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The summer sun hung high over Edo's harbor, reflecting off the water and turning the busy docks into a sea of light and noise.
Workers shouted from ship to ship.
Crates were loaded.
Ropes creaked.
Merchants argued over schedules and paperwork.
And on the deck of a large trading vessel, three very unwilling handymen were replacing a damaged sail.
"Why are we even doing this ourselves?"
Gintoki grumbled, balancing on a wooden beam while trying to secure a section of canvas overhead. "The guy owns half the ships in this harbor. Can't he hire actual sailors?"
"Because actual sailors cost more than us" Shinpachi answered.
Kagura was sitting cross-legged on the deck nearby, pretending to help while mostly playing with a length of rope.
The merchant who owned the vessel had made one thing abundantly clear before leaving.
The sail had to be replaced immediately.
The ship was scheduled to depart that evening.
And under absolutely no circumstances were they to touch anything else on board.
There were valuable goods in the cargo.
Important merchandise.
Everything had to remain exactly where it was.
"Remember," Gintoki called down while tightening another knot. "We're replacing the sail and that's it. Don't touch anything, especially if it looks expensive."
"Why are you looking directly at Kagura while saying that?" she asked.
"Instinct."
-------------
A few hundred meters away, another group was conducting their own work.
Several Shinsengumi officers were moving between docked vessels, checking permits and cargo manifests.
Routine inspections, nothing exciting.
Hijikata was reviewing a stack of merchant vessel permits and cargo manifests with a cigarette between his lips.
Kondo was chatting cheerfully with several merchants who clearly hadn't asked for company.
"This is boring." Sougo complained, sitting on a crate and using small pebbles to practice hitting a discarded bottle floating in the harbor.
"Then stop complaining and do your job."
Sougo yawned.
Kondo smiled awkwardly. "At least everything seems peaceful today."
But of course, the universe immediately decided to prove him wrong.
--------
Back on the merchant vessel, Kagura suddenly tilted her head.
"...Hm?"
Shinpachi looked over.
"What is it?"
"I heard something."
She stood up.
Near the center of the deck sat several large wooden crates secured with metal bands.
One of them emitted a faint scratching noise.
Then another.
Kagura's eyes narrowed.
Curiosity activated.
"Oh no," Shinpachi said immediately.
"What?"
"I know that look."
Kagura marched toward the crate.
Gintoki glanced towards her.
"Kagura."
"Yes?"
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Whatever you're thinking."
"I'm not thinking anything."
"That's somehow worse."
The scratching sound came again.
Kagura crouched.
Pressed her ear against the wood.
Then grinned.
"There is definitely something alive in here, aru."
"Kagura. Don’t."
A beat.
The lock shattered under a single punch.
"KAGURA!"
"What? It opened."
The lid flew backward.
Inside sat a small tank filled with water.
And floating inside it, a tiny octopus.
Gintoki and Shinpachi got closer and stopped beside Kagura, peering inside the tank.
The creature blinked up at the three of them.
Everyone stared.
The octopus stared back.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Then it released an impossibly loud, piercing screech.
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
The sound echoed across the entire harbor.
Windows rattled.
Even the seagulls took flight.
On the nearby docks, heads immediately turned toward the source of the noise.
"What the hell was that?" Hijikata demanded.
Without waiting for an answer, he started toward the merchant vessel at a brisk pace.
Kondo and Sougo followed.
A few moments later, the three Shinsengumi reached the ship and looked up at the scene on deck.
Kagura was kneeling beside a shattered padlock.
An opened crate sat nearby.
Hijikata stared.
Then his eyes moved to the Yorozuya.
"...Of course it had to be you guys."
"Oi, don't look at us like that." Gintoki said, pointing a finger at him.
Sougo glanced at the broken lock, then at Kagura.
"...Let me guess."
Kagura pointed at herself.
"Why are you looking at me, aru?"
"Because if someone opened a locked crate they weren't supposed to touch, I bet it was you.”
A low tremor suddenly rolled through the dock.
At first, it was subtle—just a faint vibration under their feet.
Then the water near the harbor started to shift and rise in slow, uneven waves.
"...Huh?" Shinpachi blinked.
The vibrations intensified.
The wooden planks creaked under their feet.
"Oh."
Kagura slowly lowered the lid.
"Yeah maybe I shouldn't have done that.”
The harbor water exploded.
A massive tentacle burst from the sea.
Then another.
Then another.
The entire dock shook.
People started screaming.
Ships rocked violently.
Chaps erupted.
A colossal octopus rose from beneath the water, towering over the harbor.
The entire dock shook.
People started screaming and scattering in every direction.
Ships rocked violently.
Chaps erupted.
The creature's eyes locked directly onto the merchant vessel.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"...That."
Gintoki pointed.
"It's definitely your fault."
Across the docks, the Shinsengumi stared.
Kondo blinked.
Sougo blinked.
Hijikata removed his cigarette.
"...What the hell."
The giant creature slammed a tentacle into a nearby vessel.
Wood exploded.
The ship split apart.
The octopus struck again.
Another ship rolled onto its side.
Then another.
Back on the merchant vessel, Gintoki landed on the deck beside Kagura and Shinpachi.
"We are leaving. Right now."
The giant creature swung another tentacle.
The railing shattered instantly, sending wood splinters across the deck.
Before Shinpachi could react, a second strike hit. The ship lurched violently.
"Kya—!"
He was thrown across the deck and slammed into the wooden structure near the mast with a sickening crack.
"Shinpachi!"
Kagura ran immediately.
Gintoki was only a step behind.
Shinpachi groaned weakly.
"You okay?"
"I think..."
A deafening crack split the air.
Everyone froze.
The giant octopus struck the ship again.
This time the hit landed near the already weakened center section, where the deck had been torn apart earlier.
Wood that was barely holding together finally gave way.
A deep crack ran through the structure as the ship groaned under the stress.
"Move!"
Gintoki grabbed Shinpachi's arm.
Kagura supported his other side.
Together they jumped.
The section of deck behind them collapsed into the harbor.
For one brief moment it looked like they would make it safely, until another tentacle suddenly came in at high speed.
The impact hit Gintoki directly.
His eyes widened.
"—Shit."
The force hurled him sideways.
Straight off the collapsing ship and into the water.
SPLASH.
"Gin-chan!"
Kagura's voice echoed across the harbor.
But she was already falling herself.
With Shinpachi's weight against her, she landed hard on the dock.
By the time she looked back, Gintoki had vanished beneath the surface.
Kondo, Hijikata, and Sougo had been focused on the chaos of the octopus tearing through the harbor, helping coordinate the evacuation of nearby ships and keeping civilians away from the collapsing docks.
"Gin-chan!"
Kagura scrambled to the edge.
"Gin-chan!”
Her repeated scream immediately drew the Shinsengumi’s attention, prompting them to move in after securing the nearby dock and pushing civilians back from the chaos.
"What’s going on?!" Kondo called out as they reached her side.
Hijikata and Sougo followed, eyes already scanning the water.
"Gin-chan fell into the water!" Kagura shouted immediately, a sudden panic in her expression.
"He can't swim!"
Silence.
"What?" Hijikata said.
Kondo stared.
Sougo stared.
The three exchanged a look.
"He can't swim?" Kondo repeated.
"How does someone reach adulthood without learning that?" Sougo asked.
"Keep that thing busy!" Hijikata snapped, already realizing that Gintoki was likely drowning.
Then he jumped.
The splash had barely settled before he disappeared beneath the surface.
The harbor water was murky.
Cold.
Visibility was terrible.
Hijikata forced his eyes open anyway.
He saw him.
A pale shape, not far below.
Gintoki hadn't sunk very deep yet.
His eyes were squeezed shut.
One hand covered his nose and mouth.
Body rigid.
Instinctively trying not to inhale water.
Idiot.
Hijikata kicked harder to close the distance as fast as he could.
He slipped underneath him, hooked an arm beneath his shoulder and chest, then pushed upward with powerful strokes.
The movement lifted Gintoki onto him, supporting his body across his shoulder.
Together they rose.
A couple of seconds later they burst through the surface.
Gintoki immediately sucked in a desperate breath.
"—Kgh!"
He coughed.
Water sprayed from his mouth.
Another cough.
Then another.
Hijikata kept one arm firmly beneath his shoulder to keep his head above water.
"Oi. You alive?”
"Ask me again in five seconds." Gintoki managed between breaths.
Hijikata glared.
"What kind of idiot can't swim?"
"One who grew up in the mountains."
"That isn't an excuse."
"It worked for me so far."
"It almost didn't!"
Without waiting for another answer, Hijikata began towing him toward the dock.
One arm kept Gintoki afloat.
The other handled most of the swimming.
Suddenly, an explosion shook the harbor and caught their attention.
BOOM.
The giant octopus shrieked.
Hijikata glanced over.
Smoke rose from one of its tentacles.
Far above on the dock, Sougo calmly lowered a bazooka.
“What a hell of a way to keep it busy.” Hijikata muttered under his breath.
The octopus screamed again.
The dock finally came within reach.
"Gin-chan!"
Kagura was already kneeling at the edge.
Relief flooded her face.
Hijikata pushed Gintoki upward.
Kagura grabbed his arm immediately.
Together they hauled him toward the top.
Gintoki found enough strength to grab the stone edge himself.
A moment later he rolled onto solid ground.
Water dripping everywhere.
Hijikata grabbed the edge of the dock and raised both arms to pull himself upward.
Then something wet touched the back of his neck.
His body froze.
Before he could actually react, a tentacle wrapped around his throat and yanked.
His hands tore free from the stone edge as he was ripped away from the dock and launched into the air.
"Toshi!"
Kondo shouted.
Instinctively, Hijikata flow one hand to his neck, grabbing at the massive tentacle crushing his throat.
The pressure made it difficult to breathe properly and his mind started to blur.
"Oi!"
Gintoki lurched upright despite being soaked and exhausted.
Nearby, even Sougo looked up.
His expression sharpened immediately.
"...Now you've done it."
He lifted the bazooka.
Took aim.
Carefully lower than Hijikata's body.
And fired.
BOOM.
The projectile struck the tentacle.
A direct hit.
The giant octopus screamed in pain.
But the tentacle remained firmly wrapped around Hijikata’s throat as the giant octopus suddenly yanked it downward, dragging him straight into the water.
A massive splash erupted beneath him.
"Toshi!"
Kondo lunged toward the edge of the dock.
Beside him, Sougo lowered the bazooka slightly.
"...Oh. That was unexpected."
"That thing dragged him down!" Shinpachi shouted.
Kondo's jaw tightened.
"I'm going after him!"
Sougo glanced sideways.
"Huh. This scene feels slightly familiar."
Without another word, Kondo dove.
The harbor swallowed him immediately.
The water was murkier than he expected.
Visibility dropped away after only a few meters.
Kondo kicked forward into the darkness, straining to see through the shifting haze, but there was nothing he could clearly distinguish.
The creature's body floated well away from the dock.
His lungs slowly began to burn as he pushed himself farther, forcing his eyes to focus through the murk.
Still nothing.
Just vague, distorted shapes.
Dammit.
He broke the surface, gasping hard for air.
Ahead of him, he finally caught sight of the massive body of the octopus drifting across the harbor.
Without wasting a second, he sucked in a deep breath and dove again.
And there—below the creature’s bulk—he finally saw it.
A shape, deep below.
The octopus was retreating toward its main body, pulling Hijikata with it, the tentacle still wrapped around his neck.
Kondo finally reached him.
Hijikata wasn't struggling.
Wasn't actually moving at all.
His eyes were closed.
Kondo grabbed the tentacle and pulled.
Nothing.
The thing wouldn't budge.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
The octopus had tightened itself around Hijikata's throat like a steel cable.
No choice.
Kondo reached into his uniform and pulled out a small utility knife.
One quick motion.
The blade sank into the tentacle.
The creature convulsed instantly.
A muffled screech vibrated through the water.
The tentacle loosened and released its hostage.
Kondo grabbed Hijikata immediately.
Wrapped an arm around his chest.
And kicked upward with everything he had until they finalità broke through.
Kondo gasped.
Air rushed into his lungs.
For a second he simply breathed.
Then looked down.
"Toshi!"
Nothing.
Kondo adjusted his grip, positioning Hijikata on top of him, head resting against Kondo's shoulder, kept safely above the water.
"Oi, Toshi!" Kondo called again, already beginning to swim back to the dock, one arm securing Hijikata firmly against him and the other pulling through the water.
No response.
Not even a twitch.
A knot formed in Kondo's stomach.
His legs kicked as hard as possible.
Ignoring the exhaustion.
Ignoring the ache in his muscles.
On the dock, Sougo continued firing.
Another explosion slammed into the giant octopus.
A section of tentacle jerked violently.
The creature shrieked.
Kagura grabbed a large chunk of shattered wood from one of the destroyed boats.
"Take this, stupid octopus!"
The projectile flew and smacked directly into the creature's head.
"Nice throw" Gin muttered, sitting on the dock, still soaked from head to toe.
"I know, aru."
Shinpachi suddenly pointed.
"There!"
Everyone turned.
Kondo was finally approaching the dock, dragging Hijikata with him.
"Oi!"
Kondo’s voice cracked.
"Give me a hand! He's unconscious!"
Gin and Shinpachi moved immediately.
Together they leaned down, grabbed Hijikata beneath the arms and hauled.
The soaked uniform made everything worse.
Water poured from the fabric.
Dead weight.
Heavy.
Far too heavy.
Kondo climbed up moments later, breathing hard, hands and knees against the stone while trying to recover enough air to think.
Gin's eyes immediately narrowed as he saw Hijikata's face.
Pale.
Eyes closed.
Lips carrying a faint bluish tint.
The realization hit instantly.
"Oi."
Gin was already moving. He dropped to one knee beside Hijikata and pulled him closer, one hand pressing firmly against his chest as if trying to feel any movement at all.
Nothing.
"The bastard isn't breathing."
Silence.
Kondo slowly lifted his head.
Still panting.
Still trying to catch his breath.
"What...?"
Gin pressed two fingers against the side of Hijikata's neck.
Searching.
Waiting.
No pulse.
For a moment, everything seemed to stop.
Gin froze.
His eyes widened.
Kondo saw Gin’s expression, understood instantly, and went pale.
"...No..."
Shinpachi felt his throat tighten.
"Don't… Don't tell me…"
His voice shook.
For a second, Gin didn’t move.
Then—
"NO. Not happening."
He grabbed Hijikata’s jaw, forcing his head straight, tilting it back to open the airway.
Pinching his nose shut with one hand, Gin took a deep breath, then leaned in and sealed his mouth over Hijikata’s.
He pulled back immediately.
Again.
And again.
Five rapid breaths in total, each one stronger, more urgent than the last
Then Gin shifted.
His hands came down on Hijikata’s chest.
“C'mon, damn it…”
The first compression hit hard.
Then another.
And another.
The rhythm came fast, brutal, unsteady—no technique, just force and desperation as he pushed down on the center of Hijikata’s chest over and over.
A faint foam began to spill from the corner of Hijikata’s mouth with each compression.
Gin didn’t stop.
He pinched Hijikata’s nose again and forced another breath into his lungs, then another.
No response.
Shinpachi stood frozen, eyes wide, unable to move.
"I— I don’t know what to do…" he stammered, voice shaking.
Kondo hesitated for half a second, then snapped back into focus.
"Move aside!" he barked, quickly stripping off his jacket and kneeling beside Gin.
"I’ll take over compressions—don’t slow down!"
He positioned himself beside Gin, locking his hands over Hijikata’s chest and forcing the rhythm down hard and steady, forcing himself into coordination despite the panic in his eyes.
In the distance, the giant creature finally began to withdraw beneath the waves, its massive body sinking back into the harbor after the relentless barrage of explosions and debris.
The surface slowly settled, the violent tremors fading as the chaos at sea diminished.
What remained was a ruined harbor—broken ships, floating wood, and smoke drifting over still water.
But the silence didn’t bring relief.
Kagura dropped to her knees near Hijikata’s side, leaning in close.
"Oi… Mayonnaise man" she muttered, voice unusually tense.
Sougo remained standing.
His expression was unreadable.
The cycle continued, Gin forcing breaths, Kondo pressing down hard and steady.
Until Hijikata’s body suddenly reacted.
A faint, involuntary jerk ran through his chest beneath Kondo’s hands.
Gin froze for half a second.
"Again!” Kondo snapped, panic sharpening his voice.
Gin immediately leaned in, tilting Hijikata’s head back and sealing his mouth again.
Another breath. Forced. Deep.
Kondo resumed compressions without hesitation, pushing down with renewed urgency.
Once. Twice.
Then—
A sudden, violent jolt shot through Hijikata’s entire body.
Then his chest hitched.
Hijikata coughed.
It started as a broken, wet sound deep in his chest, then erupted into a harsh, convulsive spasm.
His body twisted to the side on instinct.
“—Toshi!” Kondo’s voice cracked, his hands freezing for half a heartbeat before he forced himself to stay in control.
Thick, foamy water mixed with saliva spilled from his mouth as he gagged violently, dragging in his first ragged, burning breaths.
Each inhale sounded broken, wet, uneven, like his lungs were refusing to cooperate.
Gin immediately shifted him further onto his side, keeping his airway open as Hijikata continued to cough and retch.
Sougo tilted his head slightly, watching Hijikata’s face as he struggled to pull air into his lungs.
“…Still alive.” he muttered, almost to himself.
Hijikata vomited water again, sharply, onto the ground in front of Gin’s knees, his whole body still shaking with the shock of restarting.
Gin clicked his tongue, leaning back just slightly.
“Oi… could you aim somewhere else? I’m trying to be dramatic here.”
Hijikata finally coughed out the last of it, his body trembling as the spasms slowly eased.
Carefully, he rolled himself onto his back, head turned slightly to the side, forcing each breath in like it hurt.
He was completely soaked, his hair plastered to his forehead, his sharp fringe flattened in a messy V against his skin.
His eyelids fluttered. Then, slowly, he managed to open his eyes.
Shinpachi let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding.
Hijikata stared at the faces around him, disoriented.
“What…” he rasped between wet, uneven breaths.
“You died.” Gin said flatly.
The words hit harder than expected.
The entire group froze for a second.
Hijikata’s brow twitched slightly, confusion overtaking him.
“...I…”
He seemed to struggle to process it, still trying to stabilize his breathing.
“But we brought you back.” Gin added after a beat.
There was a brief silence.
Gin scratched his head, looking down at him with mild irritation that didn’t quite hide the faint relief in his eyes.
“Seriously… I had to play prince charming and go around kissing dead idiots awake. What kind of fairy tale is this supposed to be? Next time don’t die in the middle of the plot, yeah?”
“You…” Hijikata’s voice came out rough, still half-broken by his breathing. “What…?”
“Oi, oi." Kondo cut in immediately, leaning forward. “Gin-san gave you mouth-to-mouth! He literally brought you back to life!”
“Tch…” Sougo tilted his head slightly. “That’s so lame you should just do seppuku, Hijikata-san.”
“Oi! That’s not something you say to someone who just came back from the dead!” Shinpachi snapped, pointing at him. “He’s literally just returned to the world of the living!!”
Hijikata slowly turned his head, eyes narrowing slightly as he finally regained enough clarity to focus.
His gaze shifted to Gin.
“…You’re one to talk.” he rasped.
A faint pause.
“I was the one who pulled you out first.”
He coughed once, still weak, but steadier now
“So don’t act like you were the only one playing prince charming or whatever the hell you called it.”
He exhaled slowly.
“We’re even.”
Gin snorted.
“Tch… don’t make it sound romantic.”
Kagura finally let out a breath, dropping back onto her heels.
“This was a lot of trouble for a stupid octopus, aru…”