"Kinu-chan, you're too tense. Calm down, it's just a song."

After plucking the same wrong chord in the same part, no less than five times, Kinu threw herself backwards onto the tatami as Kawakami set his gaze on her. This was the worst. Kawakami played perfectly, as if divinely intuiting each string and the sound it would produce. Kinu sounded like she was slamming her head onto the instrument in hopes of reproducing something remotely similar.

"I hate this stupid thing." She murmured back, slapping her hand on top of the strings of her harp. "I've always hated it."

"At least it's not full sized." He was right about that. Usual koto were as tall as a person, and if Kinu had to lug one of those around, she would have taken an ax to it. Instead, she had the lap sized portable one her mother had gotten her to keep after finally quitting years of lessons.

"I'm not the least bit musically inclined."

Seeing that she was forcing a break, Kawakami resumed the song. He thoughtfully plucked the strings under his fingers, and Kinu listened to the refined twang of the melody he had chosen to teach her. His timing was impeccable. Every time she played, she just wanted to get the notes out of the way. Not wait a second between them, and build her own anxiety.

She wanted the music fast. To finish it. The start was slow, but after half a minute, it gained tempo, and the teal haired man skillfully ran through the notes, as if it was nothing to him. As if he had been born performing, and would die on his hill of musical perfection.

"Then why play?" He finally asked, slowing the notes once more, and Kinu turned her head to stare at the pick in his hand.

"No choice. For a job." He didn't respond after that. Simply played the rest of the song, just as quiet as before. When he finished, he set the pick on his lap, and scooted forward, on his knees. Kinu watched as he pulled a string of her koto up with his nail and the sound rang clear through the room.

"Can't you hire somebody?"

Humming a no under her breath, Kinu covered her face. She groaned into her palms, and kicked her legs as she turned onto her side, before pushing herself up and taking place beside her harp again.

"I need to get this right. In less than two weeks."

"How much are you doing?" He could hear it in her tune. The erratic chirp of disorientation and anxious buzz of more to do. Always more. It sounded off; concocted of tired, low sighs that made it more displaced than usual. Even the scream he'd come to associate with her had turned tired listless, more of a forced, obligatory groan. It almost made him dizzy.

Kinu turned her head, and her fingertips touched the strings of the koto, lightly brushing over them.

"Uh, I already cleaned… need to experiment with sweet recipes… And my form, I've been practicing, but I need more. And food, four courses; something from the sea, the mountains, animals, and plants… So I thought sashimi, yam, beef, and steamed cabbage… But the client is rich, so maybe more? I might hire somebody to help..."

"What's this for?"

Hand over her face, Kinu looked at the man through her cracked fingers.

"Chaji." The word was a curse on her tongue. No, her entire life. She didn't even remember her grandmother's last critiques, much less her grandfather's. Just thinking about being forced to do a ceremony without him filled her stomach with dread, and made her want to cry from sheer frustration.

"Don't you have a teacher?" Kawakami's voice was low, and again, he plucked one of the strings of her harp before quickly turning to his shamisen and trying to locate the same note.

Kinu could see her own reflection in his dark glasses. Bore witness to the worried upturn of her own brows as she shook her head.

"My dad won't help." Admitting it felt harder than it actually was. The moment she spoke the words though, Kawakami nodded.

"Your mother?"

"She doesn't know it."

With a sigh, Kawakami motioned to her instrument.

"Let's start from the beginning. Slowly. You can't just pluck the strings and expect a miracle, you need to feel the music. Music is all about soul, Kinu-chan. If you're too busy worrying about everything else, you won't be fully there. Just relax, you'll get this…"

As Kinu tearfully looked back on the stringed torture device, the man started, exactly as he had said. Slowly. She tried to listen to him. Follow his lead and keep up with him as he carefully worked through the song. Just as she was seeping into the chords, the door beside her opened, and Kawakami looked up.

He stopped playing along. So did she.

Glancing to the side, Kinu caught sight of the one eyed man, expressionlessly taking in the sight he'd stumbled upon.

"Bansai, I thought I heard you in here." He spoke slowly, as if sizing up the scene. Shamisen in hand, but making no effort to actually enter the room. Instead of responding immediately, Kawakami quietly nodded. "Is that supposed to be a koto? You're playing together?"

"Something like that. Shinsuke, I dare say it's best if you're not here for this."

Kinu turned back towards her harp. He had found her! Wanted to break up in public! Now that he'd established that it was a legitimate sort-of relationship he was after her! She didn't need to look to know that his eye narrowed to a point. The man in front of her didn't flinch. Somehow, he remained perfectly still. Serene. As if Takasugi didn't look like he would cut one of them, or both of them.

"Like I'd wanna join your amateur hour. But when you're finished, we need to talk." The door slid shut, and Kinu looked towards it, all too aware that the last bit was directed towards her. Maybe he'd put the butterflies there. He'd been placing the coins. Maybe it was him. Trying to scare her, and force her to call him for help. She was snapped back by the wave of Kawakami's hand.

"Ignore him."

She nodded, and brought her hands back over the koto as Kawakami slid his fingers up the neck of his shamisen.

"From the top." He commanded, and again, they delved into the same song they'd been rehearsing for an hour.

Kawakami was a ruthless teacher. After another hour, Kinu was half convinced that he enjoyed it when she messed up. He'd pop the back of her hand with his paddle-like pick, and say wrong, at the slightest timing error. Even if the note was right. It didn't actually hurt, and was more startling than anything when he had started, but it happened less and less as they played through the song, and Kinu managed to keep pace.

He'd smack her hand if she wasn't vibrating the string quickly enough, or was playing in what he deemed a mindless, zombified manner that lacked true emotion or heart. And then he would tell her that she had done well. Somehow. He was merciless in his assessment of her recreation. But he didn't ask her to pay him, and he didn't put her down. Only said that she needed to try again, and that she'd get it right eventually.

When her lesson finished, Kinu was beyond exhausted. There was still dirt under her nails from the yard work. Her back hurt from trying to hold the water basin together with Gintoki as Shinpachi smeared cement on it, and waved Kagura away; more afraid that she'd break it further if she participated. And she was fully aware of Takasugi's ever impending talk.

Kawakami was fine with her lighting a joint in the room, and continued playing as if his fingers didn't feel like they were going to bleed, like hers. They didn't speak again, but she listened to his masterful playing, and the way the notes seemed to naturally pour out of him.

Some people were just good at rhythm, but he'd clearly put a lot or practice into it, too.

It was worse when people said we need to talk. How rude was that? Couldn't they start with this is the thing we should talk about? Or at least say what the topic was, instead of blindsiding their victim? It was cruel, and an absolute playground for anxiety. So when she reached the hallway and came face to face with the one eyed man, she froze.

His expression was even, but his eye was narrowed.

He wasn't about to take Kinu down without a fight. They were still friends. She didn't care what he said. The moment his mouth opened she darted past. There was no way she was accepting a demotion! Especially not one from a stalker!

Dumbfounded, Takasugi stared after the girl, and what may as well have been a dust trail behind her. Why the hell was she running?!

"Oi!" She didn't slow. If anything, it looked as though she had gotten faster. What was going on?! Kinu thought she could escape, but as she fumbled to pull her shoes on, she was snatched back. "This is the wrong time to be difficult." His grip on her biceps was painfully tight, and sent a wave of combined anxiety and excitement through her. Or butterflies. Too similar to the ones he'd left in her room. "What part of talk don't you understand?"

"I don't want to. You can't make-" Before Kinu could finish her sentence, the ground shook from under her. She braced herself on the wooden floor as the sensation of the waves under the ship rocked the walls and subsequently everything within them. Then the ship went silent.

Kinu gaped up at the one eyed man. He'd braced himself on the entry table, and somehow managed to keep upright. Almost too shaken to speak, she tried to read his wide eyed expression, but the few scraps of information she could dredge up convinced her that she needed to leave.

"What was that?"

"Is the ship functional?"

Hesitating, the girl tried to run a mental diagnostic in her head.

"Sort of… Not really. If you push it too hard it'll blow-" Another tremor shook the walls across the living quarters, and Matako's voice rang out. Called for Takasugi.

"Get down there. Make it work."

Stuck to the floor, Kinu stared up at the man. That wasn't possible. Nothing was fully connected; she'd mostly gutted the room, and while everything was in place it wasn't all bolted down. The connections were basic. Enough to move and power the ship, but not finished. She couldn't put everything in and get it working so quickly.

"But… Shinsuke it would take at least four hours to-"

"Now!" He snapped, and the adrenaline shot that had misted the surface of her skin sank into her veins. There was that look again. The one that made her think it would be better to hide from him, rather than sleep with him, or anything else she'd been doing. "Save the technical shit! Can you do it or not?" Matako reached the doorway, gun already out. Only a step behind her, Kawakami slipped past her. Takasugi had been mean before, harsh, even, but this tone was entirely new to her. Kinu nodded. Willed herself to maintain eye contact. "Good. Stay down here until one of us comes back." Takasugi only spared a glance on his teammates before promptly leaving the room, and they followed his lead to rush past her through the door.

By the time Takasugi's group made it to deck, blood had already been spilled. Another ship was grating against the edge of theirs, and droves of men were spilling over the railing; unfamiliar and pristinely dressed. His men were pushing back. Boarding the other ship to prevent further damage, but the stream of invader was nonstop. No time was wasted in cutting through the nearest man, and the trio broke apart.

His first instinct had been the remnants of Aso's broken faction. There were top knots, but there had been no dramatic introduction aside from the attack itself. Amanto speckled the crowd, and nothing seemed to fit for retaliation. Aso's faction had no Amanto. This was new. A surprise attack for a specific reason. Takasugi rammed his sword straight through the burly stomach of a Minotaur-esque amanto. Warmth spilled over him as he pulled back and his sword seared behind him. Cleanly sliced a man in half. Gunfire, and metal clashing against metal flooded his senses, and the men invading his ship were warm butter to his blade. Then pain hit him.

His back arched, and he stumbled forward. Hadn't heard or seen anybody get behind him, but there a man was; sword drawn, and grinning.

"And here I thought you were invincible. With all the rumors, you'd think a guy would be harder to hit."

Liquid was spilling down his back, and the breeze caught the top of his yukata. The man was unfamiliar. Black hair spilled over his shoulders, and he stood half a head higher than the one eyed man.

Thought he'd accomplished something from the look of it.

"Big words from a man that's already bleeding. I haven't even touched you yet." The crimson stream running down the man's sleeve wasn't lost on Takasugi. As expected from his men. They weren't for show; they fought as well as they supported the restoration of the country. "I assume you expected this to be your end. No sound mind would challenge us, even without warning." The stranger snickered. Shrugged his words off.

"What did you expect, meddling with governmental affairs? You thought they wouldn't know? There's been a change of plans; meeting's cancelled."

Outward surprise crossed Takasugi. It was met with an irritatingly smug laugh. The men rushing behind Takasugi grated into the background as he sized the man up. They'd known? Changed it?

"You're popular this week. I've got two contractors looking for your head. They'll probably still pay full price if I split it in half. What do you think, top and bottom?" Curving his hand, the man held it between them. Squeezed one eye shut. Then he straightened his hand. "Or side by side?"

"I think you're gonna need a larger army."

Snorting, the man lowered his arm. Drew a breath.

"It'd be convenient if you laid your sword down now. No matter how this ends, you're getting gutted; even if they don't give you the honor."

Everything he had done had been for nothing, and they'd been a step ahead of him the entire way. Hot rage was boiling in the pit of his stomach just looking at this man and his stupid green trousers and grungy tan shirt.

"Come take it." He said. No words were needed for the next half of their conversation. The man didn't hesitate. He was quicker than expected, and Takasugi had no qualms in using every power within him to cut him down. His sword was caught, and he had no choice but to back away, but the moment he did, the same blade whizzed under the man's arm. His sword shot across the man's torso, only to have a blade through his own collar. Shredding his yukata.

Something heavy hit the deck. He didn't know what it was, and had no time to look, because the moment the ground shook, the stranger's sword was back. Trying to cut through his.

Face to face, he tried to use brute force. Shove the man back, but he wasn't budging. So he did the only thing he could. Head back, Takasugi slammed his forehead into the man's. The tension at the end of his blade disappeared and he lunged forward; ready to take the man.

His sword shot into the wood, and a foot rammed into his stomach. Caught him and flung him aside.

"Back! Retreat!" Kawakami's voice could be heard, but he had no time to spare on the order. He knew what he was doing. Takasugi rolled aside as a blade plunged into the spot he'd been in. Sword up, Takasugi thrust his blade and it landed just under the man's rib cage. Stuck with a satisfying spray of blood.

The ship moved without warning. Soared into the sky, and Takasugi dragged along the deck. Lost his prey, nails catching in the wood as he pushed himself to his feet. He scaled the angled floor. Leapt over the blade that sliced toward him and countered with a swipe of his own. His blow hit the ground, then tore to the side after the man as Takasugi whipped around. Tried to connect, but he saw the man's plot. Chased him to the edge of the ship with a final cut that narrowly missed the fingers over the rail as the man's form dropped over deck.

Eye narrowed, Takasugi looked over the barrier. Saw the man land easily. He turned to wave back. Smiled.

Who the fuck was he?

That was a problem. If he jumped now, he'd break his legs. The Bakufu were onto them. Knew. Takasugi's ship was still rising. The image was growing further and further away, and he glared down at the ship below. That wasn't likely to be the last encounter.

Behind Takasugi, men were still fighting. He didn't have the patience for this. Everything he'd been doing had been compromised somehow, and he knew exactly who the weakest link was..

Takasugi wasn't sure if he'd flip so drastically after their issues, but it was the logical conclusion. Blood splattered his arms as he cut through an amanto. The fight was dying down. Crates had fallen from their suspension on a storage rack, and underneath them, an unfamiliar man laid pinned. Reaching for his sword. The last man standing, so to speak. Takasugi stood in front of him, eye fixed on the pathetic frame. He should have given up. That was when he saw it. A striped head poking out from the stairwell.

Nosy as could be, and looking over the carnage splattered across the ship.

"Didn't I tell you to wait?"

A pair of crystalline eyes fixed on the man, and Kinu froze. She was given no time to react. Found herself being dragged alongside the man and pushed in front of a pathetic form pinned under an array of half splintered wooden crates.

"If you want to be so involved, you do it."

Eyes wide, Kinu stared at the sword that was thrust towards her. She met Takasugi's gaze again. Had no words.

"What?"

"Kill him." He spoke as if it was obvious. Easy. But Kinu only saw the frantic look of the man in front of her. Hand just shy of his own sword, and defenseless.

"But… I can't. He's… He's not doing anything." A pair of arms circled Kinu's waist, and the wooden handle of a sword was pressed into her palm. Held there.

"Maybe you don't know this, but if he was up, he'd try to kill you first." The man's green eyes had fixed on her. No longer was he groaning in pain. He'd frozen; just as much as Kinu. "This country is in shambles, Kitten, and the people that have done it need to pay. More specifically…" The hand over Kinu's tightened. Forced her to lift the sword and honed in on the defenseless man. He looked normal.

Had a generous sprinkling of five o'clock shadow, and scruffy brown hair. He could have been anybody passing on the street. Wasn't a major villain or boss. Wasn't a threat.

"That… that's insane… Shinsuke, I can't just…" Kinu started to escape from the barrier around her but she was pulled back. Felt the blood seeping into the back of her shirt, trying to replace her own as it ran cold, and the breath on her neck as Takasugi fixed her back in place.

"He's part of the problem. Made you like this. Took you from yourself. It's just one move. Kill him."

Stuck, Kinu stared into the man's eyes. He was shaking his head. Practically begging for mercy.

"Shinsuke," A voice came from behind them, and though Kinu didn't move, Takasugi shifted. Not enough to let her go. "She's not like us. Don't-"

"Stay out of this, Bansai."

Kinu could almost feel his attention fix on her again. Could feel the tightening of his arm, and the way he squeezed her into himself.

"Look at what he's done to you. To your family."

Supported by the barrier behind her, Kinu felt herself easing down. Hadn't realized that her knees had gone weak. He was worse than she'd ever thought. His hand found her jaw, returning it to look at the man after she'd decided that she couldn't anymore, and Takasugi stayed behind her; squatting. In her ear.

"If not for yourself, do it for me." That wasn't fair. Takasugi's sword laid on the deck beside her. Waited at the tips of her fingers.

"No!" The man finally spoke. Addressed her directly. "Don't listen to him! This isn't you. Y- you look like a good person. You look sweet, and- and like you care about people. You do, right?" The words sank into Kinu's clammy skin. "You're a good girl, aren't you? I- I bet somebody cares about you too, right? Help me! I'll get us both out of here! He's insane! He's just reliving the war; angry he was on the wrong side of it!"

Every nerve in Kinu's body went cold. This was a real person. He wasn't just fodder for a fight, he was alive; he didn't want to die. How could Takasugi know if he wanted to kill her? Maybe it had been a mistake. He didn't want to do it anymore.

"The four heavenly kings thing is bullshit he's just a guy! Don't listen to him! I've got a family! Got a little girl- sh- she's three! Her name's Yua! And a wife! I have a wife!"

"You want to belong don't you? To be one of us?" Takasugi's voice was still in her ear. Didn't he hear what that man was saying? How could he still want her to do it? Her shaking hand was grasped. Placed on the sword. "Do it for me, Kinu."

Before Kinu could move, a pop split her eardrum.

The man slumped against the deck, and the air was knocked out of Kinu as she watched a dark pool form under him. Nothing hit her. Just the sight; the way he splattered across the crates and went silent. Takasugi's grasp on her open jaw loosened, and for a moment, Kinu was left there. Alone and staring at the man in front of her. He was dead. That quickly.

"Shinsuke, that's enough!"

Takasugi glared at Kawakami as he grabbed one of Kinu's arms and lifted her from the ground. Practically shoved her into Matako. His sword dropped from her hand, and the woman that had stolen her kill was looking back at him, more hurt than concerned. As if he had done something. Takasugi met her gaze as she hugged Kinu to her chest, and the girl sniffled.

Matako ushered her back into the ship. Didn't give him an opportunity to say anything in his defense, and when they were alone the deaf man pinched the bridge.

"For a man that's trying to cling to some strand of humanity, I dare say you have an odd way of simultaneously trying to destroying it."

Maybe that had been a bit too far.