Thank you for the effort of reading this story. :). I hope more reviews would come, onegaishimasu!
And if I may add, the ruckus over Gintoki and Zen's voices is rooted on the fact that both are voiced by the great "baka" Seiyuu, Sugita Tomokazu. XD.
Gintama is owned by the one and only Hideaki Sorachi-sensei, and Nurarihyon no Mago by Hiroshi Shibashii-sensei.
CHAPTER VII: AT THE YORUZUYA
No one moved a muscle. At that moment, time had no right to move even one of its hands. Even the dimension of space remained stagnant. Not a single blink. Not a single breathing. Another mystery has befallen, an existence entailing a myriad of questions. Another reason to seek out reason. The silver-haired man had his one eye closed, swollen from all the wounds he went through, that it had turned into a bright shade of lilac, as if it had been drained with blood. The little China girl was already leaning against the walls, coughing blood. From her Yato eyes could be discerned a life-long battle of suffering and struggle. Indeed. It was their fate to live such life. The life of a warrior. A life without certainty of even waking up to the dawn of the day, feeling the warmth of the sun shine once again, touching their skin, making them feel so alive.
"T-Temee…" The silver and perm-haired man stumbled, almost falling on his knees. It was the wooden sword which stood as his resort.
"O-Owaranai…-ARU." The girl coughed out more blood.
And yet it was not suffering that reflected from their eyes.
No, not even fear.
Of death.
In fact, looking into their eyes.
One could feel their burning souls.
Gleaming like silver.
And yes. Before we forget.
The will to kill—
"DE OIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII!" Shinpachi's high pitched scream broke out the tension. "What burning souls?! What gleaming like silver?! And you—why is your mouth even bleeding—
Kagura poured more ketchup in her mouth, and coughed it. "Gin-chan, do I look cool right now?" She then stuffed the whole ketchup bottle inside her mouth, squeezing it until her mouth was filled with the red condiment.
"AHHHHHH!THAT'S OUR PRIZED KETCHUP BOTTLE AND WE'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO BUY AGAIN ANOTHER ONE FOR THE NEXT THREE MONTHS!" Tears almost flowed from the poor glasses boy, who snatched the ketchup bottle.
"Yamette Shinpachi!", Kagura cried with all emotion in her voice. "Do you know just how vital is this moment-aru? Na, Gin-chan?!" She then turned to Gintoki, who was already using a red marker to draw some wounds on his skin. "Ah…" Pulling out a round mirror, the perm-haired man frowned. "Ah…the mark's disappearing. Oy Kagura, where the hell did you put the lilac shade make-up?"
"I gave it to Sadaharu-aru. Wasn't that yam powder?"
"Worf!"
"OOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIII! CHANTO KITTERU! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU MAKING IT APPEAR AS IF YOU'VE JUST WENT THROUGH SOME DEADLY BATTLE?!"
Ginpachi shook his head, and looked at Shinpachi as if he had just been proclaimed by an Oracle that he'd be a virgin for life. "Shinpachi, omae sa, hontou ni zenzen wakaranai. Kagura, explain what I have taught to you, my disciple."
"Hai!", Kagura responded enthusiastically. "Shitteru na-aru Shinpachi? We've been casted in another fanfic project. But no, you're virgin status will never be elevated. Shinpachi, omae sa, you-ve been cursed for life-aru."
"I-Is it just me or you've been pointing out my lack of experience with girls."
Gintoki patted Glasses Boy's shoulder. "Wakatteru. Tonikaku,I and Kagura thought that it would be great to start this chapter with a serious battle. Kakoii da na! Ahhhhhh...—
The two screamed at the same time, like some deranged fans. "KAKOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII!"
At this, Shinpachi had screamed at the top of his longs. "JUST ADMIT IT THAT YOU'RE JUST PISSED FOR APPEARING ONLY AT THE SIXTH CHAPTER!"
"Ah, you get it after all, Patssuan! Sou! Yurusenai! And we're going to take over this chapter! Benizakura? Nenekimaru? Demons invading Edo? Pft. Iia, iia, iia, THIS WILL ALL BE ABOUT YORU—"
"OIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!", Shinpachi cut it.
To which Kagura also screamed back with a bloody set of curse words.
And so the room was filled with the soung of strangling, scratches, wrestling—
The man at the other end of the room could feel the thin thread of patience about to break out. He was right after all in choosing the straightforward path of spying. He had no intention of watching this foolishness in silence.
"DON'T YOU DARE JUST IGNORE ME! TEMEERAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAA!"
The three froze. Their eyes widened, as if a shocking and sparking truth had just come out of its way like a stark-naked Kondo-san.
"Gin-san…did you say that? Were you the one who screamed?"
"Bokke, I'm right here beside you."
"Ja, does this mean that you and this man—
SHARE THE SAME VOICE.
The three freaked out and let out another hysterical fit of scream.
Shinpachi, however, looked excited. "M-Moshikashite, we're doing another crossover? Just like in episode 26 of Gintama 2011?"
"What? Another Usui Kazuyoshi? Maa, maa, can't blame my voice for being spread around. It's the voice of an angel after all. Don't you know? My song, Sen no Kaze ni Natte had went viral over the internet. I'm on my way to—STARDOM." Gintoki pointed his finger towards the ceiling, posing in such a way like some disco dude.
"Ja, if this was a crossover, what exactly is this anime? Come to think of it, I don't even know this brute."
Zen's brows flinched.
"Sou da na, but he seems familiar.", said Shinpachi, worry in his voice. "Tashika ni, he appears on another Jump Anime. What was it again?"
Kagura raised her hand, jumping up and down. "Hai! Hai!"
"Ja Kagura, kotaeru kudasai."
"He's the grown up version of that pacifier-sucking demon baby in Beelze***!
Zen's mouth hanged open. WHAT THE HELL.
"Wait. I think I remember it. As a 20-year Jump reader, I definitely know this. It's—"
Kagura and Shinpachi did not move a muscle, waiting for the final answer. A music of Who Wants to be a Millionaire played on the background.
"ZURARIHYON NO MAGO."
"Oh…sou da na. And I was the protagonist." A man bearing a shiny black hair, who this time, oddly protruded in such a weird way. "I am Zura Rikuo, Lord of Pandemonium, and I am here to encourage all of you to join the Clan of Joui—"
No sooner had the man who proclaimed himself as the Lord of Pandemonium finished his noble sentence when he was sent flying by the real member of the real clan of demons himself—Zen.
At this, Zen's eyes had changed, the tiger look in his eyes tripling.
"You won't really take me seriously?"
That moment, mysterious eyes began to appear out of the windows of the wooden room. Black mists swirled, and the room was filled with fog.
Gintoki and Shinpachi looked as if they were ready to pass. No, they wished they could just drop dead, rather than witness the hundreds of demons, all looking hungrily at the three, which had come to surround the noble house of the Yoruzuya.
"So finally, you offer me a seat huh?" Zen sipped the tea. Shinpachi was still shaking. Gintoki had his pupils white, as if his soul already went to the other side of the river. He was muttering prayers. Kagura was on her usual business of eating sukonbus, or pickled seawoods.
"Let me introduce myself again." Zen settled the teacup. "I am Zen, head of the Yakushi clan."
"Y-Y-Yakushi clan?"
"Yes. A clan of bird demons."
At the mention of the word demons, Shinpachi's mental self had clutched his own head. A- A DEMON?
The actual self repeated the word. "A-a demon?"
"Sou. Oni. Or is it you have not seen enough?", Zen smirked as he was about to raise his hand to call his minions again.
"W-Wakatta!", Shinpachi stood up. "S-So, w-w-what business does a demon like you have with us?"
"Ah…finally. I've been waiting for that question." For the first time, Zen smiled, looking satisfied. "Well, our kind is—you see, interested with a particular sword."
"A sword?" The fear have someone subsided from Shinpachi. Kagura was secretly rubbing the objects she had pulled out of her nose against the unconscious Gintoki's sleeves. The poor samurai's hand mysteriously pulled Kagura's left cheek, making the girl cry in pain and fully sending Gintoki to real unconsciousness.
"Yes. I won't walk around the bush anymore since you've obviously took so much time with your lousy opening." Zen fixed his demonic eyes on Shinpachi. The boy gulped.
"It's about Benizakura."
At this, Shinpachi had forgotten about his fear.
"And yes, also this man—Shinsuke Takasugi."
The black in pupils of Gintoki went back. He then sat back straight like a hardboiled hero. "Ah…That sword. And that man." Shinpachi was surprised to find a mane of long, white beard growing from Gintoki's chin. It was then that Gintoki spoke ,his fingers trailing his beard, like he was the all-knowing elder who had been witness to a history-long battle.
"Mukashi, mukashi na—sou. I was still a young samurai then. It was then—"
Zen had moved across so suddenly Shinpachi and Kagura (who seemed to not care a bit to catch up with the atmosphere) did not even have the time to react.
Except Gintoki, whose Touya-ko had been pulled out clean from its hilt. The teacup was thrown backwards, and its trajectory headed downwards, right between the two whose swords shook violently, eager to send the other one flying in defeat.
"I'm telling you I'm growing sick of your jokes, silver-haired samurai."
"What? And what's silver compared to your lame grassy hair." The two unleashed their attacks, breaking the teacup into clean split of halves.
"Saa, tell me, what you really—KNOW!" A grayish mist accumulated around the silver blade in an instant. Zen rushed towards Gintoki.
"Never ever underestimate a samurai, oni!" Gin was grinning as he welcomed the attack. The muscles were more evident this time from the silver-haired samurai's skin, proof of the increased intensity of Zen's attack.
"Temee, I'm not going to waste my time here just for a bunch of three idiots!"
"And I'm not going to waste my time on some voice copycat!", Gintoki yelled, launching the Touya-ko with such a speed, a series of criss-crossed attacks, forcing Zen to be on the defensive. What the—even this man was a human, and yet he himself had never come across such a skilled swordsman.
Zen smirked. "It's shame we share the same voice. But I can see now why you were able to defeat such a powerful sword named Benizakura!" Zen dived towards Gintoki.
"Kochira ko sou!"
Shinpachi gasped. Kagura was already inside the comfort room, doing her business.
Zen landed smoothly right over the kotatsu, and even before the Touya-ko could make a hit, the head of the bird demons had settled a shining, freshly-cooled, and sweet-explosive parfait.
"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Gintoki was blinded by the light emitted by the parfait.
And with that, Gintoki shook Zen's hands, holding the parfait like a trophy. "I knew we could be friends."
Zen grinned, triumphantly.
Shinpachi could only stare.
"I feel…like I've just been betrayed."
Zen put more parfait on the table. "Saa, saa. Don't hold back."
Shinpachi was still staring suspiciously at the stranger infront of them. Gintoki was already on his 5th parfait. Kagura, who just came out from the toilet, gaped at scene. Imitating a mother who had just discovered his son impregnating a woman, the China girl rushed at once beside Shinpachi.
"Shinpachi, what's the meaning of this?!"
"Mou. Will you stop acting as if you're like a Hollywood celebrity? I knew artists can be dedicated, but you're already on the level of insanity.", said Shinpachi. He then turned his gaze back to Zen, who had been watching them with his rogue stare.
"S-So…you're telling m-me, that you're looking for the Benizakura?"
"Ah." Zen nodded.
"WHERE IS MY FOOD?!", snapped Kagura. "Shitsurei na aru! You're a guest and you only brought food for this idiot?" Kagura pointed her finger at Gintoki, who was helping himself over the seventh serving.
"Tch. Mendokusee na.", Zen said rather grudgingly. "Hora."
The bird demon threw the stacks of sukonbu. Kagura's eyes glistened with bliss. "I knew you're an angel!"
"Yamette Kagura-san! Tte iu ka…giving all these gifts…ayashi na!", exclaimed Shinpachi.
Reiya was laughing all throughout Zen's accounts of events, that she was already clutching the leg of kotatsu, tears flowing from her eyes.
"Ah…omoshiroii, omoshiroii!", Reiya said amidst her laughter. "I was right in sending you as the spy. Well, good job on finding Gintoki-san's weakness."
"Reiya-sama, don't tell me just sent me there for fun."
"Maa, nanka."
"Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh?!"
"Ojisuke Zen." Reiya wiped the tears from her eyes and heaved a deep breath. "What matters is that you were able to get precious information, and on top of all—" The demonic smile of the Mistress of Pandemonium returned. "He was a former comrade of that Takasugi."
"Which means they're hostile to each other at this very moment.", said Zen. "Apparently, the death of their master, Shouyo-sensei, was the core reason why Takasugi chose the extremist path. He was determined to destroy Edo."
"Oh…this Gintoki's surprisingly cooperative."
"Nope. It was a long-haired man whom I have thrown aside from parodying Sandaime who told these details."
Long-haired man ja nai, Katsura da!
Reiya laughed again. "Humans from Edo are really interesting, I could not be more much more amused than now."
"And so, about this Gomi clan—"
"Eh."
"The glasses boy had offered to accompany us to an omnyoji temple. In turns out that they were affiliated to the two most famous housed of omnyojis in Edo—the Ketsuno clan and the Shirino clan. They'll take us there tomorrow."
"I see. Well, I am very much looking forward to meeting this trio—the Yoruzuya."
Zen could only sigh. The mission had been more of a headache. "You won't believe how much of a bunch of idiots they are."
"Zen, in this world, it's the insane people who survive.", said Reiya, drinking her cup of sake. "Shall we have a toast then?"
"A-ah…"
Reiya smiled. "Kampai."
"Kampai."
Night came, and Nura Rikuo found her daughter sitting again on the veranda, watching the sakura tree.
"Reiya."
Reiya looked back. "Chichiue."
"You look rather happy."
"Eh. Would you like a cup of sake?"
"Onegaishimasu."
Nura Rikuo held out his cup. Reiya carefully poured the sake.
"Ii na, kono kimochi.", the Third said as he watched the falling sakura leaves.
"Sou."
"Ah…if only Ritsuki was here."
Reiya, who was about to drink another fill, let down her cup of sake. She did not speak. The Third noticed so. "Reiya—"
"I am alright. There is nothing more to look back to."
"You say that, but I know this has been the reason why you have been frantically searching for that crimson sword."
Reiya drank the sake.
"He is hiding it."
"Reiya—"
"I know he is hiding it." Anger etched in the Fourth's cold voice, a rare occasion to be heard form the calm and composed heiress to the Third's leadership.
"Reiya, my child. To trap yourself in the past is to refuse the present you. "
Again, Reiya did not make a reply. She then felt her father's hands gripped hers.
"Please remember that well. I am but a father after all, worrying over his daughter."
Reiya gritted her teeth.
"Zettai ni, I will get them back. Those two swords. Zettai ni."