A/N; Here comes chapter 4! Time to find out what's going on eh~

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Kiengh : Thank you ^~^

Jerkygirl : -imitates Sougo- DIE HIJIKATA, YOU BASTARD!

Cameo : You will find out a bit here!

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Rinfantasy : Jimmy characters will be harassed to death one day.

" GIN-CHAN!" When Kagura rushed into the forest clearing, she and Sadaharu immediately leapt into action, peeling off an attacker aiming for Gintoki's back. "You will explain what's going on, yes?"

"There's nothing to explain, just a bunch of pest," he grunted, swinging his bokuto into the faces of the enemies. "Good news is they don't seem like Naraku... Protect the injured!"

"I know that..."

Their opponents were not the Naraku as the mark was no where to be found, but it was still a mini army of 100 odd people. Probably allies of the Bakufu. To top it off, they had to protect the injured Yamazaki as well, adding to their burden.

"Ugh! YAMAZAKI-SAN!" Shinpachi rushed towards him, wanting to stop the person aiming for his neck but... they were out of his reach! Yamazaki closed his eyes and waited for his blood to spill but...

Shing.

A slash. The attacker fell over before his sword could reach Yamazaki. "E-eh...?" he slowly opened his eyes. A girl in a short black kimono stood before him, sheathing her sword as the man before her fell to the ground, a strange scar appearing on his neck. That back was so familiar... "You... Aren't you supposed to be in Kyou?!"

Kagura kicked away a half dead corpse and turned to look at the mysterious new ally, a smile slowly forming on her face. She would recognize that blonde hair anywhere though it had been awhile since they last met.

"Yaemon!" said person smiled and gave them a small bow before unsheathing her sword again, waltzing beautifully around the battlefield and leaving nothing but death in her trail. With her help, it wasn't long before the final attacker fell unconscious to the ground. Trampling across the bodies of their enemies, Kagura jumped to hug Yaemon. "It's been so long, yes?"

Tama helped Yamazaki up and made their way to Kagura. "Thanks for the save, I thought I was dead meat back there..."

"You..." Gintoki loomed over Yaemon. He knocked her head, earning a small yelp from her. "What are you doing here? Running away again, you damn brat? Gin-san isn't going to save you, you know? I've got enough on my hands. And you better not be aiming for my nipple again!"

"Tch."

"Tch!? You were aiming for it weren't you! You brat!" he grabbed her head and started giving her a noogie as she struggled in his iron grip.

"Save? It looked like I was helping you guys out!" Yaemon's eyes twitch. Seriously, why do all the people he know have to be so problematic? He let her go, glaring, and started digging his nose again.

"So, have the Bakufu's executioners decided to rebel as well?"

She looked at him silently. "There is no way I can stand by NobuNobu... he murdered my brother after all. Let's make haste, I will explain what I'm doing here on the way."

The moment it was announced that NobuNobu was the new Shogun, I knew we were in trouble. There was no way that man will not try to exterminate the Ikeda family after what has happened. Luckily for us, the chaos you guys created on Koukujo Island bought us some time. I evacuated the entire household to a safe house in the north outskirts of the city.

We lived there silently as days past while keeping up with the news. We wanted to defy the new Bakufu but we weren't sure what to do. That's when that man found us. I was out in the forest, searching for some herbs when I felt a presence. "Show yourself, and I might spare your life."

"Technically, I've already spared your life once so, aren't you kind of in my debt?" he leapt down from the tree and stared at me with monotone eyes. When I saw his face, I understood what he meant. Yes, I was in his debt; in the debt of him and his group.

Okita Sougo was standing before me.

"You! I thought..."

"We were going to Kyou? Yeah yeah, we are on the way there now. I just had to make a quick stop." Even with all that has happened to him, he seemed so casual about his surroundings as he leaned against the tree, arms folded. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the wind. "The weather is relaxing today..."

I looked up at the sky as the clouds floated by, "it sure is."

When he opened his eyes again, they were dead serious. The air around him tensed as he spoke. "You should know why I'm here." Of course I knew, they were starting a rebellion army, gathering comrades and they knew our situation.

"The Ikeda family will gladly partake."

The whole of my family moved to Kyou and assisted in the rebellion. Since the official declaration of war, air communication has been cut off. Yamazaki was late in coming back so they requested for me to go search for him.

Hearing Yaemon's words, Kagura felt a small wave of relief wash over her. Nothing terrible was going on yet, just that communications were cut off. That Sadist had yet to break his promise.

"In any case, it will be hard to tell them that you guys are on the way so it's better to give them a surprise, right?" Yaemon smiled gently. "We should stop for today, it's night time already. Let's make camp here." In the distance, I wolf's howl was heard.

Shinpachi nodded as he helped get Yamazaki off Tama-san. "Let's rest inside the small cave by the lake, we can take turns keeping watch."

"He speaks of you often." Kagura was a bit startled to hear Yaemon's voice, it was her turn to keep watch so everyone should be asleep.

"He?"

"Okita Sougo." Kagura's heart skipped a beat a upon hearing his name.

"What has that bastard been saying?" she picked up a rock and tossed it into the lake. "Probably calling me a pig, yes?"

"Among other things, yes." She smiled, seating herself beside Kagura.

"That bastard... Don't let your mind be polluted by him Yaemon-chan! I'm going to crush his ass when I see hi-"

"But he speaks mostly of the promise you guys made."

Kagura fell silent, hugging her legs to herself as she recalled the last moments they spent brawling in a river in Edo. So, you better not lose to anyone else. She remembered those words. "Did he say he will beat my ass when we meet again?"

"Yes., he told me about how he won't lose to anyone because he was going to crush a certain China girl when he returns to Edo."

"Among other things?"

"Above everything."

Kagura felt a mysterious warmth in her heart upon hearing those words. She smiled and gazed at the reflection of the moon in the lake.

"That idiot. I'm the one who will beat his ass."

A/N: To avoid confusion. I'm using Asaemon's new name, Yaemon.