Sharp Wings; 鋭い翼 [Gintama]

41 | A lot of things start from favors; a lot of things end because of it, too

XLI

Manga: Lesson 89-97

Anime: Episodes 58-62

Movie: Gintama: The Movie, A New Retelling Benizakura Arc

"ELIZABETH...."

Shinpachi's voice was barely heard past the pouring rain that enveloped all of Edo. The umbrella that he held over his head – while it provided him a shade – was also adding to the noise of the raindrops. Despite it being only a few hours past noon, it was already dark as if it was already nighttime. The quietness of the city and the lack of people on the streets greatly contributed to that feeling. Elizbeth, who was quietly standing in front of a mound with a katana and a pouch on it, didn't answer. Instead, he pulled out a placard that read, "Don't say anything."

And Shinpachi didn't.

At least, for the time being.

He let a few minutes pass before he finally said something in a soft voice. "Kagura-chan hasn't come back yet." He spoke. "This morning, only Sadaharu came back to the Yorozuya with this piece of paper."

From under his sleeve, Shinpachi pulled out a drenched, almost unreadable scrap of paper.

"It's illegible thanks to the rain, but it looks like a map." The boy said. "I haven't told Gin-san about this yet. If I were to tell him, he'd dash out there right now with those injuries of his. Going to Kusahara-san is impossible, too. Even if he knows, maybe he wouldn't be able to escape the eyes of the Shinsengumi watching him."

Elizabeth didn't answer, not even moving from his spot. Well, it wasn't that Shinpachi expected him to. He never heard him talk before, after all.

Shinpachi sighed as he stared at Elizabeth's back.

Suddenly, the rain didn't seem to bother him anymore.

Tetsuko was loudly pounding on metal when she heard someone knocking on the door. She had to stop in her pounding to actually listen to the knocking, as she doubted her hearing the first time that she heard it. Even with the sound of the rain heavily pounding on the metal roof of the workshop and the constant pounding of steel and iron for the blade that she was currently making, the distinct sound of the knocking still made her hear it.

Knowing that her brother went out a few minutes ago, Tetsuko stood up to address who was there behind the door by the main house. She wasn't expecting anybody to come over because who would go out in the rain just to go to the swordsmiths? She, certainly, wouldn't.

Grumbling, Tetsuko reached over to open the door to look at who was there.

Her greeting stopped in her throat when she saw two teal haired people standing on the other side with umbrellas over their heads. One was covered with bandages all over his body, his hands, his fingers, his neck, and he even has two bandage patches on his cheek and jaw.

The other one was someone Tetsuko was admittedly afraid to face.

"Hello, Tetsuko-san." Shizuku greeted with a tip of her head. "Do you mind if we come in? It's pouring and we'd rather stay dry for the rest of the day."

Tetsuko was silent for a while, as if her mind stopped working. She just stared at Shizuku, her eyes staying on the patch that she had on her jaw and neck in order for her not to meet her eyes. But soon after her initial shock, she willed herself to answer.

Snapping out from her daze, the blue haired girl nodded and fully pulled the door open to let her two visitors in. She said nothing, but the two seemed to understand the gesture so they entered the house, left their umbrellas to drip over in the rack by the door and removed their sandals. They followed Tetsuko to the living room where they sat on opposite sides of the table.