Seven days had passed. Those seven days, that one week, Kagura had been training in anticipation, trepidation.
"I think... It's time to face him," Kagura finally got the courage to say out loud as they cleared their plates in Okita's apartment. "You ready?"
"Yeah. Call him up and tell him where we're gonna meet tomorrow. We'll be kicking some ass," Okita gave her a smirk accompanied by his arrogant tone. Of course, in truth, he wasn't that confident. The reason why he said that was because he knew Kagura was still a little hesitant and fearful about what was to come. If he didn't act like he knew what he was doing, then they would be in some serious, deep shit.
Tomorrow, huh? Okita settled down in the couch he had been sleeping on for the past few days. He missed his bed, he really did, just that maybe now wasn't the best of times to get into a squabble with a girl who might get taken back to her home that she had runaway from so many years ago. He turned to his side while his hand rested under the pillow.
Kagura who had just finished washing up after dinner stole a quick glance at the boy who seemed already fast asleep with his back facing her. She walked over to him with light footsteps, a sense of daintiness, much unlike the person she was and was going to be once she got rough and dirty in the fight. Kagura stared at the unmoving Sadist, the unmoving Okita. A foe whom she considered from the bottom of her heart as a friend.
"Thanks, Sadist." She headed back to the room he had given up for her, thinking she should get the same rest her accomplice was getting. Only that accomplice was hardly asleep.
What are you thanking me for... Idiot.
"How like you to settle this with a fight. I can't object to the way you do things though. That's actually the mark of a true Yato, maybe you should just quietly come back afterall. But that might not be so fun," Kamui stepped into the proposed arena of battle, arguing with his own comments as he went on.
"Stop with the chatter, Kamui... Just hurry up and fight me."
"Mmm? However, i'm quite saddened Kagura, that you think you can beat me. My big brother image is shattered if my little sister thinks she's better than me, isn't it?"
"I'm not gonna fight you alone," She raised her voice from across, "this guys also gonna mess you up." Kagura signalled to Okita who was standing beside her. "And if you want to throw in some followers be free to do so."
"Throw in some followers? These guys won't hurt you, you are the leader's offspring after all. I'll be the one to crush you. Crush you real bad."
Before Kagura knew it, the vast distance seperating her opponent and her was gone. Kamui had closed in in a matter of miliseconds and struck Kagura, sending her grazing against the sandy battlefield. Okita took this chance to throw a punch at the man who had long and nicely braided hair that whipped in the air with his quick movements. The punch was easily blocked with one arm of Kamui's, as a kick sent Okita flying as well.
"In just a matter of seconds. See? You can't beat me. Nobody can."
"Ain't it too early to say that? We're just getting started." Kagura picked herself up from the ground, spitting out the sand that irritated her tastebuds. She rushed forward again, this time, successfully kicking Kamui in the abdomen. He, however, grabbed those legs and spun the small frame of Kagura's around. She fell to the ground but quickly followed up with a leg sweep, causing him to lose his balance.
Okita joined in once again, delivering a blow to Kamui's chest with his elbow. But no matter how much damage Kamui took, the fearsome man still had a smile on his face, as if whatever attacks the pair hit him with was for naught.
Kamui grabbed Okita by the head and headbutted him hard, causing Okita's vision to whirl for a slight second. Okita recovered and threw a heavy punch at Kamui's face. For the first time, Kamui actually fit the look of a person being battered. The area around his lips had started to trickle blood.
"Ow. That actually hurt," Kamui said irritatedly, turning his head back to face his assaliant. His eyes were no longer smiling. Those were the same azure eyes of Kagura that screamed: I want to kill. Kamui grabbed Okita by the throat and lifted him off the ground with sheer strength.
"Let go!" Kagura yelled before she tried to deliver a flying kick to Kamui, but he simply dodged it and slammed her into the ground. His foot was on her head as he continued to apply pressure, driving her deeper into the earth. He then stepped on her arm, making sure she wasn't going to attempt any more attacks.
"Don't get in the way, dear sister. I would like to have an uninterrupted fight with this interesting man."
"You bastard..." Okita grimaced under the force of Kamui's hand on his throat. With both his feet, Okita bounced off Kamui's chest to finally be released of his hold. Despite that, Kamui was all ready to punch Okita down to the ground before he even had time to land. And once Okita was down, Kamui pounded his fists down on him again and again and again.
The badly injured Kagura mustered all her strength to raise her head which was buried deep within the sand. Her vision was a blur, but she could see her brother raining blows on the Sadist non-stop.
"Stop it!" She screamed. She went unheard and ignored. "I said stop it!" Tears welled up in those eyes that stung of sand particles as she shouted repeatedly at her brother to cease his actions. Okita's handsome face was all bloodied, you wouldn't even called that handsome.
"STOP IT!"
That was where the string of sense had snapped. The sanity was gone.
Like a sudden surge of power had coarsed through her veins, the injured girl who couldn't get up seconds before picked herself up from where she lay. The bloodthirsty eyes made their way towards the merciless man. She brought her hands down, and this time, Kamui went down hard. He tried to get up but it was now Kagura's turn to relentlessly attack. She grabbed him by the arms, flung him in the air, then brought him down to taste the same ground she was made to taste.
"You've found your Yato mode, eh?" Kamui wheezed in between the torrents of attacks. Kamui had already been pretty much taken out after a few hundred hits, but there was no sign of stopping. In fact, those eyes of Kagura looked like they yearned for more bloodshed.
It was Okita's turn to get up from his beaten state. He knew what was happening. And he knew he was probably the only one who could stop her.
"China!" He bellowed as he charged over to the girl who had utterly lost her conscience. He forcefully wrapped his arms around her from behind to try stop her violent outbreak. Kagura, in resistance, tried to lose his hold. However, Okita's grip on her was strong and he had no intention of letting go.
"China, it's me. Come back to us.
It's already over, we've won. You're free, they won't come after you anymore. You can stay here as long as you want, you're not going anywhere. I'm not going anyway. I'll be here, with you. So Kagura... Please."
The uncooperative Kagura had stopped her twisting and turning. She remained still. Okita's arms around her loosened.
The usual sparkle had returned into her eyes. Those eyes soon welled up with tears.
"It's over..." She murmured with relief while the water droplets continued to cascade down her face. "It's over, Kamui."
"Yeah..." There was a weak reply coming from the man lying motionlessly flat on the floor.
"I don't want you to come back again."
"It was Dad who wanted you back."
"What?" Her eyes widened upon hearing the truth. "Papi?"
"Who else, idiot?"
"..."
"Why?"
"Why don't you ask him?"
"Don't play games with me, Kamui."
Kamui didn't reply. He just looked up at the sky.
"China, you've said everything?"
"...Yeah."
"Okay, it's hospital time," Okita said expressionlessly as he wiped away the blood around his eye area.
"Otose-san, i'm back."
The girl wrapped in bandages stood at the doorway of her home.
"Oh my goodness, Kagura! What happened to you?" The old lady worriedly inspected her up and down.
"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just glad to be home," she beamed brilliantly.
Otose-san sighed then smiled slightly, "Welcome back."
The next day the two had returned to school after one week of their truancy. Both mummified in white gauze.
"Leader, what happened to you?!" The surprised disciples questioned the bad state of health Kagura looked to be in.
"Speaking of which, wasn't the Shinsengumi leader also wrapped in bandages?"
"O-oh. Yeah. Well that's because... We had a really big match. That's why we were absent. 'Cause we were fighting really hard."
"Wow! Good work, leader!" They praised her bravery and stength, unknown to the truth.
"Yo, Sadist," Kagura greeted the boy who had white around his head as she entered their secret rooftop territory.
"how did you explain those?"
"I told them i was busy fighting you."
Kagura laughed, "yeah, me too."
"Everything has kind of calmed down now, huh?"
"Yup. But i'm sure there's plenty more to come from your side."
"Ugh, don't remind me," Okita groaned.
"I wish we could just spend at least one day, peacefully."
Kagura watched Okita lie down into a sleeping position. "Like this?"
A slight smile formed on the lips of Okita's.
"Yeah. Like this."