* Strand DEAD*

by: WhiteGloves

"Ever since childhood we've dreamed of being pirates.

We're looking for the fabled treasure they called

'One-Pack! Right, Zura?"~ Gintoki Sakata

(Eccentric Samurais on the loose!)

~Enjoy reading!~

A pale skinned Yato girl with Chinese clothing was walking on the road with a boy wearing glasses conversing seriously that day. As they passed down the side of the road their conversation went on like this.

"Kagura-chan we shouldn't make conclusions like that."

"But it's true. I really heard Gin-chan talking to his sleep about killing himself. It's been three days since then, Shinpachi, and then I saw him this morning with a long rope on his hands. You think he'll finally do it, Shinpachi?"

"Why do you seem excited at the prospect?" the glasses man accused, "But no... I won't believe it till he actually does it. You know Gin-chan doesn't roll like that."

"Yeah but his consume of strawberry milk has been low lately."

"Eh? No way... that's a bad sign...we should hurry up and buy him some of it then."

And the two continued talking, not noticing a monk sitting with crossed legs at the side of the road holding a shakujo staff with him. He was wearing a black haori on top of his white one in attempt to disguise himself for he was a very popular man in public. He goes through many disguises but this time he was wearing a monk's clothing. He heard the two Yoruzuya members and raised his head a little but with eyes still invisible because of the kasa he was wearing.

Minutes later the same monk was seen strolling along the side walk of Kabuki district.

"If you have time to think about a beautiful end... why not live beautifully till the end?"

"Is what he said," the long black haired monk said and walked on. He was joined shortly by a large white creature and together they walked with most of the people staring and pointing at them.

The next scene found the same monk with black hair in the Yorozuya quarters with its familiar building on sight. It was then that the monk raised his eyes to reveal a placid looking face with fair features and olive brown eyes.

It was Kotarou Katsura—the Nobleman of Fury. He stared at the Yorozuya door without any indication of wanting to make his presence known for then something was still on his mind.

Seconds later and still no movement came from the Joui faction leader.

Then the white costume beside him shifted a little and rose what appeared to be a wooden board that says— Why are we here?

Katsura turned to his faithful sidekick.

"Well... it's not like we're here on a business, Elizabeth." He answered as he looked at the shoji door with a serious face, "it's just bothering to hear those kids talk about Gintoki like that. I can't believe I would hear them say that."

Elizabeth stared at the long haired samurai and inclined his head on one side.

Katsura batted his eyelids once with eyes focused on the door as he continued—

"They were saying Gintoki was on the verge of killing himself. That is absurd."

He turned to Elizabeth with a straight face—like he usually does.

"Don't worry, Elizabeth. I do not believe a single word they said. Gintoki is not a person to commit such a lowly act just because of some worldly reason of consuming less strawberry. How childish. Yiie, I know Sakata Gintoki better than anyone. He wouldn't kill himself so pathetically like that even if he is living so pathetically like this."

He looked back at the door and raised a hand to the handle.

"No. I believe in Gintoki Sakata and to prove that... I shall say hi."

The shoji door was opened.

"I'm sorry for intruding, Gintok—" Katsura started and then stopped—

For then what appeared in front of his eyes was the silver haired samurai and Yorozuya leader, Gintoki Sakata, on top of a chair with his hands around a noose and seemed to be in the act of putting his head on it.

Katsura stared hard and long at him.

Gintoki did the same.

Silence fell in the room.

Then Elizabeth raised his white board with a large exclamation point and question mark on it.

Gintoki blinked and then opened his mouth—

"Yo—Zur—"

There was a strong head collision and a loud crash— the next thing Gintoki found himself flattened on the wall with Katsura desperately clinging on his waist.

"What are you doing—Gintoki?!" the Joui leader shouted with an apparent look of shock on his face.

"I—I'd would'b lide to— asd you the seyb ding...!?" the silver haired samurai muttered through his flattened face.

"Why are you killing yourself?" Katsura went on desperately as he tackled Gintoki, "are you really that desperate to leave this world, Gintoki!? Open your mouth and speak to me!"

An angry vein popped out of the permed silver head as he pulled it from the wall and shouted—

"I'll open your deranged brain if you don't let go of me, Zura!"

Minutes later we found the silver haired samurai, Gintoki, with his dead pan eyes, staring at his considered lunatic old friend from across the couch where he usually meets his visitors. Katsura, without his kasa hat, was now sipping his tea quietly with his eyes closed and calm demeanour.

But the Yorozuya leader knew better than to believe this guy was calm. No. There was no calm in this idiot's vocabulary. If anything—it was the absolute opposite for Katsura Kotaro was like a ticking bomb. Too dangerous if not properly watched over.

Absolutely just like an idiot.

"Could you repeat what you just said, Zura?" he went on.

The Joui leader put his tea down first before making a solemn eye contact with the silver haired man.

"It's not Zura. It's Katsura! And I said I can help you with whatever it is that is bothering you."

Gintoki didn't bat an eye

"And why would I ask help from you, Zura? Someone like you who's always on the run because his face is plastered all over the wanted list of Edo. Someone like you with unused brain should be avoided no matter the cost, Zura. You're not the type to be asked help from—rather—you should really be ignored."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"And why would I ask for help again—what is my problem?"

"Leader was saying something disturbing about you taking your life."

"I think you are disturbing. No—you're mentality is really disturbing."

"Gintoki, stop messing around."

"No—if there's anyone in danger of killing himself between us it's not me, Zura. How many bombs have you set off lately against the Shinsengumi?"

"I only manage to put three bombs on their car this morning but my plan was thwarted when Okita blew the cars on his own upon detecting mine. And it's not Zura! It's Katsura!"

"Now who wants to die between us?"

"I do not intend to die that easily. At least I do not plan to take my own life."

"What made you think I'd kill myself?"

"Then what exactly were you doing awhile ago?"

"Oh that?" Gintoki looked up at the rope at the top of their head and then looked at his companion, "that's a trap I set to hunt down stalkers. I've been having problems about them lately."

Katsura took this explanation into consideration and then took his kasa on the table and put it on his head.

"I see. So that's what it was. I'm glad you're not killing yourself."

"I'll be glad if you do."

"I'll come visit again, Gintoki. Do tell leader and Shinpachi-kun I came by."

"There's no need for you to visit at all unless I want my—"

A loud explosion came—and the door was blown into smitten—leaving Gintoki staring into a space towards the doorway. Katsura tapped Gintoki's shoulder.

"Until we meet again, Gintoki—HAHAHAHA!"

"No, wait... why did you let them chase you here, Zura!?"

But the Joui leader had already jumped at the Yorozuya's window—destroying it completely as well with Elizabeth on the lead.

"Katsura!" Okita Sogo shouted as he pointed his bazooka toward the escaping terrorist but Gintoki stood in front of him angrily.

"What the hell are you doing!? You're blowing up my house, Okita-kun!"

"That's for affiliating yourself with a wanted man, Yorozuya," said a man smoking by the destroyed door—the Shinsengumi Vice Captain— Hijikata Toshiiro.

"That doesn't justify you destroying other people's houses!"

"That doesn't justify Katsura for blowing three of our cars." Okita pointed out.

"You blew it up, oi!"

"Then let's call it a payback." Sogo shrugged indifferently.

"Why do I have to pay for that sick bastards doing! I'm living peacefully here!"

"So I see," Hijikata looked over Gintoki's silver hair and saw a noose there, "really living on the edge are we? Sogo, go send a team and search for Katsura."

Sogo left without another word, making Gintoki point his hand at the open doorway.

"Hey—what am I suppose to do with my door!? Do you know how many times I've had to change that door in a month? Don't you think of the inconvenience of it to my clients?"

"Like you had many anyways."

"You're one of them!"

"Shut it! How many destroyed cars and buildings and injured men do you think Shinsengumi has had ever since Katsura and his band of terrorist came, huh?"

"That wouldn't have been double if you controlled that sadistic commander of yours!"

Hijikata and Gintoki bared fangs at each other until a Shinsengumi came by the door again.

"Vice Captain! We've sighted Katsura!"

"Block all other exits wherever he is!" Hijikata ordered, then turning to Gintoki, he added, "the Bakufu is not happy with the casualties Katsura and the Joui faction had been making for the past weeks."

"Doesn't that mean you guys need to polish yourself more?" the Yorozuya leader raised an eyebrow, "It'll take more than you guys to catch an idiot like that."

Hijikata smirked darkly.

"That's what I'm saying. The Bakufu isn't happy with Katsura anymore. They've already started moving. I heard a special squad of Amantos were dispatched for Katsura already. Not even a strand of his long hair may escape these guys."

Silence greeted Hijikata's words.

"Are they brainless fools too?" Gintoki picked his nose casually, "because if they aren't, then they may just have added unnecessary casualty after that guy."

Hijikata Toshiiro eyed Gintoki. And then gave a final smirk.

"You samurais really stick to each other, don't you?"

And with his back on the silver haired Yorozuya, he disappeared on the corner of the door, leaving Gintoki staring at his destroyed door quietly.

"What a pain in the ass these guys are."

~to be continued~

A/N: Poor Gintoki and his Door!

Always caught up with bazookas and Katsura's!

Life is full of explosions, huh? Blades will be clashing in the next chapter!

Thanks for reading!