Hey there, guys! I apologize for being unable to update "The Soul Never Fades Away". It's not like I abandoned it or something. It's just that there are some factors that prevent me from doing so. These factors are…

# 1 – Parents are too strict that they won't even let me use the computer on weekdays! DX

#2 – I'm a pretty sickly person so yeah I gotta go to the hospital every now and then for medications. DX DX

#3 – If I have no medications to attend to in my schedule, I do my school homework and study. A LOT. DX DX DX

#4 – I lost the friggin' USB containing the next chapters of the story! DX DX DX DX DDDDDDDDDDDX

Life for me is just harsh. TT_TT

Anyway, to pass the time (and the search for that USB), I decided to type down this idea that came to mind. You probably know what it is by just reading the title. I know there are already some fanfics like this one. But the whacky yet rousing anime that is Gintama motivated me to type down something about its slothful yet inspiring main protagonist. And so did my sadistic side. ;D

Contains character deaths, Shouyou-sensei experience, a bit of Yoruzuya fluff and some GinZura friendship. Rated for the above mentioned. Hope you'll enjoy!

Some Authors Just Want The Main Characters To Die

Gintoki lay on the ground, panting heavily and bleeding all over. Not far from him were the corpses of Takasugi Shinsuke and Kamui. He took on both enemies at the same time and won, but not without reaching the critical state he was now in. It's actually a miracle that he managed to stay alive for this long after sustaining severe injuries, both internal and external, and from a former comrade and a Yato pirate.

Sure, the silver-permed has been stabbed and slashed and crushed and impaled several times over. But this time, he felt that this will be the last. His breathing was raspy and it hurt every time his chest heaved up and down. Pain prevented him from moving about. He lost so much blood that he was now drenched in a pool of his vital red fluid.

"Gin-chan!"

"Gin-san!"

"Gintoki!"

He heard his name being called out so he slowly turned his head to the direction from where it came from. Through his blurred vision he could make out an orange-haired China girl, a bespectacled teenaged boy and a long-haired man running towards him. They all looked worried and frightened.

"He he. Took you guys long enough," the samurai muttered with a smile and closed his eyes.

… … …

Gintoki woke up and found himself in some kind of forest. He ran his fingers through his silver locks and got up. He looked down at his body and was surprised to see it free from wounds. His clothes were clean and they seemed newly-ironed.

Huh? This is weird, he thought and began to walk around.

He viewed his surroundings and found them quite peaceful and relaxed. He let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes. Sceneries like these make him sleepy.

Soon enough, he stopped in his tracks. There was a man blocking the path in front of him. He had long, light grayish-brown hair. He wore a gray yukata and a darker gray haori. He had a green notebook in his arms and he was glancing thoughtfully at the yellow flower in the hedge next to him.

"Hmm? Gintoki, is that you?" the man asked in a soft voice as he turned his attention at the silver-permed.

Gintoki seemed to freeze over. The man in front of him brought back so many childhood memories. In disbelief, he could only murmur…

"Shouyou-sensei…"

His teacher nodded and approached him.

"My, my Gintoki. You have grown a lot," Shouyou remarked, smiling.

"But you're dead," Gintoki mumbled, still in a statue-like state. "Takasugi said so. Several years ago."

"And so I am. Gintoki, you're time has come. It is time for you to leave the world and the people you have met."

"Eh? I'm gonna die? But I still have so much to do! I still must protect – "

"The ones you hold dear, I know. And you already have. Do not fret. It is guaranteed that from now on, they shall stay safe."

"How are you so sure, Sensei?"

"I just am, Gintoki. I just am."

Gintoki bent his head down and shook it.

"I doubt that, Sensei," he admitted, "my companions are up to constant trouble. And they're just kids! Sure, Kagura's damn strong and Shinpachi's already skilled with a sword but still…"

"Isn't Katsura there to help them?" Shouyou queried, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"Zura? He's always in trouble. He's become a rebel to the current government and a wanted fugitive."

"Don't you trust him, Gintoki?"

"I do, but… he just doesn't seem to have the time. Besides, Kagura and Shinpachi can cause a real mess."

The samurai sat down and sighed. His teacher smiled again and sat down beside him.

"Gintoki, you sure have changed," Shouyou informed.

"Huh? What do you mean, Sensei?" Gintoki inquired, raising a brow in confusion.

"You didn't feel this much – how shall I put this – responsible for your companions before."

Shouyou's answer shocked Gintoki a bit.

"Sensei, I have always been like this, you know that," he sighed again as he scratched the back of his head. "I just don't want my comrades to be aware of it. And what happened in the war, the deaths of many of them, really traumatized me so I can't let it happen again."

"You mean you don't want it to happen again," Shouyou corrected and his pupil nodded. "Look, Gintoki. Don't feel guilty of their deaths. It wasn't your fault. They were all honorable. They died for the sake of their country."

"Yeah. Guess they were."

"But you, on the other hand, were not doing it for your land. You were fighting for your friends."

"Where are you going with this, Sensei? It's perplexing me."

"Those who abandon their honor are scums. Idiots. But those who abandon their comrades are even worse than scums. They are lowlier than the worms in the ground we walk on. They do not deserve to be called 'samurai', let alone live where there is happiness and fullness."

Gintoki stared at Shouyou, lost for words in order to let those of his teacher sink in. Shouyou faced him and was looking quite serious.

"Do you think people such as Katsura and your companions will live the way they did before you came along?" he questioned, his voice suddenly in a stern tone. "After inspiring them in such a way that you have changed their lives forever?"

The silver-permed blinked then smiled. What Shouyou-sensei said was all true. He did change everyone's lives, after all. And in the process, they also changed his.

"Well, if I'm to come with you, Sensei," Gintoki started, getting up and stretching out his arms a bit, "at least let me bid them all goodbye."

Shouyou smiled warmly and nodded.

"Do as you may, Gintoki," he agreed, his voice soft again. "But remember, I'll be here, waiting for you."

… … …

Gintoki slowly opened his eyes to see Katsura, Shinpachi and Kagura surrounding him.

"Gin-san/-chan!" the two teens exclaimed together and hugged him tightly.

"Let go, you brats. You're crushing me," Gintoki ordered gently.

Shinpachi and Kagura did as they were told. The samurai gave them a small smile but then began to cough roughly.

"Gintoki, slowly now," Katsura requested as he patted his comrade's back. "You still have a long way to go."

"Really, Zura? I don't think so," Gintoki said, shocking everyone.

"What do you mean, Gin-chan?" Kagura asked, tears already flowing down her big, ocean blue eyes. "If you die, I'm gonna burn all of your Jump and use up your money for my sukonbu."

Gintoki placed his hand on her cheek and wiped away her tears.

"Don't cry, Kagura. If you want, you can have my Jump," he stated, "and promise me that you'll grow into a fine woman so that even Sougo can be admired."

Kagura took his hand and cried into it. The silver-permed then turned to Shinpachi.

"Oi, Pattsuan," he called, "you're no longer the Useless Four-Eyes, okay? You have already proven yourself to everyone. So go and protect everything that means a whole lot to you."

Shinpachi nodded, also crying.

"I will, Gin-san," he replied, wiping off the snot dripping from his nose.

"Zura, you watch over them," Gintoki told his comrade. "If you get caught by the Shinsengumi, I'll haunt you to death before you even get your sentence."

"It's not Zura, it's Katsura," Katsura uttered his infamous line, tears welling up in his eyes. "And I'll never get caught by those government dogs. Never in a hundred years."

Gintoki nodded and smiled again.

"Good. I have nothing to worry about then," he mumbled, sounding satisfied. "This is farewell, guys. Sensei's waiting for me on the other side…"

He fluttered his eyelids shut. He heard his friends' cries but he knew he couldn't answer them. He sighed and grinned for the last time before he breathed his final breathe.

… … …

Gintoki was again walking on the forest path, admiring fully the beauty of nature around him. He halted as he came up to his teacher.

"I've been waiting," Shouyou said then held out his hand. "Come, Gintoki. Our new journey together has begun.

Gintoki, now a young boy again, took his Shouyou-sensei's hand and together, walked down the path to wherever it will lead them.

The End

A bit of Shouyou-sensei's little speech was from Hatake Kakashi's own when he first trained Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. Just so you know.

Hope you enjoyed this one-shot!

TheBlueWolf888, signing out. For now, that is.