(Untitled)

[frissonic]

Characters: Kawakami Bansai and Kijima Matako
Location: The Park
Rating: PG-ish, maybe language?
Time: Afternoon, December 9th
Description: Kiheitai Get~

Comments

[notstained]

[ Matako is relatively prompt, having left her communicator behind at her room and headed out immediately.

As soon as she catches sight of Bansai, she's unsurprised to see him so nonchalant. The first thing she says when she reaches him -- one of the most important things, she believes is this: ]

Sakata Gintoki is here, too.

[frissonic]

[Bansai closes his eyes for a moment, taking a final drag off his cigarette before flicking it into the ground. He exhales the smoke slowly before he speaks.]

As is Katsura Kotarou, Sakamoto Tatsuma, and most of the Shinsengumi.

[He's been stalking the network. He doesn't seem anxious about their presence, but Bansai has always been good at hiding, emotions included.]

[notstained]

[ And that throws her for a loop. ]

I was aware of Sakamoto, [ and judging by her tone of voice, she hadn't seen that moron as a threat ] -- but Katsura and the government dogs? What a pain in the ass.

[ Unlike Bansai, the frustration with the situation is very evident on her face. ]

[frissonic]

[Sakamoto was no threat in his mind either; he was smarter than he appeared, but he wasn't really an enemy of theirs in the first place. The rest, though...]

This city is also rather small, and we cannot leave if things get ugly.

[And they likely would, given the government idiots. They liked to try and throw their 'weight' around, and would likely try to tarnish their names at the first opportunity.]

Avoiding them is not going to be possible, I daresay.

[notstained]

Killing them isn't, either.

[ Which really would've been Matako's preferred method of dealing with all the annoyances. But even so, they were without their weapons. And in Matako's case, she was the weapon. ]

So, do you have any ideas on how to play this...? [ A glance was cast her comrade's way. ]

[frissonic]

No. Shinsuke would forbid it.

[He could tell that from their conversation. Even the Shinsengumi weren't really his friends, but this Takasugi was too young to allow such a thing, too pure.]

We play nice. No doubt they will say terrible things, and have no way to prove them, even if they are true. [A pause.] We cannot afford to tarnish Shinsuke's reputation here. It will make things harder for all of us.

[notstained]

Nice isn't exactly something I do, Bansai.

[ Matako let out an exasperated sigh. She hated this. Perhaps even more because it wasn't their Takasugi. ]

You might be able to fake it, but I really hate those guys. Especially that little Yato clan bitch.

[ She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, but then threw a more serious question his way, genuinely curious. ]

You plan to get close to Shinsuke-sama again, don't you?

[frissonic]

You know what I mean.

[Actual kindness towards these people was not something he expected. Civility, yes. They couldn't afford to be suspicious or obvious here.]

It is not about faking it. It is about not caring about them in the first place.

[If you didn't care, then you couldn't be goaded into things. That was key, but asking that of Matako? Well...

As for that last part, let's just say that Bansai wears shades for a reason; so people can't see where he's looking. Right now, he's glancing away without moving his head.]

As opposed to what? Leaving him alone? [He shakes his head.] I daresay that is something I cannot do. Shinsuke is still Shinsuke.

[notstained]

[ Matako nodded slowly. She pretty much knew his answer before she even asked the question. Why? Because she felt the same way. ]

It's just strange...seeing him like this. Almost... [ She tried to think of the right word for it, but could only settle on one. ] ...innocent.

[frissonic]

This Shinsuke has not even lived through the war yet. It is not all that hard to figure out why. His mind is still free from the horror of that time.

[Bansai had been different at that age, as well, just like anyone else. Still on this path, just at Takasugi was now, but different all the same.]

It is still him. I will make sure of it.

[notstained]

Bansai...

[ Matako murmurs in wonder at his words. And after she has a moment to digest them, a smirk emerges. ]

Heh. I have no doubt of that. If anyone, you stand the best shot at getting close to him again.

[ As much as she hates to admit this, Bansai did have a way with Shinsuke that none of them had. ]

[frissonic]

Hm?

[He's humming more than asking for an explanation.]

Persistence and patience will both be valuable tools in this, I think. You possess one of them, but the other...

[Patience is not one of Matako's specialties.]

Still, you are inside Shinsuke's most trusted circle. I am sure I will need you too.

[notstained]

You better need me! I don't know how much more of this I can take -- hearing from all of Shinsuke-sama's little girlfriends, having him push us away.

[ Yeaaah. Patience. Not a virtue. ]

And then there's the matter of finding a partner. Sakamoto offered, but....

[ ....there's a very, VERY visible twitch. ]

[frissonic]

It is only natural. He is cautious by nature, and he does not know us. Given that his only contact has been Shiroyasha and Kotarou, it is not that surprising. It will take time.

[It's a requirement at the moment, sadly.]

It might be beneficial to remain on his good side, but to partner with him?

[Yeah...]

A partner for me will be...difficult, I daresay.

[notstained]

[ She looks over at Bansai curiously. ]

Are you a meister or a weapon?

[ If he's a meister, this would be simple. Not that Bansai was much of a shooter, but of the people here? He was definitely the one she trusted the most. ]

[frissonic]

I am a Weapon.

[Yes, that would be more convenient, truthfully. Still, there were pieces of him that he didn't really share with anyone.]

I daresay if my weapon of choice is anything to go by, I would guess I am a katana, or at least a sword of sorts. And yourself?