Sanosuke Makes Some Social Calls

Miscellaneous

While the rest of the Hashinara Clan mopped up an otherworldly mess in Shimonoseki, Ryūzaki Sanosuke was otherwise occupied in Wakigami. He had just sent the hapless criminal Karasu on his way after swindling him out of his hellish earnings, but was now confronted by the man's assistant. This pink-haired, bright-eyed girl seemed to recognize him, and didn't so much as entertain the possibility that he wouldn't recognize her right back. Even so, Sanosuke had little idea of who he was talking to, and he didn't often forget a woman's face.

Trying to glean the girl's identity in the subtlest way he could, he took a poster from the inestimable pile on the floor and asked whether she'd like to have his autograph. She happily agreed, but asked that it be made out to Kondō Isami with a big heart drawn on it. Sanosuke's suspicions deepened. That was a member of the Shinsengumi, but he knew Isami, and this wasn't her. Eventually, the intense girl seemed to realize that Sanosuke might not recognize her as she looked now, and introduced herself more formally as Tōdō Heisuke, Assistant to the Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi. Now the Silver General could see the similarities with the excitable, pink-haired little girl he'd known before. Adolescence had changed her quite a bit, however.   Heisuke furnished him with an explanation about how she and the others had become separated. Some kind of "time lurch" had occurred on their way to Inaba Province, and when she came to, she had grown back into a young woman. A significant period of time seemed to have passed, as the moon had risen high in the sky, and there were no signs of her companions. Worried about Isami's safety, Heisuke had come back to Wakigami, but had only ended up falling in with Karasu, working for the skeevy man in exchange for information.   Shigeaki Fujino had been off on other business, carrying people to and fro from Shimonoseki, but she returned presently. Her priority was not getting the pair and Ryūzōji Ryōka to Nijō Castle, but rather investigating that sealed bottle that had found its way into Sanosuke's possession. The Silver General suggested that they consult Takenaka Hanbei about it while they visited Kaguya about the Shinsengumi, and so the quartet teleported away to Nijō Castle.   Upon arrival, Sanosuke was welcomed into the Lunar Princess' room to a strange sight. The curious white-metal "Egg" that had brought Kaguya to this time was propped up on some beans, and Kaguya herself lay under it tinkering like a common mechanic. To the side, Kondō Isami and Okita Sōji stood by with the universal expression of someone without anything to do at that very moment. Their melancholy was broken when Tōdō Heisuke practically flung herself into Isami's arms and clung to her without any sign of separating. For her part, the Captain of the Shinsengumi seemed to tolerate the affection, if not return it.   Finishing her repairs for now, Kaguya rolled out and explained what had been on her mind. The arrival of the Children of Avatea had planted in her a seed of worry that her own temporal escapades had been somewhat irresponsible. While it likely wasn't going to make an immediate difference, she wanted to make sure that her part in mending the proper timeline was handled. To that end, Kaguya was trying to gather up the newly-regrown Shinsengumi and Kobayakawa "Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia" Hideaki to return them to their own times. Of course, she could only do that if she managed to repair her craft first. It was quite delicate, she explained, and its mechanism had probably been broken when moving it around at some point or another.   Sanosuke, well aware of the issues that came with exposing contemporary humans to Lunarian tech, suggested that he have Sarutaba Chino help on the project. If it became necessary, to avoid the spread of such high technology before its time, he would simply erase the scientist's memories afterward. Kaguya answered that she felt good about that solution, and could trust Sanosuke to enact it, but her problems were more expansive. She might not have the experience or knowledge to handle the repairs on her own, even with an assistant. This "Egg" was in such a state that perhaps only a Lunarian engineer could bring it fully back to function. To find one, Kaguya suggested that she and Sanosuke begin their search with the Children of Avatea. If one of them didn't possess the requisite skills, they might know of someone else who did.   Sanosuke agreed, observed a proper farewell with Kaguya, and then left Heisuke in the Shinsengumi's care as he traveled with Fujino and Ryōka to Ise Grand Shrine. Here, they found Yagokoro Tokuyo uncharacteristically awake and enjoying a traditional breakfast in the early hours of the evening. The somnolent priestess welcomed her guests, and was happy to take a look at the strange bottle Sanosuke had received. Fujino, whose attention had been consistently straying to the artifact, watched on with keen interest.   After a moment, the group realized that Tokuyo had actually fallen asleep while studying the object. After they had carefully woken her up, she explained her findings. The item, she reasoned, was a sealed container used by an onmyōji or other mystic to contain a summoned creature. If the seal was broken, the ancient yōkai, or whatever was within, would be freed. When Sanosuke pointed out the faded sigil carved into the bottle's lead surface, Tokuyo revised her opinion. It was a Demon inside the bottle, with little doubt. She expressed that opening it might be dangerous unless they did so in the presence of a skilled onmyōji and a summoning circle. To that, Sanosuke thanked Tokuyo for her time and performed his own observation. Sensing the ki inside the bottle, he found a roiling, stormy essence about on par with his own in terms of intensity. This was no Mammon, but also not a minor Demon to be trifled with.   Before he could investigate any further, however, and much to Fujino's dismay, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo informed Sanosuke of a meeting in Owari Castle that may require his attention. The Silver General collected Takayama Ukon and Takenaka Hanbei and made his way to the province across the bay.