CHAPTER VI
AUTHOR: (Thinking hard)
GINTOKI: Huh? What's up with you frustrated writer?
AUTHOR: Hmm… I'm running out of ideas. (Thinking. Biting the ball pen)
GINTOKI: Well it's your fault. Making a little suspense… Putting Zura in the story… Adding crime and mystery… How could you possibly make it more fluff! And why do you have a ball pen? You're typing on a computer, not writing on a note book.
KATSURA: It's not Zura, it's Katsura.
AUTHOR: Well, Here goes nothing…
CHAPTER VI (Part 1)
(Idiocy to the next level)
"I told you before, I'm not goofing around!" Zurako shouted.
Gintoki and Tsukuyo (Along with Zurako) made it to the bar named Witchfinder General Bar; the bar she's referring to, that will hold a big event tonight. They made a reservation before the event started because Tsukuyo has access to the establishments in the Yoshiwara.
The place looks like that place where Otae is working except that this place is more huge and grand. Sitting together around an empty table with nothing to talk about something entertaining, Gintoki yawns every once in a while like the god of boredom just came down to him while Tsukuyo and Zurako are discussing something that's he has no interest with. It's just Zurako. What does he care anyway? Zurako and Tsukuyo are sitting on the opposite sides of the red couch while Gintoki is in the middle.
"What are you really up to?" Asked Tsukuyo to Zurako with curiosity.
"Well, this has something to do with faction that is spreading its name all over the district. The time that you caught me in the alley? I was chasing a woman, and then she was out of sight." He answered. She was surprised about what he just said.
"A woman?" She connected. She is sure that Zurako is after that same faction too.
"Yes." He nodded. "What about you? What are you doing here? Don't tell me that we have the same intentions." He asked as his eyes widen.
"We're currently looking for some clues and links on that faction. Actually, I found a piece of evidence that can lead us to them." She showed to him the sachet with the red powder and quickly handed it to him. He stared at it for seconds before he finally realized something. "This could be…"
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"…An artificial seasoning that…" (Smack!) Gintoki smack him on the back of the neck with his hand. "Oi! Be serious here Zura." He muttered.
"It's not Zura, It's Zurako… What I mean is. It's the same thing that Elizabeth found in one of the Joui member that I thought was an artificial seasoning." He took another look at it. "It is used like cocaine but the effects are extremely high." He thought for a moment.
"Be careful not to sniff it accidentally." He warned as the two looked at him with a sweat drop trickling down on their faces.
The room suddenly went darker until only the front stage has the bright spot light on it. Every one inside the bar got their attention to the stage as a man in a casual suit went to the stage and greeted everyone.
"Welcome to the Witchfinder General Bar fifth year anniversary!" Said the man with a joyful tone as everyone applauses after hearing such word.
Skipping the boring speech and introduction:
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"Please enjoy yourselves!" The waitress said to them as she gave them three bottles of Montrachet (wine).
"Uhmm… excuse me. But we didn't order any beverages." Said Gintoki. It's not that he doesn't want to drink but he's too afraid to pay a large amount of money because he didn't even have his wallet with, why would he? It has only 300 yen in it.
"It's okay." Smiled the waitress. "Every table receives free bottles of Montrachet depending on how many persons are you in the table." She replied. "It's a gift from our manager."
"R-really? Is it okay?" Asked Zurako.
"Asked ****ing one more time or I'll bury you in hell!" Cursed the waitress who is now mad with imaginary flames behind her as she gave a piercing look. They were shocked by that expression.
"U-u-uhh… Okay. T-thank you." Stammered Gintoki with a dog smile.
"Please enjoy your stay." She replied with a smile as she happily went away. Gintoki looked at Zurako, seeing him with a scared face on him.
"O-oi Zura. She reminds me of someone." He mumbled, trying to pretend that he didn't get scared with that girl.
"It's not Zura, it's Katsura – I mean Zurako… Yes she reminds me of someone too." He stammered nervously, wishing that the waitress won't come back to their table anymore.
The conversation is going nowhere and she's getting irritated on the two so Tsukuyo interfered. "Let's go back to the topic, shall we?" She slammed her palm on the table, causing the goblets to clink as the two quickly looked at her.
"Ahh. Sorry about that. - oh yeah, about the drugs…" Said Zurako, shrugging off the thing about that waitress.
"Did your comrade use it?" She asked.
"I have no idea… " He answered while rubbing his chin with his thumb. But he wasn't sure about it but somehow he sensed that his comrade hasn't used it yet.
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"Oi you woman over there! I see that you're listening for a while now." Shouted Gintoki, distracting the serious conversation between the two. He is not in the conversation of Zurako and Tsukuyo but he's somewhat paying attention into it until she noticed the woman sitting alone in the table next to them. She has a dark shoulder length hair and wearing a navy blue kimono with a few floral designs on the sleeves. She's been quiet and not moving a single muscle while looking down with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Sitting at the end of the couch near them and being silent all this time, how can he ignore her?
"Are you spying on us? Or are you just too shy to join us?" He asked as he gets more irritated to that woman.
The woman can't deny the fact the she is listening to them for a while. She secretly chuckled like she's planning something bad. "I've been caught." She whispered to herself.
"Who are you anyway?" The irritated Tsukuyo asked, giving her an eye.
The woman lifts her face and looked at Tsukuyo with deadpanned eyes. "I am…"
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" Toushiko."
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"What the hell!" Shouted Tsukuyo and Gintoki in their minds like they want to shout it loudly but their frozen body and terrible shocked look in their faces won't let them. Zurako in fact has no reactions at all because probably he didn't recognize her (him) at all or his idiocy is really a topnotch. He looked at
them with confusion, not even knowing that he's facing the woman (man) that he never wants to meet.
Gintoki and Tsukuyo looked at each other nervously as there are starting to sweat on their heads.
"S**t! This is bad! The two rivals are…" He thought.
"… In the same place… What do we do now?" Thought Tsukuyo, miraculously communicating with Gintoki using eye contact.
"They should not recognize each other."
"You're right Tsukuyo, but are they stupid enough to not recognize each other?"
"I don't know! Don't ask me!"
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"Ano… Excuse me, but did we meet before?" Asked Zurako to Toushiko, taking the opportunity to ask while the silver haired samurai and the leader of the Hyakka are being speechless.
"What's your name?" Toushiko responded with another question, ignoring his first question. He took a cigarette inside his kimono and placed it on his lips.
"S**t. This is freaking bad." Thought Gintoki with a sweat drop trickling down on his cheek.
He didn't mind that he ignored his question. "I'm Zurako. But sometimes they call me Katsura." He answered.
"No idea of who you are and I guess we never met each other before. I'm just a person named Toushiko but sometimes my friends call me demon vice commander."
"Now he said it! What will happen now!" Shouted Tsukuyo in her mind.
"Really…" Zurako bowed his head like he's getting serious. They thought that he finally knew who really this guy is. "…That's really unusual name to call you." He connected with a smirk.
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"Idiots. They are really idiots." Muttered silver haired samurai and the Hyakka leader with deadpanned tone.
"Oi! Wait a minute here. What the hell are you doing here?" Interrupted Gintoki. "Aren't you supposed to patrol the city and scare the innocent citizens tonight?"
"What are you talking about. I'm still on my 3 days day-off. And I didn't come here for nothing. I came here for personal reasons, so my troop has no business of what I am doing now." He answered as he lit his cigarette. "That drug smuggling faction is really getting on my nerves. The reasons: I don't know. I just have a bad feeling on that faction that I just cannot ignore it."
"Personal reasons you say?" Tsukuyo muttered.
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While having their conversation, the entrance slid open as a group of 5 men in black suit and glasses entered while one of them is holding a briefcase. They looked like middle aged foreigners aging 35 and above. The noise of their shoes hitting the floor caught the attention of many customers around. They looked like that they don't came here to goof around – it's more like business.
"Suspicious people!" Whispered Tsukuyo as she crouch quickly with Gintoki and observe where they are going.
"Should I follow them?" He asked softly.
"No. not yet." She replied as he gestured him to hold on.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Asked Toushiko, giving them an eye as he sits straight and calm on the couch.
"Shut up mayo freak. Could keep it down… There are suspicious people." Said Gintoki.
"Suspicious? Those men in black? Nah, they don't look suspicious." Intervened Zurako. "You're probably watching too much mobster movies." He chuckled.
"Shut up bomberman, they obviously are! Don't make any stupid comments." She demanded without taking off the look on those men in black.
Then, one of the suspicious people pulled out a gun from his suit and glared around the premises.
"He got a gun! He got a gun!" Gintoki shouted softly. "They must be from the faction."
"What are you saying? He's just probably a salesman that sells guns door-to-door." Said Toushika with a confident look in his face.
"What kind of salesman is that? No one sells guns from house to house." Answered Tsukuyo as she's getting pissed off with the two idiots that don't even recognize each other.
Then the other guy in black brushed off his coat suit from his waist, revealing an UZI strapped in his belt.
"What the hell! He got an UZI!" Gintoki shouted softly. "Now I'm really sure that…"
"You're really thinking too much Gintoki… It's probably just a lighter." Muttered Zurako sitting relaxed in the couch.
From that moment, he really wished to kick him in the ass or throw him out of the bar. "How could be that a lighter? It looked stupid when you just used it to light a tobacco."
"Tch. We're getting nowhere."Tsukuyo didn't want to hold back and wants to tail the suspicious men. As she takes her first step, another customer just came in. This time, it's an old dirty man aging above 80 whose back is bent from the age and have shaking knees that is struggling to lift his weight. His hair is all white with his arms placed on his back, in other words; just an old man.
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"Suspicious person!" Whispered the two idiots while glaring at the old man who's walking as fast as a snail. They followed him with piercing glare with their faces wanting to kill him.
"Suspicious? That oldie doesn't look anything bad at all." Shouted Gintoki but the two ignored his words and made their actions. They swiftly stood and crouch as they slowly approach the old man walking slowly to the front table.
"Leave this to us." Zurako said with a thumb up and cool smile.
"Oi wait!" Demanded Gintoki stretching his hand to reach his cloth and pull him back. He was about to clench his kimono when Tsukuyo quickly grabbed his hand and shook her head.
"Whatever." He mumbled.
AUTHOR: That's chapter 6 part one. (Sigh) That was a though one, getting the idiots out of the scene.
GINTOKI: Don't underestimate idiots. And what's with that Witchfinder General Bar Thing?
AUTHOR: The bar… I just made it up but the name is from classic heavy metal band. I don't underestimate idiots. That's why I don't underestimate you. It took me 2000 words and a night to get rid of those guys in the story.
GINTOKI: Shut up Author!
AUTHOR: Anyway, This is the part two…
CHAPTER VI (Part two)
(A red wine makes anyone calm)
"*Sigh* those idiots gets along when they don't recognize each other." Mumbled Gintoki as he picked up one of the bottles on the table and read the label. He wasn't sure if he's going to drink it now or take it home and drink it there alone since the two Yoruzuya is still minor.
"Oi Tsukuyo… had you ever taste a red wine before?" He asked while reading the label. She looked at him with bright eyes as she was embarrassed to say that she never tastes a red wine before.
"…No… I nev…"
But before she could finished Gintoki is already filling the goblet as the band of four in casual dress started to play the song 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' on the side of the stage. The place become even gloomier like transformed from a hostess bar to an ordinary bar.
"We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels across the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
But the crowd called out for more…"
"Here you go." He handed the goblet to her gesturing her to drink it. He was afraid to give him alcohol in the first place 'cause she will surely turn from 'death god courtesan' to 'Destroyer Death god Demon'.
"But Gintoki… You know I'm really bad when I'm…"
"I know… But Hinowa told me earlier not to give you too much work today. At least lessen the load." He answered with voice toned down. "Well at least try to control your destructive attitude when you're drank." He followed with a grimace on his face.
She was unable to say anything so just smirk as a response while she reaches the goblet carefully. "Just don't blame me." Said Tsukuyo as she lift the bottom up
and finished drinking it without a spill.
"I don't give a damn on it for today."
"… And so it was that later
As the miller told his tale
That her face, at first just ghostly,
Turned a whiter shade of pale"
"But don't forget Gintoki, we're still on a mission." She answered with a grin in her face.
"I know. I'm just doing that woman a favor." He scratched his head, remembering they are still on a mission.
They drink more and more until a bottle is down but Gintoki seems not feeling dizzy yet while Tsukuyo is already slumping her face on the table. She miraculously did manage to control her wildness probably because the music is so calming and he is not irritating her.
"Oi! Tsukuyo! It's rude if the hostess had enough before the customer." He teased, not realizing that he's putting his life in danger. She didn't move a muscle but it took a second before she finally answered.
"Gintoki… I'm not done yet *hick*"
"What are you saying? That 'hick' tells it all."
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"Our next song is 'Nights in White Satin' by the Moody Blues". The music starts to play again.
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He didn't expect it she suddenly swiftly looked at him and draws her face closer to his' that their noses almost touched. The exchanging breath with smell of a wine lasted for a second before Gintoki react. He quickly pulled out and stared at him with a shock.
"oi Tsukuyo. What's wrong with you? Do you wanna play stone papers and scissor violently again?" He chuckled but Tsukuyo draw her face closer to his' again. She looked at him with deadpanned eyes while Gintoki looked at him at her a little disgusted and troubled.
"Gintoki." She softly whispered as her warm breath touches his cheek.
"S**t! She's damn cute! Oh god! Help me! Get me out of this situation." He screamed in his mind. His heart starts beating fast and his brain is starting to make dirty jokes in him. He can't think of any action to do except from being stuck there with his eyes locked to her. She stared at him for almost 10 seconds before she slowly grins and quickly looked away and giggle softly until she burst out laughing.
"oi! What's so funny? Do I look like a clown for you?" He asked as his eye twitched a little.
"Y-you should have seen the look in your face." Replied Tsukuyo followed with an uncontrolled laugh.
"Nights in white satin
Reaching the end
Letters I've written
Never meaning to send…"
"Idiot. You shouldn't play with men's feeling like that." He demanded. He's still embarrassed about it and he's getting more embarrassed when he continuously hears her laughing.
"Feelings? So tell me what your feeling is when I did that to you." She chuckled.
Gintoki swallowed a lump out of his throat and suddenly felt nervous answering that question. It is very unexplainable and no exact words can tell what he really felt about that. It was mixed…with a… how should I put this. (See. Even the Author can't explain it)
He thought that teasing her will probably at least turn down her curiosity. "It's a secret." He answered with a wink.
She should have punch the perm guy for answering like that but it happened the opposite way.
"What? It's not fair. Tell me what it is." She begged like a kinky woman as she softly pound her chest like a brat. No. Like a girl.
That attitude kinda made a conclusion in his mind
"She didn't hit after I say it. She didn't even drag me to hell… Seroiusly. What's up with this girl anyway? – don't tell me…" He finally realized it in his mind.
"…That red wine has an opposite effect from sake."
"…Some try to tell me
Thoughts they cannot defend
Just what you want to be
You will be in the end
Cause I love you…"
She was silent for a moment not moving even a twitch before she spoke out a word.
"Gintoki."
He replied with a grunt and scratches his head. Before he could make an appropriate reply , she drew her face close to his again and give him a soft kiss on the cheek.
"So tell me what your feeling is when I did that to you this time." She asked with a tender voice as she sits straight back.
He smiled a bit and pats her head. "Seriously. You're not giving up."
He looked at her but only to know that her head softly landed on his shoulder.
"You slept again…"
END OF CHAPTER
GINTOKI: This is shit! I think I read this part before… Not sure when or what chapter.
AUTHOR: Sorry for the Zurako Toushiko thing.
GINTOKI: What's with that Red wine stuff effects on Tsukuyo.
AUTHOR: I just made it up.
GINTOKI: *Sighs*
AUTHOR: Anyway, violent reviews are appreciated. I know. I didn't do well in this chapter. Thanks for reading.