Insert disclaimers, spoilers, and such, HERE.
It was a calm day when Shinpachi decided to set off to work at the Odd Jobs. The sky was clear with a few drifting clouds and the trees swayed ever so gently to the small gusts of wind. As always Shinpachi made his way through the family dojo to the front entrance. However upon passing the kitchen he heard a sudden loud crash followed by screaming and continuous pounding. Despite his gut feeling that was commanding him to bolt out of there, Shinpachi slid open the kitchen door. What he found was a sight that was both unusual and unwelcome, enough for him to stagger back in horror.
"YAAAAAHHHH," Otae, Shinpachi's dear older sister who at times was not the most lady like, appeared to be in the midst of battling a black blob that had a life of its own. The battlefie— kitchen, was completely destroyed. Splatters of questionable substances claimed the walls, wooden spoons lay in halves or splintered pieces on the ground, broken bowls were piled up in the sink along with the occasional whisk and fork that stuck out, counter tops had streaks of black mess that oozed over, but most disastrous was the black smoke that billowed from the stove where Otae was fighting the dark matter.
"SIS! WHAT HAPPENED?" Shinpachi ran over to his sister's side but was thrown back immediately by the dark matter.
"Don't get too close Shinpachi-kun!"
"S-sis, what is that thing?"
Otae's eyes narrowed as she replied solemnly,
"Supa tamagoyaki 13 . . ."
Supa tamagoyaki 13? It's just tamagoyaki isn't it? Why supa? Why 13? There were 12 supa tamagoyaki's before this? Shinpachi stared in horror at the growling and menacing black substance. The name is beside the point! HOW IS THAT EVEN TAMAGOYAKI?
Two hours, three frying pans, four spatulas, ten broken spoons, and one fainted Shinpachi later, the black substance was subdued and forced into a small bento box. Every once in awhile the bento would shake violently, threatening to release the dangerous black substance, but it held tight and only muffled whimpers and growls could be heard. This bento box that Otae had slaved over and Shinpachi was sacrificed for, was neatly tied up in a handkerchief and then delivered to the Shinsengumi headquarters.
—
"Hijikata-san, Hijikata-san," Sougo held in his arms a wrapped up package that had been left at the Shinsengumi headquarters doorstep and was specifically addressed to Hijikata Toshiro. Usually Sougo wouldn't be bothered with such things but he had noticed the dark aura surrounding it and concluded that there was a high likelihood that the package was meant to harm Hijikata, so he gladly decided to deliver it to Hijikata. Again in the same droning and repetitive tone that annoyed Hijikata so much, Sougo called out, "Hijikata-san, Hijikata-san," and as always that bored, gruff, and slightly annoyed voice replied,
"What do you want?" Sougo slid aside the shoji doors to the small room where Hijikata was seated before the television with a cigarette at the corner of his mouth.
"Package for you,"
"Eh?" Hijikata raised an eyebrow at the suspicious dark package and glared at Sougo. "What is it?" Sougo shrugged and carefully Hijikata accepted the package from Sougo and unwrapped its paper and string encasement. The two knelt on the floor to peer over the package and stared in surprise at the simple bento that sat before them. Immediately Hijikata had a flashback to the bento he had eaten barely a week before and was still recovering from.
"Hijikata-san, Hijikata-san, why are you so pale?"
"Throw it away,"
"But Hijikata-san—,"
"Throw it away," Hijikata glared at Sougo with gritted teeth, his cigarette slowly being ground into two halves.
"Fiiine," Sougo took back the bento and stood back up. He began to leave the room but stopped at the doorway and glanced over his shoulder at Hijikata who in return glared sharply at him. Sougo began to speak as he slowly removed the lid of the bento,"We should at least—,"
"SOUGO DON'T—"
It was too late, the lid flew off the bento as the trapped black menacing substance broke out in freedom and roared in anger, quickly it consumed the room in pitch dark and the only audible sounds were Hijikata and Sougo's screams.
—
The next day Yamazaki headed out alone for morning patrol as nearly half the Shinsengumi had been mysteriously bedridden by an unknown illness that spread rapidly through the ranks, affecting even the Commander, Vice Commander, and Sougo. Yamazaki wasn't too happy with standing in for morning patrol since he usually spent mornings at badminton practice but nonetheless with a sigh he opened the Shinsengumi's main gates. Much to his surprise, especially on that sunny and bright day, an umbrella lay on the ground before Yamazaki. He picked it up and asked out loud,
"Isn't this the Vice Commander's umbrella?"