CHAPTER 3 - Embarrassing Hobbies and Where to Hide Them
"Zura, what's up with your getup?"
Gintoki couldn't for the life of him fathom why Katsura wanted to meet him here of all places. It was a pleasant spring evening, and the place was bustling with life. He was surrounded by the sound of children laughing and screams of joy as well as colorful blinking lights. The air was permeated with the smell of cotton candy and popcorn. It was a place where kids' dreams came true, and parents' wallets and eyes became empty.
An amusement park.
Katsura was wearing a costume of the most famous mouse in existence. He was handing out shiny balloons to the children that crowded around him. Though from what Gintoki could see, it looked like the kids took the balloons from him.
"Zura ja nai, Katsu Mouse da!"
"Yeah, yeah", Gintoki sighed in exasperation. He dodged a kid's kick and it landed right on the back of Katsura's knee, causing him to fold like a lawn chair. The children around him gleefully cheered and robbed him of the rest of his balloons and promptly ran away.
"Come back you little hooligans!" Katsura yelled. Though, as Katsura always dedicated himself to his disguise, it didn't really sound threatening. More like a squeaky toy.
Gintoki and Katsura stood side by side, barely moving their mouths as they whispered, like two secret agents exchanging government secrets. Except one of them was a mouse mascot and the other looked like he'd wanted a balloon but didn't get a chance to take one, so he was left standing there to hide that fact. Not only did they not go unnoticed, but they were attracting attention from kids and parents alike.
"This is your idea of a secret rendezvous?" Gintoki sighed. He should've known Katsura had something else up his sleeve. He always did the most unexpected things. That's why I couldn't expect it. But if I know he's doing something unexpected, is it then expected? And -
"Ha ha ha!" Katsura chortled and looked down on him. At least Gintoki guessed he did because all he saw were huge cartoonish eyes. "That's why you were never in charge of info gathering. Don't you understand that there are infinite possibilities in a place such as this? Everyone and anyone could be carrying intel crucial to our cause!"
A boy bumped into Katsura and spilled his ice cream all over him. After his mother scolded him, he bowed in apology and walked away with his parents.
"Tell me everything you know about the Empire", Gintoki said.
"To start with", Katsura began talking, "it is a state-planet, meaning the whole population of the planet is united in one nation. It was a state governed by the religious elite. While they had plenty of resources, their technology wasn't advanced enough to allow them to leave the planet, let alone their star system. That is, until twenty years ago", Katsura paused, and his expression got dark. "Someone intervened. Their military might grew exponentially and the Empire became the strongest cosmic force in that part of the universe."
Gintoki waited for Katsura to continue. It felt strange, talking about politics and hearing about an entity that might reveal itself to be the enemy, in a place such as this. The giggles and excited chatter of children around him made Gintoki realize the weight of the situation he found himself in. They've only just started recovering, yet this Empire loomed over the horizon as a new threat that could plunge their world into chaos again.
Though as far as Gintoki was concerned, he would pick up his bokuto and fight, no matter how many times it took.
"While they didn't participate in the invasion of Earth, during the last two decades, they occupied star systems that weren't under control of Tendoshuu", Katsura explained. "Now that they've been destroyed, the Empire is looking to fill the void of power they left behind. And looks like they're finally coming after us", he spit out bitterly. Even his costume started to look like it was frowning.
"Hmm", Gintoki murmured thoughtfully. "So, they haven't had anything to do with Earth before this?"
"Yes", Katsura replied. "It's obvious what they're trying to achieve with the alliance. And if the government won't do anything about it, we will." Gintoki had no doubt that Katsura would keep his word.
"That's all I needed to know. I'll let you get back to... information gathering", Gintoki said and started to walk away, but changed his mind and turned back. "Also, be careful. Maybe they already suspect you're up to something." Perhaps they're keeping a close eye on the former Joui Four, not just me.
Katsura crossed his arms. "Sakamoto and I've been very careful about this, I don't think they - " He threw the white glowed hands over his smiling mouse head costume, as if the gesture would make the words return to his mouth, never to be uttered.
"You're working with Tatsuma on this?" Gintoki asked. "Why? I thought he was nowhere near Earth right now." He couldn't remember when was the last time he heard from Tatsuma. Not that he missed him or anything. Gintoki did try reaching out to him, though. Just to see what he was up to and perhaps to meet up to talk about their adventures over drinks.
"No, well, you see...", Katsura stumbled over his words. "We're working on two fronts! Yeah. Cornering the enemy from both sides and stuff." Gintoki could almost see sweat forming on his face through his mask. After all they'd been through, he had to admit that being kept out of the loop like this felt strange. He was usually on the forefront of things, his sword drawn and ready to defeat his enemies. What stopped Tatsuma and Katsura from cooperating with him?
He decided to spare him and drop the matter for now.
"Sure", Gintoki simply said as he turned and waved him goodbye. "Tell Tatsuma I said hi."
Katsura watched him walk away for a long time. Had the mask not covered his expression, he would've revealed more than just the plans he and Sakamoto had concocted. A lot more.
"I will."
Gintoki decided to use a phone booth to make a phone call to the Shinsengumi HQ.
The sky darkened into night and the streets were empty, save for a few drunks lost on their way home. Gintoki didn't usually go through this part of town, since there was an air of dread that always hung over it. Besides it being almost deserted, it also had a high crime rate. Not that it scared him, he felt more depressed than anything. What used to be a lively shopping district was now a ghost town.
And he hated ghosts.
That day, however, he decided to walk through this district precisely due to its quietness. He could easily hear the footsteps of an unwelcome figure following him, if there was any at all. So far, it seemed that either there was no one there or they were far away. Gintoki had no doubt in mind that he could sense them if he was being followed.
After turning yet another office worker that had one too many drinks towards the main street, he finally came upon a phone booth. He had to go through a thick phone book before dialing the number. How does everyone remember anyone's number in TV shows?
"Yamazaki Sagaru at your service! How can I help you?"
Poor Jimmy. What does he not do around here?
"Oi", Gintoki said. "Put me through to your Vice-Commander."
"Danna!" Yamazaki yelped in surprise. "Ah, if you could tell me what's wrong and I'll pass on the message in the morning - "
"It's not even nine, is it already his bedtime?" Gintoki asked, exasperated. Sure, he could wait until morning, but if he could have a peace of mind sooner than later, well. Obviously, he'd choose sooner. "Give me his phone number then."
After Yamazaki's multiple meltdowns, he finally buckled and gave Gintoki Hijikata's number. "Just don't blame me later when Vice-Commander screams your ear off, danna." Though he sounded irritated, there was a tinge of fear in his voice. Gintoki almost felt bad for him.
"Sure thing."
Gintoki hung up and dialed Hijikata's number. It rang a couple of times before the person on the other end finally picked up. "Listen, you asshole. I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking to sell me something, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you stop calling, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you. I will find you. And I will kill you."
Wow.
Gintoki was stunned for a moment. Then his body started shaking and his mouth quivering. Soon after he cracked up. Tears streamed down his face, and he held his stomach that started hurting from all the laughing. "Oi", he said breathlessly between his chuckles. "Oi, are you alright?"
He didn't ask out of worry. More than anything, he was surprised to see Hijikata pushed to this point. Though with a sadist like Sougo and that Gorilla Commander around, anything was possible.
Gintoki could hear a loud thud on the other side of the phone call. Probably a fist hitting a wooden table. "Yorozuya?" Hijikata asked hesitantly. The vicious edge to his voice softened, but it didn't disappear. "What the hell are you doing? Were you the one doing this?"
"Hey, I for sure wouldn't be calling you like this if I had a choice", Gintoki grumbled, but still smiled remembering their earlier exchange. The thought of Hijikata pulling his hair out in frustration was very amusing to him. "Kagura moved to the Shimura residence. There's someone new with them. Our client, Aya", he explained. "I want you to look out for them, see if that guy shows up."
"What!? You're out of your mind if you think you can order me around", Hijikata spit out angrily. "And don't ever call me on this number again."
"Well how am I supposed to contact you then, mayo bastard? Oh, and investigate Aya as well", Gintoki grumbled with a frown on his face. "Maybe I'm overthinking it, but they seem suspicious." The fact that they easily got close to Kagura and Shinpachi and even managed to stay at the Shimura residence bugged Gintoki. Better safe than sorry.
"Anything else, Your Majesty?"
Gintoki smirked and leaned against the glass as he pulled the phone closer to his lips, and then whispered in his deep baritone voice. "Yes. Keep calling me like that. It suits you."
There was another loud bang at the other end of the call.
"..."
"Hijikata-kuuun? Am I intruding on your bedtime?" Gintoki teased him.
"...Just what are you trying to pull." Hijikata finally spoke. Gintoki noticed that his voice sounded a little breathless and shaky. Police work must be really draining people left and right. "Fine", Hijikata conceded. "Aya, you said? Any last name? Age? Place of origin?"
"Dunno."
"You - " Hijikata was already started on his barrage of insults before Gintoki interrupted him.
"Wait."
There were sounds of a scuffle slipping through the cracks of the glass door. Gintoki peered through it into the dark street that was previously eerily quiet. Underneath a yellow streetlight was a group of people arguing, their voices rising higher with each passing second. Upon a closer look, Gintoki noticed the group was surrounding a person sprawled on the ground. And they didn't look like they were playing Ring Around the Rosie.
Gintoki sighed and said: "Talk to you later, servant."
"OI - "
He hung up and opened the booth door. Warm spring air enveloped his body as he slowly trudged to the now openly aggressive group on the verge of physically assaulting the poor victim in their midst.
"You filthy scum. You better leave this place, or we'll make you!"
"Amanto trash like you should just die."
Their voices were full of hatred and malice. Gintoki was yet again reminded of the human ugliness. What he strived to protect was his home and friends and that included humans, animals, robots and Amanto. It included everyone, and only by joining forces were they able to save Earth. How easy was it for some to forget that effort and spit in the faces of others, Gintoki wondered. Did you suffer like this, Sensei, because you were different?
He jerked himself away from such thoughts just in time to stop a kick aimed at the unlucky Amanto's head. He held the assailant's ankle in his hand and squeezed it tight. The group gasped in surprise as he positioned himself between them and the Amanto.
"Hey, pineapple head", Gintoki provoked the spiky-haired guy that struck first. "Do the society a favor and cut that shit off. You're tarnishing Shikamaru's reputation walking around like that. And while you're at it, leave this guy alone."
"W-why?" the guy sputtered, hopping on one leg while trying to maintain his balance. "He's an Amanto! We're doing everyone a favor by driving them out!"
"I'll bet my whole Ketsuno Ana collection that you didn't even participate in the last battle for Earth. And I don't blame you. It's not something anyone can do", Gintoki said, strengthening his grip even more. His voice got menacingly low as he continued. "If you had, you would've seen who was by your side, helping your cause. You would've seen the people you call trash fight for your planet. You would've never thought of them as scum and gang up on them like the cowards you are."
Gintoki released his ankle and the guy fell on the hard asphalt. "This planet is theirs as much as it is yours. Don't you ever forget that. And if you do, I'll be there to remind you." He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. The group shuddered in unison as a chilling aura shrouded their surroundings. Gintoki reached for the handle of his bokuto, but before he could do anything else, the gang broke up and started to flee.
"We'll get our revenge! Mark my words!" The pineapple head screamed in false bravado. The threat fell as flat as he did moments ago on his behind.
At long last, the hooligans were out of sight and Gintoki turned to the person on the ground behind him. "You okay? Stay away from dark alleys like this", he warned him. "Well then", he turned around and started walking away.
"Wait", the Amanto wailed and grabbed the back of his yukata. "You're my savior. Please let me repay you", he implored Gintoki. Since Gintoki's back was facing him, the Amanto couldn't see his eyes transform into a shape of the yen currency.
"Hm", Gintoki fake coughed. "I couldn't." Refuse your generous offer.
The Amanto pleaded yet again. "Please, I beg of you. Let me buy you something, okay?"
Gintoki pretended to cave in and turned around with a wide smile on his face. "Shall I recommend a place, then?"
His smile melted like childhood dreams in the harsh adult world. Before him stood a short, middle-aged man wearing an outfit one would usually see on the locals of Kabukicho. While there was nothing that stood out from his appearance, Gintoki instantly recognized the man.
It's the stalker guy.
It really wasn't coincidental, since the Amanto's goal was to follow him. Still, Gintoki cursed his luck. He had to refuse a free parfait/pachinko round/visit to Snack Smile. "On second thought, I didn't do it because of a reward or something, so really, it's okay", Gintoki started sweating. The last thing he wanted to do was hang out with him.
"I know", the Amanto smiled almost creepily, like he could peer inside his soul. His eyes glinted in pale blue hues before returning back to their normal dark brown. The flash of color stirred a memory inside Gintoki, of a pair of eyes underneath a blooming sakura.
He shook his head to rid himself of such thoughts. "Uuuuuh, okay", Gintoki said nervously. "Then I'll be on my way..." The reason he wanted to high tail it out of there was because he didn't want to let the stalker guy know that he knows he's a stalker. And also, he kind of promised the Shinsengumi duo he wouldn't do anything. Yet.
"I will repay you someday!" Why does that sound like a threat... "Thank you very much!" The Amanto clasped his hands together and closed his eyes, almost like in a prayer.
Gintoki got out of there faster than a bullet. For some reason, he felt creeped out. Well, it was obvious that being followed would be disturbing, but he guessed he wasn't being stalked for the reasons they all presumed he was. He might call Hijikata's number again sooner than he thought.
Eyes full of reverence bore into his retreating back, followed with the words: "You were right, my Lord. He is everything and more than I imagined."
The first day of practice went as smoothly as one would imagine with Yorozuya being around. Their task may have been protecting Aya from outsiders, but they've proven to be a menace right from the start.
They were currently in a run-down hall that Aya had booked for practice. The dust hung in the air, illuminated by sunlight that barely made its way through musty windows. There was a smell of gym equipment that was nowhere in sight and something else that Gintoki didn't want to identify. All in all, a very pleasant experience.
"Are you sure you wanna do it like that, Aya-chan? It looks kinda lousy."
"Kagura-chan..."
"Yeah, if you could change this part, and that part, and this part as well... And the beginning and the end, it would be perfect!"
"Gin-san..."
"Waf!"
"Sadaharu..."
Those comments have been raining down for over an hour since Aya had shown them the choreography. Gintoki didn't think of himself as a professional dancer, far from it, but if he could help someone in need, as a fellow artiste, he would do his best. "Well, maybe we should see it with music? Maybe it'll look better?"
Kagura nodded enthusiastically and Shinpachi paled at Gintoki's suggestion. "Aya-san, please don't listen to these idiots. Your performance is amazing." He was trying to salvage the situation as best he could. He wasn't about to lose another job to those troublemakers.
"I shall perform the routine supplemented by music", Aya simply said and put away a notepad that was full of their useful advice. "Please advise me on my next course of action once it is completed."
"I was ignored!?" Shinpachi's shoulders dropped as he sat in his seat next to Gintoki and Kagura, who were already dressed as judges with big red buttons in front of them, as well as Sadaharu dressed up as a tv show host with a red bowtie and chewing a microphone that had outlived its usefulness.
Aya stood in a starting stance.
"And after you finish, don't forget to tell us your tragic story!" Kagura helpfully chimed in, putting a tissue box on the table.
Gintoki thoughtfully nodded in agreement. "The more heartbreaking it is, the closer you are to victory!"
"Did you two forget why we're even here!?"
As the day went on and the sun went down, both Aya and Yorozuya were equally exhausted. Gintoki didn't even remember when he started moving so much, whether it was showing some epic moves alongside Kagura or running away from furious Shinpachi, but he felt like he had a lot of fun. Even Aya's stony expression looked softer, akin to molten rock.
As they finished up with practice, Aya locked the entrance doors behind them and turned around. Twirled would have perhaps been the better word. Without heavy armor weighing them down, Gintoki was reminded of the fact that Aya was a graceful performer. They were clearly talented and didn't make it this far without effort (in eliminating other candidates). However, Gintoki felt like there was something missing in the performance, a final piece of a puzzle. And it bothered him to no end.
"Sakata Gintoki?" Aya called out to him. He felt goosebumps as if his mind was just read.
"You can drop the Sakata, okay? Feels too formal", Gintoki grumbled. He had a hard time figuring out what kind of person Aya was. And while his intuition was sharp, this time all he got were mixed signals. Warm, but distant. Gentle, but straightforward. Not to mention the fact that Shinpachi and Kagura already warmed up to them. Though he could understand why they felt so overprotective.
From what he had seen, this person was kind of dense. They reminded him of Tama, if Tama didn't have all her drives filled to the brim with useless information about humans and Earth. While Gintoki thought Aya was intelligent, regular tasks like small talk seemed impossible for them.
"Oi, Yorozuya." A husky voice interrupted his train of thought. He turned to find none other than the Demon Vice-Commander standing underneath a streetlight, putting out a cigarette with the sole of his shoe. He leaned against the pillar and crossed his arms, his eyes focused on Gintoki. Though he looked relaxed, Gintoki could feel a sense of urgency emanating from his body.
Before Gintoki could say anything, Aya cut in to test his earlier hypothesis.
"Hijikata Toushirou, you are initiating a romantic encounter, am I correct?" Aya proclaimed with unfounded confidence and continued without waiting for a response. "Very well. For it to succeed, unwanted parties must at once leave the premises. Let us depart, Shinpachi-kun, Kagura-chan, Sadaharu-kun."
Gintoki ignored the fact that Aya recognized the mayo bastard and said: "Oi, did your sister give them her toxic waste tamagoyaki or something? Their brain is fried."
Kagura was stifling her giggles while Shinpachi sighed and complained. "I've told you this before, you shouldn't base real life on dramas, Aya-san!" He rubbed his temple, battling the oncoming headache. "We watched Crimson Heart yesterday", he explained. "Aya-san was hooked."
"Shit, I missed it", Gintoki realized. He forgot all about it because of that stalker guy situation yesterday. "You have a recording?"
Kagura shook her head. "Sadaharu chewed up the tape. Guess he misses his main toy", she said as she patted his head and he barked woefully. At least my poor scalp was able to get some rest.
Gintoki finally turned to Hijikata. "Hey, you have it, right? You guys put more work into recording dramas than patrolling."
"So now you acknowledge me, huh?" To say Hijikata was boiling with rage would have been an understatement. Gintoki felt the heat almost scorch his skin. "And why am I the one initiating it!?" he huffed, his forehead veins ready to pop.
"Initiating what?" Gintoki asked, confused.
"A-a-a", Hijikata stammered. Gintoki's eyes bore into his, his eyebrow twitching in impatience. "A..."
"A romantic encounter", Aya helpfully cut in. "The mood is set; it is sundown, the night lights illuminate the city and cast a gentle glow. You have been waiting for Gintoki to vacate the premises and to escort him home, correct?" Aya had clasped their hands, eyes shining in excitement. "And under the guise of darkness, you shall - "
"I'M NOT!" Hijikata hastily interrupted. "Get your head out of the gutter", he said angrily as his shaky hands reached for the cigarette and lit it. After he inhaled a few times, he calmed down and turned to leave, with or without Gintoki in tow. "I'm leaving."
"Hey, Patsuan, don't eat anything your sister makes, got it? Aya, that especially goes for you." He gave them a final warning look and grabbed Hijikata's shoulder to stop him. "Ignore them. You have the recording or not?"
"...Yes."
Yes!
Gintoki triumphantly turned towards the rest of the group. "Okay, I'll go with Oogushi-kun, the rest of you head back. We'll meet tomorrow, same place, same time, alright?"
Before he could hear their answer, he locked his arm around Hijikata's and dragged him towards the Shinsengumi HQ, or at least the general direction of it. In all of his excitement he forgot about the fact that Hijikata had waited for him, and just pulled him along, holding his hand tightly and squished against his chest. Some time had passed before he'd remembered that Hijikata might've had an actual reason for waiting for him, instead of being his deus-ex-machina for lost drama recordings.
He stopped and looked at Hijikata. Then down at their interlaced fingers. When did that happen?
He released Hijikata's hand and again looked at him. He almost felt apologetic when he noticed the cigarette had gone missing from his mouth in the rush. "Right, so, what's up?"
Hijikata's face was flushed from basically running a 500-metre dash. Gintoki felt his own face flare up from the blood rush. They were both lightly panting, their chest heaving up and down. For some reason, Hijikata's glare was pointed towards the ground, as if he had some personal vendetta against it. He didn't look at Gintoki as he spoke: "That call yesterday. Explain yourself."
Gintoki scratched his head as he searched his memory. "Oh!" he chuckled remembering yesterday's exchange. "Don't tell me you were offended, servant?" he taunted Hijikata, trying his best to exude a royal demeanor with his hand arrogantly covering his smirk.
Hijikata finally looked up at him. There was a heat in his eyes, but Gintoki felt it wasn't only rage. It was something else. Hijikata stood motionless for a moment before stepping forward, his body taut as a bow. As Hijikata inched towards him, Gintoki backed away until his back hit the wall. His heartbeat became thunderous in his ears when Hijikata finally stopped, his face inches from Gintoki's. Hijikata's breath tickled his lips, and he fought the urge to lick them. For some reason, he stood as still as a statue, not daring to break the tense moment.
In contrast to his eyes, Hijikata's face was cold as ice when he spoke, looking down at him. "The stalker. You called me yesterday, for the second time, because you met him."
I indeed called him again when I returned home.
"Right!" Gintoki yelled out and pushed Hijikata away, laughing nervously. He checked to see whether the street was deserted before continuing. "How could I have forgotten. Hm, he was a real creep. He almost didn't want to let me go after I saved him. His eyes also flashed for a bit. You don't think he has some Amanto tech, and he took my picture? Anyways, I think he won't be doing any following again."
"What do you mean?" Hijikata asked. He still had a cold expression, but his brow was furrowed. "What makes you think that?"
Gintoki crossed his arms, deep in thought as he recalled yesterday's events. "It just seemed like he got what he wanted. Like he fulfilled his purpose." At least that was the feeling Gintoki had gotten when the Amanto stared at him with those eerie eyes. "But do let me know if he moves suspiciously again."
"So, we got nothing out of that", Hijikata spit out.
"I didn't want to start interrogating him then and there! You said it would cause trouble, remember?" Gintoki felt irritated by his reaction. I just wanted to help.
Hijikata sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I know."
They stood in an awkward silence. Both were feeling a mix of emotions, but they chose to stay silent. Gintoki's ire cooled in the evening air. He looked around and for the first time noticed that a mist had fallen over this part of town. It made the lights' glow softer and isolated the two of them from the rest of the world. Just as Gintoki's nerves reached their end and he started to speak up, a streetlight above him burst into a shower of sparks.
Darkness enveloped the pair. They both looked at each other in shock and Gintoki started chuckling.
"What's so funny?" Hijikata grumbled.
"Nothing", Gintoki said stifling his laughter. "I just remembered what Aya said earlier."
Hijikata stared at Gintoki for a bit before his features softened and he chuckled as well. "Speaking of Aya, I've got some good news for now. Nothing suspicious came up. They won the Empire's Got Talent competition and secured a place in the performance fair and… Yeah, some contestants dropped out, but there's no proof that it's connected to Aya in any way. Though the proof might be the fact that they've hired you. But that's out of our jurisdiction. At least until they bring their grudges to Earth."
"That's good to hear." Gintoki was truly relieved. He wanted to trust Aya, especially since they've gotten closer in such a short amount of time. There was a part of him that just felt warm every time he looked at them. "You've been really busy today, huh? You found this information just a day after I asked you for it."
Hijikata immediately switched to nagging mode. "Yeah, would've done it sooner but I had to follow Kondou-san to the Shimura residence and take him back. We're overworked as it is and he's out there flirting…" He suddenly stopped and glanced at Gintoki before continuing. "Anyways, that's where I met Aya. I found out they do have family somewhere, but I don't know the details."
"That's how Aya recognized you", Gintoki said. One question answered.
Hijikata nodded and turned around. "If there's nothing else, I'll get going now."
"Of course, there is." Gintoki once again stopped Hijikata by pulling his shoulder back. "Where are my drama recordings?"
"Oh, for the love of – "
Three weeks went by as fast as summer vacation. The performance was only four days away and Gintoki was starting to feel nervous.
Aya has perfected their part. The choreography combined with music, costume, makeup and props looked stunning and mesmerizing. All three judges, excluding Shinpachi because he didn't want to participate in such a farce, gave Aya a pass. The only thing missing was the site where the performance was to take place. It was decided that the main part of the celebration will be held in the Osaka Castle. Surrounded by a moat, it was a beautiful white castle that towered over plum and cherry blossoms, its white walls and green roofs shining in the sun.
Along with the Shinsengumi, the site will be protected by Empire's own guardians. It will probably become one of the safest places on Earth that evening.
Everything was perfect.
Except Ginoki.
It's back again. It'd been four weeks since Gintoki had last… performed his own dance. The terrors of the night that were usually so small and dim in the bright sunlight grew more malignant and sinister as each day had passed. Gintoki often found himself unfocused because of how tired he was.
There was one time where he'd slept in and had to rush to the practice hall to get there on time. Before he could step inside, he heard Kagura's voice spill through the door.
"Gin-chan was getting better… but last night he had those nightmares again." Her voice was heavy with concern. "I don't want Gin-chan to suffer."
"Otose-san told us he started drinking more than usual", Shinpachi said, in a similar manner as Kagura. "But every time we try talking to him about it, he just brushes it off. I don't want things to continue like this."
Gintoki felt his heart clench in pain. What was he doing, making them worry like this? I'm a failure. They even got baba involved into this. He felt his pulse rise and breathing quicken. The hallway he was standing in started spinning. He put a hand over his chest as if the action would help calm him down. It didn't.
"You truly care about him, Shinpachi-kun, Kagura-chan", he heard Aya say, their tone warm and affectionate. "You've been through many a good and bad times, correct? I reckon that as long as you stay by his side, nothing is impossible for you."
There was a moment of silence. Gintoki then heard sniffles coming from the room. Sadaharu barked and Aya added: "Of course, you as well, Sadaharu-kun. I recognize the fact that you are a real family. All three of you are similar to Gintoki. You're well-mannered, caring, warm and gentle."
Gintoki was stunned to hear that about himself. But apparently not as much as the trio it was directed to, because as soon as Aya had said that, protests started piling on.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?" Kagura screeched like a banshee. "Never, never, never, never! I don't ever wanna be like that baldy!"
"Please tell me you're joking, Aya-san. I don't want to share any qualities with a useless adult like Gin-san", Shinpachi complained.
By the sounds of it, Sadaharu had bitten Aya's head and started chewing on it.
Through screams and barks and sounds of fighting, Gintoki could hear light-hearted notes of laughter ringing in the room. He was still scared of intruding, terrible thoughts, but found the strength in that sound to ground him. He leaned on the wall and closed his eyes, soaking in the bliss of the moment inside.
He stayed outside for a long time before sliding the doors and coming in.
"Gintoki."
He was awoken from his musings by Aya gently tapping on his shoulder.
Today was the last time they were going to practice in this run-down hall. For the next few days they'll relocate to Osaka Castle and continue practicing for the main performance. Well, Aya will. With the Shinsengumi and the Empire's guards around, Yorozuya's job will basically become obsolete. Though they'd found something else to occupy them there.
"Food! I'm gonna eat so much, I'll make a dent in this country's economy!" Kagura had already bought sweatpants for the occasion.
Gintoki sighed. "Leave it, it's in shambles as it is…"
"I'll bring Tupperware, so I can pack some food for home", Shinpachi said.
"Woof!"
I'll bring a portable fridge.
They were probably more excited going to the palace than Aya. Free food was always a great motivator. As they concocted more nefarious plans on how to bleed the castle dry of all its food, Aya moved from their side to stand in the middle of the room, probably to get more practice in.
A loud crack resonated in the hall.
Gintoki's head whipped towards the sound, and in a second his body started moving towards Aya. A rotten wooden beam above them had threatened to fall right on top of their head. "AYA!" he screamed.
In confusion, Aya lifted their head towards the source of the sound.
He was almost there.
But it was too late.
The beam had crashed onto the floor with a thunderous thud, the force rippling through the wooden boards. Gintoki didn't stop and pushed the beam off of Aya. He clutched onto their body, checking for injuries. "Aya! Aya, wake up", he constantly called out. He carefully shook their body, trying to illicit a response.
The rest of the Yorozuya gathered around, also calling out to Aya.
Panic overwhelmed Gintoki. A sense of dread washed over him like a tsunami. Blood drained from his face as if he was bleeding out of his heart. So many memories of him clutching onto lifeless bodies flashed through his mind. A distant one was rising up from the obscure depths of his subconscious. He could almost taste and smell the putrid air of that day. It was happening again. Somehow, it's all his fault again. If only he wasn't here, in this moment.
Before he could remember it fully, Aya groaned in his arms and opened their eyes.
Aya's golden eyes bore into Gintoki's, and for a moment, Gintoki froze. It felt as if an eternity of thoughts flowed between them, like a vehement current, but he couldn't make any sense of it.
Aya broke the moment by stirring in his arms and rising from the ground.
"Aya-san! Are you okay?"
"Aya-chan!"
A cacophony of sounds drowned out Gintoki's thoughts. He turned towards Aya. By the looks of it, they seemed fine. All for the fact that one of their legs was bent in a wrong way. A very wrong way.
"Um", Gintoki started sweating. "Are you in pain? Just don't look down, everything is alright."
"No, I do not feel any sensation of pain – "
Aya looked down.
"I would like to retract that last statement. I am very much in pain. Ouch."
Gintoki started pulling at his hair. "No big deal, we'll patch you right up. You'll be in tip top shape by the time you perform. That's right, time! Sorry, I gotta go find a time machine somewhere, I'll see you never – "
"Oh no you don't!" Shinpachi pulled him back before he could escape to a different dimension. "First, we have to get Aya-san to the hospital!"
"I would appreciate you doing so, Shinpachi-kun", Aya said, their face pale and voice tremoring. "But before that, what must we do to salvage my performance? I cannot perform with my leg bent in a ninety-degree angle."
"Aya-chan", Kagura wept. "After all the trouble we went through to fix your lousy performance…"
"Oi, we didn't help at all, Kagura-chan", Shinpachi deadpanned.
Aya pondered for a moment, still sitting on the floor, before saying: "Perhaps someone could replace me?" They looked up and locked eyes with Gintoki.
Gintoki turned around to see whether someone was standing behind him. He didn't see anyone. Why isn't there anyone there!? "Wait, Aya, you don't mean…" He pointed a shaky finger at himself. "No, there must be a Stand or something behind me…"
"You are correct", Aya shut down all of Gintoki's weak protests. "Out of the group, you are the only one capable enough to take my part in the celebration."
Shinpachi and Kagura looked at one another before bursting out laughing.
"Gin-san? No way. Unless you want to start a war with the Empire."
"He's a good-for-nothing. Gin-chan couldn't learn the choreography even if you paid him", Kagura snickered.
"That is a given. If you perform in my stead, I intend to raise the commission by tenfold", Aya dropped a bomb. That bomb instantly exploded and cleared all doubt in Shinpachi and Kagura's eyes. They turned towards Gintoki and started showering him with praise.
"What I meant was, he was going to start a war because everyone would fight over such a brilliant artist!"
"Well, if you pay him, Gin-chan can do anything!"
"Great! It is settled!"
"WAIT!" Gintoki put a stop to this play they produced between themselves. "Gin-san doesn't want to perform!" He was also very much insulted by their lack of faith earlier. He was a very passable dancer. Passable being he was able to stay on his two feet while dancing. "Why does it have to be me!?"
"You must have memorized the choreography by now. You also have the correct physique to accomplish such a feat. You are the only one I can rely on to do this, Gintoki", Aya sucker punched him with the last line.
"Pleeease?" The two other voices begged him to say yes. Even Sadaharu was giving him the best puppy stare he could.
"Listen here. There's no way there isn't a good dancer somewhere in Edo. We should give young talents a chance to shine. It must already be hard enough to break through in this cruel industry, so I would rather pass on this incredible opportunity to them. I will cheer them on and – "
"Hundredfold."
"You got yourself a deal!" Pshhh. Who cares what it turns out like? Not my problem anymore. "It is a pleasure doing business with you, Aya-sama."
Both Kagura and Shinpachi knelt and bowed in reverence. "Aya-sama!"
Aya smiled. "The pleasure is mine. Now please – " In that moment, the roof that had been supported by the fallen beam crumbled and sunlight streamed into the dusty hall. Aya squinted at the sun. "Oh no." Blood spurted out of their mouth, and they promptly fainted.
"Aya-san!"
On the way to the hospital, seated in a taxi, Gintoki thought about having to perform instead of Aya. He was glad they weren't in any mortal danger, but at the same time resented the fact that he was put in this situation. How was he ever going to dance in front of a crowd? He was embarrassed enough to dance alone. Is it too late if I give up?
"It is…", Aya whispered faintly, their head in his lap. Gintoki's head whipped downwards. "It is alright. I believe in you. You are… a dazzling…" They've again fainted and fallen asleep.
Gintoki raised his hand and lightly patted their head.
"Fine. Guess I'll try to make it look not completely horrible." He sighed and made sure that each part of Aya's body didn't touch the sunlight. "What are you, a mutated Yato? And of all places, you ended up on Earth, in the Yorozuya office."
Unknowingly to Gintoki, the decision to take Aya's place had sealed his fate. It set in motion events that will shake his world to the core and tear down everything he thought he'd known.
But that day, he was only a man on his way to help his friend.
As he had always done.
And will forever do.