I finally was able to write something, yey! Now this is something new for me, trying to write a fanfiction about Gintama, so I apology for some OOC that might happen ahead. Feel free to ask anything, if you don't understand or want to know more, this is suppose to be a one-shot but, if everything turns out well, it might be a series...I'm still thinking. It does not take place in a especific episode.
Disclaimer - I do not own Gintama, it's the awesome and genious work of Hideaki Sorachi. I just own the OC.
With this all being said, I leave it for you to read.
''Never underestimate cheap alcohol''
It had been a long day for the brunette woman and she couldn't wait to finally sit at one of the many bars and finally drink until she couldn't even remember her own name or age. The first day in Edo for her had been crazy, people walking past her ad looking up and down, maybe impressed by her beautiful paper lamp hugging from her Bō was lighten up in the clear day, or maybe because of her way of dressing. The woman didn't ow, but it made her feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, she had ignored the stares and the children pointing their fingers to her as if she was some exquisite animal or human being. For Inari's¹ sake Edo nowadays was inhabited with Amanto, yet wherever she passed, she was ogled or glanced differently.
That hadn't been the worse though. Once again she had been chased down the streets by a group of people, blaming her from her bad advice in the street game. Yes it had been her to blame…somehow, no one told them to follow her words; nevertheless, the woman took a lot of time to finally distract them and making them get lost for good. The problem was...Naoko, herself had ended up lost in the streets to, not knowing where she was or how she could go back to the main street. She had tried all the afternoon to go back the original trail, which hadn't result and now, at the night sky filled with stars, the brunette finally quitted on her original plan. Deciding to finally have a good drink after a long day.
When her amber eyes finally looked up on a frail street sign she finally knew that was the place where she would stay for a long time, spending a great amount of her money. It wasn't the best of houses, she had to admit, but Naoko wasn't much interested in the appearance of the bar. No, she was more concerned with a good drink rather hn the environment, not even caring with the loudness inside. Looking at the counter the brunette noticed a free space between other two persons, and finally satherself in there. Daring to ask right away for the bartender one bottle of the strongest and best saké they had. The moment her order was given to her, her eyes sparkled in enthusiasm, pouring said beverage fastly to the small glass and drink it as if it was water, all the way down. Warm shivers ran down her body then moment she landed the cup back into the balcony surface a satisfying hum leaving her lips.
'Someone had a rough day.' A man beside her told her, he too following her same gestures. Though when sipping on his drink, unlike Naoko, he took his time to sip the drink while the brunette was already in her second glass.
'Haven't we all?' She declared, knowing that must people in there weren't there because they had a marvellous day, but because like herself, their day hadn't been the best. If not, why would they be in a shaggy bar drinking until their souls would finally escape them? The man at her side, snickered a bit. Naoko wasn't so much of a smiley person that day, maybe in the morning when she finally has arrived at the city and her curiosity had arose the interest of knowing more about Edo…once the afternoon settled, it had been different.
'True, true.' The man had said, drinking his glass quickly, just like she had done the first time. Naoko poured more of the transparent liquid into her own recipient and drank, a small smile founding her lips after. It had been so much time since she was able to find such a good drink. It was satisfying her so much that the brunette almost forgot her manners. She even forgot her tradition, per say, and, right after apologizing to the air, she then asked for another extra small glass at the bartender, who eyed her quizzically. Nonetheless, the demanded was attended and, once the cup was in her hand, Naoko poured the liquid inside. This time though, she didn't drank it, instead, she put the cup in front of her and left it in there, eyeing it with her so expressive orbs. She could feel the stranger at her side looking at her gesture, which had for sure grabbed his attention. Not only that but soon after he too, together with the bartender, where eyeing her back where her staff stood, the beautiful white and black lantern glowing softly.
'I'm sorry miss, but…' The old bartender started to say, the expression in his eyes serious once he had noticed the flammable object on her back, so fragile and dangerous at the same time. '…we don't allow such lanterns in here.' He said serious, knowing that his authoritarian tone would immediately making her obey his orders. It always worked with the others clients. What he didn't expected however was for the woman herself sigh deeply and look over at him, her yes shinning in the lamps light like precious amber, a very dangerous and beautiful amber.
'Is it disturbing you?' She asked calmly. Why do people always try to found something to trigger her nerves whenever she felt finally calm? She just wanted to relax, to have a day without constantly worry about people words and comments about her figure and possessions. The bartender quietly stood in place, the glass in his hand, he was taken aback by the sudden adventurous answer. As soon as thw two shared those words, silence could be heard inside the bar, eyes following their figures.
'It's against the rules, miss.' He tried to keep his courage at bay, addressing her so formally after noticing the strange slick in her eyes. Naoko closed her eyes and took over the silence and tense atmosphere of the bar. It was always like that, whenever she went, there would be always this environment and her drink suddenly felt so disgusting, like it was mud. Her eyes were quick to skim the place. It was common sense, to know that a place like this one had always a secret behind it, something that only the owner knew about. After all they had to keep ther business somehow, besides selling drinks until pople would finally colapse and send away. Naoko was quick to find the problem, as always.
'Interesting.' She said calmly, a giggle coming from her lips right after with her hand covering her mouth. It was so ironic. 'You know what is also against the rules mister?' Naoko taunted the bartender by winking at him, smiling meanwhile and keeping her index finger close to her lips. 'Keeping a secret hidden that could easily close this place if someone was brave enough to speak it out loud.' The bartender eyes widened i terror, surprised by such sentence. It had been a whisper , but he was able to understand it so easily, while the other men in the bar were too drunk to even understand what was going on, deciding to return to their lives once they noticed that nothing intersting was about to happen. If had been any other client, the bartender would have laughed at its face and try to uncover such accusation, yet when he looked at this specific costumer in the eyes, he felt something wrong. It was like the woman's eyes were telling him that she knew in fact something and, if he was brave enough, to go against her, then she wouldn't think twice before acting.
'I-I'm so sorry lady.' He said to her, bowing in respect once he got the hint. Naoko smile disappeared soon after and she returned to the drink in front of her, looking at her glass and sighing once more. It had been so good while it lasted. Grabbing the second glass, she gave a quick apologize and drank it, the taste hitting her tongue completely different from before. Feeling s heavy in her stomach, tis drink was like an ofense now and there was no way she as going to let Inari have it.
'Such a waste…' She commented to herself, before pulling of her wallet from her secret place, which was her bra, and retrieving some bills, hiding them under her glass and the small jar in whch was still the rest of the saké.
'It's been a while since I saw a fox.' The man at her side commented in some kinfd of code. Naoko's eyes widened at such affirmation. She looked at the other people in the bar, noticing that she returned to their own business, laughing and commenting about their own adventures...as if they had one, it was all lies. It was then that the brunette dared to look at her left side to find the same man, who previously commented on her day, to sip his drink again. The woman couldn't believe in her eyes. Right at her side was the man she believed to have died so many years ago of natural causes, that she believed to finally have forgotten a few years ago. She blinked her eyes twice, thinking that finally the cheap alcohol was making the job. But no. That white, soft hair, more similar to a mane was unique, together with shoes beautiful and almost dead read eyes proved her wrong. It was in fact the same person from so long was the same man, Sakata Gintoki.
'Is that so…' Naoko answered back, trying to keep her serious expression and not look so surprise. She still couldn't believe in everything she saw, that had been something life had taught her since a young age. The man then grabbed her glass, pouring his own drink in it and sliding it over to her, his drowsy eyes returning to the wall in front of him. 'Tell me more.' Those words had found their own way out of her mouth, because what she really wanted was to get out of there and keep her way. Yet her curiosity was something she couldn«t control and the brunette wanted to make sure that was really him.
'She was a pain in an ass.' He stated calmly. Naoko was soon to role her eyes and try her best to not hit the man. That was all she needed, tohegether with his appearance, to know that she wasn't dreaming. For sure he still had the same nerve as back then. Naoko kept silence, her fingers deciding to dance on the glass's surface. 'A lucky charm though. When I was next to her something good would always happen.' Naoko wanted to laugh, instead a snicker smirk appeared in her lips. Those times had ended long ago. Times when she believed that the prosperous God was next to her and had given her a gift, something she could use to help others in need and, of course, the people she cared about. But, pretty much like a dream, everything came to an end one faithful day, when her life turned upside down and her luck had turned into a full completely curse.
'Ah... I believe then that you're talking about a different fox then.' She stated, finally drinking the glass he had offered to her. 'This one isn't as sacred as that one, her prospering enchantment long gone.' Naoko confessed, looking over at the table with a sad expression. Long ago she felt proud of being such an especial person, who could bring happiness and laugh whenever she went to, but now, instead of happiness was always rage and sadness followed by screams, fights and problems.
'Is that so?' He said nonchalantly, finally looking at her and taking her figurine. She had grown to be someone quite beautiful, something he remembered to always denied and decided to pivk on her by making fun of her. Telling that she would never be as beautiful and sexy as other women. Now his words came back to haunt him, because what he saw wasn't a gruesome woman, but a very exquisite one with those same very expressive and hypnotic eyes. He then returned to look at the same wall, a small smile tugging his lips. 'Ah, such a disillusion, I needed some of her luck to earn money.'
'Pervert.' She said loud enough for him to hear while her cheeks handled a beautiful rouge colour. It had been a good pair of years since someone had actually said something nice to her. 'You have the wrong fox then.' She was able to mutter out, finally raising from the stool and indicating at the bartender the bills on the balcony, also indicating out the man's own drink. She was basically paying for him to, not because she felt obligated but because it had been always a gesture of her moral to pay a drink for her old fellows. The man eyes never left her figure, even when she looked back with a small smile before taking her way.
Naoko felt the cold breeze of the night hit her shoulders as in a beautiful and tender kiss. The woman felt somewhat relief, her lips rising a bit from her usual serious and stoic face. So this had been the place where he had stayed after those events, after so many time. He fore sure wasn't aware of how sad she had been those years, never knowing anything about them. That smile was quick to disappear and her footsteps once quick, slow down until she stood still in the middle of the street, some people laughing and enjoying the night life passing by her. She then looked over to the sky, hopping to see the dark velvet skyand those white dots that appeased her so much. Instead she found the tall buildings and the blinding light of the street lights, covering her vision. Right there, with her hope gone, Naoko felt the necessity to let go of her emotions, to let the alcohol do their respective job and for her eyes to start watering.
However as she was about to let those sad thoughts to get the best of her, an arm was quick to enlace over her shoulder, making the brunette look over the person who was doing it in a mix of surprise and repulsive. The woman was about to grab the arm thinking that was might one of those drunk people who had a nerve un til the same quite mane that was inside the bar made her stop her actions. She was over surprised to see Gintoki at her side, his weight all over her own form, too tipsy to get a hold on himself and walk straight.
How she wanted to protest and start a scene in the middle of the street, giving him a speech. However Naoko mouth's continued shut and her feet moved on their own, imitating the man's rhythm and taking the same direction as him, not caring if he was actually leaning on her to keep himself awake. There was a pleasant silence between them, making the night so calm and relaxing, everything she had wished long ago and that very same day in the morning. Who knew that after so many years on living in the streets and on cheap motels, robbing people and deceiving them finally paid off in a good way. For once the brunette could finally say that she was happy, that her heart was at ease and she felt secure under his arm lazily surrounding her shoulder, while she was almost caring him, shaking him awake and trying to know the directions.
'I don't think that the fox lost her luck.' He suddenly broke the silence, looking at the girl with his usual dead fish eyes. Naoko was taken aback by his words and his voice, confused even. 'I don't consider bad luck when someone pays for my drink.' The brunette wanted to laugh at him, if he knew what she had been through and what people ended up after she passed too much time with them, those words would never escape from his mouth. She could resemble a very nice persoon in deed, but the realitty was another.
'I wouldn't believe in her…You know what foxes are known for?' She asked out of nowhere trying to keep the mystery. However this statement made Gintoki confused. What the hell was she talking about? It was then that a yell was heard in the streets and when Gintoki looked back, he found the same previously man who had handed him the drink pointing at Naoko and yelling for someone to stop her, that she had tricked him and was a thief, a liar. Naoko was soon to react, by releasing herself from his arm and run he best she could. Holding the males hand and pulling him along with her while three other men followed them, one that sh recognized to be the bartender and the other two were strangers at her eyes. Nevertheless she found it revegorating, this sudden trigger of action, her paper lantern swinging over it's spot in the Bō dangerously, yet the flame inside never did extinguish or burnt the paper.
'What the hell did you do this time?' He asked her, more like screamed trying to get her attention. The angry bartender's voice nearest than before, to the point where he had to run by himself, letting go of her was soon to react and finally distract the men, by letting herself stay behind a bit and, making sure they would see her, she entered an alley. The men following behind her track, right there the brunette decided to run full speed, while her harmonious laugh echoed in the dark. It had been clear that her actions were intentional, she hadn't changed as much as he thought she did. What he couldn't understand though was why they were suddenly chased, and just like back then there was one more secret she kept from him. He always knew how cunning Naoko was, that she could easily trick people with her credible lies and actions. However after seeing her so many years after, Gintoki had belived she had changed somehow, that she was more mature and a normal woman. Just like the other he had been easily tricked by her gestures and manners.
Her words then resonated in his ears and Gintoki coudn't help but to smile. People wouldn't change so easily, especial her. The white-haired man then continued his way back home, his hand finding his wooden sword and feeling something which did not belong in there. Stopping himself in his tracks, he then looked over at the object, a hair accessory attached to it. It was a white and silver hair piece, designed to be a beautiful and unique fan, with two unlevelled silver threads that in the end had three or four small flowers hanging in the bottom. Gintoki rubbed his neck, the girl was more troublesome that she pretended to be. That belonged to Naoko, and it was also a guarantee that she would be back. Now it was for him to discover if that was a good or bad thing.
¹ - For those who don't know, Inari is a Japanese entity. Known to bring prosperity to those who worship him/her. Inari is also associated with crops and, mostly rice. t is said that the messenger of this God/Goddess is usually a fox. Now please don't missunderstand, Naoko is not a kitsune, she is a normal human but devoted to Inari.