CHAPTER 8 – A Hug A Day Keeps The Doctor Away
"I screwed up."
"Hahaha-hahaha! You have to be more specific, Kintoki."
"I'm saying – and it's Gintoki – that I messed up. Big time."
"Nothin' new about that, Kintoki."
Gintoki stopped in the middle of drinking his sake and shot him a glare over the rim of his cup. He slammed it down, rattling the sake bottles littering the table as the liquid inside spilled over his fingers. He groggily leaned forward. "You… you're wrong." The words were slovenly crawling out of his mouth, interrupted by an occasional hiccup. "I'm the model shounen protagonist. Not one incident so far; no… no turning evil, no losing powers – nothing. Except that guy. He ruined it - everything."
Hijikata's face flashed in his mind. The way his face morphed from a flustered mess to a stone-cold mask irritated Gintoki to the moon and back. But what bothered him more was… well, that he was so bothered by what that good-for-nothing nicotine addict thought of him.
"Gah!" He emptied yet another bottle and downed the burning sake in a huge gulp. "Oi, you remember… what's his name… Tanaka-kun? Yeah, it was Tanaka-kun. Anyway, you know how… how Zura asked him to clean up the old temple for our camp? And he agreed instantly because Tanaka-kun was a stand-up guy like that." Gintoki lowered his head and beckoned to Tatsuma to do the same, as if sharing the secrets of the universe. "But! You asked him to… to fetch some water for the ones returning from battle which is a lot easier, right? Right. And he turned into a completely different person! A monster Tanaka-kun! He looked at you like you were a cockroach with the ability to speak."
"Hahahaha! I wouldn't really go that far, you're really hurtin' my feelings here."
"And I think that's happening to me."
"You see me as a cockroach, Kintoki?"
"I'll squish you like one if you keep calling me that."
Tatsuma guffawed and leaned back in the booth. The merry atmosphere of the homely bar and the warmth of sake did something weird to Gintoki's brain, because he didn't feel like squishing Tatsuma like a cockroach. Even if he persisted in calling him the wrong name. "So, what you're sayin' is… you're actin'… different than usual? Are you hittin' second puberty?"
"Oi, don't… don't even joke like that. I have enough on my plate with Kagura and Shinpachi, I don't need to go through that at the ripe old age of twenty-nine."
Tatsuma gave him a long look over the rim of his sunglasses. His eyes are reeaally blue. "What happened that night? The kids were out of their minds, you know." He slowly sipped his sake before continuing. "Not to mention you huggin' me out of nowhere, hahaha."
Gintoki slumped forward and banged his forehead on the wooden table. "Uuuugh, everyone's nagging me about it. I'll make it up to them, okay? Throw them some sukonbu and Otsu-chan merch and they'll be dandy." The alcohol burned in his throat, and not in the good way. Not at all. It was the second time he felt like this today. "Wait", he said in a muffled voice, his cheek pressed against the table. "I hugged you? When?"
"Right before you passed out - "
The table rattled as some drunk knocked into them, falling on Gintoki. His reflexes were hindered by sake and his unexplainable condition, and he failed to move out of the way in time. The guy crashed into him full force and struggled to get up, their limbs entangled in a twisting mess.
"Sorry, sorry…" the drunk apologized with a stupid grin on his face.
Before Gintoki could do anything else, the guy was lifted in the air and thrown off him. He looked up at Tatsuma in amazement. "Guess you still have your monstrous strength." He accepted Tatsuma's outstretched hand and pulled himself up.
"I don't wanna hear that from a man who fights with a wooden sword, Kintoki." He started patting the non-existent dust off Gintoki. "You still not feelin' well? Why didn't you stay in the hospital longer?"
Gintoki looked around and realized that the mood of the bar soured with their little scuffle. The drunk guy looked alive and well, a bit wobbly on his feet, but nothing out of the ordinary. Still, Gintoki had enough of being inside this cramped place.
"Hey, wanna go somewhere else?"
Somewhere else?
They ended up on Gintoki's secret clearing.
Why here!? Damn it, I'll have to find a new spot.
How and why, Gintoki couldn't for the life of him remember, except for grabbing more sake bottles on the way out of the bar. And it came to no surprise, since the sober Gintoki would never make a mistake like this.
The clearing looked otherworldly underneath the countless stars shining in the night sky. The grass on Gintoki's back cooled down his body as he looked up at the starry expanse, his hands folded across his chest. He decided to give up and just enjoy the moment, still basking in the warmth of the alcohol coursing through his body.
"Just like the good old times, right?" he smiled, images of similar scenes flashing through his mind. He turned his head to the side to look at Tatsuma. "Sake really should be drunk under the open sky."
Tatsuma's gaze remained on the stars, his eyes lost in memories. "It's really been a long time since we did that, hahaha! I missed this, Kintoki." His voice sounded strange for a moment. But before Gintoki could ponder on it any further, Tatsuma grunted as he stretched and interlaced his fingers under his head. "Haa… it just doesn't feel the same in space, you know. I always gotta land somewhere to enjoy it properly. Though one time I almost died tryin' to keep up with our tradition, hahaha!"
Gintoki sighed in exasperation. "You're overworking Mutsu. Be grateful for her not quitting by now." He really did admire the Yato and her ability to keep Tatsuma alive. "Let me guess – you barfed on someone really important?"
"How did you know?" Tatsuma's head whipped towards him, and his grin slowly faded from his face. His sunglasses hid his eyes, only reflecting Gintoki's moonlit face. Why are you wearing them when we're stargazing? Do you think that's all it takes to make a cool character? It's too late for you, you're the barfing character, and sunglasses can't help you -
Tatsuma interrupted his derailed thoughts with his usual burst of laughter. Huh. Gintoki had to admit that his howling was the more memorable trait. And certainly the more pleasant one.
"But that's not all. The planet – Kek-Kon – had this rule where only married folks could live there. And while I was runnin'… hm, takin' a break from work, I ended up there." He paused and winced at the memory. "They were angrier at me not being married than me feeling sick in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Wait, how does that work? They get no visitors from like, half the population of the universe? And what about babies, do they put them on a rocket and blast them away, eighteen years too soon? "
"Hahaha! I didn't stick around long enough to find out. But if you want - " Tatsuma stopped and clamped his mouth shut.
Gintoki swore he heard his teeth crack from the force he shut them with. "Want what?"
Tatsuma laughed, but not in his usually loud way as he turned away from him to look at the stars. "I'll ask Mutsu if you want."
Gintoki thought about it, if it was worth bothering her with useless things, and if he was ever going to need the information. Though with the recent events, the Empire popping out of nowhere, who knew what else lurked in the depths of the universe. "There's something else I want to know. What's the deal with you and Zura working alone? Weird of you to not pester me to join."
"So you found out", Tatsuma mirthfully said, as if he didn't think it would be a secret for even a second. "Well, it was Zura's idea."
"His? You missed half the show where he tried to recruit me in his Uno-playing drama club." Zura? Sure, out of all four of them, he was always the sanest one… No, that can't be right. Now that Gintoki thought about it, he was surrounded by a strange bunch all his life. Starting with an all-powerful immortal Altana being.
"I've been away for too long, but Zura hasn't. He's got your back in more ways than you can imagine."
They stayed silent for a good while, and Gintoki imagined Tatsuma was also recalling the events of the past. Perhaps he was even regretting some, judging by the frown etching itself on his face. Gintoki didn't, but that didn't mean his mind and body complied. He felt a dull drumming in his head the more he thought of the day he lost them. The ache spilled over his neck into his limbs, congregating on his chest, and he clutched at his heart to stave off the pain.
Not this again.
Not even a week had passed since his last dance, and he already felt the trepidation he thought he was going to be free from for at least a few more days creep back into his mind.
"Gintoki?" Tatsuma's worried face blocked out the stars, leaning over as he peered down at him. His breath tickled Gintoki's nose.
"I'm fine", he grunted and pushed Tatsuma's head out of his personal space. While Tatsuma clutched his nose and rolled in pain on the grass, Gintoki felt his ache dissipate into dust. "Now that I know, and that you know that I know, tell me everything."
Tatsuma lay back on the ground, his eyes fixed on the night sky. "It all started a few months ago. Katsura received a coded message from Admiral Shijaku warnin' him that Earth will most likely be the Empire's new target. Just a few days after, the first official message arrived for Princess Soyo, offerin' relief aid."
"What great timing, huh?"
The stars above sparkled like diamonds, as if they wanted to hide something behind that shine. Something dangerous lurking within their infinite depths.
"It seems that's their M.O. in the last twenty years – approach planets with everything to lose and offer them too good of a deal. And the choices are to either accept and comply with the Empire's wishes, or…"
Tatsuma didn't need to finish his sentence. Gintoki was aware of what his silence meant.
He continued: "The Empire has two capital cities. The old one, on their planet, and the new one, movin' like a giant spaceship. All the tributes, people or treasures, end up on the second one. But the thing is, no one's ever seen it; there are only rumors about it being a hellhole in space. I wasted months chasing after it with my fleet, but we didn't even get close to its trail, let alone the ship."
That's what you two have been up to all this time, huh. Things are about to change, Gintoki was going to make sure of that. None of this going duo crap.
Especially after everything that he'd heard in the hospital room last night.
"You know, I wouldn't mind havin' another planet to trade with." Tatsuma's voice was heavy with anguish. "Even if they had some unique customs. But the Empire isn't one of them – their trades aren't fair; it just leaves a lot of people miserable."
Gintoki looked sideways at Tatsuma. Again, a scowl made its way to his face illuminated by the bright moon. Gintoki turned his body to the side and gently flicked Tatsuma's brow.
His hands flew to his forehead. "Ouch!"
"Oi." This time, Gintoki leaned over him, his hands on both sides of Tatsuma's head holding him up. "Your fishing net got snagged on a couple of stars? Well, I did promise to catch a fallen star and release it back into the sky if I ever found one in my net, so you've come to the right place, Tatsuma. You should've done it sooner, though", he smiled down at Tatsuma's astonished expression. "Did that high perspective of yours, where you can see humans, Amanto, and the whole world at once, make you forget that?"
Tatsuma said nothing for a moment and just stared at him, sunglasses low enough on his nose to no longer cover his blue eyes, glinting brighter than the stars above.
"Mm. I guess it did."
And then he pulled Gintoki down into a bone-crushing hug.
"Gah!" Gintoki groaned, his mouth full of grass. "What are you – stop – " He flailed around trying to get up from the position.
"It's revenge for what you did that night, Kintoki!"
"I don't even remember that!"
Tatsuma gleefully laughed in his ear, his lips tickling his earlobe. Gintoki felt Tatsuma's laughter reverberate through his own body, and it oddly felt… nice. He stopped struggling to get up and relaxed against Tatsuma's frame.
"I should've done this sooner, comin' back", Tatsuma murmured under him. "Wish I could've seen your performance in person."
Gintoki frowned. "I'm glad that's done and over with. Now I can get back to doing it in secret – "
Damn it. Gintoki wanted to punch himself right then and there, and he might've done so if his torso wasn't pressed tightly against Tatsuma's.
"Secret?" Tatsuma said, cracking up. "What secret? You dancin' every now and then during the war? We all knew – Zura, hell, even Takasugi knew."
"Takasugi? No way." Gintoki didn't believe that. He would've boiled me alive if he found out. How did they keep mum all this time if they knew? "When did you… you know."
"Ah", Tatsuma sighed, lifting his right arm and staring at it. Gintoki used the chance to roll off him and sat up, glancing at the same spot as Tatsuma. "It was right after I got the injury on my forearm. I didn't mean to follow you then, it just… happened."
The memory of Tatsuma being carried in a stretcher and blood dripping down his arm was as vivid as ever in Gintoki's head. The rest, however, was a blur of silver and steel. He knew Tatsuma losing his sword arm didn't make him any less of a samurai. After all, he was their backbone throughout the whole war with his brilliant sense for trade.
But Gintoki felt murderous. He wanted to track down the culprit and rip his head off, but he couldn't find him anywhere on the chaotic battlefield. The only way he could've quelled that rage was by doing what he always did when he felt disturbed.
Sword dancing.
When he had finally woken up from his trance, rays of the rising sun filtered through the misty trees on the clearing near their camp, and he didn't have the slightest idea of how he got there.
"Well, that's embarrassing", Gintoki grumbled and ruffled his hair. He felt like someone stumbled on his emo temper tantrum, and that was usually Takasugi's role. And the edge lord himself was present!
Tatsuma got up to pour them sake and handed one cup to Gintoki with a smile. "It isn't. It was…" Tatsuma fell silent, looking down at the swirling liquid reflecting the moon. "Anyway, what happened? Zura told me your client was supposed to perform. I barely had enough time to send you the lantern."
"And it was busted", Gintoki quietly complained and smiled, remembering the letter Tatsuma had sent. Thanks. "Yeah, that was the original plan. But Aya broke their leg, got some magic bazooka and shot it in my face, twice, and it was all over. Haa," he sighed, "it was supposed to be over, but the thing exploded and now Gengai is fixing it up. Third time's the charm, I guess."
Tatsuma splattered the sake all over Gintoki. "Bazooka!? You got shot twice? And you'll get shot again?"
"It's a magic bazooka", Gintoki groaned as he wiped his face with his yukata sleeve. "It's some Imperial technology for… what was it… for safe and efficient makeup application? Something like that."
"Hm", Tatsuma murmured, his fingers resting on his chin, lost in thought. "Never heard of it. It sounds like something that should be really popular, though." His eyes suddenly filled with sparkles as he leaned forward. "Mind if I take a look, Kintoki?"
Is this a business opportunity for you?
Gintoki devilishly smiled, the sparkles bouncing off his skin like they met an impenetrable shield. "For a price." He didn't forget getting revenge against a certain someone who filmed a certain tape.
Wait, that sounds wrong –
"Name your price, Kintoki! But before that", Tatsuma took his empty cup and filled it to the brim, "we gotta drink all these bottles before sunrise. You up for it?"
He offered the cup to Gintoki, as if proposing a challenge. You wanna outdrink me? He snatched the cup and knocked back the sake.
"Bring it on."
Bweeeaagh.
Gintoki hurled on the side of the road, rainbows and river sounds masking any view and sound of the act.
Bring it on? You idiot…
He swore never to drink again. Thankfully, the sun was almost up, so that meant Kagura was most likely on her morning run. Ever since he collapsed on the night of the festival, she insisted on doing some kind of Might Guy training.
What would a Yato gain out following a Naruto training regime, Gintoki didn't know. But the fact was, he saw Kagura less and less these days. And he thought she was going to spend more time at home now that she wasn't staying at the Shimura residence any longer.
Huh.
So what? Kids should play outside and not cling to their parents. And vice versa. Umibouzu clung so much to Kagura at one point, trying to make up for lost time, that he had been delegated to just a baldy-old-man. Gintoki knew, however, how much Kagura loved spending time with him and Kamui.
It's her real family, after all.
Gintoki stopped that train of thought. He once made the stupid decision of trying to send Kagura back to her family after finding her letters to Umibouzu, without realizing what it was that Kagura truly needed – staying with Shinpachi and him, her Earth family.
He'll never repeat that mistake again.
Hell, he'll become the clingy one.
The streets were empty on his way home, the shadows growing weaker as the sun crossed the misty boundary of the horizon. Gintoki trudged forward, barely keeping his balance and face off the pavement. While it was chilly, he felt too numb and tired to feel its bite.
Until he looked up and saw a familiar black uniform in the distance, standing underneath the Yorozuya Gin-chan sign.
Gintoki woke up from his stupor immediately.
What's he doing here!? Shit, shit, shit.
Not only did he probably look like Hedoro riding Sadaharu sat on him, but he felt like that as well, and he was in no mood to try and figure out what both him and Hijikata thought of each other.
And he certainly had enough of feeling like he had permanent dust in his eyes when looking at the mayo-bastard's indifferent face.
"Woof!"
Huh?
Hijikata's handsome mug got pushed out of his mind as Sadaharu toppled him to the ground. "Gah! I get it, I'm home, I'm dying – "
Kagura wasn't the only one who changed her behavior following his visit to the hospital. Ever since he got home, Sadaharu was always around him, on him, under him… Gintoki couldn't go to the bathroom alone without Sadaharu whining unhappily. But the bathroom was where Gintoki drew the line; it was the only time when he could be alone. Isn't that sad?
Even as he slept last night, Sadaharu had crashed into his room and curled himself around Gintoki's bed, making sure that his paw always touched a part of his body.
Hmph. His fur is soft. I might as well let him stay around for warmth.
Sadaharu's tail whished as he barked in excitement, running around Gintoki who slowly lifted his upper body from the hard ground. Oddly enough, although his back throbbed from the fall, he felt like an invisible weight that was steadily crushing him has been suddenly lifted off his shoulders.
"Need help, danna?"
Gintoki looked up and realized that the Shinsengumi uniform belong to Sougo, rather than Hijikata. He almost blushed in embarrassment. Am I hallucinating now? Is that what I've become?
He ignored his outstretched hand and stood up, dusting himself off and yawning. "What I need is to not be bothered first thing in the morning. What are you doing here, Soichiro-kun?"
Is he here to fight with Kagura? Or to discuss something about the Empire? Does he know what happened at the hospital? The questions that swirled inside Gintoki's head came to a halt when he noticed how pale Sougo's face looked. And how it contrasted the bluish tint of his lips.
This kid.
"I came here because – "
Gintoki took off his white yukata and put it around Sougo's shoulders. Its light material wouldn't help much in staving off the cold, but it was better than nothing. Besides, Gintoki gained some cold resistance because of his arm constantly hanging out of the yukata to complete his signature look. It's worth it, okay!
Sougo peered down at the fabric and slid his arms through the sleeves. "It's smells funny."
"Oi! I have six more of these, and I wash them on a schedule!" Gintoki sighed in resignation. He didn't really want to explain the complexity of having to take care of seven outfits like they were one because he was a shounen character who always wore the same clothes. "Fine, give it back."
The yukata, almost swallowing up Sougo's smaller frame, swished around as he dodged Gintoki's reach. "That's not nice of you, danna. Once you let something go, you can't get it back."
"Why are you turning philosophical all of a sudden!?"
As if saying goodbye to his yukata wasn't enough, he felt blood drip down his forehead as Sadaharu bit into his head like he was a silver dango.
"Sadaharu…" Gintoki rumbled, struggling to break free from his fluffy captor as he pushed at his muzzle.
The sadist in front of him smiled.
In that moment, Gintoki felt like his head spurted lava rather than blood.
"YOU – "
"Oiii!" The door of Otose's bar flew open, slamming at the hinges as the owner herself stepped out. "How long are you planning on yapping about dirty laundry in front of my bar!?" Otose held a cigarette in her fingers as elegantly as one can when shouting at the top of their lungs.
"Tch." Gintoki had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that a similar scene had already happened a long time ago. "It's not dirty", he murmured defeatedly.
"And what are you doing dressed like that in this weather? You want to end up in the hospital again, you perm head?" she fired off question after question with such fierceness that frightened even Sadaharu into stopping to chew on Gintoki's head. "Ha. What will you do when I die? I can't take care of you forever."
"Haaa? There's no way you'll croak before any of us, baba. It's in your Orochimaru blood."
Gintoki didn't have a doubt in his mind about that. A few streaks of grey in Otose's hair were just the animator's way of showing the passage of time. Nothing else.
He couldn't really imagine his life without her.
After all, where will I find such a nice place for such cheap rent, huh?
Before he got into what was starting to feel like a boxing match with Otose, he noticed his white yukata sneaking away from him. He grabbed the scruff of the instigator of this whole ordeal and pulled him back.
"You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"
Sougo just listlessly stared ahead, not meeting his eyes."A week from now. Meet me here, same place, same time."
He then walked away, not looking back, leaving Gintoki staring at his back in disbelief. This twerp. Sougo had the audacity to selfishly list his demands and bolt.
With. My. Seventh. Yukata.
Gintoki guessed he wanted to talk about the Empire, or maybe devise some kind of a plan. But why be so elusive about it?
Apparently, Gintoki wasn't the only one acting… strange.
The number of zeros on the repair bill Gengai had brought with him made Gintoki's head spin.
Two days after the disastrous morning in front of Otose's bar, Gengai and Aya delivered the fixed makeup bazooka to the Yorozuya office, shining in all its threatening glory.
"What is this?" Gintoki demanded. "Did you build some weird function in? Is it a soy sauce dispenser now? Now that I think about it, don't bring that thing anywhere near my face."
Gengai, cradling the bazooka like a newborn baby in his arms, crept closer. "Ginnoji, how could ya say that? We worked day and night to bring it back to life!"
It's not supposed to be alive!
Wait. Gintoki turned towards Aya who was already sitting on one of the couches, a cup of steaming tea in their hands. "You helped? I thought you knew nothing about tech."
Aya smiled knowingly, blowing on the cup. "Quite the opposite. I am just not as outstanding as Gengai-san. In all my years, I have not seen such mastery over machinery."
Gengai looked like he was about to reach the brightness of the sun any minute now as he gently set the bazooka down on the coffee table.
And I have not seen such mastery over flattery.
"Haaa", Gintoki sighed, not even wanting to prolong this torture any longer, and threw the offending bill on the table. "Anyway, Aya is paying for it, alright? Now let's get this thing over with." If I smell soy sauce –
"Let's go!" Kagura excitedly burst into the room from the kitchen, carrying snacks like it was the start of a movie. "I can't wait to start selling your merch!" she snickered, munching on sukonbu.
"Selling what now?"
Shinpachi, following after her with more tea for Gengai, explained matter-of-factly. "Well, seeing how popular your performance was, Gin-san, it only makes sense to cash it in."
What happened to these kids!? I didn't raise them to be like this… Oh.
"Not happening", Gintoki nervously crossed his arms as sweat dripped down his face. "You won't risk getting in trouble with Sunrise. It ain't worth it."
"What do you mean, Gin-san?" Shinpachi innocently smiled. "We got away with worse. I'm sure they'll be relieved it's nothing worse than this."
You do know your role is that of a straight man, Patsuan?
Gengai mournfully sighed. "I lost my tape. Now I have to buy the merch." He moved his goggles to wipe away invisible tears. "Make it as soon as ya can."
Oh? Tatsuma was quicker than Gintoki expected. At least there was one good thing out of this whole ordeal. He smiled in satisfaction at the thought of that cursed tape being wiped from existence.
"Now that the matter has been settled", Aya put the cup down and got up, their armor menacingly clinking as they picked up the bazooka, "we can get to the main event."
Even Sadaharu joined the others as they all stared in anticipation at what's about to come.
"You're absolutely sure there's no soy sauce in this thing?"
"Positive." Aya took their aim.
"Is there some other kind of sauce inside?"
"Negative." The bazooka slowly fired up, its insides whirring as its glow intensified.
Why are you talking like a seasoned G.I. Joe!?
As Gintoki closed his eyes to prepare for the blast, he recalled the conversation he had with Aya four nights ago, in his hospital room.
"I am sorry."
The room was dark and quiet, save for Kagura's soft snoring. She and Shinpachi squeezed on a small couch on the side of the room, pushing each other off even in their sleep. Gintoki wanted them to go home with Otose and Katherine when they visited and made a racket in the hospital per usual. But then again, if he was in their shoes, he would've done stayed as well.
Though that fact didn't do anything to quell the guilt worming its way in his heart.
"You're sorry?" I should be the one saying that. "Why?"
The whole time they've been here, they haven't looked at Gintoki once. Their dark curls fell over their face, hiding it from his view, as they sat by his bedside. "Because… I am the reason all of this has befallen you, Gintoki."
"Well, if you agree to pay Gengai for the bazooka repair, then we can call it even." Gintoki had never seen that amount of money in his life - except with the lottery fiasco thing when the money had been blown away to smithereens. The one who said that money changed people was right; the whole world was painted in a different light. In a beautiful, pink, strawberry light. And he has to part from it? No way.
"It is not merely the makeup applicator that is at fault." Aya took a deep breath, their voice shaking with emotion. An image of Aya crying at the thought of their brother flashed through his mind, and a sense of urgency welled up in his heart. "The silver blade which you wielded during the Lunar Aria… it is not a prop."
"What is it then?"
Aya finally looked up. They appeared as if they wanted the ground to open under them. "It is a weapon."
Gintoki almost wanted to laugh. "I know what a sword is, Aya."
"No, it is in a shape of a sword", Aya hastily said, their hands flailing around as they explained further. "And it is a sword, but simultaneously it is a weapon. A very specific weapon."
"The slashy type?"
"You, truly!" Aya got up, their face crumpled in vexation with their fingers perfectly curled up for a flick. They composed themselves at the last minute and sat down while Gintoki quietly snickered to not wake up the two sleeping on the couch. "It is a weapon of great power, capable of slaying the immortals. I fear it may have caused you to take ill."
The words echoed in Gintoki's mind as it flooded with scenes of his last battle. He grabbed at the thin sheets of his bed, struggling to pull himself out of seeing Takasugi's empty eyes and Shouyo's face fading away in the Altana light. "I'm guessing you didn't give it to me for no reason."
"…No."
And again, the same way when Hijikata had visited with that accursed folder in his hands asking about Aya, Gintoki's mind clouded over. Only this time he was prepared, so the rushing wave of disappointment didn't overwhelm him. Besides, he promised Hijikata that he would get things done on his end. "Does this have something to do with Ayato?"
Aya flinched. "How did you… no, I should not inquire. It is true. All I have done has been for the sake of my brother", they said softly, face fallen with guilt. They fiddled with their fingers as they continued: "I needed to lure the Emperor out of hiding; it is the reason I had taken place in the competition for the dance position - I knew it would reach the depths of the universe. However, since I had been part of that accident, you had to take my place wielding the silver blade. And you did so remarkably, Gintoki. It was an honor to be graced with your performance."
Gintoki stayed silent, letting the information sink in. Did he just assume Aya was just a very passionate dancer? Just how many red flags did he miss because of the strange feeling of protectiveness he felt towards them?
"That is not all. To kill an immortal, a certain technique needs to be used along with the blade. The scroll holding the technique would only show itself in the presence of the sword. And thus, I pursued traces of its existence until I came upon – "
"Shinpachi", Gintoki whispered in disbelief as he pieced together the puzzle. "You were trying to stay with the Shimuras from the start since they had the scroll you wanted." His head cooled as he sank in the pillows supporting his back. Gintoki didn't care if he had a soft spot or a hundred for Aya. No one will ever touch them. "You know if you do anything to them, you'll regret it?"
"I would regret it, Gintoki. And I am." Aya stared back into his eyes, determination burning in their golden eyes. "Shinpachi-kun, Otae-chan and Kagura-chan are important to me. You as well, Gintoki. I had never… never expected to feel this way since parting ways with Ayato. And asking you for aid feels like a blessing and a curse at the same time, as I have betrayed people I have come to greatly care about."
Aya's words sounded genuine. Gintoki sighed in defeat, the golden flame of their eyes burning still under his closed eyelids. Seriously. "Did you really have to do it in such a roundabout way? We're the Yorozuya, you know. We've toppled governments to reunite lovers. Fighting an empire to save a family apparently isn't above our paygrade."
Gintoki cringed remembering the conversation with Sougo and Hijikata about leaving the Empire to them. At least he'll give them the courtesy of a warning before doing anything drastic.
"I did not want Shinpachi-kun to… to find out. He is far too young to be dealing with the Empire. Both of them are", Aya mumbled as they gazed at their still forms illuminated by the moonlight seeping through the curtains.
Gintoki snorted. "If you say that to them, they will punch your lights out. I know because Patsuan did that to me. They don't like being kept out of the loop. Whatever it is, they want front row tickets to the hell show. They're brats, but they're the toughest brats I've ever met. And in the end, they deserve to know."
But not all things.
Aya turned back to give him a look of disbelief. "I do not believe Shinpachi is capable of light-punching someone. He would not hurt a soul."
"You wanna find out?" Gintoki slyly whispered as he turned towards Shinpachi and Kagura, and raised his voice: "Oi, how long are you planning to pretend to be asleep?"
They tumbled off the couch in perfect synchronization.
Kagura pushed Shinpachi down as she got up. "How did you know, Gin-chan?" Her hair was sticking up in every direction while she slumped on the unoccupied side of his bed.
"I could hear it in your breathing."
"Creepy!" Kagura recoiled in disgust. "You creepy old man!"
Gintoki launched himself off the pillows to give her a head chop. "Anyone could feel the room stop rattling from your snoring! Why, I'm thankful for the closet walls at home being so thick!"
Kagura blew on her palm to prepare for the world-ending head chop and Gintoki grabbed a pillow to block the blow, but Shinpachi finally picked himself up from the floor and stomped over to stop them. "This is a hospital, you idiots! Stop making a racket!" He pushed both their heads down and apologetically smiled at Aya. "Please, continue with what you were saying."
Aya stared at them with a weird expression that Gintoki could only link to… longing. He then remembered that Aya was far away from their family and guiltily put the pillow back in its place.
"Yes, I… I owe you two an apology. I – "
Kagura grunted in annoyance. "Skip the boring part, Aya-chan! Your brother's name is Ayato? Your parents didn't have much of an imagination, huh? So is he in trouble now?"
Shinpachi nodded in encouragement. "We'll help you both, Aya-san."
Gintoki softly patted Kagura's head and straightened her hair.
Aya sat still, their mouth open in shock. They looked at Gintoki, as if asking him for help. Told you so. He shrugged and sank into the pillows. "Now that that's out of the way, mind telling us just what your brother did to incur the wrath of the whole nation?"
Aya's fists shook on top of their knees as their expression darkened, rage swirling like lava in their eyes. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The Empire is a rotting cesspool hiding behind a bewitching mask. My brother, among many, was taken as a tribute to fight to the death as mere amusement. A tribute to ensure our survival under the graceful Empire", they spit out, voice dripping with malice. Gintoki almost had trouble connecting this version of Aya with the usual one, but then he remembered the time they and Ren met the night before the performance.
Aya's voice held a similar layer of contempt.
"It took many years, but at last, I was successful in my rescue attempt. My brother did not escape unscathed, but he is alive. However, I fear his life may be in danger again. And so, it has come to this. I had to find a way to lure the Imperial ruler away from him and destroy them for good."
Hearing Aya finally come clean about everything made Gintoki's heart heavy. A faint memory weighed on his mind, that of a man fighting against his will in the Tendoushuu underground ring to protect the children he took care of.
He decided to do everything in his power not to let the same fate befall Aya's brother. Looking at Shinpachi and Kagura's unwavering faces, he guessed they felt the same.
Still, he didn't want to go into this without knowing crucial information.
"Is that why Ren sent his goon after me?" Gintoki asked, ignoring the mortified faces the two at his bedside made, their gazes scorching his skin off. "Because he thought I was in on it?"
"I am unsure, Gintoki. There might be something else at play", Aya ominously added, frowning in contemplation. There's something else besides a psychopathic ruler going after your brother? "But what I do know is that Ren Selene is aware of my plans."
Shinpachi gave Gintoki one final we'll-talk-about-this-later look before turning to Aya. "How do you know?"
"On the night of the performances, I have convened with who I thought was my associate. However, he was not who he claimed to be. It was the Face-Weaver, a clandestine agent of the First Celestial Order, directly under Ren Selene, who is capable of mimicking another person to a disturbing degree. I do not know for how long I have fed information to him, but that may have been the reason why Ren Selene implemented a recording ban, so that no evidence of the silver blade reaches the Imperial ruler."
The more answers Gintoki got, the more questions popped up. But the one burning at the tip of his tongue this entire time finally spilled over his lips. "Who is this… emperor?"
"Someone who hides in the shadows behind Ren Selene and governs over the Empire; a true mastermind behind their barbarous expansion over the last two decades. And at the center of that malignant spread is their blackened stronghold, where my brother rotted away for many a year."
The hospital room started spinning. Gintoki barely hung onto what Aya was saying, their face mixing with the appalled faces of Shinpachi and Kagura.
"Its moniker spells euphoria for some, and doom for others. Once you enter its battleground as a tribute of a conquered planet, there is no escape. It is called…"
And as the white light of the makeup applicator once again filled his senses, in the safety of the Yorozuya office, one word Aya had said rang in Gintoki's mind.
"Arean."
The shimmering stars covering the cosmic curtain died out, one by one, as a colossal mass glided through space. Its darkness was akin to a black hole, sucking out light wherever it passed. No sound could be heard from the looming fortress, stalking forth like a black panther after its prey. Even if one dared to venture closer, they would only notice the absence of light and life as the impenetrable formation creeped through space.
Its bowels hid a contrasting scene - a horde of people converging onto a single point, moving together as if in a trance to get to the imposing colosseum where the main event was taking place. Hundreds of thousands of them screamed in ecstasy as they looked at the lit-up center of the arena, waiting for the monster fight to the death to begin. The pushing, the mingling, the shouting, and the cheering created a cacophony that shook the very bones of the ship, yet none of it escaped outside of its glorified walls.
A single black throne towered over the arena, looking down on the masses swarming around the ring like ants. The ones assembled behind the jagged obsidian seat couldn't see its occupant, except for a hand clad in a clawed gauntlet listlessly holding a goblet of strong-smelling alcohol.
"Why, if it's you presiding over it, the fight is sure to be a feast, correct?" One of them tried to nonchalantly start a conversation.
No answer came from the throne.
Snickers rose from around him, looking at him in a patronizing manner, and all the ignored Amanto blue blood could do was glare back. One of them took pity, however, and whispered in a conspiring tone. "You don't know, Beliyar? Oh, how silly of me, you're new!" she mockingly exclaimed before continuing. "Our host is… well. She lost something. A long time ago. And since then, all the battles have simply lost their flair for her. At least that's what they all say. We've missed witnessing greatness, in the heyday of Arean."
The one called Beliyar curiously stared at the back of the spiked throne. "What is that something?" His voice shook with anticipation.
The roars of the crowd amalgamated with the guttural screams of agony and sickening sounds of broken bones. The dwellers of the upper level, however, found the drama unravelling before them more fascinating than the suffering and blood-frenzy of the bottom dwellers. They all waited with bated breath for the answer.
"A boy!"
The heavy golden jewelry hanging on her fingers clinked as she clapped her hands in excitement at the reveal.
Beliyar's face scrunched up in confusion. "A what?" he asked, disgusted by the disappointing answer. He could see the others shared his sentiment, their faces incredulous as they glanced at each other.
"Oh, you!" She slapped his arm slightly in reprimand. "It's not just any boy, no! He was the vision of death, the harbinger of destruction. Once he stepped onto the soiled ground of the arena, the fight was already decided. It was his flawless victory", she finished, starry-eyed.
Beliyar frowned. "But who would want to watch a predetermined match? Isn't that extremely boring, him winning every time?"
"You'd think so, but no…"
"Ha!" he derisively snorted, interrupting the golden Amanto, with his chest puffed out. "It's probably all gossip those old farts exchange, living on their past glory. I bet I could've beaten him!"
Crunch.
The sound wasn't louder than the surrounding noise, yet its piercing palpability froze the upper dwellers into silence. The black gauntlet, previously lethargically thrown over the arm of the throne, now held a warped piece of metal in its iron grip.
No one dared to move. All eyes were glued to that hand like they imagined their necks bent between its fingers instead.
"You."
The voice itself didn't sound special; it was one that could be heard anywhere, even in a busy marketplace. But its eerie weight forced the air out of their lungs and made them pray she wasn't calling out to them.
As everyone, even the instigating golden Amanto, slinked back into the shadows, Beliyar realized he was the one being beckoned, and all his confidence fizzled out like a deflated balloon. His heart couldn't decide whether to beat faster or quieter to ensure his survival. He never felt like this, like his life could be snuffed out any second now and no one would lift a finger to stop it.
After no further instruction came, he reluctantly walked forward.
Excruciating step by step, he slowly got closer.
As he circled around the throne, he couldn't help but peek down at the person occupying it.
A pitch black eye stared back.
"Shall we make a bet?"
.
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Thanks for reading :D