Authors Note (Beginning of story):
* Narration
*"Talking"
* Thoughts
*Narrator intrusion
The streets of Kabuki Chou were silent on the night everything changed.
When everyone learned the true identity of their friend, Sakata Gintoki.
The day Katsura joined forces with Takasugi to reform Edo.
Chapter One; Don't Interrupt my JUMP Time, Dammit!
-x-
A few days earlier
"SHADDUP I'M COMING!" the leader of the Yorozuya yelled at the person at the door. His precious weekly JUMP would have to wait, they knocked non-stop and it was beginning to give him a headache. He couldn't read with a headache. He opened it to see no one.
"Gin-san, who is it?" Kagura, the small yato girl, asked from inside the house.
"Dunno." Gintoki said, picking up the large box and turning around. Just then Shinpachi was climbing up the stairs to their second-floor house.
"Ah, Megan. Mind carrying this in?" He tossed the large box to the unprepared, generic-looking boy, whose only feature is his glasses. Unready he 'caught' the box only for it to hit him and make him fall down the stairs.
"WHAT THE HELL GINTOKI!" he screamed, blood running down his forehead,"WHY COULDN'T YOU CARRY IT IN?!"
"Ah, well, you see," the man began,"I haven't done my arm stretches yet so doing any labor with my arms could mess them up." The dead-fish crimson eyes stared into the boys unbelieving brown ones. Shrugging he followed the lazy man into his rented house where the yato girl in a red Chinese dress stood.
"Oh, you're here, Megan. What's that?" Shinpachi had a vein twitch in annoyance.
Sighing he spoke,"Yeah, Gin-san. What is this?" Brushing the red-haired girl aside Gintoki examined the box. Long enough for a sword... He felt around it. Say, what is in here?
"Maybe we should just feed it to Sadaharu." The yato girl exclaimed gaining a 'woof' response from the over-sized white dog.
Rolling his eyes at the two, Shinpachi looked back at Gintoki,"Well, whose it addressed to?" Gintoki turned the box over, feeling it's contents shift. On the bottom there lay the address.
"Hmm? Shiroyahsa (white demon)?" At Kaguras words Gintokis eyes widened. Is it Takasugi? Katsura? Or is it another veteran from the Joui War?
"Well, looks like it's not ours so-" Shinpachi stopped as the silver-haired man began ripping at the box. "H-hey! We can't send it back opened!"
"We aren't sending it back." Gintoki responded in his usual, apathetic tone. The two watched their naturally-permed leader open the box and a slight 'crash' resounded. It was the sound of metal hitting metal, a sound Gintoki knew well.
"Gin-san..." Kagura watched her bosses face change from it's usual dead-fish one to a cold, serious one.
Looking inside Gintoki sees a note and picks it up. It read:
Dear Kintoki,
"Ah, that Bastard Tatsuma." Gintoki grumbled then continued,
I assume you've gotten my package and are wondering why I've sent you these.
"These?" Gintoki put his hand it the box and moved around until he saw a glint of white. No this can't be... Hastily he continued reading.
Let me just state this before you throw them out- you'll need them I've gotten wind of Takasugi and his plans- to have a war against Edo.
Gintoki read the word again, WAR, he didn't like the sound of that. Kagura and Shinpachi watched Gintoki's reaction as he read on through the note. They became more and more worried as Gintoki grew more serious.
If you have yet to look at the items- which i'm sure is probably the case, you can probably guess what they are. It is from the Joui War, and they were hard to get a hold of.
Gintoki grabbed the box at this and dumped its contents to the ground with a loud 'clang' noise. There it was. The shining black breast plate. The white robe and headband. The sandals and the grey pants. The white sword. It was all here.
Shinpachi and Kagura looked at the items then at each other with the same question, why?
Before you rampage around the cit for me, you don't have to. Right now i'm giving Katsura his package. Gintoki, i know i'm asking a lot, but we need the Shiroyahsa in this battle.
Gintoki reread that line. Below the words 'Shiroyasha' he can see the erased word 'you'.
It's going to be a war and even the shoguns gotten wind of it. He's forming an army for it and asked me to participate. I'll do it if you- and Katsura- join too. We all know the shogun will lead us, but all veterans know that the Shiroyasha will truly lead us.
Again, below 'Shiroyahsa' Gintoki could see the faint words 'Kintoki'.
I'll await your reply at a meeting at Ikumatsu's Ramen Shop at 8:00 pm.
Sighing, Gintoki bent down and picked up all of the boxes treasure, setting it on the table.
"Gin-san?" red-haired girls blue eyes beamed at him, Gintoki looked at her then back at the items. Ruffling his hand through his silver hair he gave an exasperated sigh.
"I'll be busy at 8 tonight." He stated, lifting the white kimono in front of him.
"What's this, aru?" Kagura said, picking up the black breast plate.
"Something i used to use..." Gintoki responded as he folded the kimono and grabbed the white sword.
"Do you mean during the war." Shinpachis question went unanswered as Gintoki grabbed his chest plate and headed for his room. Shinpachi and Kagura looked at each other, then the letter. Hastily they grabbed it and skimmed the words before Gintoki came back.
They read the entire thing and Gintoki was still in his room, sliding the door open just a crack they see Gintoki with a shining-white sword in his hands.
His eyes are closed as he slices through the air with ease. Jumping and swinging as if he were in a dance, a true samurai. The moves were swift and perfect as he slashed around, seemingly oblivious to his awed onlookers. It seems that he's not here anymore... Shinpachi's thoughts raced as he watched his boss slice through the air. When he stopped he opened his eyes which gleamed in a blood red sending shivers down the children's spines. In a slow intake of breath, Gintoki closed and opened his eyes, reverting it back to its dead-fish state.
"You read the note?" Gintoki said, the two knew they'd been caught and slid the door open all the way.
"So, this war with Takasugi..." Shinpachi spoke, not knowing what to say.
"I know i can't stop you," Gintoki looked at them, sliding the white sword back into its sheath. "But, i will ask you to not participate."
"Huh!" Kagura shrieked,"Does Gin-san think we're weak?" She stared at him angrily. Shinpachi looked at the silver haired samurai who averted his gaze.
"No, that's not it." Gintoki looked back at the boy, tapping his sword. "War doesn't always have to do with this kind of strength, but this kind." Gintoki pointed at his head.
"But i don't want- a perm, Gin-san! I just wanna fight!" Kagura whined, Gintokis vein twitched in anger.
"A perm isn't that bad!" he retorted,"And besides, I mean mental strength." Shinpachi stared at his boss.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gintoki looked at the boy and sighed.
"War is much more of a mental battle then a physical one. I just don't think you should go through that type of thing at your age. That's all."
"You mean killing and see death, don't you?" Gintoki stared at the boy and ran his fingers through his curly head.
"As I said, i ask of you not to join," Gintoki walked to the door and between them. Placing his hands on both of their heads he continued,"but i can't stop you. I can only warn you." And with that Gintoki walked out the door with his 'Lake Touya' bokuto.
The two stared at the place where Gintoki stood then back at eachother.
"Like hell i ain't fighting!" Kagura pumped her fist into the air,"Come on Sadaharu, lets go teach that permed bastard his rightful place!" the dog yipped and the two ran out the door. Shinpachi walked back into Gintokis room and found the white kimono and chest plate sent in the box. He scanned it and realized it wasn't as white as he had initially thought. It was tinted a light shade of red all over. He realized that every article of clothing was the same. The one most clean was the pure white sword, other then for one part. At the seem between the hilt and the blade, it was stained such a deep shade of crimson that he almost passed it off as black.
"And what're you doing?" Shinpachi spun around expecting to see Gin-san only for it to be a familiar, raven-haired samurai.
"Oh, Katsura." He noted that the man was in his usual monk disguise.
"Going through Gintokis things, are we?"
"Who let you in?" Shinpachi ignored Katsuras remark.
"Huh? Oh, the door was opened. I thought Gintoki was expecting me to come because he had finally decided to join the Joui Patriots once again."
"Or," Shinpachi stared at the man,"because you thought you two would talk about Takasugi's war?" This made the samurai go silent, on the dot, huh?
"Hmm, how do you know about that?" Shinpachi pointed at the note on the floor beside Katsuras feet. Picking it up he skimmed it as Shinpachi continued.
"That's not the case anyway, Kagura left the door open after she ran out." Katsura turned and set the note down.
"When Gintoki comes back, can you relay a message for me?" Shinpachi looked at the man in confusion, but nodded anyway.
"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Katsura waved his hand in front of his face in dismissal.
"No, no. He wouldn't hear of it." Katsuras face suddenly got serious as he said,"Tell him the Tendoshu and the Shogun have met about war conditions. I've heard a particular member has made a bold proposition."
"That's all? What's the proposition?"
"Gintoki will understand with just that. I must leave." And with that he bowed, turned, then walked out the front door. Sighing Shinpachi decided to ask Gintoki about the clothes later, and put them back.
-x-
A few hours later= 7: (something) pm.
"Oi! Shinpachi," Gintoki walking into the door drinking a carton of strawberry milk,"what's that smell?"
"Megan decided to cook for us today, aru!" Kagura pipped up and Gintoki nodded n response.
"Huh?! Who're you calling Megan!" Shinpachi burst into the room.
"Ah, shaddup." Gintoki sighed, picking his nose and flicking the contents to some unknown destination.
"Oh, Gin-san, you're back!" Shinpachi said, looking warily at the area Gintoki flicked towards. "Katsura came by."
"Did you tell him i'm not joining his Joui rebellion?" Gintoki went to sit at his desk, crossing his feet on top of it.
"Um, no." Shinpachi watched him and continued,"He told me to relay a message."
"Huh, what's that?" Gintoki began picking his nose with his pinky again.
"That the Tendoshu and Shogun met, and that... one of them made a certain proposition." Gintoki paused and leered down on Shinpachi, the crimson eyes seeming deadly. Both Kagura and Shinpachi shivered at the aura, going unnoticed by Gintoki.
"Did he say anything else?"
"N-no," Shinpachi stuttered,"He said that you'd understand." Nodding Gintoki turned into his room.
"I'll be leaving now." Gintoki said walking out with his white sword and Bokuto strapped to his waist.
"Isn't it almost 8?" Shinpachi looked at Kagura.
"Don't worry, Megan," she said,"Even if it's late, and even if he's an adult. He won't be hooking up with any girls 'cause of his perm." Shinpachis vein twitched in anger.
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT!" He launched at her with a kick, only for his ankle to be caught by the yato. She threw him into the wall, cracking it, gaining angered yells from Otose-san.
"Oi, Pachi-san," Kagura said, eating some rice,"Don't anger the old hag."
"Whose an old hag?" Otose stood in the doorway, smoke in hand.
"Ah, ohld hahg?" Kagura said with a mouthful of food. Otose looked around.
"I take it that idiot isn't home?" She looked at Shinpachi who shook his head. "I came to warn him about something but seeing he's gone i'll just tell you two."
"Tell us what?" Otose took another drag. Her eyes suddenly became serious as she spoke.
"There's danger lurking around every corner. I've had Tama at my hand at all times, but that doesn't fix everything."
"Oh, so you came to ask Gin-san to fix everything?" Kagura spoke after she swallowed.
"No," she looked at the girl,"I came to make another promise." Shinpachi and Otose met eyes, then she waved and hand, turned around, and walked down the stairs.
"Shin-chan..." Kagura looked at the boy, 90% glasses, 6% water, 4% trash and 1% Otae's brother.
"Wait, wait, WAIT! Narrator! What's with that kind of description!" Shinpachi screamed.
"What's wrong, Megan? It's the truth." The two glared at each other thankfully forgetting about me.
"Huh, what was that, narrator-san? How could we forget you?" Kagura looked up to where ever she thinks i am. Lets just get on with the story...
Sighing, Shinpachi nods and looks back at the door. "I wonder is Gin-san will be alright..."
"Well, why worry when we can just ask narrator-san?" Kagura asks.
"Huh, well, narrator-san probably doesn't know yet." Shinpachi's correct on this one.
"Well, it makes sense that he's that much of a smart-ass. I mean, he IS 90% glasses, eh, narrator-san?" Kagura eats another mouthful.
"EH! Why are we back to this!"
Getting out of there, we go over to Gintoki in the streets of Kabuki Chou...
"Shin-chan."
"What?"
"I think narrator-san ran away."
"..."
"Ne, Shin-chan? I guess you just weren't an important enough character for her to stay."
"HUH! Doesn't that mean you're saying that about yourself too!"
"No, no, Kagura-senpai is much to cool for them to handle. You're much to glasses."
"WHAT WAS THAT!"
"Oh, don't run from the truth."
"...Hey, Kagura-chan?"
"Huh?"
"Why are there no descriptions on us talking?"
"'Cause narrator-san isn't watching us anymore."
"..."
-x-
"Ara, ara," Gintoki whined as the rain started,"what's this gonna do to my hair?" Taking lazy steps he makes it to Ikumatsu's half-soaked and tired.
"Oh, Kintoki-" Tatsuma started only to get himself smacked with a chair. As he recovers from hitting the wall Gintoki sits next to Katsura.
"Oi, Zura," Gintoki starts.
"It's not Zura, it's Katsura!" Gintoki waves his hand in dismissal.
"You gonna join the Shogun?" Katsura looked at him with a face of shock.
"To protect this country, I'll do anything." Sighing, Gintoki looks up at the ceiling..
"Oh, uh, Kin-san-"
"That's not any better!" Gintoki plants his foot in Tatsumas face who fly's into the wall now unconscious with his goofy smile.
"How do you expect this meeting to go on without him?" Realizing Zura's right-though he'd never admit it, Gintoki goes over to Tatsuma and grabs him by the collar.
"Wake up," he says, shaking him vigorously,"you can't get knocked out by another person with a perm, even though mines better then your-" Gintoki's cut off as Ikumatsu kicks his head into the already crumbling wall.
"YOU BASTARD! How do you expect to pay for the wall damages!" Turning around with a bleeding forehead, he gives a nervous smile.
"Oi, Tatsuma," He says to the smiling idiot,"this is going on your tab." Leaving the merchant at Ikumatsu's mercy, Gintoki goes back to his spot next to Katsura, later joined by the brown-permed man.
"Listen, guys," Tatsuma turns to both of them, the bounce usually found in his voice replaced by a serious tone,"As i already briefed you, Takasugi is going to start a war. I wanted to meet with you today before the Shogun did, though."
"Huh? Hold on, go back a few steps." Gintoki turns to Tatsuma,"Before the Shogun meets us?"
"He's set a meeting date, tomorrow, so he can see the forces that will form his army. Including the Shinsengumi, military, the Oniwaban, and war veterans. Amanto and samurai alike." The two are shocked at hearing this.
"That could be a could time to recruit more Joui-" Katsura starts to say, but his face is slammed into the counter by Gintoki's fist.
"You empty-headed idiot! The problem in that is that all types of war veterans are welcome!" Gintoki looks at Tatsuma,"...but I'll go to the meeting." Katsura looks at him in awe, with a blood-covered face.
"W-wow, Kin- no, Gintoki! You're really gonna do it!" Tatsuma exclaimed with his usual dumb smile.
"I said i'd go to the meeting, i never said i'd join the war.
"But you will join the war, won't you?" Katsura looked at the man who shrugged. "I've already made an alliance with the Shogun recently," he states,"so you can count me in, Tatsuma."
"Come on, Kintoki! It'll be just like old times!" Gintokis vein twitched in annoyance, but then he sighed.
"Maybe, if you stopped calling me Kintoki i MIGHT consider joining." Yeah, it annoys me to, Gin-san.
"Ah? Then why don't you stop him- no, even better. Shut this ass-whole up completely! Eh?" No, i can't do that. The story must go on.
"He's basically making the story Kintama! Do any of us want that!?" Lets just continue with the story. Fourth wall, Gintoki!
"Fine..." Gintoki pouted in frustration at the clueless Tatsuma.
"So... We'll see you there, Gintoki?" He nodded at Katsuras question then turns to leave.
"Ah? Where are you going?" Tatsuma asks.
"I got two brats at home with a million questions. I'm trying to make it home before that crazy girl kills me." Ahhh, i wish i had some strawberry milk. The samurai sighs, running his fingers through his soaked, silver hair.
"Ahhh! Gin-san!" Kagura exclaims as her rain-soaked boss walks in though the door, kicking off his shoes.
"Ahhh, Kagura, where's Megan?"
"Glasses-san? Went home."
"Oh, Patssun went home early." Gintoki said as he went over to the fridge, seeing the contents makes his vein twitch in anger. "DAMMIT MEGAN! WHEN YOU GET GROCERIES, GET MY STRAWBERRY MILK!"
At the Shimura household
"Achoo!"
"Shinpachi, you catch a cold?" Anue asks her younger brother who had sneezed out of the blue.
"No...?" He rubs at his nose furiously, confused.
"Someone must be thinking about you." He looks at his sister, who?
-x-
AUTHORS NOTE: Hey~ thanks for reading. The story is NOT ending with just this. Please review! I'm going to re-watch Gintama to get the characters, well, character better, though i have not- and will never- stop reading the manga. Please review, but don't be a hater! Sorry if it's not what you wanted, but thanks anyway! From now on, whenever i post, it will always be on a Saturday or a Sunday (unless i say otherwise)'Til next time!