Standard disclaimers: I'm not Watsuki and don't own Ruroken though I wish I did. 
All 
rights belong to Shueisha, Sony and only the hell knows whom else.
As always similarities to the real, historic Saito Hajime are pure coincidence 
and most 
likely non-existing =^^=.

WARNING: I'm not a native speaker, mayor grammar and vocabulary mistakes might 
be ahead, 
hopefully you will not be distracted by them.

Author's notes:
Ever wondered why Saito didn't attack Tomoe and Kenshin when he noticed them in 
the OVA
(during the Ikeda-ya-affair)? 
Or why he didn't challenge Kenshin when he noticed him in the crowd in volume 
twenty? 
I did and this is the result. 
As always I hope I have done justice to his character, I admit, I'm always a bit 
curious 
and nervous when writing such 'insight' stories *author bites her fingernails*

I based this mainly on the scenes in the OVAs and the volumes 7 and 20 of the 
manga. I 
simply ignored the scenes in the anime, which are slightly different. Oh, I 
adopted the
dialogs a bit. =^^=

A special hug for Morgane for editing the story... and for:
Hana Himura and Firuze Khanume, who both read the story and encouraged me to 
post it; with
the encouraging words that I shouldn't expect too may reviews =^^=



THE HUNT



It was on one of our usual patrolling routes through the streets of Kyoto when I 
noticed 
his presence for the first time. 

During the last weeks we had had some serious problems with assassinations of 
important 
members of the Bakufu. What was surprising about this murders, was the fact that 
these
politicians had all been accompanied with more or less skilled bodyguards. 
Despite this, 
the assassin had managed to cut them down without an exception. 

Even more upsetting was, that we hadn't been able to figure out who he was and 
which 
style he used. Most times the bodies had already been removed when we had 
reached 
the scene of crime.

But on this day, in broad daylight, I meant to spot a strong presence hidden in 
one of 
the shops, pressed against a wall. Not that I actually saw him, but the aura he 
spread was different. Most times people evaded us fearfully, anxiously, not 
wanting to 
attract our attention. 

This intense gaze was different, hostile. I felt his eyes following us, though I 
couldn't 
spot someone. Even the air was different around this place and I meant to smell 
blood. 
This presence wasn't only hostile; it was marked with blood as well.

"Is something troubling you, Saito-san?" 

Okita was as sensitive as ever towards me. How did he manage to feel my 
distraction 
every-time? Nobody else was able to notice it, but this young man never failed. 
But 
despite his sharp senses he had missed the hint of blood-thirstiness in the air.

"I smelled blood, Okita-kun."

"Hu?" 
The obvious surprise in his voice irritated me, he really hadn't noticed it. 
After all, he
was the most skilled man in this troop. 
"Haha, your recently cutting up so many men must be playing tricks on you, 
Saito-san."

Innocent as ever he smiled up to me. Okita might be the most skilled man, but 
sometimes he
was hopelessly rash.

Cutting up men had made me only more sensitive to the scent and I was very well 
aware of 
the fact that this smell didn't origin from my blade. I focused my attention on 
the shop 
where I had thought to feel a presence, but now there was none. Maybe it had 
been an 
illusion, since the trace of blood in the air was gone also, therefore I meant 
to smell 
white plum. A fragrance made for a woman.

"Okita-kun?"

"Yes, Saito-san?"

"Choose your words as though your very life depended on them."

"Yes, yes."
Embarrassed he scratched his head and murmured his consent as we continued our 
round. Not 
that my words would stop him making his easy-minded comments and to be honest, I 

enjoyed them. He was refreshingly different from the other members of our group. 
But most 
important, he was the most reliable, loyal companion one could wish for himself. 


The hint of blood. A hidden presence. 

I couldn't get rid off it, it crossed my mind again and again. Even when it had 
only been 
for a short, brief moment of distraction, I couldn't get rid off this thought. 
It was 
deeply engraved in my back-mind, occupied my lines of thoughts. 

What if it hadn't been a trick of my senses? What if this had been real? What if 
there was
a skilled assassin in Kyoto, hiding, waiting for his chance, for his time to 
come? 

It was my duty to protect this city, to protect the politicians around us. 
In spite of this, the idea of an assassin thrilled me, exited me and gave me the 
feeling 
of an anxious anticipation to face him.

****

I didn't have to wait very long for his next appearance. 

I realised his obvious existence when he had attacked and killed some of my men. 
We had 
the luck to reach the scene of crime before they had been able to clean the 
place. The 
murder had to had taken place so shortly before that, when we reached the scene, 
the 
presence of the fight, the happenings were still tangible in the air. 

Soudou's corpse was lying in the middle of the way, some metres away from the 
stairs that 
led up to the next district. He had been a very useful member of my group, 
although his 
ambition had been annoying sometimes. I bent over and examined his corpse. The 
strength 
the attacker had used was impressive, he had even cut through Soudou's bones 
with his 
sword. The direction in which the blade was lead was remarkable also.

"His bones were cut through cleanly." 

Samura had an unnerving tendency to state the obvious, but he was right. 

Standing aside, Okita was eyeing the tip of a blade stuck in a tree. If this 
swordsman 
had been able to break the blade, the style was VERY impressive indeed. 

At last Samura enunciated a coherent and interesting idea
"Was the assassin a Jigen swordsman?" 

The Jigen style was a strong and remarkable technique, and Samura was close to 
the truth. 
But it wasn't Jigen style. Though it was fast and strong it wasn't enough to cut 
down all 
these men in such a short time. All corpses had still been warm when we had 
reached the 
scene. It were NOT the results of Jigen technique we were witnessing here.

"No, not possible."

I could still feel and see the scene that had happened in this secluded, dark 
part of 
Kyoto. The nightly scenery had been the same when the politician had walked 
here, enjoying
the peace and quiet of a full-moon, starry sky together with his protector. 

Our men had found them immediately after the murder had occurred, they had 
ambushed, 
surprised the assassin, coming from the direction of the woods, running towards 
the 
stairs, yelling as they had spot the man. The sonic of the announcement still 
echoed in 
the nightly sky.

"Surrender in the name of the Shinsengumi!"

Soudou had been the first challenging the assassin, and he had been the first 
victim 
judging from the place where he laid. He had always been imprudent, hotheaded 
and had 
overestimated himself and his skills. I could literally see his hasty, brief 
attack; 
unprepared and ill-considered. Such an attack wouldn't work with a skilled 
swordsman, for 
sure the murderer had dodged it. 

"The assassin most likely swept Soudou's first attack."

Nobody contradicted. 

The next victim, Eto, was lying halfway upstairs, most probably he had tried to 
come 
around and attack from behind, it had been futile. The assassin had had to use a 

superhuman speed and strength to cut Eto through the skull down to his hip. Eto 
had tried 
to protect himself from the blow, but it had only had the effect that his sword 
had been 
cut as well. The strength used had sent the blade flying through the air and 
landing in 
the tree trunk at the opposite side of the place. 

It would have been better to evade the blow. Evade, do not block. 

Okita had drawn the same conclusions while he was still staring at the blade in 
the trunk.
"The system of damage is considerably the method of a Jigen swordsman." 
He hesitated, eyeing the tip of the blade thoughtfully "But this attack is more 
exact."

This style was more precise AND more powerful. It hadn't only cut Eto's skull 
and blade in
two, it had also sent the tip of the blade into the trunk, plunging it deep 
inside. I felt 
anticipation running through my veins. The Ishinshishi had found such a talented 
swordsman
to join their side? What an interesting challenge! I had to agree with Okita, 
this wasn't Jigen style, it was far beyond this school.
"Far more so."

My men had had no chance against the assassin as skilled as they might have 
been, it had 
been hopeless for them from the beginning. Well, they could be replaced, but it 
was an
annoying disturbance; as a result I would have to reorganise my group. And I 
missed an 
interesting challenge, an unique chance for a trial of strength with this man.

"With an assassin of this calibre, I should have accompanied these men 
personally."

Obviously Okita felt the same interest as me.
"Who could have done this?"

Who? This was an interesting question indeed. Cutting up my best men in such a 
short time 
with such a deadly precision? Could it still be human what we witnessed here? 
Wasn't that 
skill far beyond human?

"A demon. In human form."

I earned some astonished glances, but at the moment there was no rational, 
logical 
explanation for the method and the extent of the damage we witnessed here. Jigen 
WAS the 
most reasonable school, but this was more exact, faster and deadlier than Jigen. 

Superhuman.

We left the cleaning of the place to our followers after we had inspected the 
scene and 
had come to a consensus about the occurrence. 

One conclusion was clear, inevitable: The Ishinshishi had recruited a remarkable 
swordsman
for their assassinations. This was an interesting twist and provocation besides 
our 
usual controls and patrols. Finding this man's whereabouts, his hide-out, 
challenging him 
and fighting him. What a thrill, excitement! 

Okita was walking silently beside me and I knew it wouldn't take long and he 
would start a
conversation. And really, I didn't have to wait long.

"Who could be his next victim?"

An essential question. If we were able to predict his moves we could catch him 
easily. 
But there were too many important policy-makers in Kyoto to be sure, it was 
useless to 
guess. Too many possibilities and we couldn't be anywhere.

"We will see, Okita-kun."

This answer didn't please him and impatiently he quickened his pace, now walking 
a few 
steps ahead of me.

"It is a shame that we couldn't figure out his style, Saito-san."

"I agree. But we got to know enough about his style to tell that he has an 
unique and
impressive school, he has to be treat with caution."

Okita glanced back over his shoulder at me, his eyes flashing in anticipation.

"I can't wait to face him and to fight him."

He had the same feeling towards this assassin as I had.

"I think there are only a handful men in the Shinsengumi who could fight him and 
survive, 
Okita-kun."

Now Okita chuckled as he slowed down his pace
"Be honest, Saito-san. Maybe only you and I could defeat him."

"You have to be in your best condition then."

Teeth grinding Okita laid his hand on his sword
"I'll show this bastard what Tenen can do. But you are right: one's condition 
and the 
circumstances have to be optimal for this fight."

There was nothing what I could do except agreeing. The time to fight and defeat 
this demon
had to be well-chosen. A hasty challenge would be a mistake. It could be a last, 
deadly 
mistake. 

****

It didn't pass much time and we got some interesting insider-news about the next 
movements
of the Ishinshishi. We discussed what we knew in the dojo, while Kuwamura was 
trying to 
perfect his moves by beating a thick tie with his bokken. Observing his hits 
closely, I 
realised that he was slightly improving; he was not as hopeless as many of the 
other 
recruits we had trained during the last weeks.

Samura entered the dojo, joined our group and shared the latest news with us:
"Miyabe and the Higo clan are in Kyoto. The Choshou clan are gathering their 
supplies. The
man we executed confessed that there will be an even larger number of partisans 
in the 
city tonight. The supplement of weapons we found at the Masu-Ya was too small to 
cause too
much trouble. But we believe they have another base in their organisation. I'll 
organise 
the inspection with Toudou tonight." 

I had heard already of this, the atmosphere in the city was thickening and it 
was not only
because of the near festival. Miyabe and the Higo clan in Kyoto? The Choshou 
clan, too? A 
lot of weapons had entered the city? Most likely they wouldn't hide their 
weapons only in
one place, the existence of a hide-out beside the Masu-ya suggested itself. This 
was well-
prepared and the events were too close to each other to be pure coincidence and 
be 
ignored. I stepped towards the exit
"I sense an conspiracy."

There was a threat in the air, we could only try to be the first to move and to 
wipe them 
out. Samura agreed with me
"Most definitely. The Choshou clan is planning something."

Stepping out of the dojo I found Okita sitting on the steps enjoying the late 
afternoon 
sun. He had my full attention and concentration when he stood up telling me what 
he knew; 
he had followed our exchange in the dojo
"Katsura is the leader of the Choshou clan?"

This was what we assumed due to our informant, but we could be wrong, one can 
never be 
fully rely on traitors. Being offered more money, they could easily change their 
mind. 
This men weren't loyal except to their own pleasure and greed.
"Probably."

Samura turned on his heels, he had made up his mind
"I will meet with Kondo."

Well, Kondo had to know what was going on, he would decide what to do.

"Saito-san? How much assistance can we expect from Hijikata-san?"

Okita had missed the last meeting with him and I informed him about Hjikata's 
decision.
"In a serious situation such as this he is willing to call on the Shinsen-Gumi"

"Do you think the assassin will attend this meeting?"

Okita was anxious to met the mysterious swordsman as much as I was. But I 
doubted it. 
An assassin on a political briefing? A tactical meeting?
"It's doubtful. Assassins are generally kept far from the inner workings of the 
clan. If 
they were to appear, what were you prepared to do about it, Okita-kun?"

"I would do as I was trained to do. I am a Tenen Rishin after all. What would 
you do?"

Inwardly I had to smile. Okita was right to give the question back. There was 
only one 
option, we all would react the same. Fight and kill. Live for our justice.
"A stupid question. Fools." 

Okita smiled as I admitted my mistake, he enjoyed my 'slips' seldom as they 
were. 

What could the Ishinshishi plan so short before the festival? It was a perfect 
occasion 
for attracting the attention of the population and to force them to notice their 
goals.
Moreover, the mass of foreign people gathering in the city gave them a good 
cover.

"The Gion's festival has began and the city will be filled with travellers and 
pilgrims. 
It is the perfect time for a disturbance. The terror of this night is 
inescapable."

Nodding his consent, Okita followed me back into the dojo, we had to continue 
the training
of our men.

****

When Samura had consulted with Kondo and Kondo had drawn his conclusions, he had 
commanded
us to a briefing. Finally we would be in the position to move against the 
rebellion, to 
fight the rebels. Hijikata was instructing us, while Kondo was sitting by his 
side.

"Okita, Heisuke and Toudou will accompany the captain. The rest of you: follow 
me.
Understood?" 
He made an appropriate pause to let this manifest in our minds. Obviously they 
weren't 
quite sure where the meeting would take place otherwise there would be no need 
to divide 
us. Hijikata gave his word to Kondo.

"Sir."
Imposing Kondo stood up, he knew how important this was for us. It was our time 
to prove 
Matsudaira that we deserved his trust in us to protect Kyoto, it was our time to 
fulfil 
our duty.

"We must thoroughly search every part of the Ikeda-ya this evening, gentleman." 
A Ryokan in the Kawara-district? I knew the place, it was very complicated area 
and for a 
successful attack we would need a lot of men to cover all corners and exits.

"We are engaged in battle now. Our foe must be dead or in chains by dawn. You 
will pay 
dearly for every man you overlook. I will see to it."

How long had we all waited for such an occasion? We were all filled with 
excitement being
in the position to act at last.

"Rise up! And fight!"

****

It had been bad luck that I had been assigned to Hijikata's group, we had went 
to the 
wrong place. But as soon as we realised it, we hurried over to the Ikedaya. The 
battle-
cries and the clashing of swords could already be heard some streets away and 
the noises 
made us speeding up. 

I just turned around the corner when I saw Okita dragging one of his man into 
the middle 
of the street, where he laid him down. He was followed by two Ischinshishi. They 
didn't 
even notice me as I passed them, driving my sword through their bodies, a second 
move 
backwards let them fall. Okita was still taking care of his man, and it didn't 
look like 
one man of the clan had been capable of escaping the Ikeda-ya alive.

Mechanically I flicked the blood from my blade. Had they found the ringleader of 
this 
conspiracy in the Ikeda-ya?

"Where is Katsura?"

The look in Okita's disappointed features told me enough.
"He is not here. The assassin wasn't inside either."

That Katsura hadn't been inside was a real nuisance, but that the assassin 
hadn't been 
here wasn't surprising. 

At last we had our hand on Miyabe, and with some encouragement from our side he 
might tell
us what we wanted to know. This was as good as having Katsura himself in our 
grasp.

From the corner of my eye I noticed a movement, but it was only Samura who came 
breathless 
around the corner running towards us.

"Saito-san!"

"What is it?"

"There are some of your men lying dead in the next street."

Annoying. 
Again I had lost some of my men, my best men. I exchanged one glance with Okita, 
assuring 
that he would take care of the situation in the Ikeda-ya and followed Samura to 
the scene.

They had already secured the place by standing around it, illuminating the 
surroundings 
with their lanterns. I crouched to examine the first man, he had exactly the 
same wounds 
as the corpses we had found in front of the stairs. The style was the same: the 
same 
precision, strength, speed and the same direction in which the blade had been 
lead. 

We had been wrong. The assassin was around. I felt his blood-thirst, his need to 
fight, 
his blade yearning for blood.

Sato was coming from the Ikeda-ya, and I stood up to hear his report.
"Katsura isn't here." 

This wasn't really news, Okita had already told me and Sato continued.
"It appears Miyabe committed seppuku." 

THIS was new. Miyabe had committed seppuku? How unfortunate. He would have been 
our chance
to reveal more about the rebel's plans and their organisation. Most likely he 
didn't endure
the thought of being questioned by us. What a coward.

"I see."

What was this? 
There was a presence and movement behind my back! 
Quickly I turned, only to see a man with a young woman in his hand vanishing 
behind the 
next corner. The white kimono the young woman was wearing reminded me of a 
ghost, and 
there was this scent again. White plum. Had it really been a man with a woman 
behind him?

"What's the matter?"

Even Sato had noticed my distraction, and the only thing I was sure of was this 
trace of a
fragrance. I had already smelled it the first time when I thought I had felt 
this hostile 
presence in the streets. White plums seemed to accompany this assassin as well 
as blood. 
It intermingled, was indistinguishable, it marked him, let him stand out against 
the other 
common murderers who were running lose on the streets.

"I thought I smelled white plums tree."

"But it's summer."

The thought that it was already summer never occurred on my mind, idiot.

"Yes, it might be blossoming out of season." I laid my hand on the hilt
of my sword. The metal parts felt cold. "The heat will kill them."

****

We were on the way home to our headquarters, exhausted from a night spent with 
fighting, 
killing and blood. And we were filled with pride that we had managed to prevent 
Kyoto 
being burned down to the ground. This night had been a satisfying one for us. 

People crossing our way made respectfully, fearfully place for us, these men and 
women 
weren't able to value our work. We protected them, but still they feared us. 
Well, that 
was the reason why another system wouldn't work in Japan.

The poor, uneducated people had to be protected from foreign influences, but in 
first 
place from themselves. The strongest would always rule this people, they feared 
too much 
for their own lives. For their own sake it was necessary to prevent the fall of 
the Bakufu
who cared for them. Innocent, honest people had no reason to fear us, it were 
the greedy, 
corrupt ones who had reason to evade, to hide from us. 

Stop. 

What was that? 

Among the crowed there was this presence again. 

It wasn't fear that surrounded him, it was pure hatred and hostility. Slowly I 
looked back
over my shoulder, narrowing my eyes at his sight. It was the first time I faced 
him 
consciously: the man with the straw-hat hiding his features, but he couldn't 
mask his 
strong ki. I allowed myself to meet his look and to smile. He was an interesting 
opponent 
for sure and one thing was clear: the next meeting was unavoidable for both of 
us. 
As I met his gaze, I knew he thought the same.

"What is it, Saito-san?" 

As always, Okita had felt my distraction and once more I wondered why he hadn't 
spot him.

"Nothing, Okita-kun." 

This wasn't the time for our fight, The right time would come, the time when I 
would 
challenge him and fight him. For such a fight the time and the place had to be 
right. 
Anticipation filled me, I looked forward to the time I would meet him and our 
swords would
cross at last.

This was the most thrilling part about interesting opponents: to wait, to 
observe, to hunt
down and finally to kill them. The thrill of the foreplay, the hunt itself was 
nothing 
compared to a quick fight and ending. I savoured this feeling, the control over 
my blood-
lust, the anticipation of a near prey, hunting it down and killing it at last. 
To execute 
the final sentence all men deserved who dared to cross my way and the way of the 
Bakufu: 
Death.

****

It took a long time before we faced the assassin again. For some time it had 
been quiet 
in Kyoto, the riots after the Ikeda-ya settled down and recently there had been 
no murders
committed by this mysterious swordsman. The school used now was different.

It seemed as if he had vanished, but as sensitive as I was to his presence, I 
knew he was 
still around. The winter passed and it was then, in spring, when we met once 
more. 

We were following some rebels we had startled and the streets were filled with 
yelling and
running men.

"I found them!" 
"The rebels are there!" 
"Get them!"

Suddenly it was quiet and from the silence I concluded that they had met an 
interesting 
opponent. I hurried into the direction I had heard the voices coming from the 
last time.

There they were, Okita was challenging the assassin. Okita was coughing blood, 
he wasn't 
in the condition to fight this man. Since this fateful night of the Ikeda-ya he 
was 
seriously ill. It was my turn, it was the time I had waited for the last months. 


The assassin had changed, he was different from before. His need to see blood 
had 
decreased. The wound in his face was accompanied by another, the wound in his 
soul 
undeniable.

Still he was beyond the skill of most of our men, they were no match for him, 
even Okita 
in his current stadium of illness wouldn't be able to defeat him. Although I 
felt Okita's 
sword yearning for the blood of this man, it was my time to fight him, the day I 

had savoured. 

Maybe this would be my chance. The most interesting opponent I had ever faced 
stood in 
front of me. Mugai swords-school would defeat him, I would be able to show him 
that I was
better than him.

"Okita, stand back."
Okita looked astonished at me, he still underestimated me and my sharp senses. 
He couldn't
fool me. Did he really think he could hide his illness from me?

"You are ill, you can't fool my eyes."
He stepped back, still stunned at the fact that he couldn't hide anything from 
me.

"I'm very sensitive to the smell of blood."

Okita lowered his sword and stepped out off the way, and I faced Battousai at 
last. Using 
my Gatotsu, I could defeat him, could clean this city of this man who had caused 
so much 
trouble for us, who had been a living threat for our politicians. He had killed 
so many 
important members of the Bakufu, but the time was nigh. The time for my justice.

What was his fighting style like? He was more patient and younger than I had 
assumed. Concentrated he sheathed his sword, it was perfect, just perfect. He 
had 
recognised that I was not one of his average opponents and he would give his 
best in our 
first and last fight. There was nothing that could resist my sword and my 
technique. In 
contrast to him I had seen the direction and force his style used, he knew 
nothing of
mine. 

First stance. His eyes narrowed.

Now.

"Go."



~END~



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

SOO, what do you think? Please be gentle, I'm sensible =^^=.
Oh, let us see if my pre-readers were right: They told me I wouldn't get many 
reviews 
for it... and actually I really don't expect many.

started: May 10th 2002
finished: May 20th 2002
edited by Morgane: June 24th 2002
first posted: June 26th 2002



Mara