Ginzura Advent day 6 prompt: fic part 2
Beta by the very patient Pixelated Bloodbath.
No pairings.
The Shinsengumi make an appearance and Katsura investigates.
Tired of endlessly investigating the kidnappings, Yamazaki managed to evade Hijikata and his Shinsengumi comrades and escape from Headquarters to unwind in the open air and in the company of his dear badminton racket. Due to the attention the kidnappings had commanded from the media and public, Director Matsudaira deemed it to be a good opportunity for the Shinsengumi to establish a better image in the public eye as saviors, and not just as incorrigible demolishers of public property.
Chief Kondo had jumped at that, certain that by capturing the culprit, he would get in Otae Shimura’s good graces as a knight in shining armour. Yamazaki thought he was deluded as usual, but he was happy to oblige him...until about the fourth day of overtime, and not much progress in the case.
He’d had enough.
Equally bored with the investigation, Captain Okita had volunteered to interview the victims recovering in the Hospital, and Kondo had naively allowed it despite stark objections from Vice Chief Hijikata and anyone with two functioning brain cells; sending Okita to interview victims of kidnapping and possible assault was like sending a starved wolf to check on the well being of new born sheep. Needless to say, at this point the Shinsengumi would not be allowed back to interview the victims thanks to Okita’s self professed confusing of ‘interview’ with ‘interrogation’, and it would be doubtful that any of the victims would volunteer their assistance...once they woke from sedation, that is.
They had reached a stalemate and there was no way to acquire new information. Yamazaki had been looking at the same police reports over and over for the past four days without a breakthrough.
It was time for a break, even if his superiors did not agree.
“A little fresh air will help clear my mind and allow me to see the kidnappings from a new perspective.” Yamazaki would say if he was caught. Chief Kondo was sure to agree the moment a word he didn’t understand came up.And so, Yamazaki walked the streets of Edo, and found himself at a local farmer’s market. He smiled, happy to be out in the cool breeze, sunshine and surrounded by such a blithe ambiance full of young children playing, food stalls and no politics.
He closed his eyes, slowly taking it all in until the sound of a large object falling interrupted.
*WHOOOOOOOSH* *BOOM*
Falling trees?
So much for peace and quiet. He wanted to turn and run in the opposite direction, honestly he did and probably should have but he didn’t, and instead he was trampled by the fleeing crowd of terrified shoppers. When the dust cleared, he knew that that his brief respite was over so there really was no reason not to investigate the ruckus, so he crawled in the general direction of the chaos.
When he finally made it to what had been Otae and SaChan’s battleground, he found fallen trees and no culprits. However, it hadn’t been long since he’d heard the trees fall; surely they couldn’t be too far away. They wouldn’t escape him.
“Mada mada dane.”
~~~
Even Fairytale characters get the Blues.
“Gin-san! Help me, I have to save her!” Shinpachi shouted, glued to the sticky stuff covering his sister and unable to move. “Help me get this stuff her!” Gintoki spared one last glance to the now quiet horizon and hurried to Shinpachi’s side. He grabbed the young man’s free arm and began to pull. It was a wasted effort as the young man quickly began to scream in agony. “Ow, it’s not working! Ow OW OW STOP!”
Gintoki looked over at where Kagura was, and let go of Shinpachi’s reddening arm. “How are we supposed to get this stuff off of them? They don’t seem to be moving underneath!”
“ARGGGGGGGGGGH!” Shinpachi shrieked, fearful for his sister. He turned to the lump of whatever it was that covered his sister. “Don’t say that! ANEUE!!!!!!!!!!”
With extremely limited options available, the Silverhaired man’s normally lazy eyes sharply examined his surroundings for anything of assistance. Noting the nearby Soba stall, recently abandoned by its proprietor after witnessing the kidnappings, he quickly rushed over to it and determined that the soup stock was still hot. Acting purely on a hunch, he grabbed the cart’s handles and hurriedly wheeled it to Kagura’s side. He then grabbed the pot of soup stock and dumped half its contents on Kagura.
The slimy, sticky stuff melted off immediately, and Kagura fell off the bench and collapsed to the ground; silent and unmoving. “Kagura, are you alright?” He grabbed hold of her shoulders. “Kagura!”
Leaning down to check her vital signs, he found her breathing slow and laboured, which unsettled him greatly, nevertheless he was relieved that she was still breathing. The girls all had hypothermia; he realized suddenly and hurriedly took his Yukata off and wrapped her in it.
“Is Kagura-chan...?” Shinpachi called out, watching anxiously from where he was."She’s alive.” Gintoki jumped to his feet, grabbed the pot again and dumped the liquid indiscriminately over Otae and Shinpachi.
“H-H-H-HOT HOT HOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!”
Otae slumped into her brother’s scalded arms. “Aneue! ANEUE!!!!” He took her by the shoulders and shook her hysterically. “Get a hold of yourself!” Gintoki pushed him away and gently lowered Otae to the ground, “You’re of no use to her when you’re screaming like a little girl. Now, give me your hakama.”
Shinpachi quickly disrobed and watched Gintoki cover his sister with the clothing, and that was when it dawned on him.
“That’s right, Gin-san. All the victims were suffering from hypothermia!”
Gintoki nodded but his expression remained grave. "They’ll need a Doctor. We have to call for an ambulance.”
“Aneue has a cell phone! She usually keeps it in her purse and -“
“Oh, it’s the Yorozuya!” Yamazaki called out in surprise, interrupting them as he dragged himself towards them with the racket as leverage. “What are you-“ He took in the scene, noting the two unconscious girls. “What’s going on?”
“Call an ambulance!” Gintoki demanded, “It was that damned kidnapper you worthless cops can’t catch!”
Yamazaki hauled himself up to Shinpachi’s side and took a closer look at the unconscious Otae. “The kidnapper? In that case, you don’t need to worry because-“
“HOW CAN I NOT WORRY?” Shinpachi screamed, fist tightening around Yamazaki’s collar. “MY SISTER IS BARELY ALIVE! HOW CAN I NOT WORRY, HUH? HUH? MAKE THE DAMN CALL YOU ASSHOLE BEFORE I MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!” Shinpachi further illustrated by yanking the badminton racket out of Yamazaki’s hand and breaking it in half over his knee.
“R-right away!” Yamazaki quickly called for help, then (reluctantly) made another call to the Shinsengumi Headquarters.
“Yes…it’s me…I’m at the farmer’s market on the East side…no, obviously I’m no longer in the office if I’m at the marketplace…listen, the kidnapper was here, so send someone over right away!” He hesitantly turned to face the irate Yorozuya duo. “Don’t worry; help is on its way.” Shinpachi continued to glare distrustfully before turning away and returning to his sister’s side.
“Calm down, Shinpachi-kun.” Yamazaki started nervously, “None of the kidnap victims were in a life-threatening state when they were found. They only warmed them up a little before they were awake and well!”
“R-really?”
“It’s true, we’ve followed up on all the victims and that was always the case!”
“But...but they said all the victims were suffering from Hypothermia, right?”
“Well-yes that’s true, however, they only said it was hypothermia because the doctors don’t have a name for their condition. What we do know is that they all recovered fully and were only kept in the hospital for a day of observation and counseling, if necessary.”
“Then that means…!” Shinpachi turned to his sister, taking her hands in his and gasped. “It’s true! Gin-san, her hands are much warmer now than before!” Her breathing seemed less shallow, and her complexion was showing more color.
Gintoki leaned down to listen to Kagura’s breathing, and found her now snoring. His reaction was only to be expected. *WHACK* “Stupid girl!”
“Well, you said it was the kidnapper, right?” Yamazaki was finally able to ask, now that the situation didn’t seem as grave. “Was there an attempt to kidnap these two?”
“Uh....I don’t think so.” Shinpachi’s eyes quickly darted down to ensure that his sister was still unconscious before answering. “I-I think the kidnapper had specific targets in mind.”
“And how do you know that? Was anyone actually kidnapped? And most importantly, did you see the culprit himself?”
“Well, I didn’t see the kidnapper themselves but I was there when Kyuubei Yagyuu-San, Ayame Sarutobi San and K-” His brain caught up with his mouth and he bit his tongue, wide eyes meeting Gintoki’s cautioning look before continuing. “Ah, I mean... there were only two kidnap victims.”
“Did you say Kyuubei Yagyuu? of the Yagyuu Clan?” Yamazaki inquired incredulously, “I thought they were all sword masters?!”
“I’m not sure what exactly happened, but I know that no one really had a chance to fight back.”
“Amazing, Shinpachi-kun!” Yamazaki exclaimed, reaching for his phone again. “There hasn’t been a single witness so far. This could be the lead we’ve been looking for. Please tell me everything that happened!”
Shinpachi laughed nervously, Gintoki stayed silent while Kagura slept on. Gintoki kicked her for good measure.
~~~
When Katsura finally came to, it was to faintly lit, frigid surroundings that he did not recognize. The last thing he remembered was being forcibly pulled away from the others by an unseen force, Gintoki pathetically failing to help him and that evildoer, whom he had yet to actually see, saying something about pretty women before he was enveloped in darkness.
He was lying on a table of some sort, he guessed, however it was hard to tell as his body was numb and unresponsive. He suspected that he’d been captured using the very same substance the others had been attacked with; a cold, gooey sticky substance that seemed to induce a paralysis-like state. As a warrior used to lightening fast reflexes, it was the first time his body had refused to obey him, much like now. What an effective weapon this was; one that was certainly not a human invention and that meant it couldn't be anything but an Amanto creation.
He frowned as he pondered the reasons behind his capture. Was it the Harusame? Takasugi’s men? Or maybe- Katsura’s eyes widened with astonishment as he put two and two together.
The ominous, captivating Snow Queen! Like the young Kai, he had been enchanted by her and he would be forced to sell matches to melt the ice around his heart while he waited for his darling Greta to mature into a beautiful swan!
Katsura’s eyes began to moisten despite the extreme cold, as he thought of all the hardships Greta would endure. It was too much to bear.
He wiped his watering eyes as he wept, and then realized that he wasn’t as incapacitated as he originally believed. Finding the same strength, he gingerly sat up and got to his feet. He pulled his Kimono tighter around his body for warmth and slowly shuffled away from the table. In the dark, it was difficult to discern surroundings or directions, and his stiff muscles would make his escape all the more challenging.
However, he was a war veteran. Getting out of the snow palace couldn’t be any more difficult than all the hardships he’d endured, even if the Snow Queen herself made an appearance.
Katsura would have to harden his resolve. He won’t allow that beautiful, magical creature to ensnare him!
Was the Snow Queen married?
~~~
“OTAE SAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! OTAE SAAAAAAAAAAAN *SOB* PLEASE WAKE UP! OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD OTAAAAAAAAE SAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! ”
“Can someone shut him up?” Shinpachi demanded, hovering over his sleeping sister while Kondo grovelled and wailed in the doorway. “And keep him the hell away from my sister!”
An ambulance had arrived promptly after Yamazaki's call and took Otae and Kagura to the hospital where the two were examined. The Doctors determined there was no indication of any trauma and that a full recovery was expected. However, the two were to remain in the hospital for observation and to ensure that they remain fully rested.
Unfortunately, the Shinsengumi‘s presence would prevent anyone from resting.
“Chief, please calm down!” Yamazaki pulled at Kondo’s flailing arms. “You know quite well that all the victims recovered fully!”
“WHAT?” Kondo grabbed the other by the shoulders and shook him. “ZAKI, IS IT TRUE? WILL OTAE SAN BE ALRIGHT?”
“Yes! Didn’t you read the reports? Did you not listen to any of the briefings?”
“OTAAAAAAAEEEE SAAAAAAAAAAAN! I’M SO HAAAAAAAAPPPPPYYYYYYY!” Ecstatic and filled with hopeful love, Kondo pushed Yamazaki aside and leapt merrily towards Otae’s bed.
Shinpachi braced himself to kick the stalker away but Otae's swift outstretched fist was quicker, and far more powerful. When Kondo made contact with said fist, he was propelled out of the room through the window and down to the street...six floors down.
“Aneue!” Shinpachi threw his arms around her. “You’re alright!”
“Of course I am, Shin-chan! There there, don’t be so emotional.” Otae tenderly ran her hand through her brother’s hair, the very picture of gentle, affectionate womanliness. It was all as if she didn’t just propel a grown man, the Head of a Police unit no less, out of the window.
Kagura continued to snore in the next bed.
It was then that Sougo Okita and Toshiro Hijikata entered the room, took one look at the broken window, deduced that their Chief was missing and decided not to pursue the subject. In Okita’s case, he had far more pressing matters on his mind anyhow.
“I hear the criminal tried to kidnap the China girl. Is that true?” He tried to maintain an air of professionalism, but the big sarcastic grin on his face would not be beaten down.
Gintoki, who was quietly reading a discarded JUMP in the corner while leisurely picking his nose, didn’t look up as he replied, uninterested in propagating this ridiculous feud between the two teens. “Who knows? He attacked her for sure, though.”
“Attacked her with what?”
Shinpachi would have responded, but he knew where this was going, and being in immediate proximity of his sister, the moment he insinuated that the captor did NOT want to kidnap her, he too would need a hospital bed, probably on a more permanent basis.
So, he feigned sleep. Gintoki didn’t care to elaborate further, whether it was because he wasn’t concerned about the fate of the kidnapped, or whether it was because Katsura was amongst them was not clear, and either way he was presently occupied digging out a fairly challenging booger.
In the end Yamazaki took the initiative, filling the others in with the information Shinpachi had previously supplied.
“The two were covered in what seemed to be very sticky mucus. It was cold to the touch and rendered the victims unconscious and in a semi-comatose state like the others. It easy dissolved with hot water and left no adverse effects as it seems, although the other victim is still sleeping so we can’t be a hundred percent sure.” He reported, pointing at Kagura who simply turned in her sleep and mumbled, dreaming of sukonbu topped rice and MegaMacs.
“China’s fine.” Okita waved his hands dismissively, “It’ll take a glacier falling on her to scratch her thick skin.”
“Oi Oi, is that something a police officer should be saying about a kidnapping victim? What kind of people does the Shinsengumi recruit anyhow? Did the job application specifically ask for sadists, crazed violent chain-smokers and stalkers or were these just assets that you all brought with you?”
“Watch your mouth, you lazy dead-eyed JUMP-reading freak!” Hijikata, who’d been silent up until this point, unsheathed his sword and leveled it at Gintoki who while ignoring him completely, threw in another insult.
“Ah, I wouldn’t talk about other people’s obsessions, Toshii! How many K’ON Figurines do you have by now? Do you have any money left for therapy?”
“That’s it! You’re dead asshole, let’s go right now!”
“Hijikata-san, please control your irresponsible urges.” Okita turned to him, eyes and voice patronizing, “You can’t wave a sword around in here, this is a hospital! Be considerate, Hijikata you bastard.”
“That’s right, you bastard.” Gintoki added from behind his JUMP.
“Sougo! Whose side are you on, you worthless traitor? I’m going to kill you too, hold still!” Hijikata turned his sword on his subordinate, who simply dodged every strike.
The room was suddenly enveloped in darkness and the air was thick with murderous intent. “This is a hospital and we are trying to rest. Can you stop it, you $^&*( @$%#^, before I @^$%#& you?” When the men blinked, it was all gone like they had imagined it. Otae was smiling sweetly, but did she just say...?
The dueling Shinsengumi immediately stopped and Hijikata shakily sheathed his sword. Shinpachi, who was in his sister’s arms this whole time, began to cry. Gintoki wiped the sweat off his brow and Yamazaki cradled his racket close as he rocked in the corner.
Kagura continued to dream about food and violence.
~~~
The Hunter was exhausted. He had never had to produce so much snare in such a short time. While this had been the most difficult hunt he’d had, it truly was the most exhilarating hunt he’d ever had. None of his other victims had put up anything remotely resembling a fight and certainly nothing like today.
He hated to admit it, but the hunt had become tedious and the captured women boring. If it wasn’t for Julia and her infallible beauty, he would have long abandoned this project and simply worshiped her from the comforts of his own home.Today, his cause had been revitalized. He had tracked, attacked and captured like never before and his success filled him with an unusual sense of pride for he was usually a humble and quiet hunter. This was what a true hunt was all about; the thrill of capture.
Also, it was incredibly draining; he felt dizzy and worn out and wanted to sleep for days. As he lay down and curled his limbs inwards, he thought about his captives. He had never, ever fallen asleep after a hunt and left those he’d kidnapped unattended. Fully knowledgeable about the duration of the snare's action on women and the environment required for its optimal performance, the back of his mind reassured him that the victims could not possibly awaken on their own and his extreme fatigue was a force to be reckoned. Soon, he had no more will to fight or think and completely forgot that he had a male amongst the victims; a type of prey he had no experience capturing or retaining.
They’re still sleeping. There’s no one to wake them up. They won’t wake up before I do. I just need to rest a little. Just a little rest...Julia...
~~~
Katsura’s outstretched hands had located a large, smooth surface which seemed to be a wall, and pressed his shivering body against it in an effort to navigate around and out of the room. He would have thought it would become easier to move with time, but there was no change to the ache in his limbs and the cold permeating his bones. It seemed like he was still suffering the effects of whatever had been used to kidnap him; he expected no less from the crafty Snow Queen.
Fatigued and freezing, Katsura gallantly pushed forth and eventually, his surroundings became more apparent to him as he moved towards a source of light. It was still dim, and he couldn’t see clearly, but he could see his breath condense in the air and could make out vague shapes of what seemed to be factory equipments and crates around him. He was in a cold storage facility of some sort.
Feeling more confident now that he could somewhat see, Katsura would have followed the source of light all the way to the exit if something hadn’t caught his eye; a lump sitting atop the crates and barrels.
Was it a magical pumpkin waiting to be touched to turn him into an ugly duckling?
Katsura narrowed his eyes, trying to get a closer look without leaving the safety of the wall and concluded that it looked more like...a human head?
It was then that he realized that he may not be the only kidnapping victim, remembering how the two girls had gotten attacked just before he was. His mouth went dry as the possibilities bombarded him and Katsura cautiously moved towards the head. His heart beat just a little bit faster and the adrenaline begins to pump through his veins. His hand slowly reached out and he gulped loudly, anxious of what he may find should he touch the ominous head. What he found was not what he had expected, squinting as he brought the head up for closer inspection. It was made of the same sticky stuff that he’d been attacked by; cold and wet and gummy. It was unlikely that he would forget it, especially now that the head was glued to his hand. He tried to shake the head off but no to avail.
He pondered the origin and the purpose of this sculpture, if that was what he could call it, for it was incomplete, missing a nose and ears. What was going on here? What was that evil doer who had dared to kidnap him, dared to call him 'pretty lady', trying to do here?
The head glued to his hand didn’t tell him much, but Katsura suddenly felt himself lost in a great conspiracy. The fate of Japan could be relying on him investigating this bizarre event!
And so he continued his search in the darkened rooms, looking for clues and ice crystals and maybe the Snow Queen herself.
~~~
“Ahh~ what a drag this is.” Okita yawned as he put the volume up on his mp3 player.
“Shut up or leave.” Gintoki called out from behind his JUMP.
“I wish I could, Danna.” Okita replied, “But Kondo-san ordered me to stay here and make sure these two are safe since he’s unable to do so himself.”
“How kind of him and we do wish him a speedy recovery. But, as you both should know by now, these two are quite capable of taking care of themselves.”
“If that was the case, they wouldn’t be in hospital beds, now would they?”
“Okita-san, I highly advise you not to discuss the kidnappings with my sister.” Shinpachi glanced down at his sleeping sister and adjusted his glasses. “You wouldn’t survive it.”
“Are you threatening a police officer?” Okita sat up, eyes challenging.
“No, I’m simply telling you what she will do. We told you that our friends are missing, there is a kidnapper on the loose, so why don’t you tell us what you know about the case if you won’t lift a finger to find them?”
“Why so condescending?” Okita shrugged, “We’re doing all we can with the information you provided. It’s so easy for you amateurs to expect results overnight, but that’s not the way it works in the real world.”
“Alright then.” Gintoki, now finished with his JUMP, put the magazine down and faced the Shinsengumi Captain. “So, where have you been looking for the kidnapper?”
“Danna, this is an open investigation. Sorry, but I can’t share any information with the general public.”
“So, basically you have no leads.” Gintoki got to his feet and rubbed his sore shoulders. “You people really need to tell me how it is that you still have a job despite being completely incompetent.”
“Hey-“ Okita began, but Gintoki wouldn’t hear it.
“Shinpachi, you might want to leave before Kagura wakes up, if you want to live.” With a short wave Gintoki walked out of the room. “Grab some blankets on your way out.”
Shinpachi realized his dire predicament and quickly hurried after him. Okita only closed his eyes and lowered his eye mask.
~~~
It had taken him quite some time to search for it in the dim lighting and with his cold-stricken body, nevertheless Katsura eventually found the control room. Despite hating the Amanto and all of their non-traditional means of life, Katsura believed himself to be an expert at using technology for his objectives. From the Megadrive to time bombs, he had to master the craft of his enemies to gain an advantage; thus it wasn’t difficult for him to determine what button would shut the cooling off. His hands mechanically drifted towards the large power switch on the wall which no doubt controlled the lighting in the building.
He stopped, considering that there could other victims in the building. Turning the lights on would only expose and thwart any escape attempts. There has to be another way. His hand returned to the control panel and he cranked the heat up before returning to the dark factory hallways and creeping down the hall in the direction he came from. Recognizing that it may take quite a bit of time before everything warmed up, it was imperative to do anything to foil whatever plot was brewing, and it seemed rather obvious that the cold temperature was a requirement.
There was the sound of turbines and creaking pipes around him. Maybe it was going to warm up faster than he thought? As he made his way back, shuffling slowly and silently against the wall, Katsura considered the identity of the villain involved and whether they were the infamous kidnapper the police were trying to capture.
However, if that was the case, why had he been kidnapped? All known victims were women…he was not a woman, he was Katsura!
He tightened his hold on the gummy head in as he clenched his fists. So he had long hair, so what? So did Dragon Shiryu and he was the pinnacle of manliness! Modern day society had become superficial and judgmental with emphasis only on appearance and not on the individual. He longed for the days when all men were unified in their fight against a common enemy; there were no ranks or titles, no ill judgements or questions, all men and women were equal and united in their love for their country and each other.
This was the world he was striving for, a world of love and peace and cute, fluffy animals with furry paws and-
His foot bumped into something and he realized that he’d been walking without paying attention for quite some time now, for his surroundings had grown dark once again. As he could not clearly see what it was, Katsura gave the object a light kick in an attempt to determine what it was. It kicked him back, hard.
Katsura took a step back as the shape grew to its full height before him. “What are you, demon?” He cried, “Speak and I may spare you!”
There was no reply, and the shape took a step forward towards Katsura, who in turn took another step back only to notice another shape creeping up behind him. Surrounded by slimy shapes, tired and cold, Katsura asked what anyone in the same position would’ve.
“Are you a goo slime?”
To be continued...
Author’s notes
1) The Snow Queen, Kai and Greta are characters from “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Anderson. Katsura gets the story mixed up with the “Little match-stick girl”, also a Hans Christian Anderson tale.
2) Are you a goo slime?” plays on the Slime’s, a Dragon Quest character, speech patterns.
Thanks for reading!
Posted to ginzura and gintama
No pairings.
The Shinsengumi make an appearance and Katsura investigates.
Tired of endlessly investigating the kidnappings, Yamazaki managed to evade Hijikata and his Shinsengumi comrades and escape from Headquarters to unwind in the open air and in the company of his dear badminton racket. Due to the attention the kidnappings had commanded from the media and public, Director Matsudaira deemed it to be a good opportunity for the Shinsengumi to establish a better image in the public eye as saviors, and not just as incorrigible demolishers of public property.
Chief Kondo had jumped at that, certain that by capturing the culprit, he would get in Otae Shimura’s good graces as a knight in shining armour. Yamazaki thought he was deluded as usual, but he was happy to oblige him...until about the fourth day of overtime, and not much progress in the case.
He’d had enough.
Equally bored with the investigation, Captain Okita had volunteered to interview the victims recovering in the Hospital, and Kondo had naively allowed it despite stark objections from Vice Chief Hijikata and anyone with two functioning brain cells; sending Okita to interview victims of kidnapping and possible assault was like sending a starved wolf to check on the well being of new born sheep. Needless to say, at this point the Shinsengumi would not be allowed back to interview the victims thanks to Okita’s self professed confusing of ‘interview’ with ‘interrogation’, and it would be doubtful that any of the victims would volunteer their assistance...once they woke from sedation, that is.
They had reached a stalemate and there was no way to acquire new information. Yamazaki had been looking at the same police reports over and over for the past four days without a breakthrough.
It was time for a break, even if his superiors did not agree.
“A little fresh air will help clear my mind and allow me to see the kidnappings from a new perspective.” Yamazaki would say if he was caught. Chief Kondo was sure to agree the moment a word he didn’t understand came up.And so, Yamazaki walked the streets of Edo, and found himself at a local farmer’s market. He smiled, happy to be out in the cool breeze, sunshine and surrounded by such a blithe ambiance full of young children playing, food stalls and no politics.
He closed his eyes, slowly taking it all in until the sound of a large object falling interrupted.
*WHOOOOOOOSH* *BOOM*
Falling trees?
So much for peace and quiet. He wanted to turn and run in the opposite direction, honestly he did and probably should have but he didn’t, and instead he was trampled by the fleeing crowd of terrified shoppers. When the dust cleared, he knew that that his brief respite was over so there really was no reason not to investigate the ruckus, so he crawled in the general direction of the chaos.
When he finally made it to what had been Otae and SaChan’s battleground, he found fallen trees and no culprits. However, it hadn’t been long since he’d heard the trees fall; surely they couldn’t be too far away. They wouldn’t escape him.
“Mada mada dane.”
~~~
Even Fairytale characters get the Blues.
“Gin-san! Help me, I have to save her!” Shinpachi shouted, glued to the sticky stuff covering his sister and unable to move. “Help me get this stuff her!” Gintoki spared one last glance to the now quiet horizon and hurried to Shinpachi’s side. He grabbed the young man’s free arm and began to pull. It was a wasted effort as the young man quickly began to scream in agony. “Ow, it’s not working! Ow OW OW STOP!”
Gintoki looked over at where Kagura was, and let go of Shinpachi’s reddening arm. “How are we supposed to get this stuff off of them? They don’t seem to be moving underneath!”
“ARGGGGGGGGGGH!” Shinpachi shrieked, fearful for his sister. He turned to the lump of whatever it was that covered his sister. “Don’t say that! ANEUE!!!!!!!!!!”
With extremely limited options available, the Silverhaired man’s normally lazy eyes sharply examined his surroundings for anything of assistance. Noting the nearby Soba stall, recently abandoned by its proprietor after witnessing the kidnappings, he quickly rushed over to it and determined that the soup stock was still hot. Acting purely on a hunch, he grabbed the cart’s handles and hurriedly wheeled it to Kagura’s side. He then grabbed the pot of soup stock and dumped half its contents on Kagura.
The slimy, sticky stuff melted off immediately, and Kagura fell off the bench and collapsed to the ground; silent and unmoving. “Kagura, are you alright?” He grabbed hold of her shoulders. “Kagura!”
Leaning down to check her vital signs, he found her breathing slow and laboured, which unsettled him greatly, nevertheless he was relieved that she was still breathing. The girls all had hypothermia; he realized suddenly and hurriedly took his Yukata off and wrapped her in it.
“Is Kagura-chan...?” Shinpachi called out, watching anxiously from where he was."She’s alive.” Gintoki jumped to his feet, grabbed the pot again and dumped the liquid indiscriminately over Otae and Shinpachi.
“H-H-H-HOT HOT HOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!”
Otae slumped into her brother’s scalded arms. “Aneue! ANEUE!!!!” He took her by the shoulders and shook her hysterically. “Get a hold of yourself!” Gintoki pushed him away and gently lowered Otae to the ground, “You’re of no use to her when you’re screaming like a little girl. Now, give me your hakama.”
Shinpachi quickly disrobed and watched Gintoki cover his sister with the clothing, and that was when it dawned on him.
“That’s right, Gin-san. All the victims were suffering from hypothermia!”
Gintoki nodded but his expression remained grave. "They’ll need a Doctor. We have to call for an ambulance.”
“Aneue has a cell phone! She usually keeps it in her purse and -“
“Oh, it’s the Yorozuya!” Yamazaki called out in surprise, interrupting them as he dragged himself towards them with the racket as leverage. “What are you-“ He took in the scene, noting the two unconscious girls. “What’s going on?”
“Call an ambulance!” Gintoki demanded, “It was that damned kidnapper you worthless cops can’t catch!”
Yamazaki hauled himself up to Shinpachi’s side and took a closer look at the unconscious Otae. “The kidnapper? In that case, you don’t need to worry because-“
“HOW CAN I NOT WORRY?” Shinpachi screamed, fist tightening around Yamazaki’s collar. “MY SISTER IS BARELY ALIVE! HOW CAN I NOT WORRY, HUH? HUH? MAKE THE DAMN CALL YOU ASSHOLE BEFORE I MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!” Shinpachi further illustrated by yanking the badminton racket out of Yamazaki’s hand and breaking it in half over his knee.
“R-right away!” Yamazaki quickly called for help, then (reluctantly) made another call to the Shinsengumi Headquarters.
“Yes…it’s me…I’m at the farmer’s market on the East side…no, obviously I’m no longer in the office if I’m at the marketplace…listen, the kidnapper was here, so send someone over right away!” He hesitantly turned to face the irate Yorozuya duo. “Don’t worry; help is on its way.” Shinpachi continued to glare distrustfully before turning away and returning to his sister’s side.
“Calm down, Shinpachi-kun.” Yamazaki started nervously, “None of the kidnap victims were in a life-threatening state when they were found. They only warmed them up a little before they were awake and well!”
“R-really?”
“It’s true, we’ve followed up on all the victims and that was always the case!”
“But...but they said all the victims were suffering from Hypothermia, right?”
“Well-yes that’s true, however, they only said it was hypothermia because the doctors don’t have a name for their condition. What we do know is that they all recovered fully and were only kept in the hospital for a day of observation and counseling, if necessary.”
“Then that means…!” Shinpachi turned to his sister, taking her hands in his and gasped. “It’s true! Gin-san, her hands are much warmer now than before!” Her breathing seemed less shallow, and her complexion was showing more color.
Gintoki leaned down to listen to Kagura’s breathing, and found her now snoring. His reaction was only to be expected. *WHACK* “Stupid girl!”
“Well, you said it was the kidnapper, right?” Yamazaki was finally able to ask, now that the situation didn’t seem as grave. “Was there an attempt to kidnap these two?”
“Uh....I don’t think so.” Shinpachi’s eyes quickly darted down to ensure that his sister was still unconscious before answering. “I-I think the kidnapper had specific targets in mind.”
“And how do you know that? Was anyone actually kidnapped? And most importantly, did you see the culprit himself?”
“Well, I didn’t see the kidnapper themselves but I was there when Kyuubei Yagyuu-San, Ayame Sarutobi San and K-” His brain caught up with his mouth and he bit his tongue, wide eyes meeting Gintoki’s cautioning look before continuing. “Ah, I mean... there were only two kidnap victims.”
“Did you say Kyuubei Yagyuu? of the Yagyuu Clan?” Yamazaki inquired incredulously, “I thought they were all sword masters?!”
“I’m not sure what exactly happened, but I know that no one really had a chance to fight back.”
“Amazing, Shinpachi-kun!” Yamazaki exclaimed, reaching for his phone again. “There hasn’t been a single witness so far. This could be the lead we’ve been looking for. Please tell me everything that happened!”
Shinpachi laughed nervously, Gintoki stayed silent while Kagura slept on. Gintoki kicked her for good measure.
~~~
When Katsura finally came to, it was to faintly lit, frigid surroundings that he did not recognize. The last thing he remembered was being forcibly pulled away from the others by an unseen force, Gintoki pathetically failing to help him and that evildoer, whom he had yet to actually see, saying something about pretty women before he was enveloped in darkness.
He was lying on a table of some sort, he guessed, however it was hard to tell as his body was numb and unresponsive. He suspected that he’d been captured using the very same substance the others had been attacked with; a cold, gooey sticky substance that seemed to induce a paralysis-like state. As a warrior used to lightening fast reflexes, it was the first time his body had refused to obey him, much like now. What an effective weapon this was; one that was certainly not a human invention and that meant it couldn't be anything but an Amanto creation.
He frowned as he pondered the reasons behind his capture. Was it the Harusame? Takasugi’s men? Or maybe- Katsura’s eyes widened with astonishment as he put two and two together.
The ominous, captivating Snow Queen! Like the young Kai, he had been enchanted by her and he would be forced to sell matches to melt the ice around his heart while he waited for his darling Greta to mature into a beautiful swan!
Katsura’s eyes began to moisten despite the extreme cold, as he thought of all the hardships Greta would endure. It was too much to bear.
He wiped his watering eyes as he wept, and then realized that he wasn’t as incapacitated as he originally believed. Finding the same strength, he gingerly sat up and got to his feet. He pulled his Kimono tighter around his body for warmth and slowly shuffled away from the table. In the dark, it was difficult to discern surroundings or directions, and his stiff muscles would make his escape all the more challenging.
However, he was a war veteran. Getting out of the snow palace couldn’t be any more difficult than all the hardships he’d endured, even if the Snow Queen herself made an appearance.
Katsura would have to harden his resolve. He won’t allow that beautiful, magical creature to ensnare him!
Was the Snow Queen married?
~~~
“OTAE SAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! OTAE SAAAAAAAAAAAN *SOB* PLEASE WAKE UP! OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDD OTAAAAAAAAE SAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! ”
“Can someone shut him up?” Shinpachi demanded, hovering over his sleeping sister while Kondo grovelled and wailed in the doorway. “And keep him the hell away from my sister!”
An ambulance had arrived promptly after Yamazaki's call and took Otae and Kagura to the hospital where the two were examined. The Doctors determined there was no indication of any trauma and that a full recovery was expected. However, the two were to remain in the hospital for observation and to ensure that they remain fully rested.
Unfortunately, the Shinsengumi‘s presence would prevent anyone from resting.
“Chief, please calm down!” Yamazaki pulled at Kondo’s flailing arms. “You know quite well that all the victims recovered fully!”
“WHAT?” Kondo grabbed the other by the shoulders and shook him. “ZAKI, IS IT TRUE? WILL OTAE SAN BE ALRIGHT?”
“Yes! Didn’t you read the reports? Did you not listen to any of the briefings?”
“OTAAAAAAAEEEE SAAAAAAAAAAAN! I’M SO HAAAAAAAAPPPPPYYYYYYY!” Ecstatic and filled with hopeful love, Kondo pushed Yamazaki aside and leapt merrily towards Otae’s bed.
Shinpachi braced himself to kick the stalker away but Otae's swift outstretched fist was quicker, and far more powerful. When Kondo made contact with said fist, he was propelled out of the room through the window and down to the street...six floors down.
“Aneue!” Shinpachi threw his arms around her. “You’re alright!”
“Of course I am, Shin-chan! There there, don’t be so emotional.” Otae tenderly ran her hand through her brother’s hair, the very picture of gentle, affectionate womanliness. It was all as if she didn’t just propel a grown man, the Head of a Police unit no less, out of the window.
Kagura continued to snore in the next bed.
It was then that Sougo Okita and Toshiro Hijikata entered the room, took one look at the broken window, deduced that their Chief was missing and decided not to pursue the subject. In Okita’s case, he had far more pressing matters on his mind anyhow.
“I hear the criminal tried to kidnap the China girl. Is that true?” He tried to maintain an air of professionalism, but the big sarcastic grin on his face would not be beaten down.
Gintoki, who was quietly reading a discarded JUMP in the corner while leisurely picking his nose, didn’t look up as he replied, uninterested in propagating this ridiculous feud between the two teens. “Who knows? He attacked her for sure, though.”
“Attacked her with what?”
Shinpachi would have responded, but he knew where this was going, and being in immediate proximity of his sister, the moment he insinuated that the captor did NOT want to kidnap her, he too would need a hospital bed, probably on a more permanent basis.
So, he feigned sleep. Gintoki didn’t care to elaborate further, whether it was because he wasn’t concerned about the fate of the kidnapped, or whether it was because Katsura was amongst them was not clear, and either way he was presently occupied digging out a fairly challenging booger.
In the end Yamazaki took the initiative, filling the others in with the information Shinpachi had previously supplied.
“The two were covered in what seemed to be very sticky mucus. It was cold to the touch and rendered the victims unconscious and in a semi-comatose state like the others. It easy dissolved with hot water and left no adverse effects as it seems, although the other victim is still sleeping so we can’t be a hundred percent sure.” He reported, pointing at Kagura who simply turned in her sleep and mumbled, dreaming of sukonbu topped rice and MegaMacs.
“China’s fine.” Okita waved his hands dismissively, “It’ll take a glacier falling on her to scratch her thick skin.”
“Oi Oi, is that something a police officer should be saying about a kidnapping victim? What kind of people does the Shinsengumi recruit anyhow? Did the job application specifically ask for sadists, crazed violent chain-smokers and stalkers or were these just assets that you all brought with you?”
“Watch your mouth, you lazy dead-eyed JUMP-reading freak!” Hijikata, who’d been silent up until this point, unsheathed his sword and leveled it at Gintoki who while ignoring him completely, threw in another insult.
“Ah, I wouldn’t talk about other people’s obsessions, Toshii! How many K’ON Figurines do you have by now? Do you have any money left for therapy?”
“That’s it! You’re dead asshole, let’s go right now!”
“Hijikata-san, please control your irresponsible urges.” Okita turned to him, eyes and voice patronizing, “You can’t wave a sword around in here, this is a hospital! Be considerate, Hijikata you bastard.”
“That’s right, you bastard.” Gintoki added from behind his JUMP.
“Sougo! Whose side are you on, you worthless traitor? I’m going to kill you too, hold still!” Hijikata turned his sword on his subordinate, who simply dodged every strike.
The room was suddenly enveloped in darkness and the air was thick with murderous intent. “This is a hospital and we are trying to rest. Can you stop it, you $^&*( @$%#^, before I @^$%#& you?” When the men blinked, it was all gone like they had imagined it. Otae was smiling sweetly, but did she just say...?
The dueling Shinsengumi immediately stopped and Hijikata shakily sheathed his sword. Shinpachi, who was in his sister’s arms this whole time, began to cry. Gintoki wiped the sweat off his brow and Yamazaki cradled his racket close as he rocked in the corner.
Kagura continued to dream about food and violence.
~~~
The Hunter was exhausted. He had never had to produce so much snare in such a short time. While this had been the most difficult hunt he’d had, it truly was the most exhilarating hunt he’d ever had. None of his other victims had put up anything remotely resembling a fight and certainly nothing like today.
He hated to admit it, but the hunt had become tedious and the captured women boring. If it wasn’t for Julia and her infallible beauty, he would have long abandoned this project and simply worshiped her from the comforts of his own home.Today, his cause had been revitalized. He had tracked, attacked and captured like never before and his success filled him with an unusual sense of pride for he was usually a humble and quiet hunter. This was what a true hunt was all about; the thrill of capture.
Also, it was incredibly draining; he felt dizzy and worn out and wanted to sleep for days. As he lay down and curled his limbs inwards, he thought about his captives. He had never, ever fallen asleep after a hunt and left those he’d kidnapped unattended. Fully knowledgeable about the duration of the snare's action on women and the environment required for its optimal performance, the back of his mind reassured him that the victims could not possibly awaken on their own and his extreme fatigue was a force to be reckoned. Soon, he had no more will to fight or think and completely forgot that he had a male amongst the victims; a type of prey he had no experience capturing or retaining.
They’re still sleeping. There’s no one to wake them up. They won’t wake up before I do. I just need to rest a little. Just a little rest...Julia...
~~~
Katsura’s outstretched hands had located a large, smooth surface which seemed to be a wall, and pressed his shivering body against it in an effort to navigate around and out of the room. He would have thought it would become easier to move with time, but there was no change to the ache in his limbs and the cold permeating his bones. It seemed like he was still suffering the effects of whatever had been used to kidnap him; he expected no less from the crafty Snow Queen.
Fatigued and freezing, Katsura gallantly pushed forth and eventually, his surroundings became more apparent to him as he moved towards a source of light. It was still dim, and he couldn’t see clearly, but he could see his breath condense in the air and could make out vague shapes of what seemed to be factory equipments and crates around him. He was in a cold storage facility of some sort.
Feeling more confident now that he could somewhat see, Katsura would have followed the source of light all the way to the exit if something hadn’t caught his eye; a lump sitting atop the crates and barrels.
Was it a magical pumpkin waiting to be touched to turn him into an ugly duckling?
Katsura narrowed his eyes, trying to get a closer look without leaving the safety of the wall and concluded that it looked more like...a human head?
It was then that he realized that he may not be the only kidnapping victim, remembering how the two girls had gotten attacked just before he was. His mouth went dry as the possibilities bombarded him and Katsura cautiously moved towards the head. His heart beat just a little bit faster and the adrenaline begins to pump through his veins. His hand slowly reached out and he gulped loudly, anxious of what he may find should he touch the ominous head. What he found was not what he had expected, squinting as he brought the head up for closer inspection. It was made of the same sticky stuff that he’d been attacked by; cold and wet and gummy. It was unlikely that he would forget it, especially now that the head was glued to his hand. He tried to shake the head off but no to avail.
He pondered the origin and the purpose of this sculpture, if that was what he could call it, for it was incomplete, missing a nose and ears. What was going on here? What was that evil doer who had dared to kidnap him, dared to call him 'pretty lady', trying to do here?
The head glued to his hand didn’t tell him much, but Katsura suddenly felt himself lost in a great conspiracy. The fate of Japan could be relying on him investigating this bizarre event!
And so he continued his search in the darkened rooms, looking for clues and ice crystals and maybe the Snow Queen herself.
~~~
“Ahh~ what a drag this is.” Okita yawned as he put the volume up on his mp3 player.
“Shut up or leave.” Gintoki called out from behind his JUMP.
“I wish I could, Danna.” Okita replied, “But Kondo-san ordered me to stay here and make sure these two are safe since he’s unable to do so himself.”
“How kind of him and we do wish him a speedy recovery. But, as you both should know by now, these two are quite capable of taking care of themselves.”
“If that was the case, they wouldn’t be in hospital beds, now would they?”
“Okita-san, I highly advise you not to discuss the kidnappings with my sister.” Shinpachi glanced down at his sleeping sister and adjusted his glasses. “You wouldn’t survive it.”
“Are you threatening a police officer?” Okita sat up, eyes challenging.
“No, I’m simply telling you what she will do. We told you that our friends are missing, there is a kidnapper on the loose, so why don’t you tell us what you know about the case if you won’t lift a finger to find them?”
“Why so condescending?” Okita shrugged, “We’re doing all we can with the information you provided. It’s so easy for you amateurs to expect results overnight, but that’s not the way it works in the real world.”
“Alright then.” Gintoki, now finished with his JUMP, put the magazine down and faced the Shinsengumi Captain. “So, where have you been looking for the kidnapper?”
“Danna, this is an open investigation. Sorry, but I can’t share any information with the general public.”
“So, basically you have no leads.” Gintoki got to his feet and rubbed his sore shoulders. “You people really need to tell me how it is that you still have a job despite being completely incompetent.”
“Hey-“ Okita began, but Gintoki wouldn’t hear it.
“Shinpachi, you might want to leave before Kagura wakes up, if you want to live.” With a short wave Gintoki walked out of the room. “Grab some blankets on your way out.”
Shinpachi realized his dire predicament and quickly hurried after him. Okita only closed his eyes and lowered his eye mask.
~~~
It had taken him quite some time to search for it in the dim lighting and with his cold-stricken body, nevertheless Katsura eventually found the control room. Despite hating the Amanto and all of their non-traditional means of life, Katsura believed himself to be an expert at using technology for his objectives. From the Megadrive to time bombs, he had to master the craft of his enemies to gain an advantage; thus it wasn’t difficult for him to determine what button would shut the cooling off. His hands mechanically drifted towards the large power switch on the wall which no doubt controlled the lighting in the building.
He stopped, considering that there could other victims in the building. Turning the lights on would only expose and thwart any escape attempts. There has to be another way. His hand returned to the control panel and he cranked the heat up before returning to the dark factory hallways and creeping down the hall in the direction he came from. Recognizing that it may take quite a bit of time before everything warmed up, it was imperative to do anything to foil whatever plot was brewing, and it seemed rather obvious that the cold temperature was a requirement.
There was the sound of turbines and creaking pipes around him. Maybe it was going to warm up faster than he thought? As he made his way back, shuffling slowly and silently against the wall, Katsura considered the identity of the villain involved and whether they were the infamous kidnapper the police were trying to capture.
However, if that was the case, why had he been kidnapped? All known victims were women…he was not a woman, he was Katsura!
He tightened his hold on the gummy head in as he clenched his fists. So he had long hair, so what? So did Dragon Shiryu and he was the pinnacle of manliness! Modern day society had become superficial and judgmental with emphasis only on appearance and not on the individual. He longed for the days when all men were unified in their fight against a common enemy; there were no ranks or titles, no ill judgements or questions, all men and women were equal and united in their love for their country and each other.
This was the world he was striving for, a world of love and peace and cute, fluffy animals with furry paws and-
His foot bumped into something and he realized that he’d been walking without paying attention for quite some time now, for his surroundings had grown dark once again. As he could not clearly see what it was, Katsura gave the object a light kick in an attempt to determine what it was. It kicked him back, hard.
Katsura took a step back as the shape grew to its full height before him. “What are you, demon?” He cried, “Speak and I may spare you!”
There was no reply, and the shape took a step forward towards Katsura, who in turn took another step back only to notice another shape creeping up behind him. Surrounded by slimy shapes, tired and cold, Katsura asked what anyone in the same position would’ve.
“Are you a goo slime?”
To be continued...
Author’s notes
1) The Snow Queen, Kai and Greta are characters from “The Snow Queen” by Hans Christian Anderson. Katsura gets the story mixed up with the “Little match-stick girl”, also a Hans Christian Anderson tale.
2) Are you a goo slime?” plays on the Slime’s, a Dragon Quest character, speech patterns.
Thanks for reading!
Posted to ginzura and gintama