Gintama; Takasugi X Reader (part 2) [Save Me]

Chapter 8 {Y/N}

That black and white uniform is unmistakable. The ringed staff stands along with the man, harmless only in appearance. A sedge hat covers half of his face in shadow.

An ocean-depth dread implants itself in my stomach as I remain rooted on the ground. What are they doing here? How much has he heard of our conversation? What if he came here because he overheard Shounou speaking that man's name...

The Mayor's composed voice breaks through my daze.

     "Who may you be?" he asked the man, assessing his peculiar attire. "I am the leader of this village."

I don't wait to hear his response. Willing my legs to steady, I stand upright and make a turn to escape. I'm one step closer to the end of the alley before the man's voice cuts to my way. "Wait," he says, and I freeze again, heart leaping. "Are you alright?"

     "Yes, thank you," I reply without looking back, trying not to sag in relief. A second pass without another word and I attempt to calmly take my leave. With each step, I reassure myself that the troops sent to ambushed Shinsuke's ship were long annihilated. Of course, there are no survivors left.

I have no reason to be afraid. I share no affairs with them. But to think the day that I'd be thanking an assassin from a group that nearly took my life would come to past.

Ironic indeed. Dreadfully so.

_______________

I hurry back home, thinking that Senya will simply return when she's given up on finding me. There's no place that I can go to anyway. My mind won't be right if I still choose to explore the market and pretend their arrival away. I want nothing more than to shut myself up safe and sound under the comfort of Senya's futon bed.

The gate comes within range. A breeze sweeps by and cools my sweaty palms. The gust is unsettlingly cold for summer. Or maybe I am the one who's unsettled.

Attempting to shrug off the persisting unease, I reach for the gate and push it aside to enter. Then something bolting out almost gives me another mental attack. My eyes dart after it. The dog stops at a distance, waging his tail frivolously and gives me a fond bark.

     "Momo," I call, sagging.

Come to think of it, the poor thing is locked up most of the time, having only the little space of the yard to run around and play. But today certainly isn't a good day to be walking a dog.

     "Momo, come here," I wave for him to come back. Usually the gesture would have him galloping toward me, but now he merely looks at me with bright eyes.

I walk over to him. Then as if he's mistaking that we're going to a walk, Momo springs off ahead of me to the back of the village. "Momo!" I race after him.

The dog disappears at a curve of the dirt road to the right. Nobody occupies the end of the village. It has a decent size of empty land beyond I suspect. Pausing a second to catch my breath, I look back to where Senya's house is. There is some distance between here and there. I've always thought it would only take a few steps to get to the rear.

     "Momo," I call out and jog forward. Bending my track along the pathway, the sight before me empties my insides.

My nerves scream to me to just scram. My gaze rakes over the silver vessel, its size fitting just perfectly within the used rectangular property. It doesn't have a deck or anything fancy like the ship I've been on. This rather looks like a spacecraft.

Nice parking spot, I joke to myself humorlessly. Cold sweat beads my hands. If the villages knew about a bizarre ship landing near their homes then rumors would definitely spread. So they must've just gotten here. A whirlwind of questions pile up. I remind myself staying here won't answer any of those.