Hey guys! I'm finally back with a new chapter! Did you miss me?

What's that? You don't even remember me?

Oh…Well, I didn't miss you guys that much either…

Silver Moon – Book 2 Chapter 1

8 Months After the Events in Book 1…

It was a calm, cool evening in February. The sun had just set a little while earlier and the sky was now full of stars. It was a rather beautiful sight for a city that had once been without a sky.

That city was Yoshiwara. There had been a time when the sky was closed off to its citizens under the jurisdiction of a protective overlord. Eventually, a savior appeared in the city and he brought the sky to the people. He freed them all from the overlord and broke the endless night that they had lived through for so long. The city had become free and the citizens were happy, all thanks to that legendary savior.

That's how the story goes, anyway…

Tsukuyo quietly sat at the kitchen table across from Seita. The young boy was excitedly telling her about something that had happened at school that day, but she was not listening. It was not that she didn't care; she just had something more important on her mind.

Amidst the chatting of the boy, Tsukuyo was straining her ears to listen in on the conversation currently taking place in the living room. It didn't help that the individuals talking in there were speaking in calm and polite volumes. Nevertheless, she tried her best to piece together what was being said.

After all, it was an important meeting. An important meeting between Hinowa and the most significant man in the city.

Hinowa was conversing with Yoshiwara's newest overlord.

It happened a few weeks ago.

It was a normal day, just like any other. The citizens had been going about their usual business when he arrived.

He simply stepped out of the elevator leading down to the city with a bright smile on his face. He was just a young man with a small group of guards following him. The man looked rather dignified, wearing expensive robes and carrying a calm demeanor. He was of average height. He had long black hair that was tied neatly in a ponytail. He wore a simple pair of glasses that covered his most distinguishing feature, his big bright green eyes.

Shortly after arriving in the city, he immediately called for the attention of all of those present. He lifted a hand in greeting and politely introduced himself as the new overlord of Yoshiwara. It was as simple as that.

Some of the citizens initially thought it was a joke, but others were concerned. A moment later, the man reached into his robes and pulled out an important looking document. He held it up so everyone could clearly see it.

It was the official deed to the city of Yoshiwara, and it was resting in that man's hands.

It was then that the fear started to spread. Nobody knew anything about the young man, but he was standing right there holding the deed to the city and claiming to be the overlord. The thought of another ruler like Hosen made people panic, and it was not long before Hinowa, Tsukuyo and the Hyakka were all called to the scene.

Upon arriving, Hinowa quieted all of the citizens down and calmly wheeled herself to the young man. She kindly introduced herself before asking the young man's name.

"You can call me Kami," he said with a gentle smile.

This once again, only made the citizens become more afraid. A new unknown overlord had shown up and was now calling himself 'God'. They were starting to prepare for the worst.

Hinowa, on the other hand, didn't lose one bit of her confidence. She greeted the young man and respectfully asked for the document for a moment. He handed it over without worry and Hinowa called over some nearby people for an inspection. Before long, they confirmed that the document was legitimate, and whoever held it had total control of the city of Yoshiwara.

Hinowa then returned the document to Kami and curiously inquired about how it had come into his possession. He briefly explained that he knew the previous overlord, Hosen, through business, and that the two had been close trade partners. He went on to say that he primarily conducted business in space and had been surprised to hear of Hosen's untimely demise back on Earth. He was even more surprised a few months later when he found out that he had inherited everything the man had owned, including the city. He then took some time to get his business in order before heading to Yoshiwara to become its new overlord full time.

Kami then revealed that he wanted to take care of the city left behind by his partner and become its new overlord. He claimed it was his responsibility to look after it and turn it into a city where everyone could be safe and happy. He then surprised everyone by humbly getting on his hands and knees and bowing to everyone present.

"Forgive me," he said. "It was my duty to look after all of you, but I've completely ignored you up to now. I know I've been a useless overlord up to this point, but will you let me make it up to you? Please, let me do my duty as your ruler and take care of you. After all, it's what you deserve from me."

The citizens had been shocked to hear this. They could hardly believe that such a caring and compassionate ruler could exist for them. But there he was, bowing his head like a lowly commoner even though he should have been treated like royalty. It made everyone realize that the man really did care for the city and the people living in it.

A few seconds later, Hinowa leaned out of her chair and put a hand on his shoulder. He quietly looked up at her and she gave him a big smile.

"Welcome to Yoshiwara, Kami-sama."

Ever since that day, the city of Yoshiwara had been slowly adjusting to its new lifestyle under the rule of Kami. Hinowa held several meetings with the young man and they discussed different ways that they could improve the city. Kami was not afraid to start getting involved and immediately donated a lot of his wealth into the city. It was clear that he was trying his best to make the city a happier place to live.

It was not long before the citizens noticed the new overlord's efforts and began to respect him for it. He was improving the city in ways that benefitted everyone and they were starting to love him for that. In just a few weeks, he rose to be a personal favorite of the citizens of Yoshiwara. They had never known of such a kind overlord working for their happiness and wellbeing. And it was for that reason that they loved him.

Kami knew that the citizens were starting to become loyal to him and that he held a lot of power and influence in the city. However, there was not a single instance in which he let this power go to his head. He humbly realized his own lack of experience and was constantly taking advice from Hinowa. He was always a good listener and gladly accepted her help. That was just another thing to love about Kami; he didn't feel like a man in power. He had a way of making it seem like he was just another fellow citizen who genuinely cared for the city.

And that was about all there was to it. In just a few weeks, a complete stranger had managed to enter Yoshiwara and win the loyalty of the people through his good intentions. Many had quickly accepted him as one of their own and Kami had easily become a central figure in Yoshiwara.

As for Tsukuyo, she was initially one of most skeptical of the young man. She had known firsthand just how terrible it had been living directly under Hosen and she was not about to let it happen again. She knew that Hinowa trusted him, but she was not so willing.

For that reason, she assigned some members of the Hyakka to keep an eye on him and his actions. She wanted to take every precaution against this new overlord and prevent any possibility of being in their old situation. However, what she ended up finding out was what everyone else in the city had already learned. All he ever did was help people and fix up the city, and he was honest and open about it too. In time, Tsukuyo also started to like the young man and what he was doing in Yoshiwara. He only seemed to have a positive influence and the city had indeed become much happier under his rule. Nobody could deny that he was a great addition to this free city.

"Tsukuyo, are you even listening?"

"Huh?" said Tsukuyo, suddenly snapping out of her thoughts.

"Man, you're really out of it," said Seita, giving the woman a concerned look. "You haven't been listening to me at all, have you?"

Tsukuyo sighed. "I'm sorry Seita, I had something important on my mind. The city is going through a lot of changes, you know."

"Who cares about that?" said the young boy, clearly not worried about Yoshiwara's future. "As long as Kami is around, he'll take care of us, right?"

Tsukuyo could only softly smile at the boy's trust in the new overlord. "Yes, that's right," she told him.

Suddenly, Hinowa's voice called out from the living room. "Tsukuyo? Can you please come in here for a second?"

Tsukuyo quietly froze upon hearing this. Why are they asking for me? Do they want me to join the conversation? They've never asked me to join before. I wonder what this is all about.

"I'm coming," she called out as she slowly stood up. Seita watched her leave as she made her way into the living room.

Upon entering, Tsukuyo was greeted by three smiling faces. Hinowa was quietly sitting on the floor across from Kami and his assistant. "Please, come join us for a moment, Tsukuyo," she said, gesturing to the spot on the floor next to her.

Tsukuyo quietly walked over and sat across from Kami's assistant who was commonly known as Edward. He was a tall, older man who had neat brown hair. Like Kami, he also wore robes and even had a monocle over one eye, giving him the appearance of somebody important. Nobody knew much about Edward, as he was mostly quiet and kept to himself. He was often seen following Kami around wherever he went and many assumed he was helping the young overlord with his duties. On the rare instances where he did talk, he was very polite and was often seen with a small smile on his face. Just like Kami, some of the citizens had started to become fond of Edward and had gladly welcomed him into the city.

Once Tsukuyo was properly seated on the floor, Hinowa turned to Kami and said, "Go on, Kami-sama, and tell her your idea."

Under normal circumstances, Tsukuyo would have blurted out 'what idea?' but in this case she simply decided to be quiet. She knew that she had to be polite in front of the new overlord and she didn't want to speak out of turn.

Kami turned to Tsukuyo and looked at her with his big green eyes from behind his glasses. "Good evening, Tsukuyo-san," he began. "Lately, I have been thinking about what a wonderful job you and the Hyakka do every day here in Yoshiwara. You all work very hard to keep our city safe and under control. We are all very thankful for the effort that each of you put in everyday in order to protect us."

Kami then gave Tsukuyo a small smile before he continued. "It is for that reason that I think we should publicly thank you for it."

Tsukuyo was trying to understand what he was saying. "What do you mean?" she asked the young man.

"What I'm saying is I want to hold a big public celebration for the Hyakka in order for everyone to show their appreciation. It would be an entire day dedicated to thanking our amazing police force. It would be a ceremony just for the Hyakka. What do you think?"

Tsukuyo was almost speechless. She had never thought that the Hyakka would deserve something like this. Tsukuyo always knew that they did a good job in protecting the city but she had never once felt the need to be thanked for it. They had always been glad to do it for the sake of Yoshiwara and its citizens. Even so, knowing that Kami cared enough to acknowledge their efforts and willingly thank them for it meant a lot. He was truly a kind and thoughtful man.

"I think it sounds like a great idea," said Tsukuyo with a smile.

"I completely agree," said Hinowa, also smiling.

"Perfect!" said Kami, happy that she had accepted his offer. "It is always good to take the opportunity to thank those most important to us. The Hyakka are an important part of Yoshiwara and we need to acknowledge that."

"Thank you very much, Kami-sama," said Tsukuyo with a bow. "I know that the Hyakka are going to be very excited about this. They really do work hard. Thank you for caring so much about us."

"Nonsense," said Kami, "you all deserve a ceremony for protecting us. It is my pleasure to do this. I want to be the one thanking you."

Hinowa then turned towards Tsukuyo and gave her a smile. "Won't this be great, Tsukuyo? I'm sure all of the citizens will get excited about this as well. You know that they are also very thankful for the safety you bring to the city. It is sure to be a wonderful ceremony."

"Of course," said Tsukuyo, still excited about the new idea.

Kami adjusted the glasses on his face as he looked towards Tsukuyo again. "If you could, I'd like for you to come to the palace sometime so we can discuss the details of the ceremony. We can set a date and figure out what our exact plans are. Do you think you could do that?"

"Yes, that would be great," she said politely.

Kami showed a look of satisfaction before turning to his assistant. "Edward, what would be a good day to have Tsukuyo-san over so we can talk?"

Edward pulled out a small pocketbook and began quietly flipping through it. "It would seem you're busy most days, my lord. This meeting would have to take place in the evening."

"That's not a problem," said Tsukuyo, hoping to make things convenient for Kami.

"In that case," said Edward, still looking through his book, "it looks like the evening of February 9th is available."

Kami turned back to Tsukuyo. "How about it? Would the 9th work out for you?"

"Oh, the 9th?" said Tsukuyo, her voice starting to fall in disappointment. "Forgive me, but I'm afraid I can't make the 9th."

Kami gave Tsukuyo a somewhat curious look and Hinowa decided to join in and explain. "You see, Kami-sama, the 9th is actually Tsukuyo's birthday. She has already made plans to go out with her boyfriend that evening."

"Her boyfriend?" repeated Kami out of surprise. "I didn't realize you had a boyfriend, Tsukuyo-san."

In response, Tsukuyo simply blushed as she looked at the floor. Under normal circumstances, she usually wouldn't be afraid to tell people about her boyfriend, but talking about it in front of Kami just felt weird.

Hinowa, on the other hand, didn't seem to have a problem telling him all about it. "It's true, Tsukuyo has a very nice boyfriend named Gintoki. He's a very likeable and reliable young man and he is a close friend of ours. He has even offered his help to Yoshiwara many times in the past and we are very thankful for that. He's a great man and Tsukuyo is lucky to be with him."

"I see," said Kami, showing interest in his tone. "You seem to speak very highly of him; he must truly be a wonderful man. If it could be arranged, I think I'd like to meet him sometime."

"I'm sure we could find the time to introduce him to you," said Hinowa with a smile.

"That would be great," said Kami, giving a look of satisfaction. He then turned towards Tsukuyo. "Well, in any case, we can't have you missing that important date now can we? We'll just pick another night then."

"I'm really sorry," Tsukuyo mumbled, still feeling a little embarrassed.

"It's okay," he said. "I understand. We all have our own things that keep us busy. It's nothing to feel bad about."

Tsukuyo looked up and gave Kami a small smile. She liked the fact that he was a very understanding man and his words had made her feel better.

"Edward, can we find another night to meet with Tsukuyo-san?" Kami asked his assistant.

Edward began flipping through his pocketbook again until he found what he was looking for. "The evening of February 13th is available," he finally announced.

Kami turned back to Tsukuyo. "How about it?" he asked nicely.

"That would be fine," said Tsukuyo, happy that they had finally arrived at an agreement.

"Perfect," said Kami as he clapped his hands together. "Alright, Edward, please make a note that we will be meeting with Tsukuyo on the 13th to discuss the details of the appreciation ceremony."

Edward scribbled the information in the book before shutting it. "It is confirmed," he said with a small smile.

"Excellent," said Kami, once again readjusting his glasses. "Well, I think that will be all for tonight." He then slowly stood up, signifying that the meeting was over. The other members present also stood up and Tsukuyo helped Hinowa get into her wheelchair.

"Thank you for having us, Hinowa-san," said Kami, giving a slight bow to the woman.

"Of course, Kami-sama, you are welcome here anytime," Hinowa replied.

"I appreciate it," he said, slowly turning towards the door. The two men started to leave when Kami suddenly paused and turned back around.

"Oh, Tsukuyo-san, one more thing," he said.

"Yes?" Tsukuyo replied.

"When you come to the palace for our meeting, why don't you go ahead and bring your boyfriend along with you? That would be a good opportunity for the two of us to meet, don't you think?"

"Oh," said Tsukuyo, surprised at the young overlord's request. She quickly started to wonder if Gintoki would want to go to something like that, but she decided that it would be rude if he didn't. She figured that she would force him to go if she had to.

"Um, sure, that sounds nice," she answered.

"Great," said Kami, once again smiling. "I look forward to it. I'll see you then."

With that, the overlord turned back around and exited the living room with Edward following behind. A few moments later and they could be heard going out the front door.

The two women stood in silence for a moment before Hinowa decided to speak up. "That Kami-sama," she said, "he's such a nice man."

"He is," agreed Tsukuyo. "His presence here in Yoshiwara really seems to have made a difference."

"I can't wait for Gin-san to meet him. I hope they both get along. After all, Yoshiwara owes a lot to the both of them. They're the ones who really made this city what it is today."

Upon hearing this, Tsukuyo quietly thought back on all of the times that Gintoki had offered his help to the city during times of trouble. Gintoki had lent a hand on several occasions including the trials of Hosen, Jiraia, and the courtesan Suzuran. It was completely fair to say that he had been a big help to the city. He truly was the savior of Yoshiwara.

Tsukuyo brought her thoughts to a close and quietly started walking away from Hinowa. "Remind me to thank him sometime," she said with a smile.

Well, I'm finally back everybody! It was nice to take a few weeks off from writing in order to finish out school, so thank you all for being patient. I really did miss writing this story and all of you who read it!

So here we are in Book 2. It will be the second arc of the story and it is a continuation from Book 1. I hope you will all enjoy it! It's only going to get better and better from here!

Anyways, some of you might be wondering what happened to the segment where I chat with the Gintama characters. The truth is I'm not sure if I'll be doing that a lot from now on. For me personally, it was starting to get repetitive and I didn't really know what to do after talking to most of the main characters. I might still do it from time to time, but it is no longer a priority. Let me know what you guys think about this and if you do want to see more of it. It's completely up to you guys.

Whatever happens, I will still try to write something at the end of each chapter for you guys to read, so keep an eye out for it.

That's all for now. Please leave a review with your thoughts on the first chapter of this new book and please look forward to the next one! See you all then!