Friday, September 1, 2006

   The story . . .
First off, some explanations:
-No, those are not real swords; they're either homemade, plastic, or wooden. Most cons have rules against actual metal swords. It's bad enough that we were "fighting" with our not quite real ones, really.
-It feels good to be at an anime convention. You make close friends very fast based solely on what they're wearing.
-Yes, I was in there. "I'm the one on the far right for pretty much all the video" (August 28th/06). If you still haven't caught that, I'm wearing white hakama. Hakama are pants.
-Man-Faye did not come to Vancouver, no. I think he's mostly a California guy and doesn't travel much. However, there WAS one guy who dressed as Man-Faye . . . may have been a student of him or something.

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And now for the story!!


We were just walking along on patrol, as befits our regular duties. At some point someone with a video camera shouted an anti-shogunate slur, to which Shinsengumi member KawatoriShinji deemed it necessary to back them up a bit - not too seriously, mind you, which is why he was still smiling at that point.

We thought it was over by then, and headed towards the pond to make sure there was nothing suspicious about it - it was a very suspicious pond, you see. We never completely made it to the pond, however . . . Icecore, who had recently been learning to harness his inherent NewType abilities, sensed something was amiss behind us . . .

"Choshu da!" he cried out as he ran towards the pond to get into a better defensive position and drew his katana. "Prepare yourselves!"

Weenog, a longtime veteran to the group, was quick to pick up on this warning and immediately turned and drew.
"Here they come," he said, glancing in all directions quickly.

Nagakura 'SomeGuy' Shinpachi took a slightly less serious approach, swinging his sword around in a wide circle.
"I was wondering if we'd get to kill anything today," he commented with a smirk.

Hijikata 'Jai' Toshizo smoothly turned and drew cold steel in fluid technique befitting his position.
"I hope you're ready," he commented over his shoulder to the impulsive Kawatori, "I know you only received your forehead protector this morning, but we're counting on you!"
"I promise," Kawatori replied, "I won't let you down, Hijikata-san!"

In the rear, the mysterious Shinsengumi member known only as Claire took her signature guard and stance.
"And to think I only knew to come here since yesterday," she said, cursing her slow connection to the interworld.

Weenog grinned and wiped his nose slyly while the others dropped themselves fully into their guards.
"Chigau . . . Choshu janai," he said quietly to himself while he steeled his eyes . . .


Within a brilliant flash of light, Shinpachi suddenly found himself blindsided and reeling from an unknown attacker.

"Envy . . . Choshu has a homunculus!" Claire shouted as she dashed forward to block the furious assault; the rest of the squad was quick to rally to her position and fend off the strange, tall creature.

"Urgh . . . chikusho!" Shinpachi grunted, finally coming out of his daze, "he's strong, watch yourselves!"
"Single rank!" Weenog shouted, bringing the squad into a single line to fend off the ferocious yet clearly random attacks.

After being blocked again, the homonculus backed away slowly, yet with a grin spreading across its face. Icecore could only stare in confusion: what was it thinking? The epiphany struck him like a bolt of lightning . . . it wasn't retreating. It was screening their vision from the next attack!
"To the right!" he shouted, quickly bringing his steel up to block a blistering assault from a violent, skirted girl with a blade unlike anything he had ever seen. The entire squad was taken completely off guard by the sudden arrival; something Envy was quick to exploit.

Again with another vicious shout, Envy shot forward and slashed at the Vice-Commander's exposed back. Hijikata turned at the last moment and was able to deflect the majority of the blow's power. It still wasn't enough, however, and he remained stunned with his sword arm drooping and still; Envy took the opportunity to dash past the Vice-Commander and strike at young Kawatori.

If half the squad was defending from immediate attacks, the other half was frozen, still trying to make some sense of the strange and supernatural enemies. It was Kawatori, though, who paid the price for that mistake. He defended as best he could against the unorthodox hopping approach of the homonculus, but it was simply not enough. Envy speared forward with his sword, catching the impulsive Shinsengumi between his ribs. With a gasp as the wind knocked out from his lungs, he collapsed to the ground.

"Kawatori!" Weenog cried out as he watched his comrade fall to the earth. He rushed forward, putting himself between the fallen Kawatori and the black-clad aggressor. "Kisama!" he screamed, charging in with a volley of slashes and pushing Envy back. In that same moment, Shinpachi stood his ground against the unknown female attacker. He saw out the corner of his eye that his friend Icecore was still watching from the back, unsure of which threat to cover.

"Envy's too dangerous!" Shinpachi shouted over his shoulder after blocking another slash. "Everyone focus on him, I'll take care of this one!" Claire was quick to react, and immediately followed up on Weenog's initial dash, pressing the homonculus even further back. Fire burned in her eyes as she worked to keep Envy off balance and avenge her comrade.

Icecore slowly backed over to Kawatori as Shinpachi continued to hold the squad's flank.
"Oi, daijobu desu ka?" He asked the fallen member, never once taking his eyes off the battle.
"Agh . . ." Kawatori mumbled, "ita-ta-ta-ta-ta . . . . . I'll . . . I'll live."
"Good."

Shinpachi, meanwhile, continued parrying the many, many blows from the other warrior.
"Who are you?!" he demanded from her. "Why are you fighting for the Choshu?!"
"You don't know who I am either?!" she shouted as she struck down again. "I'm Saya, damnit! From Blood+!"
Okay, I get it!" Shinpachi snapped back. "But why fight against us?! We're not your enemy!"
"Yes you are!" Saya retorted. "All vampires are my enemies!" Shinpachi slashed down and grunted.
"Choshu's been telling you some crazy lies, then . . . y'know that guy you're fighting with? He doesn't die when you stab him . . ."
"Nani?!" Saya said, shocked at what she was hearing . . . . .


"Weenog! Eyes front!" Hijikata shouted, seeing the veteran glancing too long over at the short-statured Shinpachi guarding tirelessly against the barrage. "Worry about Envy . . . look for an opening!"

The moment he heard the Vice-Commander's words, Weenog saw a perfect opening as Envy blocked upwards at one of Claire's strikes. With zero hesitation he lunged forward and stabbed the homonculus through the heart; Claire once again followed up flawlessy, plunging her steel into her opponent. Both withdrew their swords, and Envy remained still in his spot. Weenog immediately stepped back, sure of a good job; Claire was not so sure . . .



"We're not your enemy," Shinpachi repeated as Saya turned to quickly slash at Icecore, "you have to believe me . . . . ." Saya quickly looked over and saw what should have been a fatally wounded Envy to her right . . . . .


. . . in another surge of energy, Envy leapt at the younger member viciously. Claire would have none of it, however . . . . . with but a deft sidestep and a lightning strike across his front, she tore a gash across the homunculus' stomach.

Envy fell.

He did not stay down, however, and began to stir . . . surprisingly, however, it was Saya who would land the next blow, striking down with both blade and knee. Envy couldn't believe the treachury of it all and quickly rose to his feet enraged.
"Oi! Saya! Nani ya te?!" he screamed out as the entire squad of Shinsengumi - back at full strength - squared off against him.

"You're on your own, Mr. Not-Really-Human!" Saya said with a smirk as she walked away, slightly holding a bruised spot on her hip. "I'm through with you guys . . . . . . I'm joining the 'Gumi next year . . ."


Envy could only snarl and once again leap forward as he was slowly surrounded by blue and white haori . . .

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Alright, I'm goin' to work. See ya!
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