Author's Note : Previously I thought I would release this chapter at the same time with the Prolog, but I found a plot hole in it and decide to get rid of it. What i didn't know is that it will take much of my time to bury that hole. Well, all is good now, I think...

Anyway, enjoy the story!

(I don't own Gintama)

Chapter 1

New Member

The Shinsengumi Headquarters is located in the one big corner of Edo. The run-down ex-dojo stands firm through the onslaught of heavy rain and winds, protecting his occupant from the nature and exhaustion of daily job. It provides warm shelter for Shinsengumi, especially the main building, the biggest building in this complex. It consists of the main hall, the debriefing room, and the meeting room. Surrounding it are the dojo and the dormitory for Shinsengumi.

And now inside one of its room, a meeting of the higher-ups is concluded with Kondo Isao as the chief of Shinshengumi and Matsudaira Katakuriko, the chief of police. They sit facing each other with a serious-looking face. Between them, a table is served with a smoking mushrooms hot pot, ready to be eaten anytime. But both of their hands stay under the table while looking at each other without a word.

Matsudaira is the one who breaks the silence with slowly raising his hand from his pocket and reveals a gun that points directly to Kondo. He silently watching as Kondo slips into a panic state.

"WHOA! Pops! What are you doing? You suddenly barged here without a word, but to eat and now point a gun at me. I don't understand any of it."

KREK

The sound of the gun being pulled makes Kondo staggers more at his own word.

"H-hold it! You can just shoot me without a reason."

"I'll say this just one time, first I always have a few reason to shoot you at any time I care. But I won't do it today unless you give me some good reasons to counter it."

Matsudaira finally talks while putting away his cigarette, but still pointing his gun at Kondo

"I don't know what are you talking about, pops. There isn't a single major incident this month that includes Shinshengumi since the race. There is even no new crimes news on media."

"Oh really… just tell me the truth in the count of 3 unless you want another hole in your body."

"Come on pops, I really…"

"ONE!"

Matsudaira mercilessly starts to open fire against Kondo. Kondo quickly rolls away, dodging every bullet with just a slight difference.

"WHAT HAPPEN TO TWO AND THREE!?" Kondo protests.

"Never hear them, a man only need to stick to number one in order to live. Now confess everything to me!" Matsudaira threatens as he is shooting Kondo until his magazine is empty.

"Yes! I was the one who stole the pudding from the fridge at night because I was hungry and there was nothing else to eat." Kondo confesses while still covering his body.

"Yep, now that's more like Kondo that I know."

Matsudaira lets out a relief and puts his gun down. The confusing Kondo looks at Matsudaira with an unbelievable face, there are at least a hundred comeback he wants to throw at Matsudaira. But he gulps his word down and fixes his sitting position before asking the reason.

"S-so Pops, what are the meaning of all this?"

"I see you haven't heard it, there aren't many benefits in attacking such a low dog as Shinshengunmi. But you see, there is now a raging war going on in police department now. Everyone's trust at each other is as low as dog shit right now as several impossible assassinations have occurred even under my direct guard. This assassination only has one in common. They all are carried out by a sniper. "

Matsudaira talks with serious tone while his hand tightly grabs his cigarette, showing a hidden sign of anger and frustration.

"Sniper?" Kondo asks with intention to gain more information

It's been a long time since there is a shooting case in Edo. A long rifle gun is seldom used as its weakness in reloading time and it takes a precision to handle one.

"As always you always know nothing, ignorance is bliss they say. But not this sniper, there is nothing that can stop him. All early investigation always led to the death of the detective, assassinated by the same sniper."

"Let me guess, this time, they suggest us to take the case."

"Right, the higher-ups had gone tired from the death of their disposable detectives and decide to just Shinshengumi as a gamble against this common enemy of police. Well, basically you are just another sacrificial pawn."

Kondo and Matsudaira let out a heavy sigh at the same time. This turn of event is too common that they didn't even bother about it anymore.

"We can try to investigate in this case, but the boys have no idea about what a sniper is. We are just a bunch of rogue samurai after all."

Kondo answers with a bit of complaining this direct tone, but he knows he can't just refuse the command.

"Don't worry I have predicted you will say so. So I bring my own secret weapon to your arsenal. She should arrive at the time… now."

"Wha…"

Kondo's word stops when suddenly a loud and fast step can be heard, echoing through the hall. The next seconds, Hijikata slams open the sliding door as he enters the hall, carrying someone on his other hand.

"K-Kondo-san!"

His word shakes as he is trying to catch his breath.

"Oh, Toshi did you finish the night patrol already? Welcome back, what's the rush?"

"There is something that I need an explanation from you, right now! DO YOU KNOW THIS GIRL?!"

Hijikata shoves Mizuki directly to Kondo. The two of them stare at each other confusingly in silent, not knowing each other. Kondo is the first one to break the silence.

"Who are you? Why are you bringing her to here Toshi?"

"I found her on the streets and she admits herself as our members. At first, I didn't take her seriously until she shows one of our badges. Please, Kondo-san there must be a mistake here." Hijikata tries to explain the situation. He doesn't explain the assassin because it is not related and this matter is more urgent now.

"I don't know here at all."

"Are you by any chance the chief of Shinsengumi? Cause out of respect you do look like a gorilla." Mizuki asks out of curiosity.

"I am not…"

"Yes, he is a gorilla that I told you will become your next chief." Matsudaira's answer cut Kondo's words before he can complete it.

"It is how low I have fallen to serve under a gorilla's command?" Mizuki says with a humiliated tone while striking an innocent pose in front of annoyed Kondo.

"Hey, I say…"

"That doesn't justify you as a member yet, even if you notice Kondo as a gorilla." Hijikata steps up to defend Kondo.

"Toshi, you don't have to…"

"Kondo-san is a respectable and well-fed gorilla!"

"Listen to me you idiots! I SAID I AM NOT A GORILLA!"

Kondo immediately hits Hijikata on his head, making a light red bun pops out on Hijikata's head to stop him from saying more. The calmed down Hijikata now sits beside Kondo while Mizuki also takes a sit next to Matsudaira. Their gazes meet each other as Kondo restarts the conversation.

"Anyway, is she one of your man Pops? The one who you are talking about earlier?"

"Yes, indeed you stupid gorilla."

"You are still going to continue that old boring joke Pops?"

A comeback automatically comes from a frustrated Kondo.

"Well, there are plenty of cases where you have admitted that title yourself."

"Kuh…" Kondo cannot answers back at Matsudaira's sentence. He blows a train smokes out of his mouth before starts to explain the person beside him.

"But enough of that, I come to here to talk about this girl beside me. As I said earlier, she is the secret weapon that I am prepared against this time's target, a counter-sniper. A sniper that has been specialized to take down another sniper on her field. She is one of the last countermeasures against this type of assassination and will provide more information on the target. Go ahead and introduce yourself."

With a small head bow, Mizuki introduces herself.

"It's pleasure to meet you all, I am Ameno Mizuki."

"Wait a minute! I don't hear about any new member before, especially a woman." Hijikata starts to complain against Matsudaira.

"Don't worry about that. Even if she looks like that, she is an outstanding police officer who has proven her training and ability." Matsudaira calmly gives Hijikata his answer and states his judgment over her.

"I can't deny her talent and competency. But still, please consider it Kondo-san. We can just let her here. Do you realize how dangerous our work here in Shinshengumi?"

"And you dare to say my kind of training is light?"

That last answer makes Hijikata silent. He has gone right through all kind of harsh training before came to Edo. But no one can beat the time when Shinshengumi was under direct training by Matsudaira Katakuriko, The man who resembles the gentleman of parents and the cold devil of the trainer.

Still, He worries about women that have an affiliation with Shinshengumi since the case with Otsu and Okita's sister a long time ago. Especially now to let her sleep at Shinsengumi base that reeks of male pheromone.

"With all that said, shouldn't you happy with an additional member even if it's just temporary. I heard Kondo always complains about the lack of member."

Matsudaira starts to relax his body while putting a couple of mushrooms on his plate. He is already hungry from all this talk, too bad this hot pot only contains mushrooms and not meat.

"I can't help it since Edo is one big city. Hahaha" Kondo answers with a nervous laughter.

At this point, there are no one between him or Hijikata who can go against Matsudaira's wish to involve Mizuki on Shinshengumi ranks. This kind of event happens every time and everyone who involves in it just have to go with the flow at the end. Kondo hopes this one go well.

At the same time, Sougo suddenly enters the room from behind Matsudaira with a human-sized mushroom which is covered by all kind of small mushrooms all over it. Both Kondo and Hijikata almost drop their jaw looking at it.

"WOAH! What happened Sougo? What is that thing?"

"Oh this, don't you remember it Hijikata? It's the assassin that we captured before."

"Nobody will recognize him with all of that mushrooms. What have you done to him?!"

"Nothing, I just dragged him all the way here and when I saw him again, the mushroom has overpopulated him, I guess he slept too long and became a mushroom on his own," Sougo answers calmly while putting him down near Matsudaira.

"That's definitely a lie, there is no one who can grow mushrooms on their own volition! You must be doing something to him before and don't put that thing near pops!"

Hijikata's comeback hits the spot, but Sougo just casually pulls out a white mushroom and eats it like nothing ever happened.

"What are you talking about Hijikata-san I just brought some more supplement for the hot pot right?"

"That lie is too obvious for anyone to fall on it!"

"Ah, I thought there's something important he brought, but it's just more mushrooms. You guys really don't have anything besides mushrooms and you call this a hot pot? At least there are quite of choice to pick."

Matsudaira, despite with Hijikata's warning, still plucking a brown mushroom and tastes it before dropping another couple of other brown mushrooms to the hot pot on the table. All of that happens in an instant without a chance for Kondo or Hijikata to stop it.

"Eh Pops, is it okay to just eat it like that. Do you even know from where or what do you eat?" Asks Kondo with a worried and hesitantly expression.

"There is nothing wrong in it, I have eaten Mushrooms since I was a kid. I can easily tell which can be eaten directly and which is poisonous. Trust me I was an expert on this thing." Matsudaira says as he takes another to eat. "Hmm, this thing really has fine quality in it."

"Then Matsudaira-sama, why the water suddenly turn into purple?" Asks the curiously Mizuki while pointing at the pot. She has a doubtful tone of her voice but her face is still expressionless.

They all just stare in awe as the water is darkened by something that obviously a group of poisonous mushrooms. It even makes a thick black smoke when heated up. It's clearly something you mustn't eat.

BRAK

The chief of Police, Matsudaira Katakuriko collapses on the mat as he lets out a sigh like a relieved old man who has been freed from his duty. A peaceful expression shows on his face with a gentle smile of an old man as Kondo starts screaming.

"POPS!"

Without alerting others, Kondo, Sougo and Hijikata move Matsudaira's body to an empty room nearby. Mizuki follows them closely. They quickly put him on a futon and makes him look like sleeping.

"So what are we going to do for Pops funeral? Or we can just burn the body and pretend it never happens." Sougo asks with a made-up consent face after they finished set up Matsudaira.

"Don't make him die already, he is still alive!" Kondo protests.

"For now, he pretty much has stepped at the first step of heaven at this point. We even don't know what kind poison mushrooms that Pops eat." Sougo answers back.

"There must be something we can do, why don't we call an ambulance right now?" Hijikata suggests.

"And tell them we poisoned Pops? We don't have any excuse not to be a fault at this and our head will probably fly off somewhere if they find any of this."

Kondo quickly refuses Hijikata's suggestion. Sweats cover his face as he realizes what had happened and what will happen. On his eyes, he can already see his head is being decorated on execution table as his whole life flash before his mind. Even more if what Matsudaira said before is true, the higher-ups will probably keep strict checks on everyone, especially chief of the police. Maybe they are already on the way here to check Matsudaira.

"We're DOOMED!" He shouts desperately.

"So what will we're going to do now?" HIjikata starts to panic too, his mind works so hard to find a solution as he sees the culprit, Sougo, is trying to leave the room secretly.

"SOUGO! You aren't going anywhere until we find the solution!"

"But Hijikata-san it is already past my bedtime and I feel quite sleepy….. zzz" Sougo answers while putting his usual sleep mask.

"CUT THAT OUT! ALL OF THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF YOU PUT THAT DAMNED MUSHROOMS!"

Hijikata shakes Sougo violently to wake him up. Sougo answers with some louder snores. In the midst of what looks like a bully that trying to harass his victim. A gentle ghostly voice breaks the atmosphere with a blunt statement.

"Pardon me, but I think there is no need for panic. Matsudaira-sama is now just sleeping because of the hypnotic brown mushrooms. He probably won't wake up until tomorrow, though." Mizuki suddenly starts explaining. She sees them like a bored comedian jury.

"What are you saying? You don't have…."

Hijikata wants to deny her but is stopped by Kondo.

"Wait Toshi! Maybe we should just listen first to her. Can you explain why you are so sure about Pops condition? And even if it's true, from where do you know this kind of information? It's suspicious, especially the name hypnotic brown mushrooms. It sounds like it can be made by anyone at the spot." Kondo interrogates her in a professionals tone while glaring directly at her.

"Yes, I made that name." Mizuki tries to answer but is disturbed abruptly by Hijikata.

"Then why…"

"Calm down Toshi! I know you don't trust this woman. But it doesn't mean you have to cut her every word." Kondo says to calm down Hijikata. With unpleasant face Hijikata sits down again, still looking straight at Mizuki with distrust.

"Please continue, Ameno-san."

"Thank you Kondo-san, I said earlier that I named it myself because the truth I don't know the real name for it. Matsudaira-sama might not know it because of its origin from outer space but whoever eat it, will sleep for 6 to 8 hours. Even if you don't trust this information. I will just say that if Matsudaira-sama dies, the most troubled person will be me. And if that was really the case I will have given the cure to him as immediately as possible." Mizuki explains in a static ghost voice that echoes a little.

"I trust your knowledge Ameno-san. But it will probably be the best if Pops can wake up as soon as possible. We are in the middle of an important conversation before the incident and I believe there is more to be discussed with him."

"I see, unfortunately, I don't bring the cure for this mushrooms with me right now. Just let him rest for this night. For the time being, I will too try to make myself at home here for the night."

"The allow me to take you on a short tour around our base."

Kondo rises to his feet and escorts Mizuki out of the room while gesturing Hijikata and Sougo to guard the sleeping Matsudaira. Both of them then leave the room.

"Oi Sougo, did you trust her?" Hijikata tries to ask Sougo as soon as he doesn't hear their footstep.

Zzzzzzzzzzz is all Hijikata can hear.

"SOUG... ACHOO!" Hijikata sneezes before he has the chance to shout at Sougo. That makes Sougo removes his mask then glazes at Hijikata a little before going to sleep again.

"WAKE UP YOU LITLLE… ACHOO!"

"You should just change clothes first Hijikata-san. You will catch a cold if you stay like that and your sneeze disturbs my precious sleep." Sougo says finally after feeling annoyed by the noise.

"I think you are right, I feel dizzy too. Guess, I will take a bath too in mean time. So don't take your eyes out of him. You hear me Sougo? I will back in the moment." Hijikata answers. After his anger canceled twice by his sneeze, he manages to calm himself down and thinks. He just realizes how tired he was after such a hectic day, a bath maybe what he need before going to bed.

"Okay, I will just here if you need me," Sougo answers as he puts his mask back. At this point, HIjikata might as well as give up trying to keep Sougo awake. It is better he finishes everything fast and then come back to this room before Kondo. He walks out straight to the bath, takes off his clothes and enters the bath alone.

Even when submerges himself in the warm water, Hijikata still holds his smoke on his hand as he blows the white clouds out of his mouth. He observes a wall round clock that hangs high on the wall above the entrance. It's already 11 p.m. No wonder there is nobody around, they are either busy writing a report or have gone already to the bed.

That means Hijikata can smoke all he wants, which he needs right now, even though it breaks the bath regulation. He stares at the ceiling, replaying what just happens tonight, maybe he was a little too hard on that woman and it's not like he hates the woman who has the gut to enter the police. It just he feels a little complicated when he sees one right in front of him.

"Feel troubled, inspector?" Suddenly a familiar woman's voice cuts off his train thoughts. It comes right from his back. The chill grows on his back as Hijkata realizes in what situation he is.

"A-a-ameno-san, w-what are you doing here? T-this is the man's bathroom. "His sounds trembles with his embarrassment. His heart is beating like a crazy, this is the first he ever takes a bad with a real woman other than her mom.

"From what I see, this is the only bath around and Kondo-san has kindly allowed me to use it since nobody will be here at this hours. You are an exception it seems." Mizuki answers calmly, there is no change in her tone even though she basically back to back with Hijikata.

"Then i-it is my entirely fault for e-entering this bath, una-aware of you using it. For that I-I will excuse me right n-now." The flustered Hijikata keeps staggering on his sentence as he tries to leave the bath. But a pale hard hand stops him.

"Please don't go right now. I think it's the perfect opportunity to deepen our bond as long as we don't see each other directly, I think." Mizuki begs Hijikata while holding on his back.

"B-but it d-doesn't justify a woman and a man to take a bath in a situation like this."

"Please, because I understand that your source of the troubling face is me." Mizuki continues her beg. Hearing that Hijikata stops and goes back in the water without looking to Mizuki.

"Okay, it's partially my fault for making a woman worried about me like that. So what do you want to talk about?"

"Perhaps we can start with the introduction first. I didn't quite catch your name before."

"My name is HIjikata Toshiro, nothing much to say," Hijikata answers shortly.

"I see, then I apologize for my rudeness, Mr. Vice Commander of Shinshengumi. I didn't aware of your hierarchy before…" Mizuki apologizes in an apologetic tone but gets cut by Hijikata.

"Just cut the crap and say what you want. Stop with all that kind of attitude. It sounds quite annoying."

"Well, it's a way to respect someone you just met and I think you don't want to see what's underneath that politeness. It's quite sophistical. "

"You bet, but you are a part of us now and in Shinshengumi, you are showing respect with your actions. It doesn't matter what you say or how you say. We are comrades in here, not some complicated bureaucracy like you did in the police department."

"I can see that from the way you treat Matsudaira-sama and each other. It's so different feeling that I can't say anything in return. I have a question about sniper Sougo 13. Is his real name is Okita Sougo?"

"Yes, I am surprised you know him more than I am," Hijikata says sarcastically

"Just don't surprised if things got a little bit weird tomorrow. I have already warned you…" Mizuki says as she suddenly stands up and passes Hijikata from the side. Hijikata quickly turns to the other, avoiding the awkward situation they will have if they meet in the eye.

"Do you mean about Pops? Will he suddenly wake up and becomes crazy or amnesia at least?" asks HIjikata before Mizuki gets out from the bathtub.

"I wonder… You really like to interrupt someone huh?" Mizuki answers.

"Only for their good." Hijikata retorts back while calming himself down.

"I take that as your good point." She says as she closes the door that separates the bath and changing room. Hijikata doesn't say anything and remains still until he is sure that Mizuki has left completely and he can relax.

He lets out a deep sigh, "Seriously who is that woman and how she can manage to calm even in this situation? I can't get her. Hope nobody saw that or I am seriously screwed. "

The night wraps itself as the sun rises from the ground and the train of alarm clocks are ringing down across the room at Shinshengumi dormitory. Some of them quickly get up as fast as possible while others curse the sounds for disturbing their sleep before their shift even begins. The Shinshengumi starts their activities early.

One of them who is disturbed is the first division commander, Okita Sougo. He wakes up with an annoyed grunt, he is still in the same room as before. In the end, Hijikata and Kondo never came back to this room or they did but didn't wake him up. Maybe that was the case for Kondo. Hijikata probably went to sleep in his room.

With that set of mind, he opens his mask and walks out of the room because he needs his futon to sleep some more before Hijikata comes and wakes him up. The sliding door opens itself before he can reach it. Kondo bursts in from it.

"Where is Pops?! Did he wake up yet?!"

Kondo immediately removes the blanket that used to cover Matsudaira. But only to find that Matsudaira's body has vanished. He quickly turns around and confronts Sougo.

"Did you see him leave this room?"

"No, I thought you say you would come back to this room. Kondo-san, did you move him or something that you didn't remember it?"

"No, I remembered clearly that after escorting Ameno-san to the bathroom, I was suddenly felt tired and went sleep to my room. Wait! Didn't Toshi with you yesterday night?"

"Ah about that, Hijikata-san yesterday seemed to catch a cold and went to bath before going to sleep. He didn't come back here last night."

"That means you were the only last person who saw Pops here right Sougo?"

"I don't quite remember it since it was way past my bedtime... HUAMM" Sougo answers with a big yawn. At the same time, Hijikata rushes into the room with a great hurry. He is breathing fast and panting hard from his chest, sweat covers his face.

"K-Kondo-san, w-where is Pops right now?" Hijikatas asks while still catching his breath.

"I don't know about that Toshi, I thought you came back here last night so I left all of it to you." Kondo answers, panic clearly paints his face as what he is afraid of steadily becoming true.

"What about Sougo did you ask him?" Hijikata starts to panicking too.

"That's what I am doing right now."

"How about Ameno-san?" Sougo suggests, "She is the only other person who knows about Pops condition. Did you see her this morning?" Both Kondo and Hijikata shake their head at the same time.

"Don't panic, Pops may just take a walk after waking up or probably in the bath right Toshi?" Kondo tries to calm the situation down. But Hijikata just freezes in his place. He couldn't bring himself to tell them that he fell asleep in the bath last night.

After Mizuki got out, he decided to stay for a while and collecting some thoughts for today. But end up that one of the Shinshengummi found him floating on the water like a ghost.

"Y-yeah that's maybe the case. We worry too much over this matter." Hijikata awkwardly answers Kondo's expectation.

"Hahaha then let me just call his phone right now and check on him. He never leaves his phone." Kondo says as he takes out his phone to call Matsudaira. A ringtone quickly follows up afterward, the three of them quickly follow the noise that leads them back to the last night meeting room. Matsudaira's phone lies on the table, untouched and ringing out loud.

"Kondo-san, that's Pops cellphone, right? Didn't you say, he never leaves it?" Sougo asks curiously.

"I mean his cigarettes, Pops is a heavy smoker he won't leave his cigarettes box or his lighter around." Kondo frantically answers. It is true he never sees Pops without his cigarettes.

"But Kondo-san, I found the cigarette's box and lighter alongside the phone right here." Sougo points at both of objects on the table. Kondo just goes silent with a blackened eyes and cold sweats.

"What's the matter?" Who makes noises this morning?"

A crackle and deep voice can be heard from the hallway.

"Damn, the others already here. What will we do now, Kondo-san? Should we tell them that Pops went missing?" Hijikata asks the stoned Kondo who has already given up. Before Hijikata gets a reaction, the door is opened.

From the hallway, a black long messy haired woman with a sleepy face enters the room. She only wears a shabby white bathroom kimono that obviously didn't suit her big-breasted chest that looks pretty tight. She walks in a sloppy manner towards them.

The three of them just so surprised that they can only mutter one sentences towards this situation.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

To be continued

I feel like I just ended this chapter abruptly just becasue I run out of ideas where to end it. I am starting doubt when I can release the next chapter. But don't worry, I will try my best to release it as fast as possible.

Thank you so much for reading this story of mine and remember that I welcome all kind of reviews and comments except for Trolls. God, I hate them so much.