A/N: Contains spoilers up to chapter 520. I do directly quote many chapters and at the bottom I will state which one's I do in fact quote, but those are the only things that are actually true. Everything else is solely mine and I do not own Gintama or almost allof this would be true. Also, Katsura won't really be Katsura-like so I apologize in advance.
*Longest damn chapter I've ever written
銀魂
How did it happen? They didn't mean to do it, but it happened. One moment they were messing around like usual, and one thing lead to another, Gintoki somehow hit his head, well, everyone did, and then everyone is passed out on the ground.
Sougo opens his eyes and sees a silver-haired kid going through his pockets and searching through his on-hand possessions.
"You're alive." The boy says in a monotone, scratchy and unused voice, his face stoic and his eyes seeming dead to the world. Soon after everyone else wakes up, all groaning in pain.
"What happened?" Shinpachi asks, looking around his surroundings and seeing the forest surrounding them.
"Ne, who's the kid?" Kagura asks as she gets right in the child's face, making him back away from the sadist of the Shinsengumi. "He looks a lot like Gin-chan, aru?"
"You're right," Kondo nods, kneeling to the boys height with a smile, "what's your name?" The sound of metal sliding gets their attention, and they all look to see a sword in the child's hands slightly pulled out.
"Kondo-san, move away from him." Hijikata orders with Sougo and him now standing, both prepared to draw their swords.
"I refuse to leave a child alone." Kondo states but is shocked when Katsura pushes him back, also on his knees.
"Kondo," Katsura whispers right into the other mans ear, the rest of the small conversation lost to the rest of the group.
"Katsura-!" Hijikata draws his sword and nearly jumps the terrorist but the child then draws his own sword completely, putting everyone else on alert.
"Toshi~, not now." Kondo says lightheartedly.
"Yes, lets be friends for now," Katsura adds, not taking his eyes away from the child's red ones. "I think... we're in the past."
"What?!" The others scream out in shock, making the boy take a small step back in alarm, before Kagura begins laughing at the idea.
"Amanto..." The boy whispers, only heard by both Katsura and Kondo. "Amanto..." He repeats before steeling himself, but just as he launches both Katsura and Kondo wrap their arms around the violent kid to stop him from attacking the Yato. "YAAARGH!" He screams in anger, his red eyes flashing.
"SAKATA!" Katsura screams out, risking whatever it may do but thankful that it makes the child stop.
"My name..." The kid whispers, eyes wide in shock. "No one calls me by my name anymore... Why do you know my name?" Katsura looks over to Kondo, neither sure what to say while everyone else comes to terms that they really are in the past and they're talking to a young Gintoki.
"No one calls you by your name anymore, aru?" Kagura asks once taken out of her shock that Gintoki had actually tried to attack her. "Then what do they call you?" Gintoki tilts his head as if trying to decide on an answer. Kondo and Katsura then release him, believing the child no longer cares about attacking Kagura.
"Well usually it's just 'corpse eating demon'." Gintoki says with a near innocent look. used to being called 'demon', 'monster', and on rare cases 'amanto'.
"Um..." Shinpachi drones off, unsure how to respond to that, no one sure what exactly to say as they think of the young Gintoki more used to being called 'demon' than his own name.
"'Past'," Gintoki continues, "you said you're in the 'past'. What's that?"
"The past means something that has already happened." Shinpachi says, also getting down to the boys height. "Us being in the past means that to us, this time already happened."
"... That's confusing." The boy shakes his head before scanning the group with a wary eye. "Where'd you come from and who are you?"
"We came from... the Future. And I'm Shinpachi." He tries to keep his response simple enough for the younger boy so they can get a move on.
"Kagura!"
"... Zura." The rest of the group give him odd looks but go along with it.
"I'm Kondo, and this is Sougo and Toshi!" He says wrapping his arms around the two, the kid just looks at them and a silence falls over them, no one sure what to say.
"So... do you have a place where we can stay?" Hijikata gets out to try and break the silence, Gintoki just shakes his head.
"Uh-uh. Well, there is a old shrine where you guys could sleep." Gintoki says, remembering the place he had taken shelter many times. (I did the 'a old shrine' on purpose)
"That'd be great, could you lead us there?" Shinpachi asks politely and the boy nods before leading them deeper Into the Woods (which I think is a great movie). They walk for quite sometime in near silence, only making small talk to keep their sanity. Gintoki doesn't make a single sound, even his steps completely silent.
"Here it is." He points to the small shrine with vines stretching across it, the surface cracked and chipped, old and gray. But stable enough to be seen as a shelter for a night or two. The group stares at the small shelter and no one notices Gintoki slip into the shadows of the forest until it's too late.
"Ne, where'd Gin-chan go?" Kagura asks, looking around for the small boy.
"Damn, he's gone." Hijikata hisses under his breath, Katsura just shakes his head.
"This is a good time to discuss some things, but lets get inside first." Katsura says and the group files inside. It's not much better than the exterior, with the exception of a few creepy crawlers seen trying to find shelter in the walls.
"Talk about what?" Sougo asks while calmly trying to cut an annoyed Hijikata with his sword.
"About this time of course." They all sit down at this and Sougo speaks up.
"You mean about Danna?" Katsura nods at that and Hijikata asks his sworn enemy a simple question.
"What about Sugar-Freak?"
"Well... how can I put it..." Katsura contemplates, "I never knew him before he met our sensei. And this is obviously before that. But I do know that sensei basically taught him everything, and before he met sensei, Gintoki was... unstable to say it in the nicest way."
"'Unstable'?" Kagura questions with the tilt of her head, not sure how to take the information.
"Lets just say he didn't have the best childhood and that really affected him." Katsura summarizes. "Although I didn't honestly think he'd be willing to help us."
"Why?" Kagura asks before Shinpachi can stop her.
"Why? Oh yeah, your're not from this planet. Well no doubt you know about the war."
"China probably doesn't."
"Of course I do you sadist!" She screams at him before launching at him, but Shinpachi wraps his arms around her waist trying to hold her back by herself but fails miserably.
"Well, the war affected everyone, and Gintoki is no exception." Katsura continues and Kagura calms down so she can listen, giving Shinpachi needed time to care for his bleeding nose which she not-so-kindly smashed with her elbow. "Especially during his younger days."
"What do you mean by that?" But Kagura's question goes unanswered as a figure walks into the old shrine. They can tell straight away that it's Gintoki and also that he has something in his hands.
"Food." He states, setting all of what he has on the floor. They look at the food and think that the floor makes no difference in how clean it looks. It's simply a pile of dirty rice balls, not all too special. "You didn't have any when I saw you, so here."
"Er..." Shinpachi analyzes the food, relating its aura to his sisters eggs.
"Thank you." Katsura bows to the boy, only getting eyes wide with shock in response.
"I knew it," Gintoki begins as Katsura straightens, "you people are weird." A tick mark appears on Hijikata's head but he says nothing, just lights a cigarette and breaths it in. Gintoki eyes the smoker for a moment but says nothing. "Just be careful with the food, make sure to eat wisely with a group such as you guys. Cause if you don't then it just becomes a battlefield."
"Hmm? How would you know that?" Kagura asks and Katsura sucks in a sharp breath at her unfiltered mouth.
"I used to travel in a group." Gintoki states not negatively affected.
"What happened?" Hijikata asks carefully, eyeing Gintoki with sharp eyes. The boys demeanor then changes, a dark and world-wary look comes to his eyes and his aura darkens.
"I killed them." They all are speechless at that, but Gintoki doesn't care. "We didn't use our food wisely because none of them could take not eating for a whole day. They planned on killing each other off slowly, but I took matters into my own hands. They were gonna die anyway." Hijikata looks to Kondo and Sougo from the corner of his eye, Katsura looking to Shinpachi and Kagura to see how they'll take the information. Kagura is staring wide eyed at the youngest in the group, while Shinpachi is looking at the floor with eyes shut tight. "You seem shocked." Gintoki states, all eyes going to him. "You people from the Future sure are weird; all groups end like that. Even those of close friends who believe nothing could break them apart end in a battle of blood." A shine comes to Gintoki's eyes as he speaks, and in it the group would swear they could see the scene of a bloody battle between adults and children, no age spared it seems. "You guys will end the same, once the food runs out all groups die. So you should just break apart now and spare yourselves-"
"We won't do that." Kondo calmly interrupts, having a warm smile on his face and a confident aura about him. "We won't end up that way either." Gintoki squints, looking into Kondo's eyes and analyzing him for a moment before sighing.
"You're different then the other groups, I can tell." He states, "I wonder if you'll actually last. I'm tempted to stay and see."
"Then stay, and we'll prove you wrong." Kondo says confidently only getting the boy to tilt his head.
"We'll see."
Not long afterwards they get ready for the night and set up camp in the shrine, Gintoki however sits outside and looks at the stars.
"It's beautiful, isn't it." Kondo says as he sits beside the boy and stargazes.
"I guess," Gintoki shrugs not taking his eyes from the sky, "but that's where the amanto come from. And the amanto coming corrupted the world even more. And soon we'll all die." Kondo doesn't respond for some time, trying to not think that this boy is what Gintoki was once like. The lifeless and hopeless boy beside him. A child who has seen, worked for and accepted death. But still just a boy only wanting to survive.
"But the stars are still beautiful, and plenty of other things are beautiful as well, you just have to look for them." Kondo says with a smile and Gintoki looks down for a moment, the sun long gone now and the moon coming up.
"Mister-" He begins but as he looks up the man is not there. "Hello?" He speaks up, turning around to see an empty shrine, not a soul in sight. "They're gone." He states, trying to fool himself by thinking he's alright with it, but he actually liked the people. They were weird but... nice. Strange but good.
Everyone in the group awakes to find themselves in a black world, they then fall into a new scene and a small video of sorts seems to play in front of them, it shows the Gintoki they had just met being approached by a group in the same spot where they met him in the woods. A group of three men all with swords.
"Hey kid, whatcha doin'?" A man says with the look of a predator on his face.
"What do you want." The young boy asks with a hard look in his eyes.
"Whoa there, take it easy." Another man raises his hands upon seeing something in the one kid with a sword and a steady hand.
"Yeah, what're you doin' in our territory?" One bites back at the kid, and something flashes in Gintoki's eyes.
"'Your territory'?" Gintoki asks, his hand on his swords hilt. "No one owns this place. Not us, not them. It just exists. So get out of my face."
"Haha, feisty kid!" The first one who spoke up says with his hands up.
"Go away."
"Why, this is OUR territory. Kid, beat it." The one who first said it was their territory states. Just then three more men launch from the brush and the other three leap towards the boy. In a flash Gintoki has his sword out and is blindly swinging at his large attackers, but only manages to kill one, the blood pouring all over the boy and ground, before they overtake him.
"How much do you think he's worth?"
"Hahaha, a little kid as feisty as him? We'll be set!" Two of the three new attackers laugh with each other. The young Gintoki hears this and begins screaming, he struggles under the single man who's holding him down, trying to get out or get his sword, to do anything. Because he knows what's going on.
"'Worth'?" Shinpachi whispers under his breath as he watches his young boss struggle and scream and shout in anger and rage.
"Calm the kid!" One man who had yet to speak growls.
"How?!" The man on top of Gintoki asks in partial rage, "We want him to cost as much as possible, right?"
"He'll still be worth a ton, beat him if you have to! If you need to, break one thing! God, just stop him!" The one who first spoke orders the others. They seem to gain devious smirks and in a moment the one holding Gintoki down swiftly grabs the boys arm and twists, a sickening crack echoing through the woods.
"GAAAAAAH-hah-hah-ahh!" Gintoki screeches in pain, burying his forehead into the ground as he grits his teeth, eyes shut tight. "B-bastards!" He hisses out and glares up at them. "Let me go!"
"Nah, we'd prefer to sell you for some money to get some grub." Another man states with his arms crossed. The one that was holding Gintoki down gets off but keeps his foot on the boys back. "Say, where should we sell him?"
"The highest bidder, duh." One puts out and the others dare laugh.
"The highest bidder..." Hijikata says under his breath in thought. He somewhat understands what they are watching, people were sold back during the war by both sides. Money was short and people became desperate enough to sell orphans for some quick cash. Like what they're witnessing right now, he believes. Making eye contact with both Sougo and Kondo he can tell they're all thinking the same thing.
"Oh, gone silent have you?" One of the men ask, and Gintoki can hardly lift his head through the pain, but the young boy manages.
"I won't-I won't-I won't!" He grounds out and his face is then smashed into the ground by one of the men.
"Just keep your trap shut until you're asked, you're just a slave now." The one with his foot on the back of Gintoki's head hisses.
The scene then cuts off suddenly only to show more images of the young Gintoki. With all the death.
The blood.
The death.
The blood.
The images go on and on, all showing the Gintoki they know and love as a young boy mercilessly killing those who are on their hands and knees, and the most frightening ones are when Gintoki has a malicious smile on his face. Constantly the scream 'demon' is heard throughout. They continue on and on, and the more time that passes they come upon images of him just scavenging through the remains of battlefields, lonely images of a lonely boy in a barren field with only corpses and crows for company.
And then a man comes while Gintoki eats in the middle of an old battlefield.
"Only a demon could eat peacefully while surrounded by corpses... And how about you?" The man asks young Gintoki. "To be honest though..." he says while placing a hand on Gintoki's head, "you seem too cute to be a demon." Gintoki slaps the mans hand away and jumps off his former 'seat' *cough* corpse *cough* and draws his sword. "Did you find that... among the corpses as well?" Gintoki doesn't respond, his mouth remaining in a grim line. "Hiding here alone among corpses... is that the means you choose to protect yourself? I'll say it... I am impressed. However..." The man speaks with a slight upward curve to his lips. "You're not using that sword correctly." He grabs his own sword, "There's no meaning in simply wielding a sword if it's just to scare others and protect yourself." he then tosses the sword to the boy, much to Gintoki's shock. Clumsily he catches it, managing to regain his balance after a few seconds. "This is my sword... go on and take it. If you're interested in learning more about that blade, follow me." He says while turning to walk away from the boy. "However, from now on you must understand, the blade is not to cut down your enemies... nor is it to cut away your own weakness. A sword isn't meant to protect your body... A sword... is meant for protecting your soul."
...
Gintoki finds himself in the remains of a battlefield, watching himself scavenge from the corpses and eat what he can find. And then he sees the encounter that changed his life for better or for worse; his sensei finding and taking him in.
...
"Care to tell me your name?" Shouyou asks Gintoki as they're walking, Shouyou carrying Gintoki on his back.
"... Well, I'm the corpse eating demon." The young Gintoki says with innocent eyes.
"No, that needs to change, you're too cute to be a demon." Shouyou says with a shake of his head.
"Well I know I'm a Sakata." Gintoki adds making the man smile.
"Not a first name?"
Gintoki shakes his head.
"Well... how about 'Gin'?"
"'Gin'?"
"It means silver, like your hair... and how your soul can become." Shouyou says with a smile. "Not exactly pure white or gold... but a nice silver."
"Gin... I like it." Gintoki dares to give a small smile.
"Hmm... Oh! how about 'GinTOKI'? Silver time. It's now your time to not shine black, but silver." This makes Gintoki's smile broaden and nod even more.
"Yeah, Gintoki seems nice."
...
Suddenly the group is in another forest and they all fall onto the ground. Kondo looks around for the shrine and Gintoki but doesn't see anything familiar, everyone confused on what had just happened.
"What was that?" Shinpachi asks as he looks around. They're in a small open space with a koi pond nearby and only then do they notice the temple a small distance away as well.
"I think once we figure out what the hell's going on we'll know." Hijikata says, still as confused as everyone else.
"Well, lets just go to that temple and see where we are!" Kondo says with a smile, even if he feels conflicted on the inside, but Katsura stays frozen as the rest of the group begins the small trek. "Katsura?"
"No way..." The terrorist says wide-eyed as he stares at the school.
"What?" Kagura asks while picking her nose.
"This is..." As if on cue many children file out of the building, laughing and having fun until they notice the group. Behind them a man comes out with a face strikingly similar to Sougo's, but he has long sandy hair and kind eyes. Beside him on one side is a young boy in a green yukata with long black hair put in a high ponytail. On the other side of the man is another boy with dark hair cut short, and he is wearing a purple-ish yukata. Both are smiling and happy to be with the man. When the only adult notices their presence is when the group sees the final boy behind the adult, the boy wears a light blue yukata and a small smile. "...our old school." Katsura finishes once he gets through his shock. "We're still in the past but now we're with our time with sensei. But I don't remember this." Katsura adds while looking at his past self.
"Hello." The adult greets, all the children filing in behind him. Gintoki seems to recognize them as a spark flashes in his eyes.
"It's you guys!" He shouts, pointing at them. "Sensei, they are the ones I told you about." Gintoki says while tugging on his sensei's sleeve.
"Oh! Well I am Yoshida Shouyou, head of this school; Shouka Sonjuku." He greets with a smile. "I'd like to have a word with you."
"Of course." Kondo nods in agreement.
"Children, stay out here while I speak with our guests, please follow me." The group follows the man who is going towards the temple, but then he stops and turns, all eyes going to the small boy right on his heel who's tightly hugging a sword. "That means you too Gintoki. Try to get along with the other kids, okay?" He pats Gintoki's head as the younger boy looks down, he then looks up to his sensei and nods.
"Hai, sensei." Turning away from the group he hugs his sword tightly and slowly walks towards where the other kids are.
In the temple school Shouyou leads the group into a large room with many discarded kendo swords on the ground.
"This is the dojo, I teach the children how to wield a sword here, Gintoki is my assistant in this." Shouyou gives his own small tour about the room.
"I'm sure you didn't invite us in here to talk about your dojo." Hijikata says which gets him a glare from Katsura but a nod from the sensei.
"Yes... You see, sometime after I found Gintoki, he told me of how he met a group of people who were strange, clean and different from anyone else he had met. They told him they were in the 'past' and from the 'Future', a concept he didn't really know. He said he brought them to a shelter, gave them food, and spoke with them for a while. And suddenly, while talking with one, they vanished in the middle of the night without a trace. That was months ago to him, and he told me this a couple days ago. I assume these people were you?" Everyone in the group nods at that, remembering the encounter clear as day.
"That was last night to us." Shinpachi says in a moment of thought. "We didn't leave on purpose, we were just suddenly there and then suddenly here."
"Does that mean that you're still in your past?"
"Yes," Hijikata responds, "we don't know how we got here nor how to get back." Shouyou strokes his chin in thought, not coming upon a solution.
"You're welcome to stay here as long as you need." He says with a warm smile. "We may not have that much food or too many open rooms, but you're still welcome."
"Thank you." Katsura manages out only two words and forces himself to do a rigged bow, trying to keep a straight face.
"Well, you can speak with Gintoki if you'd like, but I'd be careful about your name Katsura." He smiles and Katsura freezes and he has wide eyes while he straightens and looks at his sensei. "Of course I'd recognize my own student, even if he's from the future." Shouyou says with his ever-present grin and a kind eyes.
"Sensei..." Katsura fights back both his tears and excitement, trying to not get too emotional.
"I'd love to ask you about your future, but I don't want to know anything that will happen." Shouyou says finally dropping his smile. "Although I'm guessing something none of us will expect will happen." Katsura doesn't respond but puts his mouth in a thin and grim line making Shouyou sigh. "I just have to know; is Gintoki okay in your future?" Katsura takes a moment to think about an answer, he doesn't want to lie but the truth may hurt him...
"He's... okay." Katsura makes sure to say this while looking straight into his sensei's eyes, trying to convey what he really thinks through eyes rather than words.
"... I see." His sensei responds making Katsura happy yet also sad upon knowing his sensei understood him.
"Gin-chan is really lazy though, and he drinks strawberry milk and eats sweets all day!" Kagura adds with a whine.
"He has recently become infatuated by sweets." Shouyou laughs slightly, thinking of who Gintoki might become.
"And he's really obnoxious." Hijikata can't help but add as he remembers the many times the man had gotten in his way.
"Hahaha, sounds a lot like him nowadays!" Shouyou agrees, recently the shy and socially awkward student had become quiet the noise-maker and gets in a lot of fights with one of his most recent additions; Takasugi.
Soon they're outside and children surround them in wonder and confusion. They don't question who they are or why they're there because Shouyou had accepted them, although Gintoki is still wary about them and doesn't dare leave his lonely spot beside the pond under the sakura tree, sword securely wrapped in his arms. Kagura and Shinpachi break away from the group to give Gintoki, who realizes what they're doing, some company.
"Hey." Shinpachi greets awkwardly and Gintoki just glances at him not responding.
"Gin-chan don't ignore us!" Kagura crosses her arms in a pout and when the boy doesn't respond she simply turns away from him and puffs her cheeks out. Shinpachi sweatdrops at Kagura's words and actions And now she's ignoring him.
"We're sorry Gintoki," Shinpachi says while sitting beside said boy, "we didn't mean to leave but we were... forced to." Shinpachi tests it, he didn't really know what to say but if they didn't mean to leave then 'forced' would be a good word.
"I've learned more about the 'past'." Gintoki says without looking at the older male, Kagura spins around to look at the boy. "It's a word more about time, same for 'the future'," Gintoki then flicks his eyes over to the two and for a second looking to their group surrounded by children, "are you still in the past?"
"Hai." Shinpachi nods, not bothering to hide it.
"Do you know when you'll go back to your time?"
"No, we're just being forced through time, to us we first met you last night, and we just learned that to you that was months ago." Shinpachi says, deciding that the information is okay to say. "We don't know when we'll leave and we don't know what time we'll go to." Gintoki takes his time digesting the info and simply nods before looking up to the pink flowers of the sakura tree.
"So you're simply lost," Gintoki says looking up at the trees, "not knowing where home is or how to get there, just hoping you'll end up where you began." The boy then turns to Shinpachi with a small smile. "I've been learning to believe in things, and I believe you'll find your home like I've found mine." The two members of the Yorozuya feel their stomachs drop at that and a sense that borders pity wash over them as they feel like crying. Shinpachi tries not to say what he knows will happen, how he knows his sensei in his time is dead, how he knows something happens that is so bad that Gintoki hasn't told him. But Shinpachi only puts on a warm genuine smile.
"Thank you,"
And they're gone.
Once again through the folds of time they leave the lonely boy under the shelter of the sakura tree.
This time they're shown much happier scenes with Gintoki and Shouyou and his classmates. Both Takasugi and Katsura are present in many of the scenes and the bond shown between them in the many scenes are heartwarming, but they soon turn into fiery scenes and screams of children come from the burning temple the group had visited. Gintoki runs out of it, turning back to look at the school one last time before looking at the men taking his teacher.
"SENSEI! SENSEI!" Gintoki screams his throat hoarse. The men turn to see the child with his clothes slightly charred and his sword drawn, with the fire behind him and the glint in his eye he looks like a true demon.
"Looks like one escaped." One of the Naraku states with slight amusement.
"Gintoki..." Shouyou says under his breath. The Naraku beat down the stubborn boy until he can hardly move. His hands are quickly tied behind his back and he's forced to his knees with four men surrounding him holding staffs to his throat. Shouyou continues to walk away surrounded by even more men. "I'm leaving things in your care. But hey, there's no need to worry. I'll be back with all of you very soon... so until then... Our comrades...everyone..." Shouyou turns with a slight smile illuminated by the moon, "Please protect them for me, okay? Let's... make it a promise." Gintoki begins to tremble as Shouyou puts out a pinky, and the Naraku back away from the boy who then gives a pain-filled cry as he screams in agony and helplessness. Unable to do a single thing.
"I'm sorry." The scene has changed, the school is burned to the ground and Gintoki is still where he was the night before, yet there are new figures in front of him. A group of children watching their teachers favorite bury his forehead into the ground. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sosososos sorry. I couldn't save sensei-I couldn't save anyone-"
"And this is all you're gonna do about it?" On of the children bites sharply. "Did you see them kill sensei?" At this Gintoki lifts his head, his face emotionless unlike the sadness in his words.
"No."
"Then lets save him!" Takasugi says with a raised fist. "What if we join the war and win? Then we'd SURELY get sensei back!"
"We'll all die." Gintoki says monotone, catching all of them off guard. "You don't know what you'll be getting into, the war spares no one. You'll all die."
"Oh quit being so dramatic," one says, "if we have you I'm sure we won't." Gintoki's eyes widen and his sensei's last words echo in his mind; Protect them for me, okay?
...
He can't do anything but watch his memories unfold, watch as his beloved school burns to the ground, screams out alongside his younger self, both of their cries unheard as their sensei is taken away from them. Their sensei who became their home, their world. Now gone.
...
Three figures stand in the middle of a battlefield, long finished as only corpses seem to remain. The three standing figures are all reacting differently to the death they see around them, after all, this is the aftermath of the first battle they have participated in, in the war.
Katsura Kotaru, the ambitious youth who strongly believes in fighting for his country, is mortified by the stench and the sight.
Takasugi Shinsuke, who isn't as noble as his friend but knows what he's fighting for, was expecting something like this but not to the magnitude he's witnessing.
Sakata Gintoki... who's... not all too sure why he joined the war, knew what he was going to see and had seen much worse than the battlefield they're scavenging through.
They're searching through the dead bodies of both comrades and foes, searching for their old schoolmate. Gintoki then stops and looks around with eyes dead to the world.
"We aren't going to find him," he finally says while looking up to the reddening sky, "at least not alive." The other two freeze at that and Takasugi grinds his teeth.
"Are you giving up so soon!?" He shouts in rage and his anger heightens as Gintoki doesn't even look at him.
"I told you guys you didn't know what you were getting yourselves into," Gintoki says and then gives Takasugi a sharp and cold stare, "I told you, and now you know. People die and we can't worry about finding every body. We need to rest to try and prevent deaths in the next battle."
"So you're just telling us to let his body rot?" Takasugi grounds out and Gintoki then turns to face the slightly shorter man.
"He would rot either way." Gintoki says and masks his pain with ease. His friend is dead, he knew this and even if it hurt he wasn't going to let it mess with him. "He's dead and we can't save him, so finding his body don't mean jack shit."
"Is that how you feel? He's our COMRADE!"
"He was! Now he's dead!" Gintoki grounds out. "This is war, Takasugi," Gintoki looks to Katsura, "you too, Zura. Is it what you thought it'd be?" Gintoki asks and moves his gaze to the most ambitious of their small group. "Is this how you thought war would be? Did you think everyone would actually come out alive? Get your head out of the clouds and welcome back to the hell you put yourselves in."
"Wow Gintoki, what next?" Takasugi says bitterly but both his and Katsura's eyes show the pain they are feeling because of Gintoki's words.
"I just gotta say, ignorance truly is bliss, but you can't be the naive fools you were when you decided to join this war now. What we just fought wasn't even the thick of it, so decide right here and right now if you wanna stick with this." The two then look to each other upon hearing Gintoki's words, trying to figure out what he means. "Friends, comrades, they'll die. Right beside you, too. And you might not be able to do a single thing about it. This is but a fraction of that weight. So if you can't handle this then leave. Now. If you wanna stay, then I won't let you leave after this and I'll help you if things get too tough, but I won't hold your hand the entire time. So, what'll it be?"
"Of course we'll stay." Katsura finally speaks up, determination shining through the pain.
"Think this is enough to deter us?"
"For a second there, I did." Gintoki responds before looking around. The sun is slowly beginning to set and Gintoki knew they have a few hours before there's no light. "We should keep searching, his body could be near here." Gintoki says while turning over the dead body of a samurai with his foot, guts spilled all over, already half eaten by mice and maggots. "But piece of advice; never search through or for things you can't see. When the sun sets, we leave and I don't give a fuck what you have to say about it." He looks into their eyes with a steel gaze, "You decided to stay, so I'm just gonna have to keep you idiots alive."
...
"I think they're waking up." An unknown voice whispers around them, and slowly they open their eyes, seeing the clear blue sky, hearing the birds around them. Then they notice the men gathered around them. Men wearing samurai armor with swords strapped to their waists. Swords.
The three Shinsengumi look at the swords in shock but soon everyone processes what is going on. They jumped time again, but this time they didn't jump just a few months. Years must have gone by, and now they're in the middle of the war. Katsura scans the group and begins to tremble slightly, recognizing faces, faces of people who were with him, who he fought beside, who died beside him.
"Zura?" Kagura tests as she sees and feels the person beside her shake, Shinpachi next to her equally confused. The five are taken out of their inner thoughts as one of the men surrounding them speaks up.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Katsura is taken out of his daze of sorts and looks up to the speaker.
"We wish to speak to your commander." Katsura takes charge not batting an eye.
"Commander?" Kagura whispers but Shinpachi shushes her.
"Who do you think you are, demanding to speak to our-"
"You want to speak with our commander?" A new voice speaks, one that's cold but familiar, and the soldiers around them part like the red sea for a new person to step through. He's a man clad in white, but it is practically died in red. Their eyes widen at the sight of the silver-permed man. Silver matted down to his forehead by a thick red liquid. Katsura looks into the stern red eyes that glare into his own. "Men."
"Hai!" The soldiers say in union and order, surprising everyone they surround.
"Go celebrate our victory, I'll deal with this." The men hesitate, fidgeting and shuffling awkwardly, but none speak up as they all slowly leave the area. The blood-covered warrior then turns to the group and looks them up and down. "It's you guys again."
"So you remember us?" Kondo speaks up, his voice slightly bubbly.
"How could I forget? I met you twice and each time you disappeared right in front of me." Gintoki says, keeping one hand firmly wrapped around his sword ready to be drawn. "So, what, still in the past?"
"Yep, and jumping around in time is hella annoying." Hijikata states officially annoyed.
"I believe it." Gintoki says while cracking a smile. "And who'd a thought you were a Yato." Gintoki chuckles while eyeing Kagura. "A young, innocent Yato. I never thought I'd meet one."
"You will." Katsura says after a moment.
"How do you know China is a Yato?"
"I've had my fair share of battles against them." Is Gintoki's quick answer. He then sheaths his sword and speaks to the group as a whole. "Well, come along. Who knows how long it'll take you guys to leave this time, but you'll die if you just stay there like sitting ducks."
"So this is when he's in the war?" Kondo whispers, Katsura nodding.
"Isn't that obvious?" Gintoki speaks from the front, showing that he can hear what they're saying.
"Ne, how old are you right now?" Kagura asks, Gintoki simply doesn't respond. "Gin-chan?"
"Lets make this clear," he stops and turns around, causing everyone else to freeze, "I am not your Gin-chan or whatever. You're from the future and know me from it, but I hate to break it to you but I am not the person you know, I guess I'm just what he used to be. So you're gonna have to get used to me until you disappear again." Once he finishes that he turns back around and continues walking. The rest of the way it's silent, and as the sun sets they hear the sound of cheering and see a faint glow through the trees. "There better be alcohol left." Gintoki grumbles as they near.
"Why? So you can get yourself drunk like you always do?" The words are out and there's nothing Hijikata can do to take them back-not like he would if he could.
"Well, unlike what you're probably used to, we can't just go somewhere and buy supplies. So we have to be resourceful, and alcohol is a necessity when cleaning wounds." He states as they come into the glow of the fire with many samurai around it passing cups of sake, telling stories, smiles bright on their faces. Katsura fights his emotions as he sees faces he knows he won't see ever again, faces he last saw years ago as he helped Gintoki and many others make mass graves or burn the bodies of those they once fought beside.
"Oh! Gintoki-dono is back!" Someone says, and soon the area gets quieter.
"All I need is a bottle of sake," he says, and a smile grows on his face, "all of you rascals better not drink everything we have, I need some too ya know!" He says cheerfully, and the party starts up again, a bottle of sake quickly pressed into his palm like ordered, and Gintoki motions for the group to follow him. They leave to a small clearing a bit farther from the fire where a small building lay. Outside there's the form of a man shuffling cards, a sword at his side. Upon closer inspection they can tell just who it is.
"Sakamoto-san?" Shinpachi whispers, catching Gintoki's ear but he says nothing.
"Oi, where are the idiots!" Gintoki waves the sake above his head, catching Sakamoto's attention.
"Oh! Kintoki!" The merchant smiles with a wave of his own. "Zura's inside, while Takasugi, ehe... who knows." The Shinsengumi tense when they hear the final name, but do not advance as they'd like.
"It's Ginto-ahh forget it. Just watch these guys while I check on Zura." And with that he goes inside, Sakamoto staring at the newbies for a moment, his smile drooping.
"New recruits?"
"No, we're actually from the future." Katsura states, getting a hearty laugh in return.
"I thought that was you Zura! From the future, you say?" He believes almost right away, especially after Zura says his famous line, now curiosity fills his words. "What's it like? What happens?" The questions are cut-off as a scream erupts from the small shelter behind Sakamoto, a scream nearly identical to Katsura's own.
"What-" The police jump but Sakamoto gets in the way. "What the hell is going on in there?!" Hijikata orders.
"Oh, you know, Gintoki is probably stitching Zura's wound shut, the usual."
"Stitching-"
"DON'T MAKE ME KNOCK YOU OUT-now-hold-STILL!" Gintoki shouts, and the sounds of struggle cease.
"We don't have pain killers, so it hurts like a bitch." Sakamoto admits, Katsura nodding. "Hahaha, you remembering this or something?"
"Oh yeah." Gintoki comes out after sometime, grumbling and takes a swig from a half-filled bottle of sake. His hands are bloodier and, if one cared to look, slightly trembling.
"Now where the fuck is Takasugi?"
"Went out into the woods."
"The woods?" Gintoki has a double take before digesting the info. "I'll kill him and make it look like an accident."
"Hahaha, and how many times have you said that?" Gintoki doesn't smile at that, but simply turns to the group.
"Go in there if you want or stay out here. Sakamoto, keep an eye on them would ya?"
"Aye-aye cap'n!" Gintoki just grunts at that before disappearing into the woods.
"Sakamoto..." A voice croaks from inside, and in an instant the said man is in the building, the small group following after. The room is dark, the soft glow of a candle in the middle being the only light. Blood is smeared on the ground near the candle and the group then notice a younger Katsura sitting right beside it, a large cut on his back which also has smeared blood around it, obviously someone had tried to remove the blood and simply gave up.
"Hai?" Katsura looks dazed for a moment until his eyes drift towards the group.
"Who're they?"
"They claim they're from the future." He answers honestly, Katsura just giving him a tired look.
"The future, huh. And what, is that me?"
"Me ja nai, Zura da." They all stare at him blankly while Sakamoto laughs then comments on Katsura's behavior.
"HAHAHA, that's definitely you Zura!"
"ZURA JA NAI, KATSURA DA!" They both shout, but then the younger Katsura suddenly begins coughing violently in pain, some blood coming out as well.
"Zura!" Sakamoto nearly leaps to help his friend but is stopped by a firm hand-well, two hands. Both Gintoki and older Katsura hold him back by the shoulders.
"Oh, Gin-chan is back!" Gintoki doesn't respond as he drops the body they notice he was holding, and then goes to Katsura's side.
"Breathe." He orders, placing a hand on the others back avoiding the gash. "Through the nose, it'll hurt but you gotta do it. Sakamoto, go get some water!" In a moment Sakamoto is out doing as he's told without a second of hesitation.
"T-they really are fro-m the future, I recK-nize them-"
"Don't talk." Gintoki covers Katsura's mouth to make his point clear, setting his friend with a soft glare.
"I got the water!" Sakamoto rushes in, water splashing onto the ground earning a glare from the shiroyasha.
"Be careful with that!" Gintoki whispers, "Now bring it here." Sakamoto does as he's told and Gintoki takes a rag with dried blood on it and dips it into the water. He rings the rag out and lays Katsura on his stomach, gently dabbing around the wound. "Just focus on breathing."
"Hehe, hah..." Katsura dryly chuckles in response, Gintoki just shakes his head and continues to clean the wound.
"You aren't allowed to be active for a few days, probably a week."
"A week?!" Katsura lifts his head slightly and shouts in shock, Gintoki forces his head back down while grumbling.
"Yes, and no complaining."
"B-but what if-"
"It's just a 'what-if', now shut the fuck up before I knock you out like I did Bakasugi." Katsura can't help but bark out a hoarse laugh before falling silent, knowing Gintoki would follow through with his threat.
"Ne, is he alive?" Kagura asks, poking young Takasugi's limp figure.
"What if we do something and change the future?" Shinpachi asks, looking from Takasugi to Gintoki.
"Just you being here has changed the future I'm guessing." Gintoki says, finishing up with Katsura. "Hold on, this'll sting." He says as he washes out the rag, rings it, then lays it out on the other back. Katsura visibly winces but doesn't make a sound, Gintoki nods approving of his work before going over to Takasugi and dragging him into the light. That's when everyone sees the blood covering his clothes and his many wounds. "Sakamoto take them outside."
"Hehe, hai!" He playfully salutes before doing as ordered, the group from the future following behind. "Well, Kintoki probably won't take that long! Bakasugi didn't look like he had any major wounds."
"Major! He was covered in blood!" Shinpachi exclaims only for Katsura to shake his head as Sakamoto laughs.
"That means nothing," Katsura states, "you get covered in blood during a war like this, Takasugi is fine. I know what I'm talking about."
"And of course he'll live, he's such a pain in the ass in our time I wouldn't be too mad if he didn't actually." Hijikata states, but Gintoki, as per Sakamoto's prediction that he wouldn't take long, comes out in time to hear Hijikata's words.
"I don't care if he becomes a terrorist in the future and tries to kill everyone," the group from the future can't help but sweatdrop at his accuracy with Takasugi, "but if you dare try to kill him while he's under my care, you'll prefer death." The last part comes out in a growl, his tone sending shivers down their spines including Sakamoto's and Katsura's. "So let me guess, the last time we met to you was, what, yesterday?"
"Just before your group came upon us, actually." Shinpachi corrects and Gintoki just shrugs.
"Not that much of a difference. But what now?" He looks into each of their eyes and they feel exposed under his glare. "You're accidentally in the middle of a war now, and until you're flashed outta here this is where you'll be. You gonna do anything or just sit on the sidelines?" Katsura looks to the ground while the rest of them make eye contact. Who knows how long they'll be stuck where they are or if what they do really affects anything at all. "I honestly don't give a fuck if you choose not to do anything, after all you aren't even supposed to be here." Gintoki states with a shrug. "But I will say that you're going to stay in here for the time being."
"Well will you let me address your wounds?" Katsura asks politely while standing up. Gintoki just raises his brow at the male he knows well. "You just saved my life, allow me to patch you up."
"Fine fine. I don't wanna get into it." Gintoki gives in and sits where he is, crossing his legs. "But I ain't moving. My feet hurt after carrying your lazy ass around all day."
"Well then I can work here." Katsura says and then goes off to fetch the bucket of water. When he comes back he sees Gintoki exactly where he had been and didn't move an inch. "I need you to take your shirt off."
"Oh? Finally coming out of the closet?" Gintoki jokes while doing as Katsura said. "I knew the long hair meant something." Katsura doesn't comment as he sees his friends many wounds. Most of the blood on his clothes isn't his, that's true, but a lot of it is. Quickly Katsura notices a pretty gruesome cut that is on Gintoki's left shoulder that he had somehow been working with all day. The cut is deep and the blood draining out of it could kill him if left alone.
"This one'll need stitches." Katsura says under his breath as he analyzes it.
"Good to know," Gintoki says, "any other ones?" Katsura looks at all the other cuts and none of them take any kind of priority, when in a war on a side with little supplies you only fix up wounds that may kill you, don't bandage up any that won't kill you now or kill you later. Katsura remembers that and shakes his head in response.
"Nope, this is the only one."
"Great. How bad is it?"
"If I leave it you'll die." Katsura answers truthfully, not caring about their audience and the gasps coming from them. Katsura rips off a part of his kimono then washes the needle in the water and drys it with his scrap of clothing, he then washes around the gash with the wet cloth. "Hold still."
"No dip." Gintoki rolls his eyes and does as he's told. Katsura pokes the needle through his skin and does a pretty good job after having done so for years back in the war. Gintoki's face remains stoic but every once in a while he would clench his right hand but otherwise remain completely still. All of his audience, including Sakamoto, are awed at Katsura's fluency and how good he seems to be at stitching, but also at how calm Gintoki is even though he has no pain killers or anything of the sort. Once Katsura is done he patches and cleans up around the wound. "Done?" Gintoki asks in his usual tone.
"Done." Gintoki Then gets up with his discarded clothing in hand, he looks at the ruined white cloth and tosses it aside with a huff and decides to just remain shirtless. Hijikata then pulls out his cigarettes and lights one with his mayonnaise lighter, catching Gintoki's attention.
"Can I have one?" He asks with his hand outstretched. The group was not expecting for Gintoki to ask for the cancer stick, but Hijikata then shrugs and gives the warrior one before lighting it for him. Gintoki scans the group that is just watching him and a tick mark appears on his head. "Don't you guys have anything better to do? Damn, I mean you have a gorilla in your group for fucks sake!" Everyone immediately turns to Kondo with blank stares. Not only was their Gintoki the first to call Kondo Gorilla, but same as his younger version.
"Asshole..." a grumble comes from inside the small shelter and Gintoki growls upon hearing the voice.
"Right back at cha, bastard." He responds calmly knowing the word was meant for him.
"Fuck you!" Takasugi steps out while holding his head, a frown clear on his face. "And who're these people?"
"That doesn't concern you." Gintoki states while taking another drag of the item in his hands.
"Where'd you get that?" Takasugi asks coming up beside Gintoki and sitting down. "I thought you quit."
"I did quit," Gintoki says, "one ain't gonna kill me."
"That's what they all say," Takasugi comments while rolling his eyes, "well you look like shit."
"You're one to talk." Gintoki bites back.
"What'd you say?" A tick mark appears on Takasugi's forehead at that and they bump heads.
"You heard me you yakult-loving shorty!"
"Well at least I can get girls, you perm-headed freak of nature!"
"Leave my perm out of this!"
"... Is someone going to stop them?" Shinpachi asks while turning to the rest of the group as the two continue arguing.
"Usually Zura does," Sakamoto responds while eyeing said man who's just watching the argument, "but doesn't seem like he's planning to."
"Reminds me of you and Danna." Sougo comments while elbowing Hijikata.
"Me and that idiot? Please."
"Ne, what did Bakasugi mean when he said he thought Gintoki quit?" Kagura asks innocently, and Katsura thinks on it for a moment.
"I don't honestly know." Katsura admits, " But I do know he picked them up some time before the war and eventually dropped them for good during the war, that's all." Before anyone can question Katsura's words they notice Takasugi's face is bright red in anger from something Gintoki said and rage takes over his mind.
"YOU'RE JUST A FUCKING DEMON AND HAVE BEEN SINCE BIRTH SHIROYASHA!" Gintoki freezes at the words and his eyes grow wide, Takasugi mirroring him. It's then that Katsura stands up ready to make sure to prevent anymore but Takasugi takes one look at the man from the future, his eyes flicking once more to Gintoki who's bangs are hiding his eyes, and then the future-terrorist flees to wherever. Gintoki takes a drag then looks up at the stars and lets it out. Watching as they twinkle into view likes candles in a sea of black.
"When I go to hell I'm dragging him with me." Gintoki states with his eyes not leaving the sky. He then stands and brushes the dirt off of his pants then drops the cigarette and stomps it out before going into the shelter where his times Katsura is resting.
"Haha, well then don't die too early cause we need you and Bakasugi!" Sakamoto calls after him and tries to brighten the mood, only to get no response and a strange look from the group watching him.
"I figured Danna was in the war, but to think he's the Shiroyasha." Sougo comments as an evil grin comes across his face.
"Don't try anything Sougo." Hijikata orders as he sees the others eyes flash.
"What just happened?" Kondo finally asks, looking to where both Gintoki is and Takasugi fled.
"Well, Bakasugi and Kintoki are best friends," Sakamoto says with a grin, "they just fight a lot." Everyone just gives him the are-you-kidding-me look until Katsura speaks up.
"Yes, that's true, but it's unusual for Takasugi to lash out like that." Katsura contemplates while looking to the only shelter in the clearing, now a faint outline of sorts seen by the light of the moon.
"Takasugi is just jealous that Gin-chan is better, aru?" Kagura inputs and nods as if agreeing with herself.
"HAHAHA, yes that's probably it!" Sakamoto agrees while nodding his own head.
"It is?" Shinpachi asks, and Kagura hit him in the back of the head therefore face-planting him into the ground.
"Of course I'm right, now bow before me!" Kagura stands with her arms crossed and chest puffed out.
"But that kind of knowledge and strength comes at a price," Katsura reminds, and Hijikata can't help but reminisce his own past with his brother when Katsura says that. "For Gintoki he knows his way around a battlefield, knows how to not eat poisonous foods and mend wounds on very little resources, scavenge before the crows take anything valuable, he knows how to defeat enemies stronger and larger than himself and the quickest ways to take down enemies. But that's simply because he grew up in the war. Remember the first Gintoki we met?" They nod, remembering the boy clearly and his shocking words. "Back then he had already learned everything I had just said and was called the 'corpse-eating demon', although he didn't actually eat corpses."
"Is that what Takasugi meant?" Shinpachi asks and Katsura thinks on it.
"Probably, Gintoki has been known as a demon all his life not including when we were with Sensei, well and with Otose sometimes."
"Who?" Sakamoto asks with his head tilted to the side. The group then freezes not really knowing what to say in case it may affect their future.
"No one important to you." Katsura says, unsure if it was the right choice. "Why don't you just go somewhere?"
"Kintoki told me to watch you guys, and that's what I'm doing!" Sakamoto states stubbornly.
"But you aren't even one of his men." Hijikata reminds the warrior.
"It's not like he really has 'men', everyone is under him."
"But you're on his level, as part of the Joui 4." Shinpachi adds.
"Don't remind me..." He mopes for a moment, remembering the conversation he had overheard about him definitely being the weakest of the Joui 4. The group decides not to ask the oddly depressed man what he mean, and after a semi-mutual agreement they fall asleep.
And another scene unfolds.
"This might be the end." Takasugi says to Gintoki who's at his back while they're surrounded by enemy forces. "There's something I wanted to ask you, Gintoki. Why the hell did you decide to participate in this war?" He asks with a smirk, Gintoki's face reflecting his own. "Was it to protect this country from them, the amanto? Or so your name would go down in history as a warrior?"
"I dunno. One thing's for sure though, I haven't got good enough manners to die for anything like that. Same goes for you." At this Takasugi dares to close his eye with a small smile on his face.
"We're definitely not as good as Zura or Tatsuma. We don't get Bushido, we're just a couple of good-for-nothing warriors. But, there are some things that only good-for nothings understand. Gintoki, if I die, take care of sensei." Takasugi says while losing his smile, "That's something I can only ask of a good-for-nothing like me."
"... Then I'll ask a favor of a fellow good-for-nothing, too." They then step with their swords at the ready for a grand battle, "Stay alive."
He stands in the middle of a blood-red battle field, another day gone by following his stupid past self. But then before 'him' stands the man he remembers from many encounters; Oboro.
...
They awaken with a jolt as a horrific smell hits their noses, and when Shinpachi opens his eyes he screams taking everyone else out of their groggy state. He had woken to see the face of a dead amanto right in front of him. There are quite a few dead bodies around the group as they lay in a near barren place. Looking out they see they're on the top of a hill of sorts and at the bottom is the remains of a battle.
"Holy shit..." Hijikata breathes out as he scans the everlasting field of the dead. Pillars of smoke rise from burned bodies polluting the air. Moments after the smell of decay and the sight of bodies swarming with flies and maggots finally gets to Shinpachi, who then barfs everything he had left in his stomach. Katsura rubs his back as he wretches with a face of sympathy, but then they hear something.
"How pathetic it is." A voice says, getting their attention as they turn to see a small part of the cliff overlooking the battle. At the edge is a member of the Tendoshuu who's the one speaking. "These young ones with hearts full of concern for their country, meeting such a fate. Is that what you wanted to do?" He turns around to look to the person he's talking to, "Shouyou?" Yoshida Shouyou, tied up with two men there to keep an eye on him, many others behind him. "Your pupils have done just what they were taught and went to die like dogs. You don't recall teaching them that?" Shouyou doesn't respond and two bodies are thrown to the ground behind him. "That is what you would like to say, no?" Takasugi and Katsura lay on the ground with blood tracing lines on their faces, anger unmistakable on their features. "If that is the case, shall we test it? Will your disciples choose the path of dying like a dog with you? Or..." In front of Takasugi and Katsura, with his sword in hand is Gintoki, with two men at his back holding spears to his head, keeping his eyes trained on the ground, "with their own hands, will they choose the path of survival even if it means killing their master?" Katsura and Takasugi's eyes widen as they hear the words while Gintoki remains quiet and relatively calm. "A fitting method of execution for one who fancies himself a teacher, don't you think?" The man then turns his words to Gintoki, "Your master or your comrades. Choose whichever you like."
Slowly, achingly slowly, Gintoki takes steps towards his beloved master. The man who saved him and he loves like a father. The man he'd do anything for. Which is why he had to do this.
"Please... STOOOOOOOP! GINTOKIIIIIIII!" Takasugi screams from his spot on the ground, trying to somehow change Gintoki's already made mind. Trying to stop him. Trying to... to...
Shouyou then turns his head to look at the student he holds so dear, and, wearing the smile he had when teaching his students all those years ago, says his final words:
"Thank you." And even from where the group is watching, horrified by what they're seeing, they see Gintoki put on his own identical smile in return with eyes full of sadness.
And then he swings.
And his teachers head flies.
Takasugi then breaks and forces himself up, running head first towards Gintoki wearing a face of absolute rage.
"GINTOKIIII!" He howls, but then he sees a sight that he hadn't ever before, just before Oboro's dagger takes away his eye, everyone can see Gintoki's face, still holding the smile which seems more broken now, especially as an unstoppable tear rolls down his cheek. And then Takasugi's eye is gone.
"Do not waste the lives that were taken in by your master." Oboro says to the shocked Takasugi now laying on his back.
"Do you intend to let these people leave alive? Are you perhaps taking pity on that Shouyou man, Oboro?" The Tendoshuu member asks.
"These people no longer have anything to protect." Oboro responds, "For a samurai that is the same as death. And beyond all else, these people have destroyed it themselves as a result of their own weakness." Katsura lays on the ground still crying, Takasugi's eye is gone and has a face covered with blood, Gintoki's face not seen and his body still. "They are not worth killing. I doubt they will ever be able to hold a sword again."
A man then leaps from the treeline, a man with silver hair and a 'Lake Touya' bokuto. A man who the instant he gets out of the treeline with his arm outstretched flashes out of existence, not a soul acknowledging he had even been there. But the group from the future sees him. They hear him cry out, screaming whatever he said, his hand reaching out to stop the single moment that he knew he couldn't.
And then the scene fades.
...
"...yasha..."
The soft voice floats through the air and the group now stands in a battlefield, still frozen in shock after what they had just seen.
"Shiroyasha..."
In the distance there is one person where all the voices of the dead are coming from, the group slowly advancing towards them, trying to not step on too many bodies. Whenever they step on a body it moves, and sometimes the head moves so it's staring at them. The stare accusing and fearful.
"You are powerless..."
"Demon!"
"I know, I know." A voice sighs. A voice they hadn't heard in quite some time.
"There is nothing that someone like you can protect!"
"MERCY!"
"Someone like you..."
"YOU'RE JUST A FUCKING DEMON AND HAVE BEEN SINCE BIRTH-"
"can't protect anyone..."
"SHIROYASHA!"
"... has there even been one time where you could protect something precious to you?"
"SHUT UP!" They see the man bent over with his forehead on blood covered ground and his hands covering his ears. "I know... I know..." Gintoki repeats and Kagura and Shinpachi begin running towards their boss with everyone else right on their tail.
"Where's sensei, Gintoki?"
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." he cries out as he hears the question, the dreaded question.
"Because of our weakness... we ended up surviving by using that man's life as a stepping stone." Takasugi's voice echos through the world getting everyone's attention, and Gintoki then looks up to the sky, palms on the blood covered ground with streaks of blood on his face. "You, bore that sin. And every time I remember your face burned into this eyes the wound aches and screams." Though they are running to him it seems they're only getting farther and farther from Gintoki. He's still looking up and listens closely to the voice in confusion, knowing the speaker but not the words. "Why don't you avenge sensei? If you stick a blade in that chest, everything would end, it says... That's exactly it. We shouldn't have survived... Why... did you come to save us? Why... didn't you abandon us to save sensei? I know you could've done it. Even though you had promised me... back then... And even though you, more than anyone else, should have wanted to save him. Why? Why...? Why the hell would you choose us, Gintoki?" It seems to stop, and although Gintoki is confused as to where the voice and words came from exactly, he dares to let a solemn smile come upon his face.
"I didn't choose you, you asshole." Gintoki responds to the voice, "I chose him. I chose what he wanted. I will always choose him."
The group is unheard as they watch the image of Gintoki in his world fade away with no knowledge of them.
...
A sword... is meant for protecting your soul...
Our comrades... everyone... please protect them for me, okay? Let's... make it a promise...
...
You can have this Shiroyasha's head plus that piece of shit's head. So do not lay your hands on anyone else.
I won't forget this favor. This old lady doesn't have much time left. From now on... I'll protect her for you.
Isn't it ironic? The person who doesn't have it... understands it the best.
Listen guys, I can't take feeling like that again... I won't let a single person... lose their lives.
Take a look at my face... Is this the admirable face of an aniki?
...
Beep-
Beep-
Beep-
... Huh? Shinpachi cracks his eyes open only for him to be blinded by white light. What's this? The sky is all white. Huh? Oh, it's me that's all white. Huh? How the hell did this happen? Huh? Wait a minute, I...
"BAKA-GLASSES!" Kagura screams and Shinpachi soon cannot breathe as his stomach is attacked by a crazy alien. "THAT DOESN'T EVEN MAKE SENSE! Feel left out, aru? Poor glasses." Shinpachi gasps on the floor for a decent breath, not caring about his surroundings.
"Leader, you shouldn't push yourself like that!" Katsura's voice comes from somewhere else in the room, and Shinpachi scrambles onto his bed to see his surroundings. Shinpachi then gets hit by a migraine and quickly covers his eyes, once again rolling off the bed.
"China, shut up." Sougo growls from his own bed.
"YOU SHUT UP YOU SADIT-ooowww!" Kagura falters after her own loudness makes her migraine hurt even more.
"Tooooshi!" Kondo whines.
"Kami you guys are such pains." A new voice moans. "They tell Gin-san that he can't have his proper sweets and now Gin-san can't get his proper rest! Oh, what a world, what a world!" Everyone else is silent as they hear Gintoki's voice but he doesn't seem to care. "And why the hell is Zura in a hospital? Aren't you a criminal?"
"Zura ja nai, Katsura da!"
"And in the same room as the tax-robbers!"
"Gomen Danna."
"GIN-CHAN!" Kagura screams out but doesn't dare open her eyes knowing it will just make her migraine worse.
"Can someone just turn the fucking light off!" Hijikata grounds out.
"Poor Oogushi-kun," Gintoki mocks, "helpless little Oogushi-kun."
"You know you lazy Perm-head," Hijikata begins, a tick mark clear on his temple but his voice unusually calm, "I'd watch what you say considering that you're the Shiroyasha." Gintoki doesn't say anything after a moment, but then just sighs.
"Zura?"
"Zura ja nai, Katsura da." Katsura responds, but then continues, "Wasn't me." Gintoki just sighs again.
"Brats?"
"Not us Gin-san."
"No way!" They all know how the Shinsengumi found out, and it wasn't from all other incidents.
"We~ll," Gintoki then sits up and forces his eyes open, dealing with the pain. "This damn light..." he mumbles while shuffling over to the switch beside the door. But as he stands in front of it the door slides open much to his shock and a body barrels into him.
"SHINPACHI!"
"CHIEF!"
"DEMON VICE-COMMANDER!"
"LEADER!"
"WOOF!"
"For everyone BUT me!?" Gintoki whines after everyone tramples him, rushing to see their friends. Otae is there for her brother, her foot keeping Kondo away, Yamazaki and a few others here for the hospitalized Shinsengumi, Sadaharu for Kagura and some patriots there for Katsura. "YOU GUYS OWE ME SWEETS!"
Ignored.
"HEY!"
Ignored.
A tick mark appears on Gintoki's head at that but then he just sighs, not really in the mood for much of anything. Not after the strange dream he just had...
The people occupying the hospital beds seem to be the only ones that watch Gintoki stand and leave. They then look to the people who came for them in a moment of self loathing. After having seen Gintoki's past they didn't know if things could ever go back to the way they once were.
After some time the visitors finally leave, and the group learns that they have all been in a coma of sorts for the past week, and many people made a point of telling Kondo he not only looks like a gorilla, but smells like one to. Once everyone is gone the group of six decides to search for Gintoki, everyone splitting up and going to different areas. Shinpachi and Kagura go for the cafe, Kondo sneaking after trying to get some brownie points with Shinpachi, Sougo simply walks around, leaving Hijikata with Katsura.
"Damn, I so wanna take your head." Hijikata grumbles with a tick mark on his temple. the terrorist says nothing, lost in thought.
"The roof," Katsura holds his chin and nods, "he'll be on the roof." Hijikata is angered at the fact the the patriot ignored him but leaves it be as he goes for the roof, he also really needs a smoke so that's where he'd go regardless.
"What do ya know," Hijikata says once they are on the top of the hospital, "he really is here." Gintoki is leaning on the edge railing, looking out across the city as the sun sets behind the terminal. Gintoki doesn't acknowledge their presence, or more like he doesn't even know they're there, and Hijikata begins to get annoyed at that fact. "Hey, Sugar-freak!"
"Hrm?" Gintoki turns his head slightly enough to see the man out of the corner of his eye, "Oogushi-kun? What're you doing out here?" It slightly bothers Hijikata that not only did Katsura abandon him to dealing with Gintoki, but that Gintoki didn't react to his insult.
"Just... need a smoke." Gintoki nods at that as the other man comes up next to him, takes out his cigarette pack and mayonnaise lighter while resting his elbows on the railing.
"Can I have one?" Hijikata doesn't question it at first as he hands Gintoki one, but then thinks the other may find it odd if he doesn't say anything.
"You smoke?"
"I did." He admits and Hijikata lights it for the perm-head. "Dropped it back when I picked up Shinpachi." Hijikata relates that to what Katsura had told him, guess he didn't drop it for good during the war. "But in a place where I can't have sweets, there's no JUMP, no nothin', one ain't gonna kill me. Fuckin hate hospitals." Hijikata chuckles at that making Gintoki narrow his eyes. "What? Like you're one to laugh at that, you smoke a pack a day on a good day, you'll get lung cancer and die alone in a hospital at the rate you're going."
"At least I won't be as alone as you." Gintoki fakes hurt at that and places his hand over his heart.
"Oh! Low blow, Mayora!"
"I'd watch it, Shiroyasha."
"Damn, how did you learn that!" Gintoki asks, albeit more lightheartedly than Hijikata would have thought Gintoki would be. Now that he thought about it, Gintoki really wasn't being his usual self.
"We learned through investigation."
"Liar." Gintoki accuses immediately, catching Hijikata off-guard.
"Liar?" Hijikata repeats befuddled. How did he know.
"I saw you," Gintoki says after a moment, taking a slow drag from his cigarette, "in the final part of that fucked-up dream." Gintoki admits, Hijikata shocked by the confession. "I was there when you guys woke up and followed you until... er, yeah." The silence is then awkward at that, both knowing exactly what Gintoki meant by that.
"We didn't mean to go into your memories, we swear." Hijikata defends, glancing at the war veteran. "We went through different ages though, it was... weird."
"As did I, but I only saw you the last time." Gintoki says, spinning around and, placing his elbows on the railing, leans back to look at the sky. "Care telling me exactly what you saw?" Hijikata doesn't bother trying to hide it, after all it was more of them invading the mans privacy, so he summarizes what they had seen to the best of his ability, Gintoki soaking it all in without a single word. As Hijikata explains it Katsura comes back with the rest of the group, not interrupting the explanation as the two are absorbed in what Hijikata is saying.
"And at the end, we just heard many different things," Hijikata says coming to a conclusion, "some things your sensei said, some things you said."
"Ah, yeah, same for me. Strange, isn't it." He says while taking another drag from the cigarette running low in his hands. "I mean, you got accidental stalkers like you guys in my memories, then you got purposeful stalkers like Gorilla and those guys." He says, at the end pointing to the door cracked open showing the group watching them. The people then fall through the door onto the roof causing Gintoki to chuckle slightly but that's all.
"G-gomen, Gin-san..."
"For being a stalker? I'll just deduct it from your pay." Gintoki responds lazily to Shinpachi's words.
"I mean for accidentally looking into your private life-" Shinpachi yells at his boss, "you don't even PAY us!"
"Gin-chan really is an idiot, aru?"
"Oi! I'm right here ya know!" Gintoki growls before dropping his cigarette on the ground and stomping it out. "Kids these days, makin me feel old. Gin-san isn't that old!"
"You got the hair color for it." Kagura argues.
"And your old man got the hair for it, my color is all natural, as you must have seen when you were snooping in my past! I should fine you guys for that!" Gintoki then realizes before taking out a notebook. "Invasion of privacy... how many days was it again? Four?" Hijikata peeks over to see Gintoki charging different amounts for each memory they witnessed plus for 'invasion of privacy'. "Although why aren't you tax robbers attacking Zu...ra..." Gintoki doesn't finish the thought as he looks up to see his old friend no longer on the roof with them. He grumbles under his breath before continuing writing. "Forced hospitalization and a week long coma, how much can I charge for that?" Hijikata and Shinpachi give Gintoki a blank stare before leaving.
"We shouldn't have worried." Kagura says following in suit.
"OI! I'm serious!" Gintoki calls after them, and Sougo just gives him a look before following after. "Gorilla-"
"OTAE-SAAN!" He screams as he sees her on the street below. Quickly the Gorilla jumps to a street lamp and begins going after his love.
"I'm surrounded by idiots..." Gintoki sighs while shaking his head.
One thing they all learned that was for certain, although Gintoki went through unfathomable shit, he's still the most annoying, trustworthy and money-hungry man they have ever met.
They couldn't ask for better.
さようなら
A/N: Manga chapters I used: 4, 63, 260, 302, 396, 406, 467, 516, 519, 520 *I guess you could say the battlefield landscape is inspired by chapter 13 and the dream, and when Sakamoto goes into his small depressed mode I took that off of chapter 536*
Thank you for reading and please do review! GOMEN FOR NOT UPDATING IN FOR-EV-ER! I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEEE! Man, I really didn'y know how to end that, gomen. Do tell what ya'll think the genres are! For now I must go-wait, this is a one-shot... Bu-bye!