Chapter 04: You can tell trouble before it arrives if you look close enough
Rating: K (probably up to T next time)
Well, after almost a week, here is chapter 4. Turned out a bit odd, but I think it was alright. Basic introductions of Katsura and Shinsengumi to the story. Let me know how you all thought it turned out. Kyuubei is noticing some changes in herself, and Gin has the same. What will happen? Likely start a bit of romance in next part, but for now, R&R. Enjoy.
The noise of the busy street dimmed down instantly, everyone in earshot looking towards the nearly destroyed pachinko parlor. A large cloud of dust rose up from where the ruckus had been, making it impossible to see anything clearly. After a minute, movement could be seen within the cloud of dust, as people started to move.
Kyuubei coughed a bit, batting her eyes in an attempt to see through the dust cloud. As it dissipated, she realized that something was keeping her pinned to the ground.
"Oi, are you alright?" her eyes widened, as he spoke. The dust cleared a bit further, and the young girl blushed as she realized her position. Looking directly ahead, she caught Gintoki's crimson eyes staring down at her. As he shifted his position, the young girl could feel an odd thump in her chest, swallowing hard as Gintoki dusted off his clothing.
"A-ah, I am fine." she spoke, with some hesitance, not wanting to look him in the eyes. Looking around the small room, the dust finally cleared, and she was surprised that nobody seemed seriously injured.
Gintoki felt his eyebrow twitch, figuring that there was only one person capable of causing this. Looking around the pachinko parlor, he looked for anything out of place. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on what looked like a small trash bin near the former entrance to the building.
Walking up to the shiny metal object, he leaned against the wall just to the right of it, motioning for Kyuubei to come over towards him. Looking inquisitively at him, she nodded, hand reaching for the handle of her sword as she approached the object.
"Ah, it's a good thing nobody was hurt during this." he spoke, seemingly to nobody in particular. "Ah, but look, it's the Shinsengumi!"
As he spoke, pointing in a random direction, Kyuubei watched in surprise as the trash bin began to move, legs seemingly sprouting out of the bottom of it. As the sandals clacked on the floor, the trash bin seemed to move in a random direction.
"Zura, you look like a chicken with no head!" Gintoki exclaimed, kicking the waste basket full force directly in the center, sending it flying towards the other end of the pachinko parlor. A loud crash followed by an equally loud groan of pain echoed from where the object slammed into the wall, another small cloud of dust emanating from the crater.
Kyuubei felt her eyes narrowing, as Gintoki approached the small crater. She watched as a man slowly stood from the dust, long black hair flowing down his back to his shoulders. Straightening his blue kimono, the man cleared his throat, staring directly at Gintoki.
"Ah. Gintoki. What are you doi-?" he could not finish his question as Gintoki suddenly slammed a fist directly into the other man's nose.
"Zura, you better not be dragging me and my associate here into anymore of your troubles." Gintoki spoke, a slightly cold tone on his voice, as he approached the other man.
"It's not Zura. It's Katsura. And just listen for a minute." the other man spoke, in a manner of familiarity with the silver haired samurai.
"55...54..." Gintoki began to count backwards, indicating his lack of patience for the inevitable hassle that was bound to show up.
"Well, we were going to launch an attack on the government headquarters, but their dogs were somehow prepared for us." Katsura spoke, eliciting a throbbing red stitch on the forehead of his former colleague.
"I already assumed that. You were always as bad at keeping secrets as a high school girl. Maybe you should stop showing yourself around town, since you're more wanted than Al Capone." Gintoki sneered, pointing accusingly at the other man.
"Not Al Capone. It's Katsura." As the young man spoke, Kyuubei felt herself in an awkward position. She didn't think it was possible, but here was someone more out of touch with things than Gintoki seemed. Setting her soft hazel eyes on the man, they widened in surprise as she finally realized who he was.
"Ah! The Joi Faction!" she exclaimed, standing between Gintoki and the man, sword drawn directly towards the man.
Sighing with some frustration, Gintoki grabbed her shoulder, causing her to look back at him. Gintoki shook his head, indicating that things were alright, causing some confusion from the younger girl. Hesitantly, she lowered her sword, still staring at the young man ahead of her. She wondered whether or not he was really the wanted criminal Kotaro Katsura. After all, it would be strange for such a wanted person to simply be out in the open.
"And? I assume you want my help with something?" Gintoki spoke plainly, digging idly in his ear with a stray pinky finger. Kyuubei looked surprised, realizing that these two did indeed know each other.
"Aa. Fight with me once more." As Katsura spoke, Kyuubei realized she had been correct in his identity, feeling more confused at the idea that he would just be standing out in the open like this.
"Eh. That's too troublesome. You really need to give it a rest, Zura. I've put that war behind me, and you need to do the same." Gintoki spoke, flicking the results of his digging in a random direction. "Besides, it'll be way too much work to deal with those Shinsengumi guys." he added, that lazy look on his face as usual.
"Oh. And who is this young lady?" Katsura spoke, looking directly into Kyuubei's eyes. "How about you? Would you like to help expel the foreigners from our country?" As he spoke, he put a hand assuringly on her shoulder.
"Baka." Gintoki retorted, as Kyuubei dropped her sword. Grabbing Zura's arm, she turned, throwing him towards yet a third wall. Standing in a position as though hurling a baseball, Kyuubei tried to catch her breath.
"Ah. Sorry." she apologized, bowing politely.
"Baka. The young master here gets nervous when a man touches her, and hurls them like Nolan Ryan." Gintoki smirked, hiking his thumb toward the girl, crouching mockingly in front of his friend.
"Heh. Not bad. Your friend has some skill." Katsura spoke, standing up weakly from the throw, blood trailing comically down his face.
"Hmph. She has more skill than you, Zura." Gintoki mocked the other man, not envious of his situation. Resting his right elbow in the loose sleeve, he turned, heading out of the pachinko parlor. "Come on, Young Master." he spoke, tilting his head for her to follow.
Nodding slightly, Kyuubei sheathed her sword, before turning to follow the silver haired samurai. As she walked, she took one last glance at Katsura, who seemed to be feeling quite woozy. Speeding up her pace a bit, she caught up to Gintoki.
'Have you seen Katsura?' read a small sign, held by what looked like a misshapen penguin of some sort. Kyuubei stared at the thing, wondering what it was. The face looked oddly painted on, as though it were some manner of costume, adding to the confusion the thing elicited.
"Oh. Zura is back there somewhere." Gintoki spoke, hiking a thumb back towards the back of the parlor. "Make sure you keep him out of trouble, Elizabeth."
'Thanks. I'll try. Have a nice day.' the sign turned around, new text appearing on it. Kyuubei was even more surprised at this, as the thing had no time to write the text on the sign. 'Oh, and pleasure to meet you, Miss.' the sign read, turning yet again with new text. She stood dumbfounded, unable to think of an appropriate response.
"Come on, Kyuubei, don't be rude." Gintoki stated, shaking the young girl from her mild stupor. She looked at him, wondering how he could not react at all to such a strange thing.
"A-aa. Pleasure to meet you too, Elizabeth-san." Kyuubei responded, bowing politely again as she turned to exit the small place with Gintoki. She watched as Gintoki gave a small wave backwards, either towards Elizabeth or Katsura.
As the pair walked slowly down the street, Kyuubei could tell that Gintoki as agitated. His brow twitched ever so slightly, clearly annoyed with Katsura's interruption of his leisure time. Suddenly, he stopped walking, looking dead ahead. Kyuubei watched as his eyes narrowed, as though focusing on something in the distance. Before she could get a read on what it was, the young girl felt herself being pulled along, as Gintoki ducked behind a nearby sign.
"Ah, Gintoki-san, what are we-" she was cut off as Gintoki slapped a hand to her mouth, quieting her voice. She noted the seeming distress on his face as he watched a crowd of people clad in black parading down the street. Focusing slightly, Kyuubei could make out that it was the Shinsengumi, looking all around the street for something.
"Probably looking for Katsura. Just keep quiet, and we can get away." Gintoki whispered to the young girl, staring directly ahead as he did.
'But we haven't done anything wrong, so why does he want to get away?' she wondered to herself, feeling there was something going on that he wasn't saying.
"Eh, Danna, what are you doing back here?" Gintoki's head slowly turned to the side, as he caught the voice of the brown haired Shinsengumi. Narrowing his eyes in that lazy manner, as though they were simple semi-circles hanging off a straight line, Gintoki looked directly at the younger man.
"Aaaaaaah!" he screamed, jumping out from behind the sign, startled by Okita's sudden appearance. Suddenly all the Shinsengumi officers looked over at the commotion, staring intently at the outrageously obnoxious young man. Kyuubei, for her part, simply stood, wondering what Gintoki was freaking out about.
"Eh, that's rude, danna. I'm not some ghost or something." Okita spoke in his sarcastic manner, dusting himself off as he walked from behind the sign.
"You're worse than a ghost. You're like a curse." Gintoki spoke, trying his best to get his breath back.
"Then how about I send you to the after life, like a good curse?" came a gruff voice from behind Gintoki, a sword dangerously against his neck. Putting his hands up as though under arrest, Gintoki turned slowly towards the gruff Shinsengumi vice-captain.
"Oh, Hijikata-san. How are you today?" he spoke simply, trying to ignore the dire situation he seemed to be in.
"Well, it's a good day for catching terrorists." the other man spoke, a small puff of smoke emanating from the cigarette in his mouth. "And it seems I will get something just as good on top of it." he added, smirking as he pulled his sword from the Yorozuya's neck.
"Oh? And what would that be? Looking for a little luck with the ladies?" Gintoki prodded the other man a bit, eliciting a mocking chuckle from Okita, who had moved behind Hijikata.
"Cheh. Like hell I need something like that." Hijikata sneered, tightening his grip on his katana. "I get your head, bastard!" he exclaimed, thrusting his sword directly towards Gintoki's chest.
He was surprised, as his steel met another sword, stopping him just in front of its target.
"Is that the proper way for a public official to act? Attacking random people on the streets?" came a cold female voice, causing Hijikata's eyes to widen in surprise, seeing the only other person to have defeated him standing between him and his target.
"Oh? It seems I really am lucky today, to meet both of you at once." Hijikata smirked, his black jacket flowing in the breeze.
"Umm… Hijikata-san?" Gintoki spoke, that odd expression on his face, as Kyuubei sheathed her sword.
"What, trying to beg your way out of this?" Hijikata sneered, taking another drag of his cigarette. Gintoki only blinked, and joined Kyuubei in pointing directly behind the man. His eyes widened as he figured out what they were staring at, and turned suddenly.
"See you in hell, Hijikata-san." Okita said in his usual, cool tone, pulling the trigger on his huge bazooka. Gintoki grabbed Kyuubei's hand, jetting away in an odd burst of speed.
A loud explosion could be heard from the spot where Gintoki and Kyuubei had been standing, and she couldn't help but sweat drop, wondering what had happened.
'I thought they were friends, but here they are trying to kill each other… strange.' she thought, slowing down as Gintoki did the same, catching his breath after the sprint. In the distance, both could hear an argument, as Hijikata had apparently avoided death yet again. The people on the street crowded around, looking in wonder as the two Shinsengumi officers got into a high speed sword fight, the younger man easily evading the wild swings of the gruff vice-captain.
"Hah. Those guys are too much." Gintoki spoke, rubbing idly at his shoulder.
"So, what are we to do next, Gintoki-san?" Kyuubei asked, a look of curiosity on her innocent face. Gintoki was oddly at a loss, staring at her face, realizing for the first time just how good looking she was. Shaking the thought loose, he looked ahead.
"I guess we will just go home, and hope things settle down a bit." he spoke simply, as he took a few steps towards the Yorozuya's headquarters.
Walking down the street, Kyuubei thought back on the events of the day, and realized that she was feeling oddly tired. Having so many events happening on top of each other was strange, but Gintoki didn't seem to be affected by it at all. 'Must be because he is used to it.' she surmised, smiling to herself as she felt the cool breeze on her face.
Then another realization hit her. When Katsura had touched her shoulder, she had hurled him like a paper airplane. But through the day, Gintoki had touched her a few times, and she had not reacted at all. Looking over at him, she felt her eyes widen as she watched his oddly noble looking features. 'Why is it that I seem alright if he touches me?' she wondered, a thought that sent much confusion through her.
Deciding not to think of it too much, she shook her head lightly, erasing the thoughts from her mind. Finally reaching the small building, Gintoki woke her from her mild stupor.
"Oi, are you alright?" he asked, looking directly into her soft hazel eyes. "Don't worry, not every day is this crazy." he said, a comforting smile on his lips as he spoke, taking a step up the stairs.
"A-aa." she simply agreed, nodding her head lightly as she followed. Though, she found herself hoping that things would be so interesting every day.
The Yorozuya is always good for some entertainment, that is for certain. Someone with a sheltered life would likely enjoy things like that. For my next story, I am planning a Gin/Kyuu oneshot, but no idea on the story for it yet. Next update here will have the Yorozuya's first job with Kyuubei on the team. Hope it comes out well. Reviews always appreciated, bad or good.