Standard disclaimers:
I don't own Ruroken. Unfortunately Watsuki and some big name companies already 
have this privilege.
Oh, in this special case: similarities to the real, historical Saito Hajime are 
pure coincidence...just in case...

This tribute was inspired by dementedchris and her tributes 'Our Kenshins' and 
'Our Kaorus'. Arashi wrote 'Our Sanosukes' and Karina Kineshi did 'Our Megumis' 
(I am so unworthy in this company...)
Susan gave me a hint and I agreed to write Saito. ARGH! Thank you that you 
consider me worthy to write this...

Dedicated to all Saito-fanfic writers out there (YES, we exist), especially to 
Meriko and her wonderful fic 'What the day demands'. One of the best fics I've 
read so far. Not to mention Gabi-hime *Mara taps with her fingers on her desk* I 
hope you'll continue 'Company of wolves' soon.
AND: Morgane, of course. Maybe you should consider translating your German story 
about Saito. =^^=

On to the tribute (enough blubbering from my side):
First, I think, we all have to thank Watsuki-sama for 'creating' a character 
based on a historical person. Saito Hajime was part of the events and happenings 
we all would love to have a short glimpse at. =^^=



'Our Saitos' by Mara



You stepped harmless into our lives, selling medicine. Medicine from the 
Hijikata family, an irony in itself, what an appropriate introduction.

But was this your real profession?

Faster then we assumed we learned that you were not who you pretended to be, 
your first appearance made it hard for some of us to accept you and like you. 
Attacking and wounding 'Our Sanosukes', leaving him bleeding and untreated 
behind, this did not earn you many sympathies. Not that you would care about 
liking, that was not your intention, it never had been. On the other hand some 
of us loved you instantly for this action, even more when you didn't stop 
picking on 'Our Ahou' and 'Our Rurouni'.

Your character is one you either hate or love, being neutral is nearly 
impossible.

You have never been an easy guy to write about, we poor authors wrenched our 
brain to cope with you, to give you the well-thought-out, well-founded, 
well-based personality and appearance you earned and deserved.

Your refined usage of language intrigued us all, your arrogant behaviour, though 
considering but well-hidden and covered by your irony, sarcasm, cynicism, 
sadism. This all fascinated us, drew us, addicted us to you.

Soon, we learned more about you, we learned more about Japanese history, if we 
wanted or not, unconsciously we learned.

We heard of the Shinsengumi and immediately started to invent adventures about 
this period of your life. The 'Mibu no okami' became part of our writings though 
you fought against foreign influences on Japan. What an irony that most of your 
'todays'-fans live in far away countries, but we didn't care and started to 
type. Always by your side at that time: 'Our Okitas'. If someone balances you 
and belongs to you in our fictional adventures, then he. Sadly enough he died in 
every little story, not once he survived, but sometimes even authors care about 
history, this fact couldn't be ignored.

But in most of our writings we concentrated on your appearance in 'Rurouni 
Kenshin':
The despise you held for 'Our Rurouni' whom you considered to be weak, something 
'Our Kaorus' and 'Our Yahikos' couldn't understand till they saw 'Our 
Battousai'.

The story progressed and we learned more about your motivations:
About your obligation to protect Japan from greedy politicians and corrupt 
members of the government. About your brilliant disguise in fulfilling this 
duty. About your justice so well-engraved in our hearts 'AKU SOKU SAN'.

Your wise foresight telling 'Our Aoshis' where he would find 'Our Kenshins', 
turning 'Our Icicles' pace to Kyoto. You always knew when someone would be 
useful and you made a perfect symbiosis with 'Our Aoshis' when investigating the 
Jinchuu of 'Our Enishis'

We enjoyed your piece of wisdom about life in common and society in particular 
that you held for 'Our weasels', maybe this is the reason why we pictured you to 
be a good father.

At the point where you didn't leave Eiji on the street behind, the last of us 
had to realise that you were a caring character. But what was even more shocking 
than this aspect of your personality was the fact that you were married. YOU of 
all protagonists were married. What led us readers to the next unsolved mystery: 
Who was she? What was her character like?

Your thoughts about the female characters are incorporated in all of us. 'Our 
tanuki', 'Our kitsune' and 'Our itachi-musume' are part of our life as well as 
you are. 

And all these words which describe an aspect of your character:
Pride. Dignity. Honour. Duty. Obligation. Justice. Obsession. Passion.
Superior. Arrogant. Neat. Mean. Deceitful. Refined. Wicked. Sophisticated. 
Intelligent. Merciless. Determined.

I want to remind of all the things we did to you:

We made you smoke more cigarettes per chapters than anyone would survive.

We let you pick up your sword for your wife, how romantic.

We placed you together with 'Our Misaos' and 'Our Megumis'. We paired you with 
'Our Sanosukes, 'Our Aoshis and 'Our Kenshins', not to forget 'Our Okitas'.

We gave you the most interesting love-life we could think of, I have never seen 
one person so creative when it comes to seduction, domination and bondage as 
you. We all hope you keep it up.

We let you say more often 'AKU SOKU ZAN' than you most properly did in your 
whole life. It is the motto we authors incorporated, it indicates our 
admiration, our devotion for you.

We presented you as a deep character, straightforward in your conclusions and 
sophisticated in putting up your 'games'. Never one easy to see through, never 
one to like at first sight, never one easy to trust and rely on. Your wicked 
plans and arrogant attitude made us suspicious about everything you were doing. 
There had to be a deeper meaning behind EVERYTHING. And somehow we always knew 
that behind every little action was your highest motivation, the motif that 
drove you throughout your whole life: to protect Japan.

In addition we showed you as a character who sees through the other 
protagonists, through their motifs, their background, their driving force. We 
made you understand the others or just ignore them. Why should we care for them 
when you didn't.

We let you be a philosopher, a psychologist, a deadly, merciless swords-man. We 
let you lead more deep-insights conversations than any other character, except 
'Our Kenshins' maybe.

But we never presented you as a hallow, shallow personality.


And Tokio, your wife: 

She never appeared, but you mentioned her once. So we took the hint and 
developed a character how we pictured her to be. 

Like Buddha as Watsuki-sama suggested, a strong character most times, only a few 
authors depicted a 'softer' Tokio.

We gave her a personality to wipe you out, she was the one through whom we could 
live our dreams. We enjoyed how the proud, lone wolf turned to a beaten, tamed 
dog in her presence.

We let her fall in love with another man, denying her love, living her life with 
you.

We made her fighting, defending herself.

We killed her on several occasion just to show that even a lone wolf like you 
possesses a tender side and cares for someone.

She was the one who gave you the feeling touch, through us, her writers, her 
creators.

She controlled you better than any other person in the cast consciously or 
unconsciously she influenced you, intrigued you, lead you your way, guided you. 
We loved her for that.




Saito Hajime.

You were neither one of the good guys nor of the bad guys like the other 
characters.

Always concentrated and focused on one goal: to protect Japan from any harm.

That is what is so fascinating and interesting about you.

But all this is not how you really had been.

We see your character through the way Watsuki-sama presented him.

Mostly we don't care about correct history.

In our writing reflects how we picture you and how we imagine you to be.

Let us have our fantasy and dreams.

It is all we will ever get from you.

Our imagination of you is our inspiration.

Nobody can take this away from us.

Writing down our imagination is our way of living our dreams with you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*COUGH*

Hope you enjoyed it...I really feel unworthy in this company.

Arashi, Karina Kineshi, dementedchris *PHEW*

Mara is embarrassed. If someone out there would list my grammar and vocabulary 
mistakes and
mail them to me....I would appriciate it *COUGH* 
Honestly I have problems writing a tribute for the infamous Saito Hajime with 
TOO many 
mistakes in it...if you understand what I mean....

Ja ne,

Mara