Silver Moon – Book 2 Chapter 15
Please still be safe. Please don't tell me that they've started the fight yet. Please just let him be safe.
These kinds of thoughts flooded Tsukuyo's head as she ran down the halls in search of Gintoki. She was now completely alone, and the group's last hope for finding the samurai and rescuing him. This was part of the reason why Tsukuyo had been thinking such hopeful and desperate thoughts; she didn't want to let 'Team Go Save Our Idiot' down.
However, despite all of this, there was still another reason that made her keep praying for his safety. It was because she deeply cared for him, and she was truly worried that he might actually be dead. Even though he had just broken her heart the night before, she still knew that he cared about her. The last thing she wanted was to lose him for real this time.
Please still be safe she repeated one last time. After all, I still have some things I need to say to you. You can't die just yet, alright? Wait for me first!
Gintoki ran down the halls, cursing up a storm as he went. He had just recently found himself in a bad mood upon hearing that his friends had broken into the palace. Even though he had just saved the group by agreeing to fight with Kamui, they just ended up putting themselves right back into danger by coming after him. This was not the way that he had originally intended things to happen, so naturally he was quite upset.
Damn all those idiots! Honestly, how stupid can they be? Coming here, just for my sake! I mean, come on, can't they even take a hint? I told Zura to stay away! I fired those stupid kids! And Tsukuyo, I broke up with her! Can't they understand that I just want them all to stay away and leave me alone!?
Gintoki stopped ranting and took a deep breath. Well, I guess it doesn't really matter, because they're all in for a surprise. I'm going to force them all to leave, even if I have to throw them out myself. Serves them right. Oh, and I'm also going to beat the hell out of Zura for telling them where I was! Maybe next time he'll learn to listen to me!
Gintoki's gaze intensified with new determination. He started picking up the pace.
Look out, all you idiots! Gin-san is coming to kick your ass out of here!
Tsukuyo glanced up ahead. She was still navigating her way deeper into the palace.
Hmm, I think that the grand hall is this way she thought as she turned a corner into a medium-sized room…
Gintoki glanced up ahead. He was still trying to figure out where his friends might have wandered off to after initially entering the palace.
Hmm, I think that the front entrance is this way he thought as he turned a corner into a medium-sized room…
SLAM! The samurai and the courtesan ran right into each other inside of the empty medium-sized room. Tsukuyo's head bumped right into Gintoki's chest and they both bounced back in surprise. They had not been expecting such a sudden collision while they were running.
"Ow…" Tsukuyo mumbled as she put a hand to her head. She quietly looked up to see what exactly she had just run into. She went completely stiff when she saw who it was.
"Gintoki!?" she exclaimed.
"Ah!" Gintoki shouted, also realizing who he had just bumped into. "T-Tsukuyo?"
The both of them immediately froze, not quite sure what to do with the other. Even though they had just previously stressed the focus of their goals in their heads, this unexpected encounter had caused them to quickly forget all of that. Instead, they just stared at each other in disbelief. The initial silence between them was understandable. After all, the last time they had seen each other was on Valentines Day, when Gintoki had said goodbye for good…
Eventually, Tsukuyo managed to speak up. "Gintoki?" was all she could muster.
Gintoki simply stared back, not quite sure what to say. However, as he watched, he could clearly see that Tsukuyo was trying to find the words to tell him something. He just stayed silent as he anxiously waited for her to continue.
Tsukuyo's eyebrows started to fold inward. "Gintoki…you…you…" She paused.
"YOU BASTAAAAAAAARRRD!"
At that moment, Tsukuyo slapped Gintoki hard across the cheek. He turned his head away in pain.
Gintoki then stood still for a moment before placing a hand on his stinging cheek. He turned back towards Tsukuyo. "Ouch! What the hell-!?"
Gintoki suddenly cut his words short as he looked at the courtesan. Her expression was full of rage, and it was all directed at him.
"How dare you!" she screamed at him. "How dare you break up with me on Valentine's Day!"
Gintoki just stared back at her, a little lost. Nevertheless, she continued.
"Do you have any idea how much I was looking forward to spending time with you that night!? That was supposed to be the most romantic night of the year! But then…then you went and did something like that to me!"
Gintoki remained silent, while Tsukuyo looked like she was on the verge of tears.
"How could you!?" she screamed. "How could you do something so heartless like that to me!? Just…just leaving like that! And all those awful things you said to me too! They…they broke my heart…!"
A couple of tears were now rolling down Tsukuyo's cheek.
"I cried all night after that! I…I really thought you didn't care about me anymore! Y-You bastard, you had me all shaken up…"
Tsukuyo took a moment to calm down and wipe her eyes on her sleeve. She then looked up at Gintoki again. "But…but it's okay, because I found out that you were actually here and that Kami wasn't who he appeared to be. Katsura explained everything, so it's all okay. He even explained that you were just acting when you broke up with me in order to keep me safe. And…and I understand, alright? I…I know that you weren't trying to hurt me or anything, just that you were trying to protect me in your own stupid way. I kind of get it…so even though you really hurt me…I guess I can forgive you for what you did…"
Tsukuyo's tone suddenly became stern again as she pointed a finger at the man. "But only because I know it was all an act! That's the only reason why I'm even thinking about forgiving you for what you did!"
Gintoki still remained silent, and Tsukuyo eventually withdrew her finger with a sigh.
"Anyways," she began, "the reason that we all came here is because-"
"It wasn't an act."
Tsukuyo paused as she looked up to the man. "Huh?"
"I said it wasn't an act," he repeated seriously.
Tsukuyo gave him a weird look. "What are you talking about?" she asked, sounding concerned.
Gintoki simply crossed his arms as he stared off to the side. "Look, I don't know what Zura might have told you, but I was not acting when I broke up with you last night. I meant every word I said."
Tsukuyo looked shocked. "What? But…why?"
"I explained all of that last night, didn't I?" he asked shortly. "I thought that I had made my intentions perfectly clear. I don't want to be in a relationship with you any longer. Honestly, what part of that didn't you understand? I'm done with you and I'm moving on! We're completely broken up, got it?"
Tsukuyo cringed as she listened. It hurt to hear Gintoki say those things, especially in that dead-serious tone. She wasn't quite sure how to respond, so she just stayed silent, anxiously awaiting what the samurai was going to say next.
"On that note," said Gintoki, suddenly turning to Tsukuyo with dead fish eyes, "what exactly are you doing here?"
"H-huh?" Tsukuyo choked out.
"What are you doing here? You didn't come here for me, did you? Did you seriously fool yourself into thinking that it had all been an act? Come on, you should have known that there was no longer anything between us."
"Nothing between us?"Tsukuyo repeated. "How…how can you say that?"
"Because it's true," Gintoki said matter-of-factly. "I told you last night that I don't really care about you anymore. I'm not sure why you don't feel the same way, given what happened between us…"
"That doesn't mean I don't still care about you!" Tsukuyo cried desperately.
"Well, whatever," said Gintoki suddenly turning away from her. "All I'm saying is that you're wasting your time with a lost cause here. You really have no reason to be here right now, so get lost. After all, I don't exactly remember inviting you into the palace…"
And with that, Gintoki started walking off. He had just completely rejected everything that Tsukuyo had wanted to say to him. Tsukuyo herself simply stood there for a moment as she watched him walk away.
So, is that it? she asked herself. Is this what I came all the way here for? I came here just to be told that the man I love doesn't care about me? I'm going to have to watch him walk away from me again?
Tsukuyo could feel the anger welling up inside of her again. No, I don't believe this. I'm not going to let this happen again...
"I don't buy it, Gintoki!" she shouted after him.
Gintoki just kept walking, apparently ignoring her.
"This isn't like you!" she insisted. "The Gintoki I know would never act like this unless something was wrong! And I know what it is! It's Kamui isn't it? He's the one making you act like this!"
Gintoki was still walking, almost completely out of the room…
Out of desperation, Tsukuyo shouted the one thing that she hoped would grab his attention.
"If it's true that Kamui's the one making you act like this, then maybe I should go and pay him a visit…"
It worked. Gintoki immediately stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around to look at her. He looked surprisingly furious. "You wouldn't," he breathed.
Tsukuyo just stared back as she crossed her arms. "Oh yeah? Try me," she challenged seriously.
Oddly enough, Gintoki had turned back around and was now approaching Tsukuyo at a fast pace. "There is no way in hell that you are going after that guy. I absolutely forbid it. You don't even have any business here anyway! Just get out of here already!"
"No!" she shouted back defiantly.
"Damn it, Tsukuyo listen to me-"
"Why should I? I don't have to listen to you at all! It's not like you're my boyfriend anymore," she replied harshly. "Besides, why do you care? I thought that you didn't even care about me!"
"I don't!" Gintoki shouted back angrily. "I just don't want you getting in the way of things! NOW LEAVE!"
"NO! I came to get you out of here and I'm not leaving until that's done! So if the only way to make you leave is to go take care of Kamui, that's what I'm going to do!"
"Like hell you are! I'm not going to let that happen! Now get out of here!"
"No way! I-"
Tsukuyo suddenly paused and turned around. Gintoki let go of his anger for a moment as he looked at her out of confusion. For some reason, she was staring at the hallway that she had just turned out of.
What's she doing? Gintoki asked himself before a small noise caught his attention. A little ways off, the rumble of several people running could be heard drawing nearer to them.
"Oh shit!" Tsukuyo whispered. "The palace guards are coming! They must be looking for me!"
It was true; the sound of the stampede was fast approaching them. The guards would probably stumble into the room any second now.
"I need to get out of here before they find me!" Tsukuyo shouted as she turned away from the door.
Gintoki, suddenly realizing his newfound opportunity, took the initiative. Just as Tsukuyo turned around, Gintoki clamped both of his hands around her wrists.
Tsukuyo looked stunned. "What the-?" she muttered, looking from her wrists to the man that held them. "Gintoki, what the hell are you doing!? Let go of me!"
Gintoki just gave her a grin. "Sorry, no can do. You and I are going to stay right here."
Tsukuyo tried to tug her wrists back as she argued with him. "But the guards, they're going to find me!"
"Exactly," said Gintoki, still grinning. "HEY, GUARDS, THERE'S AN INTRUDER IN HERE! COME AND GET HER!"
"Gintoki, be quiet!" she pleaded as she desperately tried to release her arms. "Do you want me to be captured!?"
"Of course," replied Gintoki, making it sound like it was obvious. "I told you I didn't want you in here. I'll make sure that the guards throw you out. Oh, and while they're at it, I'll have them throw the other idiots out too."
Tsukuyo frantically looked behind her. The sound of the guards approaching was coming from right outside the room…
"Damn it, Gintoki!" she screamed at him. "Let me go, or I'll…I'll…"
"You'll what?" asked Gintoki, looking amused.
Tsukuyo stopped struggling and did the most unexpected thing she could think of. She quickly leaned in and kissed Gintoki right on the lips. The samurai's eyes immediately widened out of surprised. At the same time, the tight grasp that he had on Tsukuyo's wrists naturally loosened.
Perfect she thought as she managed to pull both arms free of Gintoki's hold. She then pulled back from the kiss as she jumped away. She started heading for the exit across from her.
Gintoki was frozen for a second before he finally turned around and realized what was going on. Tsukuyo had made a break for it and she was almost out of sight.
Shit! She's getting away! He started going after her when the group of guards finally made it to the room. They immediately surrounded Gintoki upon arrival.
"Oh, it's you," said one of the guards, recognizing Gintoki. "You're the one that the captain wants to fight. We thought that you were an intruder at first."
Gintoki clenched his teeth in frustration. "There is an intruder you idiots! She just ran down that way!" He pointed down the hall where Tsukuyo had just disappeared. "Go get her and throw her out!"
"Oh, er, right," stuttered the guard. He quickly sprinted into action while the others followed behind him. There were only about ten of them, but they would be more than enough to take care of somebody who was on their own.
Gintoki suddenly found himself alone. He then ruffled his hair as he cursed himself. Ugh, how could I fall for such a stupid trick!? That damn woman, unexpectedly kissing me like that! How could I have let something like that stun me!? I'm such an idiot!
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kagura's voice echoed. It's because you're in love Gin-chan…
Oh shut the hell up he thought as he looked up. Well, in any case, it looks like she got away. I know I sent the guards after her, but Tsukuyo is pretty crafty. I wouldn't be surprised if she found a way to get rid of them…and if she does, then she'll be going directly after Kamui…
Gintoki paused as Kamui's words came to his mind. "Now, I will not go out of my way to try and harm your friends, but if they were to come after me…I will not hesitate to kill them."
"Shit!" Gintoki yelled. "If Tsukuyo finds Kamui, he's going to kill her! Damn it, this is exactly what I was trying to avoid! Why couldn't she have just listened to me when I told her to leave!?"
Gintoki gave a sigh before he started running towards the hallway where he had initially entered. "I'm just going to have to find her before that happens. I'll track her down and drag her out of here if I have to. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that she leaves!"
Without a second thought, Gintoki sprinted down the hall…
Tsukuyo found herself standing in an empty room, quietly trying to catch her breath. She took a second to crack the door open and peer outside. The small group of guards that had been running after her was now turning into the completely wrong hallway. Tsukuyo just rolled her eyes as she watched.
Just because the Yato are strong doesn't mean that they're smart. It looks like they're going to spend the rest of their time running around in circles trying to find me. In any case, I suppose that frees me up to go after Kamui…
Tsukuyo suddenly felt a pang of guilt from inside of her. Earlier, she had promised her friends that she would do her best to try and avoid Kamui. In fact, they had all made that promise. And yet, here she was, directly planning on breaking that promise.
Tsukuyo quickly shook her head and checked to make sure that the coast was clear. She then ran out into the hall and started heading in the opposite direction of the guards.
"I think we should also promise to stay away from Kamui once we're inside. He's too dangerous, and I don't trust him. You never know what he might pull after we've infiltrated his home. We should only focus on finding Gintoki. Do you all agree?"
Tsukuyo looked to the floor.
I know I promised them I wouldn't do it…but I don't really have a choice, do I? Gintoki is so stubborn, I'm pretty sure that this is the only way to save him. I'm just going to have to take on Kamui by myself. If I somehow manage to beat him, then Gintoki will finally be able to leave this place in peace. It's the only way…
Forgive me, everyone. I'm going to have to break our promise for the sake of completing the mission. I hope you guys won't be too angry with me. At the very least, I'll still try to come back alive…I'll do my best to at least keep that promise…
Tsukuyo looked up and focused once again. She picked up the pace. Okay, so let's see…I'll bet Kamui is waiting in the grand hall. He'll be expecting to fight Gintoki, so it should be quite a surprise when I show up instead.
Tsukuyo flew down hallway after hallway. She knew exactly where she was going. It would only take a few minutes to reach her final destination…
Gintoki, on the other hand, was completely lost. Unlike Tsukuyo, he was not very familiar with the palace, and he had already taken more than a few wrong turns.
Eventually, he stopped at a corner and started scratching his head. "Damn it, which way was it again?" he asked, looking back and forth. "Ugh, screw this place! Why does it have to be so big!?"
With a frustrated look on his face, Gintoki continued sprinting down the hallway, coincidentally going in the completely wrong direction…
Here it is…Tsukuyo thought, looking up at a large pair of doors. She quietly took a deep breath before kicking them both open. She slowly walked inside.
Kamui, who was still sitting on the floor, looked up at his new guest. "What a surprise!" he exclaimed, smiling. "If it isn't the leader of the Hyakka herself, Tsukuyo."
Tsukuyo clenched her teeth. "Why, hello, Kamui…"
Well, here's another chapter of my amazing story! Slowly but surely, we are currently making our way towards the end of Book 2. I'm not sure how many more chapters will be left, but we still have a little ways to go. If I had to guess…maybe 5-7 chapters left…maybe…we'll see. In the meantime, I'll keep working on it to make sure that we get there!
In other news, I'm thinking about starting another story. I have an idea that I think might be interesting. However, it won't be about Gintama, but One Piece instead. If you're interested in that, stay tuned. I might start that up once I finish Book 2 of Silver Moon. Although, nothing has been officially decided yet. I still have some thinking to do. We'll just have to wait and see…
That's all for now. Please leave a review with your thoughts on this chapter! I'd really appreciate it! See you later!