Author's note: I do not own anything from Gintama. Please review after reading. This story is unbetaed. Btw, this is NOT THE FULL VERSION due to site restrictions. You may check out my tumblr / wordpress / livejournal / AO3 for the detailed chapters. Well, here it is, I guess. The much awaited chapter dealing with Tsukuyo's return. She won't do much yet, that'll come in the next parts. We're gonna see what happened to her. She's alive! Well, you know what to expect to read here. *sighs* Replies to reviews are at the end of the chapter. Thanks for your input! XP
Chapter 15: Beauty, After All, is in the Eye of the Beholder
He slid through the narrow opening, around thirty feet above ground, before Shinpachi did, brandishing his sword. The area was quiet, too quiet, but most of the floors in the building were illuminated. He was too impulsive to count them himself but Shinpachi had dutifully informed him that there were sixty-eight floors in total. Too damn plenty for them to explore with the time they probably had. Fortunately, the others had spread themselves out over the vicinity, conducting their own search. It was better that way. Gintoki approved of Zenzou's strategy.
Still, he hoped that he would be the first of them to discover Tsukuyo.
They sped through the corridors as silently as they could and made it through nineteen floors without encountering anything. Rooms were unlocked and empty, though they appeared to have been occupied recently. The higher they climbed, the stronger the scent of copper filled the air. Gintoki almost went mad upon realizing that all levels looked exactly the same and there was no way to tell them apart. This was not only an impending battle, it was also a fucking mind game.
Shinpachi was behind him, observing but also prepared with his sword. Gintoki was proud of the boy. Despite his initial unwillingness to come, he was barely shaking or sweating right now. He was ready to face anything that would come their way.
However, nothing accosted them. He was becoming extremely frustrated but also nervous. This was not supposed to be another dead end. He preferred a trap.
His left boot slipped but Shinpachi held him steady. They had arrived at another border but this time, there was a divergence in the path. Both directions were hidden by the darkness. He had a sudden chill in his bones. There was something about this place.
"I guess… You'll go left, I'll go right, Gin-san?" Shinpachi whispered, adjusting his glasses. Zenzou warned them not to split up, but it would be a waste of time if they both checked out either way together.
Gintoki nodded, silently hoping that this single defiance would not have a dismal consequence.
He took the turn and felt his way down the hall. The blackness was a large handicap, but he only took a few more steps forward before bright lights flashed from above. He shut his eyes, temporarily blinded, and when he opened them again, he almost screamed at the sight of a crimson spider crawling on the wall next to him.
Stepping away without taking his eyes off it, he prepared to continue forward.
"GIN-SAN!" Shinpachi's voice rang out from the other end. Gintoki snapped around to witness the same brightness over the opposite side. His companion was too far away to be seen clearly but he was thrashing about, a sure sign of distress.
He ran toward Shinpachi, finally realizing that he was suspended in midair by what seemed like invisible threads. Leaping forward, he slashed above the struggling boy but there was only a slight tug at his sword. It glided right through the material and Shinpachi remained imprisoned.
"Gin-san! What's this?" He tugged harshly with his wrists, temporarily freeing them, but they were recaptured almost immediately. "They're reappearing – waah!" He was thrown to the door on the left before Gintoki could grab him.
Shinpachi hit the ground and the door slammed shut.
With all his might and the sharpness of his sword, Gintoki tried to break down the door. It didn't budge. He was relieved when Shinpachi's voice called from behind it.
"Gin-san! The bindings are gone! I'm fine." A pause. "Nothing's in here. There's no knob either."
He looked down to see that the door had no handle on his side either. "Shit!"
"Just go, Gin-san! I'll find a way out of here. It's all right!"
"I won't leave you here, Pattsuan, damn it!" He kicked the door but it held its ground. "FUCK!"
"There's no way I'm gonna let myself be a liability." He pounded on the door. "Go on, I can do this, Gin-san! Trust me."
Gintoki closed his eyes. "Shinpachi! If you die here… I'm gonna kill you."
There was a smile in his voice. "Got it, Gin-san."
"I'll be back soon." He gave the door one last kick – to no avail – before running back to the other end. When he reached it, there was another door just like the one Shinpachi was trapped behind.
Panting, he stepped closer to it. It was slightly open and when he entered, there was a dark green curtain before him. The room smelled of flowers… lavender and roses. He sniffed again and detected a whiff of cinnamon and eggs. There was something sweet and spicy in the fragrance, eliciting images of femininity. His heart sped up. A woman was definitely here.
With his heart pounding itself to death, he stepped through the drapes as quietly as he could. He blinked. It was dim inside but he could make out a king-sized bed to his left. Squinting, he still failed to determine what was beyond it.
A door slid open, giving light to the rest of the space. He was surprised to see the vastness of the area. It was bare though, just like the other rooms, except for the bed and a suspicious-looking Grandfather clock against the wall.
He peeked to his right and watched as a figure emerged from the glow and gently walked to the bed. He could tell it was a woman. She wore a floor-length kimono, flowery and colorful, with her shoulders exposed. Her hair reached those shoulders, loose, wavy and… fair.
Could it be?
Gintoki took a single step forward, still unable to tear his eyes away. The woman before him was Tsukuyo, he was almost a hundred percent certain. He just needed to see her face to confirm it.
She grabbed something under the pillow and pulled at it with both hands. There was an uncapping sound followed by the tinkle of material falling on the floor. She raised the object and Gintoki watched as she plunged the needle to her neck. He heard a soft moan as she pushed the contents in and then tossed the item to the ground.
She massaged her neck with a finger as her hand reached back into the pillow to obtain what appeared to be a pipe, a kiseru. She lit it, inhaled and blew out some smoke before finally turning around, revealing herself.
Tsukuyo.
Gintoki stood frozen, feeling himself drown. He finally found her. This serendipitous moment almost killed him. But his emotions on their impending reunion were subdued because he could only concentrate on her current existence. He was enchanted.
She was ethereal, radiant even. Her nonchalance was all too familiar. The way her hair cascaded down her shoulders and the manner her eyes glowed like sapphires made her undeniably beautiful. Her lips were crystalline, puckered on to the kiseru and to the air to exhale. He longed to kiss her on those lips.
He looked down to see part of her breasts exposed. They were still as tempting and desirable as before, probably more. He let out a shaky breath, fighting for stability, but the slight sound alerted her and she glanced up, gazing right at him.
The kiseru dropped to the floor, forgotten, as she rushed to him. She only stopped a few inches away and stared back with her eyes wide and lips trembling.
Gintoki continued to regard her, fearing she might disappear if he dared to blink. Her presence encompassed him, accompanied by a myriad of indescribable sentiments running through his mind and body. He touched her face, feeling peace come over him, and he made an effort to stroke her cheek as gentle as possible lest she shatter.
Amazed at how idyllic she was, he smoothed her hair out of her face to appreciate her some more. He bent down to kiss her cheek, lingering for a moment before running his mouth over her scars.
He could hear her languid breaths and felt the slight tremble in her body. Her skin was so smooth… Gintoki hesitated and drew back, suspecting something odd.
He was right. She was different.
There were no traces of the scars of her self-inflicted wounds. He touched the places where they used to be. "Tsukuyo, what-"
"Quiet, Gintoki." She stepped closer and looked behind him, at the curtain. It didn't move.
He turned back to her to ask her again what happened to her marks but her eyes had turned glassy and she was biting her lip. Her arms embraced him as she sighed and drew him in for a kiss.
She kissed him as she always did, languid, pleasant and rhapsodic. Despite that, it wasn't half-hearted at all. In fact, it was as ebullient as ever. Their kiss was the epitome of love, like they were going to coalesce with its passion. His thirst for her was inexorable.
"Tsukuyo," he murmured, drowning in the symphony of her kiss. He gripped her waist, just to remind himself that she was still there and he was not dreaming.
She was moaning now, snaking her tongue out to lick his lips, an invitation to more. She rubbed her chest against him, making his desire sublime. Her fingers glided up and down his back rendering him almost spineless. She licked his jaw and his neck, making appreciative sounds as she did, and continued to tease him with her chest.
"Gintoki, take me to the bed." She started to undress him and he itched to do the same but he stared in wonder when he saw that her kimono had already slid down her shoulders, exposing her breasts. The spheres were as tantalizing as ever. He bent to taste one, marveling in its succulence.
"Gintoki! The bed…" She grasped at his hair, writhing.
He lifted her and walked to the bed, laying her down tenderly. She pulled him over her and kissed him, directing his mouth to her breast.
"I missed you," she gasped when he made contact. "I missed you so much, Gintoki… But why did you come here?"
"Tsukuyo," he groaned, "I missed you too…"
"Please… You need to… ahhh!" Her voice was anxious.
He straightened and looked at her. "I need to what?"
"Ahhh! Gintoki, I can't… You need to… I need you to…" Her eyes were tightly shut. She was panting and squirming on the bed. He couldn't help but think how sexy she looked. But something was wrong with her. His doubts increased when she started to claw on his chest, screaming a volume of crescendo.
"Tsukuyo!" He grabbed her wrists to hold her in place but she kept struggling and gasping like she was going mad. "What's happening to you?"
Her eyes opened, wide with fear. "You have to leave, now! GO! GO!" She pushed at him, inching away.
"WHAT? What's going on?" He was confused but also worried. Why was she so agitated? "Tsukuyo!"
"I said leave!" She bit her lip, pressing her thighs together. "Ahhh!"
Gintoki moved to carry her but she continued to avoid him. "I'm not leaving without you! There's no way! I've finally found you after so long. Tsukuyo!"
"Please leave…" She glanced at the curtain and back at him.
"Hey-"
She glared at him. "If you won't leave, then hide. Don't be a fool! Hide somewhere, Gintoki. Hurry!" She groaned again, acting like she was battling with torture. "Go!"
The look in her eyes made him step away and conceal himself in the darkness. It was just in time because a man soon stepped through the curtain and joined Tsukuyo on the bed. Gintoki seethed and readied his sword, but he was also curious.
"Tsukuyo," the man said, "you're all set, I see."
"Yes…" She sighed and closed her eyes. Her breaths were deep and rapid. "I couldn't wait for you," she murmured.
He laughed. "I told you not to be rash. You're still concluding the addiction phase."
"I can… control it… I- I can manage…"
"Of course you can, Tsukuyo." He removed the rest of her clothes. "But this is not something to be controlled. I've told you again and again, you must let go. You are in the midst of perfection."
She sighed again. "Yes, you're right." She tugged him forward and he climbed atop her. Gintoki couldn't believe his eyes when they started kissing. Tsukuyo's hands were busy undressing the dark-haired man while her legs separated to accommodate him in between.
"You're always right… Sensei." She moaned as they started thrusting against each other in an act so raw and rebellious. "Jiraia… help me!" She screamed as their bodies crushed together.
"I'm here… Tsukuyo…" He kissed her harshly then sat back. The loss of contact made her whimper.
"Jiraia… Sensei… Do something!"
He flipped her on her stomach and lifted her buttocks to meet with his pelvis. Their primal thrusting resumed with Tsukuyo exclaiming her gratitude and Jiraia growling, his head thrown back.
Gintoki felt the rage burn inside of him as his body shook, adrenaline travelling through his veins. This, whatever he was witness to, was unacceptable. It was disgusting, it was revolting and it angered him to his limit. Once again, the world would witness the wrath of the Shiroyasha.
How dare that spider touch her? He had no right to. Not after everything that he had done. The bastard was supposed to be dead, but like a weed that refused to depart, he remained.
So, it was Jiraia who had indeed taken her away. That fucking bastard would pay with his life. He was going to beat the shit out of the monstrosity that he was. Not only did he abduct her and induce an addiction to some drug, he also violated her. Who knows what else he did?
The mere thought of his deeds made Gintoki want to explode and commit repeated blood-spattered murder.
Driven by his fury, he proceeded to attack but was stunned by his inability to move. With great effort, he tried to lift his sword but his hand was held in place. There was no visible culprit around him but he already suspected what had happened. He had fallen prey and was trapped in the Red Spider's web.
He screamed with frustration, willing his body to overcome the tension and just move. But he wouldn't budge. "GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" His own helplessness almost destroyed him. There was nothing he could do to save her. "TSUKUYO!"
It was like he did not scream at all. They ignored him and continued in their bliss. Gintoki struggled, becoming more enraged by the second, trying to summon all his strength to break free.
"Tsukuyo, this has always been fulfilling for the both of us. Ever since you grew up as my student…" Jiraia grabbed her breasts and mashed them with his palms.
"STOP IT! JIRAIAAA! HOW DARE YOU LAY YOUR HANDS ON HER!"
"No… Gintoki… I'm sorry… AHHHH!" Tsukuyo screamed, at her peak, and Gintoki shut his eyes, also wanting to break his hearing. This was not happening. "Don't hate me, Gintoki…" she said after.
"Stop talking to him, Tsukuyo. He won't understand." Jiraia stood up and dressed himself. He faced Gintoki, a sinister grin on his unrecognizable face. A younger face, smooth, healthy and handsome. No wonder they couldn't find him.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Try then, Gintoki Sakata. You're pitiful. As always, you have become my ignorant prey-"
"SHUT UP! GODDAMN YOU! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?"
"Once again, you are caught in my threads. This time, they won't break so easily. I have modified them, you see. Only the accurate aim of a sharp weapon, hitting it at the right angle, will be able to destroy it. In short, it's practically impossible."
"TSUKUYO!" He called out to her motionless form on the bed.
Jiraia moved to block her from his view. "Don't bother, she only answers to me, her loving teacher."
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL YOURSELF HER TEACHER! YOU'VE BETRAYED HER IN THE PAST AND MADE HER THIS WAY NOW. WHAT KIND OF MONSTER ARE YOU?"
"Those are the words of someone so desperate. You will soon fall into hell. No one can save you, not even the gods you call upon."
"YOU FUCKER-"
"Don't you realize that Tsukuyo is free now? I have restored her… her womanhood is no longer tainted and restricted by the scars on her face. She no longer has the burdens of feeling inadequate and having to carry the weight of you and all those she left behind."
"There's your twisted outlook again," Gintoki spat. "You think you know her? You think you know what's best for her? Everything you're doing is just to control her. You haven't restored her, you violated her!"
"You're the one who has violated her, not me. Loving you was a burden to her, because she always wondered, at the back of her mind, if she was good enough for you."
Jiraia's words stung him. He pushed away the doubt that formed in his mind. "THAT'S NOT TRUE-"
"But in reality, you're the one who never deserved to be illuminated by the moon. You are not worthy of Tsukuyo's love."
"YOU DON'T DESERVE HER YOURSELF! After what you've done, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO THINK THAT YOU ARE WORTHY OF HER!" Maybe he didn't deserve her, but she sure as hell did not deserve to be treated like this. She was supposed to be loved, respected, protected and cared for, not treated as some possession to derive pleasure and wickedness from.
"Maybe I do. I have given her everything that she is worthy of. And that is a lot because she is most precious. Just so you know, because I don't think you had any idea at all, here's a little secret about her. One that she has entrusted to me only." He crossed his arms and smirked with malicious glee. "She likes it up the ass."
"Take your sorry ass and your filthy, revolting devices and just DIE, YOU SICK BASTARD!"
"Gintoki… Stop…" Tsukuyo wailed from the bed. She struggled to get up but only fell back down. "Stop… Jiraia, let him go. He'll leave now. You have to leave, Gintoki…"
"I said stop talking, Tsukuyo." Jiraia snarled. "She came to me, you know. She came to me all those years ago out of her own volition. Once she found out I was alive and discovered my plans with the Kiheitai, she argued and pleaded with me but she still ended up willing."
Gintoki did not understand. Jiraia was surely lying through his teeth. It did not matter. She was a victim. He drugged Tsukuyo and took her on his business, corrupting her and turning her into something almost unnatural. That in itself was repulsive.
Well, he won't stand to be Jiraia's prey, nor would he let Tsukuyo remain in the hands of that pest. This would be a battle to the death, and it would end with Jiraia's.
The threads tightened, some slicing through his skin. He bit down on his tongue, willing himself not to cry out it pain. He would not give Jiraia the satisfaction of seeing him struggle.
"No matter how admirable you fight, no matter where you hide, my prey, you're death is already written and Tsukuyo, as my most exquisite creation, is mine."
Author's end note: Yes, Jiraia took her, but it's a bit more complicated than that. Tsukuyo is not evil, I just wanted to reveal this in advance. No Sacchan in this chapter. Gin doesn't even have time to think about her. Oh oh thanks for your reviews! Chapter 16 soon! To Guest, (you are an. co. xx unlogged, right? I think I recognize the xx at the end. Hee!), an. co. xx, about Hijikata… I have a story in mind but it's stuck in my drafts folder. Maybe after this story, I'll pursue it. First love is hard, if not impossible, to compete with. Maybe in another lifetime then for Gin and Sacchan? *chokes self* And Bansai… Hmm… Yeah, there's still him. /end long ass note.