CHAPTER 13 - If You Love Someone, Don't Let Them Go
Aria.
The name barely registered in Gintoki's mind as incessant drumming pulsed in his head. His vision flickered in and out, buried thoughts and memories threatening to ram through his brain all at the same time. Did he want to fight against this abominable apparition? Or stay away as far as possible from it? But neither was an option as his body refused to listen to him, petrified on the chamber floor under the Emperor's holographic eye.
…It's because she looks like a Stand, isn't it?
"Oi, could you back off? I'm not good with creepy transparent chicks." Gintoki's voice didn't shake in the slightest.
The unmasked side of the Emperor's face, bearing a frenzied grimace moments before, softened as her maniacal smile melted off and her one visible eye boring into his lost its mad spark. However, instead of backing off like Gintoki had politely asked, her fingers slithered down to his throat and she leaned even closer to observe every last pore on his face. Gintoki found this more unsettling than her earlier raving speech. He wondered whether the hologram technology she used was more advanced than theirs, because he could swear he felt her every touch and breath.
"Hijikata-san, please be careful not to step on the device thirty-four centimeters to the right of your foot."
Ren's voice cut through the murky haze enveloping Gintoki and the Emperor and Gintoki's head jerked towards him, breaking eye contact with the Emperor hovering above him. His muscles relaxed and his lungs filled with the stale air of the stony room. As he glanced back at Hijikata, a sharp noise resounded in chamber followed by a crackling sound of electricity.
"Did you mean this one?" Hijikata nonchalantly asked as he raised his foot to show the miserable leftover pieces of the broken device crumble to the floor. "Sorry", he smiled without a tinge of apology in his voice, "I thought it was an overgrown cockroach."
"You - !" The reddened man on the podium squealed in protest, lurching forward to the floor in a futile attempt to save the device. It was too late, however, as the holographic apparition behind Gintoki flickered in broken pixels.
The Emperor, in contrast to the panicked state of the Imperial, only gazed down at Gintoki in a calm manner, her face slowly crumbling away into nothingness. The left corner of her mouth rose and her eye narrowed in fixation that sank thorns down Gintoki's spine.
"Gintoki." Her voice oscillated in a garbled combination of high-pitched noise and low reverberation. "I am waiting for you."
And then she disappeared.
However, Gintoki still felt the piercing stare of her abyssal eye drilling into his heart.
"Gintoki."
Hijikata gently shook his shoulder as he crouched down, waking him from a stupor as Gintoki still stared at the place where the Emperor had disappeared. "Get ready", Hijikata said in a hushed tone as the chamber erupted in the aftermath of the Emperor's disappearance. "In five minutes, Kagura, Shinpachi and Sadaharu will cause a commotion. We'll sneak out and meet Sakamoto – "
"No."
Gintoki couldn't explain it. Whether it was humans, Amanto, monsters or machines, he went up against everything. Bruised, battered and beaten down, he would rise time and time again and continue to fight whatever awaited him on the other side. He would make sure to always have a weapon in hand before charging in, and even if he lost it, he would crawl towards victory to protect the things important to him.
Instead of the familiar heat of the desire to fight spreading through his chest, all that remained was a cold and sinking feeling that left him defeated before he could even reach for a weapon. He understood he had a way out, yet the risk of losing everyone and everything he held dear was too high to even attempt it. The mere thought of it shackled him to the floor of the dismal chamber as hopelessness sank its fangs into his lungs. He still felt the stinging grasp of the Emperor's fingers on his skin. A warning of what was to come if they failed.
He couldn't choose himself over everyone else.
Gintoki pried Hijikata's hand from his shoulder as he turned to the front and raised his head to meet the concerned gaze of Princess Soyo. "I plead guilty."
His voice rang out between the stony walls and silenced the tumultuous courtroom at once. All eyes glued to his hunched over form on the ground.
Hijikata almost looked betrayed.
And Gintoki couldn't blame him for it.
"Wait, please reconsider – " Princess Soyo hurriedly said as she stepped down from the dais, but before she could continue, Lord Can interrupted her and planted himself between her and Gintoki.
"What more is there left to be said? The criminal confessed." His voice radiated with false grief as he shook his head. "It is a shame that it had to come to this, Princess Soyo. But it is also a way to strengthen the relationship between Edo and the Empire, to right the wrong committed against us." Lord Can paused and turned towards Ren, his tone shifting only slightly so into disdain. "Wouldn't you agree, Ren?"
Ren stayed silent; his silver eyes unmoving as he looked at Gintoki.
Hijikata's fingers circled Gintoki's bicep and he harshly pulled him upwards. Though desperate, he was still not stronger as Gintoki stood his ground and pulled against Hijikata's grip. Because Gintoki was even more desperate. To protect them all, to find Aya and to kill the Emperor.
"We'll see each other again", Gintoki reassured him. Or himself. He did not know which. His voice wavered in betrayal of his emotions. "You know how to track us, right? I'll make sure the Emperor is dead before we meet up on Arean. So just… let go for now."
This was not a final goodbye. Not by a long shot. He would fix everything and no one else would have to get hurt. The way his throat constricted and his chest tightened, it was just… Just… Ah. He couldn't bear to look at Hijikata anymore. To look at the man he loved break in front of him. To feel the grasp on his arm slowly weaken.
All because he didn't believe in them enough.
"Let me go, Hijikata."
All because he didn't believe in himself.
He felt Hijikata's fingers finally slip away from his arm as he gave up. They were replaced by a strong grip that gently, but firmly ushered him towards the exit of the dim room as the court reached its final ruling.
"The defendant, Sakata Gintoki…"
Gintoki glanced back over his shoulder as the warmth of Ren's hand seeped into his skin, replacing that of Hijikata's fingers.
"… is found guilty on all of the presented charges."
Hijikata's head hung low, his bangs covering his eyes.
"As such, he will be transferred to serve his punishment on Arean and to atone for his crimes against the Empire."
The heavy double door closed as Ren led Gintoki out of the chamber, sealing all the sound inside the courtroom. The pressure of silence weighed on Gintoki's eardrums as he stood frozen in place like he was trying to see through the besmirched wood and steal a final glance at Hijikata.
"You better keep all of your promises."
Gintoki didn't care that it sounded like a threat, because he had intended it to. He also didn't care for Ren's response. Right now, all he could think about was stopping the blade created by his own two hands from piercing his heart.
The moon shone as brightly as ever.
A marble tower split the night sky above the grandiose castle that cascaded down into rippling white waves of walls and houses. Pale blue light lit the streets and windows of the metropolis, spreading as far as the eye could see, yet no sound reached the highest point in all of the Empire that was the piercing spire. Though no ornaments decorated the faces of the buildings spreading around the tower's base, their marble displayed blank and glossy, the sheer size of the arches and bridges connecting the lower towers stood witness to the greatness of the Capital of the Empire.
The height of the Imperial invention; the city floating in the sky over the decimation of an ancient civilization, always anchored to the moon as it trailed behind in its silver wake. It stored the Altana of their Moon God above whilst keeping them safe from plunging once more into the hell that was Below.
All Ren felt as he looked down at its colossal form was disgust. So, he pried his eyes away and gazed up at the beautiful moon reigning over the starry sky. The night air was cold and his small body shivered as his breath misted in front of him, but he didn't care; in this moment, he was alone with his cherished friend.
"My eyes hurt again today", Ren started whining, his legs thrown over the marble railing kicking in the air as he tiredly rubbed his eyes. "Rain called me a freak, all because I looked at him for too long. And I know everyone else agreed with him. The other children, the adults, even my servants. They make me want to spill all the secrets they hide under those fake smiles and words." He sighed as he calmed down from his tirade and leaned on the stone pillar, twirling a lock of his midnight hair. "It's annoying being around so many people with so many corrupted feelings and thoughts. I wish I could spend all day and night here, with you."
Though no one else was present but Ren, the courtesy of being the Imperial Prince and having exclusive rights to the tower, the moon that accompanied Ren from the first time he laid eyes upon it was more than enough for him.
"Oh! There's something else I wanted to tell you!" Ren suddenly sat up as excitement seeped into his voice. "I met a researcher today. They also call her a freak, just because she doesn't have Silver Sight, but if you ask me, I think she's amazing. She's trying to develop technology that… Uh, it's kind of difficult to explain… Anyways, it seals the energy from your natural light so that we don't have to take your Altana away from you! Isn't that amazing?"
The moon did not reply. It never did. But as Ren's smile only widened, his crinkled silver eyes reflected the gentle and pure light shining from its glowing mantle. Unlike the sludge that oozed out of other people's voices and eyes, threatening to fill up his lungs and drown him in the filthy mud, the Moon God was a presence that got rid of all those impurities and embraced him in its soft warmth.
Although Ren's eyes stopped hurting long ago as the moon healed them, they welled up in unshed tears.
"I'll make this place better. I'll get rid of all those people exploiting you for your name and power. And I'll fix the Below. I'll also help the researcher from before finish her technology. So that way, we can live without taking from you. And then maybe… you could come down here and visit us?"
Silence greeted Ren, as it always did. Though his smile did wane, he tried to keep it on his lips as he faced the moon. These moments were precious and few and far between, after all, and he didn't want the Moon God to grow sad because of him.
Ren was not lonely.
As long as the sky held his beloved moon, he would never be lonely.
While he wasn't handcuffed nor bound, Gintoki felt trapped as he stood between four Celestial Order knights, all sticking to him like glue. Do all Imperials have a problem with personal space? Their steps metallically echoed in the brightly lit hallways of the Imperial Ship as they trudged along, passing people in various uniforms that went silent in their presence, stopping in the middle of whatever they were doing. Some were also part of the knightage, others were officers manning the ship, and some were part of the noble elite, judging by their dress and the way they gawked as if it were their Moon God given right.
"Man, did we get stuck in a time loop or what? How long have we been walking through this ship? My legs are going to fall off", Gintoki sighed tragically as he dragged his feet between the knights.
Although he exaggerated the seriousness of his physical state, it had to have been half an hour since they passed the lower entrance of the Imperial Ship. It closed behind him with an ominous whir, separating him from Earth for… Well, he didn't know how long the whole ordeal of finding Aya and killing the Emperor would take, but he guessed it would be longer than the release of the next Shounen Jump issue. Ren somehow melted away from his side before Gintoki even noticed. He also took all the Imperial posse from the trial with him and Gintoki couldn't be happier that he was finally free from Lord Can's sleazy subordinate and his gleeful face. Though he had to part with his personal items; his phone and Shinpachi's silver watch leaving his hands made his chest feel awfully empty.
In the end, he was left with three Celestial knights he hadn't seen before and one he knew all too well.
Blank-kun.
At least he was the one constant in this whirlwind of events that transpired over the past few months. Gintoki almost got whiplash as he remembered the first time he met him, when Blank-kun called out to him the day before his performance and showed him around Osaka Castle.
It almost seemed like it was part of a different reality.
Blank-kun looked over his shoulder and his face schooled into an expression like he just witnessed the ending of the Hachiko movie. "I apologize for this, Sakata Gintoki-sama. Should we carry you in our arms? Or we could procure a seat for you, which we would then carry – "
Gintoki quickly slapped the arms of the knights behind him that reached for him sporting similar expressions to Blank-kun's. "Instead, why don't you tell me how much longer we'll walk for?" He didn't complain just for the sake of it; he used it as a distraction to keep the knights from noticing him surveying the area and making a mental map of the labyrinth of corridors they had passed through.
Before he could hear the answer, however, they reached a massive corridor devoid of life that ended in a gilded gold and silver set of doors half the size of the Central Terminal. Gintoki wondered how such a door could fit inside the ship as he craned his neck to stare at the top with his mouth hanging open in astonishment.
"We've arrived, Sakata Gintoki-sama."
Blank-kun reached for the relief in the door depicting various phases of the moon, as well as some portrayals of lustrous trees and floating islands, all meticulously carved into the doors. His fingers lingered on the carving of a full moon and it lit up under his fingers in blue hues, starting a chain reaction of giant locks grinding open as the heavy sound traveled through the metal and into the floor, making Gintoki's bones rattle in his body as the doors slowly creaked open.
He first heard a tender birdsong.
And then he was blinded by a brilliant glow coming from within.
Gintoki raised his hands to shield his eyes from the blinding light as he slowly grew accustomed to it. A gentle breeze travelled through the open doors and brought forth a fresh smell of flowers. He couldn't for the life of him figure out just how he was able to sense all of this on a spaceship. He lowered his hands and carefully passed through the doors after Blank-kun.
The sight that welcomed him made him stop dead in his tracks. Instead of plain ceilings and metallic walls of the hallways they had passed through earlier, a warm sunset colored the interior in golden colors. The sinking sun was reflected into a million radiant freckles on the surface of a peaceful lake that encompassed a small, hilled island with a quaint house resting in the shade of a giant sakura tree. The breeze from before rustled its branches and nimble, petite birds took flight, yet no petal fell as it gently swayed the colorful flowers decorating its base, some climbing up the walls of the little house. As far as his eye could see, lush fields and hills rolled around the lake, seemingly infinite as they blurred in the distance. A winding stone pathway surrounded by lotus flowers connected the shore where Gintoki stood and the island, although beautiful, exuded a peculiar sense of loneliness.
"Do you know Prince Hata?" he mumbled out, not expecting an answer from the knights.
Although it was beautiful, at the end of the day, it was a meticulously crafted prison.
"I am familiar with the royal family of the planet Oukoku."
As Gintoki turned around at the sound of Ren's voice, the knights swiftly lowered their heads and distanced themselves to stand guard at the entrance of… whatever this was. Even in the golden sunlight, Ren looked deathly pale and while Gintoki derided some twisted joy out of seeing him like this, the same familiar worry that always reared its incessant head did so once again.
"But if you think he may have had something to do with the design of this region, I must tell you that you'd be wrong to think so." Ren shortened the distance between them in a few steps and gazed down into Gintoki's eyes. Gintoki saw his silver ones spark to life, even if the rest of his face bore an exhausted expression. "Will you come with me?"
Ren offered his hand to Gintoki, which he promptly ignored, leaving it hanging in the air. The cozy atmosphere of this peaceful prison wouldn't make him forget in what position he was. An unfavorable one. So, he turned his back towards Ren and set foot on the stone walkway. He heard footsteps behind him, far enough to not cause him discomfort, but close enough to hold a conversation.
"Do all your prisoners get the same treatment, Prince Ren? You're awfully generous", Gintoki snidely said as he slowly walked towards the island, begrudgingly admiring the lotus flowers lapping at their feet and the sun touching the lake seemingly frozen in an eternal sunset. "Because I've heard of a different story about your spoils of conquests."
"So you know about Arean's… brutal practices." Ren's voice was tense, as if he tried to carefully pick out appropriate words. "I established the First Celestial Order on the ashes of the previous one. The one that only sook to use the name of the Moon God to trick the populace and use them for their own goals. My order, on the other hand, has only one mission. Protecting our Moon God, Gintoki. Protecting… you."
Moon God this, Moon God that. Gintoki wished he was at least a god that could use some overpowered abilities like all the other fictional gods and end this once and for all.
"You're saying you weren't involved in any of that? I find that hard to believe."
Ren said nothing as Gintoki leaned down and gently lifted a lotus flower stuck between the stones of the walkway, pushing it back into the water. He looked behind inquisitively and found Ren staring at him.
"My influence was never great, even as the Imperial Prince. You had the displeasure of witnessing the proof of it at the Imperial Ball." Gintoki could see his ears burning red as he looked away, probably finding the sunset much more interesting. "After the arrival of the Emperor, that had changed almost immediately. By her side, my faction only grew and more joined my ranks of the Celestial Order. On the surface, our goal was keeping the Emperor safe as I prepared to take over the Empire. But what I've really done was try to keep her away from you. In her obsession, every trail of your presence caused her great euphoria, but as they turned out to be false claims and nothing more than mirages, her lunacy only grew. Even though she wanted to find you, every failure brought her closer to complete madness." Ren sighed in defeat. "While I wasn't directly involved in her… conquest, I certainly enabled it. And I'll be paying for that for the rest of my life."
As they got closer to the island, the birdsong got louder and its innocence oddly contrasted Ren's words. The sun that created swirls of reds and oranges had yet to sink into night, even though plenty of time had already passed. Gintoki stopped in the middle of the stone pathway to watch the frozen sunset and felt Ren quietly slip to his side.
"The Emperor is a cunning person. No, calling her a person is too generous a name. She is obsessed with you, Gintoki. Hah", Ren sighed bitterly and muttered, "perhaps that is why we got along as student and mentor in the beginning. When she first arrived in the Empire, promising to find you and bring you back, I was elated. But I soon bore witness to her madness. She did not want to help you. I am unsure of her final goal, but it is neither for the good of the Empire, nor for yours."
Gintoki remembered the Emperor leaning over him, into him. Though the air was warm and soft on his skin, he couldn't stop a shiver shaking his body. First a natural perm, and now this. I was really born unlucky.
"I'm guessing you were the one feeding her the wrong information. You wanted her to go crazy… or crazier?" Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer type of deal, huh?
Ren chuckled at his words, a sound he had not heard in a long time, and Gintoki glanced at him. He looked a bit less pale. "That was the plan. At the same time, I was trying to get information out of her about you, to find you in time and protect you. After a while, unless there was undeniable proof of your existence, the Emperor would not even entertain the idea of speaking about you, let alone listening to yet another claim that you were within her reach."
Gintoki recalled Ren's expression as he faced the Emperor in the trial room. That face matched someone driving the person they hated mad. And plotting to murder them.
"Protect me, huh", Gintoki smirked over his shoulder at Ren, amused by his choice of words, "by taking me straight to the person that went so far as to threaten to annihilate an entire planet just to imprison me, locked up like this?"
"Gintoki – "
A loud splash of water drowned out the chirping of birds.
Gintoki barely had enough time to turn around before he was face to face with a giant maw of a lake monster, jumping straight for him over the pathway. He reached for his wooden sword only to find his fingers grasping at nothing but air and he cursed the Empire, Aria and Ren out for giving him the lousiest death out of all shounen protagonists.
Yet death had other plans as Gintoki felt a pull on his yukata and he lurched backwards. The monster barely missed his face as it plunged into the lake on the other side and sprayed water all over him. At least it was supposed to; before a single droplet touched his skin, Ren stepped forward and tightly wrapped him in his arms, shielding him from the wave. He held onto him, squishing Gintoki's head against his chest and Gintoki heard Ren's heart thunder on his cheek, feeling it warm up.
Gintoki frowned and struggled to push away from his chest, his thoughts getting more jumbled up the longer he stayed in that position. But Ren didn't let go, only tightening his arms around him and pushing Gintoki's body flush against his.
"…What the hell was that?" Gintoki managed to stammer out as his throat dried up. Am I that scared of Nessie? Just what the hell…
"A goldfish."
Gintoki blankly stared up at him. "…A goldfish?"
"Yes." Ren returned his gaze as if he gave the most conventional answer in the world.
Gintoki blinked, not believing his words. "And just why did you put murderous goldfish around the place I'm supposed to be staying at!? Or maybe you don't need me in a living state?"
Ren had the gall to look mortified. "Wait, Gintoki, that's not – "
His words got cut off when another goldfish erupted from the waters behind him and his face contorted into that of deep annoyance. He swept Gintoki off his feet in one elegant movement and sidestepped the monster's attack, both Gintoki's yukata and Ren's royal coat swirling in the air as he whirled around.
"Hold on tight", he breathlessly whispered into Gintoki's ear.
Gintoki squirmed in his arms in protest. "Wait – "
Then the world became blurry as Ren sped up to the island with inhuman speed, or perhaps quicker than an average Amanto would move, all while dodging goldfish attacks. Gintoki held on for his dear life around Ren's neck, yet not once did he feel like he'd slip away from his grasp. Not only that, but it seemed like Ren had no trouble running full speed ahead while holding an adult male.
Finally, they reached the grassy shore of the small island, leaving the goldfish behind to sink to the depths of the lake in defeat as they lost their meal. Gintoki watched them in disbelief. They looked like goldfish, that much was true, but they were each the size of a hippo.
"They are the goldfish you had gifted me on the night of that festival, Gintoki. Remember? You won them in the game, and since I didn't manage to get a single one, you gave me yours. I must say", Ren smiled down at him as his dark damp hair crowned his face glowing in the sunlight, "I didn't expect humans to casually play with such ferocious animals."
Gintoki's hand moved of its own volition and his fingers brushed a lock of Ren's hair out of his face as he studied droplets of water sticking to his eyelashes. Ren's arms twitched around his body and Gintoki realized that he was still being carried by him and had his own arms circled around Ren's neck.
Along with the peculiar fondness he held for him, Gintoki now had to be careful not to touch him. He didn't want to trigger a stupid energy transfer out of nowhere again. Or maybe it was already too late as his heart rattled in his chest.
After all, he wasn't Hijikata.
And he didn't want to touch anyone like he touched Hijikata.
That sobering thought filled him with strength and he finally pushed away, his boots sinking into the soft grass below as he escaped Ren's grasp. He yawned and stretched in nonchalance as he turned his back towards Ren. "I'm tired. Is there any way to press play on that sunset? I'd like to keep some track of time here."
The chirping birds and the waves lapping at the shore were the only sounds Gintoki heard for a while. He almost turned around to check if Ren didn't decide to leave before he heard his voice permeated with… loss.
"Yes. Once you enter the house, there is a clock mechanism on the opposite wall. Might I show you how – "
Gintoki raised a hand and tersely interrupted him. "I'll figure it out." He climbed the short flowery path leading up to the house and barely caught the words whispered behind him.
"…Sleep well, Gintoki."
Once Gintoki managed to figure out how the time mechanism worked (hitting it a couple of times did the trick), the artificial sky darkened and he crashed into the softest bed in the whole universe, falling asleep without dreams and nightmares following his descent into nothingness. He woke up the next day, or better yet when the sun rose high above the rolling hills, refreshed like he hadn't slept in a century and the thrumming in his chest from yesterday calmed. The whole thing with his trial and imprisonment had moved so quickly and he was so fed up with hearing the imp part of anything Imperial that he belatedly realized he hadn't discussed anything with Ren.
About Aya, the Shimura scrolls, the silver blade.
He had to be careful not to divulge too much; only enough to perhaps glean out the location of the second part of the scroll. Gintoki groaned internally as he groggily got out the bed and stared at the lake from the second story window. I'm supposed to deceive a master manipulator. Out of all Joui Four, he was the least suitable candidate for that kind of job. Or maybe he was giving too much credit to the Emperor and she was someone utterly creepy and gullible.
Once he freshened up in the bathroom, he climbed downstairs to a sight of the round kitchen table overflowing with food, the kind he'd only seen in American movies where no one ate anything, only it was all a traditional Japanese breakfast. The fruit smelled fresh, as if it was picked only minutes ago, and the rice still steamed out of the bowl, along with miso soup and all kinds of side dishes scattered on the table. It was a sensory overload which he was sure Shinpachi and Kagura would appreciate.
He was rather in a mood for some plain eggs over rice, though.
Gintoki however couldn't allow himself to just let all this food go to waste, so he prepared his stomach for the herculean task and dragged the chair out. Before he could sit down, he heard a soft noise outside and prickles of warning on his neck had him scrambling for the door.
His frayed nerves calmed at the familiar sight of Blank-kun.
"What are you doing here?" Gintoki asked the frozen knight as he caught him in a cartoonish-like sneaking pose. The only things moving on him were his hair and his royal uniform swaying in the breeze. Seriously, where is that thing blowing from? Gintoki couldn't wrap his head around the technology.
Blank-kun turned around like he was caught red-handed with his fingers in a cookie jar. His expression was crestfallen as he faced Gintoki. "I… I brought you food, Sakata Gintoki-sama."
"Aah, right, thanks for that." Gintoki wondered how he carried all of that by himself as he leaned on the doorframe and gestured with his thumb to the interior of the house. "Did you eat anything? If not, come inside and eat with me."
"I… I couldn't possibly – " Blank-kun stammered but was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound that didn't come from Gintoki's stomach.
Gintoki rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine. Then I'm coming outside."
Blank-kun didn't have the time to protest as Gintoki went back into the house and started picking up the food. He bemoaned the fact that some of it had to be left behind as he opted for ones that he could carry without spilling it everywhere. Blank-kun waited outside and rushed to his side to help once Gintoki emerged from the house with his hands full.
They found a spot in the shade under the sakura tree shielding the island and sat down. Gintoki leaned on its bark and closed his eyes as he soaked in what little sunlight managed to filter in through its leaves. He could almost hear Kagura and Shinpachi's yelling and Sadaharu's barking through the birdsong and the rustling leaves. Where were they now? Are they tracking the ship with Katsura's device? Gintoki hoped Tatsuma was in charge, or else Katsura was going to repeat that whole stealth-ship-that-he-thought-was see-through fiasco or something similar.
Did Hijikata and Sougo come with them?
Gintoki couldn't help but laugh at his conflicting actions and emotions. He felt like his brain chemistry was forever changed after that first blast by Aya's bazooka. Or maybe it started earlier, after… Ha. Being a Moon God sure did come with all the perks and benefits.
"Sakata Gintoki-sama? Are you not hungry?"
Gintoki lazily opened his eyes and found Blank-kun worriedly gazing at him. For the first time since he met him, he wondered how old he was. Perhaps the reason Gintoki didn't feel any animosity towards him was because he reminded him of Shinpachi and Kagura. "Shorten it to Gintoki, Blank… Now that I think about it, what's your name?" The nickname didn't even suit him anymore; in fact, the young knight was anything but inexpressive. He nibbled on an apple as he waited for an answer.
"It's Rain, Gintoki-sama", the knight answered, almost giggling to himself in the beard. His eyes met Gintoki's and he shyly looked away like a schoolboy on a first date, briefly flashing silver.
They continued to eat in a comfortable silence, with Rain glancing at him every now and then. The unusually realistic sun moved across the false sky and before Gintoki realized it, it had already started its descent into the lake. He must've slept longer than he'd thought.
"Thank you for allowing me to join you for the meal,", Rain got up and politely bowed with a satisfied smile. "Is there anything you require of me, Gintoki-sama?"
Gintoki followed him up and stretched as he massaged his neck. "Actually, I'd like to get out of here and stretch my legs. Don't get me wrong, it's… pretty in here", he waved his arm around to point at the manmade paradise around him, "but I'd like to not be in prison. Even a giant one like this one." It certainly was an upgrade from all the previous ones he had the displeasure of being locked up in.
"My apologies, Gintoki-sama", Rain started, almost choking up on his words, "it was not my intention to make you feel this way. You are free to roam around the Imperial Ship, however, in the company of one of the knights or Prince Ren. We must keep the pretense of you being taken prisoner." Ren checked a gadget on his wrist and hurried down the hill towards the pathway spreading across the lake with Gintoki following close behind. "As a matter of fact, now would be a perfect time to visit most of the facilities."
"So what", Gintoki asked as he peeked at the surface of the lake, wary of any waves of disturbance and flashes of gold, "you built this place as my makeshift prison that's not an actual prison?"
Rain looked behind and nodded enthusiastically, his locks of hair whipping around as the sinking sun lit up a part of his face. "This is your residence on the Imperial Ship, the Imperial Abode. We couldn't just let our Moon God sleep in the barracks with us", he shivered at the thought and Gintoki imagined what his face would look like if he'd told him where he hadn't slept at.
He snorted, attracting a confused glance from Rain. "It's nothing. Also, I'm curious; what do you call your planet?"
"The Imperial Planet."
"And your capital?"
"The Imperial Capital."
"Uh-huh. And… your spaceship is named the Imperial Spaceship. Do you see where I'm going with this?"
Rain stopped in the middle of the stone path. He turned around and Gintoki saw his face scrunched up in concentration, as if he'd asked him what the meaning of life was. "I… I suppose we lack imagination… and creativity? How… I've never thought about it…"
Gintoki smiled at his crestfallen face. He immediately thought of Kagura and her way with words, and the pang in his heart that followed that thought felt oddly comforting. "I know someone who could help out with that", he warmly said as his hand, as if it weren't his own, landed on the young knight's fluffy head of hair.
They both froze. Gintoki didn't know why Rain had, but he felt a sudden frost spread through his body as he realized what was starting to happen. He pulled his fingers away like they were burnt on a flame, the warmness on them chasing away the biting cold as his heart sped up in alarm. The energy transfer.
Shit. Has it been that long?
Gintoki carefully took a step back. "Ah, sorry about – "
"Here!" Rain interrupted him with his shaky hands outstretched forwards holding a small metal box. His hair covered his face as he hung his head low, refusing to look up at Gintoki. "Your p-personal belongings. We have inspected them and found no faults. P-please excuse us for taking so long."
I've practiced this.
"…Thanks." Gintoki reached for what he supposed was his phone and Shinpachi's silver watch. And just then, his mind dipped into the unfamiliar part of his consciousness, the one that took control of his body against his will and his fingers twitched, brushing against Rain's. He felt the energy flow instantly at that feathery touch and his hand around the metal box relaxed as his mind followed.
It was a short respite, however, as the sound of metal clanking against stone jolted him from the numbness encompassing his soul. Gintoki watched with dread as the box sank in the lake, quickly disappearing into its foreboding depths. All because of his negligence.
Before his mind and body fully awoke, the only thing keeping him from jumping right after the box, he saw Rain crouch down on the stones and lean forward over the wavy surface of the lake. His mind lit up in alarm as he caught the movement of golden scales out the corner of his eye and he rushed to pull at Rain's shoulder.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing!?"
Rain no longer leaned over the water but he still remined crouched down. "I must retrieve your belongings, Gintoki-sama. It is my fault they have fallen in." His eyes filled with tears that only highlighted the panicked flashing of silver. "They mean so much to you, do they not?"
Gintoki groaned and lowered his body next to his. "It wasn't your fault. And they're my things, so it's only right I should retrieve them." He gave him a long and hard look. "Besides, you're too young to be diving in man-eating-goldfish-invested lakes, you know? Or are you that bored? Should Gin-san give you some useful advice about how to waste your youth away?"
The young knight's lower lip trembled and Gintoki feared he would have to bear witness to tears spilling out of those round eyes. Rain took a few shaky breaths and his expression changed from one filled with guilt to one brimming with determination.
"Do not worry, Gintoki-sama. I will return them to you no matter what. Please trust me."
Though he held back, Gintoki was still prepared to jump and stop Rain from making any suspicious moves. He observed the way Rain once again leaned over the lake, this time with his hands stretched downwards. His fingers touched upon the surface and swayed with the waves. He focused his gaze to the spot the box had fallen in and his eyes glowed an intense silver, unlike the flickering of silver Gintoki saw in the past.
A splash of water tore his attention away from Rain and he leapt to his feet in an instant as he spotted a goldfish rise above the surface. While he didn't feel the familiar weight of his bokuto on his hip, he was ready to use his fists or outrun the monster if it came down to it. Just what the hell did Ren do to them? However, the adrenaline that pumped through his body soon became useless as the creature calmly swam towards them, bumping into Rain's fingers. It opened its maw in a much calmer manner than the day before and Gintoki caught the glint of the metal box inside it.
He didn't even realize how relieved he was until the tension in his body melted away.
Rain picked up the box and the goldfish obediently swam away. He got up and cleaned up the metal casing the best he could as he smiled apologetically at Gintoki. "Maybe it would be for the best if we returned to the island and stored your belongings somewhere safe. No worries, Gintoki-sama, I will hold onto them for dear life!"
He tentatively passed by Gintoki and made his way back to the shore while being careful not to step on a stone wrongly. Gintoki stared at his back in disbelief before his mouth started working again.
"Did you… did you just casually command that creature… or pet or whatever to bring the box to you? Is this an Imperial thing? Instead of playing fetch with golden retrievers, you play fetch with monster goldfish?"
While he didn't turn around, Gintoki saw Rain's shoulders shake in quiet laugher. "That was not a game I played, Gintoki-sama. I used my ability to influence the mind of the goldfish and directed it to retrieve the box. It is not a power all of Imperials possess and it varies in strength. I myself", Gintoki heard a hint of pride in his voice, "am quite a capable user of the Silver Sight."
"Silver Sight?" At least one thing without the Imperial in it.
Rain stopped a good distance away from Gintoki, still tightly clutching the box in his hands, and turned around to face him. "Perhaps you've noticed our eyes and their silver glint." True to his words, his eyes flashed silver just like the first time he'd met him at the Osaka Castle. "More adept users are able to influence living beings, but most Imperials possess some form of it. Lesser Silver Sight allows us to glean into the souls of others. Higher Silver Sight is what I've performed today."
Gintoki frowned in dismay, suddenly feeling like he stood naked right on the stone pathway. "What do you mean by glean into the soul? Like reading minds or…?" Unhelpful thoughts of Katsura's tracking device filled his mind.
"Far from it", Rain hurriedly waved his head and continued. "The only Imperial to come close to such a thing would be Prince Ren. Though it does come at a price", he frowned as he glanced sideways in… guilt? "Lesser Silver Sight is… How to explain it to a non-Imperial…" Rain murmured to himself in his beard. He looked as if he came to terms with something as raised his head and smiled at Gintoki. "It comes as natural as breathing. When I use Lesser Silver Sight to gaze upon you, I feel like I am looking at the core of a supernova, all encompassing yet gentle and warm. It feels like finding a place where I belong, over and over again. I feel like all of my happiest moments have combined into one, right in the middle of your soul. I am sure all the Imperials would feel the same. I know that is how the First Celestial Order feels. How Prince Ren feels."
Gintoki… didn't know what to say.
"Your soul is the most wondrous sight I have seen in the entire universe. And your actions only brighten it. I would have jumped into the lake for your box if I needed to, all of us would have, yet you stopped me." The smile on his face got wider. "Prince Ren was right all along. I am so fortunate to have met you in my lifetime, Gintoki-sama."
As the last words spilled out of his mouth, Rain's face flamed up in an impossible red and the silver spark in his eyes fizzled out. He blinked as tears formed in his eyes and before Gintoki could stop him, he hurriedly handed the box over to him and ran over the stone pathway towards the gate without looking back.
The unanswered questions in Gintoki's heart felt heavy.
"And why is it that we cannot check up on the Moon God? Surely we have all the right, no, even more rights than you to do so."
And once again, the conversation had turned to complaints raining down from the Canus' party of supporters. Ren sat at the helm of a long table dividing the side with the Canus faction and his own Celestial Order. The sights visible from the glass walls of the meeting room were majestic, from colorful planets to gigantic stars, yet the participants of the discussion paid them no mind, instead trying to gain an upper hand in the tug of war that was the right to be in charge of the prisoner aboard the Imperial Ship.
Ren regarded the beady eyed man that raised his voice at every occasion. His voice was grating on his last nerve. "We cannot allow any unnecessary contact until we reach Arean, Lord Fergus", he explained his point for what felt like the hundredth time. "My Order is making sure that Sakata Gintoki has anything he would desire, and his comfort is ensured. Therefore, there is no need to… check up on him. If I may so inquire, why is that such a pressing issue to you?"
"Why!" The man puffed up when posed with the question; Ren saw indignation rise in his eyes and under his gaze, the man looked away while laughing uncomfortably. "We are the head of the Imperial religion, serving our Moon God! We have every right…"
His voice became muted like Ren had slipped underwater as he observed the color of Lord Fergus' soul. What he was once afraid of as a child, he now used to his advantage like a razor sharp blade. As murky and muddy as it was, Ren could clearly see what thoughts lay in its center.
Control… touch… Moon God.
The energy that the prisoner possesses is infinite! I should take my chance and take as much as I can now… I can bottle it in the Emperor's storage cells. She doesn't even know some went missing. And then I'll sell to the highest bidder!
Lord Canus was against this, but he doesn't have the knack for business like I do. Only caring about defeating Prince Ren…
He didn't expect anything more from him, but Fergus really was a weak fool. His Silver Sight couldn't even shroud his emotions, let alone his thoughts. Ren wondered how he even came to be on the council of the Imperial religion, but perhaps it was because Canus needed a disposable pawn.
"…and we need to report to the Emperor about Sakata Gintoki." Fergus ended his tirade, puffing and out of breath. Most of the nobles on his side murmured in agreement.
Some knights piped up in disagreement, but Ren held up a hand and they all quieted down immediately.
"I suppose you will be the one delivering the report", Ren said as he calmly regarded the man. "I am sure the Emperor is quite pleased with your… display at the trial, Lord Fergus. You should receive a reward for your efforts. And I am positive you're familiar with her generosity."
Fergus paled in his chair as his mouth opened with nothing but panicked breaths puffing out. Ren turned his attention to Canus sitting on his left side and with a pang of annoyance realized that the man's Silver Sight was much stronger than his incompetent subordinate's. He built his defenses well and Ren couldn't glean anything out of his soul but the shallowest of emotions; arrogance and enmity. Still, even that had saved him from certain death when he was a child.
Knowing who wanted to murder you did come in handy, after all.
"What do you think, Lord Canus?"
Canus' wrinkly face crackled in an emotionless smile. "I believe it be best to wait until we arrive on Arean, Fergus. The Emperor had seen him for herself; we should not antagonize her further should something… go amiss."
You know about his schemes.
Ren's fingers drummed on the armrest of his chair in impatience. Ren couldn't tolerate any of the nobles' faces masking the ugliness underneath. Though there was an underlying and stronger reason he wanted to get out the room faster than a strike of lightning.
A whole day had passed since he last saw Gintoki.
"If that is all", Ren said and got up, followed by every person at the table doing the same, "this meeting is over. Once we reach the Imperial Planet, we well resupply and continue to Arean. You are free to disembark the ship or accompany us to meet the Emperor."
At the mention of the Emperor, the nobles started waving their hands and heads in rejection with excuses raining down like acid rain on Ren's ears, all false and pathetic. Not that Ren felt bad for their leader; that kind of a monster attracted this kind of deplorable company.
And to think he was once one of them.
He left the meeting room and waved off the knights that followed after him. Contrary to Aria, he built up his faction carefully and thoroughly. Her influence helped in the beginning, but it was his Silver Sight that enabled him pick out the right people for his cause. He chose those who were either gifted in using their ability, talented in swordplay, masterful in espionage, or just ones who would do anything to help their Moon God. No one less was suitable for the purpose of protecting Gintoki.
His pace hastened as he nodded back to knights and officers passing by his side. While Earth was an incredible place full of wonderful sights, they were all marked by Gintoki's presence that reminded him of why he had to go back as soon as possible.
Gintoki was sick.
That much he knew, ever since the time he had finally decided to betray Aria. He remembered her when she was still taller than him and so imposing with her black mask covering the right side of her face as she smiled down at him. He found her appearance scary as a teenager. Now as an adult, however, it was the lack of… anything he sensed as he looked at her.
His Silver Sight didn't work on her.
It wasn't the fact that she concealed it well like Canus. And she certainly had madness and rage always boiling in her soul for all to see. She was an enigma throughout. Her origins, her seeming omniscience of matters concerning Gintoki, her final goal.
He overheard her mutterings one day on Arean, when she thought she was all alone. She had a habit of talking out loud as if she was constantly fighting with herself. "He's rotting away… Of course he is… And to think you thought you could just take him away? Without me doing anything? Oh, no…"
Ren's heart sank when he realized who she was talking about. It was the only thing she talked about, it could be none other than his Moon God. He continued to listen in through the crack in the mechanical door.
"And when I find you, you'll regret ever leaving my side", Aria's head whipped backwards as she laughed, the happiest Ren had heard her be for all the wrong reasons. "You'll both pay… I'll make sure of – "
Her body suddenly stilled. Her claw like fingers curled in themselves as she righted herself and calmed down. "You'll die without me, you know. Who will take you to Tera if I don't? You poor, poor thing…" She muttered sadly as she threw herself forward on the metal cabinets in front of a giant mirror, spilling goblets and wine everywhere.
Aria always drank after her ramblings.
She downed goblet after goblet of strong alcohol as if trying to drown in it.
"Come back to me."
If Ren didn't know better, he would've almost thought she was crying.
"-"
A bump in his shoulder woke him from the distant memory. Ren fixed his gaze at the offender and found Rain's wild eyes meeting his. He looked as if he just tousled with a beast of the Below. And lost. "Rain? What is the matter with you?" It was unusual of him to be this perturbed. Unless it involved Gintoki.
"I… It's nothing, Prince Ren. I just…" Rain bowed politely and hurriedly said, "It is nothing. I must go, if you will please excuse me."
And he was gone before Ren spoke another word. Though he hadn't said anything concrete, Ren glimpsed into his soul enough to know what the cause of his erratic behavior was.
Gintoki.
Ren sighed in understanding. He couldn't really call Rain's manner of behavior abnormal, since he recognized it in every single knight of his. While he wouldn't describe his Celestial Order of knights as unfeeling machines, they certainly always maintained a poised and calm appearance.
That completely crumbled when they witnessed Gintoki's Lunar Aria.
He'd always told them that the Moon God's soul was the most blinding of all. He saw disbelief both on their faces and in their souls; their Silver Sight wasn't as heightened as his was, after all, so when they looked at Tera, they couldn't feel what he had felt. Rain even called him delusional when he met Gintoki for the first time at the Osaka Castle. It is nothing special, he said and shrugged, the color of scratched silver.
It was especially amusing seeing him eat those words when his jaw dropped to the floor on the night of Gintoki's performance. And the rest was history. At each opportunity, his knightage fawned over him and if it were any other person or reason, their blundering about would have merited some kind of disciplinary action. But it was Gintoki. And Gintoki deserved everything. Even at the cost of his Celestial Order's image.
Though probably not many noticed their behavior in Gintoki's presence.
Ren stopped in front of the doors leading to the Imperial Abode. Since he met Gintoki, he felt himself mellow down; for the first time in his life, he didn't feel like any breath could be his last. It showed in everything, from the way he treated his knights more amicably to the way he showed interest in others besides the Moon God. Hijikata was one of those people; after all, Ren owed him his life and was fascinated by his bravery as his soul lit up in a familiar color when he defended him against the assassin.
It was such a rare sight, burning bright before fizzling into nothingness, yet the flame in Gintoki's never died down, igniting in an eternal blaze.
The doors opened under his touch and Ren stepped into the abode he created for Gintoki's stay. He felt perplexed as to what to put inside it, so he consulted with humans on the organizing committee for the festival about what the most beautiful place on Earth looked like to them. They were more than happy to help after he restored part of their city, though Ren didn't do so for them.
The festival reminded him of the goldfish that attacked Gintoki and him yesterday; Gintoki's precious gift almost hurt him, but he couldn't make himself get rid of them. He enlisted Rain to influence them into not attacking and eating their designated food instead of humans and Amanto.
The place he carefully crafted to fit earthly paradise looked unpleasant to him now; after all, Gintoki disliked it. Perhaps he could change everything –
Ren was brought back to the first time he'd seen Gintoki on Earth when he saw him standing on the stone pathway.
It was his first day on Earth. He'd arrived much earlier than expected to find clues about the Moon God, since he hoped to find him before Aria did. It was hot, the sun scorched his body covered in a hooded cape and there were people crowding the streets everywhere, more than he'd expected to see. Whenever he'd glanced at someone and met their eyes, his senses were overcome with their thoughts and feelings threatening to pull him into the familiar darkness of their burdens.
His vision blurred, a blessing in a curse as he could not see anyone's soul. He stumbled through the streets and once the noise quieted down, he stopped to calm his breathing and look around.
Serenity.
Pink blossoms swaying gently in the breeze. Blue skies spreading above him eternally. Warm sun on his face. Smell of flowers permeating the air. A bird singing in the forest. Grass crunching under his feet. Sunlight streaming through colorful trees. Cold earth in the shade under his body. Brightness of the day prickling his eyes.
He closed them to bask in the moment.
When was the last time he felt like this? It had been decades since he last saw the moon's light. And this moment, however painful, brought him closer to his friend.
"UWAAAAAAAAGHH!"
Ren jolted and opened his eyes as his heart hammered in his chest. He looked around and immediately found the source of the ear-splitting scream, followed by a higher one. Humans. The three of them, along with a giant animal, sauntered down the mountain path like they owned the place. Ren was about to turn away to avoid glimpsing into their souls until a comforting shade of silver caught his eye.
It was one of the humans. He was taller than the other two. He stayed back as he watched the younger ones walk away along with the large white dog. Ren observed him, drawn to the man and his silver hair. For some reason, this felt… different. Perhaps, glimpsing into the soul of this human wouldn't be such a misfortune.
And then he human smiled.
It felt as if time stood still. Everything felt muted yet so alive; the blossoms, the grass, the sky and the birds. Blood started rushing through his body as his mind tried to make sense of all the sensations it evoked all at once. It was impossible. No soul could ever compare to that of the moon's light. And yet… His heart clenched in unbridled happiness; in this universe, there existed someone who was so… So…
"Ren?"
To think that the first human he met with such a blinding soul would be the Moon God. Looking at Gintoki now, he should've realized it immediately. His silver hair burning in the golden blaze of the sunset, his rubied eyes holding immeasurable depths and his soul… There was not a place, thing nor person more beautiful than the one who stood before him. And every time he'd look at him, he was always brought back to the time under the sakura trees, a moment of utter bliss frozen in time.
How did he even live before meeting him?
Gintoki raised an eyebrow as he regarded him. "Everything okay? You scared of the goldfish?"
Ren stifled a smile. "Rain took care of them. They won't bother you again. Though you can still see them."
"Yeah, why couldn't you do that? Don't tell me", Gintoki turned towards him with a mortified look on his face and a hand covering his mouth, "you wanted to create a suspension bridge effect to make me fall for your schemes?"
Maybe that was it. "…Would you like a suspension bridge, rather than stone?"
This time, Gintoki looked at him like he grew a second head before he burst into laughter. Though he guessed Gintoki was probably laughing on the account of what he just said, it felt nice hearing the sound ring through the air.
"Your Silver Sight is more powerful than anyone else's right? Rain said so. Why didn't you just do an Aquaman thing and told the fish off?"
Ren shifted uncomfortably in place. It felt strange hearing that term come out of his mouth. "While I do have stronger abilities, it's difficult to control them." He felt shame creep up his neck and cheeks. After all these years, he barely kept the pain under control.
"Oh. Something like Tama behind the wheel of a Ferrari, huh?"
"…Yes." Ren didn't know what that meant.
"Good. Being bad at something is good. Being bad at multiple things is even better." Gintoki nodded to himself, his locks bouncing around his face, and faced him. "Well, since we have a lot to discuss, I'll postpone my fieldtrip. Come on."
Gintoki turned around towards the island and Ren obediently followed behind.
"Who has the keys to this place besides you and Rain?"
"No one."
Gintoki glanced over his shoulder and gave him a baffled look before continuing onwards. "What happens if someone chops your hand off? Or if you both die?"
"Well, the lock won't work without a heartbeat, and if both heartbeats get shut down, a pathway out of the abode will open for you, instructing you to take an emergency pod to the nearest planet with enough supplies to last you… around three hundred days."
"Wow", Gintoki whistled. "I can kill both of you and get a free ticket out of this place?"
"Yes." Was it three hundred days? I should've made it last longer.
"And Rain agreed to this? I guess he wasn't joking when he said he would dive in the lake."
Ren stared at Gintoki's wrists from behind and the scars that still remained. The visible and the invisible ones. "Will you do it?"
Oddly, the thought of dying didn't scare him whatsoever.
Gintoki whirled around and gave him an exasperated look. "What do you think, Ren?" he said, anger and annoyance lacing his voice.
Ren was taken aback and they just stood in silence looking at each other. The red gaze that held rage and defiance held onto his soul, refusing to let go. But as he stood frozen in place, he saw the shift in Gintoki's eyes. Like a dam breaking, a glaze buried them and his whole expression shifted into an unfamiliar one. Ren frowned in shock as the warm light of Gintoki's soul shifted into a burning inferno that started to scorch his eyes with its intensity.
"Gintoki, what – "
He barely caught him as he stumbled forward. Gintoki's hands buried into the fabric of his uniform, his forehead scalding his neck. "You're all starting to piss me off. Brightest soul? Dying for nothing? Cut it out with that crap." His hot breath made goosebumps form on his skin. Is it already…?
"Gintoki, you're unwell – "
"Tell me something new", Gintoki muttered derisively into his chest. "You've got it all wrong, you know." His body started to slip to the floor and Ren rushed to hold him up. "My soul might be blinding. But my soul is also the color of dirty silver. You just can't see it because the Moon God part is overshadowing all my human parts. They are just as dark and painful and ugly as everyone else's. It's like… Like not being able to see the stars when the moon is too bright. We're all the same, Ren."
Gintoki slowly raised his head and bore his eyes into his, the daze in them lifting and the redness in his cheeks abating.
"And like the stars behind the moon, we all have our place in the world. Judging whether someone is worthy or dying for them just because of that first layer you see is…"
The scorching heat of Gintoki's soul receded, leaving behind a kind warmth. Though even without glimpsing into his soul, he understood what Gintoki meant. Hijikata's brave strike against the blade meant for him. Shinpachi and Kagura's laughter and their care for Gintoki. Princess Soyo's courageous display at the trial against the Empire. Rain and his knights' steadfast determination.
Aya's fabricated hatred and devastating loss.
"…I understand."
Gintoki laughed, a pleasant and short sound as he barely kept his head up. "Good."
"Gintoki, you're sick", Ren tried again. "It's your Altana. I don't know how you've managed all these years, but it's time for you to return."
"Now you're taking me away instead of Aria, huh?"
Ren sighed in relief as he heard his voice strengthen, yet the dread of seeing him like this almost drove him insane. Why does this keep happening to you? This, and the time he found him bound after Ceras had taken him… He looked down at Gintoki's wrists, at the consequences of his mistakes. Of believing in only the first layer, instead of seeing Ceras as a whole. He had to make amends.
The only way for an Altana immortal to live was going back to their home planet.
"You can't survive anywhere else, Gintoki."
Gintoki sighed and looked up at the artificial sky. "The plans just keep on changing, huh?" The sun finally sank under the horizon and the canvas filled with glittering stars. "But I think dealing with the Emperor is top priority. I wouldn't rest easy if that creepy lady wasn't just a figment of my nightmares."
Ren wanted to interject, as it was a horrible idea, but Gintoki shushed him. "Tell you what. You're good at this energy transfer thing. Oh, but don't tell Hijikata", he smiled and continued, "though he did train me well. You serve as my battery cell and keep me kicking until we get to Aria, and then I'll let you take me to Tera. How does that sound?"
He outstretched his hand forward with a smile still on his face. Ren still harbored doubts, however, seeing so lively compared to before made him think that his atonement to Gintoki would start with doing what Gintoki actually wants instead of what he does.
Ren took his hand and held it to his forehead, much to Gintoki's annoyance.
In place of the thousands of burning stars, I'll embrace your silver moonlight.
His beloved moon.
His friend.
Gintoki.
AN:
Thank you, Renner19 XD here's another long chapter
ViVi, you're making my day every time you comment :D time sure flies!
K-chan I'm glad you're invested :))
Due to life being life, this story is going on a hiatus. I'm really sorry about this, I don't know when it'll return.
Thank you so much for reading and for all your support 3