Disclaimer: The characters of Gintama belong to Sorachi Hideaki. :)

Authors Note: Hey! Um… pandas… I like them… Enjoy chapter 30!

Chap. 30 Brotherhood is a Scary Thing

The man reaches up, grabbing the hem of his hood, pulling it down. The man smiles, his teeth as sharp as a shark. He tilts his head, his shaggy black hair, shifting slightly. He grins widely, one eye shining bright blue and the other a swirling pool of crimson.

Kondo grips his sword walking forward. His eyes never leaving the man. He stops, sliding his foot back slightly, at the ready. "What is your business here?" He calls.

The man blinks suddenly as if finally noticing his presence. He stares at Kondo for a second, eyebrows knitted together. Suddenly a look of disdain washes over his features. He looks behind him, the amanto on the deck jump down, landing with a series of thuds.

The man blinks slowly, looking tired. "My business? My business… is not with you."

With that said the amanto take a step forward, weapons in hand.

The man steps off the platform, turning to look at Ryouta. A small smirk comes to his lips. "You… You are helping Sakata Gintoki now?" The man's face changes slightly into something that Ryouta can't place. The man looks at Kagura and Shinpachi. "You two… You are the ones with Sakata Gintoki?" He shifts his jaw slightly. "May I ask where he is?" He closes his eyes the corners of his mouth lifting up into an unnerving grin.

"The hell?!" Kagura screams.

"Kagura- chan!" Shinpachi exclaims in surprise.

"Like we'd tell you, you bastard!" Kagura yells, clenching her fist, raising it.

The man's grin slowly turns into a frown. He opens his eyes slightly glaring at Kagura, his demeanor quickly changing to a fearsome aura. "Really?" Kagura glares back, standing her ground.

Ryouta quickly steps in front of Kagura and Shinpachi. "Gintoki's not here. The children haven't seen him for a while." Ryouta's eyes narrow into a glare. "So, don't get them involved."

The man chuckles. "I wasn't planning to, but if the children want a fight I'll gladly give it to them." His eyes shift slightly. "But, you. I don't think you should be the one spitting out threats." He grins, eyes brimming with insanity. "I could kill you before you even had the chance to blink."

"I wasn't threatening you…" Ryouta smirks. "I was implying it."

The man snorts. "Well… I have nuisances to take care of." He turns slightly, flicking his hand at the amanto. Suddenly, they charge at the Shinsengumi.

Gintoki slips his boots on, finally getting his full wardrobe back. He sighs; the whole ordeal had become slightly annoying.

"Hey Gin!" Souchi yells, popping his head into the small room that Gintoki was in. His eyes widen. "Whoa! The way you wear the yukata is so cool!"

"Stop being such an idiot." Akira says appearing suddenly, bopping Souchi on the back of the head as he walks past the doorway, he disappears but not before giving Gintoki a glare.

"Akira!" Souchi yells after him, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hey, what's that guy's problem?" Gintoki asks.

Souchi raises an eyebrow. "Akira? He's the same I guess." He smiles. "He's like my older brother." Before Gintoki can say anything, Souchi runs over to the window, jumping up and down. "We're in Edo!"

Gintoki blinks, walking over to the window. Sure enough there was the terminal. Gintoki slowly puts his hand against his hip, not finding his sword. "Hey, where's my sword?" Gintoki asks.

Souchi shrugs. "Akatsuki might have it."

Gintoki turns quickly, rushing for the door.

Souchi eyes widen slightly. "Is that wooden sword really important?"

Gintoki stops at the doorway, turning slightly he smirks. "Nope… I ordered it." He disappears out the door before Souchi can say anything else.

Gintoki looks at walls of the hallway. He never got a chance to see anything and there wasn't anything to see. Gintoki raises an eyebrow at the lack of anything on the walls. He turns the corner only to stop abruptly at the figure in front of him.

Akira looks down at him, glaring. "What are you doing wandering around?"

"Why the hell would I tell you?" Gintoki says returning the glare. Gintoki was about to walk past Akira, but his next question stopped him.

"Are you looking for your sword?"

Gintoki raises an eyebrow, but he suddenly smirks. "Eavesdropping now?"

"I just want to make sure you don't put shit in the kid's head." Akira says. Gintoki raises a questioning eyebrow. Akira smirks, lifting his cloak slightly. "Well, here's your sword." He says revealing the wooden sword with "Lake Toya" written on the handle.

Gintoki reaches for it, but Akira moves his hand out of Gintoki's reach. Gintoki's eyes narrow. "What the hell?"

Akira looks down at the sword. "How do you fight with this thing, Gintoki? Shouldn't it break?"

"Huh? The hell… Yeah, it's broken multiple times… I just order a new one when it does." Gintoki says.

"Order?" Akira says raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah… I buy it off TV."

Akira's eyes widen in surprise, but that surprise suddenly turns to laughter, but this was not a happy man laughing. "You… You fight with a wooden sword that you just buy…" He grinds his teeth. "Aren't the samurai's swords supposed to be their prized possessions? Your swords help you protect those around you don't they?!" He chuckles, glaring at Gintoki. "Most had the ones they protect die when their swords break. What about when your sword breaks Gintoki? Do you lose someone you're trying to protect? Or do you lose a part of your soul?"

"Neither." Gintoki answers immediately. He smiles slightly at Akira's surprised expression. "Even if the sword is broken, or even shattered. We would stand our ground and fight with the last two weapons we had left. We'd stand our ground, with nothing but our resolve and the strength we had left."

Akira snorts. "Really? What about the ones you protect. Strength and resolve is never enough."

"Oh, well, I found it helped. The ones I'm trying to protect can take care of themselves. They have their own resolve and strength, but if they ever need me all they need to do is call." Gintoki says. He smirks. "So, I believe your little brother figure would be fine."

Akira's eyes widen suddenly, but he quickly glares. "Leave him out of this." He says, venom dripping off his words.

Gintoki shrugs, snatching his sword from Akira's hand. He turns to explore the other hallway, but stops. He turns with a small smile. "I forgot to say this, but… my real sword is not a simple thing I order. My real sword… is hanging between my legs."

"What?!" Akira screams.

"Akira! Gin!" Souchi yells, running down the hallway towards them. Gintoki watches as Akira's face turns serene. Souchi grins. "We're landing!" Souchi suddenly bites his lip looking troubled. "It seems Akatsuki's brother is already fighting."

"Akatsuki's going to land in the middle of a fight?!" Akira exclaims. "Shouldn't he plan a more subtle attack?" At Souchi's shrug, Akira clicks his tongue in annoyance. "That bastard…"

"Who's the bastard?" Akatsuki asks walking up to them. Not waiting for an answer he continues. "We landed, so let's go."

Kondo jumps back, bumping into Yamazaki as an amanto swings his sword. "Yamazaki! Use some coordination!"

"I'm sorry!" Yamazaki exclaims flustered. "But, captain! There's a ship landing!"

Kondo looks up his eyes widening as another ship comes down. "He sent reinforcements?!"

"I don't think so…" Yamazaki says, pointing a finger at the man responsible.

The man with the red and blue eyes was looking the ship as it lands in surprise. The man starts walking forward as a door rises, releasing a platform. The man smiles as he sees the one he spent half his life with. The one he used to call brother.

Akatsuki looks down, eyes narrowing into a glare. He starts his descent down the platform, eyes never leaving the man.

"It's been a while, brother." The man says as Akatsuki reaches the end of the platform, his smile widening.

Akatsuki glares at him. "Don't call me that… Kakeru."

"Hm, you don't like to be called brothers anymore? You hurt my feelings." Kakeru says with a dry laugh.

Something shifts in Akatsuki's eyes. "You…" Before Akatsuki can say anything more, screaming resounds from inside the ship. Akatsuki sighs tiredly. "Idiots…" He mumbles.

"Would you shut the hell up!" One screams.

"Huh?! Yours is probably as big as the kid's!"

"I said leave him out of this!"

"Akira! Is that true?"

"Like hell it is!"

Akatsuki grips his forehead massaging it, irritated.

"My sword is bigger than you and the boy put together!"

"Stop talking about dicks!"

A vein pops in Akatsuki's forehead. He turns angrily. "Get your asses out here!" He screams.

"With pleasure boss!" Ryouchi, Minase, and Eiji say together, showing up at the entrance. They reach back grabbing Souchi, Akira, and Gintoki throwing them down the platform.

Akatsuki sighs, stepping to the side as Akira, Souchi, and Gintoki tumble down the platform.

Akira lands first, Gintoki landing on him, enticing a groan from Akira. Souchi's last landing at the top, laughing like a child.

Gintoki groans. "I'm too old for this…"

"You're too old?" Akira growls from the bottom of the pile.

"What the hell are you doing?" Akatsuki says calmly, too calmly.

"Look what you did." Gintoki says. "You made him irritated."

"Like hell I did?!" Akira screams.

They pick themselves up, looking at the scene in front of them. Everyone ceased fighting waiting for the next order. Even the Shinsengumi. Kondo was looking at him in surprise.

Gintoki looks over eyes widening as he sees familiar figures.

"Gin- chan!" Kagura screams, running towards them.

"Wait! Kagura- chan!" Shinpachi yells, looking slightly worried.

Gintoki raises an eyebrow. Worried? Suddenly Gintoki's eyes widen as he realizes that Kagura's face is not relieved… It's angry. "Oh, shit…"

Kagura jumps in the air, raising her legs, drop kicking Gintoki, sending him flying. "You bastard!" She screams, jumping on top of him. She grabs the sides of his face, slamming the back of his head into the ground. "You bastard! Idiot! Stupid!" She screams, still slamming his head into the ground.

"What the hell's happening?" Eiji asks as they all watch the scene, with glazed look in their eyes.

Akira smirks. "I don't know, but it's funny."

"Kagura- chan!" Shinpachi screams, grabbing Kagura, pulling her off of Gintoki.

"Let go Glasses!" Kagura screams.

"My name isn't Glasses!" Shinpachi retorts. "Gin- san! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Gintoki says sitting up. He gives Shinpachi a thumbs up, blood pouring out of the back of his head.

"You're not okay!" Shinpachi shrieks.

"Gintoki!" Ryouta runs up to them. "You were with them the whole time?"

Gintoki glares, pointing at Akatsuki. "Blame that bastard." Gintoki looks over at Akatsuki, who wasn't looking at him, but the man with the red and blue eyes. Gintoki's eyes widen slightly as he realizes the man wasn't looking at Akatsuki, but at him.

Kakeru smiles, eyes bright. "So… you're Gintoki?"

"Being his real brother I could feel I live in his shadows, but I never have and I do not now. I live in his glow."- Michael Morpurgo

Authors Note: Yay! Done with a chapter! Been a while, ne?

I think Kakeru fits him… I don't even know what it means this time. Meh…

The next chapter may come earlier. No promises. Until next chapter!