A/N: I'm back!! While writing this chapter, I realized my love for the Shinsengumi has grown tremendously, though maybe because I was still affected by the newest arc involving the Kiheitai and the Shinsengumi. Kondo became rather manly (because he knew where his mistakes were), Hijikata became cuter (because of the curse) and much more awesome than before (because of how he announced he was the vice commander through the radio), Okita was practically the DEMON and Yamazaki decided to haunt the Shinsengumi. They're a bunch of interesting men.

I realised that Syaoran, Sakura and Kagura are actually of the same age (14, youngest). Followed by Shinpachi (16) then Okita (who is the oldest of the 'kids', being 18). The men (basically Hijikata, Gintoki, Zura etc) are in their (I tend to believe middle-) twenties. You'll know why I bothered to mention their ages later in this chapter. Well, I hope you will enjoy this chapter as well!

Disclaimer: If I were Soraichi, Gintama would have been just a doodle in my sketchbook. That's nightmare, isn't it?


It feels terrible when you realised you forgot your keys and your brain goes 'uh... wait, wait, WAIT!!' exactly at the moment when the door's lock clicks shut


Continuing from last chapter, Shinpachi and Fai find themselves in another world, most probably, they've dimension-traveled, advised the blonde. What happened exactly? How did it happen? What should they do? All these will be answered… in the next few chapters. For now, let's turn back time- no; it should be dimension – to the aftermath in the woods.

Location: Woods
Main Cast: Hijikata Toushiro, Okita Sougo, Mokona, Sakura
Supporting Cast: Sakata Gintoki, Shimura Shinpachi, Kurogane, Fai, Syaoran, Yamazaki Sagaru
Plot: - The surroundings were scorched where the bazooka had hit its target


As the dirt and debris in the air cleared, Hijikata shouted at Okita, "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU AIMING AT? I WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU."

Okita shifted his bazooka indifferently and walked slowly to the other side, "Hijikata-san, didn't you know that it's always the most dangerous spot… In badminton and in battle? Right, Yamazaki?"

"YAMAZAKI!!" Hijikata shouted angrily at the Shinsengumi spy.

"Uwah! I didn't say anything!" Yamazaki exclaimed.

Regardless of Yamazaki's clarification, Hijikata continued to punish him just for being there.

"But this is some mess," Okita continued carelessly, and strolled towards Gintoki and Syaoran. "It's incredible that you're safe and sound even being through a blast, Danna."

Okita stabbed his finger at Gintoki's cheek. Once. Twice. Thrice. Gintoki made no reaction. His dead fish eyes stared right ahead. Though he was covered in dirt and soot, Gintoki was unscathed. Okita looked at Syaoran and his eyes trailed down to where Gintoki grabbed Syaoran by the arm.

"This is weird… it's as if they're paralysed!" Yamazaki said, massaging his cheek where Hijikata had mercilessly punched him.

"It doesn't matter at all. What's important is that this just makes our job easier," Hijikata said, staring at the Shinsengumi's long time enemy, Katsura.

Yamazaki looked around and noticed three unfamiliar figures not too far away. He squinted and found a young girl with a white something jumping up and down on her head squealing, "Fai! Kurogane! Wake up!!"

Two men stood a few feet away from the girl. They were both rooted onto the ground, their bodies posed as if they had been running previously. Kagura stood side by side with the darker and taller man, both had their hand reaching out forward. Shinpachi and the other slimmer man followed suit, chasing quite close to the pair at the front.

"Fukucho! There are some suspicious people here!" Yamazaki reported to Hijikata.

"I know! I don't need you to report something that obvious. They're companions of the Yorozuya," Hijikata replied impatiently and walked towards Sakura.

"Oi, are you alright?" he asked unceremoniously.

"I'm alright. But…" Sakura said and looked at Kurogane and Fai worriedly. It seemed to Hijikata that the girl might be even more confused with the situation then anyone else at the scene.

"Sakura! Syaoran went after the white thing after Mokona said that it had the feather and then there was a big bang and bright light! Now Mokona can't feel the feather's wave and everyone is acting weird!!" Mokona explained the situation nervously.

Hijikata raised his eyebrow slightly at the alien-like being and said curtly, "No matter what, we're bringing you in for interrogation." Just as he reached out to get hold of Sakura, Mokona jumped onto Hijikata in defense and clamped itself tightly onto his face.

"Mokona's 108 techniques! SUFFOCATION!!"

"Mokona!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise.

"What the…" Hijikata staggered back as Mokona secured its body on the shocked man.

"What is this?" Okita said as he watched with interest at Hijikata, who struggled to pull Mokona off his face.

"Ge… Orf… my… fay…ffu…" Hijikata's muffled voice shouted as he shook his head around violently and pulled at Mokona who was determined to attach itself onto his face tightly.

Sakura and Okita watched, worriedly and sadistically respectively, as Hijikata walked around aimlessly, struggling to pull Mokona away. Soon, Yamazaki came flying through the air and slammed into Hijikata.

"Kyaa!" Mokona cried as both men crashed onto the ground. The impact made Mokona released itself from Hijikata's face and rolled onto the ground.

Sakura immediately ran to the Mokona and scooped it up in her arms gently. "Mokona, are you alright?"

"The world is turning and turning with many, many stars…" Mokona sang like a drunkard, its body shifting in Sakura's arms, dizzy from Hijikata's struggle.

Hijikata pushed Yamazaki aside aggressively and took deep breaths of air before screaming at his subordinate, "YAMAZAKI! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

Yamazaki struggled to stand up and stuttered, "It's… It's Katsura! He… he suddenly hit me!"

"Huh? What the hell…" Hijikata cursed and focused on the motionless terrorist. "Is this some kind of plan of his?"

"Yamazaki, he must have recognized you when you were practicing badminton by the river," Okita commented casually. "That's why he hit you. He didn't like your badminton racket."

Yamazaki looked at Okita, as though thinking of what to counter before he said, "My racket? THE PROBLEM IS MY RACKET?! I spent a lot on that racket!!"

"Look at me," Okita put his arm around Gintoki's shoulder and continued with a smirk, "Danna and I are very good friends. We share common ideals and are equally… UGH!!"

Okita cried out as Gintoki's bokuto slapped his face. Extremely hard. He flew a few feet from the blow and rolled back double times before landing in the middle of dust next to Hijikata, faced down and unconscious.

"It happened again!" Yamazaki exclaimed then repeated, "It happened again… this time with Okita taichou!"

"Must be the karma," Hijikata merely commented as he stood up, patting away the dust on his pants and ignoring Okita's limp body beside him.

He walked around Gintoki and the others cautiously, keeping at an arm's distance carefully and examined them. Gintoki was now holding his bokuto as if ready to strike again. His dead fish eyes shone with a certain determination. It reminded Hijikata briefly of the rare times when he had witness the natural perm had drawn his sword and fought as a samurai.

The boy next to Gintoki looked ahead, his eyes distant. Though facing Gintoki, his gaze looked through the natural perm. It gave Hijikata the impression of a person watching the clouds in the sky, as if watching on a dream. Other than that, the boy seemed to be uninvolved in the action.

Hijikata walked behind to where Katsura was. Indeed, the terrorist had his hand raised, aimed at whomever was unlucky enough to be next to him. His palm was opened as if he was throwing something. He had an expression mixed with awe, battle instinct and stupidity. As usual, this man was unpredictable.

Next, Hijikata turned to a peculiar white thing standing beside Katsura. Its eyes were big and blank. Hijikata took a closer look and found that though the expression on this alien pet seemed retarded, somehow, its gaze seemed to suck in everything into the universe.

"That's one creepy thing, isn't it?" Yamazaki commented, leaving behind Okita who was still unconscious from the attack. "This thing scares me. I mean look at the eyes… it's as though if you look long enough, you'll be trapped in some unknown world…"

"WELL," Hijikata boomed. "It… it… it didn't scare me! THE HELL IT DID! Yamazaki, you're the coward, not me!" He then turned away from the paralyzed group, moving away abnormally quickly. "Get... Get us some back up! We're going to need help if these morons decides not to move."

"Ha… Hai!" Yamazaki replied, surprised at Hijikata's outburst and immediately bolted out of the forest.

Hijikata took out a cigarette and lit it with practiced action. He then took a long smoke, tasting the nicotine before exhaling. He walked to Sakura slowly, his cigarette still pecked between his lips. He could tell that the young girl was nervous, no doubt with a sense of bravery. She eyed the vice commander warily and defensively, carrying Mokona protectively in her arms. As he reached out to her again, Mokona jumped in another attempt to 'attack' but was stopped by Hijikata's wide palm. He gripped Mokona tightly, but not so as to hurt it, and moved his hand a distance away with the alien pet (what else could it be, if not an alien pet in amanto-invaded Edo?) safe from his face.

"No point just leaving those people standing under the moonlight and I'm not letting Katsura get away. At least, you'll have shelter for the night," Hijikata said, with an attempt to smooth out the roughness in his voice, ignoring the furry ball struggling in his palm.

When Sakura didn't response, Hijikata took the cigarette with his free hand and puffed out, carefully avoiding Sakura so as to not intoxicate her with the second hand smoke. He then return Mokona to Sakura, smoothing its messed up fur. With Mokona back with her safe and sound, Sakura realized that her impression on this man was changing for the better, sensing the kindness he possessed. She was about to express her gratitude and ask for help, when a voice from behind Hijikata interrupted her. It created a false impression of her actually speaking if not for the trademark deadpan in the voice.

"Hijikata-san is a pervert."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hijikata growled in response, turning around swiftly to face the Prince of Sadist Kingdom who had recovered his consciousness from since god-knows-when.

"Lolicon."

"WHO THE HELL IS A LOLICON?"

Being able to witness Hijikata's soft spot to his advantage, a sadistic smile slowly formed on Okita's face. The bruise on his cheek he got from Gintoki's bokuto made him looked even crueler then usual. He cupped his hands around his mouth and started to shout 'frantically' coupled with his unwavering deadpan.

"Help! Hijikata is ruining a pure girl with his mayonnaise-stained hands. Ah… I can't stop this beast. Somebody! Do something! Slain this beast!"

Hijikata trembled in annoyance and drew his sword at Okita. "I'M GONNA CUT YOU DOWN!!"

Five minutes later when Yamazaki came stumbling into the clearing with around twenty men trailing behind him, Hijikata and Okita was already in a heated battle of dodge-the-bazooka. They both then decided to drag the newcomers into their childish yet mortally dangerous game. The one-sided fight between them was so intense that neither man noticed how some of the newcomers attempted to attack them or how they were struggling to reach to the center of the clearing where Gintoki and the others were in the midst of Okita and Hijikata's war.

It was when one of the explosions caused a more permanent damage to Yamazaki and the group of men that Hijikata realized these men did not belong to the Shinsengumi. As the last of the scattered men landed onto the pile of unconscious bodies, Hijikata saw that they wore suits embossed with a picture of a bat on their chests instead of the familiar black with yellow outline uniforms.

"… Who are they?"


I'm not going to ask for a review... I mean, really, it's not me... It's Elizabeth (points to Yakuza Elizabeth) with a signboard saying "Do R&R (smiles sweetly)... and don't stand behind me."