[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

(slouched in a velvet chair, spoonful of strawberry parfait halfway to his mouth, eyes half-closed) “…So let me get this straight. You’re telling me that you, the guy who looks like he swallowed a vending machine and decided to become an assassin, somehow got dragged into a ‘team-up’ by my duplicate version over there, and the plan involves me—what—flirting with some yakuza guy until he loses his fortune?”

[Kintoki Belial GoldSugarDemon Sakata]

(standing near the table, hands holding a deck of cards) “Come on Gin bro! This is serious! That manuscript contains techniques that could destroy entire cities if they fall into the wrong hands! We can’t just stand by!”

[Toji Fushiguro]

(leaning against a pillar in the shadows, arms crossed, the scar on his face catching the dim light, a glass of whiskey untouched in his hand) “…You’re not flirting with anyone. You’re the distraction. Act like a rich idiot who wants to make a ‘friendly bet.’ Keep him occupied while Kin and I work.”

[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

(waving his spoon dismissively) “Rich idiot? Oi! That’s not acting, that’s just Tuesday for me. But fine, fine. What’s my cut again?”

[Toji Fushiguro]

“Half of whatever you win from him legally. The rest goes to covering our tracks.”

[Kintoki Belial GoldSugarDemon Sakata]

“And I’m taking nothing! This is a matter of justice and—”

[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

“Tch! Oi! Can it, Gold. You’re not getting a cut either because you pulled me into this and your ‘justice’ speech is going to get us thrown out before we even start.”

[Kintoki Belial GoldSugarDemon Sakata]

(sulking) “…Fine! Let’s just get it done.”

Act II: The Approach

Don Tonkatsu sits at the high-stakes poker table, surrounded by nervous underlings and the detritus of a man who has never known restraint. He’s in his fifties, paunchy, with the dead eyes of someone who has seen too much violence to still find meaning in it. He’s been playing for three hours and is up by eight million yen—though his prey tonight isn’t the other gamblers. It’s him.

[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

(sliding into the empty seat beside Don Tonkatsu, now wearing an unbuttoned silk shirt and an expression of exaggerated boredom) “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the famous Don Tonkatu-san. Heard you’ve been having a lucky night.”

[Kintoki Belial GoldSugarDemon Sakata]

Don Tonkatsu: (not looking up from his cards) “Watch it punk! It’s Don Tonkatsu…Do I know you?”

[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

” Pork Chop, Don Tonkatsu…semantics, same difference. Anyway, I’m a fan! Huge fan. The way you took over the Kansai family after the old boss had his ‘accident’—textbook stuff, really. I mean, textbook in the sense of like… a textbook on violence and general disregard for human life. Good stuff. Very inspirational.”

[Kintoki Belial GoldSugarDemon Sakata]

Don Tonkatsu: (finally glancing over, unimpressed) “…You’re either very brave or very stupid to approach me like this.”

[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

(grinning, the smile not reaching his eyes) “I’m Gintoki. Gintoki Sakata. I run a business that specializes in solving problems. Tonight, my problem is that I’m bored, and I heard you were the man to watch if you want to see some real action. So—what do you say? You, me, a friendly game of poker? No limit?”

[Kintoki Belial GoldSugarDemon Sakata]

Don Tonkatsu: (leaning back, intrigued despite himself) “…You have money to back that mouth?”

[Gintoki Lucifer WhiteSugarDemon Sakata]

(tossing a stack of chips onto the table with the careless air of someone who has never seen a financial consequence in his life) “Let’s just say I’ve been saving up for a rainy day. Figured this storm looked interesting enough to open the umbrella.”