Ch10: Two digits? A true racer only needs to know one digit, ONE!
"Guwaaa!" Katsura's face fall flat on the ground.
"gi-gi-gintoki… everyone… wha-what are you doing here? Ah! Why are you wearing the Shinsengumi uniform Shinpachi-kun?!" Katsura asked in disbelief, thinking he was betrayed.
"SHUT UP! What are YOU of all people doing here? Who are you? Have you forgotten who YOU are huh? Of all places, why'd you think of showing up HERE?! Plus, what are YOU wearing?! What? You're part of Mimawarigumi now?! Who the hell is Captain Pepe?!" Gintoki continued to kick the poor Joi leader, who knows he might receive a blow to the head and gain some common sense.
"ouch ouch OUCH! It hurts Gintoki!" Katsura begged and tried to grab at least one of the legs that was abusing him. "Don't you understand? This is one of the biggest chances to get close to the Palace, the Shogun!"
Gintoki spits on Katsura. "Bastard, don't come crawling to me if you get into anything you didn't plan for, idiot!" Gintoki started walking towards the cab they got. "I don't know you! I know nothing!" he went inside.
"Wait! Gintoki! This is such a good chance! Let's work together! You can help me and trick the Shinsengumi aswe-" Katsura was about to suggest when a sword nearly sliced his face half as it was implanted hard on the ground inches from his beautiful face.
"….yeah, really… this is such a good chance… Isn't it Yamazaki-kun?" Okita sadistically smiled. "Yes, yes it is, Okita-san" Yamazaki agreed.
"wa-wa-wait! I… I'm Captain Pepe! What are you doing to me? You're cheating? You're cheating aren't you?! Getting rid of the competition before it even starts! Such dirty tricks, you guys are definitely the Shinsengumi!" Katsura crawled away from the sword and was sure that even the announcer could hear his cry for help.
The announcer and audience looked over to where they were. "Tch… can't be helped, Yamazaki!" Okita called over the spy. "Yes, Okita-san!" Yamazaki acknowledged.
"…Catch that guy right after winning against him, make sure you don't fail." Okita ordered and headed to where the cab was, inside was Kagura and Gintoki. "Yosh, to the Shogun's Palace please!" they said in unison.
"…" Okita stared as the cab started its engine. "Just wait a sec!" he ran as fast as he can.
"Sorry about this Shinpachi-kun you don't need to help capture Katsura-san right after…" Yamazaki said.
"No… it's fine actually please let me help you with that if it's alright let me beat him up right after as well…" Shinpachi replied, determined as he glared at Katsura with annoyance.
"Shi-shinpachi-kun…" a drop of sweat comically formed on Yamazaki's head.
"Hahahahaha! You fools! You really think you can win against me, Captain Pepe and my older brother Angel? Hahahaha!" Katsura laughed as if the pathetic display for help was a thing of the distant past and wasn't worth remembering. Elizabeth appears next to him in a groom outfit.
"Why is Angel here? Isn't he supposed to be getting married on the day of the race?! Did you leave Carmen all alone? You just left your bride somewhere? What kind of groom are you? DO you have any idea how hard it is to find a woman nowadays?" Yamazaki pointed out.
"Hahaha! Carmen is…" Katsura looked over to where the palace is. "…waiting for us there!"
"I'm sorry Katsura-san, but what's going on in the palace is a birthday party not a wedding ceremony, would you please stop that? The image of Elizabeth getting married with the Shogun is too disturbing…" Shinpachi voiced out.
"Ah… such sweet innocent youth, Shinpachi-kun, don't worry one day you shall fine the one you would want to spend the rest of your life with and you'll understand everything." Katsura stated as if he were the teacher and went back to Mimawarigumi group with Eliza-Angel.
"No… now you're making me not want to understand anymore…" Shinpachi talked to himself as Katsu-Pepe's laughter slowly disappeared.
"Don't worry about it Shinpachi, you'll find that woman one day for now… we must save Carmen from marrying a groom that would leave her on her own…" Yamazaki said, already fully suited and complete with his road racer.
"…Yamazaki-san I can see you're also getting really into it…" Poor Shinpachi had enough. "I don't want to say anything anymore…"
The representatives after a few minutes are now behind the starting line. All four wearing biking suit versions of their team's uniform, white for Katsura and Elizabeth with the Mimawarigumi name and black for Shinpachi and Yamazaki with the Shinsengumi name.
The announcer holds a little gun and points it to the sky.
"Let's do this, Shinpachi-kun!" Yamazaki cheered. "Yes!" Shinpachi replied with determination.
"Oh oh! It's starting-aru!" Kagura cheered as they listened to the radio in the cab.
[Now now, everyone out there watching or listening the race is now about the start! Look at those determined faces they have pasted on! With just the intensity, I feel like a bomb will explode right after the gunshot ahahahaha! With this heat and pride of their teams on their backs, who knows how this is going to end!] the announcer kept on talking.
[Finally! Time to start!] the loud bang was heard, signalling that the trigger was pulled and the start of the race. [Ooooh! Look at the-BUWAAAAAAGH!] Another explosion is heard, this time louder than the first one.
[An explosion! A bomb really did explode! GAAAAH! Ah- the riders kept on going and are ignoring their teammates! AMAZING! Such determination! It's as if they're saying, leave it all to them, they will avenge you! Amazing! Such trust! Such respect! Su-GAAAH! Ouch! Something was thrown toward us-eh?] Another huge explosion was heard and the radio starts playing static.
"Just what the heck is happening there? Scary, lucky that we got out of there before it started!" The driver said.
"Yeah…" the three replied in unison.
-Shogun's Palace-
The two were silent, awaiting the Shogun's reaction.
"hmmm…" The Shogun's eyes change into serious mode. Matsudaira and Sasaki await his command, that was definitely a terrorist or a Joi attack. [Ah!] Another announcer gasps, she was on a helicopter and viewed the venue from above. [This is!] The smoke cleared out and she could see that all the people were covered with confetti, colourful paint, and glitters. [Ahahah! I was a bit worried but look closely at how the people are formed!] The unconscious near dead bodies were lined up lying on the ground, forming the characters 'Happy Birthday Beloved Shogun!'.
[Woah! Amazing! This is amazing!] The announcer cheered.
"….." the Shogun blushed. Sasaki and Matsudaira remained silent while in the shadows of the venue, the Joi members smirked as they looked over the unconscious Mimawarigumi and Shinsengumi officials.
"Katsura-san… just now…" Shinpachi tried to start a conversation as they rode. In the front were Shinpachi and Katsura, riding behind them and conserving their energy were Yamazaki and Elizabeth.
"Hahaha! Don't try to distract me, Shinpachi-kun it won't work! Ahahaha!" Katsura laughed.
"No… I'm not trying to distract you it's just… just now… behind us..." Shinpachi tried to question the obvious culprit again.
"Ahahaha! Not working!" Katsura continued.
They were currently in a very wavy and steep road as the route was to pass the hill on their way to the first checkpoint, the highest point of the hill, a perfect road for climbers. "Shinpachi-kun!" Yamazaki called out.
They were reaching the part of the road where the climbers are to leave the team and aim for the checkpoint. "Roger!" Shinpachi speed up and chained gears, moving pass the Joi leader.
"Hmph" Katsura also change gears and starts speeding up. "It's useless Shinpachi-kun there is no way you can beat me!" Katsura threatened.
"Katsura-san, I've always respected you! On normal terms and a real fight I'd have no chance against you… but maybe here, no, HERE! I will definitely beat you!" Shinpachi countered, completely determined.
Hmph, nice eyes… the pride of youth is definitely something I must simply laugh on! Fine then, Shinpachi-kun I, Katsura Koutaro will face you with all he's got! Katsura thought to himself.
This is bad, Katsura-san's also very serious about this… I… have to do something… Shinpachi tried.
Both of them pedalled hard and continuously without stopping as the peak of the hill came nearer.
"…." Yamazaki remained quiet.
"…." Elizabeth doesn't say anything.
"Errr… Shinpachi-kun will definitely win against Katsura-san Haha!" Yamazaki provoked and smirked at Elizabeth.
"…." Elizabeth doesn't say anything.
"Errr… he will definitely! You're going to lose! After he shows off it'll be my turn and you'll be seeing nothing but my dust on your face! Coffee-bean lips!" he continued.
"…." Elizabeth doesn't say anything.
"Hahaha… what? Scared? So scared you can't say anything? Hahaha! You must be jazzing now, neh?!" he continued as if this was his only chance to actually bully anyone
"…." Elizabeth doesn't say anything.
"…." Yamazaki stopped. I can't take this… it's too awkward… the silent treatment
Author: aaaaaah…forgive me but though I may be a bit masochistic I really don't like the silent treatment since usually it results to me being silent as well… so.. err.. even a flame would be nice… let me know you're there and that you stayed for the ride up to now… tell me my mistakes I don't care… thanks for reading down to here and sorry for the mistakes up there… that's all… jya… oh and parody and stuff from Nasu, Katsura's and Elizabeth's false characters