Besides the tragedy how are you feeling about gintama's plot ramping up? Now that you've had a day or so to digest.
i'll be honest, if any other anime had pulled the "dead mentor isn't actually dead" twist I'd have rolled my eyes out of their sockets but somehow I trust Gintama to do it in a way that isn't unbelievably crap and stupid. It's not a premise I usually enjoy but there've been so few misses in Gintama overall that I have total faith it'll end up being well done.
The actual stuff with Shoyo and the og Joui 3 was super well done and heartbreaking, 10/10 no notes...the Takasugi-Gintoki divorce (they were never married) was perfect too. I'm curious about the disbandment of the Shinsengumi though it does make perfect sense from a plot perspective (no Shogun, no need for a special Shogun police force) - I wonder how that'll impact what comes next. I do wish we'd seen/heard Zura's feelings on Shoyo - it feels a little odd for him just not to really talk about it at all, even though I understand it was principally a Gintoki-Takasugi bone of contention.
I'm assuming Nobunobu will be the early antagonist for the next arc, and then Utsuro will come back into the picture...? I'm also anticipating a dramatic Takasugi return, but I'm not sure where he'll sit faction wise since he seemed to be having a change of heart...I'm not convinced he'll fully join Gintoki's side but it'd be cool to see them fighting alongside one another at some point. I'd also like to see the fallout from Zenzou's actions...I can see him acting against Nobunobu as a kind of redemption?
Mostly I'm excited to see what comes next, find out why/how/who Utsuro is, and how that will change things for Gintoki and Takasugi (how will he react to discovering the reason he's been trying to destroy everything for the last decade or so isn't what he thought it was...? that's the kind of thing that'd tip anyone over the edge.)
Gintoki screwed up his face in mild annoyance as he teased his fingers through his silver hair, which was brightened to the point of ephemeral sheen as he strolled the streets of Kabukicho in the deep of the night. It was uncharacteristic of him to be awake in the wee hours of the morning; normally, by this time, not even a parade of stampeding animals— hell, even a nuclear holocaust— could awaken him. Uncharacteristic, but not completely exceptional, either. Every once in a blue moon, Gintoki found that his mind simply raced to the point that sleep evaded him- and so, he took to patrolling the streets like a specter. It wasn’t an unfitting description, either, because Gintoki only ever got like this when he was particularly haunted by the horrors of his past.
Gintoki was easy-going and carefree, but not completely infallible. Every so often, his darkness snuck up on him. He could lay there and stare at the ceiling while the bloody images burned into his eyeballs, but that really wasn’t an appealing option. Out here, at least, bathed under the tranquil light of the moon and the shining glitter of the stars that outlined the stark silhouettes of the various establishments and homes, there was almost enough visually to distract Gintoki from those awful thoughts. Almost.
They snuck up on him unexpectedly. He’d look down at his hands and find them splattered with rich red blood that glowed ruby in the light, or he’d look down an alleyway to find a piled mound of corpses, piled high and rotting. No one would ever know it with the way he charged fearlessly into battle, but even Gintoki was not immune to it. If he had no remorse about the crimes against nature that he had committed, he would truly be a monster. Every warrior had their nightmares. Every soldier had remorse. It was simply the reparations for the choices he had made. Though if one asked him, Gintoki would deny that he had any regrets, and it would be true. He was a man that was very fastidious in his beliefs, and he would soak his hands in blood a thousand times over without thinking twice- but that didn’t stop him from awaking in cold sweats sometimes.
He tipped his head back with a long, drawn-out sigh, tired eyes beholding the heavens. He wasn’t a sentimental guy, really; he didn’t stop to smell the roses or think hard on the simple pleasures of life. However, during his irregular midnight meandering, his eyes were always drawn up to the black canvas punctured with pinpricks of light. Something about the cold, indignant white rays was oddly comforting— like he was convincing himself that the heavens passed no judgment. They shone on him, a blood-drenched sinner, and a divine saint just as equally. Gintoki really didn’t think much into the matters of life after death and potential punishments for his transgressions, but he wouldn’t say that he never thought about it, either. It was a characteristic of being human, wondering about what happened next. It would flicker in his mind for just a brief moment, like a will-o-the-wisp bobbing through the dark wood of his mind. Then he’d force it away, because what was the point? He would know when he died.
His feet carried him to the local graveyard, almost like he really was a wandering spirit attracted to the realm of the dead. He strolled silently through the rows and rows of gray stones inscribed with those he never knew but called out to him anyway. Samurai, housewives, criminals, construction workers, shopkeepers, shoguns— at the end of the day, they were all just destined to be put in a hole in the ground six-foot deep. At the drop of a hat, one’s life is snuffed out and nothing matters anymore. Gintoki never knew whether to find that humbling or disturbing.
The only sound was the gentle strikes of his sandaled feet against the cobblestone path. It pounded in his ears like the somber beating of a death knell drum- or was it a headache from lack of sleep? After a point, Gintoki’s mind began to grow muddled and foggy. It was usually a sign that he was near the point of exhaustion. Sometimes he would be able to stagger back to the Yorozuya and collapse into his futon, and sometimes he would pass out somewhere in the sprawl of Kabukicho, like some common drunk tottering back from a binger. It really was a coin toss.
Gintoki was about to do just that and head back when suddenly his footsteps weren’t the only sound in the graveyard. In the near distance, he could hear a soft voice—like someone was speaking to a grave. Not unusual in itself, but unusual for the time of night. On a whim, he decided to investigate and follow the sound, eventually coming upon someone sitting across from a gravestone talking quietly about daily life.
“Zura?”
“It’s Katsura. What are you doing out so late, Gintoki?” The former Joui patriot asked with a wry smile and a glance out of the corner of his eyes. With an indignant snort, Gintoki tucked his hand into the fold of his kimono and eyed him grudgingly.
“I could ask you the same question.” Katsura languidly lolled his head over his shoulder to smirk at him sardonically. Honestly, there was no point in interrogating each other, because they were both out for the same reasons and they both knew it. Spying a sake bottle sitting beside the long-haired man, Gintoki strolled over to lean down and snatch it up, draining the bottle of a third of its contents in one swig. The clear rice wine burned his throat as it washed down his throat, but ironically rather than muddying his mind further, he found the sleepy fog lifting.
“Rude, stealing a man’s offering like that,” Katsura huffed. With an equally incensed puff, Gintoki sat the bottle down beside him again, its ceramic surface striking loudly against the smooth cobblestone.
“There’s plenty left. Don’t be greedy.” Gintoki’s eyes flashed to the characters inscribed on the grave marker. Nobunobu, of course. Gintoki had never been privy to the exact details of what had gone down in the Amanto spaceship in the sky, but he was very familiar with the fact that Katsura now felt some kind of deep kinship with the deceased shogun. Apparently, the former coward had reformed himself tremendously under the duress of the world ending. It was interesting; normally, such a situation brought out the worst in people, not the best. Gintoki crouched down beside Katsura to stare levelly at the gray stone with not a thought in his mind at all. Katsura sat beside him, eyes closed and arms crossed as he meditated under the cold light of the moon.
“Do you ever wonder if there’s no need for men like us anymore?” Katsura asked suddenly, softly. Gintoki’s gaze flickered to him to see him once more eyeing him thoughtfully out of the corners of his eyes. Gintoki pondered on the question for a moment before returning his stare to the gravestone.
“Looking to throw in the towel already? How unlike you, Zura,” he said, but there was not a playful or mocking tone in his voice. It was level and unfeeling, matching his expressionless face. “Of course I wonder,” he answered after another brief period of silence. “But then, what would be left of me? I am who I am, so I’m just gonna keep on bein’ me until the world decides to do me in,” he shrugged nonchalantly. He could be unnecessary in the grand scheme of things, but to a certain corner of the world, he was necessary. There were people who depended on him to be Gintoki, and that was enough for him. They accepted him, blood-stained hands and all. There wasn’t really much need for him to change or question his place in the world. He had one.
Katsura’s mouth curled into a slight smirk as he exhaled sharply from his nose.
“How like you.” Gintoki shrugged again and threaded his fingers through his silvery hair. He plucked up the sake bottle to partake in its contents just like Gintoki had earlier, then poured the lingering third of the alcohol over the top of the gravestone. With lidded eyes, Gintoki watched the shiny silver surface of the porous stone darken to an ashy gray as the pearls of liquid slowly traveled down its surface in many rivers. He wasn’t sure if Katsura wanted him to say more. He didn’t have much to say. He was a samurai, not a philosopher. “Good talk, Gintoki,” Katsura mused and clapped him on the shoulder before standing up. Gintoki swallowed the wry quip that it wasn’t really much of a chat at all, just two forgotten relics brooding in the dark together. With a small sigh, he pushed himself up into a standing position as well, lamenting the burning creak in his knees. He should know better than to squat like that for so long. Katsura twirled the empty sake bottle in his hand as he regarded him with a small smile. “You ever think the nightmares will stop?” Way to get to the heart of the matter, Zura.
“Nah,” Gintoki answered immediately with another glance at the forlorn moon. The wind blew suddenly, rustling the thick fabric of their kimonos and shaking the leaves of the trees planted in the graveyard as if the world had given its affirmation to his answer. “But they’re only nightmares, after all,” he added indifferently as if they weren’t the very thing that had him roaming the night like a lost soul. He wandered and wallowed, but he always found his way back home. “It’s always fine once morning comes.” He would never admit it, but he’d always forget the lurid visions of war once he was greeted by Kagura and Shinpachi’s bright, childish faces. Dawn was never out of his reach.
“You really have it all figured out, don’t you?”
“Me?” Gintoki scoffed with a roguish grin. “Nah. You know me, Zura. I just make it up as I go along.” The air rang with the patriot’s airy laugh.
“I suppose you do.” Katsura looked up at the sky again, then back at the silver-haired samurai. “Time to head home. Morning isn’t far off,” he said with a simple wave before whirling on his heel to begin striding back towards the entrance of the graveyard. He vanished like smoke, melting into the darkness. Gintoki smirked slightly and looked at the horizon, which was beginning to grow fuzzy with the faint trickle of yellow. He thought of Kagura and Shinpachi, asleep in their beds and eager to greet the day once morning came.
Morning isn’t far off, indeed.
Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!
I saw your tag "the episode that finally cemented Zura as my tag" on my post re episode 309. If you want to expand on that, I'm all ears!
oH hello! :D
Essentially, this paragraph you wrote summed up my general reaction to Katsura’s entrance in Farewell Shinsengumi.
After all the angst of the previous arc and the heavy, all-pervasive mood of sorrow and ever-encroaching dread which ruled episode 308 and much of this one, the new infusion of hope and plain FUCK YEAH was sorely needed
https://printfogey.dreamwidth.org/186174.html
The arc intentionally builds up such a heavy mood. Depressing event after depressing event just keeps hitting our heroes harder and harder. Shigeshige’s funeral, Kondou’s arrest and scheduled execution, Shinsengumi members scattered, Hijikata’s obvious depression. Suddenly Nobunobu threatens Otae - the crux of what makes their home and a vital part of everything that binds Shinsengumi and Odd Jobs together. Hijikata can’t stay his hand and Gintoki painfully understands due to the parallel of his past, so he sacrifices himself to uphold their collective honor and protect his friends. He protects the chance HIjikata still has to recover the master he’s lost because that’s the chance Gintoki wishes he himself had had.
As he is arrested, you really get the feel ‘how are they going to get out of this this time?’ This is truly the threshold. They can never go back to the way things were.
As he is helpless to do anything but watch Gintoki get hauled away, Sakaki delivers the final blow to Hijikata’s despair. “You can no longer be heroes.”
And suddenly, the stubborn answer of defiance waiting on stand-by for the perfect moment appears. The title of episode 309 finally makes sense. Heroes always arrive fashionably late.
Old gags reappear as serious plot devices, showing us that there has always been more to them than just comedy. A cameo reminder of Sho-chan in briefs, Zurako herself, the exploding Nmaibo smokescreen. BOOM. INTENSE MOODBREAKER.
You can’t help but cheer as the whole atmosphere is single-handedly lifted by Katsura. The arc enters a new and rebellious mood as he temporarily hijacks the spotlight and kickstarts his own plan of action - forcing everyone to follow suit if they want to survive. Katsura essentially comes in saying, Welcome to my world. We are doing things my way now. Beggars can’t be choosers!
Not only that. At the heart of this scene, you can also see the extent of Katsura’s loyalty for his friends. He stubbornly snatches away the martyr’s burden Gintoki has placed upon himself and steals it. But no worries, he’s Runaway Kotarou. He’s got more of a plan than Gintoki, who only acted only on instinct. Katsura’s odd preparedness is more than meets the eye. And he makes his entrance in the most overly dramatic and perfect combination of goofy and serious possible - as Zurako. It’s all of what Katsura’s character encapsulates. (Was it really really really necessary to dress up to get arrested? Sure he did it to sneak in and blend in with the ladies, but his dress is much more extravagant than what the hostesses wear in general. Something tells me he just wanted to dress up like always, period. Even in front of enemies he displays a flagrant lack of shame for his antics. It’s absolutely adorable, haha.)
He rescues Hijikata from his own negativity and proves he is willing to risk everything to save Kondou, his former enemy. That also speaks to the lengths he will go to. Katsura has steadily gained a strange camaraderie with the Shinsengumi, something Kondou is hesitant to admit until Katsura takes an outright bullet for him later. (All while worrying about Gintoki’s face-off with Naraku on the side!)
As a development built from over 300 episodes’ worth of misadventures and in-fighting come together, the Katsura Faction and the Shinsengumi finally join forces and attempt to let bygones be bygones. In prison, Katsura reinvigorates Kondou’s will to live just as Gintoki knows he must do to Hijikata’s fighting resolve. Shigeshige’s death provided the avenue for unification, something that Katsura is not going to let go to waste.
Katsura’s entrance in 309 is is one of my favorite scenes because throughout it all we are reminded of Katsura’s true depth. No matter how goofy and foolish he is, he is just as much a trickster and mastermind. These sides of his character are not at extremes. It all comes around. His ambitions, his promise with Shigeshige, his bond and shared past with Gintoki. These are some of the driving forces behind every action he takes.
Something endearing is Katsura’s own smugness about the whole thing. “Let us meet at dawn,” Katsura tells Gintoki with a knowing smile. It’s referencing the dramatic phrase Katsura seems to sling around everyone every once in a while. ‘Fighting for the dawn of this country.’
Katsura knows Gintoki and the Yorozuya will not be sitting out the whole affair, even for their own good. He has the utmost faith that Gintoki’s own participation will even be crucial to their overall success. And most of all, Katsura knows that he will finally have the thing he has wanted since he reunited with Gintoki at the start of the series - to fight for the same cause together again. And he’s turning the Shinsengumi into rebels along with him.
As the group is running away from Snack Smile with Katsura’s diversion, Gintoki almost looks peeved. That’s because he knows he’s been manipulated by his friend. After all, he’s spent the whole series dodging Zura only for everything to end up falling right where he wants it. At the end of the arc when conversing with HIjikata, he calls him a con-man. Roles flipped, now its the Shinsengumi listening to Katsura haha.
But for all Gintoki’s wariness, they seem to be completely in tune during the mission on Kokujo. The trust and familiarity is clear. Even if they’re on opposite ends of the island, they know their roles. And they do meet at dawn on board Matsudaira’s ship.
Ah… So that’s that.
Actually I’m always talking some friends’ ears off about this so much that all my points are all over the place by now;;; I would love to get back to you on this again maybe in a more in-depth post! Katsura’s character is so fun to look at. Thank you for all of your reblogs/likes by the way, hehe. We seem to have the same common interests. <3 I’m glad for your ask!
There is no easy way to describe the feelings I currently have towards Gintama. I’ve thrown out every superlative in the book over the course of talking about it, watching it grow from a scrappy little underdog of a show into an utter leviathan of comedy and drama alike, and I’m certain I still haven’t done it justice. There’s just no way for words to properly express what an utterly transcendent experience this has been for me. And I’m absolutely certain that I’m not prepared it bid it goodbye yet. I still have so much love left to share, so much I feel like I have left to say. Gintama is a story that’s going to stick with me for my entire life; I get the feeling I’ll still have things to say about it ten, twenty, maybe even thirty years from now. It’s a masterpiece the likes of which I never dared dream to come across, and likely will never see again. And every second I’ve spent with it over the course of these 367 episodes counts as among the most worthwhile experiences of my entire life. I pray to the gods that the anime goes back on the air soon; I can’t imagine what life will be like without it.
But for now, this is the final season, the final act in a story that continues to surpass my expectations at every turn. It’s the climax of a million different character arcs, a million different story threads, and the entire thematic ethos of the entire show. From the aftermath of Season 3′s status-quo-obliteration conclusion, it takes the characters and their journey that have been building ever since Gintoki first smashed that goddamn parfait and lets them explode with the force of a fucking supernova. Heroes and villains unite to fight for the new world, enemies and allies come together in pursuit of the same future, and all of them doubt themselves, lose their way, and find what kind of samurai they want to be. It’s collectively the single most soul-uplifting stretch of the entire show, seeing all these fantastic characters finally grasp the peace they’ve been fighting for all this goddamn time. Takasugi being pulled back to the light by the family he never realized he had, the Joi Four’s reunion, Nobunobu’s heart-breaking sacrifice, Katsura carrying Shigeshige’s dream onward in respect of his fiercest foe and closest friend, Tama embracing her humanity and driving me to tears in the process, Shinpachi taking a million levels in badass and becoming the samurai he always had the potential to be, Gintoki holding his family close and facing down his greatest foe with them by his side, Edo’s entire population coming together in its defense... this was a season of triumph and victory, of completeness and reunion, of hope and actualization, of the entire world of Gintama embracing this new possibility and finally giving everyone the chance to become their best selves, to shake of the pains of their past and come together as one utterly spellbinding family. Watching it unfold was nothing short of magical.
And then, of course, Kagura. Motherfucking Kagura, who has torn my heart in two and mended it stronger than ever too many times to count. Who finally faced down her demons on the war-torn landscape of Rakuyo, the bastard of a brother who tore her family apart, and all the fears and regrets clawing at the back of her mind... and rose above them like a phoenix, finally breaking free of the shell of pain she’d been festering in and pulling her family- both her families- back together. There’s no way else to describe it; seeing this radiant, spectacular girl finally bring her story to a close, finally rise above her darkness and bring peace to her turbulent life, was nothing short of a religious experience. It wasn’t just the best moment in the entire show, it was the kind of emotional resonance that shakes you to your core and leaves you out the other side feeling purged of your sins. At this point, Kagura is legitimately my second-favorite fictional character of all time, just behind Asuka Langley Soryu in terms of how massive an impact she’s had on me. I love her with the kind of impossible, all-encompassing love that words can never do justice to. She has driven me to tears of all emotions too many times to count, left me with too many unforgettable memories to recall all at once. She is everything wonderful about this show wrapped up in a single bratty miracle, and there’s nothing about Gintama that I’m going to miss more than her.
Gintama astounds me. It defies my ability to properly process it. It should be illegal for any fictional property to stay this good for this long, only getting better and better as it goes. Yet somehow, Sorachi, Sunrise, Bandai Namco, Tomokazu Sugita, Rie Kugumiya, Takahiro Sakurai, and all the rest have pulled it off. They’ve created something not just great, not just masterful, but something truly special, something that will endure and last in my mind far after I finally bid this series goodbye. I have cheered and laughed and cried along every single step of this journey from start to finish, and I will continue to cheer and laugh and cry when the time comes to finally bring this adventure to a close. So until then, thank you, Gintama. For all the memories, all the experiences, and all the wonderful, wonderful poop jokes. And for seeing this journey almost to its end, for bringing peace to a universe of people who all deserve it so fucking much, I award Season 4 a score of:
10/10
And believe it or not, I’m not quite done yet. There are a few more Gintama-related posts I’d like to get to before I finally move on to my next long-running series. But those will have to wait a bit; I’ve got some plans to carry out. So until then, Love and Peace, and I’ll see you all next time.
Fandom: Gintama
Characters: Mutsu/Kijima Matako
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: n/a
Notes: this happens in an AU where things went a wildly different way from like mid-SS onward but don’t think much about it
Summary: Matako does something for Valentine's Day for the first time in her life and Mutsu begins to understand this Earth's tradition.
Part 2 | Read on AO3
Mutsu finished the last third of her eighth portion of rice with a single bite and put down her bowl. Despite the huge amount of food she had just consumed, no one around her batted an eye. After so many years, everyone in the Kaientai was used to the amount of food a yato like her could eat in one sitting. Maybe if Sakamoto was a penny-pinching man he would complain about the costs of it, but so far it had never bothered him.
“Thank you for the food” she said to Oyama, one of the crew members working at the kitchen, and who had helped her serve her meal. Oyama began the task of cleaning up the table, and Mutsu was helping him stack plates on top of each other. At that moment, Aikawa, who was in charge of everything going on at the kitchen, came in carrying a box full of vegetables that were to be used for that night’s dinner.
“Oyama-kun, is this yours?” Aikawa asked, gesturing to a heart-shaped box adorned with a golden bow.
“Ah, that?” Oyama said, with a visible blush on his face. “Yeah… I received it from Akane-san for Valentine’s Day”
“So Akane-chan is into you, huh” Aikawa laughed before resuming her duties. “Have you thought about what you’ll give her next month?”
“I asked Hosoda and he suggested getting her white chocolate, but I don’t know how to make it myself so I’m probably going to buy it.”
“Well, if you get the ingredients maybe I can help you,” said Aikawa with a warm mother-like tone. Oyama’s blush deepened, but he accepted the offer with a polite nod. “Akane-chan is a very sweet girl, be sure to treat her right.” Changing her focus to the vice-captain, the older woman smiled “What about you, Mutsu-san? Do you celebrate Valentine's Day where you’re from?”
“No, or at least not that I know of” Mutsu replied. “I only learnt about it after meeting Sakamoto. I don’t really know what’s the point of it.”
“Oh well,” began Aikawa, speaking calmly as she set up a big pot for use. “If we look at it in a realistic way, it’s just an excuse to sell chocolate. But it can also be the day when someone gathers the courage to make their heart be heard. Personally, I like to see things the more romantic way, I love how this season can quite literally bring out the sweetest sides of people.”
“I see...” Mutsu replied, not sure she completely got it yet. Having finished the task of helping Okawa with cleaning, Mutsu excused herself from the kitchen to go to the control room, where she found Sakamoto overlooking their route back to Edo, already their third visit there this year.
Normally, the Kaientai didn’t visit Earth so often, but after the end of the war they had been helping with the reconstruction of Edo, mostly by using Sakamoto’s business skills to better their relationship with other planets. Because of this, they had to come back often so they could report back and discuss future strategies, but Mutsu was sure he also wanted to enjoy the extra time with his longtime comrades.
Not that she really minded. She wasn’t familiar with the idea of having a planet to call home — her place was always in space, but she had grown to appreciate Edo and the people there. Even before the war, she had already worked with Gintoki and Katsura, as well as their teams. The girl that Gintoki had taken under, Kagura, was very adamant in showing Mutsu around Edo, and the two had become close.
Besides the Yorozuya and the Joui faction led by Katsura, through the reconstruction meetings she was now familiar with some of the people working with Nobunobu, like the Mimawarigumi and a handful of officials who had been there since Shigeshige. Takasugi’s Kiheitai also took part, giving Mutsu the chance of knowing them better than she’d had the chance back when they were to Rakuyou.
“We’ll land in approximately two hours” said Tanisaki from his seat next to the ship’s controls. Standing right in the middle of the control room, Sakamoto laughed but was interrupted by a wave of nausea. Mutsu stood next to him, overlooking the rest of the crew there, smiling to herself and looking forward to this visit to Earth.
“...we’ll meet again as soon as Sakamoto comes back with their response,” said Katsura, closing off that day’s meeting.
“Ahahaha in that case I guess it’s time for some drinks, right Kintoki?” Sakamoto said to the man sitting to his left, who always looked like he would rather be anywhere but those meetings. No one seemed to pay much attention to them except for Katsura. The rest of the attendees were already used to the three of them acting like idiots, and had better things to do than engaging with them — except for the new shogun, who they sometimes managed to drag along with them.
Mutsu left the room and walked to the exit without a hurry. She could hear Sakamoto’s laugh fade off as he left with Gintoki and Katsura. The trip to the planet they were set to visit was almost a week long, but she didn’t feel like dragging her captain back to the ship just yet. The weather in Edo was finally warming up and she wanted to enjoy it for a little longer. Maybe Kagura could take her to good places to eat.
“Wait!” she heard someone calling for her.
Turning around, she found one of the members of Takasugi’s Kiheitai, Kijima Matako. Mutsu didn’t know much about her, as they had only spoken on a few occasions during these meetings. While they were nowhere near close, Mutsu found her presence to be enjoyable.
“I know it’s a lil’ late but I, uh…” Matako looked down and held her hands in front of her, offering Mutsu a small red box with a white ribbon tied around it. “I don’t really have any experience with confectionery but, I… hope you’ll like it.” Even though Matako had turned to the side trying to hide the blush on her face, Mutsu could still notice the red color on the tips of her ears.
Not sure about what to make of the situation, Mutsu took the box and was thinking of how to politely accept the gift, but didn’t get the chance to. “Well I’ll… see you around.” And with that, Matako left, walking fast so she could catch up with her commander and the other two men accompanying him, already a good distance ahead on them on the same direction Sakamoto and the others had taken not that long ago.
Now alone, she carefully untied the ribbon that kept the box closed. Removing the lid, she found an array of a dozen heart-shaped bombons, some with simple patterns made with different kinds of chocolate on them. Mutsu stood there for a while, looking at the content of the box. It wasn’t every day that something took her by surprise — she was used to the unexpected and all sorts of strange things. But this was something she’d never imagined.
It can also be the day when someone gathers the courage to make their heart be heard, she thought back to Aikawa’s words. Matako had given her this so she could hear what was inside their heart?
But doesn’t her heart belong to her commander?, a voice in Mutsu’s head asked. At least that had been the impression she got when meeting them in Rakuyo. If she compared Matako’s reaction back then to how Mutsu would’ve acted if it had been Sakamoto in Takasugi’s place, they seemed to be coming from different kinds of affection. But maybe she had just gotten the wrong idea. Or maybe things had changed over the past year. With every other thing in the universe changing at a fast rate, was it unthinkable that feelings could develop and evolve in a similar fashion?
The present she had just received told Mutsu that, at the very least, she had somehow managed to occupy part of Matako’s thoughts, and that it was strong enough that it prompted to act on them at a time mostly associated with romantic love. How serious or how deep were Matako’s feelings, she had no way to know just from the chocolates. However, according to what she’d heard earlier in the kitchen, she was now supposed to give a response.
What was her response exactly, though? She would be lying if she said Matako had been crossing her mind on the daily. She had thought of her a couple of times while thinking about Edo during space trips, despite the fact they hadn’t talked much or spent time together outside of these meetings.
Mutsu pondered about how she felt towards the other woman as she walked through Edo, not following any path in particular and just letting her feet take her anywhere they wanted. She soon found herself at the port, the changing colors of the water as it moved and reflected the sun helping her clear her mind.
Matako was the only woman in the Kiheitai, and one of the few people Takasugi —a man that Sakamoto respected deeply— seemed to trust. Just like Mutsu, she was skilled with the use of guns, always carrying two out of fashion pistols with her. She dressed in a less traditional way than anyone else she had met from Earth, making her stand out. Mutsu was certain there were people that saw her and shook their heads in disapproval, but Matako didn’t seem to care. She was comfortable and paid no mind to what strangers’ opinions were. Being honest, Mutsu found this attitude to be attractive.
Also, despite the roughness she usually carried herself with and all her attempts at appearing intimidating, Mutsu could tell she was rather gentle on the inside. One of the occasions it showed through was every time she bickered with Kagura. Despite constantly calling the young girl a brat, a sister-like warmness was almost tangible under her annoyed tone, and a small smirk appeared every time she was called Makko — the nickname Kagura had given her.
When visualizing Matako in her mind, Mutsu saw her with the playful grin of someone who was proud of their position and almost dared anyone to try her, sharp eyes taking everything around her with caution, crossing her arms in front of her but with her hands ready to jump into action at any moment. But she also saw her softening up when her eyes met with one of the other members of the Kiheitai, with a care that exposed her attachment to them, grown over the years they had spent together as comrades if not as family.
Maybe she was being selfish, but Mutsu found herself wishing that she could make Matako light up in a similar way, make her lower her guard and show her all the affection she was willing to give to those who were dear to her. She wanted to get to know Matako better and discover more of what else was behind her furrowed eyebrows. Maybe she would slowly get attached to her like she had to Edo the more she explored its streets.
She opened the red box again, smiling at the sight of its contents. Taking out one of the bonbons, she bit into it, taking her time to taste the dark chocolate shell and the caramel filling. Mutsu felt warm inside and closed her eyes to focus only on the treat. While it was obvious this wasn’t the work of a professional chocolatier, the effort that had been put into it was evident. It may not have been made by expert hands, but if it was conveying what laid within Matako’s heart, Mutsu wanted to taste more of its sweet bliss in all of its flavors.
Walking back into the city, she made her way back to the ship, where she hoped Aikawa could help her elaborate a response.
Thank you for the ask @tsukiomoon , but I changed the line a bit for a fluffy fic for Sakamoto's birthday! AND OMG I'M A DAY LATE. I'm sorry, I was too busy to post on his birthday T_T
This is written in first person, from Nobunobu's POV. (Takes place sometime after the war and Nobunobu is alive and everything is back to normal, because why not? ^_^)
Prepare for some fourth wall breaks! I hope you enjoy :D
***
“Hello, Shimura-san. This is Nobunobu. Is Sakata-san there?”
“Nobunobu-sama, I'm surprised to hear from you! Are you well? Gin-san is...well...he's asleep right now. Would you like me to tell him something for you?” he answered cheerfully, if not a touch skeptically.
I couldn't blame him, it's not as though I ever call them.
“Well, I'm planning a surprise party for Tatsuma's birthday. Zura is already helping out. Since Sakata-san is good friends with Tatsuma, I thought he might want to contribute ideas for the party.”
Through phone's speaker I could vaguely hear another voice in the background. It seemed to say, “Patsuan, who's that? What's he want?”
“It's Nobunobu-sama. He's planning a surprise party for Sakamoto-san's birthday and wanted to know if you would like to help plan,” Shimura-san responded.
“Eh? Sperm Eyebrows-kun? That's right, Tatsuma did become friends with him. He befriends everyone.”
That nickname. How could I forget it. My eyebrows aren't that bad, are they!? As I asked myself this, I ran my fingers across my brow. They seemed normal enough to me. Besides, why was he interested in my eyebrows in the first place!
“So will you help out, Gin-san? Shimura-san asked.
“Yeah, yeah, I'll help,” Sakata-san answered lethargically. I imagined he waved his hand dismissively as he said this.
“Gin-san says he'll help out,” the glasses boy said loudly into the phone.
“Yes, I heard. Thank you. Have him text me at this number and I'll send details. Also, you and your red-headed friend are invited as well,” I paused, “so long as she doesn't poison my food again.”
***
Planning went well throughout the week, that is, until the day of the party…
It was only thirty minutes before I expected the Kaientai to arrive on Earth. Mutsu was in on the whole thing and had been sending regular updates. Thirty minutes before someone is supposed to arrive for their surprise birthday party would be a great time for everything to be setup and ready to go...but...but...half of the guests were wasted and had been for five hours!
I couldn't even bring myself to look at the abominable mess they had made and were still making inside! In my mind, this had been a good idea, a fun idea! It was something simple to celebrate and show Tatsuma some appreciation. I surrendered, exhaled, and sat on the porch with my head in my hands.
“It's OK, Nobunobu-sama. I'm sure Sakamoto-san will appreciate the thought and gesture,” Shimura-san said from behind me.
“Thank you, but that doesn't change the fact that there is trash and broken bottles all over the place. Not to mention the scorched walls from the fire a little while ago,” I sighed, “well, at least the cake is untouched.”
I could hear him shift on his feet and mumble something inaudible a few times before saying, “actually...uh...that was eaten by Kagura and Sadaharu.”
My face looked something like this:
The author of this ficlet thinks this picture is better at describing it than the words she can conjure.
And within no time at all, Tatsuma's ship arrived and he dashed to me with a contorted face.
“Nobu-kun,” he whined, “are you OK? We came as quickly as possible! What's wrong?”
I had told him to come to Earth with a message saying “it's important.” But now, I had nothing to show for that urgent message. In fact, the last thing I wanted was for him to go inside and find the disaster.
“I'm fine, but this is awkward to explain...I planned on...we-” A loud crash and uproarious laughter from inside interrupted my sentence.
“What was that? Sounds like you have company! Who'd you invite over?” he said with smiling eyes, “I think I know what this is all about. Today's date is too much of a coincidence.”
He strode past me and for the door. I ran in front of him and placed both hands on his chest.
“Please don't walk through that door,” I begged, but there was no stopping him.
He removed my hands, pushed me aside, and burst open the forbidden door. I looked away and covered my eyes. A few guests shouted a half-hearted, cacophonous, “Happy Birthday!”
Before I could ruminate on the dreaded situation, Tatsuma bellowed out, “I'm so happy to see everyone! Thank you so much for the surprise party!”
His voice sounded as though he were on the verge of tears. He grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a big, squeezing, hug.
“Thanks Buddy,” he said.
I guess he didn't care that everything was in ruins, he was overjoyed to see us all. His laughter and his smile let me know the surprise party was a success. And since the author doesn't feel like describing the happiness on Tatsuma's face, it looked something like this:
Overall this was probably my favourite episode of the 2nd half of the Silver Soul arc so far, the Yato episode was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the Kiheitai and Takasugi development but the emotional core of this episode hit me the hardest and while last week’s fight had the most impressive action cuts so far this episode felt like the most consistent visually.
(a lot of the shots involving these zombies had really good art for some reason)
Kagura’s desperation over Sadaharu I already posted about (and about Nobunobu extensively) but again, it’s great to see,
and for the sake of my Yorozuya soul I can only pray that they make it to the 4th member of the family before it’s too late.
Love that we get more Kamui banter, he’s so entertaining as an ally, his interactions with literally everyone is gold, I'm so glad that he’s kept his attitude even after his development in Rakuyo.
We get some great serious moments from him as well, basically admitting that he needs all the help he can get to beat Utsuro
and actually getting injured a bit while saving Kagura.
Both cases show that he’s not above showing some vulnerability, he may still want to be the strongest but he’s gotten better about his insecurities.
And of course we gotta get pappi back into the picture as well, and of course, just like with Kagura’s and Kamui’s initial reunion, we simply can’t play things straight for too long
I feel like this and whatever banter ensues between Umibozu and his children at the beginning of next week’s episode will be among the last bits of comic relief we’ll get before the final battle against Utsuro begins.
Gotta enjoy it while it lasts, because I have a feeling that in the end I won’t come out of this arc with a clean smile.
