Disclaimer: Gintama is created by and property of Hideaki Sorachi. I own nothing of it.

Title: Yoshiwara's Sun

By: Akira09

Note: This fanfiction is set after the events of the Yoshiwara arc. Please read the manga first for a better understanding of certain things. Has a bit of Gintoki/Tsukuyo pairing in the coming chapters. Chapter 1 is Tsukuyo's point of view.

Yoshiwara, it's a city like any other. It's indecent, brutal, gentle yet cold, full of smiles, and tears too, oh and the sun shining down upon it. Yeah, just like any other ordinary city. But behind this exterior of smiling faces lies a dark past, a sad story hidden between the dark alleys of this shangrila. For the men lucky enough to have money, it was a city of pleasure. And for the women with nowhere else to go, it was both their heaven, and their hell.

Among the people of this lively city stood a woman, with a pipe on her hand, and her crimson eyes gazing at the sun. With a smile on her face, she thought about the days of past. She was reminiscing about the city, back when it was still a dark abyss. She was thinking about the people, back when darkness was all they ever knew. But it's all in the past now, everything is fine this buzzing little city. As her eyes wandered the streets, her thoughts focused on just one thing, a person to be exact. She thought about a man, the one who brought the reasons for her smile.

"Tsk, the sun is too bright, I'm still not used to it" she thought while lighting her pipe. As she walked the streets, a familiar voice greeted her, "good morning Tsukuyo-san!" shouted a small boy. "Good morning Seita, what are you doing on these parts?" Tsukuyo asked. "Ma asked me to buy some stuff for the store, so I'm kinda in a hurry" the boy said as he ran past her. As she kept walking, thoughts kept running in her head, "Seita is so lively now, not like before. He used to be so depressed, with nothing to drive him other than to see his mother. In a dirty city, he was the only kid, and he was willing to dirty his hand to achieve his goal. But he changed, I don't know when it happened, but I'm sure it's because he met you. When he was in his most desparate moment, you came, you gave him hope. Even when you were facing the night king, you stared death in the face. And with those same eyes, you looked at Seita, as if assuring him that everything will be alright. I saw it all, I was there remember?"

The woman kept walking the streets of Yoshiwara, only stopping to check on the different commotions, it is a lively city afterall. The city too has changed from those times. The dark city streets that used to be filled with sins now house normal-looking stores and establishments. There is still the red lights district, but which city doesn't have one? "Tsk, everything in this city is too damn bright" she thought, still walking. When she arrived at the gates, familiar faces welcomed her, "good morning lady Tsukuyo" greeted the female guards. "Good morning, continue what you were doing" answered the crimson eyed woman. It is here, at the entrance of the city, that she again thought about that man. "This place sure has changed, and it's all because of you. Haha, you must have caused quite a commotion when you first stepped into this city. Knowing you, I'm pretty sure that you have. If you hadn't come, I...the people of this city would have just continued living their lives like before, not caring, not knowing that they can do better, that they had a choice. I remember when you promised to bring the sun to this once miserable place, to think that I even doubted you. It's just that.... all our lives we've known nothing except what's in front of us. That was our reality, we were stuck here, might as well make it feel like a home. Either that, or we were just too numb from all the hardships, and just gave up and took what's coming. Just imagine everyone's surprise when the concrete sky that we're so used to started crumbling. And right before our eyes, that big sun in the sky that you promised showed itself with warmth, as if welcoming us. I've got to hand it to you, even if you look like a useless bum, you kept your promise. I'm sure everyone is thankful to the one who brought us the sun, I know I am."

The woman left the entrance with a relieved look on her face. Her patrol of the city streets is almost done. And like any other day, she would finish her rounds by visiting her dearest friend, the one she looks up to, Hinowa. She arrives at her friends store and is welcomed by a nostalgic smile. It was Hinowa, looking at her with a smile that has brought her confort through the years. "Good morning lady Hinowa, I have come to visit you again" she greeted with respect. "Now now Tsukuyo, how many times have I told you to just call me by my first name? And don't be so polite, we are friends afterall" Hinowa replied. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to it yet" Tsukuyo answered in an enbarassed manner. "I understand, a lot of things have changed since then, right Tsukuyo?" Hinowa implied, again while smiling. It was then that Tsukuyo again remembered about that man. "That's right, the reason why you came here on the first place was to help Seita see his mother, right? Hey, you're really good at keeping your promises. You freed Hinowa from her shackles, and for that, I thank you. She meant everything to us, every woman here in Yoshiwara looked up to her. She was our sun, then, and now."

"I'll be leaving now, see you again tommorow" Tsukuyo bid farewell. "Ah, I'll see you off," Hinowa walked with her for a little while, "say Tsukuyo, I've noticed something about you." "Eh, what is it?" Tsukuyo wondered. Hinowa looked at her with her usual smile, "You've changed a lot since then Tsukuyo, I know you're very happy now, and it shows. You're so full of life now, not like before, when it seemed like you're just waiting for death. I think I first noticed it when that samurai came here." "Wha...what are you saying?" Tsukuyo answered in a bewildered manner. "Haha, nervermind what I said, goodbye Tsukuyo, see you tommorow." Hinowa said as she bid farewell.

"Did I really change?" That question was running in her mind as she walked towards home. "It's that idiot's fault for coming here and causing all sorts of ruckus. I mean, he comes here uninvited, makes all sorts of promises, talking about bringing the sun to us, and then delivering on all of them. What's a girl got to do? I was there, i saw him do those things. And I'm here right now, looking at that big sun in the sky, the very same one that you gave us.....hey Gintoki, are looking up at the same sun right now?"

Note: This is my first fanfiction, so any comment will be appreciated.