke, Sano and Shinpachi) often drink and have fun together, though Saitou will usually sit quietly more often than not. Heisuke and Souji aren't quite to the best friend level that he has with Sano and Shinpachi, but they are still incredibly close. The same is said of Saitou, though Heisuke is marginally closer to him in comparison to Souji. He and Saitou are actually the same age, despite their differing maturity levels, and because of this Heisuke can also relate to him for the fact that they are the youngest in the group. In contrast, Heisuke's relationship with Hijikata, their vice commander and resident bullshit taker, is a bit of a mix between a subordinate/superior relationship with some silliness mixed in. If Heisuke does something wrong, Hijikata is quick to scold him much to his discouragement. He seems to rile the vice commander up, but at the same time their relationship is solid as he backs up Hijikata at Sendai in his own route as well as others. He follows his orders without argument.
At Heisuke's canon point, his relationship with "Sannan" Keisuke Yamanami is rather strained. Sannan is becoming what Heisuke fears - a ravenous monster that wants only blood and will shed his sanity to get it. Heisuke worked in the Fury Corps when he became a Rasetsu early in the game, but other than that he keeps his distance from him and the other Rasetsu. He didn't want to see what was happening, almost as if looking into his own future, and before anyone realized it Sannan had fallen off the wagon. His kidnapping Sen after turning her into a rasetsu prompts investment on Heisuke's part to stop him, before he can hurt anyone else while trying to create his army and take over. He is the enemy "boss fight" of Heisuke's route. As for others like Inoue, Yamazaki, and Kondou, Heisuke doesn't dislike them but he does disagree with some of Kondou's ideals as Heisuke himself is an Imperialist and would rather not serve as some vassal beneath the Shogun. His philosophy in is much simpler than that, in that he'd rather just drink sake, maybe get into a few fights, and none of it mattered as long as he could goof off with his friends.
Despite his occasional pessimism and his loud mouth, Heisuke is one of those sweet and kind people that tends to dream a little. He is the type of guy who finds sense in doing something silly and random like putting together a tanabata tree (a little bamboo tree where you stick papers on it like ornaments that have wishes written on them) or chasing a duck to cook and eat it despite risking injury. He is clumsy and silly and easy to blush when faced with a cute and feminine looking girl, but also a reliable and steadfast friend and comrade when it matters.
POINT OF DEPARTURE: Original Universe
ABILITIES: Heisuke is a Rasetsu which is categorized in Hakuouki as a fake demon. In Hakuouki there are demons and humans and Rasetsu are what is created when one drinks Ochimizu or the Water of Life, a compound created from what can be assumed to be demon blood and whatever the magical water was at the Yukimura's family home that actually serves as an antidote to counteract the ochimizu's affects. Rasetsu have super human strength and speed and in actuality it is the above and beyond potential the Rasetsu would have been capable of naturally as a human. As a result of this change, their life is shortened drastically. Think of it as some sort of super serum - you get all the awesome strength and power but in the end you're feeding upon your own life as a result. Not only is that a consequence but a Rasetsu also risks going insane and incapable of rational human thought, only thinking of drinking blood and more blood. Demon blood is capable of lessening the progression into insanity at a much more drastic rate than human blood, though consuming blood does slow it down somewhat - as in the case of Sannan who drank all kinds of human blood but wasn't a full blown nutbag until late in Heisuke's route. Basically, Rasetsu are vampires minus the sparkles.
Rasetsu aside, Heisuke is a skilled swordsman in his own right and earned the rank of the 8th Division Captain as a show of that skill. He studied the Hokushin Itto-ryu style until he began practicing at Kondou Isami's Shieikan instead and this is how he met the other Shinsengumi.
INVENTORY; His clothes... and his wakizashi - Kazusanosuke Kaneshige, as well as his katana that he received after Ikedaya. Also maybe some medicine to counteract the blood lust?
ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?
Nope I think that pretty much covers it...?
S A M P L E S;
FIRST PERSON: Oi, is anyone going to answer me on this thing? It's not like I wasn't busy doing something else, you know? Who's idea was it to bring me here?
[Cranky? Him? No, never! His next words are mumbled under his breath as he stares off to the side, bottom lip curled up in an angry pout.]
Jeez, how the hell am I supposed to get out of here anyway...
What's the point of sending a guy who's got no time left here? You're going to have to let me go eventually.
[Welp, Hijikata was going to have his ass for this one, that's for sure. He's officially failed his mission to track down Sannan and he can't find Chizuru anywhere. He'd ask if anyone has seen her but that would mean giving away her disguise to a potential enemy, not that it was a great one to begin with.]
THIRD PERSON:
Liminal Space Prompt #9
He was alone, wherever this place was. He still wasn't too clear on all this weird world jumping business, but he was starting to get a handle of it. The train cars were a little strange, having never seen anything like them before, but it was the sudden stench of death that hit his heightened senses that gave him pause.
"What in the hell is that...?" Of course he knew what it was. He might not be Souji or Hajime-kun but he knew the smell of death. He'd seen it, looked in its glazed over eyes and at its slackened pose. Looking around, he hopes there's someone at least here with him besides the dead. He wasn't afraid of death itself, but he felt uneasy being able to smell it so strongly. It was like a punch to the gut and made him want to cover his nose and mouth with his gloved hand to keep from being sick. His other hand rests on his sword hilt. These animal may have been dead for days but what if something was still out there? Maybe he'll get lucky and it's just someone who had been hunting? And yet they left perfectly good meat to rot. He couldn't eat these but if he found a stray animal himself - a duck or a rabbit, maybe - he was more than capable of catching it himself.
"Why waste perfectly good food anyway? Jeez." Shaking his head, he tries to put distance between him and the train cars, questioning if he should go back to the one that had lead him to this place to begin with. Street lights around him flickered as he moved through the strange graveyard, but he kept his feet moving. He needed to find Chizuru, to make sure she wasn't hurt or that Sannan and his rasetsu hadn't found her. They'd been with Hijikata hadn't they? Up until they had been ready to leave. Where was she now? How was he supposed to find his way back to her? Sighing dejectedly, he bites his lip from behind his hand. Worrying wouldn't do him any good and it wasn't as if she was completely incapable.
"She's smart so she'll be okay." He just had to keep telling himself that. Though, the more he walks around through the cemetary, the more he keeps thinking about how strange his life has been up until now, chaotic even. Sanosuke and Shinpachi were gone and Souji would probably die from his illness. The carefree days were gone and as much as he wished for them, wishing wouldn't get them back or him out of here.
"Chizuru? Where are you?" He whispers, trying to stay quiet but also audible so that she at least could hear him. His hand tightens on his sword hilt in case someone who was an enemy heard him. There was always that possibility and he wouldn't rule it out. It was just his luck that they got separated on his watch. Hijikata was going to kill him. All the same, he calls for her again, just as quiet, before tensing up at the sound of bushes rustling. He nearly jumps out of his skin when a cat pops out, hissing at him before darting away. Sighing, he swears under his breath, shaking his head as he runs his fingers through his hair. Where the hell was this place?