#Era of Samurai: Code of Love

[voltageincboys]

“We will be fugitives together, but I love you.” ~ Shinsaku Takasugi ~ Era of Samurai: Code of Love (Owned by Voltage) •April•

[lunasotomescreenshots]

• He's Shy, Isn't He? (✿◠‿◠) •

[howtootome]

Click the link above to be taken to the full site or the jump below to view it on tumblr. Visit How to Otome for more walkthroughs!

Written by Fate

Episode 1

B: "Aim for my lips next time." A: "It didn't look that way to me."

Episode 2

A: "I'm staying right here." A: "I'm not pushing myself past my limit."

Episode 3

A: "Please reconsider this." B: "I promise."

Episode 4

A: "Don't blame yourself." B: "There's nothing I can do for him now."

Episode 5

B: "I want to fight with you, until the end." C: Watch Soji in silence.

Episode 6

C: "You can still use your sword." B: "Sorry about what I said before."

Episode 7

C: "You won't regret this?" B: "No, it's thanks to Kondo-san."

Written by Love

Episode 1

A: "I am going to explode!" B: "If you say so, Soji."

Episode 2

C: Do as he says. C: "When that happens, you can take over."

Episode 3

B: "This plan would break Soji's heart." A: "Please don't say that."

Episode 4

B: "Kondo-san made this choice himself." A: "I trust Soji."

Episode 5

C: "At least take Soji with you!" A: Rush over to Soji's side.

Episode 6

B: "Let's find one. Together." C: "Let's go inside."

Episode 7

B: "I will go with you." C: "It was because of your own inner strength."

[kbtbb-soryu]

Walk Through Hell with Me [Takasugi x OC] Chapter 8

Ai had been brought with the trio to a certain tea house for yet another one of their boisterous parties. “Well my oh my! Look who it is! Yer still alive, are ya?” As soon as Ai stepped into the room, Sakamoto wrapped her up in a hug so tight she could barely breathe. She stiffened. “I had a hunch you’d be alright, what with Shinsaku around ‘n’ all. But, seein’ yer face just sets my heart aglow.” Ai didn’t respond. “You think you might let her go any time soon? Or is it your aim to suffocate her?” Takasugi asked. Sakamoto laughed heartily. “Jealous, are ya?! Look at you, blushin’ like a schoolgirl,” Sakamoto said as soon as he let go. Ai gulped down some air. “If my face is red it’s because you kept me from breathing.” Ai took a step in Kazuya’s direction when Takasugi caught her by the elbow. “You’re going to sit right here, beside me,” he said. “Huh? Why should I have to do that?” Ai protested. “Because I said so.” “You’re far too bossy for a human.” Despite her arguing, Ai sat down next to Takasugi as the men began their meeting. “Looks like we finally found out which wholesaler is getting richest off all that opium,” Sakamoto said. “Sakai-ya seems to be the main culprit. It’s located here, but has strong ties to all those foreigners in Nagasaki,” Takasugi explained. “This is a map of all the warehouses we found that are being used to store the stuff.” Maro spread a map out on the table. A map of the capital with certain locations circled in red, marking the warehouses that were housing opium. It was a far larger number than Ai imagined. “One strategically started fire could wipe them all out at once,” Gen said. “Can’t afford to risk it. What if it goes wrong?” Sakamoto asked. “You needn’t worry about that. The plan is immaculate. And it’s also our best chance of stopping the spread of opium.” Takasugi cast a meaningful glance at  Ai, then at Kazuya and his friends. Ai guessed that Takasugi must know what their talents were. Kazuya, Takashi, and Chikage could all control fire. And Takashi, like Ai, could manipulate wind. Maintaining fires to target specific locations would essentially be a cinch for the four of them. “Whatever you boys’re preparin’, I’ve got high hopes for it! Shinsaku knows how to get his hands on all the finest things… Like this, for example.” Sakamoto pulled a heavy metal object from his breast pocket. Ai leaned close to inspect it. “Is that a… gun?” “Never seen one before, huh? Well, lucky you. You’re layin’ your eyes on the finest, here,” Sakamoto said. “So you’re planning to use these to fight the foreign invaders, then?” Ai asked. “In other countries, everyone walks around with one of these things, as a matter of course. The era of settling disputes with swords alone… well, it’s over, I’m afraid,” Takasugi explained. “The sad truth is, this country ain’t unified the way it used to be,” Sakamoto added. “Times have changed. And if you think you can fight off foreign invaders with swords, you’re only fooling yourself,” Takasugi said. “The Choshu found that out the hard way, didn’t they?” Sakamoto asked. “And I do not intend to let past sacrifices be in vain.” That look in Takasugi’s eyes… He was thinking of his old master. “I’m with Takasugi,” Gen added. “We’ve been beat down once. That’s enough. We know what we need to do now,” Maro said. The men exchanged grave looks. With the exception of the oni in the room, they were willing to risk their lives for their country.

The meeting was adjourned and everyone began drinking. Ai stared, mouth agape, at the passed-out humans in front of her. “How do they call themselves samurai when they’re so passed out? What if the enemy breaks in here at this moment? What then?” “We’re all on guard. And when push comes to shove, they spring into action automatically. It’s just second nature for them. So don’t worry. You’ll be fine,” Takasugi said. “It’s not me I’m worried about, but fine. I’ll take your word for it.” Ai rolled her stiff shoulders. Takasugi took his shamisen in hand and started strumming softly. Ai didn’t realise she was staring at him until he looked up and their eyes met. “Would you like to try playing?” he asked. “Me?” Ai raised an eyebrow. “You just pluck one of these strings, and it makes a sound. Try it.” Takasugi took her by the hand and pulled her into his lap. Ai stiffened. Takasugi’s arms wrapped around her and he placed his hands on top of hers. It felt intimate. “Then, you do it just like this…” The string made a quiet but resonant sound. Ai smiled. “Just takes a bit of practice. It’s really not that hard.” Takasugi guided Ai’s hands across the strings. “Got the hang of it yet? Think you’re ready to try it by yourself?” Ai nodded and plucked at one of the strings. The sound was melodic and soft. She struck another. And another. The music she played was gentle; beautiful even. “You learn pretty fast.” Takasugi sounded surprised. Ai looked at him over her shoulder with a mischievous smile. “I actually already knew how to play it.” Ai turned back to the shamisen and played another song. She was keenly aware of Takasugi’s gaze on her concentrating face before they scanned the rest of her body and rested on her moving hands. When Ai stopped playing, she sighed softly and leaned her back against Takasugi’s chest, her head on his shoulder. “What?” he asked. “Nothing.” Ai closed her eyes, a content smile playing on her lips. “Have I stolen your heart away? Is that it?” he asked teasingly. Ai opened her eyes to find his full of determination as he stared down at her. “Think what you will.” Takasugi’s arms embraced Ai tightly around her waist. As he took her chin in one hand, she heard some stray notes from the shamisen. Looking into his eyes, she felt as though she was being pulled into another world. He stared as deeply into her eyes as she was, but she couldn’t tell what was going through his mind. He leaned in closer, his breath grazing her lips as he sighed. Remembering the first time his lips were on hers, Ai felt the heat rush to her cheeks. “You’re not even going to try to resist?” “Why would I?” Ai asked. Taksugi’s lips, nearly touching hers, curved into a seductive grin. “Silence isn’t the same thing as consent, you know? How am I supposed to know what you want?” Takasugi’s arms held her more tightly as he whispered in her ear. “I thought you were such a good girl… We haven’t even known each other very long. But, if you like, I can show you a few more things I learned overseas.” He stroked her neck, her hair standing upright. Ai rolled her eyes and maneuvered herself out of his arms. “You have a real talent for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, you know that?” Her voice had no edge to it as she said that. Without waiting for a response, she left.

Ai shouldn’t have left. As soon as she stepped out of the room, she ran smack into the one person she didn’t want to see.

Previous Chapter

[broodyjoey]

Gonna go find Kondo san from Voltage's Samurai series.

Looks like my phone battery has different plans for me. It’s down to its last percent, so I’ll be seeing my prince with the weak constitution, AKA the Axe King. Bro has the frailest body but the strongest axes in town.

But he also has the sweetest words, calling me his little daisy and all~🥰🥰 He loves me!! (Delusional)

Self-depreciation aside, I really need a pick me up from all the pain in my life. I need him to pick my mood up.

[quietbooklion]

My all time favorite Voltage men. These guys are S-tier husband material.

[sterkeyra]

Koi 100 Chara Café -

Top13 2022 Costumes

Uwaah the new costumes for the upcoming Chara Café are looking gorgeous!!

For once Tsugarus outfit looks decent! I gotta say out of all the guys I like Kaiseis, Shins, Tsugarus, Kurosawa's and Okitas suits the most.

Which do you guys like the most?

[colourless-hydrangeas]

Kondou is married. :')

Time to cry and cry some more.

[voltage-vixen]

[lydskisses]

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[literaryvein-reblogs]

Hi again, i am in need of you help. How do you write a loyal knight character? A true devotee of their charge, but not so much it turns dog-like.

Writing Notes: Loyal Knight Characters

Hi, you can consider using some character tropes as a guide. Found a few examples for you:

"Knight in Shining Armor" Trope: The medieval knight who fights baddies, whether villains, knights, or dragons, and in The Tourney, charms ladies without deliberately seducing them, behaves honorably, and saves the day with his sword; but also, any hero who behaves similarly.

The "shining" originally referred to the way his armor and weapons were kept in good condition, as opposed to the rust that accumulated for less competent knights. Most knights will be depicted wearing plate armor, despite it appearing relatively late in the era of knights. Them using a Knightly Sword and Shield is also pretty likely, though the usage of plate armor with Knightly Sword and Shield is actually historically inaccurate since shields were considered redundant while wearing plate armor.

"Lady and Knight" Trope: The brave, chivalrous knight defends and falls in love with the fair lady.

"The Paladin" Trope: Paladins are warriors dedicated to furthering the cause of all that is good. Holy crusaders, they combat the forces of evil wherever they are found, and defend the helpless as much as possible. Above all else, paladins are good.

"Knight in Shining" Tropes

This is the set of tropes that cluster around Knight Templar: the forces of light in hardcore mode, excessively or otherwise.

This mentality is all the way over on the Idealistic side of the Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism.

The Trope Codifiers are the Chivalric Romances of the medieval Matters of Britain (Arthurian Legend) and of France (Charlemagne) — especially the innumberable fantasy novels and verse epics of the 15th through 17th centuries which were based on, set in, or vaguely inspired by the older Carolingian myths.

The Arthurian myths have a less militantly idealistic style than the Carolingian ones; the Arthurian work most completely of this style is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

This pattern is rarer outside of Europe (and before the Middle Ages) than within it.

The closest analogue to European chivalry was bushido, the code of the Japanese samurai, but the Japanese code emphasized loyalty to one's lord, even to the point of doing evil,

while the European one emphasized loyalty to one's conscience, even to the point of treachery.

Of course, that doesn't mean that non-European heroes can't act like this—and it doesn't mean that European heroes always do, either.

The Roman-derived tradition of "My Country, Right or Wrong" was always present in Europe.

Originally, the word knight was a job description with no connotation of high birth or status: it merely meant a warrior who was skilled and wealthy enough to fight on horseback, and owed their service to someone powerful.

The English word knight is derived from an Anglo-Saxon word for "servant", while most other European languages use a word meaning "horseman" (e.g. German Ritternote or French chevalier).

The word began to take on new meaning in response to social changes at the dawn of The High Middle Ages: the flourishing of merchants and cities gave them new wealth and power to compete with the nobility, while the increasingly independent Catholic Church became more assertive in trying to curb the misbehavior of the warrior class.

In order to maintain their distinction from the class of people who worked, and to reconcile the violent nature of war with the ideals of courtesy and piety, the nobility and gentry absorbed the military role of knighthood while turning it into a more exclusive and regulated order.

A noble child would usually start as a page in order to learn discipline and manners, spend their teenage years as an arming squire taking care of a master's horse and equipment, and when they had grown into a fine warrior, they would be recognized as having earned their spurs. Not everyone became a knight through such careful grooming, though.

Commoners could be rewarded with knighthood for exceptional service, and rulers facing a shortfall of heavy cavalry would sometimes make laws requiring anyone who possessed a certain amount of property to present themselves to be knighted whether they liked it or not.

Sources: 1 2 3 4 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

Hope this helps with your writing! More research might be needed for literary/historical accuracy.

[voltageincboys]

“You’re a fearless woman. I only want you by my side.” ~ Toshizo Hijikata ~ Era of Samurai: Code of Love (Owned by Voltage) •April•

[lunasotomescreenshots]

• Hijikata (✿◠‿◠) •

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 45 Uh, Seriously?! Posting

So! Full speed ahead it is, internet void! What a dense chapter.

First up, John Hishaku and the Samurai Murderer Guy that was at Chihiro's house in chapter 2.

Guess we'll see more of him soon, how fun! It's not quite clear how many people are talking here, but Hishaku scheming is afoot and the game is on. The only question is how fucked the Kamunabi is going to be by the end of the arc IMO.

And don't think I missed that vase reappearing. My nemesis. The spiky boi on the mid-left drove me insane as soon as the raws dropped but I would like to tentatively propose that it is a kiku (chrysanthemum). Different colors have very different meanings so I still admit defeat on that front. But kiku are usually associated with mourning or Imperial imagery, so that's cool. I demand a treat if this flower arrangement turns out to be the world's subtlest hint that the Hishaku are related to an old regime or breakaway faction of the government.

But yeah... so much cuteness this week. Very welcome after the rich drama from the past few chapters.

Boys who commit patricide together fall asleep mid-conversation wake up together, apparently. And for all the fan artists/fanfic writers out there, it's now canon that both of them are wearing long-sleeved shirts under the other layers. I was kind of hoping for Chihiro to be wearing one of his dad's shirts but this is more in character...

Fine, okay, it's probably for convenience's sake since apparently these guys can only rest for one night before jumping into the lion's den. But I'm flabbergasted by their soulmate coding. I kind of expected Hakuri to pass out, but Chihiro conking out at the same time in the same pose is too damn cute! Barely over a week together and they've already perfectly synced their sleep schedules and postures lol.

I find it deeply amusing that the entire flashback sequence at the end of chapter 44 was purely for the reader's benefit though. Seriously! Hakuri asked Chihiro "So... what comes next?" and then they both immediately passed out sitting up. So the last four pages were there just to spare us from even more infodumping in this chapter, which is much appreciated.

That's something that Hokazono-sensei also did at the end of the vs. Sojo arc in chapter 18. 10 pages to him exploding, 7 to the situation at the Kamunabi (which will now come into play! EXCELLENT LAYERING OF DETAILS!). I don't know if I'm smart or educated enough to do a full analysis on the techniques he's using, but I love the style. He doesn't let the emotional points linger too long or waste a single goddamn panel in this manga. Yeah, I want more time with the characters outside of serious plot moments, but there's not much else for me to complain about. The need isn't particularly dire anyway since every scene is efficient in giving us characterization and info at the same time (example later this rant).

So yeah. Thanks to that excellent pacing decision, we get to witness this crowning moment of heartwarming:

LOOK AT THESE DORKS. LOOK AT THEM. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE. Thank you for this moment of Team Goldfish x Hiyuki and Tafuku bliss.

And look at the food on the table! Hiyuki and Tafuku have earned a measure of trust with Team Goldfish! Just a bit, but Shiba definitely wouldn't have let them stay the night and eat with them if he felt they were dangerous.

It's also so sweet that Char's comfortable sitting in big bro Tafuku's lap... she's come a long way since her debut as a scared, scruffy orphan. Wonder where the gang is hanging though. Someone's apartment, I guess? A nearby hotel? More insignificant details this annoying reader wants to know...

TW for SF5-era tournament enthusiasts: That Stage appears in the first panel.

Did anyone have bets on Shiba wrecking Hiyuki in Street Fighter while waiting for Hakuri and Chihiro to wake up? I didn't, but I love it. And this scene highlights something I've really come to appreciate about Kagurabachi's writing: it's incredibly efficient. Almost every scene has more than one thing being conveyed at a time. For instance, here we learn that Hiyuki sucks at Street Fighter compared to Shiba but is too stubborn to quit (comedy & character consistency) and still doesn't know he's ex-Kamunabi (serious). This in turn tells us that Shiba's probably got something to hide from active Kamunabi personnel. After all, it's not like the org itself is a secret, and we wouldn't see Hiyuki questioning him twice if his circumstances weren't suspicious. So Shiba's subplot thickens while we laugh at the gag- peak efficiency.

The cuteness, though... the sweetness of this chapter, man!

Chihiro respecting Yuu's nickname and correcting Hakuri with such a gentle expression is incredibly adorable. He's so relaxed here... but oh wait, there's... chibi Hakuri and Chihiro apologizing for worrying Uncle Shiba?!

Chihiro and his new #1 enabler owe more than an apology but it's good enough for now.

This break wasn't quite long enough to reset the tension in my opinion, but it absolutely delivered on character moments. We definitely needed this after all the big feels from the previous few chapters. I wish there was more time devoted to letting us calm down before ramping up again but what we got here is pretty good.

And so we jump feet-first into laying the groundwork for the Kamunabi arc. A nice, efficient recap of the situation leads us into some additional context and a surprising bit of Shiba characterization. Whatever beef he's got with the Kamunabi feels quite personal for a guy who plays it cool and loose most of the time. We know he's glad he quit because they're too uptight, but there's gotta be more to it than that- he's subtly trying to steer Chihiro away from them while Hiyuki is having none of it here. I want to gently snap this man in half to make him spill his secrets...

At the end of the day, though, Shiba's not going to stop Chihiro from joining the Kamunabi. That's been his thing since Chapter 1: if Chihiro makes up his mind to do something, Shiba will offer advice and make suggestions but ultimately leave the decisions up to him. I wonder how much of his guilt over Kunishige's death plays into that...

Then!

PFFT. "I know what I'm doing here seems risky and unwise but It's fine, trust me. I've got Hakuri." OKAY BUDDY. You've been able to do a hell of a lot since you met this kid haven't you? It's like meeting him changed the trajectory of your life as much as you changed his.

Shiba's expression is very interesting to me. He's like "ah, I get it..." and he's not thrilled in the slightest. Adding Hakuri to the team means Chihiro can be even more reckless than ever before; what little influence he had over Chihiro's safety is all but gone now. And Hakuri himself won't try to stop Chihiro from putting his life on the line- he'll risk his own to help him do it! All this while they're poised to go somewhere he probably can't follow... poor Mr. Shiba.

And then!! AND THEN!!!

Chapter 32: Smile Unlocked (once has no meaning...)

Chapter 36: Smile Lost (twice is a coincidence...)

Chapter 38: Locked In (three times is a pattern...)

Chapter 45: Smile Restored (four times is fate)

The one pulling the other forward is always on the right, leading the reader as well.

When one calls, the other answers. What one starts, the other finishes. A and Un. And this time Hakuri echoes Chihiro's "you got it" catchphrase back to him! I hope this is their thing now, like the "How's my timing?/Perfect" bit that Shiba and Chihiro had.

I'm going absolutely insane over this interaction though. It's the first time Chihiro's gotten to hear someone affirm that they'll see things through with him at his own request (on-screen at least). The first time he's outright said he needs someone, even. And of course Hakuri responds so enthusiastically- he's finally wanted. Just a few days ago he thought he'd never amount to anything. But he's got so much hope thanks to Chihiro's faith in him now.

"What I need in my life is a samurai! THAT'S YOU!" is finally answered with "I'm going to need your help again." hnnnngh what in the hell is this chapter.

Platonic, familial, romantic- however you want to see their relationship, these guys are meant to be together. If I ever start to doubt Hakuri's importance again just smack me right upside the head- he's truly Chihiro's other half now. Let's cheer them on and hope nothing horrible happens to Hakuri ever again! Protect the smile of the boy who would die for you on command, Chihiro. You've been warned.

Protected Bearers

Cool stuff ahead, and tough times to go with them. I doubt things will be as simple as Chihiro successfully making his case and being allowed to start trying to Talk no Jutsu the former wielders. This arc seems like it could easily be longer and more complicated than the previous two combined. I kind of hope it is, just to get more time with everyone. I've never loved a cast of characters this much.

That said... In another series I'd be sure Chihiro would visit each area one by one in their own mini arc, but Kagurabachi is probably going to subvert the expectation somehow. We got previews of the areas so we'll be seeing all of them. Probably (we goddamn better after that gorgeous spread showing them off.), but not in the way we'd expect. This story is so fast I kind of expect us to blitz through all of them in a handful of chapters each... guess it depends on how in-depth we get with the bearers themselves.

As we originally saw them in chapter 18. The slightly updated designs from this chapter are pretty nifty.

I'm 100% sure the order they're presented here corresponds with the areas shown on the spread immediately afterwards. So eye scars is stuck in a temple, the girl is stuck in an onsen, kabuki monk guy is stuck in what looks like a floating shrine, and sushi chef is in... a sushi restaurant. Wow shocker.

I'm going to make the assumption that they got to choose where they were imprisoned for the rest of their lives. Maybe it was the government's way of expressing gratitude for helping the war effort? Which makes Magatsumi's wielder (the Sword Master) being sealed up like a nasty curse all the more intriguing... he's clearly fucked up but was he always that way or did the sword corrode his mind? Is there more to the lifelong contract with these swords than just being the only person who can use them? I better get some answers!

Anyway.

So Kunishige personally knew and chose these people... I wonder how meeting them will deepen Chihiro's understanding of his father's legacy. I sincerely doubt that all of them will make it easy for him to recover the blade they're tied to, but we'll hopefully learn a lot while Chihiro makes his attempts. Really seems like we are set up for Kunishige and Seitei War backstory so I am hype. Dead DILF lore! DEAD DILF LORE!

Hiyuki and Kamunabi Thoughts

Hiyuki also had some interesting moments this chapter. She understands that the current stalemate with the Hishaku has tied the Kamunabi's hands for the most part, forcing them to do less than savory things (like bidding on the Shinuchi) to keep the peace. And despite her hotblooded outburst before the auction, she still has rock solid faith in her org's mission. So I don't think she'll defect easily so as long as she believes the mission is doable under better circumstances.

And it seems like she thinks Chihiro might be the right catalyst for change... hmm. She's essentially using him as a chaos agent to shake up the status quo because he proved himself to her. She finds him worthy of deciding how to handle the blades, so now she's giving him and Hakuri the opportunity prove themselves to her leaders. Very cool. There's some rather deep stuff going on with her.

Hiyuki's much more establishment-oriented than her personality and actions suggest. I get the sense that she's there as an idealist who is willing to upset the status quo to see the mission through. A true believer in a bureaucratic institution- love that type of conflict. Can't wait to see more of her in this arc!

So now we're set to see Chihiro's philosophy and methods on trial. Super intriguing stuff and I'll definitely be looking at the questions each Kamunabi leader is asking to try and suss out their allegiance. Playing Guess the Traitor this arc is gonna be a lot of fun (I hope)!

Speaking of which... Azami as the traitor allegations don't move me, but I do think he'll be restricted this arc due to the ongoing investigation into his clandestine activities. Chihiro could well be on his own without an adult to watch out for him. At least he and Hakuri will be there for each other. ...With no one to try and stop them from doing reckless stunts. Uh oh.

So that's a wrap on this fuckhuge ramble. Hope the breakneck pace slows down just a smidge but I'm still very onboard with whatever is coming next. Thanks for allowing me to ramble as always, void.

[kbtbb-soryu]

Walk Through Hell with Me [Takasugi x OC] Chapter 6

“I’m a… um… Aizu… retainer…”

“Aizu?” Ai knew the Aizu were the ones who employed the Shinsengumi, but not much else. But something about person in front of her smelled odd. He looked odd, too. Her suspicions were confirmed when he started cackling.

“A woman! I found a woman!” He grabbed hold of Ai’s arm and shoved her crudely to the floor. His eyes were glazed over; spittle formed at the corners of his mouth. “A woman! All for me!” Ai felt his foul, revolting breaths against her ear. A strong gust of wind blew against the man, sending him flying upward. His back hit the ceiling hard before he tumbled to the ground. Ai stood up and kicked him. He rolled several feet on the tatami floor until his back hit the wall on the other side of the room. The door swung open. Ai marched over to her would-be-saviour-if-she-was-human and gripped the sword at his waist. 

“Give me that.” She unsheathed the sword, walked up to the Aizu retainer, and ran the sword through his back.   

“You alright?” Takasugi asked as she walked back to him to return his sword.

“I’m fine. What are you doing here, anyway?” 

“Would you have preferred it if I’d let him do… whatever it was he intended to do?”

The corner of Ai’s lips quirked upward in a wry smile. “In case you haven’t noticed, I can take care of myself.”

“I can see that.”

Ai looked at the body over her shoulder. “He said he was Aizu.”

“When you heard he was Aizu, you made the mistake of assuming you were safe?”

“Are you an idiot?” Ai’s back went rigid when she caught a whiff of a strange and unpleasant smell. She watched as smoke, milky and white, started to seep into the room from beyond the paper screen.

Takasugi looked around the room and clicked his tongue.

“Can’t believe they actually brought the fight to me here, of all places…”

“This isn’t fire…” Ai murmured.

“No, it’s not. We’ve got no choice but to get out of here. And since there’s no other way out… We’ll have to take the window.”

“But this is the second floor,” Ai protested.  

“Do you want to stand here nitpicking, or do you want to live to see another day?” Takasugi sheathed his sword, grabbed hold of her and moved them to the window. Ai looked down into the sea of darkness beyond the window.

“You can’t even see anything, can you?” Ai said. Takasugi looked at her before lifting her up off the ground. Ai gasped.

“If you won’t come peacefully, I’ll just have to take you with me.” Takasugi’s face was right in front of her, and she felt something warm on her lips. Soft, yet firm, his lips wouldn’t let hers move. Their lips locked, Takasugi leaned out of the window and leaped into the darkness.

Ai closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his back, under his arms. They weren’t falling; they were hovering. Takasugi opened his eyes and looked at her, positioned slightly above him. She smiled gently, a gesture in stark contrast with her demonic appearance. Her purple wings spread wide behind her as she slowly lowered the two of them to the ground. Takasugi’s eyes fell on her membranous wings before they dissipated, along with her demon form. 

When Ai opened her eyes the next morning, Kusaka was the first person she saw. She felt a bandage being wrapped around her arm. 

“That isn’t necessary,” she said by way of greeting. Kusaka hushed her in that annoyed way he always got whenever she declined his medical expertise. Ai sighed as she looked down at him. “You really were a doctor.” 

“You can tell?” Kusaka asked.

“By your technique, yes.”

“Well, I think you’ve got more important things to be worried about than my medical technique.” Kusaka chuckled as he put away his supplies. “You managed not to inhale any of that smoke last night, right?”

Ai shook her head. “No, but… what was that stuff? I’ve never smelled anything like it before.” It smelled dangerous. 

“Well, you see…” Kusaka paused for a moment, seemingly unsure of how to continue. He let out a breath. “That was opium smoke. It’s a narcotic drug, smuggled in from overseas. Made from poppies.”

Ai sat up and looked in front of her. “Oh.”

“Small amounts can be used medicinally, but if taken in heavy doses… it can almost make you lose your mind.” 

Ai nodded. “I know what opium is.” That would certainly explain that samurai’s odd behaviour. And why smelled funny. 

“If you’d inhaled any of that smoke, there may not have been anything I could’ve done for you. You remember the first night we crossed paths with you? That man that Takasugi cut down… he was also under the influence of opium. If we’d let him out of our sights, there’s no telling how many people he might have terrorized.”

Ai looked up at the ceiling, leaning back on the palms of her hands. “So that’s what’s been going on…”  

“Gen, want me to take over?” Yoshida came into the room.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Yoshida took Kusaka’s place, carrying a jug of water. “Glad to see you’ve woken up,” he said gently. “I heard Takasugi jumped out of a second story window with you in his arms. Pretty wild stuff.”

Ai shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle. How is he anyway?” she asked.

“He’s doing fine. Just a few scrapes and bruises, like yourself. Nothing too serious.”

“That’s good.”

“That’s good? That’s a funny reaction for you to be having, isn’t it? You’ve gone from attempting to murder him… to being thankful that he isn’t hurt?”

“How do you know about that?” she asked.

“A-ha! So I was right!”

Ai turned her face away. “I just got tricked, didn’t I?”

“Pretty much.”

Ai sighed. “I was never going to kill him, just so you know.”

“Then what, eat him?”

Ai whipped her head to him. Yoshida was wearing a knowing grin. “He… told you about that?”

“No, but Kazuya did.”

Ai’s eyes widened. “Kazuya?” Kazuya would tell a human about their lineage? Has he completely lost his mind?! Emi would freak if she knew. Then again, Ai supposed she wasn’t one to talk considering she revealed herself to Takasugi her first night in the annex. 

“I’ve heard the stories about how the Choshu helped oni clans a few years ago, but I never imagined I’d ever meet a real oni. Most of us thought those were just legends.”

“Yeah… I guess it’s a hard thing to believe unless you see it with your own eyes… So, Takasugi didn’t inhale any of that smoke either, right?”

“No. We are very well aware of the dangers that smoke poses. The more opium a person inhales, the more they lose themselves to sheer pleasure. They start to lose all connection to the real world, becoming, essentially, a walking corpse, who can’t tell the difference between right and wrong.”

“Are the authorities aware of this?”

“They are, but it’s practically impossible to control the flow of this kind of substance. Once imported, opium is sold under the cover of night, and passed freely from hand to hand… Even last night, in the red-light district, several of the partygoers, and a few of those girls fell victim,” Yoshida explained. Ai exhaled, furrowing her brows. “If word of this got out into the real world, it would become a serious problem. We don’t want to let that happen. That’s why, at the wholesaler, we’re going to…”

“You’ve said quite enough, Maro.” The screen slid open, and Takasugi appeared. “You said you were just going to bring her some water… I thought you were taking an awful long time…”

“We can’t keep her in the dark forever. There are some things she needs to know. You’re too secretive, Takasugi.”

“Loose lips sink ships, Maro. You’d do well to keep that in mind.”

This time Yoshida got up to leave, and Takasugi sat down on the floor.

Ai nonchalantly downed the water that Maro had brought her. “And that’s why, at the wholesaler, you’re going to burn a bunch of warehouses stock full of opium to the ground.” She held the jug firmly on her lap in both hands as she slowly turned her head towards Takasugi. He was glaring at her. “It wasn’t hard to figure out.” Ai brought a hand up and counted on her fingers the factors that led her to the conclusion, starting with her pinky. “You’re known to burn things down. Opium was smuggled in and is likely being stored someplace. You want to rid the city of opium.”  

“Clever…” He obviously wasn’t at all happy that she figured out his plans, which only made her grin. “You look like you’re doing well.”

“Was I not doing well before?” Ai tilted her head to the side.

“You were sleeping for a while.” Ai shrugged. “Kazuya was here.”

“I heard,” she said. 

“He told me to give this to you.” Takasugi slid a brown paper bag towards her. Her smile faltered as she took it. “He seemed pretty worried.”

“I don’t really know him all that well, to be honest. But he’s friends with my sister.”

“I see.” Takasugi took Ai’s hand. The touch of his fingers was gentle, so as to feel barely there. Ai didn’t know what he was thinking, but she looked down at their hands, avoiding his gaze as she felt her heart speed up. She gently laced her fingers through his.

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[the-far-bright-center]

Dystopian themes in the Prequels

“Looking back is helpful in understanding his work. Lucas started out in the 1960’s as an experimental filmmaker heavily influenced by the avant-garde films of the San Francisco art scene. Initially interested in painting, he became an editor and visualist who made abstract tone poems. His first feature, THX 1138 (1971) was an experimental science fiction film that presented a surreal, underground world where a dictatorial state controls a docile population using drugs. Love and sex are outlawed, procreation is controlled through machines, and human beings shuffle meaninglessly around the system.”

—Anthony Parisi, 'Revisiting the Star Wars Prequels'

The bolded parts in this description correspond with the Coruscant Underworld, the Jedi Order’s code, and the creation of the clone troopers, respectively.

Notably, in THX 1138's setting, emotions such as love and the concept of family are taboo:

I’ve always found it so interesting that Lucas incorporated the dystopian elements of his earlier sci-fi into the Prequels, taking place as they do in the context of the final years of the Repubic, with all its colourful and sumptuous visual spendour. In comparison, the post-apocalyptic ‘Dark Times’ of the Original Trilogy would seem on the surface to be the more outwardly ‘dystopian’ setting of the two—however, the actual story of the OT is a mythic hero's journey and fairytale, complete with an uplifting and transcendent happy ending. The OT's setting may be drained of colour, and its characters may be living under the shadow of the Empire, but as a story it is far from bleak or dystopian in tone. Rather, fascinatingly, it is the pre-apocalyptic era of the Prequels that is presented as the more dystopian storyline:

“On the surface, [The Phantom Menace] is an optimistic, colorful fantasy of a couple of swashbuckling samurai rescuing a child Queen and meeting a gifted slave boy who can help save the galaxy from the slimy Trade Federation and its Sith leaders. But beneath that cheerful facade is a sweatshop of horrors.” —Michael O'Connor, 'Moral Ambiguity: Beyond Good and Evil in the Prequels'

This is referring to the state of the galaxy during the Prequels era, including the fact that slavery is known to exist, but is largely ignored by the Republic and the Jedi alike due to being too economically inconvenient to combat. It also refers to how the Jedi of the Old Order come across as cold and distant atop their ivory tower on the artificial world of Coruscant, far removed not only from the natural world but also from the true realities of the people they claim to serve. And then there is the additional revelation in Attack of the Clones that love and family are 'outlawed' within the Jedi Order, creating an environment in which their own 'Chosen One' is unable to flourish, leaving him vulnerable to the Dark Side. Finally, there's the fact that the characters end up so distracted by fighting a civil war (something that goes against their own principles and involves the use of a slave clone army in the process), that they are blinded to the entity of pure evil that is guiding their every move...until it is too late.

“Without a clear enemy, the Jedi Order, the Galactic Senate, the whole of the Star Wars galaxy bickers and backstabs and slides around the moral scales. But there is one benefit to Palpatine’s pure evil crashing down upon the galaxy; against its oppressive darkness, only the purest light can shine through.” —Michael O'Connor, 'Moral Ambiguity: Beyond Good and Evil in the Prequels'

If anything, the Dark Times allows for the OT generation's acts of courage and heroism to flourish and succeed, because they are not hampered by the Old Jedi Order's restrictive rules, nor by its servitude to the whims of an increasingly corrupt Republic—so corrupt, in fact, that by the time of RotS, it is practically the Empire in all but name. Indeed, one of the key features of the Prequels, and what makes them so tragic, is that the characters are already living in a dystopia...they just don't know it.

There is, paradoxically, a level of freedom to be found in the midst of the Dark Times which had not been possible during the Twilight era, which allows Original Trio to rise above the tragedy that befell their predecessors. They are able to act as free agents (not as slaves of a corrupt government), serving only the fight for the liberation of all the peoples of the galaxy (not just citizens of the Republic), and are likewise free to live (and love!) on their own terms. Free to act on their positive attachments to one another, without having to hide the truth of their feelings. It's particularly telling that *this* is, above all, what makes the Prequels era so dystopian—the characters' inability to freely and openly participate in normal familial human relationships.