Hello again or for the first time, Murayama Tsuru here. I recently watched the Gintama Movie again, and felt sympathy for Takasugi…Yes, I said Takasugi. He and I don't usually get along, and I doubt we ever will, I don't really like the way he does things. But, I had to write this, Takasugi wouldn't leave me alone until I did. Also, it's sort of a commemorative oneshot for the return of the Gintama Anime (Yes, it's a couple days late, and I thought they meant Yorinuki Gintama-san was starting again, but still…). Well anyway, here it is. I hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gintama; it belongs to Sorachi Hideaki-Sensei.
He hadn't been there. He hadn't seen it happen, but somehow he knew. The almost dead look in Gintoki's eyes had said volumes more than Gintoki himself. Both he and Katsura had thought it strange that Gintoki would come find them in town when Shouyou-Sensei had put him in detention for a prank he pulled. "He's gone." Were the only words the silver haired boy had spoken.
Both he and Katsura knew what he meant. But Katsura, being the more outspoken of the two, had been the one to ask, "Who's gone, Gintoki?"
Of course, they both knew who Gintoki was talking about. But, as usual Katsura decided to make an ass of himself and ask the obvious question. Gintoki glared at Katsura then averted his gaze to somewhere on the ground. Gintoki's shoulders began shaking and that's when he knew Gintoki was trying to hold back bitter tears.
After more strained silence, Katsura asked again, "Gintoki, you need to tell us who's gone! We can't help you if we don't know!"
Annoyed with Katsura's idiocy, he snapped, "Zura, quit pretending you don't know! He's obviously talking about Sensei."
Katsura's eyes widened for a second, but then they narrowed into a glare, "It's not Zura, it's Katsura. And you don't know that Takasugi. Gintoki could be referring to anyone." Katsura's ponytail almost smacked Takasugi in the face as he turned back to Gintoki, putting his hands on the silver-haired boy's shoulders "Tell him, Gintoki. Tell Takasugi that Shouyou-Sensei is still inside the school. You just snuck out, like the troublemaker you are!"
By the time Katsura had finished speaking, he was shaking Gintoki rather violently. Takasugi could hear the desperation and hysteria in Katsura's voice and see the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Before Katsura's hysteria bubbled over, Gintoki put his hand on Katsura's arm trying to get Katsura to stop shaking him so hard; Katsura stilled when he said, "…Takasugi's right. Shouyou-Sensei's gone. The magistrate came and took him away then burned the school. I think they waited until class let out, so they wouldn't feel guilty if any of us died in the fire they started."
Katsura's arms dropped from Gintoki's shoulders and fell limply to his side; his tears now flowing freely. Takasugi knew this was coming, but it was still a shock. As he stared between Katsura and Gintoki, one crying freely, one trying his best to hold his tears back, Takasugi felt something crack inside him.
The next time Takasugi saw Shouyou-Sensei was when the magistrate had displayed his head along with the others who opposed letting the Amanto into the country. He had wanted to go alone, but Gintoki had insisted he come with him. Gintoki had then asked Katsura to come along as well, but Katsura was still in shock over Shouyou-sensei's death, so he had declined. The two said nothing on their walk to the place where the heads were displayed.
While Gin shared silent last words with their teacher, Takasugi's hands balled into fists and the anger that had been bubbling in him for days was very close to boiling over right then. Just as a scream coiled in his throat, ready to rip through his lips at any time, the voice started whispering. It whispered to him the sweet nothings of revenge and justice. The voice told him about how he should take revenge on the rotten Bakufu dogs who took his teacher away from him; and Takasugi became incapable of resisting this voice. Though Takasugi couldn't identify the whisperings at the moment that was when the black beast appeared for the first time.
On the way back to the dormitory (It was a good thing Shouyou-Sensei had built the school and the dorm as separate buildings) Takasugi told Gintoki about his just-formed plan, "Gintoki, when we're old enough we should take up arms and rebel against the Amanto invasion!"
Suddenly, Takasugi couldn't feel Gintoki's presence walking next to him anymore. Takasugi turned around to see that Gintoki had stopped a little ways away, an appalled look adorning his features.
"What's wrong, Gintoki?" Takasugi asked confused, "Don't you think we should get revenge for Shouyou-Sensei?"
"I do," Gintoki said without hesitation, anger flaring in his eyes that Takasugi would even dare to ask that question
"Then why not agree to fight the Amanto with me?"
Gin opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. After a pause, Gintoki looked down at the ground, "Because…That's not what Shouyou-Sensei would want…"
Takasugi glared at Gintoki, how could that possibly be true? Wouldn't Sensei want them to avenge his death? Takasugi came to the conclusion that Gin was hiding something from him. But before he could ask, Gin waked passed him saying, "C'mon, let's head back. I'm sure Zura and the others are waiting for us." Without waiting for a response, Gin kept walking. Eventually Takasugi followed silently after him, the crack that had formed in his heart growing bigger.
When Gin was in the bath that night, Takasugi went to Katsura with his plan, knowing that Gin would probably agree if Katsura did. Katsura had immediately agreed, saying it was the right thing to do. Takasugi then told Katsura that Gin was less than enthusiastic with the plan. Katsura looked aghast, and said that he'd be able to convince Gin to go along with the plan as well.
Later that night, Gin stormed into his room, a glower on his face, "What are you thinking, going to Zura with your ridiculous plan?"
Takasugi gave Gin a mild look and said blandly, "I don't know what you're talking about. I just went to Katsura with the plan you so vehemently rejected. How was I to know he'd tell you about it? So, do you agree now?"
Gin looked at Takasugi as if his words were poison, "Do I agree? You've left me no choice! I have to protect Zura…I have to protect you because of your plan. I hope you're happy now."
Takasugi was about to say that he was, indeed, happy that he could get his revenge now, but before he could, Gintoki left just as abruptly as he came in.
Soon after that, Takasugi, Gin, and Katsura joined the war against the Amanto. Takasugi almost forgot that Gin had, at first, rejected his plan. Gin seemed to blend right in with the battlefield and he voiced none of his previous complaints. Takasugi guessed it was probably for Zura's sake.
But, after a particularly bloody battle, Takasugi saw Gin's resolve breaking. Soon after that, Takasugi lost his eye and everything started spiraling out of control. After another violent, rainy battle, Gintoki betrayed them and left, saying something about how he'd had enough of what they were doing.
This left Katsura and Takasugi to fight for themselves. So, when they lost and the Amanto basically took over, Takasugi felt justified saying that it was all Gintoki's fault. With the Kiheitai temporarily disbanded, Takasugi fled to Kyoto, where the grip of the Amanto wasn't so strong. It was around then, that he took up the Kiseru and the Shamisen. The Kiseru to drown his sorrows and the Shamisen to release them; neither worked very well and both became unbreakable habit. The crack in his heart was irreparable now. The only thing that could fill it was the destruction of the people who had killed Shouyou-Sensei.
And for ten years he heard nothing of Gintoki. For ten, long years, Takasugi made plans to topple the Bakufu. He reformed the Kiheitai, made connections with people in high places for use later, and even made sure various Amanto groups would owe him favors whenever he needed them. He still had a tentative alliance with Katsura, but he doubted that would be reliable in the end.
He had the loyalty of the members of the Kiheitai, but they didn't really have his. They were just pawns to use until their convenience ran out. There were some he trusted more than others, though, like Kawakami Bansai and Takechi Hanpeita; they much more valuable than the other members of the Kiheitai so they were blessed with more of Takasugi's trust.
The next time Takasugi met Gin was at the Shogun's birthday. Gin hadn't changed. At all. He was still a coward and a traitor who, for some reason, could go on living after Shouyou-Sensei's death. It made Takasugi burn with anger. And yet, it was a small comfort to know that Gin hadn't changed at all. The only thing that was different about him was that he used a wooden sword instead of a real one.
After that, Takasugi started paying more attention to the rumors about Sakata Gintoki and his Yorozuya business. He had been both amused and annoyed to hear about his former comrade's adventures, especially when they involved foiling his plans
And then, during the Benizakura fiasco, he once again saw how little Gin had changed. He and Katsura seemed to be fighting against everything Takasugi was trying to do. Why didn't they share the same view that this rotten world needed to be destroyed now that Shouyou-Sensei was gone? Time had stopped for Takasugi that day, so why hadn't it stopped for Katsura and Gin as well?
They had all started in the same place, but they were all so different now. No, they were different from the beginning. If Katsura and Gin wanted to get in his way, fine. But he wouldn't stop, until this rotten, Shouyou-Sensei-less world burned to the ground. It was all he could do to keep from breaking completely.
And that is the end. It's probably a little unsatisfactory, but it seemed right to me. As I said, I don't really like Takasugi. He's probably one of the only Gintama characters that I would be happy never to see again (but, unfortunately, that probably won't happen). But, you know, I didn't really like Abuto or Kamui either. And then I wrote about them, and they became some of my favorite characters ^_^ Alright, that's enough outta me. So, if you'd like, please leave a review and tell me how out of character Takasugi was (or not, that works too). Well, until next time then.
-Murayama Tsuru