AN: I have fun tricking you that Miki was the bad guy last week. Actually I don't intend to trick anyone but seeing your reaction makes me realise "Ah! You guys like Miki more than I thought." ʕ ᵔᴥᵔ ʔ

And I think this week chapter is just plain bad writing. Please forgive me I have such a tough month (;﹏;)

***

"Hayato is one of the very first scientists that joined our Biotechnology Division. His outstanding research contributed to our growth and he became the head scientist in just a few years. My father favored him greatly. Who would have thought...?!"

Miki bit her lips as rage overtook her mind. Her family had been supporting a snake this whole time and if they were not able to stop this, the entire Yamane family would be lined up for public execution.

"Indeed. Who would have thought he has a past with (Y/N)? When did you find out?"

Katsura and the children followed the young woman to dash down the long hallway. After a bit of interrogation, they got the location of Soyo from the guard who was trying to kill off Miki. The heiress was so grateful for Katsura who had saved her life twice over, but there were more important matters at hand.

"Just recently. We suspected that he has connection to dangerous terrorist groups and has been using our facilities illegally to aid them. I and my assistant investigated it ourselves." Miki scanned her face and unlocked a door to another path. She had lost her heels and was running on barefoot until Shinpachi grabbed her a pair of boots.

"We got access to his secret archives yesterday but we got caught. Way too late to stop his plan..." She scowled irritably and recounted what she had learned "That bastard always keeps an eye on (Y/N). He facilitated those events..."

"What do you mean?"

"The one with the governor planting a bomb in the Shinsengumi's car. The Amanra's incident with the alien gemstone. Hayato assisted them."

"WHAAT?!!" Shinpachi and Kagura yelled at the same time, unable to believe what they just heard.

"He was probably why the high government discover (Y/N)'s background. He did it to- to..."

"To eliminate (Y/N), weaken the Shinsengumi and carry out today attack's on the royal house." Katsura continued, noticing Miki was too overwhelmed by the discovery. His face remained stoic but his eyes darkened. It was unable to tell what he was thinking now.

"But why does he hold a grudge against (Y/N)-nee? She never harms anyone...!" Shinpachi's voice almost broke as he too, felt bad for their Nee-san. When she first moved in with the Yorozuya, her eyes were swollen like tomato from too much crying and yet she would smile at them like she was absolutely fine.

Miki turned the corner, opened another door and muttered:

"I would say Hayato targets the bakufu, and he loathes (Y/N) for not being on the same tide."

She hesitated for a moment:

"Their parents were executed in the same incident... back when they were young."

No one could say a word as the air around them turned heavy and dense with the smell of antiseptic, metallic equipment and detergent. Katsura immediately stopped Miki as they noticed a group of men with weapon on watch out.

Behind them was the unconscious princess.

"Soyo-chan!"

Kagura pulled off a steel door and shielded her friends against the blazing gunshot. Katsura and Shinpachi pushed Miki to the back as Sadaharu jumped over them, attacking the men when they were out of bullet. The heiress was stunned by Kagura's impressive strength and how the young girl annihilated the enemy group without a single scratch.

Hurrying over the enemies' bodies, they gathered around Soyo while Miki checked on her.

"Soyo-chan! Are you ok?" Tears welled up in Kagura's eyes as she held the princess's arm. They all gasped when she twitched her fingers and slowly opened her eyes.

"Soyo-chan!"

"K-Kagu....ra..."

"She is still under sedative, but I see no injuries..." Carefully inspecting the princess, Miki didn't find anything out of the extraordinary "Hime-sama, do you remember what happened before they sedated you?"

"I... They..." Soyo touched her temples to soothe the painful headache "I cannot... they... they have (Y/N)-neesan...!"

The young girl sit up upon realisation and instantly fell backward into Kagura's arms, breathing with great difficulty.

"We cannot keep the princess here. We must bring her back before the enemy enforcement arrives." Shinpachi did not face any objection and they all deemed it the best course of action for now.

"Yamazaki-san is waiting at Post 23 as agreed. Miki-san, Shinpachi, Kagura, please go back and ensure the princess's safety." Katsura stood up as he made his decision "I'll find the others and bring (Y/N) back."

"I'm coming with you!" Miki was quick to answer.

"No. It's too dangerous."

"Unless you know the way around here then feel free." Picking up a nearby gun, the heiress stared at him with immovable conviction as she reloaded the bullet "I'm not leaving here without (Y/N). That bastard is not done with me yet."

Eventually Katsura couldn't refuse the head strong woman. Continuously reminding them to be careful, the Yato girl ordered Sadaharu to come along with the two adults.

"We will be fine! Zura! Miki-san! You have to get out of here alive! Please bring (Y/N)-nee and Gin-chan back!"

"And Hijikata-san too!" Shinpachi added as they disappeared in the blazing red lights, carrying Soyo back to safety.

"Something else is bothering you about Hayato?" Katsura asked on the way to the central monitor room, where they could observe the entire research lab to locate their friends.

"Yes. He is developing something in secret. A weapon."

"Weapon? What kind?"

"We were caught before we figured out, and my assistant Ari... She..." Miki looked away while never stopped running. It pained Katsura to hear the young woman holding back her sniffle but the only thing they could do now was to keep fighting.

They arrived at the monitor room soon enough. All the guards were already evacuated and in their haste they left behind a huge mess. Quickly made their way towards the control board, Miki adjusted a few cameras to find their target.

"Intruder alert! Sector A23 is now barred from accessing."

"What—?"

The metallic entrance behind them shut off, straining the pair inside the sector. On the other side, Sadaharu, who did not enter, scratched the door intensely, whining for a reply.

"I know you would go to the control room first place, Yamane."

Miki's face turned bleach white when she realised they had fallen into his trap.

"Hayato. You bastard...!"

"That's not very polite for a lady to say. Relax." The faceless voice talked to Miki over the radio. Katsura didn't know his face, but he sensed great malice in that tone.

"I wouldn't kill a close friend of my (Y/N). It was so hard for her to find one."

He laughed menacingly and the echo spread far into the air, striking at every nerve of the listeners.

"I'll leave it to the bakufu to do that instead."

***

As long as the two of them working together, there was no army force that could stop them. The many enemies were flung into the air with each strike and fell down like scattered leaves. One guy was whimpering like an injured puppy when Gintoki stepped on his hand, breaking it like dried wood.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

"Tell me where are they. If not I won't just stop at your hand."

"I-I don't knoww!!!" The prey stuttered pathetically. As he looked up into the devil's eyes, the greatest fear paralyzed every fibre of his being and he fainted after muttering some last words.

They are with the scientist.

"Pathetic coward." The Yorozuya boss scoffed, rubbing his shoulders to check for dislocated joint. Behind him, Hijikata finished searching the bodies.

"There guys do not have access cards as the other staff."

"You think they infiltrated the place?"

"Most likely. They are holding hostages back at the resort so I wouldn't say the whole Edosung is involved or aware about this." The Vice Commander speculated and scanned the area ahead before heading through.

"Just now the guy said they were with a scientist.... I..." Gintoki lost in thought momentarily. His eyes glanced down at the ground as he too, didn't really believe what it seemed like.

"I what?"

"(Y/N) got a friend recently. She is a scientist here. This whole thing belongs to her family."

"Yamane Amiki?"

"You know her?"

"Kind of. Edosung has a close relationship with the bakufu. The Shogun and Princess favored them a lot—" Hijikata stopped midway and held his chin "Hm. It's also very possible that whoever behind this is targeting Edosung too."

Another group of enemy flooded down the hall at the two fighters, who were more than ready to engage in battle.

"I don't care if it's someone else or the witch herself. If anything happens to (Y/N)..." Gintoki pointed his blade forward. The hellish fire burned wildly in his red eyes.

"They will have to face me first." The demon Vice Commander completed the sentence. He seemed calmer than his white hair counterpart, but his sharp look accompanied by great killing intent frightened the enemies.

And frightened enemies never lasted long.

"Got anymore left?"

"I don't think so."

Gintoki wiped the blood off his face as he walked away from the pile of bodies, worrying about the missing girls. Heck, they even had missing Zura, the children and the dog now. Where did they disappear to—

"Gintoki! Can you hear us?!"

His silver head snapped back when he heard the familiar voice coming from one of the speakers embedded in the wall.

"Zura!!!"

"I'm not Zura! I'm—"

"Now is not the time for this!" A loud whack echoed through the system and came with it the voice of the Edosung heiress "It's us! Miki here! We found the Princess and the children are taking her back—"

Both Gintoki and Hijikata paid absolute attention to the people on the other side.

"Really? Then they should have met with Yamazaki by now." Hijikata blurted out and Gintoki cut him short.

"What's about (Y/N)? Where is she? What's your role in this?"

"Our head scientist is the mastermind. We're tricked by him too! But putting that asides, he is taking (Y/N) to the helipad on the top of the building! Please reach there fast!"

Listening attentively to the direction instruction from Miki and without knowing exactly who and what they were dealing with, the Shinsengumi Vice Commander and the Yorozuya boss bolted to the location with the fastest speed they ever reached in their life.

"(Y/NNNN)!!!!"

Their desperate scream was communicated to Miki as she prayed the tanks could reach there on time. Meanwhile she couldn't stay trapped in this room too.

The heiress rushed to the main door where Katsura already opened its steel panel, showing the electrical circuit behind and both geniuses worked together to disable it.

"Didn't think we will meet again like this, Miki-san."

"I know we will meet again because you guys keep flocking around (Y/N), Zura-san."

"I'm not Zura! I'm—"

"Do you want to know what (Y/N) told me about you?"

"..."

"..."

"I'm interested."

Until now Miki couldn't understand why this simplistic guy became one of the most influential terrorists in their era.

***

The situation at the main resort building was quickly controlled by the crisis management strategy executed by Commander Kondo, and enforced by Captain of the first division. There was no formidable opponent on the enemies side which proved too difficult for Sougo to take care of, except for a whole squad that was armed with bazookas. Captain of the first division saved a little girl before a block of wall fell down and in turn, he was unable to avoid being shot by the same weapon that he used to torment Hijikata.

Talk about karma.

Karma for the dogs that dared to shoot him, he meant. His blade went through those flesh like cutting into water and Kondo immediately took the little girl away so she was not terrorized by the very guy that saved her.

As they carried the last of the hostages outside to a safe spot, Kondo run back and forth to multitask: contacting Hijikata's team which had been silent for a long time, ensuring the Shogun was well protected, making sure medical support attend to the injured citizens and forcing Sougo to stay in one place.

"Sougo! I still need you here. What if there are more attacks coming in?"

The big brother nervously held off Sougo so the nurse could take a look at his injuries.

"But (Y/N)-nee is out there! I cannot sit here doing nothing!"

"In your current condition you will die of blood loss before you can reach where ever she is!" Kondo huffed strongly and lowered his voice as he broke an awkward smile at the scared nurse "Do you even know which direction to go?"

Placing his hand on the agitated boy's shoulders, Kondo tried his best to make Sougo understand:

"I know you're worried about her, but if you cannot take care of yourself in this situation, it will make everything worse."

Sougo stared at Kondo for a while, then dropped down on the chair unwillingly. His burgundy red eyes were soulless when the nurse started to disinfect the wound. The Commander patted Sougo's head before heading out of the emergency tent, just as his transceiver picked up an incoming signal.

"Commander Kondo-san!"

Kondo picked it up so fast he felt an electric current flashed through his hand.

"Yamazaki?"

"We got Hime-sama! We're bringing her back!"

Kondo instantly covered the transceiver and walked away as he glanced at the tent. He certainly didn't want to provoke Sougo any further. It didn't slip his attention that Yamazaki didn't mention their dear sister.

"Is the Princess injured?"

"She was sedated so is still blurred now, but overall no injury."

"Good! I will send a team to get you. Which direction?"

"North-West from the resort."

"And..." Kondo hesitated for a moment "How's about (Y/N)?"

Yamazaki was not any more confident.

"She is taken away by the bad guy. Vice Commander and Yorozuya-san are staying back."

"Let's get the Princess to safety first. Then we will need you to lead the reinforcement team."

"Roger that, Commander."

Yamazaki put away his transceiver. His thought lingered on the desperate groan that he heard over the line. Kondo-san and Sougo must be worried sick about (Y/N) right now and he felt so pathetic for not being able to bring their sister back. They had been through so much together and if he got to choose, Yamazaki would volunteer himself to be taken away by the enemy in place of her. He would beg them whatever they plan to do to her, please do to him instead. That would be the case if they deemed he was important enough.

"Yama... zaki-san." The princess who was hugging him tightly, with Kagura supported her back, called out. The three of them were riding the snowmobile, while Shinpachi was literally being dragged like a log of wood because there was not enough space for all of them "Will... (Y/N)-neesan be ok?"

"She will. Gin-chan is there for her!" Kagura comforted her weakened friend while Yamazaki smiled stiffly:

"Vice Commander is there too. They are the strongest men on this planet. (Y/N) will be fine."

"Please... protect (Y/N)-neesan..." Soyo's breathing grew ragged and heavy. Her eyes were barely opened and her words were not spoken with the best state of mind "Despite being expelled... she still risked herself to protect me..."

"Well. (Y/N) has a heart of gold."

It took Yamazaki a while to notice the oddity.

"Hime-sama... W-What did you just— say?"

When he glanced back, the Princess already fell unconscious while Kagura pressed her palm against her friend's forehead:

"She's burning up!"

***

The freezing weather was not kind to (Y/N). Cold wind from the valley below slapped her face harshly; her hands trembled, pressing against that painful spot on her ribs. Every step forward was a struggle for her now. However, what bothered her the most was the stinging feeling on the side of her left arm.

"What a perfect place to die." Hayato said as he brought her to the ledge of the building, looking straight down at the valley river below.

"You are a mad man." (Y/N) stared angrily at the mad scientist and glanced at the depth below, stepping behind as her fear of height surfaced.

"I am. For you." He donned a closed eyes smile and raised his hand to touch her cheek, tracing the line of dried blood in all the wrong manner "Why is it that even in your broken state..." He opened his eyes to show the darkness inside and said softly "... you are still so beautiful?"

His voice made goosebumps prickle across her skin and she flung behind instinctively, only for him to grab a fistful of her hair and pulled her closer:

"Aaaahh!"

"Remember that time in Bushuu..." His other arm wrapped around (Y/N)'s waist as he whispered into her ear, watching with great amusement as she teared up from the pain "... when you came back with your broken arm? I was so pleased that you survived the trap, and if it's not for the beasts that you brought back..."

(Y/N) shuddered relentlessly.

"... only God knows what I would do to you."

"You sick pervert!" As soon as she yelled, he hit her ribs where it hurt, making the poor girl slump down into his arms while the pain shredded her flesh.

"Pretty, you are so stubborn. Your dad promised you to me yet you didn't honor his words."

"This again...?"

Hayato tilted his head, smiling innocently.

"And you didn't bother to avenge their death, but it's alright. A man should be forgiving of his woman."

The pit of her stomach burned up as fear run through her blood veins. (Y/N) shifted her eyes away from Hayato while secretly scanning the area. She needed to get away from this sicko, needed to inform the others, needed to...

The pain on the side of her left arm flared up again as her body temperature spiked, reminding her of the harsh truth.

"Why? Waiting for Hijikata to save you?"

She froze from outside to inside, and slowly glared at the mad man.

"He's coming. Are you happy? This is the very first time that he's bothered enough to come for you."

The way he laughed silently in his throat as he insulted Hijikata-san made (Y/N) wished she could kick him repeatedly in the face until no one could recognise him.

He lifted up her chin, which (Y/N) resisted but his grip tightened, forcing her to face him.

"You are such a fool, (Y/N). Chasing after a man that never loves you."

"Don't talk about Hijikata-san like you know him."

Hayato sniggered again.

"Oh but I do. I know exactly what type of guy he is."

He let go of (Y/N) and pushed her to face the door leading to their place, just as her rescue team knocked it down with the strength of two charging bulls.

"And I'm gonna show it to you again, my naive, foolish, hopeless (Y/N)."

From the monitor room, Katsura and Miki nervously followed the event, while speeding up their task of cracking down the steel door.

"Is there anyway to hear them?"

"Should be. Let me try accessing the sound system."

A loud bang