Chapter 11.
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The sound of sobbing could be heard echoing down the corridors of the hospital. Men in suits lined the walls outside a particular room where the crying was most prominent. Nurses and doctors walked by the area with trepidation.
A particular skittish nurse scuffled past them and opened the door to the room hurriedly. "Yo-your-your Majesty, ple- please excuse me, I need to switch the patients IV bag."
Soyo stifled her sobs and stood aside. Staring in awe at the royalty, the nurse awkwardly fumbled with the nearly empty IV bag next to the unconscious Kagura. Gintoki stepped behind her and assisted her with the task with much more steady hands.
After the nurse left, Gintoki turned to Soyo. "Hey hey, I get that your worried, but Kagura will be just fine. You'll be the first to know when she wakes up. You've been here for hours, maybe you should go get some rest."
Nobume nodded her head behind them. Soyo sniffled some more, and bowed toward Gintoki, startling him. "Gin-chan-san" she also turned toward Umibouzu and did the same. "Umibouzu-san, please accept my deepest apologies. Had I known my request to bring Kagura-chan back would lead to this... I, I-" Tears welled in her eyes again." Gintoki flailed, trying to think of something reassuring to say.
"No, your majesty." Umibouzu interrupted him. "You mustn't blame yourself, you had given me a task but I had failed, and in doing so... " He turned toward his daughter and clenched his fist.
"Ah, oi oi" Gintoki tried to diffuse the tension, "ahaha, if we're all playing the blame game here, then she was captured cause of me, wasn't she? Ehehe..."
They both turned towards him.
"Yes, that is true."
"Hm, You're right."
Gintoki sweat-dropped.
"Maa, maa, everyone calm down. I think we're all just tired." Shinpachi stated, ever the voice of reason. "Kagura-chan's a strong girl, even the doctor was amazed at how fast she's healing so no need to worry."
His sister stepped up beside him. "Shin-chan's right. I have an idea! How about we all stop over at the family dojo and I'll make everyone some Tamago to brighten our spirits." She clapped cheerfully. "I can even make some extra for Kagura when she wakes up."
Gintoki and Shinpachi went green.
"Oh, how gracious of you, Otae-san. Thank you kindly. Ah! Is that the time? Oh my, we are awfully late for... something. I'll take my leave now, I'll visit again!" Soyo and Nobume zoomed out taking the men in suits with them.
Even Umibouzu had heard of the horror of this woman's cooking from his daughter. "Hmmmm, aughhhhh, my stomach, my stomach! I suddenly need to go to the bathroom reaaallly badddllyy. Must have been something I ate before, uurrghh, garrrghh." Clutching his stomach dramatically, he wobbled out of the room as well.
Gintoki stared after them, then belatedly clutched his stomach as well. "AUgh, damn, whatever that baldy ate must have transmitted to me too, uurrghh, garrrghh, gotta go." Just as he was leaving, a hand with monstrous strength clutched his shoulder.
Not wanting to turn his head, behind him was Otae with her most sinister smile. "At least come up with a little better excuse than that, Gin-san." She cracked her knuckles.
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A peaceful day in Kabuki-cho, the sun is shining, the birds are tweeting, the leaves are rustling. Around the hospital is a beautiful park where children play and couples cuddle. The sound of glass breaking and the scream of a man falling to his death interrupted the tranquility. Just another peaceful day in Kabuki-cho.
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"AHAHAHAHAHA, good one, otae-san!" Kondo appeared when a space opened up beneath the floorboards. "Well, I like the idea! I'll eat all your Tamago, Otae-san, everyday, for the rest of my life." He grinned. "Marry me!" Otae's eye twitched and with a massive kick to his head, the cement concaved below him. A large dent formed in the ceiling one floor down.
Her kick also disrupted the nearby floorboards, sending them flying and revealed the face of another individual laying unobtrusively beside Kondo. It also made enough vibration in the room to cause Sarutobi to fall from the corner of the roof she was hiding in as well.
"Okita-san!" Shinpachi exclaimed surprised, he wasn't so surprised about the stalker masochist. "What are you doing here? I thought you were put on bed-rest."
The young man with red eyes and a deadpan face stood from his hiding spot and dusted himself off with one hand (the other was in a sling), disregarding the splattered head of his commander. "Bed-rest is boring." He drawled. He surreptitiously glanced at the unconscious girl laying on the bed.
From outside, they could hear the sound of running footsteps. "Uh oh." Sougo muttered just before the door slammed open revealing a slightly burnt-to-a-crisp Hijikata.
"YOU BASTARD! I'd knew I'd find you here!" Unsheathing his sword he stepped forward. "The nurse asked me to check up on you. WHO PUTS BLOODY GRENADES UNDER THEIR BLANKETS IN A HOSPITAL!?"
Kondo managed to sit up clutching his head that was overflowing with blood, good thing he was in a hospital. "Ah, Toshi, go easy on Sougo today. You know, the doctors did say they gave him some medication that may cause adverse reactions, maybe he just thought he was in danger."
Hijikata spat, "Danger my ass. He's the only danger!" aggressively pointing his sword.
Sougo, however, appeared pitifully ill, and he was tottering this way and that, extremely unsteady on his feet, heading alarmingly close to the broken window that Gintoki was tossed out of.
Hijikata forgot his anger and rushed forward. "Oi, watch out." He shouted, reaching out.
Within a blink of an eye, Sougo twisted around, knocked Hijikata's feet from under him and swerved him in a way that led him straight through the open window. The last thing Hijikata saw of the room was Sougo's gleaming red eyes and arrogant smirk.
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The same peaceful day in Kabukicho. The sun, birds, leaves, kids and couples were just starting to forget the chill of the deathly scream heard before, returning to their merriment. Until another unearthly scream shook their cores, this time with an added "Youuu Basssttarrrddddd" fading in the distance.
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Sougo crouched down with a bazooka on his good arm he randomly retrieved out of thin air. "And just for good luck." He smirked, warming up the weapon and aiming it at the still falling vice-commander. 'Vweeeeeeeeeeen' went the high-pitched loading sound just before the rocket launches.
It was at this moment that one of the occupants in the room decided that enough is enough!
'How does anyone get any goddamn rest in this place when there's. So. Much. Fucking. RACKET!' Large blood shot eyes abruptly opened and she sat up rapidly. The pain in her stomach overwhelmed by her sheer anger.
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The same peaceful! day in Kabukicho. Surely, surely, after 2 unfortunate interruptions the day will be back to sunshine and rainbows. But just at that thought, the sound of a hideous monstrous roar, several windows shattering, 5 separate death wails and a rocket exploding in mid-air could be heard from the same vicinity as the previous incidents.
Alright, fine! Clouds quickly covered the bright sky and rain started smattering down. Kids and couples alike squirrelled their way back indoors.
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Kagura closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, enjoying the peace and quiet. Though rain poured into the room through the broken windows, Kagura limped back to her bed and snuggled in under the covers.
Finally, sleep.
Notes: Hahaahaha, not the end yet. Ever so close now. Was gonna try squeeze it in, but ya'll just gonna have ta wait.