Nightshade: Goemon
Oct. 18th, 2020 08:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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This was great!
I'm not usually into the slightly-dubconny flirty older dude type, but he was really sweet and tortured underneath, and they were just so good for each other that I enjoyed it despite his Issues With Sexual Boundaries. I definitely liked him more than the Goemon in SLBP, they didn't bring up as many Deep Philsophical Questions About Society but also didn't drop the ones they did bring up like a lead balloon, so.
Content note: mild but persistent dubcon from the LI.
Goemon is always very chill, reacting to pretty much everything with wry smiles and dead-pan understatement in a flat tone, like he's too cool to have strong emotions. When he does get emotional, rather than getting louder his voice gets a little husky.
So! Enju has been sent out to gather information about Goemon.
Enju bumps into 'Goro' who assumes she's there to see him and invites her for dessert.
Enju: Actually...do you know anything about Goemon Ishikawa?
Goemon Ishikawa: The thief? I don't know much about him...but I've heard he has a sweet tooth, and the Kanmidokoro I was going to take you is his favourite place :)
Smooth, Goemon.
Just as Enju is staring at her dessert, angsting about the rule that shinobi should never eat food prepared by strangers, she notices Ennosuke at the counter cheerfully stuffing his face, lol. But then he smoothly segues to asking if there's any estates where he could get hired as a guard.
(now I want traditional Japanese sweets ;_;)
Goemon is endearingly focussed on making Enju happy and at ease despite her obvious self-conscious caution. Like obviously he's manipulating her to find out what she's up to, but he is also trying to be nice about it, and is only gently flirtatious (yes he's way too old for her but I gotta roll with that)
Goemon: So, where are you from? It's clearly not around here.
Enju: I...was raised not to tell personal information to strange men.
Goemon: I suppose I'll have to get you to know me better ;)
Enju: Uh...I'd rather talk about Goemon.
Goemon: Ouch! That hurts!
*gives Enju a small gold star for effort*
She SOMEHOW doesn't manage to get much information out of him but has a really nice time, and tbh it's just nice seeing her hang out with someone without it being all WEIRD PSYCHOSEXUAL QUASI-INCESTUOUS OBSESSION. Not that that isn't fun too, in it's way.
Enju bumps into Kyara in the fancy end of town, Bukemachi. She's observing a dishevelled looking man with facial scars, who is following two men: a silver haired bishonen with a smugly gentle voice, and a rougher looking man who seems to be his employee, and who quickly notices the man following.
Me: Hmm. One of them is presumably Tokugawa...must be the pretty boy in charge. OK I see why people want to date him. But who's the mean looking guy...WAIT. THAT VOICE. IT'SKAZAMA HANZO.
I love how this Tokugawa and Hanzo look like the Hanzo from SLBP and the Tokugawa from Hakuoki: Demon's Bond respectively, but nothing like each other or any portraits drawn of them at the time.
Here's Samurai Love Ballad Party: the two Hanzo Hattoris (afaict this is never explained), Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Mitsunari Ishida, set vaguely sometime at the end of the 16th century:
Here's Hanzo Hattori, Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Mitsunari Ishida from Nightshade, set in 1599:
Ok I just looked up Hattori Hanzo and in 1599 he was 3 years dead at the age of 54 lol. Sexy. Ieyasu was alive, obviously, but 56. I guess his hair is silver. He actually looked his age in Hakuoki: Demon's Bond, even if they drew him as a buff silver fox instead of the balding fat dude in his historical portraits. I know this sort of thing is very common and there's even weirder versions in other Japanese media but this specific contrast amused me.
ANYWAY.
Kyara goes to report back while Enju keeps following. Tokugawa leaves Hanzo as bait, when the disheveled dude attacks Enju instinctively tries to take him down with shuriken from the shadows, before Hanzo finishes the job and then comes for her, pinning her down and demanding to know if she's connected to the attacker.
And then Chojiro and Kyara arrive. Chojiro and Hanzo immediately recognise each other in a nemesis-y way, and Kyara is all "Wait THE Hanzo? Survivor of Iga? Head of the Tokugawa shinobi? THEN IS THAT LORD TOKUGAWA?? o.O" Thanks for the exposition, Kyara.
Hanzo: Wait, you revealed yourself because you didn't want to see a stranger hurt?? Chojiro, is this how you train your men? >:(
Chojiro: I'm terribly sorry :(
There's a whole thing about people in charge taking responsbility for their subordinates I can see being A Thing on the Chojiro and/or Hanzo paths.
Hanzo keeps building up towards incensed shouting and then obediently being silenced by Tokugawa with a quiet command, it's sure something. Ohhh, I know why it feels so "as you wish means I love you": the actor only used this soft polite voice as Kazama when he was being shippy, cos he was a menacing asshole the rest of the time lol.
Though Hanzo still has a very Kazama-y attitude of "Listen, girl, you are one of my people and very bad at it, so let me explain to you a thing."
When he realises who she is, Hanzo stares at Enju and quotes back what she calls Chojiro in Japanese, and it's apparently "Nii-sama", the very polite way to refer to an older brother. THIS GAME.
While Hanzo is quietly freaking out, Tokugawa very politely expresses his condolences for the death of the Iga clan, while Chojiro very politely wishes him luck avoiding whoever it is trying to kill him, and there is definitely some subtext I'm missing.
Chojiro referred to Hanzo as Brother Hanzo/Hanzo-dono, was he Chojiro's teacher??
Ennosuke: So Enju I saw you with a hot guy at the dessert shop ;)
Kyara and Gekkamaru: What??? >:(
Ok Kyara and Ennosuke gay bffs y/y
That night Hanzo asks Chojiro to go out with him somewhere, and then Kuroyuki says he has an errand to do for her dad.
Chapter 3!
The next day Enju and Kuroyuki are sent to help Hanzo find a man with a scar on his face who apparently hired the assassin from yesterday. Who also had a scarred face, as does MC's dad. HMM.
Hideyoshi Toyotomi passes by in a fancy ox cart with his young son and the mother, Yodo.
Hideyoshi: One day all of this will be yours, son ^_^
Yodo is very fawning but tries to persuade Hideyoshi to reconsider appointing a guardian, instead of leaving things to her and Mitsunari Ishida.
Hideyoshi: Quiet! You may have borne me a son, but you are still just a concubine! Know your place!!
Enju: Oh wow! He looks hale and healthy, I am sure we will know many more years of peace :)
Goemon: Why are you excited to see a hysterical geezer with the shrivelled up face of a monkey? He took everything from me...I mean, ah, I was just blaming him for the hell of it. You should get home, I hear some high level official got attacked!
Goemon says the attacker was a vague acquaintance who had debts at a shady gambling den. "Oh but I shouldn't tell a lady like you about a place like that, forget I said anything"
Haha the walkthrough says to pretend she's not going to go, but he sees right through her and is just charmed she tried. He says that though he'd rather she not do anything dangerous in the first place she should come see him if she ever wants protection.
Him treating her like an endearingly earnest little spy who needs encouragement is kinda cute.
Chapter 4 (and then I mostly forgot to note chapters)
Kuroyuki leaves Enju to keep watch outside the gambling den, saying she'd draw too much attention as a woman. Goemon sneaks up on her and gives her a scare, which she mostly finds disturbing because how did a regular dude sneak up on her?? He claims to have been just passing by lol.
Goemon: You're cute when you're scared ;) Anyway, didn't I say not to come somewhere so dangerous?
Enju: Sorry :(
Goemon: Ah, you probably have your reasons. But I'm sure I'm not the only person who worries about you. I should punish you. *pins her against the wall before she has a chance to react* See how easy it would be for someone to attack you? You've been a very bad girl.
This is all very problematic and I am absolutely into it. So is the very embarrassed Enju but Goemon just laughs lightly and says she's been punished enough and he'll walk her back to the main street.
So of course she goes along with him then sneaks back when he's gone. Kuroyuki is waiting and they follow The Man With A Facial Scar to an abandoned temple, where they hear a bunch of men conspire to kill Tokugawa tomorrow night.
Enju has to stop Kuroyuki disobeying orders and killing them all right now. Instead they report to Hanzo, who takes Kuroyuki back to kill them while Enju stays to protect Tokugawa.
Hanzo and Kuroyuki work surprisingly well together, Hanzo takes the lead but respects Kuroyuki's skill, and Kuroyuki is happy enough to learn from him. But all they find at the temple is one set of footprints, and Hanzo quickly figures out that this was all a plot by a single assasin to get him away from Tokugawa.
Meanwhile a bored Tokugawa is trying to get to know Enju, and talks about how Hanzo is very close-lipped about his background but is more serious than scary. They obviously have a mutual bond of trust.
And then Enju hears a noise outside and realises all the ninja guards are dead! Suddenly, the scarred man attacks, dressed as a ninja, and Enju throws herself in front of Tokugawa to save him.
Yeah, I can see why people ship it.
The man gloats about how a mere girl will be no match for him, and he is better than her, but only just. She manages to hold him off until Hanzo arrives and takes him down. The man kills himself before he can be made to reveal who hired him.
Tokugawa: We will make it up to all who died by finding the one who caused this.
Hanzo: They were shinobi, it is an honour for us to die for our master.
Yeah I kinda ship this too.
Kuroyuki praises Enju's skill and of course Gekkamaru is all YOU FOUGHT THE ASSASSIN?? LET ME CHECK YOU FOR INJURIES!!
Kyara found a letter saying Goemon will attack a particular estate tomorrow, the 25th of March. So now everyone's mission is finished and they get a day off!
Just as I was preparing to choose to spend the day with Goemon...turns out the game is making that decision for me. Which shows I'm on the right path, cool!
Chapter 5:
Goro is charmed that she chose to come say goodbye and offers to make her last day in the city fun.
Makeup lady: Another girl eh Goro? Such a charmer!
Goro: You know me too well madam, but it's not what you think this time. I have plans this evening and will get her home before the sun comes up.
Makeup lady: I was only teasing. We all know you only play with girls who know what they're doing.
Goro: Well it's easier that way for all sides. Now, if you could show me your rouges...
Aw he notices her feeling awkward and asks if she'd rather get dessert. Normally I'm not into cheerfully well adjusted much older flirts, but (a) It's appealing in contrast to all the INCESTUOUS MURDER ANGST (b) They're eventually going to have to deal with the fact that she's duty bound to get him killed.
At the end of the day, he says she'll have to come visit in cherry blossom season, and for a moment she can imagine a happy life free of the obligations of being a ninja.
That night, after the hour Goemon was supposed to attack, they hear policesirens bells: Goemon escaped. Chojiro reveals their secret orders: to stay in the city in case the deputy fails, in which case it is now their job to catch Goemon, using any means necessary. Even Kasumi comes along, though Chojiro tells Kyara to take care of her.
Enju tries to find common ground with Deputy Maeda since they're on the same mission, and while he's initially pissed off he reluctantly admits that he struck Goemon when he let loose a smoke bomb, so she should look for someone with an injury who smells of smoke.
...and then she bumps into Goemon, smoking his pipe. But he doesn't just smell of tobacco. Despite his protests she sniffs his clothes and smells a different sort of smoke. And blood.
For a moment she's just worried that he's hurt and he reassures her he just banged his knee...and then she realises and holds out her dagger demanding the truth.
He laughs sadly and says fate is a strange thing. He's still very chill.
Goemon: Well, Miss, what are you going to do now? :)
Enju: My orders are to capture you >:(
Goemon: I don't feel like being captured just now. Bye ;)
And then he throws a smoke-bomb and escapes into nearby Fushimi castle, home of Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
Geomon, running across the rooftops: I would appreciate if you stopped chasing me.
Enju: It's my mission, I won't stop until you're captured >:(
Goemon: I suppose you are a shinobi. It brings back memories.
Enju: You're a shinobi?
Goemon: I was. Now I'm just a thief. Or should I say, your friendly local libertine. Now, I don't want to hurt you, but this really can't go on...
He attacks her with the blunt end of his sword, noticing that she's shaking but pretty good for a beginner.
But she holds him off much better than he's expecting. And then, just when he thinks he has her on the ropes...she manages to get behind him and USES HER NINJITSU MAGIC POWER OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS WHICH NEVER CAME UP BEFORE and KNOCKS HIM DOWN saying "Goemon Ishikawa, you have been defeated"
:D :D :D
Goemon: Before I collapse...can I know your name?
Enju: Enju
Goemon: That's...a pretty name...*passes out*
Just as Enju is wondering what to do with a large unconscious man, Chojiro shows up and...totally recognises Goemon omg are they childhood friends too. IT'S CHILDHOOD FRIENDS ALL THE WAY DOWN.
Oh man I jut looked him up and one backstory for Goemon is that he trained under Momochi Tanba (Chojiro's father and Enju's mother's brother) ...and then got kicked out at 15 for sleeping with Momochi's mistress but I'm assuming they'll cut that, along with all the stuff about him having a wife and son. Also hopefully the bit where he gets boiled in oil.
Enju wonders how such a seemingly nice man went from shinobi to theif. Chojiro says the market for shinobi has dried up with all the recent peace. "But he made his choice. Don't feel sorry for him."
Enju feels a little sad knowing Goemon will probably hate her when he wakes up, and that they'll likely never see each other again.
Chojiro: Ishikawa Goemon has been caught by Deputy Maeda and his competent men.
Maeda: Are you sure? You found the house...and captured him...
Chojiro: We work in the shadows. It would be inconvenient to be noticed.
And so Maeda agrees to take credit, but thanks them, and apologises for the things he said before.
Hidoyoshi saw the fight and wants to meet Enju alone to give her a reward...and ask her for a favour. Just as I'm worrying the favour will be something bad...HE IS MURDERED BY AN UNSEEN ASSAILANT!! AND MITSUNARI ISHIDA THINKS ENJU DID IT AND SHE GETS SENT TO PRISON!!!
(I thus never find out what the favour was. I wonder if you do on another route, my guess is personal bodyguard for the son but who knooows)
Enju sits in her cell, tied up and miserable, and then hears a friendly voice from the next cell...it's Goemon!
Enju: Why are you talking to me? I'm the reason you're in here.
Goemon: That's my own fault for underestimating you.
Awww.
Enju: If I tell you why I'm here you won't believe me. I don't understand it myself. But somehow I'm Hideoyoshi-sama's murderer.
Goemon: Impressive :D
But he believes her innocence (if only because who would give a beginner such an important job?) She sighs that no-one else does, and now her clan will suffer (and also her but she cares about that less)
Goemon pauses then asks "Miss. Want me to get you out of here? I was planning leaving anyway, a little bit of rope and a prison cell doesn't qualify as catching me, you know."
She knows that staying here means death. But what will happen to her clan if she escapes?
Goemon: Then I'll just have to steal you ;)
Then he dislocates his joints, lures a guard, and frees them both, before leaving a letter belatedly stating his intent to steal her.
We see the council of five elders discussing who will be the guardian of Hideyoshi's son. Tokugawa argues that they should decide quickly, to reassure the populace that the Toyotomi dynasty will continue stable for years to come lol lol
And then the boy himself comes in with a secret will! Saying that whoever catches his father's murderer gets to be his guardian!
Everyone but Tokugawa is about to call forth their armies to scour the country, despite a horrified Ishida saying this would cause chaos and leave their lands weak. So Tokugawa suggests they all just use their ninja, and keep things quiet.
Just as I'm thinking this was all Tokugawa's plan to seize power, we get his internal narration: he doesn't know who killed Hideyoshi, but is pretty sure Enju is being used as a scapegoat by the real killer.
Goemon takes Enju back to the safehouse, but everyone is gone. And if she's seen in the village, it'll look like she escaped.
He offers to take her with him instead, as criminals on the run. She doesn't understand why he's being so nice.
Goemon: From the moment I met you I liked you. You stole that money bag exactly the way I would have and I thought we'd get along. And I find you interesting, I never expected you to best me.
He says he trained in Iga but left 'long before the war'...that happened when he was 9?
Enju still doesn't entirely trust him, but she is out of options and he makes a compelling case.
Enju: All right. I may cause you trouble, but if you don't mind, I'd like to travel with you.
Goemon: Haha, you sound so serious. But it will be fun having you around. So... *leaning closer* Enju, will you be my wife?
Enju: What? Why??
Goemon: Because it's convenient when travelling to be in disguise :)
Enju: I don't think I'd be very good at being a wife...
Goemon: Why not? You're not just pretty, you're good natured. And if we're travelling together we should work as a team.
Enju: Ok. I'll try my best.
Oooh Yodo and Mitsunari Ishida are PLOTTING TO KEEP POWER, I wonder if they killed Hideyoshi...
Goemon and Enju have been travelling through the mountains for several days, with Goemon always doing his best to make Enju feel comfortable around him, so she lets him persuade her to sleep in an inn for a change.
He tells her about being the middle disciple of her uncle, junior to Hanzo and senior to Chojiro (I am pretty sure he uses little and big brother) She explains who her mother was but he says he never really met her.
He makes her laugh with a >:( Hanzo impression then says he's glad to see her relax, especially because it makes her so pretty. She gets embarrassed and he says he'll be happy to help her practice dealing with that sort of thing, especially since they have to pretend to be married. How generous.
Goemon: You'll be no good seducing someone for a mission like this ;)
Enju: I could do it for a mission!
Ha the innkeeper thinks they're a cute pair of siblings holding hands. Enju is offended he thought she was too young to be married which Goemon thinks is cute.
Enju: Cute?? You're treating me like a child too??
Goemon: No, not like a child. Speaking of which, it would convince the innkeeper more if we slept together.
Enju: No???
Goemon: I won't do anything. And it will be very warm and comfortable ;)
Enju: NO.
Goemon: I could put my head in your lap and you could clean my ears...
Enju: NO!
Goemon: You know I've been very accomodating...but alright, alright. We've got plenty of time to get to know each other ;)
Dude she is 16 tone it down.
Just as Goemon is saying it's strange they haven't encountered any pursuers...they are attacked by ninja! Goemon doesn't like killing people so pulls her into a run. She's never faced deadly conflict before and is terrified, but he talks her into calming down before tricking the ninja into going the wrong way.
But the next group of attackers are too large, and even he seems worried. Just as all seems lost, one falls...to Gekkamaru!
Goemon: Hello new friend :D
Gekkamaru: THEIF >:( COME, ENJU-SAMA, LET'S LEAVE HIM BEHIND.
Goemon and Enju have to persuade Gekkamaru not to murder all the downed ninja, and then that Goemon is Actually Nice Really. Turns out Enju's dad has disowned her but the moment Gekkamaru found out what happened he went to rescue her and has been tracking them ever since. Enju is horrified that he disobeyed orders and wants him to go home before he gets disowned too, but Goemon thinks being a ninja is stupid and the three of them should stick together.
I am 100% down to ship Goemon/Gekkamaru/Enju and I think Goemon might be too. He's into earnest, pretty, and a little dumb.
Goemon: We should be able to sleep in an inn tonight. Heh, remember when we pretended to be married and you got all flustered when I asked to sleep together...
Gekkamaru: WHAT????
Enju: Nothing happened!
Gekkamura: TONIGHT I WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THIS AWFUL THEIF >:(
Goemon: You're too overprotective, I feel sorry for her.
But then ANOTHER NINJA ATTACK. Goemon and Gekkamaru seamlessly work together, and then Goemon sends the other two ahead while he holds them off. Enju rescues an injured lost boy, Mokichi, who got caught in the cross-fire and persuades the other two to take them with him to the town where his father will hopefully be.
While Enju takes care of Mokichi, Goemon tries to befriend a dubious Gekkamaru. They bond about liking and wanting to protect Enju. Goemon says he's never met anyone like her before, and finds her intriguing.
Gekkamaru: If you try anything funny I'll kill you >:(
Goemon: Yes, yes. If I was going to do anything I would have by now.
Mokichi asks to sleep with Enju because he's lonely, and Gekkamaru pretends not to mind.
Goemon and Enju end up spending a day together at a festival. It's the first time in a while they've been alone together. They are endearingly happy with each other's company and admiring of each other's abilities. Goemon says she's the kind of girl he wouldn't mind marrying, and she blushingly says she's not interested but definitely thinks he'd be a good husband for someone. When she gets melancholy about the trouble she's caused her clan he says "It's nice to want to make yourself useful. But it's stupid to sacrifice yourself for some mission. Live for yourself, not your clan."
When they get back, Mokichi demands to go out with Enju to the festival too. He says he'll be more fun than Goemon and takes her on a weird shortcut and ohhh no is he evil D:
YEP. HE STABS HER WITH A NEEDLE AND SHE FALLS TO THE GROUND PARALYSED.
He squees about how "they will praise him now", so I guess he's a kid ninja on his first mission. But just as he's about to kill her, Kuroyuki shows up! Enju stops him from killing Mokichi, who runs away, and then Kuroyuki takes her back towards the inn for the antidote.
Meanwhile Goemon is pondering that he's told lots of women they'd make a good wife, but this is the first time he's suggested one marry him. He thinks about how much he enjoys watching Enju's reactions to the world, and how she makes him feel like maybe settling down wouldn't be the worst thing...but they have other things to worry about right now and he puts it out of his head.
We see Mokichi confronted by his angry master. He begs not to be killed, and is given one more chance.
Kuroyuki arrives with Enju and she is quickly fed the antidote before they all run into the forest...where they meet Mokichi and the other ninja of his clan.
He throws poison powder at Gekkamaru as he tries to protect Enju, before the other ninja send a rain of poison needles...making no effort not to hit Mokichi in the process.
Mokichi, dying: Must...kill...you...
Did I mention he's been calling her "big sister" this whole time? Cos yeah.
Mokichi's CREEPY ASS master shows up and gloats about Enju not being able to kill a child she knows...only for Goemon to show up and knock Mokichi out before he can get to her. The master retreats.
All three guys think Enju should kill Mokichi, but she refuses. He wakes up, scared and confused as to why Enju is treating his wounds, then says he cannot live until he kills her. If she won't let him do that, what's the point of being this kind?
She says she understands, and it's his decision what he does after this, but all she wants is for him to live. The others Do Not Approve but take the chance to find out why all these ninja are after them so hard.
Once he's explained about the council, Mokichi sadly thanks Enju for everything, and then runs away into the mountains.
It occurs to Enju that a councilman with no ninja of his own may hire the Koga. Kuroyuki says he'll just pop back to Koga and check, stopping them if he has to. He came to protect Enju, but since she has Gekkamaru she'll be fine.
Gekkamaru: You may have to fight the whole clan :(
Kuroyuki: Not if I do things right ;) Anyway I don't really care for the Koga. But I do care about the two of you. I'm not sure about this Goemon though, make sure he doesn't betray you like that kid ;)
Enju: Go stay with the Koga and live a peaceful life. I'd rather you be safe even if I have to never see you again.
;_;
As Gekkamaru goes to find them some water, Goemon checks in with Enju with how she's coping.
Goemon: It's a sad fact that children like Mokichi are common amongst shinobi. It reminded me of my own childhood...but it's not a happy story.
He was an ordinary kid who was sold to the Iga and used as a pawn, trained hard and used hard as a disposable slave D: They broke his bones and disconnected his joints so he could slip out of restraints.
Enju: D: D: D:
Goemon: Hey, it meant I could get us out of prison. But it makes me happy that you care. I'm happy too for what you said to Mokichi: to live for himself, not his clan.
She realises that's exactly what Goemon said to her, earlier. She thinks about how she feels about her life, and the consequences of fighting for it.
Enju: Maybe...I should stop running. Then you would be free, and-
Goemon: You're going to let yourself die because other people want to profit from your death? You should be angry and fight back! You're not alone, I promise I will stay with you until the end.
...ok I was going to remind myself of the rest of that conversation so I scrolled through the log and for as far back as I looked it was all entirely unfamiliar dialogue?? Hopefully it's just the log screwing up and not me having missed a scene somehow. (EDIT: It was just a bug, phew!)
Goemon and Gekkamaru team up to persuade Enju to rest, aww.
Goemon notices she's a bit down so takes her to see a cheery tree in bloom that he noticed. She thanks him for always being so kind and he gently plays with her hair and says he enjoys making her happy, and wouldn't go to so much trouble for anyone but her.
Goemon: You could stand to be more demanding. Is there anything you want?
Enju: I'd like to stay like this a little longer.
Goemon: :D Do you want a hug to go with it? :D
Enju: NO THANK YOU. Um. So you like cherry blossoms?
Goemon: Yes, they're warm and beautiful. Like you ;) When you were kind to Mokichi, and when you knocked me out so determinedly: very different situations, but a sight to see :)
Enju: LET'S STOP TALKING ABOUT ME AND LOOK AT THE FLOWERS
Gekkamaru: Oh, cherry blossoms!
Goemon: You like them? I assumed you'd care more about the food that came with them.
Gekkamaru: They can bring joy to anyone. But I do prefer plums, they make for better rations.
Goemon and Enju burst out laughing, much to Gekkamaru's confusion.
NINJA! It's Hanzo and the Tokugawa shinobi!
But he's not here to attack, his orders are to take Enju into custody and protect her until this situation is resolved. Also the Koga have been hired by Mitsunari Ishida.
Goemon: Your orders could change to killing her, right?
Hanzo: ...
Goemon: I promised I would protect her. As long as I'm here I intend to keep that promise.
Hanzo: Then my orders are clear.
And in the ensuing fight, Enju is captured...by a DIFFERENT set of ninja, the Fuma clan. (The game has been keeping track of which clan belongs to which elder, but they've mainly been pretty interchangeable)
Gekkamaru holds off the Tokugawa while Goemon goes after Enju's kidnappers.
Meanwhile the Fuma are cheerfully explaining to Enju that they would kill her but they can make more money by keeping her alive.
Goemon bursts in...and is immediately recognised.
Fuma ninja: Why don't you rejoin with us?
Goemon: You'd welcome a traitor?
Enju: What?
Fuma ninja: Before he was a thief he was our leader! His real name isn't Ishikawa Goemon. It's...Kotaro Fuma!!
GASP. I KNOW WHO THAT IS! HE'S THE CRAZY EVIL NINJA FROM SLBP WHO WANTED TO BE SEXY NEMESES WITH SAIZO!!
I mean I'm sure his backstory here is different but it meant the reveal gave me a suitable start.
Goemon: I don't use that name any more >:(
Fuma ninjas: Come on, you were great! They still tell stories of how you slew a whole army single handed!
OHHH MANNNN. I've been waiting for a reveal that someone was an inside man on the Iga massacre, but I was thinking Chojiro. Unless it was a different army...(EDIT: yep)
Goemon: Hojo was destroyed by Hideyoshi because we failed to protect him. We're masterless now. Becoming a shinobi again is only going to be a nightmare. If you want to resurrect the clan, do it without me.
Ok so as I understand it: Goemon was part of the Fuma ninja clan which worked for the Hojo samurai clan. He was given the ceremonial title "Kotaro Fuma", and helped the Fuma win a bunch of battles. They were ordered to protect Hideyoshi Toyotomi, but failed, and as punishment Hideyoshi killed the Hojo clan leader and disbanded the Fuma. Goemon left to become a thief, and the remaining Fuma became more like a mercenary band.
Goemon defeats all the Fuma ninja in the room, and tells them to get a life for themselves beyond the clan. But that still leaves a bunch outside. He starts getting a bit martyry, suggesting he'll sacrifice himself to let Enju escape, and she sharply reminds him of his promise to stay til the end.
Goemon: Sorry, I got a bit timid. You really scared me back there.
So the two of them work together to split and confuse the enemy and she uses her ninjitsu cherry blossoms to confuse her pursuers long enough to bring them down. Then she and Goemon jump into a river.
She wakes, cold and woozy, in an abandoned temple, having passed out. Goemon says they ended up pretty far downstream and may have trouble meeting up with Gekkamaru.
Goemon: It's been a while since I had a real scare. When they took you away my mind went blank. I'm glad you're safe.
Enju: I'm glad you saved me :)
He says he warmed her by the fire and enjoyed watching her sleep, but didn't remove her clothes because he knew she wouldn't like it.
Goemon: Come to think of it this is the first time we've been alone together in a while. Will you let me have my way with you tonight?
Enju, realising she has no room to back away: D: D: D:
Goemon: Haha it's been a while since I had fun like that ;)
Enju: IT'S NOT FUN FOR ME >:(
Goemon: Really? I'd appreciate it if you got used to me a little more.
Enju: I am used to you! Like...you stroking my hair. It's very relaxing. Your hands are large and warm :)
Goemon: Is that...so...*blushes slightly*
SEE. THIS IS WHY I SHIP IT. EVERY TIME HE'S GROSS SOMETHING CUTE HAPPENS AND I FORGIVE HIM.
He reaches to pat her on the head, she stumbles while avoiding his hand and falls against him. He checks she's ok then picks her up and puts her back where she was.
She is confusedly disappointed...and then realises he's favouring his arm and demands to look at it.
Goemon: It's fine, just a bruise, don't worry about it and rest-
Enju: No! You're always like this when it comes to yourself. Let me look at it and help you! >:(
Goemon: I've never had anyone tend my wounds before :)
She is struck by all the scars on his skin.
Goemon: Sorry, I'm sure they're unsightly. Don't look so sad, it was so long ago I don't remember the pain.
At her prompting, he talks about how with the Iga you healed yourself or you died. At 8 he ran away and ended up with the Fuma. He was their leader for a short time, famous for his unconventional strategies and skill. But what they really want is the ninjitsu passed down from leader to leader.
Goemon: It was useful when I was fighting large groups of people. But I'll never use it again.
Enju: Why not?
Goemon: It's not a nice thing to see. They may be the enemy but it doesn't feel good to see them kill each other.
D:
The ninjitsu is a poison that caused illusions and then ate peoples nerves. When his master died Goemon dissolved the clan hoping the ninjitsu would never be used again, but they've just gotten more ruthless since he left.
Enju: *taking his hand* I know it was all in the past, and you're strong and can do anything. But you can lean on me.
Goemon: *puts his hand on hers* I will :)
Awwww
Enju goes out to gather herbs and tries not to angst about how she may have to fight her own friends. She returns to find Goemon asleep, and is so struck by how cute he looks that she lays beside him and strokes his face. She begins to wonder exactly what this warm fuzzy feeling she feels around him is.
Goemon wakes a little later, at first he just feels guilty for falling asleep on watch but then he realises Enju has fallen asleep beside him and is happily surprised. He whispers into her ear "When you make yourself so inviting you can't blame me if I get up to no good" but when she doesn't respond mutters that she probably won't mind if he strokes her hair, and does so.
He thinks about how he's never been with a woman so long, or wanted to protect anyone so much. When she told Mokichi to live for himself, Goemon felt like she was speaking to him, as a child, and felt saved.
She wakes with him asleep, hugging her. She's embarrassed, but then tells him how he makes her happy, and has inspired her to live for herself.
Goemon talks about having been given the Fuma clan leader job because he invented a bunch of poisons to paralyse people etc. But now he just wants to figure out how to make their salted fish taste better.
AND THEN THE KOGA NINJA SHOW UP
BUT IT'S FINE. ISH.
They've been ordered by Mitsunari to keep her safe. Hmm.
Kyara: But we're watching you, thief.
Goemon: Don't worry, I won't get up to anything with a sexy lady and cute girl watching me ;)
Kyara and Kasumi: :O
Enju: >:(
Goemon: Jealous? ;)
Enju: NO
Chojiro: We should get back to work
Chojiro: No >.>
I love that Chojiro is younger than Goemon but trying so hard to be A Grownup at 23. I bet he was a really serious minded 5 year old too.
Enju thinks about how she can trust Mitsunari not to kill her (CAN SHE) but doesn't want to be parted from Goemon. But then he says he's coming along 'because he's come this far', asking Chojiro "as brothers".
Chojiro: ...Aren't we a lively party >.>
Later:
Gekkamaru: Eat up Enju-sama! Oh but let me remove the bones from your fish...
Kasumi: Try this! Say ahh!
Goemon: I've never seen her so happy...
Chojiro: Is that why you're drinking yourself blind? Every time you look at her you take a drink.
Goemon: You make it sound as if I'm sulking because I'm not getting to spend time with her.
Chojiro: Aren't you? :)
Goemon: You distance yourself from others but have a knack for poking people out of the blue. Yes, I feel a little left out, but...
Enju: Goemon, I feel like our eyes met a few times...would you like me to pour you a drink?
Goemon: ...yes please :) Chojiro, you're staring, do you want a drink too?
Chojiro: ...I was just thinking how much happier she seems.
Enju: That's because of Goemon! I used to be insecure about myself but he changed my way of thinking.
Goemon and Chojiro: :)
She finds Goemon in the garden later, muttering to himself about how it's too late to run. They have a gentle, bittersweet goodbye, both promising they will see each other again. She asks him to stroke her hair and he makes it a little sexier than she would like then kisses her forehead, and she's not sure how she feels about it.
Goemon sneaks into Mitsunari's estate and hears him planning with Yodo to execute Enju then make it look like an accident.
As he's heading back to the inn wondering what to do, he's confronted by Fuma ninja.
Then it's Enju's POV again. She wakes to see Goemon in her room, and knocks against Kasumi as she sits up...
AND THEN REALISES KASUMI IS DEAD????
D:
EVERYONE IS DEAD AND GOEMON SAYS HE KILLED THEM
...which actually makes me feel better, this is obviously some sort of ruse using his paralysis poison. But of course Enju doesn't realise and is heartbroken.
He 'explains' that the Fuma recruited him back with a pile of money and their real plan: to kill the council of elders as revenge for the Hojo. He says he really was fond of her, and is sorry things turned out this way, then reaches towards her face...with a cloth. Everything goes black.
A miserably crying Enju watches Goemon berate his minions for spying on him when he was capturing Enju, and says he won't put up with it again. Then he tells her he doesn't want to hurt her, but she should be a good girl and not try to escape.
(I'd be more annoyed at him for not explaining but she really is a terrible liar)
Meanwhile the council are bragging to each other about how their ninjas will be the ones to capture Enju... only for the Fuma to write that they have her, and will give her to whichever elder creates the largest pile of gold in front of the castle over the next three days.
After the other elders have all run off to gather their gold, Tokugawa orders Hanzo to gather just enough to 'look like he's playing'.
Tokugawa: They are all sure to bring their constables to capture and kill the Fuma and steal back the gold. It will be too late to get the girl then. We need to put an end to this game before it starts.
Fuma ninja: Still crying? You'll see your friends soon enough >:)
Goemon, flatly, wiping her eyes: Don't cry, your eyes will get swollen.
Enju: It hurts to think that you betrayed me. But I feel like it can't all be true, like I know who you really are.
Goemon: Thoughts like that will only hurt you. It will all be over soon, until then, better to forget whatever you're feeling.
Days pass and Enju decides that whether or not Goemon was sincere, the determination he inspired in her to love herself was real, and she is not going to die like this. Gekkamaru and the others would be angry with her too. Aw. GO ENJU.
She decides her best bet of escape is when they take her to the castle, and she prepares herself.
Goemon, coldly: You're plotting to escape aren't you? With your current level of skill, you can't get away from the Fuma. Wait until you're with the five elders.
She interprets this as intimidation but it is clearly advice, dumbass.
I would think the Fuma are dumbasses too, for trusting Goemon again, but he is clearly the only one who can strategise for shit. He explains how the council are guarding all the exits, except the Tokugawa, who are guarding the entrance to keep them out. He divides everyone up, only taking two ninja with him and Enju to deliver her.
When she thinks about escaping he painfully twists her ropes and makes it clear this would get her killed.
Enju: Isn't there some way I can not get killed? :(
Goemon: I would rate your odds of survival as very low. I know you're scared, but for now you'll have to listen to what we say.
And then he hands her a bottle, saying it's slow acting painkiller to ease her execution, his one form of mercy. She isn't sure she can trust it, but he asks her with soft eyes, saying he doesn't want to see her suffer, and she decides that whatever else was a lie, their relationship was not.
Enju: Thank you.
Goemon: *looks away* You don't have to thank me.
We see Hanzo tell Tokugawa that his shinobi are almost matched by the Fuma, but will be able to capture them eventually.
Enju arrives at the council with the masked Goemon and 2 Fuma guards. The council immediately begin speculating that such a small girl must have seduced Hideoyoshi to take him down, and discuss the best torturous method to kill her (including being boiled in oil, which is how Hideyoshi killed Goemon irl)
Goemon suggests they get down to business and stares at the piles of gold, enjoying toying with the council about who won before announcing it was a draw. His eyes meet Enju's and she sees that they are laughing.
Just as the council is erupting in chaos...ANOTHER GOEMON APPEARS. AND CUTS ENJU'S ROPES BEFORE SETTING THE ROOM ON FIRE??
The masked Goemon grabs her in the chaos and puts her in the next room, checking she's ok with a gentle smile then asking her to stay put.
She watches the elders freak out as a fake version of her 'burns to death'.
Masked Goemon: This Goemon sure is heartless.
Other Goemon, who I think is Chojiro's voice actor doing a Goemon impression: That's you.
Masked Goemon, taking off mask: Right, I'm Goemon ;)
Hanzo: You! Wait, what... *starts to collapse, along with everyone else*
Goemon: You've all been poisoned and will soon die ^_^ By the way I changed the formula so it affects Fuma ninja too :)
Fuma ninja: You...betrayed us...why???
Goemon: I want the gold, obviously? And I did tell you I didn't want to go back. I thought I'd kill the girl first since you were all fighting over her. Don't you appreciate the peace?
Everyone: D:
Goemon: Anyway, here's the antidote. Thanks for the gold, bye ^_^
And then he takes Enju and leaves with the other Goemon.
As they're escaping, he apologises for what he did, and the other Goemon reveals himself to be Chojiro (I KNEW IT), who explains that he and the others are still alive. It's weird seeing his voice with Goemon's much less understated smile sprite haha.
Ha! Goemon even got Mitsunari Ishida to be in on the plan to "kill" Enju, and got the Koga hired to help, so their escape route is relatively clear.
Goemon apologises deeply for hurting her and when she says she's grateful he looks like he might cry aww.
Goemon: And now to create CHAOS :D
We see Ennosuke (enthusiastically), Kyara (dubiously) and Kasumi (curiously) setting off fireworks around the castle.
Chojiro creates more confusion in his Goemon disguise and...SO DOES ENJU?? (Is she wearing stilts??) And then she bumps into another Goemon and it's Gekkamaru :D They have a cutely shippy moment with the same sprites and I am a little sad she takes off her disguise before she can be shippy with the real Goemon while looking like him. COME ON GAME IT WOULD BE HOT.
Chojiro-as-Goemon: Ok that's enough, I'm taking off the costume.
Goemon: Aw. Isn't it fun being me?
Chojiro: No.
Villagers: Ooh, fireworks! Wait, why are those people pushing a big cart through the city at this time of night?
Enju: Goemon, the constables are catching up...
Goemon: Ah, right, I only told you how to steal gold, not what to do with it. HEY EVERYONE! WHO WANTS SOME GOLD?? *throws gold into the air*
Villagers, filling the road and thus blocking the constables: :D :D
Ennosuke: WHAT ARE YOU DOING
Goemon: Sharing the love! Isn't this better than some rich person hoarding it? Try it!
Chojiro: Is this really part of a shinobi's job...
Gekkamaru: It's part of the mission. *throws gold in the air with earnest seriousness*
There's a lovely CG of a delighted Enju throwing gold to peasants against a firework filled sky. SEE, VOLTAGE, THIS IS WHAT I WANT FROM A LI WHO STEALS FROM THE RICH AND GIVES TO THE POOR.
When they get to a hideout Gekkamaru checks her for injuries which is totally going to be a Thing on his route.
Kyara: You're over-reacting, we've only been apart three days.
Enosuke: Look who's talking, you're about to cry.
Kyara: SHUT UP.
Yeah I still ship it.
Kyara: I'm so glad we got new orders, since we couldn't have saved you even if we'd known you were going to be killed.
Me: Oh those orders are SO fake.
Enju finds Goemon when the others are asleep. He tries to apologise again, saying he hated hurting her but someone was always watching, and his original plan was to leave her 'dead' and take back a fake head.
But she says she could never hate him, that he's important to her and she wants to stay by his side. She clutches his clothes and he draws closer, saying he's realised he can't stand to be apart from her, and asking if he can touch her. She falls over trying to move away and he catches her. The two of them are entangled on the ground and he's got this breathy voice and is talking about how his feelings for have grown...
Cam, from the kitchen: You know your porn is playing on this computer too, right?
Me: IT'S NOT PORN. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LOVE CONFESSION. IF YOU ARE TOO INNOCENT TO KNOW WHAT PORN LOOKS LIKE I CAN SHOW YOU SOME, SINCE YOU'RE APPARENTLY CONFUSED.
Anyway, where was I...
They both talk about how much they care about each other, and he says he longs for her and asks again if he can touch her. She doesn't say yes (god forbid) but puts her hand over his on her cheek, and is definitely very happy when he kisses her. They both vow to never be apart again, he says "I promised to come back to you, but I will never leave. You have a leash on me." She asks him to hold her to him tightly as well, and it fades to black.
(SEE CAM. NO PORN)
And then they have a sweet goodbye from all the others and go off to see the sights as cheerfully aimless wanted criminals.
As I predicted to a friend when I was describing the route, he continues to be a little dubconny even after they're together, she doesn't want to kiss him in public but seems pretty happy to be no-no-yes'd into makeouts.
And then he proposes and she says yes and they promise to be together forever THE END.
I was discussing this route with a friend, and I think the reasons I like it more than I usually do with this kind of romance are
(a) while he's dubconny it feels like he is deliberately staying on the right side of the line between "good girl who feels obliged to say no but is actually into it" and "genuinely uncomfortable", and while he assumes he knows that line better than her, he's right, so. This is the kind of dubcon I like! YMMV.
(b) While it is a "promiscuous man falls for Nice Girl whose kindness and innocence make him discover the joy of True Love" story, it feels like that's very secondary to it mostly being a "self hating man too traumatised to ever trust anyone learns to truly care about another person, who he does commit to romantically but only after vowing to defend her to the death" story. Which is 100% my jam.
(c) He obviously respects the women he's with, continues to be lightly flirtatious after falling for MC, and the game is sympathetic to those women rather than portraying them as STUPID SLUTS. I general I can't think of another otome game where the MC has a single, hot female friend who TWO DIFFERENT love interests acknowledge as hot without EVER taking it back or having any specific reason to not be into her. Like, all the LIs are clearly more into MC than Kyara, but there isn't this desperate need to make it clear they're not into Kyara at all. I still don't ship any of them with her haha. But I could, and I like that.
(d) He isn't a well adjusted guy who could be happy with any girl and happens to fall for MC. He is a SELF HATING MESS who needs A LOT OF HUGS from someone who understands his very specific issues. And she does!
(e) Yeah idk why I'm cool with the age gap. Maybe the part of my brain in charge of squicks is too busy going "Two of them are literally her brothers" and got distracted.
Though I'd actually dispute the wiki page that calls them adopted brothers, they're more like quasi-servants, a bit like Wei Wuxian. The clan being like one big (sometimes abusive) family, but also treating some members as literal slaves is certainly SOMETHING, and once I realised it's doing that I understood why all the claustrophobic pseudo-incest. Sorry Tokugawa shippers he's too unrelated! Kyara isn't, though...
Anyway! Time to poke the extras etc.
Ha, at this point I can recognise one of the menu voices as Gekkamaru telling me to work hard. I'm doing my best, Gekkamaru!
I've unlocked all but one of Goemon's CGs, and also one or two "memoir"s, which seem to be extra scenes. Apparently to unlock them all you have to see ALL possible dialogue, my impression from the walkthroughs I've skimmed is that that'll happen naturally if I do all the routes and bad ends.
So...maybe I'll do Goemon's bad end now /o\
Since my last choice is whether to trust him about the painkiller, which is well after he falls in love, I guess the bad end involves the heist Going Wrong.
BAD END:
Feels bad to make all the alienating choices but they're pretty mild so far.
Enju says she's too young to pass as his wife and he says "Stuff like that depends on how you look at it. If you believe we'll make a good couple, everything else will come naturally.
All the sympathetic female character look like Pretty Anime Girls but Yodo, as a female villain, does the more historically accurate but weird looking thing of shaving her eyebrows and having big fake black splotches up by her hairline.
Ok I've seen all the "wrong" choices now and they're all still positive moments, not quite as shippy as the "right" choices but still sweet and giving a slightly different spin on the interaction. When she asks if the "painkiller" is poison he says "What would be the point of killing you, I'd have to carry your dead body all that way" but the sadness in his eyes is what convinces her he can be trusted.
And then "skip read" got me to the point where the council of elders are discussing how to murder her. What an auspicious place to rejoin the story D:
Enju is consumed with despair. She is going to die horribly, and everyone who cared about her has betrayed her or died.
And then...Yodo comes in and says that since Mitsunari has failed her she will kill Enju herself!
"I could have dodged the blow if I tried. But accepted my fate"
As she falls, Goemon cries out that they were almost free. She sees him crying and feels guilty that she made him sad. And then she lets go.
He tells the council that they will pay for the way they used her with their lives. Hanzo immediately grabs Ieyasu and jumps out the window but the rest are poisoned, along with their constables. They start to hallucinate monsters and attack each other. As the blood sprays, Goemon picks up Enju's corpse and tells her he said he'd be with her until the end.
THE END
Aw. I like this kind of bad end more than the sort where it's all YOU DIDN'T LOVE HIM ENOUGH SO HE WENT EVIL. Now to decide how much angst I'm ready for next...
I just checked and looks like doing that unlocked the ability to replay any chapter on his route. That'll be useful if I decide to do fanfic or fanart. OH HEY I SHOULD PLAY THE EXTRA SCENES...
Bonus Scenario 1:
A really cute scene from when Mokichi was with Enju, Goemon and Gekkamaru that is bittersweet with context. Traumatised ninja trying to make child ninja happy but they can't escape their fate :( Enju enjoys watching Gekkamaru and Goemon act like affectionate dads/older brothers, working together to look after Mokishi, and the game weants me to think about Goemon and Enju as parents together instead but you don't control me, game.
Bonus Scenario 2:
Enju's friends are with Enju and Goemon on the way to Kyo to meet with Minister Ishida. Goemon watches the friends bantering and is reminded of his own childhood, though he says he Hanzo and Chojiro weren;'t as close.
Chojiro: Goemon... >:/
Goemon: Don't worry I won't embarass you ;)
Chojiro: I just think you can't remember back that long ago.
Goemon: Sure I can. Though you were pretty small. Hanzo left when he was 12 and I was five so you would have been...
Chojiro: I was two. I don't remember Brother Hanzo very well.
HE WAS DOING NINJA TRAINING. AT TWO.
The teens all find it impossible to imagine Chojiro as a little kid.
Goemon: really? But he was so cute. Hanzo has always looked like that, but Chojiro was was popular because he was pretty like a girl.
Students: :O
Chojiro: D:
Goemon: He started young because he was the son of our leader, and he's sit there watching, all tiny and bright eyed, and all the adults melted. Hanzo always took good care of him.
Chojiro: >:(
Goemon: I wish I could show them all how stinking adorable you were.
Choijiro: You were no better, you had all the girls fawning over you even then >:( Thouhg father said you were talented.
Goemon: Well, I was always chatty. But you were so quiet, always studying manners or whatever while I just wanted to sleep. Was that ebcause you were the next in line? Was our lady the same? *stepping closer* I bet you were pretty as a child.
Chojiro: We should get moving.
Goemon: I never thought we'd see each other again, I'm glad Fate let us meet.
Choijiro: It's because you quit being a shinobi. I've met Brother Hanzo on missions over the years.
Goemon: I'm glad you didn't end up as enemies.
Enju thinks sadly about the life of a shinobi.
Goemon: Don't worry. Your path will diverge from ours. Your personality makes it hard to be a shinobi but may open other doors.
She feels better, but hopes they never have to cross swords.
And that's it!
This was great!
I'm not usually into the slightly-dubconny flirty older dude type, but he was really sweet and tortured underneath, and they were just so good for each other that I enjoyed it despite his Issues With Sexual Boundaries. I definitely liked him more than the Goemon in SLBP, they didn't bring up as many Deep Philsophical Questions About Society but also didn't drop the ones they did bring up like a lead balloon, so.
Content note: mild but persistent dubcon from the LI.
Goemon is always very chill, reacting to pretty much everything with wry smiles and dead-pan understatement in a flat tone, like he's too cool to have strong emotions. When he does get emotional, rather than getting louder his voice gets a little husky.
So! Enju has been sent out to gather information about Goemon.
Enju bumps into 'Goro' who assumes she's there to see him and invites her for dessert.
Enju: Actually...do you know anything about Goemon Ishikawa?
Goemon Ishikawa: The thief? I don't know much about him...but I've heard he has a sweet tooth, and the Kanmidokoro I was going to take you is his favourite place :)
Smooth, Goemon.
Just as Enju is staring at her dessert, angsting about the rule that shinobi should never eat food prepared by strangers, she notices Ennosuke at the counter cheerfully stuffing his face, lol. But then he smoothly segues to asking if there's any estates where he could get hired as a guard.
(now I want traditional Japanese sweets ;_;)
Goemon is endearingly focussed on making Enju happy and at ease despite her obvious self-conscious caution. Like obviously he's manipulating her to find out what she's up to, but he is also trying to be nice about it, and is only gently flirtatious (yes he's way too old for her but I gotta roll with that)
Goemon: So, where are you from? It's clearly not around here.
Enju: I...was raised not to tell personal information to strange men.
Goemon: I suppose I'll have to get you to know me better ;)
Enju: Uh...I'd rather talk about Goemon.
Goemon: Ouch! That hurts!
*gives Enju a small gold star for effort*
She SOMEHOW doesn't manage to get much information out of him but has a really nice time, and tbh it's just nice seeing her hang out with someone without it being all WEIRD PSYCHOSEXUAL QUASI-INCESTUOUS OBSESSION. Not that that isn't fun too, in it's way.
Enju bumps into Kyara in the fancy end of town, Bukemachi. She's observing a dishevelled looking man with facial scars, who is following two men: a silver haired bishonen with a smugly gentle voice, and a rougher looking man who seems to be his employee, and who quickly notices the man following.
Me: Hmm. One of them is presumably Tokugawa...must be the pretty boy in charge. OK I see why people want to date him. But who's the mean looking guy...WAIT. THAT VOICE. IT'S
I love how this Tokugawa and Hanzo look like the Hanzo from SLBP and the Tokugawa from Hakuoki: Demon's Bond respectively, but nothing like each other or any portraits drawn of them at the time.
Here's Samurai Love Ballad Party: the two Hanzo Hattoris (afaict this is never explained), Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Mitsunari Ishida, set vaguely sometime at the end of the 16th century:
Here's Hanzo Hattori, Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Mitsunari Ishida from Nightshade, set in 1599:
Ok I just looked up Hattori Hanzo and in 1599 he was 3 years dead at the age of 54 lol. Sexy. Ieyasu was alive, obviously, but 56. I guess his hair is silver. He actually looked his age in Hakuoki: Demon's Bond, even if they drew him as a buff silver fox instead of the balding fat dude in his historical portraits. I know this sort of thing is very common and there's even weirder versions in other Japanese media but this specific contrast amused me.
ANYWAY.
Kyara goes to report back while Enju keeps following. Tokugawa leaves Hanzo as bait, when the disheveled dude attacks Enju instinctively tries to take him down with shuriken from the shadows, before Hanzo finishes the job and then comes for her, pinning her down and demanding to know if she's connected to the attacker.
And then Chojiro and Kyara arrive. Chojiro and Hanzo immediately recognise each other in a nemesis-y way, and Kyara is all "Wait THE Hanzo? Survivor of Iga? Head of the Tokugawa shinobi? THEN IS THAT LORD TOKUGAWA?? o.O" Thanks for the exposition, Kyara.
Hanzo: Wait, you revealed yourself because you didn't want to see a stranger hurt?? Chojiro, is this how you train your men? >:(
Chojiro: I'm terribly sorry :(
There's a whole thing about people in charge taking responsbility for their subordinates I can see being A Thing on the Chojiro and/or Hanzo paths.
Hanzo keeps building up towards incensed shouting and then obediently being silenced by Tokugawa with a quiet command, it's sure something. Ohhh, I know why it feels so "as you wish means I love you": the actor only used this soft polite voice as Kazama when he was being shippy, cos he was a menacing asshole the rest of the time lol.
Though Hanzo still has a very Kazama-y attitude of "Listen, girl, you are one of my people and very bad at it, so let me explain to you a thing."
When he realises who she is, Hanzo stares at Enju and quotes back what she calls Chojiro in Japanese, and it's apparently "Nii-sama", the very polite way to refer to an older brother. THIS GAME.
While Hanzo is quietly freaking out, Tokugawa very politely expresses his condolences for the death of the Iga clan, while Chojiro very politely wishes him luck avoiding whoever it is trying to kill him, and there is definitely some subtext I'm missing.
Chojiro referred to Hanzo as Brother Hanzo/Hanzo-dono, was he Chojiro's teacher??
Ennosuke: So Enju I saw you with a hot guy at the dessert shop ;)
Kyara and Gekkamaru: What??? >:(
Ok Kyara and Ennosuke gay bffs y/y
That night Hanzo asks Chojiro to go out with him somewhere, and then Kuroyuki says he has an errand to do for her dad.
Chapter 3!
The next day Enju and Kuroyuki are sent to help Hanzo find a man with a scar on his face who apparently hired the assassin from yesterday. Who also had a scarred face, as does MC's dad. HMM.
Hideyoshi Toyotomi passes by in a fancy ox cart with his young son and the mother, Yodo.
Hideyoshi: One day all of this will be yours, son ^_^
Yodo is very fawning but tries to persuade Hideyoshi to reconsider appointing a guardian, instead of leaving things to her and Mitsunari Ishida.
Hideyoshi: Quiet! You may have borne me a son, but you are still just a concubine! Know your place!!
Enju: Oh wow! He looks hale and healthy, I am sure we will know many more years of peace :)
Goemon: Why are you excited to see a hysterical geezer with the shrivelled up face of a monkey? He took everything from me...I mean, ah, I was just blaming him for the hell of it. You should get home, I hear some high level official got attacked!
Goemon says the attacker was a vague acquaintance who had debts at a shady gambling den. "Oh but I shouldn't tell a lady like you about a place like that, forget I said anything"
Haha the walkthrough says to pretend she's not going to go, but he sees right through her and is just charmed she tried. He says that though he'd rather she not do anything dangerous in the first place she should come see him if she ever wants protection.
Him treating her like an endearingly earnest little spy who needs encouragement is kinda cute.
Chapter 4 (and then I mostly forgot to note chapters)
Kuroyuki leaves Enju to keep watch outside the gambling den, saying she'd draw too much attention as a woman. Goemon sneaks up on her and gives her a scare, which she mostly finds disturbing because how did a regular dude sneak up on her?? He claims to have been just passing by lol.
Goemon: You're cute when you're scared ;) Anyway, didn't I say not to come somewhere so dangerous?
Enju: Sorry :(
Goemon: Ah, you probably have your reasons. But I'm sure I'm not the only person who worries about you. I should punish you. *pins her against the wall before she has a chance to react* See how easy it would be for someone to attack you? You've been a very bad girl.
This is all very problematic and I am absolutely into it. So is the very embarrassed Enju but Goemon just laughs lightly and says she's been punished enough and he'll walk her back to the main street.
So of course she goes along with him then sneaks back when he's gone. Kuroyuki is waiting and they follow The Man With A Facial Scar to an abandoned temple, where they hear a bunch of men conspire to kill Tokugawa tomorrow night.
Enju has to stop Kuroyuki disobeying orders and killing them all right now. Instead they report to Hanzo, who takes Kuroyuki back to kill them while Enju stays to protect Tokugawa.
Hanzo and Kuroyuki work surprisingly well together, Hanzo takes the lead but respects Kuroyuki's skill, and Kuroyuki is happy enough to learn from him. But all they find at the temple is one set of footprints, and Hanzo quickly figures out that this was all a plot by a single assasin to get him away from Tokugawa.
Meanwhile a bored Tokugawa is trying to get to know Enju, and talks about how Hanzo is very close-lipped about his background but is more serious than scary. They obviously have a mutual bond of trust.
And then Enju hears a noise outside and realises all the ninja guards are dead! Suddenly, the scarred man attacks, dressed as a ninja, and Enju throws herself in front of Tokugawa to save him.
Yeah, I can see why people ship it.
The man gloats about how a mere girl will be no match for him, and he is better than her, but only just. She manages to hold him off until Hanzo arrives and takes him down. The man kills himself before he can be made to reveal who hired him.
Tokugawa: We will make it up to all who died by finding the one who caused this.
Hanzo: They were shinobi, it is an honour for us to die for our master.
Yeah I kinda ship this too.
Kuroyuki praises Enju's skill and of course Gekkamaru is all YOU FOUGHT THE ASSASSIN?? LET ME CHECK YOU FOR INJURIES!!
Kyara found a letter saying Goemon will attack a particular estate tomorrow, the 25th of March. So now everyone's mission is finished and they get a day off!
Just as I was preparing to choose to spend the day with Goemon...turns out the game is making that decision for me. Which shows I'm on the right path, cool!
Chapter 5:
Goro is charmed that she chose to come say goodbye and offers to make her last day in the city fun.
Makeup lady: Another girl eh Goro? Such a charmer!
Goro: You know me too well madam, but it's not what you think this time. I have plans this evening and will get her home before the sun comes up.
Makeup lady: I was only teasing. We all know you only play with girls who know what they're doing.
Goro: Well it's easier that way for all sides. Now, if you could show me your rouges...
Aw he notices her feeling awkward and asks if she'd rather get dessert. Normally I'm not into cheerfully well adjusted much older flirts, but (a) It's appealing in contrast to all the INCESTUOUS MURDER ANGST (b) They're eventually going to have to deal with the fact that she's duty bound to get him killed.
At the end of the day, he says she'll have to come visit in cherry blossom season, and for a moment she can imagine a happy life free of the obligations of being a ninja.
That night, after the hour Goemon was supposed to attack, they hear police
Enju tries to find common ground with Deputy Maeda since they're on the same mission, and while he's initially pissed off he reluctantly admits that he struck Goemon when he let loose a smoke bomb, so she should look for someone with an injury who smells of smoke.
...and then she bumps into Goemon, smoking his pipe. But he doesn't just smell of tobacco. Despite his protests she sniffs his clothes and smells a different sort of smoke. And blood.
For a moment she's just worried that he's hurt and he reassures her he just banged his knee...and then she realises and holds out her dagger demanding the truth.
He laughs sadly and says fate is a strange thing. He's still very chill.
Goemon: Well, Miss, what are you going to do now? :)
Enju: My orders are to capture you >:(
Goemon: I don't feel like being captured just now. Bye ;)
And then he throws a smoke-bomb and escapes into nearby Fushimi castle, home of Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
Geomon, running across the rooftops: I would appreciate if you stopped chasing me.
Enju: It's my mission, I won't stop until you're captured >:(
Goemon: I suppose you are a shinobi. It brings back memories.
Enju: You're a shinobi?
Goemon: I was. Now I'm just a thief. Or should I say, your friendly local libertine. Now, I don't want to hurt you, but this really can't go on...
He attacks her with the blunt end of his sword, noticing that she's shaking but pretty good for a beginner.
But she holds him off much better than he's expecting. And then, just when he thinks he has her on the ropes...she manages to get behind him and USES HER NINJITSU MAGIC POWER OF CHERRY BLOSSOMS WHICH NEVER CAME UP BEFORE and KNOCKS HIM DOWN saying "Goemon Ishikawa, you have been defeated"
:D :D :D
Goemon: Before I collapse...can I know your name?
Enju: Enju
Goemon: That's...a pretty name...*passes out*
Just as Enju is wondering what to do with a large unconscious man, Chojiro shows up and...totally recognises Goemon omg are they childhood friends too. IT'S CHILDHOOD FRIENDS ALL THE WAY DOWN.
Oh man I jut looked him up and one backstory for Goemon is that he trained under Momochi Tanba (Chojiro's father and Enju's mother's brother) ...and then got kicked out at 15 for sleeping with Momochi's mistress but I'm assuming they'll cut that, along with all the stuff about him having a wife and son. Also hopefully the bit where he gets boiled in oil.
Enju wonders how such a seemingly nice man went from shinobi to theif. Chojiro says the market for shinobi has dried up with all the recent peace. "But he made his choice. Don't feel sorry for him."
Enju feels a little sad knowing Goemon will probably hate her when he wakes up, and that they'll likely never see each other again.
Chojiro: Ishikawa Goemon has been caught by Deputy Maeda and his competent men.
Maeda: Are you sure? You found the house...and captured him...
Chojiro: We work in the shadows. It would be inconvenient to be noticed.
And so Maeda agrees to take credit, but thanks them, and apologises for the things he said before.
Hidoyoshi saw the fight and wants to meet Enju alone to give her a reward...and ask her for a favour. Just as I'm worrying the favour will be something bad...HE IS MURDERED BY AN UNSEEN ASSAILANT!! AND MITSUNARI ISHIDA THINKS ENJU DID IT AND SHE GETS SENT TO PRISON!!!
(I thus never find out what the favour was. I wonder if you do on another route, my guess is personal bodyguard for the son but who knooows)
Enju sits in her cell, tied up and miserable, and then hears a friendly voice from the next cell...it's Goemon!
Enju: Why are you talking to me? I'm the reason you're in here.
Goemon: That's my own fault for underestimating you.
Awww.
Enju: If I tell you why I'm here you won't believe me. I don't understand it myself. But somehow I'm Hideoyoshi-sama's murderer.
Goemon: Impressive :D
But he believes her innocence (if only because who would give a beginner such an important job?) She sighs that no-one else does, and now her clan will suffer (and also her but she cares about that less)
Goemon pauses then asks "Miss. Want me to get you out of here? I was planning leaving anyway, a little bit of rope and a prison cell doesn't qualify as catching me, you know."
She knows that staying here means death. But what will happen to her clan if she escapes?
Goemon: Then I'll just have to steal you ;)
Then he dislocates his joints, lures a guard, and frees them both, before leaving a letter belatedly stating his intent to steal her.
We see the council of five elders discussing who will be the guardian of Hideyoshi's son. Tokugawa argues that they should decide quickly, to reassure the populace that the Toyotomi dynasty will continue stable for years to come lol lol
And then the boy himself comes in with a secret will! Saying that whoever catches his father's murderer gets to be his guardian!
Everyone but Tokugawa is about to call forth their armies to scour the country, despite a horrified Ishida saying this would cause chaos and leave their lands weak. So Tokugawa suggests they all just use their ninja, and keep things quiet.
Just as I'm thinking this was all Tokugawa's plan to seize power, we get his internal narration: he doesn't know who killed Hideyoshi, but is pretty sure Enju is being used as a scapegoat by the real killer.
Goemon takes Enju back to the safehouse, but everyone is gone. And if she's seen in the village, it'll look like she escaped.
He offers to take her with him instead, as criminals on the run. She doesn't understand why he's being so nice.
Goemon: From the moment I met you I liked you. You stole that money bag exactly the way I would have and I thought we'd get along. And I find you interesting, I never expected you to best me.
He says he trained in Iga but left 'long before the war'...that happened when he was 9?
Enju still doesn't entirely trust him, but she is out of options and he makes a compelling case.
Enju: All right. I may cause you trouble, but if you don't mind, I'd like to travel with you.
Goemon: Haha, you sound so serious. But it will be fun having you around. So... *leaning closer* Enju, will you be my wife?
Enju: What? Why??
Goemon: Because it's convenient when travelling to be in disguise :)
Enju: I don't think I'd be very good at being a wife...
Goemon: Why not? You're not just pretty, you're good natured. And if we're travelling together we should work as a team.
Enju: Ok. I'll try my best.
Oooh Yodo and Mitsunari Ishida are PLOTTING TO KEEP POWER, I wonder if they killed Hideyoshi...
Goemon and Enju have been travelling through the mountains for several days, with Goemon always doing his best to make Enju feel comfortable around him, so she lets him persuade her to sleep in an inn for a change.
He tells her about being the middle disciple of her uncle, junior to Hanzo and senior to Chojiro (I am pretty sure he uses little and big brother) She explains who her mother was but he says he never really met her.
He makes her laugh with a >:( Hanzo impression then says he's glad to see her relax, especially because it makes her so pretty. She gets embarrassed and he says he'll be happy to help her practice dealing with that sort of thing, especially since they have to pretend to be married. How generous.
Goemon: You'll be no good seducing someone for a mission like this ;)
Enju: I could do it for a mission!
Ha the innkeeper thinks they're a cute pair of siblings holding hands. Enju is offended he thought she was too young to be married which Goemon thinks is cute.
Enju: Cute?? You're treating me like a child too??
Goemon: No, not like a child. Speaking of which, it would convince the innkeeper more if we slept together.
Enju: No???
Goemon: I won't do anything. And it will be very warm and comfortable ;)
Enju: NO.
Goemon: I could put my head in your lap and you could clean my ears...
Enju: NO!
Goemon: You know I've been very accomodating...but alright, alright. We've got plenty of time to get to know each other ;)
Dude she is 16 tone it down.
Just as Goemon is saying it's strange they haven't encountered any pursuers...they are attacked by ninja! Goemon doesn't like killing people so pulls her into a run. She's never faced deadly conflict before and is terrified, but he talks her into calming down before tricking the ninja into going the wrong way.
But the next group of attackers are too large, and even he seems worried. Just as all seems lost, one falls...to Gekkamaru!
Goemon: Hello new friend :D
Gekkamaru: THEIF >:( COME, ENJU-SAMA, LET'S LEAVE HIM BEHIND.
Goemon and Enju have to persuade Gekkamaru not to murder all the downed ninja, and then that Goemon is Actually Nice Really. Turns out Enju's dad has disowned her but the moment Gekkamaru found out what happened he went to rescue her and has been tracking them ever since. Enju is horrified that he disobeyed orders and wants him to go home before he gets disowned too, but Goemon thinks being a ninja is stupid and the three of them should stick together.
I am 100% down to ship Goemon/Gekkamaru/Enju and I think Goemon might be too. He's into earnest, pretty, and a little dumb.
Goemon: We should be able to sleep in an inn tonight. Heh, remember when we pretended to be married and you got all flustered when I asked to sleep together...
Gekkamaru: WHAT????
Enju: Nothing happened!
Gekkamura: TONIGHT I WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THIS AWFUL THEIF >:(
Goemon: You're too overprotective, I feel sorry for her.
But then ANOTHER NINJA ATTACK. Goemon and Gekkamaru seamlessly work together, and then Goemon sends the other two ahead while he holds them off. Enju rescues an injured lost boy, Mokichi, who got caught in the cross-fire and persuades the other two to take them with him to the town where his father will hopefully be.
While Enju takes care of Mokichi, Goemon tries to befriend a dubious Gekkamaru. They bond about liking and wanting to protect Enju. Goemon says he's never met anyone like her before, and finds her intriguing.
Gekkamaru: If you try anything funny I'll kill you >:(
Goemon: Yes, yes. If I was going to do anything I would have by now.
Mokichi asks to sleep with Enju because he's lonely, and Gekkamaru pretends not to mind.
Goemon and Enju end up spending a day together at a festival. It's the first time in a while they've been alone together. They are endearingly happy with each other's company and admiring of each other's abilities. Goemon says she's the kind of girl he wouldn't mind marrying, and she blushingly says she's not interested but definitely thinks he'd be a good husband for someone. When she gets melancholy about the trouble she's caused her clan he says "It's nice to want to make yourself useful. But it's stupid to sacrifice yourself for some mission. Live for yourself, not your clan."
When they get back, Mokichi demands to go out with Enju to the festival too. He says he'll be more fun than Goemon and takes her on a weird shortcut and ohhh no is he evil D:
YEP. HE STABS HER WITH A NEEDLE AND SHE FALLS TO THE GROUND PARALYSED.
He squees about how "they will praise him now", so I guess he's a kid ninja on his first mission. But just as he's about to kill her, Kuroyuki shows up! Enju stops him from killing Mokichi, who runs away, and then Kuroyuki takes her back towards the inn for the antidote.
Meanwhile Goemon is pondering that he's told lots of women they'd make a good wife, but this is the first time he's suggested one marry him. He thinks about how much he enjoys watching Enju's reactions to the world, and how she makes him feel like maybe settling down wouldn't be the worst thing...but they have other things to worry about right now and he puts it out of his head.
We see Mokichi confronted by his angry master. He begs not to be killed, and is given one more chance.
Kuroyuki arrives with Enju and she is quickly fed the antidote before they all run into the forest...where they meet Mokichi and the other ninja of his clan.
He throws poison powder at Gekkamaru as he tries to protect Enju, before the other ninja send a rain of poison needles...making no effort not to hit Mokichi in the process.
Mokichi, dying: Must...kill...you...
Did I mention he's been calling her "big sister" this whole time? Cos yeah.
Mokichi's CREEPY ASS master shows up and gloats about Enju not being able to kill a child she knows...only for Goemon to show up and knock Mokichi out before he can get to her. The master retreats.
All three guys think Enju should kill Mokichi, but she refuses. He wakes up, scared and confused as to why Enju is treating his wounds, then says he cannot live until he kills her. If she won't let him do that, what's the point of being this kind?
She says she understands, and it's his decision what he does after this, but all she wants is for him to live. The others Do Not Approve but take the chance to find out why all these ninja are after them so hard.
Once he's explained about the council, Mokichi sadly thanks Enju for everything, and then runs away into the mountains.
It occurs to Enju that a councilman with no ninja of his own may hire the Koga. Kuroyuki says he'll just pop back to Koga and check, stopping them if he has to. He came to protect Enju, but since she has Gekkamaru she'll be fine.
Gekkamaru: You may have to fight the whole clan :(
Kuroyuki: Not if I do things right ;) Anyway I don't really care for the Koga. But I do care about the two of you. I'm not sure about this Goemon though, make sure he doesn't betray you like that kid ;)
Enju: Go stay with the Koga and live a peaceful life. I'd rather you be safe even if I have to never see you again.
;_;
As Gekkamaru goes to find them some water, Goemon checks in with Enju with how she's coping.
Goemon: It's a sad fact that children like Mokichi are common amongst shinobi. It reminded me of my own childhood...but it's not a happy story.
He was an ordinary kid who was sold to the Iga and used as a pawn, trained hard and used hard as a disposable slave D: They broke his bones and disconnected his joints so he could slip out of restraints.
Enju: D: D: D:
Goemon: Hey, it meant I could get us out of prison. But it makes me happy that you care. I'm happy too for what you said to Mokichi: to live for himself, not his clan.
She realises that's exactly what Goemon said to her, earlier. She thinks about how she feels about her life, and the consequences of fighting for it.
Enju: Maybe...I should stop running. Then you would be free, and-
Goemon: You're going to let yourself die because other people want to profit from your death? You should be angry and fight back! You're not alone, I promise I will stay with you until the end.
...ok I was going to remind myself of the rest of that conversation so I scrolled through the log and for as far back as I looked it was all entirely unfamiliar dialogue?? Hopefully it's just the log screwing up and not me having missed a scene somehow. (EDIT: It was just a bug, phew!)
Goemon and Gekkamaru team up to persuade Enju to rest, aww.
Goemon notices she's a bit down so takes her to see a cheery tree in bloom that he noticed. She thanks him for always being so kind and he gently plays with her hair and says he enjoys making her happy, and wouldn't go to so much trouble for anyone but her.
Goemon: You could stand to be more demanding. Is there anything you want?
Enju: I'd like to stay like this a little longer.
Goemon: :D Do you want a hug to go with it? :D
Enju: NO THANK YOU. Um. So you like cherry blossoms?
Goemon: Yes, they're warm and beautiful. Like you ;) When you were kind to Mokichi, and when you knocked me out so determinedly: very different situations, but a sight to see :)
Enju: LET'S STOP TALKING ABOUT ME AND LOOK AT THE FLOWERS
Gekkamaru: Oh, cherry blossoms!
Goemon: You like them? I assumed you'd care more about the food that came with them.
Gekkamaru: They can bring joy to anyone. But I do prefer plums, they make for better rations.
Goemon and Enju burst out laughing, much to Gekkamaru's confusion.
NINJA! It's Hanzo and the Tokugawa shinobi!
But he's not here to attack, his orders are to take Enju into custody and protect her until this situation is resolved. Also the Koga have been hired by Mitsunari Ishida.
Goemon: Your orders could change to killing her, right?
Hanzo: ...
Goemon: I promised I would protect her. As long as I'm here I intend to keep that promise.
Hanzo: Then my orders are clear.
And in the ensuing fight, Enju is captured...by a DIFFERENT set of ninja, the Fuma clan. (The game has been keeping track of which clan belongs to which elder, but they've mainly been pretty interchangeable)
Gekkamaru holds off the Tokugawa while Goemon goes after Enju's kidnappers.
Meanwhile the Fuma are cheerfully explaining to Enju that they would kill her but they can make more money by keeping her alive.
Goemon bursts in...and is immediately recognised.
Fuma ninja: Why don't you rejoin with us?
Goemon: You'd welcome a traitor?
Enju: What?
Fuma ninja: Before he was a thief he was our leader! His real name isn't Ishikawa Goemon. It's...Kotaro Fuma!!
GASP. I KNOW WHO THAT IS! HE'S THE CRAZY EVIL NINJA FROM SLBP WHO WANTED TO BE SEXY NEMESES WITH SAIZO!!
I mean I'm sure his backstory here is different but it meant the reveal gave me a suitable start.
Goemon: I don't use that name any more >:(
Fuma ninjas: Come on, you were great! They still tell stories of how you slew a whole army single handed!
OHHH MANNNN. I've been waiting for a reveal that someone was an inside man on the Iga massacre, but I was thinking Chojiro. Unless it was a different army...(EDIT: yep)
Goemon: Hojo was destroyed by Hideyoshi because we failed to protect him. We're masterless now. Becoming a shinobi again is only going to be a nightmare. If you want to resurrect the clan, do it without me.
Ok so as I understand it: Goemon was part of the Fuma ninja clan which worked for the Hojo samurai clan. He was given the ceremonial title "Kotaro Fuma", and helped the Fuma win a bunch of battles. They were ordered to protect Hideyoshi Toyotomi, but failed, and as punishment Hideyoshi killed the Hojo clan leader and disbanded the Fuma. Goemon left to become a thief, and the remaining Fuma became more like a mercenary band.
Goemon defeats all the Fuma ninja in the room, and tells them to get a life for themselves beyond the clan. But that still leaves a bunch outside. He starts getting a bit martyry, suggesting he'll sacrifice himself to let Enju escape, and she sharply reminds him of his promise to stay til the end.
Goemon: Sorry, I got a bit timid. You really scared me back there.
So the two of them work together to split and confuse the enemy and she uses her ninjitsu cherry blossoms to confuse her pursuers long enough to bring them down. Then she and Goemon jump into a river.
She wakes, cold and woozy, in an abandoned temple, having passed out. Goemon says they ended up pretty far downstream and may have trouble meeting up with Gekkamaru.
Goemon: It's been a while since I had a real scare. When they took you away my mind went blank. I'm glad you're safe.
Enju: I'm glad you saved me :)
He says he warmed her by the fire and enjoyed watching her sleep, but didn't remove her clothes because he knew she wouldn't like it.
Goemon: Come to think of it this is the first time we've been alone together in a while. Will you let me have my way with you tonight?
Enju, realising she has no room to back away: D: D: D:
Goemon: Haha it's been a while since I had fun like that ;)
Enju: IT'S NOT FUN FOR ME >:(
Goemon: Really? I'd appreciate it if you got used to me a little more.
Enju: I am used to you! Like...you stroking my hair. It's very relaxing. Your hands are large and warm :)
Goemon: Is that...so...*blushes slightly*
SEE. THIS IS WHY I SHIP IT. EVERY TIME HE'S GROSS SOMETHING CUTE HAPPENS AND I FORGIVE HIM.
He reaches to pat her on the head, she stumbles while avoiding his hand and falls against him. He checks she's ok then picks her up and puts her back where she was.
She is confusedly disappointed...and then realises he's favouring his arm and demands to look at it.
Goemon: It's fine, just a bruise, don't worry about it and rest-
Enju: No! You're always like this when it comes to yourself. Let me look at it and help you! >:(
Goemon: I've never had anyone tend my wounds before :)
She is struck by all the scars on his skin.
Goemon: Sorry, I'm sure they're unsightly. Don't look so sad, it was so long ago I don't remember the pain.
At her prompting, he talks about how with the Iga you healed yourself or you died. At 8 he ran away and ended up with the Fuma. He was their leader for a short time, famous for his unconventional strategies and skill. But what they really want is the ninjitsu passed down from leader to leader.
Goemon: It was useful when I was fighting large groups of people. But I'll never use it again.
Enju: Why not?
Goemon: It's not a nice thing to see. They may be the enemy but it doesn't feel good to see them kill each other.
D:
The ninjitsu is a poison that caused illusions and then ate peoples nerves. When his master died Goemon dissolved the clan hoping the ninjitsu would never be used again, but they've just gotten more ruthless since he left.
Enju: *taking his hand* I know it was all in the past, and you're strong and can do anything. But you can lean on me.
Goemon: *puts his hand on hers* I will :)
Awwww
Enju goes out to gather herbs and tries not to angst about how she may have to fight her own friends. She returns to find Goemon asleep, and is so struck by how cute he looks that she lays beside him and strokes his face. She begins to wonder exactly what this warm fuzzy feeling she feels around him is.
Goemon wakes a little later, at first he just feels guilty for falling asleep on watch but then he realises Enju has fallen asleep beside him and is happily surprised. He whispers into her ear "When you make yourself so inviting you can't blame me if I get up to no good" but when she doesn't respond mutters that she probably won't mind if he strokes her hair, and does so.
He thinks about how he's never been with a woman so long, or wanted to protect anyone so much. When she told Mokichi to live for himself, Goemon felt like she was speaking to him, as a child, and felt saved.
She wakes with him asleep, hugging her. She's embarrassed, but then tells him how he makes her happy, and has inspired her to live for herself.
Goemon talks about having been given the Fuma clan leader job because he invented a bunch of poisons to paralyse people etc. But now he just wants to figure out how to make their salted fish taste better.
AND THEN THE KOGA NINJA SHOW UP
BUT IT'S FINE. ISH.
They've been ordered by Mitsunari to keep her safe. Hmm.
Kyara: But we're watching you, thief.
Goemon: Don't worry, I won't get up to anything with a sexy lady and cute girl watching me ;)
Kyara and Kasumi: :O
Enju: >:(
Goemon: Jealous? ;)
Enju: NO
Chojiro: We should get back to work
Chojiro: No >.>
I love that Chojiro is younger than Goemon but trying so hard to be A Grownup at 23. I bet he was a really serious minded 5 year old too.
Enju thinks about how she can trust Mitsunari not to kill her (CAN SHE) but doesn't want to be parted from Goemon. But then he says he's coming along 'because he's come this far', asking Chojiro "as brothers".
Chojiro: ...Aren't we a lively party >.>
Later:
Gekkamaru: Eat up Enju-sama! Oh but let me remove the bones from your fish...
Kasumi: Try this! Say ahh!
Goemon: I've never seen her so happy...
Chojiro: Is that why you're drinking yourself blind? Every time you look at her you take a drink.
Goemon: You make it sound as if I'm sulking because I'm not getting to spend time with her.
Chojiro: Aren't you? :)
Goemon: You distance yourself from others but have a knack for poking people out of the blue. Yes, I feel a little left out, but...
Enju: Goemon, I feel like our eyes met a few times...would you like me to pour you a drink?
Goemon: ...yes please :) Chojiro, you're staring, do you want a drink too?
Chojiro: ...I was just thinking how much happier she seems.
Enju: That's because of Goemon! I used to be insecure about myself but he changed my way of thinking.
Goemon and Chojiro: :)
She finds Goemon in the garden later, muttering to himself about how it's too late to run. They have a gentle, bittersweet goodbye, both promising they will see each other again. She asks him to stroke her hair and he makes it a little sexier than she would like then kisses her forehead, and she's not sure how she feels about it.
Goemon sneaks into Mitsunari's estate and hears him planning with Yodo to execute Enju then make it look like an accident.
As he's heading back to the inn wondering what to do, he's confronted by Fuma ninja.
Then it's Enju's POV again. She wakes to see Goemon in her room, and knocks against Kasumi as she sits up...
AND THEN REALISES KASUMI IS DEAD????
D:
EVERYONE IS DEAD AND GOEMON SAYS HE KILLED THEM
...which actually makes me feel better, this is obviously some sort of ruse using his paralysis poison. But of course Enju doesn't realise and is heartbroken.
He 'explains' that the Fuma recruited him back with a pile of money and their real plan: to kill the council of elders as revenge for the Hojo. He says he really was fond of her, and is sorry things turned out this way, then reaches towards her face...with a cloth. Everything goes black.
A miserably crying Enju watches Goemon berate his minions for spying on him when he was capturing Enju, and says he won't put up with it again. Then he tells her he doesn't want to hurt her, but she should be a good girl and not try to escape.
(I'd be more annoyed at him for not explaining but she really is a terrible liar)
Meanwhile the council are bragging to each other about how their ninjas will be the ones to capture Enju... only for the Fuma to write that they have her, and will give her to whichever elder creates the largest pile of gold in front of the castle over the next three days.
After the other elders have all run off to gather their gold, Tokugawa orders Hanzo to gather just enough to 'look like he's playing'.
Tokugawa: They are all sure to bring their constables to capture and kill the Fuma and steal back the gold. It will be too late to get the girl then. We need to put an end to this game before it starts.
Fuma ninja: Still crying? You'll see your friends soon enough >:)
Goemon, flatly, wiping her eyes: Don't cry, your eyes will get swollen.
Enju: It hurts to think that you betrayed me. But I feel like it can't all be true, like I know who you really are.
Goemon: Thoughts like that will only hurt you. It will all be over soon, until then, better to forget whatever you're feeling.
Days pass and Enju decides that whether or not Goemon was sincere, the determination he inspired in her to love herself was real, and she is not going to die like this. Gekkamaru and the others would be angry with her too. Aw. GO ENJU.
She decides her best bet of escape is when they take her to the castle, and she prepares herself.
Goemon, coldly: You're plotting to escape aren't you? With your current level of skill, you can't get away from the Fuma. Wait until you're with the five elders.
She interprets this as intimidation but it is clearly advice, dumbass.
I would think the Fuma are dumbasses too, for trusting Goemon again, but he is clearly the only one who can strategise for shit. He explains how the council are guarding all the exits, except the Tokugawa, who are guarding the entrance to keep them out. He divides everyone up, only taking two ninja with him and Enju to deliver her.
When she thinks about escaping he painfully twists her ropes and makes it clear this would get her killed.
Enju: Isn't there some way I can not get killed? :(
Goemon: I would rate your odds of survival as very low. I know you're scared, but for now you'll have to listen to what we say.
And then he hands her a bottle, saying it's slow acting painkiller to ease her execution, his one form of mercy. She isn't sure she can trust it, but he asks her with soft eyes, saying he doesn't want to see her suffer, and she decides that whatever else was a lie, their relationship was not.
Enju: Thank you.
Goemon: *looks away* You don't have to thank me.
We see Hanzo tell Tokugawa that his shinobi are almost matched by the Fuma, but will be able to capture them eventually.
Enju arrives at the council with the masked Goemon and 2 Fuma guards. The council immediately begin speculating that such a small girl must have seduced Hideoyoshi to take him down, and discuss the best torturous method to kill her (including being boiled in oil, which is how Hideyoshi killed Goemon irl)
Goemon suggests they get down to business and stares at the piles of gold, enjoying toying with the council about who won before announcing it was a draw. His eyes meet Enju's and she sees that they are laughing.
Just as the council is erupting in chaos...ANOTHER GOEMON APPEARS. AND CUTS ENJU'S ROPES BEFORE SETTING THE ROOM ON FIRE??
The masked Goemon grabs her in the chaos and puts her in the next room, checking she's ok with a gentle smile then asking her to stay put.
She watches the elders freak out as a fake version of her 'burns to death'.
Masked Goemon: This Goemon sure is heartless.
Other Goemon, who I think is Chojiro's voice actor doing a Goemon impression: That's you.
Masked Goemon, taking off mask: Right, I'm Goemon ;)
Hanzo: You! Wait, what... *starts to collapse, along with everyone else*
Goemon: You've all been poisoned and will soon die ^_^ By the way I changed the formula so it affects Fuma ninja too :)
Fuma ninja: You...betrayed us...why???
Goemon: I want the gold, obviously? And I did tell you I didn't want to go back. I thought I'd kill the girl first since you were all fighting over her. Don't you appreciate the peace?
Everyone: D:
Goemon: Anyway, here's the antidote. Thanks for the gold, bye ^_^
And then he takes Enju and leaves with the other Goemon.
As they're escaping, he apologises for what he did, and the other Goemon reveals himself to be Chojiro (I KNEW IT), who explains that he and the others are still alive. It's weird seeing his voice with Goemon's much less understated smile sprite haha.
Ha! Goemon even got Mitsunari Ishida to be in on the plan to "kill" Enju, and got the Koga hired to help, so their escape route is relatively clear.
Goemon apologises deeply for hurting her and when she says she's grateful he looks like he might cry aww.
Goemon: And now to create CHAOS :D
We see Ennosuke (enthusiastically), Kyara (dubiously) and Kasumi (curiously) setting off fireworks around the castle.
Chojiro creates more confusion in his Goemon disguise and...SO DOES ENJU?? (Is she wearing stilts??) And then she bumps into another Goemon and it's Gekkamaru :D They have a cutely shippy moment with the same sprites and I am a little sad she takes off her disguise before she can be shippy with the real Goemon while looking like him. COME ON GAME IT WOULD BE HOT.
Chojiro-as-Goemon: Ok that's enough, I'm taking off the costume.
Goemon: Aw. Isn't it fun being me?
Chojiro: No.
Villagers: Ooh, fireworks! Wait, why are those people pushing a big cart through the city at this time of night?
Enju: Goemon, the constables are catching up...
Goemon: Ah, right, I only told you how to steal gold, not what to do with it. HEY EVERYONE! WHO WANTS SOME GOLD?? *throws gold into the air*
Villagers, filling the road and thus blocking the constables: :D :D
Ennosuke: WHAT ARE YOU DOING
Goemon: Sharing the love! Isn't this better than some rich person hoarding it? Try it!
Chojiro: Is this really part of a shinobi's job...
Gekkamaru: It's part of the mission. *throws gold in the air with earnest seriousness*
There's a lovely CG of a delighted Enju throwing gold to peasants against a firework filled sky. SEE, VOLTAGE, THIS IS WHAT I WANT FROM A LI WHO STEALS FROM THE RICH AND GIVES TO THE POOR.
When they get to a hideout Gekkamaru checks her for injuries which is totally going to be a Thing on his route.
Kyara: You're over-reacting, we've only been apart three days.
Enosuke: Look who's talking, you're about to cry.
Kyara: SHUT UP.
Yeah I still ship it.
Kyara: I'm so glad we got new orders, since we couldn't have saved you even if we'd known you were going to be killed.
Me: Oh those orders are SO fake.
Enju finds Goemon when the others are asleep. He tries to apologise again, saying he hated hurting her but someone was always watching, and his original plan was to leave her 'dead' and take back a fake head.
But she says she could never hate him, that he's important to her and she wants to stay by his side. She clutches his clothes and he draws closer, saying he's realised he can't stand to be apart from her, and asking if he can touch her. She falls over trying to move away and he catches her. The two of them are entangled on the ground and he's got this breathy voice and is talking about how his feelings for have grown...
Cam, from the kitchen: You know your porn is playing on this computer too, right?
Me: IT'S NOT PORN. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LOVE CONFESSION. IF YOU ARE TOO INNOCENT TO KNOW WHAT PORN LOOKS LIKE I CAN SHOW YOU SOME, SINCE YOU'RE APPARENTLY CONFUSED.
Anyway, where was I...
They both talk about how much they care about each other, and he says he longs for her and asks again if he can touch her. She doesn't say yes (god forbid) but puts her hand over his on her cheek, and is definitely very happy when he kisses her. They both vow to never be apart again, he says "I promised to come back to you, but I will never leave. You have a leash on me." She asks him to hold her to him tightly as well, and it fades to black.
(SEE CAM. NO PORN)
And then they have a sweet goodbye from all the others and go off to see the sights as cheerfully aimless wanted criminals.
As I predicted to a friend when I was describing the route, he continues to be a little dubconny even after they're together, she doesn't want to kiss him in public but seems pretty happy to be no-no-yes'd into makeouts.
And then he proposes and she says yes and they promise to be together forever THE END.
I was discussing this route with a friend, and I think the reasons I like it more than I usually do with this kind of romance are
(a) while he's dubconny it feels like he is deliberately staying on the right side of the line between "good girl who feels obliged to say no but is actually into it" and "genuinely uncomfortable", and while he assumes he knows that line better than her, he's right, so. This is the kind of dubcon I like! YMMV.
(b) While it is a "promiscuous man falls for Nice Girl whose kindness and innocence make him discover the joy of True Love" story, it feels like that's very secondary to it mostly being a "self hating man too traumatised to ever trust anyone learns to truly care about another person, who he does commit to romantically but only after vowing to defend her to the death" story. Which is 100% my jam.
(c) He obviously respects the women he's with, continues to be lightly flirtatious after falling for MC, and the game is sympathetic to those women rather than portraying them as STUPID SLUTS. I general I can't think of another otome game where the MC has a single, hot female friend who TWO DIFFERENT love interests acknowledge as hot without EVER taking it back or having any specific reason to not be into her. Like, all the LIs are clearly more into MC than Kyara, but there isn't this desperate need to make it clear they're not into Kyara at all. I still don't ship any of them with her haha. But I could, and I like that.
(d) He isn't a well adjusted guy who could be happy with any girl and happens to fall for MC. He is a SELF HATING MESS who needs A LOT OF HUGS from someone who understands his very specific issues. And she does!
(e) Yeah idk why I'm cool with the age gap. Maybe the part of my brain in charge of squicks is too busy going "Two of them are literally her brothers" and got distracted.
Though I'd actually dispute the wiki page that calls them adopted brothers, they're more like quasi-servants, a bit like Wei Wuxian. The clan being like one big (sometimes abusive) family, but also treating some members as literal slaves is certainly SOMETHING, and once I realised it's doing that I understood why all the claustrophobic pseudo-incest. Sorry Tokugawa shippers he's too unrelated! Kyara isn't, though...
Anyway! Time to poke the extras etc.
Ha, at this point I can recognise one of the menu voices as Gekkamaru telling me to work hard. I'm doing my best, Gekkamaru!
I've unlocked all but one of Goemon's CGs, and also one or two "memoir"s, which seem to be extra scenes. Apparently to unlock them all you have to see ALL possible dialogue, my impression from the walkthroughs I've skimmed is that that'll happen naturally if I do all the routes and bad ends.
So...maybe I'll do Goemon's bad end now /o\
Since my last choice is whether to trust him about the painkiller, which is well after he falls in love, I guess the bad end involves the heist Going Wrong.
BAD END:
Feels bad to make all the alienating choices but they're pretty mild so far.
Enju says she's too young to pass as his wife and he says "Stuff like that depends on how you look at it. If you believe we'll make a good couple, everything else will come naturally.
All the sympathetic female character look like Pretty Anime Girls but Yodo, as a female villain, does the more historically accurate but weird looking thing of shaving her eyebrows and having big fake black splotches up by her hairline.
Ok I've seen all the "wrong" choices now and they're all still positive moments, not quite as shippy as the "right" choices but still sweet and giving a slightly different spin on the interaction. When she asks if the "painkiller" is poison he says "What would be the point of killing you, I'd have to carry your dead body all that way" but the sadness in his eyes is what convinces her he can be trusted.
And then "skip read" got me to the point where the council of elders are discussing how to murder her. What an auspicious place to rejoin the story D:
Enju is consumed with despair. She is going to die horribly, and everyone who cared about her has betrayed her or died.
And then...Yodo comes in and says that since Mitsunari has failed her she will kill Enju herself!
"I could have dodged the blow if I tried. But accepted my fate"
As she falls, Goemon cries out that they were almost free. She sees him crying and feels guilty that she made him sad. And then she lets go.
He tells the council that they will pay for the way they used her with their lives. Hanzo immediately grabs Ieyasu and jumps out the window but the rest are poisoned, along with their constables. They start to hallucinate monsters and attack each other. As the blood sprays, Goemon picks up Enju's corpse and tells her he said he'd be with her until the end.
THE END
Aw. I like this kind of bad end more than the sort where it's all YOU DIDN'T LOVE HIM ENOUGH SO HE WENT EVIL. Now to decide how much angst I'm ready for next...
I just checked and looks like doing that unlocked the ability to replay any chapter on his route. That'll be useful if I decide to do fanfic or fanart. OH HEY I SHOULD PLAY THE EXTRA SCENES...
Bonus Scenario 1:
A really cute scene from when Mokichi was with Enju, Goemon and Gekkamaru that is bittersweet with context. Traumatised ninja trying to make child ninja happy but they can't escape their fate :( Enju enjoys watching Gekkamaru and Goemon act like affectionate dads/older brothers, working together to look after Mokishi, and the game weants me to think about Goemon and Enju as parents together instead but you don't control me, game.
Bonus Scenario 2:
Enju's friends are with Enju and Goemon on the way to Kyo to meet with Minister Ishida. Goemon watches the friends bantering and is reminded of his own childhood, though he says he Hanzo and Chojiro weren;'t as close.
Chojiro: Goemon... >:/
Goemon: Don't worry I won't embarass you ;)
Chojiro: I just think you can't remember back that long ago.
Goemon: Sure I can. Though you were pretty small. Hanzo left when he was 12 and I was five so you would have been...
Chojiro: I was two. I don't remember Brother Hanzo very well.
HE WAS DOING NINJA TRAINING. AT TWO.
The teens all find it impossible to imagine Chojiro as a little kid.
Goemon: really? But he was so cute. Hanzo has always looked like that, but Chojiro was was popular because he was pretty like a girl.
Students: :O
Chojiro: D:
Goemon: He started young because he was the son of our leader, and he's sit there watching, all tiny and bright eyed, and all the adults melted. Hanzo always took good care of him.
Chojiro: >:(
Goemon: I wish I could show them all how stinking adorable you were.
Choijiro: You were no better, you had all the girls fawning over you even then >:( Thouhg father said you were talented.
Goemon: Well, I was always chatty. But you were so quiet, always studying manners or whatever while I just wanted to sleep. Was that ebcause you were the next in line? Was our lady the same? *stepping closer* I bet you were pretty as a child.
Chojiro: We should get moving.
Goemon: I never thought we'd see each other again, I'm glad Fate let us meet.
Choijiro: It's because you quit being a shinobi. I've met Brother Hanzo on missions over the years.
Goemon: I'm glad you didn't end up as enemies.
Enju thinks sadly about the life of a shinobi.
Goemon: Don't worry. Your path will diverge from ours. Your personality makes it hard to be a shinobi but may open other doors.
She feels better, but hopes they never have to cross swords.
And that's it!
