Author's Note: This is an AU fic where some circumstances are different from the original story but the setting is still the same. It starts at the Yoshiwara in Flames Arc.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gintama or any of its characters.
Chapter 1: Always put your wallet in your back pocket
Gintoki was just walking along the streets of Kabuki-chou penniless as usual when a brown-haired kid bumped into him. The dirty kid that bumped in to him apologized and went on his way. A few steps later, that kid was smirking and entered an alley. He pulled out the stolen wallet and assessed his catch but unfortunately it was completely empty. He was disappointed and remarked that samurai these days were all broke to the point that even he had more money. Then he noticed his own wallet was missing. Just as he was panicking about his predicament a man passed by. It was the same samurai who he just pickpocketed. Gintoki was passing by and checking the wallet he stole in exchange for his empty wallet. Noticing that it contained quite a bit of money, he exclaimed.
"Yehey, ain't I quite a lucky person. I can eat parfait and play some pachinko."
Realizing what happened, Seita could not help but scream in alarm. "Hey, that's my money…"
Gintoki looked back and screamed thief. In the end, Seita got hit on the head making a bump and treated Gintoki to some parfait as hush money. He proceeded to lecture Seita while eating his parfaits.
"Kid, you're a hundred years too early to be thinking you can steal my wallet. I know that the time might be tough but if you're gonna do stuff like this then wait until the person drops it or something." Seita was listening to him with a blank face tired of his lecture.
"Isn't this enough, I already bought you three parfaits?!" He complained totally unrepentant but compromised.
"Then why don't we get to the point. Give back the money you stole from my wallet." Gintoki was unhappy about his unrepentant attitude.
"There was nothing in it." Seita exclaimed.
"Don't screw with me kid. There was at least seven no eight thousand yen in that wallet and now its all gone." Gintoki was trying to scam the kid to be more honest with him.
"I don't wanna be called a kid by a dubious adult who eats nothing but parfaits." As expected, he focused on the wrong thing.
"So you think you're some adult? Then why don't I help you become one faster, I bet some time in the slammer will help you." Gintoki picked up the kid by his collar and pretended to proceed with his plan.
"No?! Wait, wait! Bro, please!"
"Who's your bro, you little street urchin? I don't remember having one a minute ago."
"Wait, wait!? I know somewhere you can get that kinda cash." Seita explained.
Seita then led him to Yoshiwara. The street walker courtesans gave them quite a welcome trying to get Gintoki into their store.
"Oh, big boy. Wanna have some fun with us." The courtesans gave them a warm welcome because he was brought by Seita. They had a tacit understanding that Seita tried to pickpocket him but was caught so he must have money. Some were aggressive and even clutched at his torso and arm.
"Okay, maybe later." Gintoki tried to get them to back off.
"Since you've come, why don't 'ya stop right in?" The courtesan hugging his torso offered trying to get fresh meat.
"Stay back! You girls need to wash up before trying anything!" Gintoki exclaimed prying the women's hands off of him. They pestered him until he emphasized he had no money to play with them.
"Underground city, Yoshiwara-Shangrila. This is a place where even the Bakufu's reach doesn't extend to. And because of that, anything goes. It's a city of Hades. A kid like you lives here? Even I feel wary about entering a place like this. Besides the women here doesn't fit my standards." Gintoki explains his knowledge of this place as Seita led him through the streets. "Though that one on the weird ledge seems different." Gintoki remarked when he noticed Seita's gazing at her.
"That one's out of your reach bro. That's Hinowa-Taiyuu. She's the number one in this city. I heard that it costs and arm and leg just to have tea with her. She's a flower out of reach." Seita made an elaborate introduction. "With that said. I have to meet the lady." Seita continued and approached the watchman in front of the shop.
"Hey pops, here's today's portion."
"I see. You're always working hard every day." The nameless guard welcomed him and as he pockets the money Seita handed over.
"Hey, what 'cha doing?" Gintoki asked about the dubious exchange with the guard.
"Ain't it obvious? This is the red-light district. I'm buying me a woman." Seita answered like it was obvious.
"Wha…?" Gintoki made an unbelieving expression.
"I want to buy Hinowa-Taiyuu so I need heaps of cash." Gintoki couldn't believe this. A child whose age was only in single digit wants to buy a woman and one in Yoshiwara. He did not know how to deal with this so he brought him back to the hag.
Their reaction was as expected. They laughed at him at his audacity.
"You think you can buy Yoshiwara's number one courtesan with some pocket change." Otose cut to the chase.
"Stupid brat. This ain't first love. Go back home and suck your momma's tits." Catherine couldn't help but make fun of him.
"This ain't a laughing matter. This is just a kid's story, a kid's stupid story." Shinpachi tried to quiet them down.
"Just when I thought about letting him off." Gintoki said not convinced with his story.
"Hmm… I sense some jealousy. Are you upset that some kid is going to see some action before you?" Catherine changed targets and insulted Shinpachi.
"Why would I be?! This has nothing to do with me! Besides if I wanted to, I could do it anytime I want. I just chose not to." Shinpachi exclaimed clearly offended as he tried to defended himself. Then he calmed down and tried to dissuade Seita. "Ah, but I do think that it's strange that a kid your age would want to hang around in Yoshiwara and think of buying a woman. Its kind of…" He got cut of as Seita retorted.
"I ain't a kid. Virgin." Seita emphasized the last word. It made Shinpachi lose his self-control and lifted him up with his collar.
"You little snot. What did you say?! I dare you say it again."
"Calm down, cherry boy." Catherine added fuel to the fire.
"Don't look down on virgins. There's a 30-year old male who became a wizard. Nobody messes with him nor do they ask when he would lose his virginity."Shinpachi was emotional and swung Seita back and forth.
"Recording information. Human males become wizards when they reach the age of 30 without losing their virginity." Tama said in her robotic voice.
"There's no such thing?!" Otose retorted quickly to prevent Tama from recording wrong information.
"Cut him some slack, Pattsuan. Even if he's a brat, he knows his stuff. All great men have women behind them." Gintoki stopped Shinpachi and as usual used a botched quote but understood the meaning behind it.
"Though I'm still young so I can't get any money by working so… I had 'ta steal from folks."Seita reasoned out.
"To buy an escort means forking over a monumental amount of money. Do you think you'll be able to enjoy her company living your life so recklessly? I want an honest truth." Otose urged Seita.
"When I was a baby, my folks tossed me out. I don't even remember their faces. My first memory is the old man who pick me up after I was left to my fate. And that old man died of sickness 3 years ago. Before he died, he told me that my parents did not abandon me out of hate or ill will. It's just that they resided in darkness and did not want to taint me as well. Even now, my mother is trying her best… to survive in the pit of hades. Keeping her brilliance untainted. I'm not sure who my ma is… but I'm thinking there's a good chance it's her. I wanna see her. I wanna talk with her. But no matter how much I holler and yell she won't hear nor see me. My hands are small, they ain't gonna reach her. That's why I gotta buy her like others do. Risking my life like others do. Even actin' like a thief." Seita revealed the whole story getting emotional and ending in tears.
"So in the end, you're just an unfortunate boy who wants to meet his mother. I'm sure she wants to meet you too." Otose sympathized while Shinpachi and Catherine just watched them.
"Let me work here." Seita resolved himself to buckle up and not live so recklessly anymore.
"Well, if you only need enough money to buy an escort. I guess I can find some use for you. My only rule is no more thievery." Otose agreed giving him the same chance he gave to Catherine.
"Thank ya' so much." Seita tearfully replied.
"I'll take 10 thousand from your paycheck, kid." Gintoki started to joke around to diffuse the serious atmosphere as he patted Seita's shoulder.
"I'm telling ya' there ain't anything in there. More like ain't it getting higher every time you mention it." Seita retorted.
"It's called interest." Gintoki replied as he exited the store. He knew it was a good idea to rely on the granny to have the brat spill the beans. He knew that it won't be that easy even if Seita managed to earn enough money.
A few days later, Gintoki went in Yoshiwara to look into the guard who Seita was handing over his installment money. That guard went into the dango shop accompanied by another guard. He sat behind them and listened in to their conversation. From their conversation, it seemed that the guard was using Seita's hard earned money as snack money and had no intention of letting him meet Hinowa. They also noticed the difference in Seita and planned to take more money by duping him. Just as they were about to leave, Gintoki hit them on the head and took their money. When he was about to pay for his bill, the waitress told him that it was on the house because he defended Seita. Then she suggested that he take Seita back with him and never return here because the darkness runs deeper than one might think. When he replied that he would only follow his own rules, he got attacked. He easily defeated her however he caused a scene so he needed to run away.
Xoxoxoxoxox
Meanwhile at the snack bar Otose, a regular customer has arrived. The famous terrorist Runaway Kotaro was found drinking tea here. He was just dropping by to visit his childhood friend as usual however the store was empty so he just spent his time in the snack bar to not waste his trip.
"Are, Katsura-san. What are you doing here?" Shinpachi greeted Katsura. He came to the snack bar to accompany Seita to go to Yoshiwara because Gin-san said he had some business to take care of.
"Heya, Shinpachi-kun. I'm here to visit Gintoki but he doesn't seem to be available."
"Ah… he had some business to take care of so he's not here now."
"Then I guess, I'll have to come back some other time."
"Shinpachi-nii, can we go now?"
"Yes, thanks for waiting."
"Hmm… Is this kid a new member?"
"Ah, no… he's just someone we have to take care of for a while." Shinpachi replied.
"Hurry up or else I won't be able to get back in time."
"Ah… yes, we'll go now."
"Oh, where is this place that had the child so excited?"
"Yoshiwara."
"Ehhh! I thought Shinpachi-kun was a modest youngster but I guess I was mistaken. Even so, you cannot take that small child with you!"
"You're mistaken, Katsura-san. It's this… blah, blah, blah" Shinpachi felt insulted that he was misunderstood and explained every detail to Katsura until he was convinced.
"Then, this one will accompany you." Katsura concluded.
"Eh?! Isn't that dangerous?" Shinpachi was quite troubled. He was nervous about going in Yoshiwara alone due to the rumors but isn't taking a high profile terrorist like Katsura more dangerous.
"No worries. I'll just wear a disguise. Besides I'm also curious on how it is down there…" Katsura reassured him. Getting inside a city where the Bakufu's reach does not reach may prove to be useful in the future.
"If you think its fine, then…"
"You also need one." Katsura then pulled him out of the store.
"But we'll be late." Seita complained.
"I'll give you one day's worth of wages. Allow me to accompany you." Katsura retorted; showing his reasons in entering Yoshiwara was not so simple. He then dragged Shinpachi to Saigo's gay bar and borrowed some clothes for women. It was almost dusk when they reached Yoshiwara.
Xoxoxox
After so much time has passed, they finally reached Yoshiwara. Seita was walking forward and heard a commotion in front.
"What happened?"
"Wait… wait a minute, Seita-kun. I can't walk fast with these." Shinpachi complained. He was now wearing an elaborate purple kimono with a yellow sash tied in front along with 15 cm heels geta which was giving him problems in walking. He also had to wear a wig with a gold comb and 4 pins making the whole attire heavy and stuffy for him.
In contrast to him, Katsura who was wearing an even more elaborate red kimono with a pink sash and a lot more accessories which suggests his attire was heavier seemed to be walking like it's nothing. He even put some makeup with his eyeshadow matching the color of his kimono. Unknown to Shinpachi, Katsura had some practice in walking and talking in girls clothes when he was detained by Saigo before.
"Shinpachi-kun, sorry for making things difficult but this is necessary to prevent future troubles. Also call me, Zurako." Katsura explained with a voice higher than usual to reinforce his disguise.
Author's Notes:
I understand that this chapter is quite boring as it just reiterated what happens in the original work with a few changes here and there but I hope that you will look forward to the next chapters. I did not describe Katsura's oiran clothes elaborately as I thought it will be better for the readers to just look at the picture in his character wikia page.