Chapter 12- The Benizakura Part 3
Her gun was still smoking. Its barrel was aimed at the ceiling.
"The only reason you're breathing" said Matako, "is for his sake."
The handle of her second pistol landed a blow directly on the girl's head. Her body collapsed limp onto the ground. Ronin began to surround the body and deliver shameless boasts.
"Whoo hoo! Way to go Matako-sama!" said one of them.
"Heh" Matako turned around and grinned. The room became silent as Shinsuke gaited in. He kneeled down at the enemy's face and asked, "And who might you be?"
Dawn arrived a few hours later. It brought with it a wounded Okada. The Benizakura was intact. As for the arm that wielded it, it had been severed. Nizou took a breather in his quarters rather than immediately face Shinsuke.
Henpeita sighed. "You really overdid it this time. We let you run around doing as you like with the Benizakura and you allow yourself to lose an arm."
"You ought to prepare yourself for seppuku Okada-san." he continued.
Nizou calmly said, "I lost my arm, but I returned with the Benizakura. Doesn't that count for anything?"
Matako spoke up. "You're selfish behavior these last few days is unacceptable."
She said, "What're you going to do if the Shogun's dogs find out about the Benizakura? You're distracting Shinsuke-sama."
"First you go after Kotarou Katsura and now Sakata Gintoki?" Matako asked. "If you're trying to piss off Shinsuke-sama, you're doing a damn fine job. What were you thinking?"
Matako was far from finished. She said, "You think you're stronger now? Don't kid yourself. You only defeated Katsura because of the Benizakura-"
She felt herself lift off the ground. Her hands were desperately trying tear away the appendages. It was useless. The grotesque tentacles were hellishly strong. Their grip around her throat was tightening by the second. All she could do was hope Okada wouldn't go through with it.
A voice broke through the silence.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I know it wasn't me, it was all the Benizakura. It's been eating at me, now it's taken over my body. You should watch what you say around me."
Matako continued to struggle. She could feel it crushing her throat. Her body was screaming out in pain, and pleading for air.
"Release her."
Again, Takechi repeated, "Release her."
He said, "Calm down Nizou-san, there isn't any need for this. Have you forgotten that murdering a fellow Kiheitai is an act of betrayal in Shinsuke's eyes? You're already under enough heat as it is."
Okada frowned. The vines began to recede back into his arm. Matako fell down on her stomach. She supported herself with both arms while her lungs slowly recovered.
Nizou said, "They piss me off. Isn't it time for the old legends to die and the new legends to rise up? They're not the ones at his side anymore. We are."
Nizou walked passed Matako and left the room. She began rubbing her injured throat.
"Thank you Senpai." she said.
Takechi was somewhat amazed by her show of gratitude. Rather than acknowledge her thanks, he changed the subject.
"It's getting worse- the Benizakura." he said, "I wonder what Shinsuke will do about it."
He then briskly began to march out of the room. "I'm off. It's time I learned about our prisoner's motives."
"Did you volunteer to lead the interrogation?" Matako asked. She did little to hide the suspicion in her tone.
Takechi answered, "It's my duty as a Kiheitai to investigate this matter. Why must you be so distrusting even after I save your life?"
"Why are you so defensive?" she asked.
"You shouldn't strain yourself to talk right now." he said.
"Don't dance around the question. Besides, my throat is just-eck."
Her argument was cut short by an excruciating cough.
"Idiot. You really should listen to me." Takechi said. He walked out of the room before Kijima could get the last word.
Kijima paced back and forth across the ship. She felt helpless in moments like this. She hadn't the strength to confront this new Okada, nor the permission to punish him. Shinsuke was having a private discussion with the swordsmith. The prisoner Matako had captured was left in the care of Takechi. Matako wanted to know the intruders reasons for questioning Shinsuke. But so far the kid hadn't given a response. There were so many events unfolding at once and so little Matako felt she could offer at times like these.
"Why am I being like this?" she wondered. Matako decided to ignore the cloud dampening her spirit. Everything was still uncertain. It was unlikely the intruder was working alone. And with Takasugi's operation in full gear, this wasn't the time to give way to depression. If anything, the stakes were higher than ever. She had to remain alert and vigilant.
In the end, Matako decided to visit Takechi and see what he had learned. She recalled the deal they had made. It only made sense she should be present now.
Matako choked. "Ow. Damn that Nizou… now my voice is all hoarse"
As she massaged her throat, Kijima remembered her close encounter earlier.
That sword… I wonder if it's even safe to use.
I can't believe I'm still alive. That was a really close one.
Matako knew to be more cautious around the Benizakura for now on. But Okada had failed to strike the fear in her he desired. Her mind was too well seasoned in combat to transform a brush with death into a nightmarish memory.
A ronin in front of her was sent flying into a wall. Matako was only a few yards away from the interrogation chamber. From the looks of things, Takechi was having trouble assessing the situation.
Matako crossed her arms stiffly as she saw the other members lying defeated on the ground. She could easily tell the prisoner was responsible judging from her unbound legs. That and she was firing off death threats.
"Let me go! Who the hell do you think you are?!" said the girl, "Just wait to Gin-chan gets here and kicks all your asses!"
"Oh boy, it looks she's already kicking your asses." said Matako, "You should be ashamed Senpai. I can't believe you let one brat do all this."
Takechi kept his eyes fixed on the prisoner. He casually said, "I don't think we'll get any information out of her, but it'd a shame to kill her. In two or three years, a girl like that can be truly astounding."
She said, "Please stop being such a lolicon Senpai."
Evading her gaze, he said, "I'm not a lolicon, I'm a feminist,"
He now tried to reason with Matako. "Just look, her injuries from last night have healed. And her extraordinary strength and snow white skin-"
Matako said, "Senpai, stop sounding so perverse."
"No, you misjudge me." Takechi said, "Didn't I tell you a feminist? I just happen to have a healthy affection for children."
"Then how are you not a lolicon!?"
"I give up. You just don't understand. Idiot." Henpeita said.
"As I was saying, her features match those of the Yato clan."
Matako then asked, "Yato clan? As in the mercenary clan Yato? Is she a professional assassin hired to kill Shinsuke-sama? Who the hell sent her?" She began to contemplate why a killer had been questioning her target. The various clues weren't adding up. Rather they were leaving her more and more confused.
"I told you you're too soft Senpai. This girl is our only clue." she thought.
He said, "No matter what we asked, she kept saying 'zura, zura'."
"Senpai, she's mocking you." said Matako.
"I don't care whether you're a feminist or a lolicon. It's disgusting. Let me show you how it's done."
She stepped forward and focused directly on the girl's eyes. Matako wouldn't hold back.
She said, "Hey you—" The threat Matako had prepared disappeared from her mind. She felt the sensation of a cold wet substance against her cheek— saliva. Even this sensation disappeared as her mind began to project red. She felt a familiar vein on her face begin to bulge. She wasted no time in pulling out her pistol from her right holster. Matako wanted to bash the girl's head in with it. Takechi took notice and grabbed her wrist.
"You bitch! Do you realize your position? I'll kill you!" Matako said.
"You cannot." said Takechi.
He added, "She will be at her peak in two or three years."
"Don't hold me back Takechi-hentai!"
Takechi said, "It's Senpai, not hentai."
Meanwhile, the prisoner's mouth brimmed widely. She was pleased with how easily she had ruined her interrogator's own resolve.
A moment later, Matako broke free of Takechi's feeble grip.
"You're pissing me the hell off!" said Matako. "You think you'll be fine right? You think we won't kill you if you stay quiet? You'll die here!"
Takechi said, "Calm yourself Matako-san"
"Fine" said Matako at last. She sighed and relaxed her posture. A sudden expression of disturbing cheerfulness appeared on her face.
"Not!" she said.
Matako began to pronounce her lips while pulling her head back. A gurgling sound came from her throat. Her opponent was mirroring her actions. Takechi stood between them hoping to stop them before things got out of hand.
"Phlegm throughout my body give me strength!' Matako said. She raised her arms into the air as if she were performing an ancient ritual. Takechi continued to try and stop them. His head and hands went back and forth between them.
"Stop, stop. This is dirty!" he said.
"I can feel it coming" said the other girl.
"AND SPIT" they said together.
Right then the ship gave a deep tremble. At the same second, Matako and the prisoner shamelessly began to expel saliva. Takechi was caught in the center of the crossfire. He stood, eyes unable to blink for a second.
"What? What was that?" asked Matako.
She and Takechi ran down the hallway. Right then, the ship rocked again from another assault. There was no doubt in Matako's mind that they had been discovered. Another wrench had appeared which could thwart Shinsuke's plans. There was little time left to act.
Author's Note: To recreate the Benizakura (a cooler wording for adaptation), I used the Crunchyroll translation and a manga translation. There were some interesting differences so I wound up switching between both depending on what I thought sounded best.
