ficlets: The She-Wolves of Mibu, part 4
May. 10th, 2020 11:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
waterscrollHakuouki genderbending AU continued from here, here and here. Kazama and Okita in this one. Since all non-Shinsengumi characters are their canonical or historical genders, the Kazama route is m/m. (The Sakamoto one would be too, in theory, but I don't think I'm going to write it.) The Kazama piece makes a couple of references to Demon's Bond, but nothing essential. ETA: CN for violence and blood in the Okita piece.
7. Kazama
Demon men are rare. They are also necessary for the survival of their clans. Only demon men have the physical strength to protect their people from the humans. In recent years the terrible scarcity of demon men has meant deploying them strategically, to lend their strength to human allies in exchange for protection.
Allies needed to be wisely chosen. The Tokugawas that the Yukimura clan had chosen for their allies had failed to protect them, leading to their devastation. Their only surviving son, continuing his clan’s foolishness, had chosen to ally with the pro-shogunate pesant women of Shinsengumi.
Kazama watched Chizuru from a distance as he ran with the Shinsengumi to the Ikedaya inn. Among humans the difference in strength between men and women is not so great and both are far weaker than male demons. Kazama had never fought against a demon on the opposing side and did not wish to but it seemed that that time might come. But it didn’t. Instead of fighting, Chizuru ran to bind the wounds of the Shinsengumi soldiers. The sword once dual-wielded by his ancestor the great warrior Kazuya Yukimura hung uselessly at his hip.
It was baffling to watch. Did Chizuru not know the power of a demon man? And if he was so ignorant, how could he be so fearless?
One day soon Kazama would need to come for him. He would take him away from the Shinsengumi back to his clan. He would train him in everything a demon man needs to know. It was necessary for the demons as a whole, since demon men were necessary. But there was another reason, like an itch in Kazama’s soul. He wanted to know this man, to understand him. So little about him made sense, and Kazama wanted to know why.
He would come for Chizuru soon. The peasant women of the Shinsengumi could not protect him, not from the strength of a male demon.
8. Okita
After her parents died there wasn’t any food. Her sister Mitsu found a husband but he was also poor. Souji scrounged fruits and sweets, she was quick with her hands and could grab them when people weren't looking.
“We could find you a husband,” Mitsu said. Souji knew she was pretty. At ten she was young to be married, but it wouldn’t be impossible. Early the next morning she grabbed a rat from the streets, broke its neck and left it in Mitsu’s bed. It got blood everywhere and Mitsu never brought up the question of a husband for Souji again.
A week later Souji saw Mitsu walking in the direction of the entertainment quarter. There was certainly work that could be found for young girls there. And, well, Mitsu could do whatever she wanted but there was no work there for Souji. That night she skinned a cat and left it in Mitsu’s bed, alongside a flower crown as a half of an apology. It was a shame, Souji did usually like cats.
Souji missed her parents. They’d never tried to make her do anything.
“There’s a woman in one of the dojos,” Mitsu said a few weeks later. “She teaches self-defense to Samurai ladies, and sometimes even to peasant women. It took me a long time to find her.” Mitsu let out a breath. “I hope this works.”
The woman’s name was Kondo Isami and she carried two swords like a warrior. Everything was going to need to change. Souji would have to work now, but that might be ok. This might be worth working for. She’d be better at killing than anyone.
“Please, teacher,” Souji bowed low. “Please take care of me.”
Kondo acknowledged her and Souji beamed. She didn’t look back at her sister as she stepped forward into the dojo and into her new life.
*
I think this is enough that I might start posting them to AO3, once I have a chance to revise them. I am also not sure what I'll do next. Requests are still welcome!
7. Kazama
Demon men are rare. They are also necessary for the survival of their clans. Only demon men have the physical strength to protect their people from the humans. In recent years the terrible scarcity of demon men has meant deploying them strategically, to lend their strength to human allies in exchange for protection.
Allies needed to be wisely chosen. The Tokugawas that the Yukimura clan had chosen for their allies had failed to protect them, leading to their devastation. Their only surviving son, continuing his clan’s foolishness, had chosen to ally with the pro-shogunate pesant women of Shinsengumi.
Kazama watched Chizuru from a distance as he ran with the Shinsengumi to the Ikedaya inn. Among humans the difference in strength between men and women is not so great and both are far weaker than male demons. Kazama had never fought against a demon on the opposing side and did not wish to but it seemed that that time might come. But it didn’t. Instead of fighting, Chizuru ran to bind the wounds of the Shinsengumi soldiers. The sword once dual-wielded by his ancestor the great warrior Kazuya Yukimura hung uselessly at his hip.
It was baffling to watch. Did Chizuru not know the power of a demon man? And if he was so ignorant, how could he be so fearless?
One day soon Kazama would need to come for him. He would take him away from the Shinsengumi back to his clan. He would train him in everything a demon man needs to know. It was necessary for the demons as a whole, since demon men were necessary. But there was another reason, like an itch in Kazama’s soul. He wanted to know this man, to understand him. So little about him made sense, and Kazama wanted to know why.
He would come for Chizuru soon. The peasant women of the Shinsengumi could not protect him, not from the strength of a male demon.
8. Okita
After her parents died there wasn’t any food. Her sister Mitsu found a husband but he was also poor. Souji scrounged fruits and sweets, she was quick with her hands and could grab them when people weren't looking.
“We could find you a husband,” Mitsu said. Souji knew she was pretty. At ten she was young to be married, but it wouldn’t be impossible. Early the next morning she grabbed a rat from the streets, broke its neck and left it in Mitsu’s bed. It got blood everywhere and Mitsu never brought up the question of a husband for Souji again.
A week later Souji saw Mitsu walking in the direction of the entertainment quarter. There was certainly work that could be found for young girls there. And, well, Mitsu could do whatever she wanted but there was no work there for Souji. That night she skinned a cat and left it in Mitsu’s bed, alongside a flower crown as a half of an apology. It was a shame, Souji did usually like cats.
Souji missed her parents. They’d never tried to make her do anything.
“There’s a woman in one of the dojos,” Mitsu said a few weeks later. “She teaches self-defense to Samurai ladies, and sometimes even to peasant women. It took me a long time to find her.” Mitsu let out a breath. “I hope this works.”
The woman’s name was Kondo Isami and she carried two swords like a warrior. Everything was going to need to change. Souji would have to work now, but that might be ok. This might be worth working for. She’d be better at killing than anyone.
“Please, teacher,” Souji bowed low. “Please take care of me.”
Kondo acknowledged her and Souji beamed. She didn’t look back at her sister as she stepped forward into the dojo and into her new life.
*
I think this is enough that I might start posting them to AO3, once I have a chance to revise them. I am also not sure what I'll do next. Requests are still welcome!
no subject
Date: 2020-05-10 06:42 pm (UTC)I'm just imagining how intensely tsundere Kazama would be about falling for Chizuru if he is still determined to marry a demon woman, and how much more "??????" Chizuru would be about being kissed.
Meanwhile I think Sakamoto would just...treat a male Chizuru basically the same haha.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-10 06:57 pm (UTC)Haha yeah.
Meanwhile I think Sakamoto would just...treat a male Chizuru basically the same haha.
That's my thinking too, which is why I'm not that motivated to write it.
The Okita piece is influenced by the prequel, in which he is covered with blood (of people he's killed) rather a lot. I've only seen the anime, since the game isn't translated yet, but Okita's backstory in it is quite violent and bleak.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-11 02:47 am (UTC)I started imagining Kazama giving Chizuru smug brotherly advice about how they would both find great wives, with Chizuru naturally being Kazama's subordinate, all while Chizuru's going (a) I don't want to be your subordinate I like the Shinsengumi (b) I. Am. Gay. and Kazama is just...seemingly ignoring him while thinking "Gay???? That's an option???". Quietly but unselfconsciously gay Chizuru would be interesting with the female Shinsengumi, too. (I mean gay as an identity wasn't exactly a thing in Edo Japan, but a preference for men was, and anyway this is an AU of a not entirely historically accurate game wrt sexuality)
Yeah I saw a few episodes of the prequel and Okita was sure something.
Also: I started thinking about trans characters in this universe and realised I once again like the idea of trans Hijikata. In this case she had given up on the dream of being a woman and a samurai when either seemed impossible, and the two at once doubly so, but then she met Kondou (who would be a cis woman, but one who accepted Hijikata as she is). Also cis man!Chizuru/trans woman!Heisuke would be cute. Actually trans man!Chizuru would be interesting, too: determined to be a man but not a traditionally masculine one, while surrounded by women who aren't acting like traditional women. But not trans man!Chizuru/cis man!Kazama, that would get weird.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-11 05:04 pm (UTC)That is interesting and I might use that. I think canon!Chizuru is figuring out a lot about herself during canon, including her sexuality, so it would make sense for this Chizuru to realize that although he loves the Shinsengumi as comrades he's just not into women That Way. As opposed to the fascinating, beguiling and intensely masculine Kazama, who has himself never stopped to wonder why despite the rarity of demon men he's put off marrying a woman for so long.
In this case she had given up on the dream of being a woman and a samurai when either seemed impossible, and the two at once doubly so, but then she met Kondou
That is so Hijikata, you are right.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-12 06:39 am (UTC)Glad it works for you too! Yeah, Kazama is so INTENSELY dedicated to being a Proper Demon Man I can see him taking a while to realise any ways that path isn't right for him.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-19 01:32 am (UTC)The peasant women of the Shinsengumi could not protect him, not from the strength of a male demon.
I am having a lot of fun imagining just how much Hijikata hates Kazama in this AU. He's even more everything she despises than in the game.
(Also, somehow I never put it together that those swords were Kazuya's swords!)
Also YIKES, Souji. She is at once sympathetic but also...poor kitty. D: Poor rat. And same with Mitsu, she is sympathetic in that she really is trying with a hard life, but she...has some really terrible ideas at first. I'm glad she does eventually find Kondou.
That night she skinned a cat and left it in Mitsu’s bed, alongside a flower crown as a half of an apology. It was a shame, Souji did usually like cats.
I particularly love the detail of the flower crown, and the reference to the game with Souji normally liking cats. But still being willing to skin them.
Souji would have to work now, but that might be ok. This might be worth working for. She’d be better at killing than anyone.
I love the simple clarity of her thoughts, and how for her, being a warrior is about killing. It's an interesting counterpoint to Saito and Hijikata. And uh, she's quite good at killing already.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-20 04:11 am (UTC)I'm thinking Kazama/Hijikata must be pretty intense in this universe...I'm only writing canon ships but that one is fun to think about. Also Hijikata/Sen,
Did you ever manage to play Demon's Bond before its untimely demise? Kazuya Yukimura is a great character, and yes, Chizuru and Kaoru each inherit one of the two swords that he so impressively dual-wields. I personally believe that at least in some routes Chizuru eventually learns to dual wield because that would be
hotconsistent with her family traditions.I probably should have put a warning on the Okita one. Young Okita is a mess in any universe and this one certainly doesn't make things easier on her. I do think Mitsu is trying her best, but she doesn't have a lot of options.
And yeah, it was so striking to me in canon how Saito and Okita both see themselves as swords but it means such different things to each of them. For Okita it's like he doesn't have a way of solving problems that doesn't involve killing. I imagine that must have started very young.
I'm working on a Kazama piece for the next installment - the scene where he comes to kidnap Chizuru from the compound.
no subject
Date: 2020-05-27 03:05 pm (UTC)I hadn't actually thought of Hijikata/Sen. o.o I'm intrigued by this -- is there some support for this in the game? I vaguely remember her struggling against the expectations for a demon woman, and peasant samurai/princess makes for an interesing dynamic.
I never managed to play Demon's Bond, but since it's on YouTube, I'll get around to watch it eventually. If I recall from your summaries, it's very plotty and intense and dramatic?
I personally believe that at least in some routes Chizuru eventually learns to dual wield because that would be
hotconsistent with her family traditions.Being hot is their family tradition! Having two otome main characters in the same family is nothing to be scoffed at. ;)
I do think Mitsu is trying her best, but she doesn't have a lot of options.
Yeeeah.
it was so striking to me in canon how Saito and Okita both see themselves as swords but it means such different things to each of them. For Okita it's like he doesn't have a way of solving problems that doesn't involve killing.
With game!Okita, I feel like some part of him is trying to impress Kondou, almost. Well, maybe impress is the wrong word, but at least make an impression while forcing Kondou to pay attention to him -- it seems like he tries very hard to walk the line between "outrageous" and "but also not so outrageous Kondou actually gets upset".
It's another striking difference between the two of them, that they both find acceptance with Kondou, but Okita is so loyal to Kondou and the family he's found with him (and is also very insecure about it) whereas Saito is loyal in a more abstract sense.