Upon barreling through the thin paper wall, Shinpachi wasn't sure who was more horrified. Him, for destroying yet another house, or the anti-foreigner faction members with mouths agape at being compromised yet again. As Gin proceeded to talk smack about bad construction and Kagura picked her nose while bullying a terrorist who dared get too close to her, Shinpachi had to conclude that his team didn't even have a conception of shame let alone feel it, and so sighed into his hands, trying to not to fall into the ever growing pit of despair that was his life.

From behind the fray, a familiar face poked out, "Ahh, Leader! Gintoki! We weren't expecting you today." Katsura greeted in his familiar drawl that stayed true to his eternally unruffled personality.

Shooting up, Shinpachi bowed low and yelled his apologies, "We're so sorry Katsura-san! We were chasing a cat but it got away and we ended up breaking your wall…" he finished sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck with an apologetic half smile.

Katsura glanced at the wall and surprise coloured his face, "Oh! The wall's broken."

Gin stomped over, elbow resting on Kagura's head as he casually dug around for gold, "So Zura-"

"It's Katsura, not Zura!"

"What's all the fuss about in here? It's a bigger crowd than usual."

Katsura crossed his arms, deep in thought. "Today's a tough day, yes." He nodded, taking himself too seriously as his finger rubbed his chin, "Lot's of plans, lot's to do. Why do you ask Gintoki? Have you finally decided to join us on our mission!" Katsura leapt forward, grabbing Gin's arms and looking deep within his eyes.

Immediately, Gin's fist rocked towards his face and sent the Joui member flying to the wall. "Don't get so close to me!"

Turning around, the silver haired man motioned towards his team, "Kagura, Shinpachi, let's go, we need to find Saigon-chan before-"

A ferocious growl interrupted his sentence as a tail twice the length of a man stormed through the broken wall, ripping apart the rest of the room. Gin's eyes narrowed as his hand reached for his sword, "Zura! Get your men outta here, we don't need anyone in our way."

As the dust settled, a shadow of cat loomed over them. Except this cat was a story tall and dripping saliva underneath bloodthirsty eyes. "Saigon-chan!" Kagura cried before bounding up and swinging her leg in a roundhouse kick to the cat's face sending him crashing to the floor all with a smile on her face.

The impact of her attack cracked the earth underneath the cat's cheek and opened up a crater. Taking the opportunity, Kagura grabbed hold of Saigon-chan by a paw twice her size and launched him in the air with a grunt and a shriek. "Shinpachi!" she cried, hand outstretched.

Stammering, Shinpachi's hands clumsily fumbled with the giant collar wrapped around him before Gin's steady hands pulled it off smoothly and sent it flying into the air. Grinning manically, Kagura grabbed hold of it, jumped, and clamped it onto the cat's neck right before gravity threw them down. The second the collar clicked snugly against his neck, Saigon-chan seemed to deflate in size as the tension left his body and his eyes mellowed in a demure expression.

"Good job Kagura." Gin praised, flashing her a smile, pride unabashedly clear.

Grinning, Kagura shot him a peace sign and posed heroically, flaunting in the attention. Behind the samurai, the Joui watched her with open mouths and flashes of amazement tinged with fear. The Yato girl looked tiny but her fearsome strength was unfathomable. From behind Katsura, a lithe figure stepped out, finger at her lips and brows curled upwards. "My, my. What do we have here?" she bent forward staring a curious Kagura down, "You're quite the strong one aren't you?" The woman's lush brown hair tumbled down towards her thighs, spiralling around her.

Bored again, Kagura locked her arms behind her head and spun around, "Not really. I've done worse than this yes."

"I've never seen a human girl so strong, you're quite remarkable." The woman smiled, but there was no warmth, her finger running down Kagura's arm with scrutiny.

Kagura jerked away from the touch, "I'm no human. I'm a Yato, yes."

Interest piquing in the unfamiliar woman's face she leaned in closer, pervading the space between their faces. Uncomfortable, Kagura felt herself suddenly still, action escaping her. "A Yato…" she breathed, "We could use you, you know…you'd be quite useful-" the woman jerked back suddenly as Gin pushed her back towards Katsura.

"Sorry lady, she's not for sale. She still has a full day of work ahead of her." Gin's arm wrapped around Kagura's shoulders, and though his expression was blank, his grip was tight.

Katsura threw back his head and laughed, "Oh well, you three are always welcome to join whenever you wish? Right Marie?" he asked, gesturing towards the brown haired woman who only stared in return.

Smiling apologetically, Shinpachi laughed, rubbing his neck, "We actually have two more jobs on hold right now. It's quite the busy week weirdly enough." Turning to Katsura, Shinapchi bent his neck in respect, "We're sorry for breaking the wall Katsura-san but we have to go now see you!" Spinning on his heel, the trio zoomed out of the compound as their friend yelled about repair costs and taking back the revolution three steps.

Rounding a corner, Gin wiped his forehead, "That was close. We don't have enough for a pork cutlet let alone a wall repair." Like lightening, his hand cuffed Shinpachi on the back of the head.

"What was that for?!" Shinapchi shrieked, tending to his wound.

"If you hadn't jumped too far we wouldn't have reached out for you and we wouldn't have broken the wall!" Gin reprimanded as Kagura nodded next to him, humming her agreement.

"Stupid Pachi-boy, always so clumsy and needing mom and dad to clean up after you."

"How did this become a twisted family skit! None of this is my fault! If anything it's YOURS!" he pointed accusingly at Kagura, who feigned shock as tears welled in her eyes.

"I didn't raise you to be this disrespectful! Papa!"

Their bickering faded into the humdrum of the city life as they made their way to their next job. This one involved standing in for restaurant chefs, which was bound to be fun and involve the fire department and if they were lucky, their favourite police incompetents.

Hours and burnt hair tips later, the Odd Jobs trio trudged back home, hungry and tired and desperate for the couch and some TV. Of course, nothing they ever wanted came true and there, sitting in their living room as though invited, was a little old lady, yarn ball and all. The Yorozuya stood still, their faces deadening and at least two of them contemplating just slamming the door and leaving. Sniffing the air, life welled into Kagura's eyes as she sprinted towards the couch and launched towards the table. "Hey lady! You brought food! That's awesome yes!"

Picking up at the promise of food, Shinpachi and Gin shared sighs before following their friend inside. "Yo." Gin greeted, plopping down on the couch and setting his feet atop the table as Shinpachi passed him a chicken skewer. "What can we do you for?"

Setting down her knitting, the strange lady folded her hands together, a smile wrinkling her face. "My name is Lin and I live just down the road and I know you all do anything for money is that right?"

Nodding vicariously, Kagura grinned, the end of a skewer sticking out her mouth, "We're so broke we'll do anything! Even selling Gin-chan!" she cackled as Gin's fist shot out to deck her before she stabbed him with the skewer and mocked him for his tears.

Electing to ignore them, Shinpachi forced a smile onto his face, "Yes you heard right, we're at your service Lin-san. Is there anything in particular you needed from us?"

"Well my husband passed away recently and I just haven't been able to bear the idea of getting rid of his things but…I think it's time now and I just needed some strong young ones to help me pack up and move the boxes out."

Kagura and Gin's fists slowed to a stop. "That's it?" Gin stated, "Lead the way lady."

Lin smiled, slowly packing her knitting into her bag and rising steadily. "What fine workers you are, come on now, it's not far."

Kagura grinned, rushing to slip on her shoes and fly through the door. Shinpachi grabbed hold of Lin's bags firmly and insisted he give them to her while Gin watched the fray with an easy smile. Just another day, just another job, just as it should be.

Lin's house was small, perfect for a retired couple living out their last days. Truthfully, there weren't that many things to pack, the couple had lived frugally, with only a few luxuries and mementos hanging about. Forming a conveyer, the Yorozuya made the boxes, packed them tight, taped them up and set them at the door until Lin was satisfied with their work. Just two hours later, everything was gone except for a few special items Lin tucked away in her nightstand and the boxes were out by the curb for pickup.

Shuffling over, Lin held out an envelope of cash and tucked it into Gin's robe. "Thank you so much for helping me out today. You've done more for me than you could ever know."

Gin smiled, "That's what we're here for, any job, the Yorozuya will do."

"There's just one more thing," Lin added, "There's a cabinet downstairs that's a bit too much for an old lady like me, would you take it to the curb as well?"

But Gin was already heading downstairs, "Shinpachi-kun, I think you should go help out your boss, it's quite a heavy one." She said, beckoning him over.

Hand up against his forehead in a captain pose, Shinpachi rushed down, leaving Kagura gawking around the house, peering at the photos and paintings that lined the walls. "Do you like them?" Lin asked, gesturing at the artwork.

Kagura nodded, turning her head to smile softly. "They're pretty yes."

Reaching into her pocket, Lin held out a long silver chain with a blue pendent dangling from the centre. The pendent seemed to be a myriad of colours yet distinctly blue all at once, sparkling in the dim light. Kagura's eyes were transfixed on its beckoning glint. "What's that?" she asked, her fingers desperately moving upwards to reach it.

Kagura jerked her hand back, as though it had moved on its own. Lin smiled, a knowing glimmer in the curve of her mouth. "This is a pendent my late husband gave to me…I know the rumors of how that man doesn't pay his workers near enough what you all deserve. So I thought I would give this to you as a token of my appreciation."

Blue eyes wide, Kagura shook her head. "I can't take that. Even if that perm-head miser doesn't give us any money, that's a precious memento from your husband, yes."

Reaching forward, Lin draped the necklace over Kagura's head and patted it. "I've grown weary of this world and I think it's time this necklace had a new owner. I think you'll find it to be quite special, it's a good luck charm you see."

Kagura's eyes glittered like golden coins, "Luck?" she whispered.

"Oh yes, with you wearing this, we will definitely all have good fortune."

Confused, Kagura opened her mouth to say something before Gin and Shinpachi burst up the stairs yelling, "Kagura! Open the door my arms are dying!"

Startled into action, Kagura pulled open the door and grabbed hold of the edge next to Shinpachi, easing the load and helping drag the cabinet to the curb. Heaving, Gin slid down to the floor, "How can one cabinet be that heavy. It's not real. There's no way that's just a cabinet, is all of Narnia stuck in there?!"

"That's not possible Gin-san, Narnia wasn't in the cabinet, in fact, it wasn't even a cabinet, it was a wardrobe."

"Wardrobe, cabinet, fridge who cares it's all the same thing, stupid Shinpachi." Kagura drawled, poking her friend in the cheek antagonistically.

"Kagura-chan! Stop it that hurts!"

Miming a crybaby, Kagura shrieked excitedly as Shinpachi gave chase. They sprinted the way home with Gin growling after them about causing a ruckus. All the while, the blue pendant at Kagura's chest glowed like a heartbeat.

There were whispers in the underground. Snippets of plans and calamities and destruction. Hisses of buildings tumbling and blood spraying. Murmurs of assassination. The Shogun was to be murdered soon. Hijikata took a long drag from his cigarette, closing his eyes as Yamazaki read off his report. Beside him, Sougo sat down, looking as bored as ever, the only indication he was listening hiding in the tenseness of his shoulders. Kondo stood tall, arms crossed and an expression of forced concentration pinching his features together. Yamazaki snapped the folder shut and waited.

"You got this intel today?" Hijikata asked, snubbing out his cigarette into an adjacent ashtray.

"Yes sir. The sources are reliable, they're the ones who leaked the barber bomb plot a couple months ago."

Kondo hummed in thought. "This sounds bad. Very bad." He added, nodding to emphasize his point.

From beside him, Hijikata fought the urge to sigh for a very, very long time. "We can't do much with this. All we know is that a sect of the Anti-Foreigner faction is intending on launching an attack against the city and assassinate the Shogun. We don't know when or how-"

"Ahhh, Hijikata-san, this is why you're useless. You should just die and save us all the trouble." Sougo drawled, "We should just storm into one of their useless meetings and arrest them all."

Unable to contain the rage anymore, Hijikata's arm lashed out to swipe at Sougo's head, who blocked the attack with the sheath of his sword, eyes glinting with bloodlust. As the two tussled in the corner, screaming obscenities, Kondo stared Yamazaki down. "Zaki! I want you to focus our sources on finding out as much more as you can. Until then, there's nothing we can do."

Yamazaki nodded, turning to leave before hesitating, "There is one more thing though…" Sougo and Hijikata paused in a violent montage, "I thought this wasn't credible so I omitted it from the report, but you never know. The attacks are going to be across the city and apparently, it's going to be a one man job."

"HUHHH?"

"What kind of suicide mission is that?! Nobody could get to the Shogun and wreck everything along the way with no backup." Hijikata screeched, eyeballing Yamazaki to the point of madness.

The offending officer waved his hands in the air in surrender, "I told you didn't I! It sounds crazy but that's what I heard!"

Kondo turned away, headed for the door, "Just keep us posted Zaki, we'll deal with this the way we always do. For now, we'll alert the Bafuku and increase the Shogun's guard."

Hijikata sighed, reaching into his pocket for another cigarette. "This isn't going to turn out well."

Sougo said nothing, but that was all the affirmation Hijikata needed to keep that unsettled feeling in his stomach.

Kagura lounged on her back on the couch as Shinpachi dusted the furniture and Gin giggled to himself while reading the latest Jump. Flipping on her stomach, Kagura's hand itched at her chest, a strange burning sensation permeating from underneath her pendent. "Hey, Shinpachi, where does the Shogun live?"

"In the Bafuku Palace." He answered, "Haven't we taken you there before?" he asked kindly, dusting a wall hanging behind her.

"Mmm, maybe, I can't remember. Where is it again?"

Shinpachi paused, trying to find a way to explain it to her, "Do you remember that amazing dango shop with the special sauce?"

Kagura's eyes lit up, "Yeah!"

"Well, do you remember the super big fancy building right across from it?"

"Hm…maybe?"

"That's it!"

Kagura clapped her hands together, "I remember now, yes! Ok, Gin-chan, Shinpachi, I'm off!"

Not sliding his eyes off his book, Gin raised his hand in farewell, as Shinpachi saw her off, "Be back by six Kagura or else you'll miss dinner!"

"She's been going out by herself a lot lately don't you think?" Shinpachi mused, not really expecting much of a response.

Gin shrugged from behind his desk, "She said something about wanting to explore the city more."

Shinpachi smiled fondly, "Well it sounds like she's having fun, maybe she'll discover something interesting."

Back at the Shinsengumi headquarters, the information about the plot trickled in slowly. Odd details and afterthoughts their source managed to send back. They knew there would be distractions to break up the police force and weaken the defense. They knew there would be destruction but was the end goal the assassination or terrorism? How many agents were part of the plot? Who was the main player who was apparently strong enough to take on an entire city? And why was the majority of the Anti-Foreigner Faction unaware of the whole thing?

It was only when the mangled body of their informant was discovered at the Shinsengumi doorstep that Hijikata snapped. Swerving the car in front of Otose's Snack Shop, the officer and his partner stormed up the stairs and burst through the Yorozuya's front door. From his swivel chair, Gin swirled around, plopping his feet on the desk and twisting his face in annoyance, "Look at this Kagura, police brutality just has no end."

Kagura shook her head with disdain, "No respect for privacy anymore, we should kick their asses and teach them some respect, yes!" she cackled.

Hijikata growled, his brows set in a hardened expression. He was playing no games today. "Cut the shit. I've just had one of my comrades killed in cold blood and I want an explanation."

Gin's eyes narrowed. "We don't know anything about a dead body."

"Well your friend Katsura does." Sougo stated, eyes dark.

Kagura shot up from her seat, hand fisted into Sougo's jacket, glowering. "Zura's no murderer."

Sougo met her fury with the calm of a cold blade, "It was the Anti-Foreigners who killed him, and who's their leader?"

Gin stood up, "Zura's against violence, he wouldn't kill anyone out of cold blood. We all know that the faction is divided, anybody could have done it."

"That's not good enough! Somebody in that cell is going to destroy the city and the Shogun and the only person who could have helped us crush them is dead."

"Assassinate the Shogun? Destroy this town?" Kagura blinked, "We won't let that happen." Kagura straightened, expression firm. "What are they planning on doing?"

Hijikata cupped his face in his hand as the anger drained from his stance. "We don't know any details. All we can do is be on standby."

"Alright!" Gin's hands slapped at the desk before stepping to the side intending on heading out, "Kagura, come on, we're going to pick up Shinpachi and we'll go ask around." The vermillion haired girl smiled and jumped up, picking up her umbrella and sticking out her tongue at Sougo just to annoy him.

Glancing back, Gin's expression soured. "But you tax robbers better pay us this time. Do you know how exhausting stopping a terrorist attack is?"

Sputtering, Hijikata had half a mind to reach for his sword and slice the perm-head clean in half, "OUR JOB IS TO STOP TERRORIST ATTACKS YOU FREE LOADING DEADWEIGHT!"

"And yet here you are begging us for help." Gin sniggered, hiding his muffled laughter behind his hands as Kagura joined in.

Sougo strode out the door, flicking Kagura's forehead before being kicked off the balcony in return. "Sorry for wishing you luck China freak!" he shouted.

"You were trying to kill me you lying chihuahua! You could give a lady brain damage with that kind of violence!" Kagura shrieked back.

Turning his head and crossing his arms behind his head, Sougo smirked. "I can't cause brain damage to a brainless brat." Snickering at her enraged expression, the sadist ran to the car before she could chuck any sharp objects at his head and pressed on the gas, ignoring Hijikata's shouts for him to come back.

All in all, it was a productive visit.

The Yorozuya found Katsura browsing around an art shop trying to find some high quality special occasion posters for Elizabeth. "Ahh Gintoki! And Leader and Shinpachi!"

Gin raised his hand in greeting, "Yo Zura."

"It's not Zura, it's Katsura! How many times must I tell you!" Katsura complained, turning around to glance at all the multi-coloured boards on the rack.

"Oy, Zura, I need you to listen to me." Katsura raised an eyebrow in question.

"One of the Shinsengumi's informants was killed yesterday, and they think it was one of you."

Immediately, Katsura's face darkened and his hand fell from the rack. "This isn't the appropriate place to discuss this." He said hurriedly.

A few minutes later, the four were seated comfortably in their go-to café, a beautiful chocolate parfait, an array of rice and meat dishes and some coffee spread across the table. "Ahh, Zura, you're right. This is definitely a better place to talk."

Kagura nodded fervently, shoveling food in her mouth at an obscene rate. Unable to hold it in anymore, Shinpachi snapped, "HOW IS THIS MORE APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS TOP SECRET INFORMATION? THIS IS A PUBLIC CAFÉ!"

Gin wagged his spoon, "Now, now Shinpachi settle down before you make a scene. Heavy topics need heavy food, everybody knows that."

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"Of course it does! The burdened mind needs to be distracted by the burden in the stomach." Gin nodded sagely, dipping his spoon into the chocolate sauce and taking a bite.

Shinpachi sighed, burying his face into his palms. "Whatever, whatever. I don't care anymore just please Katsura-san, just start your story."

Katsura clasped his hands together and lowered his voice, "The Joui have been very fractured recently. The divide between the violent and nonviolent factions has deepened. Many have left us to do their own projects under our name and I'm afraid this might be one of them."

Gin swirled his spoon around in his parfait and even Kagura had slowed her eating down to a slightly more human pace. "Being against violence, I've tried to protect the Shinsengumi informant as much as possible, but last night he had disappeared. All I know is that this cell has a top secret weapon, someone capable of leveling whole buildings on their own and who has a bloodlust for destruction. They have a Yato."

Kagura froze, staring Katsura down. Gin glanced at her, not sure what emotion was welling up inside of him but not liking it. "A Yato?" Shinpachi voiced, "Why would an Amanto help the Joui?"

Katsura shrugged, "Violence runs in their blood, maybe that's all they need."

Kagura's eyes were downcast and her appetite gone. A bad feeling niggled at her heart as an image of her brother came to mind. As a member of the Harusame pirates, he had a stake in what went on in this town and considering he had aligned with Takasugi, who definitely had a stake in taking down the Bafuku, she wouldn't put it past him. Gin's warm hand on her back broke Kagura from her daze. "Whatever the reason, one person, even a Yato, won't be able to take all of us on. We'll stop him." Certainty rippled through his voice.

Shinpachi nodded resolutely, "That's right. Between the three of us, we'll definitely protect this town," he glanced at Kagura, smiling softly, "Right Kagura?"

Seriousness set in her jaw, Kagura nodded. "Right."

Upon informing their friends at the Shinsengumi, Hijikata drew up a plan and summoned them to the conference room and pointed at a giant map. While he spoke, Kagura itched at her chest, the burning sensation flaring up again. Annoyed, she tugged it out from behind her shirt and let it fall on the outside, watching as it glowed with a strange fascination. In front of her, Hijikata paced around.

"Now that we know relatively what we're up against here is the plan. If our hunch is correct and the Yato is Kamui of the Harusame Pirates, we can assume he's accompanied by his partner, Abuto as well." Hijikata glanced at Gin, as though wanting confirmation, Gin's blank stare encouraged him to continue, "In that case, we'll have the Shinsengumi top fighters, me, Kondo and Sougo, along with the Yorozuya to defend against them. The rest of you will be responsible for confronting the distraction attacks that'll probably be led by the weaker supporters."

From the back, an officer raised their hand, "Sir, with all due respect, these civilians shouldn't be put in with you three. We, as trained officers, can offer much more assistance." Kagura craned her head to see who spoke, without realizing it, she held the pendent higher, glancing all around the room.

Hijikata crossed his arms, "We're fighting against two Yatos, a race wired for fighting. The Yorozuya are the only ones who've fought both of them and lived to be here. I don't like this any more than you do, but considering one of them is also a Yato, it levels out the playing field."

The officer stayed silent, though his slouched back and sour face gave away his displeasure. "How many officers are you dispatching?" Kagura blurted, looking more surprised than inquisitive.

Hijikata blinked, "We can only commit to fifty."

"And are you positioning them anywhere specific or keeping them on standby?" Kagura pressed, unaware of Gin's heavy stare and Shinpachi's puzzled expression.

"We don't know where they're going to attack so we're going to scatter everyone around the city on patrols." Looking off-put by her questions, Hijikata turned away from her in an explicit denial of more questions and pointed at the map again. "If the plan is to attack the Shogun, then the easiest path to his quarters that passes right through some key areas of the city is highlighted here. This will probably be their mode of access so we're going to heighten security around there. We caught a low-level agent yesterday who told us that they plan to make their move in three days. So we're on high alert starting from now. Dismissed."

Pushing himself off the wall, Sougo walked over to the Yorozuya, ignoring Shinpachi and Gin arguing about how Gorilla-like Kondo was and focused on the red haired stress ball. Sougo leaned against the doorframe, "What's wrong with you China? It's not like you to actually think before you hit. Already scared?" Sougo sneered, tilting forward to antagonize her.

But Kagura didn't take the bait, her eyes lost in thought somewhere he couldn't seek. Annoyed and only a little concerned, Sougo reached forward to pinch her side, biting into her flesh. He was rewarded with a shriek and a swipe at his face, the life returning back in her eyes. "Hah. That was terrible China, are you sure you can fight this battle?"

Kagura hardened her stance, eyes set in determination, "I have to. Even if I can't take a single step I will fight him." But all at once, Kagura's anger deflated, and she crossed one arm to pull the other closer to her side. "I'll fight him, even though I hate it." Kagura whispered, "But I know the only way to knock sense into him is by punching it into my idiot brother's head."

Sougo let out a breath and looked away. "That's shitty." He finally said, suddenly feeling grateful for his sister and all her love and compassion.

Family shouldn't fight.

Kagura scoffed, thrusting her elbow into his stomach, "Not shitty enough for me to take some sympathy from you, brat."

Sougo rubbed his stomach, face contorted in annoyance, "Who said I was feeling sympathetic! No one could look at you and feel anything other than disgust." Kagura stuck out her tongue and pulled back her fist for a punch before being dragged away by Shinpachi who tried to ignore Sougo's exaggerated offensive expressions and similarly stuck out tongue.

As Kagura rounded the corner, Sougo allowed himself a small smile, Kagura had held back on that elbow attack.

Back home, Kagura holed herself up in her closet bed, intently studying a map of the city. She had refused to come out for dinner. Shinpachi, feeling concerned and just a little confused, scooped out a bowl of rice and some tea and set it on a tray. Knocking on her door, he received no reply. He set the tray on the floor. "Kagura-chan…" he started, unsure of how to continue, "I know you're worried about this fight, but you're not alone. Gin-san and me…we're here with you. So…"

But still, Kagura didn't even make a sound in acknowledgement. Sighing, Shinpachi shook his head at Gin's stare and walked back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up. Maybe she'd feel better in the morning.

Gin woke up to the sound of a building toppling. The crash jolted him awake, the confusion blatant in his wild eyes. Shooting out of bed, Gin slid open his door and ran to the window. Two blocks away, he could see the top of a shop crumbling down from what he could only assume was an attack to its base. Farther down the city, smoke puffed into the air and sirens screamed all around.

Horrified Gin could only stare. They were wrong about the attack time. And now they were going to pay. Behind him, his door flew open as Shinpachi ran in. "Gin-san! It's the terrorists! They've started their attack early! I just got the call from Kondo-san! Everything is wrong!"

Rushing to put on his clothes, Gin's eyes hardened, "We don't have time to blame bad information, we need to protect this town."

Grabbing for his sword, Gin stopped. "There's no way Kagura could sleep through this." At Kagura's name, Sadaharu whined mournfully.

Gin's stomach clenched at the sight of the uneaten food still next to her door. Shinpachi shook his head, "That's our Kagura-chan, she sleeps like a-" Shinpachi's voice trailed off as he opened her closet door.

Kagura was gone.

Gin's stomach contorted more as a horrible thought crept into him. "Shinpachi!" but his protégé was already running out the door.

As they ran towards the destruction, they could hear the screaming of the crowd as they fled from the tumbling of their homes. Gin picked up speed, a terrible sense of foreboding clenching his heart. The sound of bullets pierced the air as another storefront shattered. As the dust settled, Gin and Shinpachi slowed to a stop and the horror set in.

Standing with her umbrella set atop her shoulder, Kagura stood slightly staggered, blood dripping down her palms. The necklace she wore pulsed angry and blue. A void gaped in her gaze as she grabbed a car parked at the curb and launched it into the side of a building, it's alarm shrieking in the silence that gaped within Shinpachi and Gin's ears. Shinpachi took a step back, denial trembling in his voice, "N…no way. Kagura-chan wouldn't-"

But his voice was drowned out by her fists that punched holes through walls and ripped through wood like paper. She seemed to take no notice of their presence as she stormed down the street, leaving chaos behind her. Snapping out of his shock, Gin narrowed his eyes and wrapped his hands around his sword. "Something's not right."

His worry was confirmed as Kagura pulled out grenades from an unfamiliar pouch strapped at her waist that she tossed into the air. Gin's eyes widened and Shinpachi yelled at her to stop. Kagura didn't use weapons. She preferred her fists and a fair fight. She didn't destroy things for the fun of it and she controlled her strength against her very nature. This wasn't their Kagura. "Gin-san we have to stop her! We can't let her destroy the city, the Bafuku will kill her!" Fear blazed within Shinpachi's eyes as he ran towards his friend, desperate to save her.

"Kagura-chan!" he yelled, body flinging forward, "Kagura-chan snap out of it!" His hand reached out to grab her shoulder, but like lightening, Kagura shot out, twisting his wrist to send him crashing to the ground.

The earth beneath him crumbled with the force and Shinpachi's face tightened with pain. "Shinpachi!" Gin shouted, running to pull his friend away from Kagura's fearsome eyes, so focused and flat.

Kagura turned around to restart her rampage before freezing in her place, her body shuddering as she turned back to face them, her body seeming to resist every move. She launched at them, fists flying in undiscernible arcs as Gin parried her blows, covering for Shinpachi's slowness. "Kagura! Wake up!" grabbing her fists, Gin struggled to match her intensity, feeling his heels dig into the dirt with the force.

Seeing an opening, Gin's knee lurched up to kick the girl in the stomach, but it wasn't just a girl. It was Kagura. Kagura who cried for him. Kagura who risked her life for him. Kagura who loved him. His knee never made it and Gin was sent flying in the air, colliding against a wall. Panicked, Shinpachi pulled out his sword to block Kagura's kicks, his pleading lost on her deaf ears. As Kagura jumped in the air to pull a combination attack, missiles zoomed in the air, exploding above her and sending her toppling to the ground with a dull thud.

Horrified, Gin and Shinpachi ran to the attacker only to find Sougo with a rocket launcher and Hijikata and Kondo next to him swords drawn. "Where are Kamui and Abuto? They must've have found out we were overly covering the east and ended up coming this way instead." Hijikata spat.

Gin grit his teeth, "It was never them-" Kagura's rain of bullets scattered the group as the Shinsengumi gaped.

"Why is China-girl shooting at us?!" Kondo shouted, ducking for cover behind a garbage can.

Clarity dawned on his vice commander's face, "The Yato…it was Kagura."

Sougo felt his heart beat in his throat. "What? China's a destructive idiot but even she wouldn't go this far. And not for the Joui."

"It doesn't matter the why, right now she's on her way to becoming a high rank criminal, if we don't stop her now, this whole neighbourhood will burn." Hijikata clenched his fist, took a breath, then launched from his hiding spot, sword calling for blood.

His sword swung in empty air as Kagura parried with her own umbrella, swatting him to the side. Exchanging blows, Hijikata wondered if she had always been this fast, this focused. Sougo moving from his own spot distracted Kagura enough for Hijikata to swing his sword in her direction without her noticing. This is it he thought, before his arm was pulled back from behind abruptly. Swivelling his head, Hijikata glared, face darkening in fury, "What do you think you're doing!"

"What do you think YOU'RE doing?!" Gin yelled back, "You were going to slice her arm off you blind tax robber!"

Wrenching himself from Gin's grip Hijikata pointed at Kagura who was caught in another battle with Shinpachi and Kondo, before bringing up his sword to point at Gin's neck "I don't like this anymore than you do Yorozuya! You don't think this is hard for me too?! But we need to take her down. She's the enemy now."

Gin's fist clenched around the blade drawing a trickle of blood, "That's not the enemy. That's my kid."

Hijikata met his blazing stare. "If she's going to kill the Shogun are you going to stand by?"

The crackle of the radio interrupted their standoff. "Vice-Commander do you read me?"Yamazaki's voice crackled.

Leaning his mouth towards the walkie-talkie, Hijikata pressed the button, "What is it Yamazaki?"

"We have important info! The attack in sector C-4 at the warehouse has been successfully nullified."

"Ok, good-"

"That's not the info sir! In exchange for his life, one of the agents confessed the entire plan. I'm sending the coordinates of all the attacks to the other squadrons as we speak and I need to warn you, the Yato in their plan isn't Kamui, it's the Yorozuya! She's being technologically manipulated! They're going to use her to ruin the city and encourage anti-Amanto hatred!"

"Yamazaki!" Hijikata barked, "I want you to locate whoever's behind this, I don't care how you do it just do it and inform me immediately!" Hijikata took his button off the walkie-talkie and kicked at the wall.

Beside him, fury had engulfed the Yorozuya leader. "I knew it." He said in a low voice, "Kagura had been acting strange and I didn't…Asking those questions, going out to the Shogun's Palace…Dammit!"

"We need to break the control over her or else we have to take her out." From the corner of their eyes, they could see the toll fighting Kagura without harming her was taking on Shinpachi and Kondo, they needed a strategy.

Before they could do anything however, Kagura's body spasmed again. Lurching backwards into a silent scream, she suddenly flipped backwards, sliding between an alley and running away. Confused, the ones she left behind sprinted after her. "Shinpachi!" Gin called, "Kagura's being controlled! Someone's using her to destroy the city."

Shinpachi's eyes widened as did the other two Shinsengumi members'. "How!"

"We have no idea." Hijikata replied, "But unless we figure it out soon, this won't end well."

Shinpachi cursed, frustration flooding in his veins. "Damn it! Damn it!" Memories of Kagura's loss of control in Yoshiwara haunted Shinpachi, as did Kagura's tears of remorse and her promise to be better. "I won't forgive whoever did this. Kagura-chan fights her hardest every day to keep her Yato blood in check and now she doesn't even have a choice." Bitterness welled up in his eyes, it wasn't fair, it wasn't!

As they rounded a corner, Sougo saw the opportunity and launched a rocket at the top of a building sending brick and mortar crashing down and blocking the exit. Kagura turned around, her necklace now glowing brighter and burning to the point of singeing her shirt. "Gin-san! The necklace! It has to be the necklace!"

Looking at the glowing ornament, it wasn't hard to be suspicious of it. But as the pieces fell into place, Gin knew Shinpachi's intuition was correct. The way Kagura had held it, as though it was precious and had ears, the fact that her oddness only started occurring after she had gotten it. He had never pointed it out only because he hadn't felt the need, but now Gin wished he had pestered her more about not accepting things from strangers. "We have to break it! Maybe she'll stop then!"

But it was difficult to slice at somebody's neck without the intent to kill. And as Kagura clawed at Gin's face only to be shot back by a kick from Sougo, Gin wasn't sure who this would hurt more. Kagura had always been strong, fearless and precise in battle. But without her inhibitions on her fighting instincts, she seemed limitless. Flying like an arrow and scathing like fire.

Gin's sword always flew just a centimetre too far, a bit too high or not close enough. He knew the city would fall, knew that the guilt would consume Kagura's soul if she could see what she had done, but every time his sword inched too close, all he could see was Yorozuya's Kagura, obnoxious smile and all. Shinpachi seemed to be struggling with the same problem, only being able to defend against Kagura's attacks and finding himself increasingly tired. It seemed that whatever energy he lost, she seemed to gain tenfold.

Sougo on the other hand, had no such qualms, going at Kagura with all the viciousness of a rabid dog. But her parries were soulless and there were no smirks and taunts and the lack of life seemed to infuriate him more. Sending his sword harder and faster in her direction only to be deflected without so much as a breath. He hated this. Hated this more than anything. That the one thing that sent his heart beating and adrenaline pumping in his veins had been tarnished and spat on like trash. "CHINA!" he boomed, battering her into the wall, fingers outstretched to rip that goddamned necklace off her neck.

But Kagura seemed to be wired to protect the necklace even at the cost of her own life. Both hands shot up to grab Sougo's fingers, snapping them to the side. Sougo's shriek of pain didn't seem to register in her face nor did the sword that sliced at her side from Sougo's other hand. She was supposed to block the sword and leave an opening for the necklace grab. But as Sougo jumped away, clutching at his broken fingers, he cursed himself at thinking it would be that easy.

"Sougo!" Kondo yelled.

"I'm fine." He gritted out, already planning his next move.

Grinding his teeth, Shinpachi ran at Kagura with Gin, determined to put an end to this. "Kagura-chan! We're going to protect this town remember! We're going to do that! With you!" He emphasized, blocking her attack so Gin could duck under and make a swipe at the pendent.

But Kagura was too fast, swivelling to the right so that his hand crashed into the wall and kicking Shinpachi's legs from under him. Behind her, the Shinsengumi's walkie-talkies crackled to life as Yamazaki's voice filled the air. "We've discovered the location of their leader! It's a woman! She's hiding in a lumber warehouse at the waterfront!"

Hijikata grunted, "I know the one. Form a perimeter around the building, we're on our way." Hijikata turned to Gin, "I'm leaving your kid to you. We're going to turn this thing off one way or another and put an end to this crappy day. Sougo! Kondo!"

Sougo allowed himself one more look at the familiar stranger he saw in Kagura before running after Hijikata, "Don't tell me what to do Mayora." He deadpanned, pushing himself back in routine.

"I'll do whatever I want boy."

Kagura's eyes watched them leave before taking a step forward, intent on following them. Gin blocked her path, his arm lazily hanging out, "Now, now Kagura, I know it's lonely but it'll be nice to hang out just the three of us."

Speeding forward, he met her punches with blocks with his forearms, falling back for Shinpachi to trace over the pendent with his fingers for a second before spinning out of the way of a side kick. Kagura, distracted by Gin's sudden aggression, didn't notice Shinpachi jumping behind her and grabbing her arms, sweat dripping down his brow from the force of her struggling. "Gin-san!" he heaved.

But Kagura pushed back against him, lifting her legs up with her core and shooting out a double kick forcing Gin to step back, wincing at the bruises. As Kagura shook Shinpachi off of her, the boy's face sagged with an unbearable sadness as he saw the tears drip from Kagura's eyes. "Kagura-chan." He whispered, aching to reach out to her.

"Kagura's still fighting Shinpachi. So we can't give up either." Gin wiped away the blood from his mouth, "We're doing her a disservice not fighting as hard as she is. We need to go at this with all we've got."

"Right!"

As they ran forward to attack again, Kagura jerked forward, looking like a ragdoll. From within the pouches strapped onto her belt, she pulled out a knife and ran forward, blade poised at Gin's heart. Gin pushed away her arm with his sword, drawing it back to hit her in the side, but she ducked, knife rushing at his stomach before erratically veering to the side to slice his kimono. Hissing, Gin spun around as Shinpachi jumped in, shock infused in his actions. "Kagura-chan don't!" he yelled as she spun around, knife aimed right at him.

Blood splattered onto Shinpachi's face and his fingers shook. In front of him, Kagura swayed, looking dizzy and dazed. The pendent slipped from her neck and clattered to the floor slick with blood. The gash that ran across from Kagura's shoulder to her breast continued to bleed profusely as she shuddered to her knees, her knife sliding out with a thud. Gin lurched forward, his face contorted in emotion, grabbing the girl he considered as his daughter to his chest and hugging her close. "Kagura! Kagura! Don't close your eyes stay with us! Shinpachi rip up your shirt we have to stop the blood!" Gin's hands stained with red remorse and he didn't know who was shaking.

Ripping off his top, Shinpachi tore it into strips fervently, wrapping it around Kagura's chest and praying harder than he ever had. "I can't believe you did this. Why-" Shinpachi's voice broke, "Kagura-chan you can't die yet! I won't let you!"

Kagura's eyelids fluttered as her breathing labored. "I…I've been fighting against an inner voice my whole life. I wasn't gonna let this one beat me." She smiled, settling her neck into the crook of Gin's arm as the tiredness and the ache of the battle wore out her bones and seduced her consciousness to sleep, "I wasn't gonna let anybody hurt Gin-chan or Shinpachi…not even me…" she whispered.

"Kagura? Kagura!"

The Shinsengumi tore down the road in the car, flashing the lights and making no stops. In the passenger seat, Sougo quickly wrapped his fingers together in a makeshift cast, it would have to do for now. Quieting down as they neared the waterfront, they parked the car and ran the rest of way until they met up with Yamazaki at the edge of the warehouse lot. "Which one is she in?" Sougo asked, hand already wrapped around his sword.

"She's in that one right there," Yamazaki answer, pointing to the building on their left, "I've positioned the squadron around the entire building."

"Good job Zaki!" Kondo praised, gesturing for the three of them to follow him into the warehouse.

Splitting into two groups, Yamazaki and Kondo circled around the back as Hijikata and Sougo stalked in through the front. Pushing open the door, they leapt in, swords out and combing every inch of the building with keen eyes. Hearing some noise from the ceiling, Hijikata gestured towards the stairs. At the top of the stairs was a single door that Sougo pushed open with all the delicacy of an elephant. Storming in, the two gawked at the television screens lining the walls and the woman sitting on the floor with a keyboard in her hand.

"This is the Shinsengumi and you're under arrest." Hijikata's sword played no games.

The woman stood up. She was beautiful, cold and sharp like a blade. Her brown hair fell to her thighs, untamed like a tsunami's waves. "My, my, what do we have here."

From behind her, a screen played the ongoing battle between Kagura and her partners, although the perspective was skewed. It dawned on Sougo that the necklace was acting as a camera and probably as a microphone too. The grunts he heard from the speakers proved his theory. So many questions burned in his mind and so many ways of extracting their answers egged on his sadistic side. But he swallowed the temptations down and forced himself to focus on the job.

"You can hand yourself over quietly or we'll make this difficult." Hijikata threatened.

Pressing a finger to her lip, Marie smirked saucily, "Hmm, let me see, how about I just order the Yato girl to kill her friends and then come over here and slaughter your little team, hm?" she cocked her head to the side and smiled, all diamonds and edges. "It would be so easy you know, you just need to…up the setting." Her finger pressed a button on the keyboard and Sougo watched with horror as Kagura's body spasmed again before pulling out a knife and launching at Gin.

Roaring, Hijikata hurled himself at the woman who grabbed at a sword hiding behind her and clashed steel against steel. "Oooh, I do like myself a strong man." She licked her lips, jumping back.

"Sougo! Turn the thing off!"

Rushing to the keyboard, Sougo searched the controls for something remotely familiar, but found nothing. Behind him, the woman laughed with glee, "You'll never be able to turn this off, even if you destroy it the last command will still be running. And since that command was kill and destroy I doubt that's the outcome you want." As she parried Hijikata's blows, her mania became more and more apparent, "I will bring the Joui fame and the victory we need to get rid of all these filthy Amanto from our country and bring back our glory days. Once the people see how dangerous these Amanto are they'll rebel themselves and it's all thanks to that monster."

Sougo growled, jumping up to join in on Hijikata's attacks, hoping to get the best of her and then force her to end this herself. As his sword sliced into her side, Sougo's eyes glowed ferociously. "You don't know the first thing about monsters." His grin was as savage as his blade.

As he swung for the final blow, a scream from one of the screens caught his attention, he watched as Kagura swung at Gin in a lethal blow before aiming at Shinpachi only to see her divert the blade towards herself. The screen splattered red and as the necklace tumbled to the floor, Sougo saw Kagura fall with it. As the video feed faded into black, all they could hear was the desperate pleading of the people who loved her most. Eyes darkening and body tensed, Sougo knocked the blade out of the woman's hand and kicked her down to the floor. Hijikata swung out the handcuffs just as Yamazaki and Kondo swooped into the room.

"Kondo-san, we need to send an ambulance to where we last left the Yorozuya, the kid's been cut down." Hijikata said.

"What! Which one of them did that?"

"China girl." Sougo answered, his expression giving nothing away.

Hands cuffed behind her, Marie snarled like a beast. "That's a lie! There's no way that freak could have beat my tech, that's impossible!" As Yamazaki dragged her away, she looked rabid with her lips pulled back and her hair tangling as she thrashed.

Hijikata sheathed his sword and lit up a cigarette. "Idiots don't know the meaning of impossible." But despite the insult, he closed his eyes and smiled.

The nearest cop car in the area was radioed to Kagura's location. Officer Arata found them a kilometre past that point, Kagura cradled in Gin's arms as Shinpachi trudged along beside him. Picking them up, Arata sped across the roads to the hospital, only smiling at Shinpachi's hurried thanks before radioing in the mission success.

After lots of yelling and paper signing, Kagura was shown to a doctor. While the wound was deep, Kagura's advanced healing kept her from death. The blood loss however, was the real problem, but due to Shinpachi's tight wrapping job and a blood transfusion, the worst was avoided. A nurse wheeled her into a room and beckoned the now washed up and refreshed Gin and Shinpachi in to see her.

The two walked in only to find Kagura plucking out her IV drip with all the delicacy of a car crash, watching the liquid squirt out with moderate fascination. Tilting her head, Kagura grinned, "Did you know that hospitals give you free food!"

Screaming, Shinpachi rushed at his friend, trying to jam in the IV needle into her arm ignoring Kagura's howls. "Kagura-chan you can't just pull out an IV! This isn't a crime drama! This was put in for a reason!"

"I don't need that! I have all the nutrients I need right here!" she retorted, patting her swollen belly and pointing at the dozens of empty food trays that seemed to have magically arrived.

Donning a serious expression, Gin pat her head, "Ohhh good job Kagura. Make sure to order more for Gin-san to eat tonight."

As Kagura's boisterous laughter faded, Gin's fingers wove through her hair and stayed there. The atmosphere in the room frayed with melancholy and Kagura lowered her gaze, hands clutching the sheet. "You know…they have free food in jail too." She whispered, eyes watering like rain.

Shinpachi's eyes widened. But before anybody could say anything, the door flew open, Sougo entering as though he lived there, looking as sinister as always. "Ah, the pig has awoken I see. All tired out after destroying half a block?"

Hurt flashed across Kagura's face and she hid further behind her free flowing hair. "Oy, Okita-kun that's not-" Shinpachi started.

"But I suppose actually using your brain long enough to get rid of some sci-fi mind control was what really took it out of you. Idiot China girl." He scoffed. "We've arrested a woman by the name of Marie Aomaru, she allegedly gave you a necklace containing neuro-interference technology combined with spying additions that can brainwash its wearers. She'll be put away for life for treason as will her accomplices."

Sougo stepped up closer to the bed, grabbing the control panel and pushing a button that sent Kagura's bed flying horizontally flat so that she was forced to look up and face him. A sadistic smile gleamed down and yet something warm blossomed within her, "Guess it's your lucky day China, apparently you can't arrest gluttonous pigs."

Kagura sat up and crossed her arms, glaring at him before turning her face away. "Tch. I haven't done anything for you to arrest me anyway stupid chihuahua, now get out of my room before I kick your ass out the window."

But Sougo had already turned around, waving his hand in the air, "Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't want to get infected by your stupidity anyway. See you, Boss, glasses." He didn't see Kagura's smile, but felt it as he strode out, content in knowing tomorrow was another day of everything being as it should.

Shinpachi smiled, falling back into his chair, carefree. "Well that settles that, everything is going to be alright!"

Kagura stared out the window, marvelling at the acrylic sky streaked in warm hues. "Next time, I'm going to be stronger, strong enough that I won't lose to anybody, especially me."

Biting back a fond smile, Gin hummed his agreements, gently pushing her back down, "Just take it easy now alright? There'll be time for heroic speeches later. Besides what's with all this losing crap? We're the Yorozuya, we don't lose to anybody."

"That's right Kagura-chan! Nothing can stop us together."

Reaching out, Kagura grasped both their collars and pulled them into a hug that was just as awkward, but also just as warm and encompassing and happy as they were. All the fighting and battling with herself was so desperately hard but she had a family who believed in her and would hold her up every time. Kagura's smile rivalled the sunset, "Yorozuya for life, yes!"

A/N Can you guys all tell that I'm Yorozuya bond trash? This story was written literally to satisfy my own craving for some good old fashioned fluff and angst with a dash of Gintama humor. I hope you all like my first Gintama story!