Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or it's characters that right belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Nor do I own Peacemaker Kurogane and its characters, those belong to Nanea Chrono.

Author's Notes: This is Part 2 of 2.

General P.O.V.

The rounds made and done for the first part of the day had the leaders of the Shinsengumi and their second in command back at the barracks. The heat outside having sapped a good portion of their will to do a damn thing, well except for their newest member, who had been put to cleaning the weapons after irritating Hijikata again. The quiet was nice, something they didn't get to enjoy much of with unrest and rebellion building in the city. Their Lord Tokugawa was a pleasant enough man, but he was only able to help keep things to a minimum according to what the Emperor had set for the law.

So when the door to the barracks was opened, revealing the current Lord and a tall, silver-haired man with golden eyes towering above him. They all took note and started to stand up, just to be waved at as a small smile played across his chubby face.

"This would be the Shinsengumi, Lord Sesshomaru."

"I see. And they will be capable of performing what I need them to do?"

"I assure you, they are more than capable of that. Ah, Isami Kondō here is the commander."

At that summons, an older male with a square jaw and black hair pulled back into a semi-top knot stood up and bowed. Though his face was smiling, a polite mask, his eyes asked a silent question of his Lord.

"Rise Isami, I need of you and your people today. All those that are here at the moment."

"My Lord?"

"Ah, as you can see, I have a visitor, and there is much to discuss. But, well... He brought his ward. May I ask formally of you watch his ward?"

Isami went still after he was standing straight, looking at the man he served. The Shinsengumi were not babysitters, and most were a bit hotheaded, loud, and foul mouth. But he knew who the visiting Lord was. There were very few who didn't know of the Lord who had the Emperor's ear or wondered why he refused to be the Emperor himself — shooting a glance over his shoulder to his Captains and Vice Captains before meeting both Lord's gazes.

"I...yes my Lord, we will do this. I will have those here help guard and watch over the child."

The smile that curved his Lord's lips as an amused gleam entered the golden eyes of the other Lord before they parted and a small petite, dark-haired female with the most vivid blue eyes he had ever seen was revealed. Said female looked to be nothing more than a sixteen-year-old girl, who was not amused at all.

"This is Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru's ward. Take good care of her. She is a sweet-tempered person under most circumstances."

With that said, Isami watched as the two Lords left, leaving the small girl looking at all of them with wariness and intelligence that should not be in her eyes. Stepping back, he motioned for her to step into the barracks main room. With a small tilt of her head, she complied, her blue eyes sweeping the room as if memorizing everything she saw. As he took a good look at her and realized she was carrying a rather large bamboo basket that looked heavy.

"Miss Kagome."

"Yes."

"Would you like me to take the basket for you."

"No, thank you, sir."

The smile she gave him was dazzling, and from the shifting behind him, his men didn't miss it either. The phrase 'A lamb to the slaughter' came to his mind at having a young, beautiful noblewoman in a room with nothing but men had him worrying just a bit. Something was off about the whole 'watching' the girl, and the smile she was giving them. That there was more to her than what they were seeing, putting them all on edge.

The panic that filled the room as several men started to wake slowly, looking rather angry, heads heavy and fuzzy. Their gazes were looking for one thing and one thing only. Anger, horror, amusement, and fear washing over their visages when what they were looking for was not spotted. And from the way the sun was sitting visibly lower in the sky, several hours had gone by since they had been put to sleep.

Black eyes met purple in silence as a deep rumbling laugh came from across the room, drawing all eyes towards the man laughing.

"I guess that we should have listened more closely to Lord Tokugawa when he said she was sweet-tempered 'most' of the time. Having a daughter of my own, I should have recognized the look on her face at being denied what was asked. Hijikata, you are with me, the rest of you get yourself together and ready to look for our missing charge."

Said man stood up, his long black hair falling over his shoulder as his onyx colored eyes flashed briefly down into purple eyes that were laughing. Not finding this whole situation amusing at all, though he would never look at tea the same way again, as he walked over to his leader and followed him to the Castle.

It was only a short walk, even shorter wait when they were shown into the room that held the Edo Lord and his visitor. Isami didn't miss the look that was shared before they both turned their attention to him and his companion. Letting him know they had expected something like this to happen, meaning he and the rest of his Shinsengumi had been played. It is a well-known fact that Lord Tokugawa was a betting man and had used them as a tool for the betting.

"Sir, I am here to inform you that at some point... all of the Shinsengumi, I included, were knocked out via something in our tea, and the young miss you charged us with watching is missing."

He said as he bowed at the waist, knowing that Hijikata was doing the same. When nothing was said, Isami looked up through where the few strands of his hair had come loose while he had been asleep — noting the telling looks that were passing between the two Lords again, before he was given the grunt to raise.

"Thank you for being straightforward and honest. I suggest you find the little miss."

Nodding his head at the dismissal, Isami turned and started to walk out of the room, pausing briefly at the small sigh he heard before they were spoken to again.

"I would suggest you inform whoever finds my ward; Kagome is not to be overtly rude or rough with her. The results would be very... unsettling. She is temperamental when she feels she is being either belittled or threatened. Especially when she is with people she can feel protective over."

Looking up at Hijikata is a bit confused, seeing the man's lip had curled to one side in a sneer, they both nodded their heads and left. As soon as they were out of the Castle, they saw the rest of the Shinsengumi standing there waiting.

"We do this in pairs. I will stay behind, waiting to hear if you found the girl. We were informed that you should not be rude or rough with her."

The look on the faces of those gathered seemed perplexed as they nodded.

"Pairings shall be as follows, Sōji Okita and Toshizō Hijikata, Heisuke Tōdō and Hajime Saitō; Tetsunosuke Ichimura and Tatsunosuke Ichimura. The last group shall be Sanosuke Harada and Shinpachi Nagakura. Dismissed"

Sōji P.O.V.

Sōji looked over at his longtime friend, still smiling as they walked through the outskirts of the city. He could tell that Hijikata was livid at what had happened and at the hand of nothing more than a slip of a teenage girl. Though it wasn't obvious, he was not happy about it either. The trick used was low, and the fact that the girl, Kagome, had done it after being denied the right to go to the city, well, it sat wrong.

But he wouldn't deny that she was a bit strange — the knowledge she had on weapons, their uses, and proper care. Being comfortable around a bunch of men in an enclosed space, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, was just not normal. Then add in the fact that she had taken to Saizō, claiming he was the cutest thing ever as she hugged his pet pig to her chest and hand fed him food from her plate.

He let a smile playing across his lips as Hijikata came to a stop outside of a well-known home. It housed an acquaintance's daughter, who, like the young lady that was missing, that was not normal. Kaoru ran her father's Kendo Dojo with an Iron fist, even though she only had one pupil at the moment. But it was well known that she had a certain red-haired swordsman that had a dark reputation from the War, living with her.

"Oi, what is the Shinsengumi doing outside this place? Got nothing better to do than harass an innocent woman for doing a man's job?"

Tensing as he kept the smile on his face, Sōji turned to look at who spoke. Not surprised to see Sanosuke standing there, leveling a dark glare at Hijikata. Who was now radiating a palpable aura?

"No, we are looking for a missing noblewoman. So, we are asking the larger residential places if they had seen her. She is short, petite frame, pale skin, dark hair, and blue eyes."

The curt way Hijikata spoke as he glowered back at the tall man, who looked wary, while smugly smiling. A shrug of his shoulder as he pushed between them and just walked into the Courtyard as if he owned the place. Slowly they followed him and removed their sandals when he did as the man slammed the door open, rattling it to the point it should have fallen before stomping quickly through the house to the Dojo that was attached to the back.

The softly muttered insults that Hijikata was dispensing as he just watched the brutish man had Sōji doing his best not to burst out laughing. It was a well-known fact that Hijikata didn't like either Kenshin Himura of Sanosuke at all. The damage that was left in their wake whenever they were involved was no joke. And somehow they always got out of either having to pay for it or being placed in jail.

Coming to a stop by Hijikata as the tall man threw open the door and announced them to those within, before his words trailed off, had them both moving forward, Hijikata shoving him out of the way. Revealing the person they'd been looking for. As she just looked at them rather bored like, making him feel his darker sense of humor rear its head. The smell of herbal ointment reaching his nose as he looked at her standing there, basket on one arm as she told everyone goodbye as if talking to some longtime friends. Just to have her practically glide between Hijikata and him. He was adding more fuel to the fire as she made for the front door.

He was looking up at Hijikata, who had a few veins jumping out on his forehead and jaw. Sōji just smiled and bowed to those in the room before closing the door as Hijikata turned and stalked after the girl. Who had a death wish? Though he was sure that he could get why she did out of her on the way back to their Lord's Castle.

General P.O.V.

The moment the trio walked into the Castle Courtyard, those who bore witness, watched in silence as the Second Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi Toshizō Hijikata spun and glared hard down at the small girl they were leading. His dark eyes were flashing dangerously as he brought their group to a halt. While the girl just looked up at him, unaffected by him.

"Before we take you to your Lord to be reprimanded, I demand to know how you know the Hitokiri Battōsai, Kenshin Himura girl."

When they all watched as the girl just stared up at him, unflinching as she remained silent, serving only to further incense the Vice-commander. Tension filled the air as they saw the third member of their group, Sōji Okita, The first unit Captain shift and tense. His normally smiling face darkening as he looked from the Vice-commander to the girl, who was in the process of yawning. If it had been any other members of the Shinsengumi, it would have been funny.

Everyone there knew not to cross the Demon of the Shinsengumi, and this girl, while a Noble Lady, was doing it without even speaking up as she never let her gaze drop. So, it was no surprise when the Vice-commander reached out and grabbed her shoulder, giving her a bit of a shake.

"You will tell me how you know such a dangerous man, woman."

The moment the sentence was spoken, there was an odd shift in the air as the girl went stiff, and anger flushed her pale cheeks, making her strange blue eyes seemingly glow. Time slowed as she lifted her empty hand and smacked the hand off her shoulder and stepped forward. Her body stiff, and there was no mistaking the body language she was giving off.

In the next instant, her shoulder was grabbed again, as she growled low, so low it was animalistic, bringing both the Shinsengumi to a brief pause. But that was all it took for her to swing the basket at the vice-commander's head with accuracy that was scary as he jumped back.

"Kagome, you will cease your actions right now."

The cold voice rang across the Courtyard, drawing everyone's gaze as a small, childlike whine came from the girl. There stood the Edo Lord and his guest as they looked at the trio as if everyone else was not even there. Both their eyes boring into the group. Before they made their way towards the trio.

"My Lord's."

The two Shinsengumi bowed at the waist when the two Lords stopped a few feet from them. Waiting for the signal to rise, which came immediately.

"I believe I mentioned not to be rude or rough with her. You're lucky all she did was swinging the basket at your head. Kagome, apologize."

"No!"

At the girl's sharp reply, everything went still. All eyes directed at her as she just stared at the four men before her.

"Kagome. This is not a request."

"I refuse, my Lord. To debase myself by apologizing to an overgrown, arrogant man-child who thinks he has the right to demand information of me rudely, so it is not happening."

The small twitch that was just visible under one golden eye as he stared down at the girl. It was obvious he was used to the girl's stubborn nature, but not liking her display of it publicly.

"Now, now, Lord Sesshomaru. She is technically in the right. He was manhandling her after being warned. But I am curious as to what he asked her. Hijikata? Okita?"

The words spoken by Lord Tokugawa relieved a bit of the tension. Though his question made the two men go rigid before turning in unison to face their Lord and companion.

"I asked her how she knows the Hitokiri Battōsai since she was at the Dojo of one Kamiya Kaoru. Acting as if it was the most normal thing. And on that matter, I am also curious as to how she knows the woman."

A deep rumbling chuckle sounded in the quiet that followed Hijikata speaking. The Silver-haired Lord was chuckling, golden eyes looking highly amused while his face was blank.

"I can answer both of those questions for you. The War is where she met a much younger Kenshin, before and after he got his title. Their history is, or rather was, intriguing since she took great... pleasure in... healing him. As for Lady Kamiya, I knew the girl's father before he passed. Kagome was the healer that attended him in his final days."

The soft intake of breath as the two Shinsengumi and Lord looked from the Silver-haired man to the girl, who looked unamused, yet smug at the same time while glaring darkly at all four men — leaving all watching the spectacle to wonder just how the girl ended up in the War.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I find it hard to believe that you would let her outside when there was a war going on."

Again that deep chuckle resounded in the stillness of the Courtyard, as the Lord shook his head, lips pressing into a barely visible line.

"Well, I do not see how that is hard to believe. Since I was able to get away from all of you so easily. Did you all live under rocks while the War was going on? Did you not hear the rumors of the Battle Miko? The one who did not care which side a wounded person was on, but healed them regardless. That was me, you thick-headed jerks."

"Kagome."

The tone used in her name brought the woman's head down as she mumbled a soft apology to the Lords, but not the Shinsengumi. Who was staring back at her as if she had grown a few extra limbs? Disbelief was written across their faces, though it was evident that Okita was looking rather intrigued by the girl. He was appraising her worth in a much different light, while Hijikata still looked as if he didn't believe her, proving it when he spoke up, speaking his mind.

"That... I find that hard to imagine. You cannot be more than sixteen. That woman is insane as she was to do what she did, has to be about twenty-something."

"I can assure you that she is not lying. Keeping her pinned up inside, as you found out, is impossible when she is determined to do what she sets her mind to Toshizō Hijikata. And she is almost twenty-nine, so to say."

The soft chuckle from Okita as he looked up to his friend, who was in shock (something hard to do) as he stared down at the petite woman, caused his eyes to shine with an inner light. His darker sense of humor, starting to want to rear its head.

"I see My Lord. And concur that she is very resourceful to boot. But that leads me to think that you purposefully left her in our care and knew about her wanting to go to the city to visit a friend."

"Indeed, Okita-san. You can say it provided a great deal of amusement for your Lord and me as well as giving way to an arrangement that will prove very beneficial. But that will be discussed between the five of us in private. Since you two were the first to find her and bring her back, you are the recipients of said arrangement."

With that being said, both Lords turned and walked back towards the Castle, soon followed by the petite, raven-haired girl as she shoved her way between the two confused Shinsengumi as they brought up the rear of the group. Wondering just what this arrangement was and why they get to be the recipients of it. Trading a look between them as they got a sinking feeling that it wasn't going to be anything they wanted to deal with. While listening to the low growling and very colorful and inventive commentary from the girl walking before them.

Catching the phrase of arranged marriage is so outdated, leaving them more confused and cautious of whatever their Lord had bet this time.

THE END!