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Cutthroat Life

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"Ne, you sure you're up for it?"

"My blade's been feeling rusty for the last few weeks, ya know I am."

Whatever hope they had regarding the blood-sucking beasts being kept in their holding pen had fled when the newest one broke free to terrorize the streets near and around Shimabara. San'nan-san had insisted Kawa pair up with Souji namely because it would've happened sooner or later and also because Kawaramachi was dangerous if one were to go there alone.

Souji smirked ruefully, arms folded behind his head, as he looked the way of his princess. "Sucks ya said that, I was hopin' to keep you safe and away from that thing," he lamented.

Jabbing him in his ribs with ease, Kawa smiled serenely as he winced and dropped his arms, "I'd rather go with ya into Choshu turf than risk getting my ear chewed off by Toshi for stayin' back like a coward." She assured.

Both lovers perked up at hearing another set of footsteps following theirs, and she was first to look back to find the steps belonged to Ibuki.

"What's with you?" Souji was first to ask.

Ibuki returned, "he's in Shimabara, isn't he?"

"Yep, but you'll only get in the way if Kawa or I have to save your ass from the Rasetsu again, deadweight…" Souji huffed.

"I'm not askin' for protection, I'm coming along for my own reason. If y'think I'm in the way then kill me." Ibuki cut across stubbornly.

Souji cocked a brow at him before looking to his comrade with a slight sigh, "Princess?"

Kawa smiled privately as she already knew of Ibuki's 'own reason', taking the brunette's hand in hers, "I think it's very brave that Ibuki-kun wants to help out. We might need an extra hand, too." She conceded.

Ibuki caught the knowing look on her face and he looked elsewhere, "thanks for that, Kawa-chan."

"That's a slim 'might' considerin' who you're talking about…" Souji mused, smiling cheerily when earning a look from her.

It didn't take long for the odd trio to find their lost monster. The lone woman didn't need to look at the younger of the two men to know he was more nervous about fighting it than the older was… she couldn't find it in herself to blame him.

"Ya smell like the last freak that fled our headquarters!" Souji called leisurely to the growling creature at the other end of the dark alley.

Drawing her katana from its scabbard, Kawa chuckled wryly, asking, "sure you should be yelling that in Shimabara?"

"Blood… give me blood!" The Rasetsu that had once been a man named Saiki snarled at them, wielding the crimson-stained sword he had stolen.

"Don't think it matters, babe," Souji huffed with a smirk over his shoulder meant for her, rushing the monster only to drop back when punted away, looking to her when she brushed past him to slash at their foe's belly.

Kawa perked up when Saiki leapt into the air to dodge her attack, voicing an annoyed growl, "shit…!"

"Heads up!" Ibuki warned as he tossed a bucket at the descending beast, surprising his companions for a second, freezing when Saiki dropped next to the broken bucket and rounded on him.

Souji was first after the beast that charged their companion, snatching a fistful of Saiki's haori to ram his blade into his heart, stopping the other altogether.

"You got him," Kawa said in relief as she had ran after him to watch the dead Rasetsu hit the ground face-first, smiling.

Souji returned his dirtied sword to its scabbard, smirking back, "You alright, princess?" He asked, his smirk softening when she nodded between following suit.

"Souji, Kawa-chan!" Shinpachi's voice came from the more open end of the alley, and the trio looked to their friends who had found them.

"Make sure noone comes near this alley," Toshi nodded to the brunette trio who took off to do as told, looking to the named pair, "Good job you two."

Kawa shrugged innocently when being pulled to Souji's side by his arm on her waist, "it was more Souji than me, really…"

"Regardless we did good as a team, didn't we?" Souji reminded with an affectionate squeeze.

Toshi shook his head slightly before looking to find Ibuki nearby and he scowled at him, "what're you doing here? Don't tell me you got in their way…" He accused.

"Well…" Ibuki began.

"Ironically he wasn't a total loss," Souji admitted calmly as he passed by with Kawa in tow by their intertwined hands, "shake a leg, princess."

Kawa looked back at Ibuki and waved with her free hand, "thanks for helping, Ibuki-kun!" She smiled.

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"I figured he'd pull something one day, but to run off with the Ochimizu…" Toshi shook his head.

Heisuke was first to ask, "we've gotta figure out where he went, though, don't we?"

"You have any ideas?" Kawa wondered.

Toshi lamented, "I'd happily send everyone out to look for Niimi-san, but considerin' this involves that medicine, we can only send out those of us who know about it."

San'nan-san agreed, "we're fortunate that he didn't take the men he used the medicine on."

"So that means that if he doesn't continue with the experiments, we won't hear of more trouble from him, right?" Sano reasoned.

"But wouldn't that man do whatever's necessary to sell the Ochimizu?" Souji asked at large, causing the room to quiet down.

Kondou cleared his throat moments later and addressed them all, "in short, finding Niimi-san is our top priority. Be more vigilant in your patrols!"

"Sir!"

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Poking her head around the first row of onlookers, her eyes narrowed at recognizing the corpse the two men were inspecting. She turned to retreat to the higher part of the incline where her companions stood, shaking her head slightly in disgust.

It would've been easier if either of the two men with her had gone to get a closer look, but they had deemed she do it as she would be less noticeable. Putting both of their heads together gave her pause as it had in the past.

"We were right, weren't we?" The tallest of her companions asked as he helped her onto the incline.

She nodded and looked back at the small scene for a moment, before smiling at both men, "Dead on… literally. Good one, boys."

"Come on, we need to report this to Hijikata-san," her fellow lefty suggested, turning to retreat to the manor and hearing the couple shortly follow his lead.

"You're sure he was a Rasetsu?" Toshi asked once the trio had returned to report to him, looking between them before resting his eyes on Saitou.

Saitou nodded, "Positive. I suspect that Niimi-san cut him down after the experiment backfired, to keep the creature from running amuck."

"Got any bright ideas, Hijikata-san?" Souji asked their fearless leader from his and Kawa's seat at the side.

"Fukuchou!" The four perked up at the voice of their returned investigator, and the woman opened the door to find Yamazaki present. "The inspectors just informed me that they saw a man who looked like Niimi-san dubbing himself Tanaka Iori enter a high-end restaurant called Yamao in Gion-Shinchi." He stated.

Toshi looked to the trio, "are you up for this?"

"Hai."

"'Course."

"Duh."

"It'd get too cramped if we all were to apprehend him inside, so it'll just be us five." Toshi reasoned aloud.

Saitou nodded, "Right."

Kawa drew away from the wall to stand and offered a hand to Souji.

Souji smirked up at her and accepted the help, hopping to his feet, "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

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Geez, Toshi… Kawa deadpanned.

They had found the restaurant easily, and between she and Souji he seemed more fidgety when Toshi had stormed in first to demand the host tell him which room Tanaka Iori was in.

"This'll take forever," Souji griped before slipping past their leader into the recesses of the building, hearing Kawa and Saitou follow his lead.

"Hurry up, Toshi!" Kawa called calmly once they were down the hall.

More than a dozen complaints came from the other customers in the restaurant as they –namely Souji and Kawa— threw open the rooms' doors at random. The process continued until they reached a room that was strangely dark as the lights had been doused in haste.

"H-Hijikata!" Niimi blanched at the sight of the four that had found him, nearly jumping a foot in the air when the named man's face was the first he saw.

"Found ya," Souji hummed with a rueful smirk.

Toshi glowered at their trapped traitor, "just what're you doin' in a place like this, Niimi-san?"

"W-what're you doing here?" Niimi stammered out, voice kicked up an octave in fear, adding in an attempt to cover his ass, "if something happens to me, y'know S-Serizawa-sensei will let you have it!"

"'Serizawa-sensei will', huh?" Kawa echoed coldly as Toshi strode further into the room, a likewise smirk crossing her lips when her look-a-like's ruining of Niimi's place setting caused the lattermost to scramble back until his back hit the far wall.

"Y-you shut your mouth, Hijikata brat!" Niimi snapped at her.

"Ne, don't tell me Serizawa-san ordered ya to sell that medicine to national loyalist bastards." Souji drawled.

"Who're these dogs to bark at us?" One of the two ronin Niimi had been negotiating with demanded as he hopped to his feet.

Niimi glared at the four and spat, "Shinsengumi."

"Mibu wolves?" The second ronin exclaimed as he had also jumped up, hand flying to the sword at his hip.

Without letting the man even draw his blade, Souji lashed out at him with his own katana puncturing the other's throat, his smirk remaining as he let him drop, "why rush to your death so soon?" He wondered.

"Bastard…!" The first ronin lunged at him to avenge his comrade.

Katana leaving its scabbard, Kawa stepped in and rammed her blade into his chest, her smirk gone as she drew her blade back and let the man hit the floor.

"Y-you damn fools can't ever hope to understand the current political situation! You won't get off easy if you try to hurt me!" Niimi vowed desperately, flinching under the violet gaze of the quartet's leader.

Toshi scoffed at that, "is that all you've gotta say…?" He trailed off when Niimi withdrew a familiar vial from his shirt's confines and downed it, feeling time freeze in that moment. He drew his sword in the half-second that followed and struck.

Niimi, now white-haired and red-eyed, grinned maniacally as he blocked his strike with ease and knocked him back.

"Son of a bitch…" Kawa groused before looking at Saitou who brushed past her to send a round of fury-swipes at the Rasetsu.

Saitou glared at the creature that dodged his strikes as if he were made of grease before one was victorious as he caught the other right between the eyes.

Souji swore when the caught Niimi disappeared from sight, looking at the ceiling when seeing a hint of movement, "Hajime-kun, up!" He barked as his friend dropped back to land expertly near them and draw his short sword, rushing at the monster only to be blocked as Toshi had.

Niimi's infernal grin remained as he forcefully yanked the brunette down to the floor by his right arm, his own blade swinging to deal a blow.

"No!" Kawa growled out as she hurtled into him to aid Souji, turning about and straightening when Niimi disappeared again, her sword raised defensively as the lattermost reappeared in the middle of the room.

"You're all too slow; your movements are as clumsy as a child's!" Niimi sneered at them.

"So you kept your sanity even after transforming," Toshi growled annoyedly as he glanced at Saitou retrieving his blade from where it had been stuck.

Niimi hummed, "if you recall, I did say you wouldn't get off easy if you tried to hurt me."

Souji extended his free arm infront of Kawa as he groused, "it's like he's stronger even though there's four of us against him… definitely not cool."

"This's the power of the Rasetsu!" Niimi scoffed, "the new era will belong to whoever owns this medicine! Choshu, Satsuma, and even Tosa… everyone desperately wanted it!"

"Who'd you sell it to, then?" Kawa demanded.

Niimi glanced at the slain ronin as he answered, "those two had a very interesting proposal, but thanks to you damned wolves, that's a thing of the past!"

Toshi glanced back at his 'sister' as she nodded slightly when seeing he and Souji share a brief look, both men plus Saitou rushing Niimi at the same time.

Reacting quickly, Niimi sucker-punched Saitou's left cheek and delivered a sharp kick to both Souji and Toshi, knocking all three men back. He laughed as he rounded on the woman who had winced at having her comrades knocked out, grinning dauntingly at her steely eyes that glared at him. "What'll you do now, she-wolf? All your barking won't do good if you can't snap your fangs…!" He caught her sharp swing for his head, her katana clashing with his short sword, forcing her away to regard the trademark Hijikata scowl on her brow.

"Killing worthless rats like you isn't my specialty, but I'll make an exception," Kawa sneered back, lunging again and stiffening when he disappeared. She twisted about to block his slash for her back, grey clashing with red, before she rammed a sharp kick in his groin and forced him away.

"Insolent bitch!" Niimi spat, flinching at her well-placed kick, rushing her only to miss when she swerved out of the way. He rounded on her again before halting when her katana stabbed into his heart, red eyes going wide as he looked on the woman. "Y-you…"

"You had a point, at the end… Looks like my fangs were able to snap your throat after all." Kawa said quietly, watching the life leave him, retrieving her blade and letting Niimi hit the floor. She regarded the dead beast and closed her eyes to breathe a sigh of relief.

Toshi was first to get to his feet, looking at her as Souji stepped away to help Saitou up. "Are you hurt?" He wondered, out of concern moreso than worry considering who he was asking, looking from her to the slain Niimi.

Flicking blood from her blade to return it to its scabbard, Kawa smiled wryly at him, "Nah, just glad this is over."

"Same here," Souji commented, minding the soft look he earned from her and he smiled rather proudly, "kinda glad you never kicked me in the nuts like that, though." He added.

Saitou rolled his eyes even though he couldn't disagree with his old friend, nodding at her, "'She-Wolf'… seems to suit you to the letter." He smiled wryly.

Perking up at the general sense of approval at her new nickname, Kawa's ears reddened and she smiled shyly. "Idiots, all three of you…" She griped.

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"Can you be less forceful when tending to your patients…?"

Finishing with patching up his bandaged ribs, she straightened and gave him a look, "You've got no room to complain considerin' I picked it up from you."

Both she and Yamazaki had returned to the manor unscathed, about two hours ago now, so they had set to patching up Saitou, Souji, and Toshi in her room. Yamazaki had already helped Saitou nurse his cracked jaw, whereas Kawa tended to the remaining two. She had thanked Yamazaki for helping and told him to get some sleep before letting Saitou retire to his room as he said he was fine to move around.

The brunette lounging on her bed snickered at witnessing the sibling bonding, commenting, "She's got ya there, Hijikata-san."

The named man scowled between the couple and exhaled shortly. "It's any wonder you two are meant for each other… puttin' you together is almost scary." He groused, snatching his purple yukata from her and shrugging it on.

His 'sister' puffed and folded her arms at her chest, cheeks pink at his observation. "Ya could at least thank me for fixing your ribs, dummy," she mused.

"That counts," Toshi retorted calmly, minding her pout at his nonchalance and he smiled a little, "you really do act like a brat sister… most of the time." He said, earning a curious look from her as she handed him his things back.

Kawa glanced elsewhere before wondering, "you think?" Everyone thought as such, and she did love him like a brother…

Toshi ruffled her hair, his smile turned into a smirk when she shooed him off and scowled, straightening to leave for his own room, "considering how far you've come, I'm sure noone would think to consider you less than what you are." Opening the door to leave, he added as grey met violet, "sleep well, She-Wolf."

Kawa watched him leave before closing the door and she shook her head. "I hate when he acts like an enigma… guess it makes sense, though, considerin' how much he acts like a dummy big brother." She sighed and turned to the last man present in her room.

"Yeah but you're about as stubborn as he is, princess," Souji reminded knowingly as he lifted his head from lying back on the surprisingly comfortable mattress.

Untying her hair from the ponytail to let it fall down her back, Kawa pouted at him and flicked her tie at his face. "It'd be smart on both our parts if we didn't do anything tonight, considerin' you're on the mend." She mused as she walked past him to change into her sleeping robe.

Turning to watch her, no stranger to seeing her like that considering the physical aspects of their relationship, Souji whined, "but my arm's better, Kawa…"

Fastening the robe's sash at her waist, Kawa shook her head and shuffled to douse the light as the room became dark. "I know but I'm dead tired after dealing with that rat, and then patching you lot up…" She defended as she went to her already-occupied bed, yanking her blankets from under him.

Souji grumped at knowing she had a point, shuffling to kiss her as he joined her on the mattress. He pouted when she drew away to give him a look, exhaling and smiling wryly. "Ya looked badass earlier, princess." He admitted.

Kawa smiled fondly and shuffled to wrap her arms around his chest, stifling a yawn, "I try." She grumped slightly when he stole another kiss, inhaling and curling her fingers in his brown hair as she reciprocated, letting him pull back only to yawn. "Get some sleep, kitty." She teased softly, stroking his cheek and giggling at the countering pout on his face.

"Kinda easy when I've got ya in my arms, princess," Souji smirked for her, kissing her forehead.

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an: i mentioned this in the summary but i AM going into all three seasons and throwing bits of the Sekkaroku OVA into this too. again, friendly FYI