(So, this is a Tsukuyo fanfic. The OC is a female, but this is not yuri. This is just friendship. The OC is named Mariko.)

Chapter 01: Running away and then meeting someone special

I'm nearly in my 20's, and I work at the Shinsengumi. But the place that I work isn't all that great.

"Ah, what a wonderful wind!~" I said kind of loudly. But just then, one of the Shinsengumi members heard me and gave me weird look. And it was Okita Sougo.

"Eh? The wind's not that nice. It's just wind."

I started to get mad, as usual to him. Because he's my least favorite Shinsengumi member. He would say something that's really obvious or ridiculous, and it would get on my nerves.

"Do you really have to say the obvious?" I asked.

Okita then looked at me with a grin. "Yes."

I then ran off to do my duty. Just then, Yamazaki accidentally bonked into me.

Yamazaki was surprised. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mariko-San! I didn't see you!" Yamazaki was one of the only members who wasn't a bastard to me. I gave him a tiny smile and replied to him.

"It's okay, Yamazaki. I'm just frustrated as usual."

He then asked me with a curious face. "Is Okita annoying you again?"

I nodded my head. Yamazaki then frowned his eyes, but gave me kind of a smile at me. I asked him when I was confused at something.

"Do you know how Okita got a job here?" Yamazaki shrugged his shoulders, and said "I don't".

I was doing some paper work, and wrote down stuff about the Shinsengumi. I actually live in the Shinsemgumi place because I don't have a real home. But sometimes I wished I didn't live here. I see the doors open in front of me, and there was Hijikata.

"Oi, Mariko. Are you about done with those papers?" He asked me while he lit up a cigarette.

I answered honestly, "Just about. I just got about...6 more pages, I guess."

Hijikata had given me a look where he looks mad, but not exactly. "Well, hurry up. We got a situation at the Edo Host Palace."

Him telling me to hurry up didn't make any sense, because I'm not a member who is actually a police officer. I'm a member who does paper work.

I had thought with an angry face. I don't see why I have to go with them if I'm not an officer.

I was finally done with my work and followed Hijikata to the police car. He told me to get in on the passenger's side, which I did anyways. The two other policemen, Yamazaki and Okita, were in the back seat. It sometimes makes me imagine them going to jail.

But just then, Okita decided to say an idiotic thing to me. "Hey, Mariko, when we get to the case, don't show off your cleavage."

I was really angry that time and I yelled at him.

"AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE TALKING TO ME LIKE THAT, YOU SMARTASS!"

I was on my nerves, but Hijikata turned and looked at me and mad. And had said, "Mariko, dont yell right near my ear! I'm driving!"

I was turning red for embarrassment, and had apologized.

A few minutes later, we were at the case, and saw more than 5 women in front of 'Edo Host Palace'. At first, I thought we were at the wrong place, but then, a young woman was yelling at Hijikata and another Police officer.

"Why are you Shinsengumi here? What the hell did we do?"

Hijikata then explained to the woman. "Shut up. We're arresting you for being a prostitute outside of the Host Palace."

None of the things made any sense to me.

"HUH? First of all, we're always in the Host Palace and second of all, I'm not even a prostitute, you dumbass!" the woman had yelled at him very violently.

Just as soon as she said that, Hijikata then grabbed her by the arm and pulled her over to the car. I then, without thinking, ran to Hijikata and talked to him for a minute.

"Hijikata! Didn't you hear what she said? She's not even a prostitute!"

He turned at me very fast, and this time, he looked really pissed off.

"And how do youknow? You weren't here before we came."

I balled my fists, and yelled. "Can't you tell by how she's dressed? Does she looklike a prostitute to you?" I couldn't hold my anger at the Shinsemgumi any longer, so I finally gave it out.

Hijikata had then let one of the officer's hold the woman, and was coming forward to me. I was a bit scared of what he was going to do, but I still had an angry look on my face. He came towards me until he was almost a foot in front of me. But just then, he slapped my right on the face.

I felt my cheek after he'd slap me. I looked at him in the eyes, and his mouth finally opens to speak.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that. We're on duty here. Don't embarrass me in front of the other officers, you hear me?"

I was still looking at him, but I gave him an angry look the second time, and this time, I confessed him about me working for the Shinsengumi.

"Grrrrr...THAT DOES IT! I'VE HAD IT! I'VE TRIED TO NOT SAY THIS FOR SO LONG, BUT NOW I'M AT MY BREAKING POINT!"

Hijikata looked shocked at me. So did the others.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK OF ALL OF YOU? YOU ALL TREAT ME LIKE SHIT! YOU'D FORCE ME TO COME WITH YOU EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT AN OFFICER! I'VE EVEN DONE NICE THINGS TO YOU, AND YOU STILL DON'T RESPECT ME!"

I started to have small tears in my eyes, but I didn't care. I just had to say what I really feel.

"And guess what, Hijikata Toshirou? I fucking quit! I'm not in the Shinsemgumi anymore!" I turned to Okita after Hijikata.

"And you, Okita Sogou. What is your problem? Why do you always have to insult me when I've never done anythingto you? Even when I say it's a beautiful day, you would say it's not that beautiful!"Okita didn't flinch. He just stood there with a straight face.

I turned my back towards the rest of the Shinsengumi. And said one more thing before I left them for good.

"And here's another thing. I don't want to see any of you again!"

I then started to walk, but Hijikata said something to me so darkly. "You...How dare you...you're going to commit sepukku (suicide)!" I felt scared back then, but decided to run.

Okita then says to Hijikata, "Don't worry, Hijikata-San. I got it."

I heard some sort of bomb, and then realized that it came from Okita's weapon. It was like a missile coming towards me, and I had to run as fast as I could. I

I managed to dodge it, but the explosive made me fly and land on the ground, roughly. Amazingly, I got up and kept running.

Hijikata said to Okita, "Let her go. She doesn't want us anymore."

I was running non-stop for, maybe, a half and hour. Suddenly, my throat was starting to dry up. It was probably because I haven't been drinking any water since morning. But it didn't stop me. I just kept running. I had then realized that I wasn't in Edo anymore. And I had also noticed that nobody was following me.

After knowing that I wasn't being followed, I had a small smile, because I've had enough of working for the Shinsengumi. I was breathing really heavy. I took a break from running, and instead, I was walking.

I was thinking of where I could live, but I figured that I wouldn't have a home.

I feel like I'm homeless. I don't really...have anywhere else to go. Perhaps I'm just gonna keep walking to somewhere I don't know.

After going into a village I didn't know, I started to feel more than a bit dizzy. I was slouching a bit, and could barely walk. I put my left hand on a building. But not even that could help me stay standing up.

I don't feel so good. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast.

Sweat was starting to come down from my face. Then, my vision was so blurry, that I could barely see my hands.

Just then, I fainted. I was once again breathing heavily.

A few moments after I fainted, I heard footsteps coming towards me. My vision was barely clearing up, but I saw some sort of pair of boots right in front of me. I knew it was a woman because it looked like the kind of boots a female would wear. But I didn't bother to look up to see who it was, because I felt extremely weak, so I kept my head down.

But I felt like I was being picked up. I thought, Huh? Is someone...helping me?

I kept my eyes closed since it felt like my eyelids were too heavy to open. It felt like an angel was carrying me. Tears then came out of my eyes.

The next morning, I finally managed to open my eyes. And all of a sudden, I was in this room I've never been in before. I opened my eyes widely.

Just as I woke up, I was in this room wear kimono. And then, a woman came into the room. She brought up s tray of food, put it down, and she sat down. She looked at me with a smile on her face. And said to me...

"You're finally awake."

This was my very first series. So I've decided to start off with Tsukuyo just because she's my favorite female character in Gintama. A lot of fanfics that I've read are about romance, which made me figure that I should write something about friendship. It's not that I don't like romance, just so you know. Sorry Okita fans, but I don't really like Okita anymore. Hope you can forgive me for making the OC hate him. ^^"

Even thought I wrote this, I kind of feel bad for Mariko, since she doesn't really have a home. T^T Plus, most of the Shinsengumi members are total idiots to her.

Original published date: Dec. 2nd, 2011