Cherreads

Chapter 16 - Chapter 15: Who are you? I am you

"Rahahahahaa what an idiot!"

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"Rahaha, you really fell for the oldest trick in the nutz!"

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"Rahahahahaha,"

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"Rahaa haaa!"

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"Rahaha rehehe"

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"Rahreh roh raaaaa haaa,"

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"Rrrrrrr,"

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"RAHAHAHAHAHHAHA–"

*BAMMMM!!*

"Shut up already you heartless bastard!" Ayaka shouted as he threw a pan hitting Gintoki straight in the face making the pan paint his face on itself.

"Nearly 3 years and you barely sent me and your son messages or even visited us once at least! Did you find another woman already and forgot us?!" Ayaka furiously shouted as she approached Gintoki who was knocked down by the real master of the house, his face covered by the planted pan.

"I am sure you even have more children than I can count sob sob!!" Ayaka started to cry as she lifted Gintoki by his tattered and homeless-looking outfit.

*Paw!*

A fist to the face, knocking the pan and spit away from that stupid face, which pulled Gintoki back to reality.

"Wut–"

*Paw!*

Another punch that made his brains rattle, or the lack of it.

"Aghh wait–"

*Paw!*

"Shut up and take my punches like the bastard you are!" Ayaka shouted with tears falling down her face.

*Paw!*

"Help!"

*Paw Paw!*

Two punches this time.

"Tell me! Did you already forget who cooked and cleaned day and night for you while you uselessly sat lazily on your sorry ass?!"

*Paw!*

"Help me Garo–"

*Paw Paw!*

"How could you cheat on me bastard sob!"

"Wait! No! Help me Gar–"

*Paw!"

"Shut up!"

'Get 'em Mom get em!' Garou thought with his tongue out and laughing without making a sound as he cheered behind the loving duo.

"A kick to his ballz next momaaa!" Garou shouted with excitement.

"Nice idea! This way he won't dare cheat on me ever again! Spread them legs for me cupcake!" Ayaka following common sense, did as she was told.

"No–"

"Right away Momaa!!" Like a good soldier, Garou immediately approached the helpless Gintoki who was lifted and held by the slender but Hulk-like strength of his wife's arms.

It didn't take long and Garou grabbed his father's legs and gently spread them without letting the resistance of a cheating man get in his way.

"It's ready Momaa! Strike hard, usually the right ball is more sensitive than the left!" Garou gave the necessary instructions to his mom who nodded with a knowing smirk.

"I know. I may have become rusty after 3 years of not being on the field, but I dare say I am still professional in the art of playing with them balls! Say Gin, do you still have the etractile testicle?" Ayaka proudly said as she lifted her leg to strike a decisive blow that would last generations.

"Awwf!" Garou awwfed at the info as he looked at the drained, terrified, and bulged from the punches face of his father who had his legs spread by his son and wife.

Talk about betrayal; Gintoki thought.

*Swoosh!*

Ayaka kicked much to the dismay of a certain man who became as white as a sheet.

"SUBSTITUTION NO JUTSU!!" Gintoki weaved hand seals with tears and snot falling down his ugly face as the kick finally landed on them balls and cracked with a sickening sound.

*Poof!*

The pathetic form of the man vanished with a white poof and a log replaced its place. 

"Garou! Ayaka! You Psycho!!!" A frightened Gintoki shouted behind a tree across their house as he looked at the crazy son and wife.

"Tch," ×2

"Did you just express disappointment?! My gosh! What happened in these past three years!" Gintoki shouted as he looked at the duo. He felt like he didn't know them no more.

"Shut up! Come back here and accept your punishment for cheating!" Ayaka cried as she pointed at the homeless man.

"Cheating?! Are you crazy?! I just came back from war! Do you think I had time for that?!" Gintoki replied with spit flying everywhere.

"Do you mean you would have done it if you had time?" Ayaka said indifferently.

"How does that even make any sens–You don't believe me?! Look at my arms! Notice the right one being bigger? Guess what that means, damn!" Gintoki shouted as he showed his scarred arms to us, which made us make a disgusted expression.

"I think that's why he also looks haggard. Man must have re-lived his dirty teen years in those 3 years on the battlefield, poor fellow." Garou muttered.

"I don't care! Garou go get him, I choose you my boy!" Ayaka said as she gently patted his felial son's shoulder.

"Why suddenly me though? This is between you and him." Garou made a tired expression at the sudden command.

Does she think I am a Yu gi oh card?

"Cupcake, sometimes when your mother tells you to do something, you don't ask questions, you do. Got it?" Ayaka said with a scary face that puts Undertaker to shame.

"Yes ma'am!" Garou saluted immediately and started to crack his neck as he approached the trembling lamb across him.

*Step Step Step*

"Don't come near me you freak! I have a sword on me and I am not afraid to use it!!" Gintoki cried in fear while trembling behind the tree.

"Come on dad, you wouldn't use a real sword against your own son–"

*SWOOSH!*

"OWWWWWW SHITT!!"

"Come back here you traitorous freak!! I will chop you to pieces!!" Gintoki roared as he started to chase the running boy who ran away immediately after missing slicing him to dices.

*Slash!*

"That's not–" Garou yelped, ducking under a slash that severed a low-hanging branch.

*Swoosh Slash!*

"How this–" He backflipped over a horizontal cut aimed at his ankles.

*Slash Slashhhh!*

"Was supposed–" He sidestepped, the blade whistling past his nose.

*Slaaaaashhhhhhh!*

"To START!! Damn you asked for it!!" Garou shouted, finally skidding to a halt in the center of the training compound he lead his father into. He spun around, his posture settling into the fluid, circular rhythm of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.

The moment Garou locked his eyes onto the bastard dad, he was already slashing multiple times towards him.

But guees what? he was ready this time.

Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!

[Picture]

Gintoki with his sword held high, wasn't acting like a master swordsman at all... he was like a cornered animal wielding a sharp metal. He lunged then did some clumsy overhead chops.

This time, Garou didn't dodge.

His hands moved, and the air around them seemed to swirl. The wild slash met not resistance, but a guiding, circular motion. Garou's forearm slid against the flat of the blade, redirecting its force with a sharp *CLANG!* The sword was wrenched sideways, throwing Gintoki off-balance.

"Wha–?!" Gintoki stumbled, his eyes wide.

*SWISH! SLASH! CLANG!*

Another wild swing, another effortless deflection from Garou. Garou was standing like a rock in front of a stream of slashes parting harmlessly around him. The more Gintoki flailed, the more calm and centered Garou became, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Take your beating like a man, deadbeat!" Garou taunted, flowing inside Gintoki's guard.

"Heartless bastard! I was funding your fancy pant's training arc while I was busting my ass on the battlefield you ungrateful Zombie!" Gintoki yelled, trying to bring the hilt up for a jab.

But it was a mistake as Garou's hand snaked out, fingers striking the inside of Gintoki's wrist with pinpoint precision.

*Zing!*

A numbing shock ran up Gintoki's arm. His grip on the sword faltered.

"Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!" Garou yelled because he wanted to check if he will get a power up like a main character if he shouted his moves.

Like an unstoppable wave, Garou's fist slammed not into his father, but into the flat of the blade itself.

*KRA-KOOOM!*

The cheap sword didn't just break, it exploded into a dozen glittering shards of scrap metal. The concussive force of the blow sent Gintoki flying backward, limbs flailing until he crashed face first into the dirt, skidding to a stop at the foot of a tree.

Silence, save for the gentle *ping* of the final, pathetic piece of the blade hitting the ground.

Garou stood panting and fist still smoking as h watched the dust cloud settle.

From the ground, a single, trembling hand rose, giving a thumbs up.

Gintoki pushed himself up, spitting out a mouthful of soil and dandelion. He looked at the empty hilt in his hand, then at his Zombie, who was standing triumphantly over him.

He touched his cheek, where a shallow cut from a flying shard was bleeding. A slow, weary, but undeniably proud smirk cracked through the grime on his face.

"Heh," Gintoki let out a low chuckle, tossing the broken hilt aside. "Not bad, Zombie."

He groaned, getting to his feet and dusting off his now even more tattered clothes. "Looks like I don't have to worry about you being too soft while I'm getting my ass kicked for the village."

"And–"

*Poof!*

"Damn!" Garou cursed as he knew what that meant.

"You didn't think you can beat your awesome dad just like that, right?" Gintoki's voice resounded somewhere else as his shadow clone Garou was fighting this whole time poofed out of existence.

And here he is, leaning on a tree. Gone his homless outfit. He wore his usual black shirt with a white, one-sleeved yukata over it, light blue pants, and black boots. His arms crossed while holding a wooden katana.

Garou looked at his father indifferently.

"..."

"..."

"What's up Zombie? How have you been?" Gintoki asked with a gentle smile.

"It was quiet until you came back. Now, Do I have to ask what the hell happened to your eye?" Garou said with a smirk.

"Things happen in war. I am grateful it was not something else." Gintoki shuddered as he touched his blind left eye which has a clear vertical mark now.

"Should have been THAT something else definitely by the looks of it–"

"Now now, let's continue with what we left off. I want to see more of the one of the weirdest Taijutsus I have ever seen. Come on show me, it's clear it's not only your height that has changed." Gintoki said lazily as he rested his wooden sword on his shoulder and walked until he was metres away from Garou.

"Well, I have been trai–"

"I will only use one hand to beat you," Gintoki interrupted again.

*Tick!*

"Still as annoying as ever." Garou said with his jaw clenched and a tick mark visible.

Gintoki's single visible eye crinkled at the corner, his gentle smile shifting into a lazy grin. "Annoying is a father's privilege. Now... are you going to show me what more tricks you've got, or are you just going to stand there and brood? I said I'd use one hand, but I didn't say I'd wait all day. My wife is waiting for me you see."

He lazily swung the wooden sword down, pointing the tip directly at Garou's heart. His other hand remained tucked in his pocket.

Garou then cracked his neck as he sank into his Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist stance.

Gintoki moved first but with no flashy jutsu or martial arts. Just pure, unsettling speed. The wooden sword clad in faint chakra came in low. Garou flowed with it, his hand redirecting the blade so it whistled past his hip and dodged.

The wooden sword became a blur again. But Garou was like water, each strike meeting a guided parry. The sounds were sharp and clean: *thwack, crack, swoosh.*

Gintoki pressed harder. "What's the matter? This all you got? Three years and this is the progress?"

That stung and Garou's flow broke for a split second and It was all the opening Gintoki needed.

With a feint, the sword went high. Garou bit into the feint and Gintoki dropped low then swept his leg out, catching Garou cleanly on the ankle.

*THWUMP.*

Garou hit the dirt hard, grunting. He pushed himself up quickly, dust coating his clothes.

Then, it happened as Garou used his new found skills and form after the Essence increased.

Psycho Mode + Carnage Form!

[Picture]

The words were a low mutter and Instantly, a visible ripple went through his body. His shoulders broadened slightly, the fabric of his shirt tightening across his back and arms as his muscles swelled with a sudden, dangerous influx of power.

His breathing deepened. The world slowed down and became clearer.

"Oww shid?" Gintoki watched with a raised eyebrow as Garou went overdrive.

And then Garou launched himself forward with twice the speed of his base form.

*Swoosh!*

This time, it wasn't the flowing style from the Water Stream like before but this was a brutal, overwhelming assault. A straight punch rocketed towards Gintoki's face, so fast it whistled.

Gintoki's eye widened as he barely got the wooden sword up in time. *CRACK.* The impact wasn't just loud, it was heavy and vibrating up his arm and forcing him back a step.

"Whoa chill!" Gintoki exclaimed, shaking out his stinging hand.

Garou didn't stop as a hook to the body landed with a sickening *thud* and Gintoki grunted, the air rushing from his lungs.

"Zombie is mad it seems!" Gintoki wheezed, dodging a jab that cut the air where his head had been.

"SHUT UP!" Garou roared, his voice distorted by the raw power surging through him.

He was faster, stronger, and his perception was so heightened he could track every movement. He saw Gintoki's shoulder tense for a counter punch a fraction of a second before it happened. He weaved under it and drove his own fist into his father's ribs.

*POW!*

Gintoki stumbled back, a genuine grimace of pain on his face. "Alright, shit!"

Gintoki locked in a little more, his taunting face was gone, replaced by a sharp focus. They traded blows, the sound of impacts echoing...

*smack, thwack, pow*

But Garou was taking less blows now, his enhanced senses allowing him to roll with the punches, minimizing the damage.

With a final, guttural yell, Garou threw a twisting, full-power punch. Gintoki crossed his arms, bracing with the wooden sword.

*SNAP!*

The training katana exploded into splinters even though Gintoki's chakra reinforced it.

The force of the blow didn't stop. A sharp gust of wind pressure followed the punch, slicing a thin cut on Gintoki's cheek.

Gintoki stared with wide eyes as he touched the cut, his fingers coming away red. He looked from his bloodied fingers to his Zombie, who stood panting, his muscles already beginning to recede from their swollen state, sweat and blood soaking his clothes.

A slow, wild grin spread across Gintoki's face.

"A punch that can cut, huh." he breathed out, tossing the broken hilt away. He brought his other hand out of his pocket, finally squaring up for real.

"Brace up Zombie. Long ago I promised that we will get physical the moment you start training." Gintoki said with a creepy grin.

Gintoki didn't wait as he lunged forward, empty handed and he was a blur. Without the wooden sword, became faster and his movements more direct. He didn't throw a punch, he aimed a knife-hand strike at Garou's throat.

Garou's enhanced perception saw it coming, but his body was slower to react. He jerked his head back, the edge of Gintoki's hand grazing his windpipe which made him start to cough and stumble.

"The power-up makes you strong, but it makes you stiff too," Gintoki noted, pressing his advantage with a rapid flurry of jabs.

"And you're thinking too much and get easily taunted. What a noob!"

*Smack! Smack! Pow!*

Two jabs landed on Garou's guard before a third slipped through, cracking against his jaw which made his head snapped to the side. The world swam for a second, the hyper-sharp focus of Psycho Mode flickering.

"Grah!" Garou roared, swinging a wild, powerful hook. It had enough force to take a normal man's head off.

Gintoki dropped under it, the wind from the punch ruffling his hair. "Snail!" he said, driving his own fist up into Garou's exposed stomach.

*OOMPH!*

Garou doubled over and start to gasp. He could feel the muscles in his arms and back burning, the temporary swell starting to recede faster now, draining his stamina.

"Don't shout all the time dumbass. I am cringing so hard right now."

"Also, looks like the party's ending. So, let me show you something amazing zombie!" Gintoki quickly said with a stupid grin and a giddy expression.

Before Garou could process it, Gintoki's posture shifted. His shoulders relaxed, his arms moving into a flowing, circular rhythm that was unmistakable.

"Wait... that's my–" Garou started.

"Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist!" Gintoki declared in a perfect, mocking imitation of Garou's own battle cry.

Garou lunged with a a flowing Water Stream punch immediately, not wanting to let Gintoki continue, but Gintoki's hand flowed up, redirecting Garou's own force with an infuriating ease and threw a punch.

*SWOOSH.*

The punch went wild, throwing Garou off balance.

"How are you doing that?!" Garou yelled, stumbling.

"RAHAHAH it's just dad strength!" Gintoki roared with laughter, then using the flowing motion to gently slap Garou across the back of the head.

*THWAP!*

"Grah!"

"And this..." Gintoki continued, his voice dropping. He screwed up his face in an intense grimace, puffing out his chest and flexing his arms with a dramatic grunt. The veins on his forehead bulged in an exaggerated way.

"OOOOH, I'M SO ANGRY! LOOK AT MY BIG MUSCLES!"

It was the most ridiculous thing Garou had ever seen, and It was working.

Gintoki moved in, imitating Garou's own enhanced state.

He didn't just dodge Garou's same Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist swings... he weaved under it with an over the top flourish, then delivered three rapid, open-palmed slaps to Garou's face.

*POW! POW! POW!*

"I HATE EVERYONE! NO ONE KNOWS THE DEPTH OF MY PAIN type shi!" Gintoki yelled in a high-pitched, dramatic voice, trying to mimick Garou.

"I did NOT say that!" Garou shrieked, completely losing his cool. He was getting pummeled by a cheap, copycat version of himself. Gintoki used the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist to unbalance him and the "Psycho Mode" farce to utterly humiliate him.

He was a master of Garou's own style, using it not to fight, but to troll him.

A precise redirect sent Garou stumbling face first into the dirt. A fluid palm strike to the back sent him sprawling again.

Finally, Garou was dazed, bruised, and seeing stars from his own techniques being used against him.

Gintoki stood over the motionless Garou as he wore a grin.

"You just don't how tempting your current shape is to... they/them–"

"P..pause–"

"–On the battlefield. I had my fair share of runs. So let this be another lesson. If you ever were in this similar situation, just suicide because you don't wanna know what will happen to you next. Believe me, I have seen my own comrades do fucked stuff to people." Gintoki said with shadows hiding his face while secretly shuddered at what he has seen.

Barely conscious, Garou grinned as he looked at his dad reliving past experiences.

"S...surely, you are speaking from personal... exxxxxperience." Garou muttered.

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"WATER SCREAM GAROU SMASHING FISTS!" Gintoki roared immediately as he sent waves after waves of fist strikes at the laying Garou.

*SWOOSHHHHH SWOOOSH SWOOSH!*

Garou got beaten to a pulp. Eyes rolled back, and he crumpled to the ground, finally down for the count.

Gintoki stood over him, his imitated angry face instantly vanishing, replaced by his usual lazy smirk. He nudged Garou's side with his foot.

He looked at the unconscious and defenceless Zombie. "At least you win the Most Punchable Face award."

He bent down, threw Garou over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and started walking back to his house.

"Ayaka! The Zombie's techniques are weirder than they look! I had to lock in for a straight 9 minutes to copy his Taijutsu! Much longer than usual! And my body aches like hell from using it!"

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"What we got to eat by the way?!"

The End.

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[OG Gintoki from Gintama is a genius martial artist for anyone wondering, that's why he could copy Garou's moves.

DON'T forget to give me STONES!]

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