At his awakening, Sougo felt cold.
Lying half-naked on the floor tiles, he cursed the redhead and his own naivety for lowering his guard so easily.
Not only had she taken his uniform's shirt and jacket, but also his Shinsengumi Police badge -which he always kept in his inner pocket- as well as his precious sword; the last Kiku-Ichimonji RX-78!
-Tch! That China girl…!
Before to put her plan in actions, Kagura had tried to learn what had become of Abuto and her squad, but as expected, the red Harusame ship wasn't here anymore...
Those fucking samurais had dared to take her brother away but also the whole 7th division!?
"Tch! I'll make sure to slaughter every one of them!"
But first, the girl had to find her brother...
She could have asked the old Housen for some help, but honestly, she had easily understood the first time she had seen his gaze that the King of the Yatos had become nothing more than a perverted geezer... just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.
The young Amanto had nowhere to go, no ship to escape, and no comrades to rely on. She was all alone on this foreign planet and soon, a certain flaxen-haired guy would be running after her.
There was only one thing left for her to do, now...
~…~
Kagura was astonished to see how easy it was to pass through the heavy and giant wooden gates of Edo's castle with her new attire on.
Whenever the guards had doubt about her identity, she clicked her tongue in annoyance, glared at them the best she could and proudly exposed her black and golden badge.
If some wondered since when the Shinsengumi allowed women within their ranks, some recalled that one of the strongest Mimawarigumi's officers was no one but a woman.
Of course, the redhead always made sure to hide with her fingers the name of the real owner's badge and thanked the Bakufu for the lack of picture.
-Heh?! Y-You're part of the first division?! Exclaimed one of the guards.
-Please, forgive us, Ma'am! Begged another.
-You're lucky I'm in a good mood today! She retorted angrily, or else I'd kill you right away with my blade!
The Yato laughed mentally at these poor and stupid earthlings. No wonder the Bakufu's samurais had lost the war -ages ago- against the Amantos if every little one of them was so naive!
~…~
At some point, Kagura had to drop her sword before going further. She gladly gave up the useless katana hanging at her waist. After all, it wasn't like she needed some weapon in the first place, although she would have liked to have her umbrella with her... By chance, today was cloudy and allowed her to walk outside without feeling too ill.
Pursuing her way toward the Shogun's personal quarters, she infiltrated what seemed to be her goal.
Alas, she didn't expect to fall upon a woman! The young lady seemed to be about her age and judging by her fancy kimono and pale skin, Kagura assumed that she might well be part of the Shogun's family.
She understood that her doubts were right when she recognized the famous Tokugawa crest on the lady's chest.
She smirked.
-Hello, milady~
When the rumor about a woman enlisted into his own division reached Sougo's ears, the man knew oh very well which woman the men were all talking about...
Pictured as a "fierce and strong-looking young woman", many considered the Amanto as a person equally young and dangerous as her Captain division.
For sure, Sougo wasn't denying that she might well be very dangerous, indeed probably around his own age, and just like her new surname "the red beauty" would suggest; a peculiar woman with burning vermillion hair.
Without wasting any more time, the Captain called all his men back before to rush for the Castle of Edo.
As he hoped that nothing bad was happening while he had let the Amanto escape from his surveillance, he swore to himself that this China girl -whoever in hell she was- would NOT get away that easily after what she had done to him...
Oh yes, this time, he would make sure she wouldn't be able to break the handcuffs he'd put on her... He would take all his time to enjoy— *cough* —to make her regret that haughtiness of her...
He grinned just thinking about it.
No one would ever dethrone "the Prince of Sadist".
~...~
When Sougo finally barged into the Princess's room with his men, he fell upon a rather unexpected scene. The redhead Amanto and the Tokugawa Princess were casually chatting as if they had known each other for years.
-He he~! Is that so~? Inquired the Princess while giggling behind her long sleeve.
-I swear! Argued the Yato. That's why… Soyo-chan, would you help me, please?
She bowed deeply until her forehead met the tatamis.
Sougo blinked incredulously. The hell was that?
-Please, raise your head! Ordered the Princess.
-What…the hell…is…that...?
-Oh, you're here Okita-san?! She finally noticed.
-Hime-sama, please, get away from this suspicious Alien, he deadpanned as he pointed the tip of his -replacement- sword at the Yato's face.
Kagura glared at him with a crooked smile.
-Don't be rude to my friend! Scolded the young girl.
-Hah? Friend? Chimed the policeman.
-Earlier-
-Hello, milady~
-Heh?! W-Who are you?!
Kagura quickly realized the young lady in front of her seemed to know very little about the outside world... So candid... and so easy to trick... She smiled before to fell on one knee.
-Please, forgive me, milady! My name is Kagura and I act as the Vice-Captain of the Harusame's 7th division. I am an Amanto prisoner of this beautiful blue planet of yours and thereby request your help in order to save both my squadron and my Captain.
-A-Amanto…?! Wait… what do you mean by 'save'…?
Kagura explained everything to the Princess whose eyes widened when she learned about the abducted Captain being her older brother. Somehow, Soyo could totally relate to the redhead and quickly felt sympathy for that strong and brave woman who had faced so many hardships alone in order to rescue her one and only relative.
As the Shogun's little sister, Soyo's life was rather boring. She felt more like a prisoner than a princess although she knew it was for her own safety. Just like Kagura, she also loved her brother deeply and wished she could help him more often in his work as the country ruler...
On that fateful day, the Tokugawa Princess was finally given the opportunity to feel herself being useful and provide some help to people thanks to her rank.
Whoever was the woman in front of her, she swore to herself she would help this stranger the best she could.
-How may I help you? She asked seriously.
-I'll just need a ship with a crew, replied the Kagura.
-That's all?! Blurted the Princess, surprised by the small and easily fulfilled request.
-I'll make those motherf— I mean, those mongrels pay by myself!
Soyo asked more questions to the Yato, eager to learn more about the Amantos she knew so little about, and the life of a space pirate that sounded like some fairytale.
-Now-
-Hah? Friend? Chimed the policeman.
-Okita-san, you'll accompany this young lady on her journey and will help in the disbandment of the Kihetai.
-What?! Exclaimed the two in unison.
-As an ally, we have to stop those dangerous people! Both the Vice-Captain of the Harusame's 7th division and the Captain of the Shinsengumi's 1st division will work together on this important mission.
-Wait Hime-sama, you can't be—
-Amantos and Earthlings will help each other, cut Soyo as she didn't even listen to Sougo's complains. This is perfect to strengthen our bonds~! She cheered while happily clapping her hands together.
The Yato sighed while Sougo glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"Vice-Captain of the Harusame's 7th division?"
So in short, next to him was a wonderfully dangerous and high-ranked Yato Amanto part of a worldly-size organization currently working hand-in-hand with his own government... Right?
This girl kept impressing him with each minute passing! Now, he really was interested...
Unable to shake the strong will of the Princess, Kagura and Sougo were forced to leave together aboard one of the Shogunate's ship.
Before leaving, Kagura had asked her new friend Soyo for a change of clothes as she had no intentions to meet with her brother dressed like an Earth's police member...
The princess granted her with a new dress identical to her previous one but in a white color this time –because it fitted better with Kamui's black clothes~
If Sougo secretly enjoyed the sight of her nice little ass in those tight shorts of hers while she was wearing his own jacket and shirt, he admitted that her skintight dress wasn't bad either...
Her long and creamy legs were still pretty exposed and it fitted her breast and waist much better than his uniform. Hard to think that a beauty like her could be some alien warrior!
But while the young Captain was peeping— *cough* —studying the girl as she looked through one of the ship's porthole, he noticed her gaze focused on the decreasing Earth, her mind somehow lost into the darkness of space.
Sougo had almost forgotten but he was actually in space. He had never left Japan, not to mention Earth! The outside view gave him the feeling to be 'nowhere' and as lost as the girl seemed to be...
However, he admitted that this unique sight was rather beautiful, was it the one of the blue planet or the girl looking at it...
-So much water… no wonder it's called the 'blue' planet. Yet it's so bright and sunny…
Her voice was so soft and low that he wondered if she was actually talking to him or just to herself.
-You don't seem to know about rainy season, he sneered.
-At least rain does stop at one point… she replied with a sad and lonely smile that certainly didn't fit her.
He cleared his throat and brought a more suited and less awkward topic.
-By the way, you have a plan or something…?
The girl switched her gaze back to the nothingness of space.
-I do.
Sougo waited for some explanations but none seem to come.
-O~kay… mind to share, then?
She threw a quick glance at him but kept quiet.
It had been fast, but not enough for Sougo to not notice the disdain in her eyes.
That girl and her nonchalant way to look at him -and mostly everyone- as if he was something she would not even bother herself with... it ticked him off. She may be some kind of super strong fighter, Sougo was himself far from being weak.
Her long and bored sigh was the last trigger for him to lose his patience.
-Oi, he growled. I couldn't care less about your problems but the Princess gave me a job to do and I sure like hell will do it.
She didn't seem impressed and he wondered what she might be thinking when she finally began to speak.
-You'll meet Abo as an official from the Bakufu.
-Abo?
-The Admiral of the Harusame. You'll tell him you're after those Kihetai fuckers and that the red ship they were abroad brought you here.
-What about you?
-I'll go look for my men. Kamui might certainly not be here, but… I'll need the help of my comrades for the next step.
-You sure must like that guy a lot…! He stated dryly.
-That 'guy' is my brother and the current 7th division's Captain! Show some respect, she scorned.
"Brother?"
No wonder the redhead was so desperate to find the man, then...
After all, Sougo himself knew too well how family –especially among siblings- was precious... He, too, had once tried everything he could in order to save his beloved sister Mitsuba. Alas, nothing he did back then managed to cure that damn illness of her...
Suddenly, he felt a bit bad for the China girl.
The first time he had seen the Yato hiding her pale skin under the shade of her kasa like one of these court ladies, she was wearing her red and golden Chinese dress. For a time, he had even wondered if she was some kind of living doll.
When she had 'fled' from him a bit later, a little girl she had bumped into asked her if she was the princess of some foreign country and Sougo honestly thought that she might well be one.
But then, he leaves on a raid to stop the Kiheitai right on the next day and what does he find? That same Chinese doll on the ground, bleeding to death and barely alive!
"Perhaps she's really a princess, after all?" He thought at that time.
One running away from her country and whose life is at stakes? By trying to run away from the one holding her captive she had been shot down?
Or perhaps was she fighting for her country like one of those legendary warriors-princesses? Battling with everything she got but still fell on the battlefield?
Yet the truth was that she was no princess at all. She was just a rude and violent Amanto. A strong and crazy Yato discovering that even bullets could harm the strongest ones. A sister wishing for nothing than reuniting with her brother.
The more he learned about her, the more Sougo liked the unusual traits of the girl and... the more he felt attracted to her. She was so carefree, so straightforward, so cocky and, so dangerous!
Also... he had to admit; indeed a beautiful girl on top of that... Of course, her curves were quite appealing and her physical traits pretty unusual, but he liked her hypnotic gaze much more. At first glance, her cerulean eyes seemed so bright and soft like the endless sky when actually, they were cold and murderous like the bottomless ocean.
He suddenly remembered that he still had no idea what her name was.
-Unlike some China girl, I do respect the people I have to work with, he retorted. What's supposed to be the next step, exactly?
Thanks to Soyo, Kagura has now the chance to rescue Kamui!
Sadly, the princess' order to destroy the Kihetai also means that Harusame has to join forces with the Shinsengumi!
Of course, Kagura doesn't give a damn about anyone but her brother while Sougo seems to be more interested in the Yato girl rather than his mission...
Will they still be able to work together? Will they be on time before Kamui's execution? Will they succeed in finding and killing Takasugi?
And what has become of Abuto and the whole 7th division, by the way?
To be continued~