a/n: I really enjoy writing Gintoki and Tsukuyo as different people. They're younger, so I feel less constrained by their character. I feel since they're mature adults in the canon material, there's this sense of, "he won't do that / she'll never do this or that" but if they're younger, who is to say that they *wouldn't* do the things they refrain from doing as an adult? After all, Gintoki isn't emotionally compromised or empty as he is in this story as he is in the current-day manga.
3. hook and bait
-x-
Tsukuyo hates this city - a glittering fool's gold, filled with all of humanity's worst virtues - but has nowhere else to go.
It is a dark secret to stumble across to see your mentor reduced to a mere concubine. Hinowa does not say anything; they would have both their heads lopped off if they so much as breathed a word of it. But her body betrays scars, a Yato's way of marking his mate. Tsukuyo knows the reason why Hinowa cannot see any of her former customers, why Hosen no longer asks for a different courtesan each night. It is Hinowa who is locked away in the highest tower, kept guard by a monster.
She hates Hosen. Hates him helplessly, because he's responsible for the oppression of every woman locked up behind bars in this city. But it's a secret, resentful hate that boils her up at night when she knows that she can't visit Hinowa without strict supervision. She's punished for the crime of Hinowa wanting a child, a child whose mother had long passed away. It eats her alive, knowing that Tsukuyo can't protect the one she loves most in this cursed city. She hates Hosen when he calls her in to do his killing for him, to eject the vagrants out of this city that he's raped and pillaged to keep. Hates him knowing that he'll live here for eternity, even if Yoshiwaran women and alcohol are polluting his body. After all, he's a monster; she's seen days where people have tested his temper, never knowing that the wrath of a Yato was lethal to humans. Even her master bows his head to the King of the Night.
Night shift comes, and she's on patrol again. Sometimes she uses different disguises to conceal her presence. They call her the Courtesan of Death because she swoops in during the night like a Shinigami unseen. There's no legal restraints in this city except for the threat of her, the Hyakka troops, and Hosen himself.
She looks up. Hinowa is still sitting serenely in the balcony of the highest tower in Yoshiwara, even though there is no smile on her face. No matter how long Tsukuyo stares at her, Hinowa won't stare back at her, even if they're sisters at heart.
-x-
"Oi, Tsukuyo - you've got company."
"Who is it?"
"Some white perm-head. Says he's wants to see you."
"Tell him I'm not interested."
"He says he won't leave until you come out."
Tsukuyo groaned. "God, this guy won't stop following me." Grumbling, she made her way outside of Jiraia's dojo. Gintoki was waiting for her, dressed casually in a gray haori.
"What do you want?"
"I've got a proposition," he said. "You ready for it?"
"I don't have time for propositions," is her first deadpan reply. Tsukuyo bandages her hand and ties a knot, flexing her fingers so that her palm is protected from the nicks of knives. "My job is to protect everyone in this city. I ain't here ta play."
"If I could rescue Hinowa from that tower, would you listen to me?" Gintoki's smile is too sanguine for her liking. Her lavender eyes narrow. "What do you mean?" she asks, cagey.
"I asked around. You two are actually really close, aren't you?"
It's official: she doesn't like him. Tsukuyo is a lone wolf, someone who works best alone. She's ruffled that someone's trying to dig into her psyche, and she hates that this moron is behind it. "Who cares?" she asks, shrugging. "And if you're asking me to get her to pour you a drink, forget about it."
"I don't give a damn about things like that," Gintoki replies. "You see, a few days ago I met this street kid who wanted to rob me. But then I actually found out that he's Hinowa's kid. Some shit, huh?"
Her lungs contract as if she's run out of air.
"What?"
"Cute kid. Lives with his gramps but still wants to see his mother." Gintoki can't help himself from helping other people. "I figured I'd at least get him a meeting with this Sun of Yoshiwara, whatever her name is."
"It's impossible," Tsukuyo said curtly. "You know who runs this city, right?"
"Yeah. Big fella, ain't he?"
"The biggest. I don't care if you're the Shiroyasha," she says, throwing his title back in spite, just because she can - "No one can take him down."
"Maybe not by myself. But if we pair together, why not?"
Her answer is straight to the point: "Hell no."
"You know every alley in this city." Gintoki is unfazed. "You know who's supporting which group, and you know how to kill human beings. Honestly, if you were a man I'm pretty sure Takasugi would have recruited you to fight for the Jouishishi - "
"I'm still not interested."
"Tsukuyo, you're gonna let someone as beautiful as Hinowa rot away in that tower?"
"This is treachery!" she hisses. "I took an oath to protect her, but there's no point if I give away my life for no reason!"
"It was already treachery when you took in all those beat up whores under your wing," Gintoki says, quietly.
"How the hell do ya know that?"
He smiles slowly. "People talk. Especially if you get them to drink. I know you a lot more than you think."
"... What do you know, then?"
"That you're probably one hell of a shinobi. You got sold here when you were a kid, but worked your way up into the paramilitary. You made a vow to protect Hinowa, the Sun of Yoshiwara before you were initiated into the Hyakka. You don't believe in this system but you'll try to protect everyone who works here, and because of that, you're a hero. Hosen trusts you to do his bidding but you don't follow all the rules."
"So you've done some research. Big deal," Tsukuyo says. She folds her arms together, making her seem bossier than she was. "What would you get out of it? I know you hotshots love throwin' away your lives for stupid causes, but you'd have ta be a real big idiot to even think about takin' down Hosen."
"I'm not your average guy. I've already fought with his own kind before."
Against her own will, Tsukuyo is intrigued. "You have?"
"Yeah. You ever questioned why it's so dark in this place?"
"Sure. It's a better heaven for men when it's dark every damn day."
Gintoki shook his head. "It's because Hosen is a Yato. And they hate the sun. If you open that ceiling, you're gonna roast him alive."
"Really."
"What, you don't believe me?"
"Don't have any reason to," she replied evenly. "What's in it for you?"
"A happy kid. The nobility of my heart."
"Listen here, you." Tsukuyo glares at him. "No one does anything for free here."
He rolled his eyes. "Weren't you the one who said that we love throwing our lives for stupid causes? This is one of them."
"Tsukuyo, who are you talking to?" Jiraia steps out of his dojo. She pauses, thinks up of some excuse. Her master doesn't tolerate lateness or insubordination.
"Just some soldier who wouldn't leave me alone," she says.
"I'm not just any soldier," Gintoki corrected her. "I'm the Shiroyasha."
She snorts. I bet Shishou could take him down if he was up for it.
"Well, I'm pleased you've patronized this city, Shiroyasha-dono, and I hope you're enjoying your stay." Jiraia actually smiling? Tsukuyo was confused.
"I am," Gintoki replied slowly, but he doesn't return Jiraia's smile. Instead he frowns. "And you are... ?"
"Jiraia, of the Oniwabanshuu. Please, excuse me and my student. We have jobs to attend to."
Tsukuyo turns away to walk with her master, grateful that he's cut off the conversation between her and Gintoki. What he proposed was tantamount to betrayal, especially in the Hyakka organization. Break one rule - any rule - and then the offender would have been subject to execution.
Hinowa was only kept alive because Hosen loved her, and even so, her tendons had been cut so she could not escape any longer. A slight shiver runs down Tsukuyo's neck and already she knows that she's walking a fine line between legality and treason. Even Jiraia wouldn't approve of her taking drugged-up whores under Hyakka's wing. The only reason why they come in is because Tsukuyo trains them in secret. They pretend they don't know who Tsukuyo is when they're initiated into the organization.
Still, his words aren't easily forgotten.
If you open that ceiling, you're gonna roast him alive.
I'm not your average guy. I've already fought with his own kind before.
I'm not just any soldier. I'm the Shiroyasha.
It was true, that she could see his quiet confidence and his own charisma. For some reason she was starting to doubt herself, rather than that strange samurai that came with his own notoriety.
"Shishou," she started off slowly, "Did you know who that man was?"
"Perhaps."
Tsukuyo scowls. Jiraia isn't the type of man to give straightforward answers.
"Well, in any case, he seemed to be a big talker," she says, testing out the waters. "I suppose he's one of those lunatics fightin' off the Amanto."
"Lunatic or no, you'd ought not to associate with him." His tone is stern. "Remember what I said."
"Yes, Shishou." Again she remembers her job and the oath she swore over the scar she's carved out on her face.
I will protect Yoshiwara, she recites to herself, silently. I will protect the foundation of which this city stands on, even if it kills me.
-x-
"Gintoki, we don't have time to be fooling around in Yoshiwara."
"I found a lead, Zura, and despite you having a stick up your ass, we might have to drag you down there one day."
"Lead?" Behind them Sakamoto is sharpening his sword with a whetstone. "What kind of lead are ya talkin' about, Kintoki?"
The samurai makes a small "tch" sound. "I found this woman who trains under somebody who belongs to the Oniwabanshuu."
Sakamoto whistles. "That easy? I heard those ninjas don't pop up during the daytime."
"Well, it's an underground city that most decent samurai wouldn't venture to go to," Katsura replies, frowning in disapproval. Out of all four of them, he'd been the only one to stick to the old-fashioned ideals that'd been handed down to them from temple school.
Gintoki takes a swig of bourbon whiskey from a flask. "Zura, have you forgotten? A man without a master or a sword ain't a decent samurai anymore. Finding a decent samurai would be like finding a needle in a haystack these days."
"Don't forget the reason why we're here."
All three of them look back. Takasugi Shinsuke had entered the room of the small inn they've been staying in. All four of them had been busy with reconnaissance, scouting out any possible channels of information that might lend to Shoyou's rescue. The three nodded in acknowledgement of his recent rise of commander status.
"Gintoki, you said that you found someone who knows a member of the Oniwabanshuu?" Takasugi enquired.
"Hell yes. Remember that blonde we saw in that tea house? Turns out, she's actually a student of his."
"Interesting."
"But, unfortunately, she's kind of a bitch."
"It's probably because you tried to hit on her, Kintoki - "
"Did not," Gintoki protested. The other men stared at him, and then he grinned sheepishly. "Okay, maybe a little. But she's really hot, all right - "
Takasugi glared at him. "Your information is useless if we can't attack the core of the Oniwabanshuu. And you've attracted their attention on top of that."
"Relax, pretty boy, I'm just another air-headed soldier to her," Gintoki replied easily. "I'll stay here for further recon."
"I refuse," Takasugi objected. "I'd rather prefer Zura soliciting information than you partying around. I can't trust you."
"It's not Zura, it's Katsura," the other samurai objected. Nobody listened to him.
"You can't do that," Gintoki said, aghast. "He's going to spill the beans. He can't resist women."
"Too true," Sakamoto said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Remember that time where he nearly confessed to all our battle tactics to that widow from Shimonoseki?"
"That was not my fault! I was under the influence of a drug!"
"Drug as in drinking," Takasugi corrected, sighing.
"The point is, I can hold my own drink. He can't. In a town like Yoshiwara, sometimes that's all that matters."
"I agree," Sakamoto said. "Kintoki's best suited for this job. It's better to sacrifice one man - albeit one worth a thousand - rather than our own group focused on a personal agenda."
"You sure you can handle it?" Takasugi asked.
"Absolutely. Either way, you've been gone too long from our militia. Our men are probably getting anxious."
"Keep up the flattery and I'll cut your head off," Takasugi said, scowling.
-x-
Despite Takasugi's trepidations, it had already been decided that Gintoki would remain in the city for another week, if only because Yoshiwara was so close to Edo, the nation's capital. Communications could be reasonably expected to come quick, as Sakamoto had already made plans to secure additional supplies and weaponry for the militia. In the meantime, four of them had been busy recruiting soldiers, Katsura having made the best progress especially in the country villages where people had rarely heard news of the Joui progression in the war. It was only too tempting to enlist after seeing the legendary Shiroyasha engage in direct combat with any foe silly enough to challenge him in a duel of swords.
Too easy, in fact, that it made Gintoki downright guilty. He didn't like war. The true fighters, Shoyou-sensei had noted quietly, were those who despised unnecessary bloodshed. It was probably why he joked around with his men as much as he could, slept with as many women as he could get away with, and challenged as many people as he could to a drinking contest whenever there was sake to be found. He rationalized it by saying he was twenty-two - the prime age for any hot blooded male. If he died tomorrow he would have preferred to have lived life as fully as anybody else his age could. He was stronger than men twice his size and though he was past the point of arrogance, he wasn't beyond the occasional boast.
It was an hour after supper that Sakamoto decided to sit next to him. "UNO?" he offered.
Gintoki grimaced. "If you care, Katsura's over there on sentry duty."
"Ahahahaha - guess that's a no, then." Sakamoto stowed the cards away and sat next to him, stretching his limbs out. After a moment, he sighed.
"So what's the real reason you wanna stay in Yoshiwara, huh? Can't be as simple as a lead."
"I found this street orphan in Edo," Gintoki said. He laid back, head lying against his arms while he looked at the stars. "Kid wants to see his mom. Only thing is that she's one of the top courtesans in town; she can't see him because they'd probably kill her."
There wasn't any point in telling the story to somebody like Katsura or Takasugi. Neither of them understood sentimentality when both of them had been indoctrinated with ideas of bushido - or dying early. Sakamoto was a bit different, though. He could keep a secret when he knew it was important.
"We can't rescue everyone, ya know," Sakamoto said slowly, but he wasn't reproaching Gintoki either.
"I figured. Which is why I'll leave in three days if nothing happens over there."
"You won't take advantage of the week?"
"Well, hell - I'd love to, but everyone has these expectations." Gintoki kept on staring at the night constellations. "Pull off one miracle, and everyone expects you to pull off twenty in the future."
"True that," Sakamoto agreed. "What are ya gonna do after the war, Kintoki?"
Gintoki rolled his eyes at the deliberate mistake. "Honestly? I'm gonna open my own temple school, just like Shoyou-sensei. Or do somethin' dumb like getting married and having ten kids."
"Kids? You can't even take care of yourself." Sakamoto laughed heartily.
"Shut up, Tatsuma. As long as we're gonna go into hysterics, I'd buy me a barrel of strawberry ice cream. And then sleep for a week."
"I'd go into space," Sakamoto said thoughtfully.
"You'd suffocate without oxygen."
"Oh please. Ya don't read much, but I do. They've got these air containers that let humans like us breath in space..."
Gintoki closed his eyes. You could never get Tatsuma to shut up about space, he thought drowsily to himself, and began to breath in the night air, half-heartedly listening to the voice of his friend...
-x-
to be continued
a/n: please review! they are my biggest motivations to continue writing, as I write for free.