Gintama: The Third Leg of a Crow
General Fic Warning: Genderbend, Female!Gintoki, Whole series spoilers, AU, OOCness, Not as humorous as Sorachi-Sensei's work - or anywhere near, Lack of fourth wall breaking, Any and all other Gintama warnings apply, Swearing, Child abuse, Darker then canon(?), Mentions of; beheadings, organ removal(hinted), blood, war,
Take note of the OOCness please, due to this fic not being a humorous as the original, characterisations will be off and not forgetting the fact that this fic holds a character that's been gender bend, meaning everyone who interacts with that character will have alterations.
Summary:
It isn't a passing whisper that catches his attention. In fact there is nothing soft in the way he learns about the 'Corpse Eating Demon'.
Shouyou still came across the Corpse Eating Demon, only it was a white haired, crimson eyed female child.
Title: The title of this fic comes from Japanese mythology of a flying creature depicted as a three-legged crow called Yatagarasu, (八咫烏, "eight-span crow") which is seen as evidence of the Will of Heaven and is symbolised as a form of guidance from Heaven.
Disclaimer: I don't know Japanese nor do I get half the references in this insaneness, stands to say that I don't own Gintama in any way, shape or form.
Gintama belongs to Sorachi-Sensei, our wonderful Gorilla who gifted us with this work of art!
Image/Cover art by ninjapanda16 (ninjapandabear16: Tumblr)
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
The Demon's Connections
Edited: 11/01/18
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
It's like a slap in the face – or a foot – when he sees her again – in the city he's taken to hiding in no less. She's running around with two kids in tow – one a Yato of all things – and has been living in the apartment above the Otose Snack Bar for he doesn't know how long.
He's confused.
Because she isn't angry.
Because she's sharing the same living space as an Amanto.
Because she doesn't have a real sword by her side – something that was so rare to see.
Because she's perfectly happy walking around on the streets without hiding herself.
Because she hasn't been brought in by any of the police forces – the Shiroyasha is known for the colour of white and red, it's not like she does anything to stay away from the colour of white.
Because he knows what her expression of revenge is – even under everything she piles on top of it – and he can't see it anywhere.
So Katsura sits and waits for when he should hit the trigger for the bomb that's inside the package, it's only a slight surprise when it goes off from making contact with the ground in the yard of the canine Amanto's playground.
Gintoki still has that same crimson, dead fish-eye look.
"I don't really know what just happened, but I do know what we need to do…Run!" With permission granted, the two teenagers turn to run, Gintoki following.
Katsura tries to hold in the sigh that comes out when Glasses is immediately caught, creating a train reaction out of the trio. He pulls down the straw hat that goes with his disguise as a wandering monk and even though he knows Gintoki can take out the group of Amanto in one swing, he doesn't want to lose his chance of talking to her – because walking up to her door isn't as fun as this.
He lands on the head of the dog that's holding the three back and drops him to the floor.
Caramel looks into Crimson for the first time in ten years.
"Get out of here Gintoki."
"Zura?"
"Not Zura! It's Katsura! How many times do I have to remind you?!" Comes out of his mouth automatically – as though nothing's happened, even though that's not true.
He watches as silver eyebrows narrow, "What are you doing here?"
It's a testament on how rusty they've both become when the Amanto almost jump them. The glint in crimson he knows that's echoing in caramel doesn't last long because she's turning away and already hefting Glasses along by the arm and pushing the Yato forward.
"Run!"
He follows.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Shinpachi tightens his grip on his pant legs at the sight of the three of them on the television, "Ane-ue's going to kill me..." He lets go of his legs and turns to look at the lazing about Gintoki. "Gin-san, do you think this is part of some kind of conspiracy? Why are we in the middle of it?" He picked up his gaze from the floor, "I guess we got to meet Katsura-san. To think he would risk his own image to help us out." Coffee turned back to the silver head. "He's a friend of yours, isn't he? What type of person is he?"
Dead fish-like eyes blink, "Ahhh…" She doesn't bother picking up a cover story to feed the kids, "A terrorist."
"Heeeah?"
"Don't call me that." Katsura pulled open the door.
"Would you rather bomber, Zura?" Her voice is still uninterested in the situation, her body language repeating it as she gazes over her nails.
"I prefer us being called Jouishishi."
Gintoki let out a near silent sigh before turning her head towards Katsura, crimson looking straight past him and locking onto a familiar face.
"Jouishishi?!" Shinpachi repeated, gaping at the group that stands with Katsura.
Kagura bit down on a cracker and pulled her bright blue eyes away from the tv and onto the coffee eyed teen. "That sound's important. What's it mean, Shinpachi?"
"When the Amanto first came to Earth twenty years ago, there were some Samurai who didn't take to the Bakufu letting the Amanto walk in, so they banded together to fight both Amanto and those who were on the side of the Bakufu. They were known as the Jouishishi. I didn't think there were people who still supported it around."
"Well, Shinpachi." Gintoki lifted herself up to stand, "Looks like you were right about a conspiracy going on." She nodded her head in the direction of the group, "Don't you agree, postie?"
Kagura jumped up, pointing at man who crashed into Otoso's shop earlier. "Gin-chan's right! It's Creepy Critter!"
"What are you up to Katsura?"
He'll never admit it, but it hurts when she uses his family name – because she's only ever used it once.
Caramel eyes fall close, unable to look into crimson. "Even if it comes to underhanded tricks, I will accomplish my goal." Teeth gritted together, "I'm surprised you aren't doing anything, considering what they took from us, took from you." He glares off to the side of Gintoki's head – because, from this small amount of contact after so many years he's not sure if he's still able to read her, ever was able to read her – "Why have you put down your sword? Why won't you strike back at them, Shiroyasha, Sakata Gintoki?" He's vaguely aware that there are other people in the room and barely notices the sucked in air from the two teenagers.
His grip on his sword tightens and he closes his eyes again, "Why won't yo-" and suddenly there's a sword pointed at his throat and a demon at his back. Eyes wide open, he stares at the bokken that's brushing his skin.
"'Put down my sword'?" Gintoki repeated and now he's looking up into crimson, she hasn't moved from the spot that she stood up on, "What makes you think I did such a thing? Because of this?" She lifts the bokken up, lifts his chin up and it feels like a hand gripping, piercing- "It doesn't mean anything. My sword maybe sheathed and may gather dust from time to time. But it has never, ever been put down. My sword is my soul. My soul is my sword." She removes her bokken from his neck – removes the demon at his shoulder. "Don't ever imply I've gone against his teachings."
"Gin-chan…"
"Gin-san…"
She takes a breath, "You follow your own bushido, I'll follow mine." She held her bokken up again, but this time to the side, away from any person in the room. "I'll protect what's in my country, what's in the rage of my sword. So don't pester me about this anymore. Our fight is over. We lost. Get over it. He doesn't want this. He doesn't want us to throw away our lives, never wanted it. So stop it. Stop this, Zura."
Katsura blinks and sees a white haired child gripping a sword too tightly. Shaking.
Sees red covering white.
Sees pleading crimson.
Sees tears.
Sees a lost girl who was forced to take the head of her father.
Sees Gintoki.
Katsura blinks again and the door is being kicked in-
"Stop where you are terrorist! This is the Shinsengumi! You're under arrest!"
-And Gintoki's already at the paper thin wall and kicking it in before Katsura can say run. Shinpachi and Kagura not far behind her steps down the hall and Katsura dogs after them.
"Who the hell are they?!" Shinpachi yelled in a panic, twisting his head to look over his shoulder.
"The Shinsengumi, they are a special police force under the control of the Shougunate." Katsura explained as he tapped the teenagers shoulder and pointedly points forwards. "They are the branch responsible for eliminating rebellious elements."
"Nice words for saying they are after your head." Gintoki says, her tone also panicked as she decked the face of a Shinsengumi member waiting in the hall they round into.
"They're after yours too!" Katsura snaps back.
"Yours is the only one known here!"
"Gin-chan! Why aren't they after my head?"
"We don't want them to take any of our heads Kagura-chan!"
"Hey!" Crimson eyes dart over to the voice and Gintoki drops to the ground at the gleam of a sword heading for her neck. Katsura continues forward down the hall, Kagura over one shoulder and Shinpachi's arm griped tightly in hand.
"Oi! Let me go! Gin-chan!"
Navy blue eyes look coldly down at the silver head at Hijikata's feet only to blink at the sight of the crimson eyed female. "A woman…?"
"Is that a trick question? Are you the ring leader here?" Gintoki asked, her tone full of boredom, crimson eyes looking on unimpressed at the police officer who let down his already broken up guard. "You're terrible if you are. You're wide open."
"Who are you to comment on my swordplay?" Hijikata growled out, eyebrow twitching, "I'll eat you up like the fish you are!" Pulling his sword out from the wall, Hijikata hesitates in jabbing at the silver head, when he does, the metal presses into wood – as he aimed to do – but it's the fact that the space next to his sword is empty that makes his head jerk up.
Gintoki stood up from her roll, dead, crimson, fish-like eyes look dully at the Shinsengumi Fukuchou – who didn't have the courtesy to hide his gawking – hands cupped around her mouth, she started to speak in an equally dull tone, "Oi, Police. We got a sexual harasser over here, book him."
"I am the police!" Hijikata barked back, not moving from his spot as he lashes his sword out.
"That's even worst, sexual harasser-san." She didn't flinch away from the blade that won't reach her and Hijikata bites down on the end of his cigarette.
"Other than the fact that you were hanging around known terrorist, you're not a normal citizen are you?" The Fukuchou asked slowly, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword while navy blue eyes flickered from the bokken tucked at the females' hip, to the toned arm that wasn't covered by the yukata and to crimson framed by silver.
A silver eyebrow raised, "I am a normal citizen, I work to pay rent and food bills and all that. No different to everyone else." Gintoki shifted before placing a hand onto her chin, the other holding her elbow. "Unless you count the fact I have a Yato causing my debt to deepen with all the food she eats…" Fish-like crimson met navy blue. "Do you, sexual harasser-san?"
Hijikata twitched, "Don't call me that."
"I'll take that as a no then."
There's another pause that's only broken by the rocket passing between them and hitting the wall, causing a small explosion to puff up. "The police are here to book the sexual harasser."
Hijikata coughed from his new position on the floor, free hand waving the dust away.
"Sexual harasser-san, are you alive?" Okita Sougo called out as he walked over to his superior.
"You trying to kill me Sougo?!"
"Tch, missed again…"
"What's that meant to mean?!" Hijikata growled at the teenaged police officer before navy blue eyes widened and snapped back down the dust covered hall, searching for the head of silver, "Where'd she go?"
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Live beautifully, huh?
What's beautiful about that?
Gintoki?
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
And that's the story Gin-san.
A marriage proposal? Don't they have rules at the places you work? Tae-chan? And you said he carries a sword? Must be some kind of police hot shot then… How old's this guy?
No idea.
If this guy is a part of a police force, there's no telling who he has at his back. Hmm… Oi! Where are you stalker?!
Who are you calling a stalker?!
He's really here…
…Oi, Tae-chan, you need to call a Zoo, your being followed by a gorilla…
I tried, but the Zoo said that they aren't missing any gorillas.
You sure? There's one standing right in front of us. And it responded to stalker.
Of what relation are you to Otae-san?!
This is my older sister, my family has a long standing tradition. For the younger siblings to be married, the person who wishes to take their hand has to beat the oldest in a one on one fight.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Fukuchou! The Kyokuchou got dumped?!
Is it true his was defeated due to an underhanded trick?
Getting dumped is one thing… but losing a fight?
Who the hell is this silver-haired samurai?
Shut up, there is no way Kondo-san lost. Who'd you hear that from anyway?
Okita-taichou!
I heard it from Hijikata-san.
I shouldn't have told him anything…
You're the one who said it?!
Is it true then?
Shuddup!
Yo! I see things are lively a usual around here.
Eh? What's wrong?
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"Oi, watch out Nii-chan."
Navy blue eyes look up at the sound of a dull voice. "Eh?" Hijikata backed up, barely missing the planks off wood that fell from the rooftop, cigarette burning on the floor. "Eh?!" Overbalancing, he fell over onto his butt, "Oi! You coulda killed me!"
"Not my fault you're reaction time is slow, I said heads up." The same flat voice answered, coming from the female who slid down the ladder.
"You mumbled!"
"Shuddup. I don't need any more hassle and bussle from this job, more so form someone like you." Gintoki removed her yellow safety helmet to scratch at messy silver hair.
Scarlet eyes widened and Hijikata gaped.
"You're the girl from the Ikedaya!"
Gintoki tilted her head, "Hmm?"
"Hijikata-san, Hijikata-san. Told you we didn't have all the info we needed." Okita commented, tone bland.
"You can't be serious Sougo!"
"Who are you?" Gintoki cut in. Fish-like crimson eyes look on, "Could you be… Oogushi-kun? I thought you were meant to be younger…"
'Is she serious?'
"Hey, Gin-san, stop slacking off and help out!"
"Coming, coming." Gintoki pushed her safety helmet back on, "See you around, Oogushi-kun. Work do to and all that…"
The two Shinsengumi members watched as Gintoki clambered up the ladder and back onto the roof. "She's gone. What should we do, Oogushi-kun?"
"Who're you calling Oogushi-kun?" Hijikata snarled before turning his head up to where the silver head disappeared to. "I didn't think I could forget someone so fast."
"That's surprising… then again, I don't think she's the first to call you sexual harasser, Oogushi-kun."
Hijikata unsheathed his sword and lashed it out, causing Okita to bend back slightly, "You knew?!"
"I'll give it to you though… She is forgettable."
"…Sougo, pass me your sword."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Gintoki pulled back the hair that hung in her eyes before giving them a dull look, "I'm going to need a haircut…"
"That's easy fixed." Gintoki let her hair slip from her fingers and turned her head to look over her shoulder so crimson could pin onto the new voice. "First preventing bombings, now you're repairing a roof? You don't stick to anything do you?" Hijikata lifted himself up onto the roof.
"Bombing?" Crimson blink, "Oh? So Oogushi-kun is really sexual harasser-san…"
"Not what I wanted you to remember… but I'll give credit where it's due, I don't think anyone's crazy enough to do what you did."
"Then you know better people then I do."
"I also didn't think anyone could defeat Kondo-san, but it makes more sense if it was a female who defeated him."
Gintoki blinked, "Kondo-san?" she echoed.
Hijikata let his eyes narrow at the silver heads words, "There was a girl he liked."
She raised an unimpressed – but still blank faced – eyebrow at the Shinsengumi Fukuchou, "There are a lot of people who like other people. Don't think you're interested in the number of people who ask for help in that department."
Hijikata pressed on, "Rumour has it that a silver haired samurai battled and defeated Kondo-san in order to stop our Kyokuchou from asking the girl to marry him."
There was a flicker of recognition in crimson eyes. "You mean the gorilla stalking 'Pachi's sister?"
At her words, Hijikata tossed Okita's sheathed sword over to Gintoki, whose arm shot out to grab the weapon. In even movements, Gintoki stood up slowly.
Crimson blinked and Hijikata threw his sheath into the air before bringing his sword around, the ring of metal was muffled by the sheath still sitting over Okita's blade.
"He may be a gorilla, but he's our Kyokuchou!"
A deadlock was formed, both sides pushing the swords together, creating muffled rattles, "Sexual harasser-san, you're missing the fact that he's stalking someone."
"Stop calling me that!" With anger filled force, Hijikata pushed the deadlock into his favour, causing Gintoki's balance to slip, forcing her to roll with the fall in order to both gain a new position and miss the attack he aimed at her head. Not wanting to give her a moment, he pushed forward and brought down an overhead swipe down, only for him to end up looking a dried, cracked roof tiles.
"What's with the sudden attacking, huh!?" A foot to the back of his shoulder sends Hijikata upper body forward, his legs slow on the uptake causing him to form a sloppy flip, "And you're leaving yourself wide open again!"
Hijikata brought his sword up, catching Gintoki on her thigh – she's dangerous, that much Hijikata now understood, limit her movements – causing the silver head to stumble when she landed on her injured leg.
"What are you doing Gin-san? If you keep mucking around I won't pay a dime!"
With one hand on her thigh and the other still gripping the sheathed sword Gintoki snapped back, "Shut it baldy! Do me a favour and call the police!"
"I am the police."
Crimson eyes look back at the Shinsengumi Fukuchou, "Is that right?" Gintoki huffed a small laugh, "Do they let law breakers into the police force willy-nilly now, sexual harasser-san?"
A black eyebrow twitched, "Is it in your job description to be this irritating?"
"Oh? How did-ja know?"
'She's pissing me off! However… she's not fighting the way I thought she would. She sounded like someone who would take whatever advantage they can get and yet, Sougo's sword is still sheathed.'
Gintoki hisses as she removed her hand from her leg, letting more blood soak the fabric of the construction uniform she was given and crimson eyes assessed the damage done to her leg.
'It's not underestimation. So what is it?'
Hijikata clicked his tongue, "Draw your sword!" He barks and points his blood lined blade at the silver head, "I didn't lend it to you to keep it sheathed. Draw!"
There was a small pause before a sigh fell from her lips and Gintoki ran a bloodied hand through silver hair, tainting the locks with a tint of red, "Such a pain." She shifts and falls into a stance to draw the sword she was given, her leg didn't shake under her weight.
Navy blue eyes narrowed further, 'What the hell?'
She stood there, making no move to attack or bring the sword up to guard, instead she kept the blade held out to her side, silver covering crimson.
Hijikata ran at her.
He swiped.
Cutting nothing.
Navy blue eyes widened before movement catches the corner of his sight.
A flash of sliver.
'She dodge? With that leg?'
There was the sound of shattering metal and Hijikatka's sword fell to the roof top, broken cleanly in two.
Hijikata sucks in a breath as his eyes dart from the broke weapon to the silver head.
'She didn't go for the kill?'
There's another clatter of metal as Gintoki drops Okita's sword in favour of placing a hand on her still bleeding thigh. There was a twitch of feminine lips. "That's all folks." She murmured as she turns to hobble over to the other side of the roof. "Hey! Baldy, I'm taking a break! What's up with the police around here anyway?"
"Hold up!" Gintoki paused but the silver head didn't turn towards the darker haired male. "Why, why didn't you go for the kill? Do you pity me?"
"'Pity'?" She questions, shifting her head slightly to let crimson look up at the cloud spotted sky, "If I had enough of that to give to some stranger, I would put it on my dinner. Some fight to protect something, like you fought me to protect the Shinsengumi."
"Protect? Then what are you protecting?"
She twists her head to look at the Shinsengumi Fukuchou, "My soul." Gintoki returned to her hobbling.
Navy blue eyes widened.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Okita gave a laugh. "She's interesting. I wouldn't mind crossing swords with her myself."
"Don't bother. She'll kick your ass, Sougo." Kondo gave a smile, "She's the kind of person who's fighting another battle far away, even when a sword swings at her throat. Fair or unfair, she sees no difference."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
My friends were kidnapped. I can't just sit here and do nothing.
You think you can beat then in such a condition?
'A person's life is like carrying a heavy burden while walking a long road.' Some guy said that.
Lord Ieyasu.
When I first heart it, I thought it was lame. But it's hard to wipe away what people say. It wasn't really a burden. It was something important that you held with both hands. But you didn't realise it was there when you held it. I only realise its true weight after it slipped away. I don't know who often I thought 'I'll never carry this weight again'. But, all of a sudden, I'm feeling that weight again… If I really threw it all away, things would be easier. But I can't. Because it'll be too boring to keep walking without them… just like it was boring without you guys…
Well, it can't be helped. And, I owe you for what happened the other week. Let's go.
Zura?
Your right arm can't carry the whole burden. From now on, I am your left arm.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
He doesn't know what to think when he sees her again other than 'Why is she playing house instead of fighting?' – And maybe silently, 'her hair's still a mess'.
It didn't matter all that much.
Because if it comes down to it, he'll use her corpse as a stepping stone to get what he wants.
To put an end to the rotten world.
To destroy the lives that destroyed his.
To get back payback for those tears shed.
Takasugi isn't jealous, isn't upset that she – the closest to Shouyou and his executioner – is moving on.
He's not.
His eye stings.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Gin-chan, I found your strawberry underwear.
Eh?
Oi, sexual harasser-san, sexual harasser in the making-kun… why the hell do you have my underwear?
Y-Yours?
Urh...
Sexual harasser-san also cut them, Gin-chan. And other sexual harasser was carry them around like the creep he is.
Stop calling me that!
To think I was working with two sexual harasses this whole time.
You're not any better Stalker Gorilla!
I still wanna know why you have my underwear!
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
When he gets to see her again, it's during an airship crash which leads to sitting in the heat for however long it takes for Mutsu to find him and then having his men almost get killed by a Sand Bug and then he almost gets killed by said Sand Bug because he saves his crew, but Gintoki's there so it's fine.
He likes the two kids that have attached themselves to Gintoki's sides.
But he still wants to talk to her.
So he lets his tinted shades slip down and lets crimson and azure meet before he shuffles off to an area of the ship with no over curious ears that want to know everything they can know about the one who'll protect them no matter the cost.
He doesn't hesitate in bringing her into a hug.
Because yes, he's all laughs and giggles, but there were – are – points in his journey where all he wants to do is hug his sister and let out what others don't know, let out what he hides from them because he doesn't want them to worry and maybe that's why he likes the two brats.
Because they remind him of the family he's collected.
Remind him that Gintoki hides things too.
Remind him of the dream Gintoki has.
"You okay?" Sakamoto mumbles as they slip onto the floor, legs stuck out and a hand curling lightly in messy silver hair.
"Look who's talking."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Fukuchou, someone's coming out.
Get in formation!
Hurry up and come along. I'll get you a melon parfait.
Let go of me, people will get the wrong idea!
What? Is walking with your father embarrassing? You walk with the walking-talking puff-ball just fine.
Gin-chans Gin-chan! You Baldy!
Excuse me, Papi, can I get a parfait too?
Gin-chan!
It won't hurt to spend some time with your Papi, Kagura. Some people would give up a lot just to see theirs one last time.
Gin-san…
…Alright.
Eh? What just happened?
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Let me introduce you Baldy. The good-for-nothing with the glasses is Shinpachi.
What do you mean good-for-nothing?
The good-for-nothing with the puff-ball is Gin-chan.
What he said.
These are the two that I look after here.
Who looks after who?
Just what are you two thinking? There are people who seek to abuse the power of a Yato everywhere.
What was that? Where the hell did that come from Usura? Who's abusing people? I'm not a parent in the first place, I'm just looking out for the kid you abandon and you go accusing me of abuse?
Huh?! I've been desperately looking for her. One minuet she was there, the next gone.
The hell does that work?! You're an alien hunter, meaning you left whatever planet she calls home. You left her alone! You left her alone long enough for her to want to get away and find someone to talk to. You left her alone to be picked on by those who would abuse her! I won't pretend I know shit about her family and that's a striking factor, she doesn't want to talk about her family, meaning it hurts.
…I won't leave my daughter in your hands. I'm taking Kagura-chan back.
Don't decide on your own! I don't wanna go along with the likes of you, Papi. You left home. You left Mummy. You left Idiot Big Brother. You left me. If you can do what you want, why can't I do what I want?
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Kagura can't breathe.
Because she wants to stay with Gin-chan.
Gin-chan who let her in to her home.
Gin-chan who feeds her.
Gin-chan who is family.
Gin-chan can't mean that.
Gin-chan can't say Sayounara.
She can't lose Gin-chan.
She's already lost Mummy and Idiot Big Brother and Papi.
She can't lose Gin-chan.
She can't.
She wants to stay with Gin-chan.
She will stay with Gin-chan.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"Oi, Gin-san, do you have any siblings?" Shinpachi asked, pushing his glasses up, not taking coffee coloured eyes off of the infant in Otose's arms that resembled the female he's working for just a little too much for his liking. The same hair colour, the same fish-like eyes, even the same attitude.
"I'm an orphan Shinpachi. I wouldn't have any idea."
"I know this is going to sound stupid, but you sure it's not yours?"
"I would know if I had a kid."
Shinpachi gave a sigh, turning away from the infant and over to the moody adult. "What are we going to do then?"
Gintoki echoed Shinpachi's sigh and lifted herself up from the bar stool, "We find the parents. I can't look after him." She held out her arms, "Pass 'im over Baa-baa. The quicker we can get rid of him the better."
"But Gin-chan, I want to keep him."
"No."
"Bu-"
"It's someone's child Kagura."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Okita poked gently at the stomach of the baby in his hands. "You sure it's not yours Danna?"
He listens to the long sigh that comes from the female slumped on the bench next to him. "Yes." He turns to the silver head. She held an arm over her midsection. "I couldn't have one even if I wanted to anyway."
Scarlet widen.
"Danna…"
"Maa, forget it." The female pushed herself up and ran a hand through messy hair. "Is there anything you guys can do, Okita-kun?"
"…I can look to see if there has been any missing, stolen or kidnapped reports made. If there has been one made I can ask Kondo-san, but if not, there's not much I can do."
A hand plops onto his hair and ruffles the sand coloured strands and Okita sees his sister. Warm scarlet eyes, sand coloured hair waving in the wind, a smile he doesn't want to lose.
He blinks and there's crimson looking out from under silver and lips tugging upwards faintly.
"It's more than nothing. Thank you."
He's still looking up with wide scarlet eyes as the weight of the child is removed from his lap.
"See you around, Okita-kun."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"You didn't tell me you had a child." Katsura picked the child up from Gintoki's arms and lifted the silver haired child up into the air. "Say hi to Oji-san." He babbled.
"That's because I don't."
Katsura shifted the child to sit him on his hip before he waved at Gintoki, "Nonsense. The same hair, the same expression." Caramel met crimson. "Hmm the eyes colour is a bit off…"
"I can't have kids." Gintoki cut in bluntly.
Katsura blinked. "Eh?"
"I lost the ability to have kids Zura." She licks her suddenly dry lips and crimson dart over to the corner of the room Katsura was staying in. "… After we went our own ways I was tracked down by the Crows. I was leaving a trail for Sakamoto to follow, I didn't think anyone else would find it. They ambushed me one night. I took them all out, but they took away my ability to have kids. Sakamoto found me. Don't think I would be alive if he didn't…" Gintoki trailed off and the male moves.
Katsura places his forehead to hers, caramel eyes close, hiding the emotions that he can't contain.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
So how was it?
Napu!
What? What's wrong with milk? Oi, oi, it's a bit early for you to have alcohol kid. That's for when you have hair here and there. Tell you what, maybe, after you've grown a little more… and you somehow still remember me, come find me again. I'll be glad to share a cup with you then.
Supun?
Yeah, it's a promise then! Samurais don't make promises they can't keep. Laugh a lot, cry a lot, and grow to become an adult. I'll be waiting.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Zura, look over there. Gintoki's here. Looks like she intends to fight the Benizakura. She's still the same old idiot. Even she can't fight a battleship with her bare hands
She isn't fighting with bare hands. …He no longer moves like a human. His body is crying out because it can't keep up with the Benizakura's commands. That man is going to die. You should know the consequences of using Benizakura. Is he not your comrade? Why have you let him use such a thing?
Because that's what he wished for. Even if it meant death, he wished to become a sword himself. Swords are made to kill, and swordsmiths are there to make swords. But what's the purpose of a Samurai?
You still don't know what direction to walk…
Not true, I can only see a single path ahead of me.
Which you hesitate to walk down.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Gintoki felt a smile pull at her lips as her back came into contact with the formally long haired samurai. "Oi, Zura! What's with the hair? Did you get dumped or somethin'?"
"Shut up! I thought it was about time I changed my image up." Katsura snuffs before his own smile lifted at his lips, "What about you? Get hit by a bomb?"
Gintoki turned her nose up, "Hmph. You're not the only who can change their looks." She slumped, bandage hand gripping at her bandaged chest.
"What kind of image change is that?! You're hair's worse than normal!"
"Katsura-san, orders?" One brave member under Katsura's reign asked, causing the banter between the two childhood friends to stop.
"Retreat."
The only one who didn't look away from the enemy was Gintoki when the word left Katsura's mouth.
"The Benizakuras have been destroyed. We have no further interest with this ship. We have a ship coming to pick us up. We're leaving!"
"Don't even think about it!" The reptilian Amanto pulled his blade out to run at the group.
"We're gonna finish each one of you off!"
Crimson and caramel snapped over to the three Amanto that attacked first. Stepping as one, Katsura removed one of the Amanto's from the fight while Gintoki laced her arm around the spear that was aimed at her, rendering it useless for the time being as she grabbed the wrist of the other Amanto that attacked, making him drop his sword. With a practiced twist of her hand, Gintoki swiped the sword into her own hand and sliced at the bird Amanto while Katsura cut down the spear wielder.
The shocked eyes of the group behind them bore into their backs as the two straighten and leaned into each other's backs slightly.
"We'll hold the rear guard!"
"Go!"
"Bu-!"
Gin-sa-!" the twin cries of the two teenagers where cut off as Elizabeth – a white duck Amanto of some kind, gifted to Katsura from Sakamoto – picked the two up and ran, leading the group out.
"Let go! Gin-chan!"
Gintoki and Katsura didn't pay any mind to Kagura, instead they kept their attention on the Amanto that were given the order to attack.
"Charge!"
As one, both sides ran at each other.
In an easy sequence of steps, the two samurai removed four Amanto from the battle before they split apart, blood painting their clothing.
Placing her hand on a shoulder, Gintoki flicked herself up and over a dagger user and onto the shoulders of a furred covered Amanto – the dagger user being cut down by a sword wielder who thought he could predict Gintoki's movements – dropping them to the floor with the sudden extra weight and removing them from battle with a sword to the back of a neck. She spins, removing her sword from the body to dig it into feathered covered flesh. She rolls with her attack, avoiding the two lances aimed at her back.
Katsura turns and his sword passes through fur and scales and three bodies hit the floor. He angles his body slightly as a dagger passes, missing his head. His arm snaps up to the one holding the dagger and Katsura throws his stance wide to round the Amanto he held into another two that are then impaled by a lance through their backs and Gintoki is re-arming herself with a dagger and doesn't blink when Katsura jabs his katana past her head and into the only eye of an Amanto.
She twists around him and burrows the dagger into a shoulder and across the neck of a snake like Amanto before disarming the curved blade in his hand and throwing it out at another Amanto, she runs after it and cuts the dagger into another bared neck. Gintoki griped onto the hilt of the sword she threw and brings it down to dig into scales, she twists again as her heel is brought up, knocking a lance wide. Following the momentum of her turn, she removes the sword from the scale covered Amanto and her body passes over the lance and a chest is left open.
Hearing the crack from his blade louder than the Amanto crying out yells of war, Katsura draws his sheath and knocks a chin into the air before stabbing his breaking katana into the open neck. The metal snaps in half. He turns and digs the sheath into the side of a rib cage and a flying sword finishes his job, he doesn't hesitate in grabbing the blade that just passed by his neck and slashes out.
Gintoki kicks a blade up from the floor to knock the senbon flying at her head away. Crimson eyes remain on the sky where three forms had jumped up, with another flick of her heel, she brought a sword up and immediately latches onto it before she releases it in a throw to take out the senbon user. Twisting out of the way of a lance, she brought the butt of the dagger down on to a hand, causing the Amanto to drop the lance with one hand. Gintoki's hand lashes out to grab the weapon to twist it out of the Amanto's grip, another twits leads to the Amanto being left on the ground, before she turns to run towards Katsura.
"Zura, up!"
Caramel eyes instantly snap up and a curse is muttered under breath. Katsura throws his sword up before cupping his hands together and braces himself to help the female fighter into the air. Lifting the female up, his hand grabs onto the sword he let go of and he's ducking under a mace that attempted to hit them both. He slashes at the tallest Amantos' legs and brings them to their knees. He doesn't hesitate in bringing the end of a life.
Gintoki spins when she makes it to the three air born Amanto, digging a boot into an overly large bug eye before stabbing the dagger into the back of a head of another. Two fall to the ship and Gintoki twists again to jab the lance into the last. She lets go of the lance and follows the three bodies to the floor where snatches the sword Katsure throws up for her and slashes at the unconscious bug Amanto.
Purple mixes with red and white.
The two samurai run at each other and Gintoki leavers herself over Katsuras' shoulder and they both slash.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Gintoki!
Yeah?!
This world doesn't always end up how we want it to, huh?! Just changing a friend's mind is tough, forget changing a country!
Zura, when did you start getting friends? You're delusional!
Do you want me to kill you, bastard?!
Gintoki!
What?!
You better not change. It seems cutting you down would require too much effort. I have other things to put my energy towards.
Zura, if you ever change. I'll be the first to cut you down.
Takasugi!
This is how it is!
The next time we meet, we are no longer friends!
We're going to do everything it takes to bring you down!
You better start prying to never see us again!
They jump off the side of the ship.
"Do you do this often Zura? Jumping off ships?" Crimson eyes look up at the parachute, arms locked around Katsura's waste.
"Not Zura, Katsura! And you never know when you'll need one while on the run from the Shinsengumi."
"The hell do you do to need a parachute for?"
"This and that." Katsura lets his expression drop as he pulls out a green, blood stained book with a slice running down to the middle of it. "You know, I didn't expect him to still be carrying this around. At the beginning we all started with wanting to save him but with him gone…"
Gintoki tightened her hold.
"We've grown so far apart. Do you still remember this, Gintoki?"
"Yeah…"
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Do all you ninjas have magnets up your arses?
I'm starting to think so.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Otae-san!
We beg you! Please become Kondo-sans wife and our Nee-san!
Now what's this, threatening me on your knees?
The truth is… Right now, there's talk of Kondo-san getting engaged. He's almost thirty. The higher ups are setting him up with someone, for political status. It's likely he's going to accept, with you always rejecting him, he's gotten to the point that so long as the persons a woman, he's fine with her.
My, isn't that good for him? This way, he'll stop stalking me and have a loving wife. Everyone will be happy. My, my, they say that couples reflect each other but this is a match made in heaven.
I get that he looks like a gorilla at times, but they are trying to marry him to an actual gorilla.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Oi, stop it! We're leaving. We've done what we can here guys. You too kid. You're a minor yeah? You shouldn't be in this place.
Hey, bastard, what did you say?
Huh?
I am not a kid. I am Yagyuu Kyuubei!
K-Kyuu-chan?
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
S-Shin-chan! T-This isn't what it looks like, Shin-chan. This is…
Just what were you two doing alone?! You bastard! What do you think you're doing to my sister when you're not even married?!
Shin-chan!
Shinpachi-kun, yes? Looks like you still haven't learned to let go of your sister. Why don't you cut it out and grow up a little?
Shin-chan!
It's time for our farewell. It's because you are so weak that Tae-chan can't leave the family without a worry.
You're… Kyuubei-san… Yagyuu Kyuubei-san? Appearing out of nowhere, what are you trying to pull?! What do you mean by 'leave the family'?!
Just as it sounds. Maybe it is that you don't know, but when we were young, Tae-chan and I vowed that we would be husband and wife. Today I take her to the Yagyuu house.
Huh?
For a long time now, your sister hasn't been yours, but mine. I don't see why I should listen to you complain over something that's already mine.
What are you saying?! A vow when you were young… All that is is a childish promise. Right, Ane-ue? A-Ane-ue… Why aren't you saying anything?
Shin-chan, I'm sorry.
Ane-ue!
Gahh!
Hey, Gin-chan how come your boobs are all bouncy? I want bouncy ones!
For starters stop pulling them! That hurts!
Ow!
Second, it's all in the genetics or something like that… Third, do something about your pet, Gorilla!
Truth is, she's a princess!
The hell are you doing calling a princess your pet?!
Eh? Otae-san?
Huh? What's this? Looks like we crashed in at the wrong time.
Anego, what are you doing here?
Everyone… Sayounara…
Tears gathered.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"Oi, there's egg dripping from your crotch. Is it your ovulation day?"
Without thinking twice, Kagura wrapped her hand around Okita's face before throwing him across the room.
Gintoki brought her hands together, crimson eyes looking on uninterested. "Hole in one."
"You deserved that one Sougo." Hijikata commented as he glared at his mayonnaises bottle shape lighter.
Holding a hand to sand coloured hair, Okita pushed himself up "Itai, what was that-" He pauses and scarlet eyes open when the sharp kiss of a blade touches his figures.
"Well, you did well in coming this far, doujo challengers." Long blond hair and closed eyes, stood to say the group of six were talking with an obsessed man. "Although, your challenge ends here. We are the protectors of the Yagyuu clan…"
"Kitaoji Itsuki." Square Glasses introduced
"Minamito Sui." The guy with funky coloured hair was next.
"Nishino Tsukamu." Baldy.
"And Toujou Ayumu." And the obsessed one. "To challenge the Yagyuu's Four Devas… I suppose none of you are planning to leave here alive, hmm?"
"Oi, Kagura, what do you want for dinner tonight?"
Bright blue eyes shone, "Are you cooking tonight Gin-chan?"
"Mmm"
"Then I want-"
A blonde eye brow twitched. "Is there any point of going over dinner plans when you won't b-gahh!"
Kagura gripped blonde hair and pulled it, forcing the taller guy to bend at an odd angle. "Gin-chan said she'll cook. If Gin-chan says she'll cook she cooks. And if you mess up me getting to eat Gin-chans cooking I'll kill you. She's too lazy to cook most the time. I want to eat Gin-chans food." She tugs the hair out to the side, making the blonde topple over, going the extra step, she spat at the floored male before turning, a bright smile replacing the dark look the girl had only moments before.
Hijikata – still paused in the motion of placing his cigarette back into his mouth – twitched, "Oi, oi…" A strained laugh came from his side – Kondo.
"Danna…" Multiple eyes blinked and moved onto the teen sitting on the floor with three swords still pointed at him.
"Ah, forgot all about him."
Toujou coughed into his hand after he stood up, wiping Kagura's spit away with a small square of cloth.
"A-As we were saying…" Funky haired suffer dude started, "Drop you weapons, all of them, or else this hostage-"
With five sets of cries, five weapons – four bokkens and one umbrella – where sent flying at Okita with enough force to embed into the wooden floor. The Four Devas and Okita scatter into the air.
"Waa- What the hell are you thinkin'?!" Suffer dude snapped after landing on his butt.
"You said to drop them." Gintoki looked over her nails. "Tch, I broke one…"
"How's that dropping them?! You trying to kill your comrade?!"
Navy eyes looked down at glaring scarlet, "Unfortunately, this guy's not worth much."
"Kill him! Kill him!" Kagura chanted with a laugh.
"Bastards, I'll remember this!"
"Stop." Kyuubei called out, "That's my wife's relative. Don't hurt them."
"Bocchama!" Ignoring the four, Kyuubei walked into the room keeping an eye on the group of six as Gintoki pulled the weapons out of the flooring and passed them to their respected owners.
"My, what a group. Shinpachi-kun, I didn't think your attachment to your sister would be so strong."
"I'm not here as a younger brother today." Coffee coloured eyes glared, "But as the master of the Kodoukan Doujo. Shimura Tae is an important student of my doujo. If you want her so badly, then battle me, the master, that's the most logical answer, not kidnapping!"
"Battle? Why would I need to battle?" Kyuubei asked.
"As a fellow student in the way of the sword, you should understand. A samurai talks better with their sword then with their mouth…" Kondo cut in, expression set in stone
"If living and dying by the sword is the way of the samurai, then…" Okita added as he dusted dirt off of his clothing.
"…Take your woman by the sword." Hijikata finished.
"Gin-chan, Gin-chan!" Kagura tugged on Gintoki's yukata. "Isn't that barbaric?"
Crimson looked down at the young teenager. "Well, sexual harasser-san-"
"Quit calling me that!"
"-Could have used better wording. In other words 'fight us head on instead of fighting dirty'."
"Ohh…" Bright blue eyes blink and Kagura pointed a figure at the group of five males standing in front of her, "Fight us! You dirty bastards!"
"Fight?" Kyuubei repeated, a smile tugging at his lips. "You think your rundown doujo would even be a match for the Yagyuu? With a child and a woman in your ranks?"
Gintoki tilted her head, giving a mocking smile back, "Yes, Bocchama. You see, for us members of the Kodoukan, age or gender doesn't matter. We don't know anything about each other and we really couldn't care less if one of us dies. All that matters is being strong. As for me being a woman…" Gintoki let her smirk fall – unseen by the ones standing behind her – and crimson locked onto the shorter swords wielder. "Why don't you all come at me at once and we'll see what gender has to do with anything, Yagyuu-chan."
Kyuubei felt sweat fall from his face as the sight of the fema- no demon standing in front of him. 'What is she?'
"…Are you an Amanto."
Crimson blinks and Gintoki snorts slightly as she tucked an arm into her yukata, "Wouldn't that be the plot twist of the century."
"You know, Gin-san, that would explain so much." Shinpachi added dully.
"Geeze. I might not know my proper age but I sure as hell know that I'm older then when the Amanto dropped in." Gintoki sighed before her sight returned to the younger swordsman, "This is your grounds Bocchama. How do you want to go about this?"
"We'll each have a dish somewhere placed on our bodies." Kyuubei started after a moment of thought, "To make things fair, the teams will be six on six. No one is to step foot outside the Yagyuu grounds. If your dish is broken, you are removed from the game. This game will end only when one of the teams captains dish is broken. We shall completely crush your overhyped 'combat' swordplay and cut any remaining ties between us! Our captain is somewhere in this mansion. If you can defeat him, victory is yours.
"We will not make it easy and tell you who it is. Though, we plan on breaking all of your dishes fist, so it won't matter who it is."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"Wait! We are at a home field disadvantage. We also don't know how the enemy is going to work, going off on our own is dangerous." Navy blue eyes narrowed at the mayonnaises shaped lighter once again. "Go in pairs-"
"Hijikata-san…" Hijikata looked up from his lighter and over to Shinpachi. "The super-sadist combo just left together."
"Geh, not much we can do about that." He gave a sigh, "Come on girly, let's get you another dish."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"Alright! That's one down!" Nishino whipped his bokken around, hitting Kagura in the arm from where she moved it to protect the two dishes she tied to her chest. "I missed huh? No matter…"
Kitaoji lifted himself out of the water before hitting Kagura up into the air, "You cannot escape our coordinated attacks!"
Kagura gritted her teeth while one bright blue eye spots Minamito who had jumped into the air from wherever he was waiting, but instead they locked onto Okita behind him.
"Oi." Okita brought his bokken down onto the back of Minamito's head. "I'm the only one allowed to beat that girl." The funky hairdo landed on his face. Following, Kagura landed on her back and Okita on his feet.
"Minamito!" Nishino called out but was cut off from running over when a sliding door made itself known in his back.
Scarlet eyes look over to Hijikata who, instead of having a small dish on his person, had an overly large decorative plate tided to his chest. "Hijikata-san, what's up with the big target?"
Cigarette smoke drifted away from Hijikata's mouth, "Let's call it a handicap."
Two shades of blue and one shade of red watch as three of the Four Devas fought over the flip phone belonging to the surfer guy.
"They're not paying attention. Their dishes aren't broken. If it was the Yorozuya trio, they'd be done for already."
"Does the puppy miss her master? You're the one who was being beaten up, you know."
"Sougo, where is Yorozuya?"
"Danna can take care of herself."
"You left Gin-chan by herself?! I'm gonna look for Gin-chan!"
"Don't go off by yourself!" Hijikata snapped at the Yato.
Kagura's search was quickly cut off before it could begin by Baldy throwing a boulder in front of her.
"Hey now, little missy, just hold up a sec. There's no point running, we'll hunt you all down eventually. We actually wanted to get the silver haired one first, but we couldn't find her."
Navy eyes narrowed. 'This is their turf, if they can't find one of us…'
"Sougo."
"I don't know where Danna is, lost track of her pretty quickly. I came back to find one of you guys so I wasn't of easy picking for something like this."
Baldy was cut off from his continued rambling by the boulder making an unexpected return. Bright blue eyes look coldly downwards from Kagura's position on top of the boulder she threw back. "Don't get in my way. Your opponents are those two idiots over there. Little brats should go and play pretend."
There was a crack and the boulder broke to pieces.
"Good! That god-like strength! I like it! Your opponent is me, Nishino Tsukamu!"
Hijikata made to step forward, only his attention was drawn away from the young Yato – who planted a foot into Baldys' face – and over to the glasses wearing Deva.
"You're with me. Shinsengumi's Demonic Fukuchou…" Kitaoji spoke up from behind the smoker. "I, Kitaoji Itsuki, shall teach you what a true samurai is."
Navy eyes glared, "Bring it on."
"So that leaves you with me then. I'm Minamito Sui. What do you think boy. Can we do without attacks to the face? We both has woman crying for us, don't we?"
Okita rested his bokken on his shoulder, "Don't worry about that, us country samurai aren't so good with women."
"I wouldn't say that. That silver head's quite the looker."
A smirk filtered onto Okita's lips, "You wouldn't even make it to her boots."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Between teaming up with me and losing, which one's shittier?
Both are shit.
Same with me.
But… Gin-chan told me to pay people back double for revenge!
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Crimson eyes watch on from the roof top that ran along the edge of the mansions' yard, cutting between the inner grounds and outer grounds of the Yagyuu clan grounds. "And I thought I would have more trouble finding him with the way they were acting. Oh well."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
That guy is the sorest loser on the planet. If you butt in, you'll get killed.
Sore loser? Kondo-san, at this rate, Hijikata-san is really going to lose!
That may well be the case, but to go and help Toushi now would mean that I don't believe in him. You understand that, don't you?
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
"Say, Jii-jii, there isn't any chance you'll hand that dish over is there."
"You already know the answer to that." Binbokusai only pauses for a moment to give the younger fighter a look before he takes off running down the yellow coloured path, Gintoki close on his footsteps.
"You're fast for someone your age." Crimson eyes watch as Binbokusai sprung off a piece of bamboo and rounded his bokken down on her. Swinging up her own, Gintoki blocked the weighted attack before she twisted her weapon, catching the others' in an attempt to disarm the older fighter.
Following his bokken over the silver head, Binbokusai sunk into multiple flips on the leaf covered path. Bouncing off of his hands one last time, he landed on his feet before running his weapon along the yellow floor, sending bamboo shoots towards the silver head – who had moved to follow him – in quick succession.
Preferring not to get hit by the flying projectiles, Gintoki flopped into a clumsy somersault. Landing in a kneeling position, she quickly brought her bokken up to jab at the grandfather.
Wood cracked together.
Crimson locked onto the still intact dish. "And here I thought I broke that dish cleanly."
"Guess those dead eyes don't account for everything." Binbokusai hummed from where he sat hanging in the tall bamboo, his dominate hand scratching at his chin. "You can see pretty well. And that sword style… self-taught I gather?"
Gintoki stood, crimson eyes never leaving the surprisingly fast elder. "Depends really."
"Oh?" Binbokusai let himself fall back to the ground before he took off running again, forcing the silver head to follow with a muttered curse on her lips. With another series of flips, the grandfather was back in the air and using the bamboo that covered the path as spring boards, waiting for both the younger fighter to run into an angle he could attack from while continue to spring from cane to cane and also gain enough momentum to bring down a strong enough attack on the female.
"You're strong for a female." Binbokusai noted after his attack was brushed off by Gintoki. "And I mean your brute strength, not your skill, I haven't seen much to say anything about it."
Sharp eyes watched the grandfather spring from bamboo cane to bamboo cane. "Body types play a big roll, don't they Jii-jii?" With the next attack, Gintoki angled her bokken and pushed the interlocked weapons up, throwing Binbokusai up into the air.
Rolling himself up, Binbokusai threw himself higher where he latched onto a leaf. Old eyes watch as the silver head adjusted herself to attack the descending male, a sharp pull on the leaf was the only thing that saved him from having his dish knocked off. Feeling the vibration of the leaf give, he let go of the tearing leaf before it could affect his momentum. Landing on the ground, it was years old instincts that made him push himself into a handspring, with his feet being the last to follow, he kicked out, catching Gintoki's bokken to deter another quick strike.
With her weapon off course, Gintoki gritted her teeth and brought her leg up – the other planted on the ground and twisting in the direction her bokken was sent – catching the grandfathers' bokken and sending it out of a surprised grasp and into the air.
The practice sword spun in the air before it dug itself into dead leaves and dirt.
Binbokusai didn't let his eyes stray from crimson – even with the threat of the custom bokken breaking his dish.
"Strong and skilled." The grandfather said, breaking the silence between the two fighters, "A deadly combination." He tilted his head slightly, "…In more ways than one."
China cracked and shattered.
"Game over."
"A subject you avoid then."
"…Let's get back to the main grounds. I believe we've won."
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
Tell me, silver haired-san, what do you think about love?
Love? Not much honestly. I'm not even sure I know what it feels like. If what I feel for them is what you call 'love' then does it matter?
Oh?
Those two are brats. Those three are idiots. And without him I wouldn't be anything. But that's not what you're looking for is it? You want to know if gender should matter in marriage, don't you? Because Bocchama is a little lady isn't he?
Oh? You caught me out. I figure it would be the hardest to hide from you. Since you're female yourself.
Why are you lot so caught up about the gender thing? What does it matter now? I don't give a rat's arse on who marries who. The thing I do care for is the fact that Tae-chan was brought here with tears in her eyes.
They say the road to love is a grim one, but the path those two have isn't an artificial one. Kyuubei needs Otae-chan. Otae-chan wishes to be a pillar of support for Kyuubei as well. Even though they're both women, that's just another form of love.
How so? If you can't even see the feelings of the one you supposedly love, then what's the point of loving at all? Those six that I mentioned, reading them is like second nature.
Is that why you have dead eyes like that? You don't want to be loved?
My eyes have always been like this.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
I finally got to see what I wanted to see.
Tae-chans true smile.
…T.T.L.O.A.C…
-Chapter 2 End-
Here's to hopping the edits are better because boy has this gone through many.
Hope you've enjoyed!
Till next time, ninjapanda16 out!