a/n: Y'all - thanks so much for the great reviews - they really motivate this procrastinator of a writer to keep on trekking! To the anon reviewer who was looking forward to puff-puff action, please tune in next week! ;) And thank you to all who have waited for this story to be finished. Much love and gratitude to you all!

Lady Kamekichi is not an OC. She is canonically mentioned in Gintama as the courtesan that Tsukuyo was apprenticing under at the start of the Yoshiwara in Flames arc. With that in mind, time for my 2nd most favorite arc from Gintama, but remixed! Hope you enjoy!

10. courtesan of a nation

For a while, life had gone swimmingly well enough, and within a period of time, things had stabilized somewhat in Yoshiwara. Tsukuyo still was busy as ever, but even so, her once twelve hours shifts had finally turned into normal eight hour shifts, which gave her enough time on her hands to wonder what Gintoki was up to, and whether he would send her another letter.

The sunlight had proved to be exceedingly popular in Yoshiwara, and though the vast majority of business was still conducted at nighttime, more of the brothels and entertainment houses were starting to offer daytime services.

It was a known fact that Tsukuyo had opened the elevators to anyone who wished to venture out of the red light district district, and she had made it an official decree that the Hyakka would not stop any girl attempting to escape by means of violent force. That had been a matter of contention for a while between the Courtesan of Death and many of the madams who owned the brothels in the city, who were used to doing things a certain way. However, as a former assistant to a courtesan who had mistreated her back when she was a little girl, Tsukuyo would not acquiesce to their demands, and had firmly suggested to the owners that they simply treat their workers better.

Change, Jiraia had told her, must come from within. And she had taken that advice seriously, starting with the welfare of the most downtrodden women. Never again would she allow another story such as Hinowa's to repeat itself once more in Yoshiwara, for if she were to bear the burden of protecting all women, she would have needed to address the previous ills that had happened under Hosen's reign.

The politics were out of her hands; the ownership of brothels and the subterfuge that happened under the neglect of the Shogun was something that she had no control over. However, in her department, she was determined to save as many young girls and women as possible, and that was why she was going to the surface today.

Hinowa had talked privately to her about a case that had recently come up in Yoshiwara. It was the story of a famous courtesan, who long ago had attracted many of the most powerful lords and noblemen of the time. For some mysterious reason, she had disappeared for half a year; and when she came back to the red light district, she had suddenly decided to stop seeing customers at the peak of her fame, and quietly retreated into obscurity, preferring to live on the sympathy of former clients and the kindness of Yoshiwara.

Lately, this courtesan, who went by the name of Suzuran, had made it habit to walk to the surface every full moon to a cherry tree that had grown near the park of the former glory that had been Yoshiwara on the surface. Hinowa had found it strange, and more importantly, worrying, as the former courtesan was in no condition to linger in dangerous parts of town that had previously been the home to some of the worst skirmishes during the first Joui war.

"I believe she'll be taking her stroll tomorrow," Hinowa told Tsukuyo over their daily breakfast. "Would you mind trailing her and making sure that she's safe?"

And Tsukuyo had done so, taking care to hide herself from Suzuran's gaze as she stealthily followed the older woman on her way to Edo.

Most of her work took form in this way; she often found herself lurking in the shadows, senses high on alert for any sign of wrongdoing. For today, Tsukuyo had dressed in a plain kimono, choosing to hide her head of golden hair with a straw hat, her disguise as nondescript as it could be.

Still, she had felt guilty, for she had remembered Suzuran as a kindly spirit who, although retired, always had a kind word to offer towards everyone, even to the most vicious of courtesans. Who was she, after all, to intrude on the older woman's privacy? It almost felt as if she was eavesdropping on a secret she had no right to know.

Yet Hinowa had asked her to protect the courtesan, and so she had no choice but to acquiesce to the strange request.

-x-

For a whole afternoon, Tsukuyo had simply observed and taken note of the surroundings around her. It had been, in all honesty, her first time in Edo, apart from the lingering gazes she would allow herself to indulge in back when Yoshiwara was no more than a prison for her. There were more Amanto up here, that she could as much tell. Suzuran seemed to know the streets well, and though she was nearing sixty years of age, there was still a sprightliness to her limbs, a youthful spring in her step as she made her way to the former red light district. Where did she get that energy from? Tsukuyo wondered, as she carefully scanned the horizon for any signs of potential criminals.

At last, Suzuran finally stopped in front of a beautiful cherry tree, the flowers not yet in bloom. She took a seat on a bench that was not too far away, while Tsukuyo took shelter away from prying eyes in between the buildings next to the park.

It was mysterious indeed how Suzuran happened to be dressed in her finest clothes, and her makeup tastefully applied, yet no one had come to see her. For fifteen minutes, Tsukuyo patiently waited for someone to show up, but it was an exercise in futility.

Who was this person - and dare Tsukuyo say, a lover? She could only guess at best, for no courtesan worth her salt would have gone to the trouble of looking their best if it were not for the lure of a fabulously wealthy client. As Suzuran had none of those opportunities, the only reasonable conclusion Tsukuyo had was to assume it'd been a case of a long-lost love.

Tsukuyo was nothing but patient, however, and to her surprise Suzuran took out a novel. Clearly she expected to wait for a while.

Slowly, the afternoon slipped way, the sun shifting into the dusky twilight. Still, Tsukuyo waited, her eyes never wavering from Suzuran as the watchful guardian of Yoshiwara, her duty never ending and uncompromising.

It was not until midnight until Suzuran rose up from the bench, yet there was still no visitor who came at the last hour to rescue Cinderella in the night.

"Tsukuyo-chan, you must be very hungry," Suzuran said kindly, as she passed by the alley that Tsukuyo had been waiting all day in.

"I - "

For a second, Tsukuyo frantically tried to come up with an excuse. But after the moment had passed, she found that she was at a loss for words. "I apologize, Suzuran-dono. Please excuse my rudeness."

"No need," the older woman said, waving her hand cheerfully. "If I had to guess, it was Hinowa-chan who put you up to this, yes?"

Tsuyuko nodded apologetically. "How did you know?"

"The smell of tobacco," she replied, her eyes twinkling. Tsukuyo grimaced - her master would have been ashamed. (Then again, it had been a long shift... )

"Suzuran-dono, I hate to ask, but just exactly who were you waiting for?"

"I'm sorry, Tsukuyo-chan. That I'm afraid I can't tell you. But if it helps, I only come here once or twice a month, you know!"

-x-

After the incident, Tsukuyo had asked one of her assistants to inquire about Suzuran's old clients, but to her dismay, she had found out that there were no records as the previous Yoshiwara on the surface had burned their registers shortly before they were overruled by the Amanto.

Hinowa had been saddened to hear that the older courtesan had never quite managed to meet whoever it was she was waiting for. When Tsukuyo had reported her findings to Hinowa that night, the Sun of Yoshiwara had sighed wistfully, her hands in the midst of making tea right before Tsukuyo headed off to bed.

"Do you have any idea who it might be?"

"No, but I do know it would have had to be a very wonderful man. Why else would she have never forgotten him?"

"He must be around sixty years old by now," Tsukuyo said, sipping her tea. That would eliminate some people. If she knew more about the nobility from that generation, perhaps she would be able to know what happened to the long-lost love.

"Yes, I think so too. But... I did hear a rumor, when I was a small child... "

"What did you remember?"

Hinowa frowned, racking her mind for the memory. "When I was an apprentice, I had heard that the most important danna that Yoshiwara had ever received was the person selected to be the next Shogun. I could only assume that Suzuran was the courtesan who had the honor of seeing such a man. But if I think about it, I'm sure he has been the Shogun for many years by now."

"You're kidding." How on earth am I supposed to reunite Suzuran and the Shogun together?

The Sun of Yoshiwara shook her head. "This is just my theory. I doubt that Suzuran would have expected to meet him at the park, if what you said was true."

"Well, if it's my only clue... " Tsukuyo sighed. "Suzuran-dono won't tell me who it is. No matter how much I ask."

"As expected of a courtesan who truly loved Yoshiwara to the end," Hinowa said wistfully, though she was still smiling fondly. "I suppose this is why I care so much. As she was once a woman sold, raised, and one day will be buried here, I'd like her to attain happiness one day."

Tsukuyo put down her cup of tea. "I will make sure of it, Hinowa," she said softly. "I promise."

-x-

If Hinowa was not sure of who Suzuran's old lover was, then she had to take things into her own hands. For as much as she knew every crook and nanny of the small underground city, Tsukuyo was not as certain of the politicking that went on within Yoshiwara, and had assumed that most courtesans kept away from it, presumably for their own safety and to protect their own reputations.

Which was why after she stopped at her old mentor's tea-house, she had made especially sure to warn the courtesan ahead of time, and indeed, there was an uncomfortable atmosphere between the two of them while the servants poured her a cup of sencha and served little rice crackers.

"Lady Kamekichi," she greeted, bowing her head once the courtesan had entered the room, the swish of heavy fabric making a pleasant sound as the kimono dragged on the floor.

"You haven't changed any since Hinowa broke your contract, Tsukuyo," she said, her eyes glittering and her voice still tinged with disdain. "Although with that horrible looking scar of yours, it might have been for the best."

Tsukuyo smiled. "Hinowa wanted me to tell you she says hello."

"Hmmph!" The courtesan pursed her lips and opened her fan. "I suppose her legs have gotten better since Hosen went away."

"They have. We actually had an Amanto doctor fit her with some leg braces the other day. He thinks that she'll be able to walk in about half a year if she does rehabilitation exercises."

"I see. That's good to hear."

For a moment, Tsukuyo observed the courtesan. She was undeniably still beautiful, and while she was no longer at the height of her fame ten years ago, she had still retained an extensive clientele that ranged from the most loyal members of the Hitotsubashi faction all the way to Amanto royalty. As Hinowa had been held captive under Hosen's rule for years, it was only natural that Hinowa had lost the connection between Yoshiwara and Edo, a strange juxtaposition against the fact that most of the livelihoods from the red light district were impossible to sustain without the patronage of some of the nation's richest and most powerful men of their time. For now, Lady Kamekichi would have to serve as that link.

The courtesan waved away the servants, who closed the sliding doors behind them. "Enough of this charade, Shinigami Dayuu. You were never the best at small talk, so why don't you enlighten me as to why you visited me today?"

"I need an invite," Tsukuyo said bluntly. "I know you were personally invited by the Shogun himself for his sixtieth birthday celebration, to entertain him with your dancing. I was wondering if I could ... come."

"Absolutely not," the courtesan snapped. "I don't extend invitations for virgins to such things, much less those who cannot even handle their own drink." Tsukuyo flushed, remembering the incident where the Hyakka had thrown her a 20th birthday party, to where much destruction of the property had taken place. She wasn't going to correct Lady Kamekichi's assumption that she was a virgin, however. Some things, she thought, ought to remain private.

"And anyways, why on earth would you want to come, anyway?" The esteemed courtesan looked at her with morbid curiosity.

"It's Suzuran," Tsukuyo explained. "Lately she's been going to the surface to meet someone, but whoever they are, won't show up. I want to reunite her with ... him. I think it may have been a long-lost lover. Hinowa thinks he might be connected to the Shogun."

"I see," the courtesan simply said, choosing to pour herself another cup of tea while she mulled over Tsukuyo's words. "And you want to find him?"

"Yes."

"I would give it up," Lady Kamekichi advised. "For one, Tokugawa Sadasada-sama still remains one of the most dangerous men to be involved with."

"Even more so than Hosen?"

The courtesan scowled. "This is considerably different. Being locked in a cage is different from cutting off the head of government, don't you think?"

"I - that was not my intention."

"Maybe not, but one misspoken word could easily have your head cut off."

"What if I didn't speak? You could just ... do the talking."

"I could, but what would you offer me in return?"

"Protection. I know that lately that the men have been getting rather... audacious." Tsukuyo knew that it was a growing issue, especially when the clients tended to be extremely wealthy. "I could intervene if someone turned violent. As you said, he is a dangerous man. Who knows what he might do to a courtesan?"

"Point taken, but what will you do when someone puts their hand on you?" The courtesan fanned herself, still frowning. "You can't simply kill these men without consequences like you do here, Tsukuyo. Not on their territory."

"I know, which is why I came to ask for your help. I just want information, that's it."

"I'm afraid I can't," Kamekichi said, her grey eyes growing progressively colder. "This is just too much of a risk. Hinowa would never forgive me if something happened to you."

"It was Hinowa herself who asked me to come to you," Tsukuyo insisted. "And I thought you of all people would help. Were you not Suzuran's apprentice at one time?"

She watched the courtesan take in a sharp breath. "I... how did you know that - ?"

Tsukuyo did not answer, her eyes piercing and unblinking as she continued to stare at the courtesan. "If Suzuran-dayuu was allowed to be happy in all her years of service to Yoshiwara, would you deny her the opportunity?"

She stood up, ready to leave. "Goodbye, my lady," she said, giving a short, curt bow to the other woman before turning to slide open the door.

"Wait - "

Tsukuyo waited. "Yes?"

"I'll do it. But on one condition." Now the courtesan's eyes gleamed in anticipation. "You'll have to do what I say."

-x-

The palanquin held the two ladies inside, who were dressed in full splendor. Lady Kamekichi's hair was pinned up with no less than twenty of the grandest, most ornate hairpins, while Tsukuyo herself had settled for a measly three.

"Now remember," the courtesan said, checking her reflection in the mirror. "Absolutely no talking. And if a man touches your chest - "

" - I laugh and walk away," Tsukuyo repeated.

"Exactly."

The journey would take them over an hour, with the courtesan's assistants walking behind them. As the Edo castle came into view, Tsukuyo had to crane her head in the window to see the top of it. Hinowa had given her a good-luck charm to which she tucked into her obi for safekeeping. And of course, the sleeves of her costume were lined with kunai, although she hoped that she would not have to use any of them tonight.

When the door of the palanquin opened, it was Lady Kamekichi who stepped out, Tsukuyo trailing her behind. Greeted by the Shogun's bodyguards, they were led into the inner banquet hall where a shamisen was laid near a stage.

An overweight, horribly ugly man surrounded by two retainers were already sitting at their place, and he beckoned the courtesan to come closer. Lady Kamekichi smiled, and extended her hand, allowing him to kiss it. So this was Tokugawa Sadasada, the 13th and current Shogun of Edo.

"My lord," she said. "Happy birthday. It is truly an honor."

"No finer honor than to have you performing for me," he said in return. "And this is ... ?"

"My apprentice," she said. "I wanted to bring her along today. She'll be sitting in the back of the banquet, but I trust you will have no complaints."

He openly raked his eyes at Tsukuyo, who could not stop herself from shivering slightly. "She is beautiful. An unusual change from the girls that you usually bring along, but delightful."

"I am glad, my lord. Shall I pour you a drink?"

"I thought you would never ask."

"Make yourself scarce," the courtesan whispered to Tsukuyo, as the Shogun headed towards his table. "Blend in with the guests." She didn't need to be told twice.

Although Tsukuyo's beauty had drawn some attention from the Shogun's guests, they were mostly content to keep their hands to themselves, understanding that such a transgression would have offended Sadasada. If one attempted to draw out conversation from the Courtesan of Death, she would lower her eyes, demure, and apologize with shakes of her head, playing the role of a shy noblewoman, which had been effective enough to deter most from getting to know her. Naturally, she kept an eye out on Kamekichi, who not only was a remarkably fine actress but also a gracious host by all measures.

Over the next few hours, the party became less formal, with more of the noblewomen leaving and the men becoming looser with their tongues. The only ones who seemed sober were Lady Kamekichi, who remained cool as a cucumber, and Tsukuyo, who had been politely declining all offers of sake, preferring to drink tea in lieu of the alcohol.

" - and I dare say, my dearest Kamekichi, you are just as funny and beautiful as the day that I met you!" The Shogun grinned, as the courtesan elegantly poured him another drink. "You there! Assistant! Come over here!"

Tsukuyo raised her head, eyes widening as she looked at the courtesan, who gave her an imperceptible nod. Rising from her seat, she walked all the way across the hall to the two of them, making sure to bow her head to the Shogun before taking a seat.

"I'm afraid I haven't gotten your name," he said. "What was it ...?"

"Tsukuyo, my lord."

"Now, how on earth did you become Lady Kamekichi's apprentice? If I know her, and I think I do, she wouldn't dare pick a girl with a scar on her face, as lovely as you are."

His eyes were as clever as a fox, and again, she remembered that this particular Shogun had been known for his political cunning.

"Oh, Shogun-sama, you think of me so vainly!" the other courtesan exclaimed, saving Tsukuyo from having to answer. "I'll have you know that I rescued her from another vicious courtesan who was so jealous of her beauty that she scarred this little one!"

Tsukuyo had to give it to her; the lie was spun so well that even she would have believed it herself if she was the Shogun.

"Is that so!"

"Of course, my lord. Do you not think she is beautiful, yourself?"

"I do." Again, Tsukuyo could feel his eyes raking over her body, and she bitterly resisted the urge to take her kunai out. Men had been slashed for much less before, and yet...

"I so do love the sight of a beautiful woman..." he said, and already she could see that he was fantasizing openly in front of her and Kamekichi. It disgusted her. "... You remind me of someone. Who was it... ?"

"Was it Suzuran?" Tsukuyo asked, unable to help herself. Kamekichi glared at her, but the Shogun had barely noticed.

"Suzuran? That woman from so many years ago?" He grinned salaciously. "No, I don't think so, even if I do remember what it was like to make her cry."

Tsukuyo tensed. A hard knot of anger was beginning to form in her chest.

The Shogun smiled, beckoning the other courtesan to pour another cup of sake. "She was a very useful tool, I won't deny that. And for a while, I did truly love her. But as a Shogun, there are only so many missteps a man can forgive before another woman comes along... "

Tsukuyo by now was gripping her kunai so tightly inside her sleeve that she knew a blister would form on her palm before next morning. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have ten wives. What use would I have for an unfaithful courtesan?" He took a sip of sake. "My retainer was the one who fell in love with her, and begged on his knees that I would not execute her, even though I had bought her freedom from Yoshiwara." That explained why Suzuran had disappeared for half a year.

"... I see. And what became of that retainer?"

"He lost his arm for that particular sin," Sadasada said, smiling. "A fair trade for my loss, I would say - "

For a second, a moment of utter rage descended upon Tsukuyo, who knew how easy it would be to sever the jugular between life and death. She turned her head away, knowing that it was not wise to make any rash decisions on the spot. After all, they were in the Shogun's castle! And yet... and yet!

"My goodness, Shogun-sama, how awful of you," Lady Kamekichi said soothingly, placing a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder. "Did you know that Suzuran still lives in Yoshiwara, for all these years?"

"Is that so? What a waste... "

She would have died for you, Tsukuyo wanted to scream at him. She deserved to be happy, you greedy monster of a man! She knew that being trapped here in Yoshiwara was better than spending an eternity in your cage!

With the last remnants of her self-control, she mustered a quick bow, and said, "Please excuse me, my lord. I just forgot that I dropped my hair pin in the garden. Allow me to retrieve it."

-x-

What would Hinowa do? Tsukuyo asked herself as she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself from the rage that came over her in waves. It would do no good to simply assassinate the Shogun on such a baseless charge, and tempting as it might have been, that would have brought trouble upon everyone she cared about, including the entire town of Yoshiwara. She was aware that on such dangerous grounds, the best she could hope for was to look for a man without an arm, but who was to know if he was still alive?

The garden was deserted, testament to how late the evening had gotten. Tsukuyo had already scanned the horizon for stray guests, but there were none, which she was grateful for. She wasn't sure how much more play-acting she could do in this castle, even if it was for her own good.

Then there was a noise in the bush, startling her.

"Tsukuyo? What are you doing here?"

Her mouth dropped open. "G... Gintoki? Is that you?"

a/n: CLIFFHANGER! *le gasp*

Please let me know you thought of the chapter :D If you're a silent reviewer, short comments are appreciated too, 'cause it lets me know that you're still on this ride, lol.