Hello again or for the first time, Murayama Tsuru here. Going off of the theme of the Shinsengumi Crisis arc, I decided to write a Kawakami Bansai Fanfiction. Because I really liked the idea of soul music, I decided to write more about it. So here it is, I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Gintama, it is the property of Sorachi Hideaki-Sensei. Were Gintama mine, I would put in more chapters about the Kiheitai and Kamui's tentative alliance.

Kawakami Bansai always had a talent for hearing the music that matched people's personalities. He liked to call it the soul music. It had started when he was very young, with his mother's kind music toward him. But he noticed whenever his father was around, her music would become different. It became a fiercely devoted sound that complimented his father's. It had been interesting enough, that Bansai didn't dislike his gift.

As the years went by, he heard many, many different sounds. He had even gone into the music business as a side job, assassin being his main occupation, (using Tsunpo as a stage name; after all he didn't need to give out his real name) because he could write the music of people's souls and make it popular. His latest creation, Terakado Tsuu, was the perfect example of that. Her sound had been happy yet filled with words worthy of being bleeped out; she would make the perfect idol. But sometimes the music became too much and too loud. So, he wore headphones to keep unwanted sounds out. The only downside was that people accused him of not paying attention.

The first time he met Takasugi Shinsuke was after he had signed Terakado Tsuu to his company. He was about to leave his office (which was also his apartment, since he didn't need people recognizing him as Bansai the assassin). Shinsuke had snuck in unnoticed and nearly made Bansai crap his pants (You tell Shinsuke this and you won't be long for this world). Bansai was about to draw his sword when he heard the most compelling music ever. It was dark, sad, lilting, and had a way about it that made all other sounds seem insignificant in comparison. At that moment Bansai knew, this was the man he wanted to entrust his life to. So when Shinsuke had asked (more like threatened) Bansai to join his recently reformed Kiheitai, Bansai agreed without hesitation.

As the months in the Kiheitai went by they were joined by Kijima Matako and Takechi Hanpeita. Matako's music was an insistent, lively march which changed as often as her moods did (which was about every two seconds. Seriously, she'd be happy one moment and then at your throat the next!). And Takechi's music? Well…let's not go there, it's too creepy to describe. Both Matako's and Takechi's music were greatly affected by Takasugi. While Matako's music became that of a lovestruck schoolgirl, Takechi's became serious (Shinsuke was just that compelling).

When Shinsuke had tried to destroy the Shinsengumi, Bansai got the pleasure of hearing many an interesting melody. Like Ito Kamotaro, the man Shinsuke had used. His music was dignified, elegant classical music that was both pretentious and lonely at the same time. Or Hijikata Toshiro. The first time Bansai had met him, he heard the silliest Anime music complete with all the Moe elements an Otaku would love. But then it had changed into heavy rock-n-roll that lived up to the reputation "Oni-Fukucho". At the same time, Ito's had changed into ferocious heavy metal. As Ito had left the motorbike Bansai thought "these two really do complement each other. Too bad they both have to die; I would have enjoyed seeing them fight." Even the Shinsengumi spy had interesting music. It was, in a word, bland. But it was also so incredibly pure and straightforward despite the fact that Bansai was about to kill him that Bansai found himself wanting to listen more. There was also music whose owners he couldn't identify (because he never saw them). Like the music that was a torture to listen to or the music that was happy and violent at the same time with an undercurrent of even more violence that the rest of the music seemed to fight against.

And then there was Sakata Gintoki. At first listen it sounded like rough, unrefined jazz. But upon further listening, it was more like drunken humming. But then, as Gintoki had smashed Bansai into that helicopter, he heard it. Music that rivaled Shinsuke's. It wasn't as sad as Shinsuke's but there was something about it that made Bansai think "I wonder how my life would be if I had heard this man's music instead of Shinsuke's?" There was a strength and steadiness to Gintoki's music that not even Shinsuke had. While Shinsuke was driven by his goal to destroy Edo, Gintoki was driven to protect those he cared about. It was a sound that Bansai wanted to hear again.

It was too bad he had lost that fight. Because he did, he didn't get any time to reflect on the music he had heard. Shinsuke had been furious at him; the Shinsengumi had not fallen and Bansai had lost to Gintoki. Bansai thought himself lucky to be alive, hardly anyone lived through Shinsuke's anger. But all Shinsuke had said to him was "You know, Bansai, you're only alive because I can't afford to lose you. There won't be a next time, though, so make sure you don't fail me again."

So, Bansai decided to stay under Shinsuke's radar for a while and go soul music listening. As he wandered the Harusame ship, he happened upon the captain of the seventh's squad, a young red-haired teenager, and two older men talking about some mission on earth. The captain had childishly curious music that often switched to either extremely lonely or extremely violent music. But the boy was always smiling, so others never seemed to sense the change in him. One of the older men, with long sandy hair, also had interesting music. Whenever the captain was there, the man's music tried to please whoever was listening. But when he wasn't, the man's music became cynical; like the man had seen it all, seen too much of it all, and was sick of dealing with the world around him.

Since the topic of the seventh's squad seemed important, he decided to report it to Shinsuke. So much for staying under the radar. When he entered Shinsuke's room he could tell right away that Shinsuke was still furious with him. "Is there something you need Bansai." Shinsuke calmly said and took a drag on his pipe. While onlookers might not think Shinsuke was angry, Bansai knew otherwise. When Shinsuke was angry, his music became soft and predatory; which it was now. So it was with great care that Bansai said "Shinsuke, I just heard the seventh squad of Harusame talking. Apparently the elders are thinking of sending them to earth to investigate the 'old man' in charge of Yoshiwara. I just thought you'd like to know. I pray thee it seemed very interesting information."

To Bansai's immense relief, Shinsuke's music went back to the sad, lilting sound it usually was. It meant Bansai was back in Shinsuke's favor. The only outward expression of this was that a small smile appeared on Shinsuke's face as he said "Thank you, Bansai, that was indeed very interesting."

Just then Matako and Takechi burst in and Matako began complaining how Takechi was an annoying pervert, thus ruining the moment between Shinsuke and Bansai (as Bansai saw it). And while Shinsuke calmly listened to Matako complain and Takechi dispute her complaints, Bansai turned up the volume on his headphones. Sometimes he really wished the music would just shut up.

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed, this idea came to me right after I wrote Bitter is the Sake. But, since I was busy I didn't have time to post it until now. Please review, every bit helps. Even if it's to tell me something I did wrong.

-Murayama Tsuru