Hey, Murayama Tsuru here. Maybe this is just me, but I don't think I got as much feedback for the last chapter. Is it because I updated late? I didn't mean to, please come back to me dear readers! This crane needs you! Luckily, though, I'm back to updating on time this week! Actually, though, this chapter took me a little longer than I wanted it to. I wanted to post it yesterday, but I wasn't able to finish it. But here it is now, I hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama; it's the property of Sorachi Hideaki-Sensei dattebayo (again, sorry, couldn't help myself).
The room was a very bright, open place; it had many windows that looked down upon the busy streets of Edo. In front of the capacious windows, a hooded person was sitting in a large, black chair. Though the room itself was very bright, a dark, heavy mood permeated the place like a thick fog. The hooded individual was looking out one of the windows; his white-knuckled hands gripping the chair's arms in what seemed like extreme anxiousness.
After watching the people of Edo for a while, the hooded person jumped a little when the intercom crackled to life, "Sir, Jari has returned, shall I send her up?" The person nodded a small smirk ghosting across his face.
But after a moment, the woman's voice returned, "Sir? Are you there? Should I let Jari up or not?" With a faint blush, the hooded man pressed the intercom button and mumbled an almost incomprehensible yes. The man then waited impatiently for Jari to arrive at the top floor of the NCIS building.
"Massster, I have returned." Came Jari's familiar hiss as she opened the door. Before Jari could take a step into the room, the hooded man leapt up and demanded, "Did you succeed in your mission, Jari? And where is Okojo, shouldn't he be with you?"
"Unfortunately, Okojo wasss unable to come back with me, massster. But, I wasss able to—"
"A pity that Okojo is no longer with us. He was a friend to us all here at NCIS." The hooded figure interrupted.
With a sharp, pointed glare in the man's direction, Jari continued "Asss I wasss sssaying. I managed to cut the power to the Shinsengumi. And I've confirmed that the Harusssame leader wasss indeed ssstaying there, It'sss only a matter of time before they come here. Everything isss going according to plan."
"Very good," The man said with a nod, "That is all for now Jari. You are dismiss—" The man cut himself off, feeling Jari's ferocious glare on him. He looked up to see Jari's eyes in a blink-less stare pinning him to his seat. After a tense pause, Jari smiled at the man, "Would you please hand me my glasses, Hotaru?" All traces of a snakelike hiss disappearing as she said this.
'Hotaru' blanched, hearing the unspoken threats in Jari's voice. Gulping silently, he took her glasses out from the drawer and walked them over to her. Once she put them on, the hooded man thought to himself, 'Why doesn't she just get contacts? She'd look less like that Kabuto character she hates so much if she did.' Hotaru would never voice these thoughts aloud, though; Jari hated being compared to Kabuto from Naruto; claiming they were nothing alike.
Jari walked over to desk, and sat down. Once she was comfortable, she crooked a finger at Hotaru in a come-hither gesture. Hotaru reluctantly walked over to the desk, looking down at the floor the whole time.
Hotaru flinched as he sensed Jari's hand come toward him. But instead of the scolding Hotaru thought he would receive, Jari said soothingly, "You've been playing this role for a long time now, haven't you Hotaru."
"…Yes Jakumo-sama, I have."
The Yorozuya trio plus Kamui and Abuto sat in Kondo's study. Shinpachi was sitting in Seiza, looking apologetic (Gin told him and Kagura what happened before they got into the room). Kagura was having a heated staring contest with Okita across the room, both oblivious to the tense atmosphere of the room. Kamui and Abuto were in the back of the room, Kamui sitting and Abuto standing. While Abuto had an extremely bored expression on, the smile Kamui's face betrayed nothing of the guilt he was feeling at having let the Shinsengumi's power go out.
Gin was sitting a little in front of the group, sweating and trying to avoid catching the gaze of either Kondo or Hijikata. Kondo was sitting across from Gin looking pensive, while Hijikata was pacing angrily behind him. Many times, Hijikata looked like he wanted to say something. But whenever he opened his mouth, he would only close it forcefully again, not being able to find enough words to express his extreme anger at the silver-hair.
Kamui, seemingly unable to take the silence anymore, tried to break the tension in the room, "Hijikata-san, I know you probably blame Gintoki-san for this. But you should know, it is partially my fault as well. If I hadn't walked up to them—"
"No," Hijikata growled, cutting Kamui off, "This is entirely the sugar-freak's fault. If he hadn't decided to stay here, then none of this would have happened."
"Hey, now Toshi," Kondo cut in, looking over at Hijikata, "If we're passing blame around, then we're to blame too. The power-outages have been going on for some time now. But we didn't see the significance in it, so we did nothing."
Hijikata stopped in his tracks to look over at Kondo incredulously. But Kondo, ignoring Hijikata's glare, looked directly at Gin and continued, "So, Yorozuya, I think it's time for you tell us what's really going on."
Gin sighed, knowing this was coming. He spared a quick glance at Kamui who gave him a small nod. Turning back to Kondo, he scratched his head and began telling the Shinsengumi about how he had found Kamui outside his house a week ago.
After Gin finished (with many additions from Kagura, Shinpachi, Kamui and Abuto), the three Shinsengumi members present were silent in thought. After a few minutes, Hijikata mused aloud, "So you're telling me you've been running from the Neo Creative Invention Service."
Gin nodded, "And you've been harboring the leader of the notorious Harusame Space Pirates, who had conveniently lost his memories."
Gin nodded again, "So, why shouldn't we arrest you right now? You've been aiding wanted criminals all this time. Were we to take you all into our custody, this huge mess you created would probably just go away." Hijikata said, taking a long drag on his cigarette. When Hijikata had finished talking, many eyes were on him. Kondo opened his mouth to chastise Hijikata when Abuto spoke up,
"You're right, there's nothing stopping you from arresting us right now. But if you do, I doubt 'this mess' as you called it is going to go away."
Hijikata gave Abuto a hard glare, "How do you know that? What if we turned you and your leader in to the NCIS; how do you know they wouldn't stop cutting the power then?"
Abuto let out a humorless chuckle, "Actually, that's the reason I came over here today. The Harusame spies that have infiltrated the NCIS reported back to me today. They told me that the NCIS have been planning a hostile takeover of Edo and the surrounding area for a while now. So, even if you turn me and the admiral in to them, nothing will stop. In fact, it will probably just hasten their plans."
Hijikata's eyes widened hearing this, "You're kidding right? That place must have recruited at least an army if your spies' information can be trusted. If that is indeed the case, we stand have a chance." Hijikata's desperation was met with a flat stare and the room lapsed again into silence.
As the silence stretched on, Hijikata's annoyed glare switched between Gin, Abuto, and Kamui. After a while, Gin returned Hijikata's glare, irritated that that was the only thing the mayo-freak could do, "Actually, I think I might have a plan to stop the NCIS."
Gin paused, but seeing as everyone's attention was no on him, he continued, "I think, though, that for the duration the Shinsengumi and the Harusame are going to have to work together for my plan to work."
Before Gin could actually tell the group his plan, Hijikata jumped up, another glare directed at the silver-haired Samurai, "You want the police to work with intergalactic space pirates? I doubt, even if we decide to listen to your plan, that the Shinsengumi will agree to do that."
Abuto, also shooting a glare at Gin, said, "I have to agree with chain smoker on this one. I doubt the Harusame will want to work with a bunch of cops. Of all the crap I've heard from you silver-hair, this has got to be the most ridiculous." This then sparked a shouting match between Gin, Abuto, and Hijikata.
After some futile attempts to calm the three down by Shinpachi, he decided to look to the others for help. First he tried asking Okita for help, but the sadist prince was too busy trying to keep his laughter to himself to notice Shinpachi's pleas.
Shinpachi then turned to Kondo, but he was already making his own efforts trying to quiet the three down. But, Kondo's efforts were halted before they could even start. Before Kondo could utter a single word, the three told him to shut up and stay out of their argument. Kondo then slunk away, trying his best not to burst into tears; Shinpachi looked on feeling sorry for the Shinsengumi chief.
Watching Kondo slump into a gloomy ball in the corner, Shinpachi sighed. He then turned over to Kagura who gave him an enthusiastic nod. But instead of doing anything herself, she went over and tapped her brother on the shoulder. The two had a short conversation, and Kamui got up, grinning like an idiot.
Kamui walked over to the arguing trio, cracking his knuckles. In a move that was too fast for Shinpachi to see, the three were suddenly on the floor. Kamui's gaze fell upon the three lying on the floor, stopping on Abuto last, "Abuto, I think we should listen to Gintoki-san's plan. I'm sure desperate times call for desperate measures."
Abuto looked at Kamui for a minute, his expression unreadable. Abuto then stood up and shrugged, "Fine, if that's what you want admiral. I've no qualms going along with the silver-hair's plans. Just don't want to be the one getting in trouble with elders is all."
Kamui grinned at Abuto in semi-thanks for acquiescing; Kamui then turned to Gin and helped him up. They then turned to Hijikata who had sat up and lit another cigarette. After a ling drag, Hijikata glared up at the three, he then turned to Kondo to see what he had to say. But, Kondo was still in a depression in the corner and wouldn't answer to any of Hijikata's calls. Hijikata then sighed, and said, "Fine, I'll listen to your plan, Yorozuya. But I reserve judgment for later." The group the reconvened (even Kondo who miraculously shook his depression the second Hijikata agreed to hear Gin's plan) and started discussing what to do now.
Meanwhile in another room, Yamazaki was guarding the dead body of the other Amanto. When Yamazaki asked why, Hijikata had said it was so the other Amanto who had stolen their power couldn't come retrieve the body. So there Yamazaki sat, trying not to watch the body. Every once in a while he thought he'd see it twitch like it wasn't actually a dead body. The Shinsengumi spy chalked it up to movements in the ground making the body move. But it was still rather creepy, so Yamazaki tried not to watch it too closely.
Soon, though, Yamazaki felt the tempting tendrils of sleep creeping upon him. For a while, the spy tried to fight the sleep off. But after yawning for the hundredth time, Yamazaki decided to let sleep overtake him; it's not as if the dead weasel Amanto was going to get up and leave any time soon.
A few minutes after Yamazaki had fallen into deep slumber, two shiny, black opened. The supposed dead body of the weasel Amanto sat up and looked around. After a quick once over of the room, Okojo's eyes landed on the sleeping Yamazaki. The Amanto stood up and cautiously walked over to the sleeping spy. Okojo sniffed Yamazaki and watched him chuckle in his sleep, but nothing else happened. So the weasel Amanto ducked out of the room before the badminton racquet carrying Shinsengumi member could wake up.
Wandering the halls, Okojo realized that Jari had managed to achieve their objective of shutting the power off in the Shinsengumi complex. Master Hotaru would be so proud of them when he returned. Thinking this a small smile appeared on Okojo's lips. But upon further thinking, the smile faltered and turned into a small frown. Jari had obviously completed the task without him and left (the last thing Okojo could remember was that crazy red-headed Yato chasing him down until collapsed from exhaustion).
Dodging the Shinsengumi members that were out and about, Okojo made his way to the only closed door in the building (the Shinsengumi had opened all the doors to keep the building from getting too stuffy). As he neared the door, he heard many voices discussing something. He only had to listen for a second to know that they were making plans to overthrow the NCIS.
Turning to leave, Okojo decided that he needed to hurry back to the NCIS headquarters and warn his master. Going back down the hall he had come from, Okojo saw that the sleeping spy had woken up and was running toward him.
When Yamazaki saw Okojo he started running faster, making Okojo panic. The weasel Amanto quickly turned around, looking for another escape route. The only door he saw was the one the voices were emanating.
Okojo panicked even more, seeing Yamazaki was within a few feet of him and there was no escape route. Okojo looked around desperately one more time; but found nothing still. Before the weasel Amanto could do anything further, Yamazaki tackled him sending them both flying though the Shoji screen into Kondo's study.
The crash left Okojo stunned and Yamazaki yelling, "Kondo-san, Fukucho! I've apprehended the other suspicious Amanto. He wasn't dead after all!"
Okojo could feel that all the people in the room were looking at them. He cringed at the thought of being captured by these people and not being able to warn his boss about them. He then heard a voice sneer, "Well, admiral, looks like you didn't kill the poor bastard after all."
There was a pause and then, "Hey, silver hair, do you think this guy could help us with this plan of yours?"
Okojo's heart when he heard another voice say, "I think our friend here will be able to help us out splendidly, Jiraiya-kun."
And that ends this chapter. We now know who the real bad guy is. This is what I had originally planned, to have a Kabuto-looking girl be the bad guy. I hadn't planned, though, to have her show up last chapter. I also had a hard time figuring out her name. I knew it was going to have Ja in it because it's another reading of蛇(hebi) which means snake. At first I wanted it to Kujako (it sounded cool) But then that didn't look right when I typed it. Then I changed it to Jakumo because the vowels are the same as Kabuto's name and I liked it better. Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Reviews are greatly appreciated and I hope to see you all next chapter as well.
-Murayama Tsuru